THE CANADIANS AND THE MOTHER COUNTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XVII, Issue 978, 26 March 1862, Page 5

THE CANADIANS AND THE MOTHER COUNTRY.

Further accounts from Canada only confirm the the earlier letters as to the remarkable attachment to the mother country shown by the colonists of every race and creed. The 'Times' Montreal correspondent, writing on the 30tli of December, says :— " If the American Government have not been utterly unobservant of events, the attitude which the the North American colonies, and especially Canada, lias assumed, must hereafter weigh far more against than ever it did in' favour of a rupture. From Halifax to Lake Superior more than 3,000,000 people have given no uncertain indication of the determined resistance with which they will meet the invasion of their soil, andof the loyal and devoted support they will offer to the Crowu. There is no longing for American institutions—there is no indifference among the colonists whether they are transferred from a monarchical io a repulican government or not ; but there is a deep rooted resolve to stand by the throne and fortunes of England, and to transmit to their posterity the heritage of constitutional liberty which they now enjoy. The British American colonists had no more special interest in the events that led to the misunderstanding between England and the United States than any other British subjects in the remotest quarter of the globe. They had, however, more at stake on the issue, for they knew that Canada would be the battle ground, and that war, with all its horrors, would be at the thresholds of their homes.. Yet, the resolution of the British Government to maintain the national honour was received throughout the land with a hearty and unqualified response. The descendants of France vied in friendly rivalry with their fellowcolonists of British origin. Irishmen, who have on other subjects entertained such discordant opinions as even to affect their personal intercourse with each other, were to be seen in hearty and earnest cooperation devising measures for the defence of the country. At all the meetings which they have held separately, and at all in which they have participated, men of every creed and political party have sunk their differences, and are united in the firm resolution to defend the soil against invasion to the last." ' • " -■"■ ' ~ Another correspondent of the 'Times; dating from the same city, writes as follows :— " The loyalty of the Irish Catholic and French Canadian population has been demonstrated by meetings at which their political leaders have called on their people to rally in defence of the'flag under which they have enjoyed perfect liberty and equality, by the alacrity with which the Roman Catholic clergy have voluntarily placed at the disposal of the Government all the secular buildings under their control. In addition to the buildings already enumerated, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Montreal tendered his own palace for barracks. In every parish stirring appeals have been made by the Roman Catholic clergy to their parisioners to volunteer for the defence of their country ; and from one end of the land to the other, among all races and sects, there has been exhibited a spontaneous outburst of gratitude and devotion'to the Crown, and a determination to'make every sacrifice in defence of its honour, which is a conclusive answer to those who have doubted the expediency of the equal favour shown to Roman Catholics in Canada, and the wisdom of conferring a practical independence on the people. Few Canadians believe that the war hetween the North.and South can be protracted without numerous new causes of offence arising likely to embroil neutral countries ; and the danger of collision is infinitely increased by the class of men to whom the United States has been compelled to trust the command of its cruisers and blockading vessels ; the majority have been taken from the merchant service, appointed through political influence, and, being only in the service for the time being, they have no sense of responsibility, and no higher aim than to win popular applause by some act which will appeal to the passions and prejudices of the rabble. But could these dangers be escaped, there yet remains the peril which will threaten Canada, Cuba, Mexico, and Central America, when peace, restored either by tlie recognition or subjection of the South*, shall let loose upon an impoverished country three-quarters of a million of men now in the military and naval service of the North—men who have acquired the habits of the camp, and been spoilt for those of quiet industry. Of the 50,000 volunteers called out by the Mexican war, although the gold discoveries in California opened a vent lor their restless ambition, it has been calculated that 10,000 were thrown upon society, and furnished the. material of the filibuster raids on Cuba, Sonora, and Central America. Where is occupation to be found for the million and a qiiar--ter of soldiers now arrayed against each other in the Federal and Confederate States? What is to prevent their forming new filibustering expeditions on a large scale, under their favourite leaders, and inaugurating a grand system of buccaneering, North and South, like the Saxons, the Danes, and the Normans of old ? In view of this danger it will be necessary for our people to relax no exertion to fit themselves for the struggle which seems inevitable, and I think they are sufficiently alive to the necessity to do so. Volunteering and drilling still continue, and there • is no abatement in the efforts of the authorities to to improve the defences of the colony. Several large buildings and colleges at Montreal, adequate for the temporary occupation at least of several thousand men, have been rented, and there are abundance of other substantial and commodious edifices here which can be made available, in case of need, for the winter-quarters of any number. Nor are the Americans less active:— "Fort Montgomery, lit Rouses Point, near the northern end of Lake Chiimplain, is a position of the most formidable kind. It is built of solid masonry, on a spit of land stretching to the middle of a narrow channel in the lake, and when a small embankment of earth is romoved.will be surrounded entirely by water. It >h not yet altogether completed but has recently been garrisoned by a body of Texan Rangers. • • • •. So«n. c excitement hns been occasioned by the receipt of information that the Americans are erecting batteries on Croil's Island in the Long Sault, coninmndiiiK the Cornwall Canal—an offensive movement, out of churncter wUI> Mr. Sewtird's professions of peace and goodwill."