xxxiv INTRODUCTION 



One remarkable proof of good feeling and of 

 a good sense which rises to the level of the 

 highest political wisdom has been of late years 

 given by the people of the United States. 

 There was a time when they desired to com 

 plete their control of the North American 

 continent by absorbing Canada. It was a 

 natural desire, for there were geographical con 

 siderations which seemed to favor it, and it 

 would, if peaceably effected, have increased 

 their strength and wealth. But never since 

 1814 have they seriously thought of using force 

 against Canada, for they know that just govern 

 ments are based on the consent of the gov 

 erned, while in recent years they have frankly 

 renounced the notion of employing any kind 

 even of a pacific pressure, and have recognized 

 in a large-minded and friendly spirit that Can 

 ada has a patriotic ideal of her own and wishes 

 both to become a great nation and to maintain 

 her political connection with the mother-coun 

 try and those other great dominions which re 

 gard the ancient crown of Britain as their 

 centre of unity. In this matter at least let us 

 stop to honor and admire the spirit of Amer 

 ican democracy. 



He who reads this record which Professor 



