ey
were previous to secession of the territory. The people can claim no
rights than such as are known to exist previous to their annexation.
This is manifestly the case with a large class of the former
inhabitants of Mexico, who though citizens before, in the full exercise
of their rights as such, so soon as the cession of the territory took
place, lost them entirely, as they could claim only such as were enjoyed
by the people of a similar class, in the country to which they made
their union. The laudatories heaped upon the Americans, within the
hearing of the writer, while traveling the provinces the last fall, by
one of the Canadian officiaries, in comparing their superior
intelligence to what he termed the "stupid aristocracy," then returning
from the Boston celebration, where there was a fair opportunity of
comparing the intellect of their chief magistrate, his excellency, Lord
Elgin, governor-general of the Canadas, and Sir Allen Napier McNab,
knight baronet with that of some of the "plain republicans" who were
present on the occasion, were extravagant. The Canadians generally were
perfectly carried away with delight at their reception. They reminded us
of some of our poor brethren, who had just made their escape from
Southern bondage, and for the first time in their life, had been taken
by the hand by a white man, who acknowledged them as equals. They don't
know when to stop talking about it, they really annoy one with
extravagant praises of them. This was the way with those gentlemen; and
we dare predict, that from what we heard on that occasion, that Mr.
McKenzie nor Big Bill Johnson, hero of the Forty Islands, are no greater
_patriots_ than these Canadian visitors to the Boston husa! We are
satisfied that the Canadas are no place of safety for the colored people
of the United States; otherwise we should have no objection to them.

But to the fugitive--our enslaved brethren flying from Southern
despotism--we say, until we have a more preferable place--go on to
Canada. Freedom, always; liberty any place and ever--before slavery.
Continue to fly to the Canadas, and swell the number of the twenty-five
thousand already there. Surely the British cannot, they will not look
with indifference upon such a powerful auxiliary as these brave, bold,
daring men--the very flower of the South, who have hazarded every
consequence, many of whom have come from Arkansas and Florida in search
of freedom. Worthy surely to be free, wh