The Portland daily press., 1869-03-31

E~FiTst rage IO-Day-Canadlan News;
The Cuban Questionable Spanish side; The
Champion Swindler; The Binghampton Inc
briate Asylum; Gleanings and Gossip.
Fourth Poge-May Evenings, by William
Cullen Bryant; Slashing Criticism; the De
Morney Jewels; Thackerays Wife.
Annexation Sentiment i'm the Canadian
Dominion.
An incident which occurred a few days
since in the Legislature of New Brunswick
seems to have attracted in some quarters a
degree of attention which its real importance
would hardly warrant. A prominent member
of the Legislature tMr Cudlip, of st. john
moved resolution for the annexation of that
Province to the United States He made a
speech in support of his motion, IN which he
declared that as taxation is increasing WIFI
out any corresponding benefits, and the people
are leaving by the hundred Tor the onited
States the law-making power should, as a
Province, seek to carry out what the people
are doing Individually, and ask the United
States TO admit New Brunswick in the Union
ON fair and equitable terms, particularly as the
people are forced to the conclusion that the
nature of all the productions and the geo.
Republic as their natural market, and as that
can be most surely obtained by Union with
the United States
This is strong language undoub tedly; but in
attempting to estimate its significance some
of our exchanges seem to have lost sight of the
fact that the sentiment expressed in it found
no echo in the assembly in which it was intro
duced. No lmember was found to second the
motion of Mr. Cudlip, the Attorney General
objected to the motion as reasonable, and the
House refused by decisive vote to even al
low it to be placed upon its records. The in
cident is noticeable as somewhat bold decla-
ration of individual opinion, but as an express
ion of the sentiment Of the assembly in which
it occurred, it is of no more consequence
than are the occasional jokes in the form of
motions with which our sage legislators at Au-
gusta are accustomed to enliven their delber-
atoms.
The question arises: Is there, then, no an
nexation sentiment in New Brunswick, and
elsewhere in the Dominion? From informa-
tion which comes to us through the most
Trustworthy sources, both public and private,
as well as from indications in the tone of the
Canadian press, it is evident that such a senti-
ment does exist, and that it is rapidly growing
in defniteness and power. In the original
Canadian Provinces, it has not, as yet, devel
oped itself to any gr eat extent; but in the
Maritime portion of the Dominion it is, for.va
rious causes, much more apparent The peo-
pei OF that section are far more closely allied
in their habits, their pursuits and their COM
mercial interests with New England than
with the greater portion of Canada. Their
young men emigrate to the States by hun
dreds; of course they would not do so if they |
did not see here system more conducive to |
prosperity than their own. There was time |
when our large public debt and the heavy tax
alton consequent upon it Ealarmed many OF |
them, and the annexation spirit received a |
check from the natural objection to share |
what they supposed likely to prove an intoler- |
able burden. But it begins to be seen by them |
that the disadvantage of our heavier taxes is
more than compensated by the general pros
perity and activity which enables us to earn
the money for the tax-collector so much more |
easily than they can. Moreover the prospect
with US is of gradual tightening of the bur-
den of taxation; in Canada it is evident that
the pressure must greatly increase. The ten
deney with us is to economy, and reduction of
expenditure; with them it is to extravaganza
and yet more lavish outlay A st. John
paper of recent date, says:
The Dominion Government is doing all in
its power in times of peace to create a debt
proportionately as great as that caused by our
neighbors in struggle for the national exist
ence. We are not lightly taxed now, but we
have not yet paid for the Intercolonial rail |
way, the purchase of the Hudson's Bay rights,
the construction of a road to the Red River
Of l
army and navy, and few other items which
the Dominion papers speak of as trif1es. When
those works and purchases are paid for, we
may expect 10 know what Dominion green
backs are worth We may possibly then val
ue trips to Boston to buy clothes, and sigh for
the relatively low taxation imposed upon ther
Yankees.
In former issue, the same journal says:
We believe we are not astray when we say
that one half of the people of New Brunswick
would, to-day, exchange their present political
connection for connection with the great
country to the West of us. The feeling, which
is spreading with ever growing speed, that it is
the intention of England to abandon us will |
do much to build up an annexation sentiment
Many now refuse to look at the commercial |
bearings of the subject because they think It
argues want of loyalty to do so. The mo-
ment, however, they become convinced that |
Great Britain does not intend to retain pos
session OF British America, they will at once
open their eyes to the commercial advantages
of connection with the States.
In Nova Scotia, owing to the Repeal difficult
ty, this sentiment is even stronger, and mani
tests itself constantly. Lectures are delivered
and pamphlets written in favor of annexation,
and number of papers openly advocate it,
while nearly all admit articles showing the ad-
vantages of annexation, and editorially de-
clare their preference for such change over
confederation The Canadian government
treat these indications of popular sentiment
with the contempt of the true British official
They either pooh-pooh the whole thing as
merely childish outbreak of popular petu-
lance, or attribute it all to the intrigues of our
government at Washington. We shall not
stop to point out the folly of this idea. The
intensely loyal Canadians who entertain it,
like some damsel who overestimates her own
charms, are haunted by the fear of being for
cibly united to UEcle Sam. We beg them to
dismiss sbeir terrors. There is nobody in this
country who desires to annex one of their
Provinces unless the mass of the population
desire it. Should they, in obedience to nat
ural law of centripetal force, gravitate to u.s.
we will welcome them cordially to full
equality of rights under the starry flag; but |
until they are ready to come to us we have not
the slightest disposition to interfere in or to
influence their affairs.