THROUGH THREEFOLD TENSION 181 



tion, and excluded from the public service those 

 who identified themselves with the movement. 

 This was a severe blow to the Tory element of 

 the discontented. The French element received 

 a like setback through the strong and open con 

 demnation of the agitation by the Catholic 

 clergy. Good harvests and a revival of business 

 served to alleviate the economic situation, and 

 after some small successes in the elections in 

 1850 the organization and activity of the an- 

 nexationists faded gradually away. 



In neither Great Britain nor the United States 

 did the movement in Canada attract much 

 attention. Home politics in the great republic 

 were just at the time in a state that left little 

 room for public concern with matters beyond 

 the border. Territorial extension had raised is 

 sues as to slavery that were threatening dis 

 ruption of the Union. Under the circumstances 

 a proposal of further extension could hardly be 

 expected to enlist much enthusiasm. In some 

 of the States contiguous to Canada the legis 

 latures passed resolutions approving the idea 

 of reuniting the long-severed members of the 

 English-speaking race in North America. At 

 Washington, however, there was no manifesta 

 tion of feeling by either legislature or executive. 



