New-York tribune., 1907-08-31
Literary .Nesys and <,s.6sie7;.x,,,.

rcsteoeehSs.. las EecCh.sruu.a1 the houses the
churcsES> the roaaA - -. k:tle settlements
where Arnold was abie d rsless himself and
his men, and step by step - ~ go..e with the
little company OF patriots of 1875 on SLa perilous
journey through the wids. which they undertook
in the hope that they might bring liberty 10 an
oppressed people and enroll another colony
der the flag of freedom.
The causes of failure. they fe,l out by
one, are clearly shown. Nor does the historian
fail in making clear the great underlying rea
son why Canada did not become a part OF the
American commonwealth in 1888. 1t was an
alien people to whom the Americans appealed
and though the appeal was not fruitless. though
il prevented the active espousal of the cause
of the British by the hdbitQnts. it not
appeal which could fire the blood overcome
the timidity of the French peasantry. Again
and again the Americans found, as the On
tario Canadian finds to-day, that while tfe
Quebec Frenchman was courteous agreeable
and pleasant to deal with, he could not be
relied upon; and French courtesy was dubbed in
sincerity by the more blunt and outspoken
Englishman- Merely an Ottawa Frenchman.
with the nice manners and graceful insincerity
of his people was the Characterization Of one
OF the members of Sir Wlfrid Leurier's cabinet
in recent Ontario newspaper, and this de-
scription seems an echo of the reports sent
home by the Americans who were long
among the Canadians in 1116 With an upper
class and q church wholly out of sympathy
with the political ideas and aspirations Of the
colonies. and peasantry ignorant, unwarlke
and quite content 10 be left in peace under
quiet British rule. il was impossible to hope
that, even if Quebec had been taken at the
first assault. Canada could have been made
integral part of the Union. Still. the expedi-
ba wild
without their value to the struggling colonies.
They divided the forces that might have been
concentrated New York, and they afforded
invaluable education to Congress and to the
colonial armies the difficulties TO be met and
overcome before success could even be de-
served
Even if Canada had taken the American
side Professor Smith is doubtful whether the
Americans could have held the province during
the war. He lays great stress on the unpopu-
larity Of the Quebec act, which re-estab ablished
the Catholic Church after eleven years OF free
dom from the legal necessity OF paying church
dues. But he is scarcely convincing in his
gument that success on the part of the Amer
leans might have welded the two uncongenial
and dissimilar peoples together and persuaded
the French Canadians ITO allure clerical guild
in temporal affairs and espouse the
principles OF English liberty
The later chapters of the history describe
Lafayette's eagerness 10 go TO the rescue of
Canada and the natural hesitation Of Wash
ington to risk the remuneration of Canada
to France and the renewal OF the intoler-
able strain of French and Indian wars
Whether not there any real dan
ger of France reclaiming Canada had she
assisted in wrestling the province from the
English it is now impossible to say. Professor
Smith, while conceding that Washngtons fears
were natural. concludes that they without
foundation. But Lafayette did have the OPP
portunity of conQuering Canada. the French
there had no chance of showing how deep was
their old affection for their mother country and
fears in respect Of events which hap
pened easily proved groundIess. AS Pro-
fessor Smith observes, the days of Frontenac.
those dreaded days. have never returned" and
If the Stars and Stripes have never foated over
Quebec, the flag there has been a cause
of uneas:ness to the nation to the southwark.