An inquiry into Canadian annexation sentiment

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AN INQUIRY INTO CANADIAN ANNEXATION' SENTIMENT

A T h esis P re s e n te d to th e F a c u lty o f th e D epartm ent o f I n t e r n a t i o n a l R e la tio n s Th e U n i v e r s i t y o f S o u t h e r n C a l i f o r n i a

In P a r tia l F u lfillm en t o f t h e R e q u ire m e n ts f o r t h e Degree M aster o f A rts

hy G a r r e t t A d r i a n Wynkoop June,

1942

UMi Number: EP59873

All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion.

Dissertation Publishing

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This thesisj w ri tt en by

GARRETT ADRIAN WYNKOOP under the direction of h.i,B. F ac u lt y C o m m i t t e e , a n d a p p r o v e d by a l l its m e m b e r s , has be en pr es e nt e d to and a c ce p te d by the Coun cil on G rad ua te S t u d y and Research in p a r ti a l fulfill­ m e n t of th e r e q u i r e m e n t s f o r th e d e g r e e o f

MAB.TER......QJF......ART.S.

D ean

Secretary

DateA'm§..y. 1 9 4 2

F aculty Joonrmittee

✓ -v

«

Q a x itte n a

F ’S h a irm a n

CL . iC o d L e J^

TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I.

PAGE

INTRODUCTION .

.

.

.

.

The p u r p o s e o f t h e Im portance o f th e

.

.

..............................................

1

s t u d y ..............................................................

1

su b ject

...............................

O rg an izatio n of th e th e s is R eview o f r e l a t e d II.

stu d ies

.

1

....................................................

2

....................................................

3

THE STRUGGLE FOR THE FOURTEENTH COLONY, 1 7 7 4 - 1 7 8 3

.

5

B i r t h o f t h e a n n e x a t i o n i d e a ....................................................

5

M i l it a r y m easures to a s s i s t a n n e x a tio n

5

C ongressional a ttem p ts to P ro p a g an d a cam paign A ttitu d e

..............................

of th e Founding F a t h e r s

L a f a y e t t e 1s a p p e a l

.........................................

7

...............................

9 9

.....................

10

A nnexation in th e peace n e g o ti a t i o n s to e f f e c t union

...............................

..........................

THE ANNEXATION MOVEMENT AND THE WAR OF 1 8 1 2

.

,

. . . .

The c o n n e c t i o n b e t w e e n a n n e x a t i o n a n d t h e w a r

11 13 14

.....................

14

.........................................................

15

in, C a n a d a

.

10

.

I n f l u e n c e o f A m erican s e t t l e r s A m erican p o p u l a r a t t i t u d e

6 7

..................................................................

S a m u e l Adams* o p i n i o n

F ran k lin * s e f f o r ts

..........................

in f lu e n c e C anadian o p in io n

A r tic le s of C o n fed eratio n p ro v is io n

III.

. . . . .

H e n r y C l a y Ts o p i n i o n .............................................................

15

S e n t i m e n t among some C o n g r e s s m e n .

....................................

16

.........................................................

18

P u b l i c o p i n i o n ................................................... * ..............................

18

E ffo rts

20

P ro c la m a tio n s to C anadians

o f M o n r o e a n d Adams d u r i n g p e a c e t a l k s

. .

iii CHAPTER

PACEE

I T . CANADA'S PLEA FOR ANNEXATION, 1 8 4 9 - 1 8 5 0 A m erican o p in io n i n th e T h i r t i e s Causes o f r i s e

.

.

. . . . . . . .

*22

................................................22

o f s e n t i m e n t i n C a n a d a .......................................... 25

E c o n o m i c r e a s o n s ........................................

23

P o litic a l reasons

24

R acial reasons

.

.

. .

. .........................

. '...................................................

M ontreal A nnexation M a n ifesto S u p p o rte rs of the m an ifesto

.........................................................

26

. . . . . .

.

28

..............................................

28

F a v o ra b le C anadian p r e s s r e a c t i o n Papers o f th e o p p o sitio n

.

25

.....................

..............................................

C o m b i n a t i o n o f f o r c e s s u p p o r t i n g t h e m ovem ent

30 . . . .

32

o p p o s i t i o n .....................................................32

C ounter m easures by th e

R e l i g i o n a s a f a c t o r ........................................................................................ 33 S e n t i m e n t among F r e n c h - C a n a d i a n s D em on stration s of se n tim en t

....................................

R e a c tio n in the U nited S t a te s The F e d e r a l G o v e r n m e n t The A b o l i t i o n i s t s

.

.

34 35

..............................

36

.............................................................

36

................................................................................... 36

The S o u t h e r n v i e w p o i n t A ctiv ity

....................................................

..................................................................

37

i n V e r m o n t ................................................................................... 37

The New Y o r k L e g i s l a t u r e s a t t i t u d e .......................................... 39 ..............................

A m e r i c a n p r e s s comment

.

G eneral S c o t t 's

on a n n e x a t i o n

letter

R easons fo r d e c lin e

39

....................................

o f s e n t i m e n t i n 1850

...............................

41 42

iv CHAPTER

PAGE

V. MANIFEST DESTINY RAMPANT, 1 8 6 1 - 1 8 7 1

...........................................

U. S . p r e s s c a m p a i g n o f t h e S i x t i e s ....................... S entim ent

in W ashington

Proposed l e g i s l a t i o n

C o n g ressio n al endeavors

43-

. ' ............................................. .

f o r i n c o r p o r a t i n g Canada

44 . . .

M anifest D estin y sen tim en t

48

..................................................................

P r e s i d e n t - J o h n s o n a n d P r e s i d e n t G r a n t ........................

A laska as a f a c t o r

45

................................................

I r i s h A n g l o p h o b i a a s a f a c t o r ........................................

Im p lic a tio n s of the

43

.

49 50

C anadian C o n f e d e r a tio n . . . . .

51

in the a n n e x a tio n d r iv e . . . . .

53

A t t e m p t t o a n n e x p a r t o f C a n a d a ...............................................

53

F in a n c ia l claim s as j u s t i f i c a t i o n

54

H a m i l t o n F i s h on a n n e x a t i o n

.........................................

. . . . . . .

Y I . CAMPAIGNS FOR "CONTINENTAL UNION,n 1 8 8 0 - 1 9 0 0 The d r i v e

.....................

55

. . . .

56

i n C o n g r e s s .................................................................

S p e e c h o f S e n a t o r Sherman

56

. . . . .

56

B u t t e r w o r t h R e s o l u t i o n on a n n e x a t i o n

.........................................

58

A d d itio n a l C o ngressional r e s o lu tio n s

........................................

59

D e c l a r a t i o n s of Congressm en A ttitu d e

of the H a rriso n A d m in istra tio n

. . . . .

61

. . . . . .

6E

R e p u b l i c a n P a r t y p l a t f o r m o f 1896. . . . . . . . . IT. S . p r e s s c a m p a i g n f o r a n n e x a t i o n E d ito rial

.........................

63

........................................

63

.......................................................................

64

i n New Y o r k Sun

C leveland P la in - D e a le r

.

.

.

.

.

6S

C h i c a g o H e r a l d ......................................................................................

65

V chapter

page

A nnexation se n tim e n t Survey of p u b lic

........................

66

...........................................................

67•

in Canada,

opin io n

1880-1900

N e w s p a p e r p o l l on a n n e x a t i o n i n C a n a d a ........................... 68 T estim ony of C anadian o f f i c i a l s F indings of in v e s tig a tio n Goldw in S m ith ’ s i n f l u e n c e

..........................

. . .

68

............................................................

70

.................................................................

70

The C a n a d i a n p r e s s ................................................................. A rgum ents f o r and a g a i n s t a n n e x a tio n The F r e n c h - C a n a d i a n s i t u a t i o n A ttitu d e V II.

of G reat B r i t a i n

71

...............................

72

.......................................................

. . . . .

.......................................

THE DRIVE FOR POLITICAL UNION I N 1 9 1 1

.

.

77 79

...........................8 1

G o v e r n o r o f Iow a s p e e c h o n a n n e x a t i o n ..................................... 8 1 Champ C l a r k ’ s o p i n i o n .............................................................. R e s o l u t i o n on a n n e x a t i o n

82

.................................................................

82

D e c l a r a t i o n s o f C o n g r e s s m e n ............................................................

85

W illia m R andolph H e a r s t p r e s s cam paign

. . . . . .

84

A m e r i c a n o p i n i o n ........................................................................................ 8 5 C anadian o p in io n

.....................................................................................

I m p l i c a t i o n s f o r C a n a d ia n e l e c t r o n o f 1911 V I I I . ANNEXATI0 N SENTIMENT, 1 9 1 1 - 1 9 4 1

. . . .

85

. . . . . . . . . . .

87

C anadian r e a c t i o n

.

New Y o r k T i m e s f o r e c a s t

of p o l i t i c a l union

C o n g r e s s io n a l a t t e m p t s to annex p a r t s

C anadian a t t i t u d e

.

87 87

.

88

..........................

90

.................................................

90

.................................................................

91

o p in io n

. . . .

. . . .

of Canada

P r e s i d e n t H a r d i n g on C a n a d i a n a n n e x a t i o n R e c e n t A m erican p u b l i c

85

vi

CHAPTER IX.

PAGE

CONCLUSIONS

..............................................................

93

A m e r i c a n s e n t i m e n t ................................................... 93* C anadian se n tim en t

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

94

The m ovem ent a n d w a r .............................................. 95 A n n e x a t i o n a n d t h e War o f 1 8 1 2 .....................95 P arty p o litic s A nglophobia

and a n n e x a tio n

. . . . . . . . . .

.............................................

95 96

E c o n o m ic d e p r e s s i o n a s a f a c t o r ..................................................

96

C o n f e d e r a t i o n of Canada

97

F uture p ro s p e c ts BIBLIOGRAPHY

.

.

.

.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

....................................................................97 .........................................................................................99

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION The a n n e x a t i o n m o v e m e n t ,

lo o k in g tow ard th e p o l i t i c a l

u n io n o f Canada w ith th e U n ite d S t a t e s , made i t s is to

appearance

in p o l it i c s *

has a t several perio d s

The p u r p o s e o f t h i s p a p e r

i n v e s t i g a t e a n n e x a t i o n s e n t im e n t b o t h i n Canada and t h e

U nited S t a te s ,

and to t r a c e

t h e m ovem ent’ s h i s t o r i c a l

developm ent from th e b e g in n in g to th e p r e s e n t tim e . paper w i l l endeavor to

T his

show t h e u n d e r l y i n g r e a s o n s f o r

a n n e x a tio n se n tim e n t and t h e

such

i n f l u e n c e o f t h e m ov em en t u p o n

t h e d o m e s t i c p o l i t i c s a n d f o r e i g n r e l a t i o n s o f t h e tw o c o u n tries. relig io u s,

I t w i l l c o n s id e r c e r t a i n econom ic, p o l i t i c a l , and s o c i a l i m p l i c a t i o n s ,

and w i l l

in q u ire

in to

t h e c a u s e s o f t h e m ovem ent’ s r e c e n t d e c l i n e and i t s p o ssib ilitie s

of re v iv a l.

The q u e s t i o n o f C a n a d i a n a n n e x a t i o n i s several reasons.

im po rtant f o r

I t h a s been p ro m o ted by a wide v a r i e t y of

c i r c u m s t a n c e s , r a n g i n g fro m c o n d i t i o n s o f econom ic d i s t r e s s to id eas of m anifest d e stin y , p o litic a l riv alry . the m anifest d e stin y p o litica l and i t

e le ctio n s.

and from I r i s h A n g lo p h o b ia to

I t has illu s tr a te d id ea. It

I t has been u t i l i z e d

to

in flu en ce

h a s b e en a m a jo r c a u s e o f one w a r,

has been a c h ie f f a c t o r

C anadian C o n fe d e ra tio n ,

the p e rs is te n c y of

in th e fo rm a tio n of th e

S ig n ific an tly

enough,

it

has u su ally

2 in c r e a s e d d u rin g and a f t e r p e r i o d s o f w ar.

That sen tim en t

i n f a v o r o f C a n a d i a n a n n e x a t i o n i s b y h b ;"means d e a d i s e v id e n c e d by s e v e r a l i n v e s t i g a t i o n s .

W i t h many t h i n k i n g

p e r s o n s now f a v o r i n g t h e p r i n c i p l e s o f a f e d e r a l u n i o n f o r the E n g lish -sp eak in g p e o p le s,

the

su b je c t, of C anadian-

A m e r i c a n f e d e r a t i o n may w e l l r e c e i v e r e n e w e d c o n s i d e r a t i o n . The s u b j e c t m a t t e r o f t h i s p a p e r w i l l , b e .considered

in a ch ro n o lo g ical o rd e r.

of n e c e ssity ,

C e rta in p e rio d s of

t h e a n n e x a t i o n m o v e m e n t may r e q u i r e m o re c o n s i d e r a t i o n t h a n o th ers,

but it

is

in ten d ed th at, t h i s

p r e s e n t a b a la n c e d w hole. R e v o l u t i o n a r y War e r a , commanded a t t e n t i o n , effect

its

s tu d y be o r g a n iz e d to

C h a p t e r XI i s

devoted to th e

d u r i n g w h i c h t h e m ovem ent f i r s t

a n d s e v e r a l a t t e m p t s w e r e made t o

re a liz a tio n .

C h ap ter I I I

concerns the d evelop­

m ent o f t h e movement i n t h e e a r l y y e a r s o f t h e N i n e t e e n t h C en tu ry , facto rs

i n c l u d i n g t h e War o f 1 8 1 2 , in p ro m oting i t .

a n d t h e b i r t h o f new

C h a p t e r IV c o n s i d e r s t h e

s i g n i f i c a n t o c c a s i o n w hen t h e C a n a d i a n s t h e m s e l v e s t o o k th e

in itiativ e

in u rg in g p o l i t i c a l u nio n,

w hich c u lm i n a t e d

i n . t h e fam ous M o n tre al A n n e x atio n M a n ife s to of 1849. C h a p t e r V i n c l u d e s t h e p e r i o d o f t h e C i v i l War, d u r i n g w hich h ig h A m erican o f f i c i a l s diplom acy or t h r e a t , an a l l

tim e h ig h .

endeavored to

g a i n Canada by

and th e m a n i f e s t d e s t i n y

idea re a c h e d

C h a p te r VI s e e k s to p r e s e n t a u n i f i e d

3 p ictu re

o f t h e p o p u la r, cam paign f o r

th e 1880f s and 1890*s , groups.

" C o n t in e n t a l U nion" i n

as w e ll as th e r e a c t i o n of in te r e s te d

C hapter ¥11 i s a c o n s i d e r a ti o n of C o n g re ssio n a l and

p r e s s a t t i t u d e s on t h e s u b j e c t d u r i n g of 1911,

and t h e i r

the r e c i p r o c i t y d e b a te s

im p l i c a ti o n s f o r C anadian p o l i t i c s .

In

C h ap ter V I I I th e d e c l in e and a p p a re n t dem ise o f any s e r i o u s attem p t a t r e a l i z a t i o n a re analy zed , enum erates th e f i n d in g s o f t h i s A u n ified

lastly ,

in ce p tio n to

U n fo rtu n ately ,

C h a p t e r IX

stu d y.

s t u d y o f t h e a n n e x a t i o n movem ent,

th e p e r i o d from i t s b e e n made.

and,

the p r e s e n t,

covering

has not p rev io u sly

much o f t h e m a t e r i a l on a n n e x a t i o n ,

found in p e r i o d i c a l l i t e r a t u r e

o f th e N in e te e n th C en tu ry ,

is

b a sed upon w i s h f u l t h i n k i n g or an in a d e q u a te u n d e r s ta n d i n g o f the s i t u a t i o n . defect

T h is stu d y ,

i n a m odest way.

th erefo re,

There a r e ,

s e e k s to rem edy t h i s

how ever,

a few w o r k s on

c e r t a i n p h a s e s or p e r i o d s o f t h e movement w h ic h d e s e r v e h i g h p raise.

In p a r t i c u l a r ,

t h e e x h a u s tiv e and

sch o larly

study of

M e s s r s . A l l i n and J o n e s ^ i s h e l p f u l f o r t h e 1849 p e r i o d .

A

w ork o f g r e a t v a l u e f o r t h e p e r i o d fro m 1849 t o 1874 i s t h a t 2 of D r. S hippee, who g i v e s c a r e f u l c o n s i d e r a t i o n t o t h e i n f l u e n c e o f a n n e x a t i o n s e n t i m e n t on C a n a d i a n - A m e r i c a n r e l a t i o n s .

C e p h a s D. A l l i n a n d G-eorge M. J o n e s , A n n e x a t i o n , P r e f e r e n t i a l T r a d e , a n d R e c i p r o c i t y ( T o r o n t o : The M u s s o n Book C o ., L t d . , 1 9 1177*398 p p . 2

1849-1874

L e s te r B u r r e l l S h ip p e e, C anadian-A m erican R e l a t i o n s (Hew H a v e n : Y a l e U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s ^ 1 9 3 9 )

4 D r, K een ley side the

su b ject

3

a ls o p r e s e n ts a good, b u t l im i t e d ,

in re s p e c t

t h e tw o c o u n t r i e s .

to the broad f i e l d

o f r e l a t i o n s betw een

The c o n n e c t i o n b e t w e e n A m e r i c a n d i p l o m a c y

and t h e movement i s c o n s i d e r e d b y D r. C a l l a h a n . value

study o f

in p o rtra y in g th e a ttitu d e s

4

Of p a r t i c u l a r

of A m erican o f f i c i a l s and

C o n g r e s s i o n a l l e a d e r s a r e t h e volum es o f t h e C o n g r e s s i o n a l R ecord c o v e r in g t h e y e a r s fro m 1866 t o 1982, tim e th e

d u r in g w hich

s u b j e c t o f a n n e x a t i o n was f r e q u e n t l y r a i s e d .

po p u lar l i t e r a t u r e

of th e N in e te e n th C en tu ry ,

new spapers and m agazines,

is fille d

s u b j e c t by C a n a d ia n s and A m e ric a n s. a w ide r a n g e o f o p i n i o n s , g iv in g a n .in s ig h t

in to

The

in clu d in g

w ith a r t i c l e s

on t h e

These a r t i c l e s p r e s e n t

b u t th ey a re m ost h e l p f u l in

th e m o tiv es of v a r i o u s i n t e r e s t e d

groups.

3

Hugh K e e n l e y s i d e , C a n a d a a n d t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s (New Y o r k : A l f r e d A. K n o p f , I n c . , 198971 59.6 P P . 4

Jam es M orton C a ll a h a n , A m erican F o r e i g n P o l i c y C a n a d i a n R e l a t i o n s (Ne?/ Y o r k : The M a c m i l l a n C o . , 1 9 3 7 )

in

CHAPTER I I THE STRUGGLE FOR THE FOURTEENTH COLO NT, 1 7 7 4 - 1 7 8 3 The d e c l a r a t i o n

of Independence had n o t y e t been signed

when t h e i d e a o f C a n a d i a n a n n e x a t i o n wa s f i r s t b e fo re .th e

ou tbreak of h o s t i l i t i e s ,

c o n c e i v e d . Even

S a m u e l Adams,

"the F a th e r

of t h e R e v o l u t i o n , " had c o n c e r t e d p l a n s f o r t h e a c q u i s i t i o n 1 o f Canada. In 1774, th e F i r s t C o n tin e n ta l C o ngress a t P h i l a d e l p h ia a d d re s s e d t h e p eople m ind, and s h o r t l y t h e r e a f t e r

o f Quebec w i t h t h i s

S a m u e l Adam s,

in

th e M assach u setts

P r o v i n c i a l G o n g r e s s , an d t h e B o s to n C om m ittee o f C o r r e s p o n d e n c e urged th e E n g lis h -s p e a k in g peo p le

o f Quebec t o 2 to th e Second C o n t in e n ta l G ongress. D uring th e y e a r 1775,

C a n a d a wa s d e c i d e d u p o n , G eneral S ch u y ler,

send d e le g a te s

a " f r i e n d l y " A m erican in v a s io n of

and th e le a d e r

of th e invading fo rc e s ,

issu ed a p ro clam atio n t e l l i n g

th e C anadian

people t h a t

t h e A m e r i c a n s came a s d e l i v e r e r s t o s e t t h e m f r e e 3 from th e B r i t i s h . P r o g r e s s w a s s o m e t i m e s s l o w , b u t when Thomas J e f f e r s o n h e a r d t h a t M o n t r e a l h a d b e e n o c c u p i e d ,

w rote to John

R a n d o l p h t h a t " i n a s h o r t t i m e we h a v e

he

reason

1

J u s t i n H. S m i t h , Our S t r u g g l e f o r t h e F o u r t e e n t h C o l o n y {New Y o r k : G. P . P u t n a m * s S o n s , 19 0 77 1 v o l . I , p . 8 n . 2 C arl A. K n o p f C o . ,

W i t t k e , A H i s t o r y of Canada 1928), p . 51.

S Loc. c i t .

(New Y o r k :

A lfred

6 t o hope t h e d e l e g a t e s of Canada w i l l j o i n u s i n C o n g re s s and 4 co m p lete th e A m erican U n i o n .” The s p o k e s m a n f o r t h e Adams p a r t y to G eneral S chuyler

in O ctober,

in C ongress w rote

1775:

What t h e y f t h e C o n g r e s s m e n ] e x p e c t f r o m y o u r E n d e a v o u r s 9 i s , t h a t t h e C a n a d i a n s be i n d u c e d t o a c c e d e t o a U n i o n w ith th e s e C o lo n ie s — and t h a t th e y form , from t h e i r s e v e r a l P a r i s h e s , a P r o v i n c i a l C o n v e n tio n & send D e le g a te s to t h i s C ongress.® C o n g r e s s p r o p o s e d w i t h much p e r s e v e r a n c e send a d e le g a t i o n so u th .

t h a t t h i s would be a 6 to w a r d i n c o r p o r a t i o n o f Ganada i n t h e U n i o n .

long s t r i d e

I t was f e l t

When n o r e s p o n s e was f o r t h c o m i n g , d e le g a te s to p ro ceed to Canada. gave w r i t t e n

in s tru c tio n s to

to ex p lain to of th e ir it

C ongress

t h e d e l e g a t e s , who i n t u r n w e r e

s o u t h e r n n e i g h b o r s were

co lo n y .

C ongress a p p o in ted On M a r c h 2 0 , 1 7 7 6 ,

th e C anadians t h a t

was t h e e a r n e s t d e s i r e

sister

t h a t Ganada

th eir

i n t e r e s t s and th o se

in sep arab ly u n ite d ,

and t h a t

o f C o n g re s s t o a d o p t them a s a

In a n - e f f o r t

to g a in the su p p o rt of the

C a th o lic p o p u la t i o n o f F rench Canada,

Mt h e f r e e a n d u n d i s t u r b e d

e x e r c i s e o f t h e i r r e l i g i o n ” wa s t o be s o l e m n l y g u a r a n t e e d t h e m i n t h e name o f C o n g r e s s , - a n d t h e c l e r g y w e r e t o h a v e ”the f u l l ,

p erfect,

and p e a c e a b l e p o s s e s s i o n and e n jo y m en t

^ J o h n M acC orm ac, C a n a d a : A m e r i c a Ts P r o b l e m (New Y o r k : • The V i k i n g P r e s s , 1 9 4 0 ) , p p . 3 7 - 3 8 . 5 S m ith,

op. c i t .,

6 I b id . t v o l.

II,

v o l. p.

II,

326.

p p . 37-38.

of a l l

th eir e s ta te s .”

I t wa s a d d e d t h a t a C o n v e n t i o n

should he Galled in Canada "with all possible expedition

. . .

to d e li b e r a t e

c o n c e rn in g th e e s t a b l is h m e n t o f a form

o f . g o v ern m en t, and a u n io n w ith th e U n ited C o l o n i e s . ”

8

The

r e c e p t i o n o f t h e d e l e g a t e s i n C anada was d i s a p p o i n t i n g ,

and

the c le rg y ,

The

fact

in p a r t i c u l a r ,

d isap p ro v al. 9 i s t h a t a l m o s t n o t h i n g wa s a c c o m p l i s h e d . T his e a r ly

expressed t h e i r

stru g g le for

the

" F o u r t e e n t h C olony"

in c l u d e d a d e te rm in e d cam paign o f p r o p a g a n d a .

An a d d r e s s

" to th e o p p re s s e d i n h a b i t a n t s of C a n ad a, " p r e p a r e d by John Jay,

S a m u e l Adams, a n d S i l a s D e a n e ,

F re n c h f o r com sum ption i n Quebec. was n o t v e r y e f f e c t i v e . and th e C a th o lic

w a s 'e v e n t r a n s l a t e d How ever,

in to

such propaganda

The p o p u l a t i o n w a s l a r g e l y

illite ra te

c le r g y v ig o r o u s ly opposed any u n io n .

10

S e n t i m e n t f o r a n n e x a t i o n was m o s t l y c o n f i n e d t o t h e U nited S ta te s a t t h i s

tim e,

a n d t h e F o u n d i n g F a t h e r s made

s e v e ra l a tte m p ts to encourage th e

id ea.

T h e r e c a n b e no

d o u b t t h a t t h e y w an ted Canada i n t h e U n io n .

7 I b id . . v o l.

II,

p.

327.

8 Ib id . . v o l.

II,

p.

328.

Loo. c i t . in ■ W ittk e,

0£

.

c i t .,

pp.

51-55.

"It

[annexation]

8

was advocated by Washington, Franklin, Hamilton, Samuel Adams, Jefferson,

M adison,

Gouv e n e u r Mor r i s . ”

Jay,

L iv in g sto n e,

J o h n Adams,

and

11

T h a t G eorge W a s h i n g t o n h i m s e l f was i n t e r e s t e d was e v i d e n c e d by h i s p r i n t e d m a n i f e s t o t o co n tain in g th is

touching in v ita tio n :

t o t h e sa m e g o a l . ” F e b ru a ry 27, 1776: co u n try ,

12

th e C anadian p e o p le ,

"Come t h e n ,

u n i t e w ith u s i n an i n d i s s o l u b l e u n io n ,

i n Ganada

my b r e t h r e n ,

l e t us run to g e th e r

'G e n e ra l A r n o ld w r o t e t o W a sh in g to n on

"S ensible

of t h e v a s t

im portance of t h i s .

y o u may b e a s s u r e d my u t m o s t e x e r t i o n s w i l l n o t b e

w anting to C o lo n ie s.”

e f f e c t your w ish es,

in add in g i t

to

th e U nited

13

E v e n when t h e ' A m e r i c a n f o r c e s w e r e r e t r e a t i n g f r o m Canada d u r i n g 1776, F r a n k l i n fram e d a s e t o f t e n t a t i v e of peace,

in c lu d in g the f o llo w in g n o te ;

"B rita in

to th e U nited S t a t e s th e

p r o v i n c e s or c o l o n i e s of

S t. John’ s,

. . .

Nova S c o t i a .

f o r u s t o h av e them f o r

It

term s

s h a l l cede Quebec,

is a b so lu te ly necessary

o u r own s e c u r i t y . ”

14

11

F r a n c i s W ayland G le n , "The P o l i t i c a l R e u n io n o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s a n d C a n a d a , ” The A m e ric a n J o u r n a l o f P o l i t i c s , I I I (Decem ber, 1 8 9 3 ), p . 5 6 3 . 12 S m i t h , 13

o p . o i t .,

v o l.

I,

p.

599.

K e n n e th R o b e r t s , The M arch t o Quebec D oubleday, Doran & C o ., I n c . , 1 9 3 8 ), p . 122. 14

(New Y o r k :

J u l i u s W. P r a t t , E x p a n s i o n i s t s o f 1 8 1 2 The M a c m i l l a n ' C o . , 1 9 2 5 ) , p p . 1 7 - 1 8 .

(New Y o r k :

9 An o f f i c i a l d e s i r e

t o h a v e C anada j o i n t h e U nion was

e x p re sse d in A r t i c l e XI o f th e A r t i c l e s c o m p lete d by C o n g re ss i n 1777, p ro v id ed th a t jo in in g

of C o n fed eratio n ,

in w hich i t

"Canada, a c c e d in g to

th e c o n f e d e r a t io n and

in th e m easures of th e U nited S t a te s ,

a d m itte d in to , and e n t i t l e d 15 U nion . . ."

to a l l

d r i v e was made t o w i n t h e s u p p o r t o f t h e the b a sis

of t h e ir

supposed l o y a l t y

L aF ay ette p e r s o n a lly ap p ea le d

p ro clam atio n ,

to

jo in

s h a l l be

th e advantages o f,

W ith t h e F ra n c o -A m e ric a n a l l i a n c e

1780,

was e s p e c i a l l y

of 1778,

a renew ed

F r e n c h - C a n a d i a n s on

to F ran ce, to

th is

a n d i n May,

th e C anadians,

in a

t h e A m e r i c a n s a n d F r e n c h a n d make t h e i r

c o u n try a p a r t o f th e U nited S t a t e s .

16

L a F a y e t t e 's dream

was t h a t t h e A m e ric a n s s h o u ld n o t o n ly s e c u r e t h e i r

lib e rty ,

b u t t h a t th ey should be a b le

to

"exclude the B r i t i s h r u le

f o r e v e r from t h i s

to

t a k e p o s s e s s i o n o f Canada

and annex i t

to

c o n tin en t,

th e U n io n ."

17

"There

i s no d o u b t o f t h e

15

J . C a s t e l l H o p k i n s , •" C a n a d i a n H o s t i l i t y t o A n n e x a t i o n , " The F o r u m , XVT ( N o v e m b e r , 1 8 9 5 ) , p . 3 2 6 . Jam es M orton C a ll a h a n , A m erican F o r e i g n P o l i c y i n C a n a d i a n R e l a t i o n s (Hew Y o r k : The M a c m i l l a n Co."^ 1 9 3 7 ) , p . 17

C h a r l e m a g n e T o w e r , The M a r q u i s de L a F a y e t t e i n t h e A m e ric a n R e v o l u t i o n ( P h i l a d e l p h i a : J # B, L i p p i n c o t t C o ., 1926), v o l. I I , p . 13.

7.

10 h o n e s t y o f p u r p o s e on t h e p a r t g iv e Canada t o the a id

of L a f a y e tte .

th e U nited S ta te s ,

of France

.

.

He w i s h e d t o

a n d h e h o p e d t o do i t

by

.

S a m u e l Adams r e m a i n e d e n t h u s i a s t i c se e Canada j o i n t h e U nion.

in his. d e s i r e

to

W ritin g to a f r i e n d ' in 1779,

he d e c la r e d : . . . t h e p o s s e s s i o n o f t h e s e t e r r i t o r i e s [l\To v a S c o t i a and C anada] would p r e v e n t any v iew o f B r i t a i n t o ■ d istu rb our p e a c e i n t h e f u t u r e and w ould c u t o f f an i m p o r t a n t s o u r c e o f c o r r u p t B r i t i s h i n f l u e n c e .3-9 C o n s id e ra tio n of p o s s ib le peace term s began as e a r ly as 1779,

a n d C o n g r e s s s e n t J o h n Adams t o F r a n c e t o b e g i n

arran g em en ts f o r a t r e a t y . i n s t r u c t i o n s t o Adams,

-C ongress had d e c l a r e d

d a te d August 14,

1779,

th at

in i t s M .

.

. it

i s o f t h e u t m o s t i m p o r t a n c e t o t h e p e a c e a n d Commerce o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s t h a t C a n a d a a n d Nova S c o t i a s h o u l d b e c e d e d 20 . . I t f u r t h e r a d v is e d , how ever, t h a t in th e i n t e r e s t s o f an e a r l y p e a c e t h e c e d i n g o f Canada s h o u ld n o t be p r e s e n t e d a s an u ltim atu m .

21

•I b i d . , v o l .

II,

p.

14.

19 Smi-tli, o£_. c i t , . , v o l .

I, p . 8.

20 , S a m u e l F l a g g B e m i s , The D i p l o m a c y o f t h e A m e r i c a n R e v o l u t i o n (New Y o r k : D. A p p l e t o n - C e n t u r y C o . , I n c . ' ; 1 9 3 5 ) , p p . 174-175. 21 T Loc.

c it.

11

O th er A m erican co m m issio n e rs,

b e s i d e s J o h n A d am s,

were Jo h n J a y and B enjam in F r a n k l i n .

In 1782,

the B r i ti s h

g o v e rn m e n t s e n t R i c h a r d Osw ald t o F r a n c e t o e n t e r

in to

c o n v e r s a t i o n s w ith B enjam in F r a n k l i n r e g a r d i n g p e a c e p ro p o sals. B ritain

D r . F r a n k l i n l o s t no t im e i n s u g g e s t i n g t h a t

c e d e Canada t o

th e U nited S t a t e s .

I t was m a i n t a i n e d

t h a t C a n a d ia n a n n e x a t i o n w ould s o l v e s e v e r a l p r o b l e m s . w ould,

f o r exam ple,

trou bleso m e

o b lite ra te

in the f u tu r e ,

a fro n tie r

It

t h a t m ight p ro v e

and i t would p r o v i d e v a c a n t l a n d

t o c o m p e n s a t e A m e r i c a n c i t i z e n s 7/hose p r o p e r t y h a d b e e n d e s t r o y e d by t h e B r i t i s h em phasised t h a t

fo rces,.

D r. F r a n k lin f u r t h e r

t h e c e d i n g o f C a n a d a w o u l d {bend t o c e m e n t

B r i t a i n a n d t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s more f i r m l y t o g e t h e r , rem oving c au se f o r f u t u r e f r i c t i o n ,

by

a n d w e n t so f a r a s t o

s a y t h a t no p l e a s a n t o r p e a c e f u l r e l a t i o n s c o u l d b e e x p e c t e d 23 u n l e s s t h i s were do n e. D u rin g in f o r m a l t a l k s , Dr. F r a n k l i n a c tu a lly read

to

o f two p a r t s ,

one o f " n e c e s s a r y * 1 p e a c e t e r m s ,

of

O s w a ld a c o n f i d e n t i a l memorandum c o n s i s t i n g

" a d v is a b le ” term s.

fo llo w in g p o in t:

22

I n c l u d e d a s ■" a d v i s a b l e " w a s t h e

"4 th .

24 G i v i n g up e v e r y p a r t o f C a n a d a . ” -

Bem is,

op. c i t .,

pp.

196-197.

Sm ith,

o]D. p i t . ,

vol II,

B em is,

0]p.

pp.

orz 24

and t h e o t h e r

c it.,

p.

565.

207-208.

12

Oswald a p p e a r e d t o f a v o r t h i s

id ea,

and,

in f a c t ,

suggested

a s much t o t h e B r i t i s h m i n i s t r y .

N e i t h e r Lord S h e l b u r n e ( t h e n 25 n o r L o rd Rockingham o p p o s e d i t . However,

P rim e M i n i s t e r )

the e a r n e s t d e s ir e of th e U nited S t a t e s to

t e r m i n a t e t h e war

p r e v e n t e d m aking t h e c e s s i o n o f Canada a s i n e peace.

26

A nother f a c t o r p r e v e n t in g i t

qua non o f

was t h e h i g h t e n e d

B r i t i s h p r e s t i g e r e s u l t i n g from a r e c e n t

su c c e ss fu l defense

of G -ibraltar ^ Thus,

in s p i t e

of rep eated e f f o r ts

t o g a in Canada

d u r i n g t h e R e v o l u t i o n a r y War a n d i n t h e p e a c e n e g o t i a t i o n s , th e U n ite d S t a t e s sig n e d th e T re a ty of P a r i s o f 1783, Canada u n d e r B r i t i s h r u l e . had been born,

leav in g

The i d e a o f C a n a d i a n a n n e x a t i o n

how ever, and i t

wa s t o r e m a i n a p o t e n t f a c t o r

in f u tu r e r e l a t i o n s .

25

Thomas A. B a i l e y , A D i p l o m a t i c H i s t o r y o f t h e A m e r i c a n P e o p l e (New Y o r k : F , S . C r o f t s & C o . , 1 9 4 0 ) , p p . ^ 27

Sm ith,

0£

.

c i t .,

B em is,

op. c it.,

v o l. p.

II,

230.

p.

569.

27-28.

CHAPTER I I I THE ANNEXATION MOVEMENT AND THE WAR OF I B I S The o p e n i n g y e a r s o f t h e N i n e t e e n t h C e n t u r y w i t n e s s e d a renewed, i n t e r e s t idea th a t

in Canada,

b a s e d l a r g e l y on t h e g ro w in g

i t was t h e m a n i f e s t d e s t i n y o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s

t o b r i n g a l l o f N o rth A m erica u n d e r i t s

ju risd ic tio n .

e a r l y a s 1 7 8 5 , J o h n Adam s, w r i t i n g f r o m E n g l a n d , of the fa c t

As

took n o te

t h a t e v e n some E n g l i s h m e n w e r e e x p r e s s i n g t h e

o p i n i o n t h a t Canada m ust so o n p a s s t o t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s ; he th e n added t h a t t h e so o n e r su c h a u n io n were a c h ie v e d 1 th e b e tte r . G ouverneur M o r r is w r o te i n 1803 t h a t he knew t h a t us

.

.

.«

na l l N o r t h A m e r i c a m u s t a t l e n g t h b e a n n e x e d t o 2

A nnexation sa m e t i m e ,

s e n t im e n t was a l s o n o t e d

t h o u g h t o a much l e s s d e g r e e .

i n Canada a t t h e

. T h i s s e n t i m e n t was

a t l e a s t p a r t l y r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e War o f 1 8 1 2 , w ere a t

th at

su fficie n tly

since

th ere

tim e e le m e n ts o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n o f Upper Canada i n fa v o r o f a n n e x a tio n to g iv e A m ericans th e

i d e a t h a t t h e p e o p l e o f C a n a d a w e r e w a i t i n g f:or a n o p p o r t u n i t y

^ J u l i u s W. P r a t t , E x p a n s i o n i s t s The M a c m i l l a n C o . , 1 9 2 5 ) , p . 1 8 .

2 Ibid., pp. 18-19.

o f 1 8 1 2 (New Y o r k :

to

throw o f f th e yoke o f B r i t i s h r u l e .

3

Indeed,

the B r itis h

g o v e rn m e n t w ent so f a r a s t o m a i n t a i n t h a t a n n e x a t i o n was th e so le

c a u s e o f t h e War o f 1 8 1 2 .

Thus,

for

m i n i s t e r s a t G hent w r o t e on S e p te m b e r 4 ,

exam ple,

th e B r itis h

1814:

. . . i t i s n o to r io u s to th e w h o le.w o rld t h a t th e c o n q u e s t o f Canada and i t s p e rm a n e n t a n n e x a t i o n t o th e U n ite d S t a t e s was t h e d e c l a r e d o b j e c t o f th e A m erican G o v e rn m e n t.4 And a g a i n o n O c t o b e r 8 ,

1814,

the B r i ti s h m in is te rs

a n o te to th e A m erican r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s ,

sent

d eclarin g :

H i s M a j e s t y ' s G overnm ent h a v e . . . ample m eans o f knowing t h a t t h e c o n q u e s t o f t h e C an ad a s and t h e i r a n n e x a t i o n t o t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s was t h e o b j e c t and p o l i c y o f th e A m erican G overnm ent.^ D uring t h i s p e r i o d ,

some o f t h e

" C a n a d i a n s * 1 who

u r g e d a n n e x a t i o n i n c l u d e d A m e r i c a n a g r i c u l t u r a l i s t s who had m ig r a te d to Canada d u r i n g t h e o p e n in g y e a r s o f t h e N in e ­ te e n th C entury as a r e s u l t o f th e l i b e r a l These s e t t l e r s

lan d p o lic y th e r e .

had a lw a y s p o s s e s s e d a f i r m b e l i e f

th at

e v e n t u a l l y Canada and t h e U n ite d S t a t e s w o u ld be j o i n e d . They,

in tu rn ,

6

e n c o u r a g e d s i m i l a r s e n t i m e n t among some o f

t h e i r C anadian n e ig h b o rs .

3

" A n n e x a t i o n , " The E n c y c l o p e d i a o f C anada ( T o r o n t o : U n i v e r s i t y A s s o c i a t e s o f C a n a d a , L t d ? , 19357~J I 7 ' p • 7 5 . 4

• ■ W i l l i a m R. M a n n in g , e d i t o r , D i p l o m a t i c C o r r e s p o n d e n c y o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s : C a n a d ia n R e l a t i o n s , 1784-1860" (W a sh in g to n C a r n e g i e Endowm en t f o r I n t e r n a t i o n a l P e a c e , 1 9 4 0 ) , I , p . 6 4 2 . 5 I b i d .. 6

p.

672.

Hugh K e e n l e y s i d e , C a n a d a arid t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s (New Y o r k : A l f r e d A. K n o p f , I n c . , 192 9 ) , p . ~ B T 7

15 By 1 8 1 0 , m o s t A m e r i c a n s b e l i e v e d w ish e d to be a n n ex e d ,

t h a t th e C anadians

and th e y were c o n fir m e d i n t h i s b e l i e f

by r e t u r n i n g t r a v e l l e r s who d e c l a r e d t h a t Even H enry C lay vou ch ed f o r C o nseq uently ,

th e f a c t

su c h was t h e c a s e .

in h is p u b lic a d d re sse s.

many s i n c e r e l y b e l i e v e d t h e y w e r e c o n f e r r i n g .a

f a v o r upon Canada i n t r y i n g

to annex i t ,

and lo ok ed upon th e

d riv e a s a crusade to tru ly

l i b e r a t e Canada and b e sto w upon i t a 0 dem ocratic c u lt u r e . So e n t h u s i a s t i c d i d t h e m o v e m e n t

become i n p a r t s

of th e U nited S t a te s t h a t

asserted , th a t a l l

"in te llig en t

statesm en "

some o f t h e p r e s s in G reat B r i t a i n

a l s o b e l i e v e d t h a t Canada sh o u ld be j o i n e d to th e U n ite d 9 S ta te s. U n f o r t u n a t e l y , how ever, t h i s was n o t th e c a s e , b u t i t was o n l y r e a l i z e d

afterw ard .

D u rin g th e y e a r 1810, Henry C lay o p e n ly d e c l a r e d t h a t t h e c o n q u e s t o f Canada w ould be a s im p le m a t t e r , " I am n o t f o r

and ad ded:

s t o p p i n g a t Quebec o r a n y w h ere e l s e ;

w ould t a k e t h e w hole c o n t i n e n t

.

.

. ' ,10

but I

S i n c e many A m e r i c a n s

were a l r e a d y o f t h e o p i n i o n t h a t t h e C a n a d ia n s were w a i t i n g

7

,p . 6 4 .

8 I b i d ..

p.

I b i d . . pp.

74. 75-76.

C a r l W ittk e , A H i s t o r y o f Canada A. K n o p f . , I n c . , 1 9 2 8 ) , p . 8 3 .

(New Y o r k : A l f r e d

7

16 to be d e li v e r e d from B r i t i s h r u l e , th at th eir

d i s c o n t e n t w o u l d make i t

the f r o n t i e r s

of th e U nited S t a te s

s o c o n f i d e n t was C l a y t h a t h e

i t w a s comm only a s s u m e d an e a sy t h i n g

to th e N orth P o le .

Indeed,

d e c la re d to th e S en ate:

T h e c o n q u e s t o f Canada, i s i n y o u r p o w e r . I s h a l l n o t b e d e e m e d p r e s u m p t u o u s when I th a t I v e r ily b e lie v e th a t the m i l i t i a of a r e a lo n e com petent to p l a c e M o n tre a l and Canada a t y o u r f e e t . H By 1 8 1 2 ,

to extend

I tru st sta te K entucky Upper

t h e m o v em en t h a d r e a c h e d f e v e r h e a t .

In

C o n g r e s s t h e m a t t e r o f a n n e x a t i o n was f r a n k l y d i s c u s s e d . "I s h a ll never die

c o n te n te d ,” declared R ep resen tativ e

Jo h n so n of K entucky,

" . . .

u n til

I see. h e r [ G r e a t B r i t a i n * s ]

e x p u l s i o n from N o rth A m erica and h e r t e r r i t o r y w ith th e U nited S t a t e s . " Tennessee,

R e p r e s e n t a t i v e Grundy o f

o f t h e House C om m ittee on F o r e i g n A f f a i r s ,

" I am w i l l i n g t o r e c e i v e it

12

in co rp o rated

th e C anadians a s ad o p te d b r e th r e n ;

[a n n e x a tio n ! w ill have b e n e f ic ia l p o l i t i c a l

w ill p re se rv e the

effects; l^z e q u il i b r i u m o f th e G ov ernm en t.”*

T he U n i t e d S t a t e s on J u n e 18,

11

1812,

On J u n e 2 5 t h ,

I b i d . . p.

52. 140.

it

d e c l a r e d war a g a i n s t G r e a t B r i t a i n

P r a t t , o£ . c U t . , p . 40.

12 I b i d . , p . 1^

said :

th e S e n a te approved a

. 17 House r e s o l u t i o n a u t h o r i z i n g t h e P r e s i d e n t ,

am ong o t h e r t h i n g s ,

to is s u e a p ro c la m a tio n to th e C anadian p e o p le ,

a s s u r i n g them

o f f u l l s e c u r i t y and p r o t e c t i o n u nder t h e A m erican C o n s t i t u t i o n .

14

I n t h i s way I t *was h o p e d t o g a i n t h e s u p p o r t o f a g r e a t e r : number o f t h e C a n a d ia n p o p u l a t i o n p r i o r Andrew J a c k s o n d e c l a r e d :

to a c tu a l an n ex a tio n .

tfWe a r e g o i n g

. . .

to

some i n d e m n i t y f o r p a s t i n j u r i e s b y . t h e c o n q u e s t o f a l l B r i t i s h d o m i n i o n s u p o n t h e c o n t i n e n t o f W o r t h A m e r i c a . ft

seek th e 15

R e p r e s e n t a t i v e C raw ford of P e n n s y lv a n ia w ro te M adison t h a t members o f t h e P e n n s y l v a n i a l e g i s l a t u r e

and o th e r c i t i z e n s

w ere e m p h a tic a lly in f a v o r o f . h o l d in g Canada,

and t h a t any

p e a c e a rra n g e m e n ts w hich d id n o t a c h ie v e t h i s

o b j e c t w ould be

nv e r y u n g r a c i o u s l y r e c e i v e d b y f r i e n d s o f t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . f,“L6 I t w a s a common b e l i e f t h a t many C a n a d i a n s w o u l d welcom e t h e i n v a d i n g A m e r i c a n s ,

in th e hope t h a t p o l i t i c a l

u n i o n w o u ld b e e f f e c t e d more q u i c k l y . men h e l d t h i s v i e w .

Some A m e r i c a n m i l i t a r y

G e n e r a l H u l l iwent so f a r

p r o c la m a tio n to th e C anadian p e o p le

as to

on J u l y 1 2 ,

issu e a

1812,

d e c la rin g in p a r t as fo llo w s:

14

Jam es M orton C a l l a h a n , A m erican F o r e i g n P o l i c y i n C a n a d i a n R e l a t i o n s (New Y o r k : The M a c m i l l a n C o . , 1 9 3 7 ) , p p . 15 16

K eenleyside, P ra tt,

op. c i t .,

op_. c i t . ,

p.

p . , 77.

265.

62-63.

18 I n h a b i t a n t s of Canada: A f t e r t h i r t y y e a r s of p e a c e and p r o s p e r i t y U nited S t a t e s have been d r iv e n to arm s. . . .

th e

T h e , a r m y u n d e r my command, h a s i n v a d e d y o u r c o u n t r y , a n d t h e s t a n d a r d o f UNION now w a v e s o v e r t h e t e r r i t o r y o f C a n a d a * ' * . . I come t o p r o t e c t , not to in ju r e you. S e p a r a t e d b y a n im m e n se o c e a n , a n d a n e x t e n s i v e w i l d e r n e s s f r o m G r e a t B r i t a i n , y o u h a v e no p a r t i c i p a t i o n in her c o u n c ils , nor i n t e r e s t in h er co nduct, . , . The U n i t e d S t a t e s a r e s u f f i c i e n t l y p o w e r f u l t o a f f o r d you e v e r y s e c u r i t y . . . . I te n d e r you th e in v a lu a b le b l e s s i n g s o f c i v i l , p o l i t i c a l and r e l i g i o u s l i b e r t y . , . I n November, Sm yth,

1812,

a n o th e r A m erican m i l i t a r y

issu e d a p ro c la m a tio n to h i s

lead er,

G eneral

own s o l d i e r s :

C o m p a n i o n s i n A rm s— t h e t i m e i s a t h a n d when y o u w i l l . . . c o n q u e r C a n a d a . . . . You w i l l e n t e r a c o u n tr y t h a t i s t o be one o f th e U n ite d S t a t e s . You w i l l a r r i v e among a p e o p l e who a r e t o b e com e your fe llo w c i t i z e n s . . . . ° C o n f i d e n c e was a l s o r e f l e c t e d

in o f f i c i a l

c irc le s.

The

S e c r e t a r y o f War a n n o u n c e d t h a t C a n a d a c o u l d b e a c q u i r e d w ithout

so ld iers,

and even J e f f e r s o n b e lie v e d

tTa m e r e m a t t e r o f m a r c h i n g . " At t h i s was f a v o r a b l e

tim e,

th at

i t was

19

p u b lic o p in io n in th e U nited S ta te s

tow ard th e a n n e x a tio n of C anada,

17

b u t i t w o u ld

J a m e s H a n n a y , H i s t o r y o f t h e War o f 1 8 1 2 ( S t . J o h n , New B r u n s w i c k : P r i n t e d b y J o h n A. B o w e s , 1 9 0 1 ) , p p . 5 1 - 5 2 . 18 I M d . , p . 9 7 . 19

W ittke,

ojq. c i t . , p . 8 4 .

19 be a m i s t a k e t o groups.

say t h a t t h e s e n t i m e n t was s h a r e d by a l l

The s t a t e s

to

th e s o u th and s o u t h e a s t o f th e U n ited

S t a t e s h a d o n l y luk ex v a rm i n t e r e s t was s t r o n g e s t

Those l i v i n g n e a r e s t

S entim ent

cen tral s ta te s .

in the a t t i t u d e s

SO

of th e p e o p le .

t o Canada te n d e d t o h av e t h e g r e a t e s t

t h i s was s h a r e d b y t h e s e t t l e r s

te rrito rie s.

q u estio n .

in th e w est and in th e n o r th

S e c t i o n a l i s m was a f a c t o r

in te rest;

in th e

B e c a u se t h e war h a d i n j u r e d

in the w estern th eir

commerce,

some Mew E n g l a n d s t a t e s w e r e n o t o v e r l y e n t h u s i a s t i c . S o u t h e r n e r s w ere a c t u a l l y

Some

alarm ed a t t h e p r o s p e c t of an

in crease

i n t h e power o f n o r t h e r n s t a t e s w hich w ould r e s u l t 21 from a n n e x a tio n . N e v e r t h e l e s s , th e a n n e x a t i o n i s t s w ere t h e m ost v o c a l ,

and t h e i r

in flu en ce led th e

co u n try .

W ith t h e e x c e p t i o n o f Upper Canada and t h e r e g i o n s alo n g th e b o rd er,

s e n t i m e n t among C a n a d i a n s w a s n o t f a v o r a b l e .

T h i s was due i n no s m a l l m e a s u r e t o t h e a t t i t u d e s a c tiv itie s

o f t h e L o y a l i s t s who h a d f l e d

from th e U n ited

S t a t e s t o C anada d u r i n g t h e R e v o l u t i o n a r y War. t h e F r e n c h - C a r ia d ia n s , i n f l u e n c e d by t h e i r facto r

20 21

in opposing u n io n .

P ra tt,

o£ .

c i t .,

p.

Ibid., pp. 147-148.

147.

and

In a d d itio n ,

clerg y ,

were a

A l t h o u g h t h e m i l i t a r y a s p e c t s o f t h e War o f 1 8 1 2 d i d n o t d e v e lo p a s had .been h o p e d ,

th e U nited S ta te s co n tin u ed

to p r e s s f o r C anadian a n n e x a tio n , n eg o tiatio n s..

On J u n e 2 3 ,

M onroe w r o t e t o

even d u rin g th e peace

1814, S e c r e t a r y of S t a t e Jam es

th e A m erican n e g o t i a t o r s a t Ghent a s f o l lo w s

. . . i t may b e w o r t h w h i l e t o b r i n g t o . v i e w t h e a d v a n ta g e s t o b o t h c o u n t r i e s , , w hich i s p ro m is e d by a t r a n s f e r o f th e u p p er p a r t s , and even t h e w hole o f C a n a d a t o t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , . . . The p o s s e s s i o n o f i t by E n g lan d , m ust h e r e a f t e r p r o v e a f r u i t f u l s o u r c e o f c o n t r o v e r s y , which, i t s t r a n s f e r t o t h e • U n i t e d S t a t e s w ould rem o v e. . . . T h a t t h e s e P r o v i n c e s w i l l be s e v e r e d f ro m G r e a t B r i t a i n , a t no d i s t a n t d a y , . . . may f a i r l y b e p r e s u m e d * e v e n a g a i n s t h e r s t r o n g e s t e f f o r t s t o r e t a i n them . 2 J o h n Q u i n c y A d a m s, who was a member o f t h e p e a c e com m ission a t G hent, O ctober 12,

noted in h is d ia ry under d a te of

1814;

I a ls o s tro n g ly urged th e expediency of avow ing a s t h e s e n t i m e n t o f o u r Government t h a t t h e c e s s i o n o f Canada w ould be f o r t h e i n t e r e s t o f G r e a t B r i t a i n a s w e ll a s th e U nited S t a t e s . ^ T hom as J e f f e r s o n h i m s e l f w r o t e t h a t .

.

f* t h e c e s s i o n o f C a n a d a

. m ust be a s i n e qua non a t a t r e a t y

of p e a c e .”

24

22

D ip lo m atic C orrespondence of th e U nited S t a t e s ; C anadian R e l a t i o n s , 1784-1860, I , p . 219. 23

. J o h n Q u i n c y Adam s, T he D i a r y o f J o h n Q u i n c y Adams 1 7 9 4 - 1 8 4 5 , A l l a n N e v i n s , e d i t o r . JWew Y o r k ; L o n g m a n s , G r e e n & C o ., 1928), p . 138.

24

P ra tt,

o£.

c i t .,

p.

166.

21

The e f f o r t s failu re,

to

s e c u r e C a n a d a a t G h e n t .w e r e doom ed t o

a n d t h e e n d o f t h e War o f 1 8 1 2 ,

end o f t h e N a p o le o n ic c o n f l i c t s , bad ly d e fla te d ,

left

c o in c id in g w ith the

th e an n ex atio n d riv e

a l t h o u g h b y no m e a n s d e a d .

.A s l a t e

a s 1825,

J a m e s Monroe w r o t e t o t h e A m e ric a n M i n i s t e r a t L ondon, s u g g e s tin g t h a t he a p p e a l to Canada t o th e U n ite d S t a t e s 25 harm ony and p e a c e *

25

C allah an ,

th e B r i t i s h governm ent t o cede in the

op. c i t .,

in te re sts

pp. 84-85.

of

fu tu re

CHAPTER I T

CANADA’ S PLEA FOR ANNEXATION, 1 8 4 9 - 1 8 5 0 The m i d d l e o f t h e N i n e t e e n t h C e n t u r y w i t n e s s e d a u n i q u e sp ectacle atio n ,

i n ?/hich t h e C a n a d ia n s t h e m s e l v e s a s k e d f o r

and. w e r e o f f i c i a l l y

annex­

ig n o r e d hy th e A m erican g o v e rn m e n t.

Some y e a r s p r e v i o u s t o t h i s ,

how ever, A m ericans had d is p la y e d

much i n t e r e s t , h ut due t o d o m e stic and Mexican a f f a i r s ,

th eir

a t t e n t i o n had been o t h e r w i s e o c c u p i e d . By t h e T h i r t i e s t h e m o v e m e n t h a d a g a i n g a i n e d s tre n g th to a t t r a c t

a tten tio n

sen tim en t in c re a s e d ,

and ” .

peo p le felt

.

in th e U nited S t a t e s .

su fficien t F av o rab le

. th e m a j o r i t y o f th e A m erican

i n 1835 n o t o n l y f a v o r e d t h e a n n e x a t i o n o f C an ad a,

but

t h a t any i n d i r e c t a i d w hich c o u ld be g iv e n t o C anadian

r e v o l u t i o n i s t s w ould be n o t o n l y j u s t i f i e d w o r t h y . ”^

The i d e a o f a n n e x a t i o n w a s ,

but h ig h ly p ra is e ­

in f a c t,

m i n d s o f som e o f t h e l e a d e r s o f t h e r e b e l l i o n s Lower Canada d u r i n g 1 8 3 7 - 8 . d u ratio n ,

2

s tro n g did t h i s

i n Upper and

s y m p a t h e t i c wfi t h

who w e r e e n c o u r a g e d i n many w a y s .

f e e l i n g become i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s

R obert P e e l p r iv a te ly

in the

T h ese o u t b r e a k s were o f s h o r t

b u t A m e ric an o p i n i o n was e n t i r e l y

the re b e l le a d e rs ,

a lso

suggested t o h is

in tim ates

the

So th a t S ir idea of

^ Hugh K e e n l e y s i d e , C a n a d a a n d t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s (New Y o r k ; A l f r e d A. K n o p f , I n c . , 19 29)'," p . 1 0 8 . 2

" A n n e x a t i o n , ” The E n c y c l o p e . d i a o f C a n a d a ( T o r o n t o : U n i v e r s i t y A s s o c i a t e s o f C a n a d a , L t d . , 1935"H I , P . 7 5 .

23 a f r i e n d l y B r i t i s h w ith d ra w a l from c o n t r o l and p r o t e c t i o n o f Canada,

t h e o b j e c t o f w h ic h was t o h a v e b e e n t o a v o i d

in c re a s in g U nited S ta te s 3 p o litic s.

sym pathy f o r C a n a d ia n r a d i c a l s

in

I n t h e 1840*s a n econom ic d e p r e s s i o n o c c u r r e d i n C a n a d a w h i c h s e r v e d t o p r o m o t e a n n e x a t i o n s e n t i m e n t among th e C anadians th e m se lv e s.

F ollow ing th e r e p e a l o f th e E n g lish

C o r n Laws a n d t h e g r a d u a l i n a u g u r a t i o n o f f r e e E ngland,

ex p o rters,

and o th e rs .

T h i s c h a n g e was a l l

t o C a n a d i a n economy i n v ie w of t h e f a c t

lum ber

t h e m o re s e r i o u s

th at

and f l o u r had p r e v i o u s l y b e en s u b j e c t e d t o

C anadian wheat

only about one-

t h e d u t y p a i d by f o r e i g n p r o d u c e r s whose p r o d u c t s w ere

t a k e n by t h e E n g l i s h m a r k e t s . repeal

in

th e C anadians found th em selv es in u n ex p ected

co m p etitio n w ith R u ssian g r a in grow ers, B a ltic

fifth

trad e

To make m a t t e r s w o r s e ,

th e

o f t h e B r i t i s h N a v i g a t i o n A c t s i n 1849 d e p r i v e d t h e

C anadian s h ip p in g b u s in e s s of i t s

s p e c i a l m onopoly i n

c a r r y i n g t r a d e w i t h t h e B r i t i s h W e s t I n d i e s . .* T h e s e c i r c u m s t a n c e s com bined t o p r o d u c e a n a c u t e d ep ressio n ,

3

w ith p ro p e rty v a lu e s

econom ic,

i n some p a r t s

o f Canada

* la m e s M orton C a l l a h a n , A m erican F o r e i g n P o l i c y i n C a n a d i a n R e l a t i o n s (New Y o r k ; The M a c m i l l a n C o . , 1 9 3 7 ) , p . 182.

24 f a l l i n g a s much a s 50 p e r c e n t b e t w e e n 1 8 4 5 a n d 1 8 4 8 , alm o st th ree -£ & u rth s

of the b u sin e ss e n te r p r is e s

to w n s became i n s o l v e n t , -in p a r t s

of Canada,

w hile

i n some

uU n e m p l o y m e n t a n d s t a g n a t i o n p r e v a i l e d

a t a t i m e when t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s

seemed

t o be e n jo y in g a p e r i o d o f u n u s u a l p r o s p e r i t y and e x p a n s i o n .” I n M o n t r e a l , b u s i n e s s was a t t h e l o w e s t ebb; b o t h l o c a l a n d f o r e i g n t r a d e ? /e r e p a l s i e d ; p r o p e r t y was u n s a l e a b l e ; c a p i t a l was u n p r o d u c t i v e ; l a b o u r e r s tr a m p e d t h e s t r e e t s : i n s e a r c h o f w o rk ; homes w e r e d e s e r t e d , and f a m ilie s " w e r e f l e e i n g from th e strick en c it y .5 S u c h a s i t u a t i o n n a t u r a l l y a r o u s e d much d i s c o n t e n t . Many C a n a d i a n s ,

lo o k in g over t h e i r

southern border a t a

v e r i t a b l e b u s i n e s s boom i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , doubt the v alu e th at a t th is

of th e ir B r itis h

tim e

tie s.

I t was s i g n i f i c a n t

t h e a n n e x a t i o n i d e a was s p o n s o r e d n o t

s o much b y r a d i c a l s a s b y e s s e n t i a l l y in C anadian s o c i e t y , Indeed,

began to

elem ents

and by b u s i n e s s m e n i n p a r t i c u l a r .

some p e o p l e a s s e r t e d

t h a t t h e w hole a n n e x a t i o n

a g i t a t i o n was n o t h i n g b u t a T o ry p l o t . A nother f a c t o r , t h e m ovem ent a t t h i s

co n serv ativ e

6

e sse n tia lly p o litic a l,

w hich pro m o ted

t i m e was t h e p a s s a g e o f t h e

4

C a r l W it t k e , A H i s t o r y o f Canada A. Knopf C o . , 1 9 2 8 ) , p . 1 3 7 .

so c a l l e d

(New Y o r k ; A l f r e d

® C e p h a s D. A l l i n a n d G e o r g e M. J o n e s , A n n e x a t i o n , P r e f e r e n t i a l T r a d e , and R e c i p r o c i t y ( T o r o n t o : The Musson Book C o . , L t d . , 1 9 l l T T " p . 8 1 .

6 lrittke, op., piti, p. 138.

4

25 " R e b e llio n Losses B i l l " by th e L i b e r a l s .

T h i s b i l l was

d e s i g n e d t o c o m p e n s a t e some o f t h o s e who h a d s u f f e r e d p r o p e r t y damage d u r i n g t h e R e b e l l i o n o f 1 8 3 7 .

In e f f e c t ,

com pensated b o th r e b e l s and l o y a l i s t s .

C o m in g a t a t i m e

w hen t h e m i d d l e a n d u p p e r e c o n o m i c c l a s s e s , C o n serv ativ es in p o l i t i c s , they jo in e d

i t w ould have

u s u a lly the

had been h i t by th e d e p r e s s io n ,

i n o p p o s i n g t h i s b i l l a n d many e x p r e s s e d t h e i r

o p p o s i t i o n by a s s i s t i n g

th e an n ex atio n d riv e .

7

The h o s t i l i t y

b e t w e e n t h e two m a j o r p o l i t i c a l p a r t i e s — t h e C o n s e r v a t i v e s and t h e . L i b e r a l s — becam e so a c u t e t h a t became p r o - a n n e x a t i o n , lo y a l to th e B r i t i s h A th ird facto r

w hile

th e C o n serv ativ es

th e L ib e r a l s ten d ed to rem ain

co n n ectio n .

8

in prom oting th e a n n e x a tio n a c t i v i t y

o f 1 8 4 9 was t h e i n f l a m e d f e e l i n g b e t w e e n t h e F r e n c h a n d B ritish

elem ents of th e p o p u la tio n .

Many o f t h e B r i t i s h

Canada f a v o r e d a n n e x a t i o n a s a means t o French in flu e n c e , favored

and,, s t r a n g e l y enough,

co u n teract th e

in

stro n g

e v e n some F r e n c h

it

as s e c u rity a g a in s t the in c re a s in g a n ti-F re n c h 9 s e n t i m e n t among t h e B r i t i s h . One A m e r i c a n j o u r n a l a n a l y z e d

7 I b i d . , -pp. 1 2 8 - 1 3 0 . Q K eenleyside, 9

op. c i t .,

p.

121.

" T h e A n n e x a t i o n o f C a n a d a , ” De Bow* s S o u t h e r n a n d W e s t e r n R e v i e w , IX ( O c t o b e r , 1 8 5 0 ) , p p . 4 0 3 - 4 0 4 .

26 the

s itu a tio n as fo llo w s: Canada d e s i r e s a n n e x a t i o n . The B r i t i s h p a r t y d e s i r e s i t b e c a u s e a n y t h i n g i s p r e f e r a b l e t o them to b eing in th e m in o rity , w ith such a p a r ty in th e m a jo rity a s th e French p a r t y . The l a t t e r p a r t y d e s i r e s i t b e c a u s e t h e y f e a r a r e t u r n o f t h e t i m e when t h e y w i l l be d e n ie d a l l s h a r e in t h e ’ g overnm ent, and r e t u r n t o t h e i r s t a t e of v a s s a l a g e . . . . E ngland w i l l n o t o p p o s e i t , b e c a u s e i t w o u l d c o s t h e r t o o much t o p u t down a r e v o l u t i o n . . . i O

To many E n g l i s h - s p e a k i n g p e o p l e th e

in Canada,

it

seem ed a s

if

s t r u g g l e b e tw e e n F r e n c h a n d B r i t i s h m ust go on f o r e v e r

u n l e s s th e ascendency o f th e A nglo-Saxons could be a s s u r e d by a u n io n w ith th e U n ited S t a t e s .

11

The c u l m i n a t i o n o f e c o n o m ic , p o l i t i c a l , s i t u a t i o n s was t h e fam ous A n n e x a t i o n M a n i f e s t o M ontreal in 1849. C o nservatives,

and r a c i a l issued a t

T h i s docum ent was p r e p a r e d by t h e

and o u t l i n e d

c o n d itio n of Canada.

in d e t a i l

I t read

the d is tre s s e d

in p a r t as fo llo w s:

Of a l l th e- r e m e d i e s t h a t h a v e b e e n s u g g e s t e d f o r th e acknow ledged and i n s u f f e r a b l e i l l s w ith w hich our c o u n tr y i s a f f l i c t e d , t h e r e re m a in s b u t one to be c o n s id e r e d . I t p ro p o u n d s a sw ee p in g and im p o rta n t change in our p o l i t i c a l and s o c i a l c o n d iti o n , i n v o l v i n g c o n s i d e r a t i o n s w h ic h demand o u r m ost s e r i o u s ex am in atio n . THIS REMEDY CONSISTS OF A FRIENDLY AND PEACEFUL SEPARATION FROM BR ITISH CONNECTION, AND A UNION UPON EQUITABLE TERMS WITH THE GREAT NORTH AMERICAN CONFEDERACY OF SOVEREIGN STATES.

10 I 5 M - >

PP* 4 X 1 - 4 1 2 .

11 A l l l n a n d J o n e s ,

o£. o i t .,

p.

53.

i

£7 The p r o p o s e d u n i o n w o u l d r e n d e r C a n a d a a f i e j & Tor A m e ric an c a p i t a l , i n t o w hich i t w ould e n t e r a s f r e e l y f o r t h e p r o s e c u t i o n o f p u b l i c w o rk s and p r i v a t e e n t e r p r i s e s a s i n t o any o f th e p r e s e n t sta te s. I t w ould e q u a l i z e th e v a lu e o f r e a l e s t a t e upon b o th s i d e s of t h e boundary, th e r e b y p ro b a b ly d o u b lin g a t once th e e n t i r e p r e s e n t v a lu e o f p r o p e r t y in Canada, w h i l s t by g i v in g s t a b i l i t y to our i n s t i t u t i o n s , a n d i n t r o d u c i n g p r o s p e r i t y , i t would r a i s e our p u b l i c , c o r p o r a t e , and p r i v a t e c r e d i t . . . I t would a l s o i n t r o d u c e m a n u f a c t u r e s i n t o Canada a s r a p i d l y a s th e y have b e en i n tr o d u c e d i n t o t h e N o r t h e r n S t a t e s ; a n d t o Lower C a n a d a e s p e c i a l l y , w here w a te r power and l a b o u r a re a b u n d a n t and c h ea p , i t w ould a t t r a c t m a n u f a c t u r in g c a p i t a l , en h an ce th e v a lu e o f p r o p e r t y and a g r i c u l t u r a l p ro d u c e , and g iv e r e m u n e r a t i v e e m p l o y m e n t t o w h a t i s a t p r e s e n t -a c o m p a r a t i v e l y n o n - p r o d u c i n g p o p u l a t i o n . . . . The v a l u e ' o f our a g r i c u l t u r a l p ro d u c e w ould be r a i s e d a t once to a p a r w ith t h a t of th e U n ite d S t a t e s . But o th e r a d v a n ta g e s th a n th o s e h a v in g a b e a r i n g o n o u r m a t e r i a l i n t e r e s t s may b e f o r e t o l d i I t w ould change th e ground o f p o l i t i c a l eo n te& t betw een r a c e s and p a r t i e s , a l l a y and o b l i t e r a t e t h o s e i r r i t a t i o n s and c o n f l i c t s of r a n c o u r and r e c r i m i n a t i o n w hich hav e h i t h e r t o d i s f i g u r e d our s o c i a l f a b r i c . . . . We h a v e now n o v o i c e i n t h e a f f a i r s o f t h e e m p i r e , n o r do we s h a r e i n i t s h o n o u r s o r em olum ents. E n gland i s our p a r e n t s t a t e , w ith whom we h a v e no e q u a l i t y , b u t t o w a r d s whom we s t a n d in th e sim ple r e l a t i o n o f o b e d ie n c e . But a s c i t i z e n s of th e U nited S t a te s , th e p u b lic s e r v ic e of th e n a tio n Y/ould b e o p e n t o u s — a f i e l d f o r h i g h a n d h o n o r a b l e d i s t i n c t i o n , o n w h i c h we a n d o u r p o s t e r i t y m i g h t e n t e r on t e r m s o f p e r f e d t e q u a l i t y . Nor w o u l d t h e a m i c a b l e s e p a r a t i o n f r o m G r e a t B r i t a i n be f r a u g h t w ith a d v a n ta g e s t o us a l o n e . The r e l i e f to th e p a r e n t s t a t e from th e l a r g e e x p e n d itu r e now i n c u r r e d i n t h e m i l i t a r y o c c u p a t i o n o f t h e c o u n t r y — t h e r e m o v a l o f t h e many c a u s e s o f c o l l i s i o n w i t h t h e U n ite d S t a t e s , w hich r e s u l t from th e c o n t i g u i t y of m u t u a l t e r r i t o r i e s so e x t e n s i v e — t h e b e n e f i t o f .th e l a r g e r m a r k e t , w h i c h t h e i n c r e a s i n g p r o s p e r i t y of.C a n a d a w o u l d c r e a t e , a r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n s w h i c h , i n t h e

28 m i n d s o f many o f h e r a b l e s t s t a t e s m e n , r e n d e r o u r in c o rp o ra tio n w ith th e U nited S t a te s a d e s ir a b l e c on summat i o n . W ith in f i v e h o u rs, t h a n 3'25 - p e r s o n s ,

th is

docu m en t was s i g n e d by more

many o f t h e m ' p r o m i n e n t ; w i t h i n t e n d a y s

more t h a n a t h o u s a n d p e r s o n s s i g n e d

it.

Among t h e s i g n e r s

were such i l l u s t r i o u s p e r s o n s a s t h e f u t u r e P rim e M i n i s t e r o f C a n a d a , Mr. J .

C. A b b o t t ,

A l e x a n d e r T. G a l t ,

S i r George C a r t i e r S i r

S i r Leonard T i l l e y ,

later

G overnor of

New B r u n s ¥ m c k ,

S i r D avid M cPherson,

th e C anadian s e n a t o r ,

Mr. J o h n R o s e ,

th e f u tu r e L ieu ten an t-G o v ern o r of O n ta rio ,

and o th e r s of a lm o st eq u al im p o rtan ce. The p r e s s the tru e

o f Canada r e s p o n d e d r a t h e r f a v o r a b l y t o

a n n e x a t i o n movement o f 1 8 4 9 , a n d t h i s was e s p e c i a l l y of th e organs re p re s e n tin g th e C o n serv ativ e P a rty

and th e r a d i c a l F re n c h e le m e n ts . so f a r a s th e

13

to

ed ito r

The M o n t r e a l W i t n e s s w e n t

s e e A l m i g h t y God H i m s e l f u r g i n g a n n e x a t i o n ,

said :

”I t

and

i s p r e c i s e l y b e c a u s e we t h i n k t h e

in d ic a t i o n s of D ivine P ro v id en ce a r e p o in tin g d i r e c t l y , co n stan tly ,

12

and,

I b i d ..

13 I b i d . .

we m i g h t a d d ,

p p. 110-113. p.

114.

u rg e n tly in the d ire c tio n

of

29 an n ex atio n ,

t h a t we h a v e f e l t

s u b j e c t a t some l e n g t h

.

. . ft

co n strain ed to d isc u ss 14

the

The C o u r i e r o f M o n t r e a l

• l i k e w i s e s u p p o r t e d t h e m ovem ent, d e c l a r i n g : When men f i n d t h i n g s i r r e t r i e v a b l y b a d , t h e y m ust n e e d s t h i n k o f d e s p e r a t e r e m e d i e s . A n n e x a tio n i s t h a t rem edy; i t w i l l b e f o o l i s h f o r u s no?? t o w a i t and s e e w hat E n g la n d w i l l do f o r u s , E ngland c a n do n o t h i n g . ^ A g a in on O c to b e r 6,

1849, The C o u r i e r n o t e d :

The d e s i r e f o r a n n e x a t i o n h a s t a k e n f a s t h o l d on a l l c l a s s e s o f t h e co m m u n ity , a n d e v e r y m in o r issu e i s about t o 'b e absorbed in t h i s a ll- im p o r ta n t q u estio n . The d i f f i c u l t y now i s t o f i n d a man who i s o p p o s e d t o a n n e x a t i o n . 3-6 The H e r a l d o f M o n t r e a l , w ished f o r

under, d a t e of O c to b e r 3,

1849.,

im m ediate a n n e x a tio n :

We h a v e r e a s o n t o w i s h f o r a n i n c o r p o r a t i o n w ith th e s t a t e s of t h e A m erican U nion; l i k e r e a s o n prom pts u s to d e s i r e t h a t t h i s i n c o r p o r a t i o n sh o u ld take p la c e as sp e ed ily as p o s s ib le . . . . I t is of th e u tm o st im p o rtan ce f o r th e i n h a b i t a n t s o f Canada, a s th e w orld b e l i e v e s t h a t th e y a re a b o u t to p a s s t h r o u g h a r e v o l u t i o n , t h a t t h e y s h o u l d do i t a t o n c e . 7 Id A v e n i r , a n o r g a n o f t h e r a d i c a l F r e n c h g r o u p u r g i n g • an n ex atio n ,

endeavored to a s s u r e

could p r e s e r v e

14

th eir

n a tio n ality

I b i d . , p . 103.

L o c ,.g i t . 16 I b i d . . p .

105.

17 I b i d . , p .

102.

its

readers th at

in th e

the French

event of p o l i t i c a l

50 union w ith th e U nited S t a t e s , s t a t e was a l l o w e d t o p r e s e r v e p o litic a l c o n stitu tio n , a c h i e v e d nwe s h a l l

I t p o in ted out th a t each its

own s o c i a l l i f e

a n d t h a t when a n n e x a t i o n w a s f i n a l l y

e n jo y th e p r o t e c t i o n ’ of one o f t h e f i r s t

em pires o f th e w o rld ,

h e a s s u r e d o f o u r own n a t i o n a l i t y ,

s h a l l n o t have to s u f f e r , em b ittered e n em ies,”

and

a s t o - d a y , th e ra g e o f our

18

. The M i r r o r w a s t h e p r i n c i p a l - o r g a n o f t h e p o p u la tio n in Canada;

It

w ith

d eclarin g :

co rd ial

and

in te re st,

Irish

g re e te d th e a n n e x a tio n m an ifesto

I t was a f i n e and n a t u r a l e x p r e s s i o n o f a g r e a t n a t i o n a l w ant. I t w a s a d em an d o f men who f e e l t h e i r own c a p a b i l i t i e s a n d t h e i r own d i s a d v a n t a g e s , a n d who dare to c la im the r i g h t of e x e rtin g th e form er and r i d d in g th em se lv e s of the l a t t e r . ^ A n n e x a t i o n w i t h i n f i v e y e a r s v^as p r o p h e s i e d b y Le M o n i t e u r C a n a d i e n , a F r e n c h o r g a n , ? / h i c h a l s o th e o p in io n th a t a l l

o f Canada w ould b e d i v i d e d

s t a t e s w h ic h w ould t h e n become s t a t e s and t h a t

expressed in to

th ree

o f t h e A m erican U nion,

s e p a r a t i o n fro m E n g la n d c o u l d be e f f e c t e d by means

of p e titio n s

s i g n e d by t h e C a n a d i a n p e o p l e .

P O

v

T hat p o r t i o n o f th e C a n a d ia n p r e s s w hich re m a in e d

18 IQ

Ib id . , pp. Ib id .,

p.

80 I b i d . , p .

69-70. ZZO. 71.

h o stile

to a n n e x a tio n re p r e s e n te d l a r g e l y

and th e

c o n s e rv a tiv e C a th o lic French e le m e n ts.

P ilo t

the L ib e ra l P a rty The M o n t r e a l

a c c e p te d th e view t h a t a n n e x a tio n m ight p ro v e

dangerous to th e l i b e r t i e s

of t h e w hole w o r ld by m aking

t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s to o p o w e r f u l and t y r a n n i c a l r e l a t i o n s wTi t h the p o s s ib le

o th e r pow ers.

I t also

in her

expressed fe a r

in tro d u ctio n of slav ery in to

Canada,

over

d eclarin g :

lie a s k t h e a n n e x a t i o n i s t i f h e i s p r e p a r e d t o . s a c r i f i c e j u s t i c e a n d b e n e v o l e n c e on t h e a l t a r o f Mammon, i f h e i s p r e p a r e d t o e n t e r i n t o p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h t h e o w n e r s o f h um an f l e s h a n d b o n e s , th e o p p r e s s o r s o f hu m an s o u l s , i f h e i s w i l l i n g t h a t h i s c o u n t r y s h o u l d become p a r t a n d p a r c e l o f a s y s t e m w h i c h d e n i e s t h e r i g h t o f c i t i z e n s h i p t o men w h o s e sk in i s of a d ark e r hue th an t h a t of t h e i r n e ig h b o rs.

.

The T o r o n t o G l o b e w a s t h e c h i e f p u b l i c a t i o n r © p r e s e n t i n g t h e L ib e ral P a rty , It

esp ecially

S ta te s,

and o p p o s i n g t h e movement f r o m t h e b e g i n n i n g . em phasized th e e v i l s

of sla v e ry

in the U nited

saying:

We a r e t o l d t h a t c a p i t a l w o u l d f l o w i n f r o m t h e S t a t e s by a n n e x a tio n . B u t, i f i t d i d , and b r o u g h t w i t h i t th e deep d e g r a d a tio n of a c o n n e c tio n w ith s l a v e r y , b e t t e r i t w ere s u n k i n t h e d e e p e s t w a t e r s o f Lake S uperior The p r e s s w h i c h o p p o s e d a n n e x a t i o n d i d n o t do s o o n e c o n o m i c grounds,

b u t - r a th e r b a s e d t h e a rg u m e n ts on t h e o l d c h a r g e s

21

Ibid., pp. 77-78.

22 Ibid., p . 89.

.

32 a g a in s t th e m orals, 0 ,

i

S ta te s.

r e l i g i o n and c i v i l i z a t i o n

of th e U nited

23

The r e s p o n s e o f t h e C a n a d i a n p r e s s M a n i f e s t o was t h u s d i v i d e d , m atter d ir e c tly c ry stalliz e

to p u b lic

to

th e A nnexation

b u t i t d id se rv e to b r in g the

a tten tio n ,

a n d d i d much t o

o p i n i o n o n e way o r t h e o t h e r .

The c o m b i n a t i o n

o f f o r c e s w h ic h s u p p o r t e d t h e movement was u n u s u a l . T he b u s i n e s s i n t e r e s t s o f M o n t r e a l — p r e d o m i n a n t l y • B r i t i s h by b i r t h and e x tre m e c o n s e r v a t i v e s i n p o l i t i c s — w e r e , on t h i s o n e q u e s t i o n , l i n k e d w i t h t h e u l t r a ­ r a d i c a l elem ents of th e F ren ch -C an ad ian p o p u la c e , a l t h o u g h on e v e r y o t h e r c o n c e i v a b l e i s s u e t h e two g ro u p s w ere d i a m e t r i c a l l y o p p o sed . Many m e m b e r s o f t h e ’ Tory p a r t y , f e a r f u l o f F ren ch d o m in a tio n , e n ra g ed b y t h e i r own e x p u l s i o n f r o m o f f i c e , a n d b i t t e r l y in c e n se d over th e enactm ent o f th e R e b e llio n L osses B i l l , were u n i t e d i n t h e a d v o c a c y o f a n n e x a t i o n w i t h t h o s e who h a d b e e n t h e i r m o s t ' f e r v e n t o p p o n e n t s on a l l o t h e r i s s u e s S h o rtly a f te r a t M ontreal,

t h e A n n e x a tio n M a n i f e s t o had b e e n i s s u e d

th e o p p o sitio n b u sied i t s e l f

co u n ter-m an ifesto s.

W ith in a few d a y s ,

in p rep arin g

th e m in iste rs of

t h e Crown i n M o n t r e a l a n d t h e F r e n c h who w e r e L i b e r a l s issu ed a p r o t e s t,

p ro claim in g t h e i r

and-denouncing a n n ex a tio n a s co n tem p late.

23 24

lo y alty

t o E ngland,

so m ething to o t e r r i b l e

to

The s i g n e r s o f t h i s d o c u m e n t w e r e a l m o s t a l l

K een ley sid e,

op. c i t .,

Ibid., p. 127.

p.

131.

33 o f French, e x t r a c t i o n .

£5

In Quebec,

a r e s o l u t i o n was p a s s e d

i n f a v o r o f a n n e x a ti o n by unanim ous c o n s e n t o f t h r e e thou san d p e rs o n s p r e s e n t , M ontreal,

an o rg an o f th e C o n s e rv a tiv e P a r t y .

co u n teract th is

reso lu tio n ,

prepared a p ro te s t,

th e l o y a l i s t s

of

In order to

of th e c i t y

th e p u b lic fo r 26 and o v e r one th o u s a n d s i g n a t u r e s o b t a i n e d . In

sig n atu re, T o ronto,

a c c o r d i n g t o The C o u r i e r

lik ew ise,

w h ic h was th r o w n open t o

c o u n t e r m e a s u r e s ?«ere t a k e n ,

a v i g o r o u s cam paign l a s t i n g

and a f t e r

s e v e r a l weeks a t o t a l o f 4 ,4 4 7

s i g n a t u r e s was o b t a i n e d f o r a d o c u m e n t o p p o s i n g p o l i t i c a l 27 union w ith th e U n ited S t a te s . T h e i n f l u e n c e o f so m e r e l i g i o u s g r o u p s w a s a f a c t o r in p r e v e n tin g a n n e x a tio n d u rin g the p e rio d R ev o lu tio n ,

and was a g a i n a f a c t o r

o f th e A m erican

i n 1849 and 1850.

c l e r g y o f t h e Roman C a t h o l i c C h u r c h i n C a n a d a , e x c e p tio n of I r i s h m ovem ent.

elem en ts,

The

w ith th e

was u s u a l l y o p p o se d t o t h e

Many p e r s o n s h a d a d e e p - r o o t e d d i s l i k e

of the

A m erican i n s t i t u t i o n s and p e o p le a s a r e s u l t o f th e c l e r g y ’ s 28 in flu e n c e in th e m a tte r. The E p i s c o p a l C h u r c h ( t h a t i s ,

25

_ * A l l i n and J o n e s ,

26

IM 1-.

P 7

28

oj3. c i t . ,

pp.

PP> 1 8 4 - 1 8 5 .

I b i d *, p p . . 2 0 9 - 2 1 2 . K eenleyside,

o p . c i t .,

p.

133.

144-146.

34 t h e A n g l i c a n C h u rc h ) was l i k e w i s e

a g a in s t a n n ex atio n ,

and

a B ishop o f t h a t d e n o m in a tio n f e l t

co n strain ed to w rite a

p asto ral le tte r

th e c le rg y and l a i t y

h is

d io cese.

on t h e

su b ject fo r

of

The B i s h o p c a l l e d u p o n a l l m e m b e r s o f t h e

E p i s c o p a l C hurch t o o p p o se a n n e x a t i o n an d rem em ber t h e s c rip tu ra l in ju n c tio n : king,

t h o u t h e Lord and t h e PQ t h e m t h a t a r e g i v e n t o c h a n g e . tT

and m eddle n o t w i t h The a t t i t u d e

too

ftMy s o n ,

fear

o f t h e F r e n c h - s p e a k i n g p o p u l a t i o n was

i m p o r t a n t to be o v e r l o o k e d .

p o p u la c e was h o s t i l e

The m a j o r i t y o f t h e F r e n c h 30 t o t h e a n n e x a t i o n m ovem ent. H ow ever,

th ere ex isted a ra d ic a l f a c tio n L. J . P a p in e a u ,

among t h e F r e n c h ,

t h a t was i n f l u e n c e d by t h e d o c t r i n e s o f t h e

F re n c h R e v o lu t i o n and was a r d e n t l y union w ith th e U nited S t a t e s . It

e stab lish ed

T h i s f a c t i o n was a n t i - c l e r i c a l .

and i t

endeavored to g a in th e

th e French e le m e n ts in Canada.

w h a t w a s known a s t h e R o u g e P a r t y sp re ad propaganda to

30

in p o l i t i c s ,

I t co n stitu ted and c a r e f u l l y

t h e e f f e c t t h a t a n n e x a t i o n would b e s t

p re s e rv e French law s,

29

in favor of p o l i t i c a l

s e v e r a l n e w s p a p e r s i n M o n t r e a l an d Quebec t o

su p p o rt p o l i t i c a l union, sym pathy o f a l l

l e d by

language,

A l l i n and Jo n e s, K eenleysid e,

o£ .

relig io n ,

c it;., p.

o p . c i t .,

p.

128.

and p o l i t i c a l

185.

in stitu tio n s.

T h i s p a r t y w as more v o c a l t h a n i t s n u m b e rs

w ould w a r r a n t ,

and i t was n o t s u c c e s s f u l

in w inning th e

m a jo r ity of th e French p o p u la tio n in th e a n n e x a tio n d riv e 31 o f 1849. S en tim en t in f a v o r of union w ith th e U nited S t a t e s continued, to r i s e

th ro u g h o u t th e year 1849.

was su c h t h a t on t h e 4 t h of J u l y ,

1849,

P u b lic o p in io n

th e c ity

of M ontreal

w a s d e c k e d w i t h many A m e r i c a n f l a g s , e v id en ce of th e a t t i t u d e s ra n h igh,

w h ic h was s t r i k i n g : gg t o be found t h e r e . F eelin g s

a n d on o n e o c c a s i o n a member o f t h e Q u e b e c c i t y

c o u n c i l made t h e s t a t e m e n t t h a t t h e y w o u l d a l l b e A m e r i c a n s in t h r e e m onths, cham bers t h a t

w hich c a u se d su ch a r i o t

i t was n e c e s s a r y t o c a l l

in th e c o u n cil

in the p o lic e .

S e n t i m e n t was s t r o n g e s t

in M ontreal,

i n Quebec a n d T o r o n to .

T h e m a r i t i m e p r o v i n c e s g a v e much

su p p o rt,

as did a lso

it

33

b e i n g somewhat l e s s

some a r e a s a l o n g t h e b o r d e r .

t h e m o v e m e n t commanded m o r e s y m p a t h y i n c i t i e s d istric ts.

A l l i n and J o n e s ,

32 I b i d . ,

P-

75.

3 3 I b i d . . PP- 8 3 - 8 4 . 34

th an in r u r a l

Upper C anada d i s p l a y e d p e r h a p s t h e l e a s t

in fa v o r of th e A nnexation M a n ifesto ,

31

In g e n e ra l,

Ibid., p. 208.

o p . c i t .,

it

pp.

in te rest

b e in g w id e ly condemned.

67-69.

36 The r e a c t i o n o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s a g ita tio n for

in co rp o ra tio n

C ongress ignored th e m a tte r. c a b i n e t g a v e no p u b l i c

in to

to th e

C anadian

t h e U n io n was r a t h e r

unusual.

P r e s i d e n t T a y lo r and h i s

i n d i c a t i o n of any i n t e r e s t

in th e

s u b j ec t . The c o n d u c t o f t h e G o v e r n m e n t a t W a s h i n g t o n was s t r i c t l y proper. No n e u t r a l p o w e r i n t i m e o f w a r c o u l d h a v e o b s e r v e d a more s c r u p u l o u s i m p a r t i a l i t y . P r e s i d e n t T a y lo r c a r e f u l l y r e f r a i n e d from even an a p p e a ra n c e of d e s i r i n g to m eddle i n C anadian a f f a i r s . N e ith e r by word n o r a c t i o n d i d he l e n d t h e s l i g h t e s t e n c o u r a g e m e n t t o t h e C a n a d i a n A n n e x a t i o n i s t s . . . . The a t t i t u d e o f C o n g r e s s was e q u a l l y i m p a r t i a l , e v e n t h o u g h n o t a s f r i e n d l y to Canada. U n d o u b t e d l y some o f t h e ' N o r t h e r n C o ngressm en would h a v e welcomed any o v e r t u r e s fro m Canada f o r a n n e x a t i o n , b u t th e h o s t i l i t y o f th e S o u t h e r n members e f f e c t u a l l y p r e v e n t e d a n y e x p r e s s i o n o f o p in io n , or o v e rt a c tio n , lo o k in g to th e a d d itio n o f m o re f r e e t e r r i t o r y . The t e m p t a t i o n - t o i n t e r v e n e i n C a n a d ia n a f f a i r s was u n d o u b t e d l y g r e a t , b u t t h e d a n g e r o f S o u t h e r n s e c e s s i o n was s u f f i c i e n t l y im m in e n t t o a b s o r b t h e a t t e n t i o n and e n e r g i e s o f t h e Government a t C ongress a t home. * A lth o u g h W ashington chose o f f i c i a l l y situ atio n

in Canada,

t h i s was not t r u e

nor of v a rio u s lo c a l groups.

to

ignore th e

of t h e A m erican p r e s s

The A b o l i t i o n i s t s ,

f o r exam ple,

a p p a r e n t l y d e s i r e d t o h av e C anada, w h ic h would t h u s add f r e e territo ry S outh.

t o t h e U nion and c o u n t e r a c t th e

For t h i s re a so n ,

about th e

id ea.

35 I £ i d * >

in flu en ce

of the

t h e S o u t h wa s n o t s o e n t h u s i a s t i c

The v e r y p e r s o n s who o p p o s e d a n n e x i n g T e x a s

P-

380•

37 and p a r t s Canada. when i t

36

of M exico w ere o f t e n lo u d i n t h e i r dem ands f o r The S o u t h e r n p o i n t o f v i e w w a s s i m p l y e x p r e s s e d

was s a i d :

"If

she

[ th e South]

se es t h a t th e N orth i s

b e n t upon t h e u n io n o f Canada w i t h th e U n ite d S t a t e s a b o l i t i o n p u rp o se s, and f o r th o se a lo n e , 37 p r o j e c t t o ' a m an." The l e g i s l a t u r e

r e s o l u t i o n on t h e

she w i l l oppose th e

o f Vermont t o o k i t upon i t s e l f

p r o m o t e t h e movement i n

its

for

to

. ,-j

• --mu

own w ay b y i s s u i n g a f o r m a l

su b ject.

W hereas by th e o r i g i n a l a r t i c l e s o f C o n f e d e r a t i o n a d o p te d by th e S t a t e s o f t h i s U nion, i t was p r o v i d e d t h a t C anada, a c c e d i n g t o t h i s - C o n f e d e r a t i o n , and j o in in g in th e m easures of th ese U nited S t a t e s , s h a l l be a d m itte d in to and e n t i t l e d to a l l th e a d v a n ta g e s o f t h i s Union And w h e r e a s r e c e n t o c c u r r e n c e s i n t h e s a i d p r o v i n c e o f Canada i n d i c a t e a s t r o n g and g ro w in g d e s i r e on t h e p a r t o f t h e p e o p l e t h e r e o f t o a v a i l t h e m s e l v e s o f the- a d v a n t a g e s o f t h e f o r e g o i n g o f f e r , a n d t o a p p l y f o r a d m i s s i o n among t h e s o v e r e i g n S t a t e s o f t h i s U n i o n . T h e r e f o r e ', r e s o l v e d by t h e S e n a t e and House o f R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s t h a t , b e l i e v i n g t h e a d m i s s i o n o f Canada i n t o t h i s Union t o b e a m e a su re i n t i m a t e l y c o n n e c te d w i t h . t h e p e rm a n e n t p r o s p e r i t y and g l o r y o f b o t h c o u n t r i e s , t h e G overnm ent o f t h e S t a t e o f Vermont i s e a r n e s t l y d e s iro u s to see su ch -reu n io n e ff e c te d , w ith o u t a v io la tio n , on t h e p a r t o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , o f t h e a m i c a b l e r e l a t i o n s e x i s t i n g w i t h t h e B r i t i s h G overnm ent, o r o f t h e law of n a tio n s.

" T h e A n n e x a t i o n o f C a n a d a , " De_ Bow* s S o u t h e r n a n d W e s t e r n R e v i e w , IX ( O c t o b e r , 1 8 5 0 ) , p p . 4 0 6 - 4 0 7 . 37

Ibid., p. 407.

38 R e s o l v e d . — The p e a c e a b l e a n n e x a t i o n o f C a n a d a t o th e U nited S t a te s , w ith the consent of th e B r i t i s h Governm ent and of t h e p e o p le of C an ad a, and upon j u s t and h o n o u ra b le te rm s , i s an o b j e c t i n th e h i g h e s t d e g re e d e s i r a b l e to th e p e o p le of th e U n ited S t a t e s . I t would open a w ide and f e r t i l e f i e l d t o t h e e n t e r p r i s e and t h e i n d u s t r y of th e A m erican p e o p le ; i t w ould e x te n d th e b o u n d a r ie s and i n c r e a s e t h e power o f our c o u n tr y ; i t would e n l i s t a b r a v e , i n d u s t r i o u s , and i n t e l l i g e n t p e o p le u n d e r t h e f l a g o f our' n a t i o n ; i t w ould s p r e a d w ide t h e l i b e r a l p r i n c i p l e s o f r e p u b l i c a n g o v e rn m e n t, and p rom ole th e ' p re p o n d e ra n c e of f r e e i n s t i t u t i o n s in t h i s U nion. We t h e r e f o r e t r u s t t h a t o u r g o v e r n m e n t , in th e s p i r i t o f p e ac e and o f c o u rte s y to b o th th e B r i t i s h G overnm ent and t h e p e o p l e o f C a n ad a , w i l l a d o p t a l l p r o p e r and h o n o u r a b l e m eans t o s e c u r e t h e a n n e x a t i o n o f C a n a d a t o t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s . ^8 The D e m o c r a t i c S t a t e

C o n v e n t i o n o f V erm ont was a l s o

moved t o s y m p a t h i z e w i t h t h e C a n a d i a n s t r u g g l e f o r a p o l i t i c a l union,

d eclarin g :

T h at, in th e t r u e s p i r i t of dem ocracy, d e e p ly s y m p a t h i z i n g w i t h t h e 'd o w n tro d d e n , o p p r e s s e d , an d o v e r r e s t r i c t e d o f e v e r y c l i m e a n d c o u n t r y , we h a i l w i t h j o y th e r i s i n g s p i r i t o f l i b e r t y in th e p r o v in c e s of Canada, ■ as ex p ressed r e c e n tly in th e p u b lish ed o p in io n s of i t s c i t i z e n s upon th e s u b j e c t o f a n n e x a ti o n . . . a n d t h a t we c o r d i a l l y e x t e n d t o t h e m t h e . h a n d o f f r i e n d s h i p , - f e l l o w s h i p , a n d b r o t h e r l y l o v e ; - t h a t we w i l l u s e a l l p e a c e a b l e means i n o u r pow er t o f u r t h e r t h e i r o b j e c t i n b e c o m i n g m em b er s o f t h i s o u r g l o r i o u s u n i o n o f f r e e , i n d e p e n d e n t , a n d s o v e r e i g n s t a t e s . 3^ The S t a t e C o n v e n t i o n o f t h e adopted a r e s o l u t i o n more a c t i v e

^

encouraging a n n e x a tio n .

40

Vermont was

i n p r o m o t i n g t h e m o v em en t t h a n o t h e r

A l l i n and J o n e s , Ib jh .,

40

Whig P a r t y l i k e w i s e

Lo g .

p.

c it.

377.

op. c i t .,

pp.

170-171.

sta te s.

39 E arly fo llo w ed the

i n 1 8 5 0 t h e ' L e g i s l a t i v e A s s e m b l y o f New Y o r k exam ple o f Y erm o n t,

and p a s s e d a r e s o l u t i o n by

v o t e o f 76 t o 28 i n f a v o r o f a n n e x a t i o n ,

w hich r e a d

in p a r t

as fo llo w s* - R e s o l v e d . . .■ t h a t t h e a n n e x a t i o n o f C a n a d a a n d o t h e r p r o v i n c e s ' o f G re a t B r i t a i n i n N o rth A m erica * . . i s an o b je c t of i n c a l c u l a b l e im p o rtan c e to th e p e o p le o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s . . . . i t would u n i t e u n d e r one r e p u b l i c a n Government a l l th e p e o p l e and a l l t h e t e r r i t o r y b etw een th e A t l a n t i c and t h e P a c i f i c , and t h e G u lf o f M exico and t h e A r c t i c O cean. R e so lv e d . . . t h a t our S e n a to r s and R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s in C ongress be re q u e s te d to c o -o p e r a te in any m easures w h i c h t h e g e n e r a l a d m i n i s t r a t i o n may a d o p t t o p r o m o t e th e p e a c e f u l a n n e x a t i o n of t h e B r i t i s h N o rth A m erican P r o v i n c e s t o t h i s c o u n t r y . 41 The A m e r i c a n p r e s s r e s p o n d e d t o Canada,

th e a g i t a t i o n

in

b u t n o t so v i g o r o u s l y a s w ould h a v e b een t h e c a s e

s l a v e r y had n o t been an i s s u e .

S everal papers

and C hicago s u p p o r te d a n n e x a tio n . "The y e a r 1850 w i l l

see th e S ta rs

th e b a ttle m e n t of

.

.

. Quebec.**

42

i n New Y o r k

The New Y o r k H e r a l d and S t r i p e s f l o a t O ther

if

said :

over

im p o rtan t papers

e x p r e s s i n g i n t e r e s t , i n t h e q u e s t i o n w e r e t h e New Y o r k E v e n i n g P o s t , t h e New .Y o r k C o u r i e r - E n q u i r e r , a n d t h e New Y o r k T r i b u r i e . C hicago D o l l a r Newspaper 'd e c l a r e d : L e t Canada be an n ex e d n o t b e c a u s e our c o u n t r y i s n o t l a r g e enough f o r Yankee e n t e r p r i s e and s k i l l , b u t becau se h e r p e o p le , our b r e th r e n , w ish i t , b ecau se

41 I b i d . , p .

379.

42 I b i d . . p .

73.

4 "T he A n n e x a t i o n o f C a n a d a , " De Bow’ s S o u t h e r n a n d ' W e s t e r n R e v i e w , IX ( O c t o b e r , 1 8 5 0 7 9 p . 406 ^

.43

40 n a t u r e h a s so d e s ig n e d i t by th e f o r m a t io n o f t h e tw o c o u n t r i e s , ' b e c a u s e i t a i d s a n d a s s i s t s a n e i g h ­ b o r in g p e o p le in g a in in g t h e i r p r o p e r l e v e l , and b e c a u s e i t u n i t e s tw o g r e a t p o r t i o n s o f A m e r i c a w h i c h n ev er sh o u ld be se v e re d . . . ^ The B r o o k l y n S t a r

suggested th a t the

governm ent sh o u ld open

n e g o t i a t i o n s w ith G reat B r i t a i n r e g a r d in g Canada, w h ile P h ilad elp h ia

the

Ledger c o o lly proceeded to d e term in e th e

c o n d i t i o n s o f u n i o n a n d t o make a r r a n g e m e n t s f o r t h e n u m b e r o f r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s Ydiich t h e C a n a d i a n p r o v i n c e s w o u l d h a v e in W ashington. by th e

slav ery

45

The v i e w s o f t h e S o u t h e r n p r e s s w e r e c o l o r e d

issu e,

and h o s t i l i t y

t o a n n e x a t i o n was m a s k e d

under cover of th e a lle g e d u n fitn e s s

of th e C anadian p e o p le

to

sh are th e b le s s in g s of the U nited S t a t e s .

The l a n g u a g e

of

some a n t i - a n n e x a t i o n p a p e r s was i n s u l t i n g

to

o f C a n a d a , who ? /e r e r e p r e s e n t e d a s stu p id ity ,

the peo p le

"sunk in ig n o ran c e and

and a s h a rb o u rin g d a rk d e s ig n s a g a i n s t th e

dem ocracy o f th e U n ite d S t a t e s . "

46

The p a p e r s r e p r e s e n t i n g ‘t h e W hig P a r t y a n d t h e F r e e S o i l D em ocrats te n d e d to

support an n ex atio n ,

r e g u l a r o r g a n s o f - th e D e m o c r a t i c P a r t y ,

44 45

A l l i n and J o n e s , Loc. c i t .

46 I k M - *

p

* 3 8 1 *.

0£

.

c i t .,

p.

w hereas th e

esp ecially

382.

in th e

41 S outh,

opposed i t .

co u rse of tim e,

47

w a s co m m o nly b e l i e v e d t h a t ,

d eclared :

The T o l e d o B l a d e e x p r e s s e d t h i s f,T h e r e

i s no c a u s e f o r

it

on o u r p a r t . ”

w ill f a l l

our becom ing is

i n t o our la p w ith o u t any e x e r t i o n

48

G eneral Y finfield S c o tt,

f r e s h from h i s v i c t o r i e s

t h e M e x i c a n W ar,

came o u t w i t h a n o p e n l e t t e r

a n n e x in g Ganada,

in w hich he d e c l a r e d

th e A m erican p e o p le w ould r e j o i c e such a u n io n .

of

idea

a n x i o u s o r e x c i t e d u p o n t h e s u b j e c t — w he n t h e f r u i t fu lly rip e

in the

Canada w o u ld i n e v i t a b l y become a p a r t

th e U nited S t a t e s . wh en i t

it

He a l s o

th at tw o -th ird s

of of

i n t h e consum m ation o f

em phasized t h a t

th e

b o t h c o u n t r i e s would b e p r o m o te d t h e r e b y , g o o d w ill of G reat B r i t a i n

in favor

in

in te rests but th at

should be r e t a i n e d

of

the

in any e v e n t.

The W h ig P a r t y a l m o s t t o o k u p t h e q u e s t i o n a s a c a m p a i g n issu e ,

and i t

was r u m o re d i n W a s h i n g t o n t h a t

of P r e s i d e n t T aylor a ls o

considered

the

h a v in g a n n e x a ti o n a s a cam paign i s s u e .

a d v isab ility

4 8

49

Ib id .,

pp.

Ib id .,

p.

380-381. 384.

Ibid., p. 375.

of

When G e n e r a l S c o t t

h i m s e l f became a c a n d i d a t e f o r P r e s i d e n t ,

4 7

th e C ab in et

i t was b e l i e v e d

49

42 th a t h is an n ex atio n l e t t e r

was d e s i g n e d t o

a tte m p t of P r e s i d e n t T aylor to cam paign i s s u e .

50

c o u n te r a c t any

support an n ex atio n as a

H ow ever, n o t h i n g m a t e r i a l i z e d

in t h i s

regard. The d r i v e f o r a n n e x a t i o n am ong t h e . C a n a d i a n s d e c l i n e d d u r i n g t h e s p r i n g a n d summer o f 1 8 5 0 .

The f u n d a m e n t a l r e a s o n

for

i n C anada was t h e

t h e end of i n t e r e s t

r e v iv a l of tra d e

in-the su b ject

and b u s i n e s s ,

and c o n fid e n c e r e s t o r e d . failu re

51

w ith p ro p e rty v a lu e s

A c o n tr ib u tin g cause fo r

o f t h e movement was t h e u n f a v o r a b l e s i t u a t i o n

U n ite d S t a t e s r e g a r d i n g s e c t i o n a l i s m and s l a v e r y . is

in cre asin g the in th e

The f a c t

t h a t many C a n a d i a n , a n n e x a t i o n i s t s w e r e d i s a p p o i n t e d a t

n o t r e c e i v i n g a warmer r e s p o n s e t o p eo p le

of th e U nited S t a te s ,

50

51 52

Ib id .,

pp.

o v e r t u r e s from t h e

52

375-376.

K eenleyside, A llin

th eir

o j d

.

and J o n e s ,

c i t . , p.

132,

op. c i t . , pp.

358-359.

CHAPTER V MANIFEST DESTINY RAMPANT, 1 8 6 1 - 1 8 7 1 T h e A m e r i c a n C i v i l War a n d i t s rev iv e

t h e a n n e x a t i o n movem ent.

afterm ath

T he a t t i t u d e

served

to

of th e B r itis h

governm ent d u rin g t h i s

s t r u g g l e h a d a r o u s e d * much a n g e r i n

the U n ited S ta te s ,

i n f l u e n t i a l n e w sp ap ers and p o l i t i c a l

f ig u re s u n ited

and

in u rg in g an n ex atio n ,

and p a r t l y because of th e

p artly

in r e t a l i a t i o n

idea of m a n ife s t d e s tin y .

Even b e f o r e t h e o u t b r e a k o f h o s t i l i t i e s , in the

i n f l u e n t i a l New Y o r k H e r a l d o f J a n u a r y

su g g e s te d t h a t th e N o rth l e t t h e S outh go, i t s e l f by p e a c e f u l l y t a k i n g Canada. War b e g a n ,

1

an e d i t o r i a l

86,

1861,

and com pensate

S h o rtly a fte r

t h e C h i c a g o T r i b u n e j o i n e d w i t h t h e New Y o r k H e r a l d

in a d v o catin g fo r c ib le On J u n e 2 7 - 8 8 , su g g estio n to

1861, stop

m eans,

i f necessary,

to annex C anada.

t h e New Y o r k H e r a l d came f o r t h w i t h a

t h e C i v i l War b y a t h r e e - y e a r

tru ce,

d u r i n g w h ich tim e t h e U nion and C o n f e d e r a t e a r m i e s jo in

to f o r c ib ly

annex a l l

S a n t o Dom ingo f r o m S p a i n ,

o f M exico,

2

lib e rate

co m p letely d riv e

th e N o rth A m erican C o n tin e n t,

1849-1874

th e C iv il

and annex a l l

should

Cuba a n d

th e B r i t i s h from o f Canada.

2

L e s te r B u r r e l l S h ip p e e , C anadian-A m erican R e l a t i o n s , (New H a v e n : Y a l e U n i v e r s i t y Pres's~j 1 9 3 9 ) , p . 1 8 4 . Ihid* > P • 1 8 5 •

' 44 I n t h i s way,, t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s w o u l d e x t e n d f r o m t h e N o r t h P o le to th e t r o p i c s prospect 1861,

to p le a s e

of C e n t r a l A m erica;

it

was i n d e e d a

th e m ost a rd e n t e x p a n s i o n i s t .

t h e New Y o r k H e r a l d h o p e f u l l y d e c l a r e d

m ight be annexed b e fo r e

On J u l y 1 4 ,

t h a t Canada

th e end o f th e y e a r 1861;

When t h e y [ t h e C a n a d i a n p r o v i n c e s ^ a r e a n n e x e d to th e R e p u b li c , w hich i s o n ly a q u e s t i o n of tim e — a q u e s t i o n ? / h i c h may r e c e i v e i t s s o l u t i o n b e f o r e t h e t e r m i n a t i o n o f t h e y e a r — we w i l l show t h e m t h e way to a c t an in d e p e n d e n t p a r t and to a s s e r t th e d i g n i t y and fre e d o m o f t h e A n g lo -S ax o n r a c e . 3 The C a n a d i a n p r e s s

to o k note of th e f a c t

th a t th e

“W e s t e r n

f i r e - e a t e r Tf ( t h e C h i c a g o T r i b u n e ) w a s r e g r e t t i n g t h e f a i l u r e t o .t a k e C anada on p r e v i o u s o c c a s i o n s ,

a n d was t h r e a t e n i n g

to

a n n e x Canada “a s q u i c k l y a s a hawk w ould g o b b l e a q u a i l ” i f 4 t h e o p p o r t u n i t y e v e r came a g a i n . T he s e n t i m e n t i n o f f i c i a l c i r c l e s was g r e a t l y heard.

in fav o r of an n ex atio n ,

In 1861,

the S e c re tary

of th e U nited S t a te s

a n d no o b j e c t i o n was

of S t a te ,

W i l l i a m H. S e w a r d ,

p u b l i c l y a d v o c a te d th e a n n e x a ti o n of Canada a s a c o m p e n sa tio n for

any l o s s w hich th e c o u n tr y m ig h t s u f f e r w ith r e g a r d 5 th e S o u th e rn s t a t e s of t h e U nion. A f t e r the w ar, th e

5 (T oronto:

to

H. F . A ngus, e d i t o r , C anada and H er G r e a t N e ig h b o r The R y e r s o n P r e s s , 1 9 3 8 ) , p . 6 7 .

^ S hippee, 5 Ib id . . p.

op. c i t ., 115.

p.

191.

45 a n n e x a t i o n i s t s lau n ch ed t h e i r

great d riv e

in e a rn e s t,

led

h y J a m e s G o r d o n B e n n e t t f-s New Y o r k H e r a l d , a n d s u p p o r t e d

in

C o n g re ss hy S e n a to r Z a c h a r ia h C h a n d le r of M ichigan and R e p r e s e n t a t i v e B e n j a m i n B u t l e r o f New Y o r k ,

as w e ll a s such

h i g h o f f i c i a l a n d p o l i t i c a l p e i * s o n a g e s a s S e c r e t a r y o f War S tan to n ,

S e n a t o r Sumner,

S ecretary of S ta te

Sew ard,

and th e

C h a irm a n o f t h e House C o m m itte e on F o r e i g n A f f a i r s ,

G eneral

Banks No t i m e was l o s t Canada i n t o

th e U nion.

in

in tro d u cin g a h i l l fo r a d m ittin g

The p l a n ,

w h ic h was p r e s e n t e d t o t h e

House of R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s hy G e n e r a l B a n k s, th e f e r t i l e

m ind o f one J a m e s W ick es T a y l o r ,

of th e T re a su ry D epartm ent. June

6,

had o r i g i n a t e d

1866,

7

in

a sp ecial agent

In a s p e c ia l r e p o r t d ated

a d d r e s s e d t o S e c r e t a r y o f th e T r e a s u r y M eC ulloc^,

M r. T a y l o r p r o p o s e d a p o l i t i c a l u n i o n o f C a n a d a a n d t h e U n i t e d S ta te s,

the. p l a n h e in g c a r e f u l l y f o r m u l a t e d i n a h i l l .

preface

ex p lain ed :

H is

I cannot r e s i s t th e c o n c lu sio n th a t e v e n ts have p r e s e n t e d t o t h e p e o p le and Governm ent o f t h e U n ite d S t a t e s t h e o p p o r t u n i t y — l e t me r a t h e r - s a y , h a v e d e v o lv e d t h e d u t y — o f i n t e r p o s i n g by an o v e r t u r e to t h e p e o p l e o f t h e E n g l i s h c o l o n i e s on t h i s c o n t i n e n t . . . to u n i te t h e i r f o r t u n e s w i t h th e p eo ple and

6

Ib id . , p.

269.

^ T h e o d o r e C. B l e g e n , "A P l a n f o r t h e U n i o n o f B r i t i s h N o r t h A m e r i c a a n d t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , 1 8 6 6 , ” The M i s s i s s i p p i V a l l e y H i s t o r i c a l R e v i e w , IV ( M a r c h , 1 9 1 8 ) , p . 4 7 1 .

46 Government o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s . The p r o p o s e d

le g is la tio n for

8

th e a n n e x a t i o n o f Canada b e g an

as fo llo w s: An A c t f o r t h e a d m i s s i o n o f t h e S t a t e s o f Nova S o o t i a , New B r u n s w i c k , C a n a d a E a s t a n d C a n a d a W e s t , and f o r th e o r g a n iz a tio n of the T e r r i t o r i e s of S e lk ir k , S ask atch ew an and C olum bia. S e c tio n 1. Be i t e n a c t e d b y t h e S e n a t e a n d House o f R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of t h e U n ite d S t a t e s o f A m erica in C ongress assem b led , That th e P r e s id e n t of th e U n i t e d S t a t e s i s h e r e b y a u t h o r i z e d and d i r e c t e d , when­ ev er n o t i c e s h a l l be d e p o s ite d in th e D epartm ent of S t a t e t h a t t h e gov ernm en ts of G re at B r i t a i n and th e p r o v i n c e s o f New B r u n s w i c k , Nova S c o t i a , P r i n c e E d w a r d I s l a n d , N ew foundland, Canada, B r i t i s h C olum bia, and V ancouver’ s I s la n d have a c c e p te d th e p r o p o s i t io n h e r e i n a f t e r made b y t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , t o p u b l i s h b y p r o c la m a tio n t h a t , from t h e d a te t h e r e o f , th e . S t a t e s o f Nova S c o t i a , New B r u n s w i c k , C a n a d a E a s t , a n d C a n a d a W est, and th e T e r r i t o r i e s of S e l k i r k , S a sk a tc h e w a n , and Colum bia , . . a r e c o n s t i t u t e d and a d m itte d a s Q S t a t e s and T e r r i t o r i e s of th e U n ite d S t a t e s o f A m erica. T his p roposed a c t

c o n s i s t e d of tw e lv e a r t i c l e s ,

in g r e a t d e t a i l the f u tu r e A m erican U nion.

of a l l

o f Canada i n t h e

P r i v a t e p r o p e r t y vms t o r e m a i n u n d i s t u r b e d ,

b u t C anadian p u b lic S ta te s.

o rg an izatio n

reg u latin g

l a n d s w ere to

be v e s t e d

in th e U nited

The U n i t e d S t a t e s w a s t o a s s u m e t h e b o n d e d d e b t s the p r o v in c e s .

Canada E a s t ,

and P r i n c e

8

N e w f o u n d l a n d was t o b e j o i n e d t o Edward I s l a n d

c o n so lid a te d w ith

’’C o m m e r c i a l R e l a t i o n s w i t h B r i t i s h A m e r i c a , ” H o u s e E x e c u t i v e D o c u m e n t s , 3 9 t h C o n g r e s s ’, 1 s t S e s s i o n , No. 1 2 8 , S e r i a l 1263, p . 32. 9 _ . , Loc, c i t .

47 No v a S c o t i a .

R ep resen tatio n of th ese

sectio n s

in th e U n ited

S t a t e s H o u s e o f R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s was t o b e a s f o l l o w s ; Canada W est,

tw e lv e mem bers; Canada l a s t

e l e v e n m e m b e r s ; New B r u n s w i c k , P rin c e Idw ard I s la n d ,

and N ew foundland,

tw o m e m b e r s ; Nova S c o t i a a n d

f o u r members.

A lso

the

sum o f

$ 1 0 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 was t o be p a i d by t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s t o ■Hudson B ay Company " i n f u l l te rrito ry

or j u r i s d i c t i o n

T his b i l l ,

discharge

of a l l

in N orth A m erica

a s d r a f t e d by T a y l o r ,

t h e House o f R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s ' on J u l y 2 , two r e a d i n g s A ffa irs,

i t was r e f e r r e d t o

.

claim s to .n

.

10

was i n t r o d u c e d 1856,

11

in to

and a f t e r

t h e C om m ittee on F o r e i g n

o f w h ic h G e n e r a l B anks was c h a i r m a n .

no d e f i n i t e a c t i o n a t t h a t 12 much n e w s p a p e r c o m m e n t .

the

tim e,

although

There r e s u l t e d

i t d id produce

Some C o n g r e s s m e n u r g e d i m m e d i a t e a b r o g a t i o n o f r e c i p r o c i t y a s a means o f f o r c i n g

th e an n ex atio n ,

th eir

it

confidence th a t

B ritish

flag

w a s " o n l y a m a t t e r o f t i m e when t h e 13 would be rem oved f ro m t h e W e s t e r n H e m i s p h e r e . "

10 I b i d . , p p . 11 12

") rz

and op en ly e x p re s s e d

32-34.

C o n g re ssio n a l G lobe, 39th C ongress, B legen,

o£ .

c i t ,,

p.

475.

Shippee, oj>. cit., p. 194.

1 s t S e ssio n ,

p.

3548

48 I t w a s c o m m o n ly b e l i e v e d t h a t w i t h o u t r e c i p r o c i t y C a n a d a w ould e x p e r ie n c e her

in to

such a c u te

t h e U nion.

econom ic d i f f i c u l t i e s a s t o f o r c e

The C h i c a g o T r i b u n e f o r J a n u a r y 6 ,

1866,

com m ented: They [ t h e C a n a d ia n s ] w i l l s t a y o u t i n t h e c o ld f o r a few y e a r s , and t r y a l l s o r t s o f e x p e d i e n t s , b u t i n t h e end w i l l be c o n s t r a i n e d t o k n o ck f o r ad m issio n in to th e g re a t R e p u b l i c . As e a r l y a s t h e F i f t i e s

th ere

h a d b e e n some a d v o c a t e s

o f M a n i f e s t D e s t i n y who p r o p o s e d t o u t i l i z e an nexing Canada, te rrito ry

and a d v o c a te d I r i s h r a i d s

in o rd e r to h a s te n the

D uring th e S i x t i e s , th at

th e I r i s h

on C anada. n e u tra lity

o p e ra tio n

th e I r i s h

in

i n t o C anadian of d e s tin y .

15

e v e n a f e w C o n g r e s s m e n came t o b e l i e v e

F e n ian s should be encouraged in t h e i r

W ith t h i s

i n m ind,

law s o f t h a t

a b ill

raid s

t o m odify U n ite d S t a t e s

tim e to alio?: m i l i t a r y

ex p ed itio n s

a g a i n s t f r i e n d l y p o w e r s was u n a n i m o u s l y p a s s e d by t h e House of R ep resen tativ es, had r e c e n tly

but lo st

in the

S en ate.

16

These I r i s h

come t o t h e Hew W o r l d i n g r e a t n u m b e r s ,

were o f t e n w i l l i n g and a n x io u s t o a i d

14 ‘ B legen,

o£.

c i t .,

in th e

and

"lib e ratio n *

p . 477.

15

Jam es M o rto n -C a lla h a n , A m erican F o r e ig n P o l i c y in C a n a d i a n . R e l a t i o n s (New Y o r k : The M a c m i l l a n C o . , 1 9 3 7 ) , p . 3 0 0 . 16

J o h n M a c C o rm a c , C a n a d a : A m e r i c a * s P r o b l e m The V ik in g P r e s s , 1 9 4 0 ), p . 4 0 .

(New Y o r k :

49 o f Canada from B r i t i s h r u l e ;

th ey u s u a lly fav o red an n ex atio n

as w ell. M a n i f e s t D e s t i n y was r a m p a n t i n o f f i c i a l i t had n e v e r been b e f o r e .

S e o r e t a r y o f S t a t e Sew ard,

sp e a k in g a t B oston in J u n e , d esigns th a t six

sta te s,

circ le

1867,

sooner

sim ila r

id eas.

o f Ohio d e c l a r e d on J u l y 7 ,

17

" I know t h a t M a t u r e

not m erely th e s e

or l a t e r ,

o f t h e A m erican U n i o n . ”

echoed w ith

said :

t h i s w hole c o n t i n e n t , s h a ll be,

c ir c le s as

w ith in

The f l o o r s

th irty -

t h e m agic of C ongress

R e p r e s e n ta ti v e Rufus S p a u ld in g 1868:

I b e l i e v e t h a t i f a n y th in g u n d e r th e h e av e n s be f a t e d , i t i s t h a t t h e A m e r i c a n f l a g s h a l l ’ w av e o v e r e v e r y f o o t o f t h i s A m erican C o n tin e n t i n c o u r s e o f tim e . T h is p ro u d R e p u b lic w i l l n o t c u lm i n a t e u n t i l she r u l e s t h e w hole A m e ric a n C o n t i n e n t , an d a l l th e i s l e s co n tig u o u s t h e r e to . . . ® S e n a to r C h a n d le r of M ichigan d e c l a r e d t o A p r i l 22,

1870:

" T h e t i m e h a s a r r i v e d -or n e a r l y a r r i v e d

w h e n we s h a l l s a y t o a l l C o n tin en t;

it

is ours,

1H a n d s o f f f r o m t h i s

th e w orld,

a n d we i n t e n d t o p o s s e s s o u r o w n . tff

W ith su c h i d e a s b e i n g f r e e l y

17 18 p.

t h e S e n a t e on

S hippee,

op_. c i t . .

p.

expressed,

it

was n o t

200.

C o n g re s s io n a l G lobe, 4 0 th C o n g re ss,

2 nd S e s s i o n ,

3810. 19

„ I b i d .» 4 1 s t C o n g r e s s i o n ,

. 2nd S e s s i o n ,

p.

2889.

19

50 su rp risin g

th at

i n h i s m e s s a g e t o C o n g r e s s o n D e c e m b e r 9*

1868, P r e s i d e n t Johnson sh o u ld d e c l a r e : C o m p re h e n s iv e n a t i o n a l , p o l i c y w o u ld seem t o s a n c tio n th e a c q u i s i t i o n and i n c o r p o r a t i o n i n to our F e d e r a l U nion o f t h e s e v e r a l a d j a c e n t c o n t i n e n t a l a n d i n s u l a r c o m m u n i t i e s a s s p e e d i l y a s i t c a n be done p e a c e f u l l y . . . . F o r e i g n p o s s e s s i o n o r c o n t r o l o f th o s e com m unities h a s h i t h e r t o h in d e r e d th e grow th and im pared t h e i n f l u e n c e of t h e U n ited S t a t e s . P r e s i d e n t J o h n s o n w a s n o t a l o n e am o n g t h e C h i e f E x e c u t i v e s who d e s i r e d U. S .

G ran t,

c irc le , S tates

th e a n n e x a tio n of Canada.

s p e a k i n g p r i v a t e l y t o members o f h i s

P resid en t o fficial

ffmade n o s e c r e t o f h i s d e s i r e t o s e e t h e U n i t e d SI annex C a n a d a .” In d e e d , he w ent s o f a r a s to c o n f i d e

tp an in tim a te c h i e f aim s. q u e stio n

.

p ro v in ces. 25 G ra n t.”

22 .

t h a t t h e a c q u i s i t i o n o f C anada was one o f h i s n I t was f r e q u e n t l y

. be s u b m itte d t o

Such a v o te

.

.

Many A m e r i c a n s f e l t

su ggested th a t

the v o te r s of th e

. was f a v o r e d

on

21

[C anadian]

by P r e s i d e n t

t h a t t h e L o n d o n g o v e r n m e n t would

c o n s e n t t o g i v e up C anada g r a c e f u l l y , p a rticu la rly

. . .

the

and t h e y had been

en co u rag ed in t h i s b e l i e f by an a r t i c l e

I b i d . , 4 0 th C ongress,

3rd S e ss io n ,

S& ippee,

204.

op. c i t .,

p.

22 I b i d * > P* 2 0 5 • B legen,

0|>_.

o i t . , p.

488.

that

A ppendix, p .

5,

51 appeared in the

s e m i - o f f i c i a l London Tim es o f December 5 ,

•1865, w h ic h seem ed t o

in d icate

t h a t B r i t a i n w ould n o t p r o t e s t

too s tr e n u o u s ly a g a i n s t a n n e x a tio n . sta te d

th at

if

The. a r t i c l e

th e C an ad ian s w ished t o

t h e r e w o u ld b e no o b j e c t i o n on t h e p a r t I t added, fraud, union.

how ever,

force, 24

th at

th e

jo in

th e U nited S t a t e s ,

of G reat B r ita in .

s i t u a t i o n w ould be c h a n g e d i f

o r i n t i m i d a t i o n were u se d i n e f f e c t i n g

The C o n f e d e r a t i o n movement a r o s e

The

o f b o th c o u n t r i e s v i g o r o u s l y opposed th e

C an ad ian C o n fe d e ra tio n o f 1867, b e l i e v i n g t h a t h in d er th e ir p la n s . itse lf

such a

i n Canada s h o r t l y

a f t e r t h e t e r m i n a t i o n o f t h e A m e ric a n C i v i l War. a n n ex atio n ists

fran k ly

was l a r g e l y

On t h e

o th e r hand,

it

m ight

th e C o n fed eratio n

a r e a c tio n a g a in s t th e an n ex atio n d riv e

in th e U nited S t a te s . The p o s s i b i l i t y o f a n n e x a t i o n w a s i n t h e m i n d s o f t h e C a n a d i a n s t a t e s m e n who b r o u g h t a b o u t t h e f e d e r a t i o n in 1867; and John B r ig h t s u p p o rte d th e a n t i - C o n f e d e r a t i o n m o v e m e n t i n Nova S c o t i a i n 1 8 6 8 b e c a u s e h e t h o u g h t 1i t w ould b e a g r a n d s i g h t t o s e e one g o v ern m en t fro m t h e E q u a to r to th e P o l e . * ^ 5 J o h n B r i g h t was t h e

l e a d e r o f a C a n a d i a n m i n o r i t y Y/ho ¥ / a n t e d

a p o l i t i c a l u n io n w ith th e U nited S t a t e s .

24 OK

S hippee,

o p . c i t .,

p.

" J o h n B r i g h t made

191.

" A n n e x a t i o n , ft The E n c y c l o p e d i a o f Cana d a ( T o r o n t o ; U n i v e r s i ty A s s o c ia te s of Canada, L td ., 1935), I , p . 75.

52 no b o n e s a b o u t ?/here h e s t o o d ; w ould b o t h be b e t t e r

off if

th e C o lo n ie s and E ngland

th ey p a rte d