The Portland daily press., 1869-04-28
THE DomlNION OF OANADA,

| sfhEcH OF HON. MR.. GALT-INDEAINITY CLAIM
ED ON ACCOUNT OF THE FENIAN INVASION.
OTTAWA, April 26.--In the House of Com
mons TINS afternoon Hon. Mr. Gait introduced
nls notlon respecting Fenian raids as givine
| grounds Tor claims by Canada against th,
| Uhlted States, and spoke an hour in support o
| IT, he did not believe Chandler in his recent
| speech reflected the sentiment of the people o.
America. If England could for an instant en-
tertaln such monstrous proposition as to trans
fer the Dominion to the United States he
| thought he would be perfectly justified in say.
| ing ON behalf of that House and the people Of
| Canada, they would be no parties to such a
| transfer. loud cheers).
He regretted that the United States Senate
| did not adopt the Alabama treaty, which would
| have settled the whole business. He asserted
| that Canada did her duty during the late civi;
war in America. and might be proud Of her
record as good neighbor; 10000 Canadian
served in the army of the Union. He defend
ed the course OF the Canadian officials in tbe
ol. A,Dans RAD. by reason of the American
900 to $500,0Q0, '-- WV
ne concluded as follows: Look now at the
other side OF the picture. He would ask what
was tne course OF the United States towards
Oanada. He was sorry to say that any one in
ferrlng from the tone held by their press and
puDllc men during the period referred to- would
nave acknowledged it was most severe and un-
warranted. They threatened Canada with re-
taiiation for acts which she never committed.
Early in the war our intercourse OF trade rela-
tiOns became embarrassed and hopeless nv
consuPs certificates and variety of other
forms tending to make the interchange of per-
sons and property with the United States ey
pensive and difficult. When the war was end
ed from one end of the United States to the
other, IN an tne principal cities, armed men
were publicly drilled with the ayowed object
OF capturing Canada. 1t was not discounte-
nanced by the United States Government
as mlgnt have been expected. It was
TACT Tor month, aye, for a year, that
an organization of the most formidable charac-
70 ser was IN tne States, armed, he would not say
rom tne arsenals of tee United States, but
certainly having United States arms, and
drilled by United States officers, held public
meetings, in which they stated their object to
pe the invasion and cOnquering of Canada,
They entered the Provinces III armed bands by
thousands, and not from any want of will on
their part, but simply want of power, they
failed to deluge the western peninsula with
blood. When the invasion was over then and
not till then did the United States government
stretch out hand to help Canada. Was there
no injustice there? Were not these claims
quite as strong morally as any the United
States goyernment could bring against Great
Britain?
have noticed the friendly attitude Of the
United States government, Mr.. Gait went on
TO say, and if there is any meaning in their
dltion OF Canada difficult, unpleasant and dan
gerous TO England and Canada The United
States repealed the Reciprocity Treaty and
refused to negotiate for its continuance, i'm
posed additional restrictions on commerce, and
Judging by the tone of the press were likely to
persevere in so doing. The course of the Uni
ted States government appeared to be dictated
by a deslle to bring about the humiliation of
England through her dependencies on this
continent but he did not believe the plan
would succeed England would not for mo.
ment give way, and the people of Canada
would sustain her to man, having repduiated
the idea that the policy of Great Britain to-
ward the Dominion was one of abandonment.
Mr.. Gait closed amid loud cheers,
Mr.. Cartwright and Col. Geary followed in a
similar strain,
MONTREAL, April ga large fleet of schoon-
ers have arrived from the lower port
Lake St Peter is clear of ice. The wharyes
are still covered with two feet of water
Ihls is the second week of the printers
strike and the men seem more determined than
ever. ComRositors have been telegraphed to
come from England.
OTTAWA, April 27.-In the House of Com
mons to-day Mr.. Keeler asked whether the
government intended to enforce similar taxes
ana duties upon American vessels trading at
canadian ports as are levied on Canadian YES
se:s trading at American ports.
Mr.. Rose said the matter was under consid
GRAFTON. The government don't pledge them
selves to any particular line of policy
In reply to an inquiry by member, Mr.. Nc
Dougal said it would be impossible to supply
the Welland canal with water from Lake Erie
until August.
Mr.. Coffin inquired whether the government
intended to place an armed force on the coast
OF the Dominion to prevent American fisher
men from fishing in Canadian waters during
the coming season,
The Premier said he understood the Admi-
raj IN command had considerable armed force
on the ground for the purpose of protecting
the fisheries, but desired Mr.. Coffin to allow
the question to stand