The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-03-31
Canada and Annexation.

Canada and Annexation.
From the ". Y. Times.
Mr.. Cudlip's resolution in favor OF annex
ing New Brunswick to the United States has
been declared "treasonable," and ignomini-
ously ''refused place on the notice book"
Let Mr.. Cudlip bde his time. New Bruns-
wick is not the whole dominion; most GER
tainly as regards the disposition to ''gravitate
towards the United States," New Brunswick
is not Nova Scotia. Rome was not built in
day, nor can the formation Of our "ocean-
bound republic" of the future be wisely pre-
cipitated.
But IL to resolve annexation be reasonable,
clearly II is not treason to talk it. The Lon
don Tines itself, which holds that the Con-
federation movement Of the provinces makes
them ''more free than ever to dispose them
selves as they please" declares now that ''if
the mass of the people should hereafter desire
to enter the American Union, England will
assuredly not lift finger to prevent it," Is
this presentiment of Canadian annexation in
the future a general one in England 1t
should seem so, since the Times declares that
its opponents on the Confederation question
also hold that 'the territory must be absorbed
sooner or later by the United States"
Americans sometimes are ridiculed, aud
Oftener ridicule themselves, for manifest
destiny" infation--a thirst for territorial ac-
QUESTION. But it is not in the United States
that this subject is most talked about. To
find the manifest-destiny fever running highest
we must 60 to the press of Canada and Mexico,
which countries stand half hoping half dread
ing, and altogether certain to be annexed, and
to that of Great Britain and France, which
have made up their minds to annexation as
something inevitable. 1t is the London
Tines itself which exhorts us to seize Mexico,
and which dimly hints at the Canadians "gra-
vitating towards the United States by natu-
raI Lar oy,1 o1 Iox 30 A1a I,
oentripetal force.' Mr.. Reverdy Johnson's
after-dinner speech to the British Colonial
Society, suggesting that ''some of the colonies
which now fourished under the dominion of
her Majesty might, in the process of time, md
themselves under the Stars and Stripes" I"
was received without any indignant protest.
The papers that commented on the speech
took the prospect of annexation, some with
grim, Indian-like fortitude, others with more
Indian-like reticence, and some on the opti-
mistic theory that it would be just as well,
for all parties, to let Canada go.
The British tourists in Canada are, how
ever, the most outspoken advocates of an
nexation, and the most cheerful and confident
prophets of its happy results to everybody.
Take, for example, Mr.. Frederick Whymper,
who declares, "That it is the destiny of the
United States to possess the whole Northern
Continent, fully believe" This writer, so
Ear from doubling or deprecating such an
issue, declares "We shall be released from an
inoumbrance, source of expense and posi-
BILE weakness; they (the provinces) freed from
the trsmmels of periodical alarms of invasion,
and feeling the strength of independence, will
develop and grow; and speaking very plainly
and to the point-our commercial relations
with them will double and quadruple them
selves in value" It would be easy to cite
similar advice from dozens of intelligent Eng
lsh tourists.
Now, the noticeable point in these ant
similar utterances occurring every day is th
drift of public sentiment. There has been
wondrous change in this respect within tel
years. Formerly, the talk of speedily Cab
sorbiDg' Canada was INDUCED mainly by
enthusiasts; now we find a general, indistinct
but powerful impression prevailing every
where that annexation at some day is inevita
BILE. Formerly, very few people believed il
the wisdom of annexation; now, Englishmel
themselves are arguing its advantages.
The lesson is obvious. Ten years henc
that which is now possibility may have be
come an actuality-a happy and pacific con
summation to which Great Britain, British
America, and the United States may have al
with equal alacrity lent their hands. Fo
that very reason the talk of "conquerinI
Canada" in war, Of buying it for a hundre,
millions in peace, Of giving it over as pre-.
to Fenians, and the like, is all gratuitous
Canada must come to us, if at all, by the fre
consent of her people and ours. 1t is frui
that is not to be gathered till it falls ripe t
the soil.