110W TO SETTLE "THE BOUNDARY QUESTION:'
THE disorderly proceedings of the State of Maine are said to fur- nish proof of the peculiar weakness of the United States ENCC,a-
cutive. Then, what is proved by the disorganized state of tile Canadas? Is the British Executive peculiarly weak ? It is so in the Canadas ; it must be so anywhere but at home. And this answer points to the true cause of the weakness of the American Executive. Democracy is not the cause, but Fe •isettil Imperial Government of England is miserably inefficient in so as it is Imperial or Federative—witness the state not of the Ca- nadas only, but, more or less, of every British Colony ..sitcre the people are sufficiently numerous to have any will of theis on. Viewing the Imperial system of England as a great thdesstion comprising the Colonies as well as these Islands, which Feder,d Executive is the less efficient—that of the United States iii Maiiite or that of Eneland in the rebellious Canadas, and seareely mese manageable colonies of Jamaica and South Africa? The Sups,me Executive of the United States, defectively operating in any tse of the Union, appears to advantage when compared with that of England, set at nought, or productive only of mischief, in lur (es- tant Colonies.
We have made the mnparison merely for the purpose of ilhs:- trating an important truth. The Federal spteat or im States—every federal system of government—is neeessmily want- ing in executive power. Federation is not a principle that wise statesmen would adopt in constructing a government frost the foundation: it is but an expedient thr so far uniting a nand,es of independent states, as to prevent war amongst tlemselvt !'e. constituting a league against connnon enemies. Every 11:thee:lei is rather a congress than a government.
Such is, in form as well as in fact, the American Union ; such is, in fact though not in form, the whole British Empire. The State of Maine and the Province of Nevs Breeseeic!;. here in some nee eels interests totally separate from those of the empire of whiell (eel) respectively forms a part. What conceivable interest have :11: people ot the United Kingdom, or of other parts of the British em- pire, such as Bengal or Jamaica, in the present subject of dispute between New Brunswick and Maine? Of what importance is it to any State of the American Union, except Maine, whether the dis- puted territory form part of Maine or of New Brunswick? The answer is, that the whole British Empire except New Brunswick, and the whole American Union except Maine, can neither gain nor lose any thing by any mode of settlement, but have the deepest in- terest in averting an international war. We just noticed last week the dire consequences to England of a war with America. The evils which a war with England would
inflict upon the United States, are scarcely less formidable. What- ever might result here from the ruin of our cotton-manufacture,
the ruin of cotton-cultivation in the United. States would prottilpueues general suffering. It would be a great mistake to suppose that the Southern States alone are interested in the cultivation of' cotton, The great market of the North-western States for their s produce is the cotton-growing states of the South. The North. eastern States are the carriers of the exportable produce of the South, and they also own a good part of the capital invested in Southern cultivation. It has been said, cud we believe with truth. that if the abolition of slavery or any other cause should put a stop' to the cultivatiou of sugar, tobacco, and cotton in the Southern Steles, grass would grow in the streets of Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York. Besides this great interest in preserving pea„ with England, all the States of the Union and especially those of the North and West, asedceply concerned in maintaining that vast steeeen of capital and labour which now flows continually from Britain to America. Thirty millions sterling, at least, of British capital ore supposed to have been recently invested in public works In America ; and none know better than the Americans, that their p;ren pahiie v:orks new in progress would be as effectually stopped if Irish hatnigrs.tion should cease, as the mills of Lancashire by im want of raw cotton. A civil war, as we termed it last week,be. twcen these kindred and mutually-dependent nations, would be cs;eally injusious to both of theta. Is it, then, possible to believe, that they rill go to war about the miserable Boundary question be: ween New Brunswick and Maine ?
Eeery consideration of mutual hilerest inclines both nations to eesee : if they go to war, it will be on account of wounded na- t!enal pr.'!/c on both sides. It is indeed a question of mere pride, im order to spare the national pride on both sides, mutual comes. sin has been propesed. And, assuredly, if the two Imperial Govern- ments were alone coaserned, slight would be time sacrifice to be made by each fly the yeservation of peace. They might toss up far the wretched land in dispute, without national loss to either party. But this is not the case with Maine and New Brunswick. With them, it is not a question of pride, but of interest; and the pride of each empire is engaged in meintaieing the interest of its subordinate member. Herein consists the difficulty of mutual eon- cgsslon by the National Governments.
But is IL ohs: lately necessary that the dispute should be settled Ity the Notional GovLrmnents? Might it not be settled by the very. parties who hays; any real interest in it ? in putting this ques- tion, we repeat a sug!),.estion which has been made by influential perscns both in the British Colony and the American State. They
propose that the whole question should be referred to Commis- sioners appointed by both the Local _Legislatures; both the Na- tional Governments declaring that there should be no fighting, and that the dispute should remain unsettled until settled by theCom- misFioners so appointed. If Lord Mmmounses Government had half' the sense and vigour of Mr. VAN Ben ex's, this suggestion would nut be neglected. For inasmuch as Maine and New Brunswick are the only parties interested in the territory, so are they deeply interested in a speedy settlement of the dispute. It is a common opinion on the spot, that they would have settled it long ago, if 6ulliekat authority for that purpose had been delegated to theta by the Nat:surd Governments. Why not now, when it SettIelIeflt by the NsHtmal 001.011111,:iltS S'ePills mis Clitaillt as ever-? 11,2cause (and this ml ''(1' is arplinble to ;11:!1.)- other mm utters requhing the L;xerei.e by the Govestnnent or England) the .\_(111 l :t:::;i ii h':c :them s::as..2 nor vigour. Its end s; ti lien em'. 1-0 probably wait till then e:' tle• ,teseeion, lint shall not have to reett2.- s;„etc
Previous page
