Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1869-11-26
ANNEXATION.
7He Resuh al Canadian Confederation
The Reciprocity Teatg-Tae Effect of

WASHINGTON, Nov In. lit is very GER
tain that our 1leil Canadian friends are in
a quandary Their imposing scheme of
confederation turns out to be q burden not
easily managed, and all around they seem
TO be losing ground What they want is the
help that RECIPROCITY viii give That's
exactly what they ought not TO obtain.
have lying before me a number OF letters
from leading Canadians who favor annexa-
ton These letters have been submitted to
the President, and we're, doubtless, read by
him with great interest From one of these,
written BY leading lawyer of Lower Can
ada, French Canadian, and one Of the
most accomplished gentlemen in British
America make the following extracts.
Addressing a gentleman, now here IN the
interests Of the radical party there, he says:
GU know perfectly well that business
is at a stand still that being deprived Of
market by the repeal of the Reciprocity
treaty, our commerce is entirely broken
down, that we are producing less than one
half of what we have to pay for our impor-
tations that the emigration is going on at
most fFightful rate, that one-hith Of our
cultivated lands will not give any crops this
year this letter bears date 10 the early
summerl for want of hands, and that our
list of insolvents is longer than that Of the
whole Northern and Western States togeth
er
The same gentleman says further on:
with renewal of the Reciprocity treaty
the reae;ionary and anti-republican element
will again raise its head, in consequence of
renewed prosperity, aud will again show IT.
self hostile and defiant to the United States.
The Tory party only look upon reciprocity
as new lease of power TO them, and it
seems to me that the friends Of the United
States and Of republican institutions here
have some right to ask the American Gov
ernment not to please Its bitter enemies
here at the expense Of its friends. After
eleven years advantageous commercial reia-
tions to US, has the Tory party shown the
slightest disposition TO keep on more friend
ly relations with the United States Not at
all. The whole strength and power which
they acquire through the benefits which they
derived from the treaty was directed during
the American rebellion against the United
States as a Government and as a people
From some personal knowledge and much
interesting information which have been
given me, / am satisfied that the following
things are true:
First. The establishment Of the "New
Dominion" Confederation was originally
part Of the anti Republican plot in which
France and England joined after the out
break of our rebellion.
Second. That it only changed front slight
ly when the South surrendered, and that it
was at once weakened BY that fact
Third That the failure to renew the Re
ciprocity Treaty has destroyed the business
interests Of the British Provinces, ard is
rapidly Strengthening the annexation senti
ment.
Fourth. That the original passage Of the
Reciprocity Treaty also saved Great Britain
from damaging annexation agitation, which
is now renewed with greater earnastness.
This fact takes the question out of its merely
commercial relations, and MAKES it one Of
grave political importance.
Fifth. That the present British Ministry
will only be too glad to see either indepen-
dence or annexation, or both, made accom-
plished facts. In saying this, | speak from
minutes made of an interview recently had
with the Hon. John Bright, by one Of the
leading English merchants of Lower Canada,
who is also an advanced Liberal and an ad
vocate Of independence. He visited Eng
land to ascertain, if possible, the opinion of
the Ministry on these questions, and his
interview with the President of the Board !
OF Trade was by special appointment
Evidence to establish these various points !
and others were laid recently before Presi- |
dent Grant and, doubtless, viii greatly in
fuence his judgment in the recommends !
tions be may make to Congress
Newfoundland votes down the Confedera- |
tionists, and the half breeds on the Sas-
katchewan river are announced to be in re-
volt. More power to their elbows, | say, |
though, entire nous beg leave to affirm my
conviction that the latter are bad lot
During a chcqured career as volunteer it !
was my lot once on a time to be doing duty
on the Northwest frontier The Sioux were
at war, and, it was understood, received sup
plies of munitions from the Red river traders |
over in the Red river region. | visited Penn |
bina under orders to investigate matters, and |
went over to Fort Garry. There is no doubt (
at all that Mr.. Lo, Of Dakota Territory, !
was aided in the work of murder By his con
genial halfbreed brother in the Sas- |
katechewan settlements.
Gov. VIM. McDougall, whom the tee |
graph reports as encawped, within our
territory is still young man. who, formerly /
a Liberal leader in Parliament, has been re-
warded in this way for having helped the |
confederation scheme by aiding the forma- |
tiou of what is known as the Coalition /
Ministry" Of which he was also a member |
1t was only through the secession from the /
Liberal party of the Canadas of such men as |
Hon. George Brown and this new Governor /
that the home government was able to OBJ /
tain colonial support McDougal was for |
merly a reporter, and afterwards an as
sistant editor Of the Toronto Globe He was |
in the old Canadian Parliament four or five |
years, and an incident is told of him, which, |
in view of his present plight, is rather |
amusing. About eight or nine years ago he |
was making a bitter opposition speech, |
criticising the then Ministry, and wound up /
one Of bis paragraphs by declaring that IF |
redress could not be had, the Canadians |
must look to Washington. Ever since he |
has been known as ''Look-to- Washington |
McDougall. " He is looking thither now,
with different idea in view
The New Dominion Government have /
paid (or are to do so) the Hudson Bay Com |
pany three hundred thousand pounds The /
white and half breed population, more half 4
breed than white, | assure you, number /
about ten thousand. / suppose that one
half of these are in the Red river settle
ments, near the United States frontiers. To 1
old days they helped materially to swell the +
Pembina vote. You remember that when I
the Democracy carried Minnesota, that
Mr.. IL" In his "breech clOut' was free
and independent voter. The balance of this
semi-civilized population found at Fort York
on Hudson's Bay, at various little posts,
and across to the eastern boundary of
British Columbia at Fort Selkirk, where
there Is a large settlement. From what |
saw, il Is certainly fair to say that the
civilization is semi-very OF Indian popu-
iGts" oU;U5J," uItldeu~ rs 11fTEWudd 1lrriany,
the Chappewaus, ETC., Pain Indians and
Esquimaux. Since we are probably to an
mex the New Dominion, it may be as well
to inquire about the noble red man. Ac-
cordiug TO late reports the entire British
Indian population is set down at about I50,-
000-S0, 600 west Of the mountains, and the
rest east. If anything would lead me TO
object to annexation, this would.
California.