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Tous Im autres exemplaires originaux sont filmte en commenpant par la premiere page qui comporta una ampreinte d'imprassion ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporta una telle emprainte. Un daa symbolaa suivants apparattra sur la derniire image de cheque microfiche, leion Ie caa: la symbols — ^ signifie "A SUIVRE ', Ie symbole V signifie "FIN". Lee cartes, planches, tableaux, etc.. peuvent Atre filmia A das taux de rMuction diff«rents. Lorsque Ie document est trop grand pour itf reproduit en un saui cliche, il est filmi A partir de I'angia sup^rieur gauche, de gauche k droite, et de haut en baa, en prsnant Ie nombre d'images n^cessaira. Las diagrammes suivants illustrent la m^thoda. 1 2 3 — ^_i^^____ 1 2 3 4 5 6 THE POLITICAL SITUATION AS VIEWED BY AH EX-GGLlEACUE of sir JOHN MAGDGNALG'S. Hon. WiUiam Maodougall, Minister of Publio Works in Sir John Maodonald's first Government after Oonfederation, and until recent years one of his leading support^ers, addressed a public meeting in Toronto, on November 9th, 1888, in the following signifioant language :— It gives me great pleasure to have this opportunit j of speaking fbr a v«jry few nMnutes to the good citizens of my native cify of Toronto. My views upon public matters twentyyears ago, thirty yeai-s ago, were pretty well known to the citizens of Toronto. (Hear, hear.) Since 1882 I have not represented any constituency, and have not been authorized to speak in the name of any class of my fellow countrymen. I came to this city this morning on privato business and found there was to be a large gathering of the citizens of Toronto to hear the leadei-s of the great Reform party. I felt Uiat I was somewhat of a leader in the Reform party of that day to which I refer, and I felt some curiosity to be presc^it in order that I might hear and judge whether the principles of tl l«form party of this day had very much sJtered. After listening to the splendia Hpeech oi your Reform leader, Hon. Edward Blake, and the remarks of the gentleman who has just taken his seat, (Mr. Cameron, M.P., West Huion,) with regard to the conduct of the Admin- istration of the day, it seems to me the line of argumemt and the kind of appeal which uiied to be effective in TDOiB OU> DATS quite as effective to-day. I am not here to speak in the name of aay political ^ ;y. I am a Canadian and an ex-politician. I am out of public life, but I am still very much interested in public questions. I read the newspapem carefully. 1 take both The Globe and The Mail. I take them both, and I read also the independent newspapers — so called — (cheers and laughter) — ^and I form my own opinions. I have been allowed to make a few remarks, and I avail myself gladly of the oppoitunity. I speak to you as an old politician, one, I am sorry to say, of some length of experience. I speak as one who has not agreed in the past, and may not agree to-day, in the propositions that may be put forth by the political gentlemen who sit upon this platform. I x&i&re* ray own opinion as to their conduct, but having in view what has been done and what is proposed, I have no hesitation in saying that I think the time has com* when the people of this country ought to DlSniSS THE PRSSEBTT ADMHIISTRATIOM and put a better one in its place. (Great applause.) In 1878 I visited a good many constituencies and spoke from a good maay platforms in conjunction with, or at the same time as. Sir John Macdonald. Efe was then in Opposition, and a Reform Government was in power. One or two questions were then agitated which seemed to me to be wwl adapted, if embodied in the laws of the country, to promote the prosperity of our country. One of these was a subject which ths hon. leader has alluded to to-night. It has been called the National Policy. I was a free trader in principle ; I am to-day if I can find another free trader to trade with. But I would like to see the free tradimr country that will reciprocate with us before I commit myself to free trade as a positive policy. At that time, [No. 15.] are party, I it seemed to me our position alongside a great protective nation compelled us t« frame our policy in accordance with peculiar circumstances which we could not alter, and I therefore ad^^ocated a change in the tariflf of the country. The Opposi- tion came into power and adopted a (Uiange in the tariff. But I am sorry to say that they went far beyond the principle advocated and beyond the reason which was given for the change of pohcy. (Loud applause.) A PBOTECTITE POLICY may be very good at 26 per cent, and very oppresai'^e at 35 per cent (Hear, hear.) I must confess I was a good deal dissappoiated, not only in the extreme length to which Sir Leonard Tilley proceeded in the forming of his tariff, but wiui regard to some other matters of very great importance, some other matters which have been alluded to to-nighi I felt that, looking at my own antecedents, at the arguments I had used before the country, I could not continue to support tne Admi^iistration, and I took my own course — an independent course — in Parliv meni Now, you have heard to-night some of the transactions which vriU justify I think, any honest, independent, patriotic Conservative, in withdrawing his con- fidence from the Government calling itself Liberal- Conservative, which has been guilty of such transactions. (Loud and prolonged applause.) It so happened that, in returning to my profession at Ottawa, and having in charge the interests of clients having claims upon or transactions with the Government, a good many o£ these matters came to my knowledge in a way which it would be improper ior ae to detail upon this platform. But THI§ ONE FACT was impressed upon my mind — that the supporters of the Government in Parlia- ment and mary of their supficrters outside of Parliament were engaged in a con- spiracy to use tha public property and the public wealth for their own private and individual advantiM»e. (Great cheering.) And if the members of the Government did not participate in the benefits, they allowed these transactions to go on and to this extent ; at any rate they were irticepa criminis. Seeing this I took the course which seemed to me the propt. one, of withdrawing my confidence, and in 1882 I was a candidate in opposition to the Government m the great territory of Algoma. I carried that constituency ; I carried a majority of the legal votes, but I was beaten by five hundred votes of the navvies engaged in constructing the Canadian Pacific Railway who were loaded on trains at Rat Portage and carried down to Port Arthur, voting, each of them, at every polling place between those two points. (Cheers and laughter.) The CONSTITIJEIVCT BEINO NINE HUNDRED MILES EONO b^ I don't know how many broad, was rather too large to justify a man not famed for his riches in entering a protest. I made a statement of the facts and left the electors to remedy the grievance if they felt disposed to do so. What I have to say to-night shall be very brief. I believe it is in the interest of Canada, in the interest of every honest man in Canada, Conservative or Reform, that a change of Administi ition should take place, that the Government, which has promoted or permitted transactions of the kind detailed here to-night— no matter what their claims for the past may have been — should be declared to have lost the confi- dence of the people of the country. And if the people have regard to the interests e .11 i.:. i-U^ A,^i; 4i^A ^%^ n Av* IXi-\'^ r liav. ,U^ t-n \.i. rr\-wA 4-lrk£ people ci Otoiada with having neglected hJM duty, and with having permitted the work of hifl own hand to be rendered almost valueless, at all evants put intc such a condition that if a change is not raede a revolution, or a great constitutional change of another kind will be necessary in order to govern the people of this country. (Applause.) Let me mention one case. I speak of the two branches of Parliacient, the Lower House, as it is called, the House of the representatives of the people; and THE SEj«ATE. My hon. friend, Mr. Mowat— (applause)— knows very well that in the Queb«c Conference, when the question of the Constitution o^l the Senate was under dis- cussion— when it was being determined what form it should take, whether it sdiould be a nominated, or a representative body — there was great contention upon it in that conference. He will remember that I mover! on that occasion, and I btdieye he seconded the resolution, that the selection of the Senate should be by election. He will remember that motion was not ' '<\, a^ 1 that the principle of nomination by the Crown was adopted. A^-'^ undjrstood pad agreed that when the nominations were to be made r ^•.> g lec'io::/ V c id be made from the two great political parties of the j w.&t ... . should be no ATTEMPT TO PACK T, -K ■ VV with the members of either political party, L^,. ^-^ . rV ■ \l&y . huiT'cl be given to both political parties. And the consequence was — Mr. B,owr. having left the Government— when we went to London to obtain the Imperax Ac , the nomina- tions were made by Sir John Macdonald, representing the Conservative naity, and by Mr. Howland and myself representing the Liberal party ; and we made a Senate so far as that operation was concerned, which would not be a stumbling block to any political party. At all events, that principle was laid down. But what has been the result ? Sir John has filled the vacancies in the Senate from his own political party exclusively, until now there are or fourteen Liberals in that body. Think for a moment how such a constitution as that would work if Mr. Blake should com3 into power with a majority in the Lower Hoiise. How would his measures be received in the Senate with an overwhelming majority opposed to him ? The Senate would block, thwart and mortify his measures. It is a body having no authority in this coimtry. It has ceased to bo a place wliere any one interested in the debates of Parliament goes to hear a question discussed. Its proceedings are printed at great expense, but no one reads them. Why? Because it has no authority in the minds of the people. (Applause.) NO ONE LOOKS TO TUE SENATE for the. initiation of measures of interest to the people, for any honest amendments or improvements of the measures passed by the other House. And, theiefore, from my point of view, as one responsible for the framing of this constitution—^ though my voice on this matter was on the other side — from that point of view Sir John and those of his colleagues who have brought about this state of things are no longer entitled to the confidence of the people of this countiy, who desire that the union of these Provinces from sea to sea — this half of a continent which is our inheritance — shall endure. I mention these circumstances for examination. Of course, there are many others, if time would permit me, which I could give as sufficient reasons why the people of this country should withdraw their confidence TUvyny 4-|lo v\^*aa£ir\4: iXd^xri^^ry m r^^t ^ nt i^4-^n «r.^ ^ •■. - i i*.^ M — __ i. U - J'i? 1 '^_ * "» * _ ••--—- - •>■;:•, --V •.-■.t._ .. r;;, aitVI JV.lVf.T i-iiH jJ'OifilsZiiii piin,j UVW icU Dv r. Blake. (Loud and prr.longed cheei-ing.)