The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-10-26
THE PRESS.
Canada and the Union.
speech of the GovernorGeneral at VIM
nipeg.

rest by many residents of this country:
eFor a Canadian official knowledge OF the
Northwest is indispensable. To be ignorantoI
the Northwest is to be ignorant OF the greater
portion of our country. Hitherto ! nave ~
served that those who have seen IL j. stiy iook
down upon those who have not with KIND Oh
pitving contempt which you may sometimes
have observed that they who have got up earii-
or in the morning than otners ana seen y peau-
tifuI sunrise assume toward the 1rlends VINO
have slept until the sun is high in the heavens
Our track through it led as far only as enabled
MS to see a very small portion OF your heritage
now being made accessible. Had time permit
ted we should have explored the immense
country which lies along the whole course OF
the wonderful Saskatchewan, which, with It's
two gigantic branches, opens to steam nav1ga-
ton settlements of rapidly growing lmpor-
lance. As it was we but touched the waters Oh
the north and south branches, ana strlKing
south-westward awaited ourselves of the Amer
ican railway lines in Montana for our return.
lit was most interesting to compare the south
ern mountains and prairies with our own, ana
not even the terrible events which nave re-
Gently cast so deep gloom upon our neignpors
as we'll as ourselves, could prevent our klnsmen
from showing that hospitality and courtesy
which makes a visit to their country SO great
pleasure. l am the more glad TO bear witness
to the courtesy in the presence Oh tne dlsvin-
guished Consul of the United States who Is
Your guest this evening, and who in this city SO
honorably represented his country IL IN noun
ing more than in this, that he has never mis-
represented our own. Like almost all his COM
patriots who occupy by the suffrage OF tneir
neople official positions, he has recognized that
TACT. which is happily acknowledged by all OF
standing among ourselves, that the interests OF
the empire and of the United States may al
vance side by side without jealousy or friction;
and that the good OF the one IS lnterwoven win
the welfare of the other.
Canada has recently shown tnab sympathy
with her neighbours grief which becomes her,
and which has been so marked throughout All
portions of our empire. She has sorrowed
with the sorrow of the great commonwealth
whose chief has been struck down IN the full-
ness of his strength, in the height of his useful
ness. in the day of recognition OF his noble
character, by the bastard hand OF the assassin,
We have felt in this as though we ourselves
had suffered, for General Garfield's position
and personal worth made his own and his iel-
low-ctizens' misfortune catastrophe for all
English-speaking races. The bulletins telling
of his calm and courageous struggle against
cruel and unmerited affection have been read
and discussed by us with as strong an admira-
ton for the man and with as tender sentl-
ment for the anxiet and misery OF his family
as they have been awaited and perused IN the
South 1t is fitting and good that this should
be- We have with the Americans not only 9,
common descent, but similar position and
like probable destiny The community OF feel
ing reaches beyond the fellowship arising from
the personal interest attaching to the dignity
of high office sustained with honor, and to
the reverence for the tender ties OF hearts and
homes, sacred though these be, Tor Canadians
and Americans have each common aim and
q common ideal, though belonging to very diff
ferent political schools and preferring to adj
vance by very different paths. We both desire
to live only in land OF perfect liberty. When
the order which insures freedom is deserted by
the cowardly rancor of the murderer or by the
tyranny of faction, the blow struck touches
more than one life, and strikes over wider
circle than that where its nearer and 1mmedl-
ate consequences are apparent. The people OF
the limited States have been directed into one
political organization and we are cherlshing
and protecting another, but they will lind no
men with whom closer and more living SYM
pathy with their triumphs or with their trou-
Bile abides than their Canadian cousins OF Inc
Dominion Let this be SO in the days OF I'M
born generations, and may we peyer have
again to express our horror at such deed OF
infamv as that which has lately called forth in
so striking manner the proofs OF information
al respect and Affection.
The Governor-G General here entered into an
elaborate description of the country he had
travelled through, set forth its natural advan-
tages and the number and kind of immigrants
it needs for its full development, and then con
tinued:
be insanity to question, and which to judge
from the emigration taking place from other
Provinces will be linked with them. 1t must
support a vast population. Ii may calculate
from the progress we have already made, IN
comparison with our neighbors, we shall have
no reason to fear them, on the areas now open
to us. We have now a, 400, 600 people, and these
with the exception of the comparatively small
numbers as yet in this Province, are restricted
to the old area; yet Tor the last ten years our
increase has been over is per cent, whereas
during the same period all the New England
States taken together have shown an increase
only of 10 per cent. In the last 80 years in Ohio
the increase has been 81 per cent Ontario has
seen during that time lOl per cent. OF an IN
crease, while Quebec has increased 81 per cent.
Manitoba in 10 years has increased 2o9 per
cent, Ia gres or rate than any hitherto at
tained,) and to judge from this years expert
ence, is likely to increase to an even more
wonderful degree during the following decade.
Statistics are at all times wearisome, but are
not these full of hope? are they not facts CIV
ing lust grounds for that pride in our progress
which is conspicuous among our people, and
ample reason for our belief that the future may
be allowed to take care of itself?
They who pour out prophecies OF change pre-
scribing medicines for sound body, are vast
ing their gifts and their time. 1t is among
strangers that we hear such theories propound-
ed. By distinguished men with you the word
annexation has in late years only been heard
in connection with the annexation Of more
territory to Manitoba. l must apologize to
Canadian audience for mentioning the word
in any other connection. In America the an
nexation of this country is disavowed by all
responsible leaders, and as it was expressed to
me lately, the best men In the States desire
only to annex the friendship and goodwill OF
Canada. To be sure it may be otherwise with
the camp followers; they often talk as II the
swallowing and digestion OF Canada by them
were only question of time and rising reason.
Among us how far the power of the camp fol
lowers extends it is not for us to determine.
They have, however, shown that they were
powerful enough to capture a few Engiisn
writer's flour modern minor prophets) who IN
little magazine articles are fond OF teachlng
the nations how to behave; whose words
preach the superiority of other countries to
their own, and the proximate dlsmemberment
of that British Empire which has the honor to
acknowledge them as citizens They have,
with our American friends of whom speak,
at all events, one virtue in common; they ale
great spectators. In the case of our Southern
friends this is not a matter to be deplored by
us, for American speculation has been OF dl-
rect material benefit to Canada; and we must
regret that our American cousins are not COM
ing over to us SO fast as ara the Scotch, the
Irish, the Germans and the Scandinavians
generally. Also, it is not to be deplored that
such speculations are made, for they show that
it is thought that Canadians would form use
full though an unimportant wing for one OF
the great parties; and moreover, such prophe-
cies clothe with amusement the dry bones of
discussion; but it is best always to take men as
we find them and not TO believe that they will be
Qluereut III b klHuiy le6llHS, AISb 1Oi ourooir0S
and afterwards for them, should make us de-
sire to change them Let us rather judge from
the past and from the present than take flights
unguided into the imaginary region OF the fu-
ture. What do we find has been and is, the
tendency of the people of this continent? Does
not history show and do not modern and ex-
isling tendencies declare that the lines of
clesvsnce among them lie along the lines of
latitudes? Men spread from east to west. The,
political lines, which mean the lines OF diversi-
ty, spread in the same manner. The central
spaces will yet prove the great centres of popu-
lation. Can it be imagined that the vast cen
trail hives of men will allow the Eastern or
Western sed-board people to come between
them with separate empire and shut them
out in any degree from full and free inter-
course with the markets of the world beyond |
them? The safest conclusion, if conclusions |
are TO be drawn at all, is that what has hither
to been, will, in the nature of things, continue;
that whatever separations exist will be marked |
by zones of latitude. For other evidence we
must search in vain our county councils, the |
corporations, the local provincial |
the central Dominion Parliament, |
and last, but not least, perfectly unfettered
so1 oil FROG 0fo for the