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Tous les autrea exemplaires origiriaux sont filmte en commenpant par la premiere page qui comporte une smpreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et on terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un dea symboles suivants apparaftra sur la dernlAre image de cheque microfiche, selon le caa: le symbols — ^ signifie "A SUIVRE ", le symbole V signifie "FIN ". Les cartea, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre film«a it dea taux de reduction diffirents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul cliche, ii est film6 d partir do i'sngle sup^rieur gauche, de gauche k droite, et de haut en baa, en prenant le nombre d'images n^cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m^thode. 1 2 3 4 5 • 6 2 ?7/ Mais-A^ it., )it fy ./ DEBATE THE S CJ ■SJ 5$ i^ -^ ^TE ON ? THE TARIFF. MAY 9th, 1870. OTTAWA: TIMES rUBLISIIING COMPANY, SPARKS STREET. 1870. / \\. DEBATE IN THE SENATE ON THE T^RII^^IT. SENATE. Ottawa, May 9th, 1870. Tho SPEAKFR took the Chair at three o'clock. After some routine busmess, The Bill " to amend the Acts respecting Customs and Inland Revenue, and to make certain provisions respecting vessels navi- gxting the Inland Waters of Canada above Montreal," w.is read a first time. THE TARIFF lion. Mr. CAMPBELL moved that the Bill be read a second time at the next sitting of the House. Hon. Mr. LETELLIER DE ST. JUST said that he vould move in amendment that the Bill be read that day six months, as he was convinced that it would be most in- expedient to pass a nuasure so contrary to the interests of the people of the Dominion. He was prepr-a-ed to acknow- ledge that it was sound policy to interfere as little as possible with money bills which were sent up from the Commons; but, at the same time, he felt that wlien measures involving most important interests came up for consideration, it became the duty of the Senate, which was a sort of interme- diary between the Crown and the people, to take care that they did not sanction any proceeding which would injuriously afi'ect the public welfare. The measure before tiie House imposed a lax on breadstuffs and other articles of prime necessity, and it was obligatory on the House to consider it with great care before agreeing to its passage. The manner, indeed, in which it had been oarried through the other branch rendered it more necessary for the Senate to con- sider it with great circumspection. Eleven out of thirteen members of the Govern- ment had agreed that the policy they had adopted was bad, and made a declaration to tliat effect in the House ; but immedi- ately afterwards it was found that their views were reversed by tn-o others of their colleagues. When it was seen that the same Government which propounded one policy in the afternoon, liad a diflerent one in the evening, it was time for every man who was anxious for the welfare of his country to pause and consider the character and effect of the measure, which had been brought forward and passed in the Com- mons under such extraordinary circum- stances. Again, when it was founil that the commercial cities of Quebec and On- tario jiad declared themselves most em- phatically in opposition to the moMure, there was additional reason why the Senate should interfere and save the country from the consequences of a policy which was so unsound. Breadstufts— articles of primo necessity — were hence- forth to be dearer, simply that the Government might raise a revenue of about eleven hun Ire.l thousand dollars ; but surely some other moans could have been devised to raise the amount without burthening the masses of the people. No doubt could exist in the mind of any one that all the money requhed could have been easily raised by imposing a small duty on the luxuries of life instead of taxing the necsssaries, which enter into the con- sumption of the labouring class. The House should also carefully consider the effect of the policy upon the manufacturing interests of the country. It was well known how mmy difficulties stood in the way of the establishment of manufactories m this country— that they were chiefly protected by the cheapness of the raw material. Now it was obvious that the moment a tax was imposed on the raw product, there was a discrunination against our manufacturing interests. Whether the measure was considered with regard to our manufacturing, our commercial, or our shipping interests, it must be recogu zed as embodying a policy most detrimental to the best interests of thepominion ; and he was convinced that the members of the Government themselves, were they to re- veal tlii'ir Hocret thouglits, would confisa that lio wus right. IIo would acknowletlge that tlio motion which he had made was of iin ixtraordinary character, and if it had been i)rncticablo he would have preferred moving in another way. If ho could have tlono HO, he would lia'c moved to amend the Bill, for he did not wish to deprive the Government of the means of meeting the puldio expenditures. Not being al)le to pursue such a cour.so, he had chosen the mode customary in the House of Lords, and moved the six months" hoist. But it might be said what would be the result of j'ejecting a measiu-e providing means of meeting the public expenditure. It was true there might bo a dlHculty, but it was one that could be removed by the (Jovern- ment. In the year 18.')6, the Supply Bill came before the Legislative Council of Canada, in connection with the question of the selection of the Seat of (Jovernment. The selection of the Seat of (Tovernmont was one of the privileges of the ( 'rown, but inasmuch as the Legislative Assembly had moved in the matter, the Council contend- ed that they had the same right to bo con- sulted, and decided linally that inas- much as they had been overlooked they would refuse the Supply. The Bill was proposed for the first reading, and imme- diately afterwards, and previous to the second reading, it was moved that the House .'^hould dispense with the 19th Kule, and for reasons set forth in the Kesohition declare •' th it it cannot concur in the Bill of Supply.'- The Bill was tiiken back to the Assembly, and the objectionable pait of it repealed; and then it was returned to the Legislative Council, where it rece^-ed the assent of the House. If it wore a.sked what the Government could do if they were refused the means of mo(>ting taxation, he would reply that they could pursue the course that was taken in ]8a6. They would take back the measure and amend it so as to make it conform with what was the sentiment of the House and country nay, the sentiment of eleven members of the Govei'nmont. If taxation was requisite to raise money, let it be im])Osed u])on the luxuries of the rich iind well-to-do classes of the people. The Senate should not hesitate a moment as to the proper course for it to pursue in the case of a measure which was notoriously obnoxious to all classes of the peoi)le of the Dominion, from one end to the other. If the Senate were to interpose its authority in order to pre- vent such injurious legislation Jieirig fast- ened upon the country, it woukl win the gratitude of the people. In any .system of taxation for general purjwses, e.acli Pro. yince should ho placed on the same fo(jt- ing. No section should be benefited to the injuiy of another, and yet that was Hon. Mr. Letellier de St. Just. exactly what the Bill was domg. In New Brimswick and (^uitbec the people were obliged to get considerable quantities of their coul. Hour and wheat from al)road ; in- stead of affording them facilities for doing so, the Government proposed liurthening them with taxes on commodities which they required. The people of (Quebec, Montreal, Toronto and other places in the Province of okl Canada, were to have their fuel ta.xed, ostensibly for the purpose of benefiting a partiiailar class in a single Province. Such a policy would only i)er- petuate sectional jealousies, and prevent the harmonious working of Confederation. If the Bill pa.ssed, he was persuaded that it would create an amount of irritation in Nevy Brunswick that must lead to the most prejudicial consequences, and to show that he was not speaking without authority, he would refer to the representatives of the Province in the House, who, he felt con- vinced, would vote against the measure. Those gentlemen would declare that the policy m (juestion was des- tructive of the best interests of the Province— subversive of the Confedera- tion- -and directly in the interests of the .advocates of annexation to the American Union. In the other Pro- vinces the consequences would be efjually serious: trade and enterprize would bo cramped and the people irritated ; and under these circumstances he could not bring himself to believe that there could be found oven a majority among the sup- porters of the Ciovernment pre2)ared to sanction a policy whii'li was so ojiposed to the true principles of economic science and antagonistic to the true interests of every section of the Dominion. Hon. Mr. WILMOT followed, and said that lie had no doul)t whatever that the moticn of thehon. m(>mber for Grandville was perfectly constitutional — entirely in accordance with the iiractic^ of the House of Lords as well as of the Council of the old Province of Canada. He had little hesitation in .seconding the motion, from the fact that he knew that the Bill, as it had pi., sed the other liranch of the Legis- lature, would not meet with the approval of the people of the Province from which he came. He regretted that in almost all measures relhtivo to Cu.stoins, he had been obliged to express opinions contrary to the (iovornment of the day. The increase in the duties upon articles of necessity had naturally created a great deal of irritation in the Province of New Bruns- wick, and atlcled to the dissatisfaction that had already existed there. In maturing a tariff; every care should be taken not to press heavily upon the masses, or em- barrass trade and enterprise ; and he must acknowledge that such would be the ef- g. In New leoplo were uimtities of al)road ; in- 2s I'or doing liui'thoning ties which of (Quebec, •kicew in the o hnve their purpose of in a single (1 only per- lul prevent ifedenition. uaded that rritation in to the most o .show that ithority, he ives of the i felt con- B measure, declare was des- ts of the Confedera- nterests of m to the other Pro- be e^iually would 1)0 lated ; and could not here could g the sup- irei)ared to ojiposod to nic science nterests ol I, and said 'cr that the ■ (frandville entirely in the House ncil of the had little otion, from 3 Bill, as it ' the Legis- i approval I'om which almost all e had been ontrary to lie increase f necessity it deal of ew Bruns- action that maturing ken not to !s, or em- id he must be the ef- fect of the present measuie. If the Gov- ernment liati chosen to aid two and a half per cent, to the ad valorem duties, they would have raised a large limil in a less objectional)lo way. But the uvw tariff mposeil certiin specific, in addition to the ad valorem duties ; and merchants would have to make additional entries, and be subject to mucii trouble and inoonvonitnce. It was the true policy to havo a tariff of as simple a character as i)Ossiblo ; liut tiie jiresent me.isure only oomplicate<l matters. The measure was called •' a national poli- cy," on the ground that it was intondeil to meet the policy adopted by the United States with respect to oursoh os since the repeal of the Kecijirocity Treaty. Look- ing at it even from that stand-point, he considered it ui\ju3tiHable. Before de- cici'ng on the measure, the Government should liive considered more carefully whether it bore fairly on nil interests anil sections, and was not calculated to bmeht one locality or class at the expense of the great majority. As respects the differ- ential duty on salt, he had been under the impression that under the Koyal instruc- tions no such tax could be imposed. Gen- tlemen connected with trade were aware that coal was brought from Great Britain a? ballast, and conse(iuently could be pro- cured by our manufacturers and others at a lower price than would otherwise be the case. If coal hatl been chu'gcd an ad raforem duty on the cost at the vlace of production, the duty would not have been felt, and it would have been able to com- liete with the coal coming in from the L/nited States, where the cost is consider- ably higher. In whatever pjint of view ho looked at the question, ho was convinced that he was bound to vote for the rejec- tion of the Bill. If it were rejected, ' he thought that the Government would have no difficulty in finding tlie means to meet their obligations, especially as the amount they required was very small. If the con- sideration of the (juestion was postponed for another year, they might be able to ma turo a system which would meet with more general acceptance. As respects the duty on pickages, he added, he was sure that it would cause a great deal of diisatisfac- tion among importers, on account of the complicated nature of tlie system. It must bo considered, too, tint the pack- ages, although costing considerable at the place of shipment, were of little value at the i)lace of arrival ; and it was, therefore, manifestly unfair to tax such packages. For these and other reasons, lo hoped that the Senate would agree to reject the Bill. ^ lion. Mr. CAMPBELL replied that the Government, in his opinii.ai, had some reason to complain of the course that had been pursued by the hon. member for Grandvillo, e.spooially in view of the man- ner in which iiuhlio business liad been con- ducted in th It branch of the Legislature. The Government might ha"o e.\pe<!te(i that if the hon. member had decided to pursue the usuid course of miiking such a motion on the first reading of the Bill, he would have taken the opportunity ot informing them of bis intentions. He did nut think that anything that had occurred I during the present or previous session i could warrant h.m intal<ing the course that : ho had and surprising tlie (iovernment ' (laughter on the Upi)osition side). I Hon. Mr. LETELLIER DE ST. JUST did not suppose that the lion, member wished to attribute motives to any one. Hon. Mr. CAMPBELL meant that tlia only interi)retation that the Government could draw from the coiu'se of the hon. gentleman was that he wished to surprise them. It was not usual to make suck motions until the Bill had come up for its second reatling. However, the Govern- ment were (juito content that the discussioa should take place at that stage, though he did feel that they might well hava been informed of the intention of the gentlemen opjjosite. Tho Government were (juite prepared to defend their policy, and discuss it on its merits, in the conhdence that it would rece.ve the sanction and ap- proval of a majority of the House. He did not think tha, the hon, member hatl fairly considered — and he hoped certainly that others would do so — tho position in which he would place the House with ref- erence to the Bill of Sujiidy before them. Honourable gentlemen should remember that they were sent to the House, not merely for the purposes of the present Parliament,but to est d)lish asystem which, it was to be hoped, would last for ages ; and that the example they were now set- ting would hiHuence those who should oc- cu^jy their se its hereafter. Under these circumstances the House should proceed with great caution and reflect, not simply ell the results of their action for the mo- ment, but with reference to the future legisl ition of this country. If it was really desirable, — and he believed it was — thit there should be a second Chamber of th© Parliament in this country, it became of great importitnce that the House should confine itself to strict constitutional prac- tice and usage, and that it should not be diverted by any temporary reasons from the course that it ought to pursue with reference to matters which come especially within the piirv ew of the oti^r branch of the Legislature. Now he was of opinion that a Bill regulating th© tariff was hardly ever rejected m the upper branch. Every one admitted that it could / not bo iimoridod, iind, tliorofore, the lion niemboi- hud moved that it be rojfcted en- tirely. That WHS a courHo which' had never been Uikon ii. the Parliiiment of C.inulu Hon. Mr. LETELLIER de St. JUST —I have just referred to such a case. lion. Mr. C^AMl'BELL did not con.sider It fully in point. Such a course w.i.s not foUowo<l either in the Parliament of Can- nda or m the Imperial Legislature, ile had endeavoured to awcertain the practice ol the liiitLsh Pailianient, and the only in- stance, of late years, where the House of Jvords had interfered with the action of the Commons on a money Bill wi,s in the case of the Paper Duty Bill, which was not a measure involving a general tariff; like that now und.-r consideration. Why was it that the Tariff' Bill was never rejicted ? Be- cause It iiad been passed by the House of Commons,- the hotly which represented the people, and was specially charged with the imposition of taxation, Therefore it was understood, tliat in accordance with the Constitution, the Commons had the ex- clusive right-and they had ever success- fully vinilicated it— to deal with such matters. Gentlemen who would look luto the matter would find that after the measure m question was rejected by the Peers, Lord Palmerston roi'terated in the strongest terms the exclusive right of Par- Uamint to de:>l with such matters ; and the result was that next session tlie same measure was adoi)ted i)y the House of Commons and went to the Lords where it passed witli the Bill of Supply. His hon friend opposite had referred to the case that occurred in I8.J6 when the Legislative Council objected to the course pursued with reference to the seat of Government In that case the Bill could be amended without difficulty, by striking out the Item providing for the expenses of the seat ot Government. But the same thing could not be done to the present Bill It must be amended by supplying new items ; andtheresut of the passage of the mo- tion ot the hon. mem her would be that tne matter would have to be reconsidered in the House of Commons— that the mem- bers would have to be summoned from all parts of the country, and the session consequently indefinitely delayed, wliilst a new tariff was mtroduced and all the usual forms pro- ceeded with. He could not understand bow gentlemen could deem it their duty on a question of such a nature to vote as the honourable gentl.^man's resolution proposed. The effect of the passage of such a motion must be to bring the Senate into collision with the other branch of the Legislature. He would call attenti n — for it was a case t.ie feeling that was exhibited, when an address came to the Senate asking that its clerk should be examined by a Committee ot the Commons with ro-spect to the in- Hon. 3Tr. Campbell in point — to Jemnity an<l m leage of hon. members. 1 h It was considered a matter of privilege ?"«' 'ho ilouso refused permission to allow Its ctHcer to be examined with respect to Its accounts. Could it be supposed, then that there would be no irritation in the totnmons were the Senate to interfere with their action respecting a measure immediately within their i)urvicw, and of which they are traditionnlly jealous ? Was <t likely that they would recede from thor position and allow them- selves to be dictited to by the Senate in reference to a measure which must ongniato with themselves, and which IS especially under their control in accordance with our constitution? He could not believe that those who wished to see the Constitution preserved intact and hmded down to j)08terity, were ready to sanction any course which womd create jealousies between the two branches of tlie Legislature, andjeonardize the harmonious operation of our legislative machinery. J iiere'ore he would ask hon. gentlemen in view of the future, and the security and hu-mony of our Constitution, not to ap- prove ot a course which was revolutionary ami calculated to bring the two Houses into serious conflict. With these remarks respecting the con- stitutional aspect of the question, he would now refer to the merits of the mea- sure Itself. It had been .said that there were eleven members of the Government really oi^posed to the present policy ; but the fact was, that there was no division at all in the Cabinet on the subject, and that the Government were a unit and h:td so ttled oil their policy after grave deliberation and under the conviction that it was cal- ciil ited to promote the interests of the whole Dominion. The question was ne- cessarily attended with difficulty— it could not be an easy task to arrange a tariff' satis- factory to the whole Dominion. If hon gentlemen, who might hereafter find them- selves members of a Cabinet, believed that they would be able to frame such a policy as would meet with universal ap- proval, they would soon recognize their mistake. It had been the desire of the Government to frame a tariff" that would embrace the interests of the whole Dominion. The leading idea was to protect the fisheries, and stimu- L-ite certain great interests in all the Pro- vinces. We had been endeavouring for years to obtain a renewal of the Recipro- city Treaty, but all our patience and for- bearance had been perfectly futile; and under these circumstances it became a Ijited, wlion an I asking that its ;>y a Committoe pect to the in- Hon. members, or of privilege, nission to allow with respect to Lipposed, then, ritation in the e to interfere ng a measure urvit^w, and of jealous ? Was I recede from illow them- to by the neasure which insolves, and fieir control in titution ? lie who wished to red intact and were ready to womd create ranchoE of the le harmonious e machinery. >n. gentlemen e security and n, not to ap- revolutionary g the two iflict. With ; the con- question, ho ■s of the mea- d that there Government t policy ; but no division at ject, and that idlwd settled deliberation t it was cal- erests of the tion was ne- ilty— it could a tariff' satis- on. If hon. ier find them- let, believed frame such a iniversal ap- iognize their lesire of the tariff" that sta of th» eading idea and stimu- all the Pro- ivouiing for ;he Recipro- mce and for- futile; and t became a matter for consideration whether it w.is not advisable to pursue sucii a policy as would keep our Hsiiorios within our own control and stimulate couiinorcial intercourse be- tween ourselves. The (iovcrnmont linully adopted the present policy; and, gonlle- inen, when tlioy objected to the ilutios on wheat and coal, and other items in th • t;iiiti; should remember that each and all wore part of a general system, Dfficulties arose, Hulise((Uont to the introduction of the new policy, anil it w.n iipiirchemlca lor a wliilu that the siuid'on of a nnjoiity in the other branch woukl not bo given to the scheme as u whole. I'ndor such cir- cumstances, and anxious to avoid a crisis at a very trying period in our alfiirs, tiio < Jovermnont deviated snincwhat from their policy for a time. Imt only to come l)uck to it when they found it was i'ullv in ace .rd with the majority. It hid been said by tlio hon. member opposite that the (arilf proposed to tax breadstufls and other ne- cessiries of life. Now he (Mr. t'ami)!)cll> denied that coal was a necessary of life. Hon. Mr. LETELLIEU DE ST. Jl'.ST explained tint he had said " Breadstuff's and other articles of i)rime necessity." Hon. Mr. CAMPBELL replied that nine- tenths of the people were farmers wjio did not use coal in any shape, and to them it was not a necessary of lit'e. Coal was n.<ed chiefly in manufactures— certainly in Onta- rio, and did not enter into the consump- tion of the general connnunity in the up- per Province Now, if a duty on woo( I had been proposed, that would have lieon a tax on the masses. Honourable gentle- men coming from the large cities, knew perfectly well where the pressure on the <luestion originated. Take for instance, his hon. friend from Toronto (Mr. ^Icl'her'- son) who was smiling in his usual mi<'ni- licentway; he was at the head of a Lu'ge establishment, which consumed largequan- titics of coal. The tariff' might atlect such an establishment in the city, but it certain- ly did not interest the rural constituency which he (Mr. Camiibell) represented. Lven m Toronto, the consumers of coal were exclusively to Ijo found among the wealthy clisses, and the same might be said of Ottawa, ami other towns. But under any circumst mces. coal was not an article of greater necessity than clotluni' or boots and shoes, and vet those juiicle" wereheivily taxed. It' was onlv a few manufacturing establishments, after all that had any real interest in the f]uestion ot coal, so far as Ontario and the rural dis- tricts of Quebec were concerned. The arguments that had been adduced against i other feitures of the tariff' were equally I fallacious. Diil any one suppose th it we were going to piy more for bread in conse- 1 i|uen>'e of the iinignilic mt tax on Ameri- can Hour and wheat'/ The mijorityofour our pooi)|e made th( ir own Hour, and could supply their friends hi the Lower I'rovin- cos with all that they re(iuirc<|. By en- courag ng the coal of Nova .Sctia and the Hour of (Jntario, cominercial intorcour.-o would be encouraged between the two Provinces, and the Confederation nors- sarily strengtiiened. The (invernmont had been led to umlerstaiid that a > ery smill duty wouKl oualilo the coal owners of Nova .S'oti I to supply the Dominion with fuel. It was a wise jjolicy to make one Province supply the wants of tiio other, and keep the D</minion as in lepondent as possible of the Americins. During the rebellion in the Cnitod Statc.i, it wouM bo remeinbereil that the (Icvornment issued an order prohibiting the exportation of coal altogether. Hon. :\Ir. McI'HER.SON— That was only anthracite coal, which cannot be got iu Nova Scotia. Hon. Mr. CAMPBELL— The prohibition might have been i)ut on all kinds of coal • and it was wi-e to guard against such' dangers in the future. All should unite in building up an Intercolonial Trade, and stimulating native industry. He had been toldby amtmber of the Legislature that the result of the policy of the American' in the particular just refcrreil to, had beei'i to jeopardize the operations of a large es- tablishment on liiike Erie, and the owner confessed that he would rather see a dol- [ lara ton put on coal thin be agiin sub- ject to the same difficulty. The tax would' soon be considered a Ijlessing if it had the effect it was expecded to have— of sujiply- ing our own coal to all parts of the Domin- ion. He found that the Americans im- posed ifl.2r> on Iiitumiiions coal, 4(J per cent on the anthraci ,, '20 per cent a bushel on wheat, and wheat H .ur, 10 per cent on rye. Situate I as the Dominion was, alongsitle of the United States, it was necessary to shape our policy with reference to theirs. He would not, how- evei', dwell at any gre der length on the question. He was himself most in- Huenced by the constitutional aspect of tlie subject, and ho implored hon. ' gen- tlemen, before voting for the amendment, to consider the conscipiences that would ensue by coming hito collision with the other branch of the Legislature, and the effect of the example they would give to those who succeeded them in the Senate. ilon. Mr. MILLER said he rose with some diffidence to address the Senate on the im- portant question underconsideration, after the very earnest ami persuasive speech of the hon. Postm ister General. Tliat hon, gentleman, from his ability an I position, iiH woli 118 (Vom lii-i j^i'oiit pcMMoiiiil iioiitilnr. ity, <li'MTVo.lly puHst'.ssod ^rout inlliiojice with tlu) lloiiso, ..nU lii.H lii'fli io;<;ii<l for him m:i(io It 11 vt'iy iinploiusiiuf, duty tooi). ' I'OJio him on tho pieaont ouoasiou. Jim ho l)ohovt'(l im u roincseutitivo IVom (hn I'm- vinco of Novii Ncotiti, it w.is his diiiv to • 'l.poMo tlio Jtill b(.|(>r,, thil N..ii:it . "Not only did ho ^.J^'l•ot lu'iii«ol.li>.od tojissiimo it poHitioii of aiitaj,'oiiisiu towards Ins liou. triond, hut Iio w.m also sony to I o coiti. poiUid to i)laco liimselr in hostility to tho (ioviTiuiu'iit of which tho lion, goiitlomiin rtiw a distin«iiisht)d nionihor. Smco he ua<l tho honour of iisoiit in tho Sonato, }io had tiivon tho Uovcrnnu.-nt a cordial and unwuvonng support, ovjn when in many canes, his convictions lent only a (iiialiliod approval to their acts. Coining as ho ditl to this House strongly commuted to the great exporimont of Uovorninent, which under (;onfedcration,tho I'rovi.Ku-s of Jhit' ish North Aiucrica wore endeavouring to work out. and deeply mterestod as he w,is in the success of that exi)orimcnt, ho had lelt it his duty on all possible occasions to give tho friends of thumoasuro his humhlo a.Msistanco. ilc iiad not yot lost faith, al- though many ol its earliest advocates had in the great scheme of building up on Brit- ish soil ,11 this continent a NowNitional- ity under u .sound j.olicy and an ccon.jnii. cal administration of public atliiirs. If <lisaster were to overtake tliis great exjieri- inent, it would bo in consc(|uen(e of the mcai)acity of our rulers, and thoir want of wisdom 111 forchig on tho country such vicious legislation as the Lill i)elore tl«3 'louse. To that Bill ho wii decidodly opposed, as unsound in principle, and cei tun to prove unjust m its operation, anl injurious to the host interests of the whole Dominion. JJut much as ho depid'atcd the Bill itself, ho would iiilinitely pr.^fer tho passage of a tariff a dozen tinies more obnoxiuus to tho count:y, than that bv any means this S mate slraild concur in the oxtr.iordinary constitutional doctrine laid down by the Hon. J'ostm ister General as to their 2)ower to deal with a mousure of this k,nd (hear, iioai). Against that doc trine he j.iotostod. and called on this Jlouse to protest in tho strongest nnnner (hear, hoar). He regretted to hearsolibdi an authority as the hon. gentleman dTs- puting the uiinii.ililied right of the Jlouse to exorcise a deliborative judgment upon this Bill, ami to reject it if they .saw lit. He must tell tlie Hon. I'ostmistertieneral that this do('triiie was contrary to ;,ll ])re. cedent, and it was neces.^nv ihit it should bo met and its f dlicy exposed on its lir^t assertion in this body (hear, hear). The ])rivilegos of this IIou.se in resi)ect to ' Money JJills were at Iwist equal to those of the House of Lords, an I the Commons of Hon. Mr. Miller. 1 hnglijiil hill invariably concctled to that lirimch of tho Legislature th • right to deal wilh such Bills, iM a whole, cither by ns- seliting to or lejecting ;heni. l)isputOH had from time to time iui-(Mi botwe. n tho two Houses of I'arlianieni in England dur- ing the last two or three hundred years as to th« light claimed bv the Lords to ajucnd Money JiilU— a cfuiii whih liad now in pr.ictico been abandoned, but no dispute could fairly exist as to tho aiisolute right of rejection of such Bills by the I'jiper House. :May, a great authority on rarlia- mentary practice, said:— "The Lords were not originally precluded from amending Bills of .Supply; for there are numerous cases on the Journals hi which tho Lords' ftinenilments to such Bills wore agreed to." I'racticall}', ho admitted this right of amendment hiul been abandoned, hy the Lords, and lio did not claim it for the .Senate of this Dominion. But ho did claim, and lie was sorry to hear it denied or doubted in any .juarter, that thi- Uou.so. under tho practice and i)rocoflonts of tl' > Jlouse of Lords, possessed the right— tL„ undoubted right— to reject this Tariff Bill, or any other moasiiro emanating from tho Commons. Wore the .Sennte to adopt the position the Hon. Tostmaster (ieneral asked tiiem to take— to acknowledge that they had no right todeal with tlie (juestiou before it, then they would establish a lirccedent that wcjuld bo quoted for all time to come against this body. (Heir, hear.) They would yield their right to ex- ercise those functions which they ought to enjoy im.ler the ( 'oiistitution. In onh^r to understand tluir true position, ho would turn the attention of tho lluuse to tho functions of the House of Lords in re- ference to Money votes. Ho might strengthen his position by old authorities, but would not go back further than the celebrated Conference of the Lords and Commons in ICiTl, on a question of tliis character. Then the Lords compliined, m the linguage of their own Resolution, '' that by a new maxim of the Commons a hard and ignoble choice is left to the Lords, eitlier to refuse the Crown Sujiplies when most necessary, or to consent to ways and projiositions of aid which neither tlieir own judgiiu'iit nor the good of the people can admit." Hero evidently the right of alteration and amendment wa.s contended for, and whit was tho answer of the Commons? "Your Lordships first reason i, from the happiness of the Con- stitution tli.c the two Houses are mutual checks on each other. Our answer is, ' So they are still,' for Ymir LonUiip.i have a ni'ijitth-c U, ill,; icJiok'.'' In contradiction to w-hat had fallen from the linn. Postmaster 'ieneral. ho asserted th 't until this dav, the light admitted Ly the Commons in ;e(lp(l to that i'i;irlit to deal ei tiler l,y ns- 11. I)iHiiutos I liotn'ci II tlio Kiigland due- ilii'd yciii','^ iiH H'dsto umond Imd now in it no (lisimto Iwoliito right ,• tho Ujiper ty on I'liAlii- 10 Lord.s wei'O ni anionding 10 nuinoious 1 tlio Lords' were iigrced d this light abandoned, claim it I'or But ho did sar it doniod t till- Uouso. dents of th > 3 right— th„ iHTaritrBill, ng I'loiM tlio to adopt the ter (Jeneral )wledge that tho fiuestion estaijlish a oted i'or all idy. (Heir, ' light to ex- ley ought to In order to 1, he would (jiise to tho ^ords in re- JIo might autliorities, icr than the Lords and tion of tliis ■ompliined, Ifesolution, Commons a eft to the ivn .Sui)plies consent to lich neither ;ood of the idently the dmont was 10 answer of Iships first if tlio Con- tra mutual wer is, ' So i/is Ji((ve a iidiction to Postmaster il this day, jmmons in tliiit oelohrato I c.iho hiH novnr boon yield- ed on tho 0110 hand, or mu . ossfully (|ueM tionod on the* other. Ho li. llongod the hoiioiiralilo gontleiiiin to eite an inst in<<! in whieh it had. Again, in lOH'.i, when tho I'oll Hill w.is amended \>y tho Ihui.so of Lords, the ComnioiiH insisted it was n hrouch of privilege, and this was tho language of their renionstraneo : "The Lonh cannot alter the grant i)ropo.sed, or otherwise interpose in such a Ihll than to pass or reject tlie same, without alteration or amendnunt.'' Coidd any admission of the right to reject ho more dear or em- jdiatic than those expressions, not of hasty action, hut of soloniii dclitieration on tho part of tho Commons? iron. Mv. CAMrUELL— <Jan you cito a ease in which tliis right has lieen exercised in modern times ? Hon. Mr. MILLEU could cito many f-ases in proof of his i)osition. In IT.Vs, a Bill to repeal tho duties iiayahle on tallow imported from Ireland, having boon sent to the JiOrds from tho rommons, was ro- joctod by that House. In itlTl, a Bill for tho imposition of duty on fonigii commo- tlities was also rejected l)y the Lords. But coming to more recent o.ises, in 178'.», a Bill i'or placing a duty on cocoa-nuts, which liad received the sinction of the Commons, was thrown out in the L'ppor Jlouse. In ISOT, a Bill for imposing cer- tain duties on malt was rejecto I by the Lords. In the same year a Bill to abolish payments to officers of Customs in Ireland was disallowed Avitliout remonstrance. A Bill passed tho 1 louse of Commons in 1811 to suspend for a year tho duty on corn-wash for the distillation of spirits in England. That was a Bill of great imjior- tanee, involving revenue to the amount of ono million and a half of jiounds, and underwent a long discussion in the Com- mons. In both Houses the ministers took an active part in tho debates. Yet tho Bill was rejected by the Lords, and no complaint was made on the 2)art of the Commons. On the contrary, when the Chancellor of the Exchernier introduced a few days afterwards a Bill to provide for tho loss of duties; he said, "I introduce this Bill in consequence of the rejection of a Bill by the other House."' (Hear, hear.) llii would not troulilo tho Senate with i'ur- ther cases, until he caino to the remark- able Bill for the repeal of tho paper duties in 1800. Hon. Mr. CAMPBELL— What I mean to say is, that my hon. friend cannot cite me a case in which the Lords have rejected a Tariff Bill. Hon. Mr. MILLER - Perhaps not, but why 'I The necessity for doing so could hardly have arisen under tho practice of tlio Hou-o of (-'ommoim prior to IStiU, (Hear, heir). Wiiat was that practi(!0? The hon. gentleman is as well acquaintetl with it as any memiier of this House. Ha well knows that in the rurliament of Enj. land, until very recently, most of tho Bilfii of Supply and Taxation related to spoeilio commfHlitios. I'reviously to Isdo, a great portion of tho revenue there was raised by Acts imposing duties, so to speak, in ilo- tail. Separate Acts wore pa.sHod placing duties on <litlerent articles, any ono of which, if obnoxious, couM bo rejected by the Lords, without endangering tho whole fiscal policy of the Administration. If therefore an unjust or objectionable tax were proposed to be imposi-d by tho Com- ! mens, it would come before tho I^rds, not in the Taritl'Bill, but usually in a separate Bill to bo consideretl on its own merits. Nearly all debateablo taxation was intro- duced in that way, every item had to stand or fall by itself. Ilonco the reason why no necessity had occur- red of rejecting a Tariff Bill. But the right claimed and exorcised, the pr'ii- ciple involved in the rejection of any mouoy Bill, applied to tho Tariff as a whole, aa well as to tho Tariff by items or parts. Tho reverse of this proposition was too absurd for argument (Hear, hear). In this coun- try our practice had been ilitterent. Our Tarifl Bills iueliRled nearly all tlescriptions of taxation and supply. Tho Minister of Finance gave no opportunity to Parlia- ment of passing on sjiecilic items, apart from tho general policy of tho (iovernment. All wo coiilil do was to reject tho whole Bill, if we considered it contained items of un- wise or unjust taxation. Cur right to do this should not bo doubted, and must be .settled and admitted (hear, hoar). Would it 1)0 .said that while under the practice and precedents of tho House of Lords, we had the right to reject Tax Bills in detail, we had not tho right to do so when tho substiinco of such Bills came before us in the aggregate form of a Tariff Bill ? The Hon. Postmaster (ieneral told the Senate tluit this was tho first time since its creation on which hon. gentlemen were asked to pass a resolution such as that be- fore the House, and he warned them against the precedent their decision would I estalilish. aiul tho example it woukl set. j Ho would earnestly reiterate the warn- j ing of the hon. gentleman. He begged to j remiiul tho House that they were, lo some I extent, called upon to establish a prece- ; dent, and hi tho words of tho Hon. Post- master (ieneral, set an example for I future imitation (hear). What were that I precedent and that example to be 'I A I servile surrender of their undoubted rights j or an S uiie(iuivocal assertion of them ? i That Avas the issue the Postmaster General 8 had placed before the h'enato, and those who supported him must a<lopt the degrading doctrine he propounded, •or his part, he should prelir that thi body should conso to exist rather than en- . orso such a doctrine. Was it not more Wv uiTr. ""f- r^^l^berative Assem l)ly— that body which occupied tlio hidiest position under the constitution-to dclib erate where it was contended they had no ight t . del. berate-but simplv, under to hction of deliberation, to lo echo lo wishes of tlie other brancli, and perfo na no functions of tlieir own ? If tl,c Sem to ;vore intended as a check on thfpori ' ot the Dominion, ospociallv the smaller ones itwnnldbe moit miwise and S al, they would bo deposin- them^eh-es irom the higli position they should occuw ^vere tlioy to s.y tliat thev had no i?S?^ Sm "'Ae.T as the 'one now"brfoJe tiiem. Jherelore he agreed with tl,o Postmaster General that' the co se t le Senate would now pursue would be con mdered as a precedent in the future ami It was most impoV Mt, it should not be such as would hereafter be cited aJhniit ing their functions. He would especiX press tins po.nt on hon. gentlemen^ rS «entmg the smaller Provhices in die Con SVnor'n"- ^"i '^^ constitution of tSs .Vnat,, the weaker Provinces were guai. m- ^ed a pro ection against the enSch- ments of the more nowerfnl commumties of the Dominion.^ In tie House ot Commons, Ontario or Quebec ^n easily over-ride the wishes of Nova K tt We .f ""^^™^^ ^" ^"^ 1"estiom for hm^ fi """ ''T ''^''^ ^^'-y flifterent, IZii 1 "'® ^*™^"e'" Provinces unitec could always resist unjust legislation It was essential to the interests of these Pro vmcesthat their representative hi thl t xefancK^ '°".'-'°^ *^° impositL of ta\es and the granting of supplies The iinfe'Tn^Tf^'t"?^*"^^ M^Stime Pro vmcfc, m the Senate was given for tne nu.- pose of acting as a check on he mo. J Fn Tli?o\r^'''^ ?' '"^^ Confederation OfS % f '^™""'^ °*' *lie Legislature Of what value would this check be, ^f the," yieul un the ffreni, vi-Tl.f „„,i -,..•.•', "'^ yieul up the g,-eat right and privi e4 of con .filing taxation and tlic expendifures oftheCrovernment? (Hear, hia, ) Xe-' o.e, guard the pnviloges of this' .Senate with a jealous care, as in it thev may -,1 wayshnd a safeguard against inVsHce or owH^ssion. He feared he was\veSing ritter the speech o*' the hon. Postmaster General he felt it should l,e fully ,li„d (hear, hoar.) He had alluded to the great the British Parliament in I'iGO. If the Hon. Mr. Miller. House would indulge him, he would quote , the opm.ons of some of the eminent men Who took part m the debate on that question, as to the privileges of the Upper House in relation to Mo icy Bills. The great speech of that occasion, in favour ot those privileges, was made by Lord Lyndhurs , then in his eighty-eighfh year ^nff^'-f"" ""'/"'^ argument, that great authority used this language :_" I take eave to say that there is°nor an instance to be found in which the House of Com- mons has controverted our right to leioct Money Bills. Over and over again, I ''re peat It nothing can be found in the Par- hamentaiy .Journals, or in any histo-y of Parliamentary procoodin.'s, to show that our riglit to reject Money Bills has been questioned.- Lord Monteigle, who fol! [lowed in the discussion, and who in a H?2''^'n "l'S".nie.it moved the rejection of the Bill, said in reference to the- speech of le rned Iriend s speech, I do not think that any one will be disposed to question the n^}LT\TT^\'^^'^ "2lit of the House, admitted by high autliorities, andsanction^ by uncontradicted practice, to deal with any Money Bill, as a whole, either by ac d!&T°'wTf^"^ '^■' I" the same cltbate Lord Chelmsford expressed himself as follows: « We are all agreed as to the privileges of the two Houses of Parliament with respect to Money Bills. We are agreed with reference to Bills of Supi^lv and Taxation, that your Lordships have, at all events, the power to reject them. You have, to some extent, admitted you have no power to alter Money Bills." Lord ; Derby ^zsed language to the same effect, [ and he could quote Blackstone and other high authorities in support of the constitu- tional right of the Upper Branch of Parlia- ment to deal, as a wiiole, with all Money Bills. He was only surprised that in the face of such authorities tlie leader of the Crovernment in this House would disimte the privilege for which he contended. But ^^''•"11"' ^' '''''' *■«'■ tl^e fii'st tune, he considered the argument should be fairly and fully met antl answered (hear, heir) He would no^v say a fe^v n-orcls with re- spect to the merits of tlie measure itself which had been heralded as a portion of a great national policy. The framers of the policy harl certainly been fortunate in their .selection of a name, whatever might be Its shortcomings in other respects. No doubt they felt that unpleasant things n?nfn t; T'^'^'^^led under a specio.is name He for one. was not remlv to ac- cept die policy of the Bill as a true'nation- al policy. Jiiasmi'ch as it might be in- tended to operate ag,inst the American. It Louid more properly bo collorl a retalia tury policy, and as such it was ridiculous. In t}iat point of view, if, was really worse than no policy at all. If the Government had brought down a measure adequately protecting our coal and agricultural pro- ducts, then it might with some propriety be called a retaliatory, if not a national policy ; but he was prepared to show that the present scheme was entirely useless as a means of protection, and could only bu serviceable as a means of taxatiun. It v;as proposed, in the first place, to levy 50 cents a ton upon coal coming into the Do- minion. Every gentleman who laiow any- thing of the trade of Canada was well aware that above Montreal the 50 cents would not be suilicient protection to the coal of Nova Scotia ; and therel'ore Ameri- can coal would continue to be brought into the country, and the consumers would be obliged to pay the tax themselves without any benefit to our coal interests. If the people of Ontario were desirous of paying that tax, of course they were at perfect liberty to do so ; but he thoujjht from the expressions of public opinion in that Pro- vince, the majority of the gentlemen re- presenting it in the >Senate would not be disponed to favour the imposition of that duty. It had been said by the hon. Postmaster-General that coal did not go into actual consumption among the poor; and although that might be, to a large extent, true, yet it was well known that when coal rose in price, wood also in- creased in cost, correspondingly (hear, hear). Hon. Mr. CAMPBELL— To some ext?nt, perhaps. Hon. Mr. MILLER— Its cost would in- crease _ considerably in the large cities. Therefore, the price of wood was to be raised during the long winter months, when it was an article of prime necessity alike among the rich and poor, and without any benefit to the coal interests of Nova Scotia. He would then ask if the House was prepared to sanction a policj , which was to raise revenue ui a way that woulcl bear most unfairly on the poor peoi)lo of this country. He did not tliink such a course was worthy of being called a nation- al policy. If it went into oi)eration, before a year passed by, it would be condemned from one end of tiie Dominion to the other. Now how was this policy to benefit Nova tJyotia ; whei'o was the Nova Scotia coal to find a market ? Fifty cents a ton v.-ill not send their coal above Montreal. Coukl they even compete in Quebec for the supply of thit locality ? He thouglit not. In Que- bec, the average price of English coal was 20 shillings a chaldron, or 13 shillings and 4 pence a ton, and the market was now al would be 15 shilling and 10 pence, or .say 16 shillings; but Nova Scotia coal could not be put into the market at less than 20 shillings, and, therefore, it could not enter into competition with the English article. It was true that some enterprismg gentlemen in Montreal had in- vested considerable cajijital in the Nova Scotia coal mines and might succeed by their influence, and business con- nections in introducing a small quantity I into Montreal, but it could not be much. I It would, therefore, be seen that this great j concession to the coal interest of Nova I Scotia amounted to nothing, but on the j contrary, it was calculated to excite odium I against that Province hi the other sections j of the Dominion. He also objected to the ; duty on rice, whicli is an article of luxury I among the poor fisiiermen and labouring j classes, and ought not to be taxed. It was i an article that the Legislature of Nova Scotia had always hesitated to touch for the reason he had just given, and the duty would certainly be considered of a most objectionable character in the Maritime Provinces. As respects the duty on Hour, it was understood tc be a sort of compen- sation to Ontario for the duty on coal. Why was there no compensation to Quebec and New Brunswick ? Last year the peo- ple of Nova Scotia imported something like 160,000 barrels of American flour and 60,000 barrels of corn meal, the duty on which would amount to $50,000 a year. These were articles that entered into the consumption of the people generally, and yet they were to be taxed under the great " national policy." Even supposing 20,- 000 tons of coal could be sent this year into Ontario and Quebec in consequence of the protection of this tarifi"— and he doubted whether such would be the case — it would be only a few capitalists and monopolists that would receive tlio benefit, whereas the Hour duty would fall on all classes ; and for that trilling advantage to the coal owners the people of Nova Scotia would have to pay §50,000 in duties on breadbtuffs alone. Hon. Mr. MITCHELL— A large portion of that Hour was Canadian sent through in bond. Hon. Mr.,MILLEIl undertook to say tliat he knew something about the trade of Nova Scotia, and tliat he was quite correct in his statement. Some Canadian flour might have come from Boston, but the larger proportion certainly was American. Hon. Mr. MITCHELL sai I that his hoti. friend was misinformed. Hon. Mr. MILLER— If the hon. gentlo- man would look at tlie trade returns of togoLiier supplied from England. At 2shil- i Nova Seotia. whena duty wis iniposetl on lings and 6 pence a ton, the whole cost American Hour, ho would liu I that he (Mr. // 10 Miller) was borne out by the facts. Pre- vious to the Reciprocity Treaty, there was a duty on Hour, and after the repeal of the treaty it was re-imposed- His conclusions were cb-awn from the returns of these periods. Hon. Mr. LETELLIER DE ,ST. JUST— The duty was imposed for tne purposes of revenue. Hon. Mr. MILLER— The argument w<is then used that by imposing a duty on American Hour, we might facilitate nego- tiations with the United States for a renew- al of the Reciprocity Treaty. Hon. Mr. MITCHELL— That will be one of the effects of the present duty. Hon. Mr. MELLER— The argument has been totally dispelled by the facts of the case for the past five or six years. He also had strong objections to the duty on agricultural products. It was likely, if the Bill became law, that a proclamation, in accordance with the original resolutions — which might be fairly presumed to fore- shadow the intentions of the Government — i would be soon issued to put certain agri- cultural products under the ten per cents. Although the duty on flour and corn meal would be a very serious tax on the i^eople of Nova Scotia, it would not in a liu-ge sec- tion of the Province produce so much discontent as this provision of the Bill, should it go into operation. A large portion of the people of that Province were en- gaged in mining, fishing, and maritime pursuits. The people of a lirga section of the Gulf and Atlantic sea-board depended to a considerable extent upon Princ? Edward Island for certain necessaries. In the fall of the year, vessels leave many of the numerous ports of Xova Scotia, antl proceed to P. E. Islanil, where they get cargoes of oats, potatoes, itc. These ves- sels bring back their cargoes, and the entries show — and they are not always made— a very large import of agricultural prodacts. If the people along a large sec- tion of the sea coast were to find that this agricultural produce was to be taxed, as one of the results of Union, they would naturally feel deeply irritated; and the consequence would be t'uit the harmoni.jus working of the Confederation must be delayed. Such a tax was unjust inpruiciple, and vexatious in its operation, and calculated to do more to produce dis- sension than any other system of taxation that could be devised — more irritating even than the iiostngo on newspapers or the stamp duty. I'nder these circuni stances he had a right to assert that the measure wa,'- not a national policy. It was a policy that would liear most unjustly on the li'iiouring classes. It was not such a policy as would draw forth the sentiment Hon. Mr. Bliller. that was expressed by a British statesman when he hoped his name would go down to the future as having given bread to the poor, "unleavened by unjust taxation." This Bill would not only leaven the bread of rich and poor with the bitter leaven of un- just taxation, but it would impose taxes on nearly all the prime necessaries of life. I Did such a result deserve io be dignified ;with the name of a "National Policy?" ; lie might be told tliat taking it in connec- i tion with other matters of legislation, it might be considered a national policy ; but 1 he was not able to appreciate such ari argu- ment. The protection of the fisheries had \ nothing whatever to do with the question. I '.)ur fisheries were as much our pro- , perty as our soil, and should bo ' equally protected from the encroach- ; ments of foreigners. It might with i the same reason be argued that the expen- I diture of $200,0U0 to meet the anticipated Fenian raids, was a part of the grand na- tional policy of which gentlemen opposite were so fond of declaiming. The one was as much a portion of the fiscal policy of the country as the other. If the measure went the length which it should, if it met American products bj tlie same duties im- posed on our commodities in American markets, then there might be some rea- son for supporting it, but to say that such a tariff as the one i)roposed would ever lead to reciprocity was nothing else than an absurdity. Hon. Mr. MITCHELL— Then the lion, gentleman s objection is that we do not go far enough. Is it so ? Hon. Mr. MILLER— If they had imposed a duty on co.d sufiScient to protect the Nova Scotia product in Hamilton or Lon- don, he would feel proud to support it. Hon. Mr. MITCHELL— Would it not do to send it to Toronto ? Hon. Mr. MILLER— He did not believe that any duty could be put on American coal sufficient to be of service to Nova Scotia, with justice to Ontario. It should be re- collected that our m mufacturing interests in this Dominion had claims on this Legis- lature. If we could not protect them, we should not crush them out of existence. This assumed protection to Nova Scotia coal would bear heavily on these enterprises. The prosperity of this Dominion must to a large extent depend on the growth and success of its minufactories, but j'ou are striking a heavy blow at them by this Bill, lie supposed, however, it was all right, be- cause it was a "National Policy." Ho would not detain the House any longer on the merits of the Bill as he rose chiefly to speak to the Constitutional aspect of the question. In couciusion, lie would say that the country was looking anxiously to 11 the action of this Senate on the question before it. Should the House be met by the argument — that it should not bring itself into collision with the other branch Y Could they be influenced by any intimation of that kind ? Should they hesitate a moment as to their proper course when public opinion pointed so unmistakably to it ? He believed if hon. gentlemen ^ere true to the interests they represented — if they rose above party considerations, and those other influences susceptible of being exercised in this House, and rejected this Bill, they would win for themselves the gratitude of the people from one end of the Dominion to the other. The Senate lia<l a duty to perform to the country and to themselves, and that was to protect the interests of the people, and, at the same time, to assert and vindicate their own rights and privileges. Hon. Mr. McPHEItS(3N said that he was impelled by a strong sense of public duty to assume a position of hostility to the Government on the important question under consideration. At the outset, he must say that he hid been as much taken by surprise as any other member of the House by the motion of the hon. mem- ber for Grandville ; for he had expected that the amendment would have been moved when- the Bill came up for its se- cond reading tomorrow. Such p. course would be more in accordance with the usage of the House ; but now that the subject was fairly brought up, he was obliged to deal with it. It was his inten- tion to move an amendment to the amend- ment, to the following effect : — That all the words after "That " be left out and the following inserted : Resolved, — " That in the opinion of this House, by subjectmg to duty of Customs as proposed in the said Bill — breadstuff's of any kind, or rice, coal and coke, salt, or any of the " natural products " enumer- ated in schedule C of the present tariff (31 Vic. chs. 7 and 44), and which at present are admitted into Canada, free of duty — a principle would be introduced, that Would be partial in its operation botweeu the Provinces constituting the Dominion, that woukl distribute the burden of taxation unequally and vexatiously amongst the people, tliat would injuriously disturl) trade, and tend to engender sentiments of .sectionalism and disunion in the minds of the people of Canada." He regretteil exceedingly that it w.as his duty to oppose the second reading of a Bill of such importance as that under con- sideration. He was fully conscious of the rosponsiiiility of rijootinff n. measure com- ing from the other branch and intended to meet the public expen-i tares ; but he did so under the conviction that any other course would be antagonistic to the best interests of the country. It was not sutticient for members to give a simple negative to the Bill — he thought all sliould put their views on re- cord. The gentlemen who opposed the measure were not actuated by factious motives, but by a high sense of public duty. All the propositions in the amend- ment he had just read could be easily sus- tained. Ho believed it to be exceedingly unsound to impose a duty on coal and breadstuff's, or any natural products that were now free. He acknowledged that there was difficulty in framing a tariff^ that would be acceptable to all the people of the Dominion ; but certainly it would have been an easy task to mature one that would be more just to all sections than the measure before the House. If it had been the ob- ject to devise a tariff' that would set one Province against another — that would cre- ate and perpetuate sectional jealousies and antipathies, the Government had certainly succeeded. Breadstuff's were to be taxed to please the people of Ontario ; but he believed it was a great injustice to the agriculturalists of Ontario to suppose that they were prepared to accept such a tariff", or that it would be a protection to them. The market where their surplus produce Wiis disposed of fixed the price of the wholf>, and the duty could not be of any positive advantage so far as the price of their breadstuff's was concerned. Then, the duty would be a great obstruction to trade all throughout the country, which should, in accordance with the true prin- ciples of commerce, be left as unrestricted as possible. Not only would the tariff" be worthless to the people of Ontario, but it would be most burthensome to the other sections — to the fishermen and the great masses of the people of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick as well as of Quebec ; for it was a well known fact that a large quantity of breadstuff's were yearly taken into the latter Province from the United States. Then, as a part of this great "na- tional policy" a duty was imposed on foreign coal, as a means of propitiating the people of Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Quebec werfe taxed to sa- tisfy Ontario — Quebec, Ontario, and New Brunswick were to be burthened to please a minority in Nova Scotia ! Nothing could be more calculated to create dissension and disturb the harmonious working of Confederation than such legislation. The lion. Postmaster General had said that he (Mr. McPherson) was connected with an establishment which consumed large quan- tities of foreinn coali and therofore it was natural that he should not favour that part of the tariff'. Now he would say in reply 12 that that estabUshmont VTould not be af- fected by the policy to the extent of a single dollar. lion. Mr. CAMPBELL— Hear, hear. Hon Mr. McPHERSON— The proprietors would collect the duty for the Govern- niont, but their customers wouUl pay it. It was (juite true that the tax Avould be bnrthensome to all inanufactuicrs in the country, and make it more difficult lor them to comi)ete with the foreign pro- ducer. As respects the establishment referred to, it only turned out railway iron, and he must take that opportunity of say- ing that when it was proposed there should be no duty on that iron, he did not oppose the proposition, for he had never allowed himself to be influenced by his private business in legislating for the whole country. lie believed that a pro tective duty was unjust, and could not be supported on true principles. He was also convinced that there was nothing more illogical than that incidental protec- tion which some said was one of the objects of the measure. The object of a tariff was re- venue, and in order to protect manufac- tures sufKciently it was necessary to inter- fere with the revenue. The duty on coal, notwithstanding what the Postmaster Gen- eral said, would be a very serious tax upon the poor, in the cities. The inci < ase in the price of that article would be really $1 a ton, and it must re-act upon the cost of wood. He considered it a most unsound principle to diminish the number of articles on the free-hst, as it was done in the present case. The policy of this coun- try liitherto had been to follow the exam- ple of England, and to raise the revenue from leading articles and increase the free list as much as possible. The Finance Minister had acknowledged that he did not expect t- ,ive much revenue from the duty on eoul, breadstuffs, &c., and probably he was right. That hon. gentleman seemed to have reserved him- self tor the duty on salt, as he made special reference to it. That was a most oV)joction- able tax, for salt was an article that was consume! by every man, woman, and child: but because, forsooth, some deposits had been found in Ontario, the Dominion was to be taxed. The Finance Minister had said that '■ there was a gigantic monoply on the other si>.l<} of the line, and it was simply a question whether the infant man- ufacture of salt in this country was to be put down by persons who, without any re- gard whatever to what the cost of it might be, would crush in some way or other tliat manufacture. " That monopoly hid existed for a great many years in the state of ^'ew York. Now, he had taken si.me trouble to ascertain the price of salt for a number Hon. Mr. McPherson. of years; and he found that it was $1.50 per barrel in 18C3 ; $1.G0 in 1865 ; $1.75 in 1866-7, when the taxes were so high in the United States ; $1.65 in 1868; $1.50 in 186y — the prices in the month of May of each of those years. 8o last year the price of the article had fallen to what was actu- ally its normal cost. He was not able to iind any evidence that the Canadian enter- prise was being crushed out; but even were it so, would the House sanction an in- crease in the cost of the article, amounting to 25 cents a barrel, which would have to be paid by the consumers. Was the Iluuse ready to subsidize every little enterprise that might be estaldished in tliis country, without reference to the masses of the people ? The whole amount of capital in- vested in the salt interest at Goderich could not exceed $100,000; and if it was the wish of the Government to encourage that interest artificially, it was bettei to give it a direct subsidy than to increase the cost of the article by a tax on the consumers. The same argument would apply to the coal of Nova Scotia. 'If it was the intention to encourage monopolists at the expense of the people, then let it be done directly out of the consolidated fund, and we would soon know what it would cost. Referring to the tariff in other respects, he was ex- ceedingly surprised to see how many things were taken out of the free list be- sides those to which he had been referring : " Animals of all kinds, except such as shall be imported for the improvement of Stock, which sh dl be admitted free of duty, under regulations to be made by the Treasury Board, and approved by the Gov- ernor in Council. Green Fruits of all kinds, Hay, Straw, Bran. Seeds not classed as cereals. Vegetables including potatoes anrl other roots, Plants, Trees, and Shrubs." It was most objectionable to tax any of such things, and he was suri)rised how the Government could attempt to defend the imjiost. Fruit trees and vegetables — of a better description than we can grow — ought not to be taxed, more than animals imported for the improvement of slock. The more the tariff was considered, the more clearly would its injurious effects be sen. The clause in reference to pack- ages was most cumbrous, and had been copied almost verbatim from the United States tariff. The effect upon the cheaper goods was to increase their cost beyond the higher priced goods which are less bulky and come in packages which are not dear in proportion to the contents. That provision would mike a dilleronce of riiore than 5 percent, in tbe price of the cho ip and more bulky articles which are used in nine houses 13 out of ten ; and Buoh goods as were used by the wealthy classes would be comparatively little af- fected. The duty on coarse, bulky cheap goods might range from 20 to 25 per cent. This must be considered a discrimination against the poor that was most objection- able and ought not to be Banctioned by the House. All the duty that the merchant paid, whether on goods or packages, or back charges must be put on the goods and collected from the customer. He did not object to the duty on tobacco, for he tliuught stimulants of all kinds like luxu- ries were fair subjects of taxation. The Finance Minister need not have had any difficulty in raising all the money that he required, in a much less obnoxious manner than was proposed in the Bill. He pro- posed to increase all duties three quarters of one per cent, and from this source he estimated he will receive $425,000. There would have been little objection to his making the increase of duties one and one half per cent, which would have yielded according to his own estimate $850,000. Tliis with the estimated increase of rev- enue from tobacco of $300,000, would give a total additional amount of $1,150,000, being $50,000 more than ho estimated would be received from all the addi- tional duties imposed by this Bill — $50,000 more than he asked — He suggested that as the easiest plan of raising all the revenue that might be re- quired. If the public interests were to be jeopardised by accepting the amendment he proposed, he might hesitate to jjress it ; but he knew that if the Taritt were rejected no inconvenience need arise. He had no doubt that the Banks would purchase a large amount of Dominion Notes in the course of the year. He did not imagine that the Government cared as to the source from which they would receive the requisite re- venue. The money received for Dominion Notes would be used like any other re- venue to pay debts. Hon. Mr. MITCHELL did not deny that Kioney so received would be exj^ended, but what would be the effect upon capita- lists ? Would they not hesitate to advance money to a country whose debts were paid in that way ? Hon. Mr. McrHERSON— The hon. gen- tleman could not deny thr t the proceeds of Dominion Notes would b-j expended as revenue. Pursuing the si/',, c under con- sideration a little further, iio ..mst say tliat the action of the Government in another place had been such as to fetter that House. The Budget should not be a strictly party question, but in consequence of the course taken by the Government, in changing their policy and subsequently going back to the original propositions, they made the question one of confidence or non-contidence, and pre- vented the House of Commons freely ex- ercising their judgment on the subject. In this connection, Mr. McPherson referred to the opinions of eminent British states- men, to show that a Budget should not be considered in a purely party aspect, and went on to say that if the Tarift under con- sideration had been discussed with perfect freedom in the House of Commons, it would not now be so unpalatable. The Senate, however, was not fettered by such considerations as prevailed in the popular branch, and could deal with it, free from party bias, and with a strict regard to the great interests involved. Two years ago, when the Criminal laws came up from the Commons at a veiy advanced stage of the session, the Senate refused to consider them ; but there was not a word said about such a proceeding affecting the stability of the Government. The Senate, in the case of the Tariff, was called upon to exorcise its impartial judgment, especially as it was a body representing particular sections or Provinces which were unfairly dealt with in the Bill. It being six o'clock the Speaker left the Chair. AFTER RECESS. The Senate resumed at eight o'clock, and the debate on the tariff' was continued. Hon. Mr. McPHERSON— Before the House adjourned he had argued that, in- stead of uxing the people, for the sake of benefiting a few monopolists, it would have been a wiser policy to have subsidized the latter directly out of the public revenues. It was well known that the majority of the owners of the mines of Nova Scotia were not residents of the country, and therefore any benefit shown to them would not be a benefit to the great mass of the people of Nova Scotia. Therefore, it would be seen that the tariff, so far as it touched salt and coal, was only intend- ed to benefit monopolists to the injury of the great mass of the people. Many indi- rect evils would be found to proceed from the operation of the tariff". " A large num- ber of the vessels that come every year from the United Kingdom for timber were freighted with coal instead of ballast. Whatever they got for it went in reduc- tion of the freight charges of the Canadian product ; and it necessarily follow- ed that any tax that increased the freight must diminish the profit of the Canadian dealers. The inland shipping of Ontario as a large number of vessels were now en- 14 gaged in carrying American coal. He did not think the tax would be operative, but if the expectations of the Government were reaUzed, then the result would be aa he had stated most injurious to our marine. Another interest in Ontario would also be affected by the salt duty, and that was the Lake Fisheiy. The ocean iisheries would not be touched inasmuch as the salt used in curing the fi,sh was allowed to come ill i'ree from Oreiit Britain and her Possessions ; but there wom lo such pro- tection afforded to the inland Iisheries. Yet this was called a great 'national policy' which was to protect all interests nnd please all sections, and lead to the renewal of Reciprocity with the United States. If ; the last argument was correct, then the I tariffwould destroy itself; but what ^vas i more absurd than to suppose that an | additional taxation of ourselves to the amount of two hundred thousand dollars was going to have the effect of forcing the Americans to renew free trade with Can- ada? If it was true that a mutual inter- change of our products would be the best for both countries, we should receive all that we required from them untaxed, in other words at the lowest possible rates for ourselves (hear, hear). What could l^e more illogi- cal than to say to the Americans— "If you will not untax what is consumed by your people, we shall impose a t;ix on what is consumed by our own." If we could make the Americans pay the taxes, then there would be some reason in the arguments of gentlemen opposite ; but so long as we pay them ourselves, there could l)e_ noth- ing advanced in favour of the tariff". Be- fore recess he had stated that the course he was pursuing was influenced by a high sense of public duty ; and he had no hesi- tation in urging the Senate to adopt the amendment vvhieh he had laid before it. If money was wanted, he imagined that the Government would have no difficulty in devising such a tariff" as would be more acceptable to the House and country thiui that now under consideration. He believed that if the Government had adhered to the changes they had made on a memorable afternoon, a few days ago, in the House of Commons, they would liave acted more wisely ; for the tariff, so amended, would have be(>n lessoljeetio ible than the prestut mea- sure, which was unpopular from one end of the Dominion to the other. Bon. Mr. MITCHELL— No, no. Hon, Mr. McPHERSON The lion, gen- tleman would soon see how manymemliers from his own Province would support him on the rjxiostinn. (Hear, hear). Pul>Uc opinion was unmistakably opposed to tin- measure ; he hud not seen a newspaper of Hon. Mr. McPherson. any mark or influence that was fully in favor of it. The Local Legislature of Nova Scotia had unanimously expressed tl. sir dissent from the policy. In the election shortly to come off in that Pro- vince, no omdidftte he was assured was likely to present himself, and pronounce in favour of the new tarifi". In New ; Brunswick and Quebec, the press was as a , unit agiinst the measure. Under these ' circumstfnces, a great responsibility de- volved upon the Senate in dealing with a Bill of so important a character. No doubt ! could exist as to the perfect right of the House to dispose of the question in the way proposed ; and in this connection, : Mr. Mcpherson (juoted from Todd, and I other authorities on British Parliamentary 1 pi'iictice, in support of his argument. Not I only were British precedents in favour of the right of the Senate to deal with such a subject, Canada could aflord examples in the same direction. In 1859, the Legis- . lature was sitting at Toronto, and the I question of the removal of the seat of Gov- ernment to Quebec arose. The Govern- ment pledged itself to the Legislative As- sembly to remove the Government to Que- bec, but tlie Council was opposed to such a removal. No item on the subject was placed in the estimates— the Government simply pledged itself on the question. Hon. Mr. De Blaquiere moved, seconded by Hon. Mr. Allan, that the Coun- cil " feel itself called upon to de- clare and resolve in defence of its undoubted and unquestioned rights, as a co-ordinate and co-equal branch of the Legislature, and as the only iiieans of preserving its independence, that it will not take the question of Supply into con- sideration, &c." The motion was carried, and among the names constituting the majority on that occasion, there was one which would be considered as of great authority — and deservedly so — the Hon. Mr. C;ampbell, the present Postmaster Gen- eral (laughter). Hon. Mr. LETELLIEK DE ST. JUST— That was "revolutionary!" Hon. Mr. McPHERSON— At that time Chancellor Vankoughnet took the ground that the Postmaster General assumed now. lilr. Campbell then said that the responsi- bility rested on the Government and not on the House. It was right to assume that the hon. gentleman took the correct view in 1859 rather than hi 1870. The Bill was postponed, and the extreme step of stopping the Supplies was taken, but a few days afterwards the Government had an addition of strength by the arrival of mom- bers. (langbter) and the measure passed by a majority of two. The only debateable ground now, in fact, was whether the Sup- as fully in islaturo of expressed '. In tho 1 that Pro- vssurod was renounce in In New 538 was as a Fnder these isibility de- iiling with a . No doubt right of tho stion in the connection, Todd, and irliamentary iment. Not in favour of with such a examples in the Legis- ito, and tho scat of Gov- riie Govorn- ■gislative As- ncntto Que- osed to such suhject was Government he question, ed, seconded ; the Coun- pon to de- defence of unquestioned -equal branch only means !e, that it will iply intocon- . was carried, stituting the lere was one as of great ?o — the Hon. stmaster Gen- 3 ST. JUST— At that time k the ground assumed now. the responsi- nent and not o assume that ; the correct ?70. Tho Bill treme step of ken, but a few mient had .".n rrival of mom- sasure .oassed [dydebateable 5ther the Sup- ply Bill could be amended in the Senate. So iar OS he was individually concerned, he had no other desire except to enhance the usefulness of the House, and enable it to win the respect and gratitude of the people throughout the Dominion. Hon. Mr. SANBORN said that no doubt the Government felt thamselves so strong- ly entrenched that they did not consider it necessary to use any arguments in reply to those which had been advanced in be- half of the amendment. The constitu- tional right ot the House to deal with the question had been so fully maintained by reference to the practice of the House of Lords and the old Legislative Council of Canada, that he neeJ not dwell on it at that time ; but there was another argu- ment on which less had been said, though it appeared to him as forcible as any that had been adducod. The Confederation was formed upon certain principles which were fully enunciated and discussed. Some persons advocated the continuance of the elective principle with respect to the for- mation of the upper branch of the Legis- lature ; others contended for the nomina- tive principle. Those who sustained the latter view took the ground that the repre- sentative character of the House was not unlike that which existed formerly— that its members were nominated by a responsi- ble Government, by those who represent- ed the people. It was contended that the members of the House would possess a representative character, although they would be necessarily more conservative than the more popular branch. Tliese views we:o sustained in the discussions on 1 the subject by those who held a high posi- tion in the country. He found in the de- bates on the Confederation scheme a re- port of a , speech delivered by Hon. Mr. Campbell, in which that hon. gentleman said : "In Upper Canada, as had been stated lately by an hon. member, the population has increased very rapidly, and would probably go on increasing in a much larger ratio than that of Lower Canada, or the other Provinces, and if the Legislative Council were elective, the time might come, when the people of that section would fancy themselves entitled to an increaseil representation in the Council, and commence to agitate for it. They might object to the fishing bounties paid to the Lower Province, to the money expen- ded there in fortifications, or to something else, and claim a representation in the Council, more in accordance with their population, to enforce their views and in view of such contingen- cies tho delegates from those Provmces conceived it would not be safe to trust tlieir rigiits to an elective House." In those remarks, the Hon, Postmaster General re- cognized the principle of Provincial repre- sentation. The Senate was bound not to take into considenition any measure, which would atfect injuriously tho interests of any particular section. Further on, the • same hon. gentleman said ; " And if that was considered necessary in a country so compact together as the United States, how much more would it bo proper in a Confederation, some of the sections of which were separated from each other by long narrow strips of land, or wido estuaries, with small representation in the popular branch, and looking chietly to their equality in the Upper Chamber for security for local rights and interests, and institutions." Notliing, then, could be plainer than the principle laid down by the Postmaster General, that the repre- sentative principle was applied to the Sen ate. If he waa correct at that time, it necessarily followed that he was now in correct in saying that the House had no right to reject that which might be injuri- ous to the several Provinces. When the constitution was formed, the prepon- derance of representatives eryoyed by Ontario and Quebec over Nova Scotia and New Brunswick was very great, but it was wisely provided that the three sections of the Dominion — the Maritime Provinces, and the two Canadas — should be equally represented m the Senate. In this way, the Lower Provinces received a countervailing influence in the upper branch, in order that their interests might be protected. The Minister of Jus- tice, speaking on the same subject in the House of Commons, laid down the doc- trine that " the man put into the Upper 1 House is as much a man of the people the day after, as the day before his eleva- tion." According to the British constitu- tion the King, Lords and Commons, form- ed the tliree branches of Parliament. The Lords represented themselves, the Com- mons represented the people, or in theory the people themselves aosembledto delib- erate on what was necessary for their in terests. Now the Senate was in an entirely different position from the Lords. The members of the Senate had no separate estate to maintain— they represented, in a secondary degree, the people, for thoy were appointed by those who were responsible to the people. That position was support- ed by the highest constitutional authority in Parliament— by one whose opinions on such subjects were entitled to the highest respect, even by those who might differ from him politically,— at a time when the Legislature was dibcnssing tho details of the Constitu- tion for the Confederation. In the same debate the Hon. George Brown said :— " The desire was to render the Upper 18 House a thoroughly independent body- one that would he in the best position to canvass dispassionately the measures of this House, and stand up for the public in- terests in opposition to hasty or partisan legislation." Then in the British North America Act itself, the 18th clause read : " The Privileges, Immunities and Powers to be held, enjoyed and exercised by the Senate and by the House of Commons and by the members thereof respectively, shall be such as are from time to time defined l;y Act of Parliament of Canada, but so that the same shall never exceed those, at the passing of this Act, held, enjoyed, and exercised by the C0..1- mons House of Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and by the members thereof." That clause did not make the distinction that the pri- vileges and immunities of the Senate should never exceed those of the House of Com- mons, but placed that body on an equal footing with the other branch, and provided that its powers might be extended by an Act of our own Parliament. That fact showed clearly that it was contem- plated to constitute a Senate which would be of equal power to the Commons, though its powers would be perhaps exercised with more moderation and discretion. The fact that the name of the Upper branch had been changed to that of the Senate was very significant. The history of the world showed that the idea which the term conveyed was that the Seniue had highei duties and responsibili- ties than even the Legislative Council. In the course of the present debate it had been clearly demonstrated by honour- able gentlemen opposite that he House of Lords had undoubtedly tlie power of rejecting even a Supply Bill. It had also been clearly demonstrated, that not merely a tax which came within the Supply, and which was minor in its character, but the Supply Bill itself had been directly rejected by the late Legisla- tive Council. The present Postmaster General had himself "recognized the con- stitutional right of the House to deal with the question by his own recorded vote in the old Council. It was certainly proper that a measure imposing taxes on the people, should emanate immediately from a body, directly representing and under- standing the wants of the people ; but in the present case, the Senate was called upon to express an opinion as to the pro- priety of the burthens to be imposed on the country. Such a right should, of course, be exercised with great care ; and the question now arose, whether the Se- nate would be justified in exercising that House of Commons. If the question had not been made one of party, the tariff would never have come up in its present obnoxious shape tt) the Senate. When the Supply Bill came up in the British Par- liament, it was never the practice to treat it as a strictly party question, involvmg the fate of the Ministry. Two or three adverse votes might be given against the Government, but the House would not ne- cessarily consider them as votes of want of confidence. The Government, however, had said, to their supporters, that unless they assisted them in passing the measure, obnoxious though it wasj another set of men would probably come mto power. So unpopular and unjust was the measure considered, that the Government were only sustained by a bare majority on the motion against the duty on breadstuffs. The Postmaster- General had positively declared that the Government was a unit on the question, but no one could surely believe — especial- ly after certain occurrences in the Com- mons—that the Cabinet was by any means satisfied with a measure which was raising such a cry of dissatisfaction from one end of the Dominion to the other. Now it was often said that when an individual was as- sailed on a particular point on which he knew himself to be vulnerable, he invari- ably insisted upon being relieved from even the shadow of a suspicion. It was imposs- ible to ascertair- how the Government could be a unit on the question, when they liad one policy before, and another after, dinner. If they could be considered a unit under such circumstances, it must be by a species of legerdemain, which could not be understood with reference to other associa- tions of individuals. As respects the me- rits of the measure itself, he must confess it was most burthensome to the people. Luxu- ries, used by the well-to-do classes, were fair objects of taxation ; but the policy— the great "national policy" — imposed duties on the poor and labouring classes of the people. It was urged that the coal duty was a matter of little importance, except to those who lived in cities ; but it had been urged, with truth, that when you raised the price of one description of fuel, you necessarily enhanced the value of all others. In many localities ot Quebec, there was a very great scarcity of fuel- that indeed was one of the causes of emi- gration from certain districts of that Pro- vince. Those who travelled over the coun- try to St. Hyacinthe would see that the country was as bare of fuel as were the prairies of the North West. When the Post- master General said that the duty on bread- stuff's would not alter the price of a loaf of bread, it was obvious that he had not right. In answer to that question, he 1 —^ , — -— , . ,, , ,. , would refer to the scate of things in the studied the science to which bakers applied Hon. Mr. Sanborn. 1 [uestion had Y, the tariff I its present late. When I British Par- tice to treat in, involving 'wo or three L against the ould not ne- ?s of want of it, however, , that unlesj the measure, lother set of > power. So he measure Government f a bare n against Postmaster- red that the le question, ire — especial- n the Com- y any means was raising )m one end Now it was dual was as- an which he 3, he invari- Bd from even was imposs- Government n, when they lother after, iidoredaunit aust be by a could not be Jther associa- )ect8 the me- lUst confess it eople. Luxu- ses, were fair policy — the posed duties classes of the le coal duty mce, except but it had it when you )tion of fuel, value of all ot Quebec, ity of fuel- uses of emi- of that Pro- iver the coun- 3oe that the as were the hen the Post- luty on bread- is of a loaf of he had not akerscpplied 17 the it in- of sec- Bill IhemsolvGs. Ho (Mr. S.) had found that when there was the slightest rijo in flour, the bakers were painfully alivo to the fact; and he hud no doubt that the ullect of the iluty would bo to put iv cent on a loaf, without any reference to the actual tax on the whole barrel. The rostniastor General did not appear inclined to bo iiiHuenced by the opinion of the cities; but in that respect lio certainly dii'-^rod from his col- league, the Finance Minister ; for if H inking Bill showed anything, was thit tlio groat B:»nking torests of the largo cfntres population were consulted. (Jtrtain tlons were afl'ected injuriou.sly by the — especially the Province from which ho ramo. The tax on coal would notoriously weigh heavily upon the population of Queijec. The same people would also suf- fer in the article of brea<lstufts, for they were obliged to import Indian com and flour from the TTnited States. No doubt, the Minister of Marine felt that tho Pro- vince of New Brunswick would suffbr by the Bill. Tliat hon. gentleman gloried in being a Liberal, but if that term' was to mean anything, it should be applied to one who espoused tho rights of tho people,and under such circumstances, he would surely rise above all party considerations and as- sume that attitude which he must feel in his heart was due to him as a friend of tho jieoplo, and a repre- sentative of New Brunswick (hear, hear). It was only necessary to read the organs of public opinion in that Province, and to see the position of the majority of its repre- sentatives in either branch, to conclutle that the Tariff must be most odious to the masses in that section. It was customary with certain gentlemen to call the measure a " National policy," and to defend it on the ground that it would bring tho Ameri- cans to their senses and restore Reciprocity to us. Such an argument was so jiurely absurd, that ho would not waste any time in discussing it at length. The policy of imposing taxes on fuel and foorl, which were necessaries of life, could not be for a moment defended on any substantial ground ; it was a policy neither in the direction of free trade nor of protection. lie had great faith in fostering a mamifac- turing industry, because ho believed that farmers in the vicinity of manufactories, were directly benefited ; but tho elToct of the present measure was to burthen all classes and confer beneiit on none. In conclusion, he would merelysiiy that ptrty considerations should not prevail in the Senate — whatever position hon. gentlemen might take could not afl'ect the stability of thft Government. The diitv of the Senate, under the circumstances, was clearly defined, and that was to g' ' against any unnecessary burthen being inii)osed upon the people of the diflVrent sections of tho Dominion ; and if hon. geiitluiuoii fulled to re.spund to the public opinion of tho country, they would be recreant to the high trust reposed in them. (Hear, hear.) Hon. Mr. KEESOR said that he did not wish to detain tho House for any time, but ho was unwilling to allow the vote to be taken without having given expression to tho reasons which influenced him in the course he was about to pursue. At the outset he must express hia regret that the <tovernnient hatl not given more reasons why the House should support the Bill under consideration. No doubt could exist in the minds of any one that the Bill was unpopular from one end of the Domin- ion to the other ; and certainly a measure which gave so much dissatisfaction ought to be sustained by sound argument before the Senate was asked to pass it. It was not a national policy in any sense of the term, for if it were such, such formidable opposition to its passage would not have arisen in every section of the Dominion. It was urged that the duty on wheat was an act of justice to the farmers of Ontario ; but there was a very large quantity of sur- plus produce raised in that Province, and its value was regulated by the price in the foreign market—whether that market was in Montreal or [South America, and could not be affected by the tariff. If we im- Sosed a duty on American wheat and our, the consumers would have to bear the burthen. But there were other con- siderations that should not be forgotten. If we allowed the produce of the far West to come through Ontario, as it had been doing for a number of years, then we were fostering a most lucrative commerce. Fif- teen millions of bushels of American wheat passed through the hands of Canadian merchivnts last year. It might be said that there was a drawback on that merchandize, if it was intended for export ; but it was well known that the very fact of the exist- ence of such a duty must create annoy- ance, and cramp that trwle, now so profit- able to Cana<:la. He could not understand how the Government could sanction a policy which did not benefit any great interest in the country, but on the contrary must re-act injurious- ly upon the farming community which was deeply interested in the development of all our commercial and, manufacturing interests. In nine cases out of ten, American coal was used in manufacturing establishments throughout Ontario, and the tax upon them would be very consider- ji^ijlfi \\\ the course of a vear. It liad been said by the Hon. Postmaster General that tho duty on coal was only borne by tho \n manufacturing ostablislimonts ; but it was well known that whatever inoreaseil the duty that tho manufacturer puid nocos- Barily enhanced tho price of the article which he had for sale. ' Take, for example, railway iron. The duty would necessarily in- terfere with any contracts that firms might have made of lite. Parties engaged in constructing certain railways in the West applied to a certain firm to supply them with the iron. Tho price was named, but it was too high. The s.ime parties had now agents in England to see it' thoy could there get their iron cheaper. Was it fair to throw difficulties in the way of such en- terprizes ? A manufacturing interest should be encouraged, inasmuch as it brought additional consumers into tho country, and stimulated the agriculture of tho Domi- nion. He did not object to a littlo inci- dental protection to manufactures, but that protection was in no way aftbrdcd by the measure before the House. The duty on the coarse grains was particularly ob- jectionable. It was well known that corn was the only coarso grain brought in from the United States, and inasmuch as it did not enter into competition with our own E reduce, the farmers of the West were not eneHted by tlit; duty. He was aware himself that within the past year thousands upon thousands of bushels of corn had been l)rought from the United States. Not only would the distilling and manufacturing interests be effected by the tariff— the shipping in- terest would also feel it. A drawback might be allowed on corn exported, but why throw difficulties in tho way of our merchants and manufacturers? Under these circumstances, he was convinced that if the Senate had ever been called upon to intorfero with tho legislation of the country, it was in ti.o case of a mea- sure which boro tmfairly on particular sec- tions, and could not be justified even by those who wore endeavouring to fasten it upon the people. Hon. Mr. IIOBERSTON said that he was unwilling to give a silent vote on the mea- sure which had already been so fully and ably discussed. It was certainly one of the most important questions that had come up for consideration since the commencement of the Union, and he re- gretted that he was obliged to give a vote on it adverse to the Government. He felt it was the duty of the Senate to rise above party feeling and deal with the question in accordance with the true interests of the country. The constitutionality of the course proposed to bo taken by the oppo- sition to the measure had been thorough- ly stated, and it was not necessary that he should go over that ground on the present occasion. Looking at the general features Hon. Mr. Reesor. of the measure he must iay that iti effects upon the interests of the dift'erent Pro- vmces. and ultimately upon the Confeder- ation itself, would be of a most serious character. The Bill gave very general dis- satisfaction, and would continue to create an irritation that it would be Terf diffi- cult to allay. Instead of endeavouring to stimulate the manufactures of the coun- tryj the Government had adopted a policy which hampered them. An indirect tax was put on manufactures, not only by tho duty on coal, but by the duty on bread- stuffs which enter into the consumption of the labouring classes. If that shuuid be the cfise, — and no one could doubt it — then there should be no hesitation what- ever on the part of tho Senate, as %o tho propriety of rejecting tho measure. So far as public opinion had expressed itself it was most unequivocally against tho adoption of so injurious and unjust a policy. He saw no force in tho argument that the duties would have the effect of renewing more liberal trade relations with the United States. If ho remembered aright it was un- derstood that the negotiations on the sub- ject of Reciprocity terminated some time ago, but since tho tariff had come up it was said there was a greater chance than ever of obtaining Reciprocity. Th« whole amount of duties on American pro- ducts was estimated at $200,000; and would any one assart that the Americans were going to give as a renewal of recipro- city on that account. They would only enter into reciprocity when they consider- ed it was for their interests to do so 5 and it was absurd to talk of coercing them. If we chose to put a duty on goods necessary for our own consumption wo would also have the privilege of paying it. Look- ing into the question of the coal duty, the House would see how unfairly it would operate. If you would take the article of gas coal, it would cost, from 35s. to 408. a ton in Glasgow, and the duty upon that would bo about 6 per cent, ad valorem. Steam coal, at the shipping ports, was Gs. or 6s. 3d. a ton, and the duty on it would be 33^ per cent. Common house coal was 93. a ton, and the duty upon that was 24 per cent. American house coal cost, on the average, f 3.75 of our present money, and the duty on it would be 13^ per cent. Anthracite coal last year was $7.50 at the lowest price at the nearest shipping port to Canada, and the duty on it was CJ per cent. Now it would be seen that whilst we would pay 33 i per cent ad valorem on the coal imported from (rreat Britain, we would only pay GJ United States. Therefore a diiierential duty, to all intents and purposesj was im- Vi iti efTecU jront Pro- Confflcl«r- 3Bt ■erioui ;eneral (iia- ) to oreato Terf diffi- vouring to the coun- )d a policy Klirect tax »nly by the on breiui- umption of HliuiUd be loubt it— tion wbat- aa k) the asure. So ssed itself ;ainat the unjust a force in e duties ving more le United ) itwaa un- >n the sub- some time ome up it er chance city. The rican pro- ,000; and Americans of recipro- ?ou).d only Y consider- so ; and 1 them. If ) necessary we would ; it. Look- l duty, the Y it would article of . to 40s. a upon (hat id valorem, rts, was 6s. n it would e coul was at was 24 %l cost, on mt money, I per cent, vas $7.50 e nearest . the duty it would ay 33 i per i imported ily pay GJ diiierential 3, was im- posed against the English coal t>) the ox- tent of 26 or 27 per cont. ; and yet, that was called a great national policy. It was certrinly very extraordinary to hear the Postmastor (Joneral say that the duty on cod would not bo felt outside the cities, and there only by the wealthy people. Hon. Mr. MrrCIIKLL wished to ask the hon. member if ho was not aware thivt the largest importation of coal was usoil m the cities, and that the rural distric'.d hud no interest in the matter. Hon. Mr. ROBEUTSON— Would tlio hon. gentleman say thit if the importa- tion of coals was stopped, it woukl not generally attect tho price of fuel? Hon. Mr. MlTCIlELI^If tho entire im- portation were stopped, it would "*li'<-t, hut not seriously, the price of wood. Iho rural districts, howover, would not leel it : but, under any circumstances, the tan I did not preclude the importation of coal. Hon. Mr. IIOBEUTSON-It wns quite certain that tho Nova Scotians could not supply the people of the West with coal. Hon. Mr. MITCIIELL-Tlio argumont urged by the steamboat proi)rietor9 lor taking oil" the canal tolls was— If you take them off, we will obtiiin all the protection we require, and with the rotiiin frnghts, we can make our business pay. Ihero was every re\son to believe that there would bo an additional consumption ol Nova Scotia coal by moans of the duty. Hon. Mr. IIOBERTSON — That lact showed clearly that the Dominion was pay- ing a, subsidy to the Nova Scotia coal own- ers at that time. Ho was not un- willing to give a little incidental pro lection to manufacturers, although lu^ was a fr»se trader in i)rinciple. The pre- sent measure, however, would only tcivl to increase the expenses of the labouring olassrs engaged in ship-buildui'r, or other manufactures. Ho knew that it afldecl to the expense of ships to have a quarter ot a dollar imposed on Hour. He could not understand on what grounds that tax could be supported ; for it burthened tho poor, and was declared by the Ontario mil- lers to be no protection to them. The ob- ject was to tax one Province for the beiio- Kt of the other. New Brunswick had to pay duties on breadstuffs and on co.il, im- 'er the delusion that it would benefit tho millers of Ontario and the coal owners ot Nova Scotiii, and she had to bear this bur- then as one of the advantages of being a section of the Dominion of Canada, ilio people of that Province were promised equal justice when they entered tho Con- federation, but certahily there was no just- ice in the Bill before the I!-'V>='" ; svr,:. .le was positive it would lay the toundationn of discord. He asserted .without fear of oontnidiction that the men who were most anxious to iiccomplish the union were now the most bitterly oi)po»e 1 to it, on account of tho legislation of the Canadian Parlia- ment, and the manner in which the Con- federation was being worked out. The Hon. Minister of Marine and Fisheries might Will move uneasily in his seat, for ho knew that the assertion res- pecting the state of things in his Pro- vince was perfectly correct, and that there wns no doubt tho I'eeling would in- crease in intensity unless there was a change for tho bettor in Dominion legisla- tion. I'mler siuh circumstances it seemed to him tiiat the Senato ha<l ample reasons for adopting tho ameiulinent l.oforo the House. Tho oU'ect of tho Bill might be simply stated as setting one soclion against another, and exciting jealousy luul preju- dico from one end of tlio Dominion to tho other. Itw.is impossible to look into the details of tho Bill without scoing that must disastrous results would follow fom its operations. The mode of assessing tho duties was certainly of a most extraordinary character. Tlireequarters per cent, adtli^- tional was put on all articles that pay 15 per cent, ad vatonin on which, according to tho Finance Minister, $42"),(KX) was ex- l)octed to be raised. Ever so many entries would have to bo made at every Custom House, ami tho stall' of odicors would have to bo inn eased ; for it would bo impossible for the ortlinary clerks to spare the time reciuisito to make tho calculations that would be demniided by the Bill. The same stiteiiiciit was niiplicablo to merchants <>n":i"cd in large buHiness, and having fro- queiiUy to make entries. It was impossi- ble to predict accurately tho amount of roiil'usion and trouble that must arise under tho Bill. The stipulate ns with respect to packages wns most annoying. There was not a man in the Domhiion, who had anything to do with the importiv- tions of wines, and was obliged to pay for the c isks. The e^isk was included m the price of the wine or brandy. Section Eight of the former law was now repealed, ami a most extr -.ordinary section substitu- ted in its place, which ho must confess, ho could not thoroughly comprehend. • "8. The value for duty, of goods on which an ad valorem Duty of Customs is imposed, imported into Canada by sea, shall be the actual value of such goods at tho last place at which they are purchased j and the value of such goods lor duty it • "tt 1 irom tho United States by Ian. " l navigation, shall bo the act' ' Ji sueh goods at the last place at v _ -ney are purchased for importation into Canada, o.„i «-li»nno. tbev are directly convejod, wit'iout change "of package, to Canada j and whatever be the countiy from which 3) i tlio goodi nro imported, or in wliich tiny aro |)urchaito(l, Buch wlim Mhall bo OHPcr- tninnd by adding to thct viiluo of hiuIi goods at the plnoo of growth, pnxluction, or manufrtcture, thocost of tninsportutioii, whether by land or watii, and of niilpiiu'tit and tranHhipment, with all tho oxpeiiMOM included, from the jiliuc of fjrowth, pro- <Uiction, or mnnufacturc, to tho plmo whoi-e the goods nro i>urclmHp(l, and if tlioy are purchaHod in the I'nitod States, lln-ii to the place whcnro thoy aro directly con- veyed to Cnniidii n.«i nforosaid,— nnd such value Khali include also tho value of any box, ciiHO, 8 ick, j)acka;»o, or cov.-ring of any kind in which «uch );oods aro contained, and all export duties on such goods, and all costs and charges incurred prior to their purchase." No one could comprehend tho actual meaninj; of such n clause. How was ouo to got the value of goods at New Yoik? Such a clause might well pu/./lo any mor- cliant. lie was sorry to sco that the (Jovemmont h id been under the necessity of adopting tho most obnoxious part of tho Tar.if in the ucighhouring States. It was almo.st un))racticable to ;,'et the infor- mation asked for in tint vcxatioin ('lan-e. J)id it mean that a m ui buyiug a ca.so of nilks in New York would InVo to go and find its cost in China, or whorev>r it was manufactured, and trace every step ili.it added to its price before it )eacho<l hiiuV Take ag.iin the case of a bale of (Jciiuui cloths. One man might gc) to lierliu and purchase his cloth, andbesidcs th^vilne of the invoice he would hivo to state every shilling he might have In i)ay until ho got it to its destination. Now su|)[ioso auotlier person should purchase precisely tho same class of goods in Liverpool ; when lie woul I present himself at the Customs ho would be met by the ot!i«pr with tho loniuk, "What is tho cost at the jdace of production?" fie might reply, '• I cannot say, for I bought the case in Liverpool ; " but the otiicer would tell him. "You must furnish me with all the charges uiitil the case got to Liverpool.'" Tho actual result would be that ho w.aild pay tlio charges on that cloth as far as Livt'-rpool twice over. lie must confess he could not see how such intricate, if not impossible, entries were ever to be made; and yet tho measure was called a "national policy." It was certainly the most iucon.^'iuous productioi. tr 'i ho had ever met with in the courec of ..is, iusin^S:. expoi'ience. As respects ti.^ i ,. of tb^^ packages, it must be admitted .-r: a i • auua that it would fall on the cousnuicrs. If a duty had to be im- pose!, why not put it immedi itely on the gor-.ds thcm-.elve-, rather th;m on the packages. It was simply because the Gov- ernment did not wish to acknowledge they Hon. Mr. Robertson. were increasing the duties to IS or 'M nor cent., that they brought forward iiuch o policy. It would have been far preferable lo iiave imposed additional duties directly than to have dcviced such nn annoying and cumbrous mode of raising money. No one (i.rtaiidy was prepared to refu.xo the (iovernmont permission to raise all the money they reipiired in u legitimate way, but what ho and others objei^te(l to, waw tho system ailoptid. If two and a lialf j)er cent, additional hul been |»ut on all tho (((/ vitlorcm gooils, they woidd have ac tually raised more money than they nHke<l for, and savi'd trouble and annoyance. 'J'he value of the jiu'lcagcs, commercial men said, could not be estimated with refer- once to the value of tho contents. Tho n\ore bulky and cdu' ijier goods came in heavy p.ackages. As respects to- biceo, it nuist be remembered that it wa.s the luxury of tho poor man, just as tho rich man's luxury was a cigar or maiUura. Coming to another branch of the subject, ho wouUl mention that ho saw it stated that Nova .Scotia paper would bi.' rece.ved at tho Customs and Inland Kovenuo departments in. New Brunswick at two and two tiiinls per cent discount in [layment 'or duties. He presumed that this was to I oa concession to New Bruns- wick to make uj) for the abandonment of tln^ r.solutious liy the (ioveinment for tho assimilation of tho (Jurroncy. lion. Mr. MlfCllELIr-TheCovernmint were tlio tervants of rarliament, and Par- 1 ament had allowed tho (piestion to re- in lin over lor the present. Hon. Jlr. l[i )ni':UTS< )N— The C.overn- mi.'nt promised to deal with the question, and then ignominiously backed down at the <lictation of the members from Nova .Scolii. Now iJ.i per cent upon §.5 was 13^ rents; the discount on Nova Scotia money was K("^iotimo3 as low as ?>\, but that de- pended on tho rate of oxclrmgo, and tho average was ."> por cent or 1;') cents — so tho couiicssi. n was no SU'M .n\it'b'.on after all to New Brunswick mer, 'rt.'.nts. It must bo consideie I, to,), that In *)."cli :ging the money so collected t.oubidorabio expense would be incuried. In i'act, it was impos- sible to consider the preseut fiscal legisla- tion of tho Dominion in any point of view without .seeing how cumbrous, expensive and unl't'.ir it was to the mercmtile in- terests of the country. For such reasons, ho believed the Senate was bound, by a deep s'jnse of obligation, to the peoi^le of the Dominion over whoso interests it was bound to witch, to express its emphatic protest against tho measure under con- sideration, and relieve the eountr}' from the burthens which, if it was allowed to i)as8, it would impose upon all class©*.. 91 or 'M i)or (l such a [)roforable !» (iiiectly nnuoyiiig sney. No ■I'I'UfO tho 10 all tlio niito wny, 'A to, \va»t 11(1 a lialt' )ut on all I liiivo nc luy nHkoil lino*. 'J'lii' Mcinl men fitli lel'or- >ntH. Tho a oimo in lOCtH to- nenil)erp(l loor ni:in, iH n cigar >r hi'iincli 11 that liu per would 1(1 Inl'ind Biunswkk liscoiuit hi med tlmt ■w Bruns inuiont of put for tho ovcrnmint and Par ion to re- e (loveni- quostion, fl down at from Nova s.'iwja 13i otia money it that do- ;o, and tlid its — so tho Iv on after It mu3t 'ging the o expense vas impos- ical legisla- int of view oxponsivo I'cintile in ;h reasons, )und, by a ! peoijlo of rests it was emphatic jnder con- 5 country vas allowed all claBse». Uo hail no hesitation whatoror in giving Ilia vote aRiiinst the meaMuro, inai^inuch as it could not atloct tho poHition of the Go- yerninent, niid no groat inconvenience need arine from the i)aKMago of tho amend- ment. Ho wim aHsurnd that tho people, from one end of the Donnnioii to the other, would lie ("xceeding; gratified if hon. gentlemen would consent to postpone the Bill. The resolution clearly expronxed the wish why the Soiiite should take tho course they Wore asked to purmie, and he was convinced that none other waH open to those who were iiillucnced by a (lesire t promote the true interests of tho people. [Hcflf, he;ir.l Hon. Mr. Abl-AN said tint ho knew the House was becoming imp:iticnt, and he had no desire to prolong the discussion tint night furthor than was necessiry to ](l«('e his vicw.s on record. Ho must say, at tlie commencement, that there had been no agreement b<Hw<^en the hon. member for (»randvillo and otlur gentlemen on the same side of tho Ibaisc, to take tho <iov- ernment by surprise. Ho did not .suppose that it W(iuld bo unfair to that hon. gen tleraan if ho were to say that if the nm(Midmont were to have tho cllect ot bringing about a ch mgo of administration, it would not bo a caii.so of dissatisfaction to that hon. member ; but ho (Mr. Allan) must say that ho was convinced that hon. g(?ntlomau had ii it brought forward his motion in a purely party .si>ii it. So far as he was individu.illy concerned, ho could assure the House tliiit ho hid no other ob- ject in view except tho deferring cf a mevsuro which h^' bolioved to be most un- desirable. It had alw.iys been his pleasure to support tlui C-overnmont on all mca- 8nre3 on which ho could {^onsciont'ously do 80 ; and, as regards the gentleman who led the administration in tho House, he (Mr. A) had groat reluctanci.! in assuming an attitude of hostility to him above all others. The present, however, was ono of those cases when he ought not to bo influenced V)y purely personal or party considerations. It was not necessary for him to .say nmch about tho constitutionality of tho proceed- ings, after the remarks of tho hon. gentle- men who preceded biin: but there was ono passage in Todd's " Parliamentary Uovern- ment," to which he would call particular attention. Mr. Allan lead a quotation from the authority in question, in elucidation of his arguniiuit, and tlv^n went on to say that tluTO was no doubt that tho Senate was justilied in expressing an independent opinion on a (juestiou of such a character as that under consideration. Indeed, a case in point had aheatly been mentioned jj,- Yote t"kcn in 1S.;}9. in the old Legis- lative Council, on the motion moved by the Hon. Mr. DcBlacquiero, and which he had the honour of leconding and lupporting in compnny with tho present I'oHtmanter (Jeneral. (Hear.) Without dwelling further on a jioint on whii'li he wan convin(%tl there ought not to be a doubt in the minds of any one, namely, tho con»titu- tional right of the House to tike the cour«e the resolution asked it to pui-H'e- he must briefly refer to the meritu of the measure itself- of that " National Policy,'' (if which they lately heard so much. An a British Canulian. ho was very dosirouB of building ujia sti-ong nationality in this part of tho c(jntinont, but he must fnuikly ad- mit that ho could not seo how the Confo deration w.is to bo strengthened by such a policy as that before the Hou«o. What he understood by ft national policy was ono which was essentially for tho goo I of the country. Such a measure should be considered cirefully aii'l conscientiously in accordance with wh it wore bolioved to bo the true interests of all sections of tin- Dominion. With respect to the protection of tho fisheries, he was prepared to support the (iovornment in guard ing tho rights and interests of our follow subjects in any part of tho Dominion ; but that (|U«stion was very different from one which could only perpe- tuate jealousies between tho didorent sec- tions," instead of eroding harmony nu'l cementing tho I'liion. The argument that such legislati(Jn could ever tend to recipro- city was too absurd. Was it po.ssiblo that four millions of pe(H)lo could cooroo thirty- eight millions into tho adoption of a parti- cular commercial policy V Ho was strongly oppo.sod to the moasui'e, beciuso ho be- lieved, in the first place, it was i obnoxious in i)riiiciple. Hi< hul_ i no desire to i-ee the doctrine of ' protection revived in T'anad i, and more duties imposed than were ab-(olutely ne- cessary for the purpo.-<es of revenue. For that reason ho objected to ilio nioasure, especidly as tho principle hiving been once allowed, it was not o isy to recede. Then he objected to the pol.cy, because it would not "answer the purpose which its promoters cl limed for it. A»y incidental protection it might atlonl to any particular interests— and it was doubted if any would I really be given — would not compensate for tho groat injury that would l;e done to the shipping and commoiciid interests of the country by driving into American chinnels a large trade tint had hitherto passed through Canada. In speaking on tlio question, tho Postmaster-(ieneral ai>peared to consider it a matter of inditlen nee what the opinions of the cities might be; but the House was Inrdly likely to agree [with him that it should n(')t listen with rc.spect to the wishes an.l soiitiments of tho largo centres of intelligence, whence 22 information radiated to all partg of the countiy districts. When, therefore, it vim seen that in the ^iient centres of industry the measure was most eniplmtically condemned, the House h;ul most powerful reason for rejecting it without the least hesitation. (Hear, iiear). lie acknowledged that if, by the imijosition of the duty, it was possible to I oinpel the manufacturers of Western Ca- nnda to use Nova Scotia coal, it would be satisfactory ; but no one who wis conver- sant with iho subject but acknowledged that they could not be supplied from that Province. Nova Scotia coal, ho was as- sured, had been tried over and over in tiie fu.rnacis of the large manufacturing establishments, but not with satisfactory results. No matter what the duty might be, the proprietors would be ol'liged to use the American anthracite conl. Then, again, consider the ettbcts upon the poor- er cl isses of thu population. It had lieen asserted that so far as the great body of our people were concerned, the taxes would not ail'oct them in any way what- ever, but lie could not agree with that opinion. In the iirst place, he must state it as a fict tlititc lal was being extensively u.-ed among all olasscSj owing to the in- crease in tlio price of wood — oven in the l.u'ge henevoleut institutions they were obliged to use it altogether. Eveiy one was aware that the destruction of tlie ibr- ests was g ing on most rapidly in every l)art of the jjominion, and the jirice of wood was annually hccoming higher ; and theie was no doubt whatever that the moment tlie additional taxation came into operation the result would be to add to the price of fiul. If the ettect of the me;tsiiio. would 1 e to encourage intercolo- nid tr.ade, it would be an argument in its fivour, Init his idea of the best means of cflecting so desirable an object w IS to mcrease the facilities f)f intercoiu^e between the didcrent. members of the Union — to improve our canals and extend the railways throughout the Donunioii. During the i)ast seison, the steauK-r JLt Majnsty, had made regular trips between llalifa.\ and the upper ports, but she could only go down to Montreal half 1 ideii, iu eonsetiuence of the limited capacity of the canals. Hon. .^[r. .MITCMELI.— She always got her full o ug,) at Montreal. Ib)n. Mr. ALLAN — The results, how- ever, w r.i far I'lom profitable to the own IS. Ilon.Mr. MITCHELL— Had been told by th ■ owner of the Ijnat, Mr. Chisholm, that the ro:;ult of taking off the canal tolls, wouUl be to give a inargin for ijront, and that if the propeller had not been Hon. Mr. Allan, wrecked, he would have made a good season. Hon. Mr. ALLAN went on to say that although he felt it lo be a grave responsi- bility to vote for the amendment, yet he was compelled, for the reasons he had given, to support it. He believed that the measure was in itself inaugurating n mischievious system of legislation — that it would not encourage Intercolonial trade — that, on the contrary, it would in- terfere most seriously with many valuable branches of industry throughout the Do- minion to which coal was indispensable — that it would press most heavily on a large class who were obliged to use it on account of the scarcity anc expense of wood. Under such circumstances, there was no other alternative open to him as a member of the Senate, entrusted with the responsible duty of guarding the interests of all sections, than to vote against the passage of a measure which waa likely to operate so injuriously upon all classes in the Dominion. Hon. Mr. LOCKE said that the ques- tion had been so ably argued by his hon. friend and coUengue from Nova Scotia (Mr. Miller,) who had clearly proved the consti- tutional right of the Senate to deal with the question, that it was not necessary ho should delay the House with any prolong- ed observations on that part of the sub- ject. It hid been urged with force that they were now entering upon a new era in the history of this country, and that the example the Senate might set would bo considered a precedent for the future. Ho thought the House had a perfect right to estalilish such a jjrecedent as would clearly define its authority as a body per- ibrming responsible functions under the constitution of a Dominion, which was to become a great nat.onahty according to the promoters of Confederation. As res- pects the tariff itself, he must say at the outset that the duty on coal would not be considered a concession to the majority of the people of Nova Scotia. The coal interest was confined^to Pictou and Cape Breton, and the tax,ifa benefit at all, could ' only protect a minority of the population. Whilst making a concession to the coal counties of Eastern Nova Scotia, the bread of the people in the West, was to be t;ixed. The Western Counties traded cheaply with the United States. At the end of the fish- ing season, vessels left the western ports for the United States, wliere they disposed of their cargoes of fish and returned with flour, rye and cornmeal. Only once in the liistory of Nova Scotia had the coarse articles of rye and meal been taxed. Rye could not be procured in Canad.i on the same terms as in the United Stiites, and the same remark applied to coni meal to a large extent. Kice was also a commodity essential to a large class of the population — it was the luxui-y of the fishermoa and poorer people. The man who was not able to buy any other article of luxury used rice — even the schooners when they went to the fisheries took large quantities with them. The Minister of Marine and Fisheries was perfectly well awaie that meal was an article of prime necessity, not merely among fishermen, but especially among lumbermen. lie would next refer to the article of tobacco, which was already taxed largely, it was the poor man's Holace — absolutely necessary for liis com- fort when he returned home after a hard day's toil ; but now he had to pay upwarils of 100 per cent, more for the luxury of smoking his pipe. The duty on packages was very troublesome and unfair. The cask, for instance, in which molasses came might be worth $5 in Cuba ; but when it reached Nova Scotia its value was not more than 75 or 80 cents. In the fisheries, sucli casks were used to some extent for butts, but otherwise they were useless, and would have to be broken up for fuel. No where, except perhaps in the United States, was it usual to resort to the absurd expedient of chargin g a duty on packages. It had been well pointed out by the hon. gentle- man from St. John (Mr. Eobertson; tliat the Eighth Section would lead to great trouble and inconvenience, inasmuch as it was almost impossible to comply with its provisions, and under any circumstances it would require additional clerks in every large mercantile establishment, and in Cus- tom Houses as well. Yet this measure, so perplexing and burthensome in its details, was called a great national policy. Some called it a "retaliatoiy policy," but before it could be entitled to thut name, we would have to impose duties on American products equal to those they imposed on our own. The measure afforded no con- cessions to Nova Scotia — unless it was a concession to tax seven-eighths of the peo- ple for tho benefit of one-eighth. In- deed, it was most questionable — in fact, it was positively denied — if the duty would operate beneficially for the coal producers themselv es ; but even under any circumstances it was a wrong po- licy to tax the many for the advantage of the few, (hear, hear ) The true principb, which should be at the bottom of all legisla- tion, was to leave tho people at liberty to buy where they can purchase the cheapest and sell in the dearest market. He had no doubt whatever that i. was practico,ble to raise any money that might be required for the public expenditures by some means which would not operate unfairly on classes or sections of tiie people, ior instance, additional revenue could more satisfactorily be raised by making a slight increase on the ad valorem duties from 5 to 1 5 per cent. He thought, after having given full consideration to the subject, that it was the wisest course for the House to reject a measure which was creating such wide-spread dissatisfaction, and re- lieve the country from the irritation and annoyance which would certainly arise from its passage. Hon. Mr. SKEAD said that he felt some- what diffident in rising to speak on tho question before the House at that late hour of the night, but he could not give a silent vote. The tariff ha<l b;en before Parliament for a month — it h:ul been thoroughly discussed in the House of Commons and in the public press ; but nevertheless he had not seen a single pe- tition from the fanners in (Jutario com- plaining of its ]irobablo effects. It was true the cities of Montreal and IJuebec objected to tho measure. Hon. Mr. ALLAN — Tho people have with reason thought that the objection- able features of the measure would be struck out. Hon. Mr. SKEAD was not denying that Toronto, which tho hon. mctiber repre- sented, was opposed to certain features of the tariff. He was not himself altogether satisfied with the measure, but neverthe- less ho had (confidence in the Government, and believed that they had devised the best ueasure possible under all the circum- stances. They were obliged to raise addi- tional revenue, and the only way they could do it was by imposing such duties as would be distributed over all sections. He iloiibteci very much whether it was advis- able to add to the fifteen per cent duties at the present time. As a representative of a lumbering district ho was opposed to a tax on timber, and it was probable that the Governmcni; would be obliged to resort to such a step, should they not be allowed to pass the present measure. He had been, he must confess, much surprised at the statement of the hon. member from Hali- fax (Mr. Miller) tlrit English coal could be bought so much cheaper than the Noya Scotia article in the Quebec market. Hon. Mr. MITCHELL s 'd that it was a mistake to say that any ship would bring the coal simply as ballast. Hon. Mr. MILLEll had made his state- ment on the best authority. Hon. Mr. SKE.\D was of opinion tha unless the Nova Scotia dealers produced Coal cheaper, they could not expect to get the Canada trade. Hon. Mr. MILLER r.marked that they could not get it under existing circum- stances. 3i Hon. Mr. SKEAD said that it was obviou-s to him that the national j>olicy would work to the advantage of the coun- try if it w iH properly carried out, and he iifl ovisd it to Ijo the duty of the represen- tatives of all .sections to assint it ; and under ,itiy circumstances, if it did not operate tjenelicially, it could Hoon lie repealed. It wan a \;i.se policy, at the present time, to ilirect all our legislation towards the object of creating trade between the Hfivoral I'rovincoH constituting th- Dominion. The present measure was K step in that direction, and was therefore an <xperiinent worthy of trial. The Se- nate slioiild also bear in mind the fact that if it rejected the Bill before it, it would subject th'j House of Commons to much incf>nvf;nienoe, by delaying the pro- gress of public business, and keeping members for some time longer from their homes and private affairs. He was not prepared to assume the responsibility of bringin/' the two Houses into collision with eacn other, at a time when it was so desirable to brmg the public business to a close. In conclusion, he must observe that he was desirous of seeing every </'u8tom House on the frontier abolished, and free trade established between Canada and the world. Direct taxation was, after all, the true principle of meeting public expenditures; but whilst the country was not i)repared to adopt such a policy, he had to take things as he found th. m, and ho would therefore vote for a measure which had been matured })y the (iovernment as a meins of raising the re- venue to the amount required for the public (;-\.igences. Hon. Mr. BOUKINOT s.iid that before the House divided, he felt it necessary to make a few remarks on the very import- ant question which had already occupied so much time. He regretted that '.he members of the (iovernment, and those who were re idy to support them on the (juestion, had not thought it advisable to f.xpliiii more iully tlie reasons why the House should give its assent to the measure. He for one, would not apolo- gi/x3 to the House for assuming a position which he felt he was c.illed to assume by .'I sense of the duty he owed to the country. (Hear.) It was his undoubted right, as a member of the Senate, to act independently of Ministers, and he would not hesitate to exen-ise it on the present occasion. When the measure w.is brought up in the House of Commons, by the Government, ho was in the city of Halifax, and in frequent intercourse with the leading men engaged in trade and interested in the coal mines of the i'rovinoo : and not one of those'he met expressed his satisfaction with the Hon. Mr. Skead. I tariff. The coal owners said they did not ! ^rant the duty of .W cents, inasmuch as it I would not be protection to them in the Canadian Market. They all thought that ! there was a dLsposition on the part of the United .States to agree to amend their < tariff so far as coal was concerned, and that ' there was every probability that the pro- i hibitory duty would be al olished or so j lowered ns to allow the coal dealers of j Nova Scotia to send their product into the American Market with profit. It was well known that public opinion in the Uniteil States was tending to the a^^loption of a more liberal commercid policy towairls iJanada ; and under the circumstances it was believed in Halifax that the policy pressed in the Canadian I'arliament by cer- tain prominent gentlemen was unsound, and not calculated to benefit Nova Scotia in the end. It was clear that the natural market for the coal of Nova Scotia was the United States, and that it would go there despite the duty imposed on it. Many of the vessels now engaged in the trade brought back flour and meal, instead of b.allast, and now it was proposed to tax those commodities which the people al- ways considered they shotild receive free. Such legislation was in itself calculated to burthen the very class which it was intend- ed to benefit, and showed a want of fore- sight on the part of those who had ma- tured iuid forced it on the country. He was confident that the insignificant duty in question would never create trade be- tween Canada and Nova Scotia — if trade should ever spring up between East and West, it must arise from natural causes, (hear, hear) — not from such artificial and unnatural expedients as now proposed. It was out of the question for Nova Scotia coal to compete with the British coal, which, as it had been before observed, was brought in as ballast. The best house coal sold at Sydney for about lOs. a chaldron, and for $1.75 at the new mines, and the freight to Quebec would cost nearly as much. Then the various charges that had to be incurred in going up to Montreal, were bo large pt present, that the coal trade could not be made profitable. The policy WIS unsatisfactory in whatever jioint of view it might be considered. It wiis in no way calculated to build up a " new na- tionality," but was certain to perpetuate a spirit of rivalry and sectionalism that might lead to most .serious consequences in the future. He was not prepared to admit that a great favour had been conferred upon Nova Sc^otia by a conces- sion which could not benefit even the in- terest it was intended to assist ; but under any circumstances, ho protested, as a re- presentative of that Province, against the adoption of any measure that would create 25 ill-feeling lietween ditTerent sections. As respects the argument that wts used by the opposite sMo — tint the eftect of re- jecting the Bill would he to bring the Se- nate into collision with the other branch — he did not see much force in it. The S.nate had a perfect right to pursue that course which its members should dtem most in accordance with the public inter- ests, and even slioul I tliey differ from the House of Commons he was convinced there was enough liberalitj in that bcnly to prevent any ditiiculty arising. He re- gretted thitiiehad delayed the House, ijut he could not refrain from e.\pres-ing liis ojiinion on the ijuestion. thougli he knew th it his lion, friends who hail pie- c.d d him had exhausted tlie subjeet. He had no h situion as t > the vote lie would give that night, for it would be intiiienccd i.y tlie desire to act for the interests of the whole Dm niou ; ami those interests, he w iS convinced, would be best subserved by rejecting. I measure which would operate most unsatisfactorily. Hon. Mr. W.\RK' Mid that he had been prepared to hear mmy diverse opinions e.x'piessed on the .-ubjoot under considera- tion, but certa.nly lie had never expected to tind sucii unanimity. It was stati'dthit it w.is the intention to I enelit Nova Scotia and(»nt irio, and yet it was m st surpiising to sie ni'Mubers from those sections rising, one after the other, and express- ing themselves oppose I to the me. sure. I'he ertect upon New Uiiinswick was cleir- ly to legislate her out of the Unimi. The people of that Province hid to p ly taxes on Hour and corn meal for the beiieiit of Ontario, and on cod for the Ijenetit oi a s.'ction of Nova S.-otia. He need liardly till the House that it wis not possible to force trade out of its natural channels, and th:it the policy in (piestion would thei'efore fail in that respect. He had tjeeii always in favour of extending the canal sys- tem of the Dominion, ami in tint w ly f ellKating trade and ijitercourse between ("inada and the woriil. Every eliort should lie made to remove every barrier that pie- vntedthe .^t. Liwreiice being the great highway between the West and Europe. The Maritime Provinces would be the car- riers of that trade, and therefore he wish- ed to see every faeility atforded to its ex- ti'Usion. Those Provinces had the means of Ijuilding ships cheaply, luid manning legisldionof the Dominion had sofarbe^n d trimental to the interests of New Bruns- wick; but the opp.sition that the present m&vsure met with in that Provin-e W!U» c .nclusive evidence of thit fact, and justi- Hed the coui-se he was now taking. Hon. Mr. LETELI.IER DE ^'^. ,Wi^ s.iid that the Postmister General, in tlm remarks he had made at the commence- ment of the debate, luul attempted to iu- rtuence the House by a style of argument that might be called in French, qutliiiif chose (L' .tpirifujc. The House was toll that the effect of throwing out the Bill would be to create a collision be tween the two Houses, and that much delay and inconvenien, i- mu>t arise from such a course. Now, referimg to the proceedings of the I.egislati\tT (."ouncil in 1S.">'.', he found the Postmaster (ieneral agreing with the sentiments in the resolution that was lulopted — senti ments directly contrary to those which lie had expressed tint afternoon. Now that hon. gentleman was not prepared to assert the rights and privileges of the Senate ; but in LSj'J he assent<'il to the declaration, " that the 1 egislative Council feels itself bound, in deb nee of its unquestionable rights as a co eijual branch of the Legi>la- ture, and as the only means of presrrviiig its independeiue not to take the (juestion of supply into consideration."' Now ho (M. de St. Just) argued that the motion which he liad moved was precisely si- milar in etfect to the one which he had just read as having received the support of the Postmister General. He did not think the (Tovernment could fairly dedaie they hid been taken by surprise — if the Telegraph were to be brought up to give evidence on the subject, (laughter,) he thought the reverse would be shown ; and h>'miist certainly tdce that opportunity of congratulating the Government on the sii tisfactnry results that had arisen from the use they had been making of the useful ageni'.y of circulating infurmation to their friends. The members were then called in unJ tho House divided on Hon. Mr. Mcl'er son's amendment, which was lost by tlie following vote : — CoNTKNTs: — Hon. Messr Allan, Blake, Bourinot, Chart'ers, Christie, Cormier, Dickson, Guevremont, Hamilton (Kings which, according to the best authoiities, was operating so injuriously to Am'^rican commerce and enteri)rise. He regietted llmt he w,is foieiid to ai'knowl»dge tint the •3 Armand, Benson, Bill, Bureau, Burnham, Cami)bell, Chapais, Crawford, Duchesnay, E. U. J.; Dumouehol, Holmes, Kenny, La:oste. McCrea, McDonald, ANh'Lelan. 26 McMnster, Matheson, Mills, Mitchell, Renaud, Eoss, Ryan, Seymour, Shaw, Skead, Wilson.— 28. The question then being fmt on llonor- ahle Mr. LETELLIER DE ST. JUST'a mo- tion in amendment, the same was also re- solved in the negative. The question being put on the Honor- able Mr. CAMPBELL'S motion, viz. : " That the said Bill be read a second time at the next sitting of the House," the same was resolved in the affirm itive. The House then adjourned at midnight. lor- iz. : mo the 'ht.