She Could Not Interfere When The Husband
And Wife Would Quarrel.
She could only grieve, and wish that
things might come right and smooth for both parties.
But the
argument, though so easy, is never effectual.
It seems to me foolish in an American to quarrel with England for
sending soldiers to Canada; but I cannot say that I thought it was
well done to send them at the beginning of the war. The English
government did not, I presume, take this step with reference to any
possible invasion of Canada by the government of the States. We
are fortifying Portsmouth, and Portland, and Plymouth, because we
would fain be safe against the French army acting under a French
Emperor. But we sent 2000 troops to Canada, if I understand the
matter rightly, to guard our provinces against the filibustering
energies of a mass of unemployed American soldiers, when those
soldiers should come to be disbanded. When this war shall be over -
a war during which not much, if any, under a million of American
citizens will have been under arms - it will not be easy for all who
survive to return to their old homes and old occupations. Nor does
a disbanded soldier always make a good husbandman, notwithstanding
the great examples of Cincinnatus and Bird-o'-freedom Sawin. It
may be that a considerable amount of filibustering energy will be
afloat, and that the then government of those who neighbor us in
Canada will have other matters in hand more important to them than
the controlling of these unruly spirits.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 138 of 538
Words from 36621 to 36882
of 143277