The Portland daily press., 1867-01-14
Letter from Canada West. ~
ANNEXATION OF CANADA"
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To THE EDITOR OF THE PRHss:
\ I have had too much to do with editorial and
newspaper life, not to know that he is unwise
who provokes controversy with an editor in
his own columns. With this impression fixed
in the mind, would stoutly insist in the out
set that, in what have to say below in opposi-
ton to certain editorial statements in the Press
do not intend or desire controversy, only a
correct statement of existing facts. U+
will begin then by saying, that after nearly
years intercourse with the people of Canada
Wes., and not few opportunities for becom-
ing acquainted with the feeling and spirit of
her people toward our own country Twas panied
to see in the Press of Dec. 18th, in an article
on the Annexation of Canada" /" language like
the following:
If it were possible, without trepanning a
score or more of Canadian Journalists, to beat
it into their heads that the American people
are not just now thinking or caring very much
about them, in any way, and are BY no means
longing for their frozen territory with its mon
grel races associated like Oil and water it would
be worth while to attempt the feat. There is
nothing in the territory Of the Provinces to ex-
cite our cupidity. We have quite as much ter
ritory of our own already, as we want. There
is nothing in the character Of the Provincials to
excite our affection to any ungovernable pitch.
We are not drawn towards the French Cana
dians OF Lower Canada, or the British snobs of
the Upper Province.
dare say many Canadian editors would suf-
fer no Intellectual loss by the surgical operation
above suggested, and it is equally evident to
my mind that all American editors are not free
from the weakness that is so justly rebuked on
this side of the boundary. But from quite an
extensive acquaintance with Canadian editors,
do not hesitate to pronounce the above whole
sale judgment unjust if not unkind. The pa
pers of Toronto, Hamilton, London, Sarnia,
and other Canada West cities, In point of tai
ent and enterprise, will compare favorably with
those of cities of similar size in the States.
That the people Of Canada should think there
are some attempts being made to carry annexa-
ton by fraud and lying, is not to be wondered at
when such papers as the New York Herald
TEEN with detailed accounts of public annexa-
ton meetings in this Province accounts man
ufactured from whole cloth, as probably the
man is not living who ever attended such a
meeting, at least in the Western part of the
Province. The total indifference to a neighbor-
ing gProvince,-popalous, intelligent and some
what enterprising,-impied in the above ex-
tract, permit me to suggest, would be much
more honored in the breach than in the obsery-
ance.
The traces" which make up Canada West
are no more "mongreP' than those making up
large and populous portions of our own coun-
try, while the "British snobs of the Upper
Province" so far as my observation has extend
ed, as class, would be an honor to any coun-
try. All through Canada West a free school
system prevails, patterned after New England !;
the freedom of speech and of the press Is per-
feet; the laws are liberal and wise; the pull
pits-nearly all Protestant-are free and often
occppied by men of distinguished talents; the
Bar takes high stand; the Judges generally
are proyerbal for their infexible integrity. and
never, in all my life, have seen a people more
observant OF laws, or among whom crime seems
to be less prevalent. 1t is notorious also, that
wealth and position do not screen from the
just punishment Of crime as they often do with
us in the United States
With hundreds of the people have freely in
terchanged opinions, and have yet, in a ten
months sojourn, to hear the first unkind word
Of the neighboring republic, except in q few
instances from the mouth Of ignorance or abso-
lutte stupidity. The truth is, the people are
like our own people.-of the same language,
of the same common religion, of the same orr
gin, of the same general pursuits, and no more
bigoted or prejudiced. True, they love their
own country and love their Government, and,
as a gentleman remarked the other day at q
political dinner, for him to speak slightly Of the
Government which protected him and Of which