The New York herald., 1872-12-06
Canadian Independence-The Views OF
tho Governor Gemeral.

nishes us with an interesting account Of
an interview with the new Governor
General Of the Dominion. which will
'be found in the HERALD to-day. Lord
Duffern has been among the Canadians
for six months, and during that short
time has succeeded in making himself exceed
ingly popular. Our correspondent indicates
the secret of this success when he describes
Lord Dufferin IA gentleman Of courteous
bearing, manly instincts and genial disposi-
ton. The conversation of the Governor Cen
eral shows that with these. qualities he COM
bines good sense, q reflective mind and
diplomatic shrewdness. We are told that the
representative of Her British Majesty across the
border is in the prime of life, under the mid
die size, slightly round-backed, with studious,
thoughtful face, high cheek bones and an ''aris-
tocratic lisp" It is therefore fair to conclude
that his popularity does not depend upon out
ward attractions, but has the more solid and
lasting foundation of amiabilty and culture
In this respect our neighbors have been for
tunate in their imported Executives and Eng
land can at least claim the credit Of having
sent some Of her best citizens to represent the
Grown in her Canadian colony.
II will not surprise any person to find that
Lord Dufferin has discovered no desire for in
dependence, much less for annexation, among
the people over whom he has been placed in
authority. The Governor General of Canada
would not be exactly the person to whom those
who reflect seriously upon the question Of sep
aration from the home government would
express their views. Representing royalty in
country where the institution, like shadow
thrown at q distance, appears larger and more
massive than the original, although it lacks its
solidity, that distinguished colonial officer no
doubt hears more Of the gushing loyalty Of the
people than does the monarch herself We
can, therefore, believe Lord Dufferin to be
sincere when he expresses the opinion that
there is no desire on the part Of the Canadians
to change their position, and that they are not
disturbed by the recent remarkable advice Of
the London Times, that they should ''take up
their independence and shift hereafter for
themselves. It is probable, however, that If
he follows closely the discoveries of our cor
respondent, he may find that his judgment is
questionably loyal to their present government,
they are nevertheless disposed to reflect serious
ly whether the establishment of an Independent
Republic Of Canada would not prove advan-
tageous to both England and her colony. As
an Englshman Lord Dufferin no doubt, has
all the faith he processes in the slusty youth
and power of that nation. We have no dis.
position to question his statement that
England is stronger to-day than she
was after Waterloo; although we might
remind him that her present strength must be
judged, not by comparison with the England
of 1915, but by q comparison with the nations
of to-day-with great Powers like Germany,
Russia and the United States, capable of put
ting armies of million trained soldiers into
the field. But we believe that greater expe-
| rience in America and closer study of the
subject will convince the Governor General of
the error Of his conclusion that Canada, if it
be her choice, can remain forever a colony of
Great Britain and yet develop her resources
and become prospectus aud powerful.
Tie Canadians are brave, intelligent and
enterprising people; yet their country has not
kept pace in progress with the States of the
Union. The emigration societies Of Europe
send out annually many thousands of British
subjects to Canada yet the statistics show
that of the emigrants who land in the
Dominion all but fraction sooner or later
find their way to the States. 1t is certain that
this is attributable in a great measure
to the danger Of a conflict between England
and the United States, which would neces-
sarily involve the colony in the struggle. As
an independent Republic, in commercial
have none of the drawbacks of this unnatural
position-unnatural in this age Of intelligence
on Continent where monarchies have no
place. Lord Dufferin gives it as his opinion
that in the ''sad calamity of a war between
England and the United States in strate-
| gic point of view Canada would be useful to
the former Power. ''However strong America
might be, /" he says, ''she could hardly view with
indifference such formidable base of opera
tons as England would still have on this ter
ritory. She might be driven from Canada
and Canada might be conquered; but the
undertaking would cause vast loss and injury
to the American Republic" In these words
Lord Dufferin unwittingly proves how Canada
| is endangered and damaged by the English
connection. If war should unhappily occur
between the two Powers, Canada, with
probably no share in the quarrel, would bear
the principal burden and suffer the worst hor-
rors of the conflict The homes that would be
desolated would be Canadian homes, the
blood that would flow would be Canadian
blood, and in the end, although sat vast loss
and injury to her foe, Canada would be con-
quered. Is this just towards brave people
who have dug their own fortunes out of a new
| land? Would not this young community,