Mr. Goldwin Smith has been delivering a lecture in which
he accuses the present British Government of Jingoism in resisting a closer connection between Canada and the United States. He desires that connection, and warns the Canadians that if they delay too long, the United States may resort to annexation. We agree with Mr. Goldwin Smith as to the advantage to both sides involved in Free-trade between the Union and Canada, and do not share the usual fear of its political results. North and South had perfect Free-trade before the war, as also has Ireland with Great Britain ; and it is perfectly possible for a seller and buyer to be at daggers- drawn. But forcible annexation is a bugbear. The statesmen of the Union do not want to buy an unwilling Canada at the cost of a great war. An English landlord might as well buy an Irish estate just to increase his acreage.
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