APPENDIX A XXXVII 



all their militia and all their revenues at the disposal of the Govern- 

 ment, to aid their sister province in defending her rights. This bold 

 and determined action prevented war, and once more the same old 

 spirit had its influence. 



In the Fenian Eaid of 1866 the militia forces of New Brunswick 

 rallied to the flag with enthusiasm, as did those of the sister provinces 

 of Ontario and Quebec, and the invaders were soon driven out of our 

 borders. In the Trent affair the Canadian people showed the most loyal 

 spirit, and their determined attitude probably prevented war and all 

 its attendant calamities. All these episodes indicate the great influence 

 the U. E. Loyalists have had in our military affairs. 



If we turn to civil and commercial matters we can see that the 

 traditions of the old Loyalists and the sentiments lianded down by them 

 to their descendants, have exercised a very decided influence on this 

 continent. The Canadian people received a severe blow to their trade 

 through the fiscal revolution in Great Britain about the year 1846, and 

 the loss that Canada suffered by the abolition of the preferences her 

 products had formerly held in the British market. A good deal of 

 'dissatisfaction was felt, and in the year 1849 some hundreds of the 

 leading businesis men of Montreal signed a manifesto advocating annexa- 

 tion to the United States. This aroused strong opposition in Upper 

 Canada, and public opinion soon manifested itself in a way to show 

 that no pecuniary losses would shake the deep-seated loyalty of the 

 Canadian people. The movement in favour of annexation withered at 

 cnce. 



The Eeciprocity Treaty of 1854 was abrogated by the United States 

 in 1866, the two years' notice having been previously given. This also 

 caused some murmuring, and some little talk of annexation, but the 

 people loyally turned to the confederation of the provinces and the 

 opening up of new markets. Once more the spirit of the old Loyalists 

 had its influence. 



In 1887 a very insidious scheme was evolved in New York, and with 

 the assistance of a few people in Canada, was launched in favour of 

 a Commercial Union between the United States and this country. This 

 proposition at first was favourably received. The great prosperity which 

 had been enjoyed by Canada during the existence of the old Reciprocity 

 treaty, had caused a general feeling among the people that this pros- 

 perity was the restilt of the treaty, when, in reality, it was due for a 

 time to the Crimean War, which raised the price of wheat to nearly 

 double, and caused a keen demand at high prices for all that Canada 

 could produce. The large expenditure of money in railroad development, 

 which took place from 1856 to 1860, also made trade very 



