The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-03-18

of the crimes, that Pennsyiyania wiIf at ali
| to the laws"
The Debate in the Commons on the
Canadian Confederation,
OUR file of foreign exchanges bv the Africa
brings us an account in full of the debate in
the House of Commons on the erection of an
independent kingdom out of the Canadian
Provinces. AS we cannot but feel interested
at the prospect of the creation of new
monarchy on American soil. we will call atten-
ton to those parts of the speeches of John
Bright and Mr.. Watkins which relate to the
attitude of the United States and the Provinces.
Mr.. Bright approved the bill to make Canada
kingdom His speech deals in that plain
logic which has secured for him so high
reputation as the cleverest and most cogeut
speaker in England. He proceeded to argue
in opposition to the theory that the passage of
the confederation scheme would place the
Provinces in position to defend themselves,
and heartily ridiculed the idea that the United
States wanted Canada, in the FIRST place; and,
secondly, if we really did want her, that the
feeble fortresses of the Confederation could
act as barrier
81 believe there is no greater delusion than TO
suppose that on the part OF the United States
there is any wish TO make any aggression on
Canada, or 10 annex Canada by force. America
has no idea of anything of the kind. No Anne
rican statesman and no American party
dreams OF an aggression on Canada, or of unneG-
aTthing You spend V on f0rtresses and eyery every
other expenditure you incur with the idea of
shutting out American aggression, is money
squandered from a hallucination which you
ought to get rid Of Even if the expenditure did
not proceed from a delusion of that sort, it
because, If the United States entertained the design
20hich 'ndny attributed 70 them tgo gears ago,
object in Uie,O"
Mr. Bright is emphatically right. 1t
would not be desirable to accept
Canada as free gift with her
mongrel population, her lack of energy,
and her limitations of Great Britain. Such an
addition would only tend to degrade the dig
nifty of the States. We want no feeble pro-
vinces tied on to us. All of the States are self
sustaining, jealous ftheir rights, and filled with
a generous emulation. The annexation of
Canada; by increasing the population of
the Union, would put her to new
expense, without receiving an adequate
compensation. If we actually did deter
mine to annex our neighbors, surely the
erection of a few scattered batteries and the
sturdy army of $1,000 men would not long
delay US. In truth, the wisest statesmen of
Great Britain do not care for Canada. Mr..
Bright, who is a thorough Englishman, de-
clares:-'For my part, want the population
of those countries to do what they consider
best for their own interests-to remain with
this country if they like, to become an indie
pendent State if they like, and struggle for
career of utility and glory or, If they think 1t
better to anner themselves to the United States, l
should not complain even of that.''
In reply to the address of Mr.. Bright, Mr..
Watkins endeavored to secure the success of
the bill by appealing to British jealousy of
the United States, and after granting what
every man of common sense knew, that Canada
could not stand by itself-it must either be
British or American, under the crown or
under the Stars and Stripes, he proceeded to
make the rather astonishing assertion that the
moment Canada passed into the hands of the
United States, they would ''become the greatest
naval power in the world" We are at a loss
W sec, very ClSdIly, uOW Iue duulllOu VI
Canada could so materially affect our naval
power Mr.. Watkins says that we would have
one thousand miles of coast added. Surely
we have quite enough coast to develOpe
our maritime power without the annexation Of
Baffns' Bay and the Gulf of Newfoundland.
In concluding his speech he paid high COM
pliment to the patriotism of the citizens of
America, and asked:-'And what was the
principle upon which the United States actedl
If any portion of the territory of the Union
was touched, was there one of its citizens who
would not be ready and forward to defend it {?
Should we, then, be less determined to main
! tain intact the greatness and the glory OF the
British empire2"
1t is not our vanity which assures us we
| are the greatest nation in the world, when we
see that our bitterest and most powerful rival
must be urged in its national Legislature to an
emulation of the patriotism and power of the
United States The debate, which was con-
tinued atlength, developed the probability o.
the passage of the Confederation scheme at an
early day, despite the opposition OF the
Liberals.