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MONTREAL: 18 6. i I I I PRE FA OK Tifis sketch is iiKjaiit tu he only a brief review oi" the Members uf the Miiiistry. Tu the notice ol" each Member (listiii!j.uished i'ur speech is added a .specimen of his oratorical talent, taken Iroiii some hite speecli of the i^entlenian. Iiein,u imU'pendent in politics, the writer has endeavored to be impartial in his sketcli. T()R(hNT(), April, IblUJ. \i E F E R E N C E . THK MIXISTHY SirJSIaivisM' F. r,cll,.;iii - / 1 1 I'll. .loliii A. .Miicddiiald |,, li(Ui. (u'oigf L'. Ciirticr ^^^^ JhiD. A. ,(. Fcru'usuii liluii- -^ Hon. AlcxiiiKl,.]- T. Oiill -,, lion. Ali'.Kiimlcr ('aiiiplx'll. ,^,, JIcii. Tlioiuas I). M,.(i,.,. ^^1 Hun. .Icai) ('. Cliaimi.-^ m IFi'ii. 'Willi.iiii AlcDdUaall , ... Hnn. William 11, Unwlaiid |.,'^ Jici). llci'tuf L. Lana'cvin ,.,- I ,/ lltrv. Jlis two leading- IViends, Messrs. ('artier and Macdonald, like this tractahility, and the conse(|uen('e is they all get on \ei'y well toiicther. This Minister is a meinher of tin' Leuislative Council and was Speaker ol' that hody in IS')? and '')8, — a.Liain, IVoni I8')S to ISfi'J. In the latter year hi' tilled the ])laee ol' Ministei' of Ajiricudtnro. It will Ik; seen iVoni this that he is an old l('<2;islator, and if he has made the most of his time, \w. ont'ht to huom: ol" tlie sa<2,cs of (Janada. The intlneiicc of Sir Narcisse in the East of Ca- nada is verj' eonsidei'uble. ft is ehietly with the upper orders ol' the ])eo])le in the eity and county of Quohec. A laruce part of the lower orders and some men of the other class have little regard tor him since he l)ecanie an aristoc^'at. and one of the pro-English party. If tlie Minister lost intlueiice with his fompatriois, he gained rank, .and he is, of course, very well content with the exchange. It may be said that noAv Sir Narcisse and Mr. Cartier are the leaders of the French Canadians who have any real regard for English government and usages. Of the schemes that the Ministry have in hand, that of confederation meets with his cordial support, though the mass of his countrvmen are a<:^"ainst it. 9 lV I)H U'bcc. s tlu' VY MS ice to r()iiii:li th all s two 1, like ill got dutivc )7 and I- vear •0.' It slatov, ou^^lit of Ca- th the county rs ami 11 rd tor of the itliu'iice is, of It may are the ny real IFo (looH not seem to fear tliat the cliauge will de- prive tlu'iii of soiin' of the power which they now possess. 'I'he word '^ fin/foufis,''* so ol'ten on the li[)S ol' the aiiti-l!]iiglish party, (which, if tliose who are privately inimical lie aihk'd to those who are ()[)enly so. is viivy large) is not used hy liim. I lis ideas are liberal in all ([iiestions of race and religion. ir there is anv matter in which Sii' Narcisse is more a|)t than in (»tliers, it is law, for that he made iiis >tn(ly. In 1S;>2 he was admitted to the JJar, and in time was made (Queen's Connsel. Jle wore his silk Lidwn lor some years, and has now laid it aside to (ill a moi'e important ollice. At the Bar he did well, though he did not rise to any degree of eminence, not having the talent necessary foj' him to do so. Sir Narcisse is a man of wealth — (piite enough to l)aek his rank with, and to give him the inlluence that money always brings to a man. lie is one of the wealthiest men of the ministry, all of whom have more or less money, a good dejil of it ac(|uired by some while they have been in ollice. Li hand, r^npport, linst it. 10 HON. JOHN A. MACDONALD '!# is Attorney-Geiioral, West, and Minister of Militia. Mr. Macdoiiald is one of the best known men in Parliament, and is well versed in legislation. He is the leader of the western section of the Ministry. In the House, he is ready in debate, and is a good speaker. As such, he takes the lead, on his side, in all general questions, in doing which he shows tact and ability. This Minister has been in all the ministries formed by his pai'ty during the last few years, and always as Attorney-General, West, for the duties of which olfice he is very well fitted — so far as intelligence and legal attainments go. The Law owes to him many new enactments and changes for the better j and as long as he is the Chief Law Oificer for the West, that section Avill be well cnretl for. The Minister of Militia has the forces of Canada to care for. At this he is also apt. ])ut his ideas do not go much further than the oruanization and drill of a battalion. About some t)f the movements even in this he is not very clear, 1)ut he takes it for granted that men will think he knows '••all a])out it.'" There is a wide field for a litth' talent in this branch of tlie Administration. A more hardy, brave, well grown body of young men than those of Canada is not to be found in any other part of the world. Tt is '^nly a question — what is the best way to organize that line element for defence. So far, i^V 1 11 e, 111 tact t{ 1 ^>- I this has been gone about in a very irregular way, namely, rifle corps have been formed in certain places, as it' the entire mass of young men was not available for a general organization, and as if a greater force was not wanted to meet the powerful people by the side of us. In order to be prepared for defence, Canada needs a force of 150 battalions, organized as an army ; and it is only for defence that any force should be organized. A police force (armed) can kee]) the })eace. Mr. Macdonald was lirst elected in 1844 for Kings- ton, and he has sat fm- it up to the present day. In 1847 he was appointed Receiver General. He has been in Parliament for mure than twenty years, and is, therefore, one of the oldest legislators in the Pro- vince. In the debates on Confederation, Mr. Macdonald led off; and his speech in fiivor of the scheme (given at the end of this sketch) was an elfort. Such an occasion lor the display of legislative ability and argument never before oflered itself in this Province, and it is "to be inferred that the Attorney General West put forth all the talent in that way which he may possess. He made a good etlbrt, but was excelled by two other members of tlie House. In 18213 Mr. Macdonald began to study law, and, six years later, that is, when a little over 21 years of age, he was called to the Bar of Upper Canada. He is a num of some wealth and more influence. Born in 1814, he is about 52 years of age, and gives proof of a hardy constitution. HIS SPEECH. Attt.-Gkn. MACDOXALT) moved, "That lUi humbli; Address bo pre- Bented to Her Miijcsty, prayinji that She may be graciously pleased to causae 12 a measure to bo submitted to the [inporial I'arliam.-nt. for tlu' iiuqio-io of uniting' tlio Colonies of Canada, Xova Scotia, Xfw Unmswick, Ncwtbnnd- land, and Prince ?Jdward Inland, in one Ciovcminciit. with provisions based on certain Kc^ulutions, which wen- adopted at a ('oiifcrcncf of DclcL^atcs from the said Colonics, held at tlic city of (^udn'c. on the loth of October, ■(;nii'^c made by the i have moved tiii- resolution. I'half of tl'.e (lorerumi'nt. to suli- 111 of all the l!riti>h North Ami'rican I'ro- lle said: — Mr. Speaker, in fultiiment of tlie pi 1H64. Clovernment to I'arli imeut at its la-t session 1. I have had the h(jnor of heini: charL'cd. on h( mit a scheme for the Coiifederatii yinees— a scheme which has lieeii received. I ;im L'lad to say, with frtmeral, if not universal, approliation in Canada. The vi'Ikmiic. as propoumb'd throiidi the press, has received almost no ojiposition. allv, here and there, express loiis o "While there may be occasioii- f di<>ent from some of the di-tails. \-et tin I'heim as a whole has met with almo-t universal approval, and tlie (iovern- ment has the greatest sati>f ■ ion in pre on tlie Legislature at great length and with his u.'^ual Ibrce. liut the subji-et was not taken up by any party as a branch of their policy, until the ibrmation of the (.'artier- Macdonald Administration in ]-•")-, when the Confederation ol' the colonies was annouuced us one of the measures which tlicy jiledged t hem-elves to attempt, if possible, to liring to a satisl'actory conclusion. In pursuance of that promise, the letter or de-^patch, wliicli has been .-o much and so iVeely commented upon in the pret session. Then, men of all jiarties and all shades vt' ]iolitics ln'came alarmed at the a>pect of ad'airs. They found that such was the opposition betweiui the two -ections of the province, such was the danger s some solution of the diihcuUy was arrived at, we would suffer under a succession of weak governments. — weak in numerical support, ^veak in tbrce, and weal< in power of doing good. All were alarmed at this .-^tate of alfair^^. We had election after election, — we had udnistry after mini^try. — with the same result. I'arlies were so e(i| Ai V. till n| 'Ml ti tii 13 lullv lialii (1, that the vote of :ht decide the fate of the 1 ' ^ ineniUer Aihnini.-stnition, and tlie course of Icirislatiou t\>v a year or a series of years. This condition ol'thinir-; vvas well calculated to arouse the earnest cousideru- tidu of cvcvv Idver of his muntry, and 1 nn happy to say it had that elVeet. None were niure iuiiires.-^i'd by tliis nionuMUiuis state of affairs, and the trrave apprehensions that exi^^tcd of a state of amuvhy destroying our credit, des- troying our prn>pcrity, drstrnyintr our progress, than were the members of this present House ; ami the leading statesnuui on both sides seemed to have come to the common conclusion, that some step must be taken to relieve the country from the dead-lock and impending anareliy tliat hung over us. "With that view my colleague, the rrcsideat of the Couiu'il. made a motion fiuiiuli-d on tile (le<[iatch addressed to the Colonial Minister, to which 1 have referred, and a comnuttee was struck, composed of gentlemen of Imth sides' of the House, of all shades of political opinion, without any reference to whether they Were >up[)orters of tlie Adnnnistration of tlie day or belonged to the Opposition, for the purpo>e of taking into calm ami full deliberation the evils which threatened the future of Caiuula. That uuition of my honorable friend resulted most happily. The committee, by a wi>e provision, — aiul in order that each member of the committee might have an oi)portunity of expres>ing his opinions without being iu any way compromised beibre the public, or with his party, in regard either to his jiolitical friends or to his political foes, — agreed that the discu>>ion .-hould be I'reely eiUered upon without refiTciu'e ti> the political antecedents of any of them, and that they should sit with closed doors, so that they might be able to approach the sidiject frankly and in a spirit ot compiomise. The committee included most of the leading members of the House, — I had the honor myself to be one of the number, — and the result was tliat there was found an ardent desire — a creditable desire, I must say, — displayed by all the members of the ciuiimittee to approach the subject lioiiestly, aud to attempt to work out some solution which might relieve Canada from the evils under which she laliored. The report of that committee was laid before tlie House, ami then came the political action of the leading men of the two ])arties in this House, which ended in the formation of the jiioent (ioM'rnmeut. The principle upon which that Government was fnrmed has beiui announced, and is known to all. It was fiU'med fir the very jiurposi' ot' carrying out the object which lias now received to a I'crtaiii degree its cnmpli'tioii. !iy the resolutions I have liad the honor to jilace in your hands. As has l)eeu stated, it was not without a great deal of ditliculty and reluctaiii'e that that (iovermiieiit was formed. The gentlemen who compose this Coveriimeiit had for many years been engaged iu political hostilities to >uch an extent that it ald'cted even their social relations, litit the crisiswas great, the danger was immense, and the gentlemen who now form the pre- sent Adminislration fmuul it to be their duty to lay aside all personal feel- ings, to sacriliee in some degree their positiiai, and even to run the risk of having their motives impugned, for the sake ol arriving at some conclusimi that would be satisfactory to the country in general. The present resolu- tions weri' the result. And, as 1 said before, 1 am pritiul to believe that the country has ^auctioned, as I trust thai the representatives of the people in 14 this Tlonso will sanction, tho schonio which is now suhmittod for the future ^ovcrniiuMil of Uritish \orth .AniPricn. (Cheers.) Kverythiufi seemed t(» t'livor the project, and everylhiiiir seemed to .^hew that tho ])rosent was tho time, if ever, when this jrreat niiinii hetweeii all Her Majesty's suhjeets dwellin^Mii Hritish North America, should l)(; carried out. (Hear, hear.) ^'hcu the (loverument was formed, it was f(dt that tho ditficultics in tho way of eliectint!: a union between all the Hritish .North j\merican Cohmies were irreal — so irreat as almost, in the o])ininu of many, tn make it hopeless. ,\nd with that view it was Iht^ ])olicy of the (lnveniment, if they could not succeed in procurinir a union between all the Hritish North American Colo- nies, to attempt to free tht? country from the dead-lock in which we were placed in I'pper and Lower Canada, in consequence of tho ditrerencc of opi- nion between the two sections, by havinjr a sev(;rauce to a certain extent of the present union between the two proviiu'os of l^pper and Howcr Canada, and the .substitution of a Federal I'uion between them. Most of us, how- ever, I nuiy say all of us, were airreed — and I believe every thinkiui,' man Avill aa'ree — as to the ex|)ediency of ellectintr a union between all the provin- ces, and the superiority of such a desiii'n. if it were (udy practicable, over the snudlcr scheme of having a i''iMlcral Iniou hetween I'pper ami Lnwer CV inula alone. Hy a hajipy concurrence of events, tlu.' time came when that proiuisition c(aild b(> made with a lioiie of siu'cess. \\y a fortunate coinci- dence tin; desire for luiidii exisleil in the Lower I'mviuees, and a. feeliufr of the necessity of strciiL'tlu'ninjj; tlieuiM-lvi's by coliectinir to.iretiier the scatter- ed colonies on the sea-board, had induced them to form a convention of their own for the purpose of elfectiiiii' a union of the Maritime Provinces of Nova Seoiia. New lirunswick, aiul Prince i-idwanl I-;land, tin' Icirislatures of those eolonies havinu' fornnilly authorized their respective j;overnments to send a dele-iation to J'l-iiu'e JMlwai'd Islund for the ]uirp(Ke of attenijitin,!: to form a union of some kind, '^\'hcther the union should be I'ederal or legislative wa.s not then indicated, luit a union of some kind was sought for the purpose of making of themselves one jieoplc instead of three. AV'e, ascertaining that they were about to take stu'b a stej), and ktiowing tiuit if we allowed tho occasion to pass, il'they did iiuleed break uj) all their present political orgaid- zations and form a new oiu', it could not be ex[)ected that they Wfuild again readily destroy the lu'W organization Avhich they hail formed, — the union of the three ])rovinces on tin* seaboard, — and form aiu)ther with Canada. Knowing this, Ave availed ourselves of the opportiniity, and asked if they w(Uild receive a deputation frcJin Canada, who woidd go to meet them at Charlottetown, tor the purpose of lnuug belbre them the advantages of a larger and more extensive miion, by the junction of all the provinces in oius great govennucnl umler our common .Sovereign. They at once kindly con- .^etited to receive ami hear us. They did receive us cordially ami generously, and asked us to lay our views lielore them. We did so at siuue length, and so satisfactory to tlu'm were the r(;asons we gave ; so clearly, in their opi- inon, did we shew the, advantages of tln^ greater union over the lesser, that they at imce set aside their own proji'ct, ami joined heart and hand with us in entering into the larger scheme, and trying to form, as far as they and wo i» \ 15 ■f t >. conld, a frrcat nation nnil a stvon.cr povprnniont. (Cheers.) Encouraged by tliis arranfienieut, wliieli, liowevi^r, was altogotlierunonieial and nnauthorized, wo rotunuMl tn Quebee, and tlieii tho (h)vernni(!nt of Canada invited tli(3 several governnients of the sister cohmies to send a depntation hero (roni each of them ibr the ])i!rpos(! o( eonsideriiiii' the (pio'^tion, witli sonictliinj^ like autliority I'roni tlieir res[)ectiv(? jioveriiiuents. The result was, that Avheii we met here on the K'tii t)l' Oetober, on tlie first day on which wo nsseinl)le(l, after tin; Cull and free discussions which had taken place at Cliarlottetown, the first resolution now l)efbre this House was passed unani- mously, being received with acclamation as, in the opinion of every ono who heard it, a proiiosition which ou.uiit to receive, antl would receive, the sanction of each fioveniment and each people. The resolution is, "That tho best interests and present and future prosperity of Uritish Aorth .America will be promoted by a Federal Union under the (.'rown of (ireat Britain, pro- vided such union cau be effected on princii)les just to the several provinces." It seemed to all the sfatesnu-n assembled — and there are frreat statesmen in tlie liower Provinces, men who would do honor to any froverninent and to any Ic'.ii'islature of any tree country eiijoyiuir representative institutions — it was clear to them alltiial the best interests and present and future pros- perity of I'.ritish .North .America would be i)romoted by a Federal Union under the Crown of (ireat liritain. .And it seems to me, as to them, and I think it will so iippear to the people of this country, that, if we wish to be a preat peoiile, — if we wish to tbrm — usiiij;- the e.Npression wiiich was sneered at tlie other eveaiui;- — a u'reat nationality, conunandinir the respect of the world, aiile to hold nur own a.tiainst nil o[)iionents, and to defend those insti- tutions we in'ixe: if we Avisli io have one system of government, and to establisii a conunercial union, with unrestricted free trade, between ])eoplo of the live provinces, belonging, as they do, to the same nation, obeying the same Sovereign, owning the sanu' allegiance, and being, for the most part, of the same ))lood ami iiiu'agi' : if we wish to be able to afford to each other the means of mtitual defence ami sujiport against aggression and attack — this can only be obtained liy a uninn df sonu' kind between th(f scattered and weak bomidaries composing the British .North American Provinces. (Cheers.) The very mention of the schinne is titted to bring with it its own ai)])roba- tidii. Sup|io^ing that in the spring of the year b"!).'), half a million of |)eople were coming I'rnm the I'nited Kingchnn to make Canada their home, although I hey brought oidy their strong arms ami willing hearts; though they lirougiit neither skill nia* experience' nor wealth, woidd we imt receive them with open arms, and hail their presence in Canada as an important addition to our strength? i!ut when, by the ])roposcd union, we not oidy get nearly a million of people to join us — when they contribute not only their numiiers, their physical strength, and their desire to benelil their ixisition, but when we know that they consist of old-established communities, having a large amount of roali/ed wealth, — comi)osed of peoiile pos.sessed of skill, educa- tion and ex])ericnce in the ways of the New World — people who are as much Canadians, I may say, as we are — people who are imbued with the same, feelings of loyalty to the Queen, and the same desire for tho continuance of 16 tlio ooiiiu'ction witli \ho Mother Coimtiy as wo tiro, and at tlio same timo, have a liko t'ccliii!.'' Ill' anient altacliini-nt lor tliis, mir (•oinnion country, lor Avliicii tlicy and we would alike liirlit and shed our hlood. if necessary. "When all this is considered, arjiiunent is needless to ])rove the advantajre of sncli a union. (Hear, In^ar.) There were oidy three modes, — it I may return tor a iin)im'nt to tlie dilhculties Avith wliich Camida was surrounded, — oidy three modes tlnit were at ail su.iru'ested, hy which the dead-lock in our atl'airs, the anarchy wc dreaded, and the evils which retarded our ])rosiierity, could ho uiet or averted. One was the dissdiutiou of the niiiini hetween CpiJcr and Lower Catiada, leavin.iJ: them as they were hcl'orc the union of lf^41. 1 he- lieve that that proi)ositioii, hy itself, had mt suiipm-ters. It was f'elthy ovory one that, althouirh it was a course that would do away with tlie sectional difUcullies which existed, — thou^di it would remove the ])ressure on the part '111 oi ilie pco])le 01 I pper ( amula lor the representation i)ascd npon population, — and the jealousy ol' the people of Lower Canada lest their iiistitutious should he attacked and prejudiced by that juinciple in our representation; yet it was Mi by every thinkiii}; man in the province that it would ho a re- trojrade sti'p, which would throw hack the I'ountry to nearlj' the same po.sition as it occupied bef(uv the union, — that it would h)wer the credit en- joyed by United Canada, — that it would he the breakiiifi; up of the ctmnee- tifui which had existed for nearly a quarter of a century, and, under which, althoujih it had not l)een c(un])lerely successful, and had not allayed altoge- ther the local jealousi(!s that had their root in circumstances which arose before tlu^ union, our province, as a ivhole, had nevertheless prosjjered and increased. It was felt that a dissolutiiui of the union would have destroyed all the credit that we liad iraiiied hy heinji- a united i»roviiice, and would have left us two weak and inell'ective .irovcrnmeiits, instead of one powerful and united people. (Hear, hear.) The next mode suggested, was the granting of representation by poi»ulation. Xow, we all know the manner in which that question was and is regarded by Lower Caniula ; that while in Upper Canada the desire and cry f(U' it was daily augmenting, the resistence to it in [jower Canada was proportionahly increasing in strength. Still, if some such means of relieving iis from the sectional jealousies which existed be tween the two Canadas, if some such solution of the difficulties as Confede- ration had not been found, the representation by po])ulation must eventually have been carried ; no matter though it might have been felt in Lower Ca- nada, as being a breach of the Treaty of I'nion, no matter how much it nnght have been felt by the Iaaxcv Canadians that it would sacrifice their local interests, it is certain that in the progress of events representation bv population would have been carried : and. had it been carried — I speak here my own individual sentiments — I do not think it would have been for tho interest of I'pper Canada. For though Up]>er Canada would have felt that it had received what it claimed as a right, and had succeeded in cstahli-ihing its right, yet it would have left the Lower Province with a sullen feeling of injury and injustice. The Lower Canadians w(Uild not have W(u"kcd cheer- fully under such a change of system, but wiuild have ceased to be wha'they are now — a nationality, with representatives in Parliament, governed by ' i 17 poncral principlos, and dividiiijr according to thtiir political principles— and wonid have been in great danger of l)ec<)niing a faction, forgetful of national ol)Iigations, and only actuated hy a desins to defend tlieir own sectional in- terests, their own laws, and their own institutions. (Ifear, hear.) The third and only means of solution for our dilHeulti(^s was the junction of the Provinces cither in a Federal or Legislative (Tnion. Now, as regards the coni])arative advantages of a Legislative and a Federal T'nion, F have never hesitated to state my own oijinions. I have again and again stated in the House, that, if practicahle, I thought a Legislative Union would he proferahhi. (Hear, hear.) 1 have always contended that if we could agree to have one government and one parliament, legislating for the whole of these peoples, it would be the b(!st, the cheapest, the most vigorous, and the strongest system of government we could adopt. (Hear, hear.) But, on looking at the subject in the Conference, and discussing the matter as we did. most nnreservedl}', and with a desire to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion, we found that such a sj'stem was impracticable. In the first place, it would not meet the assent of the people of Lower Canada, because they felt tliat in their peculiar position — being itt, a minority, with a ditfereut language, nationality and religion from the majority, — in case of a junction with the other provinces, their institutions and their laws might be assailed, and their ancestral associations, on which they prided themselves, attacked and pnijudiccd ; it was found that any proposition which involved the absorption of the individuality of Lower Canada — if I may use the exjjression — would not be received with favor by her people. We found too, that though their peojjle s])eak the same language and enjoy the same system of law as the people of r])per Canada, a system founded on the common law of England, there was as gn^it a disinclination on the part of the various Maritime Provinces to lose their individuality, as s('])arate i)olitical organizations, as we observed in the case of Lower Canada herself. (Hear, hear.) Therefore, we were forced to the conclusion that we mwst either abandon the idea of Union altogeth(U', or devise a system of union in which the separate provin- cial organizations would be in some degree preserved. So that those who were, like myself, in favor of a L(!gislatii'e Union, were obliged to modify their views and accept the project of a Federal Union as tlu; only scheme jjracticable, even for the Maritime Provinces. Because, although the law of those provinces is founded on the common law of Fngland, yet every on»? of them has a large amount of law of its own — colonial law framed ])y itself, and aifecting every relation of lib', such as tlie laws of property, municipal and assessnu'iit laws ; laws relating to the liberty of the subject, and to all the great interests contem])late(l in legislation; we found, in short, that the statutory law of the diO'erent provinces was so varied and diversified that it was almost impossible to weld them into a Legislative Union at once. Why, sir, if you oidy ccmsider tlic inmunerable subjects of legislation peculiar to new countries, and that every one of those iiv(^ colonies had particular laws of its own, to which its peo])ie have been accustomed and are attached, you will see the difficulty of eflecling and working a Legislative Union, and bringing about an assimilation of the local as well as general laws of the whole of the provinces. (Hear, hear.) TVe in Upper Canada understand J 18 from tho nntuvo and operation of our peculiar municipal law, of which wo know tlic value, the difficulty of framiii},' a general system of legislation on local matters which would mciit tlie wishes and fullil tlu; requirements of tho several provinces. Even the laws considered the least im])ortant, respecting private rights in timlicr, roads, fencing, and innumerahlo other matters, snndl in themselves, l)Ut in the aggregate of great interest to tho agricultural class, who form the great body of llui peo])le, are regarded a^ of great viilue by tlie portion of Die community affected 1)3- them. And when Ave consider that every om^ of tlie colonies has a body of law of this kind, and tiiat it will take years Itefore those laws can be assimilat(!d, it was felt that at first, at all events, any united legislation would be almost impossible. 1 am happy to state— and indeed it appears on the face of the resolutions them.selves — that as regards the Ijower Provinces, a great desire was evinced for the final assimilation of our laws. One of the resolutions provides thfit an atteni])t shall lie nituli' to assimilate the laws of the Maritime Provinces and those of Cpjier Canada, for the purpose of eveutiuill}- establishing one body of statuiory law, loundetl on the common law of Kngland, the parent of the laws of all those provinces. One great olyectioii made to a Federal Union was the expense of an increased nund)er of legislatures. I will not enter at any length into tiiat sidiject, becaus(> my honorable friends, the rinance Minister and tlie President of the Council, who an- infinitely more compelcnl tlian myself to deal wilii mallt.'rs of this kind — matters of account — will, I think, be able to siiow tiiat tJu^ expenses under a Federal L'liion Avill not be greater than those under the existing system of separate governments and legislatures. Here, where we have a joint legislature for Ujiper and Lower Canada, which deals not only with subjects id" a gemn'al interest com- mon to all Canada, but wilii all matters of ])rivate right and sectional interest, and witli that class of measures known as " private bills," we find that one of the greatest sources of expense to the country is the cost of legislation. "\Ve iind, from the admixture of subjects of a general, with those of a private character in legislation, that they mntnally interfere with each other ; whereas, if the attention of the Legislature was contin(d to measures of one kind or the other alone, the session of Parliament would not be so jirotracted and tlieivtbre not so expensive as at iireseiit. In the proposed Constitution ail matters of general interest are to be dealt with by the General Legisla tiire; while the local legislatures will deal with matters of local interest, which do not allect the Confederation as a whole, but are of the greatest impcnlance to their particular sections. Py such a division of lalan- tho sittings of the (leneral Ijcgislature would not be so protracted as even those of Canada alone. And .so with the local legislatures, their att(Mition being confined to subjects pertaining to their own sections, their sessions w«)uld be shorter and less expensive. Then, when Ave consider the encmnons saving that Avill be efl'ected in the administration of affairs by one fieneral Govern- ment — when we reflect that (?ach of the five colonies have a government of its oAvn Avith a complete establishment of public departments and all the machinery required lor the transaction of the business of the country— that each have a separate executive, judicial and militia system— that each province has a separate ministry, including a Minister of Militia, with a 19 comploto Adjutant General's Department — that each have a Finance Minister with a full Customs and Excise stall'— that each Colony has as lar^e and complete au administrative organization, with as many executive officers as the (icncrul Govomment will have — w(! can well understand the enormous saving that will result from a union of all the colonies, from their having Inxt one head and one cinitral system. "We, in Canada, already know something of the advantages and disudvantages of a Federal Union. Although we liave nominally a Legislative Tuion in Canada — although wo sit in one Parliament, supposed constitutionally to represent the peo])le without regard to sections or localities, yet we know, as a matter of fact, that since the union in 1841, we have had a Federal Union; that in mattcu's affecting Upper Canada solely, memljcrs from that section claimed and gencrall}' exercised the right of exclusive legislation, while memln-rs from Lower Canada legislat- ed in matters affecting only their own section. We have had a Federal Union in fact, though a Legislative Union in Tiame ; and in the hot ctnitests of late years, if on any occasion a measure alfecting any one section were interfered with by the meml)er8 from the other — if, for instance, a measure locally affecting Upper Canada were carried or defealed against tlie wishes of its majority, b}' one from Lower Canadii, — my honorat)le fri(.'nd tlie President of the Council, and his friends, denounced with all their energy and ability such legislation as an infringement of the rights of the Upper Province. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) Just in tlie Siune way, if any act concerning Lower Canada were pressed into law against the wishes of the majority of her representatives, by those from Upper Canada, tlie Low(!r Canadians would rise as one man and protest against such a violation of their peculiar rights. (Hear, hear.) Tlie relations between England and Scotland are very .'similar to that which obtains between the Canadas. The union between them, in matters of legislation, is of a iederal character, because the Act of Union between the two countries ])rovides tliat the Scottisli liuv cannot be altered, except for tlie manifest advantage of the people of Scotland. This stipulation has been held to l)e so obligatory on the Legislature of Great Britain, that no measure fitfecting the law of Scotland is passed unless it receives the sanction of a majority of tlie Scottish members in Parliament. Xo matter how important it may be for the interests of the empire as a wliole to alter the laws of Scotland — no matter how much it may interfere with the symmetry of tlie general law of the United Kijigdoni, that law is not altered, except bj the consent of tlie Scottish peojile, as expressed by their representatives in Parliament. ( Hear, hear. ) Thus, we have, in Great Britain, to a limited extent, an example of the work- ing and efl'ects of a Federal I'nion, as we niiglit cxpe(;t to witness them in our t)wn Confederation. The whole scheme of Confederation, as propounded by the Conference, as agreed to and sanctioned by the Canadian Govern- ment, and as now presented for the consideration of the people, and the Legislature, I)ears upon its face the marks of compromise. Of necessity there must have been a great deal of mutual concession. When we think of the representatives of five colonies, all supposed to have different interests, meeting together, charged with the duty of protecting those interests, and of pressing the views of their own localities and sections, it must be admitted 20 that had we not mot in a sjiirit of conciliation, and with an anxious dosirc to promote this union ; if wc liad not hccu imprcssiul with the idea ccmtainod in tlic words of tin- rcsohition — " TImt tlic licst interests and present and future jirosperity of British Nortii America wouUl be promoted liy a Kede.nil Union under the Crown of Great Uritam," — all our efforts luifihthavo proved tohe of noavail. If we had not felt tliat, after cominji to tliis conclusion, we were iKtund to set aside our private o])inions on matters of detail, if we had not felt ourselves Ixiund to look at wiiat Avas practicable, not obstinately rejcctiiifr the opinions of others nor adheriiiff to our own ; if we had not met, I say, in a s])irit of conciliation, and with an anxious, overrulini? desire to form one ])eople under one froverunicnt, we never would have succecuJed. With these views, we press the question on this House and the country. I say to this House, if you do not believe that the union of the colonies is for the advanta^ro of the country, that the joininir of these live peoples into one nation, under one sovereign, is for the benelit of all, then reject the scheme. Reject it if you do not believe it to l)e for the present advantage and futu' oi prosperity of yourselves and your children. I5ut if, after a calm ''"'1 a 'all consideration of this scheme, it is bi'lieved, as a whole, to bo for the advan- tage of this province — if the House and country believe this union to be one which will ensure for us British laws, Hritish connection, and British frcic- d(mi — and increase and dcvclope the social, political and material prosperity of the country, then I implore this House and the country to lay aside all prejudices, and accept the scheme wliich we offer. 1 ask this House to meet the question in the same spirit in which the delegates met it. I ask each member of this House to lay aside his own opinions as to particular details, and to accept the scheme as a whole if he think it beneficial as a whole. As I stated in the preliminary discussion, we must consider this scheme; in the light of a treaty. By a hapj)}' coincidence of circumstances, just Avhen an j\dministration had been formed in Canada for the purpose of attempting a solution of the difficulties under which we laboured, at the same time the liowcr Provinces, actuated by a similar feeling, appointed a Conf(;rence with a view to a union among themselves, witiiout being cognizant of the posi- tion the government was taking in Canada. If it had not been lor this for- tunate coiucidenco of events, never, perluips, for a long series of years would Ave have been ablo to bring this selieme to a practical conclusion. But we did succeed. We nuule the arrangement, agreed upon the sehmne, and the deputations from the several governments represented at the Conference went back pledged to lay it before their governments, and to ask the legisla- tures and people of their respective provinces to nssent to it. T trust the scheme will be assented to as a whole. I am sure this House will not seek to alter it in its unimportant details ; and, if altered in any important provi- sions, the result must be that the whole will be set aside, and we nnist begin (le novo. If ail}" important changes are made, ever\' one of the colonies will feel itself absolved from the implied ol)ligation to deal with it as a Treaty, each province will feel itself at liberty to amend it ad lihi I u »i, f^o as to suit its own views and interests; in fact, the wliole of our labours will have been for nought, and we will have to renew our negotiations with all the colonies for the purpose of esUablishing some new scheme. I hope the House will 21 not adopt any such a course ha will postpone, perhaps for over, or at all events for a loiifr period, all clianees of union. All the stattisincn and pul)!ic men who liave written or sjiol^en on the sultjeet, admit the advantages of a union, if it were praetiealtie: and now when it is provcul to he praetieahie, if we do not enibraee this opportunity, tint present favourable time will pass awaj', and we may never have it again. IJccause, just so .surely as this sehenie is defeated, will be revived tlu' original proposition for a union of the Maritime Provinces, irrespeetive of CaTiada; tliey will not remain as they are now, powerless, seattered, iicipless eoiiiiinniitics ; tiu'y will form them- selve.s into a power, wiiieh, thougli not so strong as if united with Canada, will, neverlhcles.s, be a powerful and eonsiderabie eonnnunity, and it will bo then too late for ns to attempt to strengthen ourselves by this .scheme, which, in the words of the resoluticm, " is fur the b((st interests, and present and future prosperity of IJritish North Anu'riea." If we are not blind to our jiresont position, we must see the hazardous situation in which all the great interests of Canada .stand in respect to the United States. 1 am no alarmist. 1 do not believe in the prospect of immediate war. 1 believe that the coni- nu)n sense of the two nations will prevent a war; still we cannot trust to probabilities. The Government and Legislature would be wanting in their duty to the people if they ran anj' risk. We know that tiie 'Jnited States at this moment are engaged in a war of (Uiorinous dinuMisions — that the occa- sion of a war with Great Uritain has again aiul again arisen, and may at any time in the future again arise. We cannot foresee what ma\' be the result ; we cannot say but that the two nations may drift into a war as other nations have done before. It would then be too late when war had commenced to think of measures for strengthening ourselves, or to begin negotiations for a union with the sister provinces. At this moment, in consequence of the ill- feeling which has arisen betwc^en England and the United States — a feeling of which Canada was not the cause — in consequence of the irritation which exists, owing to the unhappy state of all'airs on this continent, the Kecipro- citj' Treat}', it seems probab'e, is about to be brought to an end — our trade is hampered by the passport system, and at any moment we ma}' be de- prived of permission to cany our goods through United States channels — the bonded goods system may be done awa}^ with, and the winter trade through the United States put an end to. Our merchants may be obliged to return to the old .system of bringing in during the summer mouths the sup- plies for the whole \'ear. Ourselves already threatened, our trade interrupted, our intercourse, political and commercial, destroyed, if we do not take warn- ing now when we have the opportunity, and while one avenue is threatened to be closed, open another by taking advantage of the present an-angement and the desire of the Lower Proviuces to draw closer the alliance between us, wo maj' sutler commercial and political disadvantages it may take long for us to overcome. The Conference having come to the conclusion that a legislative union, pure and simple, was impracticable, our next attempt was to form a government ui)on federal principles, which would give to tlie Ge- neral Government the strength of a legislative and administrative union, while at the same time it preserved that liberty of action for the diiferent sections which is allowed by a Federal Union. And I am strong in the be- o«> lief— that wo havo hit upon the happy inodiniu in those resolutions, and tlial we have formed a selu'mc of j^ovcrnnicnt wliich unites tho advantages of lioth, giving us the strengtii of a h'gislativo union, and the sectional IVeedtmi of a federal union, witli protection to local interests. In doing so wo had the advanliigc! of th(! experience of tiie I'nited States. It is the fashion now to enhirgiMin the defects of th(! Constitution of the T idled States, l)iit I am not one of those who look upon it as a failure. (Hear, hear.) 1 think and ijciieve that it is one of the most .skillfid works which h\unan intelligence ever created ; is one of the most perfect organizations tiiat ever governed a frc(! people. To say that it has some defects is h\it to say that it is not thti work of Onmiscieuco, but of human intellects. We are happily .situated in having had the oi)portunity of watcliing its oprration, seeing its working I'rom its infancy till now. It was in the main formed on liie model of tlie Consti- tution of (rreat Britain, adapted to the circumstances of a new country, and was i)(!rhai)s the only practicable sy.stem tiiat could have been adopted under the circumstances existing at the time of its formation. We can now takt; the advantages of the experience of the last seventy-eight years, during which that CVmstitution has existed, and I am strongly of the belief that we have, in a great nu'asure, avoided in lliis .system wbieh we propose for the adoption of the peo|)le of Canada, tho defects which time and events have shown to e.vist in the American Constitution. In the first place, by a resolution which meets with the universal ajjproval of the peoi)le of this country-, we have ])ro- vided that for all time to come, so far as we can legislate for tho future, we shall have as llie head oi' the executive power, the Sovereign of (ireat Hrilain. (Hear, hear.) No (me cm look into futurity and say what Avill be tho des- tiny' of this country. Changes come over nations and peo])]es in the course of ages. IJut, so far as we can legislate, Ave provide that, for all time to come, the Sovereign of Croat Britain shall be the Sovereign of British Xorth America. By adlioring to the monarchical principle, wo avoid (mo defect inherent in the Constitution of the Cnited State<. By the electired to each state, except those powers which, by the Constitution, were con- ferred upon the General (iovcrnment and ('onj^ress. Here we haves adopted a different , ■system. ^V^i have strcuf^tiiened the (ieiu'ral Governuient. AVe have iiiven tho General Lcfjislature all tlie irreat subjects of le::islatioii. We have conferred on them, not only siiecilically and in detail, all the powers which are incident to sovercijruty, but we have exjjressly declared that all sulijects of /general interest not distinctly and exclusively conferred upon the local {xovernuumts and local Icffislalures, shall be conferred upon the Gene- ral Government and IjCfrislat are. Wo have thus avoided that fi'reat source of weakness which has been tin.' cause of the disru|)tion of the United States. We have avoided all conflict cd" jurisdiction and authority, and if tliis Consti- ti(Hi is carried out, as it will be in full detail in the Imperial Act to be passed if tho Colonies adopt the scheme, we will have, intact, as I said before, all the advantafies of a lofjislativo uni(Ui under one administration, with, at tho same time, the guarantees for local institutions and for local laws, which uu) insisted upon by so many in the provinces luiw, 1 hojie, to las united. I think it is well that, in framing our Constitution — although my honorable friend the uusmber for llochclaga (lion. ilr. Dorion) sneered at it tho other day, in the discussion on the Address in reply to the si»cech from tho Throne — our first act should have been to recognize the sovereignty of Her Majesty. (Hear, hear-) 1 believe that, while Kngland has no desire to loso her colon- ies, but wishes to retain them, while I am satisfied that the public nn"nd of England would deeply regret tho loss of these provinces — yet, if tho people of British IS^^orth America, after full deliberation, had stated that they c(jnsi- dered it was fen* their interest, for the advantage of the future of IJritish North America to sever the tie, such is tho generosity of tho people of Eng- land, that, whatever their desire to keep these colonies, they would not seek to compel us to remain unwilling subjects of the British Crown. If, therefore, at the Conference, we had an-iyed at the conclusion, that it was for the 24 intorest of these provinces that a severance shonld take place, I am sure that Jier Majesty and the Ini])evinl Parliament would have sanctioned that sevcn*- nnce. Wc accordinf^dy f'oU, that there was a jjropricty in jjjivinf; a distinct declaration of opinion on that point, and tliat, in i'raniin^ the Constitution, its first scTitencc should declare, that " Tlie Executive authority or government shall be vested in the Soveroiirn of tiie I Tinted Kingdom of Great Hritain and frcland, and be adininisten;d according to the widl understood ])rinciples of the Mritish Constitution, by the Sovereign personally, or by tln^ Eepreseu- tative of the Sovereign duly authorised." That nssoiution met with the unanimous assent of the Conference. The desirci to renuiin connected with (Ireat Britain and to retain our allegiance to Her Majesty was nnauimous. Not a single suggestion was nuule, that it could, l>y any possibility, be for the interest of the colonies, or of any section or portion of them, that then; should be a severance of our connection. Although we kntiw it to be possi- ble that Canada, from her position, might be exi)osed to all the iiorrors of war, by reason of causes of hostility arising between Great liritain and the United States — causes over which wo had no control, and whicli wc had no Inmd in bringing about — yet there was a imanimnus feeling of willingness to run all the hazards of war, if war must come, rather tlian lose the connection between the Mother C(mntry ami these c(donies. (Cheers.) 'tV'e ])rovide that " the Executive authority shall be administered by the Sovereign per- sonally, or by the Representative of the Sovereign duly authorized." It is too much to expect that the Queen should vouchsafe us her personal govern- ance or presence, except to pay us, as the heir ajjparent of the Throne, our future Sovereign has already paid iis, the graceful com])liuu'>nt of a visit. The Executive authority must therefore be administered by llcr Majesty's Representative. "We place no restriction on Her Majesty's prerogative in thc! selection - tlic i)arty, attoin])t to overrule the independent opinion of tlie l'])|)er Mouse, by tilling it Avith a number of its ])artisans ami political suiijjorters The provision in the Constitution, that the Legislative Council shall consist of a limited number of nu'iuliers — that each of the great sections shall appoint twenty lour members and no more, will ])rovcnt the Fjjper House from being swamped troni time to time by tlie ministry of the day, for the ])urpose of carrying out their own schenu's or pleasing their partisans. The fact of the govennneut being prevented from exc(!eding a limited number will preserve the independence of the I'pper House, and nnvke it, in reality, a se])arate and distinct chamber, having a legitimate and C(mtrolling influence in the legislation of the country. The ol)jection has lieen taken that in co!ise(iuenc(^ of rhe Crown being deprived of the right of unlimited ai)pointnient, there is a chance of a dead lock arising between t!i(> two Jn-anches of the legislature ; a chance that the L'i)per House being altogether imlepeiident of the Sovereign, of the Lower House, and of the advisers of the Crown, nniy act indei)eiulently, and so independently as to produce a dead lock. I do not anticipate any such result. In the first plac(^ Ave knoAv that in l"]ngland it does not arise. There Avould l)e no use of an Cpper House, if it did not exercise, Avhen it tlumght proper, the right of op])osing or amending or postponing the legislation of the Lower House. It Avould b(> of no value AA'hatever AA-ere it a nu're chaml)er for registering the decrees of the LoAver H(mse. It must be an independent House, having a friie action of its oavu, for it is only A'aluable as being a regulating body, calmly considering the legislation initiated by the popular branch, aiul pre- venting any hasty or ill c(msidered legislation Avhirh may come from that body, but it will jiever set itself in opposition against the deliberate and understood Avishes of the i)eople. Even the House of Lords, Avhich as an hercKlitary body, is tar more independent than one appointed for life can be, whenever it ascertains Avhat is the calm, deliberate Avill of the people of England, it yields, and never in nuKlern times has there been, in fact or act, any attempt to overrule the decisions of that House by the {ii)i)ointment of new peers, excepting, i)erhaps, (mce in the reign of Queen Anne. It is true that in 18H2 such an iiu-reasi^ was threatened in consequence of the reiterated refusal of the House of Peers to i)ass the Keform Hill. I have no doubt the threat Avould hiive been canned into ett'ect, if necessary ; but every one, eve!i the Ministry Avho advised that step, admitted that it would be a revolutiimary act, a breach of the Constitution to do so, and it Avas because of the necessity of ])reventing the bloody revolution which hung over the land, if the Eeform Hill had been longer refused to the people of England, that they consented to the bloodless revolution of overriding the independent opinion of the House of Lords on that question. (Hear, hear.) Since that time it has never been attempted, and I am satisfied it Avill never be attempted again. Only a year or two ago the House of Lords rejected the Paper Duties Hill, and they acted quite constituti(mally, according to the letter and, as many think, according to the spirit of the Ctmstitution in doing so. Yet when they found they had iuterferod vrith a subject which the people's 28 uouse claimed as belonging of right to themselves, the very next session they fibandoned their position, not becanse they were convinced they had done wrong, but l)ecause the\' had ascertained what was the deliberate voice of the representatives of the peo])le on the sul)j(>ct. In tliis conntry, we must re- member, that the gentlemen who will I..' selected for tiie Legislative Council stand on a vcr^' dilfcrent footing from tlie ])('('rs of Kiiglaiid. They have not like them any ancestral associutions or iiositioiis derived from history. They have not that direct influence! on the people thenisehcs, or on thi' po])ular branch of the legislature, which the peers of England exercise, from their gi'cat wealth, their vast territorial possessions, their nuinenms tenantry, and tliat prestige with wliich the exalted position of tlieir class for centuries has invested them. (Hear. Ju'ar ) Tiu' uu'iuliers of our I'pper Jlouse will lie like t])ose of the Lower, nuui of the ))eople, and from liie iieople. The man put into th(i I'pper llcmse is as much a nuin of the jx'ojde the day after, as liie day before his elevation. Springing from the people, and one of them, ho takes his seat in the Council with all the sympathies and feelings of a man of the people, and when he returns home, at th.e end of tiu' session, h(! mingles with th(un on equal terms, and is intluenced by tlu' same feelings nnd asso- ciations, and events, as those which affect tlie mass aromul him. .\nd is it, then, to be supposed that the niemliers of the upper branch of the legislature will set themselves deliberately at work to opjjose what they know to be the settled opinions ami wishes of the people of the country I They will not do it. There is no fear of a dead lock I)etwcen the two houses. 'J'here is an iii- linitely greater chance of a dead lock between the two branches of the Legis- lature, should the elective principle be adopted, tJian with a nominaled chamber — chosen by the (Jrown, and having no mission Intin the people. The members of the Upper Chamber would then come from the people as well as those of the Lower iionse, and should any dilferencc ever arise between both branches, the former could say to tho nuMuhers of the ])opular ijranch — " We as much represent the feelings of the people, as you do, and even more so ; we are not ele(;tod from snudl localities and for a short period ; you as a body were elected at a particular time, when tin; public mind was running in a particular channel; you were returned to i^arlianu'ut, not so much representing the gen(>ral views of the country, on general ciuestions, as upon the particular subjects which happened to engage the minds of the people when they went to the polls. We have as much right, or a better right, than you to be considered as representing the delibiirate will of the people on general questions, and therefore wo will not give way." (lf(;ar, hear.) There is, I repeat, a greater danger of an irreconcilal)le difference of opinion between the two branches of the Legif-lature, if the I'pper be elective, than if it holds its commissiim from the Crown. Besides, it must be remem- bered that an Upper House, t\w mendjcrs of which are to be appointed for life, would not have the same quality of permanence as the House of Lords; our members would die; strangers would succeed thom, whereas son suc- ceeded father in the House of Lords. Thus, the changes in the membership and state of opinion in our Upper Jlouse would ah\iiys bo more rapid than in the House of Lords. To show how sp(!edily changes have; occured in the Upper House, as regards life members, 1 will call the attention of the House I 29 to tho followiiif? fiicts:— At tlu; call of tho Honso, in Febraary, 1H56, forty- two lifo iiR'nibors rospondcil ; two years afterwards, in 1858, only thirty-five ' aiisw(M-(;(l to thoir luuuos ; in 1.'^()'2 tiioro Avcrft only twonty-fivo lifo members I(!ft, nnd in 1H()4, bnt tAvcnty-one. (Hear, hear.) This shows how spoodily changes take place in the life nienil)ership. But remarkable as this change has been, it is not so irreat as that in regard to the elected members. Though the elective principle only came into force in IHoG, and although only twelve men were elected that year, and twelve mon; every two years since, twenty- four changes have already taken place by the decease of member'^, by the acceptance of office, ami by resignation. So it is quite clear that, should there be on any (lueslion a dillerenci! of opinion between the Upper and Lower Houses, tlie government of the day being obliged to have the confi- dence of the majority in thi! pojuilar branch, would, for the purpose of bring- ing the ibrmer into accord and sympathy with the latter, till up any vacancies that might occur, witli men of the same ])o]itical feelings and sympathies with the Uovernment, and ccmscfjuently Avitii those of the majority hi tho poi)ular branch ; and all the appointments of tlie Administration would bo made with the object of maintaining tlie sy m])athy and harmony between the two Houses. (Hear, lu'ar.) There is this additional advantage to be ex- ptfcted from the limitation. To the L'pper House is to be confided tho protection of sectional interests ; tlierefbre is it that the three great divisions are there equally represent<>d, for the puqxjse of defending such interests against the combinations of majorities in the Assembly. It will, therefore, become tlie interest of eacli section to be represented by its very best men, nnd the members of the Administration who belong to eacli section will seu that sucli men are chosen, in case of a vacancy in their .section. For tho pamo reason each Htat(i of IIk; American Union seiuls its two best men to represent its interests in tho Senate. (Hear, hear.) It is provided in the Constitution that in tin; first sdecrions Ibr the Comu-il, regard shall be had to those who now hold similar jio-ilions in the diiferent colonies. This, it iippears to me, is a wise provision. In all th.^ Provinces, except Prince Edward, there are gentlemen who hold commissicais for the Upper House for life. In Canada, tliere are a number who hold under that commission ; but the majority of them liold by a commis.sion, not, perhaps, from a monarchiiil point of view so honorabU'. — because the Queen is the fimntain of honor, — but still, as holding their aiipointment from the people, they may be considered as standing on a ])ar with those who have Her M:\jesty's connnission. There can be no reason suggested why thosis who have had experience in legislation, wh(!ther they hold their positions hy tho election of the people or have received prelermeiit from th(! (,'rown — there is no valid reason why those men should be passed over, and new men sought for to form the Legislative Coun- cil of tile Confederation. It is, therefore j)rovided that the selection shall be made from those gentlemen who are now members of the upper branch of tlip Legislature in each of tho colonies, for seats iu the Legislative Council of the (ieneral Legislature. The ariangement in this respect is somewhat similar to that by which Representative Peers are chosen from the Peers of Scotland and Ireland, to tit; iu tho Parliament of the United Kingdom. In like manner, the members of tho Legislative Council of tho proposed Confedera- 30 llnii w ill he (irst ^clt-ctod from the existing' l.cfrisliUivo ('ouiicils «'!' tlio various I'mvinct's. In llii- t'oriniition of tlio JIouso of Coimuous, tlic princijili' of ri'i)rcsri.i,ili(;ii li\- ]ioi)uliition lias been jirovidcd (or in a iiiaiiucr iMiiially in,i;ciiiniis and simiiic. The iiilroduetion of this iirinciph' i)rt'scnli'd at first I lie aiijiiirciil ditiiculty of a constantly increasing' body niitil, with tint iiH Tcasinj,^ jiojiulation, it would bocomo incoiivcniontly and cNpciisively largo. Hut by adopting the representation of Jiower Canada as a lixed standard — as tiie pivot on which the whole would turn — that l'ro\ inci; being I he best suited for the purjiose. on accoinit of the coiniiavativf ly permanent ciuiracler of its population, and from its having neither the largoi imr least number of iniiabitants — we have been enalth'il to overcome liie ditUcnlty i have nientioiied. AVe have introduced the system of representation by popu- lation without the danger of an inconvenient increase \n the number of I'epresentatives on the ret-urreiice of each decennial jieriod. The whole tiling is worked liy a simple rule of three. For instance, we have in l'])per Canada l,4iMi,()()U of a i)oi)nlation ; in Lower Canada J,10((,i)(hi. Now, the ])roposition is simply llii.> — W Jiower Canada, with its jiopnlation of J,IO(t,U()0, has a right to (M memliers, how many members shoukl I'pper Canada have, with its larger popidalion of 1,4U(l,U()(.i ? Tho same rule apjiliesto the other Provinces — the [iroixirlion is always (d)st,'rved and the ]irinciple of rejiresi'iitation by populaiion carrieil out, while, at the same time, there will not be ilcceiinially all inconvenient increase in the numbers of the Lower House. At the r-ame time, then; is a ecmstitutioiial provisiim that hereafter, if deemed advisaljle. the total number of representatives may he increased from IIM, the number tixed in the lirst instance. In that case, if an increase is made, ijower Canada id still to remain the jiivot on which the wliole calculation will turn. If Lower Canada, insti-ad of (lo, shall have TU members, then the calculation will be, if JiOwer Canada has seventy members, with such a poiiulation. how many shall Uiijier Canada have with a larger population i 1 was in lavor of a larger ll(mse than one hundred and ninety-four, but was overruled. 1 Avas perha])s singular in the opinion, but I thought it would be well to commence with a larger representation in the h)wer hrauch. The arguments against this were, that, in the first place, it would cause additional expense ; ill the next place, that in a new country like this, we could not get a sutli- cieiit number ol' qualified men to be repnisentatives. My n^ply was that the iiuiifner is rapidly increasing as we increase in education and wealth ; that a larger field would be open to political ambition by having a larger body of representatives; lluii 'ly having numerous and smaller constituencies, more ]K'ople would be interested in the working of the union, and that there would be a wider field for selectic.n for leaders of goverunumts and leaders of ])ar- ties. These arc my individuaKsentiments, — which, perhaps, I have no right to express hen — but I was overruled, and we fixed on tho number of one hundred and ninety-four, which no one will say is large or extensive, when it is cousidered that our present number in Canada alone is one hundred and thirty. The difference! between one hundred and thirty and one hundred and ninety-four is not great, considering the large increase that will l)e made to (uir population when Confederation is carried into effect. While the prin- eijile of representation by population is adopted with respect to the popular 31 bmiu'h (tl'tho logisliituru, not ii siiifilu iiicmiici- of tin; Conrcreiicc, us 1 stated bcfon;, iKtt a single! oiw. of tlui rcpa'sontntivos of tlio govi.'nmu'ut or of tho opposition of uuy one of the Lo\v(!r Provinces was in favor of universal suf- frage. Every one felt that iu this respect the i)rinciple of tlic British Con- stitution should be carried out, and that classes and projH.'rty slu)uld be re- presented as well as numbers, lusuperalde diHiculties would have present- ed tiiemselves if we had attempted to setth; now the (lunlilicatiou for the elective franchise. AVe liave diiferent laws in each of the cedonies, fixing the qualiticatiou of electors for their own local legislaliu'es ; and we therefore adopted a similar clause to tiiat which is contained in tho Canadii Union Act of 1841, viz., that all the laws which atlected the qualiticatiou of mem- bers anil of voters, which atlected the appointment and conduct of returning officers ami the proceedings at ek'ctions, as well as tlu^ trial of controverted elections in the separate provinces, siu)uld obtain in the lirst election to the Confederate Parlianu'ut, so that every man who has luiw a vote in his own jirovince, should continue to have a vote in choosing a representative to the first Federal Parliann-nt. And it was left to the. Parliament of the Confe- deration, as one of their lirst duties, to consider and to settle by an act of their own tho quaiilicat ion for the elective franchise, which would apply to th(! whole Confederation. In considering the question of the duration of Parlianu'iil, we came to tiie conclusion to reconunend a period of five years. I was in favor of a. longer period. 1 tiiougiit that the duration of tho local legislatures should not be shortened so as to bi; less than four y(!ars,asat present, and that the (leneral Parliament should have as long a duration as that of the United Kingdom. I was willing to have gone; to the extent of seven j'ears ; but a term of live years was preferred, and we luulthe example of the Xew Zealand carefully considered. iu)t (mly locally', but by the Impe- rial Parliament, and which gave tlie provinces of those islands a general parliament, with a duration ol tive yt''"'"^- i^id- it was a matter of little im- portance whether five years or finvi-n years was the term, the power of dis- solution by the Crown havuig been reserved. I find, on looking at the dura- tion of ])arliainents since the accession of GosuriMl of its jxi^ition, it must have the full ])owcr of arranging; and ro- nrraujrinu' tlie electoral limits ol' its con>tituencies as it pleases, such tieinir one of the powers essentially necessary ro such a Lcp'slatnro. (Hear, hear.) I ^'hall i;"t (leliiin th(> ilonse l)y enterin.ix into a consideration at any lenirtli of th(^ (I'lievent powers conferred upon the General Parliament as contrndis- tinicnished from those reserved to tiu) local le;.,'islatures ; l)ut any honorable member on examining- the list of ditJ'erent subjects which are to bi' assigned to the G<'neral and Local Legislatrnvs respectively, will see that allthetrreat questions which alieet tiu! general interests of the Confederacy as a whole, are coniided to the Federal Parliament, wliile tho local interests and local laws of each section arc in-eserved intact, and entrusted to tlie care of tho local bodies. As a matter of course, thi; General Parliament must have tho ])ower of dealing with the ]mblic debt and property of the Confederation. Of eourse, too, it must have the regulation of trade; and commerce, of cus- toms and exci-;e. The Fedei'al I'arliament nuist have the sovereign power of raisijig money from such sources and by such means as the representatives of the people will allow. It will be seen that the local legislatures have the control of all local works ; and it is a nnitter of great importance, and one of tile chief advantages of the Federal L'niou and of local legislatures, that each ])rr.vince will have the ])ower and means of developing its own resources and aidirii- its own jirogress after its own fashion and in its own way. Thereforo all tlie local imiirovements, all local enterprises or undertakings of any kind, have been left to the can; and management of the local legislatures of each province. (Cheers.) It is jirovided that all " lines of steam or other ships, railways, canals and other works, connecting any two or more of the pro- viiK'cs together, or extending boytmd the limits of any province," shall belong to tl;e GeiKM-al Government, and be under the control of tho General Legis- In like inner " lines of steamships between the Federated Pro- vinces and other countries, telegrajih coinnmuication and tho incorporation of telegrapli companies, and all such works as shall, although lying within any province, be specially declared by the Acts authorizing them, to be for the general advantage," shall belong to the General Govf.'rnment. For in- stai'.ce, tlu! Welland Canal, though lying wholly within om; section, and the .St. Lawrence Canals in two only, may bi; properly considered mitional works, and for the general benefit ol the whole Federation. Again, tho census, tho Hi 33 ascortainiiif? of our numbers and tlio oxtent of our rcsonrcos, musr, us a runt- tor ot'peuoral intorcst, boloug to the CJciu'nil (iovcniuicnt. So also with the (lofcncos of tho country'. Ouo of the jircat advautajnos of Coufcdoration is, that wn hiliall havo a uiutod, a eoufcrtt'd, and unilunu systoiu of dcffucc- (ITcar.) W(i aro at this iiiouu'ut with a diiicrcnt militia systoui in oaoh colony — in some of tho colcmiifs with an utter want of any system of defence. "Wo luive a uumher of separate stalf establishments, without any avranfre- nient between the colonies as to the means, either of (h'fence or offence. Hut, under thi- union, we Avill have one system of defence, and (me system of nnlitia orj^anization. In thi; event of the Lowcir Provinci'S beincue. Should we have to (ifi'hl on our lakes ajrainst a foreiirn foe, we will have the hardy seanuMi of the Lower Provinces citmini,' to our assistance andnuinninfj our vessels. (Hear, hear.) "We will have one system of defence, and be (mo people, actinp tojrether alike in peace and in war. ((,'heers.) The crinn'inil law too — the deternunation of what is a crime and what is not and how crimcj .shall be punished — is left to tho (ieneral fiovernment. This is a matter almost of necessity'. It is of great importance that we slumld havo the same crinunal law throughout tlujse Provinces — that what is a crime in one })art of British America, should be a crime in every part — that there should be tho same protection of life and property as in anotliei. It is one of the defects in tho United States system, that each separate stale has or may have a criminal code of its own, — that wliat may be a capital offence in one state, may bo a venial ofi'encc, punishaltle slijihtly, in another. Hut under our Constitution wo shall have one body of criminal law, based on tlio criminal law of Enjrland, and operating equally thnuiirhout Pritish Anu'rica, so that a British American, belonging to what Province he may, or goii;g to any other part of the Confederation, knows what his rights are in that respect, and what his pmiishmcnt will be if an offender against the criminal laws of the land. I think this is one of the most inarked instances in which we take advantage of tho experience derived from our observation of the dcd'ects in the Constitu- tion of the m.'ighboring Kepublii;. (Hear, hear.) Tlie 3'3rd provisi(m is of very great importance to the future well-being of thesiiiulaliipii ol tlu' staliiKn'y l:i.\v of nil those jimvincos, which has. as its root niid roiiiuliitioii, tin- cominnii h.w of liii^'iiiml. l.iiL to jirovi-iit ionil iiit('ft!s(s Iroiii Ix'iiif,' ovcf-riihk'ii, tlu- sumo sfctloii iiiiikcs jirovisioii, tlml, whilo ])(nvor is ^ivcii to the (ii'iicral lA'fi'islatiirc to ch'al with tiiis .sulfjis'l, no ( haii^'i' ill this n's|)('ct should have the lurce ami aiilhorii y of hiw in any lirovince until sanclioiied hy tiic hri^i^lat iii'e oi' liial prnvinee. (Hear, iiear.) The (ieiierai Lejiislutnre is to have power to e>ta!ilish a general Conrt ol' Appeal lor the Federated I'roviiiees. Althongh the Canadian Ijc-gishitiiro has always had the power to estaldish a, ('mirt oC Appeal, to whieh appealrt may he made iVom the eonrts ol' l'])per and Jjower Canada, W(^ have never availed ourselves of the power. Cjiper Canada has its own Court of Appeal, so has Lower Canada. .Vnd tiiis system will eonliuue until a (ieiu-ral ('ourt of .\lil)eal shall ht! estaldished hy llie il,Miera! Li'irislature. Tiie Constit ulion does not jji-ovide that siieh a court shall be eslai)lished. There are many arii;umeiils fur and airainst the eslahlititiition a power to the. (leiiural Ijcjiishiture, that, if alter lull eonsi nortion of the Constitution, confers on tlic Geuoral Legislature the general mass of sovereign legislation, the ])()wer to legislate on "all matters of a gi'iiei'al character, not specially and exclusively reserved fur the local governments and legisluture^." This is ])recisely tlu; |irovision whicli is wanting in the Constitution of the United States. It is here that,wo liiid the weakness of the American system — the point where tlio American Constitution breaks down. ( Hear, hear.) Jt is in itself a wise and necessary provision. W'i' thereby strengthen the Ontral Parliti'.vnit, and make the (Joufederation one peuple and one government, instead of iivo pe()])les and iive governments, with merely a point of authority connecting us to a limited and insuflicient extent. With respect to the local governments, it is provided that each shall be governed by a chief executive officer, who shall bo uominated by the (ieueral Cuvcrnnient. As this is tu be one united lirovince, with the local governments and legislatures sidiordinate to the (leneral (iovernuKMit and Legislatun\ it, is ol)vious that the chief ex(!cutive officer in each of lie' ])rovinces must be subordinate as well. The (Jeiieral (iovernmeiit a-isumes towards the local governments preciscl}' the same position as the Imperial (iuvernment holds with respect to each of the colonies now; so that as the Lieutenant (iovernor of each of the dili'erent jirovinces is now appointed dii'eclly by the (^>ueen, and is directly' responsible, and reports directly lo Her, so will the executives of the local governments hereafter be subordinate to the Rej)re>eatativo oi' the (^ucen,and be responsiitle and report to liim. Objection has been taken that there is an infringement of the Koyul prei\»gative in giving the pardoning power to the local governors, who are not appointed directly by the Crown, but only indirectly b\- the Chief Executive of the (Jouleileratiou, who is appointed by the Crown. This * 36 ( Itrovi.^itiii was iii.siirtcd iu tin; C'dn.stilutioii on ai ictiiil nl ihc pr,, ival .illi'iilt.i wliich iiuist. iiriso if the ])o\vcr is conliiiLMl to tlic (iovitijih' ' ..•tioral. K"'r cxiuniili.', if a (iiicslioii arosi- ulxmt, the; (lisL'lim%'t; of a prisoiuT > iiivii-lcd (il iiiiiKir iillt'iK'o, say ill .\'('\v['(iiiii(llaii(l, who luiL'iit la; in iininiiuiit daiij-i f n iitsiiiir liis life if 111! R!iiiaiii('(l in (•(iiiliiicincnt, tin' cxcrciM' dl' llic iiardoiiini,' |ii)\vc,r iiiig'lit coiiK! tu(» latt^ if it were necessary to wait \'i>v tlie action of the (iovui'iior (ieneral. Il must be rciueniheivd tliat tlie jiardoninj,' ])ower not only extends to capital cases, but to every case of coiniction and sentence, no matter how trilling — even lo tiie case of a Jinc in ilie natnre of a sontoneo on '.riiiiinal conviction. It, extends to innuuieraMe ca.-es, wliere, if the irsponsibility for its exercise ^vere thrown on tin- (ieiieral I'Jxecutive, it cmihl not bo so satisfactorily discliarged. OICoium; Iheru must lic.incdch province, u legal adviser of tlie JOxccutivc, occnpyinu' the posiiidii of our Attona-v iJeiHiral, us there is in every state of the American I'nion. This oliicer will Ik! an odicer of the Local (Jovermneni ; luit, if tlie iiardonin.ir power is reserved for the Chief Kxecntive, there must, in mery case where the exereiso of tlie pardoning power is sonjiiit.be a ilirecl communication and report fnnii the local law officer to the Governor (ieneral. Tiie jiractical inconvenience of this was lelt to lie so ii'reat, tliat il was thoiif^lit well to propose the arrangeineul Ave did, wilhonl any desire to infrinfre upon llie prerogatives of the Crowu, lor oiir whole action shews that tlie Conference, in every slej) they took, wcih; actuated by a dc'sire to guard jealously these jirerogatives. (Hear, hear.) It is a subject, however, of 1 mperial iiit(U-est, and if the linperiul (.joveninieiil and Imperial rariiaiuenl arc not convinced by the arguments we will be able to press upon them fur the continuation ol" that elause, then, of course, us the over-ruling power, they may set it aside. (Hear, hear.) There are uuinerou.-; subjects which belong, of right, both to tiie Local and Cieueral Parliaments. In all these eases it is iirovided, in order to prevent a coniliet of authority, that where there is a eoncurrout jurisdiction in the (Joneriil and Jiucal Parliaments, the .same rule should apply as now applies in eases where there is eoueurrent jurisdicticm in the rmperial and in the rrovincial Parliaments, aiul that when the legislation of the one is adverse to or contradictory of the legislation of the other, in all sucli cases tlie action of the General Parliament must ovcirrule, ex-necessitate, the action of the Local Legislature. (Hear, hear.; We have introduced also all tiiose provisions which are necessary iu order to the full working out of the Hritish Constitution in these i)rovinces. We provide that there shall ])i' no money votes, unless those votes are introduceil iu the popular branch of the Legisla- ture on the authority of the responsible advisers of the Crown — those with wIkmu th(^ responsibility rests i\r into liy luy two iKtuonililt friends. Tin; lust n'solutinn (tf uuy imiiortiiiifi) is one wliidi, ;i!i!i(iu,Lrli imt iill'ciliiiu' tho suhstiiiico of tluf (jonsti- tutiuu, is (li'iiitiTi'st to lis all. It is that " licr .Majesty tli(( (j)uo(>iiho solicitcid ti> dettnoiiie tlio rank and name of the federated I'mviuees." I do not know wlietlier there will he any expression of opinion in this lloiiso on this suhject — \\helher we are In he a viee-royally, or whether av(! are still to retain our rianu' and rank as a I'mviuce. Ihit I liavo no douht Her MaJ<'sty will ^r.\\X' the matli-r Her ,iiraeions eon^ideratinn, il at Sic will uive us a mime satisl'ae- tory to us al!. and that the rank She vill eonfer upon iis ■will ho ii rniik worthy of our n<'sifion, of (tur resources, iiiid of our future. (Cheers.) Lot me aifain, before I sit down, impress upon tliis liousc the necessity' of inc't- intr this ([uestioii in a spirit of eomproinise, with a disposition to judjro tho matter as a whole, to consider whether reall\' it is fiu' tho benotit and udvan- ta^'o of the country' to form a Conlideration of all tho Provinces; and if honorable gentlemen, whatever may have been their preconceived ideas us to tho merits of tho details of this measure, whiitcver may still bo their opinions as to these details. il'll;ey really believe that tho scheme is one by which tho prosperity of tlu! country will be increased, and its future progress secured, I ask them to yield Iheir own views, ai;d to deal with the schenu; accord iig to its merits as one jrrcat wludc. (Hear, iicai.) One argument, but not astron^; one, lias been u uiiidii tiilt, a third rate jtowcr. And wiili a rapidly iiicrctisinR population — for 1 am sali^licd tlmt under this union niir pdiml.'itidU will increase in a still {rrcatcr ratio liian ever hclnrc — with incrcascii crcdil — with ft hi^'hcr po-ition in the eyes of llurojie— with the increased security we can ofl'er to inmii^rrants, who vould naturally jireler to seek a new home in what s known to tlu'in as a great conulry. than in any onct littli* colony or another — with all this, J am satisfied that, j^reat as ha-< heen our increase iu llu; last twenty-fivo years since the nniim between I'nper and Lower Canada, onr luturc [(rofrress, during the next ijuarter of a century, will he va-itly greater. (<,'lu'ers.) And wiicn, by means of this rajiid increa-^e, we hecume a nation of eight {)V nine millions ol' inhabitants, lair alliance will be worthy ot' being sought by tho great nations of the earlli. (Near, hear.) 1 am ]iroud to believe that our desire lor a permanent alliance will in; reciprocated in i'lng- land. 1 know that thero is a jiarty in I'jigland — but it is inconsiderable in numbers, though strong iu intellect and jxiwer — which speaks (if tho desirability of getting rid of tlu! colonies; but [ believe such is not the fo(ding oi the stat(!smcn and the people of England. 1 lielievt* it Avill never bo tho delilterately expressed determination of the (ii>vernment, of Great Jiritain. (ili'ar, hear.) 'I'he colonies arc imw in a transitinu state. Gradually' a different colonial system is being devdopetl — and it will become, year by year, less a case of depemlcnce on our ])art, and of overruling i)ro- toction on the part of the Mother Country, and more a case, of a healthy and cordial alliance. Instead of looking njiou ns as a nuindy depcmlent colony. England will have in us a friendly nation — a subordinate but still a ]i(twerl'ul people — to stand by her in .\orth America iu peace or in war. (t'ln'crs.) The ])eo])k! of .\nstralia will Ik; such another suliurdinate nation. .\nd Kng- laud will have this advantage, if her coionii's progress \md(!rthe new colonial system, as I laditive they will, that, though at war with all the rest of the world, she will be able to look to the siibordinat(* nations in alliance with her, and owning allegiance t(» tint same Sovereign, who will as'^ist iu enabling her again to meet the Avliole world in_ arms, as she has done bel'ore. ((-'beers.) And if. iu the great .Napoleonic war, with every port in Kurope closed against her r(nnmei'ce, she Mas yet able to iiold her own, how noTcJi mori- Avill that be the case when she has a ctdonial cmiiire rajiidly increasing in power, in wealth, in influeiu-e, and in position. (Hear, hear.) It is true that we stand in danger, as we have stood iu danger again and again iu Caimda, of being plunged into war, and suffering all its dreadful couse.iuences, as tin; result of causes over which we have no control, by reason of their conncclion. This, however, did not intinudate us. At tho very mention of tho prospect of a war some time ago, how were the feelings of tlic i)coi)le aroused from one extremity of British America to the other, iind projtarations nnide for meet- ing its worst consequences. Although the ])eoph,> of this country are fully aware of tlie horrors of war — should a war arise, unfortunately, between tln^ United States and England, and wo all pray it never may — they are still 38 ivadv to (MUMiimtcr i'HIs of that kind, lor the sako oftlic c Kn};;liiiul. Then' is not oiic iulvcrso voice, not oiii' advcnse ( onneotion pinion ■with on that point. ^V(• ill! ('('('I tlic advant.ijics we derive from our eonnoction with Kn^'- liind. So h)n.i: as that aiiiaiice is maintained, we enjoy, luider iier ])rolection, tile itrivilejres '.I' constitutional lilierty accordinj^ to the Itritish system. AVe will enjoy here that which is tiie ^reat test of constitutional freedom — we will have the righls of the minority respected. (Hear, hoar.) In all coun- tries the riu'hts of tlie majority take care of themselves, hut it is oidy iu countries like I'hijiland, cnjoyinj;' constitiiUonal lihorty, and safe from the tyranny of a siiifrle desj)ot or of an unhridled democracy, that the rig'hts ol minorities are reirarded. So long, too, as we form a portion of tlie Britisli Empire, we shall have the exam])le of her free institutions, of the high stan- dard of the character of her statesmen and j)uhlic men, of the purity of her legislation, and tlie ujiright admiinstration of her laws. In this younger country one great advantage of our connection with (ireat Hritain will he, that, under her auspices, inspired hy her example, a portion oi' her empire, our puhlic men will he actuated hy princijiles sinn'lar to those which actuate? th" statesmen at home, These, although not material, ])hysieal henetits, of which you can make an arithmetical calculation, are of such overwhtdming advantages to our future interests and standing as a nation, that to ohtain them is well worthy of any sacrilices we may he called upon to nuike, and the peoiile of this eountrv are ready to make them. (Clieers.) We slumld feel, also, sincerely grateful to henetieeiit Providence that we have had the opportunity vouchsafed us of calndy considering this great cmistitutioiuil change, this peacefid re\olution — that we have not heen hurried into it, like the United States, liy ihe exigeiu'ies of war — that we have iu)t had a vi(dent revolutionary jjcriod forced on us, as in other nations, hy hostile action from witlumt, or hy domestic disseiisitms within. Here we are iu peace and ])ros- perity, under the fostering governnuuit of (ireat liritain — a de])endent peo- jde, with a government having only a limited and didegated authority, and yet allowed, Avithout restriction, and without jealousy on the part of the Mo- tlu'r Country, to legislate Jbr ourselves, and peacefully and deliherately to consider and determine tlie future ol" Caiuida ami of r>riti.sh >,'orth America. It is our ha])])iness to know the ex])ressi(m of the will of our (iraeious Sove- reign, through Her Ministers, that we have hor full sanction lor our d(dihera- tions, that Jier only solicitiuh' is that we siuill adopt a system which shall he really for our advantage, and that She ])roinises to sanction whatever conclusion alter full (hdiheration we may arrive at as to tlie hest nuule of securing the well-heing, — the present and future prosperity of British America. — t'heers.) It is our privilege ami ha]>i)iness to he iu such a ])osition. and we cannot he too grateful for the hiessiugs thus conferred upon ns. (Hear, hear.) I must apologize for having gone ])erhaps too nimdi into tedious details Avith reference to the questions hearing on the Constitution noAv suhmitted to this House. — (Cries of "no, no" and " go on.'') — In coiudu- .sion, I Avonld again imphu'e i\w House not to let this opitortunity pass. It is an oi)])ortunity tiiat may never recur. At tin; risk of repeating myself, f would say. it Avas oidy I)}- a happy concurrence of circumstances, that Ave Avere euauled to hring tliis great (|uestion to its present jaisition. If Ave do It i^ 39 not tako advanta.fronfllio tinio, ifwe sliow ouivelvos uiiO(,nal to tli(3 oocnsioii. it may never returii, and \vn sliall hereal'ter hitlerly and unavailiiijxly reu'ret haA'inif failed to einljraee, the happy oi)])iirliniity now otlered of I'oundiiijr a great nation nnderthe fostennp care ol' (ireat i'ritain, and ourSov(Tei,i;-n I-ady^ (^)neen Victoria, (l.oud elieers, amidst which tlie honoral)le uciitleiuaii resumed ids seat.) •♦ ^ 6 ssssssss 40 HON. GEORGE E. CARTIER is Attoniey-Gonevfil, East, (and the real leader of the eastern section of the Ministry.) Mr. Cartier is one of the most active men in Parliament, and has at least made himself a very prominent one in it. lie has won his place in such a way, however, that men mention his name with a smile, and this is the more so in the West of Canada. This minister is not as ready in legislation as most of his colleagues, but makes up for it by his activity and the use of his tongue. If he has any notable quality it is that he can speak. Of this he seems to l)e too well aware, and therefore favors the country too much in that way. In French he can speak for hours, but not very well. If his hearers think that he takes up too much of the time of the House, he does not see it, and uses his tongue as if that organ were untiring. Mr. Cartier is member for an important constit- uency, namely, " Montreal East," in which the most of the electors are of French origin. It is tacitly agreed tluit a French Canadian shall represent this division; and, as long as Mr. Cartier holds office, he will be the elect of it, which shows that intluence and not merit wins for him the plurality of the votes. This minister began political life as member for Vercheres, in 1848, which he represented until 1861. He was Provincial Secretary from January 1855 to May 1856, and it can not be said that he, if left to himself, makes a very good secretary. In 185G he became Attorney-General, East, and in 1858 he t* i; l'^ ^ 41 i 1^ resigned with the Government. Again he became Attorney-General, East, and hehl the office until 1862, in which year the ministry wer«j defeated. For two years he had to languish in oppoi^ition, and, at the end of that period, he, for the third time, became Attorney-General, East, in the coalition ministry. This brings him up to his present position in the Government. Mr. Cartier is really the leader of a large part of the French Canadians. He may be said to have taken the place of the late Mr. Morin, who had the lead of the party for some years. It is only in times of political (luiet between the two races in Canada East that Mr. Cartier can retain his lead of the stronrown-l)orion Administration, a pro- graninie of the policy of the I'ormer was laid before Parliament. Among tho subjects contained in this prograninie of 7th .Vugust, 1S.")S, was one referred to in the following terms: " The late (idvernnr.'iit, felt tiiemselves bound to carry out the law of the land resiiecting the seat of (iovernmeiit, but, in tho face of the recent vole on tliat subject, the .\diniuistration did not consider themselves warranted in incurring any exjienditure for the public buildings, until Parlianieni has had an opportunity of considering the whole question in all its bearings; and the exix'dieucy of a Federal Inion of the liritish North American Provinces will be anxiously considered, and commuuicalion with the Home CJovernmeut and the Jjowcr I'rovinces entered into tbrthwith on the subject ; and the result of this comuiunicaliou will be submitted to Parliament at its next session. The Government will, during the recess, examine into the organization ami working of the jnihlic departments, and caiTy fiut such administrative reforms as will be coiulucive to economy and efficiency." Here was this scheme of a union of the provinces mentioned in the programme of the Cartier-Macdonald Governmeut, in 1858. He merely • i i- 43 \- (inulfil lliis passiuxo to slmw tliat iicilhcr I'ariinnit'iit nor tlic country w as now tijlc(!i\ by sur]>risf uitii rcuai'd to tlii< scliciiic. ( Hear, hear.) We liail li.-nl gcncrnl ami special cloclioiis since is.>', and to ))rcti-ii(l that this siihjcet. whicli liad heeu so olU'ii canvassed, was new to the connlry, was to as-eri an uutriitli. At tile ch>-;e ot' ihat se--;i(in. Sir iMlnnind Head, in Iiis S|ieecii lirorogiiiiifT ParliMimiit. made use ul llio ioliowiji"' laiigua.ire : — " i ]iropose, in iho course of tlie re(('ss, to comiiiuuicale with iler ilaje-^ly > (lo\ cinnu'nt, and with the (iovcninicnts of tlie sister colonies, on aimliier matter oT very p'eat imi)ortaiice. I am desiruu> of iuvilintr tliem to divci;ss witli u< Hie principles on whicli u bond of a federal character, uniting- the I'ros iuee> nf l^riti^h \orth Anierii-a, may perhaps hereafterhe practicable." In accdnlance with that unuouncemi'nt of policy, a de]iutatioii wa< sent to fjiirland. com- posed of his then colleagues, Floiis. .Messrs. (iait and K'u-^s and iiinisell'. We ])ressed the matter before the Imperial (iovernnM-nt, m horn avc aske(l to authorize a nieetinir { ;ill the ])roviiice> iha' res[(onded to the call ol" the Impei-ial (iovernnuuit. .Newfoundland, lie tluniiriit, wa-t the only one which professed her readiness to ajipoint ilideji'ates wlici the ojijioi-- tiuie monnuit arrived, (lli'ar, hear.) Althoiiir!) the olher jirovinci's v:fr(> not opposed to Confederation, still, as the (iiiesti resolutions that iu the (juestions which would be submitted to the vieneral Parliament there could l)e no danger to the rights and privileges of either French Cana- dians, Scotchmen, Englishmen or IrishnuMi. Questions of commerce, of iiitemati(mal communication, and all matters of geiu'rai inteiest, would bo discussed and determined in the (ieneral Legislature; but in the exercise of the functions of the General (iovernment, no one could ajjprehend that anything could be enacted which would harm or do injustice to persons of any nationality, lb.' did not intend to g(» into the details of the question of Confederation, but men^ly to bring before the House the most conspicuous arguments in order to induce mend)ers to accej)t the resolutiiuis submitted by the Goveniment. Confederation was, as it were, at tJiis moment almost forced upon us. We could not shut our eyes to what was going on beyond the lines, where a great struggle was going on between two contederacies, at one time forming but one confederacy. T\'e saw that a governnn-nt, estab- lished not more than 80 years ago, had not been able to keep together the family of states which had broke up four or live years since. We could not 45 (lony that the stnipglo now in proj^ross nuist necessarily innnoiico our political existence. Wo did not know wluit would be tlie result of that great war — whether it would end in the estabiishnujnt of two confedoraeios or in ono as beforo. However, wo had to do with five colonies, iidmbited by nnsn of tho Knme synipatiiies and intore.its, and in order to become a great nation they required only to bo l)rought togetlu'r under one (leiu'ral (ioverninent. The matter resolved itself into this, either we must obtain Hritish Xorth American Confederation or ])c absorbed iu an American Confederation. (iJ ear, hoar, and dissent.) Some entertained the opinion that it was unnecessary to liave British Xorth American Confederation to prevent absorption into tlie vortoi of American Confederation. Such parties were mistalf Canada, extensive communication with Great Britain at all seasons was al)solutely necessary. Tw(mty yeans ago our commerce for the 3'ear could be managed by counnunication with Great Britain in the summer months only. At present, however, this system was insufficient, and for winter communication with the sea-board we wcire left to the capric(! of onr American neighbors, through whoso ti'rritory we must pass. He had also alluded to the bonding system, which if the Americans were to withdraw, C'anada would be left iu winter without any winter harbois. Canada, having two or three elemeuts of national greatness — territory and population — wanted the maritime element ; and as he had said, — the Lower Proviiu'es had this element and a sea-board, but not a back country or largo population, which Canada possessed — and fin* tlie unitual benefit and pros- peritj' of all tho provinces, all tlu^se eleuu'uts ought to be united together. Those who pretended that the British Xorth American Provinces would be in as safe a position, remauiing separate, while they belonged to tho British Crown, ap uiuler Confederation, were under great misapprehension. Now waa the time for us to form a great nation of the .several provinces Now 46 was tho tiiiu" to look tlip iiiartcr in tin- faco tnid adopt, tlio only siitc and prudent t-onrsp open to us in tlio slifi])(! of Conrodcrution. Ho niaintainod it was nocossary tor our own coniintnx'ial interests, ])rospenty and etlicient del'enee. That was what ve had now to diseus-^, and not the manner iu which (.'onlederation was lo he lironght ahout. \vliieh would lie di^(•ussed when the details (d' the sehenie eanie up lor eonsideratioii. At jiresent the (lU(!Slion wi Was Confederation the Uritish North Aiutuieau I'rovinees necessary in ordir to increase our strength and j)o\ver and seeun; to us tlie continuance of the benefits (d" I'.rilisli connection? He iiad no douht that the measure was necessary lor tliose (dijects It would he observed that tin; Kii^flish-speakinj: oj)ponents ol the stdienu' in Lower t'aiuuhi pre1ei:(h'd a fear of this element lieinjr ahsoi'hed by the French ('anadiau ; wliile the o)i])ouenls, composed of the latter oriLrin — of men who miu'lit be called the old I'apineaii Tail — whose sole i(h'U was annexation t.o the 1,'iuted States — said they were afraid of the extinction of French Canadian nationality in the {freat Con- federation. The annexation party in Montreal, includiui:- the followers of ilr. John Doufiall, the proprietor of the Witness, opposed the scheme on tlio ground of .-supposed danirer to the ilritish of Lower ('amida. The annexation parly could not, however, be supjiosed to be sincere in their opposition to the schiMiu — excei)t in so far as they desired to cany Canada into the American I'nion. The absorption of this province into the I'liiled States had long been contemplated, as would be seen from thcTih iirtich- in tlio original draft of the American Constitution, which he W(Uild read. It was as follows: " Art. 7. Canada, according to this Confederation, and joining in tho measures of the United States, shall be admitted into, ami entitled to all the advantages of this union; and shall be e(jnally with any other ol' the I'nitcd States, soK-nnily bcuind to a strict observance td', and obedience to, these articles; as shall be also any other colony which shall be admitted into this Cunfedi'racy. 'I'he eleven votes in ('(Uigress shall be increased in proportion a-' the t'niifcderacy is extended. I!ut. except Canada, no other colony shall be adndtted into the Confederacy without the assent (d' eleven or more votes. us the case may re(iuire, by the Confederation being extended.'' By that article, no new state could go into the union except by the vote of the number nf states rcijuired to admit a new partner. I!u.t, as regardelic, it would have been impossible for the delegates to continiu' to nieet, or eompronnse any of the difficulties that niiglit be ex])ected to sj)ring up. I'csides. the proceedings of the, American (.'ongress of 17r"e — the memViers of the fiovernment and their supporters — had come to tin; conclusion that Federation was desirable and necessary ; and we weiv ready to hear the honorabhi gentlemen on the other side who necessarily, from their standing, were supposed to have devoted their attention to it ami appreciated their ])ositi(m, stating what in their ojiinion would be sufficient in order to maintain ourst'ves as a British colony on this side of th(» Atlantic, and to increase in wealth and power. He was aware that some members of the House, and a number of people in Tpper Caiutda, in Lower Canada, and in the Ijower Trovinees, were of opinion that a Legislative f'nion (uight to have taken place instead of a Federal Tniou. lie would say, liowever, at the outset, that it was impossible to have one (Jovernment to deal with all the ])rivate and local interests of the several sections of the several provinces forming the ccmibined whole. (Hear, hear.) The next question to I)t; considered, therefore, by those who had set to work to diseo\'er a soluti(m of the dithculties under which we had labored, was — what was the best and most practicable mode of bringing the provinces together, so that particular rights and interests should be ])ro]ierly guarded and ]n'otected ? A'o other scheme presented itself but the I'"'ederati(m system, and that was the project which now reccnn- mended itself to the Barliannmt of (,'anada. Some parties — through tho press and by other modes — iire.Leiided that it was impossible to carry out Federation, on account of the differences of races and religions. Thos(> who took this view of the question were in error. It was just the revers'.\ It was preciscdy on account of the varietv of races, local hiterests, &c., that the Federation 48 syKtein oiiplit to lie rosortcd to, aiid would l»o t'otind to work woll. (Hcai'. hear.) Wo wore in the Imhit of sopiiifr in somn i)ul)lie joiinifds, and hearing from sonio public men, that if was a ^^rcat misfortiino indiM-d tlnTo should 1)m litforcnco of racus in tliix colonv — that flicm should ho the distinction "^ H < French (.'anndian from Hrilish (lunadian. Xow.lio (lion. Mr. Cnrtior) desired on this point to vindicate the ri^rhts. the nn-rits, the usefulness, so to spoak, of those helonfriiif.' to the French Canadian race. ( Hear, hear.) In order to hrin^ these merits and this usefulness mon* jiroiuineiitly Itedire his lieanM's, it would l»e oidv iiecessar\- to allude to tiie efforts ma( hv them to snstani Hrilish jiower on this continent, aiul to |)oiiit (Uif their adliereiu'c to Urifish hujjronuu-y in frying; times. \Vi- were all conversant with the history of tlm circumstances which had brought «l»outthe difticnlties hefween l-Jiifrlnnd and her former .\inericiui colonies in 177'). Lower 'Canada — or rather ho should say, the I'rovimu' of (^uehee, for the colony was iioi then known hy tlnMianu^ of Canada, hut was called the Province of C^uehec, — contained the most dense population of any Hritish cohmy in \orth .Vmorica at that time. The accession of Jiower Canada was oi' coiu'se an ol)ject of envy to the other American colonies, and strenuous efforts were nnuh^ hy those who had resolved to overthrow British power on this continent to induci< Canada to ally herself to their cause. As early as 177;"), the French (Canadians were sidenndy liddressevl in a proclamation hy (ieniTal WashiuLffon, who called upon them to ahundon the fhifj of their new nuisters, inasmuch as they could not expect anything; from those who difl'ered from them in hingnnf^e, in relif?ion, in race, and in sympathies. Hut what was the conduct of the French Canadian ])eo])lft un(h'r these circninstauces — what was the attitude of tlie cleriry and the seifrinors ^ It was right in treatinir this chai)t(M' of our history to render justice to whom justice was due, and it was truth to say that the seii^niors, foriuin.ir, as they did, the educated class of our population at that early ejioch, hail fully understood that the object and aim of those who a])pealed to them was the ch)wnlall ofthemonarchic.il system in America. (Hear, hear.) A. fi-w years only had elapsed at that tiuje siuci^ tlie transfer of the country and its ))npnlation from the Crown of France to the Crown of (ireat Britain ; but even within that itrief interval of tinu' th(»y were enal)le(l to appreciate the advantap's of their new ]»osition, not withstanding the fact that they were still struj^'frlinfr and complaininjr. The peo]d(s as well as the clerfry and aristocracy, had understood that it was better for them to remain under tho Knirlish and I'rotestaid Crown of Fn.irland rather than i)econn' republicans. (Hear, hear,) They were proof airainst the insidious ofl'ers of (ieorjre Wash- inirton; and not only so, but when the Americans canut as inviiders, they foujrht ajrainst the armed forces of .\ mold, Montf^omery and others. (Cheers.) .Vtlempts were made to excite hostility to Federation ou the ground that, under the reginujof a local legislatiu'e, tin; Fimli.sh Protestant minority wonld not be fairly dealt with, llt^ thought the way hi which the French Canadians had stood by Ihitish connection, when flu-re were but few Jiritish in the pn>vince, was a proof that they would not attempt to deal unjustlj' now hy the British nnnority, when th.'ir nnnToers were so much greater. On this point, appealing to the evidence of history, he would quote from tho work which he had already qnoted. At a time when tlicre were, perhaps, hardly 1 1 ' 49 a few huiKln'd Knirlisli I'rotc-tnut ro-jidciilH in Fjowim' C.'iimdii, th(> uddiv.ss in tbp name of U'asliiiiirtoii, lo wliicli Im hud already briefly referred, wtis circulated tliniiifrliouf tliocomitry by Arnold's invadinirnriny. Tlie honorable gentleman lieve read a nmnber of extracts from (biiiiral Washinfrtoii's jmt- clamation, addressed to the iidiabitants of Canada. It made the most earnest np])eals to tlie Lower Canadians to Jein lln; otiier colonies. " Wo rejoice," Riiid General Wasliiiifrton, " that our enemies hav(( 1 n deceived witli ro,i,'ard to yon; they have ])ersnaded lliemselves — they have (!ven dared t(» say — tliat the Canadians wen^ not cajtalili! of distin;rnis]iin|; between the bles.sinj,'3 of liberty and th(t wretcbediu'ss of .slavery; that ^'ratifyinir tho vanity of a little circle of nobility wonlil iilind I he people or Canada. I!y such urtitieos they hoped to bend you to their vi'ews, i)Ul they have been deceived. • • • Conic then, my brethren, unite -with us in an indissoluble union; let uh run together to tho sann- pial. * * ' Incited by these motives, and encouraged by the advices of many friends of liiierty among you. the grand American Congress have sent an army iido your province, under the command of General Schuyler — not to plunder but to protect you — to animate ami bring t'oYth into acti'. then, ye generous citizens, rango yourselves under the standard of general liberty — against which all the fbreo of artifice and tyramiy will never be abb; to ])rcvail." It apjieared by this address that the most tempting otl'ers and ])r(unises had been made by tlie rei)ul)lican general; but they had failed, nevertheless, to accomplish the desired effect. This, however, was not tlie only trait of this nature in the history of the French Camulian people. There was another dcs])atch, or rather proclamation, issued in !77'^, by liaron DMOstaing, conunander of the French fleet, which was acting in aid of the American ri'volutionary party. The honorable gentleman read some extracts from this proclamation, as follows; — •' 1 shall not ask the military companions of the Marquis of LOvis, thos(! who shared his glory, who admired his talents and genius for war, who loved his cordiality and fraidvuess, the ])rincipal characteristics of ournobility, whether there be other names in other nations among which they would be better pleased to place their own. Can the Canadians, who .saw tho brave Montcalm fall hi their defonco — can they become the eneniios of his J 60 Tipphpws? Can tlioy lifrlit njrniiist thfir luniu'r londors, and arm tlioiiisclven flpain:*t tlicir kiusiin'ii At tlin hare iiifiition nf tlicir lunin's, flio Avoapons Udiild fall out 1)1' tlicir hands. I shall imt, observe to tlu> ministers of tlio nltars. that their ovaiif^elie elforts will rc(|iiiro the special prot»;ction of rrovidence, to prevent faith heiiifr diminished l»y exaiii|)le, hy worldly interest, and liy sovcrei^Mis whom lorce has iniitosed upon them, and wlio^o politiea indul LM'llCC wi II lie lessened proportioiiaiily as those sovcrei|,Mis shall have less to fenr. 1 shall not oli-ervc that il is iicci'ssary for reli;,non that those who iircatdi it should form a l)ody in the state ; and that in Canada no other l)ody would he more considered, or have more power to do piod than that of the priests, takinjr a part in the (iovernment, sinct; their rcspcctahle eoudiict has merited Mic coiilidenco of the people. ! shall not represent to that iicople. nor to all my conntrunen in >.n'iicral, that a vast monarchy, havin;: tlu! same relifiion, the same manners, the same laiifrinifre, where they lind kinsmen, old friends and hrethren, must he an ine.\haiistil)lo .source of comnieroeaiid wealth, more easily aciiuireil and Iietler secured hy th.'ir union with powerful neijrhliors, than with straufrers of another hemisphere, amoiifr whom everythiiifr is ditlcrenf, and who, jealous and despotic sovereigns would, sooner or later, treat them as a con(|uered people, and doulitless much worse than their late countrymen, the Americans, who made them victorious. [ shall not nrjie ti a whole pi'ople that to Join with the I'nited States is to secure their own ha])pim'ss, since a whole ])eo])le, when they acquire tho right of thinking and acting for them.selves, must know their oavu interest. Hut I will declare, and I now formally declare in the name of His Majesty, who has authorized and commanded me to do it, that all his former subjects in North America, who shall no more acknowledge the supremacy of Great I'.ritain, may dciicnd upim his protection and support." D'K.staixg had ajipealcd to their ancestry and their prejudices; he had invoke and their religion intai't to-day, it was precisely hecaiise of their adhereiico to tin; JSritish Crown. 11. id they yielded to the lippeals of Washikuton and 15aron D'E.staixc;, it is jirohahh! that there would not have been now a vestige of r?ritish power on this continent. But, with the dlsappoaronce of British power, they too would have di.'^appeared as French Canadians. (Hear, hear.) These historical facts taught that there should be a mutual feel, ig of gratitude from the French Cauaoians towards the British, and from the Hritish towards the French Canadians, tor our present position, that Canada is still a British coloiiv. (Hear, hear.) He had had occasion, a mon-ent ago, to refer to the French Canadian clergy in con- nection with D'Estaixg's address, and he would say this, to their honour and credit, that, if to-d,iy Canada was a portion of the Britisli l";ni]iire, it was due to the conservatism of the Trench Canadian clergy, ((."heers.) B was a pleasure to him thus to >ie able to quote from these oh\ documents proof of the honour, loyalty, aim liberality of the French Canadian people. He (Ron. ilr. Cartikr) was ,is devoid of prejudice as an_v honm-alde gentleman in this House; but when he heard or read the .statements occasionally made, that there was some danger thiit, under the Federation system, tho French i, 51 ('aniuli.iiis would have too nmcli iiowcr, and tlial th^ pnwcf ilius oljtuiiUHl Would 1)0 used to the ijrcjndicc ol' tlu' r>rifi>li and rrotcstaut uiiiionty — th(» history ol' tlic jia-l, in inany in>tanccs, v ns tlit.' licsl rt'[i|y to siiili attufks. (Hear, hear.) liaroii WlisTAtNn i>sucd liis tcniiitinir [iicclaniation in IT7*i, and it wa-i sent in'o Taiiada I'lviiucntly al'trrwanis, and circulalcd at tin- iii.stigution of Kuciiamukac a'ld I.akavktik; liut our cliM'^ry and our aristo- cracy, tin; leaders of our people in tlu'^e days, saw that it was uot theii interest to cast their lot with the democratic eleinciil, — they knew the hol- lowncss of deniocraiy, ( Hear, iiear.) We lound ourselves at the present da}- disouissiiifi; the (luestioii of tiu' Federation ol' the liriii-h N'ortii American J'rovinccs, while the ^'rcat ["rderatiiai of the United States of America wji^ broken u]) anil divided apiiiist itself. There was, jiowever, this important dilleriMice to bo observed in considerinir IIh- aeliim ol'the two peoples. They hud f{)und((d Federation for tiie purjxise of carryin),' out and perpetuating do- nioeracy on this confineni ; luit ue, wiio had the henelit ol' beinj^ able to con- temi)late republicanism in action duriii,i: a ])eriod of eiirhty years, saw its defects, and felt, convinced that purely democratic institutions could not be coiulucive to the peace ami ]irospcrity of mitioiis. We were not now discus- sing the great prolilcm presented to mir considerati(Mi, in order to propagate democratic ]n'inciples. Our attcmjit was ftu' the ])urpose of forming a J-'edor- atioii with a view of periictuiiting the monarclueal elenii'ut. The distinction, therefore, bet wi'cn ourselvi's and our neighbours was just this: — J n our Fe- deration the monarchical principh! would for)n the leading feature, while oii the other side ol'the lines, judging iiy the ])ast history and present condition itf tile (H)untry, the. ruling jjower was the will of the mob, the rule of the po- l)ulace. Kvery person who had conversed with the mo>l intelligent Ameri- can statesnu'U ami writers nuist have learned that they all admitted that tha governmental powers had becmne loo extended, owing to tue intrutluclion of universal sutl'rage, and mob rule had coiise(|uently sui)plaiiuJ legitimate authority ; and we now saw the yad sijcctaclc of a country torn by civil war, ami brethren fighting against Ijrethren. The question f(U' us to ask ourselves was this: Shall wc be content to remain separali — siiall we be eontent to maintain a mere provincial e.\istem-e, when, by i.imbining together, we could bec(uue a great nation '. It luul n.ever yet iu'eii the good f(u-tune of any group of eommunities to secure national gn-alness ■with sui'h facility. In past ages, warriors had struggled ha- years for the addition to their country of a single province. AVe had, too, for instance, in our own days, the case of XAPotEON III., who, aft(!r great expenditure of blood aiul treasure iu the Italian ditiiculty, had acquired Savoy and Nice, by whirji he had obtained an addition of nearly one million iii'iabitants to France — only one million souls; and if any person were li i a m;ova Scotia aud 4 52 Xowfouiidland should have their sovt-ral custdiu houses ngainst our trade, or that we sliould have ousloin liousos against the trade of tliose provinces. In ancient times, the nuuuier in wliich a nation grew up was different from that of tiie present day. Tiicu tlie first weali. settU^nient increased into u village, which, b\' turns, became a town and a fit}', and the nucleus of a nation. It was not so in modern times. JTations were now formed h\' tho agglomeiiitiou of communities having kindred interests and sympathies. Such was our ease at the present moment. 01»jection had been taken to tho scheme now under consideration, because of tho words " new nationality." Now, when we were united together, if union were attained, we would form a political naticmality with which neither the national origin, nor the religion of any individual, would interfere. It was lamented by some that we had this diversity of races, and hopes wen- expressed tiuit this distinctive feature would cease. The idea of unity of races was uto[»ian — it was inipossilile- Distinctions of this kind would always exist. Dissimilarity, in fact, a])peared to be the order of the physical world aiul ot the moral world, as w<41 as in the political world. Hut with regard to the objttction based on this fact, to tho t .Tect that a great nation could not be t'ormed because Lower (."aniula was ill great ])art French and Catholic, and I'pper Canada was British and Protectant, mid tlie Lower Troviuces were mixed, it was futile and worthless in the extreme. Look, for instance, at the T'uited Kingchim, iidialated as it Avas by three great races. (Hear, hear.) Had the diversity of race impeded the glory, the progress, the wealth of England '. Had they mi{ nither each contributed their sluare to tho great- ness of the Empire { Of llu; glories of the senate, the field, and the ocean, of the succ.:sses of trade aiuI commerce, how much was contril)uted by the combined talents, energy and courage of the three races together ? (Cheers.) In our own PVderation we should have Catholic and Protestant, Enghsh, French, Irish and Scotch, and each by his efforts and his success would increase the prosperity and glory of the new Confederacy. (Hear, hear.) He viewed the diversity of races in J'ritish .North .America in this way : we were of different races, not for the purpose of warring agaiu.st each other, but in order to compete and emulate for tho. general welfare. (Cheers.) We could not do away with tho distinctions of race. We c(mld not legislate for the disappearance of the French Camulians fnun American soil, but Hritish and French Canadians alike could appreciate and understand their position rehitivo to each other. They were jilaced like great families beside each other, and their contact produced a healthy spirit of enuilation. It was a benefit rather than otherwise that we had a di\ersity of races. Of course, the difticultv, it would be said, would be to deal fairly by the minority. In rp])er Canada tho Catholics would find themselves in a minority; in I>ower Canada the Protestants would be in a miimrity, while tho Lower Provinces were divided. TTndor such circumstances, wmild any one pretend that either the local or general govcuuiinents would saiu'tiou any injustice. What would be the con- sequence, even supposing any such thing were attem])ted by any (me of the local governments ? It would be censured everywhere. Whether it came from Upper Canada or from Lower Canada, any attempt Jo deprive the minority of their rights would be at onco thwarted. LTuder tho Federatiou xm\ ay,stoin, gniuting to tlin conlrol ul' ihu Ot'iuTal (l()\ t'liiuioiil tliusi; lurgo ques- tions of goneral intcrost in wliii'li tlic cliU'cronces of race or rolifrion had no place, it could not bo iirctcudcd tliat, tlio rights of oitlier race or religion could bo invaded at all. We were to have a Gencnd Parliament to deal with the matters of defence, tariff, excise, j)uldic works, and tliese matters absorbed all individual interest, ^'ow, ho c(ndd a-ik t]ios(! self- styled nationalists w'no accused hiui of bartering lifty-eight counties in Lower Canada to .John ibill, and his liouorablc! colleague beside him (Hon. Mr. J]rowx) — he would ask them, under what supposition could they think it possible for any injustice to lie don(,' to the French (,'aniulians by the General Government '. (Hear, liear.) lie cam(! now to the .subject of Local (Joveruments. We could easily understa:.d how a feeling against the Federation project was raised in tin; minds of a few of the lU'ltish residents of Jjower Caiuula by fears of such diliiculties as liuise which occurred in the days of Mr. PAPixiiAr, relative to the passing of laws relating to ciunmerciiil nuittcrs. (Hear, hear.) These dithcuilies had bceu of a very incouvcnient niiture, Mr. J'aimskai" not Iteing a commercial num, aiul not understanding the importance of these measures. lie considered Mr. Paimxrai' was right in the struggle he imiintained against iha oligarchy at tliat time in power; but he had lu'ver apjjrovedof the course lu; tcok willi reference toconnnercial matters, and in opposition to nu'asures for the improvenuMit ot the country. But this precedent could not be urged as an objection to Federation, inasuHU'lt as it would be for the General Government to deal witti our c(unmercial matters. There could be no reason for well-grounded fear that the minority could be made to sutler by nutans of any laws affecting the rights ol' property. If any such enactments were i)assed, tlu'y would fall njion the whole c(un- munity. JUit even supposing such a tiling did occur, there was a nunedy provided under the proposed Constitution. The nuignitude of the selunne now submitted was, perhaps, the reason why those who had not uuule them- selves conversant with the question felt sonui ap])relH;nsion in contemplating it; but, when we came to discuss if. clause by clause, he would be ready to state that no iut(U-est would be harnu'd in any way if Federation took place. It was true that opposition was being offered in Montreal, by Mr. John DocGALL, of the U'itiuss. ( Hear, hear.) .Vnd, wiiile referring to tin; oppo- nents of Federation, he could not help adverting to the strang(^ maimer in which extremes met and worked in nnisdii too])p()se Federariou (Laughter.) For instance, we had the party who foruKirly comi)osed what might be styled Mr. Papixkats Tail— the extreme democratic jjarty,— joined with ilr. DoroALL's Tail, (liear, hear, cheers, and laughter.) Mr. Perrault— And memliers of the (^lorgy ojipose it. (liear, hear.) lion. Mr. ('artier said the honorable gentleman was mistaken. The clergy were for it. FUit the honorable gentleman would have an o])portunity of speaking afterwards. Thi^ st'lieme, he rejieated, met with the approval of all moderate men. Tlu! extreme men, the socialists, di'inocrats and annex- ationists were oi)posed to it. The French Canadian opponents of the project were, it appeared, afraid that their niligious rights would suffer under the new arrangement. Fancy the cehdirated Iii-stilnf Caiutdioi, of ilontreal, Muder the lead of citizen Blanciikt, taking religi«m under their protection. [ 54 (fiaujrliliT.) Mr. DorcAiJ^ loudly- ])r()claiun'(l that tlu; Uritisli Proto^i'(;ALii. The. True fVitiif.'is. wliieli wa-; also one of the enemies of the scheme, said that if it were ado[iled the I'reiicli Canadians were (hamied ; while hiri l)rothor in violeuc(!, th(! /I /7/(''.v.'--, said t iiat the Protestants were doomed. (Hear, hear, and Jaughler.) At a meetini,' recently held in Montreal on the snhject, he (Hon. Mr. CAimt:n) observed that Mr. Ciii;iu!iivf{ had enrolled himself ainonf;' the enemies of the project. Well, this tine, (|niet, old jreiitleman had announced that he had come out of his political retiromont for tho purpose of fippo.-ing Federation. All lie (lion. Air. CAiiTiiiu) could say was that he never knew Air. Ciii:i{i!ii';t{ was a strong |»oiitician. Ilow((ver. it appeared that he had come out once more on the political staire for the ])urpose of oppo.' accjuired. and is very well known in the division which he re- presents. In ])oint of wealth, he is. tiie writer be- lieves, the second or third man of the Ministry, and has all the advantages which money gives to a man who seeks a high station in ])olitical life. The course of Mr. Blair has been (juite straight. He has been always on the Reform side, and has ad- vocnted its views untiringly. In the course of the last four vears he has been with his partv twice in [)ower, and then twice held oHice, as has been before observed. For a long time he was out in the cold, but his term of oHice, though it was a brief one, made up for his many efforts to carry the Reform II ag into power. 59 HON. ALKXANDKll T. GALT is Minir^ttM- of Finiiiict*. Mr. Gait is jin able nuiii at liiiance, and keeps the public accounts in \cry fair order. — a tasi< tliat is giowinir less casv every year. He is also a good legislator, and is very careful in all lie says or does. No man is perfect, and Mr. (lalt is siiid by bis op[)()- nents to be — too diplomatic. In the House this minister is ;ipt at giving liscal statements, doing it in a ([uiet. business-like way. He was put at the head of the Connnission sent to the t2;overnment of the United States, in Feliruarv last, to negotiate a new treaty of trade. In this lie failed, not from any want of tact, but because the " Comurittee of Ways and Means '" witb whom he treated vvei-e not friendly to free ti'ade with Canada or any of the Provinces, and thei'efore asked too much for reciprocity. Mr. Calt began public life in 184'J, as member for Sherbrooke, and has held his seat ever since. In 1858 he was appointed Minister of Finance, and four years later he went out with the Ministry. In 1864 he came back to oilit'e, and he now is in his former po^'ition. By his friends Mr. Gait is likened to Mr. Glad- stone, for his ability and clearness of views. He is a free trader in principle, but his last tariff was made protective by the pressure of popular opinion. Mr. Gait is not a very strong party man. He began public life on the side of the Liberal Roifge party, 60 l>iit ho ri'ijoimced his (.'ojinoctioii with tliom at the general election in the winter oi' ]857-'")8, on the jj^i'oiuhI tliat ho found thoin too inipraeticable. Since thc^n he hiis given the Conservative-party a liberal support, and they, seeing his fitness lor tiie ollice, in 18-")8 made him their linancial head Mr. (jalt is a memlter oT the Bo.ird (d' Railway Commissioners, and the writer (>!" " Canada from 181'J to I8-J9." He was horn in 1817 and is, thereibi'e, about 49 yeirs of age, 17 of which he has passed in Parlia- ment. Ife is the son of Mr. John Gait, the novelist. This minister can s[)eak well, in a quiet, serious way. As a sample of his style of addresses, I give below his s[)eech at (yornwiill on the 2nd Marcli last. Hull. ilr. (i.Vli'r said: — ilr. Al,i\(a!Tcl\ ailcl one word til tliel'i-rvid ackiiowlfdjriiU'Ut.-^lhat liavc liccii luadc hy my IViciids the Altonicys General East and West Coi- tin- kind manner in wliicli youlnive entertained us here to-niti'iit, liiou,ir!i [ am sure tlial- ou tlie many oeeasinus on whieli it has hei-n oiu' pleasure to nw-'t our friends, there lias not lieeii o:ie ^'. hi'n we have met Avith a heartier welemiie tiian we are reeei\in,u' from Ihe^ f'nited Counties of Storiiiout, Ihindas and (Jli-njrarry . ( Hear.) ( am to-iiijiht Itennitted to respond to the toast of" Canadian Knter[!rise and Canadian I'ro- .uress,'' and no place in wliieh to do so is titter than tiie jireseiit. WJien we look hack at the dtiieuities that havt' lieeii t'neountt'i'ed liy tlie lirst settlers who eaiiie iiere, and see what advaneenieut they have made — wiieii we observe what pulilie men they have iriven to the country, and reckon up the 1ienelit.s these men have conferred on their fellow snhjeets — we see that in no i)ortion of Ciuiivla eoidd this toast lie more I'll'cetivcly proposeil tiiaii in the Market Hall of Cornwall. (Hear, hear.) i5ut there are eiri'umsiaiiees which, on this occasion more than on others, induce me to a-k you to lend me your esjiccial attention,— 1 refer to the position in w'.iich the 'frade and ('onimerce of this Provhice is at this moment ]ila('e(l. It would not under these peculiar eircuni- ytanc's, lie (it for me or any of my coileatrues to meet any laiye body of our countrymen witlKUit saying somethinirin reference to the I'ust, and somethinu hIso in relation to tln^ Future. (Hear.) It is well, Sir, for (."unaila that when we are lhreat! (if (inr Crfiitor has hccnshowcM'cdnixtn us tiian for many years bcforo. Witliiii my rccdUcction Canada was lu'vcr in so prosiicvoiis a cniulitinu as it is at ll)is present time. I judfre 1)}' the returns, wliicii are siilimitted to me in my oilic'ial capacity, uliich show the extent of our exjiorts and our imi»orts, our (h'aliuirs with Hufriand and all l'orei,mi countries, and I there see that in the last seven montiiswe have sold ten millions oi' d(tllars worth (S|(i,U(I(I,(MH)) more than wo have liouirht — a thinj: which has never lielore occurred, — ami ■when I make tin's statement, I make one which certainly ou^riit to hrin^i forlli feelinjrs ol' tliankrulness, and also of priih' and seli'-reliance. [A])plause.] It is w(dl. Sir, that we should have smh senliments; it is well that we sliould feel that we are, that -wi'drc aide to meet the difhciilties which ma)' arise from tilt! fact that on the i7th of this month our Trade lifdalions with the I'uited States will pr(dial)ly hi' subjected to serious disturltaiu'c. [C'hcers.J The GoA'crnment has been accused in tlie past with havinj,' acted with a])athy in rcf^ard to this ((uestion. We were cliaru'ed last Session with not haviiifr .iiiven duo attention to it, for. we were told, the salvation of liiis country (if I mny use the word) depeudeil ujton tlie maintenance of the h'eciprocity Treaty. We informed I'arliam.ent that we were av.'ake to the necessities of the linn-, and to the interest we had in contimnnjr the fn-est jiossible intercourst^ with our neifrhbonrs in the United States — that our attention had been constantly directed to the su]tject,and that when the projxu' time came tlie jieople would b(! aware that the Administration had not been wantinir in their duty in this ri^spect. And wlien I apjiear before yon this niiihl, it is f(a' the jiiirixise oi' stathiii that wo are ready now and at all tinu's to enter into a statement and a defence of (mr policy on this (inestion. [Hear, hear, j What I would ask an}' fientleman in these three counties, or in any jiart (»f (Canada — what was the jjosition of the country a IVw months ajro '. What did many men — the real enemies of the c(mntry — say would be the result ol the cessntion of our communications with the ITnited States '. More than its due imiiortance, Sir, was piven to that Trade, and the conntry was apparently willing to sui- r.uulcr i(U' it, ima'e than ouji'ht to lie fiiven. The (iii\erunu'nl, however, di(i not share that feeliiifr; tiiey believed it was riuht to do wlmt was fnir, but to do no more than what was fair. [Cheers.) Tlu' attention of the (iovermnent was piven to this subject in their neu-ociations in Kri,L''Iand, and the i'ritish fiovernmeni, in the frankest way, authorized the ISrilish Minister to act with us upon the (|iu'stion. .\s Ion;:' af,'o as July last my boii. friend Mr. llowland and myself were dcpuleil by our collentrues to visit Washimilon. \yc there saw the Hritish iMinister and the .American authorities also, and we jierccivcd it was exceedinfrly imi)roliable that any ncfrocialions for a Treaty could be carried on at that tinu'. We were indeed told that \\ was no nsf nuikinirany fonmil propositions to the American (iovcrnnicnt. When Contrress was on tile point of meet in,ix it was atrain thontrht expediiMit that a rcprcseniation from the Canadian Cabinet should fin to Washin,irton. .Mr. 1 lowland w;is then jirc- vcuted by engagements from going, and I wmt jilone. The result of my com- munications with the American authorities was an intimation that while they were willing to ])roceed by legislation, they were not willing to proceed by Treaty. I acquainted my colleagues Avith this, and stated the very grave doubts which existed ii! respect to the cnuchHion ofsafi factoi-y arrangemeu!-'. I 1 62 TIh! stilycet rcccivt-d the most fiiixioiis {'<>nsid»»niti(m at tlic liaii(i'< of tlu» (lovcninicat. ami it was in fonformity with the sufrpcstions received from onr own Minister ami from Mr Seward also, that a dele^'ation went down atrain. ll will lie my duty to ^'ive all IlieM- statements very I'ully in anollier plaer; I nniy therefore jiass overtlie historieal part of the subsequent |iroeeedin}rs. ami (•online myself to Ntatiufr what the intention and poliiy of the Cioverninent were. 1 shall ruit refer particularly at this moment to the re>i^''natiim of Mr IJrown. It is not j)roper, especially in Air. Hrown's ahsenee, that I should do so. K.xplaiiations respeetinp tlnit will he friven at the pr()))er time to Par- liament, hut I say that his colleatiues were unanimous as to the manner in whieh the ijuestinn of Reeiproeity should be treated, and tluit the course the (iovernment determined to pursur' was one we eoneeiv(Ml to be alike consistent with the interests anlation or by treaty, provided this trade be carried on upon an e{|uilalile basis. (Hear, hear.) A irreal deal has been .said in rejiard to the course of the nej-'Ofiations we have c.irried on at Washinjitoti. It has been asserted that a surrender has been Muuleof the dijrnily of Canada — that we odered extravagant concessions to thi* I'nited States, and so forth. With your pernu>.Nion. sir, I will ocenpy a very lew minutes in (lis|toked. and wc never pntposi'd that they should tax our export- without cur haviufr the same liberty to tax their<. It was never ])ropo!=ed that if they cho.-e to put a duty of one cent or ol' twenty cents on a bushel of ('anadian wheat imported into the States, we should not have the option of pultintr an eijuivalent duty on American wheat inijiorted into (.'anada. The Americans never dreanu'd of a-kinj,^ that they should im])ose duties on Cana- ilian j»roducts which Canada should not have the riirht of imposinsx on theirs. And thouirh we have been charired with asscntuiir to, and indeed, evcm of pro- l»osinjr such a tliiuj:. I hoi)e the men of ht(irmont. Dundas and (ilenpary will refuse to believe that their rejiresentatives wmdd eonci-de to a foreijrn country anythin^Mhey would not claim for thcmsehcs. [ ,\pjilause,] It was proposed to leave the canal. Ii>heries and transit questions in the saun.' ])osition as at present — that so haiir as other matters were satist'actory, the existing arraiifre- lueuts respectinj: them should go on — and I cannot conceive how it is possible I hat any man vnn make it a eharsre against the tuivcrnmcnl of ( 'auada that we -hould be willing to continue agreemenls which have beenbencticial, providet us, iifriiiii, tliiit wi; -went out oi our way to olJ'crto enlarge our cfvnals. Now, 1 tliiiik, it will have been ol»serv(Ml by any man who is in the habit ul" reading the [tapers, that tliere has been a pressure upon us lor years to cU'eit this eiilaifri/incnt — every body knows that, from one end of the eonulry to the other. Why, the matter was expressly included in the re.^o- Uitions of the C^uebec conl'erence. The subject was alluded to in the speech iVitm the throne at the o])enini; of tlie session when my hon. friend Mr. llowhind tirst entered the liovernnient. And only last August, in my place in J'arlia- ment, I made the declaration, with the assent of my colleagues, that the (iovernmeut were ]»rcpared to i-uiarge tin' canals provided they had tho assurance that tiie American Trade would be pernutli-d to go through tiieui. What more did we propose in Washington than just what we had laid down as our policy Itelbre t The canals are Canadian canals, and if they are to be eidarged it must be by Canadian means and under Canadian laws. [ Hear, hear.] It has been said, too, that we agreed to make the legislation of Ca- nada subordinate to the I'nited .Stales. and we have been charged with having done so in two ways, the tirst being that the legislation of the United .States was to be contingent on ours. The lact is that the Americans were (|uite willing to let their legislation jtrecede ours. They were willing to pass the necessary Acts of Congress at once, before the 17th of March, although they were told our Legislatures would not meet and be able to act Itefore that time. If I understand logic at all, the party to whom the option is left is in the stronger position, and therefore if there was any sul)ordination at all it was not on our side. l?nt Sir. and gentlemen, it is perfectly childish to talk or think of such a thing when great countries are dialing with great interests — and I say that Canada and t!ie I'nited States are both great countrie.-, and that their mu- tual interests are great. Thenn-n who on such a matter would stickle on nnnor points of tbrm would be unworthy of their position. Jt is not by standing up for such minor points that a man ju'eserves his self-res])ect, but by holding last to those great jioints in which more than mere i ti(/ u t/c is concerned, and wheji the negotiations are examined, if it is Ibniid t'lat Mr. H<»wland an/r/ way in which we stand charged with having agreed to snlairdinate our legislation to the l'. Stales, is in the matter of onr excise duties; it has been sjiid that we agreed to accept Aniericau legislation in reference to them. Now, on the '.Mli of .Vngnst last I declared in Parliament that our liovcrnmcnt were pre])are(l to considi-r with the American tiovern- meitt such an arrangenuMit ofcxcise taxes as would jirevent dlicit trade acntss the frontier, ami this was the amount of the proposition we made to the Com. miltec at Washington, for we tiy no means pro])osed to enact any scale the Americans might ado))t, bin to take such a scale as experience might show to be the most desirable for revenue puqxises. We agreed in the inti;rest oi' amity an adopted as the policy tiftho (14 nnvt-niiiinil in Aii^iust liist.iiinl it is t,ln> tnily course whicli lionc-it, IHir-dciilin^!; StiUrsiiicii ciiiiid ii(ln]it with H ii('ij:liti(iiiriiijr ('(iiiiilry liki- tlu' '"iiitcd State;.*. What should we have said to tlio aiithorilics at Wusliiiiu'toii avIkmi wo went to iU')^otiati' I'lir a (.'oiiimcnialTii'aty, iC we liad ailn|)tcd sucli a systoin fts would lay tlii'ir whole IVoiitier a!uii>r two thuusaiid miles dpeii to illicit tra(h' ? That |M>sitioM is one I c>iiild never have consented lo oeenpy, and one in which im\ friend Mr. Ilowland, woidd never have cunsenled to lp,ici< nie up. [Ciioiir.i.] All we asked I'nmi tiie men at Wasliin^Mon, Sii.~all I liepe we shall ever ask I'roni them— was fair play. We a.ikeil them for no advaiitajre in their market which we were not prejiared to pve tlieni. We asked them t<> tako no pro caution on their side which ve weri' not \viiliu;i to take on our;' Wo asked llieni to take no further steps a^'aiusl liie Ken now. than we took airainst the raiders a vear And i am hound to sa\' that in the interview s wo had with these p-ntlemen at Washington — fireat and larirc and ])i>pidous a< their country is, and elated, as 1 may say they are, with the termination ol their civil war — they nu't us vith all the eon>-id"vr.tion that eonhl have heen shown to tiie emissaries of a I'ountry eijual to theirs in pupulation and standiiifi'. We failed to a^ice wiili them — \\f held a certain po>ition for oiir people, and tlu-y held another, which we lliou.irht a mi-taken (uie, lor tlieir- ; luit we parted with niuliial respect, and. I hope, with niulual kindly feelin^r^. and in thi.- we did our duty to the peoiile el' thi- cnunti-y, towards \vhom an irritation has existed there lia-ed moic on imaii'inaiion ijian reality . [ Hear, hear.] Again, it has heen charged Ihal in proposing to add articles to the t'oriner Fn-e Li-^t, ad\antago was to lie gixi-n to ilie .Nmericans. What we said was this. ■' lict us see whether the Ifeeipvoeal Kn'e List, wliich hfis Uenetited hoth countrie.-; >o nnu'li. caniiol he extended to certain classes of manufacture^.' We had faith in tiie aiiilil} of our people in manufacture; we knew we had a cheaper country; we lielic.i'd we had a peojih^ equal in intolligcnee : we thought if oui' jieople had a fail' start in the r;u'e, that heing more lightly hiirdened, liiey would win it. Ifwc were wrong, we were wrong in oiu' e.-timate of the ;ihi!;ties of on;- peuph' in cum pete w ith the ,\merican-.. and not in \\hat was iMir conception ol'our duly he.vards ihi'Ui. [ l.ouil cheers. | Once again, .'^Ir. it lias heen said that oni' intention wa-- lo di.-eriminate against our own Mother ( 'on n try. A moi'e llagnnil \iolai inn of hnili was never writ! en. ICIieers.] Sitchan idea never entered (he hraiii of any of the Delegates. \^'e would ne\<'r (MiuMMit In treat our fellow siilijeet- in (ileal l!rit,iin-r-.w ith wliom we are comieited hy tin' lionds of hlood and of ajleetioii, worse Ihan a foreign ]»ower. Whatever we Were prepared to give to the Tnited States, we were prepared to give to onr niotlier coniiti-y. aye. and inure too, We were and are, and I ho|)e slnill he fur cent nrie-. willing to i-pend onr last in;it) and onr last shilling fia' her. How c'ln it he supposed that w e wiaild dream for a single instant of putting her productions on ;in i ulterior footing to those of the Cnited Stati's ? I desire to give the nio,-t empiiatie eontradietion to any such ,-tatement as this. [ Loud a])plaus(>.J There are .some points, Sir, in news- pajier articles hy wliii'h I have heen assailed, respecting which I feel .sonn' degree of soreness, and I ^hldl not hesitate to make ymi, geiiil"nien, my oon- tidants to-night. My friend Mr. ilowland and myself have heen made the fiuhjocts of attack over rivili>r to the editor ol' tlie (Unhr auy inruiiiiaiidn which lie ])iMnii-ed to keep IVoin the piihlie until the meetinjrol' Parliuiiienl. Were it otlierwi-^e, 1 should this very iiifrlit make n jiTeat attack, a luosi viujenl attack, upon that lioiioiirabh* ^reiitleniaii. | h'enewed lau^'liter. ) liiii I I iiiuk instead of assail- ill}! him, I may lake tiie liberty ol' >ayiii'_' tliat the f >/"/''■ lia^ \ cry ureatly misrepreseiiled my friend Mr. iiowland and myself, and that not in tin- interest of the country, Imt in the spirit of a very narrow-minded malexdlence [Hear, hear. ) If it he the case that the intercut- (if ihe coniitry woe lialil" to injury by tin^ ])iiblie statement of ilie reasons ol the diHerenccs that arose between ilr. I'.rowii and liis collea^iiics, wli,\ did he aj^ree in wait until I'arlianieiit met before he told the imblic what thc-c n-a on- were, wlicii. if he shared the o])inioii of the (Unhr, he mn^l have fell lliat ilic Iidikii- and interests of the country re(|iiired their immediate ilisclo.-un' { | liond i heei ■. j It is sinfj;iilar that the editor of thi^ (llolir should be less pairioiic than the proprietor of that i)aper. \or does it seem fair for a man who ha- the u-c of a press and speaks every iiioi'nin,i; to 'JO or i'.o.nno readers, to circuiali' lii> views, when a re[(ly is out of the (|ne-tion. Mr. Ui'ov.n w ill. no donhl, -late Ills views when Parliament meets, and I intend to rejil;, lo him in the sanu' way then. J>nt to-nijrld I cannot do so, 1 nin.-' be content now to attack the Editor of the (ilohe. [Hear, and lauirhter. ] Wiiat ha-, ilie cour.-e of that paper been — has it been in tin? interest of this country or not ! When it hi^ represented that our object was to uive concessions to the .\niericans wliicii we would not jrive to our own nioiher lami, was not lhi> cerlainly calcula1"ii to stir n]t, in that mother country, a hostile feeliiiir to this I'rovince ? Are not our ell'orts to kcn'p np a friendly feeling at iiome bciiifi; iieulr.iiixed every day by the statements that the irovernmeni of this c(mnlry are disposed to concede to the I'lnted States pri\ ileires not io be conceded to I'lngland ' [Cheers.] Was il not said that Confederation was impcriiicd by 'he course we took J If this were so, how was it, I should like to know, (hat intheiiciio- tiations at Wa-hinirton the (h'le,L''ale< tVom tlie L(i\>.('r i'rininees \\-ere heari and soul with us { l,et me here jiay a well der every man in Canada feels that we have gone as far as we ought to have gone, and that we have met witli a very inadef|uate response. Kvery man in Canada feels we must wake up and he independent of these people; that we can have nothing to do with lliem while they hold their present views; that we will not sulunit to anything like extortion or wrong at the hands of our ueighliours : that we have oifered them hread and they gn\e us a stone; and that we should now take our own course aiid try the thing out to the cud. [Cheers.] .\nd what has heen the elh'ct in the United Slates I 1 would ask anyretlei-tiugmanwh.it was the tone of the American pe(»ple towards us two or three mouths .igo .' Voii could not then find (Uie newspaper that would say a single Avonl in liivour of Keeiprocal Trade. Now, however, many of the leading papers ol' the Cuiti'd Stales ure saying that their peojde were vvrong, ;iud that our peojile were right ; nud is it nothing to ha\e gained that position '. Is it nothing to ha\c gained the unanimous ^ul)port of our own p'-ojile. and lo have induced prohahly th(> oin' half ol'the .\mericau pe(i]de tu ikvow that liieir rulers ought to have made an arraugement with us ^ Our l)olicy. then, though it may not have accom|)lishiMl all we could hnve desired, has yet accomidished much. [ iiou.'. apjilause. ) 'fiu' ruited States markets. Mr. Chairman. \ull lie cloM'd again.-t us imi the ITlh of Alnrcli. The pco])le there will soon feel, we hope, that the course tin y are taking is an erroneous line, which, will entail additional hurdens upon themselves, and I helieve it will not he hmg liefore different couuscl> w ill ])revail, hut we cannot hinge the policy of this c(umti'y ui)iui aay such coulingeni'y as that, iti.snecet)- sar\ for the liovevnuieut to eou>idi'r nose, and it will he neccssarv for I'arlia 61 inent to consider soon in the inosl cfinicst way how thoy will deal with the eomnierciiil fnturc of (Canada, and wiiat its Trade policy shall be. [t'heers.] It is perfectly clear that the Union with tlie Lower Provinces uuist speedily l)e carried out. We must complete our communications with them, and have our mutual commerce as Iree as possible. The (Tovernment have sent a com- mission to the West indies and Brazil to forestall the action of the American Govemnienl. it is the intention of this (ioverninent to dve effect to tlie re- conunendations of the. fommi>sion whenever tln-y have made their report to I'arliament. Witii rcLMrd to the markets of Knjriand and France, tlie two jrreat consunnnir countries of Eurojje, it can scarcely be iniafrined that they can be made more free than they now are. Hut it is the duty of the Govern- ment to endeavour to make such arranfremeiits with the Odonies of these I'ovvers, and with .Spain and lier cojuny Cul»u, as will secure the recii)roeai iuterc.hanfje of some of their products and ours. [Hear, hear.] It is plain that the (jovernment will iiave to ]»ropose to Parliament a c(un[)lete revision of our system of ta.xat ion; lor tiie burdens of the people will have to be re- adjusted to stimulate the ^Tcat afxricultural interest of the Pmvince, and to make Canada at once the cheapest country to live in. and the most attractive country in the world for tlie lalior and capital of foreiirn lands. [ Hear, hear. J Our pcdicy must lie mie of development and not of sloppafre — developmeni not of Canada alone, but of all the vast ten-itory strelchintr from Xewfound- land on the (»ne hand tiileratious >uch as these, they are unworthy to be- long to any free country on the lace of the earth. Hui. thank fJod, the sjiirii of Pritish institutions i,-< instilled deep into onr hearts, and a bcdd, niaidy lo\c for freedcnn which forbids any such thing a> that, [t'heers.] We know how to hold out the right hand of frieiid-hii), but if it is refused we know how tn draw it back again. Continually have the Coverument of this country laboured to perforin their diilie< to the neighbotiring people, but we expect the ,sanie Iron; them.— with le.^s we will not be contented. While we lovi> our institutions, we will imt interi'ere with theirs : and whib' we respect theirs. 1 68 U(> ..xpcct rospoot froin tluMn tor ours. I ho,,,] dipor. 1 Tl„. ,li-"-- wliiol. a,,, ,„ ,1„„..-M,i„„ „l„,l„.,. „.,. ,„ m , " |.r«l,.n,„„n- trial., ""•--■; ''-'-i-:--;;"^ ;:;;;'::;: ;;i:,;jri.r;:;;;7'' 1 69 HON. ALEXANDER CAMPBELL is Commissioner of Crown Lands. Mr. Campbell is a m;in of ^\n\v inlluenee in the West, and brings a goe'l deal of ability to the Cabi- net, lie is the seconty,> •'Hear ln-ar." !siy hnn frit'iid oiivils at every stiitciiii'iil whicli is made, attempl-* to tlirow doiilit and distni-it iipdii the ti^ruics wliidi hav lieeii pnidnced i. advoeaoy of th" measure, and has not re>tniined himself from usin.ir every m -thod of opposi- lion whicii hi'^ ima.Lnnation could invent or his ahility turn ;o aeeount. I must say tliat 1 ran lianlly l)elieve an hoiuairalde frentlenian to he in favour of the sebeme, wlio takes every (i[iport unity to attaek it. and, wlieu aceuseii of , inutility, shelters himself under ohjeetious to the details. (Hear, hear.) n shows to me that his feelings are not sincere, but that lie desires to np-et the very foundations on which Confederation rests, not perhaps h.>oftuse he is opposed to Confederation in the abstract, or a Confederation such as be would like to see established, but because he desires to thwart und defeat the efforts of those who have been honestly and iudustrionsly engaged in 71 bringiug about the i-ciiciiii; wliicli is now lict'inc tlii> Houm'. I miv. tiDimnililc gentlemen, il'the people eoi.ld express llieir ((piiiitms as we mny express mirs lo-nighl, tlie\- would all eoneur in the lirst resolution. (Jli'iir, lu'ar.; Well, gentlemen, ir being granted that wt- an- all in liivor oT union, how are thedt- lails to be settled/ Is it possilile that the nearly lour millions ol' people who compose the j)roviiie('s to be atf'eeted by the union, should meet together t;/ Wi^/.v.vf and settle tliose details ? It i- not possilile. and those who argue ihat tlie sehenie should originate with the ])e l[oii>e. and judge for yoiirselvcN whether the parliamenl.s of all the provinees could meet together, aiul origin.iie and decide upon the details of t'onfederaiiou. Tiieic is no oilier pracl'.i able way liian that delegates should meet together a> they have doni-, and iVaniH resolutions on the suiiject, upon which the act (•oii>i;t uling lln! union could be founded, lionoralile genileuu'u have asked uho auliiorized those dele- gates to meet together for the purpose of I'rauiing those rcsolutioi:s. Honor- able gentlemen know very will that the |»reseiit (iovcriimeut of Canada was formed for the \cry purpose of consiileriug anil submitting a .-clieme ol' tiii-* kind. My honorable I'ricml iVoiu .Niagara ag.iin takes shelter inider tlu' statement that what the llovernmenf proiio-ed to do was to bring down a scheme for the Confederation of Canada e.lone. ami that the bringing of all Ihe ])rovinci's into the Confederation waN only a >ecoiu!ary idea, 'fhe hu- tuirable genllcmaii kiiow> very uell that that >laleine!it of the ca>e is a Uicre pretence. I'iverybody knew that the liovernmcnf would endeavor to over- come the ditticuities whieh iircseiitcd them.selvcs in working the governmenl of Canada, eitlier by one project or by the other. The 'ionorable gentleaiaii ha.s quoted from the .Speech from the Throne delivered at the close of l.i-t session, in which an allusion wtis made to the i'ormatimi of a Federal union between the two sections of this i)rovince, and not to a Federal luiion of all the provinees. Why does he not refer to and ([Uote from the SjaM'cii from the Throne at the oj)ening of this ses^ion ( My honoraliie friend will lind there, and I suppose he will place tiu- (.'Xjire^sion on even terms with the other, th(! following: — "At the close of the last sf.>ioii of Parliament 1 informed you thai it wa-^ my intention, in conjmiction with my ministers, to prepare and submit to you a mcasiwi' for the solution of the eoii ''^utional [irolilem, the dix'us-^ion of which las I'or .some years agitated this province. A careful consideraliou of tin; general jtositiim of Britis!; North Anwriea induced the cou\ieiion that the eircumstances of the times ali'm-ded the op])ortunity, not merely for the Hettlement of a (|uestion of provincial polities, but al.yi for the i^inmliancou.'* ereation of a new nationality. ' Xow, my honorable friend says in eti'ect that we were not light, when the opportunity presented itself id' endeavoring to carry out the idea, in seizing upon it, and endeavoring to eombino those provinces in one mitionalitv . and er the common (lag of Great Britain, and under the rule of a Viceroy of the Rritish Crown. Kvery honorable gentleman feels in hi;i heart Ihat we 72 wcro not only riiriit ami p^'.trintio in thus assonililinir, but that wo wqvc. doiiifr tliat whicli \va< iir'>inis{'(l to tlic l.cuislatun' nf tliis province at tiu' clost^ of hist session ut' I'.irliann'nl. lldiioiahh'u'iMitlcnK'ii, 1 am sui'itriscd and frricvcd that my honoralih' IVirnd from Xiairara, whom I i' not It el it Ids duty to unite with us in briiiudnir ahout tliat w'iirli i< so ih'ar to all of us — a clo,-cr connectioa witli tlie ilothi'i' Country, and a licltir incaus uf pei'|ii'tiiatin.ir iJrilish in-^titutious on this continent (Hear, lirar.) .My linmirabh' friend says the whole Si'iicnie cliaiMet^'l'ized 1 I', eniii'i'.-;i(in> to the Ldwcr I'rovincc-. \V hipunral c iccnilenicii, pla i liiin in any pia'iiiMi nf ihr Low,'!' I'roviiK'i-^ and h't liim li-'cn t" til" op|io^iiiiin I ha! i> made t'.n'i'e to llii! •■ehcuie, and lie will find that Ih'.' uIimIc ci'v ot' tlinse who, hke hiui, do not I'clKcL oii the iiece- sity ol'yieldiiiij: sonictliinii- for ihi' eomnmu jrood, is, tlia! everythiiit: has been coiiei'ded to Cui.iiia. it i~; --aid, " We ari- ^oinir to be iiuiied uifii a provinco whieii is intiintely li.'yoiid u-; in poinl ot' po[uihilioii and wealtli, and wlioso jmiilie ne-ii are abh^ to comniand, by their ability, a much iar^ri-r iidhieiiee tliaiiour imblie men.' 'I'liey profc^:- to lielic\c that they are comiiiL' under the siiadow of Caaada, and Ih.-ii i-v er\ thiiiu' whiiji lliey desire for theniseive.i v.ili lie irampinl muh-rfoo;. My honoi-aldc I'rieiid, foi'p-cttiiij,' those duties which he owe< to ihc ( iu\ ri iimciil . ,i\\i\ forui't lin^' the duty which lu' owes as a patriotic cili/cu lo ]..< coiini ;■ . coiiti-iil- i;ini elf v.iih liiidin.i: hmlt with the deiai!'- of a ■'hen a • w liirii '..:■ Iii-lirv cs will be f.u' the he net it of i lie eoan- try, and pirks hole^ in e\i-r, paiM {<\' ihe-e details which he dot-s not ha[ipeii tally to uiiiK-i'-taiid. lie hot oid;, complain- that the people of Canada have !iui, been coii-nhed. bill tl.a; in rwyy respect the interest^ of Canada have iieen bartered away. l)o(!s In' forirel that the inenihers of the (lovernment nil love their coniitry. and have iuleresis as ureal and as dear to them as tho rest of the people oC ('anada .' 1-il likely that my honoraltle friend at the head ot' ilic Co', eriniien'. tiie iioijorab'!' and jxallant Knij^lit, would j;'ive up cverythiiii: Ihai i- dear to his race and to the iH'(ep!e of this proviiue ( Is it likely Iliai any ot n- woald ruthlessly throw away any advantajre which we conld reasonably retain '. (tn the conli ir\ , if my honor, ible friend could \h> hrontiiit I., look upon tie iiie,i>,irc with that liiierality which ou,tly endeavored, to tlui best of their united ability, t • arraii.i/e the ■chcine which is now under your consideration, rlfear, hear.) I conld forgive my honorable friend altogether, if, like my honorable friend opposite, he took tiie irround that the siheme oufjht to be delayed niUil after a pnier.d eleciion. Ibit, instead of that, he leaves no ;ling H power vastly superior to that whicli Canada alone could bring into t'.-.' field, and giving tin; Government, when negotiating, an opportunity to point to what miglit possibly result iVoni ti\,it power being ealii'd into active st r- vice. How can men be so lost to all that is true and usriul and patrintic as to o])pose a union of the pov.-ers df defence, and to opi)o«;e a scheme which is alone likely to atl'ord the nwans of maintaining, for any long period of year.^, that comiection wiih (ircat Hritain which we all regard as so valuable { My honorable friend fnun Niagara took occa'^ion, in the course of his renuirki?, to throw doubt upon one or two of my statenu'nts, ami particularly in regard tothcvalueoftbemineraldepositsofNewfoundland. I stated that I could satisfy K 7t till' ll(Mis(' lli.'il tlii'it' \M'i'c iiiini'ijil (l('])()sit-; in New lunnill.'uiii dt' ii Viiliiiil)li) I'lianictcr. I will not (Ictahi tlu' liou,-r by rciKlinir it at icn.utli, Imt I hnid in my liuiul a coity of a rcjiort that was niadcnn that cnjony in 18U', Mtatlnfrtliat tliost) (loposils eitiisistcd (if piU'iia, ^fypsuiit, luarhlt', ^rnld, iron, rojijicr, etc. Tlitin^ arc most inijiortani i.-ad mines in oiicration, and Professor SirF.PifAUU states that he saw 3,'AH) pounds of pure iralena thrown from a vein at iv siufrlo blast. Jle pii's on in liiis report to descrihe tlie very eonvenieiit position ol" tho mines, showintr that they can he aiiitrnaehcd very closely Ity vessels dniAvinii' twelve or fifteen feet of water. This report plainly shows that my honorahle friciiul was mistaken in supposin,!,' th:il there ui're no valuable minerals in Newfoundland. I!ut sui)pnse, lor the sake of argument, that then; M'cn! no minerals there; NUp])o>e wc were sim]ily aiviiij; the I'rovinco of Newfoundland !j;!J.'')O,U(>0 a year for the purjuoe of p'ttinu' that island into the t'lud'ederatioii, would it not be better to have the Confederation complete! than to refuse to agree to that coiulition t Oia^ woidd supjiose, iVom the man- ner in which some honoral)le gentlemen treat the (pu stiou, that the various sums to be anmuilly jiaid to the liower I'rovinces v.cre to Ix; paid by Canada alone ; but it is nothing of the kind, — they an- tu be paid by the whole Con- federation, the population receiving the benelit contribution as much per head to tlui amount as that of the Province of (.'anada. "Wluit does my liono- rable friend suppose the I'rovince of >'ewfoundlan(l gives up to the Confede- ration in return for the ^7ir)(l,(Jtl0 '. It translcr.s to u.s the whole right of property in its unsold lands, and the whole of its geiu'ral rcveiuK^ In INi'J, it had a gross Hivciiue of $4r<0,()U(i, only 6">."liil of whi( h was from local sources, and it is calculated that tlu; colony will bring a revenue of .t-l:;n,oii(i jd-r amium to the Coiilederate purse, while tlie total amousit it v.ill receive will bn 8;5r)i),"iUO per annum out of which lo defray its local e.\j)enses. Is there anything so marvellously outrageous in that? !ii addition to t!;e fact tl.at .\'ewf(nuidland will pay the Confederation !jii;i(J,U(iO, and receive .>;'j'.>,(IO(>, wo have u complete yielding to the Federal {lovernmc'.i'i of all her territorial sources of revenue. ^\nd so it is wiih all tlie provinces. Km\\ ol' them will contribute to the general revenue, or to the Joidcderate |)nrse,miu'e than they will receive from it, so that the revenui! of Uw whole country will show a surplus. The honorable gentleman from Niagara evidently contcmiiiales much more by his aiiiendiueiit than my liouoi';iblc friend opposilc, who has so ably supjiorted it, contenipI.il es. My liiuiorab'e friend \n !i(< supjiortcd the uinendiucnt contemplates a delay unlil then,' shall lie an expression of tho peujili' taken through a dissohuion of i'arliaineiil. Well now, how can a dissolution of Parliament be iirmight about in a constitutional iiumuer ? .Supjxise this 8clieme to receive the sujiport of an immen.se majority of Uio Ijower House, as it plainly docs, and also of a large majority in th.is Jlouso how, I would ii>k, under our ■^vstem of govcrnnieKt, can a dissolution be brought about'? A dis.^olutiou is imknov.-ii to the liriti^li (.'uiistitution, as carried out in this province, excc]it when a measure, originaled by tho Governmont, does not receive tlu; sujiport <.!' I'arliaiiK nt. Receiving tho support of more than two-thirds of tlie rei)resentativcs of the peopl", as tho present Clovernmcutdoes, how is it iiossibh; that Parliament ouldbe dissolved to hfuit tho viewH of a .siuall minority i That is asking quite too much, even I 75 if it were |)ii,>,-il)ic Id l'i;iiiI it. (Hear, liraij W'li.'i, llicrcrtiiu, dn liuiKiriihlc frtiUtleiueii iisk, wlion lliry iisk lliiif. tlic scIkmik! hi: sul)iiiittiiil td the people '. Tliey ask us as a (lovfriiiiifnt to leave that whii'li \vc eoin-ider liiu sale, sound, I'.ritish coustiluliuiial uiode of jjroeedure, and resort to the Aiuorieaii system of obtaining iissent to eourttitutioiial alterations, l)y taking the votes, yeil ami nay, of the individual nieintjcM's of the wliole euiiiniuuity. What sort of a conclusion could he arri\'ed at hy tliat mode ol pi^oecdun- ? Is it p(»ssihle that any lion, menilier of this House de,-ires that the people >hould have the opportunity of saying yea or iiay to each (.lause ol these re>olutions { I am .satisfied that is not wiiat my honorahle friend I'rom Niagara, ilesires, because ho only asks for a delay of a month ; and my lionorahie friend opposite does not desire it, because he kno\v< the iiritish Cuiistitutioii and loves it too well ti> contouii)lato sueli a course for a moiuenl. What eoiirlus'oii, tlieii. can \v(? arrive at, but that tlio,>e who opjiose tiie pav-i'.ge of tlie scheme through this llouse, by moving and support iugameiulmenls to it, are iIe-;iroiis of defeating it, tuul make those amendments for llial purpose '. (Hear, hear.) 1 atn satis- fied, from the best information I can oiitain, tliut the passage of the amend- ment would ha\ i^ a very great tendency towards defeating the measure. It; hiis to be agreed to in both braiu-hes of all tiie other legislatures, and then in the Imperial I'arHameul. All tlie oilier legishitur»'s are now waiting upon the action of this House. The}' are wailing to know wlu-ther honoraiih' gentle- men of the Ijegislalive C'nuncil ol' Canada concur in the scheme — wlielher you lire satisiiecl to put on one side small oiijections lo minor iiiallcrs ol' detail — to put on one side yoiu- individual opinions on this point and on that point, and give it your support as a whole. Kvery person who reflects upon the subject must be satisfied that lliaL wouUl have to be done under tuiy circumstances. Ho you desire to have a. union of all the Urili^li American Provinces, or do you desire to remain as y'>ui-. i''or niyisertiiig, with more and more veliemeiice every year, that we were not doing our duty on this .-ide of the water in relation lo our defences J If (i real liritain should get intoaw.ir with tlu; I'liited States from circuiiiNtaiices over which wo had no control, still our destinies wimv liukctl ill with those of the great empire of wliicli we lorni a jiarl. n.'.'X it is oiu' duly under all circumstauces, to do something more than wi; have yet done, to prepare tor events that may happi'ii li'om one cause or another. Hut suppose that during the past summer armed lorces I'rom the United States hud entered Canada in pursuit ol' raideiv escaping into this pro\ ince froai the other wide of the border, as they might have; done had luu tien. I)i.\'s order been withdrawn ; and had we I'ouiid that our integrity as a ineinb( r of the great Empire was not respected, and (ireat Hritain had coincided with the views of our (.lovernmeni and tieclared waragain.-t the l,'iiit;itutioii of rppor ami liowcr Canada, is it ii matter wliicii tlie niiiii.sliirs of tlic Crown can carry in tlioir pocluts ami put in t'orcc witlioiit tlio sauftion of r'arlianicnt ? No, it is a measure whicii uuist licreafter 1)0 laid on the table of this House, whicli must he debated, and upon which wo shall all have an opportunity of pnjuou-.iciufr an oiiiniuii iiefore it ctmies in forcu. At the proper time, a lull opportuinty will he alfordcd to lhos(! who dissent from the views of the (iovernment in repird to the constitutions of thoso provinces, (»f oxpressijifr their opinions, and of socking to yivo oll'ect to iheui. The same nuiy ho said in refr,>id to the olijections tak. a to the Inlercohniial Ruihvn\'. It is asserted that tin; iiUereoiouial Railway is souu-lhin)^ that we ou^'ht lu'vor to have utrreed to. lint honor,. ,le gentlemen will acknowledge as a general |)roposition, that union is imjiossihhf without tin; railway, and such as believe that union is important and necessary, must lie content to take the railway as a comlition which is indispensaldo. But, honorable gou- tlomon, tho liov(.'rnment cannot ol' itself build tiie Intercolonial Railway. There is no ])(jwer either in this (iovernment or the (iovernnu'Ut of tiie other provinces to liuild it. We must couu' down to I'arlianuMit for the sanction — not to this Parliamout, but to the Conlcderale Parliament, am! the CVmfode- rati; I'arliament will havo an op])ortunity of sa\ ing upon what termi wp shall build the lutercoltmial Railway. Tho fullest opportunity will ho uJIorded for di.seussion before either tho lutercoloiual Railway is built, or tho constitutions are adopted for L'jjper and Lower Canada. The former will he submitted to the Coidederate Parlianu'Ut ; tho latter, should tho resfdutions now befori* the lliuisi' pass, to the present I'arlianiont of Canada ; for that must necessarily be a maiter for the disposal of tho Legislature of Canada. I am not one of tho^e who would, as ,«uggested, desire to take shelter behind tho resolutions before the Jloiise for any imworth3' purpose; but tins I will tsay, that the ameiuhnent now before tho House ought ntomed pl.ace'in this House — I refer to my honorable friend Hon. Mr. Mathk.son. hi 185.5, my honorable friend pro- posed a .series of resolutions ui this House against the elective principle, the 78 Ifi.st III' whirli is ill laiipun^ri' iimiiliciit' <4 tlic rc-iilt wiiicli imw we an* Icst- iii^I l»y actual cxiifnoncr. Tiic rcMilutinii is in tlif^c witnis: — S. /^eWrer/,— That a* tho subject of a union of tho whole of fho Uritinh North American Provinces has fur yoars occiipicil (hii iiuMIc attention, it would manifestly be unwise to (M)iuiilicate fiitur(> arrMii^;eiiK>nls by ii cluintre in the ('onstitut ioii of one of those provinces, which has not beiiti sought lor, iind which this House believes, wouM not bo acceptable to tiio others. It is, therefore, tho opinion of this Council, that any I)ro(!oc'ilinK9 on thu subject at the present juncture would bo promiiturc, unwise, and inexpedient. My hniKuaiilc Irii'iul at llial tiiiu' lonlsctl lorwani to tlial wliicli we iitiw son ahiuit to lake place — a union of these provinces — and he anticipuled also thai lliu olective system, if introdnced inlo this braneli of the J.ee:islatMre, woulil lie Iran^rlit with diliicuity. it has been tVan^'hl with dilliciilty, and it is a ditli('ult3- \\liicli we niiii.L;nilicance. 1 nnist say tliat for my part 1 am di-iiiosed to pal a^ide all tlii-M- thinjrs. I am di,- posed to put a.^idi- all reference to what an hoiioraiih' member may li;i\edoiH' under other circum- staia-cs and ill other times, and I would merely ask myself this: "Is this Confederation desirable '. Do I wish for it as a lover of monarchical institu- tions ? Do I desire it as a siiiijecl of the Hrilish Empire.' Do 1 wish lor the porpetualiou of the coimection between this country and Great Uritaiu'r' Ii' I do I shall waive my olijections on. tliis point and the other, in my desire I'or the success of tin- iirinciiile. This ( 'onfedciation iias been souirlit after lor years, but never until now has it approached so near a c(uisuiinniition — never was it a jiossibility as it is now a possibility, .\fier years ot' anxiety, after years of ent instance thi^ will b(! the iipinidn (if the Legi ^latnre (if tl;is c(mntry. 1 tru-.1 and lu'lieve we are satisli( d that I'ederatidn is ch'siraide in ilself. and that, willuiut iii>i,>tinu' (in this point or on that point, we v,-ill he looking cuiitideiitly forward tn ih«: future, wlK.'ii wo shall witness, in thl> cenntr)-, a iiopuiation of tour niillioiis, witli a valualile tdininene, and, in point of na\al pi.wer and Miinvniaey, ranking fourlh in the world. ( .\ppla(ise.) I'ailicularly am 1 surprised that any lioiioiahle gentleman from Lower ('anada should oppose iiiinself to this nn'ioM, for liy union the jieople of Lcwcr Canada \>ill r-gain po.- -es-ion of those eoniuries which were (in( c heloiiging to their Y\m\ and hi which llieir huiiruage eoiilinues to he spoI;en. 1 lielieve that for them, as \m11 as for us, there is a future in sti.re ol giva'. iifomise, to wha-h we c.m all look forwark tluni luit to pass tills amendment, ^vhich is Immght lorward in the iioorest of all sjiirits. which is based on the assumidion that lionomble gentlemen are not read\ to give the country tin* beiielit of their minds and their judgments, but which asks us to wait and go knocking about fi-Min do'irto door, a-king what is thomrht about tiie scheme ujiou which *ve are now called to legislate. Fede- ration is the future safety and salvation of the eounlry. Lot ud then wuivo our .small objeetioiis and vote for Foderatiun. (Applause.) 80 HON. THOMAS D. McGEE is Minister of Agriculture (with a fine field for his h^bors). Mr. McGce is one of the most intelli.a"ent men of the Cabinet, and has won the repute of l)eing a fkient and witty speaker. This is iiis best qujility, it may be said, though he has some legisLative talent also. He can go to much trouble to collect statistics, and is a careful writer on a serious subject. ifMr. McGee is light and witty sometimes, he can, in the House, be serious and olRcial-like, as becomes a legislator. More discursive nnd florid than Mr. Mac- dona^a, he is less serious and legislative, and may be said to })e inferior to the latte^* in tlie (puilities of a Minister. This Minister is member for an important consti- tuency, namely, •' Montreal West,'' most of the electors of which are of Irish origin. It is they who have fought him into his«present place, — aided very much by his talent, it nuist be said. By many it is agreed that n man of Irish origin shall represent the west of the city, as it is that one of French origin shall the east. In view of this, it is likely that Mr. McGee will be elected for the west division as often as he may run for it, be he in otiice or not, unless he should eonnnit some error that would estrange his countrymen from him — a thing wlilch he is too intelligent to do; though one may see that his grow- ing attaciinuMit to the (Jvown does not well please some t)f his uUra-Oatholic friends, who have some not 81 very clear ideas about the " wrongs" of their coun- try, etc. Mr. McGee was first elected in 1857, and sat until 18G1, when the constituency was divided into three sections. He has since sat for Montreal West. In 18G2, he was in the Keforni Administration of that time— in 1864, in the Coalition, where he now is. If we look hack at the political course of Mr. McGee (as one must do in order to write a sketch of him) we cannot help seeing that it is a little irregular; and it is to be hoped by his friends that the rest of it will not be marked by any more deviations. At the present time this Minister is doing good service in the cause of Confederation by his fluent speech. His inlhience is mostly among the Irish in central Canada, but it extends to the east and west. Mr. McGee is ii lawyer, but, so far, has not cut a figure at the i5ar. It was onl}- in 1801 that he ^ assed, so that he is young at law, if old at politics ; and he may in time get a seat on the Bencli, for the step IVon^ the Ca])inet to that seat of honor is easv. Ministers give their late colleague a lift, and he alights upon the Bench. In fact the way to that seat is through the Cabinet, and, no doul)t, Mr. McGee has seen that by this time. After he tires of legislation he may wish to pass the rest of his life in court, ar \ie\v,'' as the jjiirase i-'. it may wi'ii therefore seem that after thi'se speeches littie of esseiiti.d im]iiirt- anee r(>niains to lie stated. Sli'i ttiis .Milijeel is .so va^l. the ]iroJeet iiefure the. House is so va.st. and comprehenils within it so many olijeets of intevesi, the atmosphere that surrounds a suhject of this importance is so subtlo and fliietualiiifi;, that there may ne, I am feiiiii to believe, a little joimn'-work still left to do — there nia\' be a liindis here and there to (ill up; and altiiough, as what is called "the ])reliniiiiary ca.-o" i.-; concerned, the (lue.^tion inij;ht perhaps very well have rested with the i'our .-speeches already' delivered, there may bo some sli.ixht additional coiitrihution madi'. and. such as it is, in mv own liumblo w.y, I j)ropose to make it toni;.:lit. { Hear, hear.) We all remember that in the nurseiy legend of the Three Kin of Cologne, Cascak brought mylirr, and AIdi.chiou incense, and IJamwss.mj gold, but [ am afraid my contribntifui will he h^s valuable than any of thi.'se, yet such as it is I cheerfully bring if, jiartieiiiai'ly when tlieM> are so many in this and th(> oilier provinces who would like io kno\\ wiuii ni\ own vii'ws are in relation to tlie p.resent crisis. With your approbation, .-ir, and tlie forbearanc.' of the Ilou.se, I will 'endea- vour to treat this subject in this way: — First, to give soui" slight sketch of tile history of the (jueslioii ; thmi to examine the existinii' motives which ought to prompt us to secure a sjieedy I'uion nf these ]irovinees; then to speak of the difficulties which this (jiiestiou Inis eiicountcfed helore reaching its present fortunate stage; then to say .somethinj^of the mutual advantages, in a social rather than politic al ])oint of view, which these province.s will have in their union, and lastly to add a tew words on the Fcch'ral principle in general; when 1 shall have done. Jn other words, I jiropose to ctmsider the ((iiestion of I'nion mainly from within, and as far as possiiile to avoid going over the gi'ounil already .so fully and so much better occupied by hon. friends who have iilrciidy spoken n])on the suliji ct. My hon. friend, the member for Ifochelaga, thought ho did a very clever thing the other evening when he disentombed an old newspaper article of mine, entitled " A New Natit)iiality, ' and endeavored to lix on me the pater- nity of the jdirase — destined to becume lirophelic — which was enii'doyed by a eiy distinguisheil personage in the Speech from the Throne at the opening of liie session. 1 do not hapi»en to ri'inembiM' the article alluded to as one of my lirst essays in piditical writing in CJanada; but I am quite sure that the almost-lorgolteii publication in which it ap[)eared was never known, even by itaim;, tothe illustrious ]U'r,soii who delivered the speech on that occasion. IJut 1 will own \\hen 1 saw my bantling liobl up to (ho fulmiriHioii of the SH rionsc in tlio dolioato and fostcriiif; hands of tho hon. nionilxn' for llodiolafra, I was not ashamed of it ; on tho contrary, perhaps tiioro was ponip tinpliu}^ of parental in'id(> Avhcn I s;i\v what ton years airo J pointed out as tlie truo position for tlicse cnionies to tiikc. about to Ite adoi»ti'(l hy nil llie ooloni(\s nnder such favoralde circiinistances. F do not tliink it ouplil to he made a matter of rep;.)ach to nio. or a cause for Ixdittleiufr the iniporlanee of the subject, that ten y(>ars i\'^i> I used t lie identical ])hrase(!mployed in tiie Speech from tho Throne. The idea itself is a irciKl (nie, and it may have floated thron/'h the minds of many nuMi and received inlellectual hospitality, (iven from tiie hon. member for ilochelafra himself. One is reminded by tliis xirtui' thin,!!,-, of Puff in the Crilic. " Two peojilc " happened " tnhit upon the sani" tlutu^'lit, and Sii.\k.'-i>K!!I': made use of it first— thai s all." (Laughter.) My houiu'able friend is in tliis re-^pect, no donlit, the Sii icsi'iasE of the new nationality. (Ifenewcd lauahter.) If there is anytiiinir ir, the article he has read to the llon-c which is deserving of disapprol)atio)i, ho is jxirticrjits criiiii)trn, and e(|uaiiy lilanu'able if not more bhimeabh; than myself. lie is indeed the older sinner, and 1 bow ti> liim in that character with all jirciper humility. (Keiu'v,-'(l lauixhtcr.) lleally Mr. .'^I'KAivi'.ii, the atteinpl to fix the jiarentagi' of this child of many fathers is altop'tlier absurd ;.nd futile. It is almost as ridiculous as the attempt to fi.v the Uauic of this new C'oideder- ation, in advance of the decision of the (iraciiuis Lady to wluun the matter is to be referred. T have read in one newspaper published in a \V(>stern city not less than .a dozen attemps of tliis nature. One individual chooses Tui»onia and another llnchilaira, as ;i •>uiiabie nanu- for file ;i('W nationality. .Now I would ask any hon. nii'inberof this liousteui proposed; when tin; Confederation has a jilace iimou!,' the nations of tho W(n-id, and ojiens a new paui' in history, it will be time cnoutrh to look into its antecedents, and when it has ri'aelu-d this sta^'e there are few men who, havinir struirgled for it in its earlier diliiculties. will l:heii deserve to be honorably nu'iitiiaied. T shall not be u-uilty oi thi; bad l;;ste of eomiilinient- in.i;' those wilh wluun I have the honor to lie a^sociated; hut when we reach th(! staji;e of research, whicli lies far beyiuid the sla^iXc of deliberation in tiu'se affairs, there are siune name- that ouuiit not to be forirotten. So tar back as the year l"^Oi), the Hon. .Mr. ('mackiv a leadintr politician Ml .Nova Scotia at that date, sulniitted a .-clu'ine of Colonial I'uion to the Imperial Jiuthorities. In ls|.'"). Chief .iu-liee Skw IsI.l, w hose name wdl be well remembered as a. leadin.u' lawyer of this city and a far-sijihted politician, submitted a scheme. In |H'J'.>. Sir ,li iemam on Cohaiial I'nionin 1>'.VJ. 'fliese are all memorabhs and .some of them are ;i:reat nauu's. ]f we have dreamed a dream of I'nioii (as Mime of y(Ui ^■entlemeii say) il i- it lea-t worth while remarkiufi' that a dream which ha.'- I»een dreamed by .•-uch \\\Mi and {rood men, may, for aiiirht we know or you know, have been a sort of vision — a vision tore-^hailowmg fortlu.'tnnin;; natural events in a cKmi intelh^'-,.ui(. a vlsi»in 84 (I say it without irrovcroncc, lur tiie ovciit ('(UU'oriis the lives of millions living, and yet to roiiie) resoinliliiig thoso seen by the D.vxiels and JosKrus of old, iorcshadowiiifr tlio Uials of tlic I'litiin-; the t'ato of tribes and peoples; tin; rise and I'all of dynasties. JJut the ininiediate history of tb" ">":;. ";\ :.: sullieiently wonderful witlmut dweiliufr on the remoter prodiet ions of so uuiiiy wise men. Wlmever, in If^OJ, or evi'U in IHi:{, would have told us that we slumld sie, even what we see in these seats l»y whieh I stand — such a repre- sentation of interests acting together, would be acc(tunted, as our Scotch friends say, " half-daft ;'" — and whoever, in the Lowc^r Provinces about the sauu- time, would have ventured to foretell the eoini)osition of their delega- tions, whicii sat witii ns under this roof last October, would probably have been considered eciually denuMiled. (Laugliter.) l!ut the thing cauu' about, and it those gentlenu'U, who have had no inuuediale band in bringing il about, and, therefore, naturally, felt less interest in the project than we who did, will oidy give us the lienelit of the doubt, will only assunu' that we are not all, altogether wrong-headed, we hope to show them still farther, as we think we have already shown them, that we are by no means without reason in entc'lng on this entevpiise. I ~;ulMuit, however, wo nuiy very W(dl disudss the antecedent history of the (juestion for the present: il grew IVortance to theory in men's mind> — was the now celebrated desjiatch. sigiu'd hy two mend)ers of this (lovemment and an hon. gentleman ibrinerly their colleague, a nuunlier of the other Ihaise; I refer to the iles- uatch tif 1S.').S. The recomnu'udations in tliat (b'spateh lay don. .ant until revived by the Constitutional Committee of last Session, Avhich k'd to the Coalition, which led to the (j>uebec Coid'erence. whieh led lo the draft of the ('onstitutie ireiitlenien I will nu-ntion two. 1 do not know whether hon. gentlemen of this House liavi; seen .some letters on colonial union, written in IH.V), tlie last addressed to the late Duke of Nkwc.x.stM';, by Mr. P. S. lI.\MiLT().v, an able public writer of Nova Scotia, and the iiresent Gold Commissioui'r (d" that Province; but! take this opportunity of liearing my testinuiny to his well-balanced judgnuuit, jiolitioal sagacity, and the .skilful handling the subject received from him at a very early jieriod (Hear hear.) There is another little 1)ook written in Knglish, si.\ or seven years ago, to which 1 must refer. It is a jiamphlet, whieh nu't with an extraordinary degree of success, entitled Xoin Jiriliiiniin. by my hon. friend the member for South Lanark (Mr. ilouuis-.) and as he has been oiu^ of the priiXipal agents ill bringing into existence the present Government, whieh is now 85 carryinf; out the idea enihodictl in his hook, I tnif t he will forgive me iC I take the opixjrtunity, althougii he is prt'stnit, of roialing a Rinj^'le siMitcin'c to show how far he was m advance and how true he wi.s to the eomin^: event, which we are now considering. At page 57 of iiis jianiphlet— which I hoj)e will l)e reprinted among the political miscellanies of the provinces when we are one country and oiu^ peopli; — 1 iind this paragraph : — " The dealing with the destinies of a future Hritannic eMi]iirc, the sh.iiiing it< C(Hirsc, the laying its foundations broad iuul deep, and the erecting thereon a nohle and enduring superstructure, are indeed dutio.> thnl uuiy well evoke the energies of our ]ieoj)le. und nerve the arms and gi\e power and enthu.--iasm to tiie aspirations of all true patriots. The very magnitude of tin; interests involved, will, 1 douhl not, eleviile many amongst us aliove the denuuids oi mere sectionalism, and enable them to evince suiheieut compreheiisiveiu'ss of mind to deal in the spirit of real statesmen with issues so nmnientons, , d to originate and develope a national line of commercial and general iiolicy, adi as will i)rove adapted to the wants aiul exigencies of our position." There are unmy other excellent passages in the Avork, but I will not detain the House with many ouotations. Thi; spirit that animates the whole will be seen fr(/m the extract I have re.ad. ]{ut whatever the private writi;r in his closet Uiay have conceived, whatever even the iiutividual statesmim may have designed, so long as the public mind was uninterested in tin; adoption, even in the discussion of a change in our jtosition >o momen- tous as this, the I'nion of these 8('i)arate proviiu'cs, the individuil labored in vain — i)erliaj)s, sir, not wholly in vain, for althoiigh his work may not have borne fruit then, it was kindling a tire that would ultinuitelv light up the whole political horizon and herald the dawn of a better day for our country and (uir people. Events stronger than advocacy, events stronger than men, have conu' in at last like the tire behind the invisible writing to bring out the truth of these writings and to imi)rfss them upon t!u^ mind of every thoughtful man who has c(Uisidered the position aiul probable future of these scattered ])roviiu'es. (Cheers.) Before I go further into the details of my subject, 1 will take this opportunity of ccmgratulati. t this House ami the public of all the provinces upon the extram'dinary activny which has b<'en given to this subject siiu'c it has become a leading topic of public discussion in the Maritime and what I may call relatively to them, the Inland I'roviiu'es. ft is astonishing how active has betui the public nnne coinmuni- ties since the subject has been fiirly launched. I have watciied willi gn at attention the ex))ression of jjuhlic opinion in the I^ower i'rovimes as well as in our own ; ami I am rejoiced to lind that even in the smallt -.1 of the i)ro- vinces I have been able to reail wrilines and speeches \\hi( h would do un disi-redit to older ami nmre cultivated commnnitio — articles and si)eech(>s worthy of any press and ol' any audience. The provincial mind, it would seem, umler the inspiration of a great ques*ion, lea]»ed at a single iHuind, (uit of the shmgh of mere mercenary struggh^s for r contro- versies. We have t:iven tiie people some somid mental food, and to every man w ho has a capacity lor disenssion we have ,i;i\cn a topic n]ton which, he can litiy exercise )us powers, no lonu'cr irnawiii}^ at a tile and wastiiifi' hi-^ ahilitii's in tlie poor eilort at advancing the ends of some i)aUry faction or parly. 1 can eongratnlate this House and Province, and the I'rovinces below, that su( h is the case, and I may ol)serve, with some satisfaction, tliat the various orators and writers seem to be spcakiiij!; or writiiig as if in the visible presence of all the colonies (Hear, hear.) They are no longer hole-and-corner cele- brities; they seem to tiiink that llieir words will be scamieil ami weighed afar oil' as well as at homi-. AVe have, I l.'clieve, several hundred ccltdirities in Canada — my friend, Mr. Mokg.xn. 1 belie'/e, has made out a list of them — (laughter) — but they are no longer now local celebrities: if celebrities at all they must, be celebrities for ISritisli Nortii America; for every one of the speeches nnuh; by them on this snliject is watched in all tlie jirovinces, and in point of fact liy thi; mere appearance of political union, w(i have made a mental union among the jicople of all these provinctjs; and many nu'U now .speak with a dignity and carefulness wliich formerly did not characterize tlunn, when they were watched oidy by tinir own narrow .and struggling section, and Weighed oidy according to a sf.iinfed hu-il standard. (Hear, liear.) Federation, I hupe, may sniiply to all our public tnen just ground for uniting in nobler iind more [iroiitable contests than tho.se which hav(i signalized the [last. (Hear, hear. . \\\ , on this side, Mr. Svk.\ki:r, jmiposo for that better future (»nr plan of I'nion; and. if you will allow inc, I shall go over what appears to me the priiieipa! motives which exist at present lor tiiat I'imou. My lion, friend the Finance Minister mentioned the oUicr evening several stning motivi's for union— fre(! acces.s to the sea, an exleiuh.'d market, breaking down of hostile tarilVs, a more diversilied liehl for lalior and capital, our '^'idianeed cn'dif with Jingiand, and our greater eUcctivenes.s when united for nssistai'ce in time of danger, ((.'heers.) Th(! Hon. President of the Council also enumerated .several motives for union in relation to commercial advan- tages which will Ihe.v irom it, and othi'r powi rf'd reasons which may lie advanced in favor oi' it. Hut the moiive.- to su<- i ;i comprehensivo chang(t as we propose, niu.t lie idxcd motivi'.s — partly comnu'rcial, partly military, and partly political ; and I sh.dl go over a tew — not strained or sinudated — motives which are entertained by many peojile of all these provhices, and are rather of a social, or, strictly sjieaking, political, than of a iinancial kind. In the tirst place, I echo what was slated in tlie speech l.'ist night of my honon ■le friend, the Pn'sideiU of the (.'(.'uncil — tliat we cannot stand still: we cannot stave otf .some great change: we cannot stand alone, province apart from jirovince, if we would: and that we an^ in a state of jiulilical transition. All, uveu honorable geiith man who are r Slate. First — His jiatnm. owiier, i'in]iliiyer, protector. all\', or friend; or. in iioiitii'S, " Imperial connection." Secondly. Mis partner, comrade, or t'ellcw-lahorer, or near neijrhhor. .\nd, thirdly. The man liim> ol olliclal desi)atc!ies in relaliiai to nnlitia and defence wliich she has ever since poured in on us, in a steady stream, always hearini, tin- same s(.lenni huniieii — ••prepare.' prepare I prepare!" These warninirs irave us notice tiiat t!ie old order of tinners hetween ihe cohuiies and the mother countiy had ceased, and that a new order must take its place (Hear, h.car.) Aluut four years afro, the lirst despatches licirau to he addressed to ihis country, irom tlie Coloniiii Ollice, upon thi' siihjeet. I''r(un that day to this there lias iieeu a steady , stroiim of despatches in this diicction, either ujMai particular or general points coinn.'ctod with our defence; and 1 vcnlure to say. that if hound np tojrether, the (lespatehes of the hinuinted Duke of Xkwc.vsim-: -ilone woidd make a respectalile volumt!— all notifyin,:r this (lovernnicid, l)y tlu- adviecs they I'oii- veyed, that Mie relations — the military a]iart from the [xilitical and i-ou'.mer- eial relatii.'ns of this j)rovince to the Mother Country had chaniri'd ; and wo wen; toid in the most explicit languajre ihateoiild he eniploytvl, that we were no lon^rer to consider our.s<'lves, in relation to defence, in the same posi- tion we formerly oeeupied towards the mother country. "Well, these waniinirs have heen friendly wariiin.tjs ; and if we iiave I'ailed to 'o our jiart in re^^ard to them, we mu.-t, at all I'vents, ,say thi>, that they '.sere atu.nssed to cair tlovtu'uim nt so ettntinuously and so strenuously that they freecl tin- Imjierial !,ow,'-of the res)H>usihility for whatever mifiht follow, In-cause they .-^hov,ed to tlic colonies clearly wliai, in the evt;nt of certain contin.L:encie.> avisiuix, they had to ex|tect. We may frrumhle or not al the neces-iiy of preparation Fnglaiul imposes upon u-, but, whether we like it or not, we havi , at all events, been told that we liave entered ujion a new era in oiu' military rela- tions t«) t\\v. rest of the omjiirc. (Hi ar, hear ) Then, sir, ui the second jdace. there enmc what 1 nniy call the I'thcr warniufr from without — the .Vmeriean warnin>r. (Hear, hear.) licpuhliean Anu-riea t!,ave us her notices in times jiast, throusih h.r press, and her denuiiro^rnes and her statemen, — hut 'ot' Niairara, so as " to pass war vossolx tVoHi lialic Oiilario to Lake Kri; :" and yt't another, tlic most slrikinjj ono of all, has hccn irivcn to ns. if we will only uiuli'rsland it. hy the cnornions expansion of the American army and navy. I will take leave to read to the lionso a few tifrnres which show the amazinir. the unprecedented irrowth. whii'li has not. jxn'haps, a ))arallel in the annals of the past, of the military power of om- neiH;jihors within tiie past three or four years. I have the details here liy nu', lint shall only read tiie results, to show the House the eni]ihafic meaning of this most sei'ious warnintr. In January, \f^{')\, the reirular army of the United States, iiiclinlin;: of i-oiirse the whole ol" the States, did not exceed l.'t.OdO men. This nuudier was reduced, from desertion and other causes, hy .'),()(i(» meii. leavinir MMMM) uicn as the army of the States. In December, l^Cri — that is, from January. iHil. to .lannary, IHil?, this army ol' lO.oilt) was increased to Hii(»,(i(M» soldiers actually in the tield. (Hear, hear.) ,\'o dotiht ttiere are exair.L'erations in soiue of these tifiures — the rosters ■wore, d(!;i,(i(M) ball and shell had become v'.'J-jri.ddd. Xow, as to the navy of tlic I'liitcd States. I wh-h to show that this wonderful development (d' war power in the Iiiited Stales i> the second warniiifr we have had, lliat we cannot ; in December, ir(M, rhcy numbered ()?1, id' which .')4 were monitors and irom lads, carrying 4,(510 puns, with a t(timam' of .")l(i,(i(Mi tons, and manned by a lorce of r)I,t)(H) nuMi. Theso arc fritrhtful lifrures for the cajiacity of destruction they repre- sont, for the lieajis of carnage that th(\v re]>rcsent, for the nnaiiHty of Imman I'lood spilt that the)' rcprex'iit. for the lust ol' coiir|n"sl th d they rcpresenl, for the evil passions that they represent, and for the arrest of the onward profrress of civili/alion that they represent. Hut it is not the figures which givi! the worst view (d' the fact — for England still carries more guns afloat even than our war-making neighliors. (Cheers.) It is the change which has taken place in the spirit of Hie ])eopl(* of the Northern States themselves which is the worst view of the fact. How far have they travelled '^ince tlie humane C'liANNiNf; preached Hk; unlawfuhiess of war — •K-FRKKlK»M SaWIN ^ill^' : FA you tiike a fioiionl an' ilraur if. An' iri) stick a lellcr thru, (iiiv'iiicut won't iinswiT lor it. dud' 11 fiuiid till- bill tuyou ! (LiuifTljlcr.) Tlii-^ was .sliu'litl) imilii(iiiii> and irri'vcrciil in ••xjircssion, hut it was ruinarkiilily ptijuihir in Ni-u JiiiuiMiid al ih.il liiiic. 'I'lif wfitiT is now (iiiti of the editors luck tlini." (I.aniiiifi'r.) I!ut it is not tlio rcvoluliou wroufrhl in tlw ndnds ui' men of i;rtat ii.iciiiL'i'iK r Unit is most to 1)0 dL>[>lort'd— tor the powerful will nf micIi ini'ti nia\ couiiiel their lliou;:lits buck a^iaiu lo a i)luluso])liy of jjeaee: iin, i' is liic inereenary and uiililary iiitoro.sts creiited under Mr. Ll.veuLN — whiiii an^ npre.senled, tliu I'onner Ijv an estimated govcnuneiital oiiljay of aliovi' .■slno.doo.tjoo tliis year, and liie otiier l)y thi! HdO.Oiio men whose liiood is thus lo he houijiit and paid for; by tile armies out (d' uniform who ju'ey upon ;!ie army: l)y the army of eoti- traetors who are to feed and eluthe and arm the nuUioii ; hy ihal oilier army, the army of lax-eoUectdrs, who eover Ihe land, seeing- that no industry oseajies uid)urthenod, no possossion unentered, no alleetion, even, uidaxed. Tax I tax! tax! is the cry from the rear I Hlood ! blond I Idoodl is the cry IVom the, front I (iolill ^.'olil I jjold I is the ehuekliiiir undertone wliich eome-j up from the mushroom millionaires. \\v\\ named a shoddy aristoeraey ; nor do I think the army interest, the conlraetiuif interest, and the ta\-jratlieriii^' interest, the worst results that have jjrowu out (d'tliis war. There is anolher and equally serious interest — the ehan^re that has eonio over the spirit, mind and ])riiieiii!es of the people, thai terrible ehaiifre which has made war laniiliar and even attractive to them. When the lirsl battle was fouitht — when, in liie languaf^o of the Duke of WKi.Li.NtiTo.v, tlie lir.^l " biilchei-'s bill was sent in'' — a shudder of liornu' ran throiiirh the leiifrth and breadth of the country ; but by and by, as the carnage increased, no newspaper was considered worth laying on the breaktast table imless it eonlained the story of the butchery of thou- sands of men. " Only a couple of tlKuisiuul killed ! I'ooh, j h, that's nothing."' exclaimed Mr. Siionnv as he sipped his coli'ee in his luNiirious apartment : and nothing short of the news of ten, tifleeii. twenty thousand liiimaii beings struck dead in one day wouhl .satisfy the Jaded palate of men craving for cxeiteintMit, and such horrible excitement a,s attended the wholesale murder of their fellow-c.eatures Have these sights and sounds no warning addressed to us? Are we a> those who ha\'(! cyi^s and see not; ears and hear not ; reason, neither do they luider.stand '. If we are true to (,'aiiada — if we do noi desire to become ])art and ]tarcel of this ])eo))le — we cannot overlook this the greatest revidution (d' our own times. Ijet us remeniber this, that when the three cries among our next neighbors are money, taxation, blood, it iti time for us lo i)rovide for our own security. 1 said in this House, during the .session of the year iHll, that the first gini tired at t'orl Sumpter had "a message for us." I was unheeded then ; I repeat now that (!very one of the 2,700 great guns in the field, and every one of the 4,Goo guns afloat, wheu- G 90 ♦•vor it ojit'iis its iiiiiiith, repents the suleimi wariiiii^' ot' Knjfliuitl — prepare — prepare — prepare I (Ciieers.) Hut I imiy lie told l)y sdine iiioniliziii'; IrieiKl, Dii ' i»ut wiieii tliey jret out of tills, tliey will have liml enoUL'li of il. ami llicy will lie very ^rlatl to rest on their laurels. They ! Who '. The Shoddy ari'j- tncraey have eiinufih of II f Tiic (lishanded aruiy of ta\-i:atherers have enough of it '. The iuaiiMl':iriiirer< of Inlse iutelliireiiee have eiioucrh of it? Wild is it pos^ilile will h;i\i' ImhI ciioulO) of it ! The ti^'htiu'r men iheiu- selves J 1 dare sav tliev would all lii^e to hav a I'urloii'di. IHII ail I'Nperieuee teaelies us, it is Hot ol' War snld'er- tire hut ol' jieaee: it is not of the .-ea sailors tire, hut ol' the laud. Jaek liKis to laud, and have a IVolie and spend his money, so does Jack's brother the (iL'liiiii,L' laiulsuian — l)Ul the one is «;oon a> luueh out of his elenieul a- le- other, whcu parteil I'mui liis eouirades, wlieii denied the t,'iii>y .joys ol tile camp, when he no lon^rer Iceis his suwa'd, he looks up to it where it haiiLi^, and >i;rlis to take it down a:id lie "at work" airfiin. llu will even (|int his iiative country, if she coutiniu's ju'rversely peaceful, and fro into foreign .-icrviee. rather than remain what he calls " idle." (Hear.) This is cxiierieiiee, which 1 heir res])ectrully to cite in opposition to tlu' seducive, (lisanuiii,ir lallacy of my morali/iii^r iiieiid. (Hear, hear.) The Altoriu-y-(ieiu'ral iOast told u,> in Iii< sjieecli the otlier uij^ht, tliat one ol' the t'i'atures ol' the orijriiuil pro.Lrramme ol' the .\mericaii l;evolutiolli^t^, was tiie ac(piisition of Caiuula to the Cniled .onie years >ince, ex- pressed liu' hop'' that the r.aihv.iy- of tin,' New IJiirland States would .dl point towards "Canada. Iiecau^e their inllu.'iice ami the demaiuN of commerce would in titiu' lirinu Camida into the I'n on aial increa.- one of the warninirs we li.ave received; and t!-' third warninfr. that thiiius cammt go on in tiiis country as they are, .- a warning voice from within — a warnintr voice from our own experience in (iie government of these Provinces. (Hear, hear.) On these inleriuil cl true — Constitutional (iovenmeut among us had touched its lowot jioiin when it cxistiMl only by the successful search of a mes- sei.trer or a jiagc, after a lueudier. willingly or unwillingly alisent from his seat. -Vny uch a state ol things, its hold on the c tin- army of tli*- I'olomac, bi'l'oiv it-< " iK'riiiaiiiMit rciiH'dy " wm ruiiml in lural (»Rant. Well, wi- Imvo had our 'lirt'c waniin);^. One wuniliifr tVum within, and two t'rom witiioiit. 1 (hin* say, ^ir. Wf all rciiK-iiihi'i' ill'- old class-ltuok .ttory of Mrs, ThraUt's " Thri'u "W'aniiiigs ;" how It.-ath |iniiiii-i'd not to conic al'ti-r a ccr- taii: individual lie had luiintciitioiially intruded on. on Ids wcdditi).' day . l .■^ay, nninlcntioniilly~tor Uculh is a jjciitliniian. and ■xddoni walk^• in. uiian- nouiici'd— (laueliti-r)— Imt )ih pnunisi'd not to cull upon this iniriicuiar jmtmiii, without triviiig him thrco distinct w.irnin^M. AVdl. the hunorniilc p-ntlcmau in qucsfion — I darcsity he was iiotiorablc, ami a nu-mticr ot' sonic House,— ho. like all the rest of us, expected to outlive cverylio.ly. I'.iit in proce-s of years he fell lainc.then afterwards, he liccanicdeaf. and at last he ;i:rc%v blind : then Death's hour had coinc, and in spile of sonic uuch a continncncy, and the .\ttorneys (Iciicral East and West have analysed its constitutional character, while the .Minister of Finaiii'c and t!ie {'resident of tiic Cium- cii have treated if in it- linancial aspects. There arc some objcctiiuis taken lo the iilaii. I understand, bin I do not believe that any member will ^'ct up in this House, and dcchiro that he is an anti-unioni--t, thai he is opposed to all union, and tii.it In' consider.s union unnecessary and inexpedient. (Hear, licar.j I do not, know that there is (uh- man out ot tlie one hundred and thirty wild compose thi- Jloiisc. in view of the ciivumstaiues in winch we are placi'd, who will dc( lare that he is opposed to any sort e — that lie doc> not like this or tliat feature of the projiosed sclieinc ; liut still all admit that union of somo kind wfuild increase our protection and be a source of strcn^;th. ."^(uiiu honorable irenllcinen, while admilliiiL' thai we have entered, within the present decade, on a period of political transition, have contended that we ininht liave bridp'd the aiiyss with that Prussian ponto Ituiir irravitated across the lakes to New York, ho will see, 1 think, that a mere Zollvcrein treaty without a strong; political end to serve, and some political power at its iiack. would be. m our new cir- cumstances, merely wa^le jiaper. (Hear, hear.) The charge that we have not gone far onongli— that wc ha .■ not struck out biddly for a consolidated union, uistead of a iiniini with reserved local jurisdicticun'. is another charge which deserves scune notice To thi> I answer iluit, if we had had, as was proposed, an Intercohmial Hallway iweiify years ago. we might by this time have been, pcrhaiis, and <'nly perhaps, inac(mdition to unite into one con- solidated Govcrumeut ; hut certain politicians and capitalists having defeated IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ^ /. y>.% ■^^ i^. /. f/j 1.0 I.I I ,» |||a 1.8 1.25 1.4 L6 — ^ .« 6" — ► V] <^ /^ /'^^ ^ sV '/r /A Hiotographic Sciences Corporation 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 4?. 92 that project twenty ycuva ago, ispcciul iutorests took the place great general interests might by this time have occupied ; vested rights and local ambitious arose and were recognized ; and all these had to bt; admitti^d as existing in :i pretty adviinced stage of development, when our Coni'erences waw. called togcthoi'. (Hear, hear.) The lesson to be learned from this ciquandering of quarter centuries by Briti.-~ii .\iHerieans is this, that if we lose the present propitious opportunity, we may lind it as hard a few j'eaiN hence to get an audience, even for any kind of union (except ^\nierican Union) as we should have found it to get a hearing last year for a Ijcgislativc; ITnion, from the long period of estrangement ami non-intercourse which had existed between these provinces, and the ispecial interests which had grown up in the mean- time in each of tliein. (Ciieer>:.) Another motive to union, or rather ii phase of the last motive s])okeu of, is this, that the policy of our neighbours to tin; south of us have always been aggressive. There has always been a dc^sin; amongst them for the acquisition of new territ(ny, and tlie inexorable law of democratic existence seems to be its absorption. TJiey cov(;ted Florida, and seized it ; they coveted Louisiana, and purchased it; they coveted Texas, and stohi it; and then they pitched a quarrel witli Mexico, whieli ended by their getting California. (Llear, hear.) They sometimes pretend to despise tliese co- lonies as prizes beneath their ambition; but had we not had the strong arm of England over us, we should not nou- have had a separate existence. (Cheers.) The acquisition of Canada was the lir>;t ambition of tin; A merican Confederacy, and never ceased to be so, whim her troops were a hiindful and her navy scarce a squadron. Is it likely to be stop])ed now, when she counts her guns afloat by thousands and her troops by hundreds of thousands '. On this in-itive, a very powerful expresai(m of opinion has lately- appeared in a published letter of tlie Archbishop of Halifax, Dr. CoXNorjiV. Who is the Archbishop of Halifax '. In either of the coast colonies, where he has lalxu'ed iu his high vocation for nearly a third of a century, it would be absurd to ask the quiistion ; but iu Canada he may not be equally well known. Some of my honoralde friends in this and the other House, who were his guests last year, must have I'clt the impress of his character as well as the warmth of his hospitality. (Hear, hear.; Well, he is known as one of the first men iu sagacity as lie is in jjosition, in any of these colonies; that he was f(n- many years the intimate associate of his late distinguished confrere. Archbishop Hugiiks, of ^sJew York; that he knows the United .States as thoroughl.y as he does tlie pro\iiiccs, and these are his views on this particular point ; the extract is sonu'what long, but so excellently put that I am sure the House will be obliged to me for the whole of it :— I it « m i " Instead of cursing, like the hoy in the upturned boat, and holding on until Ave are fairly on the brink of the cataract, we must at once begin to pray and strike out for the shore by all means, before we get too far down on the current. W(! must at this most critical nu)nient invoke the Arbiter of nations for wisdom, and altandoning in time our perilous position, we nuist strike out boldly, and at some risk, for sonu' rock on the nearest shore — some resting place of grer^^er security. A cavalry raid or a visit from our Fenian friends on horseback, through the plains of Canada and tlu; fertih^ valleys 9:{ I i i)f Ncwbnmswick and Xovii Scotin, inay cost inoro in a sinplo week tlmu Conftidcnition for flio next fifty ,v curs; and il we an; u) Iiclicvo you, where is the security even at the present inoment apiiiist such a disaster I With- out the wjjoht power of the mother eouniry by land and sea, and tin; eoneen- tration in a sintrle haml of all tiie streufrth of Rritish Anii'riea, our condition is seen at a frlanc(;. AVhenever the present dilBcnlties will terminate — and who can tell tlie inonient ? — we will he at the mercy of our neighbors; and victorious or otherwise, they will lie eniinenti}' a military peo])le, and with all their apparent indillenMice about annexinj^ this country, an 1 all the friendly feelings that may be talked, tliey will have the power to strike when tluu' please, and this is precisely the kernel and the onl,y touch ])oint of the whole question. No nation ever had the power of conquest that did not use it, or abuse it, at the very iirst favorable opportunity. All that is said of the magnanimity and forbi-arance of mighty nations can be explained (m the principle of sheer inexi)ediency, as the world knows. The whole face of Europe lias been changed, and the dynasties oi' many hundred years have been swept away within our own time, on the principle of might alone — the oldest, the stnmgest, and as some wimld have it, the most sacred of all titles. The thirteen original States of America, with all their professions of self- denial, ha^e b(H;n all the time, by numey, power and by war, and by nego- tiati(m, extending Iheir frontier until they more than quadrupled their territorj' within sixty years; and believe it who may, are they now of their own accord to come to a full stop '. No ; as long as they have the power, they must go on onward : for it is the very nature of power to grip whatever is within its reach. It is not their hostile feelings, therefore, but it is their power, and only their power, I dread ; and 1 now state it, as my solemn con- viction, that it heci-mes the duty of every Jh-itish subjec^t in th(!se provinces to control that power, not by the insane policy of attacking or weakening them, but liy si rengthening ourselves— rising, with the whole power of Hri- tain at our back, to their level ; and so b(> jireparcd for any emergency. There is no sm-^ible or unprejudiced man in the community who does not see that vigorous and timely prejiaratiim is the only possilile means of saving us from the horrors of a war such as the world has never seen. To lie fully pre- pared is the only practical argument that can have weight with a powerful enemy, and make him pause beforehand and count the cost. And as the sort of preparation 1 speak of is utterly hopeless without the union of the provin- ces, so at a moment when pnhlie opinion is heing formed cm this vital point, as one deeply concenied, 1 (eel it a duty to declare myself unequivocally in favor of Conrcderation as cheaply and as honorahly as possible—but Confed- eration at all hazards and at all reasonable sacriiices. "After the most mature consideration, and all the arguments 1 have headr on both sides for the last mouth, these are my inmost convictions on the necessity and merits of a measure which alone, under Providence, can secure to us social order and pinice, and rational liberty, and all the blessings we now enjoy under the mildest (iovernment and the hallowed instituticms of the freest and happiest country in the world. " These are the words fif a statesman— of a mitred statesman— one of that 94 order of mif^hty raon, powerful in their generation, -whoso statosmanlr gifts have been east in the strong niouhl of tht'oh)gieal (Uscii)line — sueh men as were .XiMEXKS and "Wolskv. So one more depreeates than I do the interfer- onee of clergymen in mere party ixditics. and I think siieh is the sentiment also of ills (Iraee of Halifax ; but -when it is an issue of peae(> or war, of deliverance or conquest, who has a better, who so gviod a right to sjjcak as the ministers of the Gospel of peace, and justice, and true freedom I 01>s(;rve once more these two closing sentences, " ] feel it a duty,'' says the illustrious Archbishop, " to declare myself unequivocally in favor of Confederation as clipfiplv and as honoral)Iy ol)rained as possible, but CVmfedcration at all hazards and at all reasonable sacritices. After the most mature »'onsideratioii, and all the arguments J have heard on both sides for the last month, these are my inmost convictions on the necessity and merits of a measure which alone, under rrovidimce, can secure to us social order and peace, and rational liberty, and all the blessings we now enjoy under the mildest Government and the hallowed institutu)ns ui' the freest and happiest country in the world." (Hear, hear.) The next motive for union to which 1 .shall refer is, that it will strengthen rather than weaken the comiection with the empire, so essen- tial to ihe.se rising provinces. Those who may be called, if there are any such, the anti-unioni.sts, allege, that this scheme here submitted will bring separation in its train. How, pray ', By making these countries more important, will you make them less desirable as counections to England ( By making their trade nnu'e valuable, will ycm make her more anxious to get rid of it ? By reducing their Federal tariff will you lessen their interest for England ? By nuiking them stronger for each othtrr's aid, will you make her less willing to discharge a les.ser than a greater responsibility ? But if the thing did not answer itself, Euglaud has answered that she " cordially ai)proves" of our plan of Tnion, — and she has always b(.'en accounted a pretty good judge of her own Imperial interests. (U(^ar, hear.) She does not consider our union inimical to those interests. Instead of looking upon it with a dark fuid discouraging frown, she cheers us on by her most cordial approval and bids us a hearty " God speed'' in the naw path we have chosen to enter. (Hear, hear.) But I put it on provincial grounds as well. We are iiDt al)le to go alone, and if we attenapted it we would almost certainly go to (lur own destruction— so that as we cannot go alone, and as we do not desii-e union with the United States, it is the duty of every man to do all in his power to strengthen the coimection with (ireat Britain. And how shall we do it ? Is it by compelling the Imperial Governnu'Ut to negotiate at Charlottetown, for every man and musket required for our defence, to nego- tiate again at Halifax, and again at Fredericktou, and again at 8t. John's, and again at Quebec l Is it bj- having these live separate goveruments that v.e are to render the connection desirable and api)recialed, or is it by putting the power of these cohmies into the hands of one General (Muernnuujt and making the negotiations between two parties oal\*, ther»!by simplitying the whole transaction and expediting whatever is to be done i)etween the two countries, (Hear, hear.) I will content myself. Mr. Spe.akkr, with those principal motives to union; lirst, that we are in the rapi (iroat Britain, we sliail streiifrlhcn ratlier than weaken tiie Imperial connexion, ((.'lieers.) Let me now, sir, eali your attention to the diiheuHies, i)a>l and present, wlnrh this ^Teat projeet liad to encounter, liet'ore it reached tile loilunate sta^'e in whieh we now lind it. When it was lirst advocated by individuals, however ennneiit, of course, it had but seanty chance of success. (Hear, hear.) That was the lirst stage ; ■n-lum, as in l.-J-i and l^.VJ, it Ibund lavor with Downinu- ^lrect, it excited the susi)ieii)n.s of the colonists; when it was ideiitilied with the Quebec and llalil'ax railway project, it shared the late, — it was sacriticed to the jealousies and dissensions which destroyed that particular undertaking. When, as m the ease of my lion I'riend (Mr. (I.vii'r's) motion in Ir^i^^, and luy own motion hi 18l5tl, the subject was mooted in this House by a private member, the Ministry of the day could not allow so grave a measure to succeed in other hands than their own ; when, as was the casi; in l-',')8, the Ministry committed themselves to it, the Oitpositiim complaintMl that Parliament had not been cimsulted. When Canada proposed to move, in Jer/.*, ^'ewfoundland alone responded ; when Nova Scotia moved, in IHtiU, New I5ruuswick alone agreed to go whh her; at all events, Canada did not then consent. (Hear, hear.) Of late yt'ars the language of the Colonial Otliee, of Mr. liABouciiiCKK, of Sir BuLWiiit Lyttox, and of thti lamented Duke of XEWCASTLfc:, was sub- stantially : " Agree among yourselves, gentlemen, and we A-ill not stand in the way." Ah ! there was the rub—" Agree among yoursidves !" Easier said than done, with tivc colonies so long estranged, and whose former negotia- tions had generally ended in bitter controversies. L'p to the last year tlifie, was no conjunction of circumstances favorable to the bringing about of this union, and probably if we suiter this opportunity to be wasted we shall never see again such a conjunction of circumstances as will eual)le us to agree- even so far, among ourselves. By a most fortunate concurrence of cireum- stauces— by what 1 presume to call, speaking of events of this magnitude, a providential coiicurrcmce of circuiustances— the (loverunmnt of Canada was so modilied last spring as to enable it to deal fearhissly with this sub- ject, at he very moment when the coast coloni(.'s, desparing of a Canadian union, were arranging a conference of tlieir own for a union of their own. Our Oovernment embraced among its memliers from the western section the li.'aders of tlie ftu-mer Ministry and former Opposition from that section. .Vt the time it was i'ornied it announced to this !'"use that it was its intention as part of its p(.licy to seek a conference with the Lower Colonies, and en- deavor to bring about a general union. This House formally gave the Gov- vernment its contidence after the announcement of this jiolicy, and although 1 have uo desire to strain terms, it does apjicar to me that this House did commit itself to the prhiciple of a union of the colonies if found practicable. That is my view, sir, of the relations of this House to tht? Govermncut after it gave it exiirossly its conlidencc. Other members of the House take another view of that matter— they do not think themselves committed even to the principle, and they certainly are not to the details of the scheme. (Hear.) After the coalition was formed an incident occurred, which, though not of national importance, it would be most ungratid'ul of mo to forgot. An 96 iiitorcolonial excursion was proposed, and was rendered practieablo through the publio Ri)irit of two frentleuien rcprosoiitin;^ our jn'cat railway, of whieli so uian.v hard things have bi-i-u said tliat I fee! it my dutj' to say this good thing — 1 refer to the Hon. Mr. Fkijkiku and Mr. IJuYTMiKS. (Cheers.) Forty mend^ers of this House, twenty-tive nufnd)ers of the other House, and forty geutleuieu of the press and other ])rofehsions, from Canada, joined in tlnit excursion, no many Canadians had never seen so nuu-h of the Lower Provinces l)efore, and the peoi)le of the Lower Provinces had never seen so many Canadians. Our reception was beyond all description kind niul cordial. The general sentiment of union was everywhere cheered to the echo, though 1 am sony to iind that some of those who cheered then, when it was but a general sentinuuit, seem to act very differently, now that it has I)ecomo a npcnu'd project, and I fear that they do not intend to act u]) to the words they then uttered. They may, perhaps, intend to do so, but they have a very odd way of going ai)out it. (Laughter.) Well, sir, this was in August; the Charlottetown ('onference was called in 8e])tember, thr^ Quebec Conference in October, and tlie tour of the maritime delegates thnnigli t!anada took place in Novemlifr. Four nuniths of the eight which liave elapsed since we promised this House, to deal with it have been almost wholly given u]) to this great enterprise. Ijct me bear my tribute, Mr. SrEAKKR, now that 1 refer to the conference, to the gentlemen from the Lower Provinces, who sat so many days in council with ns, under this roof. (Cheers.) A very worthy citizen of Montreal, when I went up a day or two in advance of the Montreal l)anquet, asked me, witli a curious sort of em- phasis — " What sort of ])i!ople are they V — meaning the maritime delegates. I answered him then, as 1 repcjat now, that they were, as a body, as able and accomplished a body as I thought any new country in tiie world could jiroducc, — and that some among them would C()ni])are not unfavorabli' in ability and information with sonui of the leading commoiu'rs of England. As our Governni(>nt included a representation both of the former Opposition and tlie former Ministry, so their delegations wtsre composed iu about equal parts of the opposition aud ministerial parties of their several provinces. A more hard-working set of men — men more tenacious of their own rights, yet nuu'c^ considerate for those of others — nu'U of readier resources in del)ate — men of gentler manners — men uu)re willing to bear and forbear, I never can hope to see together at one council table again. (Cheers.) But why ueed T dwell on this point ? 'Vhi'x were seen and lieard iu all our principal cities, and 1 am sure every Canadian who nuU. them hero was ))roudof them as fellow-subjects, and would bo happy to feel tluit he could soon call thcun fid low-countrymen in fact as well as in name. Sir, by this combination of great abilities — by this coalitiou of leaders who never before acted together — by this extraordi- nary armistice of jtarty warfare, obtained iu everj' colony at the same nutment — after all this labor and all this seU'-sacrifice — after all former im- pediments had been most fortutately overcome, — the treaty was concluded and signed by us all — and there it lies on your table. The i)ropositions contained in it have been objected to, and we were reminded the other evening by the hon. member for Chatcauguay, that Ave are not a treaty- making power; well, in nd'eronce to that objection, I believe the Tmperial !»7 Gotcrnmoiit has in cortiiin casos, sucli as I he Reciprocity Treaty, concudcil to tliesc provinces the rifrlit ofcoactiori ; and in this case there is the Iiii|)(irial Dcspatcli of Hfj-i to Lord Ali'UiU.WK, (iovennn- of ,\ova Scotia, distinctly authorizing tlie public men of t'ae (Mihmics to confer with cncli other on tlie subject of union, and writing them to submit the result of their conferences to the Imperial tjovernment. (Hear, iiear.) \Vv assembled muler authority of that despatch, and acted under tlie sancti(m it gave. Kverytliing we did was doiu! in form ami with projiriety, and the result of our ])rocecdings is th.e docmnent that has been submitted to the Imperial (iovernment as well as to this Mouse, and which we speak of here as a treaty. And that liiere may be no doubt about our position in regard to that document we say, (|nestion it you may, reject it ycm may, or accept it yon may, but alter it you may not. (Hear, hear.) It is bcycmd your power, or our power, to alter it. There is not a sentence — aye, or even a word — you can alter with.out desiiing to throw out the document. Alter it, and we know at once what you mean — y(m thereby declare yourselves auti-uuionists (Hear, heai. ) On this point. I repeat after all my hon. finends who have already spoken, for one party to alter a treaty, is, of course, to destroy it. Let ns be frank with I'ach other ; you who do not like our work, nor do j^ou lik<; us who stand by it, clause by clause, line by line, and letter by letter. Oh ' but this clause ought to run thus, and this other clause thus. Does any hon. member seriously thiidc that any treaty in the world between five separate provinces .'ver gave lull and entire satisfaetion on every point, to every party I l)o(!s any hon. nienib(;r seriously expect to have a constitutional act framed to his order, or my order, or any man's order ? Mo, .sir; 1 am .sure no legislator, at least since Anacharsis Clootz was " Attorney-General of thi? human race," ever expected such ideal perfection. (Laughter.) It may be said by sonu; hoii gentlemen that they admit the principle of this measure to be good, but that it should be dealt with as an ordinary parliamentary suliject in the usual parliamentary manner. Mr. Si'EAKkr, this is not an ordinary parliamentary measure. We do not legislate np(ni it, we do not enact it, — that i< for a higher authority. Suppose the Address adopted by this House to-movrow, is the act of this Ilcmso linal and conclusive ? >;o. It is for the Im])erial Parliament to act upon it. (Hear, hear.) It will bo tliat body tlial will cause the several propositions to be moulded into a measuri! wbicli will Iiavc +he form of law, and these resolutions will probably la; the l/Lsissi/iKt n'rlm of the measure they will give us and the other Provinces. Hut some hon. gentlemen opposite say, that if there be defects in this measure they onght to be remedied now, and that the Govennnent ) had heen with us last Sept(Mnl)er at ("harloitetown, lu' would have nu't cliuismen, wjiom he would have t)een proud to know, and who could hav(! conversed with him in his own cherished (Jaolio And T will tell him what I think is to their honor, tliat the Hifrhlanders in all the provinces j)reserve laitlifull}' the reliction, as well as the laufrinip' and triulitions, of their fathers, 'rho. Catholic I'.ishop of (,'harlotletown is a Alu- Intyue; his Ri^'ht Rev. hrotlier of Arichat ((.'ajie Breton) is a McKinnon; and in the list of the clcrfry, 1 tind a constant succession of such nanu's as M(!l)()N.VLl», McCilLLIS, iklilLbVAUV, MC'LKOD, AltJKKXZIK aud Ca.M KKOX— all "Anglo-Saxons," of course, and mixed up with tlunn Fourniers, (ial> VRKAUS, pAQUETsaud Ma I! PELLS, whoso origin is easy to discover. (Cheers.) Another of the original (dements of that iKtpulation renniins to he noticed — the iT K. Loyalists, who foiunled New Brunswick, just as surely as they founded lJp]»cr Canada, for -whoiii New Brunswick was nnide a seperato pro- vince in 17;M, as Upper Canada was for their relatives in 1701. Their descen- dants still flourish in the land, holding nniny po.sitions of honor, and as a rep- resentative of the class, T shall onlj' mention Judge WiLiior, who the other day declared in charging one of his grand juries, that if it were necessary to carry Confederation in Xew Brunswivik, so impressed was he with the neces- sit}- of the measure to the V(!ry exist«.'nce of Pritish laws and British institu- ti(ms, he was prepared to quit the hench for politics. (Cheers.) There are other elements also not to h(^ overlooked. The tlmft}' Germans of Lunen- herg, -whose homes are the neatest upon the land, as their fleet is the tightest upon the sea, and other snudler suhdivisions ; hut 1 shall not prolong this aualj'sis. I may observe, however, that this population is almost universally a native population of thnte or four or more genin-aticnis. In New PirunsAviek, at the most there is about twelve i)er cent, of an immigrant people ; in Nova Scotia, about eight; in the two Islands, very unich less. In the eye of the law wo admit no disparity between natives and innnigrants in this countrv ; but it is to be considered that where men are Itorn in the presence of the graves of their fathers, for even a few generations, the induence of that fact is great in enhancing their attachment to that soil. 1 admit, for my part, as an immigrant, of no divided allegiance to Canada and her intei'csts ; hut it would bo untrue and paltry to deny a divided aflection bi,'twcen the old country and the new. Kept within just bounds, such an allection is rea- sonable, is right and creditable to those who cherish it. (Hear, hear.) Why I refer to this broad fact which distingushes the poi)ulations of all the four seaward provinces as much as it does Lower Canada herself, is, to show the fixity and stability of that population; to show that they are by birth British' 101 Aiiierii'.iiu.-t; tlmt they can nearly all, nl t^very dri/iin, use lliat pniiul i)lira>(' wheu they look daily tVoui thoivdoor.-*, " this if< my own, iriy iiative land." (Choors.) Let but that population and oinv come toj;-t'llier lor a ^reiieratinn or two — such are the elements thai conipose. -^ueh the conditions tliiil sur- round it — and their nnitual desceiidanis will hear wiili woiiiier, when tius history of these pre-i\cly-Mnn(led Canadians out of it, thai they cannot entertain any patriotic I'eidiiif,' al)out this union with New lirunswiek or .Nova .-^coiia. and that they cannot look with any iutorcsl at those colonies, ;\ iili w iiicli wc have had hitherto so little us,-cas(in it amply compensates Ity its vast capacity. (Cheers.) i-ast >umuier, when we visitt-d ilalifaA in the Qidtn f'iftnird. wliich the irood jx'ople of tluil blockade vuiminL' stron^'liold mistook for a (.'oiilederati- i-rui>cr. we were the l)etter part of a week t of hi,i.'h standiiitr, ob- serves that the hcauty and extent of llie-if coal trfiisiircs it is impossilile to describe. In N'ova Scotia, Dr. (Iksnkr's stalcineiits c.\liiiiil an area of coal formation of 'i)it s(piare miles, while Messrs l.txivx. Dawson and FUioWN frrcatly exceed even that area. >ir W. Loii\.s' dcmonstraicd by a laborious survey the thickness or depth of tlie whole irrouii in .Xortlii'rn Nova Scotia to be over'.ij miles, an amount which far exceeds anyihinfi seen in the coal formation in other parts of North .\inerica; in this ^rroiip there are seventy- six coal beds one above the other." 1 niust say, sir, that this i-: a chei-rinir statcnnnt ol facts, comiiiL^ to ns on the very hijrhest authority, luid I I'ei-l Mariniiiir with the suiiject. even while makiujr the statement. (Laiiirhter.) These exliausliess coal lields will, un- der this plan — which is in fad our Keeiproeity Treaty with the Lower I'ro- vinci's — beoome, hereaftiT, the ;_M'e:it rcsourci'uf our lowns for fuel. I see thf cry is raised below by tlc' antiuni. mists that to proceed with ('imfederation would be to entail the lo>s of the New Hiiuland market tor their coals. I do not (luite see how they make that out, Init even an anti-unionist mi;:ht sec that the po])iilation of (.'anada is within a fraction of that of all New Eng- land put tof,'ether, that we consume in this country its much fuel per annum as they do in all New Enirhuul ; and, therefore, that we offer them a market under the unio'n pqua! to that which these theorizers want to persuade their followers they would lose. (Hear, hear.) Sir, another cry r.iised by the anti-unionists belew is, that they would have to li^'-ht for the defence of Cana- da — a very specious argumen;. What, .-ir, three millions and one million imite, and the one million must do the lijrhtin./•'* nU/i. will tliey have to fight or spend. On the contrary, the greater community, if slm should not hajipen to be first attacked, would be obliged, to fight for them, and in doing so 1 do not hesitate to say. on far better authority than my own, that tlu! man who fights for the valley and harbour of St. John, or even for Halifax, fights for Canada. I will suppose another not Impossible case. 1 will suppose a hostile Americiiu army, in\ a fi.-iiery or on any other war, finding it easier and cheaper to seize 'he lower cohinies by land than by sea, by a march from a convenient rendezvous on [iuke Chami)lain, through Lower Canada, into the Upper part, of New Hrunswick, and .' about this result. (CIiuims.) 1 liiivu asked, sir, what risks do we run if wo reject tliis nusasure J AVc run tiie risk of Ynnnji swal- lowed up by the spirit oi' universal democracy that prevails in the LTuited States, Their usual and favorite luoito is — !N() pent up Utica contracts oui' powers, But the whole boundless continent is ours. That is the pharapUrase of the Alonroe doclrine. And the popular voice has favored — aj'e, and the greatest statesmen among tlieui liave looked upon it as inevitable — an extension of the i)rinci])l(!s of democracy over this continent. Xow, 1 sup])ose a universal democracy is no mon; accei)tai)le to us than a universal monarchy in Kurope, and yet for three centuries — IVoni CuAKiiKS V. to Xai'olkon — our fathers combatted to tiie death against the sulijeclion of all Europe to a single system or a single masfer, and heaped up a deljt which has since burthened the producing classes of the empire a\ ith an enormous load oi' taxation, wiiicli, i)erhaps. none other except the hardy and ever-grow- ing industry of those little islands could have borne up under. (Hear, hear.) The idea of a universal democracy in America is no more welcome to the minds ol thoughtful men among us, than was that <»f a universal monarchy to tlie nnnd of the thoughtful nuni who followed the standard of the third Willia.m in Europe, or v\ho afterwards, uiuler the great M.viili5or- OLGii, oppt)sed the armies of the particular dynasty tiuit sought to place Europe under a snigle dominion. (Hear, hear.) F.ut if we are to have; a universal democracy on this continent, tlie Lower Provinces — the smaller fragments — will be " gobbled up' lirst, and wt; w'M conu; in al'terwards by way of dessert. (Laughter.) 'J'he proposed Confederation will enabhs us to bear up shouhhtr to shoulder; to resist the spread of this universal democracy doctriiu;; it will make it more desiral)le to maintain on both sides the connection that biiuls us to the I'arent State ; it will raise us from the position of nuTC dependi'iit ctdmiies to a new am! more important posi- tion; it Avill give us a new lease of existence under otlu-r and more favorable conditions ; and resistance to this project, whicii is pregnant with so nuuiy advantages to us and to our children, nu'ans .simply this, ultimate unicm with the United States. (Cheers.) I>ut these are small nuvtters, wholly unworthy of the attention of the Smiths, and Annanus, and Palmkus, who have conu! forward to forbid the banns of British American I'nion. Air. SrEAKEK, before I draw to a close; the litth; rcmaindi'r of what I hav(y to say— and I am sorry to have detained the House so long— (cries of " Xo, JS'o")— I beg to offer a few ol)servations apropos oi' my own position as au English-speaking member for Lower Canada. I venture, in the lirst place, to observe that there scorns to be a good deal of exaggeration on the subject of race, occasionally introduced, both on the one side and on the other, in this section of the countrv. I congratulate my homa'able friend the Attorney-(Jeneral for this section on his freedom from such prejudices in general, thougli I still think in matters of i)a"tronage ami th(; like he always thinks iirst of his own oo,m- pjili-iots— (laugliter)— f(n- which neither do I blame him. P.ut this theory of )-ace is sometinu's carried to an anti-chrislian and unphilosophical excess. Whoso words are those—" Gon hath made of one blood all the nations that H lOG dwell on the face of the earth ?" Is licit that the true theory of race 1 For my part, I am not afraid of the French Canadian majority in the future Local Govcriiiiioiit doing injustice, except accidentally ; not becau.se I am of the Ranie religion as thcnifielvcs — for origin and lit'ignage are haiTiers stronger to divide men in this world than is religion to unite thuni. Xeither do 1 believe that my Protestant compatriots need have any such fear. The French (.'a uidians have never been an intolerant people ; it is not in their temper, unless the}' had been persecuted, perhai)s, and then it might have been as it has been with other rai-es ol' all religions. Perhaps, on this subject, the Ilouse will allow inc to read a very striking illustration of the tolerance of French Canadian character from a liook I hold in ni}- hand, the Difjcst of the Sjiiiod Miinttes of the Vvesbjiterinn Church of Caiuida, by lu}' worthy fiiend, the Eev. Mr. Kemi", of the Free Cluirch, of Montreal. The passage is on page seven of the; Introduction : — "About the year 1790 the Presbyterians of Montreal of all denominations, lioth British and American, organized tlieinselv(;s into a Church, and in the following year secured the services of the Rev. .Joiix Tol'ng. At this time, the}' met in the Kecollet Iloman Catholic Church, but in the year following they erected the edifice which is now known as St. Gabriel Street Church — the oldest Protestant Church in the Province. In their early Minutes we find them, in acknowledgment of the kindness of the Kecollet Fathers, presenting them with ' One box of candles, 5()lbs., at 8d., and one hogshead of Spanish wine at jEG OS '" (Laughter.) I beg my hon. friends, who may have diH'erent notions of Christian intercourse at this time of day, just to fancy doings of tliat sort. (Hear, hear.) Here, on the on(! hand, are the Kecollet Fathers giving uj) one of their own churches to the disciples of John Knox to enable them to wor- ship God after their own manner, and i)erhaps to have a gird at Popery in the meantime — (great laughter) — and here, on the other hand, are the grateful Presbyterians presenting to these same Seminary priests wine and wax tapers in acknowledgment of the use of their chunjli for Presbyterian service. Cer- tainly a more characteristic instance of true tolerance on both sides can hardly be found in the history of any othcu* country. 1 cite this little incident to draw from it this practical moral — that those who are seeking, and, in some par- ticulars, I b(;lieve justly seeking, the settlement of Protestant education in Lower Canada on firmer ground than it now occupies, might well aflbrd to leave the two great Sfiminaries of Montreal and Quebec at peace. Xo two institutions in Christendom ever more conscientiously fulliUed the ends of their erection ; and whoever does not know all, but (n'cn a little, of the good services they have rendered to both the people and the (ioveriimcnt of Lower Canada, to the civilization and settlement of this country, has much yet to learn of the history of Canada. (Hear, hear.) To close this topic, I have no doubt whatever, with a good deal of moderation and a propcn- degree of firin- uess, all that the Protestant minority in Lower Canada can reciuire, by way of security to their educational system, will be cheerfully granted to them by this House. I, for one, as a Koman Catholic, Avill cordially second and suj)- port any auch amendments, properly li'amcd. I will merely add, in relation { ' 107 r t(i iui oliscivatidu ol' jiiy Iriuiid (ilnn. Mr. Hkown) last iiifiht on the >nt indeed, sir, the main question is the dne distriliution of powers — a questi(Ui I dare not touch toui;:iU, l)ut which 1 may l)e prepared to say soniethiiiir on heforo the vote is taken. The priiu'ijde itself seems to nu; to he capahle of hein.u: so adajited as to promoti; internal peace and external security, and to call into action a genuine, enduriiifr and heroic i)ati'iotism. It is a fniii of this princii)le that makes the modern Italian look hack with soitow and ])ri(lo over a dreary waste of seven centuries to the I'anions (icld of Hegnano ; it was this princijile kindled the beacons which burn yet on the rocks of Cri ; it was this pnnciple that broke the dykes of Holland and overwhelmed the Sjianish with the late of th(* Kgyptian oppressor. It isa principle cajiable of lnsi)iring a noble aml)ition and a most salutary enndation. You have sent your yomig men to jiuard'your I'routier. You want a prineijile to siiiard your young men, and thus truly defend ytmr frontier. For what do good men (who uuike th(,' hest soldiers) light? For a line of scripture or chalk line — for a pretcixt or for a principle .' "What is a hetter boundary between nations than a iiarallel of latitude, or even a natural obstacle '. — what really kee])s nations intact and a])art '. — a princiiile. "When I can hear our ymuig men say as ])roudly, " our Federation" or " our Country,'' or "our Kingdom,'' as they(auig uh'u of other countri(>s do, speaking of their own, then 1 shall liave less apprehension for the result of whatever trials the future may have in store torus. (Cheers.) It has been said that the Federal Constitution of tin; I'nited Stat(is has failed. I, sir, have lU'ver said it. The Attorney-Oeneral West t
Attovnoy-General "West — so that it, is pretty jjlaiii he did not simply liorrow the ar^iinient for use the other night, ■wiieu he was advocatiii;^' ii Federal riiion among (mrselves. (Hear, hear.) It may l)e a lailiire for us, paradoxieal as this may seem, and yet uot a failure i'or them. Tliey liave had eiglity j'cars' use of it, and having discovered its defects, may ai)p]y a remedy and go on with it eighty years longer. lUit we also are lookers on, -who saw its delects as the nuu'hine worked, and who have prepared contrivances by which it can he im])roved aud kept in nionj perfect order when api)Iicd to ourselves. And one of the foremost statesmen in England, distinguisl:cd alike in iiolitics and literature, has declared, as the President of the Council informed us, that we have combined the best parts of the British and the American systems of government, and this opinion was deliberately formed at a distance, without prejudice, and expressed with- out interested motives of any description. (Hear, hear.) AVe have, in rela- ti(m to th(^ head of the Government, in relation to the judiciary, in relation to the second c.liaml»er of the Legislature, in relation to th(} tinancial responsi- bility of the General Govermnent, and in ndation to the public ofhcials whoso tenure of olhce is during good behavicnir in.steadof at the caprice of a party — iu all these respects we have iidojjted the liritish system ; in other resi)ects we have learned something from the Anuirican system, and I trust and believe we have nuide a very tolerable combination of both. (Hear, hear.) The principle of Federation is a generous principle, It is a j)rinciple that gives men local duties to discharge, and in\ ests them at the same time with general supervision, that e.xcites a healthy sense of responsibility and com- prehensit)!!. It is a priueiple that has produced a wis(! and true spirit of statesmanship iu all countries in which it has ever been applied. It is a principle eminently favorable to liberty, L'ecause local affairs are left to be dealt with by local bodies, and cannot be interfered with by those who have uo local interest in them, while nuitters of a general character are left ex- clusively to a General Government. It is a principle coincident with every government that ever gave extended and important services to a country, because all governments have been more or less confederations in their character. Spain was a ftsderation, for although it had a king reigning over the whole country, it had its local governnu'iits for th(f administration of local affairs. The British Isles are a conlederation, and th« old French Dukedoms were confederated in the States General. It is a ])rinciple that runs through all the history of civilization in one form or another, and exists alike in monarchies and democraci(!S ; and havhig adopted it as the principle of our future governnu-nt, there were only the details to arraiige and agree upon. Those details are before y<;u. It is not hi our power to alter any of them even if the House desires it. If the House desires it can reject the treaty, but we cannot, nor can the other I'rovinces which to(jk part in its negotiation, consent that it shall be altered in tiie slightest particular. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Si'E.\KEU, I am sorry to have detained the House so long, and was not aware till I had been some time on my legs that my physical force was so inadequate to the exposition of these few points which, not specially noticed by my predecessors in this debate, I undertook to speak upon. We stand at present iu this position : we are bound in honor, we are bound iu 109 good faitl), to fonr Provinces occupied hy our fellow-colonists, to carry out the measure af^reod upon here in tiio last week of October. "\\'e are bound to carry it to tlie loot of the Tlironc, and ask there from hor Majesty, according to the iirst resolution of tlie Address, that she will be graciously pleased to direct lefrislation to be had on this subject. We go to tlio Imperial Govern- ment, the comniou arbitrar of us all, in our true Federal metropoli.s — we go tliere to ask for our I'uiulamental Charter. AVe hope, hy having that Charter that can oidy be amended by tlu; authcn-it^' that made it, that we will lay the basis of pernian(nicy for our future government. The two great things tluit all men aim at in any free government are, liberty and pernuineucy. We have had liberty enough — ti o mucli, perhaps, in some respects — l)ut at all events, liberty to our lieart's content. There is not on tiie face of the earth a freer people than the inhabitants of these colonies. But it is necessary there should bo respect for the law, a high central authority, the virtuii of ci\il obedience, ol)eying the hnv for the law's sake, even when a nuui's private conscience may convince him snihciently that tlu; law in some cases may bo wrong, he is not to set up his individual will against the will of the country expressed through its rec()gn'-;ed constitutional organs. We need iu these Provinces, we can bear, a large infusion of authority. I am not at all afraid this Constitution errs on the side of too great Conservatism. If it bo found too Conservative now, the downward teiulency in political ideas which characterizes this democratic age, is a sufficient guarantee for amendment. That is the principle o]i which this instrument is strong and worthy of the support of every colonist, and through which it will secure the warm appro- bation of the Imperial authorities. We have here no traditions and ancient venerable institutions ; here, there are no aristocratic elements hallowed by time or bright deeds ; here, every man is the first settler of the land, or removed from the iirst settler one or two generations at the furthest ; here, we have no architectural monuments calling up old associations ; here, we have none of those old popular legends and stories which in other countries have exercised a powerful share in the government ; here, every num is the son of his own works. (Hear, hear.) We have none of those influences about us which, elsewhere, have their effect upon government just as much as the invisible atmosphere itself tends to influence life, and animal and vegetable exii-tencc. This is a new land — a laud t)f pretension because it is new ; because classes aud systems have not had that time to grow hero naturally. ATe have no aristocracy but of virtue and talent, which is the only true aristocracy, and is the old aud true meaning of the term. (Hear, hear.) There is a class of men rising in these colonies, superior iu many respects to others with whom they might be compared. AVhat I should like to see is, that fair represcutalives of the Canadian and Acadian aristocracy should l)e sent to the foot of the Throne with that scheme, to obtain for it the royal sanction— a scheme not suggested by others, or imposed upon us, but oue the work of oursehes, the creation of our own intellect and of our own free, uul)iassed, and untrammelled will. I should like to see our best num gi) there, and endeavor to have this measure carried through the Imperial Parliament— going into her Majesty's presence, and by their manner, if not actually by their .spei!cli, sayiug— " During your Majesty's reign we have had 4 I 110 Respniifsiblo Govcninicnt conceded to us; wo have adiiiinistcrod it for nearly !i ([Uiirti'i- ol'a century, during wliicli we luive und(n"it doubled our ])o|)uliition and more tiuin (juadruplcd our tr tdc. Tlu^ small coIoni(%-! which your ancestors could scarcely see on the ninj) have grown into great coniniunities. A great danger has arisen in our muir neighljorliood. Over our homes a cloud hangs, dark and heavy. We do not know when it may burst. With our own strength we are not able to coml)at against the storm, what we can do. we will do cheerfully and loyiiliy. ]'ut we Avant time to grow — wo want more peojile to till (un- couittry, more industrious Ciiniilies ol'nien to develo])e our resources — we waut to increase our prosperity — we want more extejuled trade and commerce — we Avant more land tilled — nua'o nu'U established through our As-astes and Avildernesses. We ol' the I5ritish ^s'orth Aniorican I'rovinces want to be joined together, that if danger comes, avo can suppoi't each other in the* day of trial. We come to your Majesty, Avho have giveu us liberty, to giv(; us unit}', that Ave may preserve and perpetuate our freedom ; and Avhatsoever charter, in the Avisdoni of your Alajesty and of your Parlia- ment, you give us, avo shall loyally ol)ey and fuHil it as long as it is the jileasuro of your Majesty and your successors to maintain the connection betAveen Great Britiiin and tliese Colonies." (lioud clieers.) i|. II m Ill HON. JEAN C. CHAPAIS is Commissioner of Public Works. Mr. Chapais is one of the four French Canadian members of the Ministry and the third in conse- quence. He is a man of some influence east of Que])ec, and represents tliat district of country in the Cabinet. Mr. Chapais is not a man of distinguished ability, and owes his appointment to his influence. This minister was elected in 1851 for Kamou- raska, and has sat for it ever since. He has voted steadily with the French Canadian majority on all questions. Having been 15 years in Parliament, he is well versed in legislation, and is one of the lead- ing men of his party. The office held by Mr. Chapais is a very important one, and it ought to be filled by a man who is alive to the wants of Canada in regard to public works, and also who has some idea as to cost and utility of works, — two things that all of our Commissioners of Public Works have not possessed. It is to be pre- sumed that Mr. Chapais is the man of the Ministry best fitted to fill the office. His profession of store- keeper in the far East, however, does not much qualify him for the department. On the question of Confederation, Mr. Chapais goes with his leader, Mr Cartier. He did not speak in its favor during the debates, for he cannot speak well, and left that task to his more fluent colleagues ; and here it may be said that Mr. Langevin made a speech long enough for himself and the Head of the 112 Public Works, so that, if one or two of the four French Canadian members of the Ministry were wanting, the speeches of the two others made a good average for the four. Mr. Chapais has a fair share of the world's goods, but is not a man of wealth. His profession has been referred to ; and it is not easy for any man to make much money east of Quebec, though down in that district a small fortune is regarded as wealth. Mr. Chapais is a man of about 50 years of age, 1 5 of which, as before intimated, he has passed in Par- liament. f 113 HON. WILLIAM McDOUGALL is Provincial Secretary. Mr. McDougall is one of the three Reform mem- bers of the Ministry, and may he regarded as the second in rank of tl»e three. He is a man of ability and of a good deal of inikienee in the west. Mr. McDongall is also a good writer, and n.akes a good Secretary. This Minister was lately put at the head of the Commission sent forth to seek new markets for Canada produce. He made his tour a short one, not going as fjir as Brazil, but, as it were, starting the work and leaving it to Mr. Dunscombe and his party to go to that distant point. The Provincial Secre- tary's report of the w^ork d(me will be verv interestino- to the countrv. Mr. McDougall is a strong party man, and one who acts boldly in all political questions. Like most men, he made his voice heard throughout the Province and was politically captious, when seeking power, and, now that he has got it, he feels more easy and quiet, changing his views with his change of fortune. He is, however, one of i\m most able and active men in Parliament. This Minister began public life in 1858 as member for the North Riding of Oxford. In 18G2 he came into office, as Commissioner of Crown Lands, in the Reform Ministry, under the lead of Hon. J. S. Mac- donald, and held his seat until 1864, when there was a change of Ministry, and, after a little interval, he 114 wns appointed Provincial Secretary in the Coalition Ministry. This brings him to his present position. He now represents the North Riding of Lanark. Mr. McDougall has got on well in political life, owing t(j his energy and l)oldness. He has won his ^vay, lirst, hy getting up sectional questions in the west, and so drawing friends or backers .about him, then using this influence to obtain oflice. This is only Avliat most men do to gain a political object, and Mr. McDougall is one of those who have succeeded in the effort. The Provincial Secretary is one of the best debaters in the House, his style being ready and fluent. Of the three Reform members in the Government he speaks the best, and is the most apt in defending the acts of his party. In the debates on Confederation, Mr. McDougall did not speak much, only making some remarks on the speeches of opposite members, but gave his influ- ence to the scheme. He, no doubt, desires to see it carried, for it would give to the West a legislature of its own. This, or increased representation in the present legislature, has been the object of all his eftbrts, along with the rest of the Reform party, during the past few years. The influence of Mr. McDougall lies mostly east and west of Toronto, it being, of course, greatest in his constituency, which is to the east of the city. He is now a man of some means, and in the Adgor of life. He was born in 1822, and is, therefore, 44 years of age. The following is one of Mr. Macdougall's best efforts in speaking, delivered in the House, July lltli, 115 on Mr. McGivern's motion of Want of Omfidence in the Finunciiil and Commercial policy of the Min- iairy : — lie said ho novor rui's, Sciiiii' lime a^ii lie and otiicr nicndicrs of the liiicral party lound tiuMnschi' placed ill a position of some diiliciilty. 'I'hc niciiilicr lor Sdiith Oxt'onl. \v!,(i had lonjr occupied a prominent, not to say the lorenio^l jihice, in tiie |)ai-iy had siidcK'nly entered into nep)tiutioiis to I'onii a coalition wiili the ('(inver\ n- tive holders, and tliey were aslced to sustain hini in that cour-e. i'iiuiin^Mhc l)r<)])os('d i'(talition Inid a ^'reat object in view — no h'^s llian layiiiir tlie IbuiKla- tion (d" a ne\v empire in .Nia'lii .\merica — he and otlier meinhers ot'the party iiad consented to sustain it. i'\ir liimseli', I'nru-ettin.ir in sucli a crisis ins slead- i'ast opposition to tlie Conservatives, and any reasons lie liad to complain of the condm^t of tlio nunnher for South Oxford, both ]u'rsonally and as a pcditic. n, he consented to sustain liis c(nn'se and to accept the more direcL responsibility of an ollicial position. lie hud aside all |)ersonal feelini?— all i'(Mding enfreudered by tin; conduct oi' the hon. member to\vard> tlii' ^overn- nient of the hon. nicnil)er Ibr Ornwall, oi' which he was a ineinber, and united heartily with the nuMiiber lor South O.k ford in the work nnderiakeii by that course. The nienil)or.s of the liberal party takin.u; otlice were ])iaced in some measure under ii cloud. Their course inv little anxiety, asked what effect this would have on confederation : if we were to lose this great mea.sure through Mr. Brown's course. Jlis (Mr. Mcdougnll's) answer was he hoped not, and he promised that, so far as his conduct was concerned, it should not lead to such-a residt. He went to the "West Indies and got through the work to be done there as fast as possil)le, and at the first moment he felt he could pro- perly leave he came back to Canada. T7hen he got here he learned that the bun. rostnuister-Oeneral had declined to follow the eom-se of the mendterl'or South Oxford: that he did not think there were any sulticient grounds for his resignatioji, and that a considerable number of members of the liberal party were of the same opinion. Another leading member oi" the party had con- sented to till the plac(! vacated by Mr. Hrown He found the resignation had been followed bj' remarks in the journal controlled by the member for South Oxford, not only against the Minister of Finance but the Postmaster-General, calculated either to break np the coalition or cause disunicm in the ranks of 117 the old liltcral jmrty, in (MUisfMiiiciico (tf which sonio jji'itirrcss had Itccu made in arrau^'cniciits to fslaltli-^h a new Journal in tlic interests of the iiarty, u[i- holdin^ the views of members remaiiiinjr in t'le coalition, and that licin^' in'oken od', the memluT for Sonth Oxlurd was prepared to •ruiist'er his cnpilal and imdonlitcd ahililiestVonitiit) (',l(>l)c to sac !i Journal, lie (Mr. MaiMlouiiall) took the earliest oi)portunily ot seeinji: the inemher for Sonth Oxiord; he altstnined iVoni any conversation with his conservative eolleairnes on tlie snhjeet, excei)t in the most general terms, nnlil lie had dune so, ami liad full and frank explanations with that hon. nu'ndier. I'art of tlait cnnvcrsation was of 11 conlideiitial churaeter, hut he felt he miuht say this, the hoii. mem- ber for Sonth Oxford did not advi.^ie him to fullow his exiuuple and re-;i;iii. Thinjrs had taken such a eo\irH(' ;^in"e his (Mr. Hrown'sj resi.irnatiou as to rondor it advisable he should continue in the enbinet. Mr. Hkow.n (interruptiufr.) — Xo, i never jiavc Htlvice to .-top in ca' j^o nut to either of the liberal nu'Uilu'rs now in the cabinet or to the lum, ineuiber for Hamilton. Mr. MACDOt'dAiJi said he so understood tli ■ tenor nei'al (dectimi (u- prorogation now help Confederatiou I Or will the passage of the budget 118 sclu'iiic injun' it t Tlicrc cuiild Ik- l»ut oiu' upiiiioii — tliiit iiol tht; (Jdvcrii- iiicnt, l)Ut tlio iiicniliers on th(! (ip])()sito side were putting tlie eiuiso in peril. il(! would say a lew words respeetiii/x a sclieiiie so nmeli objected to us tin; issue oreiirreiiry ms filleeliiiir the hfiiiks. TImt was still under the eonsidcra- tidu of the (loveniiiient. When Die scheme was submitted, as it would be in the cdurse ol' a lew days, the hou. nieiubcrs for iSoutli Oxford and Chateau- fiuay, who nzavc! their attention ])articularly to ([uestions of that kind, would have an opportumty of discussiu,ir and jriving their views upon it to the House. In llie ineanlinie the only (lucslion fairly before the consideration of tlui House was that of the tarill'. It could not be denied that in b-^iVJ, when the prescni ^iinister of finance introduced a measure in favor of (til ralornit duties instead olspecilie, the lion, nuunber fur South Oxford deiumneed it as injurious to ihe best interests of the country, and as opposed to those ])riu- ei])les which the liberal jiarty of I'pper Canada professed to uphold. \ou- when this (iovcrninent. with the same hou. tfentleman as Minister of FinaiU'c, I'tir causes which he had sullieiently ex[ilained, lookiui;' to the true interests of llie country aiul the exiierience which he and others had acquired in the, .'ulniinistraliMU of the tinancial all'airs of the Province, came down with a liroposition to reduce the tarilf, which had been franu'd (ui a purelv reveiuu' standard, the hon. nieudu'v ftir South Oxford rc-isted the nu'asure, althouuh its principle was one which be bad for years professed to favor. ill'. Riiiiwx (inlerrni)tini'-) said he was rather astnnisbed ai the statement made just umw by the hou. ucntlem.-in. It was not Ihe ad nilorciu priiu-iplo 1(1 which he bad objected in J85i), for he had always been in favor of it, but what he did o]tpose was the mode of addition proposed on that occasion. Mr. (i.M/r thought his memory as to events of that time was nu>r(^ aistinct, and his recollection was that he was greatly surprised at the vote that had then taken place, when the hon. mendiers for South Oxford and Chateauguay were Ibmid opposed to things which for years they had professed to favor. (Hear, hear.) Mr. liRowx disinited the statement that he had voted against principles which he now supjiorted. Mr. ilACUoroAM. — Yv'ell, those mend)(>rs of this House who were mcmb(>i-s of it in bSV.) would, of course, nunember what had then taken jilaee. it was quite true that the nu'mbers for South Oxford and Chateaitguay, and oihers who acted in carrying to completion the great policy with them, did approvi' of so much of Mr. Oalt's tariff as had reference to ad ralorcni duties, bat lliev \-iited against it. (Ch.eers and laughter.) Notwithstanding that, they had lung contciuled for that prinei])le as tlie mode of levying imports which in their indgnuMit was sound. M'hey chose to consider the tarilf in other respects so bad, and likely to pro\ (> so injurious to the interests of the country, that they voteil against it, aiul tlu! hou. nuunber for South Oxibrd, after giving a great many tigures to prove the unsoundness of the propos.-ds of Ihe Mini.Mcr of Finaiu'c, went on to criticise, as a whole, the scheim^ then presented. These were the Ikhi. gcnllenuin's words in his own suniunuT of his sjieech on that nieasm-e:— "The hon. geullemau (Mr. Hrowu) went ou to criticise the several provisions of the tariff at great length. While ajiproviug of titl rdloirm duties, he deuoiniced the attempts of the inspector-Cieneral (Mr. Gait) to < 119 •t, < force tbo whole trmhi of tliis coimtiT into ii channol at the cxiicusc of lireak- inji down all the oxistinp coninicrcial arranfionicnts of flic coniitry, and that without even a week's ■warning; he ridiculed the ylidinj? scale of Mr (ialt on sugars and teas as a flimsy cloak for raising the duties on what lu' himself admitted to he the necessaries of life, tie attacked tlie duty on liooks, and charged the aduuiiistnititing, by their new postage duty on newspapers, thi'ir '2o per cent, on pnnt.ing materials, and their book inqiort duty, to stop the diffusion of knowledge. He spoke strongly against the duty on steel and iron as materials alfecting largely tiic niamifacturing intcresrsof the I'roviuee. lie urged earnestly on the House tlu' danger to the Recipro- city Treaty i'rom connnencing a war against the trade by the Jludson, and wcmnd nj) with a warm appeal to the House to take up the sul)ject of sweeping retrenchnu'ut before considering what new burdens should be imposed on the people." A\'ell, these point s,()r many of them, at all events, to which tlie hon. gentleman urged such strong olijcctions in ir^.V.», were bv the ])ropositions lately submitted by the (iovcrinnent to Ije romoM'd, and yel, the hon. gentleman found it necessary to o])pose the measure, declaring it to be inopportune and improper. (Hear, hear.) Then the hon. gentleman in his speech last niglit on these resolutions declared that he would not be willing to stand in the shoes of the Finance Minister and become responsilih^ for his policy to the people of T'pper Canada or the reform party. Well, all he (Mr. Macdougall) could say to that \v,;s, that he did not believe the hon. gentlenuin represented the views or opinions of the great liberal party of L'ppcr Canada. (Loud chetn's.) Mr. Brown verv excitedly rose to address the House, but his voice was drowned annd loiul cries of " Order. ' Mr. MACnorti.VLii — Then^ was another ])oint in the proposed tarill", to whieh the hon. gentleman also objeeted. He did not douiit tliat the ])enple of England would regard favorably fhe redui'tion of duties on mamifactmed poods, but the hon. gentleman asked what would they thiidv of our imixising duties on nuiny necessaries of life — taxes on flour, corn, butter, cheese, auimal and almost everything that entered into the consumi)tion of Hie mass of the ])eople of this c(mntry ? The hon. gentleman was of course opposed to all those taxes, and fancied people in lOngland to be so coiieenied about them, and alxmt our iuternal economy generally, that he made it the ground of fomplaint, lu'cause these imjjosts would not receive their ai)proval. Well, Avhat did the English ])ulilic care about taxes iiuposed on corn and other natural jn-oducts in this country { (Hear, hear.) A\'e were prodiU'crs in excess of our wants, of nearly all the articles mentioned. The imposition ,,f duties ujjon them w(ndd have little clfeet upon tii"ii' price, and the peculiar circumstances under which the abrogation of tin- Iv ■ciprocity Treaty and other recent events had placed the country bad, in the ojjinion of the Government— and ho believed it Avould also be the opinion of the people — justiti(!d the imposition of a snnill duty to ]irotect the i)roducers in the I'rovince of coarse grains, for which they had no foreign market. (Hear, hear.) He Ixdieved these duties to be necessary in the position in which tiio ctmntry was placed, in conseiiuenceof the action that had b(>eu taken beyond its limits, and to the reform party of Cpper Canada he was ready to leave the 120 1 J j::1 issue whieli thti hoii. iiiciiiIkt for youth Oxford luul niiscd in tln! iiiattcv. (Jlcar, hear.) These were the two ^reat tealnrcs of the turifl' \i\Hm whieh the Iioii. freuth'nian had thoiijrht it necessary in the interests of the eonntry, as lie (llr. Macdoufiall) nuist assiuuf, (o join in the attempt to defeat this (lovenniK'iit, and to defeat tliese important measures which tlie hon. f>-enth!- man said he liail made sucli fi'reat .-.acririces in order to st-cure. (Hear.) 11(> (Mr. Macdouj;-ull) must rejx'at a,uain that he rc.u'retted more than lie could well express tlie lUHM^ssity in which he found himself, in common with his hon. friciul the Postmaster-Ciei'.cral, of takinu' up a position which he feared mu.-t necessarily produce diflicully and daiij:er in the future for the liberal ]iarty ol Tpiter Canada, lie would not have assumed the rcsponsihility of taUinfr this position liad il not liccii forci'd njion Inni, luit luuinii' he.en drivctn into it, he nni^t meet it as became one who held a jtositiou in the (iovern- mcnt. (Jlcar.) He and his relbim colicaj;nes were placed in this ])osition. They must either leave this (ioverumenl without, as lie believed, any just cau-e — lor lliey airrced tlu>ron>rhly with their colleafiues in the ])olicy which the Minister of Finarice had submitted to thi^ Hiuuje. They believed it was for the true intei-est of Canada tliat it should b(( adopted; they desired, therefore, to see il successful, and they lelt that their constituents were of the same opinion. Holding this belici', he said, he ami his reform colleagues were called upon, in order to keep pace with the member for South Oxford, to leave the (iovermni'iit, wliose policy they approved, to follow him in his i)j)positi the expenditure then going on, he (Mr. Macdougall) had never heard of it, and he would ask him to .state whether he had ever proposed to the administration of which lie vras a memljer, a policy of retrenchment — not retrenclmicnt in the mntter of a few hundred pounds — (hear, hear) — but a compn;l\cnsive scheme wliich would accomplish the object of saving so much of the public money as would appreciably reduce the charges uptui the people of the country ! The hon. gentleman had made no such proposition to his (Mr. Macdougall's) knowledge, and he hail not left the Government because his colleagues refused to carry out a policy of that kind. (Cheers.) He was much astonished the other day when, in discussing an item in the supplies, tlie hon. gentleman rose to deny any responsil)ility for its payment, and declared that it had been made by n deijartnu'iilai order, and not by the authority of an order in council. After tliis statement, wliidi had caused him considerable surprise, both as to the constitutional doctrine laid down, and also as to tiie matter of fad involved, he obtiiined from Mr. Lecklock. of the Kxecutive Council, a copy of tlie order in council, ordering this vcrj' payment. It was dated Xovember ]S()4, and authorized tin- pay- ment of $4,000 to pay Mr. 8. H. Foote for arrears found to be due him. (Cheers and laughter.) Here was a copy of the order. (Hear, heiir.) He knew tiie hon. gentleman would say that his nauu' would not be found among those of the Ministers present when it was passed, but every hon. genileman who was acquainted with tlie management of puldic adairs knew that when an order in council was passed, it remaiiu'd on record, and was accessible to such of the members as might not have been present wlien it i)ass(Hl. Such w.as an instance of the expenditure ui)(>n which the hon. gentleman now grounded complaint against the (ioverninent. (Jiear. hear.) Well, this was the position in which the reform members of the (iovernmeiit stood. Tliey did not feel that, in pursuance to this order and their duty to their constituents, as representatives from Ujiiier Canada— they did not feel tlint, acting in accordance with the interests of tlie country at large, they would be justified in leaving their places on that side of the House, to take their seats with the other hon. gentlemen ojiposite. (Hear, hear.) They believed that to do so would imperil tin; prospects of Confederation, and be an abnega- tion of the frequent declarations made to this House and to the country. The result was that the hon. gentleman having thrown down the challenge, having aunouiieed his determination to destroy tiiis (iovermiient if he could, having appealed to the liberal members from Tpper Canu'la to sustain him in this attempt, having also, with some degree of assurance, apjiealed to the hon. gentlemen who sat on the Government side of the House— ha\iiig taken this cour.se, he (Mr. Mncdougull) and his hon. Iriend the Postmaster-General, too, made up their minds to sliuid tiieir ground, to c.'irry out tlie policy tluit they had joined the Governmeuf to acc(mii)li.->li, and Ihey would meet attiick by attack, charge by charge, and lire gnu for gun. ( Ltuul clucrs.) The hcjii. g(!ntleman, no doubt had a great power at his control. He had by indu>try, ability, and the command of means, established a powerful organ of pul)lic opinion, and he was able to hold it over the headu ol' hon. memljers in tht? 1 122 House, ami lu coiTce them here and iu other piaeea out of it. The hou. g(;ntleman had talked of coercion being offered bj' the Government, but they knew that cordon came more Irom the quarter to which he refeiTed than l»y holding in abeyance a few ])ultry offices in the gift of the Government. Well that state of things niu.st be met. (Hear, hear.) They knew that no tariff could be proposed tliat wonld not be objected to either by one interest or another, but they must look to the advantage of the gi-eat uuiss of the people of the country, and in that view this tariff, whatever ol)jections might be made to jiarticular items, was fair, honest and as well calculated to promote the interests of the people at large as any that conld have been submitted to the House. Xow, to speak from a party point of view, he had, as he had said, with great regret, felt compelled to take this course to-day. Whatever unpleasantness might arise in consequence of it, was no fault of his. He followed the mcmljer for South O.xlbrd into the Goverameut, sustained him while he remained in it, acted with him honestly, cordially, and frankly, and he believed that on the whole no cause of difficulty had arisen between them, but the hon. gentleman compelled him and his colleagues to take the course they now did. and the cousequiMices, whatever they might be, would rest upon him. However it might affect the hon. gentlemen opposite, whatever difficulties it might cause iu the country, whatever contests iu the constituen- cies, whatever threats might be handed about from one to another, whatever grievances might be appealed to for redress before the people, he believed the hon. gentleman opposite would not be left alone to hold his newspaper in frrrorem over the heads of hon. members of this House and the peoph;. (('beers. ) The idea he (Mr. ilacdougall) had found in Toronto, when he returned from bis "West India mission, must be revived and acted upon, and they nmst have in Upper (.'anada another organ for the liberal party — an organ that would e.xpr(^ss the views of that party and of the great mass of the jicople honestly, aud that would free the country from tlie incubus and the terrorism and the disgrace of the hon. gentleman's newspaper organization. The members of the reform party in supporting this Government so long as it existed under its present organization, at all events, would be called upon to pursue a course more in accordance with the wishes of those who sent them here than opposing the Government because the hon. gentleman opposite WHS no l(mg(;r a meml)er of it, and iu doing this they would be protected from the bullying of the organ to which he had alluded. (Hear, hear.) He (Mr Macdougftll) was very umch pleased indeed when the member for South Oxford ])assed a high eulogium upon the Attorney-General East ; h(! was glad to hear it, because, whatever might have been their past party disputes, he did no more than justice to his hon. colleague, who, since the adoption of the policy of the present Government, had pursued a straightforward, modest, and loyal course towards his colleagues in the Ministry, and iu regard to the measur(!s which it was Ibrmcd to accxnnplish. (Hear, hear.) He (Mr. Macdimgall) conld say of his colleague, the Attorney-GenerarWest, also, and he believed the member for South O.Kford would confirm his statement, that, after the experience he had with him as member of the Government, to which he belonged, he believed him to be dispo.-^ed to act on all occasions fairly, honestly, and impartially in regard to the measures which came before 123 the administration. Of course, he (.Mr. Macflougall) did not forjret the pnst blunders which hud bcun committed; he did not lorget the questions which had lt)ng been in dispute between the two parties in Upper Canada, or the position of his hon. friend, who, iis leader of the minority from Upper Canada, joined the majority from Lower Canada to pass measures whicli were distaste- ful to the majority of the people of Upper Canada, but he would go a step further and say that since he had been in the Government with lion, jientle- men, on every (luestion which had come under their jurisdiction, citiu-r executive or otherwise, he had shown himself to be as projrrcssive, as well iiu'lined to support the public interest by initiating good uu'asurcs, as economical and as liberal as the hon. gentleman opposite. (Cheers. lie (Mr. Macdougall) approached tliis discussion with tills experience, willi these views, and with these facts, which he could honestly and conscientiously state to this House ; for if it had been otherwise, it were needless for him to say ho could ha\e remained in Goverumeut. If he had found that the Attorney- General "West was inclined to force measures which were opposed to the principles of the party with which he was associiiLed, he would quickly have found a reason for following the member for South Oxford, Ijut it was not on this ground tliat the hon. gentleman had withdrawn from the Government. He founJ a diilereut excuse on matter of less importance, and with regard to which his colleague, the Postmaster-General, and a large majority of tliis House, diifered from him entirely. ]Sow, that was the position in which they were placed, and he (Mr. Macdougall) believed they would have the means of satisfying the public mind that the Government was conducted as fairly, as honestly, as patriotically in the absence of the member for South Oxford as when he was a member of it. (Cheers ) He belie\ed the measure of Confederation was safe in their hands. The only peril that could menace it was for the hem gentleman to iind a large body to sustain him in the course he had chosen to adopt. The Government would maintain their ground, would carry out the policy they took office to accomplish, and would ct>mplete also the schemes for local constitutions necessary under confederation. The hon. gentleman opposite had complained of delay in c»mnection with these last named measures, but -why was it that when he was in the Government he had never made any suggestion on the point ? If tliere was any bhuiie to be attached for not having these tilings discussed at an earlier peri(td, the hou. gentlemau was the man to blame. (Hear, bear.) It was not necessary that he (Mr. Macdougall) should occupy the attention of the House any longer. He had stated in as few words as he could the position in which he and two of his colleagues were placed, As liberal nHunbc'i's from Ujjpcr Canada, their course was clear ; they had made up their minds to adhere to the Government. The hon. gentleman ojiposite had chosen to leave them on an issue of no practical importance, and since then to ha\'e assumed an attitude of antagonism and hostility. Let him have all the credit for such a eoiu-se a.-: that, and let him have all the responsibility of as.suming a position which might precipitate a Ministerial crisis in the country, and imperil the cause which the Government were formed to accomplish, He (Mr. Mac- dougall) did not believe that that would be the eflectof the hon. gentleman's opposition, but still that would bo his position if the Government were 24 defeated on this motion. He thought, however, the hon. gentleman wonlri tind liiuiself in pvett.v much the fiiimo position ns that on which he was phiccd the (ither night in thid liouso, when he appealed to his former political Irieuds in Upper Canada to supixirt him on the bill which was then under discussion. It was a measure for the sale of the reetory lands in Upper Canada, which the liberal ])arty had alwa\-,s advocated, but which the h(in. gcntleuuin oppo.scd on the grounds that it .--.houlil lie left over for future agitii- lion. lie had asked his friends to vote with him against the bill, and h(! found himself with just two followers from Upper Canada. (Laughter.) it was truly a pitiable sitectacle. (Kenewed laughter.) He sympathized (k'(!ply with these two hon. gentlemen who liad been dragged through the mire once at the dicttation of the member for South Oxford, and he trusted that the result of the vote would have the effect of causing them in future to adlusre more faithfully to the principles of their party. The hon. gentienuui found liimself with two sujiporters, but in his paper, which was supposed to give all the news of the day, he carefully suppressed the division. "The Hioliou was put and lost," was all that was given in that journal, l)ut tli< names of the member tor South Oxford and his pctweri'ul party were omitted. (Laughter.) He (Mr. Macdougall) had no desire to depreciate the ability of the hon. gentleman ; he had been long associated witli him in politics, and they had diifereuces sometimes which were of a bitter kind ; but this mud) the hon gentleman would do him justice to say, that while he was one of his supporters, he always argued with him and pointed fiut his objections to him when he believed him to be wrong, and thiit he had never at any time heen a subservient follower. (Hear, hear.) He diffen'd from him now, and he would not shrink from assuming the responsibility of that difference. He would leave it to the liberals of Upper Canada to say whether they would allow themselves to be dragged after that hon. gentleman, or honestly and fearlessly pursue that course which they had ])ledged themselves to pursue, when the Coalition Goveniraent was formed. The hon. gentleman hoped, in concluding, that in the discussions which might take place, the courtesies that were due from one public man to another would not bo forgotten, and resumed his scat amid loud applause. 1'25 i HON. WILLIAM P. IIOWLAND is Postmaster General. Mr. Howland is the third member of the Reform party in the Ministry, and the least of the three, thongh his intliience in the West is of some conse- quence. He is very apt at figures, and of a calculat- ing turn of mind. In the West his views are listened to with attention ; and, on commercial questions, he is very intelligent. He may be said to be one of the best business men of the province. This Minister wtis on the Commission sent, in February last, to the United States Government to negotiate anew treaty of trade, and he was a fit man to associate with Mr. Gait in the missiou. A more apt person could not have been selected to talk with the Committee on Ways and Means, for the long time that he has spent in the produce I)usine8s has made him very sharp on the question of reciprocal free trade. In 1857 Mr. Howland w\as elected for the West Riding of York, and has sat for it up to the present time. In 1S62 he was a member of the Reform Gov- ernment of that time, filling the office of Receiver- General. In 1864 he went out with his party, but, in a little time, was induced to ente^ the Coalition Ministry, in the office of Postmaster-General. Being an attentive official, he makes a good head for the Post Office. This member is a strong, but quiet, party-man. He may now be regarded as the fourth man in influ- 126 fi-i ence of the Reform party, though the least of the three in olKce. In the House this member does not cut a figure (though so good at figures) as he cannot speak well. He took a very quiet part in the debates on Confed- eration. From his leanings it is likely that he was not much interested in the great question, but was readv to follow the lead of Mr. Brown. Being a good thinker, Mr. Howland makes a fair legislator, but he has not the ability to urge his views by eloquent argument in the House. His reform views are many, but he has to confine himself to advocating a few of the leading ones. In his quiet, reflective wav, this member is a areat contrast to hit' colleague, Mr. McDougall, who thinks less and speaks well and boldly. The two together would make a good committee ; and, on committees, the former is very apt. Mr. Howland is a man of some wealth, made in the produce business. He is a mill-owner, and sends large quantities of flour to the United States market. Owing to this, he took a great interest in the nego- tiations for a new treaty of free trade with that country. No man in Canada is more fit to talk over the state of a flour market, or to calculate the chances of a rise or fall, than he. It is in this light that Mr. Howland is seen to advantage, On a Corn Exchange he would be a man of note. The subject of this short sketch is not a native of Canada, he having been born in the neighboring republic. He is a man of about 50 years of age; with the features and look of the people from whom he takes his origin. 127 HON. HECTOR L. LANGEVIN a is Solicitor-General East. Mr. Langevin is the iburtli EreiU'li Canadian in the Ministry, and the least in consequence, tliough one of the first in intelligence. His influence in the East is considerable, and is increasing. This member was first elected to Parliament in 1857 for Dorchester, and has since been elected bv acclamation. He owes his present place to his ta- lents ; and he may be called the second man in talent of his party in the Ministry. A good writer, he is the author of a work entitled " Canada at sea fn- stitutions," &c. The office of Mr. Langevin renders him a sort of deputy of the Attorney-General ^East. He is a fair, though young, legislator, being well read in law, and knowing the wants of the country, and is active and attentive to the duties of his office. Mr. Langevin speaks well, and made a good efibrt in the debates on Confederation. Though too diffuse, his speech was one of the best made on the occasion^ and the best of the four French members of the Min- istry, only two of whom, however, made speeches on the question. Mr. Langevin has a pleasing address and speaks coolly, like a man who is resolved not to be put out by interruptions. Though not a states- man, he is a man who will wear well with years. The subject of this sketch was Mayor of Quebec for five years, and also President of the North Shore Railway Co. His energy and intelligence procured '.A 1.1 128 Ibr him those two places of distinction, but of little remuneration. Mr. Langcvin is a Member of the Bar of Lower (Canada, practising at Quebec. He has done well al his profession, and is regarded as one of the best men at the Bar. He is a man of means, with a disposi- tion to push (m and increase those means by enter- prise. Having entered Parliament in 1857, Mr. Langc- vin has now been nine years in it, and is about 40 vears of age. \ ! V. ;tle ITJ ver at len )si- er- 40 ■\ ^ .\ IIO^. JAU^^ COCKBURN is Solicitoi- General West (and tlie twelfth member ol the ministry.) Mr. Cockbiirn is a man of good sense and educa- tion, and has some influence in the West. He has not long figured in public life and has yet to win a name; but he has the qualities for a good legislator .•ind IS well versed in law. ' The office of this minister renders him a sort of deputy of the Attorney-General, West, who now and then very much requires a steady and attentive man to^look after the Grown Law office for the West. This minister was first elected to Parliament in 1861, for the West Riding of Northumberland, and he sits for it now. He, in 1S62-3, gave support to the Reform Ministry of that date, and in 1864 took ofHcc in the present government. He may be regarded as a liberal conservative. Mr. Cockburn is a barrister, practising at Gobourg, and has succeeded at his profession more by steadi- ness and attention than by brilliant qualities. In Gobourg, and the West riding of the County, he is well known and liked. He is an Englishman and about 40 years of age. Like most good thinkers, Mr. Gockburn does not speak very fluently, and he is not distinguished in debate. i;}o ^ Thi.s (Mids till' list (,r Ministers, wIk, aiv classed as follows : — Conservative, three fourths <» Reform, one fourth -> 12 Of English origin, two thirds s Of French do. one third 4 12