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If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Canada; its Defences, Condition, and Resources - Being a third and concluding volume of "My Diary, North and - South" - -Author: William Howard Russell - -Release Date: October 9, 2021 [eBook #66495] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: MWS, John Campbell and the Online Distributed Proofreading - Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from - images generously made available by The Internet - Archive/American Libraries.) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CANADA; ITS DEFENCES, CONDITION, -AND RESOURCES *** - - - - - TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE - - Italic text is denoted by _underscores_. - - Footnote anchors are denoted by [number], and the three footnotes - have been placed under the Table to which they refer. - - The tables in this book are best viewed using a monospace font. - - A superscript is denoted by ^x or ^{xx}, for example Estab^t. - - Basic fractions are displayed as ½ ⅓ ¼ etc; other fractions are shown - in the form a-b/c, for example 3-1/14. - - Some minor changes to the text are noted at the end of the book. - - - - - CANADA; - - ITS DEFENCES, CONDITION, AND - RESOURCES. - - - - - BY THE SAME AUTHOR. - - _In Two Vols., post 8vo, price 21s._, - - MY DIARY NORTH AND SOUTH. - - OR, PERSONAL EXPERIENCES OF THE CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA. - - “The latter part of Mr. Russell’s Diary is probably droller - than anything which our theatrical wits will produce this - Christmas. We regret especially that we have no space for the - story respecting the President, on page 372 of the second volume. - The United States have been a vast burlesque on the functions - of national existence, and it was Mr. Russell’s fate to behold - their transformation scene, and to see the first tumbles of - their clowns and pantaloons. It was time for him to come away, - though the shame of his retirement was theirs. He did his duty - while he was with them, and he has left them a legacy in this - ‘Diary.’”--_Times._ - - - - - CANADA; - - ITS DEFENCES, CONDITION, AND - RESOURCES. - - BEING - - A THIRD AND CONCLUDING VOLUME OF “MY DIARY, - NORTH AND SOUTH.” - - - BY - - W. HOWARD RUSSELL, LL.D., - - - LONDON: - - BRADBURY AND EVANS, 11, BOUVERIE STREET. - - 1865. - - [_The Right of Translation is reserved._] - - - - - LONDON: - - BRADBURY AND EVANS, PRINTERS, WHITEFRIARS. - - - - -PREFACE. - - -I began to write this book by way of sequel to “My Diary North and -South,” with the intention of describing Canada as I saw it at the -close of my visit to North America, but the subject grew upon me -as I went on, and at last I discarded much personal detail, and -set to work with the view of calling attention to the capabilities -of the vast regions belonging to the British Crown on the American -Continent, and of pointing out the magnificent heritage which is -open to our redundant population. But the subject was too great -for the compass of one volume, because connected with it, too -intimately to be overlooked, were the questions of the defence -and of the future of countries, which the establishment of a -Monarchical principle on an imperfect basis, and their dependence -on the Crown, exposed to the hostility of a great Republic. I was, -therefore, obliged to contract my own experiences, small as they -were, and to omit many topics included in the original scope of my -writing. The book was nearly finished when suddenly, as it seemed, -the whole of the Provinces, yielding to a common sentiment of -danger, sent their delegates to consider the policy and possibility -of a great Confederation, which had been strongly recommended in -the pages already written. The idea of such a Confederation was -an old one; but the prompt resolve to carry it into practical -effect, and the words spoken and acts done in consequence, rendered -it necessary to cancel the work of many hours, as much of what I -had written would have been anticipated by what has been printed. -There are many dangers inherent in the nature of the proposed -Confederation; there are many obstacles to its harmonious and -successful working; but on the whole some such scheme appears to be -the only practical mode of saving the British Provinces from the -aggression of the North American Republicans. - -What is to become of the existing Governments of Provinces? How -regulate the contentions which may arise between Provincial -Parliaments and Provincial Ministers and Provincial Governors by -the action of the Federal Parliament and of the representative of -the Crown at the seat of Government? The difficulties we foresee -may never come to pass, and others far greater, of which we have -no foresight, may arise; but for all this the Confederation -presents the only means now available, as far as we can perceive, -for securing to the Provinces present independence and a future -political life distinct from the turbulent existence of the United -States. A glance at the map will reveal the extent of the Empire -which rests upon the Lakes with one arm on the Atlantic and the -other on the Pacific, whilst its face is wrapped in a mantle -of eternal snow; but it tells us no more. No reasoning man can -maintain that the people whom a few years will behold as numerous -as the inhabitants of these islands, will be content to live -permanently under the system of the Colonial Office. That system -is probably the only one our Constitution permits us to adopt; but -it is nevertheless the policy, if not the duty, of this State to -foster the youth and early life of the colonies we have founded, -and to protect them, as far as may be, from the evils which shall -come upon them in consequence of their present connection with -Great Britain. Despised, neglected, and abandoned, the Provinces -would feel less irritation against their conquerors than against -their betrayers, and England might regret with unavailing sorrow -the indifference which left her without a foot of land or a friend -in the New World. Generosity not inconsistent with justice may -yet lay the foundations of an enduring alliance where once there -was only cold fealty and unsympathising command. A powerful State -may arise whose greatest citizens shall be proud to receive such -honours as the Monarch of England can bestow, whose people shall -vie with us in the friendly contests of commerce, and stand side by -side with us in battle. And when the inevitable hour of separation -comes, the parting will not then be in anger. A Constitutional -Republic, in which Monarchy would have been possible but for the -prudence of the mother-country, may exist without any hatred of -Monarchy or of England; and the people, born with equal rights to -pursue liberty and happiness, would love the land from which flowed -the sources of so many substantial blessings. - -I hope that my apprehensions may prove ill-founded, and that the -dangers to which our North American possessions now, and England -herself and the peace of the world hereafter, are in my opinion -exposed, may be for ever averted. - - WILLIAM HOWARD RUSSELL. - - TEMPLE, _January, 1865_. - - - - -CONTENTS. - - - CHAPTER I. - - PAGE - - Introductory--Canada and the Mason and Slidell case--Threats - of annexation--Defence of Canada--Reasons for visiting the - British Provinces--Illness at New York--Hostility displayed - there--Monotony of New York--Hotel life--“Birds of a - feather”--Nationality absorbed--Start for Canada--Railway - Companions--Public credulity--A victory in the papers--History - of “A Big Fight”--General Pumpkin and Jefferson Brick 1 - - - CHAPTER II. - - To the Station--Stars and Stripes--Crowd at Station--Train impeded - by Snow--Classic ground--“Manhattan”--“Yonkers”--Fellow-travellers - and their ways--“Beauties of the Hudson”--West Point: their - education, &c.--Large Towns on the banks of the Hudson--Arrive at - East Albany--Delavan House--Beds at a premium--Aspect of Albany - not impressive--Sights--The Legislature 17 - - - CHAPTER III. - - Unpleasant journey to Niagara--Mr. Seward--The Union and its - dangers--Pass Buffalo--Arrival at Niagara--A “Touter”--Bad - weather--The Road--Climate compared--Desolate appearance - of houses--The St. Lawrence viewed from above--One hundred - years ago--Canada the great object of the Americans--The - Welland Canal--Effect of the Falls from a distance--Gradual - approach--Less volume of water in winter--Different effect and - dangers in winter--Icicles--Behind the Cataract--Photographs - and Bazaar--Visit the “Lions” generally--Brock--American and - Canadian sides contrasted--Goat Island--A whisper heard--Mills - and Manufactories 28 - - - CHAPTER IV. - - Leave Niagara--Suspension Bridge--In British territory--Hamilton - City--Buildings--Proceed eastward--Toronto--Dine at Mess--Pay - visits--Public edifices--Sleighs--Amusement of the boys-- - _Camaraderie_ in the army--Kindly feeling displayed--Journey - resumed towards Quebec--Intense cold--Snow landscape--Morning - in the train--Hunger and lesser troubles--Kingston, its rise - and military position--Harbour, dockyards--Its connection with - the Prince of Wales’ Tour--The Upper St. Lawrence--Canada as - to defence 53 - - - CHAPTER V. - - Arrive at Cornwall--The St. Lawrence--Gossip on India--Aspect - of the country--Montreal--The St. Lawrence Hall Hotel--Story - of a Guardsman--Burnside--Dinner--Refuse a banquet--Flags--Climate - --_Salon-à-manger_--Contrast of Americans and English--Sleighs--The - “Driving Club”--The Victoria Bridge--Uneasy feeling--Monument to - Irish emigrants--Irish character--Montreal and New York--The - Rink--Sir F. Williams--Influence of the Northerners 71 - - - CHAPTER VI. - - Visit the “lions” of Montreal--The 47th Regiment--The city open to - attack--Quays, public buildings--French colonisation--Rise of - Montreal--Stone--A French-Anglicised city--Loyalty of Canadians - --Arrival of Troops--Facings--British and American Army compared - --Experience needed by latter--Slavery 87 - - - CHAPTER VII. - - First view of Quebec--Passage of the St. Lawrence--Novel and - rather alarming situation--Russell’s Hotel--The Falls of - Montmorenci, and the “Cone”--Aspect of the City--The - Point--“Tarboggining”--Description of the “Cone”--Audacity - of one of my companions--A Canadian dinner--Call on the - Governor--Visit the Citadel--Its position--Capabilities for - defence--View from parapet--The armoury--Old muskets--Red-tape - thoughtfulness--French and English occupation of Quebec--Strength - of Quebec 100 - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - Lower Canada and Ancient France--Soldiers in Garrison at - Quebec--Canadian Volunteers--The Governor-General Viscount - Monck--Uniform in the United States--A Sleighing Party--Dinner - and Calico Ball 121 - - - CHAPTER IX. - - Canadian view of the American Struggle--English Officers in - the States--My own position in the States and in Canada--The - Ursulines in Quebec--General Montcalm--French Canadians--Imperial - Honours--Celts and Saxons--Salmon Fishing--Early Government of - Canada--Past and Future 128 - - - CHAPTER X. - - Canadian Hospitality--Muffins--Departure for the States--Desertions - --Montreal again--Southerners in Montreal--Drill and Snow - Shoes--Winter Campaigning--Snow Drifts--Military Discontent 148 - - - CHAPTER XI. - - Extent of Canada--The Lakes--Canadian Wealth--Early History--La - Salle--Border Conflicts--Early Expeditions--Invasions from - New England--Louisburgh and Ticonderoga--The Colonial Insurrection - --Partition of Canada--Progress of Upper Canada--France and - Canada--The American Invasion--Winter Campaign--New Orleans and - Plattsburgh--Peace of Ghent--Political Controversies--Winter - Communication--Sentiments of Hon. Joseph Howe--General view of - Imperial and Colonial relations 158 - - - CHAPTER XII. - - The Militia--American Intentions--Instability of the Volunteer - Principle--The Drilling of Militia--The Commission of 1862--The - Duke of Newcastle’s Views--Militia Schemes--Volunteer - Force--Apathy of the French Canadians--The first Summons 200 - - - CHAPTER XIII. - - Possible dangers--The future danger--Open to attack--Canals - and railways--Probable lines of invasion--Lines of attack and - defence--London--Toronto--Defences of Kingston--Defences - of Quebec 222 - - - CHAPTER XIV. - - Rapid Increase of Population--Mineral Wealth--Cereals--Imports - and Exports--Climate--Agriculture--A Settler’s Life--Reciprocity - Treaty--Report of the Committee of the Executive Council--Mr. - Galt--Senator Douglas--A Zollverein--Terms of the Convention--Free - Trade, and what is meant by it--Mr. Galt’s opinion on the - subject--Canadian Imports and Exports 241 - - - CHAPTER XV. - - Reciprocal Rights--American Ideas of Reciprocity--The Ad Valorem - System--Commercial Improvements--Trade with America--The Ottawa - Route--The Saskatchewan--Fertility of the Country--Water - Communication--The Maritime Provinces--Area and Population 259 - - - CHAPTER XVI. - - The “Ashburton Capitulation”--Boundaries of Quebec--Arbitration - in 1831--Lord Ashburton’s Mission--The questions in dispute--“The - Sea” _v._ “The Atlantic”--American Diplomatists--Franklin’s - Red Line--Compromise--The Maps--Maine--Damage to Canada--Mr. - Webster’s Defence--His Opinion of the Road--Value of the - Heights--Our Share of Equivalents--Strategic value of Rouse’s - Point--Mr. Webster on the Invasion of Canada--Vermont--New - Hampshire 283 - - - CHAPTER XVII. - - The Acadian Confederation--Union is Strength--The Provinces--New - Brunswick--The Temperature--Trade of St. John--Climate and - agriculture of Nova Scotia--Newfoundland--Prince Edward Island--The - Red River District--Assiniboia--The Red River Valley--Minnesota - and the West--The Hudson’s Bay Company--Their Territory--The - North-West Regions--Climate of Winnipeg Basin--The area of - Winnipeg Basin--Finances of the Confederation--Imports, exports, - and tonnage--Proposed Federal Constitution--Lessons from the - American struggle 310 - - -[Illustration: (map of Upper and Lower Canada.) - -_Stanfords Geographical Estab^t. London._ - -London: Bradbury & Evans, 11 Bouverie Street.] - - - - -CANADA: - -ITS DEFENCES, CONDITION, AND RESOURCES. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - - Introductory--Canada and the Mason and Slidell case--Threats - of annexation--Defence of Canada--Reasons for visiting the - British Provinces--Illness at New York--Hostility displayed - there--Monotony of New York--Hotel life--“Birds of a - feather”--Nationality absorbed--Start for Canada--Railway - Companions--Public credulity--A victory in the papers--History - of “A Big Fight”--General Pumpkin and Jefferson Brick. - - -I do not pretend to offer any new observations on the climate, -soil, or capabilities of Canada, nor can I venture to call these -pages a “work” on that great province. I have nothing novel to -advance in the hope of attracting an immigration to its wide-spread -territories, and any statistical facts and figures I may use are -accessible to all interested in the commerce or in the past, -present, and future of the land. - -Nor do I write with any particular theory in view, or with any -crotchet on the subject of colonies, outlying provinces, and -dependencies, and their value or detriment to the dominant -commercial and imperial power. - -My actual acquaintance with the country and the people is only such -as I acquired in a few weeks’ travelling in the depth of winter; -and such sort of knowledge as I gathered would certainly afford no -great excuse in itself for intruding my remarks or opinions on the -public when so many excellent books on Canada already exist. - -But it happened that my visit took place at a very remarkable -period of Canadian and American history, and at a time, too, when -certain doctrines, broached not for the first time, but urged -with more than usual ability, as to the relations between what -for convenience I call the mother-country and her colonies, were -exciting great attention across the Atlantic. - -When I left Washington in the winter, a great crisis had been -peacefully but not willingly averted by a concession on the part of -the Federal Government to what the sentiment of the American people -considered an exhibition of brute force. The first year of the war -had closed over the Federals in gloom. Their arms were not wielded -with credit at home--if credit ever can attach to arms wielded in -a civil war--and the foreign power which it had been their wont -to treat with something as near akin to disrespect as diplomatic -decency would permit, aroused by an act which outraged the laws -of nations and provoked the censure of every European power with -business on the waters, had made preparations which could only -imply that she would have recourse to hostility if her demands for -satisfaction were refused. - -It was under these circumstances that England obtained the -reparation for which she sought, and in the eyes of Americans -filched a triumph over their flag and took an insolent advantage -over their weakened power “to do as they pleased.” General -McClellan, playing the part of Fabius, perhaps because he knew -not how to play any other part, had fallen sick and was nigh at -death’s door in the malarious winter at Washington. The great Union -army, like a hybernating eel in the mud, lay motionless, between -the Potomac and the clever imposture of the Confederate lines and -wooden batteries at Manassas. - -But haughty and hopeful as ever, in tone if not in heart, the -Americans raved about vengeance for their own just concessions. -They boasted that the seizure of Canada would be one of the -measures of retaliation to which they intended promptly to resort, -as the indemnity to their injured vanity and as compensation for -the surrender of Messrs. Mason and Slidell. - -Meanwhile the small force of British troops stationed in Canada was -reinforced by the speedy dispatch of some picked regiments from -England, which did not raise it much beyond its regular strength, -and tardy steps were taken to organise an efficient militia in the -province. The volunteer movement had extended its influence across -the ocean, and a commendable activity all over the British Colonies -and Canada falsified the complacent statements of the American -papers that the people were not loyal to the Crown nor careful of -the connection, which, it was alleged, they would gladly substitute -for the protection of the standard of the Northern Republic. - -All these necessary precautions against the consequences of the -refusal of the American Government to yield the passengers taken -from under our flag, were watched angrily and jealously in the -States. The British reinforcements were ridiculed; their tedious -passages, their cheerless marches, were jeeringly chronicled. -Whole ships were reported to have gone down with living cargoes. -Those who landed were represented as being borne on sleighs by -sufferance routes, which would be impracticable in war. The -Canadians were abused--and so were the Provincialists. The -volunteers were assailed with the weapons which the American press -knows so well how to use. - -But that was false policy. It gave a stimulus to the loyal feeling -of the subjects of the Crown. The Canadian press retorted, and, -exulting in the triumph of the Home Government over the Republican -Administration, uttered the taunts which Americans least brook to -hear. - -It was assumed that the task of vengeance and conquest would be -light. I received letters in which it was maintained that Canada -could not be defended, and that she was not worth defending; others -merely urged that if the Canadians would not take a prominent part -in aid of imperial measures for their protection, they must be -handed over to the invading Americans; that their country cost more -than it was worth, and that it was a mistake to keep any connection -with the wrong side of the ledger, no matter what the results of -rupturing it might be. - -Americans told me “General Scott declares the Canadian frontier is -not capable of defence.” True, Americans had told me some months -ago that General Scott, now _mis en retraite_ in New York, after -a hasty return from Europe--not, as was asserted, with diplomatic -authority or with the view of invading Canada, but to save his -pension in case of foreign war--would be in Richmond about July -22nd or 24th, 1861. I heard some views of the same kind from our -own officers, who expressed doubts respecting the possibility of a -successful resistance to American invasion. - -Now if that were so, it struck me that the troops we had in the -country could prove but of little use, and that at the same time -the relative condition of strength between the United States and -Great Britain had undergone a vital change in face of the very -agencies which ought to have established more solidly the results -obtained in the last trial of force and resources between them on -Canadian ground. It was worth while trying to ascertain the truth -and to resolve these questions. - -The United States, dreading a foreign war which might interfere -with their invasion of the Southern States, had ungraciously made a -concession, in revenge for making which their press declared they -would on the first convenient occasion make war on the Power they -had offended, in a country which they had invaded with all their -united power--when Great Britain, steamless and remote, was engaged -in European conflicts and destitute of maritime allies--only to -meet with defeat, or with success of a nature to prove their -incompetency to conquer. - -Was the power of this distracted republic, contending furiously -with rebellious members, then, become so great? If so, with what -motive was Great Britain hurrying across the sea the élite of her -troops--too few to save these vast domains, too many to lose, and -far too many to return as paroled prisoners? Why try to defend on -such terms what was worthless and indefensible? Canada, if not -susceptible of defence, would be certainly unsuitable as a base -for offensive operations against the States. Obviously the matter -stood thus: that the military question depended on the temper and -spirit of the people themselves. - -The whole force of the Canadians, sustained by Great Britain, -might, apparently, defy all the offensive power of the United -States; and I desired to ascertain in what condition were their -temper and defences. - -At this time British officers were endeavouring to prepare the -possessions of the Crown against threatened invasion. The Americans -on their side were busy fortifying some important points on the -lakes. - -General Totten, an officer of the United States Engineers, well -known for his ability, was understood to be engaged on a very -elaborate plan of works along the frontier. Colonel Gordon, whose -name will be for ever associated with the left attack at the siege -of Sebastopol, aided by an experienced staff, was employed on our -side, studying the capabilities of the frontier, and maturing a -plan for the consideration of the Government in case of an American -war. - -There were reasons, too, of a personal character for my visiting -Canada. I had a fever, which was contracted at Washington and laid -me prostrate at New York. It was of the low typhoid type, which -proved fatal to so many in the Federal army at the same time, and -its effects made me weaker for the time than I ever remember to -have been. There was no promise whatever of military operations, -and I read every day of the arrival of friends and acquaintances -in Canada, whose faces it would be pleasant to see, after the -endurance of so many hostile glances and such public exhibition of -ill-will. - -I do not wish to dwell on private annoyances, but as an instance -of the feeling displayed towards me in New York I may mention -one circumstance. On my arrival in 1861 I was elected an honorary -member of the club which derives its name from the state or city, -and was indebted to its members for many acts of courtesy and for -more than one entertainment. Returning to the city from Washington -early this year, I was invited to dine at the same club by one or -two of my friends. Certain members, as I afterwards heard, took -umbrage at my presence, and fastened a quarrel on my entertainers. -A day or two subsequently the people of New York were called on, -by the notorious journalist who had honoured me with his animosity -ever since I refused the dishonour of his acquaintance, to express -their indignation at the conduct of the club; and the members -received a characteristic reprimand for their presumption in -letting me into the club, from which they had kept their censor -and his clientele carefully out. My offence was rank; and public -opinion--or what is called so--perhaps was in favour of the -ostracism at that moment; for, as far as I know, the people must -have believed I was the sole cause of the Federal defeat and flight -at Bull Run. - -There was some novelty in the idea of starting for Canada in the -midst of the bitter winter wind and the dazzling snow; but I would -have gone to Nova Zembla at the time to have escaped the monotony -of New York, which the effects of recent illness rendered more -irksome. - -New York is among cities, what one of the lower order of molluscous -animals, with a single intestinal canal, is to a creature of a -higher development, with various organs, and full of veins and -arteries. Up and down the Broadway passes the stream of life to -and from the heart in Wall-street. In the narrow space from water -to water on either side of this dry canal there is comparatively -little animation, and nothing at all to reward the researches of a -stranger. - -Johnson’s remark about Fleet-street would apply with truth to the -gawky thoroughfare of the Atlantic Tyre. In the Broadway or its -“west-end” extensions are to be found all the hotels, which are the -ganglia of the feverish nervous system so incessantly agitated by -the operations of the journalistic insects living in secret cysts -nigh at hand. All day the great tideway is rolling in, headed by -a noisy crest of little boys, with extras under their arms, and -heralded by a confused surfy murmur of voices telling “lies” for -cents, and enunciating “Another Great Union Victory!” in one great -bore; or it is rushing out again with a dismal leaden current, -laden with doubts and fears, as the news of some disaster breaks -through the locks of government reservoirs and floods the press. - -In my hotel, where I was fain to seclude myself in my illness, -and to follow the very un-American practice of living in a suite -of private rooms, there was but little conflict of opinion on any -great event, real or fictitious, which turned up from day to day. -The guests and visitors were well-nigh all of one way of thinking. -They were of the old conservative party, so oddly denominated -Democrats, who believed in States Rights: in the right of states -to create and maintain their domestic institutions--to secede, if -they pleased, from the Union--to resist the attempts of the General -Government of the other states to coerce them by force of arms. - -Some of these gentlemen were satisfied the South would not be -coerced; some hoped the South would resist successfully. None, -I fear, were “loyal” to President Lincoln and Mr. Seward, and I -am sure none would have said so much for either of them or their -friends as I would. - -The majority principle forces people who hold similar views to -meet together, and to select the same hotels to live in. This -is unfortunate for a stranger who desires to hear the views of -both sides. In the New York, from the highly artistic and skilful -operator who flashed out cocktails at the bar, up to the highest -authority, there was no man who would like to say that he was on -good terms with Mr. Sumner, or that he did not think Mr. Seward -the representative of evil principles. The rule was proved by the -exceptions: two I suspect there were--stout Irish waiters, who did -not approve of the attempts to destroy “our glorious Union,” but -who did not find the atmosphere of the place quite favourable to -the free expression of the opinion they mildly hinted at to myself. - -The sameness of ideas, of expressions, of faces, became unbearable. -I could tell quite well by the look of men’s faces what news they -had heard, and what they were saying or going to say about it. -Here were crafty politicals and practical men of business, and -persons of a philosophical and reflective temperament, as well as -the foolish, the mere pleasure-hunters, and the unthinking mass of -an hotel world, all looking forward to a near to-morrow to end the -woes of the state, always waiting for a “decisive” battle or “an -indignant uprising of the people” to drive the Republicans out of -power and office. - -Not one of them could or would see that the contest, when -terminated, would give birth to others--that the vast bodies of -diverse interests, prejudices, hatreds, and wrongs set in motion -by war over so enormous a surface, where they had been kept -suspended and inert by the powers of compromise, could never be -reconsolidated and restored to the same state as before, and that -it would be the work of time, the labour of many years, ere they -could settle to rest in any shape whatever. - -I am told respectable Americans do not use the word “Britisher,” -but I am bound to say I heard Americans who looked very respectable -using the word at the time of which I speak, when there was still -irritation on both sides in consequence of the surrender of Mason -and Slidell--in the minds of the friends of the South, because they -were balked in their anticipation of a foreign war; in the Federal -mind, because, after much threatening and menaces, they had seen -the captives surrendered to the British by the President, or, more -properly speaking, by Mr. Seward. - -Hence it was, perhaps, that Canada was always mentioned in such a -tone of contempt, as though the speakers sought to relieve their -feelings by abuse of a British dependency. - -“Goin’ to Canada!” exclaimed the faithful Milesian who had been -my attendant--in fact, my substitute for a nurse. “Lord help us! -_That’s_ a poor place, anyhow. I thought you’d be contint wid the -snow we’ve got here. It’s plinty, anyhow. But Canada!” The man had -never been there in his life, but he spoke as if it were beyond -the bounds of civilisation. He had served in a British regiment -for many years; many of his brothers had been, I think he told me, -in the service, but now they were all in the States, and to his -notion thriving like himself. - -In no country on earth is an old nationality so soon absorbed as in -America. I am inclined to think the regard professed for England by -American literary men is sentimental, and is produced by education -and study rather than by any feeling transmitted in families or by -society. - -The emigrant, it is remarked, speedily forgets--in the hurry of -his new life the ways of the old slip out of his memory. One day -I said to my man, as a regiment of volunteers was marching down -Broadway, “Those fellows are not quite as well set up as the -41st, Pat.” “Well, indeed, and that’s thrue; but they’d fight as -well I b’lieve, and better maybe, if they’d the officers, poor -craychures! Anyhow,” continued he with great gravity, “they can’t -be flogged for nothin’ or for anything.” “Were you ever flogged?” -“No, sirir--not a lash ever touched my back, but I’ve known fine -sogers spiled by it.” It is likely enough that he had never thought -on the subject till he came to the States--a short time before and -he would have resented deeply the idea that any regiment on earth -could stand before Her Majesty’s 41st. - -It was now near the end of January, and as a gleam of fine weather -might thaw the glorious Union army of the Potomac, and induce them -to advance on the inglorious army of the Confederacy, I resolved to -make the best of my way northwards forthwith. - -My companions were a young British officer, distinguished in the -Crimea, in India, and in China, who represented a borough in -Parliament, and had come out to see the great contest which was -raging in the United States; and an English gentleman, who happened -to be at New York, and was anxious to have a look at Niagara, even -in its winter dress. - -On the 27th January we were all packed to start by the 5.30 P.M. -train by Albany to Niagara, and thence to Toronto. The landlord -made me up a small assortment of provisions, as in snow-time trains -are not always certain of anything but irregularity. I was regarded -as one who was about to make myself needlessly miserable when he -might continue in much happiness. “You had better stay, sir, for a -few days. I have certain intelligence, let me whisper you, that the -Abolitionists will be whipped at the end of this week, and old Abe -driven out of Washington.” - -The little boys still shout out, “Another great Union victory.” -The last, by-the-bye, was of General Thomas, at Somerset, which -has gradually sublimed into uncertainty, though he handled his men -well, and is not bad at a despatch. - -The credulity of the American mind is beyond belief. _Populus vult -decipi_--and certainly its wishes are complied with to the fullest -extent. The process of a Union victory, from its birth in the first -telegram down to its dissolution in the last despatch, is curious -enough. - -Out comes an extra of the _New York Herald_--“Glorious Union -Victory off Little Bear Creek, Mo.!--Five Thousand Rebels Disposed -of!--Grand Skedaddle!--General Pumpkin’s Brilliant Charge!--He -Out-Murats Murat!--Sanguinary Encounters!--Cassius Mudd’s -Invincibles!--Doom of the Confederacy!--Jeff Davis gone to Texas!” -and so on, with a display of large type, in double-headed lines, -and a profusion of notes of admiration. - -There is excitement in the bar-rooms. The Democrats look -down-hearted. The War Christians are jubilant. Fiery eyes -devour the columns, which contain but an elaboration of -the heading--swelled perhaps with a biographical sketch of -Brigadier-General Cyrus Washington Pumpkin, “who was educated -at West Point, where he graduated with Generals Beauregard and -McDowell, and eventually subsided into pork-packing at Cincinnati, -where he was captain of a fine company till the war broke out, when -he tendered his sword,” &c. Cassius Mudd’s biography is of course -reprinted for the twentieth time, and there is a list of the names -of all the officers in the regiments near the presumed scene of -action. - -Then comes the action:--“An intelligent gentleman has just -arrived at Chicago, and has seen Dr. Bray, to whom he has given -full particulars of the fight. It was commenced by Lieutenant -Epaminondas Bellows (‘son of our respected fellow-citizen, the -President of the Bellowstown and Bellona Railway’--here follows a -biography of Bellows), who was out scouting with ten more of our -boys when they fell into an ambuscade, which opened on them with -masked batteries, uttering unearthly yells. With Spartan courage -the little band returned the fire, and kept the Seceshers, who were -at least 500 strong, at bay till their ammunition was exhausted. -Bellows, his form dilated with patriotism, his mellow tones ringing -above the storm of battle, was urged to fly by a tempter, whose -name we suppress. The heroic youth struck the cowardly traitor to -the earth, and indignantly invited the enemy to come on. They -did so at last. The lieutenant, resisting desperately, then fell, -and our men carried his body to the camp, to the skirts of which -they were followed by the Secesh cavalry and four guns. Our loss -was only two more--the enemy are calculated to have lost 85. The -farmers at Munchausen say they were busy all day carrying away -their dead in carts. - -“On reaching the camp, General Pumpkin thought it right to drive -back the dastardly polluters of our country’s flag. He disposed -his troops in platoons, according to the celebrated disposition -made by Miltiades at Marathon, covering his wings with squadrons of -artillery in columns of sub-divisions, with a reserve of cavalry in -echelon; but he improved upon the idea by adding the combination of -solid squares and skirmishers in the third line, by which Alexander -the Great decided the Battle of Granicus. - -“In this order, then, the Union troops advanced till they came -to Little Bear Creek. Here, to their great astonishment, they -found the enemy under General Jefferson Brick in person (Brick -will be remembered by many here as the intelligent clerk in our -advertisement department, but he was deeply tainted with Secesh -sentiments, and on the unfurling of our flag manifested them in -such a manner that we were obliged to dispense with his services). -The infamous destroyer of his country’s happiness had posted his -men so that we could not see them. They were at least three to -one--mustering some 7,000, with guns, caissons, baggage waggons, -and standards in proportion--and were arranged in an obtuse angle, -of which the smaller end was composed of a mass of veterans, in -the order adopted by Napoleon with the Old Guard at Waterloo: the -larger, consisting of the Whoop-owl Bushwackers and the Squash -River Legion in potence, threatened us with destruction if we -advanced on the other wing, whilst we were equally exposed to -danger if we remained where we were. - -“General Pumpkin’s conduct is, at this most critical moment, -generally described as being worthy of the best days of Roman -story. He simply gave the word ‘Charge.’ ‘What, General?’ exclaimed -our informant. ‘Charge! Sir,’ said the general, with a sternness -which permitted no further question. With a yell our gallant -fellows dashed at the enemy, but the water was too deep in the -creek, and they retired with terrific loss. The enemy then dashed -at them in turn. They drove our right for three miles; we drove -their left for three-and-a-quarter miles. Their centre drove our -left, and our right drove their centre again. They took five of our -guns; we took six of theirs and a bread-cart. - -“Night put an end to this dreadful struggle, in which American -troops set an example to the war-seamed soldiers of antiquity. Next -morning General Pumpkin pushed across to Pugstown, and occupied it -in force. Union sentiment is rife all through Missouri. We demand -that General Pumpkin be at once placed at the head of the Army of -the Potomac.” - -Now all this--in no degree exaggerated--and the like of which I -have read over and over again, affords infinite comfort or causes -great depression to New York for an hour or so, coupled with an -“editorial,” in which the energy and enterprise of the Scarron -are duly eulogised, old Greeley’s hat and breeches and umbrella -handled with charming wit and eloquence, and the inevitable -flight of the Richmond Government to Texas clearly demonstrated. -Next day some little doubt is expressed as to the exact locality -of the fight--“Pumpkin’s force was at Big Bear, 180 miles west -of the place indicated. We doubt not, however, the account is -substantially correct, and that the Secesh forces have been pretty -badly whipped.” - -Next day the casualties are reduced from 200 killed and 310 wounded -to 96 killed and none wounded; and scrutinising eyes notice a -statement, in small type, that the “father of Lieutenant Bellows -has written to us to state his son was not engaged on the occasion -in question, but was at home on furlough.” And by the time “Another -Great Union Victory!” is ready, the fact oozes out, but is by no -means considered worth a thought, that General Pumpkin has had an -encounter with the Confederates in which he suffered a defeat, and -that he has gone into winter quarters. - -I do not suppose for a moment that these deceitful agencies -are exercised only in the North, but am persuaded, from what -I know, that the Southern people are at least as anxious for -news, and as liable to be led away by suppressions of truth or -distorted narratives, as those of the Free States. If we had had -a telegraphic system and a newspaper press during the Wars of the -Roses, or the struggle of 1645, it is probable our partisans, -on both sides, would have been as open to imposture; but I do -not think they would have continued long in the faith that the -ever-detected impostor was still worthy of credence. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - - To the Station--Stars and Stripes--Crowd at Station--Train impeded - by Snow--Classic ground--“Manhattan”--“Yonkers”--Fellow-travellers - and their ways--“Beauties of the Hudson”--West Point: their - education, &c.--Large Towns on the banks of the Hudson--Arrive at - East Albany--Delavan House--Beds at a premium--Aspect of Albany - not impressive--Sights--The Legislature. - - -As we drove over the execrable snow-heaps to the station, the -streets seemed to me unusually dreary. The vast Union flags which -flapped in the cold air, now dulled and dim, showed but their great -bars of blood, and the stars had faded out into darkness. - -Apropos of the stripes and stars, I may say I never could meet -any one in the States able to account for the insignia, though it -has been suggested that they are an amplification of the heraldic -bearing of George Washington. Strange indeed if the family blazon -of an English squire should have become the flaunting flag of the -Great Republic, which with all its faults has done so much for the -world, and may yet, purged of its vanity, arrogance, and aggressive -tendency, do so much more for mankind! Not excepting our own, it -is the most widely-spread flag on the seas; for whilst it floats -by the side of the British ensign in every haunt of our commerce, -it has almost undisputed possession of vast tracts of sea in the -Pacific and South Atlantic. - -At last we got to the end of our very unpleasant journey, and -approached the York and Albany Terminus, over an alpine concrete -of snow-heaps, snow-holes, and street-rails. At the station my -coach-driver affectionately seized my hand, and bade me good-bye -with a cordiality which might have arisen from the sensitiveness -of touch in his palm as much as from personal affection. The -terminus was crowded with citizens (eating apples, lemon-drops, -and gingerbread-nuts, and reading newspapers) and a few men in -soldier’s uniform, going north--only one or two of what one -calls in Europe gentlemen or ladies, but all well-dressed and -well-behaved, if they would only spare the hissing stoves and the -feelings of prejudiced foreigners. - -The train, with more punctuality than we usually observe in such -matters, started to the minute, but only went ten yards or so, and -then halted for nearly half an hour--no one knew why, and no one -seemed to care, except a gentleman who was going, he said, to get -his friend, “the Honourable Something Raymond, to do something -for him at Albany,” and was rather in a hurry. When the engine -renewed the active exercise of its powers, the pace was slow and -the motion was jerking and uneven, owing to snow on the rails, and -the obstacles increased as the train left the shelter of the low -long-stretching suburb which clings to it, and is dragged, as it -were, out of the city with it along the bank of the Hudson. But -even 181st and 182nd streets abandoned their attempts to keep up -with the rail; and all that could be seen of civilisation were -sundry chimneys and walls and uncouth dark masses of wood or brick -rising above the snow. The lights in the wooden stations shone out -frostily through the dimmed windows as we struggled on. - -We were passing through at night what is to Americans classic -ground, in spite of odd names: for here is “Manhattan” (associated -in my mind for ever with a man who, unfortunately for himself -and me, had a wooden leg, as he planted the iron ferule of that -insensible member on the only weak point of my weaker foot)--and -next is “Yonkers,” where a lady once lived with whom Washington was -once in love, and several “fights” took place all around, in which -the Americans were more often beaten than victorious;--“Dobb’s -Ferry” “Tarrytown” (poor André! let those who wish to know all that -can be known of the “spy” read Mr. Sargent’s life of him, published -in Philadelphia), which is “nigh on to Sleepy Hollow,” where Mr. -Diedrich Knickerbocker had such a remarkable interview with the -ancient Hollander;--“Sing Sing,” where many gentlemen, not so well -known to fame, have interviews of a less agreeable character with -modern American authorities. We are passing, too, by Sunnyside, -where Washington Irving lived. I would rather have seen him than -all the remarkable politicians in the States--old Faneuil, or -Bunker’s Hill, or all the wonders of the great nation; though I am -told he was unbearably prosy and sleepy of late days. - -Cold and colder it becomes as we creep on, and slower creaks the -train with its motley freight. The men round the stoves “fire up” -till the iron glows and gives out the heated air to those who -can stand it, and an unsavoury odour, as of baked second-hand -clothing, and a hissing noise to those beyond the torrid circle. -The slamming of the door never ceases. Sometimes it is a conductor, -sometimes it is not. But no matter who makes the disturbance, -he has a right to do so. No one can sleep on account of that -abominable noise, even if he could court slumber in a seat which is -provided with a rim to hurt his back if he reclines, and a ridge to -smite his face if he leans forward. Apples and water and somebody’s -lemon-drops are in demand; and vendors of vegetable ivory furtively -deposit specimens of ingenious manufacture but inscrutable purpose -in the lap of the unoffending stranger, who in his sleepy state -often falls a victim to these artifices, and finds himself called -on to pay several dollars for quaint products of the carver, which -he has unduly detained in his unconsciousness. - -The train arrives at Poughkeepsie, seventy-five miles from New -York, an hour and a half late. We hear that, instead of reaching -Albany at 10.30 or 11 P.M., we shall not be in till 1 or 1.30 A.M., -and will “lose communications;” therefore we eat in desperation -at refreshment-rooms large oysters boiled in milk out of small -basins. In the night once more. We have passed West Point long -since, and an enthusiastic child of nature, who has been pointing -out to me the “beauties of the Hudson,” which is flowing down under -its mail of ice close to our left, has gone to sleep among the -fire-worshippers at the stove. - -Now, the fact is, that scenery under snow is, I may safely affirm, -very like beauty under a mask, or a fine figure in a waterproof -blanket. The hills were mere snow-mounds, and the lines of all -objects were fluffy and indistinct; and I was glad my eulogistic -friend slept at last. West Point I longed to see; for though its -success in turning out great generals has as yet not been very -remarkable, I had met too many excellent specimens of its handiwork -in making good officers and pleasant gentlemen not to feel a desire -to have purview of the institution. Had I not heard a live general -sing “Benny Haven, ho!”--had I not seen Mordecai sitting at the -gate of Pelissier in vain, and McClellan and Delafield engaged in -a geological inquiry on the remains of the siege of Sebastopol? -Above all, does not West Point promise to become something like -a military academy, in a country such as America is likely to be -after the war? - -It is a mistake rather common in England, and in Europe, to suppose -that a majority, or even a minority, of the American generals -are civilians. With very few exceptions indeed, they have either -been some time at West Point, or have graduated there. In a -country which has no established lines to mark the difference of -classes, which nevertheless exists there as elsewhere, there is a -positive social elevation acquired by any man who has graduated -at West Point; and if he has taken a high degree, he is regarded -in his State as a man of mark, whose services must be secured for -the military organisation and public service in the militia or -volunteers. - -There is no country in the world where so many civilians have -received their education in military academies without any view -to a military career. There are of course many “generals” and -“colonels” of States troops who have had no professional training, -but not nearly so many as might be imagined. - -But the great defect under which American officers laboured -until this unhappy war broke out, was the purely empirical and -theoretical state of their knowledge. They had no practical -experience. The best of them had only such knowledge as they could -have gleaned in the Mexican war. A man whose head was full of -Jomini was sent off to command a detachment in a frontier fort, and -to watch marauding Indians, for long years of his life, and never -saw a regiment in the field. As to working the three arms together -creditably in the field, I doubt if there is an officer in the -whole army who could do it anything like so well as the Duke of -Cambridge, or as an Aldershot or Curragh brigadier. - -It would be hard for any Englishman to be indifferent to the -advantages of military training in a country where every village -around could have told tale’s of the helpless, hopeless blundering -which characterised the operations of the British generals -hereabouts in the War of Independence. Deflecting thus, too, I felt -less inclined to wonder at the mistakes made by the Federals, and -by the Confederates. Had the British generals proved more lucky and -skilful, should we now have been passing the towns which cluster on -the banks of the Hudson, or would “monarchy” have impeded the march -of life, commerce, and civilisation out here? - -Towns of 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, and even of 30,000 inhabitants -rise on the margin of the fine river, which in summer presents, -I am assured, a scene of charming variety and animation, and in -autumn is fringed by the most beautiful of all beautiful American -landscapes, surcharged with the glorious colours of that lovely -season. Through the darkness by the bright starlight we could see -the steamboats locked fast in the ice, like knights in proof, -awaiting the signal to set them free for the charge. But, ah me! -how weary it was!--how horrible the stoves! At last and at last the -train stopped, and finally deposited us at three o’clock in the -morning on the left bank of the Hudson, at East Albany. - -The city proper lies on the opposite shore of the river; and I -got, as I was directed, into a long low box called the omnibus, -which was soon crowded with passengers. In a few minutes we were -off. Then I was made aware that the ’bus was a sleigh, and that -it was on runners and---- Just at that moment the machine made a -headlong plunge, like a ship going down by the bows at sea, and -in an instant more had pierced the depths of darkness, and with a -crashing scrunching bump touched the bottom. “We’re on the river -now, I guess,” quoth one. And so it was. We had shot down the bank, -which must be higher than one would like to leap, even on snow, and -were now rolling, squeaking, and jerking over the frozen river, -amid the groans and shrieks and grumbling protests of the ice, -which seemed in some places to give way as if it were going to let -us down bodily, and in others to rise up in strong ridges to baffle -the horses’ efforts. Then, after a most disagreeable drive, which -seemed half-an-hour long--and about thrice as long as it really -was, I suppose--a prodigious effort of horse muscle and whipping, -and of manual labour, accomplished the ascent of the other bank, -and the vehicle passed through the deserted streets of Albany--the -capital of the great State of New York--to the Delavan House, which -was open to receive but not to entertain us. A rush of citizens was -made to “the office” of the hotel. More citizens followed out of -fast-arriving vehicles from the train--for there was no means of -getting on till the forenoon--and all went perforce to the Delavan -House. - -The hotel office consisted of a counter with a raised desk, -enclosing a man with a gold chain, a diamond stuck in the front -of a dress shirt--not as pin to a scarf or as a stud, but as a -diamond _per se_, after the fashion of those people and of railway -conductors in the land--his hat cocked over one eye, a toothpick -even at that hour in his mouth, a black dress suit of clothes, a -dyed moustache and beard _à la_ Rowdy Americain, and an air of -sovereign contempt for his customers. The crowd pressed around -and hurled volleys of questions--“Can we have beds, sir?” &c. But -the man of Delavan House replied not. To all their entreaties he -returned not a word. But he did take out a great book and spread it -on the counter, and putting a pen in the ink he handed it to the -citizen nearest, who signed himself and his State, and asked meekly -“if he could have a bed at once, as he was so” &c. To him the man -of Delavan House deigned no reply. The pen was handed to another, -who signed, and so on--the arbiter of our destinies watching -each inscription with the air of an attorney’s clerk who takes -signatures to an attestation. - -There were at least fifty people to sign before me, and I heard -from a waiter there were only ten beds--which on the most ample -allowance would only accommodate some thirty people--vacant. Were -the Britishers to be beaten? Never! Leaving our luggage, we dashed -out into the snow. And lo! a house nigh at hand, with lights and -open doors. A black waiter sallied out at the tramp of feet in the -hall. He told us, “De rooms all tuk, sar.” He was told to be less -indiscreet in his assertions, and all the time of colloquy the -invading Celts and Saxons pushed onwards and upwards to the first -landing. Here were doors standing open. We entered one. Three small -rooms--beds empty! no luggage! This will do. “Massa, dis room’s all -----” “You be quiet!” And the luggage was dragged over by our own -right hands, eventually aided by the Ethiop. - -I had the satisfaction, as I was gliding away with my hat-box, -to hear the man of Delavan House reading the book of fate, and -selecting his victims at his grim pleasure. In fact, the house on -which we had stumbled was a sort of succursal to the hotel; and the -proprietor, afraid of offending so mighty a potentate, was shocked -at the idea of letting in any one without his leave. What became of -the victims I know not, but I do know that the beds--though we went -to them supperless--of the humble hostelry were very grateful. - -I went to bed about 4 A.M., with the fixed intention of getting -up early and visiting the capitol, when I could have seen with -these eyes the glories of the Hon. ---- Raymond as Speaker in -the State Hall, and have heard something more of the interesting -proceedings against a New York alderman, who accused senators and -representatives of being accessible as Danaë to the golden shower, -and even to greenbacks. - -No man can see the real merits of a city in snow. I shall repeat -the remark no more; therefore if I say I don’t like a place, let -the snow bear the blame: but Albany did not impress me when I did -get up, and the sight of the State Capitol at the top of a steep -street was so utterly depressing, that I abandoned my resolve, and -sought less classic ground. What have not these Greeks to answer -for in this new land? - -There was a comforting contrast to the hideous domes and mock -porticoes, and generally to the ugliness of the public buildings, -in the solid unpretentious look of the old Dutch-built houses of -private citizens. Though there is an aspect of decadence about -Albany, it seems more, far more respectable and gentlemanly than -its smug, smirking, meretricious but overwhelming rival, New York. - -I was informed by an American that it was called after the second -name in the title of James the Second, before he ascended the -throne. “Bad as the Stuarts were to you, they were a great deal -better for the colonies,” said he, “than your Hanover House, and -perhaps if you hadn’t changed them you might not have lost us.” It -was curious to hear an American saying a good word for the luckless -house, though I am by no means of the opinion that England could -ever have ruled colonies which were saturated with the principles -of self-government. - -It was too cold at such a season as this for philosophical research -in a sleigh, and too slippery for sauntering; and we were whirled -out of the State capital without seeing much of it, except church -steeples, and some decent streets, and the ice-bound river studded -with hard-set steamers. - -There are, however, in summer time, as I hear, and can well -imagine, many fine sights to be seen. There is the Fall of Cohoes, -where the Mohawk River, a stream of greater body than the Thames -at Richmond, leaps full seventy feet down into a gulf, whence it -collects itself to pursue its course to the Hudson. There are -Shaker settlements, and many communities of “isms” and astounding -congregations of “ists;” and there are clean Dutch streets, and -Dutch tenures and customs to this day. With the tenures, however, -the rule of the majority has made rough work; and the lords _in -capite_, or padroons, have suffered pauperisation by the simple -process of nonpayment of their rents. - -The Legislature is now in solemn conclave. They are investigating -charges implied in the speech of a New York alderman, who declared -he could get any measure passed he liked, by paying the members--of -course extra-officially, because the payment, _per se_, could -only be an agreeable addition to their income. The Speaker is Mr -Raymond, of the _New York Times_, who, in spite of or perhaps in -consequence of the opposition of the _Caledonian Cleon_, his rival, -was elected to that high office. It was in course of conversation -with an American gentleman respecting the election, that I learned -there was no more certain way of succeeding in any contest in the -State, than to obtain the abuse of the organ under that person’s -control. Be it senator, mayor, or common-councilman, the candidate -he favours is lost, for all respectable people instinctively vote -against him. - - - - -CHAPTER III. - - Unpleasant journey to Niagara--Mr. Seward--The Union and its - dangers--Pass Buffalo--Arrival at Niagara--A ‘Touter’--Bad - weather--The Road--Climate compared--Desolate appearance - of houses--The St. Lawrence viewed from above--One hundred - years ago--Canada the great object of the Americans--The - Welland Canal--Effect of the Falls from a distance--Gradual - approach--Less volume of water in winter--Different effect and - dangers in winter--Icicles--Behind the Cataract--Photographs - and Bazaar--Visit the “Lions” generally--Brock--American and - Canadian sides contrasted--Goat Island--A whisper heard--Mills - and Manufactories. - - -It was past noon ere the train once more began its contest with -the snow--now conquering, now stubbornly resisted, and brought -to a standstill:--the pace exceedingly slow, the scenery that of -undulating white tablecloths, the society dull. - -The journey to Niagara was as unpleasant as very bad travelling and -absence of anything to see could make it. The train contained many -soldiers or volunteers going back to their people, who discussed -the conduct of the war with earnestness and acuteness; but though -we were so far north, I could not hear any of them very anxious -about the negro. - -Well-dressed men and women got in and out at all the stations, -nor did I see persons in the whole line of the cars who seemed to -have rubbed elbows with adversity. Schenectady! Utica! Syracuse! -Auburn! Here be comminglings!--the Indian, the Phœno-Numidian, the -Greek-Sicilian, the Anglo-Irish, all reviving here in fair towns, -full of wealth, commerce, and life. - -The last-named is, I believe, the birthplace, and is certainly what -auctioneers call the residential abode, of Mr. Seward. I remember -his Excellency relating how, after the Battle of Bull Run--when -he was threatened by certain people from Baltimore with hanging, -as the reward of his misdeeds in plunging the country into civil -war--he resolved to visit his fellow-citizens and neighbours, to -ascertain whether there was any change of feeling amongst them. He -was received with every demonstration of kindness and respect, and -then, said he, “I felt my head was quite safe on my shoulders.” It -is but just to say, Mr. Seward altogether disclaims the intention -of seizing on Canada, which has been attributed to him in England; -although he certainly is of opinion, that the province cannot -continue long to be a dependency of the English Crown. How long -does he think California will be content to receive orders from a -government at Washington? - -The danger which menaces the Union will become far greater after -the success of the Unionists than it was during the war, because -the extinction of the principle of States Rights will naturally -tend to centralise the power of the Federal Government. They cannot -restore that which they have pulled down. In virtue of their -own principles, they must maintain a strict watch and supreme -control over the State Governments and Legislatures. Endless -disputes and jealousies will arise. The Democrats, at once the -wealthiest and the ablest party in each State, will take every -opportunity of opposing the centralised Government; and although -the Republicans may raise armies to fight for the Union, they will -not be able to prevent the slow and certain action of the State -Legislatures, which will tend to detach the States more and more -from any federation in which their interests are not engaged, and -to form them into groups, bound together by community of commerce, -manufacture, feeling, and destiny. - -Canada must of course accept its fate with the rest; but -Englishmen, at least, will not yield it to the menaces or violence -of the Northern Americans, as long as the people of the province -prefer being our fellow-subjects to an incorporation in the -Great Republic, or any section of it that may be desirous of the -abstraction. - -I fear we mostly look at Mr. Seward’s conduct and language from a -point which causes erroneous inferences. It should be remembered -that he is an American minister--that he has not only the interests -but the passions and prejudices of the American people to consult, -and that, like Lord Palmerston, he is not the minister of any -country but his own. His son, the Under-secretary of State, is the -proprietor and editor of a journal here, which is conducted with -the moderation and tact to be expected from the amiable character -of the gentleman alluded to. - -There was little to be seen of the towns at which we halted, and -our journey was continued from one to the other monotonously -enough. The weary creeping of the train, the foul atmosphere, the -delays, however inevitable and unavoidable, rather spoiled one’s -interest in the black smoky-looking cities on the white plains -through which we passed; and night found us still “scrooging on,” -and occasionally stopping and digging out. Thus we passed by -Rochester and the Genessee Falls, which seem extensively used up in -mill-working, and arrived at Buffalo (278 miles) a little before -midnight. There we branched off to Niagara, which is 22 miles -further on. - -Up to this time we had been minded to go to the Clifton House, -which is on the Canadian side of the river, though it is kept by -Americans, and of which we had agreeable memories in the summer, -when it was the headquarters of many pleasant Southerners. There -were only three or four men in our car, one of whom was, even under -such hopeless circumstances, doing a little touting for an hotel at -the American side. After a while he threw a fly over us and landed -the whole basket. All the large hotels, he said, were shut up on -both sides of the Falls, but he could take us to a very nice quiet -and comfortable place, where we would meet with every attention, -and it was the only house we would find open. This exposition left -us no choice. - -We surrendered ourselves therefore to the tout, who was a very -different being from the type of his class in England: a tall, -pleasant-faced man, with a keen eye and bronzed face, ending in -an American Vandyke beard, a fur collar round his neck, a heavy -travelling coat--from which peered out the ruffles of a white -shirt and a glittering watch-chain--rings on his fingers, and -unexceptionable shoeing. He smoked his cigar with an air, and -talked as if he were conferring a favour. “And I tell you what! -I’ll show you all over the Falls to-morrow. Yes, sir!” Why, we -were under eternal obligations to such a guide, and internally -thanking our stars for the treasure-trove at once accepted him. - -At the gloomy deserted station we were now shot out, on a sheet of -slippery deep snow, an hour after midnight. We followed our guide -to an hostelry of the humbler sort, where the attention was not at -first very marked or the comfort at all decided. The night was very -dark, and a thaw had set in under the influence of a warm rain. The -thunder of the Falls could not be heard through the thick air, but -when we were in the house a quiet little quivering rattle of the -window-panes spoke of its influence. The bar-room was closed--in -the tawdry foul-odoured eating-room swung a feeble lamp: it was -quite unreasonable to suppose any one could be hungry at such -an hour, and we went to bed with the nourishment supplied by an -anticipation of feasting on scenery. All through the night the door -and window-frames kept up the drum-like roll to the grand music far -away. - -We woke up early. What evil fortune! Rain! fog! thaw!--the snow -melting fast in the dark air. But were we not “bound” to see the -Falls? So after breakfast, and ample supplies of coarse food, we -started in a vehicle driven by the trapper of the night before. -He turned out to be a very intelligent, shrewd American, who had -knocked about a good deal in the States, and knew men and manners -in a larger field than Ulysses ever wandered over. - -The aspect of the American city in winter time is decidedly quite -the reverse of attractive, but there was a far larger fixed -population than we expected to have seen, and the fame of our -arrival had gone abroad, so that there was a small assemblage -round the stove in the bar-room and in the passage to see us -start. I don’t mean to see us in particular, but to stare at any -three strangers who turned up so suspiciously and unexpectedly -at this season. The walls of the room in the hotel were covered -with placards, offering large bounties and liberal inducements to -recruits for the local regiment of volunteers; and I was told that -a great number of men had gone for the war after the season had -concluded--but Abolition is by no means popular in Niagara. - -It was resolved that we should drive round to the British side by -the Suspension Bridge, a couple of miles below, as the best way -of inducting my companions into the wonders of the Falls; and I -prepared myself for a great surprise in the difference between the -character of the scene in winter and in summer. - -For some time the road runs on a low level below the river bank, -and does not permit of a sight of the cataract. The wooden huts -of the Irish squatters looked more squalid and miserable than -they were when I saw them last year--wonderful combinations of -old plank, tarpaulin, tinplate, and stove pipes. “It’s wonderful -the settlement doesn’t catch fire!” “But it does catch fire. It’s -burned down often enough. Nobody cares: and the Irish grin, and -build it up again, and beat a few of the niggers, whom they accuse -of having blazed ’em up. They’ve a purty hard time of it now, I -think.” - -There are too many free negroes and too many Irish located in -the immediate neighbourhood of the American town, to cause -the doctrines of the Abolitionists to be received with much -favour by the American population; and the Irish of course are -opposed to free negroes, where they are attracted by papermills, -hotel service, bricklaying, plastering, housebuilding, and the -like--the Americans monopolising the higher branches of labour and -money-making, including the guide business. - -At a bend in the road we caught a glimpse of the Falls, and I -was concerned to observe they appeared diminished in form, in -beauty, and in effect. The cataract appeared of an ochreish hue, -like bog-water, as patches of it came into sight through breaks -in the thick screen of trees which line the banks. The effect was -partly due to the rain, perhaps, but was certainly developed by -the white setting of snow through which it rushed. The expression -on my friends’ faces indicated that they considered Niagara an -imposition. “The Falls are like one of our great statesmen,” -quoth the guide, “just now. There’s nothing particular about them -when you first catch a view of them; but when you get close and -know them better, then the power comes out, and you feel small as -potatoes.” - -As we splashed on through the snow, I began to consider the -disadvantages to which the poor emigrant who chooses a land -exposed to the rigours of a six months’ winter, must be exposed; -and I wondered in myself that the early settlers did not fly, if -they had a chance, when they first experienced the effects of -bitter cold. But I recollected how much better were soil, climate, -and communications than they are in the sunny South, where, for -seven months, the heat is far more intolerable than the cold of -Canada--where the fever revels, where noxious reptiles and insects -vex human life, and the blood is poisoned by malaria, and where -wheat refuses to grow, and bread is a foreign product. - -Even in Illinois the winter is, as a rule, as severe as it is in -Canada, the heat as great in summer--water is scarce, roads bad. -It is better to be a dweller on the banks of the St. Lawrence than -a resident in the Valley of the Mississippi, even if a tithe of -its fabled future should ever come to pass. There is no reason why -the Canadas should be regarded with less favour than the Western -States, although the winters are long enough: in the prairie there -is a want of wholesome water in summer, and a scarcity of fuel for -cold weather, which tend to restore the balance in favour of the -provinces. - -The country, which I remembered so riant and rich, now was cold -and desolate. At the station, near the beautiful Suspension -Bridge--which one cannot praise too much, and which I hope may last -for ever, though it does not look like it--the houses had closed -windows, and half of them seemed empty, but the German proprietors -no doubt could have been found in the lagerbeer saloons and -billiard-rooms. The toll-takers and revenue officers on the bridge -showed the usual apathy of their genus. No novelty moves them. Had -the King of Oude appeared with all his court on elephants, they -would have merely been puzzled how to assess the animals. They were -not in the least disconcerted at a group of travellers visiting the -St. Lawrence in winter time. - -The sight of the St. Lawrence as we crossed over, roaring and -foaming more than a hundred feet below us, and rushing between the -precipitous banks on which the bridge rests, gave one a sort of -“_frisson_:” it looked like some stream of the Inferno--the waters, -black and cold, lashed into pyramids of white foam, and seeming -by their very violence to impede their own escape. Some distance -below the bridge, indeed, they rise up in a visible ridge, crested -with high plumes of tossing spray; but it is related as a fact -that the steamer “Maid of the Mist,” which was wont to ply as a -ferry-boat below the Falls, was let down this awful sluice by a -daring captain, who sought to save her from the grip of certain -legal functionaries, and that she got through with the loss of her -chimney, after a fierce contest with the waters, in which she was -whirled round and buffeted almost to foundering. At that moment the -men on board would no doubt have surrendered to the feeblest of -bailiffs for the chance of smooth water. - -About one hundred years ago, the spot where we now stood was the -scene of continual struggles between the Red man, still strong -enough to strike a blow for his heritage, and the British. It was -on the 14th September, 1764, that the Indians routed a detachment -at Niagara, and killed and wounded upwards of two hundred men; -and their organisation seemed so formidable that Amherst was glad -to make a treaty with the tribes through the instrumentality of -Sir W. Johnston. The colonists then left on us the main burden of -any difficulty arising from their great cupidity and indifference -to the rights of the natives. In ten years afterwards they were -engaged in preparing for the grand revolt which gave birth to the -United States and to the greatest development of self-government -ever seen in the world. - -As they were setting about the work of wresting the New World -from the grasp of the monarchical system, Cook was exploring the -shores of the other vast continent in the Southern Sea, where -the spirit of British institutions, with the widest extension -of constitutional liberty, may yet successfully vindicate the -attachment of a great Anglo-Saxon race to the Crown. - -There are many in America who think the colonies would never have -revolted if the French had retained possession of Canada, and, -indeed, it is likely enough the Anglo-Saxons would have held to the -connection if the Latin race had been sitting upon them northwards; -but the political accidents and the military results which expelled -the fleur-de-lys from Canada, doubtless created an unnatural bond -of union between the absolutist Court of St. Germains and the -precursors of Anacharsis Clootz in the colonies. To the seer there -might have been something ominous in the coalition. - -The men who were battling for the divine right of kings in Europe -could scarce fight for the divine right of man in America without -danger. The kiss which was imprinted at Versailles on Franklin’s -cheek, by the lips of a royal lady, must have had the smack of the -guillotine in it. - -Anyway, we must allow, the French-Canadians, who stood by us -shoulder to shoulder and beat back the American battalions, whose -power to invade was mainly derived from foreign support, showed -they had a surprising instinct for true liberty. No doubt they -would have fought at least as stoutly, had the arrogant colonists -been aided by red-coats, for the sake of the white banner and the -fleur-de-lys; but in the time of trouble and danger they stood -loyally by the Crown and connection of England, and their services -in that day should not be lightly forgotten. - -It is above all things noteworthy, perhaps, that the Americans in -all their wars with the mother-country have sought to strike swift -hard blows in Canada, and that hitherto, with every advantage and -after considerable successes, they have been driven, weather-beaten -back, and bootless home. It was actually on the land shaken by the -roar of these falling floods that battles have been fought, and -that the air has listened in doubt to the voice of cannon mingling -with the eternal chorus of the cataract. - -There are here two points at which Canada lies open to the invader. -The first lies above the Rapids--the latter is below them, where -the St. Lawrence flows into the lake. Three considerable actions -and various small engagements have taken place on the Canadian side -of the river, all of which were characterised by great obstinacy -and much bloodshed. Let us consider them, and see what can or ought -to be done in order to guard the tempting bank which offers such an -excellent base of operations for future hostile occupation. - -An inspection of the map will show the Welland Canal, running -from Port Maitland, Dunnville, and Port Colborne, on Lake Erie, -to Lake Ontario at Port Dalhousie. The command of this canal -would be of the very greatest importance to an invading army, as -it would establish a communication inside the Falls of Niagara; -but it would be very difficult to obtain such a command so as to -prevent the destruction of the canal in case of necessity. It is -obvious, however, that the line of it should be defended, and that -garrisons should be stationed to hold points inside the line, such -as Erie and Chippewa, to render it unsafe for the enemy to move -down inside them. At Fort Erie there is a very insignificant work, -but, with that exception, the line of the Welland Canal may be -considered as perfectly open and defenceless--not by any means as -utterly indefensible. - -The river is not broad enough to prevent the dwellers on the banks -from indulging in hostilities if they pleased; but no practical -advantage would be gained in a campaign by any operation which did -not settle the fate of the Welland Canal. The locks will permit -vessels 142 feet long, with 26 feet beam, and drawing 10 feet of -water, to pass between Erie and Ontario; and from the latter lake -to the sea, or _vice versâ_, they can pass by the St. Lawrence -Canal, drawing one foot less water. It would be above all things -important to prevent an enemy getting possession of this Welland -Canal. It would not suffice for us to destroy it by injuring a lock -or the like, as such an act would militate against our own lines of -communication,--more important to us, who have an inferior power of -transport on the lakes, than it would be to the Americans. - -In addition to a well-devised system of field-works, it is -desirable that permanent fortifications should be constructed to -cover the termini of the canal and the feeder above Port Maitland. -At present, the defensive means of Fort Erie, at the entrance of -the river above the Rapids, are very poor, and quite inadequate -to resist modern artillery. However, this subject will be best -discussed when I come to speak of the general defence of Canada. - -This yawning gap is barrier enough between the two countries should -they ever, unhappily, become belligerent, but the banks can be -commanded by either; and in case of war the bridge would no doubt -be sacrificed by one or other, as well as the grander structure at -Montreal would be, without some special covenant. - -When still a mile and a half away, a whirling pillar of a leaden -gray colour, with wreaths of a lighter silvery hue playing round -it, which rose to the height of several hundred feet in the air, -indicated the position of the Falls. The vapour was more solid and -gloomy-looking than the cloudlike mantle which shrouds the cataract -oftentimes in the summer. I doubt if there is a very satisfactory -solution of its existence at all. Of course the cloud is caused by -particles of water thrown up into the atmosphere by the violent -impact of the water on the surface, and by the spray thrown off in -the descent of the torrent; but why those particles remain floating -about, instead of falling at once like rain, is beyond my poor -comprehension. Sure enough, a certain portion does descend like a -thick Scotch mist: why not all? As one of my companions, with much -gravity and an air of profound wisdom, remarked last summer, “It’s -probable electricity has something to do with it!” Can any one say -more? - -Assuredly, this ever-rolling mighty cloud draping and overhanging -the Falls adds much to their weird and wonderful beauty. Its -variety of form is infinite, changing with every current of air, -and altering from day to day in height and volume; but I never -looked at it without fancying I could trace in the outlines the -indistinct shape of a woman, with flowing hair and drooping arms, -veiled in drapery--now crouching on the very surface of the flood, -again towering along and tossing up her hands to heaven, or sinking -down and bending low to the edge of the cataract as though to drink -its waters. With the aid of an active fancy, one might deem it to -be the guardian spirit of the wondrous place. - -The wind was unfavourable, and the noise of the cataract was not -heard in all its majestic violence; but as we came nearer, we -looked at each other and said nothing. It grew on us like the -tumult of an approaching battle. - -There is this in the noise of the Falls: produced by a monotonous -and invariable cause, it nevertheless varies incessantly in tone -and expression. As you listen, the thunder peals loudly, then dies -away into a hoarse grumble, rolls on again as if swelled by minor -storms, clangs in the ear, and after a while, like a river of sound -welling over and irrepressible, drowns the sense in one vast rush -of inexpressible grandeur--then melts away till you are almost -startled at the silence and look up to see the Falls, like a green -mountain-side streaked with fresh snowdrifts, slide and shimmer -over the precipice. - -It may well be conceived with what awe and superstitious dread -honest Jesuit Hennepin, following his Indian guides through the -gloom of the forest primæval, gazed on the dreadful flood, which -had then no garniture of trimmed banks, cleared fields, snug -hotels, and cockney gazabos to alleviate the natural terror with -which man must gaze on a spectacle which conjures up such solemn -images of death, time, and eternity. - -No words can describe the Falls; and Church’s picture, very -truthful and wonderful as to form, cannot convey an idea of the -life of the scene--of the motion and noise and shifting colour -which abound there in sky and water. I doubt, indeed, if any man -can describe his own sensations very accurately, for they undergo -constant change; and for my own part I would say that the effect -increases daily, and that one leaves the scene with more vivid -impressions of its grandeur and beauty than is produced by the -first coup-d’œil. - -A gradual approach does not at all diminish the power of the -cataract, and the mind is rather unduly excited by the aspect of -the Styx-like flood--black, foam-crested, and of great volume, with -every indication of profound depth--which hurries on so swiftly and -so furiously below the road on which you are travelling, between -banks cut down through grim, dark rock, so sheer that the tops of -the upper trees which take root in the strata can be nearly touched -by the traveller’s stick. The idea that the whole of the great -river beneath you has just leaped over a barrier of rock prepares -one’s conception for the greatness of the cataract itself. - -In summer time there were wild ducks flying about, and terns darted -up and down the stream. Now it was deserted and desolate, looking -of more inky hue in contrast with the snow. Close to the boiling -cataract the fishermen’s tiny barks might then be seen rocking up -and down, or the angler sought the bass which loves those turbulent -depths; but no such signs of human life and industry are visible in -winter. - -Before Niagara was, odd creatures enough lived about here, which -can now be detected fossilised in the magnesian limestone. How -many myriads of years it has been eating away its dear heart and -gnawing the rock let Sir Charles Lyell or Sir Roderick Murchison -calculate; but I am persuaded that since I saw it some months ago -there has been a change in the aspect of the Horseshoe Fall, and -that it has become more deeply curved. The residents, however, -though admitting the occurrence of changes, say they are very slow, -and that no very rapid alteration has taken place since the fall of -a great part of Table Rock some years ago: but masses of stone may -be washed away every day without their knowing it. - -One very natural consequence of a visit in the winter was -undeniable--that the Falls were visibly less: they did not extend -so far, and they rolled with diminished volume. The water did not -look so pure, and incredible icicles and hanging glaciers obscured -the outlines of the rocks and even intruded on the watercourse; -whilst the trees above, laden with snow, stood up like inverted -icicles again, and rendered it difficult to define the boundary -between earth, air, and water. - -A noiseless drive brought us to the village. Clifton House was -deserted--the windows closed, the doors fastened. No gay groups -disported on the promenade; but the bird-stuffer’s, the Jew’s -museum, the photographer’s shed, the Prince’s triumphal arch, were -still extant; and the bazaars, where they sell views, seashells, -Indian beadwork and feathers, moccasins, stuffed birds, and -the like, were open and anxious for customers. Our party was a -godsend; but the worthy Israelite, who has collected such an odd -museum here--one, under all the circumstances, most creditable to -his industry and perseverance as well as liberality--said that -travellers came pretty often in fine winter weather to look at the -cataract. We walked in our moccasins to the Table Rock, and thence -to the verge of the Falls, and gazed in silence on the struggling -fury of the terrible Rapids, which seem as if they wrestled with -each other like strong men contending against death, and fighting -to the last till the fatal leap must be made. - -The hateful little wooden staircases, which like black slugs crawl -up the precipice from the foot of the Falls, caught the eyes of -my companions; and when they were informed that they could go -down in safety and get some way behind the Fall itself, the place -was invested with a new charm, and ice, rheumatism, and the like, -were set at defiance. I knew what it was in summer, and the winter -journey did not seem very tempting; but there was no alternative, -and the party returned to the museum to prepare for the descent. - -Whilst we were waiting for our waterproof dresses to go under the -Falls, we had an opportunity of surveying the changes produced -by winter, and I was the more persuaded that the effect is not -so favourable as that of summer. The islands are covered with -snow--that which divides the sweep of the cataract looking -unusually large; the volume of water, diminished in the front, is -also deprived of much of its impressive force by a decrease in the -sound produced by its fall. The edges of the bank, covered with -glistening slabs of ice, were not tempting to the foot, and could -not be approached with the confidence with which they are trod by -one of steady nerves when the actual brink is visible. - -There were some peculiarities, however, worthy of note; and in a -brighter day, possibly the effect of the light on the vast ranges -of icicles, and on the fantastic shapes into which the snow is cut -on the rocks at the margin of the waters, might be very beautiful. -These rocks now looked like a flock of polar bears, twined in -fantastic attitudes, or extended singly and in groups by the brink -as if watching for their prey. Above them rose the bank, now smooth -and polished, with a fringe of icicles--some large as church -steeples; above them, again, the lines of the pine trees, draped -in white, and looking like church steeples too. At one side, near -Table Rock, the icicles were enormous, and now and then one fell -with a hissing noise, and was dashed on the rock into a thousand -gliding ice arrows, or plunged into the gulf. - -By this time our toilette-room was ready, and each man, taking off -his overcoat, was encased in a tarpaulin suit with a sou’-wester. -In this guise we descended the spiral staircase, which is carried -in a perpendicular wooden column down the face of the bank near -Table Rock, or what remains of it, to the rugged margin, formed of -boulders now more slippery than glass. - -Our guide, a strapping specimen of negro or mulatto, in thick solid -ungainly boots, planted his splay feet on them with certainty, -and led us by the treacherous path down towards the verge of -the torrent, which now seemed as though it were rushing from -the very heavens. On our left boiled the dreadful caldron from -which the gushing bubbles, as if overjoyed to escape, leaped up, -and with glad effervescence rushed from the abyss which plummet -never sounded. On our right towered the sheer precipice of rock, -now overhanging us, and garnished with rows of giant teeth-like -icicles. - -After a slow cautious advance along this doubtful path, we -perceived that the thin edge of the cataract towards which we were -advancing shot out from the rock, and left a space between its -inner surface and a black shining wall which it was quite possible -to enter. There was no wind, the day was dull and raw, but the -downright rush of the water created a whirling current of air close -to it which almost whisked away the breath; and a vapour of snow, -fine sleet, and watery particles careered round the entrance to -the recess, which no water kelpie would be venturesome or lonesome -enough to select, except in the height of the season. - -On we thus went, more and more slowly and cautiously, over the -polished ice and rock, till at last we had fairly got behind -the cataract, and enjoyed the pleasure of seeing the solid wall -of water falling, falling, falling, with the grand monotony of -eternity, so nigh that one fancied he could almost touch it with -his hand. When last I was here, it was possible to have got as far -as a ledge called Termination Rock; but the ice had accumulated to -such an extent that the guide declared the attempt to do so would -be impracticable or dangerous, and indeed where we stood was not -particularly safe at the moment. As I was in the cave, gazing at -the downpoured ruin of waters with a sense of security as great -as that of a trout in a mill-race, an icicle from the cliff above -cracked on the rocks outside, and threw its fragments inside the -passage. I own the desire I had to get on still further and pierce -in behind the cataract, where its volume was denser, was greater -than the gratification I derived from getting so far. But we had -reached our ultima thule, and, with many a lingering look, retraced -our steps--now and then halting to contend the better with the -gusts from the falls, which threaten to sweep one from the ledge. -If the foot once slipped, I cannot conceive a death more rapid: -life would die out with the thought, “I am in the abyss!” ere a cry -could escape. - -Whilst returning, another icicle fell near at hand; therefore it is -my humble opinion that going to Termination Rock in winter is not -safe except in hard frost, the safer plan being not to go at all. -And yet no one has ever been swept or has slipped in, I believe, -and so there is a new sensation to be had very easily. The path -on our return seemed worse than it was on our going--a very small -slippery ridge indeed between us and the gulf; but danger there can -be but little. As we emerged from the wooden pillar we submitted to -a photographer for our portraits in waterproof. - -Poor man! In summer he has a harvest, perhaps; in winter he gleans -his corn with toil and sorrow, making scenes for stereoscopes. I -am not aware that we omitted anything proper to be done; for we -purchased feather fans--the griffs did--and beadwork and other -“mementoes of the Falls,” which are certainly not selected for any -apposite quality. As if the Falls needed a bunch of feathers and -beads to keep them in remembrance! Well, many a time has a lock of -hair, a withered flower, the feeblest little atom of substantial -matter, been given as memento ere now, and done its office well. - -As I passed by Clifton House on my return to the American side, I -observed a solitary figure in a blue overcoat and brass buttons, -pacing rapidly up and down under cover of the verandah. Who on -earth could it be? It can’t be--yes it is--it is, indeed, our -excellent guardian of British customs rights and revenues--good -Mr. ----. The kindly old Scotchman stares in surprise when he hears -his name from an unknown passer-by, but in a moment he remembers -our brief acquaintance in summer time. Every one who knows him -would, I am sure, be glad, with me, to hear that some better -post were got for Mr. ---- in his old age than that of watching -smugglers on the waters of the St. Lawrence, below Niagara. - -After a brief interview, we proceeded on our way, and continued our -explorations. Due honour was paid to the Rapids, Bath Island, Goat -Island, the Cave of the Winds, Prospect Tower, and all the water -lions of the place, though rain and sleet fell at intervals all the -time when there was no snow. - -When the Prince was here he laid the last stone of the obelisk -which marks the place where Brock was killed, in the successful -action against the Americans at Queenstown in 1812. The present -monument to that general is certainly in as good taste as most -British designs of the sort, and seems but little open to the -censure I have heard directed against it. Its predecessor was so -atrociously bad, that some gentleman of fine feelings in art, who -was probably an American and a Canadian patriot as well, blew it up -some years ago. - -There are not wanting at the present time many men in Canada of -the same stuff as Brock and his men. It is astonishing to find the -easy and universal conviction prevailing in the minds of Americans, -contrary to their experience, that the conquest of Canada would be -one of the most natural and facile feats in the world. - -Except in their first war, when they displayed energy and skill in -the attack on Quebec, the active operations of the Republicans in -Canada were not marked by any military excellence, notwithstanding -the very hard fights which took place, but they showed themselves -most formidable opponents when they were attacked in position. - -The Canadian side of the Falls boasts of charming scenery. Even in -the snow, the neat cottages and houses--the plantations, gardens, -and shrubberies--evince a degree of taste and comfort which were -not so observable on the American side, notwithstanding the -superior activity of the population. - -Our observations on our return to the right bank of the river -confirmed my impression concerning the diminished volume and effect -of the cataract. The ice, formed by spray, hung over the torrent, -which, always more broken and less ponderous than that on the other -side, is in summer very beautiful, by reason of the immense variety -of form and colour in the jets and cascades, and of the ease with -which you can stand, as it were, amid the very waters of Niagara. - -The town half populated; the monster hotel closed; the -swimming-baths, in which one could take a plunge into the active -rapids safely enclosed in a perforated room, now fastened up for -winter,--presented a great contrast to the noise and bustle of the -American Niagara in the season. This is the time when the Indians -enable the shopkeepers to accumulate their stores of bead and -feather work; and a few squaws, dressed in a curious compromise -between the garments of the civilised female and the simpler robes -of the “untutored savage,” flitted through the snow from one dealer -to another with their work. In some houses they are regularly -employed all day, and come in from their village in the morning -and go home at night when their work is done. - -The view of the Rapids from the upper end of Goat Island is not, to -my mind, as fine as that obtained from the island on the British -side higher up. The sight of that tortured flood, loaded with its -charging lines of “sea horses,”--its surging glistening foam-heaps -streaking the wide expanse which rolled towards us from a dull -leaden horizon,--was inexpressibly grand and gloomy, and struck me -more forcibly than the aspect of the Rapids had done in August, -when I beheld them in a setting of rich green landscape and forest. - -On the whole, I would much rather, were I going to Niagara for the -first time, select the Canadian side for my first view. It would be -well never to look at the Falls, if that were possible, till the -traveller could open his eyes from the remnant of the Table Rock on -the Great Horseshoe; but curiosity will probably defeat any purpose -of that kind. Still, the Horseshoe is grand enough to grow on the -spectator day after day, even if there be some disappointment in -the first aspect. The noise, though it shake the earth and air, is -not of the violent overwhelming character which might have been -expected from its effect on window-panes and shutters. As the voice -of a man can be heard in the din of battle by those around him, so -can even the low tones of a clear speaker be distinguished most -readily close to the brink of a cataract, the roar of which at -times is very audible, nevertheless, from twelve to fifteen miles -away. - -The only drawback to a sojourn on the Canadian side is, perhaps, -the feeling of irritation or unrest produced by the ceaseless -jar and tumult of the Falls, which become well-nigh unbearable at -night, and vex one’s slumbers with unquiet dreams, in which water -plays a powerful part. The American side is not so much affected in -that way. The Horseshoe presents by far the greatest mass of water; -its rush is grander--the terrible fathomless gulf into which it -falls is more awe-inspiring than anything on the American side; but -the latter offers to the visitor greater variety of colour--I had -nigh said of substance--in the water. At its first tremendous blow -on the seething surface of the basin, the column of water seems to -make a great cavern, into which it plunges bodily, only to come -up in myriad millions of foaming particles, very small, bright, -and distinct, like minute, highly-polished shot. These gradually -expand and melt into each other after a wild dance in the caldron, -which boils and bubbles with its awful hell-broth for ever. In the -centre of the Horseshoe, which is really more the form of two sides -of an obtuse-angled triangle, the water, being of great depth--at -least thirty feet where it falls over the precipice--is of an azure -green, which contrasts well with the yellow, white, and light -emerald colours of the shallower and more broken portions nearer -the sides. - -It would be considered rather presumptuous in any one to think -of improving upon Niagara, but I cannot help thinking that the -effect would be increased immensely if the island which divides -the cataract into the Horseshoe and the American Falls, and the -rock which juts up in the latter and subdivides it unequally, -were removed or did not exist; then the river, in one grand front -of over one thousand yards, would make its leap _en masse_. The -American Falls are destitute of the beauty given by the curve of -the leap to the Horseshoe; they descend perpendicularly, and are -lost in a sea of foam, not in an abyss of water, but in the wild -confusion of the vast rocks which are piled up below. But they are -still beautiful exceedingly, and there is more variety of scene in -the islands, in the passage over the bridges to Goat Island and to -the stone tower, which has been built amid the very waters of the -cataract, so that one can stand on the outside gallery and look -down upon the Falls beneath. - -Goat Island is happily intersected with good drives and walks, laid -out with sufficiently fair taste through the natural forest, and -seats are placed at intervals for the accommodation of visitors. It -is no disparagement to the manner in which the grounds have been -ornamented to say that a good English landscape gardener would -convert the island into the gem of the world. The ornamentation -need not be overdone; it should be congruous and in keeping with -the Falls, which nature has embellished with such infinity of -colouring. As it is, the island is much visited. Strange enough, -the softest whispered vows can be heard amid the thunder of -Niagara, and it is believed that many marriages owe their happy -inspiration to inadvertent walking and talking in these secluded -yet much-haunted groves. Sawmills, papermills, and manufactories -delight the utilitarian as he gazes on the Rapids which have -so long been wasting their precious water-power, and it is not -unlikely that a thriving town may grow up to distressing dimensions -on the American side of the stream, at all events. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - - Leave Niagara--Suspension Bridge--In British territory--Hamilton - City--Buildings--Proceed eastward--Toronto--Dine at Mess--Pay - visits--Public edifices--Sleighs--Amusement of the boys-- - _Camaraderie_ in the army--Kindly feeling displayed--Journey - resumed towards Quebec--Intense cold--Snow landscape--Morning - in the train--Hunger and lesser troubles--Kingston, its rise - and military position--Harbour, dockyards--Its connection with - the Prince of Wales’ Tour--The Upper St. Lawrence--Canada as - to defence. - - -We left the Falls with regret--the “city of the Falls” without any -painful emotion. The people at the hotel were perfectly civil and -obliging, though they bore no particular good-will, perhaps, to -one whom they had been taught to regard as the bitter enemy and -traducer of their country and their cause. - -Our guide seemed to pity us for our folly in going to such a place -as Canada, when we could, if we liked, stay in an American hotel in -the States. He assured us it was “only fit for Irish, Frenchmen, -and free niggers.” The true American of this type is perhaps the -most prejudiced man in the world, not even excepting the old type -of the British farmer, or men of the Sibthorp epoch. His conviction -of his immense superiority is founded on the readiness with which -others flock to serve him. By their service he becomes a sort of -aristocrat in regard to all immigrants, and can live without -having recourse to any menial office or duty. I presume our hairy -friend never brushed his boots in his life, and would sooner wear -them dirty for ever than stoop to the unwonted task. At last came -our time to depart. - -Our sleighs glided smoothly down to the railway station at the -Clifton, where the train was waiting to take us over the Suspension -Bridge. That structure is, I fear, too beautiful to last. It -requires a good deal of coolness and custom to look down from it -on the fearful flood of the river rolling below, and mark the -vibration as a heavy train passes over it. Then, too, there is the -influence of cold on iron to be considered, the effects of tension, -and the like: all have been duly provided for; and yet the bridge -looks very light and very graceful, and let us hope it may be very -strong and very lasting. - -In five minutes we were in British territory. The first palpable -and outward sign of the fact was an examination of our luggage by -the customs officers at a station a few miles from the frontier, -during which, or by which, one of the party lost a hat and its -guardian box. The examination was rendered as little irksome as -possible by the civility of the officials; and it made me quite -happy to see the crowns on their brass buttons, degraded British -subject as I was. One burly fellow congratulated me on “escaping -alive out of the hands of the Yankees--he would not have given a -cent for my life for the last six months.” - -Our journey was not so much impeded by snow as we expected. It is -forty-three miles from Niagara to the rising city of Hamilton, -and we were little more than one hour and a quarter in doing the -distance. All I am aware of is that on our way we passed through -vast snow-fields, by the mineral waters of St. Catherine’s, the -frozen canal, and that we caught glimpses on our right of the blue -expanse of Lake Ontario. - -The first sight of Hamilton caused a rapid change in my mind -respecting the condition of Canada, and a most agreeable feeling -of surprise. It was evident the Americans were not justified in -their affected depreciation of the provinces, if they contained -such towns as these. Despite the unfavourable circumstances under -which it was visited, the city presented an appearance of comfort -and prosperity which even a democratic people might envy, and which -scarcely justified the corporation in refusing, as I hear they do, -to rely on local sources for liquidation of certain claims against -them. - -Fine-looking streets, a forest of spires, important public -buildings, did no discredit to the old standard which floated over -the Custom-house near the station. And yet it was not possible -to help remarking that the passengers in the train were reading -American not Canadian newspapers. They were enjoying the fruits of -American piracy in their more serious studies. The literary thefts -of the sanctimonious Harpers, who play for ever on the moods and -tenses of the verb to steal--were in the hands of all the people -who were reading books. - -Not alone the British flag did we see at Hamilton, but the British -soldier; for at the doorway of the hotel were two well-known faces. -A battalion of the Rifle Brigade was expected every moment, and -two officers had been sent on to provide for their reception, as -there were no barracks to receive the force, and they were hunting -up house-owners to let their premises on the instant. It may be -imagined that house-owners take a favourable view for themselves of -the value of property thus suddenly in request; and the officers -were proportionately indignant with those griping Canadians, as -if they would have met different treatment from English colonists -anywhere. - -Hamilton is a city of some 20,000 inhabitants. It is on a bay -(Burlington), which runs in at the west of Lake Ontario north of -the peninsula formed by the lake, by the St. Lawrence, by Lake -Erie, and by the river falling into Erie at Maitland. It is on the -rail between the west from Detroit and London, the south-east from -the States, and the east from Toronto, Montreal, and Quebec. In -event of war it is exposed to an attack by any American gunboat -from the harbours on the south shore of Lake Ontario, and yet, to -the best of my belief, it is utterly destitute of defence, and has -not even a martello tower for its protection. - -The name is not fifty years old, and twenty years ago Hamilton had -less than 4000 inhabitants. Its growth bears no comparison with -that of some American cities, but it is still very remarkable, and -its wealth, importance, and defencelessness are quite sufficient -to make it an object of attack. The houses are built of stone. -Banks, hotels, manufactories, churches--well constructed and -handsome--give proof of the prosperity of the community; and the -residence there of Sir Alan MacNab, who lived somewhere in the -vicinity in a brand new mediæval castle, should be some guarantee -for their loyalty. Indeed, I was told that in no place had the -Prince a more gratifying or enthusiastic reception. - -But men without discipline, organisation, or defensive works can -do but little against gunboats. It is true that Hamilton would -not be of much service to the enemy, as it would not command -the communications; but its possession by them would be very -embarrassing, and its destruction, for lack of means to defend it, -would be very discreditable. The population ought to yield at least -4000 able-bodied men for local service; and a casemated work, armed -with powerful guns, could keep a mere mischief-seeking gunboat at -proper distance, and save the place from destruction or injury. - -Our halt at Hamilton was brief, and soon we were on our way -eastwards once more, skirting the shores of the lake, fenced in -by a monotonous line of snow-laden fir trees and palings. The -people who got in and out at the stations were of a different race -from the Americans--stouter and ruddier of hue, and many of them -spoke with a Scotch or Irish accent, the former predominating. -They did not talk much about anything but the weather, and did not -give themselves concern about anything except the winter and its -prospects, having made up their minds long ago that there was to be -no fight between England and the United States. - -Just as it became dusk we reached Toronto, having accomplished the -thirty-eight miles in two hours, but late as it was we could make -out the picturesque outlines of a large city. Close to the station -a line of sleighs, and a mass of well-dressed people drawn up by -the margin of a sheet of ice, on which a skated crowd were whirling -about, gave an air of gaiety to the place. - -A sharp smart sleigh drive, and we were at the comfortable hotel, -called Rossin House, where an invitation from the officers of Her -Majesty’s 30th to dinner was awaiting us. They were quartered in a -substantial old-fashioned barrack on the shore of lake Ontario, -some distance outside the city. The barracks are surrounded by an -earthen parapet, provided with traverses and embrasures, and there -is a very quaint and fantastic earthen redoubt on the beach, but -any ordinary vessel of war could lay the whole establishment in -ruins with perfect impunity in half-an-hour. - -The mess table was surrounded by an unusual number of old Crimean -officers, and I was glad to find the fears I had entertained that -the inducements offered by the Americans to soldiers to desert, -had not as yet given any considerable increase to the tendency in -that direction, which causes such anxiety to regimental officers -stationed near the frontier. Whilst I remained at Toronto, I dined -daily at the same hospitable board. - -A snapping fierce wind, laden with icy arrows, set in the day after -our arrival. In the afternoon, however, I sleighed out and visited -the bishop, one of the most lively, agreeable men conceivable, of -the age of ninety or thereabouts; Mr. Brown, who is one of the -powers of the State, and the editor and owner of the ablest paper -in West Canada; the mayor, and other Torontians of eminence. - -The city is so very surprising in the extent and excellence of its -public edifices, that I was fain to write to an American friend at -New York to come up and admire what had been done in architecture -under a monarchy, if he wished to appreciate the horrible state -of that branch of the fine arts under his democracy. Churches, -cathedrals, market, post-office, colleges, schools, mechanics’ -institute, rise in imperial dignity over the city; but there was a -visible deterioration in the beer and billiard saloons, and the -drinking exchanges. The shops are large, and well furnished with -goods, and trade even now is brisk enough, considering the time of -the year. All this is within an enemy’s grasp, and more than this, -the command of the railway east and west. - -In this winter time the streets are filled with sleighs, and the -air is gay with the caroling of their bells. Some of these vehicles -are exceedingly elegant in form and finish, and are provided with -very expensive furs, not only for the use of the occupants, but for -mere display. The horses are small spirited animals, of no great -pretension to beauty or breeding. The people in the streets were -well-dressed, comfortable-looking, well-to-do--not so tall as the -people in New York, but stouter and more sturdy-looking. Their -winter brings no discomfort; for fuel is abundant and not dear, and -when the wind is not blowing high, the weather is very agreeable. - -Here, again, I observed that the young people have a curious custom -of going about with small sleighs, which are, to the best of my -belief, called “tarboggins,” though I did not see them indulge -in the practice by which the youth of New York vex and fret the -drivers of all vehicles in sleighing-time. I have been amused by -observing the urchins in the Empire City prowling about with these -primitive sleighs, watching for an opportunity to exercise their -talents. Fortunate it is for the British coachman that the youth -of these islands are not acquainted with this pleasing mode of -locomotion. Our omnibuses, having a conductor behind, would be -better defended than the American vehicles, which have no such -protection; but the four-wheeled cabs would fall a helpless prey -into their hands. - -The sport is carried on in this wise: the youths take their -tarboggin or sleigh--a flat piece of board four feet long, with or -without runners, will do; through a hole at one end is attached a -piece of cord. The boys watch their opportunity, and when a vehicle -passes, noiselessly on the snow they run out, slip the cord over -the iron or any projection of the carriage behind, and, holding the -end fast, throw themselves down on their sleigh, which is dragged -along by the vehicle; and if cabby should arise in his wrath, in -an instant the end of the cord is let go, and the young navigator, -starting to his feet, runs off with his instrument of torture in -search of a new victim. It adds much to this entertainment for one -boy to catch hold of the leg or the sleigh of another boy, so that -a string of four or five youths may be seen in full enjoyment of -the recreation. Bless them! If I had not seen them following this -sport, I should have fairly doubted if there were any boys in the -United States. - -If there was not all the cordiality which could be desired between -the natives and the military, no fault could be found with the -full measure of hospitality dealt out to their own countrymen -by the officers of the garrison. Removed from the stiffness of -home stations, the genial, kindly character of our young soldiers -expatiates, in despite of middling cookery and colonial wines, and -keeps open house for friends on foreign service. When sleighing -for the day is over, and the skating party has come to an end, it -is hard indeed for poor Jones to think of anything more than his -dinner; but if he made the most of his opportunities, he might -write a book in the solitude of his barrack, as those famous -prisoners have done whose brains have conceived and brought forth -such brilliant works in the darkness of the Tower. - -The snows are well-nigh as binding and environing for a third of -the year in bad seasons, and no doubt something would come of it -all, but that the officer has his duties to attend to, and cannot -escape from Private 1000’s stoppages, grievances, or failings. -Now, it is no easy matter indeed for British officers to be very -great friends in the same regiment. Of course you will find Pylades -and Orestes there, but you may be sure if you do they are men who -have no clashing interests, no contest of purses, no conflicting -views about leave or steps. It is to me quite wonderful, all things -considered, how bravely the natural kindliness of our officers -contends against a system which, with all its advantages, creates a -source of rivalry and jealousy not known in other services. - -In a promotion-by-seniority service there can of course be no -feeling against a man on the part of his juniors because he happens -to be older; but no one can well brook the greater fortune which -depends on the command of money,--though he may be willing to -seize on it, if he can, by the same means,--in the case of his own -juniors. I do not speak without some small knowledge when I say -that there is a much larger amount of _camaraderie_ in our service -than ought to be found in it, but that there is much less than -exists in some other armies. The French officer is jealous of the -man promoted by merit, for the declaration of that superiority is -a tacit censure on himself, and he is also prone to take umbrage -at the good fortune of the _immortels_ of the _État major_; but he -has little ground for antipathy to any of his own set, as regards -social position or military rank in the corps. - -Our strong love of field-sports also tends to create -small difficulties when at home, from which spring other -causes of estrangement. One man, for instance, wants to -get to the spring-meeting when another is burning for the -spring-fishing--shooting-leaves and hunting-leaves clash together, -though in no army in the world is there such a liberal system of -furlough as in our own. These causes do not operate in Canada, -where there is now, in fact, but little sport of any kind within -easy distances. Moose shooting in snow is slow work, and for other -game the sportsman must wander far and wide. But when the table is -set, and the full tide of conversation flows, what a cheery group -of warriors, young and old, may be seen in Canadian quarters! They -have had sleighing parties and skating adventures, and altogether -have got over the day somehow, and are prepared to look pleasantly -on the world, albeit the snow is two feet deep over it. - -As to the position afforded by the buildings in these particular -old barracks in Toronto, no more uncomfortable place could well be -imagined in face of an enemy. The defences are so ludicrous, that a -Chinese engineer would despise them. Certainly, we have no right to -laugh at Americans, or to hold their works _in petto_, if we take -one glance at the fortifications of Toronto; and yet, as will be -seen, it is a place of the very greatest importance. - -My stay here would have been longer, perhaps, but that I was -informed of a very kindly intention on the part of the people -which I did not desire to have carried out, at all events under the -existing circumstances--being in hopes that a future opportunity -would occur of proving that I was not indifferent to the good -feeling and very flattering sentiments of the gentlemen who had -commenced the movement towards myself; and so, in the sure hope -that I would be back in Toronto ere I left America, I bade my good -friends good-bye, never, as it proves, in all likelihood, to see -them again, and, in the midst of a snow-fall, resumed my journey -with my companions towards Quebec. - -After undergoing a year of obloquy, ill-looks, slander, and -popular disfavour in a great country, it was very pleasant to meet -with such marks of good-will and kindness from one’s countrymen -and fellow-subjects on the same continent; and it was quite as -gratifying to know that such feelings were entertained by them, as -it would have been to receive the outward token of their existence, -which alone would have contented my friends. - -The evening on which I left Toronto was intensely cold. Never for -a moment had the snow and frost relented, and a wind of piercing -keenness swept up the frozen dust in thick clouds, which penetrated -every chink. The railway officials did their best for us, and the -stove in the carriage was poked up to excessive energy; but the -heat of these calorifiers is worse than cold itself. - -Our way lay through a snow-field bordered by snow-hills, or by the -stiff cones of snow-covered firs. Our fellow-passengers were big -men in fur-coats and thick boots, who were given to silence and -sleep. Slowly the train creaked through the soft barrier which -so gently yet stiffly, opposed the tramp of the iron horse. The -landscape was simply nothing to see. It looked as if one were -going for ever through a vast array of newly-washed sheets spread -over the whole country. Darkness fell suddenly out of the skies on -the whiteness, but still could not darken it. The whiteness shone -through the depths of night, and flashed out in streaks of dazzling -light, as the flare of the engine-fires and of the lamps shot out -over the surface. And so it came to pass that at last we went to -sleep, gathering up rug and greatcoat and wrapper into vast mounds, -from which issued many a _spiritus asper_ and susurrous sounds for -the livelong night. - -On waking up it seemed as though day had just dawned, but the watch -said it was nearly eight o’clock. A cold white light, filled with -rime, battled through the frost on the windows of the carriage, -which was spread over the glass like beautiful damascened white -tablecloths. Scraping away a lovely trellis pattern with my nail, I -opened a space of clear transparent ocean in the ice-sea, and was -rewarded for my pains by a view of a cloud of snow which had been -falling all night, and now rested deep on the ground, and turned -the pines and firs bounding the line of rail into ragged white -tumuli. - -The train still creaked and bumped now and then over the snow, -squeaked, puffed, and grated, and at last came to a standstill, -again went on, and again halted. At last we reached a station. -Seven hours behind time! A sensation of hunger by no means slight -fell upon us. Frost is an appetizer of undoubted merit. We had -neglected laying in a _viaticum_. More prudent and accustomed -travellers produced flasks and brown-paper parcels, and all the -wonderful things which Americans consume on the voyage. Let me -not be fastidious, however; for after a time I envied men who were -discussing pleasantly fragments of unseemly cakes, spice-nuts, and -brandy-balls for breakfast. - -My companions prowled up and down the horrid car, reeking with the -stove-drawn odours of many bodies during the night--they sought -food like young lions. Pah! what an atmosphere it was!--all windows -closed by reason of cold intense outside, the hateful stoves, one -in the centre of the car, and one at each end, heated almost to -redness, surrounded by men who crowded up, and chewed tobacco, -and smote the iron surface with hissing burnt-sienna-coloured -jets!--frowsty, fusty, and muggy exceedingly. There was a deposit -of train-oil,--a hot humanised dew all over us. And water, there -was none to wash with. So I applied a handful of snow gathered on -the carriage platform to my face and hands in lieu thereof, and got -back to my seat just as A----n returned from some distant part of -the train with hands full of apples. They were delicious, and with -three or four of them, and a few cigars, we managed to construct a -charming breakfast. - -It was so dark when the train reached Kingston, that we could see -nothing more than the outlines of the station. I was exceedingly -anxious to visit a place of so much importance historically, -commercially, and strategically, and fully intended to remain -there for some days on my return to Toronto; but the Fates -ordained that it was not to be, and all my personal knowledge of -Kingston was derived from that glimpse in the dark of the railway -terminus, and certain steeples and spires rising above the snow. -But the position of the city confers upon it a very high place -on the list of military posts for the defence of Canada, and some -considerations connected with it will be discussed hereafter. - -Politically Kingston has become a dead body since 1844, when its -short-lived career as the capital and seat of government was cut -short. The military genius of the French occupants in early days, -in seizing on the best positions for the defence and maintenance of -their conquest, is shown still, by the fact that our forts occupy -the sites of those which were originally constructed by them. -More than a hundred years before there was any trace of a city at -Kingston, or any building save the wigwam of the Indian or the -log-huts of the soldiery, the Count de Frontenac built a fort in -communication with the great system, from the St. Lawrence to the -Ohio, of the French strongholds, which was destined to extend to -the Mississippi, and to enclose the troublesome English Colonies -within stringent limits. When this fort was captured by Colonel -Bradstreet in 1756, the French had only established a kind of -military colony and a very insignificant trading-post round the -fort. In little more than twenty years subsequently, the present -town was founded; and in the war with America the place became of -very great consequence. - -It is a fact curious enough, and worthy of some consideration, that -the great war in the middle of the last century, which ended in the -loss to France of her hopes of Indian influence and of empire, and -in the seizure of her American Colonies by Great Britain, should -have, according to the best of American statesmen and philosophical -reasoners, led also to the establishment of the United States, and -the foundation of the greatest Republic the world has ever seen. - -Kingston commands the entrance to the Rideau Canal, one of the -principal means of communication between Lake Ontario and the -interior of the country, forming an admirable connection between -the Ottawa River and Lake Ontario: it is, in fact, the most -important means of inland intercourse, because the difficulties -in the way of an enemy are very considerable, either in a direct -attack upon Kingston, if properly fortified, or in a flank movement -against it from the interior. - -The canal is brought into working order with the Grand Trunk -Railway; so that if the Americans, our only possible enemy, were -to make demonstrations against our frontier and our lines, with a -view of intercepting our supplies and internal relations between -the east and west of the province, it would be easy to disembark -men and munitions at Kingston Mills and forward them by railway. -Kingston, again, is an excellent point of observation, and with -proper defences and aggressive resources, ought to command Lake -Ontario and the entrance from the St. Lawrence. An adequate force -stationed there, with a proper flotilla, could effectually keep -in check any hostile demonstration from Cape Vincent, Sacket’s -Harbour, or the other posts from Oswego to the western extremity of -Lake Ontario. - -The harbour is said to be excellent; there is a dockyard, which -could be rendered capable of doing most of the work required for -our light gunboats: and with the additions pointed out and urged -by our engineer officers to the existing fortifications, Kingston -could be made a position of as much military strength as it -undoubtedly now is of strategical importance. - -Between Toronto and Kingston there are, however, Port Hope, -Coburg, and Belville on the line of railway, all of which present -facilities for the landing of an enemy: at any one of these points -a hostile occupation would cut the regular communications at once; -and indeed it is very much to be regretted, in a military point of -view, that engineering, commercial, or other considerations caused -the makers of the Grand Trunk Railway to run the line close to the -shores of a great inland sea, the opposite side of which belongs -to a foreign country which has from time to time announced (if -not through the lips of statesmen, by the popular voice) that the -conquest of Canada is a fixed principle in its policy. - -The Americans, whether by accident or design, have constructed the -New York Central, which runs along the south coast, at a distance -of many miles from Lake Ontario, but cross-lines connect it with -the principal ports upon the lake, from Buffalo to Sandusky; their -line runs tolerably close to the shore of Lake Erie higher up, but -there is no position on that lake which has to fear the aggression -of such a force as could be collected at Kingston. - -Perhaps to the generality of people in England, Kingston was first -made known by the unpleasant incidence which compelled the Prince -of Wales to pass it unvisited, or rather to remain on board the -steamer. No doubt the Orangemen are now very sorry for what they -did, and, in fact, feel that they were led by the fanaticism or the -desire for notoriety of some small local leaders to make themselves -very ridiculous and offensive. The zeal of these Defenders of the -Faith was no doubt stimulated by the presence of a large number -of Irish Roman Catholics, who are at least as violent as their -opponents. - -The French-Canadians, with just as much fidelity to their faith, -do not enter into the violent polemical, political, and miscalled -religious controversies which led to such an unseemly result at -Kingston; and certainly, it is much to be regretted that the -peculiar influence of American institutions, which checks any -attempt of religious parties to disturb the public peace or social -relations for their own purposes and for the gratification of pride -or lust of power, cannot be extended to the provinces and to the -British Possessions, where they work such prodigious mischief. - -From Kingston the line winds along the shore of the great -lake-like river, studded with a thousand islands. Here, again, -the Americans would possess considerable advantage in case of -war, as their main-line is far inland, but branch-lines from it -lead to Cape Vincent and Ogdensburgh, at right-angles to our line -of communication. The American water-boundary, I believe, passes -outside a considerable number of the more important islands; but -the power which possesses naval supremacy on Lake Ontario will -probably find the means of commanding the Upper St. Lawrence, no -matter which belligerent establishes himself on the islands. - -The Canadians with whom I conversed in the train declared they -were quite ready to defend their country in case of invasion, but -did not understand, they said, being taken away to distant points -to fight for the homes of others. It seemed quite clear to them -that the United States would only invade Canada to humiliate and -weaken the mother-country, and that the general defence of the -province ought to devolve on the power whose policy had led to the -war; whilst the inhabitants should be ready to give the imperial -troops every assistance in the localities where they are actually -resident. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - - Arrive at Cornwall--The St. Lawrence--Gossip on India--Aspect - of the country--Montreal--The St. Lawrence Hall Hotel--Story - of a Guardsman--Burnside--Dinner--Refuse a banquet--Flags--Climate - --_Salon-à-manger_--Contrast of Americans and English--Sleighs--The - “Driving Club”--The Victoria Bridge--Uneasy feeling--Monument to - Irish emigrants--Irish character--Montreal and New York--The - Rink--Sir F. Williams--Influence of the Northerners. - - -It was noon ere we reached Cornwall, a place some seventy miles -from Montreal, where a rough _restaurant_ at the station enabled -us to make a supplement to the deficiencies of our simple repast. -The people who poured in and out of the train here were fine -rough-looking fellows, with big, broad, sallow faces and large -beards, wrapped up in furs, wearing great long boots,--men of a new -type. Several of them were speaking in French; but the literature -which travelled along with us was American, mostly New York, in the -matter of periodicals: it was of course English, and pirated, in -the more substantial forms. The frost still clung to the outside -of the windows; inside, the foliage and broad tracery of leaves, -and cathedral aisles, and plumes of knight and lady, tumbled down -in big drops, and by degrees the sun cleared away the crust on one -side, so that we could look out on the flat expanse of snow-covered -forest. - -On our right, now and then glimpses could be caught of a pale blue -riband-like streak across the dazzling white plain. “That’s the St. -Lawrence you see there. Pitty it’s friz up so long. We wouldn’t -envy the Yankees anything they’ve got to show us if we had a port -open all the year,” quoth an honest Canadian beside me. For the -first time I began to feel sympathy for a country that “can’t get -out” for five mortal months, and that breathes through another -man’s nostrils and mouth. A horrible semi-suffocated sort of -existence. No wonder the Canadians look longingly over at that bit -of land which Lord Ashburton yielded to the United States and the -State of Maine. - -A----n and I, by way of counteracting the influence of the -atmosphere and external scenery, talked of India. Some poor -creatures half the world’s girth away, whom we were speaking of at -that moment, would have given a good deal for some of the despised -ice and snow around us, groaning no doubt under that sun which -even in February knows no coolness in Central India in mid-day. -How oddly things turn up! I had ever firmly believed that a young -soldier friend of mine had slain many enemies in that great -rebellion, and had, Achilles-like, sent many souls of sepoys to -Hades, and so in that faith speaking, suddenly I was interrupted -by A----n. “What are you talking of? _He_ kill so _many_ budmashes -at Nulla-Nullah! Why, I don’t believe he ever fired a shot or made -a cut at a nigger in his life.” _My_ fierce little friend had done -both, and many a time and oft. And so, as he knew, away went a -reputation, within thirty miles of Montreal; thermometer 10°. - -Hereabouts were seen many snug homesteads rising up through the -snow, with farmhouses, and outhouses--all clad in the same livery. -The country looked well cleared and settled; sleighs glided over -the surface, and were drawn up at the stations to carry passengers -and luggage. Anon we came upon a great frozen river, and crossed -it by a series of arches too great for a bridge; but this was -nevertheless the Ottawa itself rolling away under its ice coat, -as the blood flows through an artery, to rush unseen into the -cold embrace of the St. Lawrence. These two great bridges must -be worth visiting when they can be seen in the full exercise of -their functions. The river forms an island here which the ice now -continentalises. - -About four o’clock, very much as land looms up in the ocean, we saw -the dark mass of Montreal rising up in contrast to the whitened -mountain at the foot of which it lies; the masts of vessels frozen -in, and funnels of steamers, mingled with steeples and domes; and -as the sun struck the windows a thousand flashes of glowing red -darted back upon us. Then the train ran past a “marine factory,” -whatever that may be, and a suburb of stone and wooden houses -intermixed, and a population of children whose faces looked -preternaturally pale, perhaps from the reflection of the snow, -and of women in pork-pie hats with thick veils over their faces, -and of men, mostly smoking, in great fur coats and boots; and at -last the train reached the terminus, where a great concourse of -sleigh-drivers, who spoke as though they had that moment left -Kingstown jetty, Ireland, claimed our body and property. These were -promptly routed by the staff of the St. Lawrence Hall, who carried -off our party to an omnibus without wheels, which finally bore us -off to the hotel so called. - -The soldiers about the streets were all comfortably clad in dark -overcoats, fur caps with flaps for the ears, and long boots; but -the dress takes from their height, and does not conduce to a smart -soldier-like appearance. - -The streets through which we passed were lined with well-built -lofty houses. It might scarce be fancy which made me think that -Montreal was better built than American cities of the same size. -In the great cold hall of the hotel there was excessive activity: -befurred officers of the regiments sent to Canada during the Trent -difficulty, before Mr. Seward had made up his mind and persuaded -the President to give up the Southern envoys, were coming in, going -out, or were congregated in the passage. Orderlies went to and fro -with despatches and office papers. In fact the general-in-chief, -Sir Fenwick Williams of Kars, and staff, the commanding officer -of the Guards, Lord G. Paulet, and staff, were quartered here, -and carried on their office business; and the Commissary-General, -Power, and the Principal Medical Officer, Dr. Muir, were also -lodging in the hotel, with a host of combatant officers of inferior -grade. - -There was no rush to the _table-d’hôte_, after the American -fashion, but the dinner itself was very much in the American style. -I was much amused at the distress of a Guardsman who made his -appearance at the doorway during dinner, with a letter in his hand -for one of the officers. He halted stiffly at the threshold, and -stood staring at the brilliancy of the splendid ormolu ornaments, -and the array of lacquered chandeliers and covers. In vain the -waiters pointed out to him the officer he sought; he would not -intrude on the gorgeous scene, nor would he trust his missive to -another hand. At last, after gazing in a desperate manner on space, -and balancing from one leg to another, he took a maddening resolve, -put his hand to his cap, held the other out with the letter in it -as his dumb apology and in mitigation of punishment, and marching -straight to his mark, trampling crowds of waiters in his way, only -halted when he came up to the table he sought, where, with eyeballs -starting, he put the missive to the level of the captain’s nose, -saluted, and ejaculated, “By order of Colonel Jones, sir.” “All -right.” With a wheel round and a salute, the perturbed warrior -countermarched and escaped into the prosaic outward world. A -Frenchman would have come in with the most perfect self-possession, -and possibly with some little grace. An American would probably -have turned his chew, have addressed some remarks to the waiters -on his way, have given the captain a tap on the back or a nudge of -the elbow, and would rather have expected a drink. And which of the -three, after all, is to be preferred? - -I met a whole regiment of men I knew, and after dinner adjourned -with some of them to my rooms. They all growled of course, found -fault with Canada and abused the Government, and seemed to think it -ought not to snow in winter. - -I received a most interesting letter from a friend of mine with -the Burnside expedition, which revealed as large an amount of bad -management as could well be conceived. Burnside, personally, has -enough ingenuity, but is quite wanting in self-reliance, presence -of mind, and vigour. The expedition from which so much was -expected did more than might have been thought possible at one time -under the circumstances. - -A telegram from Toronto informed me that it was in contemplation to -invite me to a public banquet, and desired me to state my wishes. -Very much as I appreciated such an honour from my countrymen -and fellow-subjects, it was inconsistent, as I conceived, with -my position, as it certainly was with my sense of the merits -attributed to me, to accept the very great compliment offered to -me. It came all the more agreeably as it was in such contrast to -the manner in which I had been received in the United States for -the last few months; and it touched me very sensibly, more than my -friends at Toronto could have imagined. - -A----n came in rather wroth about a matter of flags. He had been -to see some Frenchmen, whether real or true Zouaves of the Crimea -I know not, who gave out on tremendous posters that they were the -identical children of the Beni Zoug Zoug, who had acted before us -all in that theatre on the Woronzow Road once so charming and well -filled; and he had been seized with indignation because they, in -that Canadian city, under the British flag, had dared to perform -under the folds of the tricolor, and the stars and stripes of the -United States. I explained that the British flag was metaphorically -and properly supposed to float above both; all which much comforted -him, and so to bed--cold enough, in despite of stoves and open -fire. The servants here are Irish men and women, with a sprinkling -of free negroes. - -Next day the weather was not at all warmer. In winter time the cold -is by no means unbearable in this Canadian clime, when one is well -furred and clad; to the poor it must be very trying, for furs and -fuel are dear, and even clothing of an ordinary kind is not cheap. -The emigrant, in his rude log hut open in many chinks, must shrink -and shiver and suffer in the blast. What do they, who follow, not -owe to the hardy explorer who has opened up wood and mountain, and -laid down paths on the sea for them? - -A thick haze had now settled down on all things, a cold freezing -rime, which clung and crept to one, and almost sat down on the very -hearth. Descending the stairs, which were in a transition state -and in the hands of carpenters, to the long “salon-à-manger,” I -found the tables well filled by guardsmen, riflemen, and members -of the staff, military and civil, who gave the place the air of a -mess-room under disorderly circumstances. - -I had before this seen many such rooms in American hotels in cities -filled with soldiery, and I am bound to say the difference between -the two sets of men was remarkable. The noise, gaiety, and life of -these grave English were exuberant when compared to the silence of -American gatherings of the same kind, which are, indeed, disturbed -by the clatter of plates and dishes, and the horrible squeaking -of chair legs over the polished floors, but otherwise are quiet -enough. Here, men laughed out, talked loud, shouted to the waiters, -aired their lungs in occasional scoldings and objurgations, -having reference to chops and steaks and tardy-coming dishes; -“old-fellowed” their friends; asked or told the news. I don’t know -that the Englishmen were better looking, taller, or in any physical -way had the advantage of the men of the continent, except in -ruddier cheeks perhaps, and in frames better provided with cellular -tissue; but the distinction of style and manner was marked. - -The Americans usually came into the salon singly; each man, with -a bundle of newspapers under his arm, took a seat at a vacant -table, ordered a prodigious repast, which he gobbled in haste, as -though he was afraid of losing a train, and then rushed off to the -bar or smoked in the passages, never sitting for a moment after -his breakfast. The Englishmen came in little knots or groups, -exhibited no great anxiety about newspapers, ordered simple and -substantial feasts, enjoyed them at their ease, chattered much, and -were in no particular hurry to leave the table. The taciturnity -of the American was not well-bred, nor was the good humour of the -Briton vulgar. It may be said the comparison is not just, because -the Americans were engaged in a fearful war, which engrossed all -their thoughts; whilst the English officer was merely sent out on -a tour of duty. But in the bar-room, _restaurants_, or streets, -the American did not maintain the same aspect: he put on what is -called a swaggering air, and was not at all disposed to let his -shoulder-straps or his sword escape notice. - -The good people at home would have been greatly surprised to hear -the way in which the officers spoke of their exile to the snows of -Canada; but though they growled and grumbled when breakfast was -over, probably till dinner time, they would have fought all the -better for it. Indeed there was not much else to do. - -The streets were piled with snow; and at the front of the hotel, -sleighs, driven by Irishmen, such as are seen managing the Dublin -hacks, wrapped up in fur and sheepskins, were drawn up waiting -for fares, to the constant jingle of the bells, which enlivened -the air. It was too early and too raw and cold for many of the -ladies of Montreal to trust their complexions to the cruelties -of the climate, thickly veiled though they might be; but now and -then a sleigh slid by with a bright-eyed freight half-buried in -_fourrures_, and some handsome private vehicles of this description -reached in their way as high a point of richness and elegance as -could well be conceived. The horses were rarely of corresponding -quality. The guardsmen and other soldiers, “red” and “green,” -strode about in cold defiant boots, and seemed to like the town and -climate better than their officers. Mr. Blackwell, the amiable and -accomplished chief of the Grand Trunk Railway, called for me, and -drove me out to an early dinner. - -It was a matter of some ceremony to set forth: a fur cap with -flaps secured over the ears and under the chin, a large fur cloak, -and a pair of moccasins for the feet, had to be put on; and then -we climb the sides of the boat-like sleigh, and started off at a -rapid pace, which produced a sea-sick sensation--at least what I -am told is like it--in very rough places where the runners of the -sleighs have cut into the snow. On our way we were rejoiced by the -sight of the “Driving Club” going out for an excursion, Sir Fenwick -Williams leading. All one could see, however, was a certain looming -up of dark forms through the drift gliding along to the music of -the bells, which followed one after the other, and were lost in -the hazy yet glittering clouds tossed up by the horses’ hoofs from -the snow. In the afternoon the rime passed off, and the day became -clearer, but no warmer. - -At about three o’clock, we sleighed over by rough roads to the -terminus of the railway, close to the Victoria Bridge, where a -party of the directors and some officers--Colonel Mackensie, -Colonel Wetherall, Colonels Ellison and Earle of the Guards, and -others recently arrived--were assembled to view the great work -which would stamp the impress of English greatness on Canada, if -her power were to be rooted out to-morrow. The royal carriage--a -prettily decorated long open waggon, with the Prince of Wales’s -coat of arms, plume, and initials still shining brightly--was in -readiness; and as cold makes one active, or very lazy, as the case -may be, we lost no time in starting to explore the bridge, which -threw its massive weight in easy stretches across the vast frozen -highway of the St. Lawrence--so light, so strong, so graceful, for -all its rigid lines, that I can compare the impression of the thing -to nothing so much as to that of the bounds of a tiger. - -The entrance, in the limestone rock, is grandly simple; but ere we -could well admire its proportions the car ran into the darkness of -the great tube. The light admitted by the neatly designed windows -in the iron sides of the aërial tunnel was not enough to enable -us to pierce through the smoke and the fog which clung to the -interior. The car proceeded to the end, the thermometer marking -6°. Statistics, though I have them all by me, I am not about to -give, as the history of the bridge is well known; but Mr. Blackwell -showed me a table which indicated that the monster suffers or -rejoices like a living thing, and contracts and expands and swells -out his lines wondrously, just in proportion as the temperature -alters. - -From this end of the magnificent bridge one could see, nearly a -hundred feet below him, the rugged surface of the ice, beneath -which was rolling the St. Lawrence. It was distinguished from the -snowy expanse covering the land by the bluish glint of the ice, and -by the torn glacier-like aspect of the course of the stream, where -the frozen masses had been contending fiercely with the current and -with each other till the frost-king had clutched them and bound -them in the midst of the conflict. You could trace the likeness -of spires, pinnacles, castles, battlements, and alpine peaks in -the wild confusion of those serried heaps, which were tilted up -and forced together; but the haze did not permit us to follow the -course of the stream for any great distance. It was too cold for -enthusiastic enjoyment, and we got into the car and backed into the -darkness till we reached the centre of the bridge. - -I confess, when it occurred to me that great cold makes iron -brittle, the uneasy feeling I experienced of suspense, _malgré -moi_, in passing over any of these great engineering triumphs, was -aggravated so far that it required a good deal of faith in the -charming diagram of the effects of temperature on the bridge, to -make me quite at ease. I suppose it is only an engineer who can be -quite above the thought, “Suppose, after all, the bridge does go at -this particular moment.” And then the iron did crackle and bang and -shriek most unmistakeably and demonstratively. - -At the centre of the bridge we got out, and had another look at the -river, some sixty feet below. Remarked the _thinness_ of the iron; -was informed it was on purpose, every plate being made specially -for its place. Examined carefully a bolt driven in by the Prince -of Wales; rather liked its appearance, as it was well hammered and -seemed sound. Then the car received us, and we were drawn through -this ghastly cold gallery once more, and were divulged at the -railway station among a crowd of furred citizens. - -Thence through the city over the rough road in our carrioles and -sleighs. On our way I remarked a stone obelisk standing out of the -snow close to the railway, in a low patch of ground near the river. -“That,” said my companion, “is a memorial to six thousand Irish -emigrants who died here of ship fever.” What a history in those few -words--a tale of sorrow and woe unutterable--I hope, not of neglect -and indifference too! The railway engineers have thoughtfully -erected the monument of the nameless dead, and so far rescued their -fate from oblivion. - -I am not so philosophic as to witness the desolating emigrations -which leave the homes of a country waste, and fill the lands of -future kingdoms and possible rivals with an alienated population, -without regret. Above all, I pity the fate of the poor pioneers -whose hapless lot it is to labour unthanked and despised, to build -up the stranger’s cities, to clear his forests, and make his roads, -to found his power and greatness, and then to sit at his gate -waiting for alms when the hour cometh that no man can work. - -It is most strange, indeed, and yet too true, that a race which, -above all others, ought to seek the material advantages and the -substantial results of hard work, should be the most readily led -astray by windy agitators and by political disputes and passions. -Here we are driving through the streets of Montreal, which owes -much of its existence to Irish labour, and the labourer lives in -filth and degradation, in the back slums of the city, intensely -interested in elections and clerical discussions, little better -cared for or regarded than the dogs thereof till his vote is -required. - -The city is now in its winter mantle, but it shows fair -proportions. The Roman Catholic chapels are well placed and -handsome, and excel in size and numbers the Protestant churches. -The Quarter-master-General, who has had to hire one of the Catholic -colleges to serve as barracks for the troops, says the priests are -remarkably keen practitioners at a bargain: good Churchmen always -were in old times. The metal-covered domes and spires, the roofs of -houses sheeted with tin, now began to glisten in the sun, and gave -a bright look to the place which did not make it all the warmer. - -Montreal is a much finer-looking place than I had expected. The -irregularity of the streets pleased the eye, wearied by straight -lines and regular frontage. The houses of stone with double windows -have plain bare fronts, and do not present so good an appearance -as the best of New York; but the character of the residences as -a whole is better, and the effect of the city, to compare small -things with great, very much more interesting and picturesque. - -Our destination in this drive was the Rink, or covered -skating-ground, which is the fashionable sporting resort of -Montrealese in the winter time. The crowd of sleighs and -sleigh-drivers around the doors of a building which looked like a -Methodist chapel, announced that the skaters were already assembled. - -Anything but a Methodist-looking place inside. The room, which was -like a large public bath-room, was crowded with women, young and -old, skating or preparing to skate, for husbands, and spread in -maiden rays over the glistening area of ice, gliding, swooping, -revolving on legs of every description, which were generally -revealed to mortal gaze in proportion to their goodness, and -therefore were displayed on a principle so far unobjectionable. -The room was lighted with gas, which, with the heat of the crowd, -made the ice rather sloppy; but the skating of the natives was -admirable, and some hardened campaigners of foreign origin had -by long practice learned to emulate the graces and skill of the -inhabitants. - -It was a mighty pretty sight. The spectators sat or stood on the -raised ledge round the ice parallelogram like swallows on a cliff, -and now and then dashed off and swept away as if on the wing over -the surface, in couples or alone, executing quadrilles, mazurkas, -waltzes, and tours de force, that made one conceive the laws of -gravitation must be suspended in the Rink, and that the outside -edge is the most stable place for the human foot and figure. Mercy, -what a crash! There is a fine stout young lady sprawling on the -ice, tripped up by Dontstop of the Guards, who is making a first -attempt, to the detriment of the lieges. How delighted the ladies -are, and pretend not to be; for the fallen fair one is the best -contortionist in the place! She is on her legs again--has shaken -the powdered ice and splash off her dandy jacket and neat little -breeches,--yes, they wear breeches, a good many of them,--and is -zigzagging about once more like a pretty noiseless firework. - -The little children skate, so do most portentous mammas. A line -of recently arrived officers, in fur caps and coats, look on, all -sucking their canes, and resolving to take private lessons early -in the morning. Some, in the goose-step stage, perform awful first -lines with their skates, and leave me in doubt as to whether they -will split up or dash out their brains. The young ladies pretend to -avoid them with unanimity, but sail round them still as seagulls -sweep by a drowning man. And if a fellow should fall--and be saved -by a lady? Well! It may end in an introduction, and a condition of -“muffinage.” And what that is we must tell you hereafter. I can’t -answer your question as to whether the women were pretty; eyes dark -generally, and good complexions. The Rink is a bad place to judge -of that point. - -I paid my respects to Sir Fenwick Williams, who has his quarters -in the hotel. The general has plenty of work to do at present, and -did not seem quite so well as when I saw him after his return from -Kars. There is a general impression that the Federals will keep -their armies in good humour at the end of the war, by annexing -Canada, if they can. No one asks what they will do with them when -that work has been accomplished. Dined at the house of the Hon. -John Rose, member for Montreal, and formerly a member of the -Government. He had, after his hospitable wont, some young officers -to dine also; and, after an agreeable evening, I slid home in a -bitter snow drift to the hotel, and so to bed. Here is a page from -my diary. - -_February 6._--The severe cold makes the head ache, and stupefies -me _ultra modum_. I wrote to Mr. Hope, stating my reasons for -declining the great compliment of a public dinner intended for me -at Toronto. As I move about here, I feel that society is much under -the influence of the unruly fellow, our next neighbour. There is -no great love for him; but his prodigious kicks and blows, his -threats, his bad language, his size and insolence, frighten them -up here. There is great anxiety for the American news; and I am -bound to say, the Northern Americans must have done something to -make the Canadians dislike them, as there is little love for them -even where little is felt for England. I saw a great many of the -principal personages _to-day_. Called on the Bishop, whose sweet, -benevolent face is an index of his mind. He spoke in high terms -of his Roman Catholic coadjutor; indeed, it would be difficult to -quarrel with Dr. Mountain. In education, they work harmoniously -together. Mr. D’Arcy M’Ghie called on me. He is now a member of the -Canadian Parliament, and is giving his support to the authority of -the British Crown. His loyalty is, of course, stigmatised by some -as treason to what they call the cause of Ireland; but I believe -the atmosphere of Canada is found to have a vapour-dispelling, -febrifuge character about it which works well on the mind of -the Irish immigrant. A most entertaining, witty, well-informed -barrister, also an Irishman, paid me a visit, and gave some -admirable sketches of Canadian society, of the bar, of the working -of parties, as well as his own ideas on all points, in a peculiarly -terse and pleasant way. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - - Visit the “lions” of Montreal--The 47th Regiment--The city open to - attack--Quays, public buildings--French colonisation--Rise of - Montreal--Stone--A French-Anglicised city--Loyalty of Canadians - --Arrival of Troops--Facings--British and American Army compared - --Experience needed by latter--Slavery. - - -I remained several days at Montreal, examining the lions, and -making the most of my brief stay. Here are living a knot of -Southern families in a sort of American Siberia, at a very -comfortable hotel, who nurse their wrath against the Yankee to -keep it warm and sustain each other’s spirits. They form a nucleus -for sympathising society to cluster around, and so germinate into -innocent little balls, sleigh-parties, and occasional matrimonial -engagements. - -“Waiting for his regiment,” too, was old General Bell--the veteran -who saw his first shot fired in the Peninsula, and his last, -forty-four years afterwards, before Sebastopol. There were parades -of the 47th Regiment and inspection-drills on the St. Lawrence in -snow-shoes; and Penn marched out his Armstrongs in beautiful order, -on their sleighs, for all to see. - -The position of this fine city leaves it open to attack from the -American frontier, which is so near that the blue tops of the -mountain ridges of the bordering States can be seen on a clear day. -The rail from the centre of New York runs direct to it, through -the arsenal and fort of Rouse’s Point on Lake Champlain; and there -are two other lines converging on it, so that an enormous force -could be swiftly sent against it. The frontier is here a mere line -on the map, so drawn as to leave the head of Lake Champlain and -Rouse’s Point in the hands of the Americans. Its importance, its -beauty, and the feeling of the inhabitants would render it tempting -to the Northern armies; and the fierce, relentless, and destructive -spirit which has been evoked in their civil war, might lead them to -destroy all that is valuable and handsome in a city which stands in -strong contrast to the hideousness of American towns, if they were, -as of old, obliged to abandon the city. - -The quays of Montreal are of imperial beauty, and would reflect -credit on any city in Europe. They present a continuous line of -cut-stone from the Lachine Canal along the river-front before the -city, leaving a fine broad mall or esplanade between the water’s -edge and the houses. The public buildings, built of solid stone, in -which a handsome limestone predominates, are of very great merit. -Churches, court-houses, banks, markets, hospitals, colleges, all -are worthy of a capital; and these would present a very different -appearance to an invader from that which was offered by the -poverty-stricken and insignificant Montreal of 1812. - -There are a few guns mounted on a work on the left bank of the -river above the city, but for military purposes the place may be -considered perfectly open. There are more than 90,000 people in -the city, but it is said not to be a fighting population; and -there are many foreigners and emigrants of an inferior class, who -taint the place with rowdyism. The British element was active -in volunteering when I was there, and figures in uniform were -frequently to be seen in the streets; but the time was unfavourable -for any public displays, and I never saw any of the volunteers -working _en masse_. - -Here, as elsewhere, the jealousies of claimants for command, -local and personal rivalry, have impeded the good work; but such -obstacles would vanish in the presence of danger. National feeling -has tended to make the organisation of corps too expensive, and the -question of drafting for the militia has also interfered with the -full development of the movement. - -It would be unjustifiable to assert that the enterprise of the -French people, and their capacity for colonisation, have been -diminished by republican institutions; but, unquestionably, the -great convulsions which have agitated society since the fall of -the monarchy appear to have concentrated the energies of the race -upon objects nearer home, even though they have annexed Algeria, -established a protectorate over Tahiti, and are engaged in war -with the Cambodians. Where is the enterprise which, more than 200 -years ago, originated a company of merchant adventurers, who pushed -out settlements into this wilderness, and founded factories among -the Iroquois and the Mohawks? In those days, indeed, the zeal of -Jesuits and other Roman Catholic missionaries preceded the march -and directed the course of commerce. - -Montreal owes its existence to a certain Monsieur Maisonneuve, the -factor of the Commercial Association in 1642. More than 100 years -afterwards it was nearly destroyed by fire; and ten years after the -conflagration the troops of the insurgent colonies took possession -of the town, which was a favourite object of attack in the two -American wars. - -In spite of many misfortunes--fire, hostile occupation, -insurrection, riot--Montreal has flourished exceedingly, and -the energy of its population has been displayed in securing for -it a principal share of the trade between England and the Upper -Provinces. Its railway communications have been pushed with great -energy, and the canals and quays are in imperial grandeur; but -still, in case of war with the States, the only outlet in winter -(by rail to Portland) would be effectually blocked up. - -The city contains nearly 100,000 inhabitants, of whom 60,000 are -Roman Catholics--representing a great variety of nationalities, -with a predominance, however, of French-Canadians and Irish. An -abundance of fine stone, found near the town, has enabled the -inhabitants to build substantial houses in lieu of the wooden -edifices from which they were driven by two great conflagrations; -but the material is of a dull cold grey colour, and the streets, -seen in winter-time, have in consequence a gloomy and melancholy -aspect. Many of the cupolas and spires and the roofs of many of the -houses are covered with metal plates, which shine out in the sun, -and give the city a bright appearance from a distance, which is not -altogether maintained on a nearer approach. - -The mental activity of the population, displayed in a large crop -of newspapers, doubtless indicates a close intimacy with the -United States; but Montreal is, after all, French Anglicised, and, -notwithstanding the disaffection of which it gave symptoms in the -rebellion, the sympathies of its people are very far removed from -the bald republicanism of the New England States. - -Nuns and priests seem, to a Protestant eye, to be rather too -numerous for the good of the people; but having seen the schools -of the Christian Brothers, and having heard the testimony of all -classes to the services rendered to morals and religion, to charity -and to Christianity, by the various religious orders, I am forced -to believe that Montreal is much indebted to their labours. - -The number of hospitals, schools, scientific institutions--the -libraries, reading-rooms, universities, are remarkable. They are -worthy of a highly-civilised, wealthy, and prosperous community; -but, in fact, the economy with which they are managed is not one -of the least remarkable features about the Montreal institutions. -Party animosities have now been softened: but there is no doubt of -the satisfaction with which the Liberal Canadian points to the fact -that those who were imprisoned and persecuted by the Government, -for rebellious acts or tendencies, have since been called to -office, and have served the Crown in high official positions. - -The people of Canada are learning a useful piece of knowledge or -two from what is passing so close to them. The annexation party are -heard no more: in their room stand the people of Canada, loyal to -the Crown and to the connexion, prepared to defend their homes and -altars against invasion. So far as I have gone, in no place in the -Queen’s dominions is there greater attachment to her person and -authority. - -The Canadians see with sorrow the ills which afflict their -neighbours, in spite of all the ill-advised menaces of the Northern -Press; but they felt naturally indignant at being spoken of as -if they were a mere chattel, which could be taken away by the -United States from Great Britain in order to spite her. With such -turbulent and dangerous elements at work close to them, they will -no doubt eagerly assist the authorities in their efforts to secure -their borders and their country, by putting the militia on a proper -footing. The patriotism of the Legislature can be relied on to do -this. England will do the rest, and give her best blood, if need -be, to aid this magnificent dependency of the same Crown as that to -which she is herself subject, in maintaining the present situation. - -It was most agreeable to hear praise instead of grumbling, and to -know that amid no ordinary difficulties the troops were landed -and conveyed across the snows of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick in -the month of January without casualty or mishap worth mentioning, -and that the arrangements were worthy of every commendation. It -made us feel proud of our army when we saw the cheerfulness, -soldierly look, cleanliness, and deportment of the men, and learnt -that they had conducted themselves in the most exemplary manner, -though exposed to great temptation by the hospitality of the New -Brunswickers and the cheapness of intoxicating liquors. - -And what wonderful vicissitudes of service those officers and -men have seen! Here is a face yet burned by the suns of India, -encircled in fur-cap, and peering into the railway carriage to -welcome some well-known friend from China or Aldershot. There -marches a sturdy Guardsman, one of the few who remain of the men -of Alma and Inkerman, with that small ladder of glory on his -breast. Here is one of the old Riflemen--alas, most gracious -Queen! they feel proud in sadness of their name now--one of “the -Prince Consort’s Own Rifle Brigade,” who heard, that bright evening -when our good ship was gliding through the blue waters of the -Dardanelles, the rich chorus of those manly voices, most of which -are silenced for ever:-- - - “Soldiers, merrily march away! - Soldier’s glory lives in story, - His laurels are green when his locks are grey, - Then hurrah for the life of a soldier!” - -Firm and clean and straight as of yore, under all his load of -greatcoat, furs, and boots, struts the soldier of the 47th, -mindful of De Lacy Evans, “little Inkerman,” and of the greater in -which it was eclipsed. Will he be as trim and neat, I wonder, if -they take away his white facings? Of the old “fours”--the second -brigade of the division which with the light divided the “general” -fighting--the 41st and 47th, though perhaps no better, always -looked better than the 49th, because of their facings. - -The influence of facings, indeed, goes much further than that -in general society. The hotel in which I live (a very attentive -host is doing his best to complete the resemblance by extensive -dilapidations) is as like a barracks as can be. The “St. Lawrence -Hall” is in a military occupation. The obstacles in way of -“alterations” are bestridden by Guardsmen, Riflemen, and Engineers, -on their way to breakfast and dinner, as if they were getting -through breaches. In the hall abundance of soldiers, anxious -orderlies with the quaint quartoes full of orders, and military -idlers smoking as much as you like, but, I am glad to say, not -chewing--nor, as a New York paper calls the Republican Senators, -“tobacco-expectorant.” To appreciate this boon properly, pray be -prepared to limit the suffrage immensely. In the passages more -orderlies and soldier-servants, who now and then do a little of -what is called flirting with the passing _demoiselles de service_; -tubs outside in the passage; doors of rooms open _à la caserne_; -military chests and charts on the table. - -It would have given those who admit that war is necessary -sometimes, as the sole means of redressing national grievances, -considerable satisfaction to have seen the difference presented by -the regular troops of Great Britain in Canada and the vast masses -of volunteers assembled on the Potomac by the United States. It -is not that the British are one whit finer men: taking even the -Guards, there are some few regiments there which in height and -every constituent of physique, except gross weight, cannot be -excelled. - -As a whole, perhaps, the average of intelligence, taken there to -mean reading and writing, may be higher among the United States -volunteers than among the British regulars;--not much, however. The -Sanitary Commission of New York, a very patriotic and thoroughly -American body, did not attempt to claim more than three-fifths of -the United States armies as of American _birth_. The immediate -descendants of Irish and German parents are thus included among -native-born Americans, though they are in all respects except birth -Irish and Germans still. Very probably they have not partaken to -the full, or to any great extent, of the advantages of public -education. - -But, taking the statement of the Commissioners--which, by-the-bye, -is a very serious reflection on the patriotism of the Northern -populations--it may be doubted whether in reading, writing, and -arithmetic there is any great superiority on the part of the United -States troops over the British. I admit that in some regiments of -the New England States there is a higher average of such knowledge -as may enable a man to argue on the orders of his officers, and of -such intelligence as may induce him to believe he is competent to -criticise the conduct of a campaign. - -There is an immense amount of newspaper reading and letter-writing, -the former taste predominating; but our own mailbags are ample -enough to satisfy any one that the same preponderance which is -maintained by London over New York in correspondence is to be found -in the English army over the American. Many Irish and Germans here -have no inducements to write letters, but there are few who are -unable to read their newspapers. - -What is it, then, one may reasonably ask, which would satisfy -the grumbler, who finds fault with the expenditure of standing -armies, that he has got value for his money when he contrasts the -British troops here with the battalions on the Potomac? It is -the efficiency produced by obedience, which is the very life of -discipline: the latter is obedience incorporated, and, in motion -or at rest, acting by fixed rules, with something approaching to -certainty in its results. - -The small army in Canada could be massed together, with its -artillery and transport, in a very short time, and directed with -precision to any one point, though it is a series of detachments -on garrison duty rather than a _corps d’armée_, and it has -neither cavalry nor baggage animals. With all the liberal (if not -occasionally extravagant) outlay, and the cost of transporting -it, the force in a few weeks would be far less expensive than an -American corps of the same strength; and it is no disparagement to -the latter to say they would be less efficient than the British. I -do not speak of actual fighting; for our battle-fields in Canada -tell how desperate may be the encounters between the armies. Our -force would be under the orders of experienced officers. The staff -would consist of men who have seen service in the Russian war, in -Asia, in India, and in China, and who have witnessed the operations -of great European armies. The United States is laboriously seeking -to acquire experience, at a cost which may be ruinous to its -national finances, and a delay which may be fatal to its cause; -but it cannot galvanise the inert mass with the fire of military -efficiency, though it burns, we are told, with hidden volcanic -energies, and is pregnant with patriotic life. The use of an army -in war is to fight, to be able to move to and after its enemy, to -beat and to pursue him. - -It is not greatly to be wondered at if the work, which Great -Britain has only partially accomplished, notwithstanding the -greatness of its progress, should be only begun in the United -States. The aptitude of a large mass of the inhabitants for -arms, whether they be foreign or native-born, is marred by many -things. There is the principle of equality intruding itself in -military duty, confounding civil rights with the relations between -superior and inferior--between officer and rank-and-file. There -is the difficulty of getting men to follow officers who have no -special fitness for their post. A soldier may be made in a year; -a company officer cannot be made in three years. There are many -officers in the American army of great theoretical and some -practical knowledge; there are many in the British army lazy and -indifferent;--but no one would think for a moment of comparing -the acquirements, in a military sense, of the officers of the two -nations. - -In the Crimean war, when our army was enlarged at a time that -severe losses had much diminished the number of officers, we saw -that our standard was considerably lowered by the precipitate -infusion of new men. No wonder, then, that the United States had -and has great difficulty in procuring officers of the least value -for a levy of more than half-a-million of volunteers. - -But the system itself is a most formidable barrier to success. -Under no circumstances can it reach a moderate degree of -efficiency, unless the test of subsequent examination be rigidly -enforced. There is no superiority of rank, of military knowledge, -of personal character, of social position, to create an emulation -in the mind of the private to be the obedient but daring equal of -the officer in the time of danger. To such general remarks there -are many and brilliant exceptions. - -In the course of time, the personal qualities and the reputation -for bravery and skill of officers would stand in the Republican -armies in lieu of those influences which move the British soldier. -No one is foolish enough to think or say that the private follows -his officer because the latter has paid so much money for his -commission or has so much a year. The gradual rise from one rank to -another is a guarantee of some military knowledge--at all events, -of acquaintance with drill. Social position counts for much. Men -who are equal before the law are very unequal in the drill-book. - -It would be lamentable to see so much faith in a cause, such -devotion, zeal, boundless expenditure, and splendid material -comparatively lost--to behold the petted Republic wasting away -under this influence, and the _vis inertiæ_ of the force it has -called into being, were it not that the spectacle is a lesson for -the nations. It has not yet come to its end. - -If standing armies there must be, let them be as complete in -organisation as possible. If an empire must rely on volunteers as -its main defence, let care be taken that they are organised and -officered so as to be effective, and regulated on such principles -of economy that they may not overwhelm with debt the country they -are engaged in protecting by their arms. - -It is quite true that the Confederates suffer from the same -disadvantages as those which affect the Federals, but in a far -less degree. Mr. Davis, early in the war, got hold of the army and -subjected it to discipline. It was not so difficult to do so in the -South as in the North, owing to the difference in the people. The -officers were appointed by him. The men were animated, as they are -now, by an intense hatred of their enemy. Their armies were in a -defensive attitude; a large number, comprising some of the best, -of the United States officers sided with them. They are operating -besides on the inner lines. - -But, after all, if the possession of the seaboard, the use of -navies, the vast preponderance of population, the ability to get -artillery and arms, and the occupation of the heads of the great -river communications be not utterly thrown away, the North must -overrun the South, if only the Northerners can fight as well as -the Southerners, and if the North can raise money to maintain the -struggle. - -Let us leave out of view the slave element for once. The -Abolitionists assert that the most formidable weapon in the United -States armoury is the use of the emancipated slave; but it is -rather difficult to see how the slaves could assist the North -as long as they remain obedient and quiet in the South, or how -the North can get at them by a mere verbal declaration till it -has conquered the Slave States. Above all, it is not clear that -it would benefit the penniless exchequer of the North to have -4,000,000 black paupers suddenly thrown on it for support. - -Slavery is to me truly detestable; the more I saw of it the -less I liked it. It is painful, to one who has seen the -system at work and its results, to read in English journals -philosophical--pseudo-philosophical treatises on the subject, and -dissertations on the “ethics and æsthetics” of the curse, from -which we shook ourselves free years ago with the approbation of our -own consciences and of the world. - -Before I speak of the defence of Montreal in connection with -the general military position of the Canadian frontier, I shall -continue my brief narrative of my tour through Canada. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - - First view of Quebec--Passage of the St. Lawrence--Novel and - rather alarming situation--Russell’s Hotel--The Falls of - Montmorenci, and the “Cone”--Aspect of the City--The - Point--“Tarboggining”--Description of the “Cone”--Audacity - of one of my companions--A Canadian dinner--Call on the - Governor--Visit the Citadel--Its position--Capabilities for - defence--View from parapet--The armoury--Old muskets--Red-tape - thoughtfulness--French and English occupation of Quebec--Strength - of Quebec. - - -It was early in the morning when the train from Montreal arrived at -Point Levi on the right bank of the St. Lawrence, a little above -Quebec. The impression produced on us by the heights of Abraham, -by the frowning citadel, by the picturesque old city glistening in -the sun’s rays, and by the great river battling its way through the -fields of ice and the countless miniature bergs, which it hustled -upwards with full-tide power, can never be effaced. - -It required some faith to enable one to believe the passage could -be made by mortal boat of that vast flood from which the crash of -ice sounded endlessly, as floes and bergs floating full speed were -dashed against each other--flying fast as clouds in a wintry sky -up the river, the banks of which resembled the sheer sides of an -Alpine crevasse. The force of the stream is so great as to rend -through and rupture the coat of ice which is thickened daily, and -the masses thus broken, tossed into all sorts of singular shapes, -jagged and quaint, are borne up and down by the flood till they -are melted by the increasing warmth of spring. An ice bridge is -occasionally formed by the concentration of the ice in such masses -as to resist the action of the water, and then sleigh horses cross -by a path which is marked out by poles or twigs stuck in the snow, -but it more usually happens that the river opposite Quebec remains -unfrozen, and offers the singular spectacle of the ice rushing -up and down every day as the tide rises and falls, to the great -interest and excitement of strangers who have to cross from one -side to the other. - -At first the attempt seems impracticable. The deep blue of the St. -Lawrence can be only seen here and there through the bergs and -floes, like the veins beneath a snowy skin, but those glints are -for ever varying as the ice passes on. The clear spaces are no -sooner caught by the eye than they are filled up again, and every -instant there are fresh rifts made in the shifting surface, which -is at once as solid as a glacier and as yielding as water. In this -race the bergs are carried with astonishing force and rapidity, and -a grating noise; and a grinding, crashing sound continually rises -from the water. - -At the station there was a goodly crowd of men in ragged fur coats -and caps, pea jackets, and long boots, of an amphibious sort, who -did not quite look like sailors, and who yet were not landsmen. -These were clamouring for passengers, and touting with energy in a -mixture of French and English. “Prenez notr’ bateau, M’sieu’--La -Belle Alliance! Good boat, Sar! Jean Baptiste, M’sieu’: I well -known boat-man, Sir.” “The blue boat, Sir, gentleman’s boat, Mon -Espoir,” “L’Hirondelle,” and so on at the top of their voices. And -sure enough there, drawn up on the snow near the station, was -a range of stout whale boats, double planked on the sides, and -provided with remarkably broad keels. - -We selected, after a critical inspection, the captain of one of -these--a merry-eyed, swarthy fellow, with a big beard and brawny -shoulders--as our Charon, and following his directions we were -stowed away in a sort of well between the steersman and the -stroke oar, where we sat down with our legs stretched out very -comfortably, and were then covered up to the chin with old skins, -furs, and great coats. When all was ready, a horse was brought -forward with a sling bar, to which a rope was attached from -the bow, and we glided forward along the road towards the most -favourable point for crossing at that stage of the tide. The boat -was steadied and guided by the crew, who ran alongside with their -hands on the gunwales. Houses by the roadside snowed up--shop -windows with French names--sallow-faced, lean people looking out of -the grimy windows--some large ships on the stocks, roughly placed -on the river bank--these met the eye as we passed over the snow -road towards the point opposite the city now looming nearer. With -cheap timber and labour it is not surprising that the shipbuilding -trade of Quebec flourishes. - -For more than a mile and a half the boat careered eastwards, in -active emulation with several other boats which were in our track, -and the citadel on the opposite shore already lay behind us, before -the horse was detached at the side of a deep incline leading to the -river, and in another moment the boat was gliding down the bank and -rushing for a blue rent in the midst of the heavy surface, into -which we splashed as unerringly as a wild duck drops into a moss -hole. The moment the bow touched the water, all the crew, some -seven or eight in number, leaped in and seized their oars, which -they worked with a will, whilst the skipper, standing in the bow, -directed the course of the steersman. - -We were now in a basin of clear water surrounded quite by ice, -which only left the tops of the small bergs and the high banks on -each side visible to us seated low down in the boat; and as we -looked the floes were rapidly closing in upon us; but the skipper -saw where the frozen wall was about opening, and forced the boat to -the point of the advancing and narrowing circle, in which suddenly -a tiny canal was cleft by the parting of the bergs, and the -opportunity was instantly seized by the boatmen. - -The ice was already closing and gripping the timbers as soon as -we had fairly entered, and in an instant out leaped the crew on -the treacherous surface, which here and there sank till they were -knee-deep, and by main force they slid the boat up on a floe, and -rocking her from side to side as a kite flutters before it makes a -swoop, they roused her along on the surface of the ice, which was -floating up towards the city very rapidly. With loud cries to a -sort of chorus, the crew forced the craft across the floe till they -floundered in some half-frozen snow, through which the boat dropped -into the water. Then in they leaped, like so many Newfoundland dogs -coming to land, all wet and furry, took the oars again, and rowed -across and against the tide-set as hard as they could. Now in the -water, then hanging on by the gunwales, this moment rowing, in -another tugging at the boat ropes, clambering over small ice rocks, -running across floes, sinking suddenly to the waist in the cold -torrent, the men battled with the current, and by degrees the shore -grew nearer, and the picturesque outlines of the city became more -distinct in the morning sun. - -What with the extraordinary combinations and forms of the ice -drifts, the inimitably fantastic outlines of the miniature ice -architecture, and the novelty of the scene, one’s attention was -entirely fixed on what was passing around, and it was not till we -had nearly touched land that we had time to admire the fine effect -of the streets and citadel, which, rising from the icy wall of the -river bank, towered aloft over us like the old town of Edinburgh -suddenly transplanted to the sea. - -We found an opening in the blue cold water-rocks near the -Custom-house landing-wharf, at which place there was a shelving -bank; a stout horse was attached to the boat by a rope, on which -the crew threw themselves with enthusiasm; and in a few seconds -more we were on the quay, and thence proceeded to Russell’s Hotel, -which was recommended to us as the best in the place. One may find -fault with American hostelries; but assuredly they are better than -the imitations of them which one finds in Canada, combining all the -bad qualities of hotels in the States and in Europe, and destitute -of any of the good ones. - -The master of the hotel was an American, and he had struggled hard -“under the depressing influences of the British aristocracy” to -establish an American hotel, and he only succeeded in introducing -the least agreeable features of the institution; but the attendants -were civil and obliging, and there was no extravagant pressure on -the resources of the place, so that we fared better than if we -had been down south of the frontier. Even the landlord, though -not particularly well-disposed towards one so unpopular among his -countrymen as myself, yielded so far to the _genius loci_ as to be -civil. The rooms were small, and not particularly clean; but as -painting and papering were going on, those who follow me may be -better provided for. - -A short rest was very welcome; but what fate is like that which -drives the sightseer ever onwards, and forces him, with the rage of -all the furies, from repose? “The Falls of Montmorenci were but a -drive away, and the ‘Cone’ was in great perfection.” - -“What is ‘the Cone?’” The effect of our ignorance on the waiter -was so touching--he was so astonished by the profound barbarism of -our condition--that we felt it necessary for our own character to -proceed at once to a spot which forms the delight of Quebec in the -winter season, and to which the _bourgeoisie_ were repairing in hot -haste for the afternoon’s pleasure. - -A sleigh was brought round, and in it, ensconced in furs, we -started off for the Falls, which are about eight miles distant. -It was delightful to see anything so old on this continent as the -tortuous streets of the city, which bear marks of their French -origin, after such a long contact as I had endured with the raw -youth of American cities in general, but it was impossible to deny -that the antiquity before us had a certain air of dreary staleness -about it also. The double-windowed flat-faced houses had a lanky, -compressed air, as if they had been starved in early life, and the -citizens had the appearance of people who had no particular object -in being there, and set no remarkable value on time. A considerable -sprinkling of priests was perhaps the most remarkable feature in -the scene, and occasionally knots of ruddy-faced riflemen, in all -the glory of winter fur caps and great coats, disputed the narrow -pavement, alternating with the “red” soldiers of the line. - -The city is built on very irregular ground, and some of the streets -are so steep that it is desirable for new comers to have steel -spikes screwed into the foot-gear to combat the inclination to -proneness on the part of the wearers. Emerging through a postern -in the ancient battlemented wall we came out in an uninteresting -suburb of small houses, from which a descent led to the margin of -the water. Far as the eye could reach a vast snow plain extended, -with surface broken into ridges, mounds, and long dark lines, and -dotted with opaque blocks from which the church steeples sprung -aloft, indicating the sites of villages. The ridges were the hills -over the St. Lawrence, the mounds its islands, and the lines its -banks, which expand widely on the left to embrace the sweep of -the St. Charles Lake, on which stands the projecting ledge of the -eastern part of the city. - -As we approached the Lake, over which our route lay, black specks, -which were resolved into sleighs, or men and women on foot, were -visible making their way over the ice, which was marked by lines -of bushes and branches of trees dressed up in the snow so as to -indicate the route, and far away similar black specks could be -made out crossing the St. Lawrence below, which has now become the -great highway. But not a very smooth road. The surface is far from -being level, and consists indeed of a succession of undulations in -which the profound cavities sometimes give one a sense of insecure -travelling. - -On the whole, however, the expedition was much to be enjoyed, the -air was bracing, and the cold not intense, and the scene “slid into -the soul” with all its deep tranquillity. Doubtless it produced a -very different effect on the red-nosed Britons who were keeping -watch and ward on the ramparts of the citadel, or on the poor -“habitant” trudging patiently beside his sleigh-load of wood, and -knowing that snow is his portion for the next five months. - -On our right a continuous movement of white rugged masses, to all -appearance like a stream of polar bears, betokened the course of -the unfrozen St. Lawrence; on our left rose the high bank of the -lake over which we were travelling, and cottages of the villagers; -before us the sleighs were streaming towards a point which ran out -into the river and beyond which there seemed to be a shallow bay. -This was the point at which the Montmorenci river, recovering from -its fall, expanded into a broad sheet at its junction with the -greater river. Here we arrived in about an hour. - -At the Point there were a few houses, some vessels imbedded in -the snow, and piles of sawn timber and deal planks, and a great -concourse of sleighs; and beyond it, looking up to the left, at -the distance of some half-mile, we saw a glistening sugarloaf of -snow, on the summit of which the creaming, yellow-tinged mass of -the Falls apparently precipitated itself from the high precipice -which bars the course of the stream. On the snow between us and -the sugarloaf, and up the white sides of the latter, little black -objects were toiling with small progress, but at intervals one -of them, gliding from the top of the cone like a falling star -in the Inferno, rushed prone to the base, and thence carried by -the impetus of the descent skimmed over the ice towards us for -hundreds of yards, like a round shot till its force was spent. - -Of the crowd gathered at the Point nearly every one had the small -hand-sleigh, something like a tiny truck with iron runners, -under the arm, known in the vernacular as a “tarboggin,” of the -derivation of which it is better to confess ignorance. A few were -provided with sleighs of ampler proportions, and all the visitors -were bent on tarboggining it, either from a shoulder of the Cone or -from the summit of the mass itself. - -As we approached over the snow the natives, men and women, flew -past us on their way after a rush down the Cone, shouting to -the bystanders to take care. Sometimes two were together, the -lady seated on the front part of the machine, the man behind -lying on his face with his feet stretched out so as to guide the -sleigh by the smallest touch against the ice. At a distance the -pleasure-seekers looked like some hideous insects impelled towards -us with incredible velocity. As they came near and flew past, the -expression of their countenances by no means indicated serene -enjoyment. - -Near the Cone itself a crowd of “tarboggin” hirers and guides -beset us and guaranteed a safe descent, but it seemed a doubtful -pleasure at best, and there was some chance of breaking limb, as -we were told happened frequently during the season. We ascended to -the lower shoulder of the Cone by steps in the snow and gazed on -the scene with some curiosity. Not only were the people launching -themselves from the Cone, but more adventurous still there were -who, climbing up the steep side of the precipice, tarboggin under -arm, at last reached some vantage snow, by the side of the Fall, -where they threw themselves flat on the sleigh, and then came -rushing down with a force which carried them clear up the side of -the lower ledge of the Cone and over it, so that they were once -more plunged downwards and were borne off towards the St. Lawrence. - -It could now be very plainly seen that the Falls fell behind the -Cone into a boiling turbulent basin, which fretted the edge of the -ice and repelled its advances. Although much diminished in volume -the body of water, which makes a leap of 250 feet down a sheer -rock face into the caldron, was sufficiently large to present all -the finest characteristics of a waterfall, but it was at times -enveloped in a mist of snow, or rather of frozen spray, which -blew into eyes, mouth, ears, and clothes, and penetrated to the -very marrow of one’s bones. And it is of this ever-falling frozen -rain the Cone is built, and as the winter lengthens on the Cone -grows higher and higher, till in favourable seasons it reaches an -altitude of 120 feet. It is as regular as the work of an architect, -and, I need not say, much more beautiful. At present it had not -attained its full growth, and was only 80 feet in height--but its -symmetry was of Nature’s own handiwork. The Falls are in a narrow -concave cup of rock crested with pine forests, and its sides now -forbid the ascent, which is practicable in summer time by a series -of natural steps in the strata. The waters cover this young cone -with wings of spray and foam, and flittering, tremulous, and -unsubstantial as they are, it is nevertheless from their aerial -vapours that the solid and sturdy ice mountain grows up. - -Of its substantial nature we had an excellent proof--of a human, -practical kind: for, obeying many invitations, we walked along -a snow path which led to a portal cut in the solid oxide of -hydrogen, and entering found ourselves in a hot and stuffy -apartment excavated from the body of the Cone, in which there was -an Americanised bar, with drinks suited to the locality, and as -much want of air as one would find in a house in the Fifth Avenue -of New York. It was full of people, who drank whiskey and other -strong waters. - -I know not by what seduction overcome, but, somehow, so it -happened, that one of my companions, on our return to the outer -air and light, was led to sacrifice himself on a tarboggin, and -yielded to a demon guide. I watched him toiling on, with painful -steps and slow, doggedly up the path towards the slippery summit, -and, when he had gained it, I slid down below to observe the result -of the experiment, and judge whether it looked pleasant or not. He -was but an item among many, but I knew he was among the _braves -des braves_, and had received a baptism of fire in the trenches -of Sebastopol, which had rained a very font of glory in India, -and scarcely paled in China. I watched him assuming the penal -attitude to which the young tarbogginer is condemned, and after a -balance for a moment on the giddy height, his guide gave a kick -to the snow, and down like a plunging bomb flew the ice-winged -Icarus. He passed me close; I could see and mark him well. Never, -to judge from facial expression, could man have been in deadlier -fear. With hard-set mouth, staring and rigid eyes, and aspect quite -antipathetic to pleasure, he careered like one who is falling from -a house top, and his countenance had scarce assumed its wonted -placid look when I met him gasping and half faint. And yet he had -the astounding audacity to say, “It was delicious. Never had a -more delightful moment,” when he came back pale and panting from -his flight. - -We returned from the Falls by a hilly, rough road over the bank of -the Lake, and arrived at our hotel in time to dress for dinner, to -which I was invited at the house of a Canadian gentleman, I think -an Englishman by birth, who entertained us right hospitably. - -There is a wonderful calm in the conversation of the Canadians, -perhaps a little too much so, but it is a relief from the ambitious -restlessness of the common American. The Canadian mind suffers as -the mind of every country which is not a nationality must suffer, -and caution assumes the place of enterprise. If the Americans knew -the business of diplomacy a little better, and could but restrain -the democratic vice of boastful threatening and arrogant menace, -they could have alienated Canada from our cold rule long ago, even -though Canada would have lost by the change many privileges and a -cheap protection to her industry, commerce, and social expansion. - -_February 10th._--To-day I paid my respects to His Excellency the -Governor, Viscount Monck, and proceeded to visit the citadel, which -is now occupied by a battalion of the 60th Rifles under Colonel -Hawley. Independently of the historical associations which attach -to this commanding-looking work, I was attracted to it by the -consideration that it has twice saved Canada to Great Britain. I am -bound to say that, in my poor opinion, it will never do so again, -if left in its present condition. The works, once strong, have -lost much of their importance since the introduction of long-range -artillery, and the armament is in a very imperfect condition, -consisting of old-fashioned pieces of small calibre, which could -furnish no reply to a battery established on the heights across the -St. Lawrence. - -The citadel itself has in its construction some of the points of a -regular fortress after Vauban, and on the river side the parapets -tower aloft from a steep rock, which puts one in mind of the site -of the platform at Berne; but on the east side it is hampered by -houses and by the suburbs of the city; and it could be approached -without much difficulty from the other side, as soon as a lodgment -could be effected on the heights of Abraham. The fosses and ditches -were partially filled with snow, which obscured the ground and the -adjacent country, if such whiteness can obscure anything. Colonel -Hawley was good enough to show us over the works and point out the -objects of interest as far as they could be discerned. Among them -were some ancient iron guns on which Great Britain ought not to -rely for very effective service in the defence of the place. - -But some new heavy guns have recently been mounted, others are -to follow, and as the ordnance stores in Canada will soon be -replenished with the best description of pieces, there then need be -no apprehension for Quebec on the score of weak artillery: or for a -position that is the key of Quebec, which is most emphatically the -master-key of Canada. - -The outworks of the citadel itself, however, are not by any means -in a satisfactory condition; even the high parapet overlooking the -lower town might be crumbled away and expose the interior of the -place; in one particular part of this work the guns are masked by -blocks of houses, the windows of which actually look into the -interior of the citadel, and the fire of the place could be so -impeded, and the defence so cramped by the existing enceinte, that -I very much doubt whether it would not be better to remove the -latter altogether. - -We trudged patiently around the long lines of parapet in the snow, -now looking down upon the river clamorous with its burden of ice, -and on the tortuous streets of the old-fashioned town. In summer -and in the open months the St. Lawrence is thickly studded with -ships; and dense forests of masts line the course of its banks; -but now the only specimen of commercial enterprise on its bosom -consisted of a few canoes struggling backwards and forwards through -ice and water with their scanty freights. - -Inside the citadel, cherry-cheeked riflemen were playing like -schoolboys in the snow. In spite of temptation the regiment was -in good condition; and although in modern days some objection -might be taken to the closeness of their quarters in summer, the -British soldiers who served under Wolfe would have been greatly -astonished if they could have seen the comforts enjoyed by, and the -cares bestowed on, their descendants. Even those much-neglected, -injured Penelopes, the soldiers’ wives, are tolerably well off in -their quarters, somewhat too crowded, it is true, but still more -comfortable than at Aldershot or the Tower. - -After a long march along the parapet, in which I stumbled across -more rotting gun-carriages, useless mortars, and bad platforms -than I care to mention, we visited the Armoury, which is near the -parade-ground of the citadel. The stock of firearms is arranged -with great taste, and the cleanliness and effectiveness of all the -material reflected credit on the storekeeper. - -Some of the contents consisted of very interesting rifles of -renowned makers in former days, with carved stocks, flint locks, -and barrels encrusted with gold, intended as presents to Indian -chiefs and warriors of tribes sufficiently strong to cause us -injury by their hostility or render us service by their alliance. -Old flint-lock muskets of inferior quality, with barrels like so -many feet of cast-iron piping, intended for the indiscriminate -destruction of friend or foe; horse-pistols of the fashion in vogue -one hundred years ago, and the like, were to be found in the same -spacious apartment, which contained specimens of the most recent -improvements in firearms. Formerly flint pistols were served out to -the frontier patrols, but of course percussion locks have, for many -years, been given to all those employed in the service of the Crown -in a military capacity. Some worthy official at home, however, -still continues to send out barrels of flints with laudable -punctuality, as he has not been relieved by superior order from the -necessity of keeping up the supply of these articles. We have all -heard of the forethought evinced by the home authorities, when they -sent out water-tanks for our lake flotilla, forgetting that they -were borne on an element quite fit for drinking. But I heard in the -citadel of a still more remarkable instance of thoughtfulness. - -A ship arrived at Quebec some time ago with an enormous spar -reaching from her bowsprit to her taffrail consigned to the -storekeeper. It had been the plague of the ship’s company, it -had been in everybody’s way, and had nearly caused the loss of -the vessel in some gales of wind. The whole resources of the -quarter-master-general’s department were taxed to get it safely -on shore, and transport it to the heights. And what was it? A -flag-staff for the citadel. And what was it made of? A stout -Canadian pine, which had probably been sent from the St. Lawrence -in a timber ship to the government officials at home; who, having -duly shaped and pruned it into a flag-staff, returned it to the -land of its birth at some considerable expense to John Bull. - -The citadel is of no mean extent, but covers about forty acres of -ground, and necessarily requires a very strong garrison; if they -were exposed to shell or vertical fire from the opposite side of -the river, or from the western side of the place, as there is no -defence provided, they would certainly suffer great loss. It is -obvious that a permanent work must be built at Point Levi, to sweep -the approaches and prevent the establishment of hostile batteries -on the river. A regular bastion with outworks should be constructed -on the heights above the point, in order to make Quebec safe. - -There are also dangers to be apprehended from the occupation -of the railway terminus at Rivière du Loup which do not affect -Quebec immediately, but are, nevertheless, to be carefully guarded -against. In the event of war appearing imminent, a temporary work -to cover the terminus on the land side, and sweep the river, would -be necessary. - -There exist the remains of some outworks in advance of the citadel, -which are so well placed that it would be very desirable to -reconstruct defences on their sites. They are called the French -works, and their position does credit to the skill of the engineer -who chose it. - -The British flag has waved for just 102 years from Cape Diamond, -but the Fleur-de-lys had fluttered on the same point for 220 years, -with the exception of the three years from 1629 to 1632, when Sir -David Kirke placed Quebec in our hands. - -Nothing proves the inaccuracy of artillery in those days more -strikingly than the inability of the French, on Cape Diamond, to -prevent the British transports landing their men at Point Levi, -although the St. Lawrence is little more than 1000 yards broad -opposite the citadel. By our bombardment, however, we nearly laid -Quebec in the dust before the action. - -On account of the very natural remembrance of the glory of Wolfe’s -attack, his death and victory, it has almost been forgotten that -our first attempt to land at Montmorenci was repulsed by Montcalm -with the loss of 500 men; and it was only when the original scheme -failed, that Wolfe conceived the plan of re-embarking his troops, -and landing above the town. He had 8000 regular troops; the French -had 10,000 men, but of these only five battalions were regular -French soldiers. Montcalm believed no doubt that he could drive -the British into the river, or force them to surrender, and he -threw the force of his attack on the British right, which rested on -the river. The French right, consisting of Indians and Canadians, -was easily routed; the French left, deprived of the services of -its general and of his second in command, was ultimately broken, -and fled towards the town, covered in some degree by the centre -battalions, which fell back steadily; nor was it till five days -after the battle that Quebec fell into our hands. The fire must -have been exceedingly close and desperate; and its effects speak -well for the efficiency of old Brown Bess at close quarters, for -out of the force engaged, the British lost over 630, and the French -1500, of whom 1000 were wounded or taken prisoners. There was -little artillery engaged; for we had but one, and the French but -two or three pieces on the heights. A very few months afterwards we -had nigh lost that which we had so gallantly and fortunately gained. - -On the 28th April next year, General Murray, following the example -of Montcalm, and depriving himself of the advantages which a -position inside the walls of Quebec would have given him, moved -out on the heights of Abraham, with 3000 men and twenty guns, to -oppose the French under the Chevalier de Levi, who were moving down -upon the city. In an ill-conceived attack on the enemy, Murray lost -no less than 1000 men and all his guns, and had to retreat to the -city. He was only relieved by the arrival of a British squadron in -the river, which compelled the French to retire with the loss of -all their artillery. - -Looking down upon the narrow path below the parapet, one must do -credit to the daring of Arnold, Montgomery, and the Americans in -their disastrous attempt to carry the citadel by an escalade. -Arnold, after his astonishing march and desperate perils by -the Kennebeck and Chaudière--which has been well styled by -General Carmichael Smyth one of the most wonderful instances of -perseverance and spirit of enterprise upon record--followed the -course pursued by Wolfe; and embarking at Point Levi, occupied the -heights of Abraham, but when Montgomery joined him from Montreal, -it was found they had no heavy artillery. Thus they were forced -either to march back again, or to try to carry the place by storm. -Two columns, led by Arnold and Montgomery, endeavoured to push -through the street at the foot of the citadel, one from the east -and another from the west. - -The Canadians say, that after Montgomery carried the entrenchment, -which extended from the foot of the cliff to the river, he rushed -at the head of his column, followed by a group of officers, towards -a second work, on which was mounted a small field-piece. The -Americans were just within twenty yards when a Canadian fired the -gun, which was loaded with grape. Montgomery and the officers who -followed him were swept down in a heap of killed and wounded, and -the column at once fled in confusion. Arnold, who had forced his -way into the houses under the citadel, was carried back wounded -soon after his gallant advance: and the Canadians again claim for -one of their own countrymen, named Dambourges, the honour of having -led the sortie from the citadel which charged the Americans, and -forced those who were not slain to surrender. - -Certainly the Canadians showed upon that occasion, as no doubt they -would again, a strong indisposition to fraternise with the American -apostles of liberty, equality, and fraternity; they harassed -their communications, and, under their seigneurs, cut off several -detachments. The attempt on Quebec was never repeated; and the -Americans fared but ill in both their Canadian campaigns. - -A well-organised expedition made in winter-time would now be -attended with far greater danger than it was in former days, and -if the snow remained in good condition, artillery, provisions, -and munitions of war could be transported with greater facility -than on the ordinary country roads. Quebec would, under these -circumstances, be deprived of the co-operation of the fleet; but -with the improvement in the defence which would be effected by the -erection of a regular work at Point Levi, and by the alterations -indicated in the citadel itself, Quebec would be in a position to -resist any force the Americans might direct against it, and would -have nothing to fear except from regular siege operations, which -there was no chance of interrupting or raising. It would be most -important to have the feelings of the inhabitants enlisted on our -side. I fear there is reason to believe that they are antagonistic -to the Americans, rather than violently enamoured of ourselves. - -Having enjoyed a view from the Flag-staff Tower, 350 feet above the -river, which in summer must be one of the grandest in the world, -and which even now was full of interest, my visit to the Citadel -was terminated by lunch in the mess-room, and I returned homewards -through the city. I was encircled with people enjoying the keen -bright air, though the thermometer was twenty degrees below -freezing point. - -Not the least interesting to me of the people were the habitans -in their long robes gathered in round the waist by scarlet or -bright-coloured sashes, with long boots, and fur caps, and French -faces, chatting in their Old-World French; and the monks, or -regular clergy, who moved as beings of another age and world -through the more modern types of civilisation--such as fast -officers in fast sleighs, and the Anglicised families in their -wheelless calèches. I had the honour of an invitation to dine at -the club called Stadacona, which is a corruption or modification -of Indian words signifying “the site of a strait,” where I met -a number of the citizens of Quebec at an excellent substantial -dinner, which had far more of English tastes than of French cookery -about it. The conversation did not disclose any symptoms of the -tendency towards Americanisation which the Northern journals are so -fond of attributing to the people of Canada; but it was perceptible -that a war with America was regarded as an evil which could only -fall on Canada because of her connection with Great Britain, and -that Great Britain ought therefore to take a main part in it. The -Canadians are proud of the part borne by De Salaberry and others -in the former war; but, greatly as the country has advanced, I -doubt if there is now such a population of ready, hardy fighting -men as then existed: for most of the hunters, lumberers, and nomad -half-castes, who cannot be called settlers, have been absorbed in -cultivated lands and settled habits. The appointment of British -officers to organise and command the volunteers has given offence; -and I think it would be advisable, if not necessary, in case of -actual war, to let the volunteers choose their officers within -certain limits, and to give the authorities corresponding to our -lords-lieutenant of counties power to name the commanding officers -of corps, under the sanction of the Governor-General. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - - Lower Canada and Ancient France--Soldiers in Garrison at - Quebec--Canadian Volunteers--The Governor-General Viscount - Monck--Uniform in the United States--A Sleighing Party--Dinner - and Calico Ball. - - -I am afraid that in this Lower Canada just now we do but occupy the -position of a garrison. The aspect and the habit of the popular -mind are foreign, but they are not French any more--at least modern -French; rather are they of an Old-World France--of a France when -there was an ancient faith and a son of St. Louis; when there was a -white flag blazoned with fleur-de-lys, and a priesthood dominant--a -France loyal, chivalrous, and bigoted, without knowledge and -without railways, content to stand on ancient paths, and hating -reform and active mutation. What a change has occurred since the -old Bourbon struck the medal with its inscription, “Francia in Novo -Orbe Victrix, Kebeca Liberata. 1690.” There may be many in Canada -who cannot forget their origin and their race, kept alive in their -memories by a common tongue, ancient traditions, and antipathy -to a foreign rule exercised from a far-off land, and sometimes -manifested by rude, rough instruments, and by a mechanism of force; -but it would be well for them to remember that, whilst France -has passed through many convulsions, Canada has been saved from -external and internal foes, with the exception of the American -invasion in 1812, and the troubles caused by her own disaffected -people at a later period, whilst as an appanage of France she must -have undergone incessant anxieties and assaults. She has been -spared the agonies of the Revolution, the exhaustive glories and -collapse of the Empire, the reaction of the “Desired one”--the -consequences of the convulsions of 1830, of 1848, of 1852. Great -Britain, too, is bound to remember that she is dealing with a -brave and ancient race, delivered to her rule under treaty, who -have, on the whole, resisted many temptations, and preserved a -firm attachment to her government in the face of an aggressive and -prosperous Republic. Our soldiers must be taught to respect the -people of Canada as their equals and fellow-subjects--a hard lesson -perhaps for imperious islanders, but not the less necessary to -learn, if we would preserve their attachment and our territories. - -In justice to them I must say that the 60th Rifles gave no occasion -to the people to complain, though Quebec is not destitute of its -“rough” fellows, and of provocations; and that during my stay in -Canada I only heard of one instance in which officers or men could -be accused of indiscretion or want of respect for the people. -Whiskey is shockingly cheap and atrociously bad, and public-houses -are only too numerous, so that the base upon which the evils which -afflict the soldier rest is not wanting here any more than at home. - -A garrison rule must be very galling unless the officers and men -are minded to behave themselves, and it would cause me regret if -my observations of some regrettable circumstances in that relation -were confirmed by larger experience. Of course the peasants -are provoking; they are heavy and coarse, relying on their _vis -inertiæ_, and aggressively passive. The other day, for instance, -when Lord Monck was leading his sleigh party, several country -carts came down from the opposite direction in the deep track, -and it was with the utmost difficulty the driver of our party -avoided collision with them, as the habitans would not get out of -the way. Still one does not like to see young Greenhorn of the -Invincibles flicking up the bourgeoisie with his whip as he whisks -round a corner, for not getting out of the way. A gallant captain -of volunteer artillery complained greatly of matters of this kind, -but he also expressed very unreasonable jealousy respecting the -appointment of English officers to superintend, and organise, and -command the force. - -_February 11th._--Still more snow falling, and the cold sharper -than ever. Visited the Parliament Houses and Library, of which -more hereafter; saw the Ursuline Chapel; called on Mr. Cartier, -Mr. Macdonald, Mr. Cauchon, and Mr. Galt, members of the Ministry, -to whom I had introductions. In the evening dined with the -Governor-General and Lady Monck at Government House. Although His -Excellency has been but a short time in the country, and succeeded -an able, energetic man, he has already gained the confidence of -men difficult to win, and gives fair promise of administering the -affairs of the provinces with sagacity and vigour. It occurred to -me, considering the position of Canada, that, to escape from the -consequences of divided views and command, it would be desirable to -have the military and civil administration in one hand at critical -junctures, or to send out a soldier as Governor-General. To be a -good soldier one must be gifted with the faculties which constitute -a good ruler, and the civilian can only possess those same -qualities minus the special knowledge of the professional military -man. Lord Monck, however, has applied himself with ability and zeal -to the consideration of the provincial defences. - -The table of the Canadian Viceroy was elegant and hospitable; -and it was a relief to the eye to catch such semblance of state -as was afforded by the scarlet uniforms and gold lace of the -aides-de-camp, military secretary, and others of His Excellency’s -household, who were at dinner, after the long monotony of American -black. Not but that now and then uniform was creeping in at private -dinner-tables in the States also, principally on the persons of -foreign-born officers. But it is, or rather it was, opposed to the -custom of the country. - -I remember Mr. Seward telling me one day, when we met in -Washington, that it was contrary to etiquette for a foreigner to -wear the livery of his royal master or mistress in the United -States. Soon afterwards I saw at table a colonel in full uniform -of the French infantry; but, on inquiry, I learned he was in -command of a New York regiment composed of his exiled compatriots; -and a very gallant regiment--in spite of its Anglophobia, loudly -expressed during the Trent affair--it proved itself. Even here let -me tell a story. When the colonel in question, who had been for -many years a journalist in New York, appeared in Washington, after -getting his commission, he repaired to the house of an astute and -witty diplomatist, with whom he had an ancient intimacy. “Ah! my -dear colonel,” exclaimed the Minister, “by accepting the command -of your regiment, you have cut short the friendship of ten years.” -“How is that, Excellence?” “Why, how can we ever meet again as of -yore? I cannot dine with you; for how dare I present myself in your -camp?” “Why not, Excellence?” “Why, my dear friend, do you think -I could ever get my hair dressed well enough to please the five -hundred French coiffeurs in your regiment?” “But, at all events, -my dear Minister, I can come and dine with you!” “Impossible, my -friend! How could I venture to ask a man to dinner who has under -his orders five hundred French cooks!” - -More snow. The landlord is rather impressed with the news that -the Union army is positively about to march on Richmond at once; -and, indeed, it is only the sceptical mind, with some knowledge -of facts, that can resist the effect of the constant iteration of -falsehoods in the American papers, which never loses its influence -on the American mind. - -_February 12th._--Notwithstanding a slight fall of white rain, Lord -Monck had a sleighing party to Lorette, an Indian village, where we -repaired in great force, ladies and gentlemen, furred and muffed, -and enjoyed ourselves greatly, lunching in a very pleasant rustic -sort of auberge, half-buried in the snow. These sleighing parties -render a Canadian winter tolerable, and there is a certain degree -of “chance of being lost” which commends them to the adventurous -and forms a theme for many small stories. On our coming home, we -had nigh experienced one of these mild adventures, for the snow -fell again and obscured the face of the country--a very white and -well-washed face indeed, with no remarkable features in it,--and it -was by chance we got on the track at a certain turn in the road, -which was only marked out by the summits of the submerged fences -and hedges peering over the drift, and looking uncommonly like each -other all over the country. This little experience of travel rather -dispelled notions I had of the great practicability of a winter -campaign, for it would be quite impossible to move guns and troops -with _certainty_ in a country where all movements depended on the -snow not falling, in opposition to the probability that it would do -so. - -The officers of the 60th Rifles entertained His Excellency at -dinner in the evening, and I had the honour of being invited to -meet him. The entertainment took place in the mess-room of the -citadel. Little more than a century ago, M. de Montcalm may have -been dining on the same spot with the regiment of Musketeers of -Guienne. Who may dine there in 1962? The evening was ended at -a “calico” ball for the benefit of the poor of the city, which -was attended by the townspeople only, the ladies being dressed -in calico, which was afterwards, I believe, with the receipts, -distributed to the indigent. - -_February 13th._--Accompanied Mr. Bernard, who kindly placed his -knowledge and good offices at my disposal, to see some of the lions -of the city; and, thus ably conducted, I visited the Parliament -Houses, the Library, the Ursuline Convent, the Rink, and many other -places; I dined in the evening with Mr. Galt, the Finance Minister, -whom I had the pleasure of meeting at Washington some time before. -Mr. Cartier, the head of the Administration, and nearly all the -Ministers, were present. Afterwards attended a ball at Mr. -Cauchon’s, one of Mr. Galt’s colleagues, which was an assemblage of -the _élite_ of the old French society of the place. My companions -left me to-day for England, where one was anxious to take his -seat on the opening of Parliament, and the other went with him, I -suppose, for companionship’s sake. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - - Canadian view of the American Struggle--English Officers in - the States--My own position in the States and in Canada--The - Ursulines in Quebec--General Montcalm--French Canadians--Imperial - Honours--Celts and Saxons--Salmon Fishing--Early Government of - Canada--Past and Future. - - -Whilst I was in Quebec the American papers ceased not to record -great Union successes, impending expeditions, and, as is their -wont, to throw out hints of some inscrutable woe conceived by -the head of Stanton, and to be wrought by the arm of McClellan -on the South. “Jeff. Davis going to Texas or Mexico--The neck -of the rebellion broken--Our young Napoleon preparing for the -last grand campaign.” Many of our officers were very anxious to -visit the Federal armies, but the tone of the Northern press was -so exceedingly virulent and insulting toward Englishmen, that -the authorities, mistaking their license for the real opinion of -Americans, discouraged applications for leave as much as possible. -This was to be regretted; the more so that those officers who went -from Canada to the States were not provided with any official -letters, and were, indeed, in some instances, misguided so far as -to conceal their military character. It could not but have been -most useful to our officers to have been enabled to take fair -measure of the system and capability of an American army, North -or South; to have formed an estimate of their generals and of the -value of their several arms--cavalry, artillery, and infantry, -each of which presented conspicuous examples of what to avoid, -more especially the first, whilst the second had peculiar features -worthy of study, and the third was a very wonderful illustration of -the volunteer principle. - -When I represented the importance of sending officers to the -armies for the special purpose of examining and reporting on their -condition, I was met by the reply that it would be a violation of -neutrality to dispatch commissioners to the Federal army, unless -similar officers were sent to the Confederate headquarters; and -that it would not be possible to adopt the latter step, as the -Washington Government would not grant them leave to go through the -lines, and would resent the proposal. When some officers were at -last dispatched with an official sanction to the army at Yorktown, -they made their appearance in a forlorn, destitute, and helpless -condition, which made their companions in arms blush for them. - -For myself, I had every reason to believe that no objection would -be made to my accompanying the army under General McClellan. -Several senators who had given me their good wishes, were most -desirous that I should be able to set off an account of a victory -against the narrative of the retreat from Bull Bun. Although I had -been recovering a little from the effects of the ludicrous and -malignant falsehoods circulated against me up to the Trent affair, -I was _très mal vu_ in some quarters in Washington, and of course I -was included in the general outburst against all British subjects -with which the surrender of Mason and Slidell was accompanied. - -In Canada I had recovered health and spirits; nay, more--some -small shreds of popularity in the States. The secretaries of -literary institutions renewed their requests for lectures, the -autograph hunters sought the post-office once more with their -flattering though ill-spelt missives; but there was no inducement -to return to the States till the army of McClellan was actually -about to take the field. The exploits of the army of the West -had, indeed, attracted my eyes in that direction. The capture of -Fort Henry and Fort Donelson promised well for its future career, -but if I travelled so far out of my way I should have lost my -chance of seeing the most brilliant and important campaign. The -chief interest was certainly concentrated on the Potomac, and in -the operations against Richmond. The West was far away, and it -would have been a chance against my letters reaching home so as -to anticipate the exaggerated illusions of the New York journals. -And so I quietly waited and watched till the news from the States -became so triumphant and decided that it behoved me to return, lest -some important movement should take place on the Potomac. As I -could not be with more than one army, I then resolved to follow the -fortunes of McClellan’s great host, which indeed was regarded by -Americans themselves with the greatest anxiety. And so, after a few -days, I set about leaving cards and paying farewell visits to those -who had so kindly entreated me in the City of the Strait. - -The learned institutions, the libraries, the machinery of -education, the various literary and scientific associations, and -the admirable seminaries of Quebec, are most creditable to the -community; they would place that city on a level with some of the -most learned of European cities of far greater antiquity; and the -public spirit and intelligence of its citizens have been fully -evinced in the aid and support they have rendered to institutions -designed for the spread of knowledge. - -The public buildings have also the stamp of respectable antiquity -upon them; none of them possess any considerable architectural -merits, but several are exceedingly interesting. Constant fires -have proved nearly ruinous to the buildings erected by the original -settlers; and those which have been subsequently built are not -remarkable for beauty--indeed, I may say that the Laval University -is one of the plainest buildings it has ever been my lot to behold. - -On all sides it is admitted that the nuns of the Ursuline -Convent have conferred the greatest benefit upon the city by -their unceasing devotion to the task of education. Many people -of respectability--Protestants as well as Catholics--send their -children to be educated by these excellent women, representing -the system inaugurated more than 200 years ago by Madeleine de -Chauvigny, who, moved by grief for the loss of her husband to -devote herself to Heaven, and to the spread of the Christian faith, -sailed forth from France, and, landing at Quebec, established -schools for the Indian girls to learn the faith of the white race, -which was destined to destroy their own. - -The Ursuline Convent is a massive building, ugly as most convents -of modern date are, standing amidst the houses of the city. The -day I visited it there were no means of seeing the schools, and I -was obliged to be content with a sight of the chapel instead. On -ringing the bell by the side of a massive iron-bound door, I was -admitted to the front of a _grille_, through which I conveyed my -wishes to the unseen lady who demanded the purport of my visit; -and, after a short delay, the clergyman attached to the service -of the church was ready, and an old Swiss or porteress conducted -me to the entrance of the chapel, which is of large size, of no -pretensions to architectural beauty, and of little interest to me -for anything but the fact that within its walls lie the bones of -Montcalm. - -The Ursulines, however, are of opinion that they have got a -collection of paintings of merit, and I was called upon to admire -some extraordinary specimens of art very nearly approaching the -class denominated daubs, which were not recommended even by -antiquity. Although the priest bore a pure Irish patronymic, he had -never been in the British isles, having been educated in France, -where he was born, whence he came out to Canada in the course of -his ministry. He was an agreeable, intelligent, gentlemanly man, -but he had evidently no faith in the pictures, and probably not -much greater in some other remarkable decorations exhibited within -the holy walls. The altar-piece and two or three subjects belonging -probably to the old convent, rescued the collection from entire -condemnation. - -On the wall of the chapel, on the left-hand side from the entrance, -there is a marble slab, on which are engraved the following words: -“Honneur à Montcalm! Le destin en lui dérobant la victoire l’a -récompensé par une mort glorieuse!” The graceful words are due to -Lord Aylmer. Montcalm received his death-wound from a ball fired -by the only piece of artillery which we could get up the heights; -but like his great rival and conqueror he was wounded in the fight -by a musket-shot at a comparatively early stage of the battle. -Like Wolfe, too, Montcalm loved literature: “également propre aux -batailles et aux académies, son désir était d’unir aux lauriers de -Mars les palmes de Minerve.” - -The following is a translation of the inscription and epitaph -written by the Academy of Inscriptions and Belles Lettres of Paris -in 1761, and inscribed on a monument which that body had designed -to erect in Quebec, but which never reached that city, the vessel -on which it had been embarked having been lost at sea: - - “HERE LIETH - In either hemisphere to live for ever, - LEWIS JOSEPH DE MONTCALM GOZON, - Marquis of St. Véran, Baron of Gabriac, - Commander of the Order of St. Lewis, - Lieutenant-General of the French army; - not less an excellent citizen than soldier, - who knew no desire but that of - TRUE GLORY; - Happy in a natural genius, improved by literature; - Having gone through the several steps of military honours - with an uninterrupted lustre; - skilled in all the arts of war, - the juncture of the times and the crisis of danger; - In Italy, in Bohemia, in Germany, - an indefatigable general: - He so discharged his important trusts, - that he seemed always equal to still greater. - At length, grown bright with perils, - sent to secure the province of Canada, - with a handful of men, - he more than once repulsed the enemy’s forces, - and made himself master of their forts, - replete with troops and ammunition. - Inured to cold, hunger, watching and labours, - unmindful of himself, - he had no sensation but for his soldiers: - An enemy with the fiercest impetuosity; - a victor with the tenderest humanity; - adverse fortune he compensated with valour; - the want of strength with skill and activity; - and, with his counsel and support, - for four years protracted the impending - fate of the colony. - Having, with various artifices, - long baffled a great army, - headed by an expert and intrepid commander, - and a fleet furnished with all warlike stores, - compelled at length to an engagement, - he fell--in the first rank--in the first onset, - warm with those hopes of religion - which he had always cherished; - to the inexpressible loss of his own army, - and not without the regret of the enemy’s, - XIV September, A.D. MDCCLIX. - Of his age, XLVIII. - His weeping countrymen - deposited the remains of their excellent General in a grave - which a fallen bomb in bursting had excavated for him, - recommending them to the generous faith of their enemies.” - -Had his counsel been taken by de Vaudreuil, we never could bare -occupied Point Levi, and in all probability the expedition to -Quebec would have failed. - -There is something exceedingly touching in the death of the two -generals in the same battle. My guide, however, was more interested -in calling my attention to the ornaments of the altar, and to a -skull, which he assured me was that of Montcalm. - - “Through each lack-lustre eyeless hole, - The gay recess of wisdom and of wit, - And passion’s host that never brook’d control,” - -was seen filled with dust, and the priest held in his hand, like -a cricket-ball, the home of the subtle intellect of the man who -raised to such a height the power of France in the western world. -When the old Indian chief told Montcalm--“Tu es petit! mais je -vois dans tes yeux la hauteur du chêne et la vivacité des yeux des -aigles,” how little the politic, gallant Frenchman ever thought his -skull would be kept in a box in a priest’s cupboard, and shown as a -curiosity to strangers from that barbarous Britain. - -I cannot say that the priest succeeded in pointing out anything as -interesting among the pictures as even the skull of the Marquis de -Montcalm. - -So far as I can ascertain, no Canadian painter has yet been -inspired by the faith and devotion which wrought such miracles and -wonders in mediæval Europe, to concentrate his talents on church -pictures. - -There is not much good fellowship between the French Roman -Catholics and their Irish co-religionists; and I was told that few -of the latter ever entered the chapel of the Ursulines, though -they constitute an appreciable proportion of the population. The -Canadians, indeed, retain a good deal of the old French sentiment, -and regard the Irish very much as their ancestors, under St. Ruth, -looked on the poor vassals of the Irish Jacobins. The Irish are, -however, more energetic and restless, and do not lose by comparison -with the unenterprising inhabitants. - -The feelings and faith of the French Canadian tend to keep up all -that is French in his nature. Small wonder that it should be so. -But it may be doubted whether he has much sympathy with the Empire, -though he is proud of the glory and renown attained by the parent -stock under the “Great Gaul” who founded it. - -In visiting the beautiful and well-ordered Library of the Houses -of Parliament, the state of which does honour to the excellent -curator, I observed several very handsome volumes of the most -costly works marked with the French imperial cipher. They had, it -appeared, been presented to the Canadian Parliament by the Emperor -Louis Napoleon, and they were pointed out to me with much pride and -pleasure; but I looked in vain for any such outward and visible -sign of favour and policy on the part of the reigning House in -England. The conduct of France towards Canada in former times, if -not always just to the settlers, was indeed exceedingly liberal -to the landed interest; on one occasion some sixteen country -gentlemen were raised to the French peerage. The most a Canadian -can hope for now is a barren baronetcy or the honours of the Bath. -By conferring on our colonies, dependencies, and provinces very -liberal democratic forms of government institutions, and at the -same time refusing to give the counterpoise which an extension of -the aristocratic system to them would bestow, we hasten the coming -of the day when separation becomes inevitable. When separation -takes place, the difference of institutions begets opposition of -views and of policy, distrust, and, finally, collision. - -One of my New York acquaintances, who professed to be somewhat of -a philosopher, said, one day, he was quite sure the colonies never -would have revolted, no matter how high tea was taxed, if the -king had made a few of the leading Americans peers of the realm. -The dream of an Imperial Senate with representatives from all the -portions of the wide-spread territories of Great Britain may excite -the imagination, but it is not likely to be ever realised. The -honours which have been conferred on such men as Sir Etienne Taché -and Sir Narcisse Belleau, are highly prized, and a more liberal -bestowal of the cheap defence of nations would do much to gratify -the reasonable ambition of the Canadians. - -That there should be some--and not a little--jealousy of foreign -interference and usurpation of places, profits, and honours, by -the English families, is not unnatural. I am not persuaded that it -was right to hand over the whole direction of the volunteer and -militia organisation to British officers, who are by the many often -identified with the last noisy ensign who has been playing pranks -in the Rue de Montagne. The remembrances of the old rebellion have -not altogether died out, but it appeared to me that the Canadians -are a mild, tractable race, fond of justice, a little too fond of -law, and quite content to live under any rule which secured them -equal rights, and gave them facility for moderate litigation and -religious exercises. - -While I was in Quebec some foolish young men stormed a house under -a misapprehension as to its character. The same thing might have -happened in Great Britain; it would have excited no feeling--the -perpetrators might have compounded for their folly, or have -suffered the penalty. Here the matter was hushed up, and some of -the Canadians were vexed and angry. Provincials must necessarily -be jealous of the smallest appearance of disrespect or show of -distinctive justice between the two races. - -There are very few persons in England acquainted with the many -ancient and glorious memories which endear Quebec to the French -Canadians. Jacques Cartier is to them a greater discoverer and -navigator than Captain Cook is to us, and a long list of names -thoroughly French illustrate the early history of the city. De -Frontenac, Le Chevalier de Levi, Dambourges and others are not -known to those who are well acquainted with Wolfe and Montcalm. - -Quebec, though doubtless the oldest city existing on the continent, -is in a very different condition from that in which it was for many -a year after it was founded by Champlain, more than two centuries -and a half ago. It is quite delightful, after a sojourn in the -United States, to ramble through the tortuous streets, lined by -tall narrow-windowed houses with irregular gables, even though an -air of something like decay has settled upon the place. There is -no trace in Quebec of the feverish activity of American cities--no -great hotels nor eager multitudes thronging the pavements; but in -summer the quays present a most animated appearance, for the noble -waters of the St. Lawrence are then laden with stately ships, -and traffic is carried on extensively in the exchange of the -exhaustless forest-produce of the back country for the manufactures -of Europe. - -The Indian squaws and their people have well-nigh vanished from -the scene, and it would almost seem as though they were unfit -to learn the doctrines of Christianity--it is certain they had -not qualities to permit of their flourishing in the midst of -Christians. Other coloured races brought in contact with the white -man have saved themselves from extermination by service; but the -individual Indian is feudatory to no man--he says “Ich Dien” to -no created being. The result is, that, slowly and surely, he is -driven further and further out into the waste, or is caught up in -the waters of civilisation, and held, like the fly in amber, as -a curious instance of the incompatibility of one substance with -the surrounding particles of another. He will never again play a -part in any contest which may take place between the British and -Americans; notwithstanding the efforts made by the Confederates to -use the Southern Indians in the present war, no adequate results -have been obtained for the trouble. - -In the War of Independence the Indians served on both sides, but -the odium of employing them in the first instance against the -colonists must undoubtedly rest on the British ministry of the day. - -Although the distance from Montreal to Quebec, taking the course of -the river, is but 180 miles, there is considerable difference in -climate. The scenery around the capital of the Lower Province, and -the present seat of Government, is more elevated and picturesque; -but the quality of the soil is not so favourable to agriculture. -The habitant is a very different being from the Scotch or English -farmer; he regards with aversion agricultural implements of the new -school, and woos the earth to yield its fruits with the most simple -appliances; he is stubborn in his attachment to antique customs, -and if he has most of the virtues, he assuredly has some of the -faults of a purely rural agricultural population. - -The events of the rebellion induced us, perhaps, to underrate the -military capacity of the French Canadians, but they may point with -pride to the deeds of their ancestors in defence of their soil -against American invasion, and they would, no doubt, maintain in -the field the reputation of the race from which they spring. The -great defect of the native is, perhaps, his want of enterprise. He -rarely emigrates to new scenes of labour, and even the inhabitant -of the town shrinks from an encounter with the active American or -Anglo-Saxon. Thus it is, at the present moment, that nearly all -the agricultural and industrial enterprises of Lower Canada have -originated with or been developed by persons of a different stock. -Want of capital is the great evil which afflicts the inhabitants -of both Canadas, and even the oil-wells and gold mines have, to a -large extent, fallen into the hands of the solid men of Boston, and -of the hard men of New England; but the Canadians would behave in -the face of an enemy with the spirit, courage, and conduct which -they have exhibited on their own limited battle-fields. - -It would be of little value, within the limits of this volume, -to attempt a recapitulation of the principal events of Canadian -history, either in connection with its early founders or with the -English government; but surely the materials are not wanting for an -interesting record of the struggles of the enterprising Europeans -who contended so fiercely with barbarous races and an inclement -clime to found what already promises to be a great nation. The -savage has died out, or he has been civilised into a degraded -creature for whom no place seems left at the great table of nature, -and the civilised man his successor has learned to control and -mollify the influences of climate, and to extort from the soil -fruits in abundance. But Canada is by no means as cold as it has -been painted, or rather, it would be more proper to say, the cold -there is not so intolerable as we think. It would astonish many -people in this country to learn that the Northern States of America -suffer more from cold than does the vast frontier region of Canada -which borders on the Lakes. In Iowa, for instance, the cold is more -intense than at Montreal. Grapes and peaches ripen on the Canadian -shores of the great lakes; plums, melons, tomatoes, and apples -thrive and grow to perfection in the provinces. As cultivation -advances the rigour of winter is appreciably diminished, although -the farmers, with that customary want of submission to the will of -Providence which characterises all people who live in dependence on -the seasons, complain that the frost is not as severe as it was in -the good old times, and that they are deprived of the advantages of -long-enduring snow and rigid winters. - -What glorious visions of shooting now and of fishing in spring had -opened before me, if the Federal army would only stay quiet! Not, -indeed, that there is much sport for the rifle or fowling-piece now -left in this part of Canada in winter, except moose, for which I -did not care much, but that such strange scenes could be visited -and described. In open weather there is a little shooting of -quails, partridges, and ground game; before winter sets in there -is plenty of wild ducks, but it is in fishing that the province -is most tempting. The Godbout, uncertain as it is, would tempt -any fisherman to a pilgrimage--a river in which one man, Captain -Strachan, played and landed forty-two salmon and grilse in two -half-days. But then the black-flies and musquitoes! Well, of this -more hereafter. Though little that more must be, as long as there -is such a guide-book as that of Dr. Adamson--the charming, amiable, -and accomplished gentleman, in whom I was rejoiced to recognise the -type of _le vrai gentilhomme irlandais_; who knows every thing that -ever was done or thought by Canadian salmon, and is ever willing -to impart his knowledge. - -To a young officer fresh from a Mediterranean or home -station--unless he were at Aldershot or the Curragh, -perhaps--Quebec must appear rather dull. He has none of the -excellent sporting for great and small game which India affords. -Society presents itself under a new aspect. A people speaking a -different language are not his servants, nor his kith and kin, -and yet he must protect and fight for them. He has no sympathy -with a nationality which is prouder of Montcalm than of Wolfe, -and which claims, nevertheless, the lions and the harp as “_notre -drapeau_.” So if he be unwise and unreasonable, he takes dislikes -and ascribes every inconvenience he endures, not to the policy of -the mother-country he serves, but to the people of the province. - -I was present one evening at a ball given by one of the ministers, -a French Canadian, at which there was a large assemblage of all -the best people in the city, and I was struck by the absence of -young officers, although many of higher rank were present. A lady, -to whom I mentioned the circumstance, said, “Oh! they rarely come -among us, so we have left off asking them. If they do come, they -stand with their backs against the wall criticising our style -and our dresses, and never offer to dance till supper is over, -when they vanish.” This is by no means universally applicable to -all societies or regiments, but it is no doubt the truth in some -instances. - -One must regret that the English language was not introduced into -the law courts and legislature. Experience proves that there are -no instruments so powerful in sustaining the existence of a -nationality, as the tongue and pen. The Canadians of to-day affect -to be French, more because they speak a French at which Paris -laughs, than from any real sympathy founded on mutual interests or -present history between France and Canada. I was assured by one -earnest Canadian, that France had never forgiven the Bourbons for -the fault of Louis XV., in ceding Canada to Great Britain. He had -more reason probably for asserting that, but for the establishment -of our supremacy in 1765, the rebellion of the thirteen colonies of -North America would not have occurred when it did. But the conquest -by Wolfe, confirmed by treaty, put an end to most cruel and -barbarous massacres, outrages, and petty border wars, between the -French and English settlers and their auxiliary tribes of Indians, -and if it had been attended or followed by any wise and liberal -acts of government, must have produced very great results on the -tone and temper of the Canadian mind. - -It would have been wonderful indeed, if, a century ago, when our -statute book was written in blood, when our fellow-subjects at home -were under the ban of religious disability, and beaten to the earth -beneath the weight of penal enactments, any traces of wisdom had -been exhibited in the management of a distant dependency. Keeping -alive the feelings of a distinct nationality by the powerful -machinery of different national laws and customs, the conquerors -ruled the province by military law for more than ten long years; -but the tempest which agitated the American colonies was already -felt in the air. The ministry, anxious only to drain money from -their distant dependencies, were engaged in devising taxes, whilst -the colonists prepared to vindicate, by force of arms, their -great principle, that representation was the basis of taxation. -The two Acts of 1774 were passed to enable the government to raise -revenues for the maintenance of the local government, and for the -appointment of a council of government, nominated by the Crown. By -the capitulation of Quebec, the free exercise of their religion was -accorded to the Canadians. By the Act of 1774, the Roman Catholic -Church was recognised as established, and the “Coutume de Paris” -accepted as the foundation of civil and equity administration. - -Is it not strange that Great Britain should have accorded such -concessions to Roman Catholics and colonists, when the penal system -was most rigorously enforced in Ireland? But is it not stranger -still, that the people of the American colonies, who were about to -set themselves up as the children and the champions of freedom of -faith and conscience, should have taken bitter umbrage at those -very concessions! The Americans of the North bore an exceeding -animosity to the French Canadians. They remonstrated in fierce, -intolerant, and injurious language with the people of Great -Britain, for the cession of these privileges to the Canadians, and -the Continental Congress did not hesitate to say that they thought -“Parliament was not authorised by the constitution to establish a -religion fraught with sanguinary and impious tenets.” - -In a strain of sublime impudence, considering the work they were -ready for, the same Congress also expressed their astonishment that -Parliament should have consented to permit in Canada, “a religion -that has deluged your island with blood, and dispersed impiety, -_bigotry_, persecution, murder, and _rebellion_ through the world.” - -It may be worth while to notice the fact that the first notion of -united action on the part of the British North American colonies -may have been developed by the British government, and that the -idea of independence was suggested by the very recommendations to -self-defence which came from the mother country. The Convention of -Delegates at Albany in 1754, which met in consequence of the advice -tendered by the Home Government, adopted a federal system, which -contained, in effect, the germ of the United States. Though this -and similar propositions were not entertained, the growth of such -an idea must have been rapid indeed. In the British Colonial system -there was the breath of life--a little fanning, and the whole -body was alive and active. In the Canadian system there was only -the animating spirit of dependency on France, and on a system in -France, which was perishing before the sneers of the new philosophy. - -The French Canadians of the present day, in accusing the British -government of a hundred years ago of want of liberality and -foresight in the administration of their newly acquired territory, -are wilfully blind to the sort of government which they received -from the Bourbons. The dominion of a foreign race, however, is -always galling, be it covered ever so thickly with velvet, and all -its acts are regarded with suspicion and dislike. The concessions -and liberality of the British government which drew forth such -indignant protests from the bigoted New Englanders, was ascribed -to fears of Canadian revolt, or to a selfish desire to conciliate -the good-will of subjects who might become formidable enemies. If -England lost the American colonies because she refused to accept -a principle which, however sound and just, was certainly new -and not accepted as of universal application, she needed not to -apprehend the recurrence of a separation, forcible or peaceable, -of Canada on any such grounds. It is impossible for a country -to be held by a more slender cord; and in all but the actual -exercise of the sovereign style, title, and attributes, Canada -is free and independent. If the sentiment or the nationality of -the Lower Canadians ever induces them to seek the protection or -rule of any European State, they will no doubt at once come into -collision with Upper Canada and the United States, and we can but -pity their infatuation. If Upper Canada thinks to better herself -by separation, and union with the Western States, Great Britain -assuredly will never hold her by force. It would be useless to -discuss the rights and obligations of a sovereignty and its -nominal dependency in relation to mutual succour in time of war; -but it seems only fair that the great permanent works necessary -for strategical purposes, and as _points d’appui_ for the forces -of the protecting military power, should be made and repaired -and garrisoned at the imperial expense, whilst on the mass of -the population must be placed the task of rising to defend their -country from invasion, assisted by such imperial troops as can be -spared from the occupation of the fixed points of defence. The -Canadians must not content themselves with the empty assertion that -if their country should be invaded Great Britain alone is attacked. -Let them emulate the Old England colonies, and the conduct of their -ancestors in 1812. The United States bear them no good-will; and -as the only power from which Canada has anything to fear, the -Americans would be just as likely to make war against the Province -as against the Empire, and trust to their own impregnability, -except at sea, as a guarantee against any dangerous consequences. - -The future is beyond our ken. There are prophets who long ago -predicted the amalgamation of the Upper Province with the West, and -who now find greater hope for the realisation of their soothsayings -in the approaching dissolution of the Federal States. Others there -are who see at no distant time the re-establishment of a French -dependency on the northern portion of the Anglo-Saxon States, -already hemmed in on the slave border by the shadowy outlines of an -empire under French protection. When we see what has taken place on -that continent within the last hundred years, it is not to be said -that combinations and occurrences much more wonderful will not come -to pass before the present century closes. The policy of a State, -as the duty of an individual, is to do what is right and leave the -future to work out its destiny. - - - - -CHAPTER X. - - Canadian Hospitality--Muffins--Departure for the States--Desertions - --Montreal again--Southerners in Montreal--Drill and Snow - Shoes--Winter Campaigning--Snow Drifts--Military Discontent. - - -Although my residence in Quebec was very short, I left the city -with regret. Compared with the cities of the States, its antiquity -is venerable and its ways are peace; but from what I heard of -public amusement in summer time I should say that life here would -be found dull, as compared with existence in a European capital, or -in a city so vainly gay and profitably festive as New York. There -is no great wealth among the people, but a moderate competency -is largely enjoyed, and neither wealth nor poverty attains undue -dimensions. - -I found at Quebec a very agreeable society, the tone of feeling -which prevails in a capital, the utmost hospitality. Had I had a -hundred mouths they would here all have been kept busy. Invitations -came in scores, and were to be resisted with difficulty. Knowing -all this I am the more astonished at the recent statements which I -have heard, that the Canadians have not extended any civilities to -our officers. If so, a great change must have taken place. I am not -now talking of sleighing parties, but of the hospitality of the -inner house. The fair Canadians may have been too kind in accepting -the name and position of “muffins” from the young Britishry; but -the latter cannot say they have suffered much in consequence. A -muffin is simply a lady who sits beside the male occupant of the -sleigh--_Sola cum solo_, “and all the rest is leather and prunella.” - -The social system is intended rather for the comfort of the inner -life, and for the development of domestic happiness, than for such -external glare and glitter as Broadway delights in, or for such -unsound social relations as mark the America of hotels. The great -artists who adorn the drama or the lyric stage can rarely be bribed -sufficiently high to visit these northern regions; but I doubt -whether there is not a better taste in art among the people of -Quebec than there is to be found in most cities of the same size in -the United States. - -On a gloomy winter evening I was once more battling with the ice on -the St. Lawrence; and, after a long passage, left Point Levi for -Montreal. - -A weary life-long night it seemed, and a still wearier day in the -train. It was close upon twenty-one hours of stuffy, foodless -travel, ere we arrived at Montreal. Nor can I remember anything -worth recording of all that linked weariness, long drawn out, -except that, halting at a roadside station in the night, I came on -a detachment of the Scots Fusilier Guards, who had come up from -Rivière du Loup, after their passage in sleighs over the snows of -New Brunswick, and were in high spirits, looking very red in the -face, and bulky in comparison with the lean habitans. “Misthress,” -quoth one of them to the woman at the bar, “wad ye gi’e me a -dhrap av whuskie?” The Hebe complied with this request, and for -some very small pecuniary consideration filled him out nearly a -tumblerful of the dreadful preparation known in the States as -“Fortyrod.” The soldier tasted it, blinked his eyes, squeezed them -close, pursed up his lips, smacked them, gave a short watery cough, -smelt the mixture, and, looking at his comrades, exclaimed, “My -Gude! Hech! I’d jist as soon face a charge of baynets.” After that -proem I was prepared to see the hardy warrior eject the fluid, but -he proceeded to a most inconsequent act: for, nodding his head, he -said, “Sae, here’s t’ye, my lads,” and tossed down the fire-water -incontinent. - -There were several companies of H.M.’s 63rd Regiment in the train, -also going up to Montreal. It did not escape me that at the station -pickets were looking sharply out for intending deserters, who might -have cut away in the darkness; and I was told, and felt inclined -to believe it might be worth their while, that there were Yankee -crimps lying in wait at all the stations to help the deserters -across the frontier, if they could induce them to leave their -colours. The anxiety and annoyance caused by desertion, and by the -chance of it, add to the dissatisfaction which is now expressed in -our army in Canada; but I must say I cannot quite sympathise with -the violence and exaggeration in which that dislike finds vent. - -Captains of companies suffer losses, but in many instances they -have only themselves to blame. The men, seduced by high pay, either -in the States or as farm-labourers in Canada, are seized with an -irresistible desire to quit the service abruptly, “without leave,” -and resort to ingenious artifices to escape. Sometimes a whole -guard will march off bodily, non-commissioned officers and all; -occasionally one of the number will submit to be handcuffed, and -will be marched by his comrades through the post as a deserter, -or a man will put on a sergeant’s jacket or sew chevrons on his -coat sleeve, and march off his party as if they were going out on -picket or patrol duty. Such artifices cannot always be successfully -encountered, but they are to be met to some extent by increased -vigilance. - -I need not say that it was with satisfaction I exchanged my railway -van for a comfortable room in the house of Mr. Rose at Montreal. -The news of an immediate advance of the army of the Potomac which -had been received from New York turned out to be untrue; no -immediate hurry was there need for to go down to the seat of war. I -dined at the club, where we had a very agreeable party, enlivened -by the fervent conversation of some Southern gentlemen of the -little colony of refugees which finds shelter in Montreal under -the British flag. There is some work of Nemesis in the condition -of these gentlemen. Here are Charleston people, who claimed the -right to imprison British subjects because they had dark skins, now -taking refuge under the British flag, from the exercise of the very -power which enabled them to maintain their claim, and apologising -to Englishmen for the peculiar institution on the ground that they -treated their niggers better than the Yankees do. - -The snow again falling, and the day cold. On the Sunday after my -arrival, I walked into town in moccasins, and attended service -in Christchurch, where the ritual was in close imitation of the -cathedral formula at home. I saw a party of the Guards marched -to church, who had an air of profound discontent on their manly -features. Some Canadians near me evidently regarded them as -hardened heretics going to a place of punishment, and at the -same time deserving it as foreign mercenaries; but the Guards -certainly did not seem to care one farthing for their opinion, -if they understood the expression of it. The building is very -handsome; but, in spite of the cold outside, I found the atmosphere -unbearable, owing to the stoves, iron pipes, or some other -undesirable calorific apparatus. The sermon was respectable and -frigid. - -I spent the next day visiting the remarkable places and persons -passed over in Montreal on my last brief visit. In the evening I -dined with Colonel Kelly and H.M.’s 47th Regiment, who entertained -Sir Fenwick Williams and the officers of the Guards then in -garrison, and on the following morning at 9 o’clock I drove over -to the Barracks to see a drill of the regiment on the St. Lawrence -in snow-shoes. Sir Fenwick Williams and some staff officers were -on the ground. The regiment was admirably handled by Colonel -Kelly, and the scene was very novel and amusing. The regiment -was in excellent condition: the men seemed rather to like the -fun with the snow-shoes, and when skirmishers were thrown out or -called in at the double, there was certainty of a fall or two from -unlucky privates tripping up in their shoes and tumbling in the -snow, which flew like puffs of musketry. Fresh from parades of -volunteers I felt the force of Lord Clyde’s maxim--“The first duty -of a soldier is to obey”--as I looked at the measured tread even at -the quickest, and the alert, agile formations of the men to whom -discipline was the whole scope of military intellect. There was, -I thought, in that complex machine of many parts, but of only one -animating, moving power, what would be cheaply bought by the United -States by many hundreds of thousands of dollars for the purposes -of war, though man to man one of their regiments might be more -intelligent, and quite as capable of deeds of valour as the old -47th, of whom indeed not many had the Crimean medal, though the -campaign is now but a few years old. - -In the evening I dined with the Commander-in-Chief, Sir Fenwick -Williams, and met Mr. Cartier, Mr. Galt, and Mr. Rose. - -The letters from England which came by every mail showed that the -position was not much understood, as it was believed there would be -a speedy movement of the army of the Potomac, which I knew to be -buried in mud. The American papers of course deluded their readers -by constant assurances that McClellan was about to move next week. -It would seem, after all, that in new countries the practice of -going into winter quarters, which prevailed among sixteenth and -seventeenth century generals, was founded on good reason; but that -as the land became better drained, and the roads were improved -by civilisation and populations, the necessity for inaction was -diminished. Napoleon astonished Europe by some wonderful escapades -in the field; but even in the Peninsula the British suffered -greatly in winter movements. In the old French war, operations in -Canada were usually over in August or early in September; but the -Americans, in their bold and skilful campaign of 1775, commenced -their invasion or dash late in the year--managed so well that they -broke in almost simultaneously at Montreal and Quebec, on the -British, who had only one regular regiment in the Provinces, in -November--and it was on the last day of the year that Montgomery -and Arnold made their brilliant and unsuccessful attempt to carry -the citadel by escalade. - -Again, in 1812, it was as late as October before the Americans -opened their campaign on the Niagara frontier; and it was about -the middle of November when they directed their ill-managed and -abortive demonstration against Montreal. They again moved in -January, 1813, and several actions took place in the early months -of the year, nor did the approach of winter drive the contending -parties from the field; and a good deal of sharp fighting took -place in December. In the following year the Americans began the -offensive at a later period, though the corps intended to operate -against the Montreal district was in motion in the first week of -March. Our defeat at Plattsburgh occurred on September 11th. The -Americans make much of it--with great justice. They defeated the -best regiments of an army which had proved itself, in face of the -picked troops of Napoleon, the first in Europe. When winter is well -established in these high latitudes, perhaps it is, under ordinary -circumstances, more favourable to military operations than it is -in lower latitudes, where tremendous rains alternate with heavy -snow-storms, which do not form permanent deposits over which to -move men or guns. - -On the following day I dined with Mr. Chamberlain, of the -“Montreal Gazette,” Mr. Rose, Mr. Ryland, Major Penn, and a -number of gentlemen connected with the Canadian press, at a -famous old-fashioned English tavern, kept by an old-fashioned -John Bull cook, who would have fainted outright at the sight -of a _vol-au-vent_ and died of an _omelette glacée_, where we -had much old-fashioned English talk. On our issuing into the -outer world there was a snow-fall going on, the like of which I, -unaccustomed, had never seen before; and my voyage out to Mr. -Rose’s was diversified by attempts of the sleigh-driver to get -over boundary-walls and into gardens, till we came to a dead stop -just as the fall cleared off a little, and permitted us to get a -glimpse of the moon. But the moon gave no assistance, for its rays -only lighted up great snow-mounds and a universal whiteness, and -the road seemed as doubtful as ever. As I was deliberating what was -best to be done, a sleigh-bell was heard jingling in the distance, -and the vehicle gradually approached us. We hailed the occupant, -and I heard a well-known voice in answer: it was that of Colonel -Lysons, an inmate of the same hospitable abode as that I occupied. -Our united efforts at last discovered the mansion. - -The snow-storm continued next day: the fall was so great that -Lysons, who was bound to Quebec on duty connected with the Militia -Bill, and started early, was compelled to return _re infecta_ in -the morning. Towards the afternoon the storm ceased, and left a -thick outer garment over the body of the country. The younger -people of the house considered the occasion favourable for -snow-balling, and I was included in some diffusive arrangements, -very unfavourable to literary composition, for the spread of the -white artillery, directed by willing hands and unrelenting aim at -short range. I dined with the artillery mess--went afterwards to a -ball given by H.M.’s 16th Regiment at the Donegana, which is the -headquarters of Secessiondom--and finished the evening by a visit -to the house of Mr. Judah, who gave a dance which was attended -by Lord F. Paulet and a number of soldiers, and, above all, by a -lovely American, who created a strong current in favour of the -Union, of which she was a staunch advocate. - -As already hinted, I have heard of complaints from officers of the -Guards and other regiments that the Canadians during the period in -question did not treat them with the hospitality for which they -were once celebrated. Of that point I am not well able to judge; -but I must say, that during the whole period of my stay in Canada, -I never was in any society in which I did not see British officers, -and never knew of their having had reason to complain of neglect -till lately. If there was any want of hospitable civility, I must -think the officers were in some measure to blame for it: for among -those stationed any length of time in Canada, or who knew the -country in former years, I always heard unreserved praise of those -Canadians who had the means of entertaining visitors. It must be -remembered that there are few Canadians who are wealthy enough to -give set dinners, and that the reserve which guards the family -of the Frenchman existed in the times from which his descendants -in Canada take their traditions and manners. Many people in -Montreal, well inclined to show every attention in their power -to the officers quartered among them, were deterred by the very -prestige of the Guards’ social position from offering them ordinary -civility; and by degrees in many cases an estrangement grew up. - -I saw nothing to account for the discontent of officers who were -quartered at Montreal, save and except the fact that they were -on foreign service, that they were not in England or London among -their friends, and that they did not like the people,--all grounds -which they might unfortunately allege against any other part of the -world in which the British army is forced to serve. The subject is -only important, in so far as it exercises an influence over the -relations of the two countries; a common expression of dislike -on the part of men who exercise a great influence among the most -powerful classes in this country must increase any tendency to -regard with indifference the possession of the great territory -which it is my belief we should seek to attach to the Crown by -every possible legitimate means, Professor Goldwin Smith and the -political economists of his school notwithstanding. - -After a stay of some days in Montreal, I received intelligence -which rendered it necessary for me to depart at once for the United -States, and I returned to New York by Rouse’s Point, travelling -night and day. I had seen enough of Canada to inspire me with a -real regard for the people, and a sincere interest in the fortunes -of such a magnificent dependency of the Crown, and I resolved, as -far as in me lay, to attract the attention of the home country -to a region which offers so many advantages to her children, and -promises one day to be the seat of flourishing communities, if not -of a vast and independent empire. - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - - Extent of Canada--The Lakes--Canadian Wealth--Early History-- - Jacques Cartier--English and French Colonists--Colonial - and Acadian Troubles--La Salle--Border Conflicts--Early - Expeditions--Invasions from New England--Louisburgh and - Ticonderoga--The Colonial Insurrection --Partition of - Canada--Progress of Upper Canada--France and Canada--The American - Invasion--Winter Campaign--New Orleans and Plattsburgh--Peace of - Ghent--Political Controversies--Winter Communication--Sentiments - of Hon. Joseph Howe--General view of Imperial and Colonial - relations. - - -A victory won not a century ago gratified the animosities of -the American colonies, and added to the countries ruled by the -Sovereign of Great Britain a tract of territory thrice the size of -his kingdom. From Labrador to the western limit of Lake Superior, -a line drawn east and west within the boundaries of Canada, is -1600 miles long; but the breadth of the country from its Southern -frontiers to the ill-defined boundary on the North, is but 225 -miles. This vast region is divided into Upper and Lower Canada. -The former lies between long. 40° and 49° N., and lat. 74° and -117° W. The latter lies between 45° and 50° North and 57° and 80° -W. The three hundred and forty thousand square miles thus bounded -present every variety of scenery and of soil. The climate is mainly -influenced by the relations of the land to the enormous inland -seas and great rivers which occupy such a space in the map of -British North America. From Lake Superior, which is larger than -all Ireland, flows the mighty stream which feeds Lake Huron by -the River St. Mary. Huron is nearly 250 miles long and 221 miles -broad. From Lake Huron the river and lake of St. Clair lead the -flood into Lake Erie, which is 280 miles long and 63 miles broad. -From Lake Erie the current runs with quickening pace, till it -rushes in ceaseless flight into the fathomless depths of Niagara, -and whirls onward to melt into the waters of Lake Ontario. The -last and smallest of these seas, Ontario, is 180 miles long and -50 miles broad. The St. Lawrence, winding through many islands, -emerges from its eastern extremity and commences its uninterrupted -career of 700 miles to the Atlantic. The land of this northern -continent in fact reverses the part of Ocean, and enfolds sea after -sea within its arms. The water blesses the land for its protection; -it yields an easy way to the progress of civilisation; transports -the produce of the settler’s labour to distant markets, and lays -open to his enterprise the wide-spreading forests and plains which, -but for them, would still be the heritage of the Indian and of his -prey. Among the greatest proofs of enterprise in the world are the -canals by which the people living on the shores of the lakes have -rendered navigation practicable from the sea to Lake Superior. The -display of the natural and artificial products of the far-reaching -lands watered by the giant St. Lawrence at the Great Exhibition -of 1862, came to the eyes of most of us with a sort of shock. It -was surprising indeed to behold such evidences of wealth given by -a dependency which was associated in the popular mind with frost -and snow, with Niagara, Labrador, and French insurrection--Moose, -moccasins, and Indians. There we saw an exuberance and excellence -of growth in timber and in cereals--in all kinds of agricultural -produce, combined with prodigious mineral riches. Sir William -Logan, assisted by the zealous, skilful, and indefatigable staff of -Canadian geologists, showed what a future Canada may expect when -capital and population combine to disinter the treasures which now -lie hid within its rocky ribs. - -According to Jesuit Hennepin, the name of Canada furnishes a proof -of an ignorance and deficient appreciation of the true value of -the country that still mark the workings of the European mind in -reference to the resources of Canada. According to him, the word -Canada was derived from a corruption of the Spanish words Capo da -Nada, or Cape of Nothing, which they gave to the scene of their -early discoveries when, under a conviction of its utter barrenness -and inutility, they were about abandoning it in disgust. The -derivation may be well doubted, but the implication may be true -enough. The mainspring of Spanish, and indeed of all European -enterprise in those days, was the hope of gold, and although there -is reason to know that the precious metal is associated with others -scarcely less valuable in Canada, of course it was not found lying -in heaps and blocks on the sea-shore, and therefore the Spaniards -concluded that it did not exist. It has been conjectured, with -greater appearance of probability, that Canada is a modification -of the Spanish word signifying “a passage;” because the Spaniards -thought they could find a passage to India through Canada; as -others, with greater reason, believe there may yet be found a -permanent practicable way to the shores of the Pacific through its -wide expanse of lake and mountain. - -The accounts of the first discovery of Canada, meagre as they are, -possess a romantic interest which is never likely to assume any -very precise or substantial form. Although Cabot, who discovered -Labrador and Hudson’s Bay, was the first person who suggested or -projected the establishment of colonies or settlements in these -newly-found regions, and English merchants actually established -some small colonies there, it is to Jacques Cartier, of St. Malo, -that the credit of the first real establishment of Europeans in -Canada must be assigned. Cabot discovered the Gulf of St. Lawrence: -it was Cartier who found that the Gulf was but the mouth of a vast -river; and who urged his little craft among its unknown dangers -till he came to the site of Quebec. It was no ordinary man who, -having accomplished thus much, pressed onwards till he reached -Hochelaga, the site of Montreal. He was impelled by the love of -gold and precious stones, and believed that here he had found them, -but they were indeed only Lagenian mines. Cartier, and many another -gallant sailor, found glittering mica and crystals on the shores of -their new found lands, which in their innocent faith they believed -to be gold and diamonds, and so filled ship and were off to sea -again. The failure of these early adventures cast Canada into -disfavour with those who led the enterprise of the East. Whilst -the English merchants and navigators were, with uncertain steps, -seeking some solid resting-place on the eastern shores of America -below the St. Lawrence, Canada was left in the possession of the -Indians--not a peaceable possession, because the great Tribes were -as irreclaimably belligerent as the Highland Clans or the Irish -Septs. It is curious to reflect on the fact, indeed, that little -more than two hundred years ago the whole of the vast region -between Massachusetts and Hudson’s Bay was in the hands of the Red -Man. But he was then yielding ground rapidly before the imperious -strangers who had seized his shore farther south. The merchants of -Bristol and of London turned their attention to Virginia before the -French of St. Malo had well established themselves on the shores -of the St. Lawrence. Both English and French alike were encouraged -and stimulated in these early efforts by the Crown. About the -time that James the First was granting charters and framing -corporations for colonies in Virginia, Champlain was establishing -French settlements at Tadousac and Quebec, in Nouvelle France. -The early dealings of English and French with the natives are -discreditable to both nations; both fomented or availed themselves -of dissensions among the Tribes, and when hostilities broke out, -threw their weight on one side or the other. Whilst the New England -Puritans were encouraging themselves in the work of destroying -the Red Man by quoting passages from the Old Testament, which -clearly showed how they the chosen people of God were called upon -to slay the Canaanite, Champlain, with his Roman Catholic priests, -was quite as busy in rooting out Iroquois in the name of Heaven -and of the Church. Of the two invading races, indeed, the French -were the least exclusive, for they neither burned nor banished -Dissenters. So great was the liberality of France in those days, -that Protestant and Roman Catholic emigrants shared in the same -enterprise, and abode in the same settlements. But the Brethren of -New Plymouth took a very limited view of Christian fraternisation, -and at the very outset the colonists of the Northern and of the -Southern States were animated by principles so opposed that even -in the grub state they bit and stung each other. - -English and French colonists were alike undergoing the spasmodic -influences of the jealousy and intrigue which usually preside over -the birthplace of colonies, when the operations of the war which -broke out between France and England in 1628, were extended to -those distant regions. The growing power of England at sea enabled -her to strike a tremendous blow at New France. Champlain, with all -his garrison, was starved into capitulation by Sir David Kirke; -but on the restoration of peace and of the colony to France, in -1633, he returned to Canada, where he died two years afterwards. -Champlain, with all his faults, was undoubtedly a man noteworthy, -politic, and valuable in his time and generation, and his name -will ever be associated with the early history of the continent. -Priests and nuns and missionaries after his death swooped down on -the Indians, who began to hate each other worse than ever they had -done before, whilst at the same time they learned to entertain -a savage dislike for the race which they had welcomed to their -shores so courteously and gently. Thousands of Indians were indeed -converted, as it was called, to Christianity; but it was only -that they might rage with greater cruelty and fierceness against -their brethren. Massacres of Christians and of converts by furious -savages fanned these unholy flames. Little is left of either the -Indians or of their Christianity now. A common animosity to the -aborigines brought about the first “rapprochement” between the -French and British colonists. The New English and the New French -first met in America to consider the propriety of an alliance -against their Indian enemies, which should not be broken by war -between the parent countries, but the status of the two offshoots -of the great European rivals was very different. The French in -Canada at one time displayed a wonderful amount of enterprise, -energy, and perseverance in their dealings with the savages, -which can only be appreciated by those who have studied their -early records, but it contrasts strongly with the quiescence and -political folly of their descendants. Their early explorations were -characterised by a spirit worthy of the countrymen of Cartier. -Among these, the voyage of La Salle from Niagara deserves to be -mentioned, as indicative of the highest qualities of a traveller. -In a little craft of some sixty tons, he ascended the rapid river -above the Falls of Niagara, amidst difficulties which we can but -little understand, and gained the broad expanse of Lake Erie; -thence boldly steering westward, he came upon the narrow river or -strait of Detroit, crossed the lucid waters of Lake St. Clair, and -was at last rewarded by the grand discovery of Lake Huron. Still -boldly pursuing his course westward, La Salle at last came to -Lake Michigan, whence in company with Father Hennepin, his jesuit -historian, he undertook the feat of penetrating to the head waters -of the Mississippi. Nor did he stop when he reached the mystic -stream; he trusted himself to the mighty flood, and never turned -round or bated breath till he floated out, 2000 miles below, on the -turbid waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Whilst the hierarchy of France -were busy founding bishoprics, building churches, and establishing -seminaries, the English, distracted by internal convulsions, left -their American colonies pretty much to themselves. France sent -out governors, councillors, and bishops to New France; England -dispatched her Puritans, adventurers, younger sons, Catholic -cavaliers, and Nonconformists; but the natives were sure to suffer, -no matter in what form the colony was ruled, or of what Europeans -it was composed. Terrible diseases, although known in Europe for -two hundred years previously, according to contemporary writers, -appeared suddenly, and without European communication, among the -indigenes, and ravaged the miserable tribes, already decimated by -intestine war and ruin. Christians were naturally held accountable -for all the evil; and for a large part indeed they were. - -Whilst James the Second was making a last stand for his Crown -against the victorious Dutchman, La Salle, with a patent of -Governor, was sailing from La Rochelle, for the dependency of -Louisiana, which now completed the vast semicircle over which -the King of France claimed authority, and which enclosing the -British settlements in a belt from Newfoundland through the -lakes, swept thence by the Ohio down to the Gulf of Mexico, far -away to the _terra incognita_ under the setting sun. The superior -trading resources of the Indians of the South, the favourable -conditions for the expansion of trade possessed by the British -on the Hudson over the French, who had to struggle with longer -frost, and the wintry storms of the St. Lawrence, and the greater -commercial enterprise of the English colonists, nullified that -vast territorial superiority. The French governors thought, by -displays of vigour and violence towards the natives, to alter the -course of trade; but they could not compete with their neighbours, -and quarrels and petty wars vexed the life of both colonial -systems. In 1690, M. de Frontenac launched three little corps -of invading savages, aided and led by French troops, against the -British settlements in the New England Colonies. Schenectady in -New York, Salmon Falls in New Hampshire, Casco in Maine, were -surprised and burned, and the colonists were given to the sword -and the scalping-knife. For a time the survivors of the massacre -had something else to do besides persecuting each other to death -for witchcraft or torturing their heretics. They set to work to -avenge their slaughtered saints. Sir William Phipps, a native -of Massachusetts, led his Puritan hosts to Port Royal in Nova -Scotia, but was obliged to retreat ingloriously from an attempt -against Montreal. His rival, de Frontenac, had no better fortune -in a projected attack by land and sea against New York. The war -which raged between the colonists was terminated by the Peace -of Ryswick; but peace did not last long, and the declaration of -war by Great Britain against France and Spain revived the bloody -contests between the borderers. The British Government sent out -Marlborough’s veterans, and those sailors who had swept the seas -of every enemy, to aid the colonists. An immense expedition, which -seemed capable of destroying any trace of French rule in Canada, -sailed from Boston in 1710, against Quebec, but failed miserably -at sea and in the St. Lawrence ere it reached the city. The Peace -of Utrecht, in 1713, brought about a cessation of hostilities, but -not of jealousies, or of Indian wars and massacres. By that time -the predominance of the white man was well established, and the -faces of the Indians were turned steadily towards the setting sun, -and their footsteps followed his course towards the forests of the -west. Fort after fort encroached on their decreasing domain, and -Englishman and Frenchman, each after his kind, sought to reproduce -in the New World those features of the mother country which he -loved or admired or respected most. - -In the period which elapsed between the Treaty of Utrecht and -the declaration of war in 1745, both the Colonies and Canada -prospered, but the increase of the former was to that of the -latter as the increase of grain compared with that of moss. The -people of Massachusetts, led by their colonial chief, Pepperell, -with contingents from Rhode Island, Vermont, and Connecticut, -were joined by the British fleet under Warren, and set out on -them darling project of reducing Louisburg, the great French -arsenal and station at Cape Breton. On the 17th of August, 1746, -after a siege of two months, the place surrendered with all its -stores to the victorious Colonists. It was with difficulty that -France could communicate with her menaced dependency, for the -sea was nearly controlled by the British fleets, but her pride -was aroused, and great armaments were prepared and dispatched to -Canada. _Afflavit Deus et hostes dissipantur._ Two expeditions were -nigh lost altogether on the waves. A third was destroyed by the -fleet under Warren and Anson. The Peace of Rochelle put an end to -the passionate efforts of France to retrieve her disasters, but -the rivalries and excesses of the British and French fur-traders -continued the strife between the Colonies and New France. The -latter claiming the whole course of the Ohio, as it appears with -some reason, forbade our traders to resort there. Forts were built -to enable the French to exercise their jurisdiction and authority -on ground which was regarded by the British Colonists as their -own, and it is a remarkable fact, that George Washington’s first -military service was in command of an expedition of Virginians -to capture the works erected by the French, and that he was -compelled to lay down his arms by De Villiers, after a brief and -inglorious--not to say very badly-managed campaign. Although Great -Britain made considerable efforts to aid the colonists in their -wars, she could not very well continue to do so when she was at -peace with France, if her distant subjects chose to carry on -hostilities on their own account. The King’s Government gave advice -to the Colonies to unite for self-defence, which led in 1754 to -the assemblage of a convention at Albany, at which Massachusetts, -Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, -and New York were represented. The delegates drew up a plan for -what was in effect a Federal Union, but the plan fell to the -ground. The Home Government refused to adopt it, because of certain -encroachments which it contained on the prerogatives of the Crown; -and the colonial assemblies, which had already exhibited a sturdy -self-reliance and independence worthy of attention at home, were -equally dissatisfied with the proposal. But the seed had been -sown--the idea of Federal Union, of self-taxation, of levying -troops and regulating trade, was busy in men’s minds. In the -same year the Colonists were preparing for their great attack on -Canada--an attack which was made, not because France was the enemy -of England, but because Frenchmen in Canada were rivals of the -American colonists. - -The lines of invasion of French Canada marked out by the American -subjects of the British Crown, were very much the same as those -of the American rebels against the Crown, when some twenty odd -years afterwards they prepared to invade British Canada. It is -singular that the men who, under the authority of the Crown of -England, or using at least the pretext of a state of war between -the home countries, waged war against the subjects of France -in Canada, should have been foremost in the rebellion against -England, and that, in the invasion of Canada, which was one of -their first undertakings in pursuance of their rebellion, they -should have found neither sympathy nor aid amongst the French -Canadians, whose allegiance had been so recently transferred to -the King of England. More singular still is it that France, which -had received so many tremendous blows from these very colonists, -and which suffered so much in her efforts to defend her Canadian -dependencies from these inveterate assailants, should have been -mainly instrumental in establishing their independence, and in -leading their great revolution to a successful issue. The condition -of the Scottish borders in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries -furnishes but a very poor parallel to the state of the debateable -land which spread from the banks of the Ohio, by the great lakes, -down to the Atlantic. Constant aggressions took place from one -side or the other by trading parties, bands of Indians, or by -armed parties with larger purposes of occupation or vengeance. -Whilst the English colonies were enjoying the full fruit of the -principles on which they had been founded, Canada, regarded as a -mere dependency of the French Crown, vexed with the complicated -and inconsistent form of government, was daily losing ground. -The ill-paid governors were corrupt, or at all events exacting: -the Intendants ground the province to powder to make the most -of their office, and beneath each of these officers was an army -of ecclesiastics, bent on appropriating, for that incarnation of -the Church which appeared in their proper persons, the best of -the land and the great tithes of all trade and commerce. Of the -many encounters which took place on the borders, there are few -authentic records: it is sufficient to know that neither the French -nor the English succeeded at the period in effecting a permanent -lodgment within the frontiers of the enemy. The Governors of Canada -commemorated their victory, “_Rebellibus Novæ Angliæ Incolis_,” on -medals and brasses, and Great Britain rewarded by various honours -the colonial generals and governors who were supposed to have -attained advantages over their Canadian neighbours. In 1756 war was -again declared by Great Britain against France. Montcalm, availing -himself of the utter imbecility of Lord Loudon, who commanded the -British troops, speedily fell upon the important post of Oswego, on -Lake Ontario, and captured it with its garrison, guns, flotilla, -and stores. He followed up that great success in the following -year, by the capture of Fort Edward, which surrendered, with its -garrison of 8000 men under Monroe, who were massacred by the -Indian auxiliaries. The officers who were sent from England to -command the troops, and their continental allies at this period, -must have inspired the American continentals with a feeling of -profound contempt: but Lord Chatham, perceiving that the Colonists -must be the mainstay of military operations, aroused the various -New England settlements, by spirited despatches and promises of -help, to make strenuous efforts against the enemy. Once more a -British fleet under Admiral Boscawen appeared upon the scene, -and a force of 14,000 men, under Lord Amherst, was covered by its -guns in the operations which led to the surrender of Louisburgh on -the 26th of July, 1756. This success was tarnished by the defeat -of a powerful army under Abercrombie, in an ill-judged assault -against Ticonderoga, where 16,000 men were beaten back by the -French garrison, which numbered only 3000; but Kingston, on Lake -Ontario, surrendered to the British-American troops, and Fort du -Quesne--in the advance against which Braddock lost his life in the -former war--was abandoned without a blow by its French garrison, -who would be somewhat astounded, if, revisiting the glimpses of the -moon, they could gaze upon the Pittsburgh of the present day on the -site of their ancient post. In July, 1759, three great expeditions -were directed against Canada. The Ministry resolved at any cost to -trample under foot every trace of French dominion on the American -continent, and in that resolution they were mainly sustained by -the passion and animosity of the New England colonists. A powerful -corps under Lord Amherst was directed against Ticonderoga. Another -corps, under Sir William Johnson, mainly composed of continentals -and Indians, advanced against Fort Niagara, whilst an army -commanded by General Wolfe, covered by the fleet, made an attack -from the St. Lawrence against Quebec. Ticonderoga and Crown Point -were abandoned by the French, and Fort Niagara was taken after an -engagement with the enemy. How Wolfe fared all the world knows: -an elaborate account of the great victory which gave Canada to -the Crown would be out of place in this volume, but elsewhere I -have made a few remarks concerning the events of that memorable -battle. On the 18th of September the British standard floated from -the citadel of Quebec. Ever since that time the country, handed -over four years afterwards by the Treaty of Paris to the British, -has remained under the protection of England, acquiring year by -year a greater measure of freedom and self-government, till, at -this moment, it may be considered as attached to the Empire solely -by what Mr. O’Connell called “the golden link of the Crown.” The -whole population of the country then ceded was under 70,000. The -population of the British colonies in America was at least twenty -times as numerous. The American Colonists were at last gratified by -a conquest which relieved them from a dangerous neighbour, who was -backed by the power of France, and which opened to their enterprise -not only the lakes and rivers of Canada, but Nova Scotia, Cape -Breton, the St. Lawrence, and all the valuable fisheries of the -seaboard. It was unfortunate that no attempt was made to define the -exact boundary line between the Colonies and the new territory, -although the Proclamation of 1763 no doubt was supposed at the -time to be sufficiently accurate; but we shall see hereafter that -the neglect proved very damaging to the interests of Canada. The -Americans, perhaps, would have resented any attempt to define very -nicely the frontier between the new conquest of England and the -territories of the colonists who had contributed to some extent in -effecting it; and there were not many who foresaw the rupture which -divided the mother-country and her dependencies for ever. - -For fifteen years Canada, content with the preservation of her -ecclesiastical establishments, of freedom of religion, and of the -“Custom of Paris,” seemed perfectly indifferent to the transfer -of her allegiance from one king to another, the change, perhaps, -being more in the language of her rulers, and the blazon of her -standard, than in the mode of government. In fact the British -military governors were singularly like the French military -governors; but it was felt at home, as soon as the difficulties -with the colonies began, that Canada could not continue to be -like a mere military division of a conquered country. In 1774, -the Quebec Act was passed, which created a council to aid in the -administration of the province, guaranteed the freedom of the -Roman Catholic Church, and abrogated the Royal Proclamation of -1763. In lieu of the administration of a military pro-consulate, -there was established a settled government, with some show of a -representative basis. The American colonists were then upon the -verge of the great rebellion, and as a proof of the spirit in -which they acted, it may be remarked that the Continental Congress -made a most violent remonstrance against the toleration of Roman -Catholicism in Canada, guaranteed by the Quebec Act. The very next -year the rebellious colonists captured Ticonderoga and Crown Point, -and Montreal; and had their enterprise against Quebec succeeded, -Canada might have become included in the territory which eventually -became portion of the United States. So bent were the colonists on -including Canada in the scope of their great design, that in 1776, -immediately after their unsuccessful invasion, Franklin, who was -one of the main movers of Wolfe’s expedition, and two gentlemen, -were sent by Congress to offer the Canadians a free press and -State rights, and the free exercise of the faith which but two -years before they had so bitterly denounced the British Government -for guaranteeing, if they would but join in the revolt against -Great Britain. In the war which followed between the British and -the American colonists, Canada was made the base of operations -against the colonies, which generally terminated in disasters, such -as that of Burgoyne, though, in pitched battles, the British were -almost invariably victorious. The habitans took little or no part -in the contest, but on the Declaration of Independence, a number -of Royalists emigrated from the States and settled in the country, -in very much the same way as the Southern Americans are now taking -refuge in Canada from the persecution of their Northern neighbours. -The wish to give, in their new country, these devoted men some -equivalent for that which they had lost, suggested a course which -has been condemned by subsequent events. The Home Government -resolved upon the unfortunate step of dividing the province into -Upper and Lower Canada, with a governor-in-chief in Lower, and a -lieutenant-governor in Upper Canada, so that the Royalists might -not be quite swamped by the French element. The governors selected -were often men without particular aptitude for administration, -certainly destitute of the ability needed in dealing with the very -peculiar state of society, trade, and interests prevailing in the -provinces. - -Although the legislative council and assembly of Upper Canada had -equal privileges with that of Lower Canada, the condition of the -people was very different, principally owing to the paucity of -population. Governor Simcoe, to whom the care of Upper Canada was -first confided, ruled over a wilderness, in which a few clearings -around the trading stations on the lakes and rivers, and some huts -gathered about the military posts, were the sole vestiges of the -white man and civilisation. As the English colonists gained the -upper hand in the constant strife which raged during the latter -period of the French occupation, the habitans of the remoter -settlements had gradually withdrawn towards Lower Canada, and -had concentrated in the neighbourhood of the towns on the St. -Lawrence, where they could find safety in case of danger, and -transport should their friends be unable to protect them. It was -not surprising that the whole French population flocked into the -lower province; for under a foreign rule they gained confidence and -ease by the contemplation of their numbers and the concentration -of their masses. Although many American Royalists came into the -lake country so abandoned, they were not equal in number to the -population that fled. It required no small amount of courage and -perseverance in Governor Simcoe to conduct the affairs of his -little government, from the site which his sagacity pointed out to -him as the most favourable for the development of his province. -The Red Man’s wigwam still clung to the border of the British -posts, and the few intrepid men who ventured to fix their homes -along the shore of the Upper St. Lawrence, found themselves amidst -an uncongenial population of half-breeds and Indians, accustomed -indeed to the chase, and to the rude barter which represented the -only trade of those vast regions, but utterly averse to settled -life and agricultural labour; obnoxious also to handicraft-men, -mechanics, and the followers of the peaceful, regular pursuits -which are the handmaidens of civilisation. Under these -circumstances the advance of Upper Canada, slow as it was for some -years, is surprising, and the rapidity of her subsequent progress -is certainly worthy of admiration. In 1793 the revenue of Upper -Canada was less than 1000_l._ a-year; and although the machinery -of carrying on government and law existed, it was but imperfectly, -if at all, worked. In theory the English law prevailed, and one -cannot but admit, if we are to judge by its fruits, that it was far -better calculated to promote the security and prosperity of the -country, than the Custom of Paris, to which the French Canadians -clung in virtue of the capitulation of Quebec. Even thus early -the militia occupied the attention of the legislature, although -they were obliged to do battle against the denizens of the forest, -and to encourage the hunter by rewards for the destruction of -bears and wolves. The regulation of trade between the provinces -and the United States--the establishment of ports of entry--the -adjustment of land titles, and other useful matters of the kind, -were not neglected by the earliest Parliaments. Unhappily religious -questions arose soon after the close of the last century in Lower -Canada. The national feeling became associated with the ancient -religion in opposition to the aims of the British Government and -of the Protestant clergy. Whilst Dissenters and Presbyterians -and other schismatics from the Church of England were allowed -free scope in Upper Canada, the Government set itself to work to -give to the Protestant Church in Lower Canada the prestige which -belonged to the Catholic Church. The Canadians raised the cry--_Nos -institutions! notre langue! et nos lois!_ - -When hostilities with America seemed imminent in 1807, the militia -nevertheless responded to the call with enthusiasm in Lower Canada, -and Acts were passed in Upper Canada for raising, training and -billeting the force in case of need. Although the language for -which the Lower Canadians cried out was that of France Acadianised, -the institutions and the laws in which they took pride belonged -only to a France of the past. The Republic had placed between -Canada and France a barrier which the priesthood declared to be -impassable. What had they to do with the Goddess of Reason and a -calendar without a saint? What had a people steeped in feudalism, -or the Custom of Paris, to do with the Code Napoleon? Nevertheless -the rulers of Canada suspected the habitans of treason, whilst -the habitans suspected the rulers of designs upon their faith; -and so it was that want of confidence, one of the most formidable -impediments to the good understanding between governor and governed -which can exist, took root and grew apace. The second war with the -United States was at hand. The animosity of the Americans of the -Southern and Middle States against England was much augmented by -the discovery of a project of the Canadian Secretary, Ryland, to -detach the New England States from the Union, and to annex them to -Canada. The bitter feelings which the old New England Colonists -had entertained towards their French neighbours had been mitigated -by the influence of a common language and the congenial religion -and laws of the English rulers of Canada. Certain it is that the -New England delegates opposed the war which was declared against -Great Britain by the Government of Washington by every means in -their power, though they were by no means complimentary to Canada, -which they supposed it to be one of the objects of the war party in -America to annex. On the declaration of war in 1812, the Canadians, -with the exception of the inhabitants of one parish, turned out -with the greatest alacrity, and in considerable force, to defend -their country. General Hall, the American Governor of Michigan, -seized upon Sandwich in July in the same year; but he was soon very -glad to cross over to Detroit again, where he very ingloriously -capitulated soon afterwards to General Brock, with 2500 men and 33 -pieces of cannon, thus surrendering the whole State of Michigan to -Great Britain. - -The Americans, elated by their naval successes however, resolved -to conquer Canada, although Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New -York opposed the war with so much determination, that it seemed -very probable the Union would be broken up by the persistence of -the Southern statesmen in their policy. A corps under Colonel Van -Rensselaer attacked the British and the Colonists under Brock at -Queenstown, near Niagara, and although that gallant, intrepid, and -able officer fell at the head of the 49th regiment, the British, -aided by Canadians and Indians, captured or slew nearly the whole -of the American invading force, under the eyes of a large number -of American militia, at the other side of the river, who refused -to cross to the aid of their countrymen. The Americans demanded an -armistice, which was most injudiciously granted by General Sheaffe. -The American General Dearborn, meantime, with a force varying, it -is said, from 8000 to 10,000 men, invaded Lower Canada, but after -some unsuccessful skirmishes retreated to Plattsburgh. A few days -afterwards the American General Smith made an attack on Fort Erie, -which was characterised by pusillanimity, and ended in disgraceful -failure. When the campaign opened in January, 1813, it was not -auspicious for the invading Americans. General Winchester’s force -was defeated by Colonel Proctor, near Frenchtown; Ogdensburg was -taken; but the Americans, nevertheless, continued the war with -characteristic perseverance and foresight, and set to work to use -the water communications which we had neglected, and thus gained an -assured advantage. General Sheaffe was driven out of Toronto by an -expedition which landed under the guns of a newly-created American -lake fleet, commanded by an experienced and brave sailor, Commodore -Chancey. The capture of Fort George followed; but an attempt to -overrun Lower Canada ended in utter defeat, Prevost, however, being -beaten back in an attack upon Sackett’s Harbour, and Proctor being -repulsed in an assault on Sanduskey, so as to moderate any undue -exultation on the side of the British on account of their success. - -This war excited little attention in England, where men thought -only of their great naval victories, in which their ships -captured, sunk, or dispersed whole fleets of the enemy, or of -the grand operations in Spain, where Wellington was worsting in -succession the best generals of the Empire. All the strength of -the United States was put forth in their war against Canada, and -it is only astonishing that the Americans did so little with the -means at their disposal. In July a British expedition, covered -by two sloops of war, destroyed stores, barracks, and property -at Plattsburgh, Burlington, and Swanton, whilst the Americans -burned the British stores at York. It must be remembered that -the Americans had every facility in the command of the lakes, -and in the command of the waters. The connection between Lower -and Upper Canada was carried on by rapid and dangerous rivers, -and by lakes which were constantly patrolled by the Americans, -the roads being simply tracks through a forest, or causeways of -a most rudimentary character. For some time both sides contended -for the supremacy of the Lakes. On the 31st of July the British, -under Sir J. Yeo, captured two of Commodore Chancey’s squadron, -which was further reduced by the loss of two gunboats, which -capsized in trying to escape from the victorious English. But -Chancey repaired damages in Sackett’s Harbour, and on the 28th of -September attacked the British flotilla, which eventually retreated -under the guns of Burlington Heights. For the time, therefore, -the Americans were masters of Lake Ontario, and they used their -advantages in capturing British stores and reinforcements. On -the 10th of September the British lost the command of Lake Erie -also. An American squadron of nine vessels under Perry, far -superior in size, number of men, and in calibre of guns, defeated -a British squadron of six vessels under Barclay. The result of -this defeat was that the British under Proctor had to evacuate -Detroit and Amherstburg, and fall back to open communication with -their base of supplies. On the river Thames the pursuit became so -severe, that Proctor turned to bay, but he was overwhelmed by the -Americans under Harrison, who numbered 3500, whilst the British -did not exceed a third of that strength, Michigan was lost to -us, and the only port retained by the British west of Burlington -was Michilimacinac, which they had taken early in the war. -Nothing less than the conquest of Lower Canada would now satisfy -the Americans. A force of 12,000 men was assembled to operate -against Montreal. On the 20th of September, Colonel de Salaberry, -a Canadian in command of a post of militia, and a few Indians, -checked the advance of the enemy, and fell back to Chateaugay, -where in a most creditable and gallant action he defeated an -American column under Hampton, which was intended to co-operate -with an expedition down the St. Lawrence, against Montreal. -Another portion of the force was defeated at Chrystler’s Farm, -with some loss, by a body of British regulars, Canadian militia, -and Indians. The attack on Montreal was precipitately abandoned, -and the Canadians, who had done so well, were sent back to their -homes. But winter did not put an end to the war. The British -determined to drive the enemy out of Canada, and the Americans -retired before them. On the 10th of December the enemy abandoned -and burned the town of Newark. On the 18th of December the British -surprised Fort Niagara with all its garrison, and gave Lewiston and -Manchester to the flames. Buffalo and Black Rock were captured and -destroyed by the British under Riall, and the whole country-side -was laid waste in retaliation for the burning of Newark. Sir George -Prevost was able to meet the Canadian Parliament with pride, and -to congratulate it on the conduct of the provincial militia in -the field, and the loyalty of the people. Before the coming of -spring had loosed the lakes and rivers, the Americans returned -to the attack on Canada, and in March, 1814, Macomb crossed Lake -Champlain; but a part of his force was repulsed in an attack on -Lacolle, and he retired to Plattsburgh. In May, Sir J. Yeo fitted -out an expedition from Kingston, which sailed on the 4th of May, -captured Oswego, and destroyed some military stores, but did not -succeed in a similar attempt against Sackett’s Harbour. On the -3rd of July a strong force of Americans landed near Chippewa, and -defeated a body of British, Canadians, and Indians, of inferior -numbers, under Riall. A very bloody and determined contest ensued -on the 25th, near the same place, in which the Americans made -repeated efforts to break the British, but were repulsed, and -finally retired to their camp, whence they retreated towards Fort -Erie, destroying their baggage and stores. The British followed, -and were beaten in a desperate attack to storm the fort. Whilst -these small yet sanguinary actions were breaking out sporadically -along the Canadian frontier, the Government at home made use of a -part of the forces liberated by the peace with France, and resolved -on giving the Americans a little diversion from their pursuit of -glory and conquest in Canada. A British force under Ross defeated -the American army at the Races of Bladensburg, captured Washington, -and destroyed public buildings and property of all kinds. A -demonstration against Baltimore did not succeed because the fleet -could not co-operate, although the British troops routed the -American covering army with the utmost ease, and at New Orleans our -troops endured a humiliating repulse. The war did not languish in -Canada. The British took Prairie du Chien in the west, and seized -on all the country between the river Penobscot and New Brunswick. -The most important part of the State of Maine thus fell into -British possession, and a provisional government was established -over it till the end of the war, when Maine was restored to the -United State. To compensate for these successes, the British -flotilla was beaten by the Americans under McDonough, and Sir -George Prevost sustained a discreditable defeat at the hands of a -very inferior force under General Macomb, on the 8th of September, -at Plattsburgh. The Americans, however, abandoned Fort Erie on the -5th of November, which was the last vestige of their great plans -for the conquest of Canada. The Peace of Ghent put an end to a -contest in which the United States would have soon found itself -opposed to the whole power of Great Britain. The conditions of that -Treaty were disastrous for Canada, as they shut her out from any -seaport for several months of the year. In fact, Admiral Gambier, -Mr. Goulburn, and Mr. Adams, knew nothing at all about their -business, and exercised neither diligence, research, nor caution, -in examining the stipulations of the treaty. They accepted all the -American conditions and statements without inquiry or hesitation. -They never bestowed a thought on the effect of such observations -as “the high lands lying due north from the source of the river -St. Croix, and the head of the Connecticut river not having been -ascertained;” “part of the boundary between the two powers not -having been surveyed,” and the like, which many years after became -essential and powerful arguments in the discussion. In the war the -Canadians had displayed courage and spirit, and the best American -generals and statesmen were very speedily satisfied that they -could effect very little in the way of conquest. They were but too -glad to make peace. The war had not only damaged their resources, -but threatened the very existence of the Union. The northern -delegates at the Hartford Convention had not merely objected to -the proceedings of the Federal Government, but had entered upon -the discussion of fundamental changes in the constitution. In the -Treaty of Ghent no concession was made on any of the points on -which the declaration of war was made. In some respects the contest -with the United States proved of decided benefit to Canada; the -money spent by the army enriched the country, and the incidents -of the campaign tended to raise the reputation of the Canadians -in England, and elevated the sentiment of self-respect among -the people. Roads were made or projected for military purposes. -Canals were discussed and planned, and steam began to contend with -currents and rapids. The revenue exceeded the expenditure, although -nearly 27,000_l._ figured as an item for militia services the first -year after the war. - -Had it not been for political and civil complications, the progress -of Canada would have been still more rapid; but truth to say, -progress encountered a considerable obstacle in the character of -the people of Lower Canada. Probably not less than 35,000 of the -whole population were of French descent, strongly attached to their -institutions, and therefore indisposed to change--influenced by -traditions of a most conservative character, and by territorial -arrangements which perpetuated the very essence of feudalism. -Nevertheless, emigration was encouraged, free passages were given -to some immigrants, food to others, one hundred acres of land to -all. Banks were established; but through all the extent of the -upper province in 1817, there were not quite seven persons to the -square mile. In some instances injudicious governors exercised -their power to counteract the good disposition of the House of -Parliament, and occasionally Parliament marred the excellent -intentions of the representatives of the Crown. Impeachment of -judges, imprisonment of journalists, questions of privilege and -the like arose, which interrupted the good feeling so necessary to -the progress of colonial life. Constant fears of sedition, privy -conspiracy, and rebellion, haunted the minds of governors, whilst -the colonists and the habitans struggled for greater freedom of -action. Although the Canadians had resisted the Americans with -the greatest energy, they were suspected of a desire to coalesce -with, or to imitate the institutions of, the enemy. England at this -time was agitated by aspirations for reform, and those who led the -masses certainly justified the suspicion with which their designs -were regarded, by intemperance of language. Among the emigrants -who flocked to Canada were men who were tinged deeply with the dye -of dangerous democratic doctrine, and notwithstanding the great -gulf fixed between the new comers and the French habitans, it was -feared that the two parties would unite in founding a government -which could not be congenial to one or the other. When Lord -Dalhousie came out in 1820, he found however a tolerably prosperous -community. The dissensions respecting the civil list which had -occurred for several years previously, inaugurated Lord Dalhousie’s -administration. The Assembly would not grant a permanent civil -list, and took the extraordinary step of appointing an agent, -who was a member of the British Parliament, to represent them in -England. The impolicy of dividing the country into two provinces -became more apparent as questions connected with revenue arose, -and the discussion of these questions was embittered by deficient -harvests and commercial distress. Now it was seen how injuriously -the want of a port open all the year affected the interests of -Canada, which for five or six months was denied all access to -the sea, unless through the United States. The union of the two -provinces was agitated, but the French population did not support -the project. They believed they would lose by amalgamation; that -they would forfeit their privileges, and be deprived of the -advantages they enjoyed in the free import of American produce. -When it became known that the Government really had a project -for the union of the provinces, Mr. Papineau, the Speaker of the -Assembly, was dispatched to England with a petition against the -proposed amalgamation, and it was deferred for a time. Financial -difficulties increased the ill-temper of the governed, and the -harshness and resolution of the Government widened the breach -between them. Squabbles and ill-blood sprang up with greater -vehemence and animosity every day, and the seeds of the evil -which came to maturity in 1837, if not then first planted, were -certainly invigorated. The energies of the English, Scotch, and -Irish emigrants who flocked into the north were not to be repressed -by these malign influences. The citizens of the old world pushed -their way into Upper Canada, and finding lakes and rivers unfit for -navigation, projected and carried out canals, and already grasped -the probability of landing cargoes of Canadian wheat in Liverpool, -from vessels loaded at Kingston and Montreal. - -The Imperial negotiators who renounced all the claims which they -might have preferred in behalf of Canada on the peace of 1815, -would probably have failed to secure for the province a port on -the sea, although the British, who held so large a portion of -the State of Maine, might have fairly sought some equivalent for -it. At all events no strenuous effort was made to obtain such an -advantage--nor was there any attempt on our part to ascertain what -the precise boundaries were which the Americans claimed. We will -just see how a British negotiator many years later consented to -draw a line which placed the land communications of the mother -country with the provinces in war time at the mercy of an enemy -for many miles of its course--Canadian interests and Imperial -considerations being alike neglected--peace and war alike hampered, -by want of foresight, prudence, or statesmanlike consideration. The -increasing prosperity of Canada forced her to enter into closer -relations with the United States, and to accede to arrangements -with the Federal Government, which were of course regulated by -Imperial agency, and which were not always characterised by wisdom. -But there was no alternative--at least not one which could then -be adopted. The idea of a great confederation of the British -Provinces, which would enable Canada to avail herself of the ports -of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, if it presented itself at all, -was seen to be surrounded by embarrassing obstacles and conflicting -sentiments. The skill in the conception, and the energy displayed -in the execution, of the canal system, which is the grandest and -most extensive in the world, have made a practicable passage of -more than 2000 miles from Anticosti up to Superior City; and works -proposed or in progress by land and water attest the enterprise -and resolution with which the Canadians contended against the only -impediments in the way of their prosperity and greatness. The -claims of Canada to Imperial aid against invasion are strengthened -by concessions made by the Imperial agents, which clear away the -path of the invaders. Although all the border States had their -representatives and champions, the voice of Canada was not heard -in the deliberations of the Commission. It was British territory -which was in debate--there are some who hold that Canada is alone -called upon to defend it. Although the land may be invaded because -it belongs to Great Britain, so far that Great Britain is actually -attacked by aggression upon it, Canada, involved in war because -of its dependency on the British Crown, must bear the brunt of -defending that which British diplomacy has rendered peculiarly -liable to invasion. It is plain that those who insist on leaving -Canada to defend herself, are advocating a policy which tends to -separate Canada from the British Crown. The provinces are ruled by -a British viceroy, and are under the British flag, which would be -the cause of an American attack. Canada can do nothing to provoke -hostility, but the English may be struck with effect as long as the -provinces are ruled by the Crown, and contain a company of British -soldiers. - -It would be interesting to inquire whether the Canadians would -be better off by themselves than they are at present, supposing -always that the new theories are likely to prevail, in case of -war. Notwithstanding the violence and exaggerated language of the -American press, it is only right to conclude that Canada is far -less liable to insult and aggression under British protection than -she would be without it. But that remark can only hold good in -cases where the Americans do not feel more than usual irritation -against Great Britain. The Canadians must feel that if they stood -alone, pretexts would not long be wanting to treat the provinces -as Texas was served. Canada has at present the power of England at -her back, and the threat to deprive her of it by no means implies -that she will be left to fight single-handed in the day of need. -On the whole, balancing the chances of aggression on account of -England against the chances of aggression if she stood alone, it -is certain that Canada gains more than she loses by her present -connection. The growth of great states along her frontier, and the -excessive weakness of a water boundary in face of a maritime power, -have caused us at home to insist on the engineering impossibility -of defending the whole of the land and lake boundaries, but -it by no means follows that the conquest of the country would -be equally easy. With the full command of the sea and all its -advantages--with commerce free--with a wonderful unanimity in -the object of the war--with immense exaltation of spirit, and -unparalleled expenditure of money, the Northern Americans have not -yet subdued the Southern States, though they have more than tested -the quality of their inner armour. Canada, with its narrow belt -of inhabited territory, flanked by inland seas and vast rivers, -offers no resemblance, it is true, to the South, but aided by Great -Britain and her army, her fleet, and her purse, she might defy -subjugation if she could not escape invasion. It must be noted that -the Americans frequently dwell on ideas for a long time ere they -attempt to carry them out, but that generally they do make an -effort to give practical effect to those theories which have taken -hold of the popular mind. For many years before the annexation of -Texas and the war with Mexico took place, the people were prepared -for both by the constant inculcation of their necessity. It is only -justice to the Government of the United States to declare that -their action has been generally restrictive, and that it has acted -as a drag on the wheels of the popular chariot. There is in fact -a great people standing between the fringe of the noisy democracy -and the highlands of Federal authority, which breaks the force of -the popular wave, and hears unmovedly the beatings of the turbulent -press, and raging voices of the Cleons of the hour. Shame it is -indeed to them that they so often permit the worth, and sense, and -honour of the nation to be represented by the worthless, foolish, -degraded scum that simmers in its noisy ebullitions on the surface -of the social system. We cannot be sure how far the Americans -are actuated by the feelings which find expression in the most -scandalous public paper of New York, but we do know that the paper -in question is largely read, and that its favourite topic, when -there is a lack of subjects for abuse or menace, is the forthcoming -doom of Canada, “When this weary war is over.” - -In case of an invasion caused by any quarrel with Great Britain, -or by any policy for which the Canadians are not responsible, what -ought they to expect from us? Everything but impossibilities. Among -the greatest of impossibilities would be protection of the whole -of the frontier, with all the aid they could give us. The greatest -would be the defence of their territories without all the aid they -could afford. The Canadians tell us that in the hour of danger -they will be ready, but as yet they have fallen short of that -degree of preparation which we have a right to expect. If the blow -falls at all it will come swift and strong, but if they do their -duty to us there can be no fear of our failing them in the time of -peril. - -The Honourable Joseph Howe has vindicated the claims of the -colonies to the care, protection, and assistance of the mother -country. He has pointed out the defects in our system, from -which the inevitable necessity arises, that the colony shall -become detached from the mother country, to become its rival, or -probably its enemy at some future stage of its existence. Though -California--3000 miles away--is represented at Washington; “though -Algeria is represented at Paris;” the provinces of North America -have no representation in London. - - “Our columns of gold,” he exclaims, “and our pyramids of - timber, may rise in your Crystal Palaces, but our statesmen in - the great council of the empire never. Saxony or Wirtemberg - are treated with a deference never accorded to Canada, though - they are peopled by foreigners. The war of 1812-15 was neither - sought nor provoked by the British Americans. It grew out of the - continental wars, with which we certainly had as little to do. - Whether a Bourbon or a Bonaparte sat upon the throne of France, - was a matter of perfect indifference to us. We were pursuing our - lawful avocations--clearing up our country, opening roads into - the wilderness, bridging the streams, and organising society as - we best could, trading with our neighbours, and wishing them - no harm. In the meantime British cruisers were visiting and - searching American vessels on the sea. Then shots were fired, - and, before we had time to recall our vessels engaged in foreign - commerce, or to make the slightest preparation for defence, our - coasts were infested by American cruisers and privateers, and our - whole frontier was in a blaze. - - “You count the cost of war by the army and navy estimates, but - who can ever count the cost of that war to us? A war, let it - be borne in mind, into which we were precipitated without our - knowledge or consent. Let the coasts of England be invaded by - powerful armies for three summers in succession; let the whole - Channel from Falmouth to the Nore be menaced, let Southampton be - taken and burnt, let the South-downs be swept from the Hampshire - hills, and the rich pastures of Devonshire supply fat beeves - to the enemy encamped in the western counties, or marching on - Manchester and London; let the youth of England be drawn from - profitable labour to defend these great centres of industry, - the extremities of the island being given up to rapine and to - plunder; fancy the women of England living for three years with - the sound of artillery occasionally in their ears, and the - thoughts of something worse than death ever present to their - imaginations; fancy the children of England, with wonder and - alarm on their pretty faces, asking for three years when their - fathers would come home; fancy, in fact, the wars of the Roses - or the civil wars back again, and then you can understand what - we suffered from 1812 to 1815. Talk of the cost of war at a - distance; let your country be made its theatre, and then you will - understand how unfair is your mode of calculation when you charge - us with the army estimates, and give us no credit for what we - have done and suffered in your wars. - - “Though involved in the war of 1812 by no interest or fault of - our own; though our population was scattered, and our coasts and - frontiers almost defenceless; the moment it came, we prepared for - combat without a murmur. I am just old enough to remember that - war. The commerce of the Maritime Provinces was not a twentieth - part of what it is now, but what we had was almost annihilated. - Our mariners, debarred from lawful trade, took to privateering, - and made reprisals on the enemy. Our Liverpool ‘clippers’ fought - some gallant actions, and did some service in those days. The - war expenditure gave to Halifax an unhealthy excitement, but - improvement was stopped in all other parts of the province; and, - when peace came, the collapse was fearful even in that city. - Ten years elapsed before it recovered from the derangement of - industry, and the extravagant habits fostered by the war. - - “A few regiments were raised in the Maritime Provinces, their - militia was organised, and some drafts from the interior were - brought in to defend Halifax, whence the expeditions against the - French Islands and the State of Maine were fitted out. Canada - alone was invaded in force. - - “General Smith describes the conduct of the Canadian militia - in the few but weighty words that become a sagacious military - chieftain pronouncing a judgment on the facts of history. - - “In 1812 the Republicans attacked Canada with two corps, - amounting in the whole to 13,300 men. The British troops in the - Province were but 4500, of which 3000 were in garrison at Quebec - and Montreal. But 1500 could be spared for the defence of Upper - Canada. From the capture of Michilimacinac, the first blow of - the campaign, down to its close, the Canadian Militia took their - share in every military operation. French and English vied with - each other in loyalty, steadiness, and discipline. - - “Of the force that captured Detroit, defended by 2500 men, but - a few hundreds were regular troops. Brock had but 1200 men to - oppose 6300 on the Niagara frontier. Half his force were Canadian - Militia, yet he confronted the enemy, and, in the gallant action - in which he lost his life, left an imperishable record of the - steady discipline with which Canadians can defend their country. - - “The invading army of yeomen sent to attack Montreal were as - stoutly opposed by a single brigade of British troops, aided by - the militia. In the only action which took place the Canadians - alone were engaged. The enemy was beaten back, and went into - winter quarters. - - “In 1813, Canada was menaced by three separate corps. The Niagara - district was for a time overrun, and York, the capital of the - Upper Province, was taken and burnt. The handful of British - troops that could be spared from England’s European wars, were - inadequate to its defence; but in every struggle of the campaign, - disastrous or triumphant, the Canadian Militia had their share. - The French fought with equal gallantry in the Lower Province. At - Chateaugay, Colonel de Salaberry showed what could be done with - those poor, undisciplined colonists, who, it is now the fashion - to tell us, can only be made good for anything by withdrawing - them from their farms and turning them into regular soldiers. The - American general had a force of 7000 infantry, 10 field pieces, - and 250 cavalry. De Salaberry disputed their passage into the - country he loved, with 1000 bayonets, beat them back, and has - left behind a record of more value in this argument than a dozen - pamphlets or ill-natured speeches in parliament. - - “When the independence of the United States was established in - 1783, they were left with one half of the continent, and you with - the other. You had much accumulated wealth and an overflowing - population. They were three millions of people, poor, in debt, - with their country ravaged and their commerce disorganised. By - the slightest effort of statesmanship you could have planted your - surplus population in your own provinces, and, in five years, the - stream of emigration would have been flowing the right way. In - twenty years the British and Republican forces would have been - equalised. But you did nothing, or often worse than nothing. - From 1784 to 1841, we were ruled by little paternal despotisms - established in this country. We could not change an officer, - reduce a salary, or impose a duty, without the permission of - Downing Street. For all that dreary period of sixty years, the - Republicans governed themselves, and you governed us. They had - uniform duties and free trade with each other. We always had - separate tariffs, and have them to this day. They controlled - their foreign relations--you controlled ours. They had their - ministers and consuls all over the world, to open new markets, - and secure commercial advantages. Your ministers and consuls knew - little of British America, and rarely consulted its interests. - Till the advent of Huskisson, our commerce was cramped by all - the vices of the old colonial system. The Republicans could open - mines in any part of their country. Our mines were locked up, - until seven years ago, by a close monopoly held in this country - by the creditors of the Duke of York. How few of the hundreds of - thousands of Englishmen, who gazed at Nova Scotia’s marvellous - column of coal in the Exhibition, this summer, but would have - blushed had they known that for half a century the Nova Scotians - could not dig a ton of their own coal without asking permission - of half a dozen English capitalists in the city of London. - How few Englishmen now reflect, when riding over the rich and - populous states of Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, and Arkansas, - that had they not locked up their great west, and turned it into - a hunting ground, which it is now, we might have had behind - Canada, three or four magnificent provinces, enlivened by the - industry of millions of British subjects, toasting the Queen’s - health on their holidays, and making the vexed question of the - defence of our frontiers one of very easy solution. - - “When the Trent affair aroused the indignant feeling of the - empire last autumn, we were--as we were in 1812--utterly - unprepared. The war again was none of our seeking. - - “Nova Scotia and New Brunswick had thousands of vessels upon - the sea, scattered all over the world. Canada had her thousand - miles of frontier unprotected. Had war come, we knew that our - money losses would have been fearful, and the scenes upon our - sea-coasts and our frontiers, sternly painted as they must occur, - without any stretch of the imagination, might well bid the - ‘boldest hold his breath for a time.’ But, did a single man in - all those noble provinces falter? No! Every man, ay, every woman - accepted the necessity, and prepared for war. - - “Again it was a question of honour, and not of interest. In a - week we could have arranged, by negociation, for peace with the - United States, and have kept out of the quarrel. But who thought - of such a thing? Your homesteads were safe; ours in peril. A - British--not a colonial ship--had been boarded: but what then? - The old flag that had floated over our fathers’ heads, and droops - over their graves, had been insulted; and our British blood was - stirred--without our ever thinking of our pockets. The spirit - and unanimity of the provinces, no less than the fine troops - and war material shipped from this country, worked like a charm - at Washington. President Lincoln, like Governor Fairfield, saw - clearly that he was to be confronted not only by the finest - soldiers in the world, but by a united and high-spirited - population. The effect was sedative; the captives were given up. - And the provincials--as is their habit, when there is no danger - to confront--returned to their peaceful avocations.” - -It may be necessary to make some allowance for the tinge of -colonial patriotism in this passage, but after all the Hon. J. -Howe is a transplanted Englishman. He speaks with the voice of -some millions of people, and we must listen to it, or be prepared -for a good deal of lukewarmness or “disloyalty.” I have avoided -any reference to the disputes which broke out into rebellion in -1837, because no useful end would be gained by an account of an -unfortunate schism which was produced by want of judgment on the -part of the Government at home, and by the extreme fanaticism of a -party in the province. But the fanaticism has in no small degree -been justified by what has since taken place. When “rebels” are -pardoned, it may be a proof that the government which pardons is -strong and generous. When “rebels” are not only restored to civic -rights, but are invested with office, it is almost a demonstration -that the government which permits them to exercise important -functions under it, was in error in the contest which drove -these men to resistance. The rebellion in Canada had, however, -nothing to do with the great question we are now discussing. -We are approaching the larger subject, which is opened by the -consideration of the arguments which are used by Imperialists -and Colonists in their controversy respecting the magnitude and -relation of the empire and the colony in war. - -It becomes of high practical value to consider what Canada can -do, and what Canada has done in the direction of self-defence, -should she be threatened with war, either from imperial or -colonial causes. It can be no satisfaction to Canada to become a -fief of the new Federal _quasi_-republic because Great Britain -failed in her duty; and all the references to the patriotism and -exertions of valour of Canadians in past times, would reflect all -the greater discredit on them now, when they enjoy rights and -privileges unknown to their hardy ancestors. Let us first see what -her resources and defensive powers are, and then cast a glance at -what Canada and the British Provinces in North America have got to -defend. The only military force Canada can employ is the militia. -Her present proud position should induce the people of Canada to -make every effort to preserve the conditions under which they enjoy -so much liberty, happiness, and prosperity; but she has in the -future a heritage of priceless value, which she holds in trust for -the great nation that must yet sit enthroned on the Lakes and the -St. Lawrence, and rule from Labrador to Columbia. - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - - The Militia--American Intentions--Instability of the Volunteer - Principle--The Drilling of Militia--The Commission of 1862--The - Duke of Newcastle’s Views--Militia Schemes--Volunteer - Force--Apathy of the French Canadians--The First Summons. - - -In a country situated as Canada is, without well-defined -obligations as regards the sovereign power, there can be but two -kinds of military force available for defence--a militia and an -organisation of volunteers. The first is essentially the proper -constitutional force on which Canada must mainly rely in case of -invasion. The second, notwithstanding its enormous importance and -value, is but accidental. Unless Canada assumed towards us the -relations of a protected state, like India, and raised an army -officered by the British such as was that of Oude, or as that, to a -certain extent, of some states at the present day, her volunteers -could have no fixed and adequate value in a general scheme of -defence. The Canadian militia must constitute the chief strength -of Canada in operations on her territory. It would be impossible -for Great Britain to do more than provide officers, money, arms, -artillery, and ammunition--perhaps the head and backbone of the -force which would be needed for a large system of campaigns. The -only enemy Canada has to fear is the Northern Republic. I am quite -willing to do every justice to the moderation of Mr. Seward, and to -the pacific policy of Mr. Lincoln, but it cannot be disputed that -the strength of the central Government will be much diminished on -the cessation of the present conflict, and that whatever way it -ends the Cabinet of Washington will be little able to oppose the -passions of the people in the crisis which peace, whether it be -one of humiliation or of triumph, will bring with it. Passion, the -passion wrought of pride, love of dominion, national feeling, and -the like, is far stronger than the silken bond of commerce. There -is danger of war with Great Britain as soon as this war in America -is over; and the question is, how far Canada will be able to aid -herself? Because if she does not contribute largely to her own -defence, it seems certain that British statesmen will not strive -very strenuously to avert her doom. At the moment I write there is -not, in a state of organised efficiency, one regiment of militia -in the length, which is great, and the breadth, which is small, -of Canada. Party violence has set at nought all warnings and all -solicitations. The Canadians appear to rely on the traditions of -the past, and on the result of the small campaigns in the war with -America, without any appreciation of the vast changes which have -taken place since. Northern Americans, reaching their boundaries -with pain and many a toilsome march, filtered small corps upon -their soil--far inferior in numbers and equipment to those which -now represent the quota of the smallest state in the Union. In -my letters from America I called attention to the significant -fact that the northernmost point of the territory claimed by the -Southern Confederacy was within 120 miles of the lake which forms -the southern boundary of Canada. It may not be likely that the -Confederacy will ever make good its claim to Western Virginia, -and fix its standard in undisturbed supremacy at Wheeling, but -it is nevertheless true that a strong passionate instinct urges -the people of the North to consolidate the states of the West and -those of the East by the absorption of Canada, which, with its -lakes and its St. Lawrence, would be ample recompense for the -loss of the South; and, with the South in the Union, would be the -consummation of the dream of empire in which Americans wide-awake -pass their busy restless lives. The Americans are well aware of -the vast advantage of striking a sudden blow. The whole subject -of Canadian invasion lies developed in well-considered papers in -the bureau drawers of Washington. At the time of the Trent affair -I was assured by an officer high in rank in the government that -General Winfield Scott had come back from France solely to give the -State the benefit of his counsels and experience in conducting an -invasion of Canada; and I cannot think it doubtful that the Federal -Government would, in four or five weeks after a declaration of war -with England, be prepared to pour 120,000 or 150,000 men across -the British frontier. What has Canada done to meet the danger? In -May, 1862, the Honourable John Macdonald proposed that a minimum -of 30,000 men or a maximum of 50,000 men should be enrolled and -drilled for one month every year for three or for five years, but -it was considered that Canada could not spare so large a number -of men from the pursuits of trade, and above all of agriculture, -during the open season when drill would be practicable. The -measure was rejected. Mr. Sandfield Macdonald, after the failure -of this proposal, introduced and carried a measure which gave the -Government a permissive power to call out the unmarried militiamen -for six days’ drill in every year, and which provided that militia -officers might be attached to the regular regiments serving in -Canada for two months every year in order to learn their duties. -By the fundamental law of Canada the Government has the power of -calling out in time of war, first, all eligible unmarried men -between 18 and 45 years of age; secondly, married men between 18 -and 45; and finally, those males fit to carry arms between 45 and -60 years of age. Under these laws Canada should have a force of -470,000 men available for service, and of these there are actually -on the muster rolls of the militia 197,000 unmarried men between -18 and 31 years of age, whose service would be compulsory in case -of need. The Canadian Parliament voted half a million of dollars -in each of the years 1863 and 1864 for military purposes, but the -greater proportion of these sums was expended on the volunteers and -on the staff of the militia. There has been no adequate return for -the heavy drain such a sum causes on the Provincial exchequer. The -best commentary on the voluntary system in militia drills is to be -found in the fact that less than 10,000 men have been in attendance -on them. - -With the experience we have had of the unstable character of -volunteer forces in the field, it is not prudent for Canada to -rely on her volunteers so much as she does. They have within their -very body the seeds of dissolution. Some corps can decree their -disbandment at two months’, others at six months’ notice--in other -words, they may melt away at the very crisis of the war. Does -American volunteering teach us nothing? In all human probability -the South would have been struck to the earth at the first Battle -of Bull Bun, if the Pennsylvania volunteers had not presented to -the world the extraordinary and disgraceful spectacle of whole -battalions under arms marching off from the field, as their -unfortunate General McDowell expressed it, “to the sound of the -enemy’s guns.” That was no isolated case. The desertion, at -the same time, of other volunteer battalions under the equally -unfortunate General Patterson in the Shenandoah Valley, left him -unable to prevent the Confederate General Johnston marching with -all his men to the aid of Beauregard. Over and over again the -Federal leaders have been paralysed by similar defections, and it -was not till they became strong enough to hold the volunteers by -force, as Meade did before he made his attempt against Richmond, -that the evil was cured. Had the Federals gained Bull Bun, they -were ready to have marched on Richmond at once--they would have -found the city defenceless, and the South disorganised. Such a -proof of Federal power as a decisive victory would, I believe, from -what I saw in the South, have crushed the Secession party, and have -strengthened the adherents of the Union, who were then numerous -in many of the States. It might not have stopped the civil war, -but it would have certainly given the most enormous preponderance -to the North. The defeat mainly caused by McDowell’s weakness in -men, and the reinforcements received by the enemy in consequence -of Patterson’s inability to hinder their arrival, which was caused -by the wholesale disbandment of volunteers, gave such an impetus -to the Confederates, that their principle was carried triumphantly -over the States, and crushed all opposition. We have seen what -that defeat has cost the Federals since. In Canada the volunteers -belong almost exclusively to the urban population--only a fifth -come from rural districts; and as the towns in Canada are very -small, it is plain that the volunteer system would operate very -injuriously on the trade of the cities, and would in all likelihood -break down, without any imputation on the courage and patriotism -of the townsmen. It is, of course, beyond the power of Canada to -cope with the people of the United States single-handed, but the -agencies which England could bring to bear against the enemy on the -American seaboard, and on all the seas furrowed by her ships, would -damp the ardour which the Northerners would exhibit at the first -onslaught. It would be, no doubt, a very deplorable and a very -disgraceful contest, but Great Britain would not be responsible for -the beginning of hostilities. - -Just in proportion to the celerity and magnitude of their first -successes would be the efforts of the Americans to secure their -conquest. It is far easier to repel than to expel. A handful of -militia, ill-drilled, supported by a similar force of volunteers -of similar inefficiency, could offer no resistance to the swarms -of invaders, and would but increase the stress to which the -little army of Queen’s troops in garrison here and there would be -subjected at the outbreak of war. To all argument and entreaty, to -insinuations and menace, Canada opposes the grand simplicity of her -_non possumus_. She is burthened with debt, and even without any -expenditure for the militia her outlay is considerably more than -her income. A party in Canada called for a regular agreement with -the Government at home to regulate the amount to be paid by Canada, -and the troops to be furnished by her, as a part of the British -Empire. These troops were to consist of militia of the first class, -to be drilled by detachments in each succeeding year, till the -whole number, whether it were 50,000 or 100,000, should be properly -disciplined. It was proposed by some advocates of this scheme that -each body of militia should be called out for six months; and that -when that period expired the men should be entitled to immunity -from further drills till war broke out, when they would become -liable for ten years’ service, after which they would go into a -reserve only to be used in great emergencies. - -Many modes of raising, maintaining, and drilling this force have -been suggested; but as the principle was not adopted they are -scarcely worth discussing. Drills for short periods are certainly -of little or no avail; and if money cannot be borrowed to put -100,000 men in a state of readiness, the organisation of 50,000 men -to be drilled for three months in each year in bodies of 12,000 -or 15,000 does not seem at all unreasonable. The rate of wages -in Canada is very high, and the lowest estimate for the support, -pay, and clothing of a militiaman for six months comes to about -£20 per man. It is, therefore, a simple sum in multiplication to -arrive at the ultimate figure of Canadian _possumus_ in regard to -the paying power of the Provinces. It is not true that if one man -can be kept for £20 for six months two men can be kept for the -same sum for three months. The levy of 50,000 militiamen for six -months would cost Canada, if she were alone, one million sterling. -Mr. Cartwright has pointed out that Canada could discipline 100,000 -militia, with half a year’s instruction each, for as much as -would support a standing army of 2,000 men for the same period. -We may be very angry with the Canadians for their happy security. -It is not so very long ago since the Duke’s letters to Sir John -Burgoyne startled us out of a similar _insouciance_. We may feel -that the sudden development of the United States has placed us in -a very doubtful military position. It is not so easy to shake off -the obligations incurred by conquest and by emigration under the -flag of Great Britain. In the face of very frigid warnings from -the press, and very lukewarm enunciations of policy from her best -friends, Canada had some reason to fear that there is a secret -desire “to let her slide,” and that nothing would please England so -much as a happy chance which placed the Provinces beyond our care -without humiliation or war. - -The duty of Canadians to their own country is very plain indeed -if the people of England refuse to give them distinct guarantees -that under certain conditions they will give them the whole aid -of money, men, and ships that is required; but these guarantees -are implied in the very fact of suzerainty of the Crown. It -must, however, be made known--if it be not plain to every -Englishman--that the abandonment of Canada implies a surrender of -British Columbia, of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward’s, -Newfoundland, if not also the West India Islands. Many bitter words -written and spoken here rankle in the breasts of the Canadians, and -I have quoted the words in which a Canadian statesman has placed -before Englishmen the terrible consequences which Canada may suffer -from war, because she is a part of the British empire, engaged in -a quarrel on imperial grounds with the Government of the United -States. We do undoubtedly owe something to Canada, from the bare -fact that for many years she resisted temptation, and remained -under our flag unmoved by the blandishments and threats of the -United States. In my poor judgment the abandonment of Canada would -be the most signal triumph of the principle of democracy, and the -most pregnant sign of the decadence of the British empire which -could be desired by our enemies. No matter by what sophistry or by -what expediency justified, the truth would crop out through the -fact itself that we were retiring as the Romans did from Britain, -Gaul, and Dacia, but that the retreat would be made in the face -of united and civilised enemies, and that the sound of our recall -would animate every nation in the world to come forth and despoil -us. - -As yet there is no reason for such a pusillanimous policy. - -The Commission of 1862 laid it down as their opinion that an -active force of 50,000, with a reserve of the same number, would -be required for Canada; but as the bill founded on their report -did not become law, the Canadian Government had no power to borrow -arms from the home Government for the whole number, as would have -been the case had they passed the bill. Lord Monck, however, -procured from the home Government a considerable augmentation -of the supplies in store of artillery, small arms, ammunition -and accoutrements. But the rejection of the Militia Bill of -1862 filled the home Government with apprehension. The Duke of -Newcastle, on the 20th of August of that year, wrote as follows:-- - - “If I urge upon you the importance of speedily resuming measures - for some better military organisation of the inhabitants of - Canada than that which now exists, it must not be supposed - that Her Majesty’s Government is influenced by any particular - apprehension of an attack on the Colony at the present moment, - but undoubtedly the necessity for preparation which has from time - to time been urged by successive Secretaries of State is greatly - increased by the presence, for the first time on the American - Continent, of a large standing army, and the unsettled condition - of the neighbouring States. Moreover, the growing importance - of the Colony, and its attachment to free institutions, make - it every day more essential that it should possess in itself - that without which no free institutions can be secure--adequate - means of self-defence. The adequacy of those means is materially - influenced by the peculiar position of the country. Its extent - of frontier is such that it can be safe only when its population - capable of bearing arms is ready and competent to fight. That - the population is ready, no one will venture to doubt; that it - cannot be competent, is no less certain, until it has received - that organisation, and acquired that habit of discipline which - constitute the difference between a trained force and an armed - mob. The drill required in the regular army, or even in the best - volunteer battalion, is not necessary, nor would it be possible, - in a country like Canada, for so large a body of men as ought - to be prepared for any emergency; but the Government should be - able to avail itself of the services of the strong and healthy - portion of the male adult population at short notice, if the - dangers of invasion by an already organised army are to be - provided against. - - “We have the opinions of the best military authorities, that no - body of troops which England could send would be able to make - Canada safe without the efficient aid of the Canadian people. - Not only is it impossible to send sufficient troops, but if - there were four times the numbers which we are now maintaining - in British North America, they could not secure the whole of the - frontier. The main dependence of such a country must be upon its - own people. The irregular forces which can be formed from the - population, know the passes of the woods, are well acquainted - with the country, its roads, its rivers, its defiles: and for - defensive warfare (for aggression they will never be wanted), - would be far more available than regular soldiers. - - “It is not therefore the unwillingness, or the inability of - Her Majesty’s Government to furnish sufficient troops, but the - uselessness of such troops without an adequate militia force, - that I wish to impress upon you. - - “In your despatch of the 17th May last, you informed me that - there were then 14,760 volunteers enrolled, besides others - who had been more or less drilled. It is far, indeed, from my - intention to discredit either the zeal or the efficiency of - these volunteers, who have, I hope, greatly increased in number - since the date of your despatch; but they constitute a force - which cannot suffice for Canada in the event of war. They might - form an admirable small contingent; but what would be required, - would be a large army. They might form a force stronger than is - necessary in time of peace to secure internal tranquillity, but - would be inadequate to repel external attack in time of war. Past - experience shows that no reasonable amount of encouragement can - raise the number of volunteers to the required extent. - - “It appears to me that the smallest number of men partially - drilled which it would be essential to provide within a given - time, is 50,000. The remainder of the militia would of course be - liable to be called upon in an emergency. Perhaps the best course - would be, to drill every year one or more companies of each - battalion of the sedentary militia. In this manner the training - of a large number of men might be effected, and all companies so - drilled should, once at least in two years, if not in each year, - be exercised in battalion drill, so as to keep up their training. - - “I put forward these suggestions for the consideration of the - Canadian Government and Parliament, but Her Majesty’s Government - have no desire to dictate as to details, or to interfere with - the internal government of the Colony. Their only object is so - to assist and guide its action in the matter of the militia as - to make that force efficient at the least possible cost to the - Province and to the mother country. - - “The Canadian Government will doubtless be fully alive to the - important fact that a well-organised system of militia will - contribute much towards sustaining the high position with - reference to pecuniary credit, which, in spite of its large debt, - and its deficient revenue for the past few years, the Colony has - hitherto held in the money markets of Europe. A country which, - however unjustly, is suspected of inability or indisposition - to provide for its own defence, does not, in the present - circumstances of America, offer a tempting field for investment - in public funds or the outlay of private capital. Men question - the stable condition of affairs in a land which is not competent - to protect itself. - - “It may, no doubt, be argued on the other hand, that the - increased charge of a militia would diminish rather than enlarge - the credit of the Colony. I am convinced that such would not be - the case, if steps were taken for securing a basis of taxation - sounder in itself than the almost exclusive reliance on Customs - duties. It is my belief that a step in this direction would - not only supply funds for the militia, but would remove all - apprehension which exists as to the resources of the Colony. - - “Whatever other steps may be taken for the improved organisation - of the militia, it appears to Her Majesty’s Government to be of - essential importance that its administration, and the supply - of funds for its support, should be exempt from the disturbing - action of ordinary politics. Unless this be done there can be no - confidence that, in the appointment of officers, and in other - matters of a purely military character, no other object than the - efficiency of the force is kept in view. Were it not that it - might fairly be considered too great an interference with the - privileges of the representatives of the people, I should be - inclined to suggest that the charge for the militia, or a certain - fixed portion of it, should be defrayed from the consolidated - fund of Canada, or voted for a period of three or five years. - - “It has further occurred to me, that the whole of the British - Provinces on the continent of North America have, in this - matter of defence, common interests and common duties. Is - it impossible that, with the free consent of each of these - Colonies, one uniform system of militia training and organisation - should be introduced into all of them? The numbers of men to - be raised and trained in each would have to be fixed, and the - expenses of the whole would be defrayed from a common fund, - contributed in fair proportion by each of the Colonies. If the - Governor-General of Canada were Commander-in-Chief of the whole, - the Lieutenant-Governors of the other Colonies would act as - Generals of Division under him; but it would be essential that an - Adjutant-General of the whole force, approved by Her Majesty’s - Government, should move to and fro, as occasion might require, so - as to give uniformity to the training of the whole, and cohesion - to the force itself. - - “As such a scheme would affect more than one Colony, it must, of - course, emanate from the Secretary of State, but Her Majesty’s - Government would not entertain it unless they were convinced - that it would be acceptable both to the people of Canada and - to the other Colonies; and they desire to know, in the first - instance, in what light any such plan would be viewed by the - members of your Executive Council. I understand that the - Lieutenant-Governors of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, availing - themselves of the leave of absence lately accorded to them, - intend to meet you in Quebec in the course of the ensuing month. - This visit will afford you a good opportunity for consulting them - upon this important question. - - “The political union of the North American Colonies has often - been discussed. The merits of that measure, and the difficulties - in the way of its accomplishment, have been well-considered; but - none of the objections which oppose it seem to impede a union - for defence. This matter is one in which all the Colonies have - interests common with each other, and identical with the policy - of England.” - -The Government of the day presented a scheme which was rightly -characterised by Lord Monck as containing no principle calculated -to produce effective results, and to be entirely illusory and -nugatory as far as the enrolment of the militia was concerned. -Lord Monck enclosed the heads of a plan for the reorganisation -and increase of the active militia, based mainly on the voluntary -principle, with rules for the erection of armouries, drill-sheds -and rifle-ranges, and the appointment of brigade-majors and -sergeants, &c., and other means of a perfect organisation. The -scheme was to raise an active battalion for each territorial -division of the country corresponding with the regimental district -of the sedentary militia, to be increased in number as needed, -each active battalion to be taken from the sub-division of the -district. Mr. Macdonald thought no Government could exist which -would venture to recommend the raising of 50,000 partially trained -militia, although the cost, spread over five years, would scarcely -exceed the annual appropriations. In fact, at the root of all these -various schemes and plans lay the evil of uncertainty. Canada -did not know how far England would go in her defence, and seemed -fearful of granting anything, lest it might be an obligation which -the mother country would have otherwise incurred, whilst England, -by withholding any definite promise, or indulging only in vague -remonstrances, sought to make the Canadians show their hands. -Each was anxious for an answer to the question, “How much will you -give us?” The Military Commissioners reported that Canada ought to -provide 150,000 men, including the reserves, which force, large -as it is, would be less than that furnished by states of smaller -population in the Northern Union; but Canada is very poor, and not -unnaturally makes the most of the argument that she can have no war -of her own, and that her defence should be our affair. No one, I -apprehend, will allow himself to be beaten to death because there -is no policeman by. - -In February, 1863, a report of the state of the militia of the -Province was prepared by Lieutenant-Colonel de Salaberry and -Lieutenant-Colonel Powell, of the Adjutant-Generals of Militia -Department in Lower and Upper Canada, respectively, from which it -appears that there were then 25,000 volunteers organised, of whom -10,230 belonged to Lower, and 14,780 belonged to Upper Canada. Of -these there were proportionately 33 for every 1000 in the cities, -and 7⅓ for every 1000 in the counties; those in the upper section -contributing less than those in the lower section, and Upper Canada -contributing a larger number on the 1000 than Lower Canada. In the -enumeration of the various companies--field batteries, troops of -horse, companies of artillery, engineers, rifles, infantry, naval -and marine companies--it is to be observed that only one naval -company appears as having performed twelve days’ drill. Some steps -should be taken to develop naval and marine companies in the passes -along the shores of the lakes. The importance of having trained -sailors and gunners stationed just where they are wanted cannot be -exaggerated, but it is not very likely that Brigade-Majors will -look after such a force. It must be remembered that the national -force of Canada consists of two different organisations--the -volunteer militia and the regular militia. Canada is divided into -twenty-one military districts, eleven in Lower and ten in Upper -Canada. In each district there is a Brigade-Major to superintend -the drill and instruction of all volunteer companies, furnish -monthly reports thereon, and by inspections and active organisation -to promote the efficiency of the volunteer service as far as -possible. The appointment of these officers has been attended -with very good results in this branch of the Militia Staff. In -August, 1862, forty-six non-commissioned officers were sent out -by Government, and paid by the Canadian Parliament, to drill -volunteers; and sixty-eight sergeants were subsequently applied for -to meet the increasing demand for instruction. The report of the -Deputy Adjutant-Generals of Militia, presented to Lord Monck in -1863, stated---- - - “Taking population as a basis, these Volunteer Corps are - distributed as follows:-- - - “Population all Canada (census 1861), 2,506,752,--present - Volunteer force, 25,010, or say 10 Volunteers for each 1,000 - inhabitants. - - “Population--Lower Canada. - - 1,110,664 Volunteers, 10,230,--or say 9¼ for each 1,000. - - Upper Canada. - - 1,396,088 Volunteers, 14,780,--or say 10⅔ for each 1,000. - --------- ------ - 2,506,752 25,010 - - “Population all Canada, showing proportion of Volunteers in - cities and counties. - - Cities, 257,273 Volunteers 8,525,--or say 33 for each 1,000. - Rural, 2,249,479 ” 16,485,--or say 7⅓ for each 1,000. - --------- ------ - 2,506,752 25,010 - - “Population of Cities. - - Lower Canada, 153,389 Volunteers, 5,500, or say 36 for each 1,000. - Upper Canada, 103,884 ” 3,025, or say 29 for each 1,000. - ------- ----- - 257,273 8,525 - - “Population of Rural Parts. - - Lower Canada, 957,275 Volunteers, 4,730, or say 5 for each 1,000. - Upper Canada, 1,292,204 ” 11,755, or say 9 for each 1,000. - --------- ------ - 2,249,479 16,485 - - “It will thus be seen that in the cities of Canada, those in the - Upper Section of the Province contribute less, in proportion to - their population, than do those in the Lower Section; while in - the rural parts, Upper Canada contributes a larger number for - each 1,000 inhabitants than does Lower Canada. - - “The volunteering, thus far, has been the free-will offering of - the people, and it is gratifying to observe that in the counties - of Upper Canada, with the exception of three, nearly every one - has furnished its quota of the 25,000 now organised, while in - many instances they are considerably beyond the proportionate - number. - - “In Lower Canada, until of late, volunteer corps have been - chiefly organised in the cities, but within the last six months - a considerable number of volunteers have been organised in the - rural parts, and now evidences are not wanting that ere long - applications will be received at this department for permission - to increase this number considerably. - - “The present volunteer force comprises field batteries, troops - of cavalry, foot companies of artillery, engineer companies, - rifle companies, companies of infantry, and naval and marine - companies, and is divided properly into three classes, viz.: - Class A, and two divisions of Class B. - - “Corps in Class A are those who have furnished their own - uniforms, and who have been paid $6.00, for each man uniformed, - for 12 days’ drill performed in 1862. - - “First corps in Class B who have furnished their own uniforms, - and who have been paid $6.00 in lieu of clothing, after 12 days’ - drill performed in 1862. - - “Second corps in Class B who have been organised upon the - understanding that they receive no pay for the 12 days’ drill, - but that the Government will provide them with uniforms and drill - instruction. - - “Of the corps in Class A, 6 field batteries, 11 troops of - cavalry, 2 companies of foot artillery, and 33 rifle companies - have certified to the performance of 12 days’ drill in accordance - with the General Order of the 4th November last, and have - received from the Government $22,672 therefor. - - “Of the corps in Class B, 3 troops of cavalry, 8 foot companies - of artillery, 2 engineer corps, 49 rifle companies, 15 companies - of infantry and one naval company have certified to the - performance of 12 days’ drill in accordance with the General - Order of the 4th November last, and have received from the - Government $20,952 therefor.” - -In the twenty-one districts there were recorded 468 battalions of -sedentary militia. Seventy-six drill associations, composed of -the officers and non-commissioned officers, had been formed, and -were to be supplied with arms and instructors, to which number -considerable additions have since been made. The total number -of militiamen in Lower Canada was estimated at 190,000; in Upper -Canada, at 280,000. In the former, 63,000 first-class service men; -in the latter, only 33,000 first-class service men. Second-class, -58,000 and 83,000 respectively. Reserve, 20,000 and 25,000 -respectively. The cities of Upper Canada gave 29 volunteers for -every 1000--the rural districts only 9 volunteers for every 1000. -In three counties containing 50,000 people there was no volunteer -or volunteer corps. In thirteen counties the average number of -volunteers was 250, and in sixteen counties it was only 125. - -In Lower Canada, however, the zeal of the people for militia -volunteering was by no means remarkable. Thirty counties, with -a population of 450,000, had not a single volunteer corps, nor -one volunteer. The towns gave 36 volunteers per 1000, the rural -districts only 5 per 1000. In fact, the people of French descent -appeared to consider militia volunteering a sort of playing at -soldiers, which had no particular attractions for them. England had -taken them in charge, and might do as she liked with them. - -By degrees, a great change occurred in the sentiments if not in -the actions of the people. A little more address in dealing with -their prejudices; a little more of a conciliatory tone; somewhat -greater tact in legislative business, produced beneficial results. -The foundation, at all events, was laid of a sound militia bill. -The Commissioners who reported in 1862, including Mr. Cartier, -Mr. John A. Macdonald, Mr. Galt, and Colonel Lysons, proposed -a scheme which was very comprehensive and ably conceived; but -it was not considered suitable to the means of the country by -the politicians, and the debates which arose on the Militia -Bill prepared in accordance with its recommendations, were -characterised by an acrimony and party spirit which flavoured -the subsequent discussions on the same subject. They recommended -complete battalions as the base of the system, for reasons -which are in the abstract irrefutable. They then recommended -that the Province should be divided into military districts, -as the Commander-in-Chief might direct, and that each military -district should be divided into regimental divisions. They further -recommended as follows:-- - - “That in order to facilitate the enrolment, relief and - reinforcement of an active force, each regimental division be - divided into ‘sedentary battalion divisions,’ and be sub-divided - into ‘sedentary company divisions.’ - - “That each regimental division shall furnish one active and one - reserve battalion, to be taken as nearly as practicable in equal - proportions from the male population of such division, between - the ages of 18 and 45. - - “That each company of an active battalion, together with its - corresponding reserve company, be taken from within the limits of - a defined territorial division, the boundary of which shall be - identical with that of a sedentary battalion division, or of a - distinct portion of such division. - - “That in order to accommodate the sedentary battalion divisions - to the organisation of the active battalions, the limits of the - former be, where necessary, re-arranged. - - “We recommend that each of the principal cities of the Province, - namely--Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa, Kingston, Toronto, Hamilton, - and London, with such portions of the surrounding country as may, - from time to time, be added to them by the Commander-in-Chief, - shall constitute a military district, to be divided into - regimental and sedentary battalion divisions, as hereinbefore - detailed; that they be allowed to furnish volunteer militia - of the three arms in the proportions hereinafter detailed in - lieu of active battalions of regular militia. In the event - of these cities failing to furnish their full complement of - volunteers, they shall in part, or altogether, fall under the - general regulations of the regular militia, in such manner as the - Commander-in-Chief shall direct.” - -The recommendations of the Commissioners were to some extent acted -upon; and since the foregoing pages were written the first-fruits -of the volunteer organisation have been witnessed, in the actual -appearance on service of a number of companies, which have been -dispatched to guard the frontiers of Canada from being made the -base of offensive operations against the Northern States by -Confederate partisans sheltered for the time under the British -banner. These are but the advance guard of the 80,000 men who have -been ordered to hold themselves in readiness for active service. - -The summons of the Governor-General has been heard and obeyed in -the best spirit. The people of Canada have answered to the call -with an honourable alacrity, and have displayed a temper which -gives the fairest guarantee of their services; but they have not -indulged in threats or offensive language, and the most irritable -of Federal Republicans must admit that the cause which has called -them from their homes is entitled to consideration and respect. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - - Possible dangers--The future danger--Open to attack--Canals - and railways--Probable lines of invasion--Lines of attack and - defence--London--Toronto--Defences of Kingston--Defences - of Quebec. - - -The return of able-bodied males fit for military service in -Montcalm’s time, exceeded the whole number of volunteers now -actually enrolled; but the present force is possessed of seven -field batteries, of several squadrons of cavalry, and of 15,000 men -armed with rifled muskets. There must be at this moment in Canada -at least 50,000 rifles of the best kind. There were four 18-pound -batteries, two 20-pound Armstrong batteries, a large number of -howitzers, and an immense accumulation of stores last year, which -have received constant accessions ever since, as the threats of the -New York press have produced to us in increased expense some of the -evil results of war. There are also in the stores great quantities -of old-fashioned brass and iron field and siege guns, of shot and -shell, of mortars, and of ammunition. - -The Americans can find no fault with us for taking steps, in view -of contingencies which they have threatened, to obviate, as far -as possible, the disadvantages to which distance from the mother -country exposes the Provinces. It was enough that before the days -of steam, which has greatly increased the disparity between us, -Great Britain submitted to conditions in regard to the Lakes which -could only be justified by the supposition that Canada was the -western shore of Great Britain. By the articles of the Treaty of -1817, the United States of America and Great Britain are limited -to one vessel with one 18-pounder and a crew of one hundred men -each on Lake Ontario, Lake Champlain, and the upper lakes. No other -vessels of war are to be built or armed, and six months’ notice is -required to terminate the treaty obligations. - -It will have been observed that the Americans of the Northern -States are spoken of as the only enemies whom Canada has to fear. -They are the only people who threaten from time to time the -conquest and annexation of the Provinces, and who have declared by -the mouths of their statesmen, that they intend to insist, when -they are strong enough, on the fulfilment of the doctrine that the -whole continent is theirs; for the natural basis of the Monroe -dogma is, the right of the Americans to lay down the doctrine at -all, and if they can say to the nations of Europe, “You shall make -no further settlements on this soil,” they can say, when it pleases -them, with just as much right, “You who are now occupying this soil -must either leave it or own allegiance to the Union.” The Union is -now, what it never was before, a sovereignty, and Americans in its -name fancy that they can do what they please. The Canadians are by -no means well-disposed towards their neighbours’ institutions, -manners, and customs, and do not desire to be incorporated with -them. The annexation must, therefore, be effected by force, -sufficiently great to overpower the resistance of the inhabitants, -whether singly, or supported by the British army and navy. - -It fortunately happens that the freedom of speech and writing -prevalent in the United States are safety-valves for the popular -steam, and that words are not always indicative of immediate or -even of remote action. It would be difficult to estimate the nature -of the influences which shall prevail when the American civil war -is over. If the North succeeds in overcoming the South, no great -danger of war with Great Britain or of invasion of Canada will -exist. It will need every man of the Federal army to occupy the -Southern States. If, on the other hand, the North should be obliged -to abandon her project of forcing the carcase of the South back -into the Union by the sword, she will suddenly find herself with a -large army on her hands, with a ruined exchequer, and an immense -fund of mortified ambition and angry passion to discount. - -It is possible that the sober and just-minded men who form a large -part of American society may be able to avert a conflict, if the -American soldiery and statesmen entertain the views attributed to -them; but that is just the point on which no information exists. -It is not easy to ascertain the actual weight of the classes who -would naturally oppose the press and the populace in a crusade -against Great Britain. My own experience, limited and imperfect -as it is, leads me to think that there is in the States a very -great number, if not an actual majority, of people whose views -are not much influenced by violent journals or intemperate -politicians, who rarely take part in public affairs, but exercise, -nevertheless, their influence on those who do. There is not a -community in the Northern States which does not contain a large -proportion of educated, intelligent, and upright men, who shrink -from participation in party struggles and intrigue; and I regret -that they are not more largely known. Their existence is marked by -no outward sign which foreign nations can recognise. It is on them, -however, that the safety and reputation of the Federal Government -depends; it will be on them that their country’s reliance must be -placed when the legions return home. - -If the war were over in 1865 there would probably be 600,000 men -under arms, and there would be at least 200,000 more men in the -States who had served, and would take up arms against England with -alacrity. A considerable proportion of that army would indeed seek -their discharge, and go quietly back to their avocations; but the -Irish, Germans, &c., to whom the license of war was agreeable, -would not be unwilling to invade Canada, and a percentage of -Americans would doubtless eagerly seek for an opportunity of -gaining against a foreign enemy the laurels they had not found -whilst contending with their fellow countrymen. Commerce indeed -would suffer--the Americans would find for the first time what it -was to enter upon a quarrel single-handed with the British nation. -They have hitherto met only the side blows and stray shots of the -old mother country--and they believe they have encountered the -full weight of her arm, and the utmost extent of her energies. -The wicked men who are striving to engage the two States in a -quarrel which would cover the seas of the world with blood and -wreck, cannot be deterred from their horrible work by any appeals -to fear or conscience; but the influence of the past, and of the -Christian and civilised people of the ex-United States will, it -is to be hoped, defeat their efforts, seconded though they may be -by the prejudice, religious animosity, and national dislike of a -portion of the people. If the war party prevail they will have no -want of pretexts--the San Juan question alone would suffice them if -they had not a whole series of imaginary wrongs to resent arising -from the incidents of the present war, and a multitude of claims to -prefer to which England can never listen. - -At some day, near or remote, Canada must become either independent -in whole or in part, or a portion of a foreign state. It will be -of no small moment for those then living in Great Britain whether -they have alienated the affections or have won the hearts of the -newly-created power. Those who doubt this may consider how a -Gaul now rules over the ruler of Rome, and how all that remains -of an evidence of the occupancy of this Island by the masters -of the world for four hundred years, are tumuli, ruined walls, -stratified roads, and bits of tile and pottery. The climate -of Canada is not more severe than that of Russia--her natural -advantages are much greater--her inland seas are never frozen--her -communications with Europe are easy--she offers a route to all the -world from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The United States will -be no longer a country for the poor man to live in; the load of -taxation will force emigration to Canada, and the States lying -on the left banks of the lakes and of the St. Lawrence will be -enriched by the demands of America for her produce, in proportion -as the waste lands are occupied, and the Union is filled with -a tax-paying swarming population. It is astonishing how soon a -man liberates himself from the traditions and allegiance of his -native country in the land of his adoption, when his interests and -his pride are touched. The attitude of our immediate colonies in -face of the transportation question will at once satisfy us that -the mother country has little to expect from old associations, -whenever her interests are made to appear antagonistic to those -of her colonies. Canada has the most liberal institutions in the -world--her municipal freedom is without parallel--education is -widely disseminated--religious toleration restrains the violence of -factions. The cold is by no means as great as that which is borne -by the inhabitants of the greater part of northern Europe, and is -far less dangerous to health than the more temperate climates of -lower latitudes, where rain and tempest are substituted for snow -and hard frosts. - -The frontier of Canada is assailable at all points. In some places -it is constituted by a line only visible on a map, in others it is -a navigable inland sea, in others a line drawn in water, in others -the bank of a river or the shore of a lake. Coincident with it runs -the frontier of the United States. - -The best guarantee against invasion would be, complete naval -supremacy on the lakes and rivers, because they constitute the -most accessible roads for the invaders, and the most serviceable -barriers for defenders if they have the proper means of defence. -To give any chance of successful resistance, some equality of -naval force on the part of the invaded is almost indispensable. -The question arises, who shall provide this naval force? Canada -cannot. She is prevented by Imperial treaties, by want of means, -and even if she had them, she is forbidden to use the means, by -the principle which forbids a dependency equipping ships of war in -times of peace. Great Britain has no doubt a powerful fleet, but -the far inferior navy of the United States, close at hand, contains -more vessels suitable for warlike operations in inland waters and -canals than we possess, 4000 miles away. In fact we ought to have a -very great preponderance of small vessels to give us a fair start, -and even then it would be difficult to begin hostilities on equal -terms. Lake Michigan, with the enormous resources of Chicago, -is entirely American, and the possession of such a base is an -advantage which is by no means counterbalanced by our position on -Lake Huron. To prevent the enemy clearing all before them on the -lakes, by an energetic naval sortie from their ports, it would be -necessary to have the means of furnishing a flotilla as soon as -hostilities became imminent, and to watch every point, particularly -such as that of Sorel, where communication from Richelieu to the -St. Lawrence might be interrupted. But it is thought we cannot -hope to cope with the Americans on equal terms in all the lakes, -and that we must be content with concentrating our strength on -Lake Ontario and in the St. Lawrence. All our water-ways are -very much exposed. Whilst Great Britain retains her supremacy, -the St. Lawrence is open during the summer, and can be kept free -by iron-plated vessels as far up as Montreal. The day of wooden -gunboats has passed, and it becomes requisite for the Government -to take immediate steps to secure an adequate supply of armoured -vessels on the spot as soon as hostilities become probable. It -is gratifying to know that the Canadian Legislature is about to -fortify the harbour and arsenal at Kingston, so as to cover the -infant naval force. Under any circumstances, it is not possible -to defend a canal by guarding the locks, or by placing forts at -particular places, and yet the canals are of vital importance -to us. The Beauharnais Canal runs on the right bank of the St. -Lawrence, and is peculiarly unfortunate in its military position. -The Welland Canal is of consequence, but it would be better to -destroy it than permit an enemy to hold it. The Rideau Canal, which -runs from Lake Huron to Kingston, is a very valuable communication, -but it needs to be deepened and enlarged at the Rapids. All the -canals require to be enlarged and improved, but they are far better -placed, bad as their state and position are, than the roads and -railways. The Grand Trunk Railway is open to attack for many miles -at different parts of its course, and in some places trains could -be fired upon from American territory! Our reinforcements last -winter were sent through New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, in sleighs, -along a route which for miles could be cut across at any time -by the enemy from Maine, and it would be necessary, to make all -safe, for us to follow the Metapodliac road, or to construct the -intercolonial railway. - -The harbours of Halifax and of St. John’s are not closed in winter, -and the mode which was adopted of sending troops into Canada by -those points would no doubt be reverted to till some better means -shall be provided. From St. Andrew’s, in New Brunswick, there is -a railroad to Woodstock, which lies near the state boundary of -Maine. Here the route from St. John’s meets the St. Andrew road, -and united the line follows the course of the St. John River, and -may be divided into four days’ marches--to Florenceville, 1; to -Tobique, 2; to Grand Falls, 3; to Little Falls, 4. All this route -lies close to the American frontier, and is therefore quite unfit -for the march of troops in detachments. The St. John’s route also -takes four days to Woodstock. Even with the advantages afforded -by the line of railroad, it must be remembered that the snows of -winter may often mar all combinations;--our first detachments -suffered considerably from cold in the railway carriages, and it -may be readily conceived that the course of an army in sleighs to -Rivière du Loup on the St. Lawrence, where the Grand Trunk Railway -begins or terminates, might be rendered very unsafe by no more -formidable agencies than violent snow-storms alone. - -Our military authorities do not, it is said, fear a winter -campaign, but the Americans have already shown that they are not -to be deterred by frost and snow from moving troops into Canada. -To ensure moderate security the Metis road, notwithstanding its -greater length, should be improved and adapted for military -purposes, and the railway should be constructed to complete the -work. In considering the three modes of invasion of which I shall -speak, it may be inferred that Montreal will be the most likely -point of attack, and that Quebec will be comparatively safe at -first, but it would not be wise to act on the hypothesis as if it -were an absolute certainty. - -In the State of New York, at its capital of Albany, the Americans -possess an admirable base of operations against us. Except in -winter, the Hudson is an open highway between Albany and New York, -and the sea and railways connect it with the shores of the lakes -and with the vast centres of American resource and industry. Albany -is specially capable of serving as a base against the very places -most likely to be assailed, Montreal and Quebec. There is no -necessity for any argument to show that the loss of these places -would be equivalent to the overthrow of the British in Canada. -From the Hudson there is a canal to Lake Champlain, on the upper -extremity of which, and almost on the railroad connecting Montreal -with New York, is situated a casemated work popularly known as -Rouse’s Point, about two days’ march from the commercial capital -of Canada. Rouse’s Point would serve as an immediate base for the -collection of supplies and the concentration of an army, whilst -Albany would become the great dépôt for the war. It is probable -that the Americans would try to strike several blows at once. They -might direct one expeditionary force from Rouse’s Point against -Montreal, and others from Albany and Rouse’s Point against Quebec. -They might also menace, or actually attack, the frontier at Detroit -or at Niagara. As a war with Great Britain would be popular, and -no lack of men would be found, it would also be practicable for -them to direct from either of those points an expedition to attack -Ottawa, or the towns west of the river Ottawa. - -Kingston would also be a point of attack, as much from its -importance to us as from its value to the enemy, who would, by the -possession of it, command the Rideau Canal, which connects the -river Ottawa with Lake Ontario. It is plain that if the points -liable to attack were left in their present state, there would be -little hope of our ability to defend them by fighting in the open -field. United, the Americans are to the Canadians as about eight -to one. The State of New York alone is as populous, and is richer, -than the Canadas. Great Britain, thousands of miles away, could not -hope, by any expenditure of money, or by any display of military -skill, to equalise the conditions of the assailants and the -defenders of her sovereignty. The engineers are right, therefore, -in the argument, that the only way of enabling the Canadians and -their British allies to make way against the Republicans, is to -establish fortified works supported by or supporting a naval -force. The Americans have an idea that it is possible to carry on -operations during winter. Our engineers start with the assumption -that it is impossible to do so on any large scale, and that it is -out of the question for some five months of the year in Canada. -The obstructions to siege operations might not be so serious, -but they would be so considerable as to render the undertaking -of them exceedingly hazardous, and little likely to succeed. The -question, then, presents itself whether Canada can be defended for -the time in each year during which operations are practicable, -and if so, in what manner the defence is to be conducted. Our -military authorities are of opinion that Canada can be defended. -The Americans, as far as I could judge from their remarks on the -subject, and from conversations with several of their officers, -conceive that Canada lies at their mercy whenever they choose to -attack it. As a chain of great frontier fortresses could not be -established or maintained, the means suggested for the purposes of -defence are principally of a provisional character. To meet the -flood of invasion, it is proposed to cover the approaches to the -vulnerable points. Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec would be defended -by forces posted in earthworks, and covered by entrenched camps at -Prescott and Richmond, and other suitable places. - -If we examine the modes of proceeding to which the enemy would -probably resort, we shall find them classified under five heads. -First, a naval descent on Goderich. Second, the descent of a force -between Detroit and London. Thirdly, the descent of a force on -Niagara. Fourthly, the passage of a force between the St. Lawrence -and Ogdensburg. Fifthly, an attack by several columns converging -in concert on a point between Derby and Huntingdon, with a view -of concentrating on Montreal, and cutting the communications with -Kingston as well as with Quebec. Let us take a glance at the -present state of the principal points, and consider what is needed -to improve their condition. - -If we look at the map of Upper Canada, the position of Paris at -once attracts the eye as a favourable site for the main body of -the defensive force; whilst Stratford and London, being points of -railway junction, would naturally be held as long as possible. -Guelph would serve as a point of concentration for troops obliged -to fall back from London or from Stratford, according to the -direction from which the enemy came. Toronto would become the -natural point of concentration for troops obliged to retire from -Guelph, and under the conditions necessitating such a retreat the -force defending the Niagara frontier would be obliged to fall back -upon Hamilton to the entrenched position covering that town. If -the Americans attack the western settlements near Georgian Bay, -it seems impossible to oppose them with assured advantage. A calm -consideration of the subject has led the best authorities to the -conclusion that we cannot hope at present to establish a naval -force on either Lake Huron or Lake Erie. The Welland Canal is, -in its present state, unsuited to the purposes of modern naval -warfare, and a canal is at all times, and under the most favourable -circumstances, very little to be depended upon. With the aid of -fortified harbours there is, however, no reason to fear for our -naval supremacy on Lake Ontario, and it is to that object our -best efforts should be directed. It would of course be impolitic -to leave Toronto and Hamilton open to naval demonstrations, but -the principal efforts of the authorities should be directed to -establish permanent works to protect Ottawa, Montreal, Kingston, -and Quebec, and to prepare positions for entrenched camps and -earthworks on the points most likely to be assailed. - -It is plain that a navy alone can prevent descents on the land -line of such extensive waters, and that the possession of Rouse’s -Point enables the Americans to turn the line of the Richelieu and -threaten Montreal. Let us run rapidly over the positions, beginning -with the west. If works were thrown up at Goderich and Sydenham on -points there which are suitable for defensive positions, it might -be possible to check any adventurous force intent on speedy victory -and conquest; but no fortifications could be maintained on those -remote points for permanent occupation, as the enemy could operate -on the flanks and rear and turn them from Huron or Georgian Bay. - -A permanent work on Point Edward Sarnia, to command the St. Clair -River, has been suggested, and it has been recommended that the -defences of Fort Maldon and Bar Island should be made permanent -works, but other engineers have considered it unwise to erect -fortifications at Sarnia or Amherstburg, and contend that the -Niagara and Detroit frontiers are too much exposed to be tenable by -any works. Guelph should also be rendered worthy of its important -position. London, being a railway station, is, in event of a war, -an important point to hold for the carriage of troops; and although -there is no ground close at hand admitting of tenacious grip, there -is a tolerably good line of defence at Konoska, which the spade -could convert into a fair position. - -When we come to consider the condition of the Toronto district it -becomes apparent that two points require especial attention--Fort -Dalhousie and Port Colborne. It is unwise to leave these places -without defences to cover the garrisons, and to enable them to -protect the shore against desultory operations and isolated -detachments. Domville and Maitland are open to predatory attacks -which might be prevented by ordinary fortifications or earthworks -on eligible sites. It is impossible to defend a canal; but much -good might be done by enlisting the employés on the Welland as a -sort of guard, whose local knowledge would be available in time -of danger. Although, as I have said, strong reasons are urged -against any outlay for the defence of the Niagara frontier, on -the ground of its exposure, there are distinguished authorities -who insist that a permanent work is required at Fort Erie; and -who contend that another fort should be erected at Niagara, in -support of an entrenched camp, which would exercise a most powerful -influence over the movements of an invading force, particularly -if there were gunboats placed on the Chippewa. One of the painful -necessities of war between the United States and Great Britain -would be the destruction of the suspension bridges over the river. -Hamilton is generally considered as incapable of defence, but it -lies in a district which presents two lines of hills capable of -being adapted to defensive purposes, and earthworks there might be -stiffly held, in case of attack, by the troops of the district, to -enable the forces to concentrate and retire along routes previously -determined. Toronto itself may be regarded as an open place equally -incapable of defence by ordinary works; but it should not be left -open to such a _coup_ by a single cruiser, as might be obviated -by the erection of a fort on the site of the new barracks: and it -would be necessary to construct a strong entrenched camp to cover -it and protect the troops retiring before the enemy. A chain of -earthworks might be placed on the elevated ridges which run from -the Don River towards Humber Bay. A casemated fort on the island -is also most desirable. Toronto has something more than its mere -strategical importance to recommend it. It has special claims to -consideration as an important centre of civilised life, commerce, -enterprise, and learning. - -The defences of Kingston are more worthy of its ancient importance. -In fact, the only works in Canada suited to modern warfare are -those at Kingston and Quebec. The latter are capable of much -improvement, as has been already pointed out. Both need to be -strengthened, and to be extended. If the Americans have beaten us -by treaty, why should we not at all events have iron-plated vessels -sent up the St. Lawrence as far as treaty will allow them to go, -and prepare naval establishments and encourage naval volunteers -for times of danger at Kingston? Port Henry, Fort Frederick, an -earthen work, and the Market Battery, are in good condition, but -much must be done before the place can be regarded as being in -a satisfactory state. The Shoal Tower, the Cedar Island Tower, -and the Murney Tower, constructed of stone, are placed on points -covering the water approaches to Kingston. But all the guns in -these works, with one exception, are _en barbette_, and to render -Kingston safe it would be necessary to erect strong works to resist -the advance of an enemy landing either above or below the town. -It is estimated that £390,000 would be sufficient for the purpose -of erecting the permanent forts absolutely indispensable for the -safety of the harbour and dockyard establishment. The position of -these works should be chosen with a due regard to all possible -conditions of attack. Wolfe Island, Abraham’s Head, Snake Island, -Simcoe Island, and Garden Island, should be provided with adequate -forts to support the new scheme of defence. The Navy Yard should -be removed, and the points now open to attack at once fortified. -Belleville and Prescott both afford admirable ground for works of -great importance: the former possesses a most advantageous site -for temporary works and for a line of defence; and the latter has -such a commanding situation that a permanent work, with casemates, -should be constructed there to guard what is, according to some of -our engineers, one of the most valuable positions in the province. - -When we come to consider the actual state of Montreal, its -importance, its liability to attack and the difficulty of offering -an adequate defence, the best means to adopt are not very obvious. -The best method of defence would doubtless be to construct an -entrenched position, consisting of a parapet strengthened by -redoubts, to cover the approach from the south side. A _tête de -pont_ should be built to cover the approaches now so open and -exposed to attack. - -The enlargement of the Ottawa and Rideau canals is of obvious -importance, and outlying works might be traced which could be -used in case of invasion to hold the enemy in check; but still, -as a precautionary measure, it would be desirable to remove the -more important stores at Montreal to Quebec and Ottawa, if it is -in contemplation to make this valuable position subsidiary to any -other place in Canada. - -Permanent works might be erected at St. John’s, the Isle aux Noix -and St. Helen’s Island, where forts should be reconstructed on -improved principles. But the most obvious measure, in the opinion -of some engineers, the fortification of the hill over the city, -and the erection of a Citadel upon it, which would render the mere -occupation of the town below valueless to an enemy, is not approved -of by more recent authorities. - -Gunboats on Lake St. Louis would prove most valuable in defending -the works at Vaudrueuil. - -Quebec is however the key of Canada; and that key can be wrested -from our own grasp at any moment by a determined enemy, unless -the recommendations so strongly urged from time to time by all -military authorities meet with consideration. The old enceinte -should be removed, and the French works restored, according to the -suggestions of scientific officers, and of the ablest engineers we -possess. An entrenched camp might be marked out to the west of the -Citadel, with a line of parapet and redoubts extending from the St. -Lawrence to the St. Charles river. In order to cover the city from -an attack on the south side, it would be necessary to occupy Point -Levi, and to construct a strong entrenched line, with redoubts at -such a distance as would prevent the enemy from coming near the -river to shell the city and citadel. But it is evident that they -are _nil ad rem_, unless behind these works, and in support of -them in the open, can be assembled a force of sufficient strength -to prevent an investment, or to attack the investing armies, and -at the same time to hold front against them in the field. It is -estimated that 150,000 men might hold the whole of the Canadas, -East and West, against twice that number of the enemy. If we are to -judge by what has passed, it is not probable the United States will -be inclined or able for such an effort. Quebec might be held with -10,000 men against all comers. From 25,000 to 30,000 men would make -Montreal safe. Kingston would require 20,000 men, and Ottawa would -need 5000. The greater part, if not all of them, might be composed -of militia, and volunteers trained to gunnery and the use of small -arms. For the protection of the open country, and to meet the enemy -in the field, an army of from 25,000 to 35,000 men would be needed -from Lake Ontario to Quebec. The western district on Lake Erie -could not be protected by less than 60,000 men. - -Thus, in case of a great invasion from the United States, Canada, -with any assistance Great Britain could afford her, must have -150,000 men ready for action. What prospect there is of this, may -best be learned from a consideration, not so much of the resources -of Canada, as of the willingness of the people to use them. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - - Rapid Increase of Population--Mineral Wealth--Cereals--Imports - and Exports--Climate--Agriculture--A Settler’s Life--Reciprocity - Treaty--Report of the Committee of the Executive Council--Mr. - Galt--Senator Douglas--A Zollverein--Terms of the Convention--Free - Trade, and what is meant by it--Mr. Galt’s opinion on the - subject--Canadian Imports and Exports. - - -The rapid increase of population and settlements in Canada, and -the growth of cities and towns, are among the great marvels of the -last and of the present century, so rich in wonders of the kind. It -is not too much to say, that any approximation to a similar rate -of increase will make British North America a great power in the -world. The direction of emigration has not been favourable. The -Germans and the Irish have rather sought the United States. The -emigrating powers of Scotland are rapidly decreasing, and the few -English who emigrate prefer Australia, New Zealand, even the States -of the Union, to a country which suffers from the early neglect of -the home government, the studied aspersions and misrepresentations -of powerful agencies, and the ignorance of the poorer classes who -seek to improve their condition by going forth in search of new -homes. - -Mr. Sheridan Hogan, the writer of a prize essay on Canada of no -ordinary excellence, has devoted some of his pages to show that the -growth of Canada in population has been overlooked in the scope of -the wondering gaze which Europe has fixed on the development of -the United States, although, in fact, the increase of Canadians in -the land has been quite as astonishing as that of Americans south -of the St. Lawrence. In 1800, he says the population of the United -States was 5,305,925. In 1850 it was 20,250,000. The increase was -therefore 300 per cent. nearly. In 1811 the population of Upper -Canada was 77,000, and in 1851 it was 952,000, an increase of -over 1100 per cent. in forty years. Within the decade up to 1855 -the rate of increase in the United States was 13·20 per cent. In -Upper Canada it was 104 per cent. from 1841 to 1851. Upper Canada -exhibited in forty years nearly four times the increase of the -United States in fifty years. Even the population of Lower Canada -increased 90 per cent. from 1829 to 1854. In a table in the same -work it appears that the Irish in Lower Canada were more than -double the English and Scotch together, and that they equalled both -in Upper Canada. The writer says:-- - - “The ‘World’s Progress,’ published by Putnam, of New York,--a - reliable authority,--gives the population and increase of the - principal cities in the United States. Boston, between 1840 - and 1850, increased forty-five per cent. Toronto, within the - same period, increased _ninety-five_ per cent. New York, the - great emporium of the United States, and regarded as the most - prosperous city in the world, increased, in the same time, - sixty-six per cent., about thirty less than Toronto. - - “The cities of St. Louis and Cincinnati, which have also - experienced extraordinary prosperity, do not compare with Canada - any better. In the thirty years preceding 1850, the population - of St. Louis increased fifteen times. In the thirty-three years - preceding the same year, Toronto increased _eighteen times_. And - Cincinnati increased, in the same period given to St. Louis, but - twelve times. - - “Hamilton, a beautiful Canadian city at the head of Lake Ontario, - and founded much more recently than Toronto, has also had almost - unexampled prosperity. In 1836 its population was but 2,846, in - 1854 it was upwards of 20,000. - - “London, still farther west in Upper Canada, and a yet more - recently-founded city than Hamilton, being surveyed as a - wilderness little more than twenty-five years ago, has now - upwards of ten thousand inhabitants. - - “The City of Ottawa, recently called after the magnificent river - of that name, and upon which it is situated, has now above 10,000 - inhabitants, although in 1830 it had but 140 houses, including - mere sheds and shanties; and the property upon which it is built - was purchased, not many years before, for _eighty pounds_. - - “The Town of Bradford, situated between Hamilton and London, and - whose site was an absolute wilderness twenty-five years ago, - has now a population of 6,000, and has increased, in ten years, - upwards of _three hundred per cent._; and this without any other - stimulant or cause save the business arising from the settlement - of a fine country adjacent to it. - - “The Towns of Belleville, Cobourg, Woodstock, Goderich, St. - Catherine’s, Paris, Stratford, Port Hope, and Dundas, in Upper - Canada, show similar prosperity, some of them having increased in - a ratio even greater than that of Toronto, and all of them but so - many evidences of the improvement of the country, and the growth - of business and population around them. - - “That some of the smaller towns in the United States have enjoyed - equal prosperity I can readily believe, from the circumstance of - a large population suddenly filling up the country contiguous - to them. Buffalo and Chicago, too, as cities, are magnificent - and unparalleled examples of the business, the energy, and the - progress, of the United States. But that Toronto should have - quietly and unostentatiously increased in population in a greater - ratio than New York, St. Louis, and Cincinnati, and that the - other cities and towns of Upper Canada should have kept pace with - the Capital, is a fact creditable alike to the steady industry - and the noiseless enterprise of the Canadian people. - - “Although Lower Canada, from the circumstance already alluded - to of the tide of emigration flowing westward, has not advanced - so rapidly as her sister Province, yet some of her counties and - cities have recently made great progress. In the seven years - preceding 1851, the fine County of Megantic, on the south side - of the St. Lawrence, and through which the Quebec and Richmond - Railroad passes, increased a hundred and sixteen per cent.; - the County of Ottawa, eighty-five; the County of Drummond, - seventy-eight; and the County of Sherbrooke, fifty. The City - of Montreal, probably the most substantially-built city in - America, and certainly one of the most beautiful, has trebled her - population in thirty-four years. The ancient City of Quebec has - more than doubled her population in the same time, and Sorel, - at the mouth of the Richelieu, has increased upwards of four - times; showing that Lower Canada, with all the disadvantages of - a feudal tenure, and of being generally looked upon as less - desirable for settlement than the West, has quietly but justly - put in her claim to a portion of the honour awarded to America - for her progress.” - -Save and except coal, the want of which is to a considerable extent -compensated by the vast stores of forest, of bog and of mineral -oils in the Provinces, Canada is very rich in many minerals of the -first importance. Iron is deposited in exceeding abundance in the -Laurentian System--lead, plumbago, phosphate of lime, sulphate of -barytes, and marbles are found in the same wide-spread formation of -gneiss and limestone. - -The Huron System of slate, &c., contains copper, silver, and -nickel, jaspers and agates. The Quebec group in the East promises -to be equally valuable. The bases of metallic and ochreous -pigments, every description of marble and slate, minerals, -and substances useful in chemistry, in arts, in agriculture, -in architecture, are scattered throughout the land, from Lake -Superior to Gaspé. Notwithstanding the long winter, Upper Canada -yielded, according to late averages, 21 bushels of winter wheat -and 18½ bushels of spring wheat to the acre; Lower Canada, where -agriculture has not received the same development, yields a smaller -proportion to the acre, but the wheat is of excellent quality. In -Upper Canada the yield of oats is about 30 bushels to the acre; in -Lower Canada it is 23 bushels. Barley is a little less in Upper, -and about the same as oats in Lower Canada, and Indian corn is -about as much as oats. The potato yields from 125 to 176 bushels -per acre. All these crops, as well as those of roots of every -description, are increasing rapidly, and it is calculated that the -value of the farms of Upper Canada is no less than 60,000,000_l._ -sterling, whilst the live stock in the same Province was estimated -to be worth nearly 9,000,000_l._ In 1860 the value of the timber -exported was, 1,750,000_l._, and the forest yielded altogether just -2,000,000_l._ sterling. As there is reason to know that in 1851 the -value of agricultural exports was 6,000,000_l._, it may be assumed -with some degree of certainty as a near approximation that Canada -sends abroad about ten millions’ worth of forest and farm produce. -It is estimated that the imports of the same year were worth -eighteen millions sterling. - -There are many other illustrations of the rapidity of Canadian -increase, but the foregoing must suffice for the purposes of this -volume. It is only surprising that the Provinces should have -advanced at all, considering the misrepresentations which have been -circulated concerning their climate, condition, and prospects, and -the attractions held forth to emigrants by the United States. - -The popular idea as to the barrenness and cold of Canada would -be most effectually dispelled by a glance at garden products and -cereals in autumn only, or by the experience of a winter in New -York and a winter in London or Hamilton. The author of a pamphlet, -published by authority of the Bureau of Agriculture, observes:-- - - “The most erroneous opinions have prevailed abroad respecting the - climate of Canada. The so-called rigour of Canadian winters is - often advanced as a serious objection to the country by many who - have not the courage to encounter them, who prefer sleet and fog - to brilliant skies and bracing cold, and who have yet to learn - the value and extent of the blessings conferred upon Canada by - her world-renowned ‘snows.’ - - “It will scarcely be believed by many who shudder at the idea - of the thermometer falling to zero, that the gradual annual - diminution in the fall of snow, in certain localities, is a - subject of lamentation to the farmers in Western Canada. Their - desire is for the old-fashioned winters, with sleighing for four - months, and spring bursting upon them with marvellous beauty - at the beginning of April. A bountiful fall of snow, with hard - frost, is equivalent to the construction of the best macadamised - roads all over the country. The absence of a sufficient quantity - of snow in winter for sleighing, is a calamity as much to be - feared and deplored as the want of rain in spring. Happily - neither of these deprivations is of frequent occurrence. - - “The climate of Canada is in some measure exceptional, especially - that of the Peninsular portion. The influence of the great Lakes - is very strikingly felt in the elevation of winter temperatures - and in the reduction of summer heats. East and West of Canada, - beyond the influence of the Lakes, as in the middle of the states - of New York and Iowa, the greatest extremes prevail,--intense - cold in winter, intense heat in summer, and to these features may - be added their usual attendant, drought. - - “Perhaps the popular standard of the adaptation of climate to the - purposes of agriculture is more suitable for the present occasion - than a reference to monthly and annual means of temperature. - Much information is conveyed in the simple narration of facts - bearing upon fruit culture. From the head of Lake Ontario, round - by the Niagara frontier, and all along the Canadian shores of - Lake Erie, the grape and peach grow with luxuriance, and ripen to - perfection in the open air, without the slightest artificial aid. - The island of Montreal is distinguished everywhere for the fine - quality of its apples, and the island of Orleans, below Quebec, - is equally celebrated for its plums. Over the whole of Canada the - melon and tomato acquire large dimensions, and ripen fully in the - open air, the seeds being planted in the soil towards the latter - end of April, and the fruit gathered in September. Pumpkins and - squashes attain gigantic dimensions; they have exceeded 300 - pounds in weight in the neighbourhood of Toronto. Indian corn, - hops, and tobacco, are common crops and yield fair returns. Hemp - and flax are indigenous plants, and can be cultivated to any - extent in many parts of the Province. With a proper expenditure - of capital, England could be made quite independent of Russia, or - any other country, for her supply of these valuable products. - - “The most striking illustration of the influence of the great - Lakes in ameliorating the climate of Canada, especially of the - western peninsula, is to be found in the natural limits to which - certain trees are restricted by climate. That valuable wood, - the black walnut, for which Canada is so celebrated, ceases to - grow north of latitude 41° on the Atlantic coast, but under the - influence of the comparatively mild Lake climate of Peninsular - Canada it is found in the greatest profusion, and of the largest - dimensions, as far north as latitude 43°.” - -This subject is well illustrated by the subjoined table, showing -the mean temperature and rainfall at Toronto from 1840 to 1859:-- - - TABLE of Mean Monthly and Animal Temperature at Toronto, Canada - West, from 1840 to 1859, taken from the Records of the Provincial - Magnetic Observatory, by Professor Kingston. - - +-----+--------------------------------------------+ - | | MONTHS. | - +-----+--------------------------------------------+ - | | Jan.| Feb.|March.| April.| May.|June.|July.| - +-----+-----+-----+------+-------+-----+-----+-----+ - | | ° | ° | ° | ° | ° | ° | ° | - |1840}|23.72|22.83| 30.07| 41.00 |51.38|61.27|67.06| - |1859}| | | | | | | | - +-----+-----+-----+------+-------+-----+-----+-----+ - - +-----+-----------------------------+--------+ - | | MONTHS. | Mean | - +-----+-----------------------------+ Annual.| - | | Aug.|Sept.| Oct.| Nov | Dec | | - +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+--------+ - | | ° | ° | ° | ° | ° | ° | - |1840}|66.12|57.98|45.27|36.65|25.97| 44.11 | - |1859}| | | | | | | - +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+--------+ - - - MEAN Monthly and Annual Fall of Rain at Toronto, from 1840 to 1859. - - +-----+--------------------------------------------+ - | | MONTHS. | - +-----+--------------------------------------------+ - | |Jan. |Feb. |March.|April. | May.|June.|July.| - +-----+-----+-----+------+-------+-----+-----+-----+ - | | In. | In. | In. | In. | In. | In. | In. | - |1840}|1.480|1.043|1.553 | 2.492 |3.305|3.198|3.490| - |1859}| | | | | | | | - +-----+-----+-----+------+-------+-----+-----+-----+ - - +-----+-----------------------------+--------+ - | | MONTHS. | Mean | - +-----+-----------------------------+ Annual.| - | | Aug.|Sept.| Oct.| Nov.| Dec.| | - +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+--------+ - | | In. | In. | In. | In. | In. | In. | - |1840}|2.927|4.099|2.557|3.109|1.606| 30.859 | - |1859}| | | | | | | - +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+--------+ - - -The Rev. Mr. Hope, who has been indefatigable in his efforts to -promote the interest of his adopted country, quotes the following -passage from the Toronto _Globe_ of September 21st, 1860, to show -that people at home are much mistaken in considering Canada a -region of frost and snow. - - “The display of fruit, in quantity and quality, surpassed what - has been shown at any previous Exhibition. The results in this - department were very satisfactory, proving that the climate of - Canada admirably adapts it for the raising of many of the most - valuable kinds of fruit. One of the principal exhibitors was Mr. - Beadle of St. Catharine’s nurseries. On one side of the central - stand in the Crystal Palace, he had 115 plates of apples, pears, - peaches, &c., and 30 jars of cherries, currants, raspberries, - blackberries, &c. Mr. Beadle exhibited ten varieties of peaches - grown in the open air. Several of these varieties were of - very large dimensions, and were much admired for the delicate - richness of their tints. He exhibited also numerous varieties - of apples; 41 in one collection of three of each sort, and 20 - in another collection of six of each sort. He had also a large - show of pears, comprising a large number of varieties. Among - the varieties of open-air grapes shown by Mr. Beadle, were the - Blood-blacks, the Delaware, the Diana, the Northern Muscadine, - the Perkins, Sage’s Mammoth, and the Wild Fox.” - -In 1828, when the whole population of Upper Canada amounted to -185,500 inhabitants, the number of acres under agricultural -improvement was 570,000, or about 3-1/14 for each individual; in -1851 the average for each inhabitant was very nearly four acres. -The comparative progress of Upper and Lower Canada, in bringing -the forest-clad wilderness into cultivation, may be inferred from -the following table:-- - - LOWER CANADA. UPPER CANADA. - - Year. No. acres cultivated. No. acres cultivated. - 1831 2,065,913 818,432 - 1844 2,802,317 2,166,101 - 1851 3,605,376 3,695,763 - -Hence, in a period of twenty years, Lower Canada increased her -cultivated acres by ·75, and Upper Canada by 3·5. Before proceeding -to describe in detail the progress of agriculture in Upper Canada, -it will be advisable to glance at the efforts made by societies -and the Government of the Province to elevate the condition of -husbandry in all its departments, and to induce the people at large -to join hand in hand in the march of improvement. - -The Board of Agriculture for Lower Canada took decisive steps -during the year 1862 to secure the proper disbursements of the -provincial grant, and to devote liberal awards of public money -to the promotion of agricultural industry in all its important -branches. The Lower Canadian Provincial Shows had previously -partaken more of the character of an agricultural festival than of -a meeting for the purpose of securing the progress of the Science -and Art of Agriculture by fair and open competition and peaceful -rivalry. In this respect they differed materially from the same -annual expositions in Upper Canada, where astonishing advances -in the proper direction had been made. The Board determined to -establish an Agricultural Museum, and to give assistance to -county societies towards the importation of improved breeds of -horses, cattle and sheep. The Board is willing to advance to any -society funds for the purchase of stock, retaining one-third of -the annual government allowance for three successive years to -discharge the debt thus incurred. If this new spirit of enterprise -should continue, the progress of agriculture in Lower Canada will -be much accelerated. Although it must be acknowledged that in the -face of many difficulties, national prejudices, and peculiarities -of character, a very marked improvement has taken place in many -departments of husbandry, and in many parts of the Lower Province, -much, very much, remains to be done. The influence exercised by the -Agricultural School at St. Anne is already favourably felt, and -this establishment appears likely to work a beneficial change in -Lower Canadian husbandry. The details of its operations show its -great utility. - -The indirect assistance given by the Imperial Government to -Agriculture in Upper Canada dates from a much earlier period than -the encouragement given to Agricultural Societies by the Provincial -Government; for we find among the donations of George III. to -the U. E. Loyalists the old English plough. It consisted of a -small piece of iron fixed to the coulter, having the shape of the -letter L, the shank of which went through the wooden beam, the -foot forming the point, which was sharpened for use. One handle, -and a plank split from a curved piece of timber, which did the -duty of a mold-board, completed the rude implement. At that time -the traces and leading lines were made of the bark of the elm or -bass-wood, which was manufactured by the early settlers into a -strong rope. About the year 1808 the “hog-plough” was imported -from the United States; and in 1815 a plough with a cast-iron share -and mold-board, all in one piece, was one of the first implements, -requiring more than an ordinary degree of mechanical skill, -which was manufactured in the province. The seeds of improvement -were then sown, and while in the address of the President at the -Frontenac Cattle Show in 1833, we observe attention called to the -necessity for further improvement in the ploughs common throughout -the country, we witness, in 1855, splendid fruit at the Paris -Exhibition. In a notice of the trial of ploughs at Trappes, the -_Journal d’Agriculture Pratique_ makes the following reference to -a Canadian plough: “The ploughing tests were brought to a close -by a trial of two ploughs equally remarkable--to wit, the plough -of Ransome and Sims, of Suffolk, England, and that of Bingham, of -Norwich, Upper Canada. The first is of wood and iron, like all the -English ploughs, and the results which it produced seemed most -satisfactory, but it appeared to require a little more draught -than the Howard plough. Bingham’s plough very much resembles the -English plough; it is very fine and light in its build; the handles -are longer than ordinary, which makes the plough much more easy to -manage. The opinion of the French labourers and workmen who were -there, appeared, on the whole, very favourable to this plough.” - -The following extracts from Mr. Hogan’s book are as truthful as -they are eloquent:-- - - “Great as has been the prosperity of America, and of the - settlements which mark the magnificent country just described, - yet nature has not been wooed in them without trials, nor have - her treasures been won without a struggle worthy of their worth. - Those who have been in the habit of passing _early clearings_ in - Upper Canada must have been struck with the cheerless and lonely, - even desolate appearance of the first settler’s little log hut. - In the midst of a dense forest, and with a ‘patch of clearing’ - scarcely large enough to let the sun shine in upon him, he looks - not unlike a person struggling for existence on a single plank in - the middle of an ocean. For weeks, often for months, he sees not - the face of a stranger. The same still, and wild, and boundless - forest every morning rises up to his view; and his only hope - against its shutting him in for life rests in the axe upon his - shoulder. A few blades of corn, peeping up between stumps whose - very roots interlace, they are so close together, are his sole - safeguards against want; whilst the few potato plants, in little - far-between ‘hills,’ and which struggle for existence against - the briar bush and luxuriant underwood, are to form the seeds of - his future plenty. Tall pine trees, girdled and blackened by the - fires, stand out as grim monuments of the prevailing loneliness, - whilst the forest itself, like an immense wall round a fortress, - seems to say to the settler,--‘how can poverty ever expect to - escape from such a prison house.’ - - “That little clearing--for I describe a reality--which to others - might afford such slender guarantee for bare subsistence, was - nevertheless a source of bright and cheering dreams to that - lonely settler. He looked at it, and instead of thinking of its - littleness, it was the foundation of great hopes of a large farm - and rich cornfields to him. And this very dream, or poetry, or - what you will, cheered him at his lonely toil, and made him - contented with his rude fire-side. The blades of corn, which - you might regard as conveying but a tantalising idea of human - comforts, were associated by him with large stacks and full - granaries; and the very thought nerved his arm, and made him - happy. - - “Seven years afterwards I passed that same settler’s cottage--it - was in the valley of the Grand River in Upper Canada, not far - from the present village of Caledonia. The little log hut - was used as a back kitchen to a neat two story frame house, - painted white. A large barn stood near by, with stock of every - description in its yard. The stumps, round which the blades - of corn, when I last saw the place, had so much difficulty in - springing up, had nearly all disappeared. Luxuriant Indian corn - had sole possession of the place where the potatoes had so hard - a struggle against the briar bushes and the underwood. The - forest--dense, impenetrable though it seemed--had been pushed far - back by the energetic arm of man. A garden, bright with flowers, - and enclosed in a neat picket fence, fronted the house; a young - orchard spread out in rear. I met a farmer as I was quitting the - scene, returning from church with his wife and family. It was - on a Sunday, and there was nothing in their appearance, save - perhaps a healthy brown colour in their faces, to distinguish - them from persons of wealth in cities. The waggon they were - in, their horses, harness, dresses, everything about them, in - short, indicated comfort and easy circumstances. I enquired of - the man--who was the owner of the property I have just been - describing? ‘It is mine, sir,’ he replied; ‘I settled on it nine - years ago, and have, thank God, had tolerable success.’ - - “There is, perhaps, no class in the world who live better--I - mean who have a greater abundance of the comforts of life--than - men having cleared farms, and who know how to make a proper use - of them, in Upper Canada. The imports of the country show that - they dress not only well, but in many things expensively. You - go into a church or meeting-house in any part of the province - which has been settled for fifteen or twenty years, and you are - struck at once with the fabrics, as well as the style of the - dresses worn by both sexes, but especially by the young. The same - shawls, and bonnets, and gowns which you see in cities, are worn - by the women, whilst the coats of the men are undistinguishable - from those worn by professional men and merchants in towns. A - circumstance which I witnessed some years ago, in travelling - from Simcoe to Brantford--two towns in the interior of the - province--will serve to convey an idea of the taste as well as - the means of enjoyment of these people. At an ordinary Methodist - meeting-house, in the centre of a rural settlement, and ten - miles from a village or town, there were _twenty-three pleasure - carriages_, double and single, standing in waiting. The occasion - was a quarterly meeting, and these were the conveyances of the - farmers who came to attend it. Yet twenty years before, and this - was a wilderness; twenty years before, and many of these people - were working as labourers, and were not possessed of a pair of - oxen; twenty years before, and these things exceeded even their - brightest dreams of prosperity. - - “The settler who nobly pushes back the giant wilderness, and - hews out for himself a home upon the conquered territory, has - necessarily but a bony hand and a rough visage to present to - advancing civilisation. His children, too, are timid, and wild, - and uncouth. But a stranger comes in; buys the little improvement - on the next lot to him; has children who are educated, and a - wife with refined tastes,--for such people mark, in greater or - less numbers, every settlement in Upper Canada. The necessities - of the new comer soon bring about an acquaintance with the - old pioneer. Their families meet--timid and awkward enough at - first, perhaps; but children know not the conventionalities of - society, and, happily, are governed by their innocence in their - friendships. So they play together, go to school in company; - and thus, imperceptibly to themselves, are the tastes and - manners of the educated imparted to the rude, and the energy and - fortitude of the latter are infused into their more effeminate - companions. Manly but ill-tutored success is thus taught how to - enjoy its gains, whilst respectable poverty is instructed how - to better its condition. That pride occasionally puts itself to - inconvenience to prevent these pleasant results, my experience - of Canada forces me to admit; and that the jealousy and vanity - of mere success sometimes views with unkindness the manner and - habit of reduced respectability--never perhaps more exacting - than when it is poorest--I must also acknowledge. But that the - great law of progress, and the influence of free institutions, - break down these exceptional feelings and prejudices, is - patent to every close observer of Canadian society. Where the - educated and refined undergo the changes incident to laborious - occupations--for the constant use of the axe and the plough - alters men’s feelings as well as their appearances,--and where - rude industry is also changed by the success which gives it the - benefit of education, it is impossible for the two classes not - to meet. As the one goes down--at least in its occupations,--it - meets the other coming up by reason of its successes, and both - eventually occupy the same pedestal. I have seen this social - problem worked out over and over again in Upper Canada, and have - never known the result different. Pride, in America, must ‘stoop - to conquer;’ rude industry rises always. - - “The manner of living of the Upper Canadian farmer may be summed - up in few words. He has plenty, and he enjoys it. The native - Canadians almost universally, and a large proportion of the old - country people, sit at the same table with their servants or - labourers. They eat meat twice, and many of them thrice a day: it - being apparently more a matter of taste than of economy as to the - number of times. Pork is what they chiefly consume. There being a - great abundance of fruit, scarcely a cleared farm is without an - orchard; and it is to be found preserved in various ways on every - farmer’s table. Milk is in great abundance, even in the early - settler’s houses, for where there is little pasture there are - sure to be large woods, and ‘brouse,’ or the tops of the branches - of trees, supply the place of hay. The sweetest bread I have - eaten in America I have eaten in the farmers’ houses of Upper - Canada. They usually grind the ‘shorts’ with the flour for home - consumption, and as their wheat is among the finest in the world, - the bread is at once wholesome and exceedingly delicious. Were - I asked what is the characteristic of Canadian farmers, I would - unhesitatingly answer ‘Plenty!’” - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - - Reciprocal Rights--American Ideas of Reciprocity--The Ad Valorem - System--Commercial Improvements--Trade with America--The Ottawa - Route--The Saskatchewan--Fertility of the Country--Water - Communication--The Maritime Provinces--Area and Population. - - -The absence of a winter port is an evil to Canada, for which no -energy and no advantages can compensate. Although Halifax has a -magnificent harbour, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia offer but small -facilities for winter navigation; and the day seems distant when -the great railroad of which so much has been spoken and written -shall open the communication between England and the remotest -portions of the vast empire which reaches from the Atlantic to the -Pacific. - -The position of Canada threw her into close relations with the -United States, and the result of her geographical condition was -the Reciprocity Treaty, which has caused so much discussion and -discontent on both sides of the St. Lawrence, and which the -Government of the Federal States has now given notice to terminate. - -In March, 1862, the report of the Committee of the Executive -Council, to which an able paper of Mr. Galt, then Finance Minister, -had been referred, advised that the views and suggestions therein -expressed by Mr. Galt should be adopted, and that report was -approved by Lord Monck. Mr. Galt’s Report was founded on a -reference made to him of the report of the Committee on Commerce -of the House of Representatives at Washington respecting the -Reciprocity Treaty, and of a memorial from the Chamber of Commerce -of Minnesota. - -The House of Representatives reported in favour of a system -resembling that of the “Zollverein” as the only means of securing -the benefits of reciprocal trade, and recommended as desirable -a uniform system of lighthouses, copyrights, postage, patents, -telegraphs, weights and measures, and coinage. - -This was a favourite scheme of the late Senator Douglas; -and if the American Government had exhibited any desire to -diminish the rigours of Morrill Tariffs and of State protective -enactments, we might applaud the liberality of their views and -the noble candour of their conclusions. They believed that “free -commercial intercourse between the United States and the British -North-American Provinces, developing the natural, geographical, -and other advantages of each for the good of all, is conducive -to the present interests of each, and is the proper basis of our -intercourse for all time to come”--sentiments certainly noble, -if somewhat vaguely expressed. We will see presently how Mr. -Galt deals with the practical rendering of them by the Federal -Government. The Reciprocity Treaty, negotiated between Lord Elgin -and Mr. Marcey in June, 1854, was entered into to avoid further -misunderstanding in regard to the extent of the right of fishing on -the coasts of British North America, and to regulate the commerce -and navigation between the respective territories and people in -such a manner as to render the same reciprocally beneficial and -satisfactory. - -The Convention secured to American fishermen the liberty of -taking, curing, and drying fish on the British North-American -coast generally; the Treaty extended to them the liberty to take -fish of every kind (except shellfish) along the coast of Canada, -New Brunswick, Prince Edward’s Island, &c., with permission to -land, to dry nets, and cure fish, without any restrictions as to -distance from shore--reserving only the right of private property -and the salmon and shad-fishings in the rivers; and the same -rights were conceded to British subjects on the eastern sea-coasts -of the United States north of the 36th parallel of latitude. It -provided that the following articles should be admitted duty-free -reciprocally:--Grain, flour and breadstuffs, animals, fresh and -salt meat, cotton seed and vegetables, fruit, fish, poultry, hides -and skins, butter, cheese, tallow, lard, horns, manure, ores, coal, -stone, slate, pitch, turpentine, timber and lumber, plants, firs, -gypsum, grindstones, dye-stuffs, flax, rags, and unmanufactured -tobacco. It gave to Americans the right to navigate the St. -Lawrence and the Canadian canals, subject to the tolls, and it -gave to British subjects the right to navigate Lake Michigan; but -it reserved to the British Government the right of suspending, on -due notice, the privileges of Canadian navigation, in which event -the right of British subjects to navigate Lake Michigan should -also cease and determine, and the United States should have the -right of suspending the free import and export of the articles -specified. But here, it will be observed, there was a one-sided -reciprocity. The Americans received, absolutely, the right of -using all the canals in Canada from the British Government; the -Government of the United States conferred no such privilege -reciprocally on British subjects. All they did--perhaps all they -could do in consonance with the doctrine of States Rights they -are so busily engaged at present in destroying--was to engage to -urge on the State Governments to secure to the subjects of Her -Britannic Majesty the use of the several ship-canals on terms of -equality with the inhabitants of the United States. It was also -provided that “American lumber floated down to St. John and shipped -to the United States from New Brunswick should be free of duty.” -This treaty was to remain in force for ten years from the date at -which it came into operation, and further until the expiration of -twelve months after either of the contracting parties gave notice -to the other of its wish to terminate the same--each of them being -at liberty to give notice at the end of the ten years, or at -any time afterwards. This treaty expired on the 11th September, -1864, since which time the United States and Great Britain have -been free to give notice of the termination of its provisions, -to take effect in twelve months after the date of the notice. Of -this power, as already stated, the United States Government has -availed itself. An exception to the operation of the treaty is made -in the case of Newfoundland, in respect to which its provisions -hold good till December 12th, 1865. The State of New York, by its -Legislature, urged Congress to protect the United States from what -they denounced as an “unequal and unjust system of commerce.” They -asserted that nearly all the articles which Canada has to sell are -admitted into the United States free of duty, whilst heavy duties -are imposed on many articles of American manufacture, with the -intention of excluding them from the Canadian market; and that -discriminating tolls and duties, in favour of an isolating and -exclusive policy against American merchants and forwarders, to -destroy the effect of the treaty and in opposition to its spirit, -have been adopted by Canada; and on these grounds they demanded -a change in the system of commerce now existing, to protect the -interests of the United States in the manner intended by the treaty. - -The Canadian Minister, in reply, observed that the treaty made -no mention whatever of the matters complained of, and, in a very -lucid argument, charges against the Legislature of the United -States the very same grounds of complaint as the Committee alleged -against Canada. No accusation of an infraction of the treaty is -made, and therefore the subjects treated of in the Report affect -the commercial relations and not the good faith of the contracting -parties. The Committee accuse Canada of violating the spirit and -intent of the treaty, by an increase of duties on manufactured -articles, by a change in the mode of levying duties, and by -abolishing tolls on the St. Lawrence canals and river; but Mr. -Galt contends that the treaty had nothing to do with manufactures, -but was expressly limited to the growth and produce of the two -countries mentioned in the schedule. Those articles not enumerated -in it are necessarily excluded from its operations, and must be -made the subject of special legislation between the two States -before any act of either respecting the mode of their admission can -be made ground of remonstrance. - -As a proof of the narrow spirit in which these fine declaimers -about “liberty of commerce and reciprocity of trading advantages” -have dealt with the treaty, it may be mentioned that they imposed -duties on planks in part planed, tongued, or grooved, and on flour -ground in Canada from American wheat, and on lumber made in Canada -out of American logs. The Canadian Government, however, have -maintained, both against the Americans and the mother country, -their right to decide for themselves both as to the mode and the -extent to which taxation should be imposed. Declamations against a -policy of Protection come indeed with a bad grace from the United -States; and Mr. Galt, in suppressed sarcasm and irony, shows that -their doctrine of Free Trade with Canada really means an exclusive -protection for themselves against the manufactures of Great Britain. - -If the gentlemen who composed the elaborate Report, bristling -all over with generous sentiments and with the expression of the -most enlightened and liberal doctrines, could blush, they might -well perform that interesting operation when reading Mr. Galt’s -reply. Canada admits the registration of foreign vessels without -charge; the United States do not. Canada has sought admission to -the great lakes for coasters; the United States refuse. Canada -allows American vessels to pass free through her canals; not a -Canadian vessel is allowed, even on payment of toll, to enter an -American canal. The promise in the treaty, that the Government of -Washington would urge on the States the concession of a right to -navigate their canals on equal terms with American subjects, has -not been kept; at least, there is no trace of any effort having -been made to induce the State Legislatures to relax their present -extreme policy, which is in strong contrast with the professions -of their Committee-men. Canada permits foreign goods bought in the -United States to be imported on the payment of duty on the original -invoice; the United States will not permit similar purchases to -be made in Canada. Tea imported from Canada is weighted with duty -of ten per cent., while the duties under the Canadian tariff are -very much lower than those levied in America. The permission to -pass goods under bond through the States conferred an obvious -advantage on American railroads; but, indeed, the Committee were -fain to admit that the United States had not established a fair -reciprocity, inasmuch as they recommend that reciprocity should be -made complete. Duties have been imposed in the United States for -purposes of Protection, and they can scarcely bring accusations -against Canada until they have established a system of duties as -low as those of Canada. The _ad valorem_ system of Canada, against -which the Committee protest, is the system of the United States; -for tea and sugar there is a discriminating duty in favour of -American vessels of twenty per cent. Duty is levied in Canada -solely for purposes of revenue: and though this policy, which has -led the late Minister and his predecessors to reduce tolls and -customs-dues to a minimum, has alarmed the canal and ship-owners -and railway-directors of New York, it is viewed with approbation by -the great Western States. - - “It is,” says Mr. Galt, “a singular charge to make of - discrimination on our part against them, that we do not permit - one section of our public works to be used for purposes - exclusively beneficial to them, when they absolutely, and - contrary to the engagements of the treaty, debar any Canadian - vessel from entering their waters, if we except Lake Michigan, - specially mentioned in the treaty. Surely Canada does enough for - them when she places them precisely on the same footing as she - does her own vessels; and it is a novel doctrine that because the - whole St. Lawrence is made free, therefore an injury is done to - the New York route. The remedy is simple, and in their own hands: - let them do as Canada has done--repeal the tolls on their canals, - and admit Canadian vessels to ply upon them--and then the desired - state of ‘fair competition’ will have arisen. But the Committee - must have formed but a low estimate of the intelligence of their - own people in the West, when they make it a subject of complaint - against Canada that she has opened the St. Lawrence freely to - their trade. The undersigned apprehends that the inhabitants - of those great States will be much more likely to demand from - their own Government an equitable application of their own - customs-laws, so as to permit them to import direct _viâ_ the St. - Lawrence, and to buy in the Canadian market, rather than to join - with the Committee in requiring a return to a system by which the - entire West has hitherto been held in vassalage to the State of - New York.” - -Mr. Galt argues that an increase of customs-duties does not, -necessarily, injuriously affect foreign trade within certain -limits, and that those limits have not been exceeded in Canada. -Formerly the cost of British goods in Canada was much enhanced, -owing to natural causes, whilst Canadian producers obtained a -minimum price for their exports. The duty was then generally 2½ -per cent., but the price was enormous; and the Canadian suffered, -_pro tanto_, in his means to purchase them. Suppose the duties, -increased five per cent., were to produce a reduction of ten -per cent. on other charges, “the benefit,” says Mr. Galt, “would -accrue equally to the British manufacturer and to the consumer; -the consumer would pay five per cent. more to the Government, but -ten per cent. less to the merchant and forwarder.” As Mr. Galt -considers the principle of Canadian finance and customs to be -misapprehended in England as well as in the United States, it may -be as well to give his own words:-- - - “The Government has increased the duties for the purpose of - enabling them to meet the interest on the public works necessary - to reduce all the various charges upon the imports and exports - of the country. Lighthouses have been built, and steamships - subsidised, to reduce the charges for freight and insurance; the - St. Lawrence has been deepened, and the canals constructed, to - reduce the cost of inland navigation to a minimum; railways have - been assisted, to give speed, safety, and permanency to trade - interrupted by the severity of winter. All these improvements - have been undertaken with the twofold object of diminishing the - cost to the consumer of what he imports, and of increasing the - _net_ result of the labour of the country when finally realised - in Great Britain. These great improvements could not be effected - without large outlays; and the burthen necessarily had to be put - either through direct taxation, or by customs-duties on the goods - imported, or upon the trade by excessive tolls corresponding - with the rates previously charged. Direct taxation was the - medium employed, through the local municipalities, for the - construction of all minor local works--roads, court-houses and - gaols, education, and the vast variety of objects required in a - newly-settled country; and this source of taxation has thus been - used to the full extent which is believed practicable without - producing serious discontent. No one can, for a moment, argue - that, in an enlightened age, any Government could adopt such - a clumsy mode of raising money as to maintain excessive rates - of tolls; nor would it have attained the object, as American - channels of trade were created simultaneously, that would - then have defied competition. The only effect, therefore, of - attempting such course would have been to give the United States - the complete control of our markets, and virtually to exclude - British goods. The only other course was therefore adopted, - and the producer has been required to pay, through increased - customs-duties, for the vastly greater deductions he secured - through the improvements referred to. What, then, has been the - result to the British manufacturer? His goods are, it is true, - in many cases subjected to 20 per cent. instead of 2½ per cent., - but the cost to the consumer has been diminished in a very much - greater degree; and the aggregate of cost, original price, duty, - freight, and charges are now very much less than when the duty - was 2½ per cent., and consequently the _legitimate protection_ - to the home-manufacturer is to this extent diminished. Nor is - this all: the interest of the British manufacturer is not merely - that he shall be able to lay down his goods at the least cost to - the consumer, but equally is he interested in the ability of the - consumer to buy. Now, this latter point is attained precisely - through the same means which have cheapened the goods. The - produce of Canada is now increased in value exactly in proportion - to the saving on the cost of delivering it in the market of - consumption. - - “If the aggregate of cost to the consumer remained the same now - as it was before the era of canals and railroads in Canada, what - possible difference would it make to the British manufacturers - whether the excess over the cost in Great Britain were paid - to the Government or to merchants and forwarders? It would - certainly not in any way affect the question of the protection - to home-manufacturers: but when it can be clearly shown that by - the action of the Government, in raising funds through increased - customs-duties, the cost to the consumer is now very much less, - upon what ground can the British manufacturer complain that these - duties have been restrictive on his trade? - - “The undersigned might truly point to the rapid increase in - the population and wealth of Canada, arising from its policy - of improvement, whereby its ability of consumption has been so - largely increased. He might also show that these improvements - have, in a great degree, also tended to the rapid advance of - the Western States, and to their increased ability to purchase - British goods. He might point to the fact that the grain supplied - from the Western States and Canada keeps down prices in Great - Britain, and therefore enables the British manufacturer to - produce still cheaper. But he prefers resting his case, as to - the propriety of imposing increased customs-duties, solely on - the one point, that through that increase the cost of British - manufactured goods, including duty, has been reduced to the - Canadian consumer, and that consequently the increase has in its - results, viewing the whole trade, tended to an augmentation of - the market for British goods.” - -In a tabular statement it is shown that the average amount of duty -levied on imports from the United States in 1861 is the same as -the average of the previous twelve years, that the variations have -been very slight, and that the rate per cent. was less than half -what it had been a few years before, whilst American trade has been -steadily increasing. Under the operation of the treaty, the imports -from the United States, in 1861, were nearly trebled, and the -exports from Canada to the United States were nearly quadrupled; -the whole amount of trade in 1851 being, in round numbers, -12,500,000 dollars, which was increased to 24,000,000 dollars in -1854, and to 35,500,000 dollars in 1861. These advantages may be -still further extended without injury to either nation or to the -just claims of Great Britain to an equality in the Canadian market; -and Mr. Galt professed himself quite ready for the abolition of -the coasting laws on inland waters--of all discrimination as to -nationality in respect of vessels--the free import of wooden wares, -agricultural implements, machinery, and books--the assimilation -of the patent-laws: but he totally opposes the project of a -Zollverein, on the ground that it would be inconsistent with the -maintenance of connexion with Great Britain, inasmuch as Canada -would be called upon to tax goods of British manufacture, while she -admitted those of the United States free. - -“Great Britain is,” he observes, “the market for Canadian produce -to a far greater extent than the United States.” The United States -would necessarily impose her views on the Zollverein, and “the -result would be,” says Mr. Galt, “a tariff not, as now, based on -the simple wants of Canada, but upon those of a country engaged in -a colossal war.” It must be regretted, notwithstanding Mr. Galt’s -arguments, that the Canadian tariff is so high; but if she be -called upon to incur a fresh debt for the purposes of defence, it -is more likely that it will be increased rather than diminished. -In connection with the relations of Canada and the West to the -United States, the opening of new water-ways and roads becomes of -paramount interest and importance. - -In March, 1863, a Select Committee was appointed by the Legislative -Assembly to investigate the subject of a navigable line between -Montreal and Lake Huron, by the Ottawa and Matawan Rivers, Lake -Nipissing, and French River. That Committee reported that there -were no engineering difficulties to interfere with the opening of -this route for vessels of every class up to the draught of twelve -feet, and that it would shorten the line to Chicago 350 miles, -the exact difference in favour of the Ottawa communication from -Montreal to Mackinaw being 68 miles. In point of time there would -be a reduction of 47 hours. The trade between the Western States -and the sea has increased to such an extent during the last four -years, that 120,000,000 of bushels of wheat and grain stood in need -of transport, according to the last calculation; and even with its -present communications, Montreal is second only to New York as a -grain-exporting port, the quantity shipped last year from it being -over 15,000,000 of bushels. The Ottawa route would actually be the -shortest line of communication between the ports on Lake Michigan -and New York itself by 150 miles, when the Champlain Canal shall -have been made, and the Northern Canal enlarged. - -The tract through which the proposed line would pass, exceeding -in area the whole of the five New England States, is covered with -a wealth of timber surpassing belief; and the forestless prairies -would furnish a market valuable as gold itself to the lumberer. -Vessels going down and discharging their cargoes would return -with cargoes of timber, the demand for which in the West is so -great, that the city of Chicago consumes alone 100,000_l._ worth -in the year. Canadian pines would be in demand to construct the -new cities which are rising in the Prairie State, and to keep the -hearth fires alight through their rigid winters. The effect of -such a line in developing local traffic, agricultural improvement, -commercial enterprise, and the spread of civilisation, cannot be -over-estimated. In reference to the military advantages to be -derived from its construction, the Committee makes but a meagre -reference; but it is obvious that by securing such a route, far -removed from a foreign frontier, between the sea and the western -lakes, the means of defence and of transport in war would be very -much strengthened and improved. - -The St. Lawrence canals can be destroyed, as Mr. Chamley observes, -by the Americans, without their being obliged to land a man in -Canada; whilst by the Ottawa route gunboats could proceed from -the St. Lawrence to Lake Huron in less time than they would now -require to get to Lake Erie. It is not to be overlooked, however, -that the higher latitudes through which the canal would run, expose -the waters to a longer frost and necessary cessation of traffic. -The advantages of the route to New York and to other North-Eastern -States of America, can only be gained by completing the proposed -Cooknawoogo Canal, between the St. Lawrence and Lake Champlain, -and it is doubtful whether the jealousy of the Americans would -not prevent their furthering a project which would confer great -benefits on the Provinces, even though their refusing to do so -might deprive them of certain advantages. This line would, in fact, -give us or the Canadians an admirable interior communication, -and at the same time confer military, political, and commercial -benefits on the Provinces, the extent of which cannot be easily -foreseen. - -Mr. Galt admits that there may be jealousies, though he protests -there should not be, and calls to mind the opposition of Mohawk -Dutchmen, the Frenchmen of Detroit, and others, to the Erie Canal. -If the plans for improving the communications which have been -suggested should ever be developed, the valley of Red River would -be reached without much difficulty, and land as good as that in the -unsettled portions of Iowa and Minnesota would be opened to the -British emigrant. - -In the valleys of the Saskatchewan and Assiniboine, Canada -possesses a vast north-west of her own, enjoying a mild climate, -which contains, according to one of the witnesses whose opinion -is cited by the Committee, 500,000 square miles of fertile land, -capable of sustaining a population of nearly 30,000,000 of people. - -It has been ascertained beyond doubt, that the tract between the -North and South Saskatchewan on the east is exceedingly fertile, -and that no intense cold prevails throughout an enormous region of -rich prairies on cretaceous and tertiary deposits. It is scarcely -possible for us to conceive what an enormous expanse of fertile -land lies to the east of the Rocky Mountains, about the sources -of those rivers; but there are too many witnesses of unmistakeable -veracity to render us sceptical concerning the beauty and -capabilities of these regions. Could the poor emigrant be carried -to these fertile districts, instead of sinking into the rowdyism of -American cities, or beating down the rate of wages by competition, -he would find at least a comfortable subsistence, even if he were -unable at once to obtain a profitable market for his labours. - -Father de Smet, the missionary, a man whose name is a tower of -strength and faith, describes a district which makes us wonder -that poverty should ever be known in Europe, and corroborates -the glowing picture of Sir George Simpson:--a soil and climate -better suited for agriculture than that of Toronto--a region -abounding in game of all kinds, rivers and lakes swarming with -fish, plains covered with buffaloes--seams of coal--delicious -wild fruits--forests of pine, cypress, poplar, and aspen. Even at -Edmonton, potatoes, wheat and barley, corn and beans, are produced -in abundance. “Are these vast and innumerable fields of hay,” -asks Father de Smet, “for ever destined to be consumed by fire, -or perish in wintry snows? How long shall these superb forests be -the haunts of wild beasts? Are these abundant mines of coal, lead, -sulphur, iron, copper, and saltpetre doomed to remain for ever -valueless? No; the day must come when the hand of labour shall give -them value, and stirring and enterprising people are destined ere -long to fill this void; the wild beasts will give place to domestic -animals; flocks and herds will graze on the beautiful meadows, and -the mountain-sides and valleys will swarm with life.” - -Before this picture, however, be realised, some communication -must be opened east or west between the community and the outer -world; and if the British Government does not take some steps to -secure a settlement of these regions by its own subjects, the -irresistible agency of American emigration will erase mere lines -upon the map, and determine the question of nationality beyond the -power of appeal or alteration. It is agreeable to admit that the -inhabitants of the State of Minnesota have not hitherto evinced -any design of raising difficulties as to jurisdiction, or of -disturbing the relations between the two Governments. In fact, the -St. Paul Chamber of Commerce, in 1862, presented a strong memorial -against the proposal to suspend or abrogate the provisions of the -Reciprocity Treaty. This memorial says:-- - - “Central British America, including an inhabitable area of - 300,000 square miles, and extending north-west of Minnesota to - the Rocky Mountains, will probably be organised as a crown colony - of England, with the seat of government at Selkirk. There is good - reason to believe that a bill for this purpose will become an Act - of Parliament at the session now impending. British Columbia, - on the Pacific coast, having received a similar organisation - in 1858, the establishment of the province of Central British - America will go far to realise the hope so gracefully expressed - three years since from the throne of England: ‘That her Majesty’s - dominions in North America may ultimately be peopled in an - unbroken chain from the Atlantic to the Pacific, by a loyal and - industrious population of subjects of the British crown.’ - - “Minnesota, with the co-operation of the Government at - Washington, has relied with confidence upon the probability - of such a colonisation of the fertile valleys which stretch - beyond the international boundary, from the lakes of Superior - and Winnipeg, or the western limits of Canada, to the Pacific - colony of British Columbia. Our mails, our trains of regular - transportation, and our steam-vessels on the Red River of the - North, are already provided as important links of international - communication from Toronto to St. Paul, and thence to Fort - Garry. The projected railroads of Minnesota, with extensive - grants of land from Congress in behalf of their construction, - harmonise in a north-western trend to the valleys of the Red - River of the North, and the still more remote Saskatchewan. Our - whole commercial future has been projected in concert with the - victories of peace, even more renowned than war, of which we - still hope to witness the achievement in north-west America, - irrespective of the imaginary line of an international frontier. - - “Animated by these expectations, which the march of events has - hitherto justified, we invoke the ‘sober second thought’ of - the country upon the subject of our continental policy. With - the suppression of the Southern rebellion; with dispassionate - discussions by all the parties interested; with the happy - accord of minds like Cobden in England and Chase in America - upon the best methods of revenue; and lastly, with the lessons - and suggestions of the next three years, a treaty, eminently - deserving the designation of a reciprocity treaty, will probably - be submitted to the Congress of 1864.” - -When the Committee of Commerce, to which the Legislature of New -York referred its petition against the Reciprocity Treaty, made -their report, they gave expression to very different sentiments; -and enlarged on the magnitude of the present possessions of -the British Crown on the American continent, and the probable -grandeur of their future, in a manner which indicated certainly -the existence of a feeling not far removed from jealousy. With -great truth they say, that the value of the British North-American -possessions is seldom appreciated: stretching from the Atlantic -to the Pacific, they contain an area of at least 3,478,380 -square miles. The isothermal line of 60 degrees for summer rises -on the interior plains of this continent as high as the 61st -parallel,--its average position in Europe. And a favourable -comparison may also be traced for winter and other seasons in the -year. Then, elevated by the subject, and warming by degrees, the -Committee draw a glowing picture of this enormous empire. “Spring -opens simultaneously,” they say, “on the plains, which stretch -for 1200 miles, from St. Paul’s to the McKenzie River. Westward -are countries of still milder climate, now scarcely inhabited, -but of incalculable value in the future. Eastward are the small -settlements, yet distant from the other abodes of civilisation, -enjoying the rich lands and pleasant climate of the Red River.” It -may well surprise the inhabitants of these isles, who have not got -100 miles of natural navigable rivers in the three kingdoms, to -learn that this same Red River is capable of steamboat navigation -for 400 miles. - -The following extract from this Report gives perhaps the best idea -of the British Possessions in a few words which can be presented to -the reader: - - “It is asserted by those who add personal knowledge of the - subject to scientific investigation, that the habitable but - undeveloped area of the British Possessions westerly from Lake - Superior and Hudson’s Bay, comprises sufficient territory to - make twenty-five States equal in size to Illinois. Bold as this - assertion is, it meets with confirmation in the isothermal charts - of Blodgett, the testimony of Richardson, Simpson, Mackenzie, - the maps published by the Government of Canada, and the recent - explorations of Professor Hind, of Toronto. - - “North of a line drawn from the northern limit of Lake Superior - to the coast at the southern limit of Labrador exists a vast - region, possessing in its best parts a climate barely endurable, - and reaching into the Arctic regions. This country, even more - cold, desolate, and barren on the Atlantic coast than in the - interior latitudes, becoming first known to travellers, has given - character in public estimation to the whole north. - - “Another line, drawn from the northern limit of Minnesota to that - of Maine, includes nearly all the inhabited portion of Canada, a - province extending opposite the Territory of Dakota and States - of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, - Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, possessing a climate identical - with that of our Northern States. - - “The ‘Maritime Provinces’ on the Atlantic coast include New - Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward’s Island, and Newfoundland. - Geographically they may be regarded as a north-easterly - prolongation of the New England system. Unitedly they include - an area of at least 86,000 square miles, and are capable of - supporting a larger population than that at present existing in - the United States or Great Britain. They are equal in extent to - the united territory of Holland, Greece, Belgium, Portugal, and - Switzerland. - - “New Brunswick is 190 miles in length and 150 in breadth. - Its interests are inseparably connected with those of the - adjacent State of Maine. It has an area of 22,000,000 acres, - and a seacoast 400 miles in extent, and abounding in harbours. - Its population some years ago numbered 210,000, whose chief - occupations are connected with shipbuilding, the fisheries, and - the timber trade. Commissioners appointed by the Government of - Great Britain affirm that it is impossible to speak too highly of - its climate, soil, and capabilities. Few countries are so well - wooded and watered. On its unreclaimed surface is an abundant - stock of the finest timber; beneath are coal fields. The rivers, - lakes, and seacoast abound with fish. - - “Nova Scotia, a long peninsula, united to the American continent - by an isthmus only fifteen miles wide, is 280 miles in length. - The numerous indentations on its coast form harbours unsurpassed - in any part of the world. Including Cape Breton, it has an area - of 12,000,000 acres. Wheat, and the usual cereals and fruits of - the Northern States, flourish in many parts of it. Its population - in 1851 was declared by the census to be 276,117. Besides - possessing productive fisheries and agricultural resources, it is - rich in mineral wealth, having beneath its surface coal, iron, - manganese, gypsum, and gold. - - “The province of Prince Edward’s Island is separated from New - Brunswick and Nova Scotia by straits only nine miles in width. - It is crescent-shaped, 130 miles in length, and at its broadest - part is 34 miles wide. It is a level region, of a more moderate - temperature than that of Lower Canada, and well adapted to - agricultural purposes. Its population in 1848 was 62,678. - - “The island of Newfoundland has a seacoast 1000 miles in extent. - It has an area of 23,040,000 acres, of which only a small portion - is cultivated. Its spring is late, its summer short, but the - frost of winter is less severe than in many parts of our own - Northern States and Territories. It is only 1665 miles distant - from Ireland. It possesses a large trade with various countries, - including Spain, Portugal, Italy, the West Indies, and the - Brazils. - - “The chief wealth of Newfoundland and of the Labrador coast is - to be found in their extensive and inexhaustible fisheries, in - which the other Provinces also partake. The future products of - these, when properly developed by human ingenuity and industry, - defy human calculation. The Gulf Stream is met near the shores - of Newfoundland by a current from the Polar basin, vast deposits - are formed by the meeting of the opposing waters, the great - submarine islands, known as ‘The Banks,’ are formed; and the rich - pastures created in Ireland by the warm and humid influences of - the Gulf Stream are compensated by the ‘rich sea-pastures of - Newfoundland.’ The fishes of warm or tropical waters, inferior - in quality and scarcely capable of preservation, cannot form - an article of commerce like those produced in inexhaustible - quantities in these cold and shallow seas. The abundance of these - marine resources is unequalled in any portion of the globe. - - “Canada, rather a nation than a province in any common - acceptation of the term, includes not less than 346,863 - square miles of territory, independently of its North-western - Possessions not yet open for settlement. It is three times as - large as Great Britain and Ireland, and more than three times - as large as Prussia. It intervenes between the Great North-west - and the Maritime Provinces, and consists chiefly of a vast - territorial projection into the territory of the United States, - although it possesses a coast of nearly 1000 miles on the river - and gulf of the St. Lawrence, where fisheries of cod, herring, - mackerel, and salmon are carried on successfully. Valuable - fisheries exist also in its lakes. It is rich in metallic ore and - in the resources of its forests. Large portions of its territory - are peculiarly favourable to the growth of wheat, barley, and - the other cereals of the north. During the life of the present - generation, or the last quarter of a century, its population has - increased more than fourfold, or from 582,000 to 2,500,000. - - “The population of all the provinces may be fairly estimated - as numbering 3,500,000. Many of the inhabitants are of French - extraction, and a few German settlements exist; but two-thirds of - the people of the provinces owe their origin either to the United - States or to the British Islands, whose language we speak, and - who ‘people the world with men industrious and free.’ - - “The climate and soil of these Provinces and Possessions, - seemingly less indulgent than those of tropical regions, are - precisely those by which the skill, energy, and virtues of the - human race are best developed. Nature there demands thought - and labour from man as conditions of his existence, but yields - abundant rewards to wise industry. Those causes which, in our - age of the world, determine the wealth of nations are those - which render man most active; and it cannot be too often or too - closely remembered in discussing subjects so vast as these, where - the human mind may be misled if it attempts to comprehend them in - their boundless variety of detail, that sure and safe guides in - the application of political economy, and to our own prosperity, - are to be found in the simple principles of morality and justice, - because they alone are true alike in minute and great affairs, at - all times and in every place.” - - - - -CHAPTER XVI. - - The “Ashburton Capitulation”--Boundaries of Quebec--Arbitration - in 1831--Lord Ashburton’s Mission--The questions in dispute--“The - Sea” _v._ “The Atlantic”--American Diplomatists--Franklin’s - Red Line--Compromise--The Maps--Maine--Damage to Canada--Mr. - Webster’s Defence--His Opinion of the Road--Value of the - Heights--Our Share of Equivalents--Value of Rouse’s - Point--Vermont--New Hampshire. - - -It was by the celebrated Treaty of Washington, August 9th, 1842, -that the boundary line between the British possessions in Canada -and the State of Maine in the territories of the United States, was -settled and determined. That treaty has been sometimes spoken of -as the “Ashburton Capitulation.” The story of the two maps which -played so distinguished a part in the negotiations, is tolerably -well known, and has formed a subject of many discussions which -have now settled down into fixed convictions. By many, if not -by most Americans, acquainted with the subject, it is believed -that Mr. Webster did a very smart thing. Englishmen, similarly -instructed, believe their country to have been cheated by the -great American elocutionist. Canadians are of opinion that they -have suffered an irreparable injury at the hands of, or through -the weakness of, those appointed to guard their interests by the -Imperial Government. The Treaty of Paris, in 1783, did not define -the north-eastern boundary of the United States; it merely declared -that the boundary was drawn along the highlands which divide the -rivers that empty themselves into the river St. Lawrence from those -which fall into the Atlantic Ocean. If we had had at that time -the knowledge of geography and geology, with respect to the basin -of the St. Lawrence, which, thanks to the labours of the United -States’ engineers and of Sir William Logan, we now possess, there -would not have been much difficulty in fixing on the real line, -as there could not well be any dispute respecting the exact line -of highlands from which the rivers flowing into the St. Lawrence -came, and from the other side of which the water-shed was towards -the Atlantic Ocean. Tons of pamphlets, years of controversy, and -thousands of pounds might have been spared, not to speak of much -national animosity. - -It may be remarked here, that the difficulty of reconciling -States’ rights with Imperial Federal policy was fore-shadowed in -the original disputes which took place at the time of the treaty -adjustment. The Treaty speaks of the “boundaries between the -possessions of Her Britannic Majesty in North America and the -territories of the United States;” but the State of Maine in its -vehement protest against the line of the King of the Netherlands, -assumed the language and the port of an independent Power. Mr. -Thomas Colley Grattan, in his work, “Civilised America,” has -collected an immense amount of information, and has drawn up an -argument on the subject, which prove beyond a doubt, even without -collateral aid, that the line yielded by Lord Ashburton was not -that which was meant by the framers of the Treaty of 1783. Let us -consider how the case stood. - -In 1763 the French possessions in North America were ceded to -Great Britain, and in the October of that year a royal proclamation -defined the boundaries of the government of Quebec, “bounded on the -Labrador coast by the river St. John, which falls into the mouth -of the St. Lawrence, and from there by a line drawn from the head -of that river through the Lake of St. John to the south end of the -Lake Nipissing, from whence the said line, crossing the river St. -Lawrence and Lake Champlain in 45 degrees of north latitude, passes -along the highlands which divide the rivers that empty themselves -into the said river St. Lawrence from those which fall into the -sea, and also along the north coast of the Bay of Chaleurs and the -coast of the Gulf of St. Lawrence to Cape Rosière, and from thence -crossing the mouth of the river St. Lawrence by the west end of the -island of Anticosti, terminates in the aforesaid Lake of St. John.” -It is fortunate enough that we have no neighbours to raise any -question about “the line drawn through the Lake of St. John to the -south end of the Lake Nipissing.” - -Previous to the Treaty of Independence only one Act was passed -bearing upon the southern boundary of Canada. The Quebec Act of -1774 draws its boundaries between the province of Quebec and -the colonies of Nova Scotia and Massachusetts, in words nearly -the same as those of the Proclamation of 1763. When the State -of Massachusetts and the State of Maine were acknowledged to be -“free, sovereign, and independent,” by the Treaty of 1783, the -contracting parties appeared to have defined the boundary-line with -tolerable exactitude. They wished to prevent disputes between the -United States and the colonies, and therefore the boundaries were -constituted “from the north-west angle of Nova Scotia,--viz., that -angle which is formed by a line drawn due north from the source -of the St. Croix river to the highlands, along the said highlands -which divide those rivers that empty themselves into the St. -Lawrence from those which fall into the Atlantic Ocean,--to the -north-westernmost head of Connecticut river east, by a line to be -drawn along the middle of the river St. Croix from its mouth in the -Bay of Fundy to its source, and from its source directly north to -the aforesaid highlands which divide the rivers which fall into the -Atlantic Ocean from those which fall into the river St. Lawrence, -comprehending all highlands within twenty leagues of any harbour -of the United States, and lying between lines to be drawn due east -from the points where the aforesaid boundaries between Nova Scotia -on the one part, and East Florida on the other, shall respectively -touch the Bay of Fundy and the Atlantic Ocean, except such -highlands as now are, or heretofore have been, within the limits of -the said province of Nova Scotia.” - -The north-west angle of Nova Scotia thus becomes a point of -consequence--upon the determination of it rests the true line. -The British maintain that the angle is contained at the point -“where the line due north from the river St. Croix touches the -highlands at a point about 100 miles south of the point claimed by -the United States.” The Americans argue that the north-west angle -was “considerably nearer to the St. Lawrence, at a spot 145 miles -north of the source of the St. Croix.” In 1794 Commissioners were -appointed to determine “where a line drawn due north from the -St. Croix would intersect a line of highlands corresponding with -those mentioned in the Treaty of 1783.” The umpire called in by the -Commissioners fixed on the most northern point of the river as the -place from which the line to the highlands was to be drawn, and -the result was that the line so drawn did not strike the highlands -which we held to be those meant by the treaty, but passing them -at a distance of twenty miles on the west, came to an isolated -mountain called Mars Hill, from which the Americans desired to -prolong it northwards beyond the river St. John to the highlands -above the source of the Restigouche; but the British Commissioners -insisted that the line should not proceed further north, and that -the highlands which ran west from near that point to the head of -the Connecticut river should form the next boundary-line. - -Events of greater importance for a time prevented any attempt to -adjust a question, which promised, however, no slight difficulty -in time to come. Then war broke out between the United States -and Great Britain; but the Peace of 1814 rendered it necessary -to renew the attempt to define the boundaries of the two States. -The Commissioners appointed by the Treaty of Ghent were not more -fortunate than their predecessors; and it was thirteen years after -the signing of that treaty before the Governments of the two -countries arranged a convention, to carry out the provision made -by an article in the Treaty for the appointment of a referee in -case of disagreement. The King of the Netherlands, who accepted the -office of arbiter in 1831, delivered his award, which, taking the -line drawn north from the St. Croix to Mars Hill, passed beyond -it to the river St. John, whence it took the course of the river -westward, inside the line claimed by the United States to the -head of the Connecticut River. This compromise was identical with -the actual line established by the Treaty of 1842, except on the -western side, where the line fixed by the King and that claimed -by the United States are the same. The King’s line approximates -much more closely to the United States’ line than it does to that -which we claim: however, the Americans refused to accept it, on the -grounds that the King had no right to go beyond the matter referred -to him of determining which of the two lines was right, and that he -had exceeded his province in proposing a line which had not been -referred to him by either of the parties. - -Eleven years passed in unavailing endeavours to adjust a question -which rose into the highest rank of diplomatic difficulties. Lord -Ashburton, the head of the commercial house of Baring, whose -relations with American commerce were supposed to be likely to -recommend him to American statesmen, was dispatched in 1842 -to determine the boundary, in concert with Mr. Webster. These -gentlemen were assisted by seven Commissioners from Maine and -Massachusetts. The author of a pamphlet of very great ability, -quoted by Mr. Grattan, arrived at the conclusion that the line -designated in the Proclamation of 1763, is identical with that -claimed by the United States, and that the line indicated in the -treaty of 1783 is almost the same as that claimed by Great Britain. -He argued that it was clearly intended to create a new boundary, -because Mr. Townsend said so, and Lord North repeated the statement -in Parliament. He maintained that the variations in the wording -of the treaty from that of the proclamation, were specially -introduced to show that a new boundary was intended, and that if it -had not been so, the description in the treaty would have been the -same as it was in the proclamation; and he then proceeded further -to contend, with greater force of reasoning, that the proclamation -boundary, although it might have adequately defined the limits -of a province, would have been obviously unsuitable as between -two independent nations, because it would cut off communication -between two portions of the territory of one of the Powers, and -give it to another independent State. He further asserted, that -all negotiations and projects for peace on the part of the United -States were based on the supposition that England would demand a -new line, and that Congress never contemplated an adherence to -the Proclamation of 1763. All the reasoning of the pamphleteer in -support of these propositions is distinguished by acuteness, and -inclines the mind to accept them with confidence; and he is not -less happy in his argument that the Madawaska river is distinct -from the river St. John--that it is a tributary, not a branch, of -that stream. - -The question as to the range of highlands meant by the treaties -can only be settled by analytical reasoning, which, in relation to -matters of fact of the kind under dispute, is satisfactory only to -those who direct their own course of argument. There are two ranges -of highlands dividing the rivers which flow into the St. Lawrence -and those which empty themselves into the Atlantic; the first, -running from the sources of the Connecticut towards the Bay of -Chaleurs, certainly separates rivers emptying into the St. Lawrence -from those emptying into the sea; but the second line starting -from the same mountainous germ at the sources of the Connecticut, -branching off from the first range at a point about eighty miles -from its commencement, takes a southern course towards the head of -the St. Croix, and divides the rivers which empty themselves into -the St. Lawrence from those which flow into the Atlantic Ocean. -It is contended on one side, with much force of reasoning and -probability, that the highlands specified in the Treaty of 1783 -are those of the southern range. It was necessary of course to -fix upon some great natural features in a district vast in extent -and unknown to all but the Red men and the hunter. Rivers and -the summit level between two great watersheds would be obviously -selected. It was the object of England to secure free communication -between all parts of her American territory, and, of course, -between Canada and Nova Scotia. The Americans proposed the line of -the St. John, which was at once rejected. That being the case, it -is difficult to conceive how they could go back and propose, as a -line more likely to meet the views of England, the highlands of the -northern range close to the St. Lawrence, which would throw the -greatest difficulties in the way of the communication which it was -a vital point for England to secure. It will have been observed -that the words “the Sea” and the “Atlantic Ocean” are used in -the treaties, and it certainly is not easy to comprehend how the -Americans can maintain that these terms have an identical meaning, -if the description of the maps which they had before them at the -time is correct. The Connecticut, the Penobscot, and the Kennebeck, -can be considered as flowing into the Atlantic Ocean from one -range of highlands only, and it is equally plain that the other, -or northern, range was that which was meant as the highlands from -which rivers flowed into the “sea.” - -It has been urged, ingeniously and truly, that the words “The Sea,” -give a larger range of boundary than the words “The Atlantic;” and -that therefore the boundary which depended on a reference to the -Atlantic, was intended to have a smaller extent than that which was -made to depend upon the Sea. The Atlantic was certainly substituted -for the Sea, not only in the treaty, but in the Commissions of the -Governors of Quebec, showing an alteration of the boundary of their -jurisdiction, whilst no change was made in the Commissions of the -Governors of New Brunswick, because the boundary of their province -depended upon that of Quebec. The highlands separating rivers that -empty into the Atlantic Ocean, are by no means identical with -the highlands separating the rivers that empty into the Sea. The -Americans have urged that the northern range divides the rivers -of the St. Lawrence from the Atlantic rivers, but it certainly -does not separate the Penobscot branches north and east which -flow into the Atlantic from the southern range; and the term “The -rivers,” of course means all the rivers, because, otherwise, such -a considerable stream as the Penobscot would have been excepted -specially. The southern range separated all the rivers which flow -into the Atlantic, from all the rivers which flow into the St. -Lawrence. - -Had the Commissioners drawn the due north line from the western -branch of the St. Croix, which formed the ancient boundary of -Nova Scotia, instead of from the northern branch, the whole of -the complicated and vexatious questions might have been evaded, -and the claim urged by the United States might never have been -heard. It was the doctrine of State rights alone which justified -the rejection of the Netherlands compromise. The tract in dispute -was indeed but seven million acres of river, mountain, and forest, -but the northern boundary of this tract overlooked the course of -the St. Lawrence, and carried American territory within a day’s -march of its stream, whilst the direct roads and communications -between the Provinces east and west, would be placed inside -American territory. To the Maine lumberers, however, this tract -was not uninviting, and it became a debateable land, in which -British colonists from New Brunswick, and American squatters, -carried on a series of inroads and forcible settlements, which were -fortunately unattended by actual bloodshed. Lord Palmerston, who in -1835 notified the refusal of the British Government to accept the -Netherlands compromise, appointed Commissioners in 1839 to inquire -into the state of the question upon the spot, and their report, -which was handed to the United States Government in 1840, in the -most absolute terms laid it down that the southern range was that -intended by the treaty of 1783. Mr. Grattan, who was by no means -unduly disposed to favour American pretensions, describes with -terse propriety the disputes which now arose. “All on our side,” -he says, “was supercilious pride; on that of the United States, -aggressive coarseness.” - -To Sir Robert Peel is due the praise of having taken a decided step -to settle the north-eastern boundary. Lord Ashburton, received -with considerable enthusiasm in the United States, was at once -accepted by President Tyler, and for the better adjustment of the -difficulty, it was arranged that he should be met by Mr. Webster -in a spirit of perfect candour; that memoranda and despatches -were to be dispensed with, and that every honest, straightforward -exertion should be made on both sides to come to a satisfactory -settlement of the vexed question. Lord Ashburton had, however, to -encounter not only the Secretary of State, but the Commissioners of -Maine and Massachusetts, among whom were Mr. Abbott Lawrence and -Mr. Preble. - -Mr. Grattan, who was actually invited to assist at the negotiations -by the American Commissioners, and went to Washington as _amicus -curiæ_, gives a most minute and interesting account of the whole -of the proceedings, and states positively that Mr. Webster sent a -confidential agent to the Commissioners, proposing a line far south -of the St. John’s River, before they had got further than New York, -which gave great offence to Mr. Preble, by whose influence it was -rejected. His pertinacity and the pomposity of Lawrence, with which -we are well acquainted in England, were obstacles in the way of a -calm discussion of adverse claims, but the other Commissioners are -described as exceedingly forbearing, unassuming, and well-behaved. - -At first Lord Ashburton seemed to make way with Mr. Webster, -and to be on the point of obtaining a more favourable line than -that proposed by the Netherlands compromise, but the British -Commissioner had no special proof or absolute document to show that -the highlands south of St. John indicated the boundary meant by the -treaty of 1783. It was known that Dr. Franklin sent from Paris to -Washington, at the time of making the treaty, a map on which was -drawn a red ink line to show the boundary to Mr. Jefferson. - -It is strange enough that, in the state of confusion caused by -conflicting statements and contradictory documents, it should not -have occurred to Lord Ashburton or to Mr. Grattan, who records his -own anxious searches after Dr. Franklin’s map, that a counterpart -might have been readily found in Paris in the archives of the -Foreign Office; but the fact was, Franklin’s map could nowhere be -found in the State Paper Department of Washington. - -The production of that map with the red ink line must have placed -the boundary question beyond the reach of controversy; in fact, the -map of De Vergènnes could have been consulted at Paris, and the -same red line might have been seen on it as that which was seen in -Franklin’s. Lord Aberdeen had for some inscrutable reason resolved -that the boundary should be drawn so as to include the settlement -of Madawaska on the St. John, within the British possessions, -whilst the Commissioners were equally resolute not to except an -inch south of the St. John itself; and the arrangement proposed by -a small European monarch was regarded by the Americans as a proof -that they were entitled to all that they had asked, and that the -compromise was suggested to propitiate England. - -The expectations which had been entertained of an immediate -adjustment were followed by a renewal of angry feeling and -political commotion. Lord Ashburton, after an unequal struggle with -Webster and the Commissioners, in a controversial correspondence -on which he had not very wisely entered, yielded in a spirit of -honourable concession the claim of Great Britain to the southern -line of highlands. He was impressed somewhat, no doubt, by the -vehemence and force of unanimous public opinion in America -respecting the justice of their claim, the strong and general -conviction felt that the country was in the right. Extended and -accessible on every side, his mind could not resist the constant -pressure of the audacious and penetrating weight of Webster’s -intellect, and he gradually gave way like a crumbling wall to the -flood-tide of intense determination by which he was assailed. The -middle of the St. John was accepted as the boundary, but instead of -following the highlands overlooking the valley of the St. Lawrence, -a line was determined upon sixty miles more to the south, which -thus removes the United States frontier to a tolerable distance -from the navigation of the river and the military control of the -banks. - -On both sides of the Atlantic this compromise was received with -expressions of disgust and anger. The Americans, knowing themselves -very well and Englishmen very little, declared that Daniel Webster -had been bought. - -In the land of liberty it is the custom of the representatives of -the people to conduct their debates in secret whenever any question -of public interest arises, and the Senate ratified the treaty by a -large majority, after a long debate carried on with closed doors -for several days. - -Some time after the treaty had been signed, it turned out that -Mr. Webster had all the time possessed a map on which Franklin’s -red line, tracing the boundary of 1783 south of the St. John, was -distinctly marked. - -The map in question was an authentic copy of one which was given -to De Vergènnes by Dr. Franklin himself when the treaty was made. -Its existence had been made known to the President, to the Senate, -and to all the Americans engaged in the negotiation. This map was -no doubt the same as that which had disappeared from the State -Department. Its existence was known to many people. It appears that -Mr. Jared Sparkes, of Boston, found in the archives at Paris the -following letter. - - “_Paissey, Decr. 6th, 1782._ - - “SIR,--I have the honour of returning herewith the map your - Excellency sent me yesterday. I have marked with a strong red - line, according to your desire, the limits of the United States - as settled in the preliminaries between the British and American - Plenipotentiaries. - - “With great respect, - - “I am, &c., - - “B. FRANKLIN.” - - -This letter was addressed to the Count De Vergènnes, the French -Minister. Mr. Sparkes, in fact, discovered the actual map of -North America of 1746, and on it was drawn a strong red line -throughout the entire boundary of the United States, answering -exactly to Franklin’s description. “Imagine,” says Mr. Sparkes, “my -surprise on discovering that this line runs wholly south of the -St. John’s, and between the head waters of that river and those -of the Penobscot and Kennebec; in short, it is exactly the line -contended for by Great Britain, except that it concedes more than -is claimed.” - -When the secret debates of the Senate were published, it was seen -that Mr. Rives, the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, -had fortified his argument against the rejection of this Ashburton -line by quoting the existence of this map, and warning them of the -risk and danger of a further search into the archives of Europe. In -the debate that followed, Mr. Benton, eager to overthrow the value -of Mr. Sparkes’ discovery and of Mr. Rives’s argument, produced a -map from the Jefferson collection in the library of Congress, which -contained a dotted line marking the boundary of the Government -of Quebec under the proclamation of 1763, but strange to say, he -overlooked the fact which was at once visible to every eye, that -a strong red line, indicating the limits of the United States -according to the Treaty of Peace, was traced across it, which -coincided minutely and exactly with the boundary on Mr. Sparkes’ -map. - -Those who wish for the most minute details respecting this map, may -be referred to Mr. Grattan’s work. The map of Baron Steiben, and -that of Faden, coincide in a most remarkable manner in marking the -limits of the United States. - -It is worthy of note that Mr. Buchanan, the last President of the -United States, did his very best to maintain the propriety of the -deceit. Mr. Calhoun is supposed to have appreciated the importance -of the discoveries, and to have felt the injury to American -diplomacy which Mr. Webster’s suppressions of truth might create on -future occasions. The Americans actually made use of the weakness -of the English Minister as an argument that they had been cheated -themselves, and Mr. Webster’s ability in concealing the truth was -considered evidence that he had not gone far enough in the same -line, and his reputation as a skilful and successful negotiator -was considered not to stand very high. The action of Sir Robert -Peel, however, prevented any endeavour to obtain the legitimate -advantages which the discovery of these maps ought to have produced. - -The decision arrived at affected the State of Maine and the -pretensions of its people, but it had little to do with the -prosperity or military strength of the whole of the Union: whilst -it weakened Canada in its weakest point, and conferred most signal -advantage on the only enemy it had to fear: it bit in to the -substance of the Provinces, and at the same time cut the vein of -communication with the sea for five long winter months. Strange -that a line drawn upon a piece of paper by the hand of a man -gathered to his fathers for so many years, should for a time at -least decide so much of a nation’s happiness and prosperity--for -a time only, because it must soon be that the increasing power or -failing resources of the United States, or of Canada, will cause a -modification of the present frontier, more in accordance with the -commercial and military exigencies of the two States. The Canadians -feel that Imperial diplomacy has done them a great wrong, possibly -very much as France feels in respect to her Rhenish boundary; but -in a military point of view, perhaps the cession of Rouse’s Point -has been the most serious of all the circumstances affecting the -relations for aggressive purposes of the United States with the -Provinces. - -In order that we may appreciate the importance of Mr. Webster’s -achievement, let us quote his own description of it in the great -debate which took place in the Senate on the Washington Treaty. -Mr. Webster, in noticing some of the many charges made against him -in reference to the treaty, dealt with the question of military -concession in the following manner:-- - - “Lord Palmerston (if he be the author of certain publications - ascribed to him) says that all the important points were given - up by Lord Ashburton to the United States. I might here state, - too, that Lord Palmerston called the whole treaty ‘the Ashburton - capitulation,’ declaring that it yielded everything that was of - importance to Great Britain, and that all its stipulations were - to the advantage of the United States, and to the sacrifice of - the interests of England. But it is not on such general, and, I - may add, such unjust statements, nor on any off-hand expressions - used in debate, though in the roundest terms, that this question - must turn. He speaks of this military road, but he entirely - misplaces it. The road which runs from New Brunswick to Canada - follows the north side of the St. John to the mouth of the - Madawaska, and then, turning north-west, follows that stream to - Lake Temiscoata, and thence proceeds over a depressed part of - the highlands till it strikes the St. Lawrence 117 miles below - Quebec. This is the road which has been always used, and there is - no other. - - “I admit that it is very convenient for the British Government - to possess territory through which they may enjoy a road; it - is of great value as an avenue of communication in time of - peace; but as a military communication it is of no value at all. - What business can an army ever have there? Besides, it is no - gorge, no pass, no narrow defile, to be defended by a fort. If - a fort should be built there, an army could, at pleasure, make - a _détour_ so as to keep out of the reach of its guns. It is - very useful, I admit, in time of peace. But does not everybody - know, military man or not, that unless there is a defile, or - some narrow place through which troops must pass, and which a - fortification will command, that a mere open road must, in time - of war, be in the power of the strongest? If we retained by - treaty the territory over which the road is to be constructed, - and war came, would not the English take possession of it if - they could? Would they be restrained by a regard to the treaty - of Washington? I have never yet heard a reason adduced why this - communication should be regarded as of the slightest possible - advantage in a military point of view. - - “But the circumstance to which I allude is, that, by a map - published with the speech of the honourable member from Missouri, - made in the Senate, on the question of ratifying the treaty, this - well-known and long-used road is laid down, probably from the - same source of error which misled Lord Palmerston, as following - the St. John, on its south side, to the mouth of the St. Francis; - thence along that river to its source, and thence, by a single - bound, over the highlands to the St. Lawrence, near Quebec. This - is all imagination. It is called the ‘Valley Road,’ Valley Road, - indeed! Why, Sir, it is represented as running over the very - ridge of the most inaccessible part of the highlands! It is made - to cross abrupt and broken precipices, 2000 feet high! It is, at - different points of its imaginary course, from fifty to a hundred - miles distant from the real road. - - “So much, Mr. President, for the great boon of military - communication conceded to England. It is nothing more nor less - than a common road, along streams and lakes, and over a country - in great part rather flat. It then passes the heights to the St. - Lawrence. If war breaks out, we shall take it if we can, and if - we need it, of which there is not the slightest probability. It - will never be protected by fortifications, and never can be. It - will be just as easy to take it from England, in case of war, as - it would be to keep possession of it, if it were our own. - - “In regard to the defence of the heights, I shall dispose of that - subject in a few words. There is a ridge of highlands which does - approach the river St. Lawrence, although it is not true that it - overlooks Quebec; on the contrary, the ridge is at the distance - of thirty or forty miles. - - “It is very natural that military men in England, or indeed in - any part of Europe, should have attached great importance to - these mountains. The great military authority of England, perhaps - the highest living military authority, had served in India and - on the European continent, and it was natural enough that he - should apply European ideas of military defences to America. But - they are quite inapplicable. Highlands such as these are not - ordinarily found on the great battle-fields of Europe. They are - neither Alps nor Pyrenees; they have no passes through them, nor - roads over them, and never will have. - - “Then there was another cause of misconception on this subject in - England. In 1839 an _ex parte_ survey was made, as I have said, - by Colonel Mudge and Mr. Featherstonhaugh, if survey it could be - called, of the region in the North of Maine, for the use of the - British Government. I dare say Colonel Mudge is an intelligent - and respectable officer; how much personal attention he gave the - subject I do not know. As to Mr. Featherstonhaugh, he has been in - our service, and his authority is not worth a straw. These two - persons made a report, containing this very singular statement: - That in the ridge of highlands nearest to the St. Lawrence, there - was a great _hiatus_ in one particular place, a gap of thirty or - forty miles, in which the elevation did not exceed fifty feet. - This is certainly the strangest statement that ever was made. - Their whole report gave but one measurement by the barometer, - and that measurement stated the height of 1200 feet. A survey - and map were made the following year by our own commissioners, - Messrs. Graham and Talcott, of the Corps of Topographical - Engineers, and Professor Renwick, of Columbia College. On this - map, the very spot where this gap was said to be situated is - dotted over thickly with figures, showing heights varying from - 1200 to 2000 feet, and forming one rough and lofty ridge, marked - by abrupt and almost perpendicular precipices. When this map and - report of Messrs. Mudge and Featherstonhaugh were published, the - British authorities saw that this alleged gap was laid down as an - indefensible point, and it was probably on that ground alone that - they desired a line east of that ridge, in order that they might - guard against access of a hostile power from the United States. - But in truth there is no such gap; our engineers proved this, and - we quite well understood it when agreeing to the boundary. Any - man of common sense, military or not, must therefore now see, - that nothing can be more imaginary or unfounded than the idea - that any importance attaches to the possession of these heights. - - “Sir, there are two old and well-known roads to Canada; one by - way of Lake Champlain and the Richelieu, to Montreal--this is the - route which armies have traversed so often, in different periods - of our history. The other leads from the Kennebec river to the - sources of the Chaudière and the Du Loup, and so to Quebec--this - last was the track of Arnold’s march. East of this, there is no - practicable communication for troops between Maine and Canada, - till we get to the Madawaska. We had before us a report from - General Wool, while this treaty was under negotiation, in which - that intelligent officer declares that it is perfectly idle to - think of fortifying any point east of this road. East of Arnold’s - track it is a mountain region, through which no army can possibly - pass into Canada. With General Wool was associated, in this - examination, Major Graham, whom I have already mentioned. His - report to General Wool, made in the year 1838, clearly points out - the Kennebec and Chaudière road as the only practicable route for - an army between Maine and Quebec. He was subsequently employed - as a commissioner in the _ex parte_ surveys of the United - States. Being an engineer officer of high character for military - knowledge and scientific accuracy, his opinion had the weight it - ought to have, and which will be readily given to it by all who - know him. His subsequent and still more thorough acquaintance - with this mountain range, in its whole extent, has only confirmed - the judgment which he had previously formed. And, Sir, this - avenue to Canada, this practicable avenue, and only practicable - avenue east of that by way of Lake Champlain, is left now just as - it was found by the treaty. The treaty does not touch it, nor in - any manner affect it. - - “But I must go further. I said that the treaty of Washington was - a treaty of equivalents, in which it was expected that each party - should give something and receive something. I am now willing to - meet any gentleman, be he a military man or not, who will make - the assertion, that, in a military point of view, the greatest - advantages derived from that treaty are on the side of Great - Britain. It was on this point that I wished to say something in - reply to an honourable member from New York, who will have it - that in this treaty England supposes that she got the advantage - of us. Sir, I do not think the military advantages she obtained - by it are worth a rush. But even if they were, if she had - obtained advantages of the greatest value, would it not have been - fair in the member from New York to state, nevertheless, whether - there were not equivalent military advantages obtained on our - side, in other parts of the line? Would it not have been candid - and proper in him, when adverting to the military advantages - obtained by England, in a communication between New Brunswick and - Canada, if such advantages there were, to have stated, on the - other hand, and at the same time, our recovery of Rouse’s Point, - at the outlet of Lake Champlain? an advantage which overbalanced - all others, forty times told. I must be allowed to say, that I - certainly never expected that a member from New York, above all - other men, should speak of this treaty as conferring military - advantages on Great Britain without full equivalents. I listened - to it, I confess, with utter astonishment. A distinguished - senator from that State saw at the time, very clearly, the - advantage gained by this treaty to the United States and to New - York. He voted willingly for its ratification, and he never will - say that Great Britain obtained a balance of advantages in a - military point of view. - - “Why, how is the State of New York affected by this treaty? Sir, - is not Rouse’s Point perfectly well-known, and admitted, by every - military man, to be the key of Lake Champlain? It commands every - vessel passing up or down the lake, between New York and Canada. - It had always been supposed that this point lay some distance - south of the parallel of 45°, which was our boundary line with - Canada, and therefore was within the United States; and, under - this supposition, the United States purchased the land, and - commenced the erection of a strong fortress. But a more accurate - survey having been made in 1818, by astronomers on both sides, it - was found that the parallel of 45° ran south of this fortress, - and thus Rouse’s Point, with the fort upon it, was found to be - in the British dominions. This discovery created, as well it - might, a great sensation here. None knows this better than the - honourable member from South Carolina, who was then at the head - of the Department of War. As Rouse’s Point was no longer ours, - we sent our engineers to examine the shores of the lake, to find - some other place or places which we might fortify. They made a - report on their return, saying that there were two other points - some distance south of Rouse’s Point, one called Windmill Point, - on the east side of the lake, and the other called Stony Point, - on the west side, which it became necessary now to fortify, and - they gave an estimate of the probable expense. When this treaty - was in process of negotiation, we called for the opinion of - military men respecting the value of Rouse’s Point, in order to - see whether it was highly desirable to obtain it. We had their - report before us, in which it was stated that the natural and - best point for the defence of the outlet of Lake Champlain was - Rouse’s Point. In fact, anybody might see that this was the case - who would look at the map. The point projects into the narrowest - passage by which the waters of the lake pass into the Richelieu. - Any vessel passing into or out of the lake, must come within - point-blank range of the guns of a fortress erected on this - point; and it ran out so far that any such vessel must approach - the fort, head on, for several miles, so as to be exposed to a - raking fire from the battery, before she could possibly bring her - broadside to bear upon the fort at all. It was very different - with the points farther south. Between them the passage was much - wider; so much so, indeed, that a vessel might pass directly - between the two, and not be in reach of point-blank shot from - either.” - -Mr. Dickinson, of New York, here interposed, to ask whether the -Dutch line did not give us Rouse’s Point. - - “Certainly not. It gave us a semicircular line, running round - the fort, but not including what we had possessed before. And - besides, we had rejected the Dutch line, and the whole point - now clearly belonged to England. It was all within the British - territory. - - “I was saying that a vessel might pass between Windmill Point - and Stony Point, and be without the range of both, till her - broadside could be brought to bear upon either of them. The forts - would be entirely independent of each other, and, having no - communication, could not render each other the least assistance - in case of attack. But the military men told us there was no - sort of question that Rouse’s Point was extremely desirable as a - point of military defence. This is plain enough, and I need not - spend time to prove it. Of one thing I am certain, that the true - road to Canada is by the way of Lake Champlain. That is the old - path. I take to myself the credit of having said here, thirty - years ago, speaking of the mode of taking Canada, that, when an - American woodsman undertakes to fell a tree, he does not begin - by lopping off the branches, but strikes his axe at once into - the trunk. The trunk, in relation to Canada, is Montreal, and - the River St. Lawrence down to Quebec; and so we found in the - last war. It is not my purpose to scan the propriety of military - measures then adopted, but I suppose it to have been rather - accidental and unfortunate that we began the attack in Upper - Canada. It would have been better military policy, as I suppose, - to have pushed our whole force by the way of Lake Champlain, and - made a direct movement on Montreal; and though we might thereby - have lost the glories of the battles of the Thames and of Lundy’s - Lane, and of the sortie from Port Erie, yet we should have won - other laurels of equal, and perhaps greater value, at Montreal. - Once successful in this movement, the whole country above - would have fallen into our power. Is not this evident to every - gentleman? - - “Rouse’s Point is the best means of defending both the ingress - into the lake, and the exit from it. And I say now, that on - the whole frontier of the State of New York, with the single - exception of the Narrows below the city, there is not a point - of equal importance. I hope this government will last for ever; - but if it does not, and if, in the judgment of Heaven, so great - a calamity shall befall us as the rupture of this Union, and - the State of New York shall thereby be thrown upon her own - defences, I ask, is there a single point, except the Narrows, - the possession of which she will so much desire? No, there is - not one. And how did we obtain this advantage for her? The - parallel of 45° north was established by the treaty of 1783 as - our boundary with Canada in that part of the line. But, as I - have stated, that line was found to run south of Rouse’s Point. - And how did we get back this precious possession? By running - a semicircle like that of the King of the Netherlands? No; we - went back to the old line, which had always been supposed to be - the true line, and the establishment of which gave us not only - Rouse’s Point, but a strip of land containing some thirty or - forty thousand acres between the parallel of 45° and the old line. - - “The same arrangement gave us a similar advantage in Vermont; - and I have never heard that the constituents of my friend near - me made any complaint of the treaty. That State got about sixty - or seventy thousand acres, including several villages, which - would otherwise have been left on the British side of the line. - We received Rouse’s Point, and this additional land, as one of - the equivalents for the cession of territory made in Maine. And - what did we do for New Hampshire? There was an ancient dispute - as to which was the north-westernmost head of the Connecticut - River. Several streams were found, either of which might be - insisted on as the true boundary. But we claimed that which is - called Hall’s Stream. This had not formerly been allowed; the - Dutch award did not give to New Hampshire what she claimed; and - Mr. Van Ness, our commissioner, appointed under the Treaty of - Ghent, after examining the ground, came to the conclusion that - we were not entitled to Hall’s Stream. I thought that we were - so entitled, although I admit that Hall’s Stream does not join - the Connecticut River till after it has passed the parallel of - 45°. By the Treaty of Washington this demand was agreed to, and - it gave New Hampshire 100,000 acres of land. I do not say that - we obtained this wrongfully; but I do say that we got that which - Mr. Van Ness had doubted our right to. I thought the claim just, - however, and the line was established accordingly. And here let - me say, once for all, that, if we had gone for arbitration, we - should inevitably have lost what the treaty gave to Vermont and - New York; because all that was clear matter of cession, and not - adjustment of doubtful boundary.” - -Unfortunately Mr. Webster but too well described our share of -the advantages obtained by this “treaty of equivalents.” The -consequences to us in a war might be more disastrous than those he -indicated. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII. - - The Acadian Confederation--Union is Strength--The - Provinces--New Brunswick--The Temperature--Trade of St. - John--Climate and agriculture of Nova Scotia--Prince Edward - Island--Newfoundland--The Red River District--Assiniboia--The - Red River Valley--Minnesota and the West--The Hudson’s Bay - Company--Their Territory--The North-West Regions--Climate of - Winnipeg Basin--Its area--Finances of the Confederation--Imports, - exports, and tonnage--Proposed Federal Constitution--Lessons from - the American struggle. - - -We have now seen the dangers which threaten Canada, we have to some -extent examined the means of resisting them, and have followed -the process by which a severe injury was inflicted on her powers -of defence. Mr. Webster was a grand specimen of unscrupulous -intelligence--he was a colossal “Yankee.” It will be observed that -he regarded the acquisitions so dexterously made--_quocunque modo -rem_--as valuable on account of their military capabilities--that -he took the highest point accessible to the American mind when he -showed that his work could be made available for the annoyance and -injury of Great Britain. In so far he betrayed--if indeed there is -any deception in the matter--the animating principle of American -political life. Let any public man prove that he has hurt the -English power or affronted it--that he has damnified its commerce -and lowered its prestige, and the popular sentiment will applaud -him, no matter the agency by which his purpose was effected. -Recent events have greatly inflamed the spirit which always burned -against us. The very events which have broken up the Union may -resolve its fragments into a new combination more formidable and -more aggressive. - -The course open to Canada, which may feel once more the force of -that permanent principle in the American mind, is plain. Great -Britain may be too far off. She may be too much engaged to be -able to aid Canada efficiently and fully. But on the borders of -Canada there are provinces with great resources and a great future, -which have hitherto been prevented by various considerations -from welding themselves into a Confederation. The time has come -now in the white heat of American strife for the adoption of the -process. The Confederation of States with divers interests under -a weak executive has fallen to pieces. All the more reason for -a Confederation of States with common interests and with one -governing principle. If we accept the common governing principle -of all the Colonies and Provinces to be their attachment to -Monarchical institutions, any pressure from the influences of -Republican institutions can but consolidate their union. - -Under the circumstances in which the various distinct dependencies -of the British Crown in the Continent of North America find -themselves placed, it is not surprising that the idea of a -Confederation for the purposes of common defence and military -corroboration should have arisen. It is surprising that it should -have floated about so long, and have stirred men to action so -feebly. I think it is the first notion that occurs to a stranger -visiting Canada and casting about for a something to put in place -of the strength which distant England cannot, and Canadians will -not, afford. At least, there is no sign as yet that the Canadians -will quite arouse from a sleep which no fears disturb, although -they hear the noise of robbers. They will not prepare for war, -because they wish for peace, and it is plain enough that if war -should come instead of peace, England would be too late to save -them, because she would be too far. Now, let it not be supposed -that any confederation of the Canadas and British North American -provinces would yield such an increase of force as would enable -the collective or several members of it to resist the force of the -Republic of the Northern American United States--at least, not just -now. But in the very conflict in which the Northern and Southern -Confederations are engaged, we see the vast energy and resources of -a union of States in war time as compared with the action of States -not so joined:--France, Great Britain, Turkey, and Sardinia were -associated in the war with Russia, but their power would have been -much greater had they acted under a common head. There is in every -association of the States the danger of ultimate convulsions, and -of death itself, whenever the Constitution and ideas of one State -differ from those of another: for the difference of constitution -and ideas is sure to produce soon a conflict of interests and -opinions which the bond of Federation cannot compress. In the two -Canadas there are certain opposing principles at work which have -interfered with harmonious action at times. These might receive -greater vitality and power on each side if the cohesion of the -British dependencies were not complete. The religious questions -which now are mixed with questions of race would perhaps acquire -development, and become more active and more mischievous. But the -actual positive visible dangers of non-Confederation are more -weighty than those which may come by-and-by from the adoption of a -common central government subject to the Crown. Setting out with -the principle of submission to the Throne--with the recognition of -the sovereignty of the monarch of Great Britain and Ireland--with -the full acknowledgment of the rights and prerogatives pertaining -to the Crown--with the charters of their several and collective -liberties in their possession, the only great schism to be -apprehended is one which might arise from the exercise of -Parliamentary control over the action of the Confederation, because -colonists will never admit that the Parliament can stand in the -place of the Crown. Let us take a glance at the vast area, and -consider the importance of the various colonies which own now no -bond of connection, except a common obedience to the Queen, in -order that we may appreciate their strength as a Confederation. - - * * * * * - -The Province of New Brunswick contains just 28,000 square miles; -it lies between 45° and 48° lat. (north), and 63° 45’ and 67° -50’ long. (west), washed on the east by the waters of the Gulf -of St. Lawrence, and on the south by those of the Bay of Fundy. -It has a very extensive seaboard, not less than two-thirds being -maritime; whilst on the west it is bounded by the frontier -of the State of Maine, and on the north by Lower Canada. The -population in 1851 was 193,000, and it probably is not less -now than 225,000 souls. The boastfulness of the Americans, and -more especially of New Englanders, in all that relates to their -country, causes us to overlook the progress of our own colonies, -and we shall be surprised to find the increase of people in New -Brunswick has been greater than that of Vermont, Maine, or New -Hampshire, by an average of 10 per cent. within the decade up to -1851. The Government is vice-monarchical and parliamentary; the -Lieutenant-Governor of the Province being Commander-in-Chief, -Admiral, and Chancellor. His ministers are the Executive Council, -consisting of nine members, whose tenure of office depends on the -will of the people, inasmuch as they must retire on a vote of -want of confidence. The Parliament consists of the Legislative -Council, which is somewhat analogous to the House of Peers. It is -composed of 21 members, who are appointed by the Crown _durante -placito_, but who usually hold office for life. Although the -Peers of Parliament are in one sense nominated by the Crown, they -are legislators _durante vitâ_, and cannot be removed from their -functions by the Crown, and in other respects there are defects -in an analogy between them and the House of Lords. The House of -Assembly, consisting of 41 members, is elected every four years by -the people of the fourteen counties, and of the city of St. John. -The House levies taxes and duties, and regulates the expenditure -and internal affairs of the Province; but the Legislative Council -may reject all its measures except those relating to money matters, -and the assent of the Governor-General is needed to all measures -whatever. But it does not follow that the consent of Council, -Assembly, and Lieutenant-Governor will do more than stamp the -measure with the popular and official _imprimatur_ in the eyes of -the Home Government, because Her Majesty in Council may reject any -law whatever. It is rather in theory than in practice, however, -that such an exercise of prerogative exists; but in case of any -marked difference of opinion between the Home Government and the -Colonial Legislature, it is obvious that such a power, however -consonant with monarchical right and tradition, might cause serious -antagonism and create wide breaches. The risk of such disturbing -influences would, of course, be diminished by the action of a -general government. - -It is little more than 100 years since a number of English settlers -and colonists, then loyal, coming from Massachusetts, sailed from -Newbury Fort to the coast of New Brunswick, which had been ceded -by France to the British in 1713. Constantly menaced by the French -Canadians, the few English who represented the Crown could scarcely -be considered to hold the most attenuated possession of the -Province, until the French were obliged finally to cede all claims -to the possession of an acknowledged nationality in British North -America. The English maintained that the whole tract of country -now known as Nova Scotia and New Brunswick belonged to the Crown -by virtue of the discoveries of Sebastian Cabot; but the French -were the first to found permanent settlements, and certainly gave -good reason why Acadia, as they termed the district, despite its -frosts and snows and long lugubrious winters, should belong to the -_fleur-de-lys_. As soon as Wolfe’s victory had established the -power of England, the enterprising spirit of the New Englanders -led them to undertake settlements in these neglected regions. They -carried with them what they had derived from the old country--a -love of law, not of litigation; the forms of justice in the courts -which administered its substance:--a magistracy, a police, a moral -life and social liberty; these were possessed by the settlers at a -time when the vast majority of the people of Ireland was deprived -of any semblance of such rights; and when Scotland, unsuccessful -in her last effort for legitimacy and the Divine right of kings, -was just recovering from the swoon into which she had fallen as the -last volleys rolled away from Culloden. - -The New Englanders who settled Mangerville and civilised Sunbury -were loyal to the Crown in the revolt of the colonies; they formed -a nucleus round which gathered many of the New England Tories and -their families, so that in 1783 it was considered expedient by -the Government to locate those who were called loyalists, and who -shook the dust off their feet at the door of the New Republic, -along the cleared settlements adjoining the Bay of Fundy and the -water of St. John. It is strange that the first newspaper should -have been printed by these outcasts at a time when there were -scarcely half-a-dozen journals known in the mother country; but the -peculiar circumstances under which these immigrants were placed -no doubt developed the energies of a press which was not shackled -by any political censorship. The wealth of the people lay around -them; their mines were in the forest, and the axe provided them -with currency. To Sir Guy Carlton, the first Governor, when New -Brunswick received a distinct Charter and a new Constitution and -was separated from Nova Scotia, in 1788, must be conceded the -credit of having nursed for twenty years, with singular care and -success, the infancy of the colony:--a succession of Presidents -or Governors and Councillors, whose names are reproduced in the -history of the American colonies,--such men as Beverley, Robinson, -Putman, Winslow, and Ludlow,--succeeded in the charge, and -gradually developed the resources of the rising community. - -Fire has wrought more than one great wrong to this land of frost -and snow. Yet it would not be just to describe New Brunswick as -a Siberia. From Christmas to March the country is tolerably well -provided with a coating of snow. From April to May ploughing and -seed time last, and before October the harvests are generally -gathered in. A glorious autumn yields to the rainfalls of November, -and these in their turn harden to sleet and snow in December; but, -after all, nearly seven months give space for sowing, ploughing, -reaping, and saving. The New Brunswickers, indeed, believe that -the very seventy of the frost in winter tends to render the -cultivation of the land more easy than it is in Britain; and -certainly rainfalls, and all the variableness of climate, do more -injury in England than they do in New Brunswick. The greatest -ranges of temperature are in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, where they -reach from 20° below zero to 90° above it; the highest temperature -at St. John may be reckoned at 86°, the lowest at 14°. There are -about 180 clear days and 120 cloudy days in the year, and the -snow-storms rarely last more than two days at a time. Now here -is a region to which one would think the bedrenched Highlander, -the betaxed Englishman, and much-vexed Irishman would resort in -myriads. And there is land for many. At least 6,000,000 acres -of land suited for crops and wood settlements are still to be -disposed of. For half-a-crown a man may buy an acre of land, but -of that sum only 7½_d._ is demanded on sale, and the remainder -may be paid in instalments extending over three years. The sales -of the country lands are monthly. If the settler likes to pay on -the spot he can have his land for 2_s._ an acre. Think of that, -conacre men of Tipperary and Leitrim! Think of that, farmers of -the Lothians, or tenants of the Highland straths! Shall I ask the -men of Dorsetshire and East Gloucester to think of it too? Nor -need they fear to change their mode of life, except it be for the -better, after the first rude work of labour is done; nor need -they fear to suffer from climate or disease. Typhus will cease -to kill--fever and dysentery to decimate. And if the settler has -kinsmen and friends willing to join with him, he can claim for -himself and each of them 100 acres of land, and pay for it by the -work of road-making in the new country, so that in four years, if -the work set by the Commissioners be executed, each man who has -been one year resident and has brought ten acres into cultivation, -becomes, _ipso facto_, owner of the whole lot of 100 acres. Now -this is in a country which has been described by no incompetent -witness, not as the peer of any region on earth in the beauty of -wood and water, but as the superior of the best. The St. John -flows in all its grandeur through the midst of the province, and -the Restigouche gives a charm of scenery to the forest not to be -surpassed. Lakes and streams open up dell, valley, and mountain -pass. Every creek in the much-indented coast swarms with fish. The -Bay of Fundy abounds with codfish and pollock, bake, haddock, shad, -herring, halibut, mackerel, eels, skate, and many other kinds of -fish. The mouths of the rivers swarm with salmon, trout, striped -basse, gaspereaux, shad, and white trout. The Gulf of St. Lawrence -and the Bay of Chaleurs yield nearly every description of valuable -fish, as well as lobsters, crabs, oysters, and other shellfish. The -Province receives nearly 100,000_l._ a year in exchange for the -fish packed in ice, or cured and exported to foreign countries. Its -wealth in timber is incalculable, because the value rises gradually -with the demand for the produce of its forests all over the world, -and, with prudent management, these forests may be considered as -inexhaustible. Coal of a bituminous character has been worked for -some years past in several districts; iron, manganese, lead, and -copper, also exist in considerable quantities, and the mineral -produce of the Province will no doubt add much to its importance as -the works receive greater development. - -Although the trade of shipbuilding does not show a regular -increase, the size of the vessels built at St. John and Miramichi -has been increasing. Upwards of 100 ships were launched at these -ports in 1860, with a measurement of 41,000 tons, and were worth -upwards of 320,000_l._ Various branches of trade have obtained -respectable dimensions and are growing steadily. Fredericton, the -capital of the Province, is situated on the St. John, eighty-two -miles from the sea, where the navigation for sea-going ships -may be regarded as at an end. The number of great lakes which -are available for internal commerce and transport complete the -facilities offered by the river system and by the main roads, the -latter of which have been liberally promoted by the Province. The -water power of the colony is boundless. Education is provided by -the Legislature, so that the poorest man can give his children the -advantage of a sound instruction almost without cost. Religion -is free, and the voluntary system mitigates the animosity of -sects. Emigrants from the South of Ireland have found here all the -conditions of prosperity, and have turned them to good account. -Scotch and English thrive exceedingly. Indeed, if it were not that -the greater clamour and bustle of the United States had succeeded -in overpowering the appeals of New Brunswick to the favour of the -emigrant, many thousands of our countrymen would have there found -the ease and comfort which they have sought in vain under the -rule of the Republic. The very name, New Brunswick, has no doubt -repelled settlers. A New Brunswick ship they know nothing of even -if they see one, and the name itself rarely reaches their ears. - - * * * * * - -Nova Scotia formerly comprised the Province of New Brunswick, -but is now reduced to the length of 256 miles, and the breadth -of 100 miles. The island of Cape Breton, which belongs to it, is -100 miles long, and 72 broad. The area of Nova Scotia and Cape -Breton is over 18,000 square miles. The population is estimated at -370,000, the Census of 1861 having given 330,860 and the ratio of -increase having been on an average of four per cent. per annum; -but emigrants are rarely attracted to the colony. In 1861, of the -people, 294,000 were native Nova Scotians, 16,000 were of Scottish, -9,000 of Irish, 3,000 of English origin; France, which founded the -colony, had only 88 representatives on land. The English Church -had 48,000 members, the Scotch Church numbered 88,000, the Church -of Rome 80,000; there were 56,000 Baptists, 34,000 Wesleyans, and, -wonderful to say, only 3 Deists. When it is considered that the -coal-fields of Nova Scotia are the finest in the world, that her -mining wealth is extraordinary, that her seas, lakes, and rivers -teem with fish, that her forests yield the finest timber, that the -soil gives an ample return to the farmer, and the earth is full -of mineral resources, it is surprising that emigrants of limited -means have not been tempted to try their fortune, in spite of the -threatening skies and somewhat rigid winters. Nearly five millions -and a half acres of land are still in the hands of the Crown, -of which upwards of four million acres are open for settlement, -and the average price is about 1_s._ 8_d._ an acre. From a very -trustworthy work prepared by Messrs. Hind, Keefer, Hodgins, Robb, -Perley, and the Rev. Wm. Murray, to which I am indebted for much -valuable information, it would appear that the climate of Nova -Scotia is by no means so severe as it is reported to be, both in -Great Britain and the United States. Though, at some seasons, -the weather is very severe, as compared with England, Ireland, -the South of Scotland, and a great portion of the United States -of America, still it is more conducive to health than the milder -but more humid corresponding seasons in those countries. The -length and severity of Nova Scotia winters are greatly compensated -by the mildness and beauty of autumn--which is protracted, not -unfrequently, into the middle of December--as well as by the months -of steady sleighing which follow. The extreme of cold is 24° Fahr. -below zero; the extreme of heat, 95° above, in the shade. These -extremes have not been often attained to of late years. The mean -temperature of the year is 43°. There are about 100 days in which -the temperature is above 70° in summer. There are about twenty -nights in the year in which the temperature is below zero. The -coldest season is from the last week of December till the first -week of March. - -The following table exhibits the annual mean temperature of several -European cities, as compared with Halifax, Nova Scotia, and -Toronto, C. W.:-- - - Latitude. Fahrenheit. - 44° 40´ Halifax 43·8 - 43 39 Toronto 44·4 - 52 31 Berlin 47·5 - 53 23 Dublin 49·1 - 50 7 Frankfort 49·5 - 49 39 Cherbourg 52·1 - - - MEAN SUMMER TEMPERATURE. - - Fahrenheit. - Halifax 62·0 - Toronto 64·5 - Greenwich 60·9 - Berlin 63·2 - Cherbourg 61·9 - -The annual quantity of rain which falls is about forty-one inches. -Of this quantity about six and a half inches fall in the form of -snow. The annual depth of snow is eight and a half feet. Much of -this quantity of snow is not allowed to rest long in its solid -form. There are about 114 days of rain on the average in each -year; much of this occurs in winter. The average number of days -of snow in each year is about sixty. Violent tempests are not of -frequent occurrence in Nova Scotia. The prevailing winds are the -south-west, west, and north-west. In summer the north, north-west, -and west winds are cool and dry. In winter they are cold and -piercing. The south and south-west are mild--agreeable--delightful. -The north-east brings the greatest snow-storms; the east and -south-east the most disagreeable rain-storms. Spring commences in -Nova Scotia with the beginning of April. Seed-time and planting -continue till the middle of June. Summer begins with the latter -part of June, and embraces July and August. Vegetation is very -rapid in the middle and western parts of the province, where the -hay crop, and usually nearly all the grain crops, are harvested by -the last week of August or first week of September. Autumn is the -finest season in Nova Scotia. It is mild, serene, and cool enough -to be bracing, and the atmosphere is of a purity that renders it -peculiarly exhilarating and health-giving. The “Indian summer” -occurs sometimes as late as the middle of November, and lasts -from three to ten days. The winter in Nova Scotia may be said to -comprise about four months. It begins, some seasons, with the 1st -of December, and runs into the month of April. In other seasons -it begins in the middle of December and ends with the last of -March. The mean temperature of spring is 49°; of summer, 62°; of -autumn, 35°; of winter, 22°. Similarity in agricultural productions -furnishes a very fair criterion for the comparison of the climates -of different countries. Wheat, rye, oats, barley, buckwheat, Indian -corn, potatoes, turnips, mangel-wurzel, tomatoes, and other roots -and grains grow in abundance and perfection in Nova Scotia. Apples, -pears, plums, cherries, and a multitude of smaller garden-fruits -attain the utmost perfection. In some sections of the country -peaches and grapes ripen in the open air. The climate of Nova -Scotia is highly favourable both to health and length of days. -Men and women frequently attain to the age of eighty years with -the full possession of their mental faculties, and in excellent -bodily health. It is not unusual to find men enjoying good health -at ninety; and not a few reach one hundred years, while some pass -that extreme boundary. Let the proportion of deaths to population -in Nova Scotia he compared with that in Great Britain and the State -of Rhode Island:-- - - Nova Scotia, 1 in 70·71, or less than 1½ per cent. - Rhode Island, 1 in 46·11, or more than 2 ” - Great Britain, 1 in 44·75, or more than 2 ” - -The climate of Nova Scotia is not noted for the generation of any -disease peculiar to itself. Diphtheria has, of late years, been its -most terrible scourge. - - * * * * * - -Prince Edward Island--called so after the father of Queen -Victoria--is another member of the great group of British colonies -and dependencies. This island, which is about 130 miles long and 30 -miles broad, has less than 100,000 inhabitants. It contained less -than 5,000 souls in 1770, when it was separated from the government -of Nova Scotia, and was erected into an independent province -under unfavourable circumstances, arising out of the unfortunate -conditions which were made when the land was allotted to the -original proprietors. The early history of the colony afforded a -remarkable exemplification of wrong-doing with good intentions, and -the errors of the first English rulers who regulated the settlement -of the province were not atoned for till many years of patient -effort on the part of the people had been devoted to a removal of -abuses. The island is under a Governor named by the Crown, whose -Cabinet consists of an Executive Council of nine, selected from -the Legislative Council and from the House of Assembly, the former -consisting of twelve, the latter of thirty members, elected by the -people. - -Newfoundland is 420 miles long, and has an extreme breadth of 300 -miles. The population is now about 130,000. Notwithstanding its -name, there is reason to believe that it was known to Icelanders -and Norwegians, to Vikings and Danes, four centuries before Cabot -came upon his Bonavista. The early history of our connection with -this great island is not creditable to those who had influence with -the home authorities. In 1832, following the principle of universal -suffrage, which was considered applicable to a colony, though it -was rejected at home, a Legislative system was erected on the basis -of manhood franchise, the only qualification being that the voter -should have been a year in the same house. The Governor, who is of -course a representative and nominee of the Crown, is assisted by an -Executive Council of five members, and the Parliament consists of -a Legislative Council of twelve and a House of Assembly of thirty -members. - - * * * * * - -There exists on the west of Canada a vast region which may, -perhaps, become great and flourishing in less time than the -districts which, inhabited by red men and wild beasts in 1776, now -form some of the most important of the North and South American -States. - -It is one of the very greatest of the evils connected with our -parliamentary system, that small or local interests at home are -likely to receive attention in preference to the largest general -interests of dependencies. The Colonial Office is a sort of -buffer between Parliament and the shocks of colonial aggressions -and demands; and the Chancellor of the Exchequer can at any time -find easy means of squelching any tendency in the chancellor of -a barbarian administration “to dip his finger” into the Imperial -purse. Now, when “the People of Red River settlement” address a -memorial to the British and Canadian Governments with the view -of obtaining a road to open up the wonderfully fine country they -inhabit to British subjects and to commerce, without dependency -on the United States, it may so happen that at the period in -question the smallest claim of a metropolitan borough shall be -considered of far greater preponderance; nor will the Government -or the Colonial Office at any time be much disposed to irritate -a friendly member who is inimical to colonies, or to provoke the -animosity of economists, for an object which is as intangible and -incomprehensible to the mass of Parliament as a project to run -a railway to Eutopia, or to connect Timbuctoo with China. Mr. -Sandford Fleming, who has been selected as the agent of these -very settlers, has set forth their case with much ability; but -he will scarce become the Lesseps of this overland Suez, unless -some members of the House, who really look beyond the interests -of the day, and take heed for the future of the Empire, can be -induced to listen to his facts and arguments. In 1863 a statement -was submitted by that gentleman to Lord Monck in elucidation of -the memorial of the settlers, which contains most interesting -facts and some valuable arguments. Among the works of good -Governments the making of roads and securing of easy means of -intercommunication among the people subject to them must ever -be of paramount importance. The people of Red River ask for the -opening of the Lake Superior route to British Columbia, and to -have a telegraphic line established, to both of which objects -they will contribute to the best of their ability. The point of -British territory nearest to the Red River settlement by water is -on the northern shore of Lake Superior, 400 miles distant; and the -intervening distance can only be traversed by a combined system -of “portages” and canoe voyages so difficult and tedious as in -effect to bar the access of commercial enterprise, and to chill -any spirit but that of adventurous geography, amateur travel, -or the search after gold and game--thus, in fact, constituting -obstacles which are well described as “practically exiling the -settlers for the last two generations.” The route proposed for the -links which are to connect the exiles with the world would be a -part of the great project to connect the shores of the Atlantic -and Pacific within the British possessions; and it is maintained -that the favourable character of the Red River district for such a -road removes the objections which might be formed on the ground of -distance and difficulty. The Hudson’s Bay Company used the Pigeon -River route, which runs along by the boundary of the United States, -and is therefore not desirable in case of hostilities, and the -Kaministiguia route, called so from the river of that name. Mr. -Fleming, taking up the suggestions of Mr. Dawson in his report to -the Canadian Government, recommends the creation of a territorial -road from some point in connection with the railway system, such as -Ottawa, to Nipigon Bay on Lake Superior, which would be ample as a -trading port, whence a stage and steamboat communication could be -established by making 197 miles of roads and two dams--one at the -outlet of Dog Lake, and the other at Little Falls; or, by making -232 miles of road, and a couple of locks at Fort Francis, and a -dam, the route might be reduced to 273 miles of water, if the -road were pushed on to Savanne River. It must be remembered that -the Americans have already established a route by Chicago; but -an examination of the distances from Toronto shows that the Lake -Superior route would save no less than 715 miles of rail, 35 of -water, and 58 of road. The American route, however, possesses the -advantage of having already 820 miles of rail, of which 514 carry -the traveller to Chicago from Toronto, and 306 convey him from -Chicago to Prairie La Crosse; whereas there is only a length of 95 -miles open in Canada, from Toronto westwards to Collingwood. There -is also an American route by Detroit, Milwaukee, and La Crosse to -Port Garry, 1696 miles long, but that is still 646 miles longer -than the communication which could be made by means of 232 miles -of road, the construction of a dam and the locks in question. -Labour might be tempted by offering, as is suggested, blocks of -100 acres to settlers on condition of their giving ten days’ work -in each year for ten years on the road, and thus preparing it for -a railway track; but the settlers must be more patient and easily -satisfied than their language now indicates, if they are content -with the prospect of such a tedious fulfilment of their wishes. -They are willing to open a road 100 miles long to the Lake of Woods -if England or Canada will guarantee the rest of the road to Lake -Superior; and they believe such a road would rapidly fill Central -British America with an industrious loyal people, and counteract -the influence of the North American Republics. Whether the grand -confederation which they foresee of flourishing provinces from -Vancouver’s Island to Nova Scotia, commanding the Atlantic and the -Pacific, and keeping in line the boundaries of the Republicans, be -ever realised in our day, it is plain that the people will neither -be British nor loyal if they are neglected. The Americans have long -been turning their eyes in the direction of these regions. Mr. -Sibley, the last Governor of Minnesota, ordered Mr. James W. Taylor -to obtain reliable information relative to the physical aspects and -other facts connected with the British possessions on the line of -the overland route from Pembina, viâ the Red River settlement and -the Saskatchewan Valley, to Frazer’s River. That gentleman’s report -was presented by Governor Ramsay to the Legislature of the State -in 1860, with a recommendation to their attention as “relating -to matters which concern in a great degree the future growth and -development of our State.” Mr. Taylor was received by Mr. McTavish -at the Selkirk settlement with every respect and consideration. He -found the British colony of Assiniboia prosperous and flourishing. -Respecting that colony he says:-- - - “Of the present community of ten thousand souls, about five - thousand are competent, at this moment, to assume any civil - or social responsibility which may be imposed upon them. The - accumulations from the fur trade during fifty years, with few - excitements or opportunities of expenditure, have secured general - prosperity, with frequent instances of affluence; while the - numerous churches and schools sustain a high standard of morality - and intelligence. - - “The people of Selkirk fully appreciate the advantages of - communication with the Mississippi River and Lake Superior - through the State of Minnesota. They are anxious for the utmost - facilities of trade and intercourse. The navigation of the Red - River by a steam-boat during the summer of 1859 was universally - recognised as marking a new era in their annals. This public - sentiment was pithily expressed by the remark: ‘In 1851 the - Governor of Minnesota visited us; in 1859 comes a steamboat; and - ten years more will bring the railroad!’” - -The persons who expressed that sentiment differed entirely from -the memorialists already mentioned; but it must be that the -Selkirk people, if neglected, will incline towards the hand which -is stretched out to them across the waste, no matter whence it -comes. “Most amicable relations” do no doubt “exist between -the trading-post at Port Garry and Kitson’s Station at St. -Boniface;” but long as they may endure--and I trust they may be -perpetual--they will not amount to a preference for Republican -institutions, if the mother country seeks to secure the settlers -by the most tender or subtle link of interest or regard. What -change may be made in respect to the jurisdiction and powers of -the Hudson’s Bay Company by the home authorities must depend for -the time on circumstances; but the actual settlers seem to hope -that the rumours which attributed to Lord Derby’s Government the -intention of organising a colony, bounded by Lakes Superior and -Winnipeg on the east, by the Rocky Mountains on the west, by -the American frontier on the south, and by lat. 55 deg. on the -north, may yet be justified. The Canadian Government, Palliser’s -expedition, Noble’s explorations, Mr. J. W. Hamilton’s surveys, -and a considerable number of public and private investigations -conducted in the interests of politics, commerce, religion, and -geographical science, have all contributed their share to our -knowledge of this vast territory; and the more we know of it the -more eligible it seems as a field for individual enterprise, and an -area for the exercise of legitimate Imperial ambition. - -From Lake Winnipeg to the highest navigable point of Red River, -which flows into the lake with a course from north to south, -there is a distance of 575 miles, only interrupted by some very -insignificant shoals at the mouth of Goose River and the Shayenne. -Red Lake River and the Assiniboina extend the area of “coast” -navigable by steamers in the Red River Valley to 900 miles--much -more than is enjoyed internally by the United Kingdom and France -together. Throughout the districts thus permeated by navigable -rivers, rye, oats, barley, potatoes, grass, and wheat, grow as -well as they do in Minnesota; and to these wild regions must be -added the country along the great north Saskatchewan, and even the -region which lies between it and the Rocky Mountains in a northerly -direction. When Mr. Taylor wrote his Report, there was no reason -to believe that “an adjustment of the future relations of the -British Provinces and of the American States on a basis of mutual -good-will and interest” might not be practicable; but Fort Sumter -changed all that, we fear, and there seems little chance of such an -international compact as he anticipates for a customs and postal -union. In reference to such an adjustment he says:-- - - “It should, at all events, stipulate that the Reciprocity - Treaty, enlarged in its provisions and renewed for a long period - of years, shall be extended to the Pacific Ocean, and, in - connection therewith, all laws discriminating between American - and foreign built vessels should be abolished, establishing - freedom of navigation on all the intermediate rivers and lakes - of the respective territories. Such a policy of free trade - and navigation with British America would give to the United - States, and especially to the western States, all the commercial - advantages, without the political embarrassments, of annexation, - and would, in the sure progress of events, relieve our extended - northern frontier from the horrors and injuries of war between - fraternal communities.” - -It is little to be doubted that the people of Minnesota are very -well-disposed to remain on friendly terms with their neighbours; -but the Federal Government at Washington, no matter for what party -or section it acts, must, by the very necessity of its being and -conditions of power, conduct the policy of the United States in a -very different spirit. It is true, our friends have, even so early, -given some indications that they are prepared for eventualities. - -Whilst they have not been indifferent to the erection of a military -post at Pembina, some of their politicians, with a ludicrous -pretence of fear from the colonists, in case of war, have called -for the creation of frontier forts; and the Indians in the -north-west of Minnesota, who had a reservation, are to be treated -with the usual measure of justice used by the white skin in dealing -with the red skin, and to be exterminated or driven into space as -soon as convenient or practicable. Mr. Taylor, in reference to -the existence of coal near the sources of the Saskatchewan, which -is undoubted, admits the uncertainty of carboniferous strata in -the ridges between the Minnesota and the Red River north of the -Mississippi and Saskatchewan, though there are geological reasons -to hold that they will be found there. In justice to the spirit in -which this Report is conceived, I quote the concluding passages:-- - - “The allusion just made to the exploring expedition conducted - under the authority of Canada, justifies a tribute to the zeal - and intelligence with which the enterprise of an emigration - and transportation route, from Fort William on the north shore - of Lake Superior, to Fort Garry, is prosecuted. With the civil - organisation of Central British America, a waggon road between - those points, to be followed by a railroad, will receive all - requisite encouragement, certainly from the Canadian Treasury, - perhaps by the efficient co-operation of the Home Government. The - North-west Transit Company, acting under a Canadian charter, but - understood to have enlisted London capitalists, is expected to - resume operations during the summer of 1860. These movements of - our provincial neighbours cannot fail to influence the policy of - Minnesota in favour of more satisfactory communications than we - now possess between Lake Superior and the channels of the Upper - Mississippi and the Red River of the north. - - “I desire, in conclusion, to express my obligations to the - late Executive of Minnesota, for the confidence implied by the - commission, to which the foregoing is a response. Believing - firmly that the prosperity and development of this State is - intimately associated with the destiny of North-west British - America, I am gratified to record the rapid concurrence of - events which indicate that the frontier, hitherto resting upon - the sources of the St. Lawrence and the Mississippi, is soon to - be pushed far beyond the international frontier by the march of - Anglo-Saxon civilisation.” - -It is indeed “a country worth fighting for;” and whether the -contest be carried on by the slow processes of immigration or by -the ruder agencies of neglect, the conqueror and the conquered will -have reason to regard the result with very decided sentiments of -joy or sorrow at no distant time. In the language of the report of -the New York Chamber of Commerce--“There is in the heart of North -America a distinct sub-division, of which Lake Winnipeg may be -regarded as the centre. This sub-division, like the valley of the -Mississippi, is distinguished for the fertility of its soil, and -for the extent and gentle slope of its great plains, watered by -rivers of great length, and admirably adapted for steam navigation. -It has a climate not exceeding in severity that of many portions of -Canada and the eastern States. It will, in all respects, compare -favourably with some of the most densely peopled portions of the -continent of Europe. In other words, it is admirably fitted to -become the seat of a numerous, hardy, and prosperous community. It -has an area equal to eight or ten first-class American States. Its -great river, the Saskatchewan, carries a navigable water-line to -the very base of the Rocky Mountains. It is not at all improbable -that the valley of this river may yet offer the best route for -a railroad to the Pacific. The navigable waters of this great -sub-division interlock with those of the Mississippi. The Red -River of the north, in connection with Lake Winnipeg, into which -it falls, forms a navigable water-line, extending directly north -and south nearly eight hundred miles. The Red River is one of the -best adapted to the use of steam in the world, and waters one of -the finest regions on the continent. Between the highest point at -which it is navigable, and St. Paul, on the Mississippi, a railroad -is in process of construction and when this road is completed, -another grand division of the continent, comprising half a million -square miles, will be open to settlement.” - -It would be unjust to the Hudson’s Bay Company to refuse them -the praise due to the efforts of their servants in exploring the -vast region over which they ruled, and to the constancy with -which they have resisted aggression; but as the privileges of -that body have now become part of the stock-in-trade of a great -mercantile association, there can be no reason for doubting that -a change of policy, in consonance with the tone of the governing -sentiment of the age, will take place, and that the interests -of free trade, and the more extensive interests connected with -Imperial and Colonial progress and with colonisation itself, will -be found not incompatible. When the ichthyophilists of London -betake themselves, in the leafy month of June, to Gravesend, in -search of the placid turtle or the strenuous shrimp, they may be -startled by the booming of guns from the bosom of the river, and -by certain loud cheers from two strict-rigged craft anchored in -the stream. A gaily-decked river-steamer, from the flag-staff of -which flutters a hieroglyph in blue and white, with the motto, -“_Pro pelle cutem_,” is lying alongside the larger of the two. -On board the steamer are many sorts and conditions of men--the -friends of directors, outlying members of both Houses, old salts -and older commercial personages, and men wearing the bright, crisp, -clean look of prosperous clerkdom. These circulate from the deck -of the steamer to the broader expanse of the vessel alongside, -where a stout weather-beaten crew are drawn up, listening to the -recital of articles. Dipping down the companion it is probable -that the visitor will find in the captain’s cabin an assemblage -of gentlemen, eating biscuit and drinking sherry to the health -of the skipper, whilst others are peering into compartments -and berths ’twixt bulkheads filled with odd merchandise, from -gas-pipe-barrelled guns to needles, anchors, blankets, crinoline, -and artificial flowers. They are people whom we might meet in any -place in London from west to east, wearing the indescribable air of -men “out for the day.” On deck are some old-fashioned brass-bound -boxes, inscribed “Hudson’s Bay Company,” guarded by very ancient -and fish-like attendants, in a red and blue livery. The steamer -leaves the bluff double-cased sides of the vessel for a visit to -her consort, for the two ships now-a-days form the sum total of -the fleet sailing annually to the Hudson’s Bay settlements, where -once there was a flotilla of smaller craft, dressed in all their -bravery of flags, and making old Gravesend re-echo to their salvos -as they went forth on that which was then a dubious and adventurous -voyage. Then, after much leave-taking, and drinking of anchor cups, -the steamer starts, amid the cheers of the outward-bound crew, -for the Nore, to enjoy a little fresh air before she comes back -to the Falcon at Gravesend, where the annual dinner is held, and -where many good speeches are made and friendly sentiments expressed -in support of the Hudson’s Bay Company. The sagacious face of -old Edward Ellice, seamed with the fine graver of thought, and -plastic still as in youth, for many a long year fixed men’s eyes -with kindly regard; and the _mitis sapientia_ of his counsels, his -unrivalled tact, albeit the exquisite touch lay inside a shagreen -glove, and his great ability in the conduct of affairs, gave the -Company that which Rupert’s charters, Charles’s parchments, or -prescriptive rights, never could have secured so long. - -It was under Sir E. L. Bulwer’s administration of foreign affairs -that the most strenuous attempt was made by the Government to -adjust the conflicting claims of Canada and Great Britain with -those of the Hudson’s Bay Company, by the decision of the Judicial -Committee of Privy Council; but the Company, though always willing -to enter into an arrangement with the Government for the adjustment -of contending interests, uniformly and not unwisely refused to -accept any arbitration or judgment involving the question of the -validity of their charters. The refusal of Parliament to renew the -exclusive right of trading, in 1859, and the assumption of the -control of Vancouver’s Island by the Crown on the expiration of the -lease in the same year, were heavy blows at the vested interests -of the Company, which deprived its _cessio bonorum_ to the -English Credit Mobilier, in 1863, of great political importance, -though enormous commercial results may still be obtained from -the extension of trading and from settling and gold-exploring -operations. When the speedy colonisation and rapid rise of -British Columbia caused some attention to be directed towards -the means of getting there, and of cultivating an acquaintance -promising such great advantages, and it was found that from east -to west two routes were practicable, it was not surprising if -jealousy and alarm were aroused because the Americans, by further -representations, unhappily baseless, respecting the energy of -the initiative taken by Canada and England, had first started -to clear the way to the west, and to open communications with -the Red River settlement, _en route_. Fort Garry, in the Selkirk -settlement, was first visited by a steamer from the American post -of Fort Abercrombie, in 1859. Minnesota was a State which had the -advantage of a continental existence on the soil of the Great -Republic. “Organised as a territory in 1849, a single decade had -brought the population, the resources, and the public recognition -of an American State. A railroad system, connecting the lines of -the Lake States and Provinces at La Crosse with the international -frontier on the Red River at Pembina, was not only projected, but -had secured in aid of its construction a grant by the Congress -of the United States of three thousand eight hundred and forty -acres a mile, and a loan of State credit to the amount of twenty -thousand dollars a mile, not exceeding an aggregate of five million -dollars. Different sections of this important extension of the -Canadian and American railways were under contract and in process -of construction. In addition, the land surveys of the Federal -Government had reached the navigable channel of the Red River; -and the line of frontier settlement, attended by a weekly mail, -had advanced to the same point. Thus the Government of the United -States, no less than the people and authorities of Minnesota, were -represented in the north-west movement.” - -No matter how prosperous a colony of Great Britain may he, -a colony it must be so long as it is not independent. The -first result of the prosperity of an American colony is its -independence as a State, and its incorporation as a member of the -common sovereignty. The distinction arises from geographical -considerations, but it is not the less potent--I shall not yet say, -more to be regretted. The retention of Canada would be of little -value to us if there were to the west of it a great and populous -community, absorbing its capital, labour, and enterprise for the -benefit of aliens, and if to the south there were a series of -States animated by an intense _political_ dislike to the mother -country. But there is, as they say in Ireland, “the makings” of -four free and independent States, on the American model of Ohio, -in that district between the valleys of the North and South -Saskatchewan. In 1858 an American writer again described the -region which the British Government, the Colonial Office, and the -Imperialism of bureaux, inclined to cast away without even a mess -of pottage. That writer says:-- - - “Here is the great fact of the north-western areas of this - continent. An area not inferior in size to the whole United - States east of the Mississippi, which is perfectly adapted to - the fullest occupation by cultivated nations, yet is almost - wholly unoccupied, lies west of the 98th meridian, and above the - 43rd parallel, that is, north of the latitude of Milwaukee, and - west of the longitude of Red River, Fort Kearney, and Corpus - Christi; or, to state the fact in another way, east of the Rocky - Mountains, and west of the 98th meridian, and between the 43rd - and 60th parallels, there is a productive, cultivable area of - 500,000 square miles. West of the Rocky Mountains and between the - same parallels, there is an area of 300,000 square miles. - - “It is a great mistake to suppose that the temperature of the - Atlantic coast is carried straight across the continent to - the Pacific. The isothermals deflect greatly to the north, - and the temperatures of the Northern Pacific are paralleled - in the high temperatures in high latitudes of Western and - Central Europe. The latitudes which inclose the plateaus of the - Missouri and Saskatchewan, in Europe inclose the rich central - plains of the Continent. The great grain growing districts of - Russia lie between the 45th and 60th parallel, that is, north - of the latitude of St. Paul, Minnesota, or Eastport, Maine. - Indeed, the temperature in some instances is higher for the - same latitudes here than in Central Europe. The isothermal - of 70 deg. for the summer, which on our plateau ranges from - along latitude 50 deg. to 52 deg., in Europe skirts through - Vienna and Odessa in about parallel 46 deg. The isothermal of - 55 deg. for the year runs along the coast of British Columbia, - and does not go far from New York, London, and Sebastopol. - Furthermore, dry areas are not found above 47 deg., and there - are no barren tracts of consequence north of the Bad Lands and - the Coteau of the Missouri; the land grows grain finely, and is - well wooded. All the grains of the temperate districts are here - produced abundantly, and Indian corn may be grown as high as the - Saskatchewan. - - “The buffalo winters as safely on the upper Athabasca as in - the latitude of St. Paul, and the spring opens at nearly the - same time along the immense line of plains from St. Paul to - Mackenzie’s River. To these facts, for which there is the - authority of Blodgett’s Treatise on the Climatology of the United - States, may be added this, that to the region bordering the - Northern Pacific, the finest maritime positions belong throughout - its entire extent, and no part of the west of Europe exceeds - it in the advantages of equable climate, fertile soil, and - commercial accessibility of coast. We have the same excellent - authority for the statement that in every condition forming the - basis of national wealth, the continental mass lying westward - and northward from Lake Superior is far more valuable than - the interior in lower latitudes, of which Salt Lake and Upper - New Mexico are the prominent known districts. In short, its - commercial and industrial capacity is gigantic. Its occupation - was coeval with the Spanish occupation of New Mexico and - California.” - -The climate of this district is at least as favourable to the -agriculturist as that of Kingston, Upper Canada, and is quite -salubrious. Special science thus describes it:-- - - Professor Hind, who spent two summers in the country in charge - of an expedition sent out by the Canadian Government, writes: - “The basin of Lake Winnipeg extends over twenty-eight degrees - of longitude, and ten degrees of latitude. The elevation of its - eastern boundary, at the Prairie Portage, 104 miles west of Lake - Superior, is 1480 feet above the sea, and the height of land - at the Vermillion Pass is less than 5000 feet above the same - level. The mean length of this great inland basin is about 920 - English miles, and its mean breadth 380 miles; hence its area is - approximately 360,000 square miles, or a little more than that of - Canada. - - “Lake Winnipeg, at an altitude of 628 feet above the sea, - occupies the lowest depression of this great inland basin, - covering with its associated lakes, Manitobah, Winnipegosis, - Dauphin, and St. Martin, an area slightly exceeding 13,000 square - miles, or nearly half as much of the earth’s surface as is - occupied by Ireland. - - “The outlet of Lake Winnipeg is through the contracted and rocky - channel of Nelson River, which flows into Hudson’s Bay. - - “The country, possessing a mean elevation of 100 feet above Lake - Winnipeg, is very closely represented by the outline of Pembina - Mountain, forming part of the eastern limit of the cretaceous - series in the north-west of America. - - “The area occupied by this low country, which includes a large - part of the valley of Red River, the Assiniboine, and the main - Saskatchewan, may be estimated at 70,000 square miles, of which - nine-tenths are lakes, marsh, or surface rock of Silurian or - Devonian age, and, generally so thinly covered with soil as to be - unfit for cultivation, except in small isolated areas. - - “Succeeding this low region there are the narrow terraces of - the Pembina Mountain, which rise in abrupt steps, except in the - valleys of the Assiniboine, Valley River, Swan River, and Red - Deer’s River, to the level of a higher plateau, whose eastern - limit is formed by the precipitous escarpments of the Riding, - Duck, and Porcupine Mountains, with the detached outliers, - Turtle, Thunder, and Pasquia Mountains. This is the great - _prairie plateau_ of Rupert’s Land; it is bounded towards the - south-west and west by the Grand Coteau de Missouri, and the - extension of the tableland between the two branches of the - Saskatchewan, which forms the eastern limit of the _plains_ of - the north-west. The area of the prairie plateau, in the basin of - Lake Winnipeg, is about 120,000 square miles; it possesses a mean - elevation of 1100 feet above the sea. - - “The plains rise gently as the Rocky Mountains are approached, - and at their western limit have an altitude of 4000 feet above - the sea level. With only a very narrow belt of intervening - country, the mountains rise abruptly from the plains, and present - lofty precipices that frown like battlements over the level - country to the eastward. The average altitude of the highest part - of the Rocky Mountains is 12,000 feet (about lat. 51 deg). The - forest extends to the altitude of 7000 feet, or 2000 feet above - the lowest pass. - - “The _fertile belt_ of arable soil, partly in the form of - rich, open prairie, partly covered with groves of aspen, which - stretches from the Lake of the Woods to the foot of the Rocky - Mountains, averages 80 to 100 miles in breadth.” - -Dr. James Hector, and all the explorers, agree in their -descriptions of this region. It is difficult to reach; but is it so -difficult to reach as the shores of America itself were, 300, or -200, or 100 years ago? We cannot conceive what a century has done -in America, or at home. How little, then, can we conjecture what -the next fifty years will effect in these distant lands! The map, -which now is crowded with the names of cities where red men roamed -_in terra incognita_ so recently as the beginning of this century, -should reprove any incredulity. The nations are like water. When -a country is filled above its capacity, its surplus overflows. As -soon as all the eligible districts of Canada are occupied, the -streams of settlers will pour westwards; tracks and roads will be -made; and, if the land be good, it will soon be filled with people. -As to the great regions which lie to the west, and open on the -Pacific, it can only be said that they are to us what California -was to the United States on the first discovery of gold; and that -after fifty years they may be less than California is now, if -steps be not taken to bind them up with British interests, and to -oppose the Americanisation with which they are threatened. Without -reference to the Far West, or the Far North-West,--without regard -to the Red River and Assiniboia or to British Columbia, there -is before us the great fact, that out of the Canadas, and the -British North American Provinces and dependencies, can be created -a powerful Confederation attached to this country, and capable of -the grandest development in spite of climatic influences. We have -already given a slight sketch of the extent and capability of these -provinces, and hinted at the difficulties that may arise in the -working of the Confederation. Canada is now more than threatened -with the loss of the advantages which were supposed to depend -on the Reciprocity Treaty, and Great Britain is formally warned -that she must prepare to meet Federal encroachments on the Lakes. -Mr. Galt, in a very elaborate speech, exhaustive of the topics -connected with the financial aspect of the future Confederation, -lately laid before his hearers a series of calculations which -deserve close attention, and which are, we believe, entitled to -full confidence. The United States at the end of the year 1865 -will either have effected the subjugation of the South by the -destruction of all her armies in the field, or she will see an -increase to her debt of at least forty millions sterling, or she -will have arranged a compromise with the South of which one feature -will be the assumption of the Southern debt. In the first case, -the North must prepare for a long and costly military occupation. -In no case as yet have the trade and commerce of any Southern -port or city subjugated and held by Union troops, paid the Federal -Government for the cost of holding it. In the second case, increase -of taxation must fall with such a crushing weight on the poorer -classes, especially in the agricultural States, as to force many of -the people to take refuge in Canada, unless deterred by unforeseen -obstacles. In the third case, the immediate result will be to throw -on the Northern States for some considerable period, a greater -amount of debt, and of consequent derangement, than they would -have been subjected to by either of the preceding conditions. -There can be no just comparison between the United States and the -projected Confederation, except in the ratio of taxation _per -capita_. And, if we take income, expenditure, and possible debt at -the end of 1865, and contrast the financial position of the British -Confederate with that of the American Federalist, we will find that -the advantage is decidedly on the side of the latter. - -According to the Hon. A. T. Galt, the following is a fair statement -of the revenue and expenditure of the provinces, of the debts and -liabilities, of the trade exports and imports, and of all the -assets and demands by which the future Confederation would be -influenced, excluding of course the cost of such undertakings as -great intercolonial roads or enlargements of canals. Mr. Galt may -not be a favourite with some theorists of the Colonial Office; he -certainly is not popular at Washington, and he is not more honoured -at home than most prophets, but he is an able, clear-headed, -trustworthy man:-- - - - THE FINANCIAL POSITION OF THE PROVINCES. - - Debt, 1863. Income, 1863. Outlay, 1863. - Nova Scotia $4,858,547 $1,185,629 $1,072,274 - New Brunswick 5,702,991 899,991 884,613 - Newfoundland (1862) 946,000 480,000 479,420 - Prince Edward Island 240,673 197,384 171,718 - ----------- ----------- ----------- - Maritime Provinces $11,748,211 $2,763,004 $2,608,025 - Canada 67,263,994 9,760,316 10,742,807 - ----------- ----------- ----------- - Totals $79,012,205 $12,523,320 $13,350,832 - - - INCREASED REVENUES IN 1864. - - Canada, without the produce of the new taxes $1,500,000 - New Brunswick 100,000 - Nova Scotia 100,000 - ----------- - $1,700,000 - Deficit of 1863 $827,512 - Surplus of 1864 872,488 - ----------- - $1,700,000 - - Total Revenues of all the Colonies, 1864 $14,223,320 - Outlay 13,350,832 - ----------- - Estimated Surplus $872,488 - - -THE POSITION OF THE CONFEDERATION, ESTIMATED ON THE BASIS OF 1864. - - Revenue now Local Revenues Subsidy to Difference, - produced for which would be paid to available for - General not go into the each the purposes - Government. general Chest. Province. of the Genl. - Canada $11,250,000 $1,297,043 $2,006,121 Government. - Nova Scotia 1,300,000 107,000 264,000 - New Brunswick 1,000,000 89,000 264,000 - Prince Edward - Island 200,000 32,000 153,728 - Newfoundland 480,000 5,000 369,000 - ----------- ---------- ---------- - $14,230,000 $1,530,043 $3,056,849 $9,643,108 - - Difference - Expenditure. Local Outlay. payable by - the Genl. - Canada $9,800,000 $2,260,149 Government. - Nova Scotia 1,222,555 667,000 - New Brunswick 834,518 424,047 - Prince Edward Island 171,718 124,016 - Newfoundland 479,000 479,000 - ----------- ---------- - $12,507,591 $3,954,212 $8,553,379 - ---------- - Surplus at the disposal of the General Government $1,089,729 - - - AVERAGE OF THE PRESENT TARIFFS. - - Canada 20 per cent. Newfoundland 11 per cent - Nova Scotia 10 ” Prince Edward Island 10 ” - New Brunswick 15½ ” - - - FUTURE POSITION OF THE PROVINCES. - - Estimated Outlay Estimated Local - for 1864 under Outlay under - Local Revenues. present Government. the Union. - Nova Scotia $107,000 $667,000 $371,000 - New Brunswick 89,000 404,047 353,000 - Prince Edward - Island 32,000 171,718 124,015 - Newfoundland 5,000 479,000 250,000 - --------- --------- ---------- - $233,000 $1,721,765 $1,098,015 - Canada 1,297,043 { [1] 2,021,979 [3] - { [2] 238,170 - ---------- ---------- ---------- - $1,530,043 $3,981,914 [3] - - [1] Average of the last four years. - - [2] Interest on excess of debt. - - [3] Not estimated by Mr. Galt, for reasons given in the speech. - - - THE AUDITOR’S STATEMENT OF THE LIABILITIES OF CANADA - - Debenture Debt, direct and indirect $65,238,649 21 - Miscellaneous liabilities 64,426 14 - Common School Fund 1,181,958 85 - Indian Fund 1,577,802 46 - Banking Accounts 3,396,982 81 - Seigniorial Tenure:-- - Capital to Seigniors $2,889,711 09 - Chargeable on Municipalities’ Fund 196,719 66 - On account of Jesuits’ Estates 140,271 87 - Indemnity to the Townships 891,500 00 - --------- 4,118,202 62 - ---------------- - $75,578,022 09 - Less--Sinking Funds $4,883,177 11 - Cash and Bank Accounts 2,248,891 87 - --------------- 7,132,068 98 - ---------------- - $68,445,953 11 - From which, for reasons given in his speech, - Mr. Galt deducted the Common School Fund 1,181,958 85 - ---------------- - Leaving as Net Liabilities $67,263,994 26 - - - IMPORTS, EXPORTS, AND TONNAGE OF THE PROVINCES. - - Sea-going Tonnage. - Imports. Exports. Inward and Outward. - Canada $45,964,000 $41,831,000 2,133,000 - Nova Scotia 10,201,391 8,420,968 1,432,954 - New Brunswick 7,764,824 8,964,784 1,386,980 - Prince Edward Island 1,428,028 1,627,540 No returns. - Newfoundland 5,242,720 6,002,312 ” ” - ----------- ----------- ----------- - $70,600,963 $66,846,604 4,952,934 - 66,846,604 Lake Tonnage 6,907,000 - ------------ ----------- - Total Trade $137,447,567 Total Tons 11,859,934 - - -A people of more than four millions will owe something over -£13,000,000, as compared with a people of thirty millions owing -£900,000,000 sterling; and with a trade of £27,000,000 a-year there -is no compensating power in any commercial superiority the United -States may possess to establish an equation. If the expenses of -the local and of the Federal Governments be properly kept in hand, -the condition of the British Confederation, in a pecuniary point -of view at all events, must be infinitely better than that of the -Federal Union either by itself or with the Southern States. - -The Confederation which has just been proposed by delegates -at Quebec, and which will come before Parliament soon after -this volume escapes from the printers, vests the Executive in -the Sovereign of Great Britain; a superfluous investiture, -unless the delegates meant rebellion; and it provides for its -administration according to the British constitution, by the -Sovereign or authorised representative. It does not appear very -plain how the Sovereign of a mixed monarchy with a limited -franchise for the people can administer his quasi-republican -and unaristocratic viceroyalty according to the principles of -the British constitution; particularly, as the Sovereign or his -representative is to be the Commander-in-Chief of the land and -naval forces of the Confederation, which are thus expressly removed -from the control of the War-Office at home. Difficulties of a -merely technical character will no doubt be overcome. But the King -of Great Britain and Ireland, in whom the Executive is vested, -will have to deal with a Transatlantic House of Commons founded -on abstract returns of population, and elected by the provinces -according to their local laws; so that some members will represent -universal suffrage, and others limited constituencies, which is -very different indeed from the House of Commons of Great Britain -and Ireland. - -In the Upper House a Wensleydale peerage is reproduced. It is to -consist of seventy-six members nominated by the Sovereign for life, -of whom twenty-four are assigned to Upper Canada, and twenty-four -to Lower Canada, ten for Nova Scotia, ten for New Brunswick, four -for Newfoundland, and four for Prince Edward Island. The Lower -House, far less aristocratic in its relations to Lower and Upper -Canada, has eighty-two members from the latter, and sixty-five -from the former, nineteen from Nova Scotia, fifteen for New -Brunswick, eight for Newfoundland, and five for Prince Edward -Island. “Saving the Sovereignty of England,” the powers of the -Federal Parliament, as enumerated under thirty-seven different -heads, are very large, and on such heads as currency and coinage -seem to trench on dangerous ground, and in the last head of all -are dangerously vague. The appointment of the Lieutenant-Governor -by the Federal Government itself is obviously open to exception, -because it is anomalous; but as all the principles as well as the -details of the measure will receive the most careful consideration, -it is not necessary to treat the proposal as an accomplished fact, -although it certainly is most desirable to treat every article with -respectful attention, and to give every weight to the expressed -opinion of the delegates. Among the objects specially indicated -for the future action of the Confederate or Federal Government are -the completion of the Intercolonial Railway from Rivière du Loup -to Truro, in Nova Scotia, through the Province of New Brunswick, -and the completion of communication with the North-Western -territories, so as to open the trade to the Atlantic seacoast; -both to be effected as soon as the Federal finances permit. Here -there is the most tangible proposal for the opening up of the -great regions to which I have called attention; and the Valley of -the Saskatchewan is promised the facility which is alone wanting -to make it the seat of a flourishing colony. When the Red River -Settlement is once connected with Lake Superior, the way to the -sea is open, but the advantages of access to the world will be -increased enormously as soon as the railway is pushed on to the -shores of Lake Huron from Nova Scotia. - -So eager is one to grasp at the benefits which some such -Confederation promises to confer, that the perils to the -prerogative of the Crown, and to the body so formed, are apt to -lie hid from view. But they must be well guarded against; and I -for one am persuaded that it would be far better for us to see -the Provinces of British America independent than to behold them -incorporated with the Northern Republic. The greatest of all these -internal perils is in the maintenance of the Local Parliaments, -which may come into collision with the Federal Government on local -questions impossible to foresee, or define, or adjust; but as the -delegates considered the plan of a complete Legislative Union -quite incompatible with the reserved rights of a portion of the -Confederation, the only way left to escape the mischiefs which -threaten the future life of the new body is to bind those Local -Parliaments within the most narrow limits, consistent with local -utility and existence. - -It is not for the sake of our future connection, but for their own -integrity and happiness that such a course is recommended. They -have “an awful example” at their doors. The torrents of blood which -have deluged the soil of the North American Republics all welled -out of the little chink in the corner-stone of the Constitution, -on one side of which lay States’ Rights, and on the other Federal -Authority. Without some justification in law and in argument, -such men as Calhoun, and Stephens, and Davis, would never have -reasoned, and planned, and fought, and worked a whole people up to -make war against the Union. Sad as the spectacle is of a community -of freemen waging war against the principles of self-government, -it must be admitted that their instinct may be sounder than -their reasoning, and that they are engaged in a struggle for -self-preservation, in which they have swelled their proportions -into that of a gigantic despotism, but have after all attained a -giant’s port and strength. It is impossible to say whether the -corruption which Montesquieu has declared to be the destruction -of a democracy, has yet seized upon the tremendous impersonation -of brute force, of unconquerable will, of passion, of lust of -empire, which now rules in the Capitol, and occupies the throne -whereon feebly sat heretofore the mild impuissance of the old -Federal Executive; but if the pictures which have been presented -to us be true, there is a prophetic meaning in the words of the -philosophic Frenchman:--“Les politiques grecs, qui vivaient dans le -gouvernement populaire, ne reconnaissaient d’autre force qui pût le -soutenir que celle de la vertu. Ceux d’aujourd’hui ne nous parlent -que des manufactures, de commerce, de finances, de richesse, et -de luxe même.” The giant’s feet may be of clay, and his body may -be of that artificial stiffening which gives to worthless stuffs -a temporary substantiality, but behind the giant stand the great -American people, with hands dyed in their brothers’ gore, and who, -having sacrificed friendship, traditions, constitution, and liberty -at home, will think but little of adding to the pyre of their angry -passions the peace and happiness of others. - - -THE END. - - -BRADBURY AND EVANS, PRINTERS, WHITEFRIARS. - - -[Illustration: (map of Canada.) - -London; Bradbury & Evans, 11 Bouverie Street.] - - - - - TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE - - Obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have been - corrected after careful comparison with other occurrences within - the text and consultation of external sources. - - Except for those changes noted below, all misspellings in the text, - and inconsistent or archaic usage, have been retained. - - Several instances of ‘Plattsburg’ changed to ‘Plattsburgh’. - Pg x: ‘Montmorency’ changed to ‘Montmorenci’. - Pg xii: ‘Rouse’s Points’ changed to ‘Rouse’s Point’. - Pg 6: ‘of illw-ill’ replaced by ‘of ill-will’. - Pg 7: ‘and his clientelle’ replaced by ‘and his clientele’. - Pg 19: ‘on toe Sleepy’ replaced by ‘on to Sleepy’. - Pg 28: ‘Shenectady!’ replaced by ‘Schenectady!‘. - Pg 56: ‘a bran new’ replaced by ‘a brand new’. - Pg 79: ‘then we clomb’ replaced by ‘then we climb’. - Pg 87: ‘on a clean day’ replaced by ‘on a clear day’. - Pg 100: ‘the sheen sides’ replaced by ‘the sheer sides’. - Pg 101: ‘fresh refts made’ replaced by ‘fresh rifts made’. - Pg 141: ‘melons, tomatos’ replaced by ‘melons, tomatoes’. - Pg 178: ‘Van Rensellaer’ replaced by ‘Van Rensselaer’. - Pg 225: ‘a per centage’ replaced by ‘a percentage’. - Pg 254: ‘betwen stumps’ replaced by ‘between stumps’. - Pg 276: ‘and Winnepeg,’ replaced by ‘and Winnipeg,’. - Pg 277: ‘3,478,380 miles’ replaced by ‘3,478,380 square miles’. - Pg 287: ‘of the Restegouche’ replaced by ‘of the Restigouche’. - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CANADA; ITS DEFENCES, CONDITION, AND -RESOURCES *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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