, 1873-02-10
Something Regarding Our
Cousins Over the
Border.
What They Think Of the Great
Inland Water Route,
A View Of the Canal Policy and
Measures.
Tho Canadian Atlantic Route, ana
Its Aspects.

ord Duferin---society and General
Matters.
Isn.eio, Correspondence ef Ito Chicago Tribune.
OTTAWA, Ont, Fob. q. 1873.
TIE KAsuoK AND Ills oirAaAoTER1sT1cs.
Thu traditional and gonorally-rocoiyed idea Of
Via character of the inhabitants Of tho New Do
T,,nop always has bcen, and atill continues to
ho. Tint they aro stoady, sober, Industrious,
f,nd-foariug, Neutrality-suspicious. absurdly
vova}. md very suporstitioua. They aro not
icrcdted with tho energy which spriu6n oponten-
nously whore tho "Stars md Stripes wayo in
the air, and arc hold to bo gcarce]y less odd
koRysl than tho inhabitants Of the mother
country and not ono whit moro enterpriBing.
Dur winters nrs pictured as horrible, our sunl-
kners Us tropical our ideas Of He'll to change
with the soaaons, and our hopes OF Henyen to
Wise and fall with the mercury. Our RoverondB
kre thought to be divided between prcHbytorians
In tho West and Catholics In tho East, with
koupcon Of Episcopalianism thrown In, to keep
kweet tho imperial connection by Offering daily
prayers in the Liturgy for H. NJ. tho Queon, and
Etthoae in authority oycr u.s." and our news-
paper-pre.a is, with sneor, held unqueationa-
bly to rival iu ono respect, tho English Journals
hfter which they aro fashioned, and TINT Is In
kheir stupidity and want OF enterprise.
Ehe exhibit Is bad ono, confosg, and much OF
It contains moro than tho usual half-quantity OF
kn1th. On tho otlor hand, wo arc free from
many Of tho OWLS which curse society across the
Who border. The average duration Of life is
aonger than In tue States, our population shows
p Btoady inoreaao, aud we are eminontly yirtuous,
Divorces are rarc, and those taking thom arc
sovere1y lot alone, without benefit Of clergy,
Hhe tide Of immigration is constant, and, while
the baok-sottlements are being populated our
citles arc growing with steady development,
(which promises endurance, and eventually un-
interrupted prosperity. Tie Canadinn, quiet
and .p1odding aa he may bc, Inns, however,
quiok eye to the main chance, and, il necessity
compols, can oven take n wido enough Wow to
eurvey continent md uete out Ill oceau. just
ct this time, nine out Of every ten Of our people
bro engaged In some such mental calculation.
Probably, at no time in tile history of this coun-
try, before or since tho confederation Of tho
Aoveral Provinces, has there been 10 widespread
discussion Of the ono question which above all
others appeal most strongly to tho interests Of
Western men. The improvement Of
THE MAGNIFICENT INLAND wATER-nourE,
afforded by Lake Ontario and tho River and
Gulf of st. Lawrence ia matter which public
opinion is forcing in tho most energetic way up
on tho attention Of the authorities. When Con-
federation was being discussed, tho leading men
-sof the sovornl Provinces had froquont meetings
dor consultation, and drew up list Of national
improvements which it would be the first duty Of
the now Government, representing tic entiro
Dominion, to carry out. First and foremost
nmong these was the enlargement OF the canals
which limo certain parts Of the watcr"courao Of
the st. Lawrence and connect tho two Western
lakos of Ont ario and Eric. Tho magnitude Of
lhe work alone was sufficient to cause its post
ponoment for Homo months and the necessity
Of consolidating the now regime, Of bringing into
.he fold the aeyoral outlying Provinces, WAS hold
10 excuse inaotion in the mnttor. Another
aeasoa also operated against the work. Tho
constant iteration Of tho benefit tho work would
1be to the Western American tra1o, though nc
companied with abundance Of figures showing
chat tho benefit Of the one meant tho inoreaso
OF commercial prosperity in the other, disgustod
1he ultra loyalista, and caused spirit Of an-
tagonism to riso upon tho matter, however fool
ish in ITSELF had its springs in tho strongest paa-
sions Of the human heart. Tho Alabama
negotiation camo opportunoly. Tho lending
statesman Of Canada, Sit ]. Il. Macdonald. was
placed on tho Commission for tho express pur-
pose OF guarding Canadian interests, and no
clusion would bo arrived ut. What that conclu-
sion eventually turned out to bo, ia matter OF
history. It is not too much to any that
IT NEATLY PROVOKED REVOLUTION
In this country, From tho WeBternmost point of
this Province to far-down-oast Gaspe, wore heard
mutterings Of complaint, aud one Lieutenant
Governor did not hoHitate officially to describe
the transaction, 80 fur Us CANADIAN intorests
the St. Albans elaims laughed at, tic Fonian
grievance ridiculed, tho freedom Of the St. Law-
renee voted away, tho San Juan boundary de-
:ldod against uB, etc. the people were in no
that the most ateadfast in Canada, our loyalty,
survived. We would not leave, nor bo kickod
out OF, our connection with England, md hero
We Ara-
Meanwhile Canal Commission hud boon ap-
pointed, and presented ita yoiuminoua report
A separate Committee OF Inquiry Ind yiasitod
the Wel1and Canal, and, finding unnlistakablo
proof ef rascality on the part of tho superin:
tondent, caused tho removal Of that ofllcinl, and
the appointment Of anothor gentleman in his
place. " Tho wllirligig of time brought on"
meetings OF Parliament, and convocations Of,
NATIONAL BOARDS OF TRADE.
At the recent meetings Of tho American and
Canadian Boards first at Eow York, tho
second In this city,-reBolutions Were adopted
jmemoriaizlng the two Executives to appoint
Joint Committee on the subject Of reciprocal
factor on tho part OF Canada in the mattor boing
she enlargement BY tho Government OF her
canal-highways. Tho Dominion Board OF Trade,
which mot at tho Government buildings in this
city, was one Of tho finest assomblages Of tile
commercial high-priostB Of THU country
that eyer was raped to ordor Ly ono
Of Hamilton, is one Of tho most popular
men Of tho West, and lis nano is q household
word throughout the counties that limo tho
southern shores of Lake Huron and tho Goor-
gian Bay, and across the peninsula. He was tho
chief advocate Of 4-foot-8}51-in gauge, a.
against tho narrow 3-foot-8-inch guage railroad,
for the supply of the aettlcrs in the prosperous
count1oa Of Grey and Bruce; and, In local mat
determining the conduct OF the Great Western
Railway OF Canada, which, 1t Ia scarcely necos-
sary to toll Chicago reader, III its connection
with the Michigan Central Railroad, constitutes
ono OF the most important lines OF rails botweou