The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-06-24

Just across the waters of the St Lawrence
and of the upper chain of lakes lies the British
province of Canada, now tackled on to three or
four insignificant outlying English colonies
and dignifed with the sounding title of the
New Dominion. There are about two and
half millions of inhabitants in Canada, and
less than three-quarters of million more
in the provinces which have recently been
politically joined with her, making the grand
total of the population of the New Dominion
about three millions and quarter, or some
three-quarters of O million less than the popu-
lation of the State of New York. As general
rule, the people of the province are dull,
stupid and unenterprising, being made up
principally of superannuated British pension
ers, broken down clerks, half-pay officials, and
such emigrants from the Old Country, sent out
not the spirit or the judgment to make their way
over to the States. The enterprising sensible
part OF the population is mainly confined to the
citizens Of the United States, who, to the
number probably of hundred thousand, are
settled in the Dominion, numbering. manufac-
turing, mining or otherwise developing the
resources of the country. But the Canadians,
although slow and heavy of intellect, have an
extraordinary share of impudence and self
conceit and one of their weaknesses is the
qualification Of making faces at their big
neighbor on this side of the line, and shaking
their not very alarming fists under his nose.
Many Of our readers have, no doubt, seen
,oo<a ~, he
with large and powerful companion Of the
Newfoundland or mastif breed, and have
amiled to observe the terrible and noisy valor
displayed upon the slightest occasion by the
lesser animal. Let stray footstep pass the
house or strange quadruped pause at
the gate, and the little dog will snarl
and snap and tear hither and thither
in very frenzy of fury, evidently melted to
his angry antics by his belief in the strength
of the friend who stands at his back. With
out offence to the Canadians, we may be per-
mitted to express the belief that the waspish-
ness and bad temper in which they SO con-
stantly indulge towards the United States
must be in like manner induced by their faith
in the power Of the British bulldog, who they
seem to suppose must be at all times ready to
back them up in any difficulty they may invite
with the republic.
We regret to learn from our special Wash
ington dispatches, published in the HERALD
to-day, that the New Dominion has been guilty
of the folly as well as the righteousness Of
needlessly insulting the American flag. The
occasion for this display of colonial stupidity
has been found in ON alleged violation by an
American vessel of the Dominion fishery laws.
The United States schooner James Bliss was
seized off Anticosti Island by the Dominion cut
ter Stella Marie, for breach of the laws in
relation to inshore fishing, and taken into
Gaspe Bay on Thursday last. Anticosti
Island is in the Gulf of ST. Lawrence at the
mouth of the st. Lawrence River, and Gaspe
is on the mainland, southwest of the island.
The American vessel entered the bay with the
American flag flying, Union down, and sur
mounted by the flag of the New Dominion.
The United States Consul at Gaspe Mr..
George H. Holt, being appraised Of this insult,
convinced himself OF its truth, and lost no
time in sending protest against the impudent
act to the commander of the Stella Marie, with
request for an explanation. Commander
Lachance replied that he was obeying orders
that the protest of the Consul was not worth
the paper on which it was written, and,
in order to further show his contempt
for the remonstrance, repeated the insult and
again displayed the flag of the United States,
Union down, beneath the Dominion colors.
Consul Holt Immediately applied to Captain
Lavoie, the highest Canadian official at Gaspe
and the superior of Commander Lachance,
bringing the insult to his knowledge, and
requesting an explanation from him as
to its meaning. The reply was the
same as in the former case and Consul Holt
thereupon placed the facts Of the outrage in
possession Of our Consuls General at Montreal
and Quebec, and of Secretary Fish, accom-
panying the statement by the information that
the insult was believed to have been premedi-
tated, and to have received the sanction of the
Lieutenant Governor Of the Province. The
remark Of Secretary Fish when the details
of the case were made known to him,
if correctly reported by our Washing
ton correspondent were more Characteristic
imam BIaulylHB ~ dIHouAUS W uoUmHB
the Secretary is alleged to have said. 'Some
hair Drained Dominion official thinks he can
make trouble by insulting our flag; but we
have become accustomed to such insolence"
Should this statement be confirmed, it is likely
that the humiliating words Of our highest
Minister of State will prove as CALLING as the
insolent act of the upstart Canadian COM
mander, to the American people.
Now, the citizens of Canada owe heavy
debt of gratitude to the government and citi-
zens of the United States, who have united in
protecting Canadian territory from serious in
vasion and have been earnest in their efforts to
subdue all lawless attempts at disturbance of
the peace Of the Dominion Upon the close