THROUGH THREEFOLD TENSION 179 



results was &quot;a friendly and peaceful separation 

 from British connection, and a union upon eq 

 uitable terms with the great North American 

 confederacy of sovereign states/ The revival 

 of protection in the United Kingdom could not 

 be depended on; a system of protection for 

 Canada might create manufactures but would 

 furnish no market for them; the same failure 

 would attend the suggested federation of the 

 American colonies or their independence. Un 

 restricted commercial intercourse with the great 

 population to the southward was indispensable 

 to the economic welfare of Canada, and this 

 could be secured only by incorporation into the 

 Union. Political advantages also would flow 

 freely from such a connection. With malicious 

 allusion to the late tension about Oregon and 

 the rising dispute over Central America, the 

 manifesto continued: 



Disagreement between the United States and her chief, 

 if not only, rival among nations would make the soil 

 of Canada the sanguinary arena for their disputes. . . . 

 That such is the unenviable condition of our state of de 

 pendence upon Great Britain is known to the whole world; 

 and how far it may conduce to keep prudent capitalists 

 from making investments in the country, or wealthy set 

 tlers from selecting a foredoomed battlefield for the home 

 of themselves and children, it needs no reasoning on our 

 part to elucidate. 



