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'/ J # .1 -'•••''^*.^5^ . Dedication. / Dedicate this Hook To The many Friends in my Native County At Wliose Homes I liave been so hospitably entertained Ayid With whom I liave enjoyed so many conversations The Memory of nhich I sliall alioays Dearly C/iensh ^♦<«— ~-5K-— ^ * H>-f<- DUKIX(J niHiiy })l«'asant con vernations with tricniis l»elonoinoj to botli political parties, I have ofton been surprised at th«! limited infornia- tion ol" [)ersons retrardinj^ the actiouM of some of the men who were the founders of confederation. Party lines appeared to have hidden the real truth from them. Some of the men who were prominent actors in advancing the Union would be denounced with great rancour, while others who worked shoulder to shoulder with theui to accomplish the same object were as (^n-atly praised. One set of the.se men were considered tlie great enemies of N(;va Scotia, the other, special friends of the province. Party leaders were judc^ed from merely party stand points. The opinion seemed to be, that if it had not been for the conservative pvrty there would have baen no confederation. While there may be some truth in this opin- ion, in reference to a portion of the conservative party of Nova Scotia, it is also tr\i' that the Clear Grit Party of Canada was as determiner! in its struggle, a.-^ the Canadian Conservative party to bring ab(3Ut Confederation, anl dra^j Nova Scotia into the Union. In the followinu^ chapters of this work uiost of the facts were obtained from valuable docu*- inents, which had been carefully preserved for INTHODUCTION. many years. Those papers unfortunately with a valuable library were swept out of* j.'xistence in a few minutes, by the disastrous fire last fall. Several of the chapters of the ori<;iiial uiaiiu- Kcript of the work were lost at the time, anrl have been re- written from memorv alone, an^l arc conseg cabin by the river's side, and the thatched cottage near the lonel}'' country road have far n>ore attractions for the ones barn there than the most beautiful buildings in the whole world, and more interesting incidents circle about them than the most thrilling events of a thousand years which surround the historic places an(l castles of any land. " If solid ha{)piiiO)i8 wo prize Within ourselves thisjcwel lies, And i' ey are fools who roam. This woral has nothing to bestow ; From out ourselves our joy must llow, Aud that dear hat our home." 8 JiACKWARI) tiJ.AXCES. Tliere subsists a relation between a people and the country they have inhabited for hundreds of years. The physical character of a country, and in some instances its surroundings, appear to influence in a «freat degree the moral and physical character of its inhabitants, and thus to a certain extent deti^rrnine their history. The history of the people of Nova Scotia does not show that they were ever anxious for a union with any of the other British provinces. If any union would have been considered desirable by the inhabitants, it would undoubtedly have been a union wdth New Brunswi(?k, to which province Nova iScotia is connected by a narrow neck of land, and with, perhaps, Prince Edward Island, which seems to nestle almost in the lap of the former provinces. All the people of the three provinces are essentially the .same in their origin. Nature has placed Nova Scotia in an isolation almost as splendid as that of Great Britain. In their almost sea-girt home, the children sprung from tlie mother land, felt that they owned a little England of their own, and had lost none of the thoroughly independent character of their ancestors, who as Britons were determined to rule within themselves. Britons in no .sense W'ould be governed from without, and would never allow any interference in their own affairs by any race on the continent of Europe, no matter how closel}'' they might have been I BACKWAUIJ GLANCES. 9 allied to any such race in origin or in charac- ter. They cherished above everything else their isolated independence, and in this respect Nova Scotians were not unlike them. Nova Scotia became as dear to Nova Scotians as England or Scotland to their fathers. Tliev honored the name of their province as highly as the latter did those of their own countries. When it was proposed to allow the word " England" or " English" to swallow up " Scotland" or tlie " Scotch" by giving both countries one name, that of England, the anger of all patriotic Scotchmen was aroused. They petitioned Her Majesty not to allow the word " England" or " English" to swallow up " Scotland" or the " Scotch." A writer to assuage the anger of Scutchmen suggested that the United Kingdom should be given the new name of Britannia. That name would embrace all and everybody. Her Majesty would then be called the Queen of Britannia, and all would be Britons. But the Scotchmen clung to the words Scotland and Scotch as dearlv as they clung to the kilt. They considered it a mortal sin to make this new departure. To take away by Act of Parliament " Scotland" and " Scotch, ' words in which they were conceived, and in which they were born, without their free consent would be an act of tyranny coupled with the creed of slaves. 10 BACKWARD OLANCES. A Highland soldier at the time said something like the following : " Let a general address a Scottish regi?nent as follows : ' Britons,' your intrepidity, bravery and victory have this day won immortal honors for Britannia and your- selves, and the praises of Her Majesty the Queen and of all Britons will be showered upon you." These words, he said, would perhaps stir the men with pride. But let him s«ay " ' Scotchmen ! ' ' High- landers • ' your gallantry and success in the held this day have again crowned you with fresh laurels and glory, and England, like Scotland, rings with your praises. In you the world has once more seen what Scotland can produce and the Scottish race can perform. Highlanders ! Scotchmen ! on your banners rests eternal fame. Your deeds of valor are this day unsurpassed by any race of men. You, sons of Scotland !" Here the general would be obliged to stop his address, the men would be so moved with the allusion to their country, their name, and their li^^hmen, or the shamrock to Irishmen. And as the three in one have become the emblem of the unitv of the three races, so each in turn inspires to action.s high the race it represents. Clusters of rich associations cling about these emblems, both in their united and separate form, and a look at them has sometimes sent a thrill of glory-streamed enthusiasm through a regiment of men. and shown their love of country to be as firm and pure as ever. The very fact of the British army being composed of the three races has made it a terror to other nations, because each race, tilled with the spirit of emulation, strives with all its powers and mighty hope to share in equal honors, and, if it be possible, to bring the greater glory to its own people and countrv. ■•«; 12 JJACKWAI'J) <;lanerty as ignorance. But their acts were possibly coniinitted throui^h their being far removed fi'om tl\e colonists of Nova Scotia, and their understand- ing beini:^ darkened by distance, the}' did not study the life of the colonists as they did the life of Englishmen. They were in a sense alien- ated from the life of these e«iual in every respect to themselves. They did not st'e at the time that the whole colonial possessions " fitly joined together," through independent action, " and compacted by that whicli every part supplieth," " according to the effectual working in the mea- sure of every part, maketh increase of the "' whole '■ unto the edifying of " the vast Empire " in love." The idea of a great colonial Dominion seemed to possess British statesmen and intoxicate their senses, and their desires must be satisfied, no matter at what c( st to Nova Scotia, or how- much in opposition to the will of its inhabitants. When the appeal of Nova Scotians was before the English Parliamc.'nt, praying to be considered as free British subjects, lo3'a] to Great Britain and strong in love for the mother land, there should have been found among the Lords and Commoners in Parliament a majority of noble- 16 HAr'KWARO rjT-ANCES. minJed men who would have treated iheir colonists with the liberal spirit of Englishmen, by condemning at the beginning and opposing at every stage in Parliament a union distasteful to their distant subjects in one of England's most enlightened colonies. Any Justices' Court in Britain would never fail to take ample time in considering an appeal of any individual, no matter how humble his station, and the Britisji Parliament should have acted in the same just manner toward the inhab- itants of one of the most advanced English colonies. And these members of a British Parliament should have remembered that these colonists gloried in the name of Nova Scotia and were ever bold in the glorious assertion of their colonial liberty. They should have considered these colonists as Englishmen jealous of their rights and no less warm in their assertion of them. And they should have denounced in glowing language the least attempt to unite with any other colony their Nova Scotian sub- jects who were so decidedly opposed to such un-English procedure. In glancing backward to some incidents in the British Parliament of eighteen hundred and sixty-seven, which bring back recollections of the past that even now stir the soul and make memory revert to those eventful days, every true Nova Scotian and every lover of liberty must blush a% the course pursued by British statesmen. n iM ChlAPTER II. The Half Had Never Been Told, \\'l\ile a quarter of a century has been speeJ- ing into the history of the past, time has been revealin?en similarly treattni. The ex])rrienco of twenty-fiv»' years has shown to tli^? world that the Americans would like to own Nova Scotia. They have ever had an eye on her rich nnnerals, her grand harbors and beautiful valleys. If they possessed Nova Scotia, Bar Harbor anrl many of their watering resorts would soon sink into insignificance. This beautiful land of the mayHower wou^ 1 soon become one vast sum- mer resort and its lovely rivers antl bays filled with yachts and crafts of every description. The Americans woidd also like to have this Atlantic peninsula, in order tliat they ndght completely command the winter transport of Canadian commerce, knov^dng as they do, that Canada would be seriou.sly handicapped without Nova Scotia. The Americans bought xVlaska to keep Eng- land from getting it, and they would have used every effort of a peaceable kind and offered every inducement to entice Nova Scotians to cast their lot beneath the stars and stripes. And it is not at all unlikely that many million dollars of American capital would have been invested in industries in Nova Scotia during the past two or three decade.s. And this province with its exben.sive and lucrative fisheries in all probability could have secured most any commercial relations it desired with the Ignited States had it been free 20 HACKWAUI) (il.ANCKS. of till' Canadian I'nion. The Americans woui«l sooner pos.s(»«H Nova Scotia than any other terri- toiy of etjiial .size on th(* American continent. They wouhl sooner own it than many New- founiUands. Now let UH for a moment look at vhat they have ottered Newfoundland i-espectin^ trade re- lation.s hr^tween the two countries. In tlie draft of a connnerciai treaty a few years aijo. Article II. of that propose(i treaty, wonhl allow, dry coiltish. cod oil, seal skins, he.rrin^^s, .salmon, trout and salmon trout, lobsters, cod roe.s. ton- ^ue.s and .sounds the product.s of the Hsheries of Newfoundland to be admitted into the United State.s free of duty. Also all ho^i^sheada. barrels, kegs, boxes, or tin cans in which the above articles shall be carried free of duty. And the United States would allow Newfoundland to collect duty on the following articles importerl into the colony from the United States, on Hour tweaty-tive cents per bbl.; pork, one dollar and fifty cents per bbl ; bacon, hams, tongues, smoked beef and sausages, two and one y the colony of Newfoundland, durinix the term of the con- ■ft .•J, (if. A sets. :\:\ of tlic lli'itish nation. Ainl tho.so who ifU'l history in(U'})t'ii(lcntly and lor correct int'urrna- tion, will probably aj^'ree that t)ie sayini( is true. Porhap.s no I'^n^^lishniaii ever .studied the (jucstion of the colonie.s and colonial ^overiniiont Uiore closely than Sir \\ lUiam Molesworth. Speak i)ii; in Tarliament in 183'S, as Sccretar}' of State for the Colonies, his comprehensive views and vast knowledj^e made him appear as a li;4ht in a darkened chamber. In advocating the principles of self-orovernment, he souj^fht to destroy an inii[uitous and meddlin^j system which excited ill-will among the colonists Jind threatened in some colonies to lead to the over- throw of Ent^lish power. In our day, a person who l^ecomos Secretary of State for the Colonies is able to fiiltil his duties worthily, with a desire not only to assert the honor of England, but to prouiott; the real and permanent well-being of the inhabitants of tlie smallest dependencies. And Jiritish statesmen, looking at the distant and valuable po.ssessions of the country, feel proud of its acquisitions, ami the result is that there is a reciprocity of feeling \a hich should exist between brethren, and that unity and good-will which binds hrndy together parent and child. To Sir William Molesworth no political (juestion was nearer his heart than colonial reform. He could atibrd more information upon the subject :u BACKWAHD fll.ANCK.S. and (lid inoie to ndvaiic*^ tlie piinciplo ol* sclf- •^oveiniiient in the colonitss than any otiior man in the parliament of his day. rnfortunately for tlie colonies, he died wlien njost u.sel'ul and in the prime of life. And from hi.s deatli, in tlie year 1855, until 18()7, lie left no ouo belli nd in parliament as well versed in colonial matters as himsvlf Times have greatly cliancred since 1SG7. We have lately seen a race horse add popularit}' to a prime ndnister, and a winning yacht bind a prince of royal blood ch.)ser to tlie hearts of the English people. Had a Nova Sc«»)tian jockey riilden an Englisli race horse to victory over the Derby course in 18(50, or a Nova Scotian t-ailor at the helm of a clipper yacht belonging to the Secretar}'^ of State for the Colonies won in that year the America cup, the history of Nova Scotia and the feelings of its inhabitants would possibly have been better understood in the following year, and its latitude and iongitude better known. Many things go to pruve thiit some Englishmen prominent in politics. ;ird social position, and influential in tlie councils of state, knew little more about this province in 18G6, than a cele- brated Duke, high in official circles, knew eighty 3'ears earlier. This Duke, speaking in the British parliament, is reported to have said, " Oil, yes, yes to be sure Annapolis must be de- fended ; troops must be sent to Annapolis, pray |{A( KWAHI* (iLANCKS. U5 wiMjro is Amiapolis -* Cape liretoti Jiii Jsluud ! won'iert'nl: show it, to me on the inap. So it is. siire enounfh, my dfur sir yon always btiiji; us jroofl ncvvM. I must ;^u and tell the Kin^ that CajH.' Hreton is an ishmd." The late Hon. Josrph llow'c, in H speecli (Iclivered in Hants ( 'oiinty in I-SU7, sjiid : " Tlie tjeneral public of Kn^ian JUCKWAKl) GLAXCES. tliese papers, while five line-i were devoted to Nova Scotia and the Canadian Confederation.'" About tliree or l-our years previous to the pass- inor of the British Xortli America Act, a ^^Mitle- nian from Nova Scotia wliih.' travelhrit-; in Knirhin^sing tlirough the Nova Scotia legislature. In this year of the Diamond .Jubilee, a givat change is seen in the opinions of Englishmen, caused no doubt by very much added informa- tion, In the British |)ress, in the clubs, in literary circles, in parliament, everywhere, the talk is about the colonie.-.. Our statesmen are running over to England, as I'eguiarly and actively, and as otten as chddren to their moth rs knee when looking for t)ie appearing of Santa Claus. These statesmen are ban({Ueted, are decorated, are entertained at garden parties and at clubs, and invited hither ;) ul thither all over the land. Colonial politicians from the ends of the earth are seen at every important function. Every word that drops from their lips is caught up and sent over the A\'iiole empire, .md next morning is read in ten thou.sand colonial homes. ^'/^"^^"immmum 88 H A C K W A K T ) G L A N ( ' i:s. Amid all tins high social whirl, " The future of England and Her Colonies," are the watchwords. "Preferential Trade," "Colonial Defence," "Inter- change of regular and colonial ti'oops," and Imperial Federation, are for the time b'ing made magnificent play thingH. We hope amid all this magnificence and splendour that colonial states- men, will not forget that the}^ owe in no small degree their elevation to their own countrymen. Omar Pasha, when commander-in-chief of the Turkish forces, shortlv after the close of the campaign in the Crimea, said, " My breast is adorned with seven Turkish and four foreign decorations, these latter being the Cross of the Legion of Honour, the Order of the Bath, the llussiaii order of St. Anne, and tlie Spanish order of Isabella , I have also been considered worthy of three sabres of honour enriched with diamonds, Then turning to his friend, he continued : All that Monsieur Grati", 1 owe to you, as it was you who gave me tlie first notion of the military art. and to the brave soldiers of my country who sustained me upon the field of battle." Sir William Molesworth always had his eye on colonial statesmen, and formed sound opin- ions as to their abilities. The Hon. Francis Hincks (afterwards Sir Francis Hincks), though a comparativi; stranger in Canada, was elected to represent the County of O.xford in ]\Iarch, 1841. He appeared in the first parliament hold % BACKWARD GLANCES. 39 subsefiuent to the union of the Upper nnd Lower provinces of Canada. In 1844 Lord ]\Ietcalf dissolved the Canadian parliament. Mr. Hincks-was not returned, beinijj defeated ; but in 1848 he was re-elected, and accepted the office of Inspector-General of f'inance. The apjpointnient to office was made under the administration of Mr. Baldwin. When this gentleman retired from office, Mr. Hincks was appointed Prime Minister by the (iovernor- Oeneral, a post Sir William Molesvvorth felt he well deserved, and the duties of which he admirably discharged. He continued to hold this important position until the year 1854, when he was defeated by the opposition. Sir William Molesvvorth, who knew that Mr. Hincks' intimate acquaintance with colonial ^Vairs made him peculiarly adapted for an important colonial post, ottered him the Governorship of Barbadoes and the Windward Islands. He accepted the position and proved that the best colonial Gov- ernors are those who have had an intimate ac<[uaintance with colonial affiiirs. The Secre- tary for the Colonies saw" that the clear, vigor- ous intelligence and untiinchintr intejjritv of Mr. Hincks would fit him for high colonial position in any part of the wt)rld. The great Disraeli with all his knowdedge, had not, in Sir William Molesworth's day, a very exalted opinion of the colonies and colonial .statesmen. '^vf^n^mmm 40 P.ACKWAKL) GLAN'CES. Lord Kosebery lia.s l»rou;j:;}it home to ])israc!i the fstatemt.'nt that : " Tliese wretched colonies will }dl be indeperulent, too, iii a few years, and are a luilistone round our necks." The .state- ment ha.s often been made, and nearly as often denied. In a speech recently Lord Rosebery incidf>ntali^ v..<'..n-ed to it. A correspomlent wrote him ti. he statement was challenged, and su<;i^csted iiiat he «^ive his authority. Lord Rosebery replied through his private secretary tliat the words as (juoted appear in ;i letter dated August L3th, 1S52, addressed to Lord Malmsbury, then Foreign Secretary, and written ])y Disraeli when Clmncellor of the E cchequer. Sueli, tiien, were the views of one of England's greatest statesmen respecting H-ngland's colonial possessions fourteen years before the Canadian confederation, And these vi(nvs were shared by many pronnnent and clever Englishmen of the time and for a ([uarter of a century later. Dis- raeli lived long enough to change his views. In a speech delivered by Disraeli (then Lord Beaconstield) at Aylesbury in 1S79, he paid a glowing triljiits' to Camida ; He said : " Now a very peculiar circumstance is tliat the Dominion of Canada wishes to institute a great yeoman class. It has legistated for that purpose; its leoislation has now an influence for that i)ur- pose. Now, I believe the great and growing yeoman class in Canada will be largely tlie BACKUAKI) (USANCES. 41 means of prenervin*;)^ her from ultra Republican- ism, it will preserve Canada from a despotism that ends in democracy, or a deinocrucy that ends in despotism." Had JBenjamin Disraeli, studied as closely the colonies, an- the twelve years aftei- the passage of that act, he would nave given more attention to the appeal of Nova Scotians, and the people of this province might have received the consideration due them by a Ph-itish government and parliament. Whatever the future history of Canada may- be, and we all trust it may be great and glorious, and also hope that it will be untarnished by any of those follies which have been committed in the past under the plea that the resolutions of legislatures are always the voice of tlie people. We all hope that the policy of England, with regard to her distant and valuable possessions, will lienceforward continue to excite the admira- tion of not only her colonists alone, but of the world. Wise and understanding Englishn)en well know that the growing wealth and power of tlieir country, ai'e in a measure due to the growing greatness of its colonial po.ssessions. The day seems to have passe'i''!i*mmmmmmmmmmmm 42 lUCKWAKl) GLANCES. The day has come when tliey look upon thcui with pride. And self governin;:; colonists in every (piarter of the earth may be enhanced by the conviction, that no federation of their colon- ies will in the future be accomplishet.l, unless the direct voice of tl\e electors in each self governino; colony demands it. Such unions will be the otfspringa of the ardent wishes formed in the hearts of the inhabitants of each and every colony. No British colony will lienceforth be called upon to endure the humiliating position of Nova Scv^fcia in 1867. The inhabitants of New Brunswick became Canadians by their own vote. The people of Prince Edward Island be- came Canadians by their own choice. Those of Newfoundland remained out of the union and kept tb j control of their liberty. The citizens of Nova Scotia became (Canadians through the despotism of their legislature ami the power of a Fh-itish parliament. Colonial growth, time and study have been enlai'ging the sympathies of British statesmen toward the colonists, and teaching them toleration and for- bearance. These things have also tauo-ht colon- i'-ts to keep an ever watchful eye ove?' selHsh and arnbitious statesmen and politicians, whether at home or abroad. Englishmen appear to have found out, though late it may be, that a man to till the office of Colonial Secretary worthily, should possess an UACKWAHiJ (;la\ci:s. 48 uiiHitiching rectitude of pnrpo8e. ar. intiuiate acqiiaintance oven with the small politics of siiKill dependencies, and witli a desire not only to assert the honor of his country, hut to promote the real and permanent well beint; ok' the colo- nists, by bringing the policy of Erj^^land, witli rejrard to her distant pOvSsessions to accord witli the feelint^s of th.e majority in any of her selt- governing provinces. If such wisilom and such a policy should be always displayed, then Eng- land will have continued cause to justly glory in the strength and greatness of her Empire. And all colonists will continue to turn with a home feeling and a thrill of patriotic pride toward the mother land from whom they have derived so many noble and spirit stirring associations. The love of the place of our birth, it has been said, is implanted deep in man by Ood himself. This is a great truth, that should be always upper- most in the minds of those in powder, when dealing with other lands and otiier peoples. We now live in a very different day from that in which we lived in l^ociatino* with tlio leading minds of the eolonie.s. Colon- ists are now not seekino- p Ivice so much from England, as Englishmen are seeking information from the colonists. The old days of colonial life are rapidly passing out, a new era has dawned. Erom the occupant of the throne, to the occu- pants of the humblest English cottage home.s, Canada is daily becoming better known. The Northwest and J^ritish (-olumbia are bein'J- settled by Englishmen, Welchmen, Scotchmen and Irishmen, while the relatives and friends of these settlers on the other side of the Atlantic are deeply interested in theii- welfare, and are informing themselves concerning the localities in wliich they reside. In glancing backward through thirt}' years, to the time of the enacting of the legislation which passed Nova Scotia into the Canadian union, we tind we cannot blame the British Parliament alone, nor the Nova Scotia legislature alone, nor the conservative partj'- of Canada alone for forcing Nova Scotia into the union, but by a combination of both the political parties of Canada together with the unconstitutional act of the Nova Scotia legislature, the Parliament of Great Britain willingly sanctioned their demands. That there may be no mist'dike concerning the action of the Canadian parties we insert here a fpiotation from a speech delivered at Flalton a UACKWARl) GLANCES 45 few years a^o by the present premier ol" Canada. He is reported to huve said . " It took (it^oi-gc Hrovvn a whole life time to obtain justice not only for the province of Ontario, but fur the whole of the united provii\cesof Canada, (mean- ing Ontario and (Quebec). It took him a whole life time to obtain the remedy of that evil and to substitute for the clumsy legislative union (meaning the union of Quebec ami Ontario) the present federal union of the British American provinces. Mr. Laurier in tlie above words has i-iven the credit of brinii'inc; about confederation to the great leader of the Orit party, the late Hon. George Biown. If any nmn in the British House of Commons understood the feeling of the people of Nova Scotia in 1867, that man was the Right Honor- able John Brit^ht. That true Eriiiclisliman and friend of the people of this province, in present- ing a petition to the House, complaining (4' the absorption of Nova Scotia into Canada by the Confederation Act, had tlie following to say : " The Nova Scotia Legislature by sanctioning the plan, had acted contrary to the wislies of the people ; the assent of the British Parliament had been obtained, if not by fraud, at least by extravagant over-colouiing of the facts; and the G>)vernment, when they were pressing the bill on with indecent haste, knew that Nova Scotia was averse to it." He therefore proposed an 46 BACK WARD e considered as their most iniplacahlc enemies, an eternal separation will follow, and the ;j;rand('nr of the Hritisji Empire pass aw.'iy." Wilkes styled Samuel Adams and .lolin Hancock, not only worthy gentlemen, Imt true patriots, as he wcjuld have styled every Xova Scotian whose name was on the petition pre- sented by John Bright, had he been a jnetni)er of the British Parlianu nt at that time. Some of the warmest adherents of the House of Brunswick could not Ijrook, that the forms of the constitution, as established at tlie Revo- lution should be perverted to give effect to the whims of a kinfj. The best and wisest men of England at the time, saw that every proper effort must be put forward to maintain the power of the people in .opposition to that of the Crown and House of Lords. Happily in our day Queen Victoria has stood between parliament and the people, and Ijy her judicious and praiseworthy firmness has so balanced the affairs of the nation, that scarcely any friction has been felt between parliaments and the people. In this day an English govern- ment or parliament that usurped to itself powers which belong to the people would not long manage the affairs of the country. The voice vt ii .i.t V w. i!i. ui«iiwHifR«im*«ii«mi HHMuusuBnBWiimi 50 inCKWAIIl) GLANCES. fjf the nation would be attentively listened to by Her Majesty, and matters voiild soon be righted, if any government or pailiament attempted to interfere witli the constitutional ritjhts of the people. Her Majesty's subjects in every self governing colony a?'e supposed to have the same rights extended to them, as are extended to Eno-Hsh- men. The unanimous voice of any British colony, in opposition to any tyrannical act of its legislature would l)e respected by the Queen, and the difficulty would be a<4reeably arranged, soon after ilie matter was fully and fairly laid before Her Majest3^ In eighteen hundred and sixtv-seven Her Majesty could not have been fully and fairly informed of the state of feeling in Nova Scotia. No consideration would ever have mfide the Queen an instrument in a measure to suppress liberty and lower the rank in which Nova Scotia stood among the other British American Provinces, and render its situation among self- governing dependencies beneath that of New- foundland, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick. Her Majesty never could have known, who the leading evil spirit on this side of the Atlan- tic was who conducted much of the mischief to Nova Scotia. And who constantly looked to his own elevation and fame as the two most desira- IJACKWARI) (JLAVPF.S. 51 ble objects. If she had been made familiar with his acts, she never would have i^ivcn her Royal sanction to the British North America Act, nor extended to him Royal recognition. It is very doubtful tliat she ri^litly divined Disraeli's ulterior plans, indeed they must have been vaguely conceived by her, during the hurry and rush of the Act tli rough Parliament. Her Prime Minister was undoubtedly a great states- men, tilled with grand designs and ambitions. Throucjh him India was transformed from a possession to an Empire. He secured for Britain the control of the Sue/ Canal. And lie was full of the scheme of imperial federation of autono- mous colonies, to the advocacy of which the present Sacretary of State for t)ie colonies hi^s succeeJed. But if Mr. Chamberlain should undertake to do with any single Australian colony or any self- governing depeii'iency no matter how small, what Disraeli did concerninir Nova Scotia at the time of the Canadian union, he would (juickly find oui that the conditions of thirty years ago are very dilierent from the conditions of to-iJay. Colonists cin talk with their Queen to-day, and hiy their grievance before her as (piickly as her subjects at home. Enlightenment is liberty. Disraeli may have been stirred in his idea of imperiil federation by Bismarck, who had a grand theatre around hin; for the display of his VVMIMMmiH 52 BACKWARD (iLANCF:s. powerfii] genius, when he converted a number of petty principalities into a majestic empire. His action with the least of those principalities was open and creditable indeed, when compared with that of Disraeli toward Nova Scotia. Dis- raeli's was an achievement without a parallel British liistory regarding colonial government. It is not likely to have a parallel. Any English Prime Mini>ter or Colonial Secretary in this day, who attempted such a move under similar circumstances, would bitterly lament the criii i- D.al mistake he had made. English statesmen may tind little trouble m drawing Canadian statesmen who are looking for immoital renown, into taking the colonial lead for the accomplishment of a great and entire colonial scheme. But Imperial Federation will never be accomplished by statesmen, politicians and parliaments alone. When such a federation is accomplished, if it ever is, it will be founded on the sanction of Her ^Majesty's free born colonial subjects circling the earth. In this day a secretary of state for the colonies may deliver a high toned speech, on England's Foreign Policy, which the next morn- ing may send a thrill of disapprobation through every self governing British possession. The colonies are not anxious to be drawn into any European-Asiatic complications, to satisfy the ambition of any member of the Imperial CJovern- RACKWAUD GLANCES. 53 rnent. The colonics have been watcliincr closely, the wise aii,l cautious poh'cy of Lord Salisbury' as well as the policy of the colonial secretary,' and tiiey can form a (^uite correct opinion of what are Enalanrl's interests, and what M,re the individual interests of Britisli statt^smen. The conduct of a secretary of ytate for the colonies like that of a prime minister, should be characterized by wisdom, moderation, tjrmness and exalted integrity. If uniformly ^mided by these noble gifts no improper acts will be com- mitted against the weakest colony, and Englandn transactions with foreign nations will be In the future, as in the past, without stain or without reproach. m^m= Chapter IV. Princess Victoria, and from the Coronation to Confederation, Many intenstingr sketches, in this Jubilee j^ear have bfen published concerning the yontJi- ful days of England's Gieat Queen. Some interesting events, wliich may not have been as widely published as many others, will be re- corded in thi chapter. Princess Victoria was nearly a year old when Cnoroe III, died. She was two years old when the j^reat Napoleon breathed his last in Sr. Htlena. She was thirteen years of age when I he first Reform Act passed, anu iTOin which began those changes in the British House of Cununons, which have made that body the gieatest as>-emlly in the world. In the follow- ing year she doubtless heard with joy that slavery under British rule had been abolih>hed forever. In 1829 the little Princess Victoria learned from those about her that the great city of London was policed for the first time by a rnetr-opolitan force. This was done under Sir Robert Peel, who was Home Secretary in the Duke of Wellington's cal>inet, and from that circum- stance sprang the nicknames " Bobbies " and 15ACKVVAKD GLANCES. 55 '' Peelei's," Capital punishment for the cri'ue of forgery was enforced for the last time in Euijland in 1829. In Augus*- «f the same year the tirst bus rolleil through the streets of London. A year later the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway took place. The young Princess saw the erection of the new London bridge in 1881, and the introduction of steel pens the following year. In 1834 an Aus- tralian colony was formed into a self governing province, and the same year the old Parliament buildings at Westminster were destroyed by Hre, making way for the magniHcent pile of the present day. h\ the very year of her corji.ation the first i.teamship to cross the Atlantic made the voyage to New York, and the first telegraph line was built and operated. These advances were follow- ed two years later by the establishment of the penny post. About this time it took one of Her Majesty's troop ships seventy-eight days in the voyage from Portsmouth to Quebec. A new Pacific province, " New Zealand " came in with 1841. New Zealand whose praises Kipling has sun<;, is amanjj tho brifjhtest ijeuis of the British Crown. *' Last, loneliest, loveliest, e.xtjiiisite, utart— On us, on us, the unswerving 80,ison smiles. Who wonder 'mid our fern why nion depart To seek the llap[.y Isles ? " m»m 5(1 IJACKWARD GLANCKS. This was also the year in which the Prince of Wales was born. The following jear Her Majesty paid her first visit to Scotland. Polar exploration, one of the most active of the scientific endeavors of the century, beian rifle- men — so that when we came down within a distance of fifty yards to their urtillery which had been firing at us, we were, in fact, sur- rounded and encircled by a blaze of tire, and raked by the riflemen, who tired upon us in flank. As we passed on, the oblique fire of the artillery was brought upon our rear, and on both flanks. We entered the battery — we went through the battery — the two leading regiments cutting down a great number of the Russian gunners. In the two regiments which I had the honour to lead, every officer was either killed or W'Ounded, or had his horse shot under him, except one. Those regiments having proceeded on, were followed by the second line, consisting of two more cavalry regiments, which continued to cut down the Russian gunners. Then came the third line consisting of two other regiments, who also 1!A( KWARD (il.AN'CES. 61 iioVjly jierformed their duty. Tlie result was, this body of about (JOO cavalry succeeded in passinjj; throun^h a body of, as wt; have since learnt 5,i)00 Russian cavalry : and having passed tlirough this mass, they went, according to our technical and military expression, "threes about," and retired in the same way, doing as much execution as they possibly could upon the enemy. Upon returning up the hill we had descended, we had to run the same gauntlet, and incur the same risk from the f^ank fire of the tirailleurs. Numbers of men and horses were shot down, and many of those unfortunate soldiers who had lost their chargers were killed while endeavour- ing to make their (escape. But what was the feelinu and bearing of those men who returned i From each legiment returned but small detach- ments — two thirds of ^hem having been destroyed — and those men, when they arrived at the summit of the hill fiom whence they had com- menced the attack but a short time before, gave three cheers of triumph and rejoicing at the exploit they had jierformed ; and well they might do 80, for they ha<'. ridden over a Russian battery, and encountered a countless body of the enemy in the rear." There was one Canadian horse, which charged with the six hundred, through that valley of blood, death and glory. The following was pub- lished in the London 'Telegraph a few years ago : "f^"T^ xfmKmA.^mmmmmmmmmmmsaiaaBm 62 BACKWAUl) (GLANCES. " Ser;;».'ant Fawke, one of tae Scots Greys, tells liow in riding back, a shell came skipping Hlon|jf, and, after passing throuj^h the Dragoons, struck the snow white Canadian charijer on which he was mounted, killing it on the spot. When he fell came the supremo moment of (ianger, but his comjianions rescued him, and a sergeant major of the Dragoon Chia^wls gave liim the bridle of a riderless charger of the 1,'Uh Light Dragoons, and mounted upon him, he escaped out of the valley. In December, 1855, the <^ijeen held a chapter of the most noble order of the Garter at the castle for the purpose of investing His Majesty the King of Sardinia with the order. Her Majesty wore a kirtle, mantle, hood and gold enamelled collar of the (xarter, and also wore a magnilicent diadem of diamonds. The Knights of the Garter with the otiicers of the order, entered the throne-roo«n and took their seats at the table, the senior Knights nearer the Queen, The ta))le w^as covered with purple velvet, with a deep border of gold lace and bullion fringe. The King wore the uniform of a Sardinian General, dark blue with -ilve» appointments, and was attended by the u 'IN and officers of his court. Her Majesty thi aeen and Knights of the Garter received the Kinf standing, and His Majesty was conducted to a seat in a chair of State, placed on the right hand of the Sovereign. The Queen announced to the I5Ali'iwmJix>«iii' 06 BACKWARD GLANCES. The main body was led by Ross, Her Majesty's piper, playing favourite national air^. The erection ot* bonfires was but the work of a few minutes. Some whisky having been procured, the health of the Queen and Prince and of the brave soldiers of the Crimea was drunk, whilst the air ranf"" with acclamations. Her Majesty and the Duchess of Kent, with the ladies of the suit, viewed the distant scene from the windows of the castle. It was one of sui passing wildness and beauty. The country for a considerable distance was lighted by vast bonfiies, the ruddy flames from which were re- flected from the windows and walls of the castle. The picturesque figures of the Higlilanders, who had collected in great numbers, were seen against the flames, and their shouts were heard far and wide throuijh the glen. A little before twelve o'clock, the whole concourse of peasants, work- men, ghillies and others, descended from the summit of the Craig G( bhain and assembling be- fore the castle windows, sang " God Save the Queen ; " and after three hearty cheers for the Queen, and three for the British army, gradually dismissed. From the (Coronation to Confederation. If the reader will glance back, we will trace together from the coronation, some leading HACKWAWn OLANCES. 67 events down to the; confederation of ihe pro- vinces of British North America. The h North American Colon- ies. His Excellency proposed to form a govern- ment for the British colonies in North America, which, whilst it maintained the supremacy of the mother country, and protected the common interest of all the the colonies, should leave to each the arrangement of its own peculiar affairs. The Legislative Council decided against the adoption of this plan, and directed the delegates whom they were sending to England to oppose it. And nothinfj came of the scheme at that time. The exhibition of 1851, is one of the events of the Queen's reign, which opened up new high- ways for the intercourse of nations, and brought them to see, that invention, extension of industry and commercial enterprise are the main foundations of the greatness and power of christianized countries. After two thousand years, England in the early reign of Victoria revived the occasions of public competition. It PACKWAHD CLANCES. 09 was to be no lorifi^er rnr. i alone who descended into the arena, that multitudes miirlit admire the vigor, beauty and s^'mmetry of his mnscular development, but the ingenious machinery created by him for multiplying his powers and regulating his labour. In these exhibition palaces, it is seen that invention is man's attribute. The product of man's industry in a thousand varied forms is here gathered together from the four corners of the world. Parliaments, peoples, kings, presidents, queens and tnnperors now sanction these itnmense gatherings, and are yearly offering inducements to different races to mingle together, as the many waters. The f^ng- lish exhibition of 1851, and that of France in 1855, are the foundations of all those great expositions which have dotted every civilized country since that time. The nations now are truly advancing to that happy state, when their interests will be so intermingled, that neither happiness nor misfortune will be able to touch one nation without aflVcting the other. ROYAL COMMISSION. The Queen's Royal Commission to Great Britain, Ireland and the Colonies is thus expressed : — " Whereas, amid the glorious suc- ces which through the power of Almighty Uod, has attended our arms during the present war, many soldiers, sailors, and nuirines, .serving in 501 70 BACKWARD (iLANCES. our aririies and fleets, have g-allantly fallen in battle, or by other casualities during the war : and nianv who .shall hereafter be enfiaired in conflict, or in the further prosecution of hostilities, may also noltly sncririee their lives in our service, while protecting the invaded liberties of our Ally, and repressing the lawless ambition of our enemies : " And whereas it hath been represented to us, that nianv of our lovingf siibiects throughout our Kingdom and Doniinion, actuated by a just sense of the sacred right of those who fell in the Country's service and in support of our just cause of war, are anxiously desiring of testifying tlieir loyalty and love to us and to our throne, by a just and generous benevolence tov»'arfl the widows and orphans of those our soldiers, sailors and marines who have been so killed, or who may hereafter die amid the ravages and casual- ities of war, and also by their gifts and subscrip- tions to contribute a portion of those means, ■with which our nation lias been blessed, toward succourinof, educatinnr and relieviuij those who by the loss of their husbands and parents in battle, or by death in active service in the present war, are unable to sustain or support tliemselves." A writer of the time says, "That no sooner had the Royal Commission appeared, than the flood-gates of charity were quickly opened; HACK WARD (JLANCKS. 71 subscriptions flowed in ; every city, every town- ship, every parish in the land hud its meetings its committees, its subscription lists. The thanksgiving day for the harvest was made a day for offerings of the more sul)8tantial sort dedicated to the same object." Beside all this the Directors of the Crystal Palace devoted the receipts of two Saturdays and the P^mperor Napoleon sent them his splendid band (that of Leo Guides) to draw crowded houses. At all the theatres j^rent benefits showed the interest of the play goers in this most worthy cause. And Irst, though far from the least, the w^orking men whether in public dockyards, on board ship in the large engineering and manufacturing establishments, or in private work shops and solitary garrets, with clerks, merchants, bankers and all sorts of conniiercial or professional firms, gave their quota at the call of their Queen. And in the pjritish Colonies as soon as the Commission of Her Majesty was made known, all hearts were stirred to action, and magnificient contributions were sent to the Mother Land. Australia sent £38.048, sterling, East Indies, £5(3,630, and British Guiana, Hong Kong, Gibralter, Ceylon, Cape of Good Hope, Trinidad, Bahamas. Ber- muda, New Zealand, Malta, and the Mauritius, all contributed handsomely. The Canadas by private subscription gave £18,374, sterling, and ■J'-;-^Bft3'««IW«W;3r«KBriB IJACKWAKI) GLANCP:S 73 1 home of our father's and have always been ; proud of the bravery and gallantry of our race. Close upon the heels of the Crimean War came the Indian Mutiny, with all its horrors, which resulted in taking out of the hands of the East India Company, tlie {government of that vast territory. About this time iron clad ships were intro- duced and the navies of the world have since been revolutionized. In 18(30, tlie Prince of Wales visited Canada and the United States. Queens-land was added in the same year to the Australian colonies. And in the sanie year justice was done to the English Jews by the removal of their political disabilities. The Queen's first visit was made to Ireland in 1861, a year made sorrowful by the death of the Prince Consort. In 18G7 was the Abyssinian war, and also in this year the second Reform Act was passed. And in this year the British North America Act was passed, and Nova Scotia be- came a province of the Canadian Union. Then followed in fiuick succession, the disestablish- ment of the Irish Church, the creation of the London School Board, and the proclaiming Her Majesty Empress of India. PRIME MINISTERS. The first thirty years of Queen Victoria's reign she had the following prime ministers as :-xs:.:.K:'y}.t'.ult of the deliberations was known. The convention sat seventeen days, during which time a consti- tution was adopted, and the convention ad- journed. The names of the delegates to the Quebec convention were as follows : 78 BACKWARD (JLANCES. New Brunswick was represented by : — Hon. S. L. Tilley, Provincial Secretary. " J. M. Johnson, Attorney General. '' J. H. Gray, M. P. P. " E. B. Chandler, M. L C. •' w e. streves, m. l. a " C. FrsHER. " P. Mitchell. The delegates from Nova Scotia were : — Hon. Charles Tuiter, Provincial Sec'y. " W. A. Henry. Attorney General " K. B. Dickie. " J. McCULLY " A. 0. Archihald. Prom Prince Edward Island the delef,^ates were: — Hon. C()L. Gray, President of the Council. " E. Palmer, Attorney General. " W. H. Pop , Provincial Secretary, " G. Coles. " T. H. Haviland. " E. W HAL AN. " A. A. MacDonald. Those from Newfoundland were : — Hon. F. B. S. Carter, Speaker H. of A. " Ambrose Shea. Those from Ontario and Quebec were Hon. Sir Etienne P. Tachi-;, Premier. " J. A. MacDonald, Attorney Gen 1 W, " G. E. Car'J'IER, Attorney Gen )., East. " \V. McDoiKULL, Provincial Secretary. BACKWAUI) GLANCES. 79 Hon. George Bkown, Pres. of the Council. " A. T. Galt, Finance Minister. ' A. Campbell, Com. of Crown Lands. " Oliver Mowatt, Postmaster General. " H. L. Langevix, Solicitor Gen., East. " T. D'Ar. • McGee, Minister of Ag'ture. " J. Cock BURN, Solicitor General. West. " J. C. Chapais, Com. of Public Works. The above is a list of those men vho repre- sented the provinces at the Quebec convention. The government of Ontario and Quebec, twelve iu nujnber, attended the convention in a body. The delegation of the T-anadas was one well mixed with Grits and Conservatives as will be seen from the list above If this delegation could possibly gain the support of the delegates of any one other province, they knew they would secure a strong position. They accomplished t.tM-s end. The membei;s of the Reform and Conservative Govertunent, of toe Canadas were well aware, that if they adopted any okher measure, less vsecret and less hurrie union of peoples in some respects ditlering in rac Unguage educa tion and religion. HO lUCKWARI) GLANCES, The rush with which confederation was pushed tlirongh the parliament of Upper and Lower Canada, without havino' l)oen submitted to tlie people, or scarcely having been discussed upon the iiustings, sliows the extreme difheidty in Vvdiich tliis coalition oovernment was placed, and the determined and (piick effort made b>- the members to extricate their provinces from their bankrupt condition as speedily as possible. They must have felt that the step on which they had decided was bold, but they knew well that bold attacks give success generally. It will be seen that the resolutions passed by the Legislatures of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, gave the dele- gates to the Charlottetown convention no power or authority to consider a union with the I. Canadas. The delegates to the Charlottetown convention delegated themselves to meet the government of the Canadas at Quebec. The resolutions of the Maritime Province Legislatures were alike in form and read as follows : " That his excellencv, the lieutenant governor, be authorized to appoint delegates — not to exceed five, to confer with delegates who may be appointed by the other Maritime Provinces, for the purpose of discussing the expediency of a union of these provinces of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick under one government and legislatrure, the report of the said 15 AC K WARD (JLANCES. SI delegates to be laid before the lecrislatures of the colonies before any action shall be taken in regard to the proposed question." Had not the Quebec (Convention swallowed up the Charlottetown delegation, is there a man living in Nova Scotia to-day, who was au elector at the time of confederation, believes that Maritime Union would have been accomplished, or even attempted in reality without the question having first been submitted to the people ? It is doubtful if there be one. The Canadians were bound to keep the question of Maritime Union from being put to the electors of the Maritime Provinces. They knew that a consolidation of interest in these provinces would put the greater union otf for years to come, if not forever. And the state of Upper and Lower Canada would, if possil)le, become more desperate. The impartial historian who by and by writes the true and inward history of confederation will properly describe the men who gathered at the Charlottetown convention from Nova Scotia. The greater union has not covered or effaced their record in that convention. Time may record their hidden acts, their secret correspon- dence, their confidential conversations, and their intrigues with utbers. The impartial and honest historian vvill perhaps be in a p(>siti .>n to state the motives and intrigues, which led tliem frotn principles of right to unite with those who were mmm 82 llACKWAKI) (.LANCES. careless and inditferent to tVie feelinfjs, rights and liberty of Nova Scotian.s. He may show in the clear liglit of knovvled^je, the weakness, the selfishness, the ambitions and vanities of those Nova Scotians who formed a part of the Char- lottetown convention. Perhaps he will state that the rewards of their duplicity have been official distinction and imp.irial recognition. The delel. Gray, Pres. of the Council. " E. Palmer, M. L, C, Attorney Gen 1. " VV H. Poj'E, Colonial Secretary " A. A. MacDonald, M. L C. " G. Coles. M. P. P. n IJACKWARl) GLANCKS. 8 * The Canadians who came down and passed over to Charlottetown as swift ships and as eagles that hasteth to the prey were • — Hon. J. A. MacDonald. ''• OE(>Rilii1''»MP^WM?ii«ifl«Hf«iWW»«J!»«W»l'|i"l'.W«IJi!l*i< 8-t BACKWARD GLAN'CES. the principles of the union of Upper and Lower Canada, they had stepped on the threshold of a greater union. They looked for no imperial honours if unsuccessful, nor the acclamations of their friends. While they looked to the Britisli Pariiam(>nt to get them linally out of their trouble, they had craftily chosen the time to hoodwink English statesmen, and bla/e forth their own loyalty to the mother country. Under the pretext of fears of an American invasion or that war with the United States was inevitable, they implored the British government and par- liament to come to their a.-sistance. They must have smiled at their success, as from time to time they deceived the statesmen of Britain. They also must have had a jolJy reunion after their .successful visit to Prince Edward Island. A storA' has been told of an incident which (Xjcurred when they w^ere en route i*) meet the Maritime delegates at the Charlottetown Uon- vention. The story may be true or it may not. It is this: — An evening or two before arriving at the capital of the Island, when some of the party were rather mirthful, one of the number looked luite sad. He was invited to brace up. He replied : " Gentlemen, you may be happy and laughing and hopeful under some transient influence. But our combined energy and dis- cretion must not be weakened by your inspired visions," One of the party rose to his feet, not HACK WAR I) ^JF.AXC'tS. M5 amonj,^ the jingling of sleigh bolls, for the sum- mer evenings had scarcely finished tlieir course, and said in reply, in sober accents : ' Qu-il n'y rien d nnpossible ; Je vien le faire moi nienie." The only way to learn of men accurately is by their acts. Some people believe what they wish to believe, and report wliat they wish others to believe, because it is to tlie interest of their leaders and party. The popular conception of leading politicians and statesmen, a conception not supported by investigation and facts and based on sound judgment, is often as far from ihe real truth as a tale of fiction. It was not fears of an American invasion, bat tlie desperate state of the Canadian provinces, that imj>elled the Canadian statesmen on, in their desperate work to save themselves and their provinces from utter ruin. Tliey wsre compelled to sin in their own defence to preserve their reputations. W '. ■ <■: 11 i^m^mmmimmm^r' Chapter VI. The British North America Act, Unpopular in Nova Scotia. Tii(3 validity of the Act of Union was detor- uiinedJy dinputed in ISoya Scotia at the elections of eighteen hundred and sixty-seven. The peo- ple 8ho\\ed their strengtli and were as seven to one against Ibnfederation. Out of nineteen representatives, eighteen were elected opposed to the union, aiid Hon. Dr. Charles Tupper the only unionist elected obtained his seat hy a .-^inall majority of seventy. Hon, Adams (}. Archibald was defeated for his seat as Secretary of State for the provinces in John A. Macdonald's coali- tion government, and being then unable to obtain a constituency, was subsequently obliged to resign his seat in the Hrst Union Cabinet. There was not a constituency in Nova Scotia, whereadefeated unionist could looktoforaehance of election. Some of the leading papers of the country of that time, openly stated that : " Never before in Canada have votes commanded such prices or found such a buoyant market as during the present contest." Those same papers might havealso stated, that tlie corrupt election practices of the United Provinces had never di.sgraced Nova B A C K W A K n GL A N'C ES. 87 I Scotia Itcfore. The result of those contcstK has been a barrier to the expression of free public opinion in this province for thirty years. The gold of Canada, the intkience of the l-iocal Government, and the bullion of tlie Bank of Eno^land could not have changed the votes of the electors of Nova Scotia at the time of confederation. The people were honestly and intelli(,^ently opposed to the union. In every free and enlightened country, no political or constitutional changes, wliidi aliect the whole electorate and people, should be brought about, without their consent at the polls. In a former chapter, the Charlottetown Con- vention and the one afterwards held have been mentioned, and before proceeding further with the present chapter, some events that transpired in the Canadian and Nova Scotia Legislatures vsoon after those conventions had brought their proceedings to a close will be related. On the third of February, 1865, Sir E. P. Tach.^ moved in the Canadian Legislative Council : — " That an hunjble address be presented to Her Majesty praying that she may be graciously pleased to cause a measure to be su})mitted to the Imperial Parliament for the purpose of unit- ing the colonies of Canada, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island in one government, with provisions based on certain resolutions which were adopted at a 1. 1 1 ,>i.iiij"^^im»i^(»Bnni^nn»»B 88 BACKVVAKD GLANCES. conference of delegates for the saiil colonies, held at the city of Quebec on the tenth of Octo- ber, eighteen hundred and sixty-four." /Vt the same hour and on the same day the Hon. John A. Macdonald made the same motion in the Canadian House of Assembly. The motion was adopted in the Assembly by a majority of tifty-eioht. The people of Nova Scotia had never been consulted on the ([uestion of union witli Canada, Tupper, Henry, Dickie, McCully and Archibald excepted, yet the Legislature of Canada took upon itself to pass a resolution to address the Queen to interfere with their constitutional rights and hand the province over to a combina- tion of politicans who represented a disorganized and dissatisfied people. A combination who liad arrived at a point, when it was found impossible to control their own political machine. A few months later the Hon. Charles Tupper in the Nova Scotia House of As.sembly, sub- mitted the following resolution : — " Whereas in the opinion of this House, it is desirable that a confederation of the British North American colonies should take place ; Resolved therefore, that His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor be authorized to appoint delegates to arrange with the Imperial Govern- ment a scheme of union which will etlectually insure just provisions for the rights and interests l!ArK\V,\Hl> fU-AN'CKS. 80 of tliis i.n.vinco." 'rh(i motion passed with a Jiinjority of twelve, while at the same time it would have been defeated at the polls hy an overwlielmin^r vote, and J)r. Tupper and his associates were well aware of tliis. lint they had made up their minds to override the liberty of the people, cu.st what it mi^rht. They all got their reward but they lost the hearts and appro- bation of their fellov/ cohjnists. Some of them hav« li\ ed to see that they have never regained them. To the everlasting honor of the Prince Kdward Ishmd Legislature, it was not influenced by the <.K>uebec conference. That pi'ovince entered the union seven years later of its own free will and upon its own terms. And the Newfoundland Legislature acted according to the well under- stood wishes of the people of the ancient colony. During the simimer of eighteen hundred and sixty-six, the delegates whose legislatures had pronounced in favour of confedpration made arrangements to meet and settle the details and determine the precise terms of the Act giving effect to the union of the provinces of Can.'ida, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, which was to be submitted for adoption by the Imperial Par- liament. The delegates were appointed by the several governments. From Upper Canada, they were Hon. John A. Macdonald, Hon. William Macdoui^all. From IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) 1.0 I.I 1.25 *-IIIM lillM IK 1^ [22 1.8 U i 1.6 V] ^ /} /a 'et with the hearty approval of all the leaders of the respective parties and was strongly opposed by members of the clear Grit Party. The Hon, Jolm A. Mac- donald formed a ministry of thirteen, six of whom were conservatives, six reformers and one who had been a member of the reform party for some time, but had left it for religious and per- sonal reasons. Air. Macdonald said, in forming the government. " I desire to bring to my aid in the new government those men, irrespective of party, who represent the majorities in the differ- ent provinces of the union. I do not want it to be felt by any section in the country that they 94 BACKWARD (JLAN'CES. h.'ive no )*epresentative in the cabinet, and no influence in the f]fovernment." Tlie niiniatry as formed by Mr. Macdonald was composed of the following men : — Hon. John A. Macdoxalo. Conservative. " Adam J. F. Blair, Liberal. " Alexandp:r Camf'HELL, Conservative. " Wilijam Pearce Howlam), Liberal. " GEOK(iK E. Cahtier, Conservative. " William McDoucjall, Liberal. " Alexander T. Galt, Conservative. " Samuel Leonard Tilley, Liberal. " Jean Charle.s Cafais, Conservative. " Peter Mitchell, Liberal. " Hector L. LAN(iEViN, Conservative, " Adams G. Archirald, Liberal. " Edward Kennv, Conservative. The cabinet stood regarding the provinces as follows: Ontario was given five members, three of whom were liberals or reformers, that party having the ascendancy in the province. Quebec was given four, all being conservatives, this party being in a large majority in the province. New Brunswick was given two members, both being liberals. Nova Scotia was also given two members, one was a liberal and the other a con- servative. Hon. Adams G. Archibald certainly did not represent the liberal party of Nova Scotia, and Hon. Edward Kenny had certainly less of a party to represent than the liberals had BACKWARD (JI.ANOES. 96 in Quebec. Tlie Hon. Atlanis (}. Archibald and the Hon. Edward Kenny therefore for a short time repreHented tlieniHelves. New Brunswick from the formation of the firRt Union Government exhibited a disposition to give confederation a fair trial and the elements of Ontario clear grittism have never taken a very strong hold in that province. The good old liberalism, that has done so much for the sister province has not been superseded by the grittism of the Upper Provinces. New Bruns- wick got her difficulties settled largely to her satisfaction, because her representatives were wise and moderate, and supported the coalition government of the Hon. John A. Macdonald when- ever they felt such support was in the interest of their constituents and province. After the Nova Scotia members had accepted the ITnion they became rigid unionists, and they accepted it as soon as they were sworn in and took their seats. And they sealed the fate of their province when they cast their first vote for or against any question which affected the Dominion at large. This will .scarcely be denied by any person in Nova Scotia or in any other part of Canada, who knows anything of parliamentary practice or the constitution of his country. Taking the four provinces, it will be found that three of them pronounced unmistakablj'^ in favour of Hon. John A. MacDonald's coalition 96 HACK WARD GLANCES. government. These provincoH were. Ontario, Quebec ajnd New BrunHwick. Nova Scotia alone pronounced as decidedly against it. Thus through her representatives she placed herself in antagonism to ail tlie conservatives and moderate liberals of the three provinces, and firmly allied herself through her members with the clear grits of Ontario. The (Confederation at that time numbered four provinces only. Prince Edward Island stood wisely aloof, choos- ing her own time to enter the union. To explain what the professed principles of the Clear (irit party of Ontario were, and with what high sounding words and professions they were about to enter the union, a resolution or two passed at a great Reform convention held in the Music Hall, Toronto, on June twenty seventh, 1867, will be given here in full. The Krst resolution was moved by Hon. Edward Blake and reads as follows : — " That this convention records its high grati- fication, that the long and earnest contest of the Reform Party for the great principles of representation by population, and local control over local aflairs, has at last been crowned with triumphant success ; and it claims from the people of Upper Canada the meed of gratitude due from a just and generous people to those who, by years of self sacrificing labour, have peacefully achieved great and invaluable changes." BACKWARD GLANCES. 9T The local control over local affairs mentioned in the above resolution , was that Quebec would no longer interfere in matters relating only to Ontario, and that Confederation would dissolve a union, which was brought to a political dead lock and provincial bankruptcy, while states- men had been trembling on the brink of n chasm, where a fearful crash seemed imminent. The invaluable constitutional changes, were the union of the four provinces of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, for which the Grit party had been fighting so long, and now saw its labours crowned with triumphant sitc- cess, and freeing Ontario from the direct interference of Quebec in matters purely provincial. The next resolution was moved by the Hon. George Brown, it reads as follows : — " That while the new Federal Constitution for the United Provinces of Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, doubtless contains obvious defects, yet we unhesitatingly and joyfully recognize that the measure, as a whole, is based on equitable principles, and removes the barriers that have heretofore stood in the way of good government in this province, and in behalf of the great Reform Party of Upper Canada, this convention heartily accepts the new Consti- tution about to be inaugurated, with a determin- ation to work it loyally and patiently, and to 98 MACKWAKD <;LANe formed, but considered opposit ion for oppositions' sake, unjust and ungenerous. He state*s a true young fellow, cast in nature's best mould, thorough and sound and not a half- cracked article, tossed upon the world and Ill ^ fjm mmmmmmm RmPI 152 BACKWARD (GLANCES. society for what purpose no scientist or philoso- pher has yet discovered. Pauline really loved 'nim and was also some- what dazzled by liis embroidery, his handsome face and specious tongue. She was above the medium height, full and round in figure, without in the least pertaining to grossneas, and erect in her bearing and graceful as an elm. She had a passion for dogs, and loved them as well as she did her school mates, perhaps better. She had a beautiful voice, soft, rich and sympathetic, and her complexion, one of a combination of pink and olive. In manner she was dignified and self possessed. Her hair was dark brown and abundant, parted in tlie middle and lay in soft rings on her crescent shaped brow. Her hands were perfect in shape and soft as kid. When she went for a walk, she was usually accompanied by her scotch terrier, which she called "Jolly Tar." Her mother was a French lady, her father was of Scotch descent. At one time lie was in good financial circum- stances, he had died when Pauline was a mere child. Her mother had a small income in her own right. Too much society and too little prudence on the part of her mother, who was rather haughty, perhaps also vain, caused the pounds to dwindle away. Young Arthur first met Pauline in Quebec, where her mother kept a genteel boarding house. Pauline was then in BACKWARD GLAN'CES. 153 her eighteenth year. Hon. G. E. Cartier and Hon. Joseph Howe, it is said, were well ac- quainted with the family, and when Pauline had received the returned letter, she went to Mr. Howe seeking advice about stamping a letter to a Mediterranean port. Her next letter reached its destination, but in the meantime she had received a letter from Arthur, who as it after- wards appears had fallen deeply in love with her on sight. Time passed on, the young sailor took ill in the East, and Pauline became dearer to him than ever. He was compelled soon to return to England. But before leaving the seat of war, he wrote to Pauline and gave her direc- tions to cross the Atlantic and meet him in England on his return. She sailed from Canada late in the fall and not long after arrived safely ill her lover's country. Arthur had arrived home a few day.M earlier. His mother wis lady A , a widow resid- ing at the time with her aunt the Countess of L . He made known to his mother the fact that a young colonial girl was crossing the ocean, and it was his intention to wed her. The news very much surprised his mother, as she and the Countess were desirous of arranging a match for him at home. In fact they had sighted a young lady they considcjred most suitable for Arthur, if all could be mutually arranged. Lady A was most anxious to 154 BACKWARD (JLANCES. learn from her son who the kicky bride should be. He informed his mother, that his intended was a young colonial lady coming from one of the Canada's. His mother kept silent about the matter for a day or two, then she informed the Countess of Arthur's intention. This revelation brought matters to a crisis, as the Countess addressed herself to the subject in hand. She prcpo'jed un immediate interview with Arthur. He agreed and met the Countess at the hour appointed. After the usual greetings, the Countess said to him : "My dear Arthur, I am informed that you are aV)out to marry a young girl from one of our colonies, belonging to one of the Canadas, is it really true your intentions are such ?" " It is settled," replied her relative. " Artluir " slie said gravely, "is it possible you would place your devoted mother and myself in danger of becoming related to a family of convicts ?" " I do not quite understand you rny dear aunt, the girl I love and whom I intend to marry belongs to one of the Canada's, ' replied Arthur. The Countess threw up her hands in utter astonishment, and almost reeled from her seat, as she said, " Oh Arthur, dear Arthur, you sadden me, I despair, as those words ' one of the Canadas ' sound in my ears, not even convicts, but indians, have been your associates in America. I heard of their rebellion against British rule in the year eighteen hundred and TUCK WARD r.LANCKS. 155 thirty-eight, they were said to be the most treacherous and blood thirsty tribe of indians in America, Oh those Canadas : those Canadas ! thone Cana*tocratin bearing, found herself side by side with a charming young French lady, for whom the Duchess of S had found a seat. The Duchess of 8 seated herself a few yards distant. The elderly English lady soon entered into conversation with her neighbour, and lenrnt from the talk of her fair companion, that she had not long been married, and that her husband was soHiewhere in the crowd, and HACKWARI) GLANCKS. 159 that the Duchess of S had invited her to accept the seat she occupied. The Eno^lish lady spoke to Pauline of the inauguration of the great exhibitions. She said, " an institution like this for the advancement of art. peace and civilization is a crowning affair of the nativ.n. There are articles here from many parts, even from the French in America, who to their honor be it said, have united with our English Colonists in that far away Ian I to sup- press and drive back those murderous Canadas, more terrible than the Mohawks or any other indian tribe on that great continent. Britain should send out a force to annihilate those vil- lians." " I have reason to hate them with a treble hatred." Pauline replied ; " the indian tribes of Canada are now not dangerous, but have you over lost anv relatives in the wars with the Indians ?" " No, my dear, but I have suffered untold agonies hy those wret,cheJ Canedas." Pauline turned the conversation with a smile, as she saw her friend was becoming agitated. Pjiuline's face lit up as she replied ; " How true it is that nations and people are improving in art, morality, education ami science and benevo- l^'nce, people are mixing more and more like tlie many waters, the British colonies are important and growing children around our Mother land." At this moinent the cortage passed and Pauline's voice ceased. m^m^mf^^a^^ 160 BACKWARD GLANCES. A perfect tide of feathers, ribands, lace, flowers and silks, kids and gold eiiibrodiery tilled up the track of their majesties, l^auline was almost dazzled with the scene and smother- ered in finery. The elderly English lady seeing that she was not accustomed to such assemblies, took her by the hand as they followed in the tram, so that it would be impossible for them to become separated in the sea of people. At length they took each others arm as they were jostled among the wives and daughters of high state functionaries who formed the escort of the English Queen, and his Majesty's Imperial host. Hitherto neither of the two ladies knew the name or rank of the other, in this way they passed more than two hours together protecting one another from the pressure of the crowd, while conversing quite intimately upon various little affairs arising out of the circumstance of the parade. When they had again met the Duchess of S , the English lady whispered to the Duchess, '• what a charming young woman I have found." " I wonder who she is V " I shall certainly not leave iier until I have inquired her name." The Duchess of S replied in an equally subdued tone : " I also admire her very much and would like to invite her home with me." The promenade was at last brought to a close, and the Queen and BACKWARD GLANCES. 161 Emperor left the exhibition. A great crowd collected again at their departure. At this moinent Pauline exclaimed, " however shall I find Arthur in auch a multitude ? " " Is your brother's or your husband's name Arthur," inquired the English lady? "Qui ma cht're madam," said the young woman, "Ah ! here he comes, what a lucky chance to meet him," exclaimt^d Pauline. Arthur quickly saw his wife and stepping toward her, said, " what has happened my dear to place you in the company of Countess L / " The English lady for a moment stood trembling and abashed, and Arthur taking her hand in his said, " my dear Countess L ," in a tone of complete confidence, as he led Pauline with the other hand toward the Countess ; " this is one of the Canadas, Pauline is my wife." The Countess answered nothing in reply. She was agitated and ordered the carriage. When the carriage had arrived, she took the hand of Pauline tightly in her own, and planting a kiss upon her cheek, she said, " step my dear into the carriage," then turning t^ Arthur she said in trembling tones, yet slowly, " let us hasten to England, to your dear mother, relieve her of her unnecessary anxiety, and that I may receive her congratulations on my journey to Franca and visit at Paris." They left the following morning fi>r tljeir English home, the Duchess of 8 accom- panying the party. 162 BACKWARD GLANCES. The Duchess of S- managed the whole affair with great tact. She had told Arthur she would do her beat to heal the breach. She admirably succeeded at the first opportunity. The Duchess of S belonged to an illus^tri- ous British family containing a long line of noble names, and she, herself was a woman of retined common sense, and noble qualities of heart. Arthur's relative, the Countess of L belonged also to an old aristrocratic family, but her ancestors had not' been renowned Ijy any splendid mental or martial achievements. Lady A , Arthur's mother, belonged to a class suddenly raised by v,'ealth and title to prominence and high social distinction. There is no finer class of people in Britain, and less pretentious than that which composes, the well informed, common sense portion of the British aristocracy. They are nobility itself. But weak, vain, narrow visioned persons are found in all classes of society, and among the ancient nobility of England, such a class natur- ally exists. They exist as well among that class, which is continually tumbling into social prominence, through wealth, political influence and party power. Addison has remarked in one of his " essays on manners," " that there is more to do about precedence in a company of justices' wives than in a company of Duchesses." In Great Britain to-day, there is no portion of the P4CKWARD GLANX'ES. 163 people less aristocratic, than the well informed and intelliorent aristocracy. After Arthur and his wife were comfortably settled in England, and the imaginary war whoop and scalping knife, had ceased to be bars to a family re-union, they toured in pleasure for some time through what are called the provincial towns of the country. They were welcomed and received by the best society, and only once was Pauline called upon to resent an insult because of her colonial birth. She met at a railway station the daughter of an iron monger, who had gained great wealth and prominence and social position through successful business opera- tions. This young woman she had met at a ball an evening or two earlier. Pauline became the chief attraction at the function, which creat- ed little jealousies among the fair ones. The iron monger's daughter leaning upon the arm of her partner, with a haughty toss of the head, as they walked through one of the corridors lead- ing from the ball room, said loudly enough for Pauline to hear her ; " she is only a poor girl from Canada, why is so much fuss made over her presence here, I am sure she is no beauty, it is a wonder Arthur ever married her." At tlie station Miss Ironmonger put out her hand to bid Pauline a farewell on her departure in com- pany with her husband and the Countess L for Ireland. Pauline tixed her dark brown eyes I ■juL.LiJui. \i^^^mmmmmmmmimmimmimmKm 164 BACKWARJ) (^tLANOKS. upon her detractor, who .seemed to tremble and sway, as tliough taping a wliirlwind or tempest, while Pauline looked a young Juno about to cast the bolts of Jupiter upon her, said, " I was about to treat you unkindly," then she paused, and in a gentle, confident, masterful and woman- ly n)anner continued, " I thank you ; but always remember that 1 am a Canadian and proud of the name, and the county to which you belong will some day be as proud of Canada as I am." The party toured through Ireland for some time, then returned to England. As they were entering a Britii^h port on board an Irish packet, Pauline became deeply interested in the conver- sation of two young men sitting near the Coun- tess and herself. One pulled a paper out of his pocket and began to read to the other as follows : " The Minister of Foreign Affairs has received from Lord Cowley the following communication : — Mon- sieur le Ministre, I have the honour to transmit to your Excellency the annexed copy of an address, in which the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly of Canada offer conjointly to the Queen their congratulations on the occasion of the victory gained by the allied armies at the Alma, and express their intention of contributing to the subscription in aid of the widows and orphans of the soldiers and seamen, both English and French, who have fallen in the present struggle. A sura of £20,000 having been for this object, sent to London by the government of BACKWARD GLANCES. 165 Cf*uada to be divided equally between the two nationH, T am charged to request your Excellency to inform me of the wishes of the Government of the Emperor relative to the racfde of transmitting the £10,000 (250,000 francs) which belong to France." I am, itc, Jan. 30th, 1855. Cowlk.y. Just aa the young Irishman had concluded, three shrills touts of the steamer's whistle startled the passengers. Quick as the Hash from a gun, the young man took the Countess L by the arm and said " qi'.ick ladies and see the lovely sight over the other side of the ship." In an instant they were up and almost to the other side, when a collision occurred and the ladies fell into his arms from the shock. Arthur hastened from another quarter of the packet, where he had been looking after his luggage. The upper part of the steamer had been stove in and the ladies escaped serious injury, if not death. A few years earlier a young man named Windham, had rescued on one of those Irish packets two ladies from imminent death in a similar collision in the Irish Cliannel. This latter lived to become the hero of tlie Redan, the former a few years later woo the Victoria Cross for valor on the sunny plains of India A Warding From Over the Sea. Shortly before the introduction of the British North America Act in the British Parliment, an mm mmmmmmmm 166 BACKWARD GLANCES. Eiitjlish officer arrived from America und met at Arthur's home a gentleman of one of Her Majesty's regiments deeply interested in Cana- dian confederation. In conversation the officer said : I have spent some time in the United States and recently travelled through Quebec, Ontario and thje Maritinie Provinces, spending a few weeks in each of the provinces, before finally embarking at Halifax for home. To wliatever part of the Canadas, (witli of course some excep- tions) I directed my attention I found evidences of advanced civilization, and all tliose accommo- dations which an emigrant so often looks for in vain. Canada occupies a high position in its agricultural mercantile and manufacturing inter- ests. Few colonies possess the advantages it offers, in an intellectual and religious point of view. Its political institutions open up a wide field for talent and energy which could find ^w exercise at home. The politics of the country are in a deplorable condition nevertheless, and the provinces on the verge of bankruptcy. The factions are worse in some respects than those of Ireland. Party and prejudice are rampant. The Maritime Provinces can only save those provinces* credit and regulate their political machinery. They are doomed without tlieir aid, hence the terrible efforts to bring about the union on the part of both the liberals and con- servatives of Ontario and Quebec. The clear lUCKWAUD OLANCteS. 167 grit elements of Ontario are the loudest and most determined unionists in all British North America. They stop at nothing and never seeni daunted. " In the Maritime Provinces the people are real Britons and fervently loyal to our Queen. In Nova Scotia I found the great mass* of the people deadly opposed to unite in a political compact with Ontario and Quebec, and I feel it will be unwi.se in our government to attempt by legislation to force this people into a union against their will. Their feelings toward the Motherland are too true to be even tampered with. I willingly admit, the union cannot be a success without Nova Scotia, but it will be a greater success when those people join it will- ingly, whicli I think they will if left alone for a few years. I may be mistaken but I am impressed that my views are correct. The men* of the maritime provinces are hardy, intelligent and iiidustrious, the women are excellent house- keepers and the daughters tlie " Belles of the Einpire." The young ladies of Ontario and especially some of those of Quebec are exception- ally beautiful," (Pauline who was sitting beside her husband at the time, smiled and bowed, ^ but I had considered the ladies of New Zealand the handsomest I had ever seen, until I had visited St. John, Fredericton, Annapolis, Kentville, Windsor and Halifax and other 108 BACKWARD GLANCKS. localities of the niaritiuic provinces. I hope the people of Nova Scotia will be allowed to exert that British freedom they so much prize, and upon which all our institutions are founded. It is just that they should." The ^^entlenian who so strongly advocated the confederation scheme, and who afterwards received recognition from his sovereign, admitted the union was impossible of success without Nova Scotia, merely replied : "It must be accomplished to save the Canadas fioin political and financial shipwreck." Just as the gentleman spoke the last words, the Countess entered the room. She was well acquainted with the gentleman, whose words she heard on entering. She invited him to repeat them. He did so. The Countess said : " Lieutenant, those last words of yours, bring to my mind a very unpleasant remembrance. A few years ago I thought the Canadas were a tribe of indian warriors, but I rojoice to-day in having studied a little of our colonial history, ':nough indeed to correct me in mj^ judgment of our people in the British North American colon- ics. How little we have known of our race in other lands. Association with those colonists informs us better than books, and the speeches of our politicians." At this moment Pauline re-entered the room havinix left a few minutes before the Countess came in. " Look," " Lieuten- HACKWAHI) CLAN ES. \m ant," said the Counters, "here comes one of tlie CanadiiH, I think hir ([uite as beautiful as any lady in En^danten to her, if she cares to speak concerninjU' the union of Nova Scotia with the Cajiadas. She knows more about our Nova Scotian colonists than any of our statesmen, and thinks it not only unwis** but wronf:^ to interfere with the will of such an intelligent and loyal people." The Lieutenant looked at Pauline, and scjd ; " you pi.^rhajus Jud^je rightly, but tlu re are times when England must consult her own interest Hrst, even if that inter- est conflicts with the feelings of any one of her colonies. " If that be so," replied Pauline, " re- garding a free and enlightened colony such as Nova Scotia is, I consider the enforcement of such English interest in opposition to the wisli of the colonists, as unfounded in principle, and if such a polic}" is continued among our free colonies, it will be fatal in its consequences to this country. With my knowledge of Nova Scotians, if I were a public man, I would condemn such a system at the beginning, and opp(jse its progress. in every stage, both in and out of Parliament." The Lieutenant laughingly replied ; " Perhaps- I am guided in my opinion by strategy, and military knowledge, rather than purely political knowledge, if I may so express myself, regarviing 170 IIACKWARD TiLANCES. the union of Nova Scotin with the Cana(hia." " Thfit, I dare say is true, and to use another's expression, ' your words are a grenadier's march to my heart,' but ' my mouth shall speak of wis- dom ; and the meditation of my heart sliall be of undeistanding.' Our prayer, the prayer of this nation, should be that every statesman of the land, may be i,niided in Ills action by tlio third verse of the forty-ninth psalm, when ho attempts to interfere with tliat beautiful and rich little English colony lying far tway in tlie Atlantic, and inhabited by the bravest and truest British hearts. It is not for you and me Lieutenant with our knjwledge of those people to sanction an extreme course and the exercise of arbitrary rule. Power continued by gentle njeans, and by degrees, rather than by a sudden exliibition of strength, is in its nature more desirable and firm, than by any other means. It was once said that an English government mis- took a single province of Massachusetts Bay for the American Empire, and in this day English statesmen seem to know as little about Nova Scotia, as they once did about Massachusetts. You may not know the province as well as I do and the state of feeling there," replied Pauline. The Lieutenant answered by saying : " I feel rather surprised, you being a Canadian, do not wish to see a compact union, called Canadian." Pauline readily replied : " I am proud of being a Canadian, and desire to see a compact and MACKWAHI) (iLANCES. 171 isatiMl'jictory union. Hut becHUMo I was free born, I object to a forocMl and unsatisi'actory one, in one of its principal parts." Tlie Lieutenant here turned the conversation, and soon after took lii.s departure. And in no long time, after his visit to Arthur's home, was appointed to an honoraiile position in one of Hor majesty's colonies. Tlie lieutenant admitted to Arthur the next time that they met. that Pauline's thorou<^h common sense, her love of liberty, together with her easy Hn]endid Canadian woman, it is JifHciilt to say what >j;reat and growing advantages would have sur- sounded Nova Scotia at the present hour. ?auline well knew tliat it would have he(tn a statesmanship far more in keeping with the time, for Englisli politicans to have listened to the Mppeals of the colonists in defence of their lights, rather than to a hungry band of placemeTi and pensioners in the service of Hiitain in the colony, or to a few Nova Scotian |>olitieians, who in view of the possibility of carrying the province into the union looked forward to Cana- dian or Imperial honour?!. If their success raised them in ine esteem of Kngiishmen, it rendered them still more obnoxious to every true Nova Scotian colonist, and to every Cana- dian, influenced by a spirit as noble as that of Pauline. I'here is scarcely a person, among tiie l^ritish aristocracy of to-day to whom tlie word Canada >vould suggest red skins or convicts or the name Nova Scotia, Maoris or Zulus. And naval and military ofhcers an<] Eno^llsh statesmen have found out, that not in the increase of battle ships and guns, nor in the conimand of a mighty commerce alone, lies the power of Britain, but that in a greater degree, BACKWARD (ILAXCES. 173 ahe tincKs lier power increasinor tlirouo^h tlie expansion and development of iiiaLrnificent prov- inces and territories in her threat colonial pos- sessions. The colonics are making the Greater I'rituin, which some day compared with (ireat Britain may appear as powert'u) as the latter did to Nova Scotia in eif^hteen hundred and sixty- seven, (ireat and small colonies are achieving many triumplis, other and greater victories are yet in store For tliem. H may be advantageons to civilization and the world at laro-e, if colonial progress does not lessen Great tW'itain's p^^wer. Esjghxnd has been imphcitiy trusted alike by her great and proud colonies and her equal!}" proud and smallei one> . Whatever the future of ( Sreat Britain and her colonies may he, the out- look would seem to forecast a more extensive alliance of the Anijlo Saxon race hrndy united in the cause of civilization under their several forms of popular goverrnnent. Britislj statesmen and soldiers have sometimes blundered, but their history is still incomparable What they, in tlieir own way liave accomplished for Great Brita; tin- Ancjlo Saxons, their brethren, scattere'l about the globe, will accom- plish in their own way for the world. mmssisfrm wittmsmmmmmmmmmsi Chapter XIII. Canadian and Other Tariffs. Whether Canada lias prospered under a pro- tective taiiff more rapidly than she would have prospered under a non-protective taritt', is a question it might be difficult to decide. No doubt protection has done good in some sections of the Doniinion, while its effects have been the opposite in other localities. Freer commercial intercourse with the New England States, would have been a much greater boon to the Maritime Province during the past twenty years, than all their trade with the rest of Canada and protec- tion included. Hardly any intelligent citi/en of these provinces will deny this statement. But looking at what nearly all other countries and governments have been doing through the past quarter of a century, it is difficult to see how Canada could have escaped a protective tariff. Even if Encjland had jjiven her colonies an advantage over other countries in her mar- kets, in prohibiting foreign articles from com- peting with, tho.se of her colonies on even terms, which she is never likely to do, it is most diffi- cult to understand, how Canada could have stood the competition of the United States, and BACKWARD GLANCES. 17 o at the same time liave created any ^^-eai in- dustrial establishments of her own. Protection like an epidemic has been spread- ing over the whole face of the globe, and manu- factories of all kinds have been sprinn-lntr up like mushrooms. Articles that wure largely exported about the world, such as cotton, woolen, silk, linen, steel and iron, glass and pottery, all manufactured, can now scarcely find markets in America, France, Germany, Belgium, Holland. Austria, Hungary, Italy or Spain, these goods are manu- factured cheaper and as good in all these countries as they are in the United States. They are manufactured in all these countries about as cheaply as in any one of tliem. And all these countries have custom duties on all these classes of goods, in some instances higher tlian those that were imposed by the McKinley law in America. We cannot turn to any continent of the world without meeting with protection. If we look at Asia we find in India high duties, with discrim- ination in favour of English goods, and .some classes of these goods are manufactured in India. In China some of these classes of goods are also manufactured there bv labourers tiettiuir ten cent8 tt day, who subsist on fisli and rice. There are many articles the Cliinese do nut manufac- ture, but they are yearly acquiring the al^ility ssscsasaaassiim mmmmmmmt 176 BACKWARD GLANCES. to jriake all classes of croodH needed in that vast country. At the present time Great Britain witli cheaper floods than America, and some of the Emn^pean countries controls the trade of China. If we look at Japan, a hi^h rate of duties is found tliere, and che ip labor engaged in manu- facturing man}' articles formerly imported. In the Australian colonies, in all but one, there are high custom duties with discrimination in favor- of EnHand. Africa is largely supplied by Great Britain, France, Belgium and Gennany with manufac- factured and other articles, but Africa is largely just opening. If we look at our own continent, we itind Mexico with a tariff law covering all classes of manufactured goods. In Brazil, the Argentine Kepublic, Peru, Chili, Bolivia and all the princi- pal countries of South America the case is the aanK'. So it must be admitted that protection and tiie spread of manufacturing industries around the world have severely hampered the comamerce of the globe, and the countries that can manufacture the cheapest or place their n*anufactured articles in the ports of those countries, that have not yet been »ble to manu- facture for themselves, will secure their business in this line. Canada could have ke[>t on importing all she required in manufactured go<^ds from Kngland BACKWARD OLANCES. 177 and the Uniteecomes one of first importance to every right thinking man, whether he be statesman or educator, farmer or artizan." V IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I - IM 1112.2 m 12.0 1.8 1.25 1.4 1.6 -• 6" — ^ v: <^ /}. % 'e^. .> ^..* o /,. / /A Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 .& %o l^r Ux 18-* BACKWARD OLAN'CES. When one political party, declares that the prosperity of the country depends absolutely upon its policy, and its policy is protection, and the other party declares its policy is the opposite of protection, there must be uncertainty in the minds o£ the people as to the future. Instead of both sides being rnout th*.' things for which they are contending. The situation in the United States will confirm the above, we have seen the American treasury under a high as well as under a low tariff, and withal under a continually changing tariff, suffering deficits. and continuous strikes and unrest among the masses. England with her unchanging system of duties has been steadily moving forward, with her exchequer full to overflowing, and with but slight interruptions of unreat among her working classes. Canada may not yet have reached that stage, when sudden and continuous changes are being made in her tariff, and it m hoped she never BACKWARD OLANCRS. 185 will. Among tlie greatest evils any country can be CfJled upon to endure, is when its tariff is l^eing ceasdessly tinkered with by one party or the other. Far better would it be under the present restrictions surrounding the commerce of the world, for a country to endure the penalties of a hi;:^h tariff or the disappointments of free trade, rather than the fluctuating and tinkering system of ti»e United States. The people will soon find out that the pro- fe«>sions of an irresponsible opposition are out of date, wlien such opposition, changes its place to rmt' of responsibility, and where it has to consider the numerous and important interests fostered hy a tariff' of eighteen or twenty years standing. The people readily see that any sudden and flrH,^tic change, under present conditions, would Hh&ka the foundations upon which trade has >>een resting, from one end of the county to the other. In opposition to the tariff policies of other countries Kngland is better enabled to continue on in her course of comparative free trade, than would any other country under the sun. Eng- land is not only a great trader, but also a great banker. Most every country of the globe owes her millions of money, and some of them very many millions ; it has been said that the amount the draws annually, from interest and dividends oat of these countries, approach half her yearly 186 BACKWARD GLANCES. revenue. This statement may be near the truth or it may not. One thing is certain, and that is, her annual income from these sources is very great. In finding a market open and unrestricted for all these countries, she is contributing toward pay- ing her subjects the interests and dividends due from other nations and peoples. Whereas, if a protective tariff was levied on all those -rticles of import, the borrowing power of other coun- tries would be diminished and their capabilities of pt'iying their interests and dividends impaired. In this way she is enabled to purchase cheaper than most countries. While she occupies this position, it is difficult to see how she can place a duty on her foreign imports, or give her colonists a preference in her markets over other countries. Statesmen and politicians may talk about pro- tection, fair trade and discrimination in the mother country, but none of them receive any satisfactory encouragement from the English people, who are most cautious in attenjpting any serious change in their revenue system. Her present system is likely to remain, as unchange- able as her people. No risk of commercial niin is involved in extensive commercial relations with Great Britian. No English government is at the mercy of organized and powerful com- binations of wealth. A government is incapable of taking care of itself when regulated and controlled by great trusts and corporations. Good and safe government can only rest on the uncorrupted voice of the people. Chapter XIV, Independent Action. The live years probation promised by Mr. Blake came to a close at the beginning ol" the year eighteen hundred and seventy-four. Messrs. McKenzie's and Blake's party took the reins of power about this time. These Honorable gentle- men had seventeen professed anti union members amongst their supporters. Some of the f-even- teen were the njost pronounced anti unionists of Nova Scotia. Not one of these seventeen, made a demand upon Mr. Blake to fulfil his promise. There was no raising of the tomahawk, or daub- ing on of war paint and brandishing of scalping knives and figuring in a war dance. They were silent, tranquil, and full of passive obedience to their ciuefs. Yet some of these braves, joined in the Nova Scotia pow-wow of eigh- teen hundred and eighty-six. These so-called seventeen Anti Nova Scotia representatives, sat with Messrs. McKenzie and Blake : they voted with Messrs. McKenzie and Blake, and they sup- ported the union with McKenzie and Blake, and some were members of a union cabinet, yet not one of them ever troubled Messrs. McKenzie and Blake about repeal for Nova Scotia, and what is mmmmmm wmm ]88 BACKWARD GLANCES. even worse, not one of these Nova Scotia mem- bers e /er opened his mouth about an extension of the eighty-two thousand, six hundred and ninety-eight dollars, as the ten yearj* for which this sum was annually given to Nova Scotia were about to expire. They were docile ; they were beautifully contented ; they were smiling ; they were in office ; they were in power ; these things were much nearer their hearts than anti- unionism ; than repeal, better terms or an exten- sion for another ten years or forever of the eighty-two thousand and odd dollars. There has been often openly announced a sentiment, which declares all is fair in politics, but it is hoped the day is at hand, when deception will stand for deception, and insincerity for insin- cerity, whether committed in political or private life. Party has given principle too long the cold shoulder in Canada, as well as in other countries. A public man may honestly change his views on great public questions, or on any fixed line of policy. The Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone has done so. The late Lord Beaconsfield had changed his political views many times, and so did the late Sir Robert Peel, but they openly let their constituents and the world know what they had done. No public man should be condemned for a conscientious change of view. He should be the more respected. Sir Robert Peel has said ; BACKWARD GLANCES. 189 «» " He held it impossible for any man to adopt one fixed line of policy under all circumstances ; and tlie only question with him when he departed from that line should be : ' am I actuated by any interested or sinister motives?' 'and do I con- sider the measure I contemplate called for by the circumstances and necessities of the country ?' " There are men, perhaps their number is limited, who enter political life, and at the same time feel that they will never allow themselves to become ujere machines in working out other n\en's views, or in practicing other men's decep- tions. There are two things such men keep separate from each other. These two things are principle and party. Principle they store deep in their heart, and party they commit to the grave. They never allow political or party prejudice to override their judgment and con- science. They are men into whose hands it is safe to commit the affairs of a nation or province. The time already appears to be (juite at hand in this province and in this Dominion when men may without difficulty act as honest and jndep*»ndent legislators, and at the same time R3 honest and devoted servants of the people. Sir Robert Peel has also said : " If men were always to adhere to old notions their experience would be worth nothing ; and what is experience worth if it teach not wisdom ? The outcry about inconsistency and turncoatism has scared ■^■nBh 190 BACKWARD GLANCES. iiiany an honest man in public life from the expression of his heart conviction." If there bad been more principle and much less party, and no interested or sinister motives in the local legislature of eighteen hundred and sixty- six, Nova Scotians would have been at liberty to either have entered the Canadian Union or remain as they were. The Nova Scotia Legislature committed a grave wrong, a despotic act, the recollection of which will always sug- gest despotism. Every lover of liberty, every independent thinker, every true Nova Scotian, and every English statesman acquainted with the facts must condemn the act of that legisla- ture. Sir Charles Gavin Duffy, a few years ago in claiming the right for Ireland of determining the provisions of her newly proposed constitu- tion said : " Whenever the necessity for a written constitution arose in any country repre- sentative men of the nation proceeded to consider the special provisions suited to its character and requirements. British colonies great and small exercised an independent judgment. The farmers and fishermen of Prince Edward Island and the convict population of Van Dieman's Land equally with the intelligent and aspiring citizens of Can- ada and Australia picked and chose for them- selves, and their c\\o\CQ when made was confirmed by an imperial statute. The people to be enfranchised, to be worthy of their destiny, PACKWARD niANCES. 191 must be active anri mpn'pathetic partvcvH m whatever is done to establish and regulate their liberties. If they themselves cannot do this work it will never be effectually or permanently done." Sir Charles Gavin Duffy lays down the only principle consistent with freedom. The people should choose their representatives or delegates for a particular business. Everybody knows that Hon. Charles Tupper and his associates in the Nova Scotia Legislature were not chosen by the electors of the province, to make any terms with Canada or to alter the constitution of the province. They were elected to perform the functions, and only the functions, their prede- cessors performed for a quarter of a century. The farmers and fishermen of Prince Edward Island did choose for themselves, and the ship builders and farmers of New Brunswick did the same, and the convict population of Van Dieman's Land have the power to pick and choose their delegates and exercise an independent judgment in all matters connected with the constitution of their country. British colonies great and small exercised an independent judgment, even when the necessity for a written constitution arrived. How much greater the necessity for an indepen- dent judgment, wlien anyone but the people attempt to interfere with that written constitu- tion. The appointing of the delegates to the 11)2 ilACKW'AKl) fJLANCES. Oharlottetown convention, as far as it was (iKAXCKS. Hnt the <]jiys are sijijnalin},' the arrival of other flays which with the light they are hrino^ing, will point f)iit and reclif'y thr wron*»s and faults of the past. We see niueh clearer to-day, the mistakes of thirty year?^ a^o, than they weie se(!n at that time ; we are to profit hy experience. Lord Rosebery not long ago in a speech, probably forecast the coming views of the niasst. ■< in civilizt'd cominnnities, when he said . ' the conscience of the eominnnity. now at la>y that are tjovennnents henceforth to be guided. There was nnw an unnamed body of citizens ever inclined to say : A plague on both your houses ; a plague on both your parties ; and who demand ot politicians to cea.se their mere talk and do something for the people. I hope to see at no distant A}\y a prime minister who from time to time will descend ^"•"^m the platform of party and speak straight to the hearts of his fellow countrymen." His words are the herald of the new political morning. The proclamation of a policy for the people and by the people. The system that makes men see in party, all that is loving and beautiful, all that is satisfying and comforting, a system that accepts nothing, be- lieves nothing, hopes for nothing outside party lines, will make the way clear for this higher morality in politics, and for the proelatiiaticn of MACKWAm) (ir,AN< KS. 105 K»> policies t'or the ]»eople and by the pcoph*. 'ri)e progress that in being made in Canada in the direction of this new reform is not ao much due to statesmen and politicians, as to liard- working^ observing, determined citizens, with 8j)irits un- compromising and ever ready to go t'orwaid. honest in tlie'r ertbrl^ • bring about a socialisju, wliich is not socialism but a far purer and fai* more practical dot.'rine For "ohe lack ot' ;uch minds, and spirits, and such consciences, in the flouse of Commons duiing tlie fir.^'^t decade of confederation the record of Nova Scotia has been lar;'elv a failure. Sir Oliver Mowatt, a gentleman, a statesman and a patriot, who was never inflated with the Clear (Jritism of George Brown and Edward Blake, and who has been able to peer deeper into the future than either, and whose mind has been ever glancing all around and through party lines, lias said in a magniHcent speech : " If any of us in time desire to become an independent natiori ; if any of us are for Canada first ; if we pref .)r our own people to any other people ; if we do not wish that as a political organization our dear Canada should be annihalated ; if we do not wish to 1)6 ourselves party to its receiving its death- blow as a 1 ation, our proper course is plain, the course of us all, Conservatives and lieforrnfrs (dike: it is to cherish our own institutions; to foster the affections of our own people toward 196 BACKWARD GLAKCES. the fatherland ; to strengthen their appreciation of the greatness and the glories of the Empire ; to stimulate their interest in its grand history in the cause of freedom and civilization ; and to give now and always to the Dominion and to the provinces the best administration of public affairs that is practicable by our bed statesmen and best public men whosoever they may be. I hope that when another century has been added to the age of Canada it may still be Canada, and that its second century, like its first, be celebrated by Canadians unabsorbed, numerous, powerful and at peace." " To give now and always to the Dominion and the provinces the best Jidminis^tration of public affairs by our best statesmen and best public men whosoever they may be," are words coming from one who represents and advocates true Liberal principles. These guiding words should be treasured in the memory of everv Canadian. They should be his watch- words at every political contest, Dominion and Provincial. Chapter XV. m The Duty of Canadians to their Country. The principles of tlie Reform Party of Canada at the entering: in of Confederation were as follows : — "That it is alike the duty and desire of the Canadian people to cultivate the moat friendly relations with the neighboring people of the United States, and especially to offer every facility for the extension of trade and commerce between the two countries. The convention anticipate'^ with pleasure that the day is not far distant when the government of the R'ipublic will modify their restrictive commercial policy towards the British American colonies ; and while holdinor it the true Canadian policy to look diligently about for new and profitable mirkets for the products of the Dominion, wherever they can be found, and while well satisfied that such markets exist in othor foreign lands, fully a-j lucrative as those heretofore enjoyed, yet this convention regards it as the duty of the Canadian ftdministration to meet frankly and cordially afiy overtures from the Washington Government for a new tre-ity of commercial reciprocity between Canada and the Republic, extending over a fixed ^tM 108 BACKWAKl) GLANCES. term of j'ears, based on efjuitahle prkiciples, and consistent witli the honor of both countries." The above resolution was moved at the oieat Reforn» convention in the Music Hall at Toronto on tlie twenty-seventh of June, eighteen hundred and sixly-seven, just four days before Confedera- tion was established. It was moved by Mr. John Smith, of Hamilton, and seconded l>y Mr. McDougall, of West Elgin, and unanimously assented to. This was to be the true polic}^ of the Reform Party of Canada in the parliaments of the Union and everywhere over the country. As soon as the government at Washington expressed a desire for closer trade relations with Canada, the Reform Party would be willing to listen to their proposals, if they were based on equitable principles and consistent with the honor of both countries. The Americans have so far never done this, and Canada has been compelled to protect her markets from lieing controlled by the Americans. From the tone of the resolution it seems hardly consistent with the honor and dignity of Canadians to travel to commercial centres in the United States and make speeches in favor of reciprocitj', or go to Washington seeking a moditication of l-nited States tariff' laws in favour of Canada, without first being invited to do so, by the President and government of the Republic. BACKWARD GLANCES, 199 Tlie views of the Honorable Alexander Mac- Kenzie were always in accord with the sentiments f>f the above resolution. Listen to the words ot* Mr. MacKenzie in one of his public addresses. " I had," he said, " the pleasure the other ni^ht ci sitting beside a distinguished gentleman from the United States. A newspaper of that morn- ing had made a reference to Mr. Blaine being a strong opponent of reciprocity, and to my being an advocate of it, and conjectured that we would probably be able to settle our differences at the bantjuet. Weil, I referred to the matter simply saying, that so far as reciprocity was concerned, I tielieved myself in trade, and though every Yankee failed to trade in anything else, he would trade in jack knives, but I said that if the modern Yankee had changed in this respect and declined to swop on equal terms, we must swop with somebody else." Listen again to the words of Mr. McKenzie in the same address. " Let me refer," he continued, " to Sir Alexander Gait's utterance : He says he would adopt such a policy with the United States as would be independent of any action of theirs in relation to the introduction of their goods into the .Dominion, and that the tariff must be regulated to suit Canadian interests only. That has been my policy all my life, and I refused to go into a government of which he wa-j a prominent member, Chancellor of the 200 BACKWARD GLANCES. Exch(Mjuer, because I conceived that his policy of eigliteen hundred and sixty-six would lay us at the feet of the United States commercially. I refused for that reason, so that I am triad to know that if we differed ten vears acjo we are in entire harmony at the present moment as to the policy to be adopted by this country." The words of Mr. McKenzie delivered in eighteen hundred and .seventy-seven are as clear an a cloudless sky. While the Americana adhered to protection against Canadian goods, he was in favour of a tariff to be regulated to suit Cana- dian interests only. And such was his view ten years earlier, when he refused to go into a government, whose policy he feared would lay the markets of hia country at the feet of the United States. And such were his views all his life, including the four years he governed the country from the beginning of eighteen hundred and seventy-four until his government was de- feated in eighteen hundred and seventy-eight- And such is the only true and patriotic policy for the Dominion, while the condition of the United States tariff' towards Canada remains as at present. Canadians have looked abroad for other markets and have accomplished wonders in this direction. The trade stati.stics for the years eighteen hundred and ninety-four and those of eighteen hundred and ninety-seven are .some- BACKWAKl) GLANCES. 201 thing to cheer the hearts of the people. Wc have shown the American people that we can thrive and grow without them, even if their hi;j;h protection tariff does press very hard on the people of the Maritime Provinces. Our country has not been overrun with tramps, and " The first low wash of waves Where soon .shall roll a human sea," highly agitated and boisterous, pressing up to the very doors of Parliament, is as far di.^jtant as ever in the new Dominion. Every thoughtful Canadian is deeply sensible of the importance of close trade relations with the United States, and there is a class of Ameri- cana who desire freer trade with this country. And if the Maritime Provinces of Canada and the New England States of America had been free to make a treaty or arrange their tariffs, long ago, sati.sfactory trade relations would have existed between the peoples of these impor- tant sections of the two great countries. But as the United States as a whole, and Canada as a whole, have full charge of their tariff and treaty arrangements, nothing can be accomplished in the way of change except through the general governments of these peoples. If Canada is to become a great nation, she must maintain her dignity with her growth, and patiently wait until her neiiibbour shows a willingness to remove the barriers she erected aofainst the Dominion. 202 BACKWARD fJLANCES, Those vvlio first raised the obstructions are the proper ones first to attempt to remove them. Canadians have again and again shown that they have no aversion to a change, but wwild heartily welcome one, if such a change could be brought about consistent with the dignity and honor of their country. The people of the Dominion are national in feeling, proud of the race from which they sprung, and are fully determined to sustain their country in the proud position which sl\e occupies. To pursue any other course is to admit the cotintry is incapable of taking care of itself without the assistance of the United States. We iHUst Icok to ourselves, rely upon ourselves, without any further looking to Wash- ington or reliance upon th^ Congress of the United States. Any further efforts in this direction will only multiply and prolong the mistaken methods which have proved fruitless in the past. This experiment has been thorough- ly tried anil utterly failed, and will as often fail, until the Americans exhibit a serious desire to bring aboi>t a change in their trade relations with the people of this country. Canada is prosperous, tranquil and happy, in most of her parts there is scarcely any unrest concerning taxation. The country has not be- come the dumping ground of misery, degradation and crime from the cities and countries of Europe. The Canadians seem to have remem- BACKWARD (JLAVCES. 20,S bered the fact, that to a considerable extent the immigrants yearly arriving in any country direct the destinies of that country, and have only encouraged those of a better class, who are opposed to outlaw, ignorance and irreligion. They encourage only those who are in favour of sound institutions and peaceful progress. The country is in need of immigrants, Tt has still room for hundreds of thousands of theui, but it has decided do obtain them if possible from those localities where moral and religious instruction in various forms is given to the youth. before the building of railways into the far west of the United States, atheism, outlaw, robbery and murder were rampant. All through the west and far west of Canada, the Pacific Railway has been the open door for the Bible and the first settlements of those districts took place under the banner of the cross. Canadians seem to have realized from the foun- dation of the union until the present, that the greatness of England and the extent of her power, has been in the national acceptance of the christian religion. And in holding to this belief lies the safety and security of the Canadian Union, It would be safe in the Dominion, it would be well for the Dominion to extend to every nation builder, who has been long enough in the country to understand something of Us inBtitutions,and who can read and write, and who 204 KACKWARD (J LANCES. is not an idiot, the freedom of the franchise. The working men of the country in every department of toil have proved themselves worthy of this liberty. Those who have been denied the franchise because two or three hun- dred dollars of property was wanting to qualify them, have in most cases exhibited a manly and patriotic spirit. Their hands, and heads, and hearts have been' peacefully and steadily engaged in developing the country and working out its destinies. The men who take the lead in this legislation,. will prove themselves deeply interested in the future of the working men of the country, and their act will be forever remeuibered with gratitude. While we see the toilers in some other coun- tries, and in much older countries distressed and turbulent, the working classes of the Dominion, perhaps more so than at any other period in the history of the countiy are contented and pros- perous. And over the larger part of Canada, to quote the beautiful words used by Sheridan, — . "^ Content sits basking on the cheek of toil." The United States and Canada are proud of their ancestry. They are brethren, impelled by that free spirit which has been the boast of Britons from time immemorial. Between Canada and America there should be no dissension. BACKWARD (GLANCES. 205 Both countries stand at the head of modern civilization. Their literature, their language, their love of freedom, their laws and institutions, their aims and hopes are much alike. In the progress of the United States all Canadians feel a pride, and the truest citizens of the llepublic rejoice at the youthful vigor of Canada. Neither country whatever their differences in questions of trade, or tariff, can help seeing in the other evidences of goodness and virtue and internal worth, and of lofty aspirations and generous sympathies which awaken their hearts to admiration of each other. «• Chapter XVI. Fidelity and Firmness in Discharge of Duty. The noble otibrt, the glorious task of Sir Oliver Mowatt, performed at a critical tinu; in Canadian history, will never, never be forgotten by his countrymen. His beautiful river of words will contiiiuallv roll on invicjorating the tliouglits of the people, and stimulatino every patriotic feeling as it passes down through the second century of representative government. It will pass along with increasing power and expanding volume to the close of another century, receiving in its flow ten thousand tributary streams rising in the hearts of the people and coming from every section of the country. In all lands there are those persons, whoso opportunities for informing themselves of the history of their country or of the workings of political parties and of government and legisla- tion are so limited, it is well, to keep such grand words as those delivered by Sir Oliver Mowatt, at the close of the first century of representative government in Canada constantly on the wing, that they may the better be enabled in the midst of hypocrisy, extravagance, error and party prejudice and passion, to hear occasionally the outbursts of a true and honest heart. IIACKUAKD Or.AXCKS. 207 Their uncheckod (low will often in.spire some onrelesH and tlionghtless citizen to a sense of his 'liity, and .stii- him to a true sense of hm responsi- ^•IlitieM. All Sir Dllver Mowatt's countrymen honour him, and the historian will hereafter honour him, for his noble patriotism, which lias been proved by acts as well as words. And for the straight-forward simplicity of his conduct, which has led him to openly acknowledge the errors intu which some of his friends had fallen. He has never preferred the interests of in- dividuals before the interests of his country. Such men as he are the safest to trust witli the affairs of a country. The breath of popular applause cjwinot turn aside such a man from a seiise of hi« duty, which he follows with unfal- tering step. Men like the present Governor of Ontario endeavour to deserve well of their coun- try by deeds for which they receive no empty praise. Whatever may be the opinions in Nova Scotia regarding confederation, it must be admitted that in many portions of the Dominion great things have been accomplished since the union. No old country or young country, has made such magnificent strides in so short a time. And all has been done in perfect peace. There has been neither bloodshed nor riot, nor strikes to seriously interfere with the onward march. So far these splendid achievements are 208 IIACKWAIU) (iLANCtS. the offspring of the union. In gUmcing back- ward over thirty yoais, even in thin province our pulsations (juicken, an«l our hopes in tht future are strencjthened. Englishmen and Americans, alii world, lu'r career of peace, and respect for the Christian religion will have fitted her to perforn) her duties more nobly and more gloriously These things will very greatly assist her to enter among the powers fully equipped. If the Dominion i.s still to hold a first and favoured place among the possessions of the Empire and the peoples of the world, this can only be done by the lionest exercise of all the powers of all her people and a determined resolve to trust in Him who has placed them in this higli position, and in advance of some nations that sprung into existence centuries before. We must lay aside our local di.sappointments and sorrows, without yielding up the lioneat demands for provincial satisfaction in part or in whole, and checking every sectarian or provincial ill feeling, press forward with all other sections 210 BACKWARD GLANCES. of the country in one great and united Ijrotherhood, guided always by the precepts and example of Him who knows how to lead and how to govern. As the first quarter of a century of United Canada has passed to its close, and the consolida- tion of the union assured, no nobler work will ever be performed by the present ;ind toniinj^ generations, than to maintain in all its extent the grandeur and security of the New Dominion unimpaired. Cultivating the arts of peace under the influ- ence of freedom and Christianity, Canada has advanced by rapid strides to great distinction among the possessions of Great Britain. If tlie Dominion should ever in its career find it neces- sary to avenge insult or repel injury, it is hoped that other nations will be a^witness to the e(iuity of tlie sentiments and luoderation of th(.' views of its people. This great colony can always maintain her great and honored position, if Ingoists and Demigodo are kept in there proper place, and the conduct of those in authority is charjtcttri/.ed by wisdom, moderation and firmness. Let the wliole career of the country, l)e based not upon any sectarian principle of education, politics or religion, but upon the broad principles of education, politics and religion, all founded upon the teaching, the life and example of Jesus Christ and His Apostles, then must as- suredly the progress of the country will be like the progress of a pure stream, which is sure to fertilize the land th.rough which it luns. Then tlie country could not bo stopped in its e.ireer of glory unde:' the sovereignity of the people. Chapter XVli. Coronation to the Diamond Jubilee. From the Coronation down to Canadian Con- federation Her Majesty had as counsellors ten Prime Ministers. This covered a period of just thirty years, and it will be seen before the con- chision of this chapter that she had exactly that number of Premiers for advisors during the thirty years from eighteen hundred and sixty-seven to the year of the Diamonrl Jubilee. In the sixty years of her \ouir reign she has therefore had for counsellors twenty political chieftains, or one for each three years of her rule. All these Prime Ministers have shown themselves to be exceptionally able statesmen. Sojue of them men who exhibited extraordinary tact in managing the House of Commons, but none of them had tact or genius enough to manage the Queen at will. Men of undoubted genius have utterly failed to acquire the command of that good woman. Her reign has been her own, and a consistent one, from begin- ning to the i)resent. Royal supremacy and constitutional government have been linked together and marched side and side. In reality 212 BACKWARD GLANCES. the reign of Queen Victoria lias been a revela- tion. The favourite doctrine of royal superiority has been kept in complete subjection by queenly common sense, and constitutional government has never received a jar. Her Majesty made no place for great nobles and influential commoners, who would take pride in supporting extravagant claims of the crown, in opposition to the rightful supremacy of Parliament. She has shown to the world how a monarch can govern on constitutiokjal principles, without any undue exercise of the ro\al prerogative* Her queenly career has 'oeen one of perpetual honor, and also of unceasing interest in tho welfare of all her subjects. Th'.- advance of the principles of peace and upright administration has been her highest aim. Good men and women in all civilized countries, incl siding tho.se of tho greatest capacity and most comprehensiue views, as well as all others, are strong in their adnnra- tion of the moral courage displayed by the Queen in endeavoring, at all hazards consistent with the dignity and honour of Britain, to keep the peace of the world. Her trust is in God, Britain and the Empire. And among the titles that surround her immortal name, there is none more appropriate than Q/road honest snnle, as he approache*! all classes of his constituents. He would take the shipbuilders by the liand with a wliole souled grip, p-ni talk with them alx)ut their magniticent enterprise and substan- tial reward, and to the agriculturists of their yeoman spirit and their power at the polls. To ihe working men of thei.^ honourable and pro- longed toil in advancing the pr-osperity of the province, and earning an honest livelihood by the sweat of their brows, for themselves and their families. And in leaving their company, he wf,n!(l place his hand upon the shoulder of John, Pat or Sandy, and with a gentle tap or two remark to them, " You are the yeoman iir whom the country must trust, and in whom I mmmmm 228 BACKWARD GLAKCES. must trust for iny return. If you honor rne witli your confi(]ence, I shall do njy best for you all. I sometimevS, my dear fellows, envy you in your manly toil, when 1 coinpare it with ray drudc^ery. I shall always remember with pride my yisit among yon to-day." His visit was the theno of conversation among the men at the cl0v«e .J ' ^ day's toil. He impressed them as one of U jiselves, and by his ofi' hand manner many a simple, warm hearted rustic was induced to give his first vote to Joe Howe. Those ubiquitous and otficious characters always to be met with in aiost polling sections, Howe had small opinion of. He quietly describ- ed one of those fellows as having the gait of a parvenu and the head of a weasel. There was another class he always cast a suspicious glance upon. These were the men, who to gain the esteem of their fellow beings, and work tliemselves into official position or parliament, scented vestries and churches and temperance organizations, and who when before the church and the world were just, honest and upright, but to use a Yankee expression, when not before the church or world, their walk was " slantandicular," and who would commit acts in secret-counsel (hat any open sinner would be ashamed of. These fellows he called hatchet-heads and shunn- ed them as he would a rattle snake. The fol- lowing words were once delivered in this county. BACKWAHD GLANCES. 229 " When such a mixture of professed goodness and quiet eunninfr, help to confer place, profit and reputation, there is mo saying to what positions such characters may aspire, and by what unmanly and deceptive acts they may attain their ends. " Why I met a day or two ago, one of this class, whom I really believe has the vanity to think himself a second Chatham, and fitted for acting the part of a second Sully. He flatters people to gain tlu ir confidence, and promises everything in the most pleasant and assuming manner. But you will live long enougli to find out that his smile, his words and his promises are sheer hypocrisy. His concealed vice is countenanced by unsuspecting voters and cunning self-interested hypocrites. Watch his life and you will find it a vice which carries with it its own punishment. Such characters are good for one thing only, and that is to rate the profit and pleasures of position and ofhce above the service of their country. You may call them Johns but they have the character of a Judas." Seeing him amongsb his constituents, gave one a better opportunity of judging of Howe's gen- erosity of mind, firmness of principle and true manhood, than perhaps upon any other occasion. He is said to have converted a tory of forty years standing, in the following manner. He said to the workman, " of course I cannot expect 230 BACKWARD (;LAXCES. your support." " No, replied the toiler, ' my grandfather was a tory, my father is a tory, and I have always been one.'" " And how long have you been swinging tlie broad axe," asked Mr. Howe. " F'or about forfy years," was the reply. " Anrl do you expect to swing it thirty or forty 3'oars hmger, through the long days of fourteen or fifteen hours ? " in- quired Mr. Howe, " I hope not," answered the hewer of wood. '■ Then trust in me," said Mr. Howe. The mecuan^c without looking up or slacking the least in his work, said, " I am going to try you this time," and he did vote for him on that occasion and always to the end of his career, leaving behind him a family of the staunchest liberals ia the constituency. Sir John A. Macdonald possessed this faculty of Howe, (the rare qualification of knowing- how to attract men and hold them.) At a gathering which Sir John was to address were all sorts and conditions of men. The crowd was large. As soon as Sir John came on the ground, he started in to make himself known individual- ly. It was at the great pa)"ty gathering at Birch Cove. A group of persons standing near the outskirts of the crowd, saw Sir John slowly mak- ing his way through the human mass, picking up each individual on his way. The group watched the movement of his hat, which moved along at liACKWVRD GLANCr«! 281 an antrle of forty-five degrees. His position could easily be located by watching 'ns hat. As he approached the group, he stepped aside and shook heartily by the hand two ordinary looking men, saj^ing with a smile, " I am pleased to meet you, we have a charming day for our turn out, I hope you have brought your friend^, also to enjoy with us, this lovely afternoon. You have here one of the most beautiful spots in Canada. It is such a pleasure for me to meet my Nova Scotia friends. I often think of you all, if it is impossible for me to visit you often." He shook their hands in that way in which one man seems to convey his feelings to another and passed on toward others. One of the men said to his coinpanion : " Bill I'm dashed if he don't know me." " Aye do he and me too," replied the other. These men really believed that he had seen them before, and felt that they were as good as any one of the part\^ and perhaps they were. And in reality were more worthy, than some present, who made much greater pretentions. This rare quality, is seldom if ever found in in-itable, narrow, jealous, vain and insincere men. Men who are never swayed by grand impulses, and whose friendships are not both of the intellect and heart. By the possession of this gift, co;nbined with their other great qualities, one cat* readily under- stand the fury of enthusaism which always 232 JJACKWARO GLANCES. greeted Howe and Macdonald whenever they appeared upon the public platform. Their great qualities of head and heart, their deep interest in all classes of humanity, their splendid achievements, and their dislike of mere display so distinguished them from the ordinary public men, that the eyes of the whole country were attracted toward then). And their able leadership, their skill in cabinets and parlia- ments made the country ring with applause. And to-day when they are not present in the arena of party strife, their sound home patriot- ism and constant loyalty to Old England reilect a brilliant lustre on their great names. The exertions made in Nova Scotia over half a century ago by Howe for government by the people and for the people, and the victories he obtained, are not exceeded in the brightest pages of history, and have tilled all his countrymen with admiration and gratitude. Neither Howe nor Macdonald were political bigots, every great man has to suit himself somewhat to the time in which he lives, even if he see beyond the range of ordinary mortals. They would like to see mere party feeling driven out by a higher senti- ment, which would unite as one soul all who love their country, and which would enable men to forget, largely, person and party, in their deep concern for the general interest of the community at large. HACK WARD fILAXCES. 233 They would like to see new fields open, not for the display of eloquence, but for the utter- ance of that sound wisdom, which every broad minded and well informed elector values more highly. Howe and Macdonald were not without faults. They were human like other people. They had faults as most great men have had them, and as many ordinary men have had them. Their ambitions and necessities may at times have led them from the path of strict rectitude, but like well equipped and true pro- portioned ships, that by stress of weather occasionally fall off their course, in the main, point steadily and straight ahead. Like much smaller men, they may have lost their time, if not their temper, by sometimes indulging i« an abortive series of assaults and repulses, but when any momentous subjects were agitating the heart and. quickening the pulsations of the people, they took their stand far bej^ond idle bickering and party warfare. The splendour of Howe's character and war- fare renders the era of responsible government one of the most brilliant in Nova Scotiun or Canadian history. He exhibited his firm liberal principles, in this county when in eighteen hundred and sixty-seven, he is reported to have said, as he quoted the words of Charles James Fox : " He held that liberty w as the essence of the British constitution, the end of all govern- 234 IJACKWAHD ULANCtS. meiit is the happiness of the governeil. I know of no way of governing mankind but by con- ciliating them ; I know of no mode of governing the people but by letting them have their own way. Mankind were made for themselves not for others." Howe was against confederation because the intelligence of his province opposed it, and were he living to-day he would be opposed to Imperial Federation according to his sound liberal principles unless assured by the direct voice of the electors, that a large majority of Canadians were desirous of a greater union. His protests against the action of the Imperial Government and Parliament on the question of union with Canada, were long, strong and de- termined, p .d like Williams of Khars, he only surrendered, when all hope and relief were gone. He understood the deep, broad principles of freedom, better than most statesmen of his time. None understood the Colonial system better, and if the Right Hon. \V. E. Gladstone had under- stood the Colonial system as well in eighteen hundred and sixty-eight, as Mr. Howe arns be bursting with grain. Ships would increase in demand, ship building would be revolutionized, and every county from Cape North to Cape Sable would boast of its increas- ing enterprises and its millionaires, and the Bay of Fundy would not be able to hold all the fish Canada and the North West would consume in a year. Such were .^ome of the prophesies of HACKWAIU) fiLANT'ES. 287 those men who were the niak«'rs of (\)nfeiki'a tion and the makers o{ themselves at their countrymen's expense. Thirty years of Canadian I/nion have made it a fixed fart. Nova Scotia is linked to some of the provinces by ties of similarity and kinsliip, by f'omnjon effort ami common risk in the pa'»t. But her position in the great Union re(ji.ires a Howe more to-(hiy than at any other time for a quarter of a century to lead the Liberals Ad was capturing America, and neither wished the spirit of this God to get a strong hold on their countrymen. They could place a value upon the men upon whom England was heaping titles, because of their prominence in party, through wealth and through (iovern- ment influence, when these were their principal . .ommendations. Howe especially seemed to feel that a man who had been a real benefactor to his country, whether in culture, in military genius, in commerce, in wealth or in statesmanship, should crave no higher title than the gratitude and esteem of his countrymen. Knowing that he who craved more was giving himself away to an insatiable vanity and ambition unworthy of stronii: manhood. Both Howe and Macdonald were pleased that Canada was quite freed from feudal traditions, great manor houses, and the law of primogeniture, and felt that this country required no other peers than those wise, active men in all grades of society, seeking intellectual advancement and the welfare of all classes, and the restraints of law, order, morality and religion. They seemed to believe that if the President and Government of the United States were given the power to create, by bestowing titles, an aristoc- racy of wealth in that country, it would elevate a class with sucli power as would in a short time seriously cripple the free institutions of that land. Witliout the genius of Howe, by which he had impressed his fellow colonists to stiike for their 242 JiA( KWAHD GLANCES. rights, at a time vvlien comparatively little whs understood of colonial feeling and colonial govern- jnent in England, it possibly might have been yearH later before the people of Nova Scotia would have enjoyed the full benefits of respon- sible government. His genius carried the people with it, and called forth from a state of things aln»ost worn out, that liberty of opinion the electors of this province enjoyed until the British Parliament passed the British North America Act. In their manner Howe and Macdonald were as far removed from the pretentious aristocrat as a common sense man from a fop. These noble minded men could enter the peasant's cottage, or a log cabin, no matter how humble its occupants, just as pleasantly, as happily, and as courteously as they could the drawing om of the wealth^^ or (he reception room of a palace. Like Lincoln, Howe was able to be at ease and at home everywhere. They were the same men, as they mingled amongst those who were rich or those who were poor. Tinsel and title and courtly recognition could not turn heads, so w^ell balanced and so well stored. Sir John Macdonald has recognized in the man of color, a friend and brother, and has been known to step aside while conversing with high state officials, and grasp the hands of these sons of Ham. And Howe has performed a thousand BACKWARD (JLANCES. 243 times aiinilar manly acts. A story is told of Howe during one of his canvassing tours in Hants. He called to see an old darky, wiio was at the time engacred in scraping pitch from the planks of a ship in construction. He invited the colored voter to come down from his placa and shake hands. " Oh, Massa Howe," said Joshua Boen, " my hand be too dirty fo' you to clutch," but I's gwan to gub you a clean wote." " Joshua, my dear fellow," " I wont have your vote without you also give me your hand, it is only soiled with honest toil." Joshua descended, and as he approached Howe, his face lit up with an immense smile and shining like polished ebony in the sunshine, extended his hand, saying : " Well ; well ; Massa Howe, if you muss, you muss," Howe clinched his hand, and shook it, as only a true man shakes the hand of another. This incident brings to mind a story told of Lincoln, which may not be considered out of place, if repeated here. In the y(3ar eighteen hundred and sixty-three, at a public reception given at the White House, Washington, a young English nobleman was being presented to the President, when just inside the door stood an honest faced old farmer, who shrank from the pressing crowd, until he and the plain faced old lady clinging to bis arm 244 IJACKWARD GLANCES. were pressed to the wall. The President being tall, could look over the heads of the assembly, said to the Englishman ; " Excuse me, my Lord, there's an old friend of mine." Passing to the door Mr, Lincoln said, as he grasped the old farmer's hand : " Why John I'm glad to see you, I haven't seen you since you and I made rails for old Mr in Sangamon county in eighteen hundred and forty-seven. How are you ? The old man turned to his wife with quiver- ing lips, and without immediately replying to the salutation said : " Mother he is just the same old Ah: r A man, who has attained high official position or high i ocial distinction, and who feels himself greatly e'evated above his former associates and friends, a-id puts on frills of vast superiority, and looks i pon the ordinary class of humanity, as a vain ar'stocrate upon his tenantry is more of a human thing than a man. The unbalmced statesman, and the political upstart who st'ut about among their supporters from day to d&y passing and repassing all those persons who arj not classified with the tones and elite, so-called, of society, without a nod or smile or manly recognition of them, is as far removed in true nobility of soul from a Howe, Macdonald or Lincoln as a vain, giddy, thought- less actress, is from the late Francis Willard. BACKWARD GLANCES. 245 There are, however, a few great men, wlio Feern so constituted by nature, as not to be able to make themselves genial or off hand, and yet are neither vain or proud. Such individuals meet with the respect of the multitude, if not admired by the nistsses. Petty prejudices, which are the ruin of same minds, wnll not linger with those who study the lives of Howe and Macdonald, in that broad and benevolent spirit which has been the companion of liberty in all ages. It is undoubtedly true, that there are lives of the past over which we can linger with intense interest and feeling, and the farther removed the lives of such eminent men as Howe and Macdonald are, the more in tense the interest in them becomes. And whv is it so ? It is not because such lives represent grand and enduring acts ^ The thoughts and words of such men are ever endurlnor and al- ways have a magnetic attraction. Our minds seem to go out toward those great men who have lived before us, and we like to learn what they thought and how they acted, and to knovv what they have transmitted to those who come after them. The best testimonial anyone, or all, can raise to Howe and Macdonald is to acquire a thorough knowledge of their deeds, and casting all preju- dice to the winds act in a spirit similar to that by which they were influenced. They are gone 246 BACKWARD GLANCES. but their acts and records remain. Though dead their lives continue to speak. Their nienioriea are cherished by all. Their deeds were unselfish and unsurpassed. Their names are unfading and undying. And in every colony of the Great Empire, their lives will continually be read, studied and remembered. And all will learn how, each, in his own way, evoked and aspired to forward the greatness and glory of the English colonies. Macdonald passed away surrounded by the sorrows and praises of his countrymen. He lived and survives in their hearts. Howe died M'ith shattered friendships about him, and as the sun obscured for a n)onient by a pa.ssing cloud, reappears in all his glory, so with the passing away of partizan prejudice, the life and deeds of Howe are coming forth again in all their splendour and strength, and the love and gratitude of this generation are entwining them- selves in all their freshness and strength around his honored name and deeds, as the ivy about the giant oak. The millionaire will find a richer man than himself. The warrior who returns from fields of victory covered witli glory may meet another surrounded by greater glory. The great states- man may behold in his rival a greater than he. But in Canada, Howe has no peers. Joseph Howe was a great statesman because he was a great man. The .secret of Sir John A. BACKWARD GLANCK.S. 247 Macdoimld's power was nofcin givat eIo([uence, nor perhaps exceptional statesmanship, but in his correct judgment of men, and in his extra- ordinary tact in nianajjfing a House of Parlia- ment. He possessed qualities in an extraordinary degree necessary for a leader of a great popular assembly. His art was such as controls cau- cu.*ses, councils and conventions, and at Charlotte- town and Quebec it assured him of victory. With all the great elibrts of other Canadian statesmen to bring about confederation, it is doubtful, without Sir John A. Macdonald's tact, whether it would have been as quickly accom- plished as it was. Alike privately and publicly he was earnest and successful in winning over others to join him in the stand he took for, or against any important measure. His long rule in Canada was due to his extraordinary tact in managing his assc^iiates in government and his followers in the House of Commons. He pos- sessed not only good huinonr but good nature, thcvse qualities attracted and held his followers. The result of liis death is showing itself in the party he led to so many victories. Howe and Macdouald who were peers above titles, are not ren»embered as Lord Kingston or Lord Halifax, but simply and plairdy as Joe Howe and Sir John A. Macdonald, Whatever may be the value of titles in the mother land, the}^ are about as useful to Canadian statesmen 24.S MACKWARD GLANCES. a.s a cocked hat and a court uniform would have been to Abraham Lincohi when he signed the Emancipation Proclamation. The spirit of Howe is abroad in Nova Scotia and in beiiinnino; to animate anew the people of the province to a true sense of their duty. Surrounded by the influence of his spirit, they are now studying the many instances of indifferences, if not of in- capacity, of many of the men they have sent to represent them, and feel that if Nova Scotia is to attain a first and favoured place among the Canadian provinces, this can only be accom- plished by an honest, independent and firm exercise of the talents and powers of the men they elect to represent them in the general par- liament. The people are beginning to realize this truth, that about nine-tenths of the thoughts and ener- gies of Canadian governments, and local govern- ments also, have been and are devoted to the one end of keeping themselves in power. They are now beginning to see that this is the beginning, end and almost all of Canadian and provincial politics. They are realizing that Howe's words were prophetic when he said : Confederation means the ruin of Nova Scotia's trade in her natural market, the United States, and out of the union there are ten chances to obtain closer trade relations with the United States to one in confederation. It is well to remember that it 15ACKWAKI> (JI.ANCES. 24?) lidH been in successful opposition to unyielding personal and combined interest that has given the people of England their liberty and inde- pendence. A system seems to be pretty well established in Canada which makes the interests of party paramount to the general welfare. The dealing with contractors, the reduction of the national debt, the lessening of the annual expenditure, and settlement of tariff disputes have been turned into a mere sparring match of politicians simply for points. If this was the system as was charged, upon which the Conservative party rested, it would also appear to be the system upon which the Grit party is resting. These were never Howe's principles, hence they are not in accord with the views of the true Liberals of the country. Party politics in Canada are rapidly following on the American line. Another Macdonald would be of great benefit to the Conservative party, and a Howe an untold blessing to the country. It has been beautifully said that " in common with the wondrous three — Burke, Pitt and Fox — Sheridan is one of the immortals ruling our spirits from their urns." And while the political laurels of Howe and Macdonald will never wither while the English lanjjuage lasts and Canada endures. It should 250 nACKWAHD GLANCES. be the fervent prayer of all who cherish sound liberal principles and profound patriotism, that their immortal spirits may be abroad in the knd to rule and guide the mij^hty electorate of the Dominion as it approaches the ballot boxes of the country, at each successive contest. -^ ADDENDA. Since tlie closini,' cluipter of this book wtu; written, events between Kntprints of Victoria the Good relying in full eontidence in the Unerring Hand which guides the world aright, the growing greatness of the present, is but a forecast of the magnificence of the future. And if the people of the Great Republic continue to place the aifairs of the nation in the hands of men like William McKinley, thf?ir votes will result in victories, honorable and enduring. ai)vertisemb:nt.s. ; FINE FOOTWEAR ♦ • AT Dl MOCK'S ^, in Misses,' Women's and Children's Boots, Shoes and Slippers, from the best firms in Canada. WATER ST., Brick District, WINDSOR, N. S. W. R CURRY & CO, IMPORTERS AND DEALERS IN FURNITURE, CARPETS and House Furnishings. <<^- When f.irni«hino, call and inspect our s'cKk and set prices before purchasing eiseulKMe. ^n anu gei Correspondence carefully attende.l to. Warcfooms, Water Street, Windsor, N. S. Dli^OCK & APMSTPONG, (Successors to William Dimock). * Hardware^ « $l)ip Cbandlery, Paints, Oils, etc. WATER STREET, WINDSOR, N, S, ■1.I1.IIUJWJ1IJ1 .ijiiii iiiipp^|i^n|i«^v«i^pf^>piiaiipipipMi«qiiM ADVERTISEMENTS. w. ^jt. ROBSonsr, (Successor to Lewis Rice & Co.) P\)©io§r< ;r, Everytliing in Photographs. Fine grouping, fine lighting. Babies' photos a specialty. All Amateur Goods, CAMERAS, PLATES, PAPER, Etc, Etc -ix7iisrDSO]E§., isr. s. FRED W. DIMOCK. m Coal Depot, ^. Shaw's Wharf, Water Street, Windsor, N. S. FuKNACK, Stove, Grate, Blacksmith, Steam, ... and all classes of COAL^ constantly on hand and in full supply. Our stock of Coal is from the beat mines in Cape Breton and the Trovinco, and also the United States Our prices are moderate. Alsc a^ent for Patent Fir* Extinguisher and . . . Birkbeo Investmerit, Security and Savings Con\pany. ADVEKTISEMENTS. .'^ESTABLISHED 1866. A) John Lynch & Sons, « Staple and fancy « GROCERS. New Brick Store,j:^ ^ A-Watcr Street, WINDSOI?, N. S. Graduate Spencer Optical Institute, New York, AND Detroit Optical Institute, Detroit. R. H. TRAPNELL, Optician, Jeweller and Engraver. Haik Springs, Whf;kus and - all damaged parts of watches replaced equal to new. . . . Fine Watches adjusted. WATliI^ .STI^I:l:r, ^ WIMDSOP, M. .S. I'l'i' 1 ''^^mmmmmmmm^mmmim V h ADVERTISEMENTS. Cbe Book $f novelty €o. G. K. MacKeen, Manager. >*^Impott,_^_.^/-//4L/F^X, TV. S. ^-•b ADVKKTISEMENTS. George A Pyke, Whollsale GROCEP, MIjOlLIF-jPlX. Goods always fresh. Special atten- tion to letter orders. I ' Goods shipped always same day as or dered. All goods . . . guaranteed . as to quality. FHE POSSIN HOUSE, • • Toxonto, ONLY TWO BLOCKS FROM UNION RAILWAY STATION, CONVENIENT TO STEAMBOAT LANDINGS. ON THE PRINCIPAL STREET. Remodeled and Refurnished. The most complete, luxurious and liberally managed Hotel in Ont. Rooms— Large, Airy and Kn Suite. I'asseiiger and Baggage Elevators running day and night. Fire Escape Balconies from every floor. Prices graduated according to location of Room. -- - — ^>'^»