A curious rumour has been afloat for some time that
Govern- ment intended, should a war with the United States ever become imminent, to declare Canada independent.. The rumour was reported in so many quarters that there was a certain amount of belief in it, and the Americans repeated it, till at last there was an inquiry as to its origin. Nobody could discover it, and no denials were of any avail, till at last somebody called it "the Bury Treaty," and then Lord Bury was questioned as to the use of his name. He fortunately was able to " spot " the thing at once. in his book published in 1865, and called the "Exodus of the Western Nations," he had discussed the possibility of a sepa- ration of the two countries, and to make his views clear had drawn out an imaginary Treaty, and this being suggested by a Member of Parliament and a Canadian official at the convenient moment was assumed to be a fact. Hence a rumour telegraphed all over Europe.
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