The Portland daily press., 1868-02-18
Dominion of Canada.
A NEW VIEW OF RECIPROCITY NOVA SEQ
TIAN MATTERS,

A NEW VIEW OF RECIPROCITY NOVA SEQ
TIAN MATTERS.
| Some weeks since we had occasion to com
ment on the opinion expressed by Halifax
| paper that renewal of the Reciprocity ar
rangement was undesirable for Canada as
paving the way for annexation. The writer
seemed to think that little taste of free
trade with this country would be likely to
create hankering for the whole loaf-that
such Indulgence in the coquetries of COM
merce could not fall to lead to closer union !;
and therefore he would build Chinese wall
of non-intercourse round the precious Do
minion aud seclude her entirely from the
amorous advances of beguiling Uncle SAM
We did not think it necessary to point ont
the utter futity of this plan, as every person
of ordinary observation is aware that bolts
and bars have seldom been very efticacious
| in keeping those apart whom true love i'm
| PEELED to unite; but we are a good deal amaz-
ed to find another Halifax paper of the 10y
ar stripe bitterly denouncing the course of
| the Repeal agitators on the ground that they
are damaging the cause of Reciprocity. AZ
| ter pointing out how severely the Americans,
by the abrogation Of the treaty cut their own
fingers while they have only benefited their
neighbors, this paper, the Evening Express,
says:
Last year they 1.-THE Americans) had awalz-
ened partially to the reality of their condition,
and, as we all know, only failed to break Off
| the commercial letters by q very small ma
| jority in Congress. Since that time the effect
has only been intensifying ITSELF and no one
| entertained the shadow of doubt but that
| an earnest effort would be made this Session
to renew in some shape a Reciprocity Treaty
with these Provinces. 1t seems, however,
| that fhs prospect is again couded, and that
the attitude assumed by the Anti Union
party in Nova Scotia win prevent Congress
from meddling with the subject at all during
the present session. The Interpretation the
! Americans put upon the attitude of this
party is, that if Repeal is refused, they are
ready for insurrection, and that an immediate
demand will be made for Annexation to the
| United States. They believe that Repeal
means sediton, and they will therefore be
content to await the result for another year,
| at any rate.
Here's muddle surely Reciprocity must
be avoided because it may lead to Annexa-
tion; and at the same time the Repeaers who
are known to coyly favor Annexation, have
struck q deadly blow at Reciprocity. We
don't pretend to understand it, nor are we
able to see, precisely why, if the benefits of
Reciprocity are all on our side and we are
the only sufferers from the abrogation of the
treaty the cause of the Repealers should
give our neighbors so mnch anxiety on this
| score They must be credited with a vast
amount OF unselfsh solicitude on our ac-
| count.
| The resolutions in favor of Repeal have
been introduced into the Legislature OF Nova
Scotia. They set forth the case of the dis
contented Province very much in the man
ner which had been previously indicated.
declare that the Union is not obligatory on
the people of Nova Scotia, and authorize
petition to the Queen informing Her Majesty
that Her loyal people of Nova Scotia do not
desire TO be in any manner Coniederated
! with Canada and praying Her Majesty to re-
yoke her Proclamation and to cause the Brit
ish North American Act to be repealed so far
as it regards the Province of Nova Scotia"
They will undoubtedly be passed by large
majority and then we shall be ready for the
next act of the drama.