Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1889-03-13
ABOUT ANNEXATION
The Senate Discusses Cur Rela-
tions with Canada.
MExI0o AID CUBA LUGGED III.
No Pent Up Utica Confines the I'M
aginations of Some Ambitious
Senators, but the Boundless
Continent Will Not Be
Ours at Present.

cent pro tenn OF me senate. Inc prcsl-
dents message in the case Of Louis Riel
was Laid on the table. On motion of Mr..
Plat a resolution was agreed to for the
appointment Of standing committees.
AIr. Payne called attention to the Sc
lect committee on relations with Canada
and moved to strike it out of the list.
The original resolution for the appoint
ment OF that committee in the first ses-
sion Of the last congress had originated,
lie said, in distrllst of the then execu-
tive, and therefore he had not objected
70 it. But it appeared to him to be a
direct usurpation of the powers of the
executive.
Dir. Cullom said it was important that
the American senate and people should
have an understanding of the political
constitution Of Canada, which had a very
curious system of government. While
nominally dependency Of Great Britain,
public opinion in Canada operated more
promptly and instantly in the legislative
body than was possible in the United
States under its constitution. He should
be glad to be able to give two or three
years study to that one important mat
ter alone. lt Is useless, he said. to be
blind to the fact land no discretion re-
quired silence in regard TO the fact) that
there was large and growing body of
men in Canada who desired annexation
20 this country and that political power
was likely to be turned in on that ques-
ton in the no distant future He very
much desifed that such an investigation
and such progress might be made az that
ultimately the two countries would be-
come one. In other words, that the
great country on the northern border of
the United States called Canada should
should become, finally, a portion of the
United States.
Mr.. Edmunds-We may as well look at
both sides of that question.
Mr. Cullom-We will look at both
sides Of IT. When making this investi-
cation, and trust that eventually such
result may be arrived at in a friendly
way, SO that these two great countries
may become one
Mr.. Sherman hoped that the subject
might get before the American people
meaning by that the people of the United
States and the people of Canada. He did
not believe that, with the long stretching
boundary between them, the two coun-
tries could continue To remain in peace.
The great secret of Republican govern
ment in the United States arose from the
fact that it had no rival on the American
continent and that therefore it was under
no necessity to maintain standing
army.
Mr.. Edmunds said that while he was
not in the last degree in favor of the an
nexation of the British North American
provinces to the United STATES at this
present time for he thought that there
Were more unassimilated elements in the
country now than could be very well
managed he was perfectly willing that
the select committee should pursue its
explorations and obtain all possible i'm
formation on the commercial and other
relations of the two countr.es But he
begged senators not to consider that in
voting for the select committee they
were committed to annexation. by the
assent of the people of Great Britain or
of the people of Canada or of ANYBODY
else, because that involved problem of
most serious consequence to the people of
most serious consequence to the people
of the United States. Annexation or
political union was one of those steps
which could not be taken and then. if
found announcement. thrown aside. The
union, as made was indissoluhe 1t
was step which could not be retraced.
lie therefore hoped that every senator
would vote under reserve as to that mat
ter.
Mr.. Hale said he did not understand
that the select committee had been or
ganized on devised as an annexation COM
mittee.
Dir. Payne regarded the appointment of
the select committee as an impugnment
of the wisdom or ability of the committee
on foreign relations and he asked why
that committee should be superseded at
the instance OF an individual senator MIR.
Hoarl who moved for the appointment of
a select committee.
air. Morrill, said be was quite willing to
have the committee appointed. 1t might
serve the purposes of tllose 'sno Aought
that the United States was bounded on
the north by the aRsora borealis, ON the
west by the setting sun, on the south by
the Antarctic ocean and on the east by the
Atlantic. have no question, said Mr..
Morrill,. bat that agitation of the subject
win make the Tory government stronger
in England than it would be without
such agitation. But while | regard the
introduction OF the subject rs inludicious
and likely To result osisastrously to the
views OF the gentleman in favor of politi-
cal union, have no objection TO the APP
pointnlent OF the committee.
Mr. Sherman expressed regret that his
colleague. Mr.. Payne. had raised the
question. He himself saw no objection
ut all to the appointment of committee
to obtain Information en- any subject, es-
pecially on q subject so important as
the relations-of the United States with
Canada There were innumerahle ques-
tons constantly arising along the border
that were liable to lead to disputes and
disturbance. If the committee really
gave attention to the matter it might do
a great deal of good. The only COM
plant he had to make of the committee
SO far was that it had not made any in
vestigatiolS, blst that circumstance had
been satisfactorily explained By the sena-