Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-06-01
Canadian Annexation.

The loyal subjects of Great Britain ii
Canada are generally resting under thu
delusion that their country is much GOV
e'ed by their American neighbors, ant
that the latter arc only waiting pre-
text for attempting a forcible anncxa-
ton of their territory to the United
States. In this they are greatly mis-
taken. Our country is large enough
for the present in fact, it is loo large
to be well governed until we get al
Administration a good deal wiser thar
the Que now in power Nevertheless
annexation will finally be accomplished
aud that result will come to pass mainly
through the efforts Of tho Canadians
themselves. Already there are many
active and carest advocates of annexa.
ton in Canada; and unless some cx-
traordinary and unexpected change il
the condition of the two countries should
occur, the number Of these must steadily
increase. The reason for this state Of
things is very simple. In the United
States business is brisk and rcmunera.
tive, and the value Of property of all
kinds is constantly increasing: while
on the other side of the line, with a
very few local exceptions, trade is stag.
nant, labor is poorly paid, and real pro.
gress is almost unknown.
Nothing will more plainly show the
difference in the actual condition OF the
inhabitants of Canada and Tie United
States than comparison of the state of
affairs existing i'll places on each side OF
the line possessing similar natural ad-
vantages. Take Portland and Quebec,
for instance. The former city was al
most burned to the ground a few years
ago; now it has been rebuilt withmuch
more elegant and costly buildings than
it previously possessed, and is one OF
the most thriving cities in America
Mechanics command high wages, and
all is life and prosperity, Quebec, on
the other hand, is surrounded with very
valuable water power which is not APP
piled to any useful purpose, and has a
direct trade with Europe, aud every
facility for an immense lumber trade.
But the city is bankrupt; 1t cannot col.
lect taxes enough to pay the interest on
its debt. Business of every kind is
dead; the mass OF the people are miscr
ably poor; there is but little demand
for labor; and the industrial classes,
when they find employment at all, are
compelled to work at starvation prices.
Ship carpenters in Quebec get from forty
TO sixty cents a day,
Just as marked a contrast is to be
observed between the towns of Ogdens-
burgh and Prescott, the first on the
American and the other directly OPP
positc on the Cadadiau side of the St.
Lawrence river. Ogdeusburgh is full OF
busy manufacturing establishments and
evidences Of thrift and enterprise are
manifest in every direction. Gross to
Canada, aDd one finds sleepy old
town that appears as if it had INDUCED
in Rip Van Wrinkle slumber for the
last half century. SO at Windsor, OPP
positc Detroit although so near to one
of the most busy and enterprisng cities
of the Western States, it seems as if the
boundary line had proved an impregn-
able barrier to enterprise and public
spirit. Trade is dull, real estate sells
at ridiculously low figures, and farmers
may be seen hawking their produce
around for mere nothing. At St. John,
below St. Adams, on the Chambly river,
where within q circuit Of twelve miles
may be found water power more than
equal to that of Lowell, Manchester,
and Lawrence combined, lands, houses
can be bought for mere song. In the
villages of St. John and Chambly com.
Portable houses, with garden attached,
can be rented at from twelve to eighteen
dollars year. A few weeks ago farm
of two hundred acres of land, partly i'm
proved, in Maidstone township, Canada,
lying within sight Of Lake St. Clair,
and but one mile from IL station on the
Great Western Railway, was sold at
public sale for twelve dollars an acre
Land in Crosse Point, on the American
shore, directly opposite, is worth one
hundred dollars an acre. not because it
is any richer land, but because is with
10 the United States.
| A ENow this state of things cannot last
forever. The spirit of loyalty 10 the
British Grown is strong in the average
Canadian, but his inherited love Of roast
b, ef is stronger. Thousands Of Canadi-
aus are emigrating to the United States
every year twenty-five hundred passed
through St. Albans recently in single
week. Great numbers OF Canadians
flock to our manufacturing towns for
employment during the winter months,
many of whom return to Canada in the
summer. Every one of these is mis-
sionary in the cause Of annexation.--