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7 •■'■• 0?/ 3, rue de rUruversue, ^^ 
 ^^!J>' ^tfcil^yi- THE 
 
 Hon. L. S. HUNTINGTON, Q.C 
 
 M.P. for the COUNTY of SHEFFORD, 
 
 At t?ie Dinner, given in his honour by his Constituents, at Wdterioo, 
 
 on the 26th January, /S?/. 
 
 At th« Dinner given by his Constituents 
 to the Hon. L. S. Huntington, on the 25th 
 January, 1871, after the preliminury pro 
 ceedinti^H, the Cliairmim, Mr. W. B. Hiutl), 
 proposed tlie health of the guest of the 
 evening. 
 
 In reply, the Hon. L. S. HUNTINGTON, 
 whu, on lii^in^, wav rf(eivt.-d with luuil and 
 prolonged cht•er^•, said : — 
 
 Mr. CuAiKMAN AND Gkntlembn, — I rise to 
 thunli ynu tor the honour you do me to- 
 night with no idU- complirutnts aid no 
 exHueerated < xpres^i(>nH ot gratitude. As 
 my constituents, you have often paid mi- 
 the hiK^ii'St iioDOUis a litizen mny rt'ct ivc 
 from his e.iuutiyniei', anu your totifiJMriCf 
 has tn'i-n all ttie mure <li^lnler<.'St^d and 
 tlattcriiJtr, btcause y«iu kinw I did not 
 wield {.atroiia^u i:oi' <0'ir( unduly the 
 teoiporaiy lriuni|)ii.'i ot'politii h1 power. You 
 voiuntHiily ii^olal' d frem your fortunrn iliohe 
 iioisj paiiicth wliuN" p< liiicul ai ti\itii s ait 
 stimulkti-d by tt<i' miiiM diati- nwaid-* wide! 
 the patroiitt^e if tiit htuti- may hestvivv. 
 Su( li men ail' quiikto Hicnt tbi! pt ryonai 
 advuntaKe of cIiukIiik always te the strong 
 aidi', and it is tlit ir wout to snei r at your 
 liidi-pend'-nt and di.slntirisled vi. wh. I 
 think it is (air that w<-, wiio havf so often 
 di'gpistd them, sliouid JHUr^h with the putt 
 who caiicalureri them so clt:\Lily — 
 
 Ai when " iIok's meat" rp-eeno«» thr .ngti 
 
 j,n« slrt-eii 
 Ruab Hyiiu)iii'<etlc '<Oi(H fnni llirlr r-'tri-at ; 
 it«um witti nruUi blu/.u llieir mipi llcalliiK 
 
 eyes, 
 BlQk I heir hind lei^s, asesnd tiielr J-ynii 
 
 crlt-s; 
 Then wiki with hope or maildpnln^ to pre- 
 
 -all, 
 PoiutN ilie <|Ul<^E car and wags the espec 
 
 luui tail " 
 
 I accept this delixlittiil maniffstation of 
 your kindu*'HH as a prcot that in M>me sense 
 my coUKtituents approve ol my pultllu con- 
 duct, and that at leaitt you regard my tr^. 
 
 tiveH as honorable, though my servires may 
 have t een f-niall It has periiaps falho to 
 my lot too fci qiiently to txpe.-s i pinions 
 which, If not new liiive l)e» u star \\n)t to 
 my c( unt ymei', find I have paid, wit'out 
 p (liniiijr, the pi n dtics f lio.stile ciitiiism. 
 but my oupone'its, ihou.h fi-ree in in- 
 /iftiv", and inn>ninu.-i in tie imputati >u 
 of motives, bave fnr^rotten to noii-t out tbu 
 personal beU' tits to accrtit' fiom the state- 
 ment <>f unpipular opinions and alliance to 
 the fortunes of a minority. Thi y have left 
 it for you to show the world an ex- 
 ample of the reward."* which tbe pe<iple liave 
 in store for the honest and fearless, discus- 
 sion of public qU' stions ; ami 1 ((mfi-sto 
 you that there in no r'pMt'\tion wbii b, as a 
 public iniui, I should more biu'bly priz* 
 than that of daring to hpeak out, in advame 
 of puldie opinion, wben neidful, and iu 
 d tiani o of temporary eliimnir ; an I no re. 
 cognition of cuch a St rvice I .luld It- mom 
 jtrtteful to me than your kind welcome to- 
 nitibt. I do not propone to \io over the 
 Slime K'''>"U'' a^ **'!" >i 'ft-'t I b 'd the bonour 
 iif ad'lresHing you It was my dntv then 
 lo cidl your atieiition t<> tl>e politi'al t-\^n» 
 of tb(! times, and to w-titi you to In) 
 setijuif your 111 use in order for jjr at 
 posisibl'i and probibl Mhai f/es. I uave you 
 my rt asons fi>r beliifvinu that Canada was 
 passinK tbroUKh a state of p> lititak tninsi- 
 lion, and on tiie tne of ^reat constitutinnal 
 chan^ts. I claimed notbing absolutely 
 more tlinn thnt the sulijeit was ripe for 
 ili.siiisi'ion, and tbilt our plain duty was to 
 considei it candidly. My own vitws w»ru 
 distinctly siat<d, but subordinate to tbu 
 vtiee of my countrymen, and in line wiih 
 the policy of the empire, I caid then, that 
 Enitland wa>< emlmriassed by her n lationn 
 to her depeiidencits here, and th t Canada 
 wax crippltd by the ristiictions of tlie con« 
 uttctiou. I t(dd you that a spirit of national 
 patriotism was iudispensabltt to uur gruwtti 
 
in onterpriflo and si'Ifroliance, aud that the 
 day might corue when our noblu and wido- 
 Bpioad HuuiimnntB ol loyalty to the Crown 
 might be merged and inteiisifiod into loy- 
 alty to the Dominion. I showed how thin 
 important change waa only a second and 
 uecesHary step in the drama of Confedera- 
 tion ; and how happily it wonld solve for 
 UH great commercial aud political problems. 
 1 Hpoke to you then, as I always speak and 
 feci, in a spirit of warm attachment to 
 England, and aiimiratiou for her noble in- 
 stitutions. 1 argued that, drifting as we 
 were in the dangerous currents of uncer- 
 tain speculation, we were ripening 
 every day, for the alntady overitrown terri- 
 tories of oiu' neighbours ; and tnat Indepen- 
 dence, if it could be Kuoccssfully negotiated 
 w ith proper trade ndations and the 
 cordial good will of England aud America, 
 would multiply the chantn-s of our peaceful 
 and autonomous future. I showed that W(^ 
 were following the Inid of the most emi- 
 nent public ists and statesmen of England 
 in opening a discussion so important ; and 
 I declared we did so, only as citizens of the 
 Empire, having loyal regard fin- its best 
 interests, and that if it coidd be shown that 
 England deprecated the change, or was 
 aviMs;! to our Iud<'i)end nee, our lips would 
 be sealed, au«l we should seek only such 
 changes and ameliorations as could i>- 
 
 hung over tho discussion of these groat 
 constitutional changes. I am a Libernl 
 " dyed in the wool' — but I thought tho 
 platform of my party was wide enough to 
 hold me, alongside of my more cautious and 
 Conservative colleagues In England the 
 Liberal party embraces and tolerates all 
 tt« ditt'erences between Gladstone and 
 Bright, and I thought, lU this country, it 
 might embrace the more Conservative re- 
 formers, and, at the same time, tolerate ouo 
 of Bright's humbl<! admiiers. This ques- 
 tion of Indept-ndo-nee is not a purty 
 question, but i», is common to all parties. 
 Sir Alexander Gait is a Conservative lead(!r, 
 and the most brilliant man on his tide of 
 tho House. The Toronto Guanlian, the 
 Quebt;c Chroiiicle and the London Free 
 J^rens all lean towards Independcmee, and 
 they are all Conservative jonrnale. In 
 Parliament last session an attempt wan 
 made to ostrnciso those holdnig these 
 opinions, but the success of those who 
 un<lertook the task is not likvly to encour- 
 age repetitions. I have seen no <*use 
 to regret the discussion I hun»bly promoted. 
 My Zollve«-ein resolutions .n Parliament 
 would have commanded over thirty votes in 
 a Hou'c which was said to be unainmousl/ 
 against, us, and in the British Parliament 
 when the sul>je;;t came up in tlie debate on 
 Mr. Torrena' motion, though Lord Bury and 
 
 found within the power and jurifdiitiou ot j Sir Charles Dilke lllppantly disposed of us 
 
 tht! realm. Then, i (iiseussed other possible | 
 change.!, the proposed Colonial Council, the [ 
 reorganiziitiiin of the Empire, witii Colonial ] 
 representation in the Imiieii.it P.iiliann'ut, ' 
 perhaps in a doubting, but cert^jtinly in no 
 hostile spii it, —and lioin it all 1 diMluced i 
 this couciusiou, that the Colonial state is i 
 one of tutelage merely, — that it must soon- i 
 er or lattr t.ive way to the exer* i.se «»f i 
 ampler powers, — and that he who would per- 
 pi'tuate the connection, must divis" a 
 system to obviate a' I contlictH 
 «tf Jntt^r{!."ts, politiial i)r cominen ial — must 
 make the Cidonial sni Ject in his political 
 relations to the iMnpire, theiqual of tla^ 
 Imperial islandtM, and must [irovidt; that 
 no permanent coinmt^rciitl ilir '.dilities grow 
 out of the system h*^ niuintains. I slat< d 
 further that my |toliti( ii' I'l lends were in no 
 way responsible Inr n»v vli \vs. So much it 
 wa^^ niv <lii;y to say, tor ^onle of my (har- 
 »'st liieiKJs were uueii.sy lisl>niis to my 
 jil»in Hpe:iking. But all thin I told you in 
 a iip< ( ulative mood — I was an orator and 
 >i:i essayist, bui iiot ii politic iaii. 1 sought 
 to promote diseu.'tsion, hut not a^Mtation'; 
 tto exi'te thout'lit and dilfiise intellig'iue ' 
 Mild, i) treover, I wanted to chtabl sh in the 
 tdcc oi the world that no party disability 
 
 as Annexationists, taking ttieircm; fiomthe 
 altsurd falsehoods ol our Tory pres-*, tli'ic 
 were found men lo defend us, and quoting 
 from the speech I made to you to prove the 
 loyalty and reasonableness ol our views. 
 As to our independent future a'ld c(m- 
 comitant free iiitercours*', the almost 
 universal voice of the Amtuican press was 
 fruMKlly and sati^tied, and ills noi. too mu(di 
 to say that in President Grant's m-'ssage of 
 last year his friendly clispositiou t(»wards 
 an independent nationality heie was l)road- 
 ly stated. 
 
 But my purpose to-rdght is not to address 
 you upon speeiihitive, but on press ing 
 and pra(;tical <|Uestions, and respi^ct for 
 some of my friends, who are \ our guests, 
 and who d(» not share my views, would have 
 indueeil me to keep sileiictf on this suhj 'ct, 
 but that 1 ki»ow yon would wish to heiir 
 that my opini >ns ar<' unchanged, aiui that 
 they would Uindly pardon this summitry 
 ; statiiuent. At any late, passing events are 
 HO lull id signdi>'!iii( e that our speculations 
 may b.^ outstripped and our destiny liaslened 
 by forces whiih we have not foreseen and 
 are powerless to control. I think it was 
 .f(din Blight who, in one of his great ora- 
 tions, noticed the tlifhculty of choosing 
 
m 
 
 3 
 
 iopicR on occasionH like this, with such 
 teeming material for specchee. In these 
 times, Rteam atid electricity have annihil- 
 ated time and space, and the newspapers 
 place us as it were upon the top of an ex- 
 ceeding high mountain, from which we hi- 
 hold all the kingdoms of the earth and the 
 glory of them. And what a spectacle the 
 vast amphitheatre presents. N>iture is tran- 
 quil, and hc'r drmain abounds with lessons 
 of the 1( ve of God. Even the brutes, enjoy- 
 ing plenty, dwell in peace. Men alone, pro- 
 lessiug love, revel in hatred — 
 
 "Easily set. toiLfet.lier '>y the ears. 
 
 Anil full ol"c!iusele.ss jealouKies and f«*nis." 
 
 It is only a few short months 
 since the pompous and powerful Em- 
 ])eror of the French, almost giving law 
 to Europe, treated the dii)lomatic repre- 
 sentatives of the world to constant assu- 
 rances that the I'^miiire was peace. In an 
 aggie.«siv<j spirit, he went, foith to battle, 
 tlm hope and tht! idol ot the French nation, 
 to be defeated, humiliated and dethroned. 
 There was one man btave mough to re- 
 buke his appiratioiis, but liis voicn was lost 
 amidst the passions and the tumults of the 
 multitude. I'oor France, crushed, desperate 
 and perhaps penitent, nsips to-day the 
 bitter truit of clauiorous antipathies. And 
 Germany, more prosperous in the Held, is 
 Bcarcrly less a sufferer. Blood and carnage, 
 desolated homes, sufferings which no 
 language can di sciibe, ar<! the lot of these 
 two I'owerfnl Christian nations, who drifted 
 into war with all lis ghastly conconutauts 
 of horrors, having beeu taught for years on 
 years to fear, distrust and hate each other. 
 The spii it of imitation is contagious. When 
 a man How freni the stei-ple years ago, all 
 the silly biys were Hying from the sign 
 pests. The noise of baftb' hath a strange 
 charm. Kiiswia is arming, Austria, Turkey, 
 Itidy artt un the abrt, and England 
 is pit'iaring for a gnat contest ; and the 
 danger liis, not so much in tlie levying of 
 tht^ men iin<l un ans as in the gradual de- 
 bauching of the peaieliil rhristiftu senti- 
 ments ot the world. The Gladstone Cabi- 
 net lias sought a peaceful solntion of their 
 foreign broils, and thus far found it, bu^ 
 there is a latent ixi^ilism in the popular 
 mind which, wiien cxcitcil, IcooUh no con- 
 trol and dreads no foe. His is an awiiil 
 sin who lets the war dogs loose upon tfie 
 world. Tin y rouse the di vil in the human 
 hciirt, and predispose nianl.ind to tob-iate 
 the sum of human villanii s. Even war, 
 with all its horrors, is less dreadful than 
 a national disgrace, but how often both 
 might be averttd by timely foresight and 
 
 judicious mediation. " A soft answer turn- 
 eth away wrath, but grievious words stir up 
 anger." And the people will not listen 
 when the national anger is roused. Every 
 body admits now that the Crimean war was a 
 blunder — with its hecatombs of F rench and 
 English dead and seas of treasure— but Mr. 
 Bright, like Thiers, because he denounced 
 war, was sneered and hissed, as 
 
 A steady patriot of the world alone. 
 TUe tr'end of every country biit his own. 
 
 Great events, actual and fore8hodowed,aro 
 domesticating British politics here. We 
 are growing to have a deep interest in the 
 Foreign policy of the Empire; and reading 
 now in each morning paper summaries of 
 the LoudoD leadeis of yesterday, and of last 
 night's debates in the British House of Ccm- 
 mons, wo be(;ome imperceptibly participa- 
 tors in the curnrnt Imperial discussion, and 
 the Colonial mind glows in reflected sym- 
 pathy with the warmth of party dissensions 
 " at home." We have seen the great Liberal 
 party of England, powerful bej^ond all pre- 
 cedent in iutellect, and in the conHdenceof 
 Parliament and the country, striving in 
 power to give adnrinistrative effect to the 
 tru<litious ami the theories ot her great 
 thinkers. Economy— retrenchment— those 
 words dear to the peo| le who |Ry the 
 taxes— and hateful to those who feed at the 
 Government crib — have at last been vita- 
 liz id by a powerlul and dominant party, or 
 as one of its own orators recently dt^Haed it, 
 " the great, intelligent Liberal party of the 
 three kingdoms." But the great tpiestiou 
 with which this Liberal Governnient had to 
 deal WIS that of the state of Ireland 
 —to remove as far as might be a bit- 
 ter and worM-wide national rep.roach — 
 and there can be no doubt that — 
 though looking to the wrongs of the past, 
 the old times blunders and cruelties ot 
 the Conqueror — Ireland may strll remain 
 tfre av« aging Nemesis of England — though 
 discontent may still abound — and though 
 looking to repeal as their only hope, multi- 
 tudes of Irishmen should remain dissatis- 
 fied and disloyal — this noble and unprece- 
 dented effort of the great Liberal leaders of 
 En .eland, beset with difficulties and appre- 
 hensions, and almost overwhelmed by the 
 piiju<iices and responsibilities they en- 
 countered, to deal juscly by Ireland in a 
 great measinc of relief — is fraiigb' witn 
 hopu for the futu''c,as juxt in itseltand asaa 
 JnstalmtMrt of what may follow— -anti will 
 gradually touch the hearts of the great 
 maesesof the Roman Catholic population cf 
 IreUud. Nod'iuht,there isroom lorsympathy 
 with the loyal Protestant population, thuit 
 
Veated rights and their temporary dliJar- i and while I would Accept the di'-e calamity 
 raut;cm«-ntH ; hut I doubt not the Church I oi war to avert or wipe out a ^reat national 
 in Ireland, Ruff-riu^ p^ihapi from no fiiult humiliation — a tribute to frtedom -a great 
 
 of her own, but chiefly because, aftt^r the 
 lapRe of years and opportunitieH, sbe liaf) 
 failed a8 a reli^iouH and political propo 
 KHndist aakonii a conqiie:ed and resentful 
 people — I doubt not, Htront; in her trust in 
 Qod and her love for the grent work, 
 8lie has many and proud triumphs 
 Defore ht-r — anollier illustiatior in *he long 
 annals of reform that the removal of abust's, 
 and the vindication rf justice strengthfii 
 and dignify, but never destroy. The 
 Tories liad indeed d»'ri<led tiic Iriah policy 
 of the Government, but witi; liltl , force 
 and no heart, for the people of the tliree 
 Kingdoms had supported it by overwclmitg 
 majorities at the polls, and hud d('clared it 
 the great and pri^sing question of the 
 timeB. Only tlie other da_\, Mr. Gladstone 
 wiote to ttit; Miiyor of Uiiblin as to the 
 remedial niensuies proposed by tiie Imperial 
 Parliament in f'ivour of Ireiaiid, that " they 
 nave SA'elltd tie numbers and s rengtlieu- 
 ed the hands of the great body vf men of ali 
 parties andcreeda in Ireland, on the side of 
 loyalty and oider." 
 
 But the foreign policy of the Gladstone 
 Cabinet, the poli< v of peace and not of 
 war hn8 been the (au»e of wide spread 
 animadveisicns. It is said they are trail- 
 ing the nmitial lenowu of England in 
 tiie dust, because they have not been 
 quick to push into every cuuseless Euro- 
 pean qnainl. The old cpiiit which Fox 
 dfuoum ed in PHt is wiieiy invoked and 
 gloritiid, Pitt's sy.xtiiu of dt foiice was 
 descriuid by his yreat rival " us wi( ked and 
 
 sacrifice for a noiih; end — I hi IJeve the most 
 ghastly and unpa>donabie crime agatnst 
 humanity is aggies-sive and unn^icessary 
 war. It is not strange, perhaps, where 
 partv spirit runs high, as in En^^land, that 
 the Tory Standi? rd should set k in the in- 
 terests of its friends to iidlunie the popular 
 passions against thu Government. Tliey 
 desire, not unnatu'-aliy, to ride into power. 
 I can understand, too, tiie snicr of lorrif;ii 
 countries, ji-aious of the prestige of Eng- 
 land. But wliat has pained and |iuzzled me 
 most in fliis discussion has been ttie Kme of 
 the pr. ss and puldic men of my own coun- 
 try. Oidy a day or two lince I uolictd in 
 the special newspaper organ of the I'leinii-r 
 j of the Dominion, a hitter utta( k upon the 
 1 pacific disposition ot the iJiitisli Govern- 
 I nient, and wr.rm congratuiaiions uiou the 
 j rttiiement of Mr Biight, who is supposed 
 to have inspired tl ei.' policy. What greit 
 I interest has Cinada in pressing ti e HritisU 
 I Government into wai ? WitlK.ut allies in 
 Europe, with vast coonial irjt< rests to de- 
 fen«i, with a coinmerc e that covers every sea 
 with her sails, and indut-trial multitudes at 
 home dependent for their d liiy bie-id upon 
 r 'gular and uninierruptid eommunieation 
 with (.Very centre of trade and production — 
 who crtti calculate the risks and calamities 
 of war ? Surely our position on this ( onti- 
 neiit would not be im|rov.d iiy ent^iiuh - 
 ments which migiit ti)X to ti.eir txtieme 
 limits the vast powers of the Em ire. And 
 Irom our point of view ther<- can hn neither 
 poli( y nor patriotism in tids almost iiniver- 
 
 absurd, tliut every country whicli appc r^ d, | sal wail u( those who profess to he the ex- 
 from whatever cause, to be gio^viig grt ut, 1 punentit of our Colonial opinion, hecaii-io 
 
 should be attackei*," and in our days there 
 is an anounding school of philosophers, | 
 who teach tliat Englami's /j/'f-«o^e' is declin- ! 
 ing, because she has grown to i)rrfer trade t 
 and industry, the heavenly arts of peace to \ 
 the waste and slaughter of aggressive j 
 waifar^. Tht rn is a dangerous irritability 
 in tlie po'mlar mind, and though we all 
 hope for peace, no man can tell how soon 
 the cuise of wars alarms may Le indicted 
 on us. but the events of idstory have not 
 tauglit me that Europe is nx/re tree or Bri- 
 tiin more powerful h)r our successive inn r- 
 veniions in past Continental wars. 1 know 
 they have inllict'd upon Hie peoph; 
 the enormous burden of jL'8 i(),Ouu,i)(J(), 
 and that the sad record abounds in tales uf 
 autl'ering, crime and death— vast and incal- 
 culable as the mysteries of illimiiable spacs. 
 Ueuce till my sympitbies are with the 
 
 tV.e British Gov<r wneiit is not di posed to be 
 b.dliiose and quarrelsome. 
 
 But le;»ving out of the (jntstion the 
 
 Consei valves of Canada, what ixt use have 
 
 Canadian Liberals lor jidning the Tory 
 
 howl, against their great co-labourers in 
 
 England ? I confess with shame that 
 
 the condemnation tf Mr. Gladstone'^ 
 
 j Government his been quite as t-evere, 
 
 I though, 1 hope not ho general, in the 
 
 I LUieral ranks as among the Tories of this 
 
 I e< untry. To mn it a|)p'ars an ctfaico 
 
 ^ auaiust tlie principl-s and tradiiions of our 
 
 i party, widen I cannot palliate, and the 
 
 j inoiives for which I do not comprehend, 
 
 ; No wonder tliat B.i''on Lisgar, our excellent 
 
 Uoveruor-G 'neial, found it nect ssary on a 
 
 recent meiuouiibK! occ isi jn to rebuke thia 
 
 earplug an<t unreasonable spirit. t'ertuin, 
 
 I^am.that the En^tisli Lib ralsaie the only 
 
 peaceful policy of the BritUh Uuveruuieut j ! reliable prumoteia ut Imperial and Colonial 
 
reform. Souetinieg they are the adminis- 
 tiHtorti, and sometimoR they force unwil- 
 lin>{ coucesKious from the Tory opponents 
 in power — but at ull times the am»liora- 
 tiouB of reform aud the progress of tho 
 tree(1om and prosperity of the nation, Im- 
 perial or Ooionidl, have their origin, their 
 vindication and . onsumation at the liands 
 ot the jjreat Liberal party of England. 
 Piirhaps their Colonial policy. whi( h I be- 
 liev ' to be wise, and numistakeably in ac- 
 cordance with the best interests of the 
 wiiole Empire, mty account for wounded 
 pride and temporary aberration among our 
 peoplo. We may indeed regret the removal 
 of the troops, but what hav« we to com- 
 plain ot ; we never paid, n<tr had the right 
 to cimtrol them. In such difficu'tles as we 
 h.ive yet encountered, we are amply able to 
 defend ourselves, and in serious war they 
 were too Uw to be Ufeful. They were 
 pleasant companions, ornaments to society, 
 and in a social sense, are an irreparable 
 loss ; but for any puiposj of military de- 
 fence, they were only a menace aud a tempt- 
 ation to our enemies. But, Sir, the air is 
 full ot com I licatiouM, and no man can tell 
 bow hoou disHisters may overtake the Lib.:*- 
 ral government in England. We have 
 little to hope from their successors ; and 1 
 d > not envy the Lilieral h''re,whrse assaults 
 mav have contrihuted to their overthrow. 
 The Tories who would succeed tlum, would 
 be warlike and arrogant. Their great 
 or«an, the London Sf.andird, has already 
 amply disiussed their policy of restrictimr 
 our colon'al powers, as the only logical 
 means of bringing us into harmony with the 
 interest of the empire. 
 
 But I pass from these topics, full of 
 interest, as thev are, to some hurried 
 disiussiou ot more domestic and imme- 
 diate concern. We ate not a aation. 
 We have no immediate treaty making 
 power, and dipb)Uiaticaliy speaking, we 
 iiave no ton ign reltitions. But we have 
 intimate cotnnierciai, and, I might say, 
 )>olitical coinplications with our nelgh- 
 boiir.i on the soutli ot us, and oui' relations 
 with tht m have become delicate and em- 
 barrassing in the e.xtnine. Our best mar- 
 kets are within ttii ir bordtas, and our 
 ri'atliest access to tiie ocean, aud we ought 
 to "hioy the most unrestricted intercourse 
 and a piMlect recijirocity ol trade. 1 uin sorry 
 to add, that w ait? not two frienWIv p»opleK, 
 and that w<? have dtilt'ii into mutual re- 
 ciiniinations ami ill will. Still, the fact 
 rennins, that we are descended from the 
 same slock, speak the same language, aud 
 prolesd the same faith, and I 
 believe fium my 8uul, tha^ we 
 
 are mutually to be blamed for tbepopn- 
 lar antipathies which have been created 
 It should be the office of statesmanship on 
 both sides to retrace our false steps till 
 we reach a common ground of mutual 
 good understanding. To do this requires 
 candour and plain speaking Between 
 nations, as b rtwcen individuals, there ia 
 nothing more conducive to good will than 
 the exercise of courtesy and f.rbearauce. 
 The lirst duty of an aggressor is to ac- 
 knowledge himself in the wrong, and this 
 is often a painful duty. Our discussion 
 to-ni|{ht has tended to show the danger 
 of unfriendly and irritable relations. Fo- 
 Dular clamour never reasons, and is always 
 fraught with dangers. You remember the 
 clamour in France the other day, and how 
 M. Thiers was hooted, because he ven- 
 tured to gainsay it. You remcml)er how 
 Mr. Bright has, at times, been hooted for 
 bis unpopular view.s, and yet how often 
 his predictions have proved tru'', and his 
 awaKcned countrymen have come to con- 
 less it. We <lo not always judge wisely in 
 the fervour of political excitement, and in- 
 ternational contioversies furnish the strong- 
 est temptation t* bitterness and intolerarice. 
 There are t«o cardinal mistakes which 
 have latterly mi -led both ourselves aud our 
 neighbours, JVlHuyofthem believe repres- 
 sion, coercion, non-intercourse, the agen- 
 cies for winning the hearts of our people ; 
 while among us it ban been thought by 
 some that the safety of the State lies in 
 persistent and malignant misrepresentation 
 of our neighbous. From this state of 
 things, not unnaturally, mutual recrimina- 
 tions and ciiargt s of unfriendliness arise. 
 To some extent our relations with England 
 subject us to the animosities of Americnn!i ; 
 and to a like extent, perhaps, our antipa- 
 thies are stimulated by our sympathy with 
 the controversies »>f our Mother Land. Per- 
 haps, too, in all the future, as in all the 
 past, the comp>ti;ions of trade, the num- 
 berless conflicts nf commercial interests, 
 will multiply the causes of estrangement 
 between ureat rival Powers. Nearly twenty 
 years ago when tlngland engaged in the 
 Crimean war, that great exponent of the 
 national oiiinion, the American press, 
 assailed her with bitter acrimony, 
 in sti iking contrast to its gentle 
 dealirms, with her great ally in 
 the field Later on, wh-n great perils 
 threatened to crush and scatter the Repub- 
 lic, tiie British press seized the moment for 
 reprisals, and did its utmost to rouse the 
 lasting hatred of the American people. 
 The effect i>oon bncame apparent on the 
 luling classes of England. Even friends ot 
 
6 
 
 the Republic began to damn her with faint 
 praise when thuy witnesstid her varying 
 fortunnH. Half doubting, they asked If all 
 this tiiimoil and blocidnhed, this frightful 
 fitruin and Htaiu upon her iuBtitutions were 
 the natural outurowth of her doctrines of 
 freedom and t'quality. Their doubts grew 
 and their faith fllckHred. France was push- 
 ing her diplomatic nose wherever she could 
 scent an advantage. She pictured to Eng- 
 land the dangernus giowth of the young 
 Republic — her tonnage, her trade and manu- 
 factures, and her capabilities ot colossal ex- 
 pansion. And in the phrenzy of the hour 
 ilurc were muliitudes who believed it the 
 policy and the duty of England to Join her 
 cunning ally, and secure the disruption, to 
 destroy the power of a great rival state. 
 ^ am reciting facts without stating my own 
 opinions, but I cannot forbear to thank 
 Ood that the British Government were 
 above the temptation. 
 
 Then again there was the proclamation 
 which acknowledged the belligeiency of 
 the South, and proclaimed the neutrality 
 of England. It was no doubt neces- 
 sary atd just, and was urged by the 
 best f I lends of America in England; out 
 it fell upou an irritated American mind, 
 i*ad the fact remains, that probably through 
 accidental circumstances it was issued in a 
 manner which apptared unfriendly. Mr. 
 Adams, the newly accredited Minister from 
 the United States, arrived in England on 
 the nth ot May, and on the 14th tliat pro- 
 clamati'jn was issued, without even a 
 semblance of consultation with the Ameri- 
 can Minister. Friendly representations to 
 Mr Adams might have justified the act 
 to his mind, and established its necessity. 
 Thus a great national irritation might have 
 bi!eu saved, for it is undoubted that of all 
 the acts of the British Government during 
 the war, nothing so much excited American 
 animosities as this reasonable proclam- 
 ation of neutrality. Then occurred an- 
 other event which is familiar to 
 all the world, but to which I al- 
 lude for the purpose of my argument, — 
 the seizing of the Southern Comiuissior ^ra 
 on a Uritlsh steamer by a United States 
 man of war. You will all remember how 
 we, in this country were puzzled as to the 
 proper interpretation of international law. 
 But w«) wisely waited a mouth for 
 the opinion of the British law offii.ers of the 
 Crown, and they said it was an infraction of 
 the law, — and though the alVair had created 
 some Congressional jubilation, the Ameri- 
 can authorities haiti likewise. Such was 
 the pressure of excited public opinion upon 
 the British Govcrumout, howover, that it is 
 
 j said, but for the firmness of the Queen, war 
 I would have been peremptorily dec!ar«'i, In 
 j such times triH -a are magnified and ti rill 
 \ the heart of a nation as of one uian. 
 I England was electrified by a clever repe- 
 ! sentation in Punch, — while all the w »- d 
 was anxiously waiting the response of iLo 
 United States Government. Britannia, a 
 noble female form with appropiate sur- 
 roundings, was looking sternly and sadly 
 across the ocean towards America, and there 
 followed a beautiful poem descriptive of 
 the fine scene, commencing : — 
 
 " BrilJtnnia waits an answer," 
 
 iNo part of the i,i,tisu iiiUipue was at that 
 time more ready to stand by her fortunes 
 than Canada ; and this loyal old County of 
 Shtfford, was among the first to tender the 
 service of her qnot,i to the Governmt;nt — 
 many within the hearing ot my voice, in- 
 cluding myself, having enlisted as privates 
 for the ser'-'''jo. But I have often thought 
 since, that there wds no very presssiiig 
 danger while the United Spates were torn 
 ami distracted by their terrible conflict ; 
 and that England and the Empire wuuld 
 have been safe, had Brifunni.i really wiital 
 for an ans.rer, instead of hurrying che llower 
 of her army througa the froz-n dangers of a 
 Northern Winter. And while still bdievinf^ 
 in the justi<e of England's cause, I have 
 asked myself, whether all that haste an<l 
 impetuosity woie rendered necessary by 
 the foe or from the e.xeited Enuiish opinion 
 agaicst him. And now that all these things 
 are historical, one cannot help recalling 
 that years ago, when Cotton was kiufi, 
 British Vessels sailed into a Southern port, 
 and were luKirded by Southern offi ials, and 
 Britifh subj-'c ts were dragged forth and 
 cast inti) prison in oInHiience to Southern 
 laws. There wert; mild remonstrances from 
 the British Govrnment ; the slave holding 
 powersof the r ederal Government disavowed 
 responsibility for State Inws or something 
 of that kind, and the mnltir w.is allowed to 
 drop. But those were the days of chivalry 
 — the prisomrs were only black Kn^listi- 
 men, and Cotton was King. 
 
 jjct no man su()post! that in re( iting thiso 
 facts I am advocatintr the American view of 
 these (piestions. I am tracing the causes 
 which alienated from us the sympathies of 
 kindred, and 1 b.lieve as most Englishmen 
 believe to-day that, while Britain was not 
 techni(!illy wrong and while she has en- 
 countered a great deal of unjust ct nsuro 
 fiom the Aiueric.ins, her off.iice was, that 
 she did not understand the American (juos- 
 tion, and allowed herself to be misled by 
 untrustworthy teachcis ; and thus uiiucces- 
 
sarily embittered what were, perbapR, in any 
 o^ise uuiivoidable eRtrantfementH. But the 
 North triumpht'd, and slavery was no more, 
 and, I believe, England has performed few 
 uobter acta towards any nation, than her 
 Rubsequent voluntary acknowledgements of 
 unconHcious wronff, her anxiety to make 
 every reparation cousistent with her hon- 
 our and her efforts, carried, Rome have said, 
 almost to the ver^e of humiliation, to Koothu 
 and pacif) the irritatio.UH of ber kinsmen. 
 In this noble work there has been no dis- 
 tinction of party. The late Lord Derby 
 took the occasion on the accession of hiR 
 party to power to maKe a conciliatory and 
 affectionate speech to the Americans Mr. 
 Gladstone has done likewise, and has pub- 
 licly declared that during the war he did 
 n(»t understand American questions. The 
 British press his nobly undertaken the 
 brotherly work of reconciliation. Mr. 
 Laird no longer boasts that he was the 
 biiilderofthe "Alabama." The great work- 
 ing classes were always in deep sympathy 
 with tlu'ir brethren on this side of the 
 water ; and the whole British nation, mind- 
 ful of their kinship, and awakened to their 
 dutifs, in spite of threats and petuianc" 
 and reproaches, have lately sought by all 
 means to tender to America the olive 
 branch of peace and good will. 
 
 I com." now to Canada, which is regarded 
 by PiewiilentGraut as a *'8emi-independent 
 power," having delicate relations to these 
 American complications ; ano in endeavour- 
 ing to state her case briefly and lairly, I shall 
 
 nor Bel aowu aught in 
 
 Mo'hing extenuate 
 malice. 
 
 I suppose if any writer or speaker among 
 our neighbours should discuss these in- 
 ternational qu:?stions, and should state 
 Canada's relation to them fairly and frankly 
 ilie would admit, what in this country we 
 alt Ix^lieve, that our Government, of both 
 parties, has been always anxiou-t to fulfil to 
 the stiicc letter our internatioL>al obliga- 
 tions ; but I do tiot believe hia utterances 
 wuubl be as popular among his own people, 
 as are Genera! Butler's fierce tirades, or 
 President Grant's charge of •'unfrendliuess," 
 ag«iiisl us. Candid hearers would pre- 
 bauly ajjplaud the man who dand to pro- 
 nounce unpalatabb) truths in defiance of 
 popular ( lamour, but the great irritated 
 masses of his countrymen would refuse to 
 listen, or listening, would refuse to believe. 
 But as under a free government the masses 
 (»t the pioj)le are never wiifulUy and per- 
 manently in the wrong, it would bo well 
 that the truth should be oftener told them, 
 and that the people of that country and of 
 
 our own should depend lens for their in- 
 struction upon a partizan press and un- 
 scrupulous political leaders. I fear. Sir, 
 that if you or I should undertake fairly to 
 pourtray the attitude of the ruling classes of 
 this country towards "our cousins" for the 
 past t€n years, tiieir Harcantic temper, their 
 pronounced uufriendliness, while still bi ter 
 controversies are raging, and before sober 
 second thoughts have recovered full sway ; 
 I fear that our words might fall upon 
 unwilling ears, and that it might be easy 
 to rouse against us, ve'iement and 
 rancorous resentments. 
 
 But we uiust not pay such timid 
 respect to the temper of the times as 
 the search for momentary popularity 
 imposes. And, tne truth must be told, 
 that altogether irrespective of the petulance 
 and extravagances of the Americans, 
 Canadians 'aave contributed their full 
 sharo to this bid work of creating in- 
 ternational estrangements. I am proud to 
 relieve from this bad pre-eminence, the 
 great Liberal party of the Dominion. They 
 have dem mdcd strict justice in the interest 
 of tht ir own ctuntry, but they spoke words 
 of sympathy .md good fellowship to the 
 American neople in the days of their great 
 trial. Tae tore of their press was reason- 
 able and conci iating, and the friendliness 
 of their public men was not concealed. But 
 the Liberals have been out of power, and tb« 
 country nas b. en judged by the sp^rl^rf 
 her ruling clai ses. The Tory press, altt<n 
 v/ithout ex' ept on, has been maevolent ai<; 
 quarrelsome. Perhaps its ill nature was not 
 always without reason, but certainly it was 
 never without i .irnicious effects. Its articles 
 were copied, utid its poison took effect 
 throughout the length and breadth of the 
 Republic. This was largely the case in 
 England during the war — if we except the 
 great labouring < hisses who were the keen- 
 ent sufferers — Itut, ad we have seen, a better 
 a|)preciation of American affairs, and a 
 wide spread atta hment to the blessings of 
 peace, nave caub 'd a noble reaction In that 
 country. With us there continues the same 
 blind disregard of consequences — the samn 
 public display of ostentations rancour. Our 
 Government,urged on by their supporter8,aro 
 pushing every issue of dangerous contro- 
 versy, satisfied if they can make a case of 
 technical right, but parading their unfriend- 
 liness and courting a war of tarifi's if not an 
 app'al to arms. When they inaunurated 
 their retaliatory policy, we told Sir Francis 
 Hincks amidst the defiant jeers of the Tories 
 that he was inviting the repeal of the Bond- 
 ing system. The threat has come from the 
 American Executive. I do not think it 
 
8 
 
 wIrp, bnti think it need not have been pro- 
 Tuki (i. TlieD Hiifiin as to the- fishery (lisputeH 
 we are teoinically ri^bt, but we hurried 
 fuiw<iid a dafiiferous aiHpute in bad temper 
 whio"! niuy lead to our utti r humiliation. 
 It is easii r to provoko ill will than to al av 
 it, aud the mea who lor teu y>-ard have 
 been fiowinif the seeds of diHcord, and 
 bandy itiK f lui epithets with the lowest 
 cIhhs of AmLiicaa politiciPMs, are not th" 
 m»u to whom shou'd b'' entrusted ths d< li- 
 taie mirtsioii of adjusting our iuternitiotial 
 em!>arrtt8r moiits. Tney are blind to the 
 dingers they are creating, or thf-y are care- 
 less of the CODS' QUi'Uces to tl.»i country. 
 Our Canadian Tories have fliuntol their 
 hali'd of our ne!glib:)ur3 bt-fo.-e the world, 
 ami they have received la turn reviling for 
 reviling. They are hated and dt'spised by 
 the Americans. Perhaps some will place all 
 this to their credit, but it does not uive 
 promise of their Kunce^sful negotiations. 
 " Do yoa suppose," wrote one of the best 
 thinkers in America to me the other day, 
 " that w« are in 8 hurry to make concep*-, 
 tioiis to Giinadii, which would have the 
 effect of prol(»nging the life of the Tory 
 party there. Have you forgotten how they 
 oLimoured f jr intervention during the war, 
 in order to break us up, because we were 
 growing too strong. England is the most 
 f iwerful couniry in ihe world. What 
 would they think if she were attackeii by 
 other na»i)ns solely to reduce her strength ? 
 Have you fortrotten how they gloried over 
 French usm Ration in Mexi'^o, because they 
 saw in it a menace to us ? Have you for 
 gotten how even the Confederated Domin- 
 ion was paraded as an European notion of 
 creating here a continental balance of power 
 against us ? Do you remember the flrce 
 and persistent attaoks of the Tory press up- 
 on us for years ; denouncing our inslitu- 
 tionii and impugning the morals of our 
 men and the chastity of our women? I do 
 not complain ot the official acts of your 
 Government, but the tone of their press 
 was atrocious, and they cultivated and en- 
 couraged it. It is childish to expect that 
 our people can forget all this in a moment, 
 and their resentments are natural, though 
 they may be sometimes petulant and un- 
 reasonable. If we had treated John Bull to 
 the same sauce, he would have declared war 
 against us, though he might have been fight- 
 ing the whole world. We know wo had 
 friends in Canad i, but your Tories were not 
 ot them. Put them aside and let us deal 
 with our friends. You made a great row 
 because we appointed a Fenian to a Con- 
 sular post in Britain a few years ago, and 
 vour good Queen very properly re- 
 
 funed his ezeqnator ; bnt jon expect ns to 
 deal in a frieu<lly spirit with our 
 bitter and malignant enemies. Away with 
 these men 1 St^nd us friends as negotiators, 
 and my word for it, they will find a soft- 
 spot iu the American heart.' This is a 
 hitter tone, but it pourtrays a wide spr -ad 
 American feeling. It is opf^n to the 
 strongest objections, but its existence is a 
 national embarrassment. The first step for 
 a wis:) peopli is to rem >''o these mea 
 whose cunning intrigues have eiidHn;:er«d 
 our national peace ; aud who txuiiitigly 
 fl.iuat i\ our faces, tha' they are proud of 
 the notoriety and cardees of tt e consequ- 
 ences. 
 
 T am not turning tliis demonstration 
 ii lO a more party t iumph, nor pushing 
 my conclusions for any m-^re p rty 
 purpose. The party questions of the hour, 
 whattver their importance, are lost in i'l- 
 sig'iificance alonsfside these great inter- 
 national considerations. Nor do I under- 
 value the local controversies which agitate 
 the domestic politics of the D>)miuion. I 
 do not regret that at least in some 8e< tions 
 thf're is a public opinion disposed tograpp'e 
 with the abuses which und<'rlie the admin- 
 istration of public affairs — to proclaim 
 economy and promote enterprize — aud 
 wisely to accomplish the work of conciliat- 
 inij; and consolidating the diverse interests 
 of our nascent empire. But what I do regret 
 is the absence of an enlightened public 
 opinion upon still greater qut!^<tion8, aud 
 more still do I regret my want of power to 
 create it. 
 
 In England the great question of the 
 hour is : How sliall we accommodate our 
 diff.'rences with Am-rica, so as to avert the 
 dangers of prolonged and increasing irrita- 
 tion ? Only now the news comes to us across 
 the water of a newly oruanizi'd association, 
 which already embraces some of the best 
 men in England — the Anglo- American So- 
 (•iety — which is to be aidtd by sister Sicie- 
 ties in the Unit" d States, with the object of 
 fostering g^od will or, in the words of the 
 prospectus, '' to obtain the best possible 
 S'curities for the continuance of peace and 
 amity between England and the United 
 States." At first it was intended by the 
 promoters to invite C-mada, as an interet^ted 
 third party, to join in tne good work ; but it 
 was feared we might prefer remaining in 
 the back ground, sucli has been the im- 
 pression created in England by the childish 
 petulance which the crgans of Colonial 
 opinion have displayed here touching the 
 Imperial policy towards us, aud its possible, 
 if not probable, cousequenoes I think it is 
 much to be regretted that w« are not par- 
 
9 
 
 (' 
 
 ticipatorn in a work so noble — whose sac- 
 cess would be fraught with coDBeqiit'Dcen so 
 importaat to ouiselves ai.d to the Empirt; ; 
 aud I wish we might still hope that Canada 
 would extend to the Anglo-American Souit^ty 
 of England and the United States the cordiitl 
 right hand of f'llowship. She might thus 
 become a powerful oacificator bet<veen her 
 parent and her brethren — between two pow- 
 erful and liindred countries, whose iat^*rests 
 and whose duti s tocunstiiutiiuat fieedom, 
 of whiuh they are at the sime timis tlie 
 exemplars and the cbampionK, lie alwriys in 
 t'le cultiviifioa of tho closest and mo'^t 
 friendly al iance. How I'lir uoblur would 
 Bhe appe 4r in suoh a ohar<icter —the apost'.'! 
 of p'laee and conciliatii)n— than hh a con 
 triver of complioatious. Hud a promoter of 
 il'-will. It may be fiiily hoped that this 
 Anylo-A.meric»in S iciety will wi.-l(l a wide 
 aod wh lesonie influence ov r the pu ijlc 
 opinion of tiie twc couutri s Tlie chairman, 
 Mr. ThomnB H ighes, M. P., is a man 
 ol world-wile reputation, who, ia addition 
 to his liigh ciiaracter and great influ nee 
 in his own countrj , is second only, perha js, 
 to Mr. bright, the English statesman best 
 known and most popular with all classes 
 in America. During his late visit to the 
 Uuittd States, his fair and Btate^minlike 
 viewh up^n the Alabama claims, pronuuuctd 
 in Boston, and publisbed thnmghout Amer- 
 ica, produced a favourable and tranquilliz- 
 ing *ifect upon the popular mind of that 
 country. They would not nave listened to 
 Mr Uoebuck, who was unfriendly to them 
 duriug the war, as was his undoubted 
 right, but who bad denounced them as the 
 ' scum of the earth" during the debate on 
 his motion for recognition of the South. 
 There is, no doubt, the friends of Mr 
 Hughes, in KnKland, who advised his visit 
 to this Continent on a mission of peace, 
 understood the advantage «>f approaching 
 the American heart through a friend who 
 bad stood by them in their trials. Mr. 
 Huuhes, who is a leading supporter of the 
 administration in the House of Commons, 
 paid also a brief visit to Canada, and he is 
 becoming a (lose studeut of the Canadian 
 questions He belongs to a party in Eng- 
 land, whose views, sooner or later, prevail, 
 and I am sure you will forgive the digres- 
 sion, if I read an extract from a letter 
 written by him to a valued friend of my 
 own in Montreal, under date of '27tb Decern* 
 ber last •. — 
 
 '■ I do not mean,>' nu says, '• tor a moment 
 to deny that it is a considerable wrench for 
 an Englishman to accept the position (of 
 Oaa^diaQ ladepeadence), but have no doubt 
 
 at all th?t what we have to do in enr own 
 
 interest, as well as in yours, in to face 
 the music, and make whatever sairifi'Jt'S 
 and arrangements are necessary to help the 
 Dominion in setting up for lierself as an iu- 
 dr^pendent nation at the earliest possible 
 time. We can and ought to do it, aud the 
 sooner your statesmen and newspapers 
 make up their minds to ii the better. I am 
 only anxious to further the intt rests of both 
 countries, and not the least to d > anything 
 liy way of niakiiiir political capital for any 
 party ln're or on y >ur sidn. Tim orrlinaryr 
 \yiTty distinctions are p.nf etlv i:"signifi;>nt 
 when th.'St! i i«nes arii to b.i trit-d. rner.iis 
 no timi for d-.lay, and if wo allow the 
 prest-nt crisis to drift on without action, 
 ttie r-jul*, wi I b> disastrous to a!l three 
 (joiinlries." Thest are words of an Imp iriai 
 statr-smia of grtat r-'puto un<l a'dlity, 
 wnose honesty and loyalty no slanderer 
 dare imp'^ach. This man comprehends that 
 the gn-at duty of the lour is to soft-^n the 
 asperities and unravtl thn compli ations 
 between Eoyland and America, aud hi 
 believes a necessary incident of the great 
 work is to establish an iudepeud<iDt 
 nationality here. 
 
 But let that pass. Whether he is 
 rlaht or wrong we have grave compi 'ca- 
 tions l)efore us. They have to be dealt 
 with by the British or Canadian authorities 
 or b.ith, aud they involve interest, ot such 
 magnitude and are pressed upon us by such 
 agencies, that the speediest relief is the 
 b'St. We have no responsibility for Im- 
 perial action, except as we inspire it, but 
 let us see with what tools of our own we are 
 undertaking the work The Government 
 of Canada at this moment is coutroll.d by 
 Sir John A. MacDonald, Sir George E. Car- 
 tier aud Sir Francis Hiucks. Not to speak 
 as a partizan, I have always admired Sir 
 John, though I never supported him. His 
 long political career has been distinguish- 
 ed by remarkable ability. I could 
 point out defects in bis character 
 and his policy which to my mind 
 have justified me in opposing him. I be- 
 lieve he has reigned in virtue of the cor- 
 ruption which Sir Francis Hiucks inaugu- 
 rated and that he has done much to poison 
 public opinion and political morality of the 
 country. But I have always admired his 
 tact, his industry and his great ability, 
 and I have not been altogether proof against 
 that mysterious personal charm which hHS 
 so long linked his faithful followers to bin 
 fortunes. His recent prostration exci.,ed all 
 our sympathies and mellowed them into 
 something like affection for the man, against 
 whom some of us have struggled for years ; 
 
10 
 
 and if his generous frif^nds provide now a 
 comoetenoefor JiiK decliniu); years, strongly 
 BH from conviction I tDiist condemn thn 
 manner of the <ifft ring, I will cheerfully 
 hid them God hptt d. It is said, and I regret 
 to hear it, that his health is only partially 
 restored, and that the active duty of leader 
 of the House is to devolve on one of his 
 colleagues. One does not like to speak un- | 
 phusaut tru hs of such a man at such a 
 crisis, and j mendy remark that be has 
 done a great dual to irritate the American 
 min(. ag!i!si«t this country, and only ladt 
 hJiHsion ho hivii the extreme had taste in his 
 respoiiNilile position to s-'vocate the " reta- 
 liatory'' 'lolicy and denounce my Zollverein \ 
 Kt'H(>iuti>>n;', because the one would cripple 
 and the other wouM cultivate the tk<-de of a 
 " foreign and unfriendly people." 
 
 Sir Geortje E. Cartier may be described as 
 the military head of the Governmeut. A 
 late writer in Blackwood's retra.'ds him as "a 
 poor debater and of veiy ordinary abilities.' 
 I do not deny his talents as a statesman. Ho 
 has shown no great prowess as a 
 military ciiief, though his adventures date 
 back to the fading glories of )8o7, when 
 his estimated value to the British Govern- 
 ment was live hundred pounds of sterling 
 money. But it is as a party drill sergeant 
 that Sir Georgi; lias achieved his remarV- 
 able success. Perhaps, lik<^ most great cap- 
 ta'ns, he owes something to favourable cir- 
 cumstances uud conditions, l^in Parlia- 
 mentary troopM have been thorotigh regu- 
 lars. It bus been fashionable to pay high 
 court to strict military discipline, and it 
 has been said that the true soldier uever 
 thinks but always obt^ys. Such has been 
 for many years the character of Sir Gecrge 
 C!artier's Lower Canada contingent. Their 
 chivalrous commandt r has been always 
 I areful to distribute among them a irener- 
 ous supply of pay and rations. Ihit he has 
 never taxed their intellects, or given them 
 the trouble to think for tbeniBelvey. They 
 learned the taittics ami they obeyed the dis- 
 cipline. They were always natly for a Ba- 
 laeliiva charge at the cry of " forward from 
 theirleadir.'' Among them wa^' uo contro- 
 versy, bo' ause tht re was no thought. They 
 had enlisted to support Sir(Jeorge, and they 
 did it, honestly^ stupidly and without wav 
 erin^. Such soldiers made an Emperor of 
 Naptdeo;*, and they have mtide a baronet ot 
 Sir George. Perhaps diversity of opinion, 
 interchange ot thought, freedom ef dist us- 
 aion, would best have suited an inti lligent 
 nolilical life, but these might have 
 weakened their battalions and estrangtd 
 them, so they cbusu thu butter and safer 
 
 course of displaying for Sir George a stolid, 
 stubborn and mechanical attachment. It 
 might have been more noble if the soldier's 
 arm had boeu neived by the soldier's con- 
 viction, and perhaps it may yet be found 
 that the new Prussian system has tauirht us 
 the use of those greater and better qualities 
 ef the so'dier who strikes, not merely in 
 obedience to command, hut under the in- 
 spiration of an honest h)ve for fatherland 
 and individual di;votion to patriotic senti- 
 ments. When that day comes theie will 
 be new men at the helm, and Sir George 
 Cartier and hia cohorts will have been 
 superseded But Sir George, notwithstand- 
 i >g the indiscretions of his youth, is a great 
 enemy of ilemocracj — a lie ice aomirer of 
 the aristocratic system of the Old World, 
 within whose chnrme<l circle he considers 
 himself to have entered. He loves to de- 
 nouuc'j the country which atforded him an 
 asylum during the p«>litical perils of his 
 early life, Kud in an individual, if not an 
 oliieial sense, iiy his woid» and his inHu- 
 '.mce, he has j'ontri'nuted largely to the feel- 
 ing of uatioL\al irritation whicU prevails. 
 
 T le real powerof the administration, how- 
 ever, is wielded by Sir Francis Hin( ks, tijo 
 Finance Mioistir. M'j has no fol|o»-iug 
 in the House, but he is <lever, unscrupu- 
 lous and intrigidng. Writing ot him al- 
 most twenty years ago, p«»or Lord Met- 
 calfe's biographer atimitted his abilities, but 
 denounced him as a <■ vehement and lui- 
 scrupulous partiziii, with a tongue that 
 cut like a sword, and no discrctiim to 
 keep it in order. " Tliis man, who frcm a 
 raging democrat was raised to high otH( ial 
 position by Sir Charles Bugot, afttu- years of 
 service, has won distincli'.)u and espou.sed 
 Toryism. His life has l»een a succession of 
 storms and quarrels. Lord Metcalfe de- 
 scribed him in early political life as anti- 
 British and Uepuhlican, but a liltl" later on 
 he was the emltodiment of loyalty, a Imin- 
 isteiing inexorable Justice to the rebellions 
 Tories who had burned the Parliament 
 House, and 1 ad proclaimed a desire for an- 
 uexatiou. From '41 to '49 he was tlm chiet 
 spirit of th(! strui;krle to make K sponsible 
 Ciovernment Party Government. He won, 
 and since, ttie country has been goveim d by 
 a party, tnrough a party, and for a party. 
 But he returns to us now to pratiM)f coali- 
 tions and of no-partv government. He was 
 ! a Frte Tradei, but he comen to ti\ upon us 
 a National polhy, a rntitliatory policy — to 
 Htimubitu a war ot ttirill's. Why did he <;ome 
 hack at all ? The country had forgotti-n 
 him Good or bad, his politics had passed 
 into the domain of bistury— 
 
11 
 
 " And .shouM have slumbered with forgot- 
 
 tnn tliliiK«. 
 ' The peaiiiunts' ashes aud the dustol kings." 
 
 He had accepted Impenai service and reap- 
 ed itR honours. It is true that liis path was 
 thorny. He quarr* led with his officials, and 
 his nubernatoriHl broils followed him to 
 England. It is the policy of the British 
 Governraunt to sustain its scrvantK, and, 
 after long delay, Sir Francis Hi neks obtain- 
 ed a nominal tiiumph. But his course was 
 run. It was in vain that he houy;ht future 
 Imperiiil employmiMit, and after a long 
 dtinc- al-out tlie ante-ehambers of the Co- 
 louial OtHce. he left Engluid for Canada — 
 sour aud disappointed, and, 1 doubt not, 
 sworn to avenge bis wrongs upon the Hrilisii 
 Cabinet. What motive bad he for j<iining 
 the Canadian Government? Not auibltion, 
 for bis po.-iU(fU was not improved. Not 
 gain, for h.' must hav relinquiahed his Im- 
 perial annuity as a paid (>(H(er of the Crown 
 in this country. Was it to gain opportunity 
 for intri ue, that i.e mi^ht <^mbarrass the 
 British a. uinisiratiou wliieb bad sliubted 
 him ? Wax it as a misebit f.m:tive>- that the 
 learneil knight, wuo profe-ssed to have visit- 
 ed this ountry to enjoy brief pi i vale inter- 
 course with his friends, eomlesciMided to 
 a-cept the inferior position of a (Niloniul 
 Cabint^t Minister V I)>) you remember the 
 eauermss with which, in I'arliunent last 
 y-ar, hedemmded tin; private letter of Karl 
 Granville to the Govtruor-Generai, on the 
 suojeit of vbe distinction to be conferred 
 upiiu Sir A. liult, ? Did Sir Fraii<is hope 
 that 1 -tter might contain sMmi-tbing t<i em- 
 barrass the Colonial Secretary V Is it with 
 the hope of stii ring up international strife 
 tiiat Sir Francis Hincks has inau.-urated 
 a war ol' tarilfs, so I'k' ly to lead 
 to more s rioiH war, ami was it umler 
 his inspiratiiiu that the Dominion (inveru- 
 ment pri'hstd the Ui>me autletrities into an 
 unwilling attitude as to th'' li-iherles ? He 
 is a Uian without convictions. His present 
 atiitU'le U|ton public ipi stioiis here is iu 
 liinet aiitagoiii'<m to his well known opin- 
 ions lonu' yi-ar^ ago, when he lived anionu; 
 us, and diil noble servii'e in tb(! good cause 
 of lb form. Nobody ever mistook him for 
 a patriot who would sacritici; himself on the 
 altar of his country. No one has ever as- 
 signed a reasonable motive bir tlu' course 
 he is now pin>*uing, a courui' which, it not 
 arrested by his luing hurled (rom |«»wcr, 
 may resiiit in dangerous inteiiiationul com- 
 pli( atious. 
 
 Such, 1 liclievp, am the molivcH, 
 and such are the men who, by IVirce of 
 auperinr intellect control the ju'esent ail- 
 miuistrutiuu uf this country. Umtor tUoir 
 
 inspiration, the ministerial press, with a few 
 honourable exceptions, has for twelve 
 month's past been pouring out the vials of 
 its wrath upon the Liberal ad minist ration 
 in England. To them it is a mattei of no 
 moment that Europe is convulsed and 
 England beset with dangers, the raaKQitude 
 of which no man can foresee. Their wrongs 
 are to be avenged, aud their ambitions grati- 
 lied, and the antagonism of Canada, in tho 
 present state of Br'tish feeling, may bo a 
 serious bloiv to the Gladstone cabinet. 
 With a pafty in power, whoso press, all 
 decorated with the royal arms, baa been too 
 ready to stir up the ill will of our people 
 a;;aiust everything American, with a Pre- 
 mier, who does not sciuple, for the sake of 
 catching a f.'W misuable vot^s, to Justify 
 hostile legislation upon interuationul sub- 
 j; cts, ui)on the ground th i^ he is dealing 
 with a " fcreign aud unfriendly peoob-,'' 
 aud with a cunning and unscrunulof- Fi- 
 u'ince Minister, whose game is mischief, 
 aiid ivho revels in quarrelsome controver- 
 sies, the p 'ople ot this Dominion, who are 
 (laiing with an irritated and irritalde 
 ceighbour, are drifting; rdpidly towards 
 turbulent sens. We lost reciprocal 
 trade with tlm Ainericanschietly through tho 
 ill will excited by intemperate controversies. 
 The liuancial necessities of the flepiiblic 
 would doubtless have changed its terms ; 
 hut friendly trade relations were lost by tho 
 soread of international animosities. I say 
 it boldly, if the liberal party of tbis country 
 had ninained in power, the American 
 (Mjemies of Iree intercourse with us Wimid 
 have been powerless to construct that 
 Cliiui'sc wall of prohiiiitiou wh'cli excludes 
 our trade and keeps down the industries of 
 of our country. In 18»il, while the lie- 
 formers wi^e still in power, and the Ibx-i- 
 iir<icity Treaty was about to expire, tho 
 Government <d' my h.^.n. triend (H(m. Mr, 
 l)orioii)sent on anembissy to Washington, a 
 man of iiigb moral worth and great com- 
 mtiiiial experience, enjoying the conlidence 
 of the American people. He was able to 
 point out to the Americans the iViendly dis- 
 position of his Uovernmenr, its sympathy 
 tor their trials and its desire lor thu 
 largest trade and most uniestiiitjil inter- 
 course. He could and did point to tho 
 lone of the lilheral press during the war, 
 and to the sympathy of Liberal statesmen, 
 Tiie enlightened canal policy of my honor- 
 able friend as indicated in the Uoyal sptu-ch 
 during that last sttssioa of Liberal rule at- 
 tracted attention especially from the West- 
 ern nu'iubers. Do you, sir, remember tho 
 result? 'I'ho thri!atonod notice for the ah- 
 lugation was delayed fur a year. Iu the 
 
12 
 
 mcantimfi ray honou'nble fiiend's adruinis- 
 tratioQ WH8 beaten, but, thire is no doubt 
 had he voinaiiied iu powtr that fair' com- 
 nuTciiil intiTcoursH wouM have continued 
 till this (li'.v. But in'tead of that we have 
 liad in pnwi^r a set of men who cared less 
 for commercial freedom and international 
 amity, than tor the support of some of their 
 Matant am! bellicose followers, and we have 
 di'ifciierated into international strife and re- 
 taliatory lejii«ilntion. We revenge ourtielven 
 upon our neiuhhour who imposes heavy 
 1)urdrns upon Iiih ptopln liy v. X'tious taxa- 
 tion o* ou'Sf Ives. We burn his barn, be- 
 rnnse wc FU^pect him of an i-itent to 
 fire ours. To ju-lge from offijial a<;t8, 
 fi'jch is the state of feelingr at. this 
 moment b'^tween 'Canada und the United 
 Stttes. Our Government justifi d hostiU 
 ]e«i^!•l•ion because we are dealiruj with a 
 f'luikin and unfriendly peopl.'. They have 
 lately published an official pamphlet, 
 throuiih which they mdutain that their 
 ui»axure8 an^ calculated to force a renewal 
 of reciprocity ; while President Grant does 
 not desire reciprocal trade ; proposes to re- 
 peal the bonding nystm, and justifi s his 
 thr »t8 of u'ln-iuterciiurse on the ground 
 that we are " unfriendly." 
 
 It is hiijh time for the people of the 
 two countries to put a i top to this irritat- 
 ing conlrovtTsy. Without a chanue of 
 administration lure there are, as I have 
 indicated, insuperable dilHcultles in the 
 way of pacifi; ad.justnieut. We are on 
 the brink of a [)iecipice, and a false step 
 may pmipitate us ijito the yawning 
 libysR The war of 1812 was pre cded 
 by embargoes and the obstru< tions of non- 
 intercourse. A war of tariffs is the natural 
 forerunner of an appeal to arms. The 
 danijer arises, not from the principles and 
 convi tions, but from tlie unreasoning pas- 
 sions of the people, and the tirst step in the 
 rijihtdirection is — leniovin^ all obstructions 
 luid imitatiui the noble ex'imple ot the 
 Government and people of fcnutlaiuf, to 
 strive for the creation of a safer and a more 
 Christian intem^itiiuril feelin«. The in- 
 fluence of Canada mixht have done much to 
 remove unreasonable irritation in both 
 countries. We mi«ht have been pacifiea- 
 tors in-(tead of iirnmoters of ill-will. We 
 have taken terrible lisks, and the conse- 
 iiiien(e:4 may be disastrous if we cannot 
 avert them. Let us act like men. Let us 
 remove the first dunt;er by upsetting the 
 present Government of tije Dominion 
 Whatever may be their 'ocal merits, they 
 are incapacitated, as I have shown to dei>l 
 with these great internatiouul questions. 
 Then let us make a friendly ap 
 
 peal to the Americans, proving that 
 neither are the British nor the Canadian 
 people their enemies. We will not forego 
 the riifht to criticise their public acts, but 
 we will treat tbem as men and as Chris, 
 tians, neither fawning on their greatness, 
 nor hissing our hatred in their ears. Pur- 
 suing fiuo>i a course, we mav expect and 
 shall receive a reasonable and just conside- 
 ration. 
 
 Tt ie a shame for -i nation like the 
 Americans to cultivate distrust of their 
 Mother Lard, and to f >rget the ties of ra-!e 
 and of common principles. Almost within 
 the memory of man they owed allegiaoce 
 in our Sovereign, and their ft;alty was as 
 affectionate and as sentimental as our «)wn. 
 They quitted us in anger, but fo»- a gene- 
 ration the Empire has acknowledged her- 
 self io the wrong. Wheti they set up tor 
 the I selves they did not scruple to appro, 
 priate thrlr share of the lar^.t and penalen 
 of the Imperial hearthstone. When to their 
 vast and hospitable domains thev invited 
 the houselesf millions «>f Europe, they dis 
 played not only the attractions of tht ir f«^r- 
 tile fields and productive work-shops, but 
 their itiPtitutions, guaranteeing the supre- 
 macy of liberty and law after the model of 
 their noble Mother Land. They still spoke 
 the tongue, and professed the f.iith, and 
 worsliippeil hk the Khrines of tlieir brethren 
 across the water. Tliere are those who tell 
 us that to obey the sime laAS, to re id the 
 sime books, und Xm love the -anu! God, 
 give no guarantiee of good will if there 
 exist conflicts of interest, of ambition, or 
 of prid«*. 1 know all about tlicso tempo- 
 rary estrangements, but they may b -, and 
 they must be removed, and we must show 
 the world that " bh> d is thicker ttian wa- 
 tfr." 
 
 The British Empire has achieved mar- 
 vellous power, and each in its turn, she 
 lias won trophies from and iinp(»sed 
 humiliations upon all nations. But h> r 
 great power and her niira 'uIimis suc(esr<es 
 have not been unattended by perils. Siie 
 tinergt d from tlie great wars near the close 
 ot the I ikchteenth centniy still hnhling the 
 foremost rank among European Powers, but 
 havinu. nevi rtheless, been a loser every- 
 where, excej>' iu tiie K »st. She had lost 
 the thirteen colonies, and in tlie Mediter- 
 ranean, in the Gulf of Mexico, In Africa, 
 and in America she had loht the fruits of 
 hei fiirmer viciories, and MaeHulay inak< s 
 it the chief \(lory of the administration of 
 Hiisiings, that the prestiife of the Empire 
 WHS maintained liy his successful admiins- 
 tration in the East. And in all the pluck 
 and triumph! ot her Kubscqueut wars, it did 
 
13 
 
 hot lesaen the dangers, though it multi* 
 plifd the glories through wUcb shu passed, 
 that the bayoDeta of the world were britit- 
 liDg against her. She has committed 
 faults and provoked just enmities, but her 
 great danger has been that she held the 
 torch light of coustitutiouul liberty in 
 Europe. She has been an example ot free- 
 dom to tbe struggling continental nation- 
 alities, and in )ier own land, if we must 
 except poor Ireland, for whose wrongs she 
 is anxious to atone, £ingland has granted 
 liberty and encouragement to tlie teemin*; 
 masses of her peoph, in just proportion, 
 perhaps, to their capabilities of application 
 and improvement. She is the champion 
 and propagandist of constitutional govern- 
 ment, and hU ber tendencies identify her 
 with universal freedom. What a light 
 would be blotted out of tbe lirmament ol 
 nations it England could be ciippled or 
 dehtroyi d. Yet ber tenituries extend over 
 all the worlii, and ber enemies are more 
 numerous than her pOHSeusions. Qod 
 oily can foresee tbe end of war 
 wbii'h might involve her in s confl'ct 
 with tbe World in arms. Freedom 
 would shriek if such dangers could ove'- 
 wbelin British power and British liberties. 
 Dow tbe petty tyrants of tbe world would 
 rej<»i«'e, and all tloso ^reat powers who 
 seek to bury freedom of speech in the deep 
 dHiUness of the Middle Agos. Qod forbid 
 ibiit .-.mh adsy should ccme, but wise men 
 d(» not undervalue their enemies. The sun 
 m'uht hide his light, and tbe stars might 
 VI il their faces, but from such a ruin tbe 
 wav to revived constitutional freedom, to 
 politi'.'iil liberty, would span weary ages uf 
 strngules to come. 
 
 VVliat then would i-e the 
 young Giant of the W<8t, 
 troin the loins of E.iglard V 
 who sny that nations are 
 by ititerest, if Amciica w uld have no 
 iuterest in &uch a mtasurelcbs calamity? 
 I do not beli(;ve it for I do not believe 
 
 fate of the 
 who spraug 
 I usk those 
 moved only 
 
 the times will return that the sun of 
 freedom must set in outer darkness. But 
 suppose it should come — this great trial of 
 liberty — this frightful peril to the Mother 
 of nations, what American who loves his 
 country and comprehends thu boundless 
 freedom she enjoys, should not forget his 
 resentments and rusa to the rescue of Eng- 
 land ? I might picture here a deadly con- 
 flict between England and America, each 
 putting forth her vast power to dk^stroy the 
 one the mother, and t^e other tbe child. 
 Well might the world stand aghast and 
 scoffers crj' out, " See bow these (.'h'istiaos 
 love one another." What glee would theie 
 be among the do-pots ; what rejoicings in 
 the infernal regions, it they would tight, it 
 thty would siuiiuhter and pillage each 
 other, tiiviug Death and Oestiuction high 
 bolidxy among their kindred sons and 
 dautfhters 1 They miKbt reduce eai h other 
 to fifth-rate powers, and such biaspbemous 
 falsehoods to their principles, their rtliKiou 
 aud their God, would uQoid to their 
 common enemies, the delights without the 
 troubles of their destinction. But I hope 
 and I believe better thiuKS, and that ttie 
 days of our estrangements are numbered. 
 Let us own that we have all been at fault 
 in c'istuibiug the world with the noise of a 
 family quarrel. Life is too short and friend- 
 ships are too precious for the cultivation of 
 internal animosities. Let no one sneer, as at 
 a poetical dream, at our bopis of lasting 
 Kood will between England and her chil- 
 dren. Let us be true to Ovir great mission 
 as exemplars and propagandists of freedom 
 and Christianity ; and as dill.rences must 
 arise between two great countries, whoso 
 relations are so often affected by vast rival 
 and conflicting inteiosts, ki us cultivate 
 an abiding spirit of lorbearauce aud good 
 will, and may our young '\>iiritry, at all 
 times and in ber relations to both parties, 
 enjoy tbe honour and fulfil the duty of a 
 wise pacificator and u faithful frieud.