The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-04-24
CANADA AND THE ALABAMA CLAIMS.

From the Chicago Tribune
Senator Chandler has continued his previous
fame, without material modification enhance
ment, by characteristic speech, proposing that
the Government of the United States offer to
Great Britain to accept the Dominion of Canada
in full settlement for all claims against Great
Britain arising ont of the depredatOns of her
pirates. The first objection to this plan is that
it is not payment. Leave the Canadas alone for
a few years, cease shaking your fist at them
and they will seek annexation of their own
accord In other words, we shall get them for
nothing. Senator Chandler's scheme is as if a
man had caught willy old plunderer robbng
his sheep pen, and should offer to compromise
by marrying his daughter. He seems to over
look the chief point in the problem, viz.:-That
the population OF Canada are entitled like our
selves and like the people of England to exercise
self-government. They are not mere chattels to
be sold like quadroon slaves to pay the debts of
theirparent At present, and for many years, they
have exercised this right as fully as perhaps
any people on earth, and as fully, at all events
as they wish. The authority of England is
nominal barely sufficient to extend over the
Canadas the protection of the British name
They have no debt except that incurred for their
own internal Improvement, and their taxes are
exceedingly light. Their six per cent securities,
instead of selling, like ours, at such a discount
as to make their rate OF interest over eight per
cent, usually sell at sufficient premium to re-
duce their rate of interest to four and half per
cent. For many years they have manifested
devotion TO the substantial independence they
on England as unanimous and hearty as even
the Northern and loyal portion of our own people
have shown towards our republic. If 1t were
freely put to vote tomorrow whether they
should remain with Great Britain or be annexed
TO the United States Mr. Chandler must
know that only small proportion of the popu-
lation would now vote for annexation.
Nevertheless the feeling in favor of anneXa-
tion is increasing and will continue to in
crease, unless killed off by the speeches of
thoughtless and inconsiderate persons like
Chandler. The anneXationists of the maritime
provinces are "A strong and aggressive party, and
| their influence is already making an impression
on the Canadas. Assuming, however, as we
safely may, that the consent of Canada is at pre-
sent wanting, Mr.. Chambers proposition be-
| comes one of the most undemOcratic proposi-
| tions ever uttered in a Republican Senate 1t
| embodies denial of popular rights as blind and
| arbitrary have characterized the ages, now
supposed TO be past, when brute force was the
sole law of nations.
We recognize the fact that about siX-tenths of
the trade of Canada is with the United States;
| that her real industrial welfare is now almost as
vitality affected by the laws we pass at Washing
ton as by those they pass at Ottawa. But if,
despite these facts, the Canadian people are not
| prepared for annexation, il would be an act of
| national ravishment To barter and sell the right
OF her people TO govern themselves after their
| own preference, i'm payment for injuries which
she had no share in committing, whatever might
have been her sympathies. Hence every pro-
posal having in view the consummation of such
a wrong ls an insult, which hinders. instead OF
promoting the growth of sentiment in Canada
in favor OF union with this country.
The time is past when the right TO govern
people is the proper subject of bargain and sale
for money We have bought the jurisdiction
over large tracts of territory now incorporated
into the United States, but it has been either
where most of their people were American and
desirous TO cast their lot with ours, where
there were few people of any kind.
Light as are the taxes on the Canadian people,
their amount for two years is equal to the entire
value of the vessels destroyed by the Alabama
1t is only by going behind the mere value of the
vessels destroyed and making claim for the
general injuries TO our commerce, and for sup
4 posed prolongation of the war, that we car
arrive az a sum OF sufficient magnitude to cal
for cession of territory, were the people of the
acquired territory in favor of the act of cession
We do not believe that any data exist whereby
such damages can be estimated with precision
that would, ii between private parties, Justify
recovery in a court of justice. If these Englisl
cruisers had been strong enough to fight ON
blockadng squadron, OF help to open the block
ade and let in supplies to the Rebel forces there
would be ground for saying they prolonged the