Newfoundland and the Jingoes: An Appeal to England's HonorFretwell, John
History
Newfoundland and the Jingoes: An Appeal to England's Honor
Fretwell, John
Newfoundland and Labrador -- History
It would be evidence of gross ignorance, or something worse, to
pretend that the United States, under like conditions, would have
treated the Newfoundlanders better than England has done. It would be
especially so after the humiliating spectacle presented to the world
by our Democratic majorities last year in Congress and in the State
and city of New York.
With material resources superior to those of any other country in the
world, we are obliged to appeal to the European money-lender for gold.
Even the chosen head of our Tory Democracy tells Congress that we must
sacrifice $16,000,000 to obtain gold on the terms offered by his
Secretary of the Treasury.
England's past blunders have been singularly favorable to American
interests, when real statesmen were at the helm in Washington. Any
strategist can see that, if Lord Palmerston, instead of bullying weak
Greece and China, had done justice to Newfoundland, his government
might have acquired so strong a position in America as to seriously
imperil the preservation of the Union some thirty years ago. That he
failed to do his duty was as fortunate for the United States as it was
unfortunate for Newfoundland. To-day, but for the emasculating
influence of our Tory Democracy, England's blunders in the same island
would be profitable to the United States.
Even for our small and expensive navy we cannot find sufficient able
seamen among our citizens; and the starving fishermen of Newfoundland
are just the men we need. But there is no money in the national
treasury to pay them; while our ridiculous immigration and suffrage
laws exclude the men we need, and enable the scum of Europe to
influence our legislation.
I trust this tract may suggest to some Englishmen the best way to
prevent a repetition of the present distress, and so show the world
that, after all, loyalty is sometimes appreciated in imperial circles.
The old project of a rapid line of steamers from Bay St. George to
Chaleurs Bay, giving England communication via Newfoundland with
Montreal in less than five days, has been revived; but the route is
closed by winter ice, and too far north for the United States.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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