Year: 1862




The Question of Cnnnda and she Mother


Country.


The following are the illusions of the venerable
Lord Brougham to the American war, in his re-
marks at the opening of the Social Science Associ-
alton, June 5th


"The present unhappy state of affairs in the
New World is calculated to withdraw our attention
from all other countries, and fix it upon the for
tunes of our kinsmen, and the lessons which their
Institutions or their errors, fitted to teach.
civil war has for twelve months ragged among them
far more dreadful than that, the prospects of
which. on the banks of the Rubicon. struck horror
through its authors limbs, made his hair stand on
end, and stayed his steps; war waged, not by
few thousand soldiers on either side, but by the
whole people, frantic with mutual hatred, filled
with thirst of vengeance, only to be slaked by
each others slaughter. The prevalence of epidemic
slander and lalsehood in all their forms makes it
impossible to trust the accounts which reach US.
But enough is certainly known to prove that the
conflict besides the misery its cruelties inflict,
must last long enough to impoverish the country
in all its resources. and whatever be its results to
leave the people filled with bitter feelings which
deprive peace Of all the blessings that good will
can bestow. The affecting scene, distant though
it be, has been regarded with lively interest
as if it lay in our immediate neighborhood. With
every disposition to put the most favorable con-
structOn upon the conduct of all parties, and with
the fixed resolution to take part in the deplora-
bic contest, the Government has not only main
tanned the most strict neutrality but withheld all
expression of opinion upon the matters In dispute,
all intimation of q wish as to the result; and in
preserving this passive attitude, enjoined alike by
wisdom and justice, it has also been the faithful
representative of the nation. The earnest and
universal desire of the people is to see an end of
this most miserable war, and the only apprehension
of rejecting and rational men is lest it should
leave such recollection of its dismal horrors as
may hereafter prevent Improvement where further
separation might be expedient, as the remembrance
of the Reign of Terror in France has for nearly
seventy years made the people submit to everything
rather than risk the recurrence of that caamitous
time.


Let not the Canadians deceive themselves by
supposing that these things only threaten them
because they are a dependency of the British
Crown, and that the moment that link is broken
the danger of invasion is destroyed with It. The
danger will be exactly in proportion to the pros
poets Of success, and Canada will be just 80 much
the more likely to be invaded an independent
province as she would be more likely to be con-
quered. Let not the Canadians, on the other hand,
believe that they have, in their present connection
with Great Britain. sufficient protection against
invasion, without taking any trouble to defend
themselves. Such an opinion is founded on mis-
take both of our power and our will. 1t is not in
our power to send forth from this little island
military force sufficient to defend the frontier of
Canada against the numerous armies which have
learnt arms and discipline in the great school Of
the present civil war. Our resources are unequal
to so large a concentration of force a single
point; our empire is too vast, our population too
small, our antagonist too powerful. But if we had
the power. it is quite certain that we should not
have the will. Opinion in England is perfectly
decided that in the connection betwe the mother
country and the colony the advantage is infinitely
more on the side of the child than the parent. We
no longer monopolize the trade Of the colonies we
no longer job their patronage"