IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) V (< ^ f/j 1.0 I.I III 1.25 bills |50 '■^" lU 1^ 1^ 2A 122 M 1.8 1-4 IIIIII.6 V] <^ /i ^M^J^ /j -^ ^r CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques 1980 Technical Notes / Notes techniques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Physical features of this copy which may alter any of the images in the reproduction are checked below. L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a 6t6 possible de se procurer. Certains d6fauts susceptibles de nuire A la quality de la reproduction sont not6s ci-dessous. 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L'exemplaire filmi fut reproduit grdce d la g6n6rosit6 de I'dtablissement prdteur suivant : La bibliothdque des Archives publlques du Canada Les cartes ou les planches trop grandes pour §tre reproduites en un seul clichd sont filmdes A partir de I'angle sup6rieure gauche, de gauche & droite et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images n^cessaire. Le diagramme suivant lllustre la mdthode : 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 THE QUEBEC COUP DETAT. aO ELOQUENT SPEECH BY HON. MR. CHAPLEAU. THE ISSUE SQIAKET-Y I'EACEn. (From TIte Gazitic, Montreiil, Manh 18, 1878.) The following is a nport of the spuech delivertd liy the Hon. Mr. Chapleau, at a macs melting of the elictors of Levin, held ou the loth iustant: — (jentlemkn, — You have sevpral timert in- vited lue to attend yotir politieiil mcetinitts, and in ri!,'eivirigye8teidny anotiier iuvitatiou from yon, ray tiiHt t'loiiglit was timt of my in- drbtediieHs towards you : arid 1 have for this occHwion fiirgotten the bad state of my h/altli, whieh has (sive. I owed that honor to the conti'lenee of th-i people reposed in me, txpressxl in the voice of its repr seuta- tives. 'I'he DeBoucherville Cabinet enjoyed the contidence of two thirds of the vol.. of the Legislative Assembly. Suddenly I was dismissed as one of the advisers of the head ot the Executive; and why ? Hid I lost the contidence of the p^cple ? No. Had I not done my duty ? Nobody pretends so. I was dismissed by the sole xvill, by an arbi- trary Oecisiou of the Lieutenant-Governor. Ttie only question which you have therefore to decide is : with whom resti* the power o*' making or unmaking Ministries, the Lieutenant-Governor or tin- p'ople ? i therefore beg of you to ignore i\iii the names of the forintr Minisit rs. I have jl^^t t'dd you that I have bei ii dismiss'd fiom odiie, forget evi n this. The tii>i,dship wliicb you ftel for me must not lie of any wiiiibt ioyour judgments. Kotgct the iiMnns i.f Mr. Ue- IJoucheiville, Mr. Angers ami all tli>'ir other colleHgiii's. Do not M.-k what miiy have bi-eii our personal interest in this contest ; do not for cue moment lower down this question to our own m rits or deiTKMits ; think only of the great principles of constitutional law involved, which you must eithir abandon or viijdieate. Were we gifat ciilpriis, dcfiulters, thieves, the questi(m would still W the same. The Ministry can have but one Judge, and that judge is yourselves — you, the people. And you have the right to maintain in power whomsoever you please. This is the only question at issue. (Cheers ) Every page of the history of Canada teems with the struggles wliic h were fought to ob- tain from the Hriti^h power the recognition of the principles i>f government. We did not always enjoy our liberty ; time and courage were both expemicd in procuring it. I see before mo oid men — cliildreii; the former were the witnesses of (lie struu'gles for freedom, the latter, in ahtoni.-^hmeut and wonder look upon the beginnin;.^ ot an un- expected agitation ; both havi; a common in- terest, the old to hold on to the points of so many struggles, the young to keep sat red the legacy of theii foreUtheis. (Cheers ) Am I well understood? Do my aiHeuts r'.ach your hearts? Do thi y rea( h that re- cess where the honor and tiie pride ot the free born citizen hold tlnir st at ? ((Jhters.) / think so. I call Upon you to vindicate the first of your political liberties, to siqiport re- sponsilile irovernmeiit in your mitlst — in a word, if you will allow me to make the com- paiison, to assert your political cret d, as your spiritual pastor asks you to recite your re- lii;ioiis articles of faith at the foot of the altar, and I am certain, beforehand, that in one case as in the other, theie will not be found amonyst you a single renegade (cheers). And herc! I li isten to make a de- claration imposed upwu mo by a grand Con- servative priniiple. Ihe pcesent contest 8''ems to be eng^iged in betwi en the members of the House ou orie side, and the Lieut.- Governor en the other ; but it is not so, the contest lies between the Conservative party and the self-styled Liberals. The D-Bou- cherville Jabiuet were put out - that is the plain truth of it — by the Lieuteuant-Gover- nor ; but he is not amenable to the people. He is the head of the (iovernment acconiiog to English Parliamentary law. wbiih means that be reigns but does not goveiu ; that his s reBpoiiHibility jh iiIvvuvh ((ivfiiMl liy thiit of IjIh Hdvihcrs — '' till- Crtiwii < an do no wron^; " Those who hiivc d. tn' ihin evil — thoHi' who bHVu laid h ciiniiiial huiid on this, ihi; hrnt ofoiir iJKhtH, iiiiih't pi« Hint mw MinixttrH, who, as Houn UH Ih y wi-n- u|ipiii(itril, hciHrni' rt'spoiiKJlili', wiihoiit fxirpiioii, t'r all tlio actH ii( coinpliKliiMJ liy tin- l.h'nfi-niint-(inv- ernor from thi^ ninni' nt (li<- I)< I'miucIki vjlli? Cabinet ccHHcd to ixist li is an ai soliitu principle that thcit; can he no inieiiuptiou in a niini^teiiil r Hfionhihility, and thitt ih why the iicr epiance of n porit'olio liaH a re- troactive ( llf( t MK regards r- ^uilly party. Tin; conspirntiir, he who applii d to (jitawa to devise this plot against the privileges of ttie people, is Mr. Joly. It is this getillemau who is supposed to have gone to Montreal to confer with George lirown to ut-k that great friend of our Province the secret which would give us political liappiness; it is he who went to seek instruitious from Mr. Mackenzie , so as to enable liiiu to find the means of fib hing power in the l^rovince of Quebec. (Cheers.) You have read in the newspapers' local news that Ilis E.K('ellency had travelled from Quebec to Montr' al and to Ottawa. For my part I know uothiri}); of this, the constitution forbids me to know anything about it ; but wh it I know well is that there are responsible Ministers in this Province, and that they will be (ailed upon to account for the senseless or criminal ad- vice they have given to His Excellen'^y. What are the facts ? Here they are, as 1 find them in the official documentb laid before the House, and which are now public pro> perty. HISTORY OF THE QUESTION. Oq the 26th February at 4 30 p.m. the DeBoucherville Govertiment received a letter from His Excellency asking why the Govern- ment had submitted to the House a bill to compel the cities of Quebec and Montreal, as well as three or four other municipalities, to pay the amount of their subscriptions to the railway from (.Quebec and (Jitawa, In tliis letter the iiieiitenant (lovernor furili r com- plains tli'it li measure imposing a new tax '■ had betMi Kiilunitted to tlie Hous- wiltmut having previously receivtut lln^ cnnsideraiioa of the Lieutenant-Governor." On the '27th Feliruiry, in (he (nrenoon, the rniuier lirought to Spencer Wood the answer of the (Jabiiiet to the Lieutenant (ioMrnor Tliis aiirwer was to the elf it that the Uailway Act was ju-.tiiie(l by the refusal of the mnniclp tliiles to |iay their subsiriptiuns. It is well known that (hese tubscriiitums for the cities of Quebec aiid Montreal alone amounted to the enoimoUH sum of nearly oiih million and a lialf. '■ in del'aiilt of that huin," said the I'rinier, " Ihe works would havo tieen suspended, the interest of the money already pat t on the roid — over sven mil- lions of dollats — would have been lost, and the Government would have In en olilitted to contract a new loan, and therehy inipos'! an unjust tax on municipalilies wlinh h id not eiiteied into any agret ment, and wbi< h were not to derive any immediate ailvantige from the construction of the road." The Piemier iifterw.irds ju-,tdl'rt his con- duct towards the Lieutenant (ioveriinr and the House, and concludes as follows:— "I beg your Ex eileiicy to believe tliat 1 le ver had any intention of arrogiting to myself th'S right of tiaving nieisures passed without voiir ap(irovaI, and that, under i xiKtuig eiicum- stances, having lial occasion to speak to your Excellency in lef. relice to the law le-peitirig the Provincial railway, and not hiving re- ceived any order to suspend it, I did not think your Ex(?elleutimiiiiy to tin- t;oo'l f>tith of Mr. U IV'UriiervilJe ; he Hpei lally « xo t-r- ati H Hon Misrtrrt. Aiif^ifH and .Jhiin li, wLo, he ailinitH. " iiiive not wittingly done uny- thiti^ winch was not in confoimity with thu duties of tiiiir ollice.' After a long ^li^8t^ta- tion on tile I ir( iimstanivH under whieh the Premier liid t-ulwnitied to the Le^fislaturt! the two liailway Aetsiind the new t. x, he cou- clud' H as fallows: — " For all these reasons, therefote, tip" Lieut''n'iiit OoV'-rnur casmot concind- tills mi nior mdiMii without expiehS- ifiic V till I'l. rnii r the r icrrt whii h h" Ce. Is in hein^ no li>ii:r>'r alili; to retain him in liiti p iHition inntriiry to the rights and |)reri'K'*t- ives of the L'lowti " Biiin; thus formally dismis«trd, ,Mr D -U lUeherville at once wrote th-^ follnwinir hiter and delivered it per-on- ally to ihi LlLUtcuanttJiiVernor ut Spencer Wood : — " (lUEBKC, March 2, 1878. "To His Excellency llio LI uienant-iiovernor of I ho ruv.iic : of liii'-oee : — " ^'ny It pi «so ^■ou'■ Kxcullency,— f have the li'inur t > ivM lovvli! Ii^e i lin r eelui of .your meinDrnnilnni, in wiien j'uu coinc to tlir! cun- ciUH.on th;i: you c iipeii reiatn mc in my posi- tion ui I'reniier. 1 Iriv , tiKTeiore, no oili r duty to p'Mioiin ijiyoiiil .suniniitins? to my dUm'ssal iKiin nitl.'e, eoiiimuni iiteu t)y Voiir Ex(^elieney, reiiei a' inn lit the s tin < llniti ni.v firofoniid res|)-ci lor the risjius an I piuroijai- VHS of ine i'muvii, and my devotion to the inteie.>>is of i nr rrnviu e." IlKV lUe honor to be Your Excellency's, Ac, tic, (.Slf,'ncd), * " o. B DeBoucuervilto." There! is tlie hare hi>tory of this coup fe'at, the first of the kind in our history. In the worst ditys of the O-tigs and Metealfes, no fcUc h events touk pla(;e. Tlieu, the adLitrs of those auto ratic Governors p issessod ilie science of polities and diplomacy, hut when you are aware that these doeumen's beaiing the imprint of aosolutism which I have just read, were irispired hy men professing ad- vanced Liberalism, one is tt mpt ■(! to enquire wiiether tliey were in- spired by hypocrisy or ignorance. (n can Imrdly now refuse a defi'.ile I Miliil->ler t lie chiince of a dISMiliill n any iii<>einan sue can dis-olve III iiie ilni ' of an un lufeated one, and without his CO I '.sen I." •'An KmkII>Ii inonai-ch should not illssolve I'a'llanieni nti iinst ilu- wlli and the Interest of a iiiliil-i ry win li Is In power. No doubt the Klin.' <'an ill-miss sneli a inlelstry. aiM ro- jilaee It l),v •no ler .nlnilin^i ml ion, whost^ iid- y|eo to ills-olvi- I'.iri nieiil he coul i >ake. oiii n\en wil li I Ills pree.iu ion to act ihii t'l- wards II inliiislry wijch Ii id a si 'O'lij majorltv In I'arliiiineni, w issliile lo Mlppose. We ilo II i| hel evi' 111 il i^ 11 \'lel, rs'-lf, la spile of the po|iiilai'liy iiiid le^peet liy which slie Is .>lino II. (led to ;i uri titer extent perhapH th 111 aii.v o h"r pre leee-surs, woulil even have re;'oiirse lo neli a nie,i<,iire. What would bo tlioiiirjit If she s lion jit veil I lire to reason thus : — 'I"he * bus iiie In a niMjoiity in tlie exist- ing IVirilmi 111, but I think that the coiiiitr.v woiil I favor a 'I'oi.v adinlnis- tialloii'. Ia'I us, tlieteloro. dissolve I'.ir- llani-nt, and see whet er the country will liol eieela I'arllM iir ml of iip|iii>>te o|iliilons to tlio>e svnieli lev ill I'l the |ire»enl I 'arl lament. V\lial won hi he I hiiiu'ii.l ? ^ o j^iul i - Il iiiao can ilieiiii ev' I III a eii; a-l i o|ili" of ihl-. naluru, and ulih'li lo hilll . |)|i II s lo hcloii!; I<> lliu lilienomeiia of ii w ii hi xllo^i the iliil'.-t ent fr.'iii I hMi, wluidi he iili.bts. In pracilce, in »• n«hiiiil, III- -l res to main- tain III |iowr. Ml |ir.-io.;i ives ai vai'iaiieo with llil^ p iiielple have laihn Inloill use. .\. .■siive.'eun ini> in id to a .Minis' ly the opp ii'Uiiiiiy of seeui iuj, by an a >i cal to tne peojilti III.' Ill JO liy wnieli is denied It in the lloiiiu if Id mil n- liiil to strike from beliln I, s 1 I 1 >|ie U, and I > sliaiiifie b.v ineuns of an a p al lo I li iiiiir^. a .Minis rysus- t'dliej by the ex>tiii;{ i 'nr laiiielU, Wonid be an i.-v 111 \v lien no iiii;j; renlers In o lliecal- e Jill hill, iilili iii'^h 111 I II mer liii.e tin- re were Ins lances oi liii - le oril d in our annals." " I'rin iple snoi> s lliai ilie powiT uf ilisiiiis- s in; a 1 ill v.- 1-1 i eol, ■> ii n wlii.ii :'.ii I itn 'lit Is siiii>lied, and I'l' ili-soivin^ that rarlliiiiiiit Ufion ill iippeal to I e pi'iiple, is llol a power wliicli a (vminioii lieridiliiry inoiian^h ulll bu ahh' b nelielilly lo ex leise. .Xe-oidin ly Ibis power has III osl , if mil i|nile, Urop(ied out of the realilv of mii' eoii.'»litiii i ii. noiIiihj, per- haps, wonlil . ore sill pi lie the I'^nulis i pe 'ple than if til •• Ciiu.'i' , by a ciiup U il'il, aiulonti suil en. iiesi. oyed a illiiisliy nini in i be ulle- Ki'ineeaiul seeiuenf ;i ninjoiity in . arli-iinent. 'I'hal. powiT Inll-pnlahiy, inllienry helongs t(> her ; but |i nas u i>>eil so liir away from tho mliiils ol ineii, lliit It woull lei'i I .V them, if hh'i used 1 . like a voUiiuio trup.ion iruai I'riinioso llill." • •• • • •••• Would you prefer an uuihority more fam- liar to you — 1 mean our poinilar and beloved Uovetuor-ticnertl, Lord Uiitlriu? Here are the words ho uitered in 1873 at a dinner dtfered to him at llilifax, in the midst of the discussions ereateil hy the l^aiilic allair, when he was atke l to dismiss his Mini.-ters; — " My onl.v guidiiiij a'ar In the con'u'.-t and nialnteiiiine-i of ni.v ollleial reliilons with .^our public neii is tli ■ I'o li unent oi UanaUa. • • • 1 believe In I'ai ll-ini»-i,t no matter which way il vot-s, and to those im-n alone WHO II tho deaborat-' will of the coniederHted i^urllaii!' Ill OI ranad I nia.v ass.^n me us my responsible adv. s IS, cm I give iny conli leiicei Whe her lliey are the Ilea is li tills Tarty or of that r'ariy nuisi b • a m ttier of indillerdi ce to tne Uoverno -lieneral. No long as they aie nidliitaiiifU in I'.ii lianiont in tiieir posliiun, so loi.g Is be bound to gUe iheni his unre- served confidence, tod^lVr to i heir an vice, and loyally ».ss St tlioiii with bis counels. Asa reasonable being lie eaiinnt help having con- victions upon llie iiiHiits of dlilerent policies; but thr.se coiisi loratlons are b.->t. act, specu a- tive, and devoid oi p aciic d ell'o -i in Iih ottlciai relations. .As ilie he id of a c institu- tional state, as engaged lii the ad • Inlstr lion of Parliamentary Uovernmeiit, he tthe G >v- eruor-Geueralj has uo poiiliuiU fneuUs, sUll Ie«« nnrd h«» hnvo polll Iciil (miphiIcs. flicrns- lil»M.li)i|, 1.1 rv II III!' I f| U Hil-l'<'>'l''il ul' JUIH- kvn uu Niit'li. >li'st r '.\ >• lil'i u->> luliu'.ss." Itiii why hi) iinkii) ({'jiitiitioiiN ? Why iriMiKt on nil I'll iiH'iitiiiv |>riii('it>l ' ? 1. -I it not tlmt, ill 1H7H, liiiiy }i''iih aid r liHViii^ <)i>likiii( H ihf ^Ti'.tt |Hin('i|ilii ot p'lr- liHiii< iitiiiy Miviifi ijiiii) V (Clii'LTH.; T<< whom do V/V llWt! tllJH bllltO of tllitlgH ? Wlio iiro tlioKi! who (lull- tliiow to the wiiidri '.111! colli; of our lilii'itio? It Ih thi; IX If-hi) i'-'l l^ilii'inl |iiiity. (iJlitciH ) VVli-tt a Mililim'5 iM'K ktiy I Whit ii piofmi.i- tioii of u lulu lioiiiii I'y lui II \vli<>, iiotwith- MtHiiiliiiic thi; I'iriMH into vvhicli tiny hnvu fuiii'ii, li.iil 111 li'itnt llii' ono im lit of aptH'iir- iu^ to lovi! hiiKtrcly tin! lilii rty of tlnir cotiniry. (ijlii-i i> ) 1 now iiniU'intiiii '*■"' r-i II' '<-'■'<' tni'ii hiivii reHolvtd to tihinduii tht: tiiji*. I Uiiow that tbei'u tti't! ill thin town tm u (if spirit who havo opiiily fXprri-H 'd tliiir di tiMiiiiiutiou to I lU ih.iusijvi's away fioni a parly which tuH uotliin^ lilicial in it hut the naaiit ; and thin HthiKin ol whi' h yiMi arc witiiiKScS IH ouly the hrj^iniiin^ of the ttriiiile reautiuii which wi tuke pUiiu in the Province. TIIH AltSlCNCK OK IMIKTKXT. I have hrjiight to your imiuory constitu- tional law. Let Ui go faither. Let uh aijk il there was evcii a pretrxl to juntify ii devi- utioa from the ordinary course. And who shall wi! take uh a judge in tht cise ? None other than tiie Li< utenaut-Governor. Here are the words of His Excellency in hitt letter of March Ist : " Tho Lleiilenant-Oovernor, takiiif^ into " Coii.sidera(ioii the ei)iiimui.iealii)ii made tii " lilm verbally lo.i tlie :;7ili Keljiuaiyj by the " I'remier, and uNo laUiiij^ into cDnsiUerallou " tho kUer tnal, the I'lemier gave to him, is " ready lo iidiiiit that ih re had been no in- " tentioii on l)eliall' of the I'reiiii^ r to sliylit "the i)r(!U)t,'ali vcs of tlie t rowii, and tliat " there wa.s . Illy, oil his part, an error coiii- " lull eil ill g.joi lailli Hi the iiilei i>retiill()n " that lie f:f.i\e lo wuiUs iisctl by the Jjieulen- '• ani-Cioveiiior ill liii; iiUeivievv wiiicii they " Had i.n llic i Uli o. l-'ibrnury liisiaiit,. word.s " wliieii did not imply tlie aiitliori/.Hl ion al- " tribuleil lu tluiiii l)> the I'reinit r. \V itii iliis " lull I p el>itio.i, and ii - iiiNl ruciioii.'s in con- " ►equi nee giseii by tlio I'reiiiler to the Hon. "Me.s^i.->. AiKji'i.s iinii (liuicli, tliese geiitle- " men did noi wii iiigly di> au.v tiling Hgai'i.si " ilie dulus u( ilieir i Jllee. As to l.iie blanlc " wliieli the ljieiilei.aiil-(.iovei imr addrts.sed ' to hliii Irom l.lviere Uileile, tlie Lieuloii iiil- " Uoveiiior Iviiew iliil.--ueli liiaiiii was t > be " used lor the p upose oi submllliiu- liie csll- " males to tile House. This ael was a token '• ol eoiilldciiee on iiis pait, as staled by tlie *' Premit r in liis letter ul llie ii tli, bui it was "c I ildenliai Tho Lifiitenaiil-t.30veriis.;d I he opinion tiial he " thoUiilil liial 111..- I'leiiiier ever liadliioin- " teiiii'in 1)1 arKif^atiiig ti lii nself tlie 'ri;ilit "or liaviiij^ niea>me.« p.isse.r wllliou' nia ap- " pioval, Ol- sffised the conlidciico of the House, ami on the other the evidence ot the Lituteuant-Uoveriior himself as to the pood faith of his Ministtis. I admit that good t.iiib docs uot pre veut errors, and I will eveo K<} so fir as to Hiippos>« for an inst'int thit we Wire iiiiHtakiii. VV.II, even in that rft«e, it hei'iiis to me Miat we wip- i iiiilled to greater consideration on the pirt of the chltf of till! state, 'i'he authors who liave writea on constiliitlonal law call the head ol the (JabiiM t '• the hr- paramount wh>n these di- sir.-N are e.\pr<:ssed in a eo.islluilaonul maii- uor." But this is no oD'eDce. la the House we are, in the Ministry we were the lawful re- presentatives of the people. If conllict there il III been between the will of the Lii titeiiant- Goveruor and tho will of the peivple as ex- pressed by us, it is because the Lti!tito, I'urliament miiiht be dir-pensed with, ai.d the people once more compelled by the stick to tibey ihe broom without respect to national represeu tai iou. " This quotation shows you what I told you a moment ago : that the actual advisers of in Wher rfscn Fedi We " tht " Vel " fn " ove " fluH " por is pu< Siiy, s pensi Shore nebet colon As fo self as to a law of lut (Chei pioce: proac this v ed afi Perha that t tional merel emp!< ways grievt the LlrMih'nant-Oovfrnor do not know thu poliiiml hixtiiry of thuir country, Aii'i'li-r rlikri(t JH I'ti'i to our li'tourit; I i\ il it tliuM ixi)ri KM>'ii it) (hi! niMiiur unluiii ; — " I'lii' liii'ut II iii'-tiovi-riior, (ifttT tii ituri' Hit- lihcrAtioii, ciiiiii it accrpt tiit* lulvici' of llie fri'initr in nfirtnit! to thf Hiiirtioa to bo ((ivi'ii th" lUilwiiy hill irititiilfd ' An A< t ro- Irttiiiu' to til'' lifc, Moiitriiil, Ottiittii* O';- ciHou'heivillu said to him, ■' If I rightlv uudtrstund your Exeelleney, thu only rtitficulty whicli now re- niuiiiH Ih to know whether you will Harictioii or Vt'servi! this bill ;" and when he answered '■Yep?" Kithi r one thin^j or the other; either the Lieutenant-Governor intended to reserve Ihi.s hill, and in thit ca.se. he was prejiared to accept the advico of his Minis- tern, which WHS a re ison for Ueepinp; them in power lnKte;id of expelliii,'.^ them ; or else ho wished to put his veto on the measure, and, in thi.s cHse, lie formally belied himself, when, on the (lay of prorogation, he merely reserved the bill for the considtfiation of the Federal authorities. Still another grievance. W'e are reproached with having authorized " the enormous expenditure occcasioned by " Very larg,! .subsidies to Keveral railways, " when the Provinrt! was burdened with the " construction of the trunk line of railway " from Cjjebec to Ottawa, which should prevail " over all others, and this at a time when our " finances ( (impelled us to raise loans dispro- " portioniite to our revenue." This reproach is puerile, and I might even go so far as to Biiy, strongly savoiing of absurdity. The ex- penses here referred to ndate to the South Bhore railways — that is, the Levis and Ken- nebec, the (juebec Central and the Inter- colonial, either for the past or the present. As for the past the Lieutenant-Governor him- self sanctioned this very measure last year ; as to the future he tven yesterday sanctioned a law which^after all, is only a continuacion of last year's legislation on these railways. (Cheers.) It may well be asked by wiiat process of reasoning, after having made a re- proach of a cause for dipmissal from office of this very legislation, it came to be sanction- ed afterwards in its pure and simple form. Perhaps at the last moment it was perceived that this legislation did not entail any addi- tional expense on the Province, and that it merely authorized, in a ditterent shape, the employment of the grant made to these rail- ways by a previous law. (Cheers ) Another grievance just aa serious, is '' the iacreaae of the HftlarieH In the Civil 8 tvich." But what Were tlie advis rs of IIIh Kxeelleiicy thinking about when they dji t led this siiiguhii doi II- melit ' A few llloi|ieiit-i ago I WUS di- rstaml liy virtue if what right His Kxeelli-ncy was advii*e(j to inierfeie in the minor details of the Civil S. rvi.,-, when the Houses, to whom the ili in of IIiIk I'Xlieli- diliire Weill Kiinniiuiieiit '.I, aecoiding to l.tw, within the past lifiei n d lys of theses-ion, did not m:ike any coin|ilaiiit. 'i he Chief of the Kxeiutive should bi! above such trilh-s, for when his advisers drag him into such pro- ceedings, do t' ey not exposi' him lo rejirisils disagreeibl.' and oll'ensive to himsi II' ? \Vh;it woiild be said, for instance, if anyone should attempt to lecture him on the domestic economy of Spencer Wood? (Cheers.) The Lieutenant-Governor also reproaches his lirst Minister in general terms for not hiving followed his recommend ttions in the various qucKtions of legislation and administration which have arisiin since last year. I am astounded that His Kxcelleiicy should have been advised to make any sui h criticism, which is the formal denial of responsible go- verument; what I it is known that the Lirii- tenant-Goveruor was chosen from among the men who were in active political service, and that he had just come out of the desperato sliuggle of 1873, and this is the man who is to inspire and conduct with absolute power the politics of the I'loviuce. (Cheers.) W'liy, we might as well pretend that the m jority of thu Houses in the Quebec Lgisiaiuro should be held to bow to the ideas and the prejudices, not to say the whims, of the man who might bo sent to us every live years by the Federal Government 1 (Cheers ) Know- ing the political sympathies of the f.irini;r Senator, should not the Uv,'w Lieiiteiiant- Ooveruor have been advised to exercise the most prudent reserve in all (]ne.itions ou which his political friends had expressed an opinion? D.> they believe that it is a salu- tary lesson for the people, and such as to inspire them with the respect due to author- ity to see every pretension of a parly echoed in the manifesto of their chief, v\ , expels from power a Ministry supported by the majority of the representatives in the lower and upper Houses? (Cheers ) WHAT ENOLISU STATESMEN SAY. What a distance inttjrvenes between this position and the grand principles set forth by Jilnglish statesm-n I Lord Derby, wriiiug to a Governor of Nova Scotia, advised him to keep strictly neutral in the political stiugglca of that Province, and said ; — "The object with which [ recommend to yoa this cour.-e is i liat of making it upp ireiu. I.litit any transfrr which may takn place of pollUeal powrtr from liie h mUs of one party in llie Pr.i- vince t » those of another. Is th^ lesuil, not of an uol of yours, but of iho wialiea of the puopls 6 thnintclvcH, ns Hhown by tho dlfflnnlty exne- rlitiicid ii.v IIm ■'■■lii'liii; piiiiy 111 ciirr.vlii/ iiti tilt) liiivcniiiii'iii III till' i'riiviitcii iicriii'illiiK III tlui I'liniiM III iiiK riiiiNiitiiiioii. 'I' I IIiIh I iil- tiK^li ui'i'iii liii|ii(i lniM-o I liiiv**, III) ri-l'i>n!, l<> lllNlitl I you Id iiIi-'I iin I'i'iiiii rlliinKllli' Y 'Ur eXiH'lllI v<' * 'iiiiiirll llillll II nIiiiIi Im'Cd.i.o |>"r- fe(*IJy rii'ur lliiii liny iiri- iiiiiililii, with hucIi I'lilr hU|>|i<>ri iriiiii >iiiirsi!iriiN i|ii>t ilinv hiv« n rlKlil III r.\|iiri, ici nil ry i in I III' < Jnvfrnmcnl of the I'liiviiii'i' Mill I slue I III lly, ami coiiillittuil tho coiilldriiri'til IliK l^i'KliiuUirc." I^iikI Uiiy, I xjiiiHsl K iin opinion on tho iiitt'iti !• till' of l.oril Mi'titiit'o ill (lihtuinHing liJH MliiiHiiy iu 1843, exprcHScil liimgolf hh foliiiwH : — "Ttn'itri'Pt of IhlH Ititervenlion wbh to pJRro hllll 'II illl'i'i'l llOMlliilV Willi iMlti of Ihi' KT'llt l)iii llitt I ilo Wlilrli tliti rol"liy was illvuli'il. Ill till' I'liiniii^l^i'irr lliii I lii) I'lir liiniiMil a y 0(i|i Miloii \v.i> no luii'^'t'i' illri'cti'il lilt) cly iiKHiii^i' III'' 111 vi-.i-r.s III I III) > fovi'i'iior, out agiiliisl I I' ( iiivi'i'iiiir hlniNL'li anil i lio HiIIInIi UuVui iiiiii' .1, 111 wiiH'li li') was lilt; organ. "Nor was tills all; tlie (ioviTnor. by his rupl'ii'ii will o.in piiriy, was pliici'd lo a I'ai' gi t-iiliT di'yr. I' li III » iiM ill sua till- In i hi' pow>-r of llu' o I, IT, ny wlili'li III! w.is siipporled, and I'isl ho iiifiiiis 1)1 I xir ■ sliiff Ills proper au- Ihoilly In ili'i'ul ti any i|. pnturH from lii'idi rail ..'1 on tlii' p.nl, uf those by wlio-t- as- HiKl iiic'i' liu wa.'s eoiii]jullt'd lo carry on tho Uo- VernniLiil." TuiH iH alM'j Miiy'H o|iiiiiun ; — "The (Jovt'inor, like the sovert Ign whom he repie.ii'iils, holds hiinseif u onf irorn and bit pel 1 r lo p.ii tiL's ; tmd Kovt-rns through i; >ii- Hiiiutioniii iiiivini'i >, Willi have a('i|nir< d an as- ceiiueiicy in liif J.'nl.s iiiuie. He le.ivt's eon- tending p. nlifs lo Iu t >'U teirowii h tllei, hllll iiy iiiliiiiiin,' I e su-'Mis r i aily lo i.ls Ct>iiiirils, III in;,'.> I 111) exi'iullvu aulhoi liy Ullu hurinony wiiii ixiimlar t>eiiiinieni8." Anil liivna iili-itH are lint cuLitiaed to thu SoViTt-iKti HliiUe. 8peuKiiig of u C'oUAtilUti(iu- al Uiou'.nh, h di8iiiigui.-u of CoujIhoiin." And nB btigoh t S'ltiicwhire says : — "Ahlngtx Hei'.so and s^gaclty wouM say to his MInlsier: 'Tne respoiihlblilty of ihc^e m- ahur> s 18 ii.ion you w naicVer you Inink bchl iiui.sl be d'liie v\ h tiever you tiiiuk best bhaii have my lull iiiid ell'eeluai ^^ppo.t Jiut you * 111 ouMtiivi' iliat lor hi8 re tooii and for tha re.i.>>oii what you propose to do Is bad ; ioc ililM reas.iii and f .r thai reaHou what you du nol piop.isr; Is lietier. I do not opf ose— It l8 my iiuiy aoi to oi)pu.3e— but ub^eive that I tuain.' " It was in this sense that George tht Fourth weiit no lurther than to express his discon- teut with Lis Ministers, iu lituguagu uut always the niot;t selict ; but it was then re- marked, "The King would rither advise his Mitiistcrs than uismiss them." But, gentle- mt^n, why quote so many authorities? Why search throughout the annals ( f the English people, who are the model of all constitu- tional government? Nowhere can a X)rece- dent be found to excuse the act which has just been committed. (Cheers.) What has been arrived at here, and what has been ac- complished, is neither more nor less than the filching of power by ambitious paities un- able to attain it by constitutional means. The people were not vllh thoRo ra<'n, the represeiitativiH of llix tiiitinn wnhl not couiitcnaiici) ttii'in ; I hey tlii n forr drdiveil thi' IfprrSt'lltlltlVi) of thr HoVrri'lj^Il power to take poHHi'HHioii of that powrr whirh they did not di'sirvi' lo liojil. The niiis of powir bi'lohg lo thu FiiHt MiniHler, in whosi' handi* the HoVi'ieliMl has phu ed th-'lii, on the i x- prt'Hsion of the will ot the piopli'. Tin si rriiiH of power mu--t liegiviii up by tli*) I'le- iiiier wlniit'Vrr public contidi'in'D is wiih- drawn *'roin his MinUti-rs The KnvrriiKU liiinsi'lf may ('>ill for tlii'in, wlnn tin' reprn- Heututivt'H of the piibiii; dehire it; but iii'Vtr, iu any ciisi', cm he Hiiaich them, or rob them, to use plain laiiKiHK'' Tbat is wImI ih being doutt tons Hut let tlii'in I ike i are. '!'• r- rible shall be the reHiilts wheri the p'oplt; shall come to viudiiate their leKixlotive su- premacy I Then it bli'tll be Slid, with us mil h rtason .is it was I tiely said in Europe, that '■ he must siilwnil or n sign " THB I'llKTKSCIC OK TlIK NKW MINISTIiY. It is tru J that having no moral principle, they aimeil at lieiiig skilful an I < iiiiiiliu;. With till) ilissolution of rarliinieiit they place I e fore Ihe people an alluittiient wiiich they belit:Ve to be iirehisllble. Tin V say to the same people whom I hey know to be good and ciedulous, that this t venl has lakeii place altogether for lln ii' welfare; that it is iu their interest that the con-tilution is thus VKilated ; that It is In older to prevent their being h'avily taxed that a p.ev tiicating Cabinet has been I xpelli d. ThetHXsI Mii li is the b.tit held out to the misses to i ii-naie them. This allurement is well i hoseri, if one believes Ihe p- ople of this I'lovin e Is com- piled of idiots But in this tln-y are uji>- taken ; ih'- flectois are intelligent lUoii^h to not allow themselves til be taken ill by surh gro-s alliiremint. (Cheers) Lit us look at things squarely in the fat tax is as onerous as they would have us to believe Let Ui further cou«ider if the upheaval to which they have submitted this province, and thj extraordinary expeu'liture whieh will be the result of huch an aciioii, will not entail larger costs than the tax with which they en- deavor to frighten us. I do not speak of tho fatal blow dealt at the political institutions which are so dear to us. With a spirited and patriotic people no money value can be set upon suih an act as this (Cheeis) The tax in question became necessary on a' count of the gr-at puldic works which the Govern- ment undertook or encouraged diiring these last years, and this at the request of all our politicians, irrespective of party. More than seven millions were needed for the Provin- cial North iShore Railway, and nearly two millions and a half as subsidies to private enterprises on the south shore of the St. Lawrence. These great undertakings are not yet completed. Some of them are even in need of additional aid to bring them to a successful issue. Would they desire, as the Liieutenant-QoTenior has been so unwisely adviHcd to do, that th*>t<« HiibNidicH l»t dcnit'd thttii ? ('((iild ihiK i>f yiiiir wihli, wlwii ymi havi! impoHttd ii|i(iii vonrtt It' Hill h urnit hii- iriti '< <« to |)ioiiiot>- one ot ttu'MH tind itttkiiiK'-? Could it Id- yniir w JHh tliiil the I'atviiutt tie up iti< piiirti Ht lilies, Hiid uiidi-r III.' prctciK'ii ot fiilr>i' rcitiioiiiy jriivc Frii ,>*-rill>'i| tni^^ ^nnt imtltiiiHl riiii r|iiipt' ? (Jrriiiiiily m t, mid tli'it HdiJill tax of til'tt'fu C( rtH cdiild not t'lUHe you to ^ive u|> tin- firrai iiridcttikiiiK. ((y'hetTH.) Thirt ttx Htlci Irt (oiitr'H'tH ot u hi)iliiT viilu'' thiin $200 Ttun ton', u tmiiH- action of f'MH) kvoiijil piy a duty of 15 ct-titH, tlii< liirtt $201) l)> iiik( at all tiuK^H rx>'riu)t from itnty; l>u( wilu, niurriaxi^ coiitr.iiiK, douatiouH enif ti/f in dir'it lino do uut come uudcr tbt? juiiHdii.tion of it8 law, TUB QUKhTIDN Or TAXATION. Let US calculiiti! for an iiiHtnit; thiTo are 700 pHriHh'H in thti Provinci! (d' (JU'Ihc. ThiH tHx, from thtt nui-it accunitc i HlriiUtion, will yit-id iilKiiil $175,000. Of tliU amoimr, tilt) two thirds or Ilifn-ahnUtH, will Iw liorne by liankriv, i>r"k<'i><, nml *'t«liitt) iit;*'ntH aiid gptx'ul'tloi's of lill kinds — llmt it* to Hiiy l>y thi^ cIhhh wIikIi Imidly < vtr pay t.ix-H ; and again, tliiH t'lX was only tfiiipo.'iiy - ii whh only t(* l.i8t u itil ih- fivorablo dcciHion of tho ailiitrallou b< twee it thi; two I'loviiu'us wliiili will hoon be ii-n- dercd in Eiit{lHn d and ttn) I'rovincc itirown into a gtatc of a^itatiiiii, lliu rt;HultH of wlii(;ti cannot bu foreHi-i u. ('/'liKtMH.) Hi-rf is a Ht-sHion Bll'ldculy brokt II up, ^i grt;at |iartt>f lliu btbiiit) of wliii b will li-ivit to 1)1- b 'Kon ov. r a^;^tin. Tbi-n; is no txi;.'KiMai:t)ii in Sityini^ thai wdl fiifuil ail fxpi iidimru of .■JilO.ouO ; tlun tho gt'iitral 1 1( ctiiin, which caumit cu8t It-HS (ban 435,000 ; adit to thi« the iuevitairtitt lit >ppa^tt iu tbu workiin; uf the public di'piiituit'iits liy the installa- tion of iiiw and iui xpuiieiici-d Ministt-rH. Aild iigain thi; loss oi tiuif, ntc•l•^Kary expense eut>iiled on the citizcus ihilividually by the guntral t-Uctitiu ; ntt dnwn tiifbe txpeUHfH and liiHs of liiu»! at the vi-ry low figure 'if $50 per puri^h, and ttll uit; if thert^ is not a dead loss at least tqiial to tin- t^x they attempt to frighten you with and whieh woiiki have been usefully expended, wiih;>ut any of the quarrels, disorders and scandals iusrpMrable from the political agitation which we are entering into. ((Jheers.) And we have not taken into consideration what will be the heaviest loss to the Province, the interest daily acc'i'uulating on the capital sunk in our railway enterprises, the carrying out tif which mu^t necessarily be delayed by this triek of ambitious and envious individu-tls. Nine millions of dollars are at stake in these enterprises. Suppose a delay of three months only, and you will have the pleasant little sum of $135,000 to pay; and I leave out of the question the iudirect damages caused by these delfiys, which will put back f.ir a whole year, on account of the inclement season, the completi >u ot these great works. Political aspiratioas are allowable ; but when their realization costs so dear, it may be said tl)a( Iht'y HiirpAitH folly and verL'o on crima. (' het-rs ) Tell US not that we ari> .aiiHe of all till H)i disasters iu refusing to kiiuiiiit to tilt) new state of tilings, and Hiippoiiing a miiiistiy iiiHtalliii in seats robbed fiom us. Men of spirit, and this uiiliy has no oil-er, would dehpi.ie IIS if we luiild .ms ly hiiliiiiit to H I hliameiiil a ( iim<', wiihinit prnlehting in till' name ot ihe I'tw, III IIk- nitiuii ol ihe con- stilution, and In the name o| the free work' ing of naiioiial reprehentntlon. Tne whole lesponsiliilily of these disahters rests aluiie on those who huve ovi r-iiild<'n tin* law, spurned the constitution, anil tr'nldiii the lilierties of Parliament under their feet, (fheers ) WHAT ARB TUB TAXKB. They have spoken to you about taxeii. Ask the peo|ile who ( ry against the tat' s of thii liOial (iov) rniiii'iit wl i -h Mr* the tix>^8 it lias imposed ? IJecaiise, atti r all we must not bt! unjust. Will you, who listen to mo at tliis moment, tell me ? Voii pay a lux on ten, on -iigtr, on tobrtcco, on niarlv eV'ry. thing thai }oii use ; but to whom do you p>ty li Is tax? To the Kidiril Trea^llry at Ot- tawa. Niarly all the r sour i-s of the I'ro- viuciil linvt riim-nt iire on whom ii'-aily all the w i;ht of taxitioii r- 8's in this I'rovinie. It yiiu add to thi.s a lii^lil duty to pay the costs of re«istiatioi) you bave a ( one to coiiiriidiit me ; the I'mvinre cf (Jiiebec is the least tax' d St'ite tnat exists if we takt; idto anoiint tlie perftct working of its system i f ad ninis- tration. Is it then this small lax of tilteen cuts that w lulil make us feel mis nble? This lax would ne imposed by our opponents tliemsilves, or they would replace it by an equivalent one, if by a cliaiu e on which they do not rely, they hold the posillon they have usurped. TUB PBBTKNCB OF KCO.NOMY. I was speaking to you just now of a bait with wh.ch they will try t) steal a marth upon the people in this gri at bdttle, which is to be waged on the field of its 'inrties; I have proved to you that this cry gainst taxation was not sincere, and that those who Uttered it have placed the Province in a far more trying position. I will now point out to you the other snare whicU will be set to entrap your coutideuce and your good faith: "economy, retrenchment in all the branches of the ailmiuistratior.' Behold the everlasting programme of those who have no policy ; behold the panacea — the "syrup that cures all evils" — which piilitical charlatans sell in th'> market of the dupes. At all times this limi'-twig has caught sparrows. " Sow the se'id of i iots," said a WHg, X and you shall reap shareholtj- ers." Under the new lule it is intended to BOW the seed of quackery, hoping that it will bring forth a crop of votes. (Laughter.) i \V<( Imv" (««'rn UioH<' OovcrnmcntM of retri'n' h- nifiit Ht woik ; w<> HHw tli< in in lHi;:i, in 1874 ; wi> Hi'x ttii'tn Mtill at Otiiiwii 111 lHi).< th(! p) ll|llc, ill ('lllll('lll|)l of lIlOHl- Htnltll IID'II, tlH;nty. What iiecouies of tho maxim that " (he people govtriis,'' if it be allowed to a single man to reniove the Gov- ernment from ttie hands to whiih tho people tiad cuniiclod it ? (Cbeeis.) At all hazards. HRVo that principin from shlpwrei k I Let it b>* for UM u rallying; cry I Li t int (nrgvt, for one day at leant, our loi al (liH>, ai lid by Ills noblo tiieiids, Moijn and Itil.l. win. And neid I riu'all to you the nauitt of earlier, the continiier of tliat grnit work, but yesterday our itiiet, the true type of aCiiiisi vilivo at itesiiiaii, prudent and active, i. n 'icli t* o enemy of deiiiaKoi(U( s as tho ithfiil deteinler ot oiir coiiHiiiuiion>ii lihertii s 7 Hiicli wen; our ^iiidi s in tlio P'til, let them be our models in tlie prosunt. (Cheers). Uentlemon, another name now ninhes on my memory, the name of I'apineuii,— " III?, th" inlKlity Irllmne, wiiuin the freiizhid eroNvd " .•-a I II led (-very (lay with acclaim doup ami loud. • •••••••• His vol(!(>, his Kraii*! voice, roplcto with haiuiit V Ire. Ills Voice that liiduiiicd his poopio with tho II ro Of Mieh liltler sarcasin, such trluiiiphaut hiKtio, HIh v..|eo thai, darluK tyrants face tn face, For tony yj-ars proclaimed the rlnhln of all Ills race (1). Voii know tliat piece of verse, the work of your own deputy in the Commons at OU »wa ; and I put the qiiestioa to liimself, iiow kui d I'rtjiiiieau liavi! merited to be ixtolled by a liiuiiil toiiKue, if it be not liy having,' wre,-.tled fluriiiK half his life against Cioveriiois of Provinces, tlio^c petty despots, wIhj, not satis- tied with reij^iiiiig, desired also to govern accordiu).? to tin ir f.iiicy. In that stnigi4le I'lpiueau deserveii well of his country, and, destuto the faults of Ids life, his nil mory will nmtin as that of a Kicat champion of tin- lil>trtv of the pi opie. (Cheers) Would to Giid that the liber.il party that he crtati-d respi ct'id his ten hiiigs! What, ihi II, would I'apiiieau say, he, the ois- mih'sid of GoV'Tiiors, if he now saw his heirs become tlio difinders and aixoiiiplic s of tho dii-missal of those in whom tlie people hid placed thi ir contideiice ? What >voiildlio say ? He would utter one of those ternlic ac- cents, who-e echo has come down to us, and he would txclrtim : "Impose sib nee ou Spen- cer Wood, and lot '■ the people lie heard. ' (Loud cheers ) (1) Lui, le puissant tribun que la foule en deinenoe Baluiilt lous les Jours d'une clameur Immense. * • « • ••«•« Savoix, sa gran e volx nux su'dl mi's coleros, sa viilx qui (JeehdnaU sur los tlots populalies Tant de Mireasme uiuor ot (i'eciats inoin- ph n s, Sa v.lx qui, des tyrans deconcrtant I'auflace, Quaranie ans pioclama les droits Uc uotro race. -(L. H. Frechette.) f