The Portland daily press., 1868-08-04
Canadian Affairs.

The Canadian papers are good deal occu-
pied with the present Ministerial pilgrimage
to the Maritime provinces. La Minerre says
the object of Sir George Carriers visit to
Halifax is merely to organize the militia of
Nova Scotia under the new law. But the
general opinion seems to be that he Is to aid
Sir John A. Macdonald and his confreres in
placatiug the excited Nova Scotians. II
the latter can resist the Establishments Of
these two experien ced leaders, it is more
than most politicians in Canada can do.
Many OF the Canadian journals openly avow
that the plan is to buy up Mr.. Howe and his
adherents with offices, the government hav-
ing no faith in any general disunlon senti-
ment among the people strong enough to
hold out, if these powerful leaders can only
be silenced. We incline to think they may
find themselves mistaken in this and that
even it they should succeed in naming a
price high enough to buy all the repeal lead
ers it might prove dear bargain for all par
ties. There are many things going to show
that the people are much in earnest on this
question. They have been tricked iLto the
should now be tricked out OF their hopes of
early redress by the venalrty of Messrs.
Howe, Armand and others, it would not be
likely to induce more quiet condition OF
things. And without assigning to these men
any higher standard OF honor than is held by
men in general, we do not believe they can
be bought. Such a bargain would be too
open, too shameless. They have themselves
declared that 10 desert the cause in which
they are engaged "would now be cowardce"
They could not hope to escape the contempt
of any party, either of those they would be-
tray or teose to whom they would sell them
selves. 1t is much more likely that the Ca
madam Ministers have gone to Nova Scotia
in the hope that as the Parliament of the
Province meets in few days, they may, by
their presence and influence, so modify the
action of that body as to prevent an immedi-
ate outbreak, and so gain time for discussion
and perhaps for concession.
In the meantime the following. which we
cut from the Montreal Herald, may serve to
show how the thing is talked about in the
Dominion journals:
Sir John A. Macdonald, Mr.. John Sand
field Macdonald, and DIR. Upper, C. B., are
now upon their way to Halifax to make those
inquiries into the best mode OF softening the
the Nova Scotian feeling, which were so fre-
quently spoken OF and promised in the Par
llamentary debates of the two English
Houses. They have not read the history of
the Scotch and Irish Unions for nothing, and
their own practice in the Provinces has left
them in no doubt as to the strength OF GER
tain arguments which have been fouud ire
| sistible with intelligent patriots elsewhere.
| Now is the time therefore or the Nova SEQ
| tian members to calculate what they are
worth and how much they will take to aban-
don all the pledges on which they were elect
ed last year. As they are very badly wanted,
| we recommend therfnot to fix the figure too
low. The lntercolonial Railway and various
arrangements of that sort will afford splendid
| opportunities, which ought hot to be careless
| ly thlOwn away, and whether they are ever
returned again by their pleased or displeased
| constituents will be a matter of small conse
quence ii only they make proper use OF the
present occasion. The plan is certainly a
| great deal more pleasant, and may, it is like
| ly, be found also great deal more eficacious
| than the Chinese mode Of making a great
deal OF noise and putting on ugly masks in
| order to quell resistance. We have very lit
| tie mole doubt indeed that the British Gov
ernment has let it 10 be understood that
Nova Scotia must, as the phrase goes, be con-
ciliated.
The constancy of the Nova Scotians to
their past professions is likely TO be tired by a
fire in which resolution has been often found
to melt away even mole rapidly than in the
inrnace OF persecution. The donkey who
could not be persuaded by the most persist
ent battery in the rear, advanced readily
when bunch OF carrots was suspended from
pole in advance OF his snout, carried always
ahead OF him, as he continually rushed tor
ward TO seize the prize. Unless we misealcu-
late the signs of the times, that is the ma
neuvre TO be tried, not so much upon the
the recusant Province, or more properly, per-
| hapS, OF their leaders.