rely different
from a federation like that of the United States, with carefully
defined State and Federal rights. All the presumption, in the new
British state, was in favour of the so-called dependency, and the
British Tories were correct, when they prophesied a steady
retrogression in the legal rights possessed by the mother country. But
the element which they had ignored was that of opinion. Public feeling
rather than constitutional law was to be the new foundation of empire.
How did the {330} development of Canadian political independence affect
public sentiment towards Britain?

The new regime began under gloomy auspices. In 1849 Lord Elgin gave
the most decisive proof of his allegiance to Canadian autonomy; and in
1849 a violent agitation for annexation to the United States began.[33]
Many forces assisted in the creation of the movement, and many groups,
of the most diverse elements, combined to constitute the party of
annexation. There was real commercial distress, in part the result of
the commercial revolution in Britain, and Montreal more especially felt
the strain acutely. "Property," wrote Elgin to Grey in 1849,[34] "in
most of the Canadian towns, and more especially in the Capital, has
fallen 50 per cent. in value within the last three years.
Three-fourths of the commercial men are bankrupt. Owing to free trade
a large proportion of the exportable produce of Canada is obliged to
seek a market in the States. It pays a duty of 20 per cent. on the
frontier. If free navigation, and reciprocal trade with the Union be
not secured for us, the worst, I fear, will come, {331} and at no
distant day." Now, for that distress there seemed to be one natural
remedy. Across the border were prosperity and markets. A change in
allegiance would open the doors, and bring trade and wealth flowing
into the bankrupt province. Consequently many of the notable names
among the Montreal business men may be found attached to annexation
proclamations.

Again, in spite of the great change in French opinion wrought by
Elgin's acceptance of French ministers, there was a little band of
French extremists, the _Rouges_, entirely disaffected towards England.
At their head, at first, was Papineau. Papineau's predilections,
according to one who knew him well, were avowedly democratic and
republican,[35] and his years in Europe, at the time when revolution
was in the air, had not served to moderate his opinions. The election
ad