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PART FIFTH.

CANADA AND ENGLAND.

In the previous portion of this work a survey has been taken of a Land, a People, and a Career which are fast rising to the foremost place in Modern History. At least, so it is believed by the citizens of the Republic; and the views that have been given of the geology and natural resources, the history and development of the United States of America do not tend to discourage this faith in the Manifest Destiny of Anglo-Americans to eventual leadership among the nations. Greatness appears written on almost every feature of the American future. Nature has stored the Land with resources as amply as History has endowed the People richly with qualities. The location in space between the two parts of the Old World reached by the Atlantic on the east and the Pacific on the west is as eminently favorable as the development in time; for the rising Spirit of the Age has breathed upon most nations, and they are awaking to respond to the enterprise of a vigorous race.

But America has many reasons for "remembering the rock whence she was hewed." If the Great Republic is an effect England is the cause. If her people were so worthy that, in taking a broad view of them, their defects appear insignificant compared with their virtues, it was because they had received a noble inheritance of high qualities from the Anglo-Saxon mother. If they found extraordinary agents to promote an extraordinary growth the agent-or the hint that led to it was received from Great Britain, or encouragement

ENGLAND IS NOT YET LAGGING BEHIND.

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there responded to every invention and every step of progress here. If the world broke out into rapid development and activities everywhere supplied stimulus and reward to American energy, it was because England had been the great Pio-> neer, sailed her ships on every sea, and established centers of thrifty modern industry in the most distant regions of the earth.

If America has covered herself with glory by her achievements, what shall we say of Great Britain, her immense commerce and wealth, her vast foreign possessions and the intelligent energy required for success in so many ways, in such a vast field, and with so crowded a base as her small home islands? America has yet far to go in many ways before she can outrank England, in a general average of comparison, and what may not England do in the meantime, with her powerful momentum of progress? If it is a race for the leadership of mankind, America is far from having caught up. She has boundless and various resources within her own territories, and is only beginning her harvest of them; but England contrives to make the world her field, her prospectors unearth hidden treasures everywhere, and her armies and ships of war but protect her merchants and industries in securing the vast gains. "Brother Jonathan " may not yet rest content with his laurels, green and precious as they are. He will do well to meditate an advance to still greater triumphs in the near future if he means to continue gaining on "John Bull."

Great Britain has been somewhat remarkable in the last -century for turning the successes of others-and even sometimes her own defeats-to her advantage. She has made a vast amount of money out of the loss of her Thirteen American Colonies by their greater and more massive development. Even her capital invested in independent America has gained her, a hundred times over, what was lost by the Revolutionary War. The Suez Canal, built by the French, falls into her hands

along with virtual lordship over Egypt, and England gains much while Russia, the victor in battle, gains little by a Russo-Turkish war.

It is by no means certain that Canada will ever be disposed to merge her identity in that of the Republic, and it is not the assemblage of barren rocks, snow fields and frozen lakes the world has seemed inclined to believe. It may be safely said, probably, that the Dominion has one-half the number of acres of fertile soil possessed by the United States, and these are equal in economic value to the best lands in the Mississippi Basin. They were made such by the same causes, and. if the winters are severe they are not really more hurtful than in the best developed and richest sections of the Northern States of the Union. On the Atlantic and Pacific the Dominion has some eminent advantages of commercial position and resources not fully paralleled in the Republic.

Meanwhile, a branch of the Anglo-Saxon race, with a specially educated graft from the fine Gallic stock, has had ≤ special training there, is beginning to show the mettle of it、 ancestry, and an ambition and courage of adventure such as Anglo-Americans admire when exhibited among themselves Canada and its people are rising to prominence and should be understood by Americans. A few chapters are, therefore, given to Canada and England by way of contrast and comparison with the United States.

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A settlement was effected by the French in Canada a few years earlier than by the English in Virginia; but a full generation passed before it had struck so firm a root as to give some assurance of permanence. To secure this result all the talents, energy and influence of the excellent Champlain had to be employed for thirty years; and even then a large part of its supplies depended on the mother country. The soil was rich, but was long quite uncultivated. The policy followed by its promoters and rulers gave little encouragement to such of the settlers as were not noble or not associated with the trading monopolies. In the sixteenth and part of the seventeenth centuries France was passing through a religious conflict between the Roman Catholics and the Huguenots. The latter were conquered and multitudes of them fled from the country, but were not permitted to settle in Canada. Later, the ambition of Louis XIV. kept France in a state of war with a considerable part of Europe, for a long time, so that its colonies received comparatively little attention.

Yet care was taken to plant French institutions and to preserve government control over business and development in every direction. The English colonies further south were inaugurated under charters that were liberality itself compared with those of the French. The English were led by parties who were themselves settlers, and the mass of the settlers were allowed a voice in shaping many of the affairs that most

deeply concerned them. Add to this that the English Government treated them in many important respects with a wholesome forgetfulness and neglect that permitted a natural growth in accordance with their character and surroundings, and a sufficient number of reasons are found for the immediate establishment of strong English colonies and the long feebleness of Canada.

In 1663, sixty years after the first landing of DeMont's colony in Nova Scotia, Canada had but 3,000 settlers. New. England alone, at this time, had probably as many as 60,000 who had established a firm foundation for future prosperity. At this time Louis XIV. took Canada under his special royal protection and endeavored to build it up on a stronger base. He encouraged immigration and introduced the Feudal System in order to promote agriculture under military protection. The fur trade had been the principal interest hitherto. This had not encouraged immigration, to any important extent, and the few colonists had maintained their prestige by cultivating the good will of the tribes in their own boundaries and fighting the Iroquois of New York with great vigor when they became aggressive-which was often the case. They required to be constantly ready to defend themselves.

After trading interests-perhaps it should be said above them was the religious character of the colony. For nearly three quarters of a century-perhaps even longer-the colony was a mission much more than anything else. The influence of the priests over the Indians contributed much more to the protection of the feeble settlements than the small military force sent from France. The Jesuits entered the field with ardor and the self-devotion of martyrs. Many of them, during the first fifty years, actually became martyrs -unflinchingly gave themselves to torture, or death in the midst of their converts. Such an example of enterprising fortitude was not without its effect in quickening the daring

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