CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 309, 20 October 1888, Page 3

CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES.

The Retaliation Bill, the object of which i 9 to suppress commercial relations between the United States and the Dominion, on account of the refusal of the American Senate to accept the Fisheries Treaty, finally passed the House of Representatives, after a somewhat spread-eagle and slightly acrimonious debate, on Saturday, September Blh. The vote stood 176 to 4. Dalzell and Bayne, of Pennsylvania, Lind, of Minnesota, and White, of New York voted in the nainiority. There was a short session of the Canadian Cabinet on the Bth, when this inimical measure was informally discussed, but without posibive action. Sir John Macdonald said "he would not recede from the position he had taken, and which was fully sustained by the Briti&h Government. He believed that out of the evil good would come, as, by adopting a policy of retaliation towards Canada, the United States will force the Dominion to become self-reliant and dependent on its own resources. At a Conservative meeting held on September 6th at Nicolet, Quebec, Sir HeeioL 1 Langovin made a calm speech on the subject, and Sir Adolphe Caron, Minister of the Militia, rather a positive one. He said the Canadians do not want to fight, and ! then asked the question : " Will we sacrifice rights for the sake of peace ?" There were cries of "No, never!" The speaker and the audience were both excited. The Ottawa " Citizen '" of September I 11th, in an article inspired by Sir John | Macdonald, says the British Government will formally advance tho opinion that two years' notice must be given before the transhipment clause of the Washington Treaty can be abrogated, and that in anticipation of retaliatory measures the principal importers have arranged to receive goods by the intercolonial railway, instead of by the New York and Boston Roads. Pi emier Mercier hag caused a sensation by saying in a lecent speech on the independence of the Province of Quebec, that *' Quebec dares Downing-street or Ottawa to interfere further in her legislation." He also denounced the vetoes ot the Dominion Government as inspired by English Protestant hatred of French Roman Catholics. The Premier's special organ, "Electeur," openly threatens secession of Quebec from the Canadian Union, and a new and powerful party has been formed with the Slogan Provincial Rights," and for an ultimate object annexation to the United States.