The Struggle for Imperial Unity: Recollections & ExperiencesDenison, George T. (George Taylor)
History
The Struggle for Imperial Unity: Recollections & Experiences
Denison, George T. (George Taylor)
Canada -- History -- 1867-1914
That we believe that the political union of the two great
English-speaking communities who now occupy and control North America
will deliver the continent from the scourge of war, and securely
dedicate it to peaceful industry and progress, lessen the _per
capita_ cost of government and defence, ensure the rapid development
of its boundless natural resources, enlarge its domestic and foreign
commerce, unite all interests in creating a systematic development
of its means of internal communication with the sea-board by rail
and water, protect and preserve its wealth, resources, privileges,
and opportunities as the undisputed heritage of all, immensely add to
its influence, prestige, and power, promote, extend, and perpetuate
government by the people, and remove for ever the causes most likely
to seriously disturb cordial relations and kindly intercourse with the
Motherland. We therefore invite the Canadian people to cast in their
lot with their own continent, and assure them that they shall have all
the continent can give them. We will respect their freedom of action,
and welcome them when they desire it into an equal and honourable
union.
I do not know whether this was introduced into Congress or not.
We also had information of meetings at Carnegie's house and _The
Sun_ office, and what took place at them. All our information was
conveyed to Sir John Thompson, and at a meeting in Halifax he made
some reference to movements that were going on in the States, which
apparently attracted attention.
Not long after this we heard from our informant that at a meeting where
Carnegie, Dana, and Goldwin Smith were present, Goldwin Smith said
they would have to be very careful, as he believed there was a leak
somewhere.
Among other information we obtained was a copy of the subscriptions to
the fund. Some of the more important were Andrew Carnegie, $600; R. P.
Flower, $500; Charles A. Dana, $460; J. J. Astor, $200; O. B. Potter,
$150; W. C. Whitney, $100, &c.
Outside and apart from all this information, I was shown a letter
from Honore Mercier to Charles A. Dana, and a letter enclosing it to
the President of the Continental Union Association of Ontario. I was
able to secure photographs of these letters. I forwarded one copy of
these photographs to Lord Salisbury, but kept copies from which the
facsimiles here published are taken.
MERCIER, GOUIN, & LEMIEUX, _Avocats_.
MONTREAL,
_9th August, 1893_.
Hon. Honore Mercier, C.R.
Lomer Gouin, L.L.B.
Rodolphe Lemieux, L.L.L.
[_Private and Confidential._]
To the Honorable MR. DANA, Editor of _The Sun_, New York.
DEAR SIR,--
I have met General Kirwin Sunday last, and am satisfied with the
general result of the interview.
I asked him to see you without delay, and to tell you what took place.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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