Part 11 (2/2)
”Considering that they have acquired _many of the worst vices of the Yankees_;
”Considering that Canada should never partic.i.p.ate, outside of her own territory, in the wars of the British Empire;
”Considering that the Canadian Cabinet and Parliament are criminally guilty of having ordered the organization of a Canadian army to go and fight against Germany on the French territory, and in authorizing the payment of the cost of this military expedition;
”Be it ”Resolved”, that this meeting energetically protest against the declaration of war against Germany by His Majesty King George V, _without the a.s.sent of the Canadian Cabinet_, to defend Belgium's territory invaded by Germany violating solemn treaties;
”That this meeting is of opinion that, for the purpose of favouring the restoration of peace as soon as possible, England should notify all the Powers that she abdicates for ever her supremacy on the seas, which supremacy Germany could hereafter safely exercise;
”That this meeting being absolutely convinced that _the maintenance of a compact British Empire is the most permanent provocation against the peace of the world_, is strongly of opinion that Great Britain should, in order to quiet the fears of the Nations friendly to peace and opposed to militarism, like pacifist Germany, dissolve her Empire, at once acknowledging the immediate independence of India and of all her autonomous Colonies;
”That this meeting's formal opinion is that the Canadian Parliament's imperious duty is to order without delay the dissolution of the British bond of connection, _which would be a public benefit_, and to proclaim the immediate independence of Canada;
”That a copy of the present ”Resolution” be addressed to His Excellency the Governor General, to the Members of the Federal Cabinet, to the Senators and to the Members of the House of Commons.”
The italics in the above draft ”Resolution” and ”Preamble” are quoted from Mr. Boura.s.sa's writings.
The ”Preamble” and ”Resolution” emphasize, in their true and complete meaning, the ”Nationalist” doctrines perseveringly propounded for years past to poison French Canadian mentally. That such teachings can only produce disloyal feelings, stir up national prejudices and hatred of the Mother Country, and be most detrimental to the best interests of the Province of Quebec, of the Dominion of Canada, and of the British Empire as a whole, every one must admit with sadness.
My challenge, which is still maintained, has not been taken up yet. All may rest a.s.sured that it will never be. The most ardent ”Nationalist”
knows that no responsible citizens would move the adoption of such views.
CHAPTER XVII.
LOYAL PRINCIPLES PROPOUNDED.
To the foregoing ”Nationalist” proposition, I opposed one condensing, in a concrete form, the views and principles of the truly loyal Canadian citizens. I also translate it as follows:--
”Whereas, since 1870, the German Empire had been a permanent menace against the peace of the world by her threatening military policy;
”Whereas England, throughout the same period, and more especially during the twenty years previous to 1914, had done her utmost efforts to maintain peace;
”Considering that Great Britain had, in many ways, solicited Germany to agree to the limitation of armaments, especially of the building of war vessels;
”Considering that she had persisted in her attempts with the German Government to save the nations from the ruinous system of excessive armaments, in spite of the latter's refusal to accede to her demands;
”Considering that though in honor bound, like England, by three solemn treaties, to respect Belgium's neutrality, the German Government have, in August 1914, ordered their army to violate Belgian territory in order to more easily invade France to which they had declared war;
”Whereas Great Britain, in honour bound, could not permit the crus.h.i.+ng of Belgium by the German Empire;
”Considering, moreover, that Germany, after mutilating and destroying Belgium, by the deprivation of her independence, after triumphing over France which she would have once again dismembered, would have undertaken to beat England to deprive her of sea supremacy, in order to obtain, by this last conquest, her domination over Europe and almost all the world;
”Considering that the defeat of England might very likely have resulted in the cession of Canada to Germany;
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