The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-03-08
DAILY PRESS.
Tuesday Morning, March 8, 1870.

Tuesday Morning, March 8, 1870.
Annexasien In Nova Scotia.
GROWING STRENGTH OF THE FEEL1Ne-TuE
REASONS FOR IT. .
An intelligent gentleman of Nova Sco-
tia gives to the New York Euening Post
number of interesting facts showing
the feeling in the Province of Nova Sec
tia In favor Of annexation to the Uni
ted States, as well as the prominent rea-
sons for it. He says the Dominion govern
ment has failed to allay the bitter feeling en-
gendered by the manner in which this prov
ince was dragged into the confederation, or to
bring forward any measures looking to the
revival of trade and commerce. ...
We make the following extracts from the
letter:
The maritime provinces require more ex.
tended MARKET wider field for their COM
mercial transactions. Their own markets are
entirely too limited and uncertain to be de-
pended upon. England is too far of for hers
to be available; besides, timber is the onIv
provincial staple consumed ty her. Frolm
their geograpt ical position the American cit
les on the Atlantic cost afford an easiy ac.
cessible, profitable and certain market Free
trade with the United States they must have
If the Dominion, backed by the influence and
efforts of England, cannot obtain this fol
them, they must cut loose from both and
make the best terms they can for themselves
Annexation Is their only yres0urce-their on
ly hope. England has no real interest
in retaining those provinces, and theii
connection with her ID . drawback TO their
progress. Both the United States and the
provinces would be benefited by annexation
| the United States, because it would remove
| one of the gravest causes of difficulty with
| England; would give her the richest and
most extensive fishing grounds in the world /;
would add largely to her commercial marine !;
would afford such cheap ship-buil'ling facili-
ties as would give new impetus to that al
most defunct branch of her industry; would
add a population of nearly four hundred
thousand of hardy, industrious ard enterprIs-
ing people. and State rich in mineral re-
sources, worth, at the rate the United States
paid for Alaska, a. least hundred and fifty
millions Of dollars, and this, too, without the
expenditure of a single dollar. Her enter
prising and industrious people will do the
rest All she asks is fair fed. She Is ready
to give more than an equivalent for what she
receives.
AImOSt IOuI years udVc pASSeu SiuCo tue
New Dominion was proclaimed. At that
time the lower provinces were politically con-
tented and commercially prosperous. Now
they are in state of chronic disafectiou.-
Distrust everywhere prevails. Trade Is stag
nant, property deprecated, and taxation
heavy.
The people of British Columbia have petit
toned the Congress OF the United States TO
admit them as State; the Red River settle
ment is in rebellion Prince Edward Island
has refused to enter the confederation; the
people Of Newfoundland, by an immense ma.
jorily, have voted against II, and the legisla-
ture, now in session, in reply to the attempt
OF the Lientenant-G Governor to induce it to
ignore the will OF the people, says, there Is a
growing feeling Of disnclination to link the
destiu'es OF Newfoundland with those Of the
Dominion, in the future OF which they can at
present see nothing to inspire hope, but much
to create apprehension" .-
In the western counties of Nova Scotia,
those more Immediately connected in trade
with the United States, the people are almost
unanimous in favor of annexation. 1t has
become vital question to them. 1t Is dis
cussed at public meetings, in the lecture
room, in the c0uhting-house and at the fire.
side. There is hardly town in the province
but has held its meeting during the past year
tor the discussion of this subject. There is
scarcely any opposition. The press, with one
or two exceptions In Halifax, favor it.
Seventy-five thousand natives Of the prov
nceliving in the United States, corresponding
with their friends, Or occasionally visiting
their homes, bearing evidences OF thrift, are
swift witnesses in favor Of change Of govern
ment, and are the most active promoters of
annexation sentiments. Five thousand Nova
Scotians In the army of the United States,
| fighting on the plains Of Virginia or rotting
in the Confederate prison at Andersonville,
created bond OF sympathy never to be bro
ken. ~. -r..,. -s .-,r -,a
1t is asserted on pretty good authority that
the United States government has been
sounded ON the subject. and that the Admin
| istration has expressed itself favoraby, and Is
ready to open negotiations so soon as the
| people, by fair vote, decide the question and
send delegates to Washington for that pur-
pose. On this point a writer in a late number
| OF the Yarmouth Herald says:
1T is now pretty certain that the people Of
the western counties, with few exceptions,
are strongly in favor of annexation to the
United States. From the reports that co me
from the eastward, the feeling seems to be
very much the same; at all events there can
be no doubt that an immense majority of the
people desire TO join the prosperous and pow
eriul country which lies between us and Can
ada. This being the case, it appears to me
that the time tor action has arrived. Talk Is
all very well, but only as means to an end
We must go to work practically. The first
thing would recommend is the formation of
annexation leagues in every part of the prov
ince. Alter these are wei organized, there
should be courty conventions, and delegates
might be appointed from these tOsa general
provincial convention, so that all might have
an interchange of views and work In concert
Then we might get up petition to the Presi.
dent and Congress OF the United States to
adopt measures to annex our country TO the
great republic. Such petition / have no
doubt would be signed by seyen-eighths Of the
population.
At public. meeting held on the first of
February al Beaver River, q town of consid-
cradle shipbuilding Importance in the county
of Yarmouth, and called expressly for the
discussion Of the subject of annexation, the
chairman put the question: Is it desirable,
or would it be to the interest of Nova Scotia,
to be annexed to the United States? The
subject was discussed in all its bearings. The
speakers gave great many facts bearing up
on the question and statistics showing how
the material interests of the province would
be enhanced by annexation. The chairman,
an ex-member Of the Provincial Parliament,
said among other things that Nova Scotian
emigrants, most of them intelligent, indus
trious young men, had paid into the Treas
ury of the United States last year over
twelve thousand dollars .head-money, thus
showing that the population has decreased
over six thousand. Many Nova Scotians
who work in the United States come home
In the winter to see their friends; they
saved enough in the summer season to
maintain them through the winter, and had
enough left to pay their return passage to the
States in the spring. Our fishermen were as
hardy and skilful as the Americans, but had
to 60 to the States to find employment.
Several other persons made addresses to
the same effect. The feeling was unanimous
| in favor of annexation. No opposition what
ever was manifested, and the meeting con-
cluded with "Hurrah for annexation! God
speed 1t onF' 70
A letter from Argyle, in the same county,
| says: rrr} .a) .at FL,
! Our young men are preparing to leave fol-
the States in even larger numbers than last
year. 1t will be very difficult to obtain crews
| ior our own fishing vessels, and l fear soma
of them will be obliged to "haul up,n or tr,
to pick up some kind of crews elsewhere
Property has deprecated greatly in value
| among us. and even fishinu vessels n ra ba rd