CHAPTER XVIII.
DANGERS WHICH EXISTED PREVIOUS TO CONFEDERATION OF THE PROVINCES--PROPOSALS OF ANNEXATION TO THE UNITED STATES--LESSONS LEARNED BY THE FENIAN RAID.
Forty-four years have elapsed since the perilous events recorded in the preceding pages occurred.

A new generation has come and grown into middle life, while the second generation is now budding forth into manhood and womanhood.

How many of these are conversant with the history of their own country?
Beyond a very vague knowledge of what has been taught to them in a superficial manner in our schools and colleges, and the fragmentary reminiscences that may have been recounted to them by their sires and grandsires who passed through these troublous times, it is doubtful whether even one-tenth of our present population have any idea of just how near Canada came to being absorbed by the United States in that critical period.
At that time Canada was in a peculiar position, which may be described as "a house divided within itself," as there was no cohesion among the scattered Provinces, each regulating its own affairs, with the exception of Canada East and Canada West (now Quebec and Ontario) who were governed by the same Parliament.

The situation was certainly a dark and serious one.

We had subtle traitors at home and scheming enemies abroad who labored assiduously to bring about annexation, but the stern spirit of loyalty to the British Crown which pervaded the hearts of the people as a whole, and the wise statesmanship of that noble group of patriots whose names will go ringing down through the corridors of time in the existence of our nation as "The Fathers of Confederation," saved the situation, and made Canada what it is to-day, a heritage of which our sons and daughters may well feel proud.
It was during the year 1866 that the apostles of Confederation were busy educating the people of the different Provinces in the creed of that very desirable proposition.