The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-07-03
ELOQUENT BEN BUTLER At COLBY.
rcoNr1NunD FROM r1Rsr rAsE.l

IcoNTINuED FROM FIRST PAGEl
church their accustomed dues and rights. SO
far the act was merciful; but it extended the
boundaries of the government to the ONO
which included, besides Canada, the area of
the present States Of Ohio, Michigan, indi-
ana, Illinois and Wisconsin, 1t decreed an
arbitrary rule"
The same condition of religious opinion
continues almost to the present hour. The
strongest opposition to annexation appear
ing in Canada has always been found In the
Province of Quebec. The eastern Provinces
have in them very considerable minority
of favorers of annexation, as undoubtedly
is their interest in every condition OF COM
mercial and financial concern. The
vEXING FISHERY QUESTION
would have been settled long since by Nova
Scotia New Brunswick, Breton and New
foundland, which has not yet become part
of the Dominion of Canada, had all those
Provinces stood with Newfoundland as
they did in the early organization of the Do
minion.
The Catholic opposition is very much ame-
liorated. When we made our treaty with
Mexico of Guadalupe Hidalgo.we gave very
tion of our acquired territory should never
be interfered with, or church property dis
turbed, and Rome knows how religiGusly
and carefully. we have kept our pledged faith
in that regard. We have prosecuted nobody
in that Territory for their religious opinion
save the Mormcns. Because Of the strong
Catholic element in the United States there
need not ever be any fear that any treaty or
act OF Congress by which: the rights of the
Catholic people and church in Canada may
bn q N q ro N fpn1 xuauld ho A
fears on the part of the people of any dis
turbance of their religious rights or opinions
have passed away, because within the last
decade nearly half million of French sub
lects have come to Puritan New England to
make their homes and have found that their
religious rights are as faithfully and well
preserved to them here as at home So il
would now seem that If the Catholic Church
had looked. as it might well do, to
North America for q strong. powerful and
formed and established closer union be-
tween their Canadian adherents and those in
the. United States in government where
both would protect the church by their votes
instead OF the adherents in Canada being
left wholly without power to aid the church
in any political or governmental matter.
Why then is it necessary for the statesman
to contemplate the declaration or enforce
ment of the independence of Canada if there
isa
POSSIBILITY OF UNION
of that country with the United States? The
problem seems to me to be this: Does Cana
da desire union with the United States? If
she so signifies her wish, in recognizable
form, England has no power to prevent it,
If Canada does not then England has no
power to enact it. She may throw Canada
off as dependency, but she cannot throw
her upon the United States. Would not the
more feasible. the more sensible, nay, the
more statesmanlike and effective manner of
bringing together the United States and Can
ada, and ultimately both in common bond
OF political union with Great Britain herself
especially in few years after Great Britain
may be Republic, the form of her govern
ment seeming to be not substantially in the
way now. to enter into negotiations for that
purpose, carefully and in the most friendly
spirit, the negotlators in charge having only
one idea in common, that is, how can the
three peoples best get together.
England and the United States are Just re-
covering from irritations of unpleasant
memories of the wars of the revolution, of
1872, and the late rebellion, and there is
nothing to renew any unhappy controversy
between the two nations save the fishery
questions, which would readily settle them
selves under wise and sagacious diplomacy.
which should be between the two nations,
and not between this nation on the one side
and Canada on the other.
Our late attempted negotiations and enact
ments, for diplomacy it could not be called,
VIII only result IN raising ill feeling on the
part of our neighbors, because of the annoy
ing thought that for the first time in the his
tory Oh diplomacy has province been left
to carry on diplomatic struggle with a ma
ZION almost without the aid of the parent
country,
UNDER A THREAT.
from the nation that the consequences of
failure of treaty were to be visited on the
province alone.
Why should not the diplomacy, instead of
this paltry and narrow matter, be that nego-
tlatlon should be approached with view of
uniting the two adjacent English speaking
peoples lying side by side in America, In the
same commercial and business conditions
between each other, with or without zollve
rein, as may be determined, leaving Great
Britain, whose institutions;depend upon the
same constitutional provisions, and whose
laws OF freedom give equal protection to
their several peoples later on when her in
teresr or safety demands, to come into like
compact with the United States and Canada,
league against the world if any part of the
world should see fit to take stand. which
none would or could successfully do
Negotiations conducted on such basis
and for such an end, could be carried on
without touching the pride or arousing jeal-
ousies, with none but the kindest Sentiments
being evolved in either people. Concessions
would not be required of either nation Thew
are coming together.
Two ereat navies to menace each other
with their enormous equipment and conse-
quent expenditures and losses by decay.
would at once be dispensed WITH A small,
inexpensive navy of each could bid the
world defiance and be used to emphasize
messages OF that which might as well be
sent by telegraph. All Europe and Asia,
Joined together in battle array, if such a
thing were possible, against the English
speaking people of the globe, would pause
IN dismay before any hostile step should be
taken against such united power. Such a
national combination would, within its own
necessary to carry on defensive or often
slVe warfare, and its borders would be the
compass of the globe. Why should we not
look TO such union as the means of
SPREADING THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION
in its most enlightened form. permitting
every sect equal rights to bring into its folds
It's own proselytes in its own way against the
atheism or agnosticism of az erring world?
Take another view: Such united power
power as L have sketched would save all the
other nations of Europe from final and iney-
liable bankruptcy because of maintaining
Immense armies and navies to the destruc-
!ion Oh their people and to hold each other
in check.
To that Englsh-speaking league every ma
ZION would be obliged to submit for arbitra-
ment every cause OF differences, If not be
cause of fear of its armed Intervention. vet
because Of its holding the money of the
world. No war could be carried on which
that nation should disapprove, and any ma
ton might disarm who should be protected
even by promise Of financial aid from the
earth.
With America and England uniting their
means OF production and transportation of
that which sustains life and secures comfort,
no want or famine could ever come: and
within century universal language could
pervade the world, thus relieving it from the
punishment inflicted on monkind by the
Lord Almighty at the Tower of Babel.
Other Exercises.
After the Grafton the alumni repaired to
Society Hall where refreshments, songs.
jokes and traditions of college life kept them
to the small hours. Gen. Butler. at the
close of the class programme, came up on
the campus and spoke for q few moments
saying that all he ever learned of temper
ance, virtue and duty to others was impart-