1871
PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 139
[
Mr. REILLY.]
The Americans fished where they pleased,
and in one year the license fees paid here
amounted to no more than ÂŁ4. We know
that a prominent American politician advised his countrymen to come here armed, and
to take the law into their own hands. I
do not blame the Americans, if, desiring to
annex these Colonies, they suppose that we
can be forced into Annexation. Mr.
Consul General Potter, years ago, advised
his Government that. if reciprocity were
witheld, these North American Colonies
would be starved into Annexation.
[
Hon. ATTY. GENERAL] I believe that no greater obstacle to our obtaining from trade is to be found, than
in the utterance of Annexation principles, because the Americans believe
that Annexation will be forced on us, or the
feeling in favor of it will be more extensively diffused and intensified the longer
they
continue their present system of excluding
us from their markets. While the hon.
member from Cavendish (Mr McNeill) and
others express sentiments in favor of Annexation, they prevent the Americans conceding
free trade by inducing them to hold
it out as a lure to Annexation. Such
sentiments find no response in the bosom of
our peeple, who have a loyal and intelligent
preference for their own institutions over
those of our republican neighbors. The
hon. member (Mr. McNeill) if he did not
avow himself an Annexationist, yet went
very near the line. [...]
I believe
that we shall have free trade with the States
as soon, and no sooner, than the Dominion
of Canada.
Mr. MCNEILL—My remarks, to which
the hon. Atty, General has taken exception, were not an expression of a desire for
annexation. I am no annexationist; but on
the contrary am willing to live and die
under the old flag. I merely refererred to
changes which in the lapse of time, might
probably take place, and 1 think I have
heard the Hon. Atty. General state as his
opinion that it was doubtful if, in ease of
war with the United States, Great Britain
could protect these Colonies. He stated
that loyalty was now-a-days a question of
the pocket. I have said, and I repeat that
the British Government has treated this Island unfairly, it gave away the whole area
of the Island and promised bounties to our
fishermen which it afterwards refused to
sanction.
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