Even When They Have Been Commercially
Successful, Commerce Has Not Brought To Them The Greatness Which It
Has Always Given When Joined With A Strong Political Existence.
The Greeks Are Commercially Rich And Active; But "Greece" And
"Greek" Are Bywords Now For All That Is Mean.
Cuba is a colony,
and putting aside the cities of the States, the Havana is the
richest town on
The other side of the Atlantic, and commercially
the greatest; but the political villainy of Cuba, her daily
importation of slaves, her breaches of treaty, and the bribery of
her all but royal governor, are known to all men. But Canada is
not dishonest; Canada is no byword for anything evil; Canada eats
her own bread in the sweat of her brow, and fears a bad word from
no man. True. But why does New York, with its suburbs boast a
million of inhabitants, while Montreal has 85,000? Why has that
babe in years, Chicago, 120,000, while Toronto has not half the
number? I do not say that Montreal and Toronto should have gone
ahead abreast with New York and Chicago. In such races one must be
first, and one last. But I do say that the Canadian towns will
have no equal chance till they are actuated by that feeling of
political independence which has created the growth of the towns in
the United States.
I do not think that the time has yet come in which Great Britain
should desire the Canadians to start for themselves. There is the
making of that railroad to be effected, and something done toward
the union of those provinces. Canada could no more stand alone
without New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, than could those latter
colonies without Canada. But I think it would be well to be
prepared for such a coming day; and that it would at any rate be
well to bring home to ourselves and realize the idea of such
secession on the part of our colonies, when the time shall have
come at which such secession may be carried out with profit and
security to them. Great Britain, should she ever send forth her
child alone into the world, must of course guarantee her security.
Such guarantees are given by treaties; and, in the wording of them,
it is presumed that such treaties will last forever. It will be
argued that in starting British North America as a political power
on its own bottom, we should bind ourself to all the expense of its
defense, while we should give up all right to any interference in
its concerns; and that, from a state of things so unprofitable as
this, there would be no prospect of a deliverance. But such
treaties, let them be worded how they will, do not last forever.
For a time, no doubt, Great Britain would be so hampered - if indeed
she would feel herself hampered by extending her name and prestige
to a country bound to her by ties such as those which would then
exist between her and this new nation.
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