ario a sentiment both
strong and {334} widespread in favour of union with the United States.
But the actual movement, which at first seemed to have a real threat
implicit in it, came to a head in 1849, and found its chief supporters
within the city of Montreal. "You find in this city," wrote Elgin in
September, 1849, "the most anti-British specimens of each class of
which our community consists. The Montreal French are the most
Yankeefied French in the province; the British, though furiously
anti-Gallican, are with some exceptions the least loyal; and the
commercial men the most zealous annexationists which Canada
furnishes."[39]

Two circumstances, apparently unconnected with annexationism,
intensified that movement, the _laissez faire_ attitude of British
politicians towards their colonies, and the behaviour of the defeated
Tory party in Canada. Of the first enough has already been said; but
it is interesting to note that _The Independent_, which was the organ
of the annexationists, justified its views by references to "English
statesmen and writers of eminence," and that the Second Annexation
Manifesto quoted largely from British papers.[40] The second fact
{335} demands some examination. The Tories had been from the first the
party of the connection, and had been recognized as such in Britain.
But the loss of their supremacy had put too severe a strain on their
loyalty, and it has already been seen that when Elgin, obeying
constitutional usage, recognized the French as citizens, equally
entitled to office with the Tories, and passed the Rebellion Losses
Bill in accordance with La Fontaine's wishes, the Tory sense of decency
gave way. Many of them, not content with abusing the governor-general,
and petitioning for his recall, actually declared themselves in favour
of independence, or joined the ranks of the annexation party. In an
extraordinary issue of the _Montreal Gazette_, a recognized Tory
journal, the editor, after speaking of Elgin as the last governor of
Canada, proclaimed that "the end has begun. Anglo-Saxons! You must
live for the future. Your blood and race will now be supreme, if true
to yourselves. You will be English at the expense of not being
British."[41] But other journals and politicians were not content with
the half-way house of independence, and the majority of those who
signed the first annexation manifesto belonged to the Tory party.[42]
John {336} A. Macdonald, who was shrewd and