The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-07-19

from
to the lsthmus of Panama, and should domi- |
nate the Caribbean Sea by the possession of |
the chain OF the Antilles. The purpose Of the |
present article is to demonstrate that this
Manifest Destiny" is not only entirely prac-
ticable, but that it's attainment would be
eminently sound political economy. and that
it can be secured without the echo of n cannon.
except in salutes, while it would be attended
by the spontaneous and enthusiastic support
Of the vast majority of contiguous popula-
tions.
To commence with Canada. The common
impression that the Dominion is intensely
English is an error; the mass of the people
there see their own interests as clearly as
similar communities do elsewhere The ira
weller through the country, particularly if adj
mitted into local society, sees but one side Of
the question, and may gather altogether er-
roneous impressions of general sentiment.
This is especially the case through Central
and Eastern Canada. Each town or city has
a local aristocracy, composed of members of
Government, of the Parliament, retired officers
of the army and navy, and civilians who emil
CRATE to the Provinces to obtain higher interest
on small capital and with cheaper living to
maintain better position in social life than
they could afford in the mother country.
These, with the officials, officers of the garri-
sons and a remnant of the descendants of the
old Loyalists who emigrated from the Ameri-
can colonies during the war of the Revolu-
ton constitute very minute but exceedingly
pronounced aristocracy, and are naturally
firm in loyalty and apprehensive of any change
which would tend to bring all classes of the
population to q common level of political
equality. But underlying this class is the
vast multitude of producers-the
lumbermen, millers, farmers, manu-
facturers, and traders-to whom
free intercourse with the neighboring repub-
lie is matter of vital necessity. They pos
sess loyalty to the Crown to certain extent.
With many of them it is strong, and with full
reciprocity of trade with their neighbors they
would remain in their present political status
possibly for generations to come; but
without it, union with the States is in the near
future.
By the termination Of the Reciprocity
Treaty between the United States and Great
Britain, the burdens of restricted intercourse
have been again laid on Canadian producers.
and the result is manifest in strong and
growing sentiment in favor of political union
with the great republic; to counteract which
the government of the Dominion is using
every effort to bring about another conven-
tion for reciprocity of trade.
Canada is not Utopia yet It's taxation is
high, and its facilities for procuring loans for
internal improvements limited, owing to the
extravagant system adopted by its authorities
in administering previous trusts: the govern
ment of the Dominion is cumbrous and
costly, and the people see that the scheme
was projected for the benefit of but few
politicians anxious to perpetuate their power
and bask in the sunshine of semi-royal splen-
dor. In 1861, one of its prominent officials
| informed the writer that the debt of the two
provinces-Ea and West-amountedt to eight
| dollars per acre upon the entire amount of
nt11ti
grafton merely passes through it on its way
to the prairies of the Northwestern States and
Territories of this republic, and at the present
| time a formidable exodus is taking place
| among that excellent class, the hardy, indus
trious, economical French of Canada East,
1t is curious to observe, upon public
occasions agricultural dinners, etc. etc.
when the citizens of French and Eng
lish descent are brought together, GER
| gloss of compliment which only half conceals
deep antipathy of race. This jealousy con-
tinually crops out in the halls of legislation.
If an internal improvement is projected for
| Western or Central Canada, q rider to the
bill is Immediately attached in the shape of a
pier, a half a mile or a mile long, to be
built out into the st. Lawrence from some
small French-Canadian village down below
Quebec, or some other expensive and unne-
cessary work to equaliZe the appropriations.
Under the Dominion these antagonisms have
become still deeper and the dissatisfaction
still more decided, particularly through Canada
West. There the burdens of non-reciprocity
are more seriously experienced; and owing
to the character of the inhabitants, their
| proximity to the border, and the identity Of
their interests with those of their neighbors
under wise political action upon this side the
overtures for annexation will first come from
Ottawa, and the card-house of the Dominion
tumble to pieces by the removal of its base o.
support.
it is self-interest, and that alone, which viii
decide the question. Conversing with pro
minent Canadian, some one remarked that tn,
day after annexation property in the Dominion
would advance in value twenty per cent. Eyes,
was the reply-''nearer fifty" Hence thu
question may safely be left to the arbitration
of time. Given ten years, possibly five, o
the existing commercial status, and Canadt
West will be in the American Union. How
long the remainder can stay out does not re
quire much consideration.
The sentiment throughout New Brunswick
and Nova Scotia is still more decided. These
provinces were always prosperous, out Of
debt, and progressive: they were dragooned
into the Confederation, and in Nova ScotiG
the first act of the Dominion authorities was
to take possession of the surplus of the pro
vincial treasury, while increased taxation
was imposed to meet its proportion of
the common debt-an obligation incurred
for the great sums squandered by the Cana
dian administration for its purely local pur-
poses. and now distributed upon these new
and Independent members The writer, in a
tour through Nova Scotia and New Brunswick
in 1868, was surprised at the bitterness of
public sentiment against incorporation in the
dominion, and the eagerness and favor with
10, tho xuog a mo