Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-10-08

Politically the people Of the Dominion are
divided into three classes. The hrst class
surprises those who support tie present Con
federation and allegiance TO Great Britain
Another division is made up of those who Ia
vor Canadian independence. The third Is
the party Of annexation. The first DIVISION
doubtless, contains at present considerable
majority of the people. The party Of indie
peldence is active and apparently growing
The annexationists are feeble in number, and
still feebler in influence There is certain
reproach cast upon those who advocate union
with the States that seals the lips OF all who
cannot afford to defy public opinion. Nor Is
this circumstance altogether lnexplicapie'
Annexation il certainly incompatible with an
exclusive love for Canada as sovereign
State 1t smacks Of undue admiration for
the United States. of an eager prostration be
fore powerful rival And vet it is easy to
see how a patriotic Canadian. one who has
more regard for the substantial welfare OF the
pegple of Canada than for Canada as a rohl'
cal abstraction. can conscientiously flvor an
nexation. But the fact remains that doc
trines Of this kind are unpopular over the
line and that those who hold item are apias-
emily few.
The great contest is now between the
friends Of independence and those who cling
to the present order of things. The former
are in General the young men OF Canada,
those Of boldness and enterprise, who regret
the waning affection of the mother country,
but would not have Canada wait to be driven
from the parental household by hard-hcart-
ed plrent. The latter are the conservatives
who dread change and are tazzled by the
grandeur of the British Empire. They
would gladly kneel at the British throne ana
kiss the foot that Is raised to spurn them
from its protecting shadow. The line be-
tween these two parties is the usual one be-
tween radicalism and conservation, or pro-
gress and stagnation. Both deprecate an
nexation The independents are particularly F.
Jealous il disclaiming any connection with .
that scheme. They wan. allegiance to Meth .
er the United States nor Great Britain, but /
indeu.nderce. No Canadian attacks annex /
alton more vigorously than the Hon /. $ .
Huntington who is the leading advocate OF .
inderendence. lie woald have alliances with /
all governments. union with none. Never .
,heless the defenders ofthe present re1i'ae md
that the most successful way to fight the
scheme Of independence i by holding up To +
the PEOPLE the bugbear Of annexation. Can
adam autonomy cannot be maintained for
a year. say they. The thing is an impossi-
biIity. By the time that We get fairly start
ed on our new enterprise we shall be ready
TO drop like ripe apple into the out
stretched arms of our neighhors. The aTSl-
ment is a difficult one FOR the independents to
answer. They can protest against it but
they cannot satisfactorily reply TO it,
In fact the objection is unansweuhle. Tie .
opponents of Independence certainly haze tie .
best logic. We do not see how Canadian ln
can he long maintained, II it be
attempted. Many who advocate it are am
nexationists at heart but the sincere
friends of independence are earnestly hostile .
to union with the United States. They .
laugh at the idea of annexation They ou.o- .
gi-e Canadian Republic and Cauadian
flag with an enthusiasm that h'noIs their
hearts If no; their heads. We hope these .
men may succeed in establishing their prem
Use. because We believe chat the result vii.
be widely different from what they nt'c'-
ra-c. The rapid growth oi the independence
sentiment affords good grounds FIR that hope