our country. I said:

"And now I submit if the time has not come when the people of the
United States and Canada should take a broader view of their
relations to each other than has heretofore seemed practicable.
Our whole history, since the conquest of Canada by Great Britain
in 1763, has been a continuous warning that we cannot be at peace
with each other except by a political as well as commercial union.
The fate of Canada should have followed the fortunes of the colonies
in the American Revolution. It would have been better for all,
for the mother country as well, if all this continent north of
Mexico had participated in the formation, and shared in common the
blessings and prosperity of the American Union.

"So, evidently, our fathers thought, for among the earliest military
movements by the Continental Congress was the expedition for the
occupation of Canada, and the capture of the British forces in
Montreal and Quebec. The story of the failure of the expedition,
the heroism of Arnold and Burr, the death of Montgomery, and the
fearful suffering borne by the Continental forces in the march and
retreat, is familiar to every student of American history. The
native population of Canada were then friendly to our cause, and
hundreds of them, as refugees, followed our retiring forces and
shared in the subsequent dangers and triumphs of the war. It was
the earnest desire of Franklin, Adams, and Jay, at the treaty of
peace, to secure the consent of Great Britain to allow Canada to
form a part of the United States, and at one time it appeared
possible, but for the influence of France and Spain, then the
acknowledged sovereigns of large parts of the territory now included
within the United States. The present status of Canada grew out
of the activities and acquisitions of European powers after the
discovery of this continent. Spain, France, and England especially
desired to acquire political jurisdiction over this newly discovered
country.

"Without going into the details so familiar to the Senate, it is
sufficient to say that Spain held Florida, France held all west of
the Mississippi, Mexico held Texas west to the Pacific, and England
held Canada. The United States held, subject to the Indian title,
only the region between the Mississippi and the Atlantic. The
statesmen of this government early discerned the fact that it was
impossible that Spain, France, and Mexico should hold the territory
then held by them