A retrospect--Canada’s heroes--The places of their deeds should be
marked--Canada a young sleeping giant--Abundance of our
resources--Pulpwood for the world--Nickel--History of our early
days will be valued.
No one can look back over the years covered by this volume of
reminiscences and observations of Canadian history and life without
being struck by the changes that have already taken place, and also by
the great possibilities of the future. At the close of the American
Revolution of 1776 there were not more than 80,000 white persons in all
of what we now call Canada with its confederated provinces. When Roger
Conant came to Upper Canada, on the termination of that lamentable
struggle, he found only 12,000 inhabitants in that province. At the time
of the War of 1812 there were in all Canada about one-fifth of a million
inhabitants, and in Upper Canada (Ontario) 55,000. It is only ninety
years since that war, and the increase has been a marvellous one. We
have nearly 3,000,000 inhabitants in what was formerly Upper Canada, and
5,000,000 in the whole Dominion. Let another period of ninety years
revolve around our land, and the millions that will then inhabit our
provinces will make our present enumeration seem insignificant, as well
as those of our forefathers in 1792 and 1812.
We know, of course, that the War of 1812 was Britain’s war. Canada was
really not a party to its origin. But it would be a bold person to-day
who would dare to assert that our forefathers did not do their duty in
that struggle. The world at large, as well as ourselves, recognizes that
they did all that a few poor but brave men could do.
“Oh! few and weak their numbers were,
A handful of brave men,
But to their God they made their prayer,
And rushed to battle then.”
There dwells no Canadian on his native soil whose heart does not swell
with pride at the valor of our forefathers in that war. For although it
was Britain’s quarrel, and we honestly felt that Britain had been rather
overbearing in her conduct to the United States, and had claimed too
much in indiscriminately searching American ships and removing any men
from them she chose, our people showed their valor, hardihood, and that
Anglo-Saxon pluck which is the common attribute of the white man on this
continent north of the Rio Grande River.
If, then, we are proud of our sires, let us mark the places of their
deeds. Already the site of the famous battle between Wolfe and Montcalm
in Quebec, which sealed the fate of a continent, is in doubt. How much
more so, then, will be the sites of the deeds of our forefathers in the
War of 1812, and the more recent struggle of the Canadian Revolution of
1837-38. The author submits that it is the duty of those who know these
historic spots to mark them by monuments or tablets. Very soon those who
know them to-day will be off the scene, and information as to the
whereabouts of these spots will be difficult, if not impossible, to
obtain. We are making history so very fast that it behoves us to bestir
ourselves with regard to these matters. Future historians will glean
every word we say, and view with eager interest every spot we mark.
Truly we are laying the bricks and stones of the superstructure of this
great country of ours. Our 5,000,000 may seem insignificant to our
children’s 125,000,000 by and by, but our children will search most
diligently for all we did and said while in our adolescence.
Canada to-day is a young sleeping giant which has not yet felt its
power, nor yet risen to consciousness of its own importance, wealth,
power and grandeur. Our future no one can read. While we are proud to be
a part of the great British Empire, and glory in it, we are none the
less Canadians first, and we must never forget it. Some deep political
thinkers and far-seeing statesmen have said that the white man’s
governments and the flags of Anglo-Saxondom will some day be unified and
made to wave over all the continent of North America north of the Rio
Grande. How that may be accomplished no one will have the hardihood to
predict. Our United States cousins may join us and a united flag may be
evolved. That such an amalgamation would most materially add to our
advancement is self-evident. We would like to see that gigantic stride
made and still remain members of the great Empire, if that be possible.
A treaty of commerce between us and the United States, be it reciprocity
or what not, would so very materially tend to our benefit that we would
risk much and give much to obtain it. There is such an abundance of food
for man and beast in Canada, and always has been, without a single
general failure of crops, that we cannot realize what such a failure
really means. Nor can we make comparisons between times of abundance and
years of want. No general failures have ever come to Canada, and while
it has never been uniformly productive, the past two seasons have
surpassed all previous records. We have seen harvests of 60,000,000
bushels of grain in Manitoba, Alberta, Assiniboia and Saskatchewan,
seeking an outlet to Europe through the railways and canals of Ontario.
Verily, Canada is a young sleeping giant which has not yet awakened to
its power. Our resources of all kinds are enormous. Take, for instance,
our vast supplies of pulp-wood spruce, the raw material of paper.
Explorers have found hundreds of square miles of this timber as yet
untouched by the hand of man, between the northerly boundary of Ontario
and James’ Bay. These forests may be cut off, but in twelve years will
again have grown ready for another cutting. It is freely asserted that
Canada has more spruce wood for pulp than all the world besides. The
resources of commercial white pine are also within Canadian borders. The
United States have almost exhausted theirs, and are coming for ours, but
they most ungenerously mulct us in $4.00 per 1,000 feet for duty on this
pine. This example very forcibly again reminds us that we particularly
want a treaty of commerce with our nearest neighbors. Canada’s resources
in pulp-wood and pine alone are sufficient to make her rich, and all
nations must yet pay tribute to us on this account. To these we may add
nickel, of which only New Caledonia besides has any quantity. Nickel the
nations must and will have, regardless of price. In extent of fertile
lands no nation can make a comparison with us. All these considerations
point to a marvellous development in the future. With the increase of
population and the spread of education we may take it for granted that
the history of our early days will become more and more interesting to
future generations, and that every genuine contribution to it will be
highly valued.
THE END.
* * * * *
_Upper Canada
Sketches_
_By ...
THOMAS
CONANT._
With 21 full-page illustrations by E. S. Shrapnel, lithographed in
colors. Printed on superior paper, with gilt top, and bound in buckram,
with cover design in green and gold.
PRICE, $3.50 net, postpaid
..Press Comments..
The _Journal of the Royal Colonial Institute_, London, England,
reviewing the book, gives the following admirable summary of its
scope and contents:
“Stories regarding the early settlement of Canada always possess a
certain amount of fascination, and the book under notice is no exception
to the rule. It is of more than ordinary interest, as it is written by
one who is a descendant of the first Governor of Massachusetts, and the
grandson of one of the earliest settlers in Canadian territory. Mr.
Conant gives us many old settlers’ stories, as well as legends and
traditions of the past, and presents glimpses of the rude, free life
that obtained in the earlier years of settlement, whilst at the same
time he depicts many of the phases of present-day life in Canada, as
compared with the past. His personal experiences, which extend over many
years, are full of interesting details regarding life in Canada. Mr.
Conant not only describes the country and its advantages for settlement,
but supplies numerous anecdotes regarding its administration, both
politically and from a municipal point of view. He describes various
events in its history so graphically as to enable the reader to follow
him with interest through the many pages of the work, and to gain an
insight into the mode of life which existed in Canada long before the
railways opened up the country.”
_The Toronto Globe_:
The value of such unadorned records as those contained in Mr. Conant’s
book will be fully appreciated by the future historian. With many of his
contemporaries, the incidents he relates and the customs he describes
are a common memory, and will be vouched for as not only accurately set
forth in these pages, but with not a little incidental interest. Mr.
Conant is well known to a large constituency of Canadian readers as a
writer of some descriptive talent and with a pleasant colloquial style.
_Toronto Mail and Empire_:
“Mr. Conant has not only written a book that those interested in
Canadian history will want to read, but he has set a good example to
those who have the material for a family history.”
...Some Personal Commendations ...
=The Right Hon. Sir Wilfrid Laurier, G.C.M.G.=, writes the author: “I have
received your book, ‘Upper Canada Sketches,’ and I can assure you with
perfect sincerity that I enjoyed it very much.”
“A friend called my attention to your ‘Upper Canada Sketches, and,
though I was only able to skim through it, yet I want to write and tell
you how much I enjoyed it.... It seems to be the most readable book in
that line that I have come across.”--=Miss Minnie Jean Nesbit=, Hamilton.
“I have read, ‘Sketches’ with great pleasure. It is very good and does
you credit.”--=Dr. H. Wheeler=, Windsor, Eng.
“I have read it [‘Upper Canada Sketches’] with great pleasure and
interest. It is, in paper, print, engravings, and margin, a pleasure to
look at, and you have brought together very valuable sketches of
life.”--=Miss Janet Carnochan=, Secretary Historical Society, Niagara.
“I got for my own library, as soon as it appeared, a copy of your book,
and read it through with a great deal of interest and enjoyment.”--=C. C.
James=, Deputy Minister of Agriculture for Ontario.
“I have greatly enjoyed Mr. Conant’s charming book, having read it from
cover to cover. While I don’t suppose it appeals to a down-east Yankee
like myself, as it must to a Canadian ‘to the manor born,’ I fully
appreciate its fine literary finish, stirring incident, and flavor of
‘ye olden time.’”--=Ada Chadwick Williams=, Chicago.
“Am glad you found something of interest in my book. I could say the
same thing, many times emphasized, regarding your own fine
volume.”--=Frank H. Severance, Esq.=, Author of “Old Trails on the Niagara
Frontier.”
“Your ‘Upper Canada Sketches’ are unique, and more references are made
to this book than to any other we have on Colonial history.”--=David
Boyle, Esq.=, Secretary Canadian Historical Society.
“I read your ‘Upper Canada Sketches,’ and I must pay you the compliment
of saying that I could not get away from the atmosphere of that book for
a long time after reading it. I have seldom had scenes cling to me as
they did. I shall be greatly interested in anything further that you may
do along that line.”--=C. N. Johnston, L.D.S., D.D.S.=, Chicago.
=Mr. Fred Odell Conant=, author of “The Conant Genealogy,” writes: “I have
waited for an opportunity to look it over carefully before replying. It
is first-rate, and, so far as I can judge, gives a very good
representation of life in the early days in the wilds of Upper Canada. I
have been much interested in its perusal, and shall send for two or
three more copies at once. You have the gift of making interesting
reading.”
_WILLIAM BRIGGS, Publisher_,
29-33 Richmond Street West, - - Toronto, Ont.
FOOTNOTES:
[A] _Vide_ “Upper Canada Sketches,” by the author.
[B] _Vide_ “Upper Canada Sketches,” by the author.
[C] The author’s forbears then lived on the shore of Lake Ontario, at
Port Oshawa. Word came to them of the taking of York during the night
of April 26-27, and that the fort would be blown up if the Americans
entered it. They were, therefore, on the _qui vive_ for the explosion.
For thirty-three miles to Port Oshawa on that still April afternoon
the sound of the explosion followed the water along the shore, and
the author’s people distinctly heard the heavy boom they were waiting
for. Hence it may be gathered that the blowing up of the fort was
premeditated.