576 Our North Land. 



" There is a feeling, a very considerable feeling in the Maritime 

 Provinces that the cancellation of the Fishery clauses will greatly 

 affect them, and you hear some people in their despair and their 

 apprehension talking very foolishly, I think, of going down on their 

 knees to the United States, and asking for a continuance of that 

 treaty. Now, gentlemen, the moral of our past experience is this, 

 that the fishing interests of the Maritime Provinces, though they 

 may be temporarily affected if the Americans persist in their course, 

 will not be so for long. It may for a short time compel them to 

 use middlemen in the sale of their fish, and that will be all, while 

 we will have secured to us the exclusive right to fish in British 

 American waters. No course is more suicidal — no course shows a more 

 absolute want of common sense, in any negotiations with so astute a 

 nation as the people of the United States — as to show anxiety. If 

 we go down upon our knees and say we will be ruined unless we have 

 reciprocity, and that without reciprocity annexation would follow, 

 the Americans, who are proud people, and who believe they have a 

 mission to govern this continent, will say, ' Very well, the best way of 

 making Canada a part of the United States is simply by refusing 

 you what you ask ; you therefore cannot have it.' I believe the. 

 course of my Government is the proper one. We say to the Ameri- 

 cans, ' We would be happy to continue our reciprocal relations ; we 

 would be happy to increase our commercial relations. We are 

 willing to discuss the question of a Reciprocity Treaty on the most 

 liberal terms consistent with our own interests. We know perfectly 

 well that you will not do what is contrary to your own interests ; 

 you cannot expect us to do what is contrary to ours. • Let us sit down 

 and see if we can make an arrangement. If we can it is well ; if we 

 cannot there is no harm done. You can take your course, we must take 

 ours.' Already, gentlemen, in consequence of some unguarded and 

 unwise utterances in St. John and the Maritime Provinces, the 

 Americans have begun to hold back a little, to see what the result 

 upon Canada will be. But, gentlemen, we know the unwisdom of 

 such a course — not only the unwisdom, but the utter folly, because 

 nothing clone by the United States will force us to give up our 

 allegiance to the Queen. No matter what may be the action of the 



