Our Country as a Nation: Annexation is Dead Canadians are Loyal

Année
1900
Mois
4
Jour
14
Titre de l'article
Our Country as a Nation: Annexation is Dead Canadians are Loyal
Auteur
----
Page(s)
2
Type d'article
Langue
Contenu de l'article
OUR COUNTRY AS A NATION. ANNEXATION IS DEAD CANADIANS ARE LOYAL. Are Willing to Fight for the Maintenance of the Empire Canada First, Foremost and All the Time in the Front Bank of Freedom. Whatever may have been the national tendency in this country a few years ago, whether towards annexation to the United States or independence, there can be no doubt about the popular will at the present time. British connection of the closest, warmest character involving an active participation in the great and most important affairs of the empire, is the predominant wish of the Canadian people as a whole. Not to acknowledge this fact is to deliberately close one’s eyes and walk in ways that are not this country’s ways. A little while ago there was a suspicion of independence in the air. The United States papers were fond of giving it currency upon the slightest provocation, and in a manner to lead one to suppose that the American government would be willing to enter into an alliance with Great Britain, in the popular spirit of expansion which would allow no countries but themselves to expand, to keep Canada within the legitimate bonds of filial duty or even to take her over with the consent of the motherland. All this was of course very flattering to Canada, and was an involuntary admission on the part of Great Britain and the United States that she was able to hold her own in the council and play of nations—too able, it might be insisted in view of the steady determination to hold her own in the now apparently defunct conference of joint high commission. That a doubtful feeling pervaded the political world in England regarding Canada’s intentions may be inferred from the fact that our late governor-general , Lord Aberdeen, who has always a kindly word to say of our country, thought it worth while to publicly repudiate the accusation that the Dominion was aiming at independence of annexation and asserted her unquestionable loyalty to the British crown. “Anything like serious contemplation of annexation to the United States," said his lordship, “is absolutely a thing of the past; and the French-Canadians are amongst the firmest... supporters of a direct British connection.” We quote the above words for the edification of those journalistic gentlemen who for the past few months have been making French-Canadian loyalty the special target for their envenomed shafts. It is throughout the length and breadth of the Dominion a strong, steady, ever-increasing and ennobling flame, but it will not burn up the constitution. Call it what you like—the national spirit, Canadianism—it is the spirit that is rapidly and surely stamping Canada with the ineffaceable traits of a distinct people with a country which they glory in calling their own, and which they mean to hold against the world if need be, including the United States of America. This is the spirit that is abroad in the land today, stirring the pulse, strengthening the life, elevating the ideals of the Canadian people. Annexation is dead. Whatever may be in store for Canada in the years to come, judging the future by present indications, it will not be annexation. Conquest, of the kind that is becoming more and more hateful every day in the eyes of civilization—conquest at the price of torrents of blood—conquest that holds an unwilling people by the power of words and cannon—the only kind of conquest that can ever enslave Canada—would be as repugnant to the freedom-loving people—the vast majority—of the United States as it would be to Canadians. Whatever may be her future, consequent upon natural growth and expansion, which all Canadians desire to see, or upon the possible disruption of the British empire, which historians of fatalistic tendencies are forever proclaiming as a certainty, at present there cannot be the shadow of a doubt that the Dominion is thoroughly and unquestionably loyal to the British crown. Englishmen may have and undoubtedly have more reverence for the tinsel and glitter of royalty than has the average Canadian, but to the principle of British connection and union as it maintains today, the various nationalities that comprise the United Kingdom are not more loyal— it is within the bounds of truth to say not as loyal -than are Canadians. For the Queen they have a personal affection, which could not be warmer if her majesty were a Canadian living among her Canadian subjects; for the British constitution they have the greatest admiration as for that one institution upon earth which the wisdom of men and the blood of patriots have made the most perfect; in the British empire they take a creditable pride and are willing as they have proved, at any time to fight for the maintenance of its integrity; they glory in its glory, and are impatient at its humiliation, which, fortunately for their feelings, but seldom occurs : they appreciate the talents and success of British public men more we believe than they do those of their own country—but this is merely because party spirit blinds one-half of the Canadian people and dazzles the other so that they cannot see their own great men’s virtues; they make British institutions, British learning, British ideals, their models; but withal, it must be confessed, that they have a weakness—a growing weakness—for placing Canada first, foremost and all the time in the front rank of their affections. The one danger of the Imperialism, developing with such rapidity today by reason of the Boer war as an ex- citing cause, is the tendency it has to impair distinctly Canadian ideals. There are those who would look upon such an event as a gain; but the vast majority of the Canadian people in the moment of calm would we feel sure deem it a national loss.—(Catholic Register) The art of forgetting is a vulgar accomplishment. Well-bred people remember every thing and are ashamed of nothing.