The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1880-08-22
Auti.Amcricanism In Canada

Probably there will be rather an anxiety
to put away the reproach which has been
cast on the Liberals by the Tories, and of
which the late Tory Premier tried TO make
capital in his election manifesto, of turning
the cold shoulder to the colonies, and pro-
noting the decomposition " of the empire
But there will he an end of making Canada
the engine of hostility to the American Re.
public II is the traditional policy Of the
Liberals, instead OF treating the American
experiment in popular government with
jealous hatred, heartily to accept the honor
Oi the connection, and 10 endeavor to efface
the consequences of Tory error in the time
of George III, by reuniting in the bond of
sympathy aud associated effort the different
portions of the Anglo-Saxon race. With Lord
Beaconslield, who was everywhere a conspir.
ator, conspiracy has passed away. In Mr..
Gladstone's cabinet there Is no member of
the Southern Club. MIR. Gladstone himself
has been the object Of groundless suspicion
in the United States, ON account of an unfor-
tunate expression which he let slip at the
time of the civil war. though the despair of
Northern success which his phrase implied
was really shared, after Charlottesville by
the most devoted among the English friends
of the North. But speak with the utmost
confidence in saying that neither at that
nor at any other time has his feeling toward
the American Republic been otherwise than
entirely kind nor has he ever shown the
slightest sympathy with any scheme for Gre
atng political antagonisms on this continent,
or In any way interfering with its political
development.
II would be idle to deny the existence of
anti-American feeling in British Canada.
have pointed out its sources-the chief of
which, United Empire Ioyalism is entirely
m M r,l md al h,k; d,
be permanent. In French Canada the priests
are afraid of republican freedom of thought
and of American common schools; the people
migrate freely into the United States In quest
Of employment, and probably have no strong
sentiment at all up0n these subjects. There
are those who try to cultivate the feeling In
different interests, chiefly In that of the I'M
perialist party. There are those who pride
themselves on displaying II; the airectation
OF pcculiarities, even of peculiar antipathies,
being not uncommon Indulgence Of amour
propre. This Twill venture to affirm, setting
any question of political relations aside, If a
proposal with regard to commercial relations,
really conducive to the welfare of the Cana
dian people, is fairly set before them, there
is nothing in the hearts of the great mass of
them to prevent their giving it their cordial
consideration. They aye content to be bound
to the mother country by affection without
the sacrifice of their material welfare. lingo
politicians and their organs will of course try
to interpose, but the economical forces will
in the end prevail
Signs of an impending fiscal war between
the two countries are already beginning to
appear. The Canadian Legislature excludes
American cattle and lays retaliatory tax on
lobster cans, to which members of the Ameri-
can Legislature respond by motions to stop
the transmission of Canadian goods in bond.
That each nation may do great deal of mis-
chief in this way to the other, and at the
same time to itself, may Ia taken nor granted,
without iRcuuing the cast of the expert
ment. Presently the flrebrand of the fishery
question will be kindled again, if it can he
SAID ever to have been eXtinguislied; and,
with the temper of both nations already
rutled by disputes about the tariffs, q seri-
Gus controversy may arise,
There may he Rlnctilous feeling OF I'M
willingness TO take the initiative, especially
when 4 somewhat menacing attitude has
been assumed upon both sides. But surely
there can be no doubt that, while the
smaller and weaker nation may compromise
its dignity by advances, such step
Oh the part OF the greater and stronger
nation Is halla 10 no DEMONSTRATION. Ii
has been proposed that joint commission
shall be appointed by the two Governments,
with the consent, of course, of Great Britain
on the side OF Canada, for the purpose Of oon-
sidering all questions cOnnepted with COM
mercial relations, No nation could he more
powerfully seconded by the manifest interest
of the parties concerned. We are dealing
with the commercial question and with that
alone. But surely no American statesman
can be blind to the expediency of preventing,
if possible, the growth of a sentiment of an
tagonism to the United States in this large
section of the continent. Slavery has been
put down, hut troubles are not yet over; ele-
| ments of disturbance have not ceased to exist,
| forces adverse to the Union or to republican
institutions may be developed within this
vase area by diversity of intereSts OF Of social
tendencies. Canada cannot he formidable
| as military power to q nation with ten
times her population, but she might be
formidable as rallying point of disatfection.
-Mr. GoId'rm Smith in he North american
Recicp.