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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m6thode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 Uije^^ Z^"** piP ^^>p't (2 '^ J'J'^^r^ W'>ll.»S nm ttk . \-nlt '.a JUui iM ? \^ ■<:- W -4-.,W.fc »»,.-"n Jt >0^4HH0- . \if.^^C^^^^ \..^:-/[J} * \ i w kJ. c^Cc<^ ^i't^'t^ i^/j.iA .Vb- hk Mif /■•' ■ Vvnlrr^l i 'RE |r OTTA» c LOVI THE ISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION or THE RIGHT HONORABLE FREDERICK TEMPLE, EARL OF DUFFERIN, K.P., G.C.M.G., K.C.B., BMl.S., LATI GOVERNOR GENERAL OF CANADA. BY WILLIAM LEGGO, OTTi^WA, ONT., nARRISTIR-AT'L&W, LATH UASTIR IN 0HAN0BR7 AT HAMILTON, ONT., AUTHOR OF "LIGOO'S OHANCBRY PRAflTIOl," AND OOHPILKR or "i/BQ(4a'a ohanocry fouhs." iAotttYeal: LOVELL PRINTING AND PUBLISHING COiMPANY; G. MERGER ADAM. 1878. 228544 Lt^i^^', u/, MEMORANDUM. The author purposes to follow this work, at the expiration of the term of the Marquis of Lorne, with a history of his administration in Canada. Entered acoordinR to Act of Parliament of Canada, in tlie year one thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight, by William Lkgou, in the Office of the Minister of Agriculture, at Ottawa. / iiediratiou. of the term istration in TO HARRIOT, COUNTESS OF DUFFERIN, SI ].ali5 iHO HAS SO GRKATLY CONTUIBUTED, BY IIEIl HIGH ATTAINMENTR ANO HER ADMIRABLE SOCIAL CHARACTER, TO THE SITCCCSR ArmKVED BY HER ILLUSTRIOUS HUSBAND, THE EARL OF DUFFERIN, IN SKCUIUNG, TO AN EXTENT UNEQUALLED IN COLONIAL HISTOUV, THE UNIVERSAL RESPECT, LOVE, AND ADMIRATION Of THE PEOPLE OF CANADA, BY PERMISSION, MOST RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED. HE 'ove KIgin, [)UFFi lis A( Til simply PREFACE. 'he slow hut steady development of the principles of Re8i)onsihle [lovernment in Canada, under Lords Durham, Sydenham, Metcalfe, KIgin, Monck, and Lisgar, and the unswerving devotedness of Lurd Dl'fff.rin to those principles, should make an hi : , ical account of lis Administration acceptable to all interested in theni. The system known in Canada as " Responsible Clovernment " is simply an imitation of the Constitutional form c' lovernment, which las since the reign of George III. been slowly evolving itself in Great Jritain. T'l.'t Sovereign knew little of it; — his son, George IV., had 10 occasion to attempt any check to its growth : — William IV. vainly Bright to impede its progress, — and even our present (iracious Sove- reign, in the warmth of a young heart, attempted on one memorable )ccasion to resist its power. But a few years' experience taughi her Its true nature, — she gracefully acknowledged her error, and under her Subsequent sway this great charter of liberty has attained a strength jtnd stability hitherto unknown in any country — ancient or modem. Its progress in British North America has been slow, but steady. [t was promoted under Lord Durham : — Lord Sydenham worked out as well as its imperfectly developed features were then under- Itood : — Lord Metcalfe halted, and attempted its check, but tlie mempt only brought out a clearer view of its beauties, and added [trength to its growing power : — and Lord Elgin used it with a broad lind and loyal determination to give the Canadian people the benefit if its fullest development ; though in this he was, on one great occa- jion, opposed by a large and influential portion of the jieople them- ilves. But it was left to Sir Edmund Head, Lord Monck, Lord Jsgar, and especially to the Earl of Dufferin, to place the centre tone in the arch, — for under their administrations the principles |f Responsible Government have become thorou;;'hly understood well by the respective Ministers of their times as by the masses |f the population they have been called on to govern. It is chiefly with a view to point out this gradual development, id to show the means used by Lord Dufferin in the process, that lis work has been projected. No Canadian statesman can hereafter I . ■ 6 PREFACE. Ii pretend to even a fair knowledge of his duties or responsibilities without an intimate acquaintance with the details of Lokd Dufferin's AfKMiNisTRATioN ; — and no inhabitant of Canada can with even toler able clearness understand the history of his country in the absence of a familiarity with its progress since the system of Responsible Government was established. The work has not been reduced to a mere panegyric of the Earl OF DuFFiiRiN, though the exceptionally excellent qualities with which he is endowed have, of course, appeared. These the narrative have gradually evolved ; and the student of Canadian history will have seen, after the study of his rule of the Dominion, of what great importance a genial disposition and popular manners are to the smooth working of the government of a number of separate Provinces, differing in laws, | language, and religion. The importance of the life of the ruler is to be measured by the | judgment with which he has construed the constitution of the country he has been called on to govern; the ability with which he has! applied that construction to the practical working of the machinery of I government ; the tact with which he has dealt with the discordantf elements to be found in all societies ; the influences of a kindly heart! and a graceful bearing, with which he has smoothed the rough edgesi of partisan contests, and softened the social and political asperitiesj so inevitable in all countries, and under all systems of government: by the degree of confidence in their rulers, and content with theirl institutions, with which he leaves the people inspired ; and by thel amount of respect, the warmth of love, and the height of admiratioiil with which he has imbued the masses of the population placed under| his charge. Judged by these tests the hfe of the Earl of Dufferin, inj Canada, presents a subject for study as valuable to the statesmanj as it is attractive to the student. The beneficial effects of his example are strikingly exhibited inl the government of Manitoba by Mr. Morris. This gentlemaiij doubtless inspired by the study of Lord Dufferin's conciliating lactJ and carrying out a similar policy adopted by Mr. Archibald, broiiglij that fine Province from anarchy to order ; and though these ruler exposed themselves to the hostility of a class whose only error Avas] that they i)ermitted their feelings, for a time, to conquer their natural kindness of heart, yet they succeeded in producing peace and hap PREFACE. 7 ])iness where a severe policy would probably have produced only strife and wretchedness. It is hardly necessary to say that the Earl of Dufferin is in no degree to be held responsible for any statements made, or opinions expressed in this work, excepting in so far as his own speeches are concerned, the principal of which have been subjected to his own cor- rection. With the.se excei)tions he is completely ignorant of the contents, and will remain so until he sees them in the printed volume as it is now presented to the public. A similar remark is made as to Mr. Archibald and Mr. Morris. The author cannot allow the work to appear without an acknow- ledgment of the deep obligation under which he lies to a number of gentlemen in Ottawa. First among them is Mr. Alpheus Todd, the Librarian of Parliament, whom the author cannot sufficiently thank for his most valuable assistance in a variety of ways. The author also desires sincerely to thank the other officers of the Library for their kindness and untiring willingness to obtain any information he needed in the compilation of his work. He thanks, also. General Sir Edward Selby Smyth ; Colonel Powell, the Adjutant-General ; Col. Stoughton Dennis, the Surveyor General ; Mr. Alfred Patrick, Clerk of the House of Commons ; Mr. Vankoughnet, of the Indian Department; Mr. Brymner, of the Department of Agriculture ; Mr. Buckingham, Secretary to the First Minister ; and Mr. Botterell, for valuable information and assistance. The author has much pleasure in saying that the type used in the production of this volume was manufactured by the Dominion Type Founding Co., Montreal ; the paper by Alexander Buntin, Esq., at Valleyfield, Que. ; the portraits of the Earl and Countess of Dufferin were engraved by the British American Bank Note Company, and their Excellencies' Coats of Arms, by Mr. James D. Scott, of Montreal. Ottawa, 19th October, 1878. ! I i CONTENTS, CHAPTER I. Parentage — Education — Succession to Title — Lord-in-Waiting — " Narrative of a Journey from Oxford to Skibbereen" — Created an English Baron — Land Tenure and P2niigration Question — Lord Dufferin's Writings and Speeches on these subjects — Appointed Attachi to Lord John Russell's Mission to Vienna — " Letters from High Latitudes" — Appointed Commissioner to Syria— Nomin" ated a K.C.B. — Speech of Condolence to Her Majesty, in House of Lords, on death of Prince Albert — Marriage— Appointed Under Secretary for India — Under Secretary for War — Nominated Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster — Sworn in as Privy Councillor — Created an Earl of the United Kingdom — Appointed Governor General of Canada — Estimate of his Qualities — Banquet at Belfast — Speech on that occasion — Reception at Derry — Departure for Canada — Arrival at Quebec 17 CHAPTER n. Sketch of the early government of the British North American Provinces — Rise and Progress of " Constitutional " or " Responsible " Government — Maritime Pro- vinces in 1839 — Lord Durham, Governor General, May, 1838, to November, 1838 — His Report — Lord Sydenham, October, 1838, to September, 1841 — Union of Upper and Ixjwer Canada determined on — Lord Sydenham's Rule — Sir Charles Bagot's Administration, January, 1842, to March, 1843 — Lord Metcalfe's Rule, March, 1843, to Novcmtx:i> 1845 — The Government of Lord Elgin, 1847 to 1S35 — Rebellion Losses Bill — Beautiful Farewell Address of Lord Elgin — Sir Edmund Head, Governor General, January, 1855, to 1861 — Movement for Confederation of the British North America Provinces — Lord Monck, 1 86 1 to 1868— The two Canadas, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick Con- federated 1st July, 1867 — British Columbia moving for Confederation — Sir John Young, afterwards Lord Lisgar, Governor General, 1868 to 1872 — • Cession of North-West Territories to the Dominion — British Columbia and Vancouver Island enter Confederation, 20th July, 187 1 — The Earl of Dufferin appointed Governor General — Arrives at Quebec, 25th June, 1872 — Farewell Speech of Lord Lisgar 37 il' 10 CONTENTS. CHAPTER III. Reception of Lord Dufferin at QuelxiC — Arrival at Ottawa — Remarks of the Press — Prcsentat on of Addresses on arrival at Ottawa — Reply to the Address of the Mayor and Council — Volunteer Camp — Inspection of Camp at Prescott — At Kinjjstnn — Address of Mis Excellency to the Officers and Men in Camp at Kingston — Return to i'rescott — His Excellency proceeds to Montreal — " Old ]5apt'ste," the Pilot of Lachine Rapids — Mr. Mackenzie's Dinner — Inspection of Camp at Laprairie— I.anjTuagessiiokcnjread and understood by His Excellency — Address of the Mayor and Council of Montreal — Reply— Lcparture for (Quebec — Arrival there — General Elections for the IJominion then proceeding — Sketch of the strength of the Ministry — His Excellency proceeds to the Lower vSt. Lawrence — Defeat of Sir George Cartier for Montreal East — Return to Quebec — Life of their Excellencies at Quebec — Opinions of the Quebec Press — Liberal views of His Excellency — Stadacona Games — Reply of His Excellency to the Address of the President — Dinners — Halls — Effect of their E.\cellencies' affabi- lity — Action of the Press — Address of the Mayor and Council on the departure I of their Excellencies for Quebec — Reply — (ireat demonstration on taking final leave 1 f CHAPTER IV. Arrival at Toronto, 24th Sept., 1872 — Reception — Visit to the Provincial Exhibi- tion, Hamilton — Return to Toronto — Grand Reception — Addresses and Replies I — Visit to Falls of Niagara — Return to Toronto — Drawing Room in Parliament House — Visit to the Western Fair, London — Reception at Woodstock— Ad-Mackay Institute— HaU ^. w >'''"'''" '"Montreal ,,h r , ' I%ree conferred on Ili ^^ ,r"'^"'" ''^'^'^ Visit to MeG,'"'' '^'''•■"- Dawson-Speech of Chief ^' '-'"'^"•^^-His Creek speech s ^T"""^~ KetumtoOttawa-Proceedinjjs in P J '"'""' ^^"^'^1 of Canada" ■on on the necessity of adopting Nlr'";-:'''^-^"''" A'acdonaic"^^^^^ the subject of Fr^« t . ^ -National Policy— On,. . resolu- Crisis" nif ""^^ ^'"^ i'rotection-AII ,r '•'^^"'"tions on v.! ISIS — Dismissa of the D^ n l ^^'' <'efeated— Thn .. ,^ , f"^^ <^on>mons to His Excel lency-H-^T' ''''''''' address of tlie Sena ' ba.aar-Her Excellency's charitv 7. J^P'^'-^'^ '^''-mination-ChiM CHAPTER XI JJegree of Doctor of T — "encies ,h™„,h ,,e Fa ," "" '"'''™™"™'-" Q-^ -W "r r 619 16 CONTENTS. His Excellency, 5th September— His Excellency's reply — I)egree of Doctor of Ln.ws conferred on His Excellency by Laval University, Quebec, nth Septem- ber, 1878 — Address— Reply in English and French— Address of St. Jean Bap- tiste Society, Quelx'C — Reply in English and French— General Elections— The fatal 17th September, 1878— Causes of the upheaval — The Constitutional question, whether the defeated Ministry should resign before the meeting of Par- liament — The Ministry resign 9th October — His Excellency opens the Pro- vincial Exhibition of Ontario in Toronto— Arrival in Toronto, 21st September — He attends a musical festival at Adelaide Street Rink — Address from Curl- ing Club, presentation by them, and His Excellency's reply — Opens the Exhibition, 25th September — Address of the Agricultural and Arts Association — Reply — Visit to the Cairn, marking the site of Fort Rouille, A.D. 1749 — Visit to Horticultural Grounds — Address from the Irish Protestant Benevolent Society — St. George's Society — Public School Board, and Commercial Travel- lers' Association — Replies — Visit to Central Prison — Citizens' demonstration in Queen's Park — Address of Corporation — Reply — Address of York County Council — Reply — Address of the Mayor and Corporation of the City of Hamil- ton — Reply — Entertainment by the Ontario Society of Artists — Graceful speech of Mr. Howland, and His Excellency's reply — Letter to the Governor of the State of New York, suggesting an International Park at ihe F'alls of Niagara — Fac-simile of a duplicate of this letter — Inspection of Police Force, Toronto — Levee in City Council Chamber — Visit to St. Michael's Palace — Address of the Archbishop and Bishop— Reply — AdJ ss of Horticultural Committee — Final departure from Toronto — Return to Montreal — Formation of the new Ministry — His Excellency's final departure from Canada, 19th October — Resume of his administration n * It is a 1 America has Beaconsfield, but in nine c Spencer" or branch of a m with the famil designation of Duke, is alwa; appellation ; tl fill as a variati THE Earl of Dufferin's Administration IN CANADA. CHAPTER I. CONTENTS. Parentage — Education — Succession to Title — Lord-in-Waiting — '* Narrative of a Journey from Oxford to Skibbereen" — Created an English Baron — Land Tenure and Emigration Question — Lord DulTerin's Writings and Speeches on these subjects — Appointed Attach^ to Lord John Russell's Mission to Vienna — " letters from High latitudes" — Appointed Commissioner to Syria — Nomin- ated a K.C.B. — Speech of Condolence to Her Majesty, in House of Lords, on death of Prince Albert — Marriage— Appointed Under Secretary for India — Under Secretary for War — Nominated Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster — Sworn in as Privy Councillor — Created an Earl of the United Kingdom — Appointed Governor General of Canada — Estimate of his Qualities — Banquet at Belfast — Speech on that occasion — Reception at Derry — Departure f^r Canada — Arrival at Quebec. The Right Honorable Frederick Temple Blackwood, Earl ok DuFFERiN,* K.P., G.C.M.G., K.C.B., F.R.S., late Governor General of Canada, the only son of Price, fourth Baron Dufferin, was born at Florence in 1826. His mother, Helen Selina, daughter of Thomas Sheridan, was distinguished for her beauty, wit and intellectual accom- * It is a very common practice in this country, and indeed in Ireland, whence America has taken it, to allude to noblemen possessing the title of Earl as "Earl Beaconsfield," «' Earl Elgin," instead of "Earl o/Beaconsfield," "Earlr/Elgin ;" but in nine cases out of ten this is a solecism. It would be right to say '• Earl Spencer" or "Earl Russell," because these two noblemen belong to a junior branch of a noble family and were so created ; but when the title is not identical with the family name, but is territorial, the " of^' should never be dropped. The designation of Lord " so and so," of whatever rank the person may be below a Duke, is always proper, and in narrative frequently proves the most convenient appellation ; though, occasionally, the iiitroduction of the other designation is use- ful as a variation. B 18 HISTORY OF TIIK ADMINISTRATION OF plishments, and as a writ'.r of songs, chief among which are " The Irish Emigrant," " Katie's Letter," " Terence's Farewell to Kathleen," " 'I'he Charming Woman," which she wrote when she was only sixteen, and some others. She was sister of the brilliant and beau- tiful Duchess of Somerset, renowned, when I^dy Seymour, as the Queen of Beauty at the famous Kglinton Tournament, and of Lady Stirling Maxwell, better known as the Hon. Mrs. Norton, celebrated as a poetess and novelist, all three being the grand-daughters of the wit, orator and dramatist, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, and she pos- sessed in no ordinary degree the engaging qualities of her race. Her literary capacity, her style of writing, and especially of letter-writing, were of the highest order. To those who knew her well she appeared as even a brighter star than her more distinguished sister, Mrs. Norton. Of the Sheridan brilliance, the son of this attractive woman has inherited a visible portion. Lord Dufferin was educated at Eton, and Christ Church, Oxford, and succeeded to the title in July, 1841, while still in his minority. For some years subsequent to 1849 ^*^ ^^^^ one of the Lords in Waiting to Her Majesty, under Lord John Russell's first adminis- tration, and again in 1854-58. He visited the South of Ireland in 1846-7, and on his return to England published an account of his experiences under the title of a " Narrative of a Journey from Oxford to Skibbereen, during the year of the Irish Famine." In 1850 he was created an English Baron, and sits in the House of Lords as an hereditary peer by the title of Lord Clandeboye. He early began to study the questions of land tenure, of the relation of landlord and tenant, and of Irish emigration ; and, by his speeches in the House of Lords, his letters to The Times, his pam- phlets, and his addresses at public meetings, he soon acquired a high reputation as an authority on these complex and harassing questions. His position as owner of large estates in the County Down brought him face to face with the great defects of the system under which the relations of landlord and tenant were regulated, and for many years he devoted his time and energies to the elucidation of them with a view to secure changes benefitable to both landlord and tenant. About twenty years before the passing of Mr. Gladstone's Land Act, Lord Dufferin had anticipated its leading principle in a speech in the House of Lords, suggesting that the Irish tenant-at-will should receive compensation for " disturbance " as well as for " improvements," but, though liberal in his ideas of what was due to the tenant, he combated THE EARL OF DUFFEUIN IN CANADA, 19 with unwonted ability, Mr. Mill's proposal that the landed estates of all the proprietors of Ireland should be brought to a forced sale. In 1854 he delivered an exhaustive sjieech in the House of Lords on the Landlord and Tenant bills, which was, admittedly, the fairest and most comprehensive statement hitherto made of the controversy then pending between the landlords and tenants of Ireland. This speech was followed by another on the same subject, and the views of Lord Dufferin had a marked effect on the subsecpient legislation of Parlia- ment. During the years which elapsed before the conditional .settle- ment of these uisputes, he published a valuable work entitled " Irish Kmigration. and the Tenure of Land in Ireland," in which he treated very fully on emigration, landlords and tenants — gave a retrospect of tlie economical history of owners and occupiers in Ireland and Bel- ^'ium, and conrluded with an elaborate review of various proposals for the alteration of the tenure of land in Ireland. His earlier speeches and writings by their ability soon drew the attention of the leaders of his party to their author, who, in February, 1855, was invited by Lord John Russell to accept the position of sjjecial attac/ to his well-known mission to Vienna in that year. In 1856 he made a yacht voyage to Iceland, a well-known nar- rative of which he published under the title of " Letters from High Latitudes," In i860, he was appointed by Lord Palmerston, then at the head of the Government, to proceed, as British Commissioner, to Syria, for the purjjose of prosecuting enquiries into the massacre of the Christians, In the performance of this difficult and delicate duty he exhibited so much discretion and firmness that on his return he was nominated a K.C.B. The free institutions he then secured for the Lebanons have not only worked admirably, and enduringly, but have been repeatedly referred to as the pattern on which the constitution of the liberated Provinces of Bulgaria should be framed. On i5ih December, i86i, the Empire was stirred to its depths by the death of Prince Albert. The duty of moving the address in the House of Lords, in answer to Her Majesty's speech from the Throne, delivered by the Lord Commissioners, in which the melan- choly event was referred to, was imposed on Lord Dufferin, and the admirable manner in which he discharged it may be gathered from his impressive speech on this occasion. It is in this speech that we first see the beauty of diction, the warpith of feeling, and the breadth of thought which will be found to characterise all the speeches of Lord Dufferin. n H 20 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF ' ■ The following is that portion of the speech referring to the great calamity which had overtaken Her Majesty and the Empire : ♦' My Lords, — In rising to perform the duty which has devolved upon me, I feel that scarcely ever has any Member of your Lordships' House been called upon to address you under more solemn or more trying circumstances ; and most painfully am I aware how great is my need of your Lordships' patience and indulgence. My Lords, for nearly a quarter of a century it has been the invariable privilege of those who have successively found themselves in the position I occupy to-night to direct your attention to topics of a pleasing, hopeful, or triumphant character, — to a gratifying retrospect, or a promising future — to projects of law calculated still further to promote the rapidly-increasing prosperity of the country — to treaties of amity and commerce with foreign nations — at the worst, to difficulties surmounted or disasters successfully retrieved — to foreign wars gloriously conducted and victo- riously concluded. But, my Lords, to-night a very dilTerent task awaits me. For the first time since Her Majesty commenced a reign of unexampled prosperity, we have been overtaken by a calamity fraught with consequences .vhich no man can yet calculate — unexpected — irremediable — opening up alike to Sovereign and to people an endless vista of sorrow and regret. Under such cimumstances t%'en the most practised speaker in your Lordships' House might well shrink from the re- sponsibility of intruding the inadequate expression of his individual feelings on a grief which must have endowed the heart of every one who hears me with an eloquence far g, eater than any he can command. If, however, my Lords, there is anythinj^ that can mitigate the painful anxiety of my situation, it is the conviction that, however inefficient, — however wanting to the occasion — may be the terms in which yon are urged to join in the proposed sentences of condolence with Her Mpjesty, the appeal must in its very nature command such an unanimity of earnest, heartfelt acquiescence, as to leave the manner in which it may be placed before you a matter of indilTerence. My Lords, this is not tiie occasion, nor am I the proper person, to deliver an encomium on the Prince whom we have lost. When a whole nation has lifted up its voice in lamentation, the feeble note of praise which may fall from any individual tongue must necessarily be lost in the expression of the general sorrow ; but, my Lc'-ds, superfluous as any artificial panegyric has now liecome, right and fitting is it that that public grief which first found vent in the visi- ble shudder which shook every congregation assembled in this metropolis when his well-known name was omitted from tlie accustomed prayer — which, gathering volume and intensity as reflection gave us the measure of our loss, s"-»iit towards the Throne in one vast wave of passionate sympathy, and is even still reiterated from every distant shore that owns allegiance to the British Ciown, — right and fitting is it that such a manifestation of a nation's sorrow as this should find its final embodiment and crowning consummation in a solemn expression of their feelings by both Houses of the British legisla- ture. Never before, my Lords, has the heart of England been so greatly stirred, and never yet has such signal homage V)een more spontaneously rendered to unpretending imiinsic worth. Monarchs, heroes, patriots have perished from among us, and have been attended to their grave by the respect and veneration of a grateful people. But here was one who was neither king, warrior, nor legislator, — occu- THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. n pying a position in its very nature inr;onipatible with all personal pre-eminence, — alike debarred the achievement of mi'itary renown and political distinction, secluded within the precincts of what might easily have become a negative existence, — neitiier able to confer those fa-, ors which purchase popularity nor possessing in any peculiar degree luc tri^k of manner which seduces it, — who, nevertlieless, succeeded in winning for himself an amount of consideration and confidence such as the most distinguished or the most successful of mankind have seldom attained. Hy what combination of qualities, a stranger and an alien — exercising no definite political functions — ever verging on the peril of a false position — his daily life exposed to ceaseless observation — shut out from the encouragement afforded by the sympathy of intimate friendship, the support of partisans, the good fellowship of society, — how such an one acquired so remarkable a hold on the afiection of a jealous insular people, might well excite the astonish.- t of any one acquainted with the temper and the peculiarities of the British nation. Yet, my Lords, after all, how simple and obvious is the secret of the dominion he acquired ! If, my Lords, the death of Prince All)ert has turned England into a land of mourning ; if each one of us is conscious of having lost that calm feeling of satisfaction and security which has gradually been interwoven with the existence of the nation from the day he first took his stand beside the Throne ; if it seems as though the sun of our prosperity were darkened, and a pillar of our state had fallen ; it is because in hiui we have lost that which has never failed to acquire the unlimited confidevice and enthusiastic veneration of Englishmen — a man who, in every contingency of life, in the piesence of bewildering temptations, in the midst of luxury and splendor, in good report and in evil report, in despite of the allurements of vanity, of selfish- ness, and ambition, trod day by day and hour by hour, patiently, humbly, faith- fully, the uninviting path of duly. My Lords, great must that people ever become whose highest notion of human excellence is the fulfilment of duty ; and happy may that man be consi iered \i'ho has been able to realize their ideal ! Of the various achievements of Prince AiV)ert's career I need not remind your Lordships. We can, most of us, remember the day when he first came among us, and every subsequent chapter of his blameless life has been open to our inspection. We all know with what prudence he proceeded to exercise the functions of h-s elevated hut difficult station, and with what simplicity of purpose he accepted the position marked out for him by the Constitution. Noble Lords on either side of the House can describe the impartiality of the welcome he extended to all the Parlia- mentary advisers cf the C.own. These who have had the honor of enjoying per- sonal intercourse with him can speak not only to the grasp of his remarkable intel- lect, and the inexliaustible store of his acquirements, but still more to the modesty, the gentleness, and chivalrous purity of a disposition which invested the Court over which he presided with an atmosphere of refinement and tranquil happiness such as, prolmbly, has never yet been found in a Royal home ; while his various speeches, replete with liDeral wisdom — the enlightened influence he exercised over our arts and manufactures — and, above all, the triumphant establishment of the Exhibitions of 185 1 and 1862, will bear witness to that practical sagacity which in spite of the apparent inaction to which he was condemned, could call into existence an unimagined field for the exercise of his untiring energy. And yet, * 22 HISTOllY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF my Lords, it is not so much for what he did, as for what he was that the memory of Prince Albert will be honored and revered among us, though, pro'i^a^ly, all that he has been to England no one will ever rightly know. As I have already had occasion to remark, the exigencies of his position required him to shun all pretension to personal distinction. Politically speaking, the Prince Consort was ignored by the Constitution — an ever- watchful, thcugh affectionate, jealousy, on the part of the people, gUui.Lu the pre- eminence of the Crown. How loyally and faithfully the Queen's first subject respected this feeling we are all aware ; yet who shall ever know the nobler loyalty, the still more loving fidelity with which the husband shared the burdens, alleviated the cares, and guided the counsels of the wife ? Some there are among us, indeed, who have had opportunities of forming a just idea of the extent to which this country has profited by the sagacity of Her Majesty's most trusted counsellor ; but it will not be until this generation has passed away, and those materials seethi light from which alone true history can be written, that the people of England will be able justly to appreciate the real extent of their obligations to probably one of the wisest and most influential statesmen that ever controlled the destinies of the nation. But, my Lords, deserving of admiration as were the qualities I have enumerated, it is by ties of a tenderer nature that he will have most endeared him- self to our affection. Good, wise, accomplished, useful as he was, little would all these engaging characteristics have availed him, unless, before and above all else, he had proved himself worthy of that precious trust which two-and-twenty years ago the people of England confided to his honor, when they gave into his keeping the domestic happiness ol their youthful Queen. How faith' lly he has fulfilled that trust, how tenderly he has loved, guarded, cherished, aonored the bride of his youth, the companion of his manhood, is known in all its fulness but to one alone ; yet, so bright has shone the flame of that wedded love, so hallowing has been its influence, that even its reflected light has gladdened and purified many a humble household, and at this moment there is not a woman in Great Britain who will not mournfully acknowledge that as in life he made our Queen the proudest and the happiest, so in death he has left her the most afllicted lady in her kingdom. Well may we then hesitate, my Lords, before we draw near even with words of condolence to that widowed Throne, wrapped as it is in the awful majesty of grief; yet if there is one thing on earth which might bring — I will not say consolation, but some soothing of her grief, to our afilicted Sovereign, it would be the conscious- ness of that universal love and sympathy for her with which the hear^ of England is at this moment full to bursting. Great as has been the affection always felt for her by her subjects, the feeling has now attaineti an intensity difficult to imagine. Death and sorrow have broken down the conventional barriers that have hitherto awed into silence the expression of her people's love ; — it is not a Monarch in a palace that they now see, but a stricken Woman in a desolate home ; and public meetings, and addresses of condolence, and marble memorials utterly fail to inter- pret the unspeakable yearning with which the entire nation would fain gather her to its Ijosom, and, if it were possible, for ever shelter her from all the ills and sorrows of this storm-shaken world. Surely, next to the compassion of God must be such love from such a people ! To give expression to these sentiments, as far as the forms of State will admit, will, I am certain, be the hnrtfelt desire of \ our THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 23 Lordships' House ; and not, even when in some day of battle and defeat your Lord- ships' ancestors made a rampart of their lives round the person of their king, will the Peers of England have gathered round the Throne in a spirit of more genuine devotion ; and heartily, I am sure, my Lords, will you join me in praying that the same inscrutable Providence which has visited our Queen and country with so great a calamity will give to her and us patience to bow before the dread decree ; and that the Father of the fatherless and the Comforier of the afflicted will, in His own good time, afford to our beloved Sovereign such a measure of consolation as is to be found in the love of her lost husband's children, in the veneration of his memory, the fulfilment of his wishes, and the imitation of his bright example. Such a wish can be emborlied in no nobler words than those furnished by the great poet of our age : — ' May all love, ' Hi's love unseen, but felt, o'ershadow thee, ' The love of all thy tons encompass thee, ' The love of all thy daughters cherish thee, ' The love of all thy people comfort thee, ' Till God's love set thee at his side again.' And now, my Lords, glad should I be might my task of sorrowful reminiscence be here concluded ; but on such an occasion it is impossible not to remember that since we were last assembled the service of two other trusted and faithful council- lors has been lost to the Crown and to the State — the one a Member of your Lord- ships' House, cut off in the prime of his manhood and in the midst of one of the most brilliant careers that ever flattered the ambition of an English Statesman — the other a Member of the other House of Parliament, after a long life of such uninterrupted labor and unselfish devotion to the business of the country as has seldom characterized the most indefatigable public servant. My Lords, it is not my intention to enumerate the claims upon our gratitude possessed by those two departed Statesmen ; but, in taking count of the losses sustained by Parliament (luring the last recess, it is impossible not to pause an instant beside the vacant places of Lord Herbert and Sir James Graham. Each has gone to his account, and each has died, falling where he fought, as best befitted the noble birth and knightly lineage of each. My Lords, whenever in her hour of need England shall marshal her armies for the vindication of her honor, or the protection of her terri- tories, the name of him who labored so assiduously for the improvement or the sanitary condition of the solditr at a time when peace was devastating our barracks in more fatal proportion than war our camps, will never lack its appointed meed of praise. And when the day shall come for the impartial pen of history to blazon tiiose few names to whom alone it is given to be recognized by posterity as the leading spirits of a by-gone age, the trusted friend, the laViorious coadjutor, the sagacious colleague of Lord Aberdeen, and of Sir Robert Peel, shall as surely find his just measure of renown. But, my Lords, it was neither in the ho}Te of winning guerdon or renown that the Prince whom we mourn and the Statesmen whom we have lost preferred the path of painful, self-denying duty to the life of luxury and ease that lay within their reach. They obeyed a nobler instinct ; they were led by the light of a higher revelation ; they cast their bread upon the waters in the 24 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF faith of an unknown return. • Omnia fui, nihil expedit,^ sighed one of the greatest of Roman emperors as he lay upon his death-bed at York ; yet when, a moment afterwards, the captain of his guard came to him for the watchword of the night, with his dving breath he gave it, ' Laboremus.' So is it, my Lords, with us ; we labor, and others enter into the fruit of our labors ; we dig the foundation, and others build, and others again raise the superstructure ; and one by one the faith- ful workmen, their spell of toil accomplished, descend it may be into oblivion and an unhonored grave — but higher, brighter, fairer, rises the fabric of our social policy ; broader and more beautiful spread out on every side the sacred realms of civiliza- tion ; further and further back retire the dark tides of ignorance, misery, crime — nay, even of disease and death itself, until to the eye of the enthusiastic specu- lator on the destinies of the human race it might almost seem as if in the course of ages it might be granted to the intellectual energy and moral development of man- kind to reconquer a lost Paradise and reconstruct the shattered harmony of creation ! In what degree it may be granted to this country to work out such a destiny none can tell ; but, though heavy be the shadow cast across the land by the loss of the good and great, most eloquently do their lives remind us that our watchword in the darkness still should be ^ Laboremus^ ! " In 1862, Lord DuflFerin married Harriot, eldest daughter of the late Archibald R. Hamilton, of Killyleagh Castle, County Down. In 1863, he was nominated a Knight of St. Patrick and in 1864 was appointed Lord Lieutenant of the County Down. He kept steadily rising in the estimation of his party, and in public favor, when in 1864 he was offered the position of Under Secretary of State for India, which he held until the early part of 1866, when he was offered the Government of Bombay, which he was forced to decline on account of the delicate state of his mother's health. He was then transferred to the War Department, as Under Secretary, where he remained until June of that year. When Mr. Gladstone came into power in December, 1868, Lord DufTerin was nominated Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Paymaster General, and was sworn in as a Privy Councillor, Subsequently, in November, 1871, he was made an Earl of the United Kingdom. He held the appointment of Chan- cellor of the Duchy of Lancaster until April, 1872, when he received his commission, as Governor General of Canada, from the Govern- ment of which Mr. Gladstone was Premier. This appointment placed Lord Dufferin in a position where his active mind would find scope for its excellent qualities. He had now been in political life for about twenty-five years, but though his career had given evidence of the possession of the abilities requisite to the formation of a statesman, it had not, thus far, given him the opportunity to prove it. He took office as one of the Lords in Waiting in 1849, -■■■.VV' THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. ^5 but this position gave him but little political significance. The offices for Under Secretary for India, and for War, were of a subordinate char- acter, nor did the Chancellorship of the Duchy of Lancaster, afford any special opportunities for the acquisition of distinction. The incidents connected with his mission to Syria, though of the greatest importance, did not attract any very general attention at the time ; in fact all that Lord Dufferin accomplished there was only fully known and appreciated by his political chiefs. The opponents of Mr. Gladstone admitted that Lord Dufferin possessed great talent for government, and his political friends were glad to see an opportunity given to him to show to the world that his qualities were really as great as they believed them to be. He had for many years been known and appreciated in Ireland where he was regarded as the beau ideal of an Irish nobleman. He was a Liberal, but not an extreme one. He had many sym- pathies with Irish landlords, but these did not interfere with his kindly feeling for Irish tenants. His chivalrous spirit led him to sympathize even with the complaints of the Orangemen when they were exposed to the one-sided operation of the Party Processions Act, although, as Lieutenant of his county, he had committed Mr. John- stone for a breach of the Act. It was, by many, sincerely regretted that as an Irish nobleman, thoroughly acquainted with Irish affairs, he had not been offered the Lord-Lieutenancy of Ireland, and when the Governor Generalship of India became vacant by the death of Lord Mayo, it became a question whether he or Lord Northbrook should go to India. Eventually Lord Northbrook was sent to Calcutta, and Lord Dufferin to Canada.* * There was a singular unanimity of feeling among the leading journals of the day on Lord Dufferin's appointment. One fairly summarized the general opinion in England and Ireland, when it wrote : " Lord Dufferin has at length obtained a working office, in the conduct of which he can display his signal abilities, and the Dominion, we are entitled to presume, will regard the choice made by our Government with warm approval. Courteous, cultivated, prudent, yet enterprising, gifted with an imagination which is as useful to a general or a statesman, as to a poet or a musician, the new Governor General is precisely the person to fill an office which demands tact in the management of men, acuteness in the percep- tion of things, and a comprehensive moderation, able to make ample allowance for party passions and national peculiarities. If the same talents which fitted Lord I'-ilTerin for mediating successfully between the stolid Mussulman and the fanatical Druse, the shifting Maronite and the red-breeched Frenchman, carving boastful m $Q HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF His appointment was important, when we recollect that in 1872 the relations of Great Britain with the United States, and the vexed and difficult topics affecting the position of Canada towards the Mother Country, demanded a policy cautious yet bold, delicate yet firm. It will he remembered that Lord Dufferin, though not a member of Mr. Gladstone's Calnnet, was a member of his Government, and that the policy of that Government was chen looked upon by a large portion of the people of Britain and of Canada as indicating, at least, a half- heartedness in the preservation of their connection. It was urged against Mr. Gladstone that he had, in tolerably plain terms, informed Canada that England would consent to retain her only so long as she cost nothing, and would be ready to cast her off at any moment, and would certainly do so if ever her sacrifice became necessary to secure peace. Lord Dufferin's position as Governor of Canada ajjpointed by a Government holding such views instantly became embarrassing. He was, in fact, about to undertake the government of a country, as the representative of an Imperial policy, which was suspected of forcing upon that country the serious consideration of the question of separa- tion, and impelling men whose dearest wish was to strengthen the ties between the Colony and England to ask whether it would not be better to do at once themselves what the Imperial power seemed determined upon forcing them to do when it suited its own purpose. The embarrass- ment of Lord Dufferin's position was materially increased by the feeling then largely prevalent in Canada that her interests had been sacrificed by the Washington Treaty, for the purpose of settling ques- tions with the United States, which it was convenient for the Imperial Government to see removed from further discussion. It was determined to honor the Earl and Countess of Dufferin with a banquet at Belfast on the eve of their departure for Canada, and it s])eaks well for their popularity that the grand demonstration inscriptions on the rocks above the Dog river, will enable him to deal equitably with the French Acadians, the orange, green, and sturdy old buff and blue Canadians, and the generous, but quick-tempered Yankees across the border, it is matter of surprise to many that a politician whose abilities were well known should have been kept so long oi't of active employment." *♦♦♦(i it would be reflected in England and in Europe in a mighty advance of liberalism. He hoped still that the Al.ibania difiiculties would be surmounted, and England and America enter upon a friendship such as they had never before known, and march together, on the highway of human progress. I was much delighted with my companion's ideas of literature, art, and politics : — his fine eye, and his charming voice, and his beaming expression, con- vinced me that I was in the presence of no ordinary man. By the time we reached Regent's Circus, cigars were ended — my new acquaintance alighted and disappeared among the millions of London, with a fair prospect of remaining with me for tlie time to come only as a pleasant omnibus-top memory. But it was not so to be. A few evenings afterwards I happened to be in the Strangers' Section of the House of Lords. A debate in which I found little interest was going on, and my eyes THE EARL OF DIFFFRIN IN CANADA. 3;; relating to the Church and Lund, he had taken a conspicuous antl decided part as a Liberal, without being the mere echo of a ministry or a party. While expressing his opinions with freedom, and stand- ing fast by his principles with ardour and sincerity, he counted warm personal friends among strong political opponents ; — and when lie was about leaving his country to undertake, by the favor of his Sovereign, inii)erial duties and responsibilities, all parties concurred in doing him honor, and in wishing him a hearty and affectionate farewell. It was universally admitted that numbers of influential people who only knew Lord Dufferin by the general report of his public services and his private worth, had marked him out for higher honors and rewards than those of a comparatively obscure and subordinate member of an Administration. It was no were w.indering aVwiit from face to face, lingering here and there upon one whicli seemed Hive an historical figure-head of ancient aristocratic England. Hut a voice struck me as one I had heard before. I could not be mistaken in that low, clear tone. Certainly when I looked in the direction of the man who had begun to speak, I could not be mistaken. It was my friend of the omnibus-top. Dry as the theme was — I have forgotten it — the speaker invested it with interest. He had looked deeper into it than others,— knew the point on which the question turned, and in a lew simple words m.ide the statement to which nothing could be added. This was my first meeting with Lord DulTerin, but not, I am happy to say, the last. It has l)een my privilege to meet him in society, to listen to him, to know something of liis life, and my first impression has been more than confirmed. I am quite sure that there is no one among the Peers of England who surpasses him in all that i;oes to make the gentleman, the true-hearted man, and the refined scholar. The appointment of Lord DuflTerin to be the Governor General of Canada is at this moment very significant. It means obviously that it is deemed important th.it there should be in Canada, just now, one who has been all his life one of the most faithful friends of the United States ; and also one who, as an Irish nobleman, has pursued a course towards his tenants in that country which has left him without an enemy there. So far as America is concerned — even Irish America — his record is without a blot, nor are these the only qualifications which Lord iJutTerin has for the jiost to which he is sent. Twelve years ago he was entrusted with the delicate mission of settling difficulties between the natives and Christians in Syria, where he displayed much capacity, and for his services was made K. C. B. He also '-uccessfully compromised difficulties l)etween the French and the Druses, and shewed such great tact and ability in dealing with the Turks and other Orientals that many of the most influential men at once named him as the right man to ! all the notabilities of the city and the adjoining country, and on 13th June they left the council chamber where m THE EARL OF :^JFFERIN IN CANADA. the luncheon was given and were conveyed to the Allan steamship, Prussian, bound to Quebec, where they arrived on the morning of Tuesday, 25th June, 1872. -His Upper Bagot's March, 1855-] Sir Edi for Con 186 1 to federatec John Yc Cession 1 \'ancouv« appointed Speech ;,{ The histoTj tO'X of a Pi fary to a pe of the consti J-ike its- ^rei I changed iroi population ; I growth of m lar powei In * ^n Canada phis, strictly sp, |"'ent," but the f i.irt;j-West Territories to the Dominion — British Columbia and Vancouver I ' n' enter Confederation, 20th J'.ly, 187 1 — The Earl of Dufferin appointed Tuvt-r;! >r General — Arrives at Quebec, 25th June, 1872 — Farewell Speech • t .' C; I Lisrar. The hisi-^rj ' '' ,'; Imperial rule in British North America is the his- toiy of a patern. : .t.>vernment, gradually changing from a semi ;^ili- tary to a personal character, and from a personal to the counterpart of the constitution .mder which the parent country is now governed.-'^ Like its '^reat exemplar, the Constitution of these Colonies has been changed irom time to time, to meet the needs of an ever varying population ; the growth of liberty with us has kept pace with ihe [growth of '^herty in the parent state, and each accession to popu- |lar power s']' TnMin has been gradually, but surely, followed by a fresh * In Canada this form of govciament is known as "Responsible Government." iThis, strictly speaking, is inaccurate. The proper term is " Constitutional Govern- liiient," but the former phrase has perhaps become too well established now to be Idiscarded. 38 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF accession to popular power in her great colonies of North America. The ready willingness of the parent state to permit this accession is the simple secret of the almost passionate loyalty of the Canadian of 1878 to the British Crown. The rebellion of 1837-8 is but a seem- ing contradiction of this general statement, since it was brought about not by the unwillingness of the Imperial power to grant the reasonabl? demands of a minority, but by the ill-advised measures of the Colonial Executive itself. The early Governors of the Provinces were usually, and almost necessarily, military men. The people were not, it was supposed, prepared even for 'I.;? mild restraints which Britain imposed on a conquered territory. ose early days Constitutional Government in England, as now un !;ood, was almost unknown. The power of the Sovereign was very great. Each Sovereign was anxious to retain it at its full height, and felt himself bound in honor to transmit it to his heir undiminished in extent and unreduced in strength. He looked upon the Colonies as part of his patrimony ; they were to him an outlying possession, to be made happy, if possible, by gentle treat- ment, but to be made subservient to the great interests of the parent state, in any event, and to be held by a strong grasp, an iron one, if necessary, as an appanage of the Imperial Crown forever. Thus it was that restrictions were placed on Colonial iraustry. The trade measures of the Provinces were invariably shaped to meet the interests of the traders of Britain, and Pitt expressed in a sentence the whole policy of Britain to her Transatlantic Empire when he said " I will not permit even a horse shoe nail to be manufactured in America." This Imperial policy, has always been changed, when the colonists have made a firm demand for its modification. The early representatives of the Crown were chosen, therefore, more as guardians of the Sovereign's properties than as guardians of the rights of the colonist, — more as assertors of the Royal prerogative than of colonial freedom, — more for the purpose of | increasing the profits of Home trade than for the purpose of winning [ the affections of a young people, struggling to create an independence f for themselv s and their families, and a form of government relievedl from the heavy hand of a supervising power seated in a country differing | from their own in the most vital essentials. As a rule these represen- tatives of Imperial power knew but little of Constitutional Government, and their instructions did not require them to begin its study. They were sent out as governors, and they, not unnaturally, considered that! the more the people were permitted to govern themselves, the less werel It was i ni 'or Upper C Derby), pres '^y three thoi "that they THE EARL OF i^UFFERlN IN CANADA. 39 nca. ision idian ;eem- ibout nabl? lonial ilmost posed, , on a nmeiit )wer of I retain lit it to h. He to him le treat- ; parent n one, if IS it was leasures |s of the nohcy of [t permit imperial .e a firm Crown ■operties I •rs of the I jpose of winning (endencel relieved I differing ■epreseiv ;rnment,| Theyj ired thatj ;ss werel they governors. When, therefore, they found their subjects disposed to demand an increase of popular power, they instantly regarded the demand as an attack on that indefinable territory commonly known as the " prerogative of the Crown," and with t. loyalty to their Sove- reign, of which even we cannot well speak harshly, interposed the ])owers with which they were amply provided to resist the encroach- ments of the people. , r. But as the Provinces grew in population, they grew in wealth ; as they grew in wealth, they grew in intelligence; as they grew in intelligence, they grew in power. They had passed from childhood, — they were now in young manhood ; the old system of government was daily becoming more unsuited to the genius and wants of the people, and was therefore daily becoming more unpopular. The upheaval in England which resulted in the passing of the Reform Bill was felt wherever a British heart beat. The power of Colonial Governors in British North America was fast decreasing, — the people discovered that a peaceful but determined agitation in England was an engine which would sooner or later crush both monarch and aristocracy, and they were not slow to follow the example of the liberals of the old country. It will probably surprise many of our young politicians to learn that even so late as 1829, during the Administration of Sir John Colborne, no less than twenty-one bills passed by the Assembly were thrown out in the Upper House, and in 1 830 forty met the same fate ; that among these was an Act repealing one by which the sum of ;^2,5oo per year had been granted in perpetuity in aid of the civil list ; that the Province in this, and many other points, presented the iniconstitutional spectacle of a Government requiring no moneys from the Assembly ; that the Legislative Council, a creation of the Executive, was not only not in harmony with the people as represented in the Lower House, but offered a violent and contemptuous opposition to their wishes ; that no restraint could be imposed on the Executive by an annual vote of supply, or by the withholding of such a vote. In effect, the Governor, supported by an Upper House of his own choosing, was completely independent of the people. It was in this year that we first hear of " Responsible Government" for Upper Canada. The Hon. Mr. Stanley, (subsequently the Earl of Derby), presented a petition in the British House of Commons, signed by three thousand inhabitants of Toronto, praying, among other things, "that they might have a /oca/ and resJ>onsib/e administration." In 40 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF lit Lower Canada, the Liberals desired an elective Upper House, since they hoped by that means to secure what they termed Constitutional Government, ^ • in Upper Canada, the same party desired to get the Executive ii: > their hands as a means of securing the same object. In Lower Canada, the domination of a race and a religion was sought ; in U])per, the domination of the principle of Responsible Government. The struggle for an extension of popular power in Lower Canada, through an elective Upper House, and in Upper Canada through a ministry responsible to the Lower House, continued with increasing acrimony until it terminated in the rebellion of 1837, headed by L. J. Papineau in the Lower Province, and by VV. L. Mackenzie in the Upper. With regard to the first it may safely be said that every reasonable concession had been made by the Imperial power, but the French leaders had evidently determined to be satisfied with nothing less than independence — while in Upper Canada it may as safely be said that no great body of the people desired independence, and that the outbreak might have been prevented by common prudence and good management.* In Upper Canada, Sir Francis Bond Head conducted his Adminis- tration on the supposition that the " maintenance of the connection with Great Britain depended upon his triumph over the majority of the Assembly." f But the idea of governing on constitutional principles, as they are now understood, never occurred to him. In Lower Canada the struggle was not, as in the sister Province, one between a Government and the people ; it was a contest between two nations, the British and the French, " warring in the bosom of a sirgl-i state."J It was a struggle, not of principles, but of races. The rising in both Provinces was speedily crushed. In February, 1838, the constitution of Lower Canada was suspended by the Imperial Parliament, and the Earl of Durham was appointed Governor General, and also High Commissioner " for the adjustment of certain important affairs affecting the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada." * " I am inclined to view the insurrectionary movements which did take place as indicative of no deep-rooted dissatisfaction, and to believe that almost the entire body of the reformers of this Province (Upper Canada) sought only by con- stitutional means to obtain those objects for which they had so long i^aceably struggled before the unhappy troubles occasioned by the violence of a few unprincipled adventurers and heated ' nthusiasts." Lord Durham's Report, 118. t Lord Durham's Report, 112. t Ibid, 8. THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 41 The system which had broken down in the Canadas was that under which, with some unimportant differences, the Maritime Pro- vinces were governed. These had not been violently disturbed, but the defects of the general system were common to all. In each, the people were represented by an Assembly elected by themselves, but also in each the Executive was irresponsible, and there was, conse- quently, the same constant collision between the different branches of the Government, — the same abuse of the powers of the representative bodies, inverted by the anomaly of their position, and the want of good municipal institutions, — and the same constant interference of the Imperial power in matters of a purely local character. That there was but little discontent in these eastern portions of British North America was to be attributed to the fact that imi)ortant departures from the ordinary course of the colonial system had been made, and a nearer approach to Responsible, or Constitutional, Government had been secured. Such was the political condition of the Canadas and the Maritime Provinces in 1839. The attempt to rule a free people, armed with the power of representative institutions, through an irresponsible Execu- tive met the only fate it deserved. The Imperial policy kept the Colonies in a state of constant irritation, and yet the authorities in Britain were sincerely desirous to govern with justice and mildness. The true system of a thoroughly Constitutional Government had not yet been adopted even in England, and we should not judge harshly the Ministers of Britain, because they did not give to the Dependen cies a system better than the one they themselves possessed. Their Colonial policy was an utter failure. In Britain the agitation attending the passage of the Reform Bill enlarged the ideas and expanded the minds of all classes, and the enlightened views of the Liberals of that country were immediately reflected in the new system which the events of 1837-8 in the Canadas rendered absolutely necessary. In February, 1838, an Act was passed by the Imperial Legislature suspending the Constitution of Lower Canada, — and making temporary provision for its government by a Special Council, whose ordinances were to be law. The Earl of Durham was appointed Governor General, and also Her Majesty's High Commissioner " for the adjust- ment of certain important affairs affecting the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada." He arrived at Quebec, 27th May, 1838, and returned to England 3rd November following, having secured the materials for his celebrated 42 IIISTOUY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF report. This admirable state ]xaper had a most important effect on the poHtical condition of the British North American possessions, since it led to the union of Upper and Lower Canada,* — the establish- ment of Responsible Government, and the general melioration of the Colonial i)oIicy of the Empire. But Lord Durham had not the honor of carrying out the great scheme of his report. On his sudden depar- ture from the country he left Sir John Colborne to govern Lower Canada — while Sir Francis Bond Head was pursuing his disastrous course in the Upper Province. On the removal of Sir Francis in March, 1838, Sir George Arthur was appointed his successor; and when Sir John Colborne retired from Lower Canada in October, 1839, he was succeeded by Mr. Poulett Thomson. f The Union of the two Provinces had now been determined on by the Imperial authorities, and they had also resolved on the concession of Constitutional or Responsible Government. The despatch of Lord John Russell of 14th October, 1839, ^^ ^ ^^'^^ ^"d clear exposition of the principles of Responsible Government as now understood.]; Mr. Thomson was deputed to secure the assent of the two Canadas to the Union and, * The Hill of the Imperial Parliament, consummating this Union, framed on resolutions passed by tiie Special Council of Lower Canada, 13th November, 1839, and by the two Houses of Upper Canada in the following month received the Royal Assent 23rd July, 1840, but, by a suspending clause, itd.d not take effect untd loth February, 1841, when it was declared in force by proclamation. t Raised to the Peerage in 1840, by the t.tle of " Baron Sydenham of Kent and of Toronto." t As the principles of Responsible Government seem yet to be but indistinctly understood in the Province of Quebec, a careful consideration of this despatch is recommended and especial notice is drawn to the following sentences : " The Sovereign using the prerogative of the Crown to the utmost extent, and the House of Commons exerting its power of the purse, to carry all its resolutions into immediate effect, would produce confusion in the country in less than a twelve- month. So, in a colony : the Governor thwarting every legitimate proposition of the Assembly ; and the Assembly continually recurring to its power of refusing supplies, can but disturb all political relations, embarrass trade, and retard the prosperity of the jjeople. Each must exercise a wise moderation. The Governor must only oppose the wishes of the Assembly where the honor of the Crow or the interests of the Empire are deeply concerned." An address was presented to Lord Sydenham by the Assembly, in order to elicit a distinct expression of his views on the question of Responsible Government. On 14th January, 1840, he sent down a message in reply, in which he declared " that he had been commanded by Her Majesty to administer the Government in accordance with the well-understood wishes of the people ; and to pay to their feelings, as expressed through their repre- sentatives, the deference that was justly due to them." THE EARL OF DUFFEKIN IN CANADA. 43 when secured, he was charged with the duty, as Governor General, of carrying out the liberal and enlightened views of the Imperial Adminis- tration, as set lorth in Lord John Russell's desi)atch. He fully concurred in these views. He saw clearly that it was absolutely necessary to make the members of the Government directly responsible to the House of Assembly, as in England. He succeeded in both ol)jects, and Lord Sydenham was the first Governor of any portion of the ]]riti£h Possessions in North America who attempted to rule his province avowedly under the principles of Responsible Government. He enjoyed the triumphant results of his great labors for but a brief period. Incessant work for the preceding two years had undermined a constitution naturally delicate. The fall of his horse, while out riding, on 4th September, 1 841, fractured his leg, causing a severe wound above the knee. His weak frame succumbed, and Canada, on the 19th of that month, lost the ablest Governor and the most valuable ruler who had hitherto guided her in her young life.* But the principle of Constitutional Government was only initiated under Lord Sydenham, — it was by no means fully developed under his Administration, — in fact, it is doubtful if it ever would have been, for, though an exceptionally able man, he possessed a dominating spirit, — was tenacious of power, and had a firm reliance on his own personal fitness to govern. But the principle had made a vast stride : it had been specifically granted by the Imperial Government, — its full practice had been solemnly urged upon the Governors sent to Canada in the instructions and despatches of the Home Office, — and the system of governing through the active personal interference of the Exective had been formally abandoned. Sir Charles Bagot, the successor of Lord Sydenham, arrived at King- ston, then the seat of Government, on the loth January, 1842, and, though his antecedents led many to suppose he would check the pro- gress of Constitutional Government, as he was known to be a High Churchman and a Tory of the old school, he was even more liberal than Lord Sydenham, who had been unwilling to admit to his councils any one who had been unfavorably connected with the late rebellion. But Sir Charles Bagot, adopting the true reading of the principles of Constitutional Government, stood firmly on the broad ground that the * At his own desire Lord Sydenham was buried where he died, in Kingston, then the seat of Government, and it reflects no credit on the Dominion of Canada that no fitting monument to this really great Governor General has not yet been erected to his memory. 44 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF J I 1 I constitutional majority had the right to rule, and he therefore deter- mined to use whatever party he found capable of supporting a minis- try. The result was that a new Administration was formed, composed of French Canadians from Lower Canada, under the leadership of Mr. Lafontaine, and that section of the Reform party in Upper Canada then led by Mr. Baldwin. The failing health of Sir Charles compelled him to resign at the close of the year, and he was succeeded by Sir Charles Metcalfe, who arrived at Kingston on the 25th March, 1843. '^his very able and very excellent man misconceived hi duties, and misunderstood his position as ruler of a country possessed of the principle of Constitu- tional Government. He attempted to resuscitate the old system, and maintained that he had the right to select the executive officers of the Crown. His short term was a scene of constant irritation among the people ; — his policy was a disastrous failure ; and, when illness com- pelled him to resign his charge, in the month of November, 1845, ^^ left the country, probably, with small regret. He had essayed to check the expansion of the great principle of Constitutional Government, and had met with determined resistance and inglorious defeat. On Lord Metcalfe's resignation. Lieutenant General Earl Cathcart, then commanding the Forces in Canada, was appointed Administrator of the Government until the arrival of the new Governor General, the Earl of Elgin, who reached, on the 30th January, 1847, Montreal, then the seat of government. With the advent of Lord Elgin came the full development of the system of Constitutional Government. He was the first Governor who fully grasped the breadth and depth of its principles, and who loyally worked them out. Lord Elgin was no ordinary man. Of very high educational attainments, he had in turn dealt with the various interests of the Empire, and had enjoyed unusually good opportunities of studying many different forms of Colonial Gov- ernment. His connection with the family of Lord Durham gave him a special interest in that nobleman's views of Canada, as embodied in his report, and he entered on his duty as Governor General strongly impressed with their excellence, and with a firm determination to work them out.* * His biographer, Mr. Walrond, in his Life of Lord Elgin, page 34, says : " The principles on which he undertook to conduct the affairs of the colony were, that he should identify himself with no party, but make himself a mediator and moderator between the influential of all parties ; that he should have no U ;' THE KARL OF DUFFEUIN IN CANADA. 45 Lthcart, strator •al, the ,1, then iC the He of its 'as no In turn isually ll Gov- e him ied in •ongly work says : were, bdiator Lve no The Reform Bill in England was doing its work. The extension of the power of the i)eople was a contraction of the power of the Crown, and one of its most direct effects was the total change of colonial |)()]icy, which created in Lord Elgin the first true representative of Constitutional Government the British Colonies of North America had yet seen. His loyalty to his principles was put to a crucial test on 26th April, 1849, when he assented to the celebrated Rebellion Losses Bill. This bill had from the first been met with a fierceness of hostility unusual even in the wildest excitement of Canadian politics. It had been condemned at hundreds of public meetings held throughout the length and breadth of the United Provinces — numerous deputations of the leading men of the Conservative party had been sent to the seat of Government to press on His Excellency the injustice and danger of the measure — the press was filled with denunciation of the proposed " outrage " — " No pay to rebels " became the watchword of thousands — serious riots occurred in various parts of the Province, and a storm so fierce was raised that many thoughtful men convinced themselves that Lord Elgin would take refuge in the device of reserving the bill for the assent of Her Majesty. But his construction of the principles of Responsible Government did not permit him to seek safety by such a flight. His Ministry, sustained by a majority in both houses, deter- mined to face the tempest ; they demanded the assent of His Excel- lency, and at the risk of his life he gave it on the morning of the 26th April. On the next morning the smoking ruins of the Parliament House furnished gloomy evidence of the intense hate which the measure had inspired, and within the next twenty-four hours the mob had attacked the Old Government House, where the Ministry were assembled in Council ; had completely wrecked the dwelling of the Premier, Mr. Lafontaine, and burned his stables ; had smashed the windows of the temporary residences of Mr. Baldwin and Mr. Cameron, two of the leading Upper Canada Ministers, and had wrecked the dwellings of other prominent supporters of the obnoxious Ministers who did not enjoy the confidence of the Assembly, or, in the last resort, of the people ; and that he should not refuse his consent to any measure proposed by his Ministry, unless it were of an extreme party character, such as the Assembly or the people would be sure to disapprove." Lord Elgin himself said: "I still adhere to my opinion that the real and effectual vindication of Lord Durham's memory and proceedings will be the success of a Governor General of Canada who works out his views of government fairly." Walrond, p. 41. 4G HISTOUY OF THE ADMINISTIIATK.IX OF bill. Svibscfiuently, on the 30th April, His Excellency was attacked in his carriage by the mob, and narrowly escaped death. These disgrace- ful proceedings led Lord Elgin to tender his resignation, but Her Majesty and her Ministers promptly exi)ressed their entire approval of his conduct, and recjuested him to retain his position. Their course was subseijuently approved by both Houses of the Imperial Parliament ; and thus the principles of Constitutional or Responsible Government were triumphantly sustained in a case, where, if in any, a governor would have been justified in reserving the bill for the approval of the Imperial Executive or even in dismissing his Ministers. This first course was pressed on Lord Elgin, but he nobly held to the princii)Ies by which his rule was to be governed, and replied that had he taken such a step he would have thrown on Her Majesty's Ministers the responsibility which should properly rest on himself. It was said that Lord Elgin carried his deference to the wishes of the people, as expressed through their representatives in the Assembly, to an undue extent, — an extent which made him virtually a mere figure head, without actual power in the Government of the country. To this remark he replied : " I believe, on the contrary, that there is more room for the exercise of influence on the part of the Governor under my system* than under any that ever was before devised ; — an influence, however, wholly nioml, an influence of suasion, sympathy, and moderation, which softens the temper, while it elevates the views of local politics. As the Imperial Government and Parliament gradually withdraw from legislative interference, and from tiie exercise of patronage in Colonial affairs, the ofiice of Governor tends to become, in the most emphatic sense of the term, the link which connects the Mother Coun- try and the Colony, and his influence the means by which harmony of action between the local and Imperial authorities is to be preserved. It is not, however, in my humble judfjment, by evincing an anxious desire to stretch to the utmost, constitutional principles in his favor, but, on the contrary, by the formal acceptance of the conditions of the Parliamentary system, that this influence can be most surely extended and confirmed. Placed by his position .ibove the strife of parties, — hold- ing office by a tenure less precarious than the ministers who surround him, — hav- ing no pol.tical interest to serve but that of the community whose affairs he is appointed to administer, his opinion cannot fail, when all cause for suspicion and jealousy is removed, to have great weight in the Colonial Councils, while he is set at liberty to constitute himself in an especial manner the patron of those larger and higher interests, — such interests, for example, as those of education, and of moral and material progress in all its branches, which, unlike the contests of paity, unite, instead of dividing the members of the body politic." ■ ^ ' " 'n Iiaving ( nicnt, \v istration he left C sible .sati stitution^ dislike ar the hot f insults by and hone! t'ountry f( tion, and peo|)]e, wh though so so soon as forgetfulne He left Montrej following b The system of Responsible Government. * " This spe Pbce where, a fe ed."_Walrond, % THE EARL OF DUFFKRIN IN CANADA. 47 "The Canadian Tory Rebellion of 1849," ^^ '-ord Klgin called it, having died out, the Province proceeded on its progress of improve- ment, without any further strain on its institutions during his admin- istration. His term of office having expired in the latter part of 1854 he left Canada, but before his departure he had the almost inexi)res- sible satisfaction of knowing that his loyalty to the princij)les of Con- stitutional Government had at last received its due reward, — for the dislike and hostility of 1849 '^^^ changed into affection and support ; the hot fires of religious and sectional feeling had burned low ; the insults by which he had been overwhelmed had been deeply regretted and honestly atoned for, — and now, when he was about to leave the country forever, he was deluged with expressions of love and admira- tion, and he departed, laden with the respect and good wishes of a people, who, though sometimes hasty, are never long unjust, and who, though sometimes carried away by the heat of party, are ever ready, so soon as reason returns, frankly to acknowledge their error, and ask forgetfulness of the past. He left Canada in a blaze of popularity, and in his farewell speech Montreal he feelingly and gracefully alluded to the past in the following beautiful and touching words : * " And again permit me to assure you that when I leave you, be it sooner or later, I shall carry away no recollections of my sojourn among you except such as are of a pleasing character. I shall remember, and remember with gratitude, the cordial reception I met with at Montreal when I came, a stranger among you, Iwaring with me for my sole recommendation the commission of our Sovereign. 1 shall remember those early months of my residence here, when I learned, in this beautifu' neighborhood, to appreciate the charms of a bright Canadian winter day, and to take delight in the cheerful music of your sleigh bells. I shall remember one glorious afternoon, — an afternoon in April, when looking down from the hill .it Monklands, on my return from transacting business in your city, I beheld that the vast plain stretching out before me, which I had always seen clothed in the w hue yarl) of winter, had assumed on a sutklen, and, as if by enchantment, the l.vt-ry uf spring ; while your noble St. Lawrence, bursting through his icy fetters, had begun to sparkle in the sunshine, and to murmur his vernal hymn of thanksgiving to tlie bounteous Giver of light and heat. I shall remember my visits to your Meclmnio' Institutes, and Mercantile Library Associations, and the kind attention with wliich tiie advice which I tendered to your young men and citizens was received by them. I shall remember the undaunted courage with wiiich the merchants of this city, j while suffering under the pressure of a commercial crisis of almost unparalleled * " This speech was listened to with tears by>a crowded audience in the very phte where, a few years before, he had been so scandalously outraged and insult- Id."— Walrond, 165. 48 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION Ob' severity, urged forward that great work which was the first step towards placing Canada in her proper position in this age of railway progress. I shall rememlier the energy and patriotism which gathered together in this city specimens of Canadian industry, from all parts of the Provl icf. for the World's Fair, and which has been the means of rendering this magnificent conception of the illustrious Consort of our beloved Queen more serviceable to Can'dathan it has, perhaps, proved to any other of the countless communities which ha.-e been represented there. And 1 shall forget, but, no ; what I might have h"u to forg°t is forgotten already, and, therefore, I cannot tell you what I shall forgo*^.'" Sir Edmund Walker Head, having been appointed to succeed Lord Elgin as Governor General of Canada, arrived at Quebec in the early part of the year, and opened Parliament on the 23rd February, 1855- The Administration of Sir Edmund Head is notable chiefly from the fact that it was under his rule the idea of Confederation of the Pro- vinces gained much strength. This scheme had, in fact, been pro- pounded by a member of the Executive Council of Nova Scotia as far back as 1806 • but it met with no response from Canada. In May, 1838, some time previous to the date of Lord Durham's Rejiort, a scheme for Colonial Union was promulgated by Mr. Ho\ve of Halifax, and that well-known and very able man, ac that early period, sketched fi plan of the Confederation of the Provinces of Newfound- land, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and the two Canadas, very similar to the "Quebec scheme" of 1864, which formed the basis of the British North America Act of 1867, — the Act of Union. In the following year, 1839, ^'^^ report of Lord Durham ai>peared, in which he strongly urged the Union of all the Colonies. Fifteen years passed away v.-ithout any practical effort being made to carry out the project. On loth February, 1854, resolutions in favor of a union or confederation of the British North American Provinces were carried in the House of Assembly of Nova Scotia, and the Lieutenant Governor was requested " to make known to Her Majesty, and to the Governments of the Sister Provinces of Canada, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island," the opinion of the Houses that such a union o. confederation " on just principles, while calculated to perpetuate their connection with the parent state, wil! promote their advancement and prosperity, increase their strength and influence, and elevate their position," and he was also desired " by correspondence with the Imperial and Piovincial Governments, and by all means in His Excellency's power, to urge and facilitate the consideration of the measure." In 1857 another step was taken, and again by Nova "Thatth 'inticipations .111(1 iini\'ersal .ulvantage to The seci "That the or more local diameter ; am common to all These w «as ultimate ties in carryi: *Now, Liei ,»«.4»» ■ ' ' THE EAIIL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 49 Scotia. In the summer of that year, a delegatio-., consisting of the Hon. Messrs. J. W. Johnston, and A. G. Archibald,* both of Nova Scotia, proceeded to England, instructed by the Nova Scotia Ministry to bring the subject of a union of the Colonies under the notice of the Colonial Secretary, with a view to effective action being taken. In the following year (1858) after many appeals, direct and indirect, from Nova Scotia, Canada, for the first time, appears on the scene as an active negotiator. She was approaching the dead-lock, which eventually compelled her to look to Confederation as the only escape from the difficulty. In that year a general election in Upper Canada resulted in a large majority for the Reformers, while in Lower Canada, tho returns were just the reverse, the Rouge party being in a large minority. Whei the Legislature met, the Ministry of Mr. (now Sir) John A, Macdonald w^as forced to abandon the "double majority" principle. He was immediately charged with subjecting I'l^per Canada to French domination ; and the Reform party at once began the advocacy of " Representation by Population " without regard to the boundaries of the Provinces, as the only means by which UpDer Canada could exert her proper influence in legislation. This was the germ of Confederation, for, as time passed on, the duty of carrying on the Government became each day more difficult. The ])arties were so evenly balanced that neither could command a, working majority in the House of Assembly, and, .after the formation and breaking down of several Ministries, a serious attempt to secure Confederation was resolved upon. On 28th >"ebruary, i860, the Canadian Parliament met at Quebec, Mr. George Brown moved two resolutions, the first was : " That the existing Legislative Ui.ion of the Provinces had failed to realize the anticipations of its promoters, — had resulted in heavy deLt, great political abuse, and universal dissatisfaction, and that the Union could no longer be continued .ith .u! vantage to the people." The second proposed : "That the true remedy for these evils will be found in the formavion of two or more local Governments, to which shall be committed all matters of a sectional ciiaracter ; and the erection of some "joint authority" to dispose oi the aflairs common to all." These were lost at the time, but the principle involved in tl.em was ultimately adopted as the only solution of the increasing difficul- ties in carrying on the government jf the country. * Now, Lieut. < ■ >vernor of Nova Scotia. ,,*.*" 50 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF ri i On 15th April, 1861, the House of Assembly of Nova Scotia passed resolutions nem. con. urging the expediency of a union, and requesting the Lieutenant Governor to communicate with the Colonial Secretary, the Governor General of Canada, and the Lieutenant Governors of the other Provinces in order to ascertain the policy of Her Majesty's Government, and the opinions of the other Colonies, with a view to the consideration of the question of Confederation. A year passed away before action was taken on this resolution ; but, ir i862, Mr. Howe, its mover, and head of the Nova Scotia Ministry, proceeded, with two other members of his cabinet as delegates 10 Quebec, where they met delegations from the Govern- ments of Canada and New Brunswick assembled for the purpose of settling on a scheme of union. The mission failed : — Canada was not ripe for the movement. In October of 1861, Sir Edmund Head was succeeded by Lord Monck. The difficulties between the Upper Canada and the Lower Canada sections of the House of Assembly had been steadily increasing during his Administration. Lord Monck found the political parties much excited, and the con- viction was daily increasing in strength that the administration of affairs by a sectional majority could not long be tolerated. The struggle continued with varying success until the defeat of the Mac- Donald-Sicotte Ministry in the early part of 1864, when both parties acknowledged that it was impossible to carry on the Government under the existing system. A Coalition Ministry was formed for the avowed object of carrying Confederation. As the year advanced the attention of the Imperial authorities was closely devoted to the ques- tion ; Lord Monck entered into active communication with the Lieutenant Governors of the Provinces, and the question became the great one of the day. The Legislature of Canada in 1864 passed resolutions in tavo; of a union of all the Norili .American Colonies, — failing which, the}'^ pro- vided for a dissolution of the Union of the two Canadas, and their re-union upon a federal basis. At the same time, Nova Scotia, dis- heartened, it would seem, by the obstacles in the wr-y of a general union of all the Provinces, passed a resolution in fa\ or of a union of | the Maritime Provinces alone, and providing for a conference upon the subject with delegates from New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. The Legislatures of these Provinces each passed a similar resolution. On the 1st of September, 1864, the delegates from these three Provinces met at Charlottetown, the seat of Government of| . ,^ Jf\>. (!-«-.»"' THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 51 Prince Edward Island. It was soon discovered that some of them really desired a union of the Maritime Provinces alone. T the mean- time delegates from Canada arrived, who proposed to confer with their fellow-colonists on the subject of a union of all the British North American Provinces. This proposal was cordially and unanimously accepted, and Newfoundland volunteered to join in the negotiations. The conference was therefore adjourned to Quebec, where a conven- tion met on the loth October, 1864. It was composed of thirty- three representatives from the Provinces of United Canada, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, and Prince Edward Island. Seventy-two resolutions were adopted as the basis of Confederation, which were to be submitted to the Legislatures of the different Pro- vinces, and the final decision was to be made by the Imperial Parlia- ment. This is known as the " Quebec Scheme," and on it was based The British North America Act of 1867 — the Act of Union. But now unexpected difficulties arose. Both Upper and Low^jr Canada were anxious for union. Their governments had come to a dead- lock, and so strong and universal was the popular opinion in its favor that no one even seriously mooted the idea of submitting the " Scheme " to a new Assembly elected for the purpose of ascertaining the views of the country. It was considered, as the fact really was, that the action of the existing House, though not elected with any special vit > legis- lation on the question, would be satisfactory to the people. The : Jritisli Government warmly appioved the scheme, and Mr. Cardwell, the Colonial Minister, lost no time in urging on the Lieutenant Governors of the Provinces the desirability of taking immediate and effective action on it. New Brunswick was the first to move. Her Parliament was dis- solved, that the sense of the people might be ascertained on the question. But the electors, taken by surprise, and alarmed at the magnitude of the change involved in a scheme which they had not had time or opportunity to discuss, refused their assent. The Ministry resigned, and an anti-confederate one took its place. The Confederates of Nova Scotia took warning, and determined to wait further developments in New Brunswick. The Colonial Office, while placing such pressure on New Brunswick as the relations of parent state and colony permitted, did not urge Nova Scotia for a reply. Early in 1866, another election was brought on in New Brunswick, and a re-action having set in, the vote of the previous year was reversed, — the assent of the people to the union was constitutionally obtained, and its terms were cheerfully and loyally accepted. Now, Nova Scotia moved, but she did not, like 52 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF ;l| '■ New Brunswick, dissolve her Parliament, and seek approval of the pro- ])osed union from an Assembly elected for the purpose of deciding on the scheme. She used the existing House, disregarding numerous peti- tions for a dissolution, and the Confederates triumphed. But it was a dearly bought victory. The conduct both of the Imperial and of the Colonial Government was fiercely assailed, and a deep bitterness of feel- ing was created which is hardly yet removed. In truth, the policy was, to say the least, unwise. It was not just, — and it placed a strain on Con- stitutional Government which it bore with difficulty. The facts seem to be, that the Imperial Ministers were somewhat too willing to believe the representations, doubtless made to them by the Confederates of the Province ; and deeply impressed with the conviction that the policy was one of good to all as a whole, and to each Province as a unit, they consented to a little constitutional wrong in order to secure a great material benefit. It led, however, to serious inconveniences, and the exjjeriment will, doubtless, not soon be repeated of placing a Pro- vince in a union upon which its peojjle had been gi-en no specific opportunity of expressing their opinion at the polls, though this opportunity had been demanded by addresses, deputations, and re- presentations through the press. The enlightened ideas now enter- tained of Constitutional Government would doubtless restrain the hand of an Imperial Minister who should contemplate such an act* From the 3rd to the 13th February, 1865, the debate on Confedera- tion continued in the Canadian Assembly. Mr. John A. Macdonald moved : " That a committee consisting of himself. Messrs. Caitier, Gait, Brown, Robitaille and Haultaln, he appointed to draft an Address to Her Majesty on the subject of the Union of the Colonies of British Xt>rth America." * It is only proper to notice that the course pmsued by the Imperial Govern- ment has been ably and warmly defended on tin lollowing grounds : Firstl)\ constitutionally it was not bound to ask for any expression of feeling, or opinion, on the part of the people of Nova Scotia by a plebiscite, or otherwise, before ]3ass- 1 ing the Act of Union. Secondly. Admitting for argument's sake that these feel- ings and opinions should have been ascertained and consulted, the Imperial Author- ities, in the summer or autumn of 1866, were put in possession of what they were I constitutionally bound to consider the expression of Nova Scotia's feelings and opinions, for they were placed in possession of the solemnly avowed sentiments of I the Parliamentary Representatives of the Province. And, /////...//, the Imperial [ Government, without being under any sort of obligation to concern itself to know whether the constitutional representatives of Nova Scotia rejjresented the real sentiments of their constituents, or not, had the best of reasons for supposing tliat they did represent them. " The Repeal Agitation," by P, S. Hamilton. THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 53 After four amendments had been lost, the resokition was carried by a large majority. This vote established Confederation. Nova Scotia and New Brunswick had adopted the scheme, but Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island left the question in abeyance. On the 8th June, 1866, Parliament commenced its first sittings in the new buildings at Ottawa. The Ministry immediately took the neces- sary steps to complete the work of Confederation, and the House adjourned on the i8th August. Delegates from the two Canadas, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick lost no time in proceeding to England to effect a final arrangement of the terms for their Federal Union. On the 7th of February, 1867, the Bill for Confederation was introduced in the British House of Commons, by the Colonial Secretary, the Earl of Carnarvon. It passed rapidly through all the necessary stages, and received the Royal Assent on the 28th day of that month. It came into force ist July, 1867. By **The British North America Act, 1867," the four Provinces of Jpper Canada, Lower Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick were federated under the name of "The Dominion of Canada." Uppei Canada was changed into " Ontario," and Lower Canada into " Quebec." The first day of July, 1867, was celebrated with great rejoicing as " Dominion Day." At Ottawa, the seat of the New Government, Chief Justice Draper administered the oath of Governor Genern,! of the Dominion to Lord Monck, who, by command of Her Majesty, conferred upon the Hon. John A. Macdonald the order of Knighthood, and upon the Honorables Messrs. Howland, McDougall, Cartier,* Gait, Tilley and Tupper, the Companionship of the Bath. The Hon. Sir John A. Macdonald became the first Premier of the Dominion. The Hon. W. P. Howland, C.B., was appointtl lieuten- ant Governor of Ontario ; Sir Narcisse Belleau, of Quebec ; tne Hon. Mr. Wilmot, of New Brunswick ; and Lieut.-General Doyle, of Nova Scotia. Discontent soon began to shew itself in Nova Scotia. Her repug- nance to the Union now took a distinct shape in the complaint that she had given up much more than she had received, — and that her share of the public revenues would not meet the current expenses of her government ; this position was maintained by the Anti-Unionists, and at the elections for the Commons and the Local Legislature a large anti-confederate majority was returned. On the i8th September, 1867, The Hon. Mr. Cartier was subsequently nominated a Knight. 54 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF I, W the startling news was sent through the Dominion that in these elec- tions the Confederate party had met with a terrible defeat. Out of eighteen members of the Commons, but one Confederate, Dr. Tupper, was returned, — and out of thirty-eight members of the Local House of Assembly but two Confederates had survived the storm of public opinion. This disastrous turn of affairs spread gloom among the friends of the Union, for it was feared that New Brunswick would sympathize with the victorious Anti- Confederates of Nova Scotia, and that the combined opposition of these two Provinces would endanger the whole Union. Here was the natural result of the ill-advised haste with which Union had been imposed on Nova Scotia, for it soon became evident that a large proportion of the people had supported the Anti-Union cause in the recent elections, not so much from love of it as from dislike to the mode by which they had been carried into Confederation. The magnitude of their success surprised and embarrassed the conquerors themselves, for the serious question now presented itself: "What shall we do with our victory ? " They were compelled to adopt some policy, and, after much halting, it was authoritatively announced by the Attorney-General, Mr. Wilkins, the Premier, and one of the chiefs of the Anti-Confederates, in a manifesto issued in December, 1867, that the ultimate aim of the party was Repeal. Mr. Howe, the real leader of the movement, now began to hesitate. He had loyally fought the battle of the Anti-Unionists up to this point, but the more ardent spirits had compromised themselves and him by openly tampering with disloyalty, — dallying with treason, — advocating annexation, and hinting at the material aid which they would receive from American " Sympathizers " in the event of their throwing off their allegiance to the British Crown. This was excessively repugnant to Mr. Howe ; his feelings of loyalty were outraged, and his sense of reason was shocked. " The old flag," he said, " must float above us still, and be revered and respected until we receive our answer from England." It soon came. A deputation, con- sisting of Messrs. Howe, Annand, Troop and Smith, went to England to lay their case at the foot of the Throne. They were instructed to accept nothing but the Repeal of the Union, but they soon found, what every one out of the House already felt, that such a demand would not be yielded by the Imperial Government. Their case was brought before the British House of Commons, where, by a large majority, a Committee of Inquiry was refused, and in the Lords the motion for one was withdrawn. The Duke of Buckingham, THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 55 then the Secretary for the Colonies, immediately conveyed to Lord Monck the official reply of the British Cabinet to the Delegates. It was in substance that the Act of Union could not be repealed, — but the Dominion Government was invited to remove all just grievances, and deal as generously as possible with the Province. In obedience to this suggestion Sir John A. Macdonald, accompanied by some other Ministers, visited Halifax in September, 1867, and attended the Repeal Convention then sitting, with a view accurately to ascertain their wishes, —but nothing was; done : the Ministers complained that the malcon- tents declined to specify their demands ; the malcontents complained that the Ministers made no offers ; and in a few days the Convention formally reported its determination to continue the agitation for Repeal. Their chief support, however, was slowly but surely failing them. Mr. Howe was gradually widening the breach between them and himself. He clearly saw that Repeal could not be obtained, and he scouted the idea of force or annexation. He had fought the battle bravely and well, but now, when he saw himself defeated, he was prepared grace- fully to accept the position, and loyally to assist in the smooth working of a union which had become an irrevocable fact. His mind was too noble, — his vision too clear to persist in a bootless warfare which must end in utter defeat, and the protraction of which must keep the Prov- ince in a state of constant irritation, to the great injury of all its material and industrial interests. The delegates were, on the opening of the House, after their fruitless errand to England, to receive the thanks of the Assembly for their services. Mr. Howe's seat was vacant, — the breach between him and his former friends was now com- plete. He justified his course by alleging that he found his party had become unmanageable, — that he had to choose between treason if he re- mained with them, and loyalty by leaving them, and he could not hesitate a moment in the choice. It was soon seen that the Assembly could do nothing ; the prestige of the Anti-Confederates quickly disappeared, — their credit for honesty of purpose was lost, — their inactivity proved their weakness, and the Unionists now felt that the victory was, at last, their own, though they knew that it would take time, and that some I trouble would be involved, in bringing the Province to a state of perfect I quiet on this harassing subject. Soon after the close of the session Mr. Howe published a letter, declaring his complete disapproval of the I Anti-Confederate policy ; expressing his belief that Repeal was unattain- able, and announcing that he was prepared to consider a proposition 1 for " better terms " of Union which had been made to him by the 56 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF Finance Minister of the Dominion. He was instantly assailed by a storm of abuse from his late friends, and the most unworthy motives for his change of opinion were freely imputed, but he answered his opponents by the persistent maintenance of his opinion that the course he advised was the only proper one ; he challenged the Anti-Unionists to show even a remote probability of Repeal being obtained, and, as for rebellion or annexation, he scouted the idea of either. His posi- tion was really impregnable, and yet his old friends still kept aloof from him. But allying himself with Mr. McLellan, a gentleman who had acquired a fair local reputation as a financier, he entered into negotiations with Sir John Rose, the Finance Minister of the Dominion, and, after an arduous examination of the question, an agreement was entered into by which Nova Scotia secured all the advantages which the Anti-Unionists claimed as her due, but which, in the haste of the first negotiations, had been overlooked. " Better terms " having now been secured, the Dominion Ministry considered it essential that Mr. Howe should enter the Cabinet for the purpose of assisting the Government in carrying the agreement through the House, where it was sure to meet with a strong opposition. Mr. Howe consented. Being obliged to seek re-election on his acceptance of the position of Secretary of State, he was bitterly opposed, — but right triumphed, and the Anti-Confeder- ates met with a crushing defeat. During the next Session the Dominion Parliament approved of the " better terms " agreement, and thus Nova Scotia was quieted. We can now look upon the fine Province of Nova Scotia with feel- ings of the liveliest satisfaction. A high-minded, industrious and in- telligent people who have been distinguished by the exceptional ability of their public men, and the enterprise of their mercantile and industrial classes, and who were at one time smarting under a real injury, and heated to an undue degree by the appeals of rash, though doubtless sincere men, have now, thanks to the counsels of moderate men, nearly obliterated the old feelings of bitterness, and have transformed Nova Scotia from an irritated member of the Dominion into one of the warmest and most valuable supporters of its integrity. During the year 1867, the Province of British Columbia began to consider the question of joining the Confederacy. In November, 1868, Sir John Young, afterwards Lord Lisgar, arrived from England as the 1 successor of Lord Monck, and in this year a bill was passed by the Dominion Parliament praying the cession by the Crown of the North West Territory, and granting ;^3oo,ooo sterling to be paid to the THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. m Hudson's Bay Company in exchange for its rights, with some reserva- tions. On the 4th May, 1870, a bill was introduced into Parliament for the reception of the North West, and these territories were, in July, formally ceded to Canada by the Imperial Government. The Pro- vince of Manitoba was created, and the Hon. Mr. Archibald went out as Lieutenant Governor. On 20th July, 187 1, British Columbia and \'ancouver Island entered the (Confederation, under the name of British Columbia. As already stated, the Earl of Dufferin arrived at Quebec as the suc- cessor of Lord Lisgar, on the 25th June, 1872. The retiring Governor General, in a speech at a banquet given to him in Montreal on the 20th June, 1872, so well summarized the conditions of the British North American possessions at the moment of their rule passing from his hands to those of the Earl of Dufferin, that his address on that occa- sion is reproduced. He said : "Gentlemen, — I am very sensible of the honor conveyed by your applause, and I beg you to accept my warm and earnest thanks for all your kindness. I was much gratified at receiving the invitation to this banquet, which, indeed, I did not expert to find so numerously attended and so marked in all respects. I feel the com nent all the more inasmuch as it is a repetition, after some length of time and acquamtance, of a similar compliment paid to me on my first arrival. I retain in distinct recollection the prompt hospitality and the lavish attention which were paid to me by the Mayor and citizens of Montreal more than three years ago. Such demonstrations, I rm aware, are made, not to the individual, but to the official, — not to the person, but to the choice of the British Government and the representative of England in this great and noble dependency ; and it is only right that they should be so directed, seeing, as we see by the latest instance, the pains and care the British Government bestows on the selection of a person to represent the Sovereign in her British North American Possessions. They have selected Lord Dufierin, a noble- man of high rank, favorably known in literary circles, and conversant with all the accomplishments and intricacies of social and political life. When I had the pleasure of addressing a large and intelligent audience iu this place three years ago, I was just entering upon the duties which had been assigned to me by the choice and good opinion of the Duke of Buckingham, acting on behalf of the Government of Eng- land. I was, as it were, buckling on my armor ; now I am laying it ofiT. There is a proverbial warning against boasting on the former occasion, which I cannot consider inapplicable to the latter also, and I hope I shall not lay myself open in any degree to the imputation of neglecting it at the close of my official life, for I consider this my last public appearance at the close of a public career which, whatever its general shortcomings, has certainly been passed in employ- ments of high responsibility, and has been sometimes thrown upon circumstances of great difficulty. But when I recall to mind the topics upon which I dwelt when I last spoke in this place, I then felt that, basing myself upon the known energy of the people, and the good faith which had theretofore attended the counsels of the 58 IIISTOUT OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF i III: 5 Statesmen of Canada, I could argue well for the future. I anticipated large additions to the territory ; I indulged the hope that the bitter feeling which then jirevailed in the United States would sjieedily give place to amity and reconciliation, and I looked forward to the early commencement of public works of great magnitude and undoubted utility. Well, three years have barely passed : the things which rose then in anticipation, — the visions of hojie, — some said, oftoo sanguine hojie, are now a realized, accomplished success. It ia true that Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island still stand without the pale of the Dominion, and deny themselves the advantages which have flowed in so full a tide upon the Provinces wliich have thrown in their lot with it. But the vast area held by the Hudson Bay Company, has, after a protracted investigation, been ceded to the Crown, and by the Crown forthwith transferred to Canada, — a mighty boon, greater in extent, and richer in resources, than more than one first-class European Kingdom. British Columbia came in on equal terms, a willing and valued partner and associate. The temper and sagacity brought to bear on the arrangements with British Columbia reflect credit on the negotiators on the one side and the other. If it be high praise for machinery to say that it works evenly and efficiently without noise or friction, to that praise the arrangements with British Columbia are entitled. They work efficiently and work satisfactorily to all concerned, and seem to be as highly approved of after trial as they were at their first commencement. The troubles which ensued in Manitoba were due rather to misunderstanding and misapprehen- sion, arising from ignorance, than to any rooted policy. They were overcome by steadiness, patient explanation and the occasional display of an adequate armed force to sustain civil authority. The form and frame of representative institutions have now been organized, and set in motion with every prospect of satisfactory working. Much praise is due to Lieutenant Governor Archibald for the legal attainments, the unwearied industry, and the fine temper which he has brought to bear on the difficulties he had to encounter. He literally encountered the wilder- ness, but he has cleared the forest and taken out the stumps. Whoever succeeds him, for I hear Mr. Archibald wishes to leave with views and objects of his own, will have an easy task. He will enter on the results of another man's intelligent labors, and will not probably have more obstacles in his way than were found in the older settled Provinces. To carry on the agricultural simile, he will only have to cultivate the cleared farm on ordinary known principles, and with a proper rotation of crops. So much for the extensions of territory that have been made. The Dominion now stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and opens its ports on the one and the other ocean to receive and interchange the manufactures of Europe and the varied products of Australian and Asiatic commerce. As to Nova Scotia, I need not inform this audience that the work of reconciliation has been effected. Whatever of ill-feeling remains is only the smouldering embers of the former fire, and is fast dying out. The danger of conflagration is past, and if we wanted proof to confirm the accounts received from many quarters of the good dispositions which prevail throughout all the Acadian bodies, it may be found in the concurrence of opinion with the other Provinces, and in the mode in which the representatives of Nova Scotia joined with the representatives of the other Provinces in affirming for the general interests the acceptance of the articles of the Treaty of Washington which affect Canada. THE EAHL OF DUFFEKIN IN CANADA. 59 " I must admit th.it when I alluded to public works of great magnitude, of which I hojjed to see the commencement, I had not in view, — I had not formed the con- cfjition of so vast an enterprise as a railway thousands of miles long to connect the Canadian system of lines with some point on the coast of the Tacific. I had only in my mind the water communication, — new canals to be dug, and old ones to lie en- larged and deejiened. Vast as is the project of the railway, it need not be ai)pall- iiig. It is only in the darkness of night or of ignorance that doubts and apprehen- sions apjiear appalling,— that shapes and shadows loom portentous in the gloom. They vanish away, or assume their proper dimensions, in the light of science, and the clear day of reason and awakened energy. We may indeed draw courage from the earliest lessons learned in our infancy. The memories of a champion, which continue, I trust, to be as popular and as carefully studied as they were in my youth, assure us that many a giant may be overcome by intelligence ; and this giant of a railway, if there be any truth in the adage that well liegun is lialf done, is already half overcome by the careful preliminary surveys which have been car- ried over a wide expanse of country, and in the teeth of many obstacles, by that excellent public servant, the Engineer-in-Chief, Mr. Sandford Fleming, and his indefatigable assistants. The conquest will be completed in good time by the united energy, capital and credit of the country. I see at hand and around me those who possess all the requisites, and are equal to the task. The work will be done, for it is indispensable, in order to fulfil the inter-provincial engagements which have been entered into, to afford facilities for traffic, and travelling to dis- tant parts of the Dominion, and not merely to bind all the parts together by a strong bond, and fresh links, by links stronger than iron, but to rivet them together by fresh associations, and weld them into one integral, indissoluble wholctby con- stant, familiar, mutually beneficial intercourse. The last, but by no means the least, advantage which will accrue from the work is the powerful stimulus which it will give to emigration. It will afford employment and encouragement to multi- tudes who are prepared, and longing to avail themselves of it, and who need such help and encouragement during their first struggles for a few months, or it may be for a year or two, in a strange country. This last remark applies in an equal de- gree to the works upon the canals. They too will swell the tide of emigration by hopes of employment. I do not believe that I ever read a paragraph in an opening speech from the Throne with greater satisfaction than that which proclaimed that the Government were about to take the canals in hand, and press their improve- ment on a large scale. This satisfaction was enhanced when I saw it officially announced in his budget speech by my honorable friend the Minister of Finance,* that the country could well afford the outlay, and that now was the time. I hope I may be allowed to say, even in Sir Francis Hincks' presence, that he appears to me to unite, in an eminent degree, accurate knowledge of the subjects he has to handle with a true appreciation of the requirements of the country, and the tendencies of sound public opinion. In his lucid exposition of the financial state and prospects of the country, he spoke of the marvelous increase of Canadian exports, that is, of the marvelous increase of the products of Canadian industry, the proofs of a mar- * Sir Francis Hincks. 60 HISTORY OF THK ADMINISTRATION OF velous ndvancement in the country ; he mentioned the rising manufactures, a rapid- ly growing carrying trade, and used the term, 'wonderfully prosperous' in refer- ence to the present condition of the country, while he looked forwaril to a further progress as well as a great increase in the public revenues in future years. I think that the conclusion is properly and emphatically drawn that now is the time to undertake the necessary — and what past experience of similar outlay, an '"st so many entertainments as would free them from the ':hargc of premeditated isolation. It was admitted that but few had trenched on the liberties of the people, or had been guilty of any intentional abuse of their power, but it was at the same time advanced that also few had risen to the true dignity of the ruler of a great country, full of immense resources, and fitted for an empire. The ambition of the Earl of Dufferin might justly have been fired by the remark that most of his predecessors had been content to come, remain and go, mere figure-heads, caring little for the work of developing the enormous latent power and wealth of the Dominion,— not curious to visit the various Provinces, or explore the vast terri- nianiKT far su or hopes of C '» I 'ukl relief; niiers, and thr an iiiiselfi.sh ai His K.xcel nimiher of ger '"'ions, and be 1S72] THE EARL OF DUFFEUIX IN CANADA. G5 toiit-s, and see with their own eyes the beauty and capabilities of the great country under their charge ; or learn from the h'ps of the inhabi- tants themselves the story of their ho])es, or their needs, — their trials, or their successes. The press, second to none in the British dependen- cies, was not backward in reminding the new Governor General that the justice and exceptional moderation and leniency of the Imperial Government had conferred on Canada a constitution, and given to her a freedom of legislation .vhich rendered his appointment almost the only link which bound the child to its great parent, and that upon his personal bearing and political judgment depended, to a great extent, the satisfactory working of our institutions. He was reminded that the cardinal principle of Constitutional or Responsible Government was the polar star of our system, and that any, the slightest, interference with it, by him, would be quickly resented. It was pointed out by men who well knew of what they were speaking, that even in England this principle had not yet been fully developed, but that the people of Canada expected its recognition in its widest and fullest sense. He was respectfully told that he had in his hands the power to mould, modify, and improve the legislation of the country, and closely identify himself with the people, without, in the slightest degree, invading their freedom, or the just rights of his muusters. He was cordially invited to mix with the people, and ascertain by personal conference with them their true opinions, their complaints and their desires. It was pressed on him to visit every part of the Dominion, and the great significance of submitting to the tedium of attending the publ c festive gatherings of the jwpulace, and countenancing even their puhlic amusements, was delicately suggested. In brief, the noble example of his great Mistress was placed before him as a model from which to mould a new Empire, and bind to Her, with hooks of stee), a people in every way worthy of the splendid race from which she and he had both sprung. That the Earl of Dufferin was able to rise to the importance of the position, and carry out all these suggestions in a manner far surpassing in magnificence and brilliancy the expectations or hopes of Canada, is to be attributed the fact that he now stands out ill hold relief as the grandest figure in the long procession of Canadian rulers, and that he has just left our shores laden with the blessings of an unselfish and admiring nation. His Excellency on his arrival at Ottawa was received by a large number of gentlemen forming delegations from numerous public insti- tutions, and before leaving the steamer was presented with addresses 66 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1872 L''72] fl from the City Corporation, read by Mr. Mayor Martineau ; from the Carleton County Council, read by Mr. Warden Morgan ; from the Board of Trade, read by Mr. E. McGiUivray ; from St. George's Society, read by Dr. Sweetland ; from the St. Jean Baptiste Society, read by Dr. Dorion ; from the Canadian Institute, read by Dr. St. Jean ; from St. Andrew's Society, read by Mr. E. McGiUivray ; from St. Patrick's Literary Association, read by Mr. W. H. Waller; from the Irish Catholic Temperance Association, read by Mr. J. Birmingham; from the I. O. O. Good Templars, read by Mr. Johnson of the Customs Department ; from the Irish Protestant Benevolent Society, read by Mr. Sheriff Powell ; and from the Metropolitan Canadian Society, read by Mr. P. A. Egleson. His Excellency's reply to the address of the Mayor and Corporation of the city expressed in brief terms some of the principles which he had laid down for himself on assuming the Government of the Dominion. He said : " Mr. Mayor and Gentlemen, — The warm and hearty welcome which has been accorded me on my arrival in Canada, and the magnificent reception with which I have been greeted on reaching the Metropolis of the Dominion, emana- ting, as it has done, from all sections, creeds and classes of Hor Majesty's subjects on this side of the At'antic, only affords fresh proof of the attachment, loyalty and devotion of the Canadian people to the Throne and person of our most gracious Queen. As long as I have the honor to be the representative of the Crown in this country it will be my most anxious endeavor, on the one hand, to chcish and foster, by e"ery means in my power, those loyal sentiments by which you are so profoundly animated, and on the other, to exhibit, on behalf of Her Majesty, the atfeciion and solicitude which she has never ceased to fee) for the inhabitants of this her greatest dependency. In thanking you for such expressions of kindness in your address as are personal to myself, I can only say that, although I cannot hope to fulfd the flattering expec- tations of me which you have been pleaser to form, I am actuated by the most earnest and single-minded desire to serve you to the best of my ability, to spend the best years of my life amongst you, and to place unreservedly at your disposal such experience in the conduct of governnien< is my previous public career has enabled me to acquire. To be permitted to associate myself with you in developing the marvelous resources of this glorious land, — to have a share in building up on this side of the Atlantic a great, prosperous and loyal community, is a privilege amply sufficient to satisfy the ambitiou of the most aspiring statesman. In conclusion, I beg to thank you on Lady Dufferin's behalf for having inchuled I her in your kindly welcome. I can assure you that from the moment we set foot on Canadian soil, we hael both forgotten that we ever had another home than yours, — and in discl^rging the social du establish th(jse she No( warm an under br At th tcers was Quebec, men com] the Provi His Exce ins])ection ill the higl Ottawa on R. Ross, / Col. Macp After the ] His Excell aljout 3,ooi charge of . Cockhurn, the Hon. ; other distin his feelings : "Col. Rc District,— It civilian, shoul Secretary of S experience in n of place. I h Volunteers. I snrj)rised at the tile i)leasure of find that she ha that, should the your families an \vhich I shall 1 beyond all prais science, I could acted. As the jM^. 1872] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. G7 social duties which attach to her position, Lr .ly Duflerin confidently expects to establish ties amongst jou which will effectuilly compensate her for the loss of those she has so lately been forced to sever." No Governor, upon his arrival in C: nada, ever before received so warm and flattering a reception, and none ever entered upon his duties under brighter auspices. At this time the system of forming camps for the drill of our volun- teers was in full working order, and encampments were to be found at Quebec, Laprairie, Prescott, Kingston, Niagara, and Windsor. The men composing them were congregated from the various portions of the Provinces of Quebec and Ontario, and numbered about 30,000. His Excellency, unwilling to miss the opportunity of a personal insi)ection of the volunteer force of Canada, which had been spoken of in the highest terms by experienced officers of the regular service, left Ottawa on ist July, for the camp at P-escott, accompanied by Col. R. Ross, Adjutant-General ; Col. Fletcher, Military Secretary ; Lieut.- Col. Macpherson, Hon. Col. Gray, M.P., andCapt. Coulson, A.D.C. After the inspection of the force under the command of Col. Buell, His Excellency proceeded to Kingston where the camp, containing about 3,000 men, of whom about 400 were cavalry, was under the charge of Lieut.-Col. Jarvis, A.A.G. He here met the Hon. Mr. Cockburn, speaker of the House of Commons, the Dean of Ontario, the Hon. Mr. Campbell, Post Master General, and a number of other distinguished gentlemen. His Excellency gave expression to his feelings in a brief address. He said : " Col. Ross, Col. Jarvis, Oi-i' ici:rs and Men of the Third Military District, — It can hardly be expected tliat on an occasion such as this, I, a civilian, should attempt to address you, but ina: much as I have had, as Under Secretary of State, and as a Minister of a Military Commission, considerable experience in military matters, I hope that a few remarks from me will not be out of ])lace. I had heard much, before coming to this country, of the Canadian Volunteers. I had heard them highly spoken of, but I confess that I am agreeably surprised at the magnificent physique and appearance of the men whom I have had tile pleasure of reviewing to-day. As Her Majesty's representative, I rejoice to find that she has such a sturdy and proficient army of defenders ; and I doubt not that, should the occasion arise, you would all turn out manfully for the defence of your families and homesteads. The spectacle which I have to-day witnes' _d is one whicli I sliall long remember. The steadiness and proficiency of the men is beyond all praise, and, though I am not conversant with the details of military science, I could not but observe the admirable manner in which the different corps acted. As the representative of the Queen in this country, I shall have much 68 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [187:; pleasure in coiifjiatulating Her Majesty's Government and the Commander-in- Chief on having so fine a body of men for the defence of this country as that which is furnished by the Third Military District. I am aware that soldiers are not fond of long speeches, and I therefore close my remarks to you by thanking you sincerely for the gratifying and magnificent spectacle you have afforded me this day." On the next day we find His Excellency back at Prescott, when he made a more complete inspection of the camp, and on the follow- ing morning, being joined by Her Excellency and Sir George Cartier, he went to Montreal, where the party arrived in the evening.* Apartments were secured at the St. Lawrence Hall hotel, and it is not a little curious that, while the vice-regal i)arty were dining in one part of the house, Her Majesty's Opposition in the House of Commons were holding high festival in honor of their leaders in another.! On the day following His ICxcellency proceeded to Laprairie, where about I coo volunteers were in camp. He was received by the Mayor and Corporation, and had presented to him the Hon. Mr. Justice Dunkin, Messrs. Foster and Baker, and several other gentlemen. The Mayor read an address in French, to which His Excellency replied in that language,]; to the great delight of the French officers and men, who were much gratified to find this graceful recognition of their language made by their new Governor, In the afternoon he attended at the City Hall, where he was met by tiie Mayor, the members of the Corporation, and a large number of the * "Old Baptiste " is historical. The faithful old pilot of whom all travellers down the St. Lawrence have heard, and most of them have seen, met, as usual, the Steamer Magnet on this occasion, paddling from the shore in his well-known canoe, and safely conducted another Governor General down those most dangerous rapids of Lachine, by a channel which he himself discovered in 1842, It is said he has never missed a day since that period. t Tarty feeling was then running iiigh in Canada ; the general elections were near at hand, and the Liberal party were making the most strenuous efforts 10 secure the power of Government. At this gathering great enthusiasm prevailed, die whole company frequently rising and waving their table napkins, often leaping on the table, and expressing their dehght in the most vociferous manner. X His Excellency reads French, and speaks it with the pure Parisian accent. He also reads Greek, Latin and Italian, and has made a considerable progress in the study of Hieroglyphics. His speech delivered in Greek at McGill University, wh.ch Will be referred to in its place, astonished and delighted the learned pro- fessors of that eminent seat of learning. IS72] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. m most distinguished citizens of the commercial metropoHs of the Dominion. His Worship the Mayor presented him with an address, to which he replied, taking occasion to express his gratification at the fact that, "Thanks to the magnanimous and wise conchict of your Parliament, and the saj^acious administration of my predecessois, I should have arrived in Canada at a time when most of the anxious political questions, which occupied your attention, iiave been settled, and all classes and sections of the community seem to be united in an endeavor to promote and develop the material resources of the country." He took care to point out the political course it was his purpose to ])ursue by the remark, '• Bred, as I have been, in the atmosphere of Constitutional Government, I tni>t that my administration of your affairs may prove worthy of a free and noble [leoi^le." He expressed the determination of himself and Her Excellency to take up their residence in Montreal during some portion of the year, and thus become, as he expressed it, " Intimately acquainted with your beautiful neighborhood, and the agreeable society of which it is the centre." In the evening His Excellency and suite, accompanied by Her Excellency and Lady Harriet Fletcher, left for Quebec, where they arrived on the morning of the 5th July, and were met by Sir Narcisse Belleau, the Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Quebec, whose guests their Excellencies were during their stay in the old capital. In a few days they proceeded to the lower St. Lawrence, and spent the hot season in the vicinity of Riviere du Loup. Preparations were, during their absence, made to supply suitable accommodation for their Excellencies' stay in Quebec. The General Elections for the Dominion House of Commons onw commenced. On the 24th July the first of these took place at Ottawa, when Messrs. J. B. Currier and J. B. Lewis were returned by acclama- tion in the interest of the Liberal Conservative party, led by Sir John A. Macdonald. At the opening of the first session of the then last Parliament there were in the Commons 181 members. Of these 82 were from Ontario, 65 from Quebec, 19 from Nova Scotia, and 15 from New Brimswick- The Liberal Conservative party then in power, though strongly sus- tained in the House by Ontario and Quebec, found the Nova Scotia rei)resentatives all arrayed against it, Avith the single exce])tion of Dr. 'I upper. Sir John Macdonald, the Premier, could only count on the 70 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1872 support of about half of the members from New Brunswick. As time wore on some of the Nova Scotia members gradually gave in their adhesion to Sir John. During the fourth session Manitoba's three members, (one seat in the Province being unfilled) gave Sir John their support, and in the last session British Columbia's six repre- sentatives also joined him, which gave him a working majority of between thirty and forty. He had a larger majority on the Treaty of Washington Bill, when every one of the Nova Scotia members, and most of those from New Brunswick laid aside party ties for the moment, in order to carry this great measure, on which the peace, conciliation, and material benefit of the Dominion so much depended. There was no great question before the people during the elections of 1872, and the Liberal Conservative party went to the country with the prestige of success in amalgamating the Provinces, and in the general working of the machinery of Government. The country was prosperous, and the people contented. The great work of the Inter- colonial Railway was going forAvard, and the Pacific Railway was en- gaging the active and serious attention of the Government and people of the country. The most memorable occurrence of the campaign was the defeat of Sir George Cartier in Montreal East. This very valuable man owed this disaster entirely to his nobility of character and breadth of views. This may seem strange, but it is not the less true. A Frenchman, he was a descendant of the Jacques Cartier of 1 534, who on the 20th April of that year, by command of Francis the First, King of France, sailed from St. Malo, on a voyage of discovery, and after coasting the Gulf, entered the River St. Lawrence^ and took possession of the country in the name of his Sovereign. He was an ardent admirer of British Con- stitutional Government, and never hesitated to act on his convictions, even though his action might jar on the feelings or prejudices of his French supporters. He was, in effect, though of French descent, an Englishman in his love of Constitutional Government, and though a Roman Catholic, a Protestant in his love of religious freedom. He was not French enough for many of his French supporters, — he was not Roman Catholic enough for many of his Roman Catholic supporters. But he outlived as well this defeat as the misapprehension of his truly noble character, and died in England, where he had been an honored guest of Queen Victoria herself, deeply regretted by all Canada, and by none more deeply than the misguided people who in the campaign and a new rej * The Count< fioni a convict io as they are to hi of" manner, and lia\e created in wliich they them + The follow '872, so well ex 'liat, though som 1872] THE EARL OF DUFFEIUN IN CANADA. 71 of 1872 were, for the moment, led astray by men more designing than honest. Their Excellencies were, from the first week in July until about the niicldle of August, enjoying the coolness of the lower St. Lawrence, wlit-n they returned to Quebec, and from about the 20th August to tlie day of their departure from Quebec, on the 23rd Sejjtember, they had availed themselves of every opportunity of studying the people among whom they were thro^vn and the institutions of that part of the Dominion. Lord Dufferin with all his hospitality and open handed- ness was ever on the alert for information, and by mixing freely with thei-eople from the highest to the lowest, he obtained a wonderful know- ledt^e of the Canadian character. Their Excellencies had no sooner settled themselves in Quebec, than a series of receptions, levees, dinner parties, balls, and visits to public institutions, educational, reli- gious, and charitable, were inaugurated, which revived in the glorious old city the departed grandeur of the ancient regime. Foreigners can scarcely estimate the great effect this social policy, — for the means adopted to secure the great ends their Excellencies* had in view de- serve this dignified epithet, — had not only on the citizens of Quebec, but on the people at large. It will be remembered that the annexationist feeling still slumbered in the minds of many. The frequent allusions of leading P^nglish writers and speakers to the small value of Canada to the empire, — the bitter taunt to a really noble and loyal peoi)le that liritain would willingly free them from their allegiance at any moment tlicy desired it, and the apparent coldness of some of the predecessors of Lord Dufferin, had all produced a subdued feeling on the part of the populace, but when the brilliancy and kindliness of the new life burst forth, their hearts instantly went out in all their fullness to their Excellencies, and the pent up feelings of love for the glorious " Old Country " were showered upon these exponents of a new policy and a new regime. f * The Countess of Dufferin is associated with His Excellency, in these remarks, fiom a conviction that the people of Canada are almost as deej>ly indebted to her as tliey are to him for tliis phase of his rule. Her kindness, gentleness, affability of manner, and thoughtful consideration for all within the sphere of her influence, li;ive created in the iiearts of the Canadian people, a warmth of affection for her which they themselves are utterly unable to express. + The following extracts from one of the Quebec journals of 14th September, 1872, so well expresses the general opinion then formed of their Excellencies, that, though somewhat rude in structure, the article is re-produced. " There was n HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OP [1872 Lord Dufferin here evinced his broad and h'beral reh'gious views. He visited the school of the Roman Cathohc as willingly as that of the Protestant. He saw loyalty in both. As the representative of the Queen, who rules over millions of Hindoos and Mohammedans, as well as of Roman Catholics and Protestants, respecting and pro- tecting the rights of each creed with an even-handed justice, I-ord Dufferin began his Canadian career by meeting with ecpial respect, and treating vvith equal consideration and deference, both the Roman Catholic minority and the Protestant majority of Ontario ; — also the Roman Catholic majority and the Protestant minority of Quebec. a time when a Military Martinet bred in the Camp, renowned for severity, and loyal to excess by education, interest and professional training, was supposed to be tiie man and in fact tlie only man for a Colonial (Jovernor. All the first tiovernors of Canada answered to this description. A narrow minded, violent tempered, choleric man of the sword, knowing nothing but "• His Majesty's Service," and entertain, ng some Dutch Corporal's ideas of that, — in fact some superior "Von Spitter " of the " Jungfrau " was the sort of person it was thought indispensal)le to send to Cannda, during the days of the Georges, and the long period of English hostile rivalry and frequent warfare. .Since that epoch the material of Ciovernors has somewhat improved intellectually : — nevertheless too many gentlemen have, since the passage of Sydenham's Union Act, been sent here merely to amend their fortunes, improve their opportunities, and make a living out of the post they were assigned to. Canadians had come to look upon the time of Durham as that of a brilliant meteor, charged with a message of Imperial concern, and for Imperial purposes. Lord Metcalfe was a man with a settled purpose, resolved to spend no money in its accomplishment, and it was thought that Responsible Government having given rule virtually to the Colonists in the Cabinet would end by our having no more politicians, and no more soldiers for Governors, but would also cause us to have no more men of large income for the office, and confine us to a class of persons coming here for their salary, and it only. Under such a state of public opinion, the advent of Lord Dufferin is hailed by our people with a lively but perfectly natural pleasure. Li His Excellency they recognize a gentleman of large means, kindly heart, and liberal disposition. An author of European celebrity, a traveller of merit even in t'.ie days of Burton and Speke, although unlike them he chose " High Latitudes " in preference to the tropics as the scene of his researches, Lord Dufferin comes with the prestige of intellect, of benevolence, and of almost royal revenue and munificence amongst the people of Quebec. This, however, is not all. The Quebecers, naturally retiring and sensitive, seldom make up their minds about any man until they have had an opportunity of .«eeing him, and observing his manners and his temper. This opportunity Lord Dufferin has graciously allowed, and the opinion they have formed of him and his amiable and accomplished lady is most favorable. In this opinion of the wise and kindly 1S72] THE EARL OF DUFFEUIN IN CANADA. '8 He, as Governor General, knew them but as devoted subjects of Her Majesty, and he furnished proof of his great tact, good feeling and adaptabihty of temper when w ■ see that from his first visit to a Koman Cathohc schoi ' in Canada, the modest Convent at St. Roche, until the day he left its shores he has never been charged with a neglect of Protestantism and of undue attention to Roman Catholicism, by the Protestant, nor of neglect of Roman Catholicism and of undue attention to Protestantism, by the Roman Catholic. The local papers of the day gave glowing ac'counts of the visits of their Excellencies to " Le Monastere des Ursulines," "L'Academie de Sillery," the " Seminaire de Quebec," " L'Universite I.aval," "L'Ecole Normale, Laval," the "Good Shepherd Institution" and schools attached, and several other educational in-.tituiions.* Nor were they inattentive to tlu amusements of the people. 'I'he Stada- cona Athletic sports were attended bv them, and on the grounds, in the i)resence of 5,000 spectators, the Mayor of the City, president of the games, ])resented their Excellencies with an address, thanking them for their countenance. The reply of His P^xcellency was char- acteristic. He made use of the event to inculcate the idea, that one of his duties as the representative of Her Majesty was to identify caniaij;e of His Lordship, and the Countess, there is no exception of race, or creed, or pdlitical party. The (juebecers are a unit as to the aihiiirahle manner in vliich royalty is now represented in the Dominion. The Earl and Countos of DuUerin have excited an absolute euthusiasni of regard among our citizens, and have l)y their mere living and deportment, and their most generous, graceful and jiulicious hospitality, done more to stamp out the last embers of annexat'on tlian could liave l)een effected by a dozen repressive statutes. Quebec should feel grateful to tile (^ueen and Government of England for the excellent selection of their repre- sentative in the person of His Lordship, and we ouglit not to forget that the appoint- ment was a graceful concession to Canadian feeling, — the Dominion Cai)inet, with great judgment and sagacity having an earnest desire to secure for their country the valuable services of Lord Dufferin." * The Countess of Dufferin was quite as desirous as His Excellency to counte- nance and assist in all worthy undertakings. To the application of the officers she, when in Quebec, kindly and promptly sent to the Montreal Ladies' Educational Association the following reply : " The Countess of Dufferin has great pleasure in coni])lying with the request of the General Committee of the Montreal Ladies' Kilucational Association, that she w-ould become a Lady Patroness of that Associa- tion. Being already interested in the subject, and having been President of a similar Association in Belfast, Lady Dufferin will watch with sincere interest the ]>rogress and the success of the efforts made in Montreal to advance the education of women." 74 HISTORY OF TIIK ADMLNISTHATION OF [1872 himself with the jjcople in every laudable way, and even in their holiday amusements. He said : " Mr. Mayiik, Laum-.s and ( IisNtii'mkn,— I can assure you that both myself and Lady nuflfrln feel j^ratilicd by the expression of thanks which you iiave just made, and by the warm recejjtion wiiich we have iiad here to-day. In l)einy iireseni to-day I do no more than fulfil a duty as the representative of Her Majesty, for oui beloved S(jvereij^n seldom allows an occasion to pass without siu-wintj her interest in the sports and amusements of her people. I am sure we must all feel {^ratified at the way in which the ^ames of the day have yone off: — it has seldom been my good fortune to be present at so large a gathering to witness such extraordinary good beliavior, mutual courtesy and good luimor. I cordially reiterate tiie desire exjiressed by you, Mr. Mayor, that tiie jnesent celebration may be the inauguration of the institution of annual games in this city, and, more, that )ou may always be favored with such delightful weather and your assemblies graced ))y the presence of so many beautiful ladies." Among those present at the luncheon given by the Mayor were the Hon. Hector Langevin, Madame Langevin, Col. and Lady Harriet Fletcher, Col. and Madame Strange, Mons. Chevalier, Consul General of France, Col. Gibbon, Halifax, Capt. and Mrs. Sericole, Lieuts. Rowe and Courtenay, His Worship the Mayor, and Madame Garneau. In order to i)rove that he desired on all occasions to imitate as closely as possible the affability of Her Majesty, whose political rei)re- sentative he officially was, and whose social representative he desired to become, His Excellency did not confine his hospitality to select dinner parties or out-door fetes. During the last week of their stay in Quebec, two splendid balls were given by their Excellencies, to which were invited all the ladies and gentlemen who had called upon them. 'I'he ball-room, in the Citadel, was tastefully fitted up, with the adjacent terrace as a pleasant retreat, — and the unsurpassed enjoyment of the company flowed more from the marked and charming affability of the Earl and Countess, than from the ordinary pleasures of a ball. The Vice-regal set was composed of the Governor General and Lady Belleau, Sir N. F. Belleau and Lady Dufferin, Hon. Mr. Langevin, C.B., and Madame Garneau, Col. Fletcher and Madame Langevin, the Mayor and Lady Harriet Fletcher, Mr. Burstall and Mrs. R. H. Smith, Lieut. Coulson and Mrs. Burstall, Major Montizambert and Mrs. Boswell. In referring to the general effect of this memorable visit of their Excellencies to Quebec, a leading local journal well remarked : " It is in no spirit of adulation that we point to it as a providential circumstance that, at this turning point in the history of the magnificent appanages of the British 1S72] THK HAUL OF DrFFKlUN IN CANADA. 75 (rosvn in No'tlicrn America, tiic first coniniissiuii of (lovernor Cioncral of a iJniuinion, cxiendinij from the Atlantic to tlie racilic, lias l)een conferred upon a nohlenian so ready and able to sympathize, and so well seconded by Her Kxceliency in syni]ialiii/injr with all the relij^ious, social and industrial elements of the com- iininities entrusted to his care." * * The following notice of their Excellencies api)eared in a Quel)ec Journal of 24tli Sejitember, 1872, the day after their departure from Quebec for Toronto and Hamilton : "The resolution of our citizens to mark their sense of the amiable (|u;)lilies, the courtesy and hospitality of their Excellencies the Earl and Countess of I lufferin by a grand ball in their honor is every way commendable. 'i"he demon- stmtion of yestertlay, embracing a good-bye excursion up the river, and a parting ciuer to those exalted personages, was conceived in the same sense, and wilii the s.nme (ilijcct in view- Nothing could have been more appro]iriate, Indeeil, had the (idvernor Cleneral and Lady Dufferin been permitted to depart, even for a time, which we hope will be short, without some special and emphatic exhibition of intfre-t, friendship and admiration, on the part of the citizens of Quebec, they would liave had just reason for shame and self-condemnation. Our citizens are not likely, however, to subject themselves to any suidi reproach. Hospitable themselves, they know how to appreciate the attentions and hospitalities of others. It alTords ourselves some pleasure to witness the full realization of the iinticipations we were not slow to express in connection with our notice of Lord Dufl'erin's selec- tion for the Canadian Vice-Royalty. The noble Earl has proved himself worthy of the warmest words of welcome uttered through the press from (Quebec to Van- couver Island. In him centered the powers and sterling qualities of an able and warm-hearted Irishman, who has added to his natural gifts the valuable advantages of good education and extensive travel. Lord DufTerin's affability, his condescen- sion and desire to please all, stamp him the true gentleman. His example in this respect might be followed with good results in (Quebec and other cities, where you often meet persons not one whit aliove you in social jwsition, and far inferior to you in the qualifications which render a man agreeable and entertaining, unwilling even to be ordinarily polite on social and other occasions. This constant alTectation of su]ieriority in a new, democratic, self-made community is the most ridiculous outcome of egotism and stupici pride conceivable. The people who ape this superiority, unconsciously betray both their ignorance of what good breeding is nnil their inward knowledge of the fact that there is nothing really superior about them. It is not the genuine metal that needs polish and gilding, but the worthless pinch- beck. We have heard the remark more than once made of late, that the development of habits of siUy display and snobbery in o.ir Canadian cities is something both sur- prising and ridiculous ; and such " fashions " may be expected to live on as long as sensible people who don't like, or can't afford them, don't snub their votaries on all proper occasions, and as long as obliging tailors and milliners don't refuse to give long credit. We want just such real leaders of society as Lord and Lady I'ufferin in this country, at present, to rcbrm, by quiet, gentleman-like demeanor and gracious conduct towards persons who really are inferior, that it is not necessary to he rude, haughty, or foppishly dressed to play a gentleman's part in " good 76 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [M72 The social qualities of their P^xcellencies have been dwelt on, because they form a very large constituent of the power which the Governor General was able to use, and of the f!;reat influence he was subsequently able to exert in very momentou.; political exigencies, and under very pressing circumstances. The kindliness, hospitality and affability both of the Governor General and of Her Excellency were never assumed in public, and discarded in private : they were part of their natures. On the eye of their departure for the Province of Ontt;rio, their Excellencies were presented with an address by his Wonxhip the Mayor, on behalf of the citizens of Quebec, respectfully requesting that they would be pleased to honor them by the.i presence at a ball to be given at such time as might suit their convenience. The reply of Lr^d Dufferin gives full expression to the ideas he entertained of the state uses of such gatherings, and of his duty as the Governor of the Dominion in giving encouragement to them. He said, in his usual felicitous and beautiful language : " Mr. Mayor, Ladu'.s AisO GEN-n.KMKN, — I can assure you, I find it difficult adequately to express, either on Lady Dufferin's behalf or on my own, our deep sense cf the kindness of yourself, and our otiier friends in thus corning to bid us good-liye. The delicacy of feeling wliich hr,s suggested so graceful a compliment doubles its value in our estimation. When we first arrived here we were unknown to you all, and strangers in the land. When we next come to (Quebec, we feel that we shall be returning to a circle of warm friends,— to a most charming and agreeable society, and to tlie sight of kind, familiar faces. Our only regret is that circum- stances have not permitted us during our brief stay amongst you to make greater exertions on your belialf, for I am well aware that the social duties of my station are as imperative as my political functions. Kncampcd, however, as we have been upon the rock above us, and confined within the narrow casemates of the Citadel, it was impossible for us to open our doors as widely as we could have wished ; but though in one sense the space at our disposal for your accommodation has been society." Lord DulTei'inmust have laughed over Spurgeon's timely hit, which we printed a sliort time i'go, twitting the sovereigns with their refusal to shake iiands witli the lialf-sovereigns and the halves for turning their backs on the ciuarters, and the crown pieces for looking down on the poor shillin,;.-- But " gooil gv/acious" as Lord Dundreap' would say, only to think of Lord Dufferin not only bringing the thousands, doluirs, we mean, face to face with the hundreds, of dolhirs, — but of himself — .i great rich Earl — actually speaking to — worse than that — shaking hands wit'.i persons — well — for whose bank books, Mr. Casey could not get a bid of $ioo after their debts were paid ! His ilxcellency doesn't lonk into a man's circumstances l)efore issuing his invitations, and we feel bound to say that, among the best men lie has seen in (Quebec, or anywhere, are men light nt pocket and modest in deportment." 1ST2] THE EARL OF DUFFEIIIN IN CANADA. 77 loUicted, — in another way, at all events, we can make ample provision for you all. /// ihc chambers of our hearts there is room and verge eiioiigii for manv friends. Their avenues are guarded by no stttie, nor ceremonial : no introduction is needed to "iiiii u'^inission there ; and those who once enter need never take their /eave.* I^oth on my own behalf, and on Lady Dufferin's, Mr. Mayor, I accept with "latitude your kind invitation to a 15all later in the year." A few hours afterwards their Excellencies and suite were on board tlie steamer which was to convey them to Ontario. At the Govern- ment wharf lay the steamer Napoleon III., Capt. Gourdeaii, — which liad l)een kindb' placed at the disposal of the Committee by the Hon. Minister of Marine and Fisheries, — and the Grand 'i'runk Ferry steamer ^7. George, Capt. Famontagne, — both gaily dressed with bunting. These vessels were filled with citizens who had been invited by the Committee to accomi)any the steamer Alontrcal to Cap Rouge, but as they were not nearly cai)p.cious enough many had to take ])assage on the James. The Maid of Orleans', the Levis, and the National, on which were the pupils of the Seminary, and their hand, proceeded on a similar expedition. AH along the walls, the Fowt-r Park Garden, the Terrace, the Grand Battery, the Citadel, and at every pc'nt commanding the scene, thousands of people were col- lected, and row-boats, full of people, were also on the river. .\s the Alo/itreal steamed from her moorings, the gims of the Citadel began to thunder forth a salute, which was taken up and repeated by the Abyssinian field pieces of Ji Battery, on the Gov- ernment wharf The band of the Battery, on the Napoleon III. played "God save the Queen," as so did the Seminary band on the Nation- al, and a tremendous cheer uprose from the vast multitude. The Montreal steamed up the river, the six steamers following closely be- hind, — the St. Gcori:;e n.w(\ Nafoleon ///afterwards takinj up positions on either side. His Excellency the Governor General and the Countess came out on the promenade deck, and gracefully acknow- ledged the cheering and salutes. As the tleet moved up the river, sahiies were fired from the wharves of Messrs. Roche i^ Staveley, R. R. Dobell & Co., and Mr. Chantillon at Sillery, and the residents of the Cloves gave hearty farewell cheers. The children of the Sillery school turned out nearly opposite the church with Hags ard banners, ond cheered, and waved their handkeichiefs as the boats passed up. .M)OUt Cap Rouge kive was taken of the Afoiitreal.—\\Q:\x\.y farewell cheers being given their J-lxcellencies. The iVa^olcon III * riie Italics are the author's. 78 THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. [1872 fired a salute in turning, and then all steamed back to port, where they arrived at about half-past six o'clock. Such was Quebec's leave- taking of their Excellencies^ and such a demonstration the citizens would not have made had it not been richly deserved, — and it was as hearty as it was spontaneous.* At Montreal the Vice-regal party took the Grand Trunk Railway, and i)roceeded to Toronto, where they arrived in the evening of the 24th September. Quebec Chronicle. CHAPTER IV. CONTENTS. Arrival at Toronto, 24th Sept., 1S72 — Reception — Visit to the Provincial Exhibi- tion, Hamilton — Return to Toronto — (Irand Reception — Arldresses and Replies — \'isit to Ealls of Niagara — Return to Toronto — Drawing Room in Parliament House — Visit to the Western Fair, London — Reception at Woodstock — Addresses — Replies — Arrival at London— Grand Reception — Addresses — Re- plies — Visit to Strathroy and Petrolia Oil Regions— Return to Toronto — Stay of about three weeks — Visit to Wykehani Hall School — St. Nicholas Home — Trinity College — Presbytery of Toronto — Visit to St. Michael's College — St. Joseph's College — Convent — Address from Vacht Club — Inspection of Normal School — University Athletic Sports — Loretto Abbey — House of Providence — La Salle Institute — Visit to Miss Stubbs' School — (hand 15all — Visit to Os'^uode Hall — Concert at Vorkville, in aid of Y. M. C. A. — Speech at Upper Canada Colleg'. -■" ech at Toronto University — Address from the Sabbath School Asso- ciation — 't'i< iestant Orphans' Home — Visit to Sunday School of St. James' Ca- thedral — Return to Ottawa — Aadress from the Bishops of the Church of Icngland and Reply — Visit to Montreal, November, 1872 — Presentation of Statue of Her Majesty to the City — Speech on the occasion — French Speech — Return to Ottawa — Visit to the Christian Brothers School — Ottawa Ladies College — Con- vent de Notre Uame — Visit to (Quebec, January, 1873 — Visit to Poultry Show — Grand Citizens' Ball — Visit to Falls of Montmorenci — Ball given by Stadacona Skating Club — Visit to Ursuline Convent — Lord Dufferin on " Pet Nan es " — Arrival at Montreal — Visit to St. Ann's School — Torch-light Snow-Shoe' '"ramp — Inspection of Fire Brigade — Visit to Church of Notre Dame — Catholic .'om- niercial Academy — Ladies Benevolent Institution — Deaf and Duml) Asylum — House of Industry — Asylum for Deaf-Mutes — McGill College University — McGill Normal School — St. Mary's Jesuit College — Christian Brothers Schools — Montreal College — Convent of Villa Maria — Montreal Water Works — Pro- testant Infants' Home — St. Mary's Convent, Hochelaga — St. Patrick's Orphan Asylum — St. Bridget's Refuge — Court House — Supreme Court — Sergeants' Mess Room — Races of Alexanilra Snow-Shoe Club — Victoria Skating Rink Tournament — Address from Presbyterian Church — St. CJeorge's Society — Mont- real Board of Trade— Grand Ball — Skating Carnival — Concert of l'liilliarnu)nic Society — Speech at McGill College University, 22nited in Canada — Leaves Montreal for Ottawa, 5th February, 1873. Toronto turned out cit viasse on the evening of the 24th Sei-Uember, 1872, to do fitting honor to their Excellencies. I'hey were met at 80 HISTORY OF THE ADMIN ISTRATIOX OF [1872 the station by his Honor Lieutenant Governor Howland, Sir Hastings Doyle, and a gn^at number of distinguished citizens of the cai)ital of Ontario, and were escorted by an immense torch-h'ghf procession, with miHtary and music, to Government House, which was brilHantiy lighted and decorated for the occasion. IHuminated arches had been prepared, and the reception was most enthusiastic. The Hon. R. W. Scott, Secretary of State, had joined the party at Prescott, and on the arrival at Government House of their Excellencies the Hon. Alexander Mackenzie and the Hon. Archibald McKellar paid their respects to them. Great preparations had been made for a ball at Government House. During the next day their Excellencies remained the guests of the Lieutenant Governor, when the members of the Ontario Government were presented. In the evening one of the most brilliant balls ever given in Toronto welcomed the representative of Royalty, On the next day, the 26th September, the Governor General pro- ceeded to Hamilton, where the Provincial Exhibition was in j^rogres.s. Hamilton, having earned the cognomen of " The AmbitioUxS City," was determined to preserve her rejjutation. She had sent a deputa- tion to Toronto, to meet His Excellency in that city, and accompany the party to Hamilton. This deputation consisted of the Hon. Isaac Buchanan, Hon. S. Mills and Messrs. I). Mclnnes, A. T. Wood, .-K. Irving, W. Is.. Muir, and S. E. Gregory. The Vice-regal party consisted of their Excellencies the Earl and Countess of Dufferin ; Lieutenant Governor Howland ; Sir Hastings Doyle, Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia ; Sir Erederick Arrow, De]nity Master of Trinity House, Eng- land ; Col. and Mrs. Harriet Fletcher; Col. Cumberland, A. D.C. ; Mr. Coulson, A. D.C. ; Mr. Brassey, M.P., England ; Mrs. Iirassey ; Hon. Messrs. A. Mackenzie, Adam Crooks, R. W. Scott, A. McKellar, and Peter ( low. On arriving at the station in Hamilton, where His Excellency was received by the Mayor and Aldermen of the city, the members of the Board of Trade, the members of tlie Exhibition Board, and a large asseml)lage of citizens, a munl)er of addresses were presented. The City Clerk, Mr. Beasley, read the address of the Mayor and Corpora- tion, presented by the Mayor, Mr. D. B. Chisholm ; Mr. A. T. W'uDtl read the address of the Board ol Trade; Mr. Vlex. H. Wingfield read a poem of welcome, composed by himself. 0:i arriving at the Exhib- ition groimds, His, Excellency was met at the gates by the president 1872] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 81 and officers of the Association, and an immense number of people.* On ascending the judges' stand, Mr. S. White, the President of the Association, read an address of the Council of the Agricultural and Arts Association of Ontario to His F^xcellency, another to his Honor Lieutenant Governor Howland, and one to Sir Hastings Doyle, to all of which suitable replies were made. The next day His Excellency and party returned to Toronto where extensive preparations had been made for their reception. The demonstrations in Quebec had stirred up the citizens of the chief city of Ontario, who were determined to ihow their a])preciaticn of Lord Dufferin by an unusual display. The city was gay with triumphal arches, flags, decorations, devices, mottoes, and armorial bearings at every turn, while thousands of enthusiastic people crowded the streets. Their Excellencies, the Mayor and Aldermen, and the gentlemen who accompanied them, were conducted to the City Hall, where a number of gentlemen were presented to their Excellencies, among whom were the Chancellor of Ontario, the Hon. Mr. vSpragge ; Chief Justice Draper; the Hon. Mr. Hagarty, Chief Justice of the Connnon Pleas ; the Hon. Mr. Gait, one of the Puisne judges ; the Hon. Messrs. M. C. Cameron, Wm. Macdougal, W. L. Macpherson, J. B. iMcMurrich, Wm. McMaster, G. W. Allan; the Biahop of Toronto, •"Never was there such a multitude seen at an exhibition, the number being estimated as high as fifty thousand." — Toronto Mail, l-jth September, 1872. " The party then, upon the suggestion of His Excellency, left the stand, and on foot made the whole circuit of the ring, in oroer that the people might see them Iwtter than it was possible for them to do from the een fixed for matriculation, there is naturally required of every educational establishment of a lower degree the maintenance of a correspondingly high standard, while that stand- ard itself becomes the plaiiorm from which the students, when once they have suc- ceeded in entering your walls, take a new departure, and endeavor to reach, before they have finished their University career, even a stdl higher elevation. And nn the 2 Voiing Ladit His Kxcellei ffain," a beai address of th( "Voi;n(; L cover words wl: i^iii.lness with w si'ler all the pre to which to rel 1872] THE EAKL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. n imaijinccl, do a Ixxly of young men, such as those I see around me, start in Hfe uiuler more favorable auspices, or enter upon their several careers with a more assured certainty that, by industry, by the due cultivating of their intelligence, by sobriety of manners and of conduct, they may attain the greatest prizes of life. I would remind them that they are citizens of a country in which the most cherished prizes of ambition are o|x;n to all — that, however humble the origin of any one of thf m may have Ijeen, there is no position in the service of the country which he may not hope to attain, and such a position is one of the most honorable objects of ambition which a young man could put liefore him as his aim in life. And I would further remind them that tliey may hojje to attain to, not only the prizes which exist in this country in the several professions they may adopt, or in the public service of the Dominion, but that there are other prizes of an im}x;rial nature within their reach, — for the Queen of England does not stop to enquire wiictlier a deserving citizen is an Australian, or a Canadian, or a Scotchman, or an Irishman, or an Englishman, it is enough that he should have rendered the State good service, and this is his title to her favor and reward. (Ajjplause.) Already we have in this country a distinguished example of the truth of what I have said. Within a few weeks past, to a native born Canadian, and at the same time one of the most distinguished servants of the Empire, the Queen has been pleased to extend a signal mark of her favor, and has invited Sir John Macdonald to l)ccome a memlierof the Imperial Privy Council. (Applause.) There are others, friends of my own, who, in their early life having lieen Colonists, on returning to Kn^'land have fought their way into Parliament, and are now counted among the most distinguished and successful rulers of the Empire. It will lie enough for me to make this slight allusion to this subject. I am sure those I am addressing will lay it to heart, and the lesson I have ventured to inculcate will not be lost upoji I'lem. Ladies and gentlemen, I have to apologise for the extremely imperfect nature of these remarks. It was not until a very short time l)efore I made my appearance among you that I was made aware that I should l)e called upon to do more than make a formal reply to the very cordial address with which I have l)een honore,lies." In November His Excellency proceeded to Montreal, and on the 2 1 St of that month made a formal presentation to the city of a statue of Her Majesty which had been procured by the citizens for the ornamentation of Victoria Square. There were in attendance about 20,000 people, of all ranks, creeds and nationalities. Mr. W. Murray, the chairman of the Committee, read an address to His Excellency, requesting him to crown their work by presenting the statue to the city of Montreal, which His Excellency diJ, in the following terms : "Gkntlemen, — It is with a degree of pleasure, very difficult to express in words, that I find myself engaged in the discharge of a duty so appropriate to my office. * The Right Reverend J. Travers Lewis, D.D., LL.D., appointed in 1862. rnieVen. J. S. Lauder, LL.D. . 94 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1872 and so congenial to my feelings, as that which you have imposed upon me to-day. (Cheers.) Among the many circumstances which have made me feel at what a lortunate eix)ch 1 have ai rived in Canada, by no means the least agreeable is the fact that there should have been reserved to me this opportunity of taking part in a ceremony which evinces, in so marked and general a manner, the unfailing loyalty and affection entertained by the citizens of this large, prosiierous and wealthy town to the person and throne of our Sovereign. (Cheers.) It is, there- fore, with the most heartfelt satisfaction that I undertake the function now allotted to me, and that I become the momentary depositary of this uni(|uc and precious gift with which you, gentlemen, the subscriliers to the undertaking, are desirous to grace your city, and which you now commission me to hand over as a jierjietual ornament to the inhabitants of Montreal and to their children forever. 'Applause.) And I must say it is to no mean heritage that tiiese future generations will fall heirs, for, thanks to the magic power of the sculptor, long after we and those who have loved and honored (^ueen Victoria shall have passed away, there will still remain to them .ind to their descendants, untouched by time, this breathing repre- sentation of that oyten and intelligent regard, that sweet womanly grace and imperial majesty of aspect, which in her lifetime combined to render the presence of the Queen of England more august than that of any contemporary monarch. (Tremendous cheering.) It is to you, then, citizens of Montreal, that I now turn ; it is in your hands that I now place this sacred deposit ; it is on you that I lay the charge of guarding for yourselves and those who come after you this fair image of your Queen, this gracious impersonation of the Majesty of Britain, this stately type and pledge of our Imiierial unity, this crowned and sceptred symbol of those glorious institutions which we have found to be so conducive to the maintenance of individual lilierty, and of constitutional freedom (loud applause). Gentlemen, it was my good fortune in early life to serve near the person of our Sovereign. At that time no domestic calamity had thrown its ineffaceable siiadow across the threshold of her home. I was then a spectator of her daily life, its pure joys, its refined and noble occupations, its duties never neglected, but their burdens shared by the tenderest of husbands and most sagacious of friends. It was then that I learned the secret of that hold Her Majesty possesses over the hearts of her subjects in every part of her extensive empire, (cheers) and when in latter days death had forever shattered the bright visions of her early happiness, and left her to discharge alone and unaided, during long years of widowhood in the isolation of an empty palace, the weighty and oppressive functions of her royal station, renewed opportunities were afforded me of observing with what patience, patriotism and devotion to the public service her brave and noble nature bore each burden and discharged each daily task. (Applause.) From dissipation, gaieties, the distraction of society, the widowed Sovereign may have shrunk, but from duty never. (Loud cheers.) When, therefore, you cast your eyes up to this work of art, let the image of the woman, as well as of the Queen, be enshrined in your recollections, and let each citizen remember that in Her whose sculptured lineaments he now regards he has an example of prosperity borne with meekness, of adversity with patience, of the path of duty unfalteringly followed, and of a blamelessness of existence which has been a source of pride to every 1872] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. n Kn^lisli heart, (cheers) and whose pure and radiant influence has shetl its holy lii;hl on a thousand, thousand British homes. (Llreat applause.) Above all let each Canadian jjatriot renienilx:r as he contemjilates with pride the ever brlKhl- enin^; destinies of his native country, let your children and your children's children rcnutnher, as, generation after generation, this great Dominion gatliers strength and iiOwcr, that it was under the auspices and the government of Her whose statue I now ccmtide untiiii(l- aries of Canada, he has lx;en growing in the love and estimation of her j^'uple. Mis progress has been a triumphal one, for everywhere he is a conqueror of hiaits. In Quebec, a city for which he has evinced a warm affection, he displayed sucli sterling qualities as won for him the esteem of all, and, therefore, when he tool; his departure from us, there was little wonder that the hearts of the peojile sliouiil break out in enthusiastic demonstrations. But it was thought proper that there should be a fuller and more tangible expression to His Excellency of the appre- ciation by the people of his generous anil unbounded hospitality, and thus it was that the project of the ball which took place last night originated." 1873] ""' '■""■ '•" "'•"•"•..V ..V CA.AD.. .Kiilition to ihfse |a|,or. Hi, K„-,.PI^„, ■ " "' "" '■-'^'"'»ry, .Wc.'""' °' *" t'""--'!,"'. "'« '"^'' "-■>■ »""W >:.emselve., 7raw hi, , " . """ '''"^"•" 'I-'- ^'/™ ■'/-"-. After a momenf, parrey Hif ^^ 'I! "'^' "'""' °' '""> -'■'■ rc-.„arking,ha, this „e,„ami aSed Iit"'r '•""'^ '•'"^^ '"» »"■ ""•■^'"r,s „r his life, when, on his e nr„ f °^"" <"■"«•■ h'->l'piest ^' Mmilar ovation had l,Je„ u^^J ^^ !;::" '^""^ ^^'^ >nMnA . ;- « "n.:e set t„ work to -4 „ th^T ""'''™" ""^ f""'" l-:";Kl>..ched thetnselves to ,„c vehicle t^T' """ *' ^"''''-■"■s "l"'i |.a.;e, amid the -heer, -.nd Ih , ' "' "'' "'" '^A'ay at a M d,e door the Vice-re J ..'t'vlf °' '"<= "^"""Wed e owd ;;'-^» "ewey „ay, th! ^ X ''!;'';^'''-'«"<'r, the H™.- •^1- «.C. Baynes, the Registrar ;tl^Me;r^ '•■■"•™"' "><•■ Wncipal ; e.-,s proceeded to the ivniiam Mo „I hT f' '"" ""'"»■ '''e ';■""■•'• '••■'"'I'y and f;rad„ates C ",!^ ' ''''"'' ""= Governors, »'i'lr«s having been read by tl« Chtn.f ''„"'■•="*'' ">«"■ Ar ^-vtanporanecsly i„ the folCgtrtr ' "" '■'■^^■'■■"™<^^ --eplie "'7'>- '™»i'""f"'te'wt!!;''irfl^l^^^^ =»" «".-e you ,,„, , , "el"m» not only conveyali,,?! T "^ "'''""'w » l"ch you h,v, 1 ™ »™,„n, which ,,™„,e,l „y .,„./"'"" •^""•l-'ife'l »n-l .•.«.„,„„,„', "J °/' otcaMon, and H,nf fi, . '"""'*'^'on to your halls n. i - '"^ • tan onJy say that if the ' coaches ' of H , " "''°" "'"• '"arria.re '" '^-'-(applause and Iaughter)-the.. ' '""'^«^' •'"■^" «« good as h "cliial.le decrees I n,i; , ^t"«lents cannot faij to ml- ^'^'^ 'fi,rees. lAdies and L'entlem#.n i i ''^'^'^ ^'t^ry hieh nnrl 100 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [187:5 it rifjht to mention that I feel I should .iot lie treating this great institution willi respect if I did not promise to myself on some future occasion, wiien I shall have had more leisure than has been possible to me during my present visit to Montreal, to take advantage of the privilege which lielongs to me as visitor to address tlie students. (App'ause.) And I am less inclined at the present moment to trespass upon your time, Iwcouse witiiin the last few weeks the whole subject of University Education has l)een most exhaustively considered and discussed by three of tlie principal statesmen of England. If any of the professors, if any of ilie students should have happened to have read tiie speech of Mr. CHadstone at Liverpool, of the Duke of Somerset, at Plymouth, and of Mr. Hruce wiien addressing his constituents, 1 am sure they will fee! it would l)e impossilde for any one to add anything to the combined treatment by those gentlemen of this subject. Of course, we are all aware that in Englaml and elsewhere, a very violent contest is raginj; between those who regard the Art courses as amply sufficient for all liie renl purposes for which educational establishments are founded, wiiile upon the other hand, a school equally respectable, and supported by ecjual authority, is inclined to denounce a system of classical education as a prejudice or superstition of the past, and to set up the material anil applied sciences as their only curriculum. Mr. Gladstone on the one hand, with a very natural afiec- tion for his own Alma Mater, went so far as to say that he ci)n>i(lered even the unimproved course which prevaileil at Oxford when he himself was a student was quite sufticient to furnish as well educated a set of young men :is the necessities of the age required, and that by the occasional training which \v;is there given, the mind was more titly prepared than it coukl have l)een by any other means, for the various difficulties, struggles and contests of life. On the other hand, the Duke of Somerset took an opposite view, and referring with something ajiproatii- ine disdain to the assertion made by Mr. (iladstone, that the construction of a violin had exhibited as much ingenuity and intellectual power as the invention of the stenni eniiine, called upon his audience to compare the respective achievements of material and political science. Now, I confess, as far as I myself am individually concerned, mv own training naturally leads me to regard perhaps with undue favor a classical curriculum as the backbone of a liberal education, but, lie that as it may, and, without venturing for a moment to pronounce a dogmatic opinion upon so de- bateable a topic, I cannot help remembering that in this country, at all events, the almost overwhelming reasons which, on the one hand, may be urged in favor of paramount attention being given to the physical and practical sciences, are eon- fronted with arguments of corresponding force in favor of the arts and classical learning ; for while on the one hanil the prosperity of the Dominion almost entialy depends upon every one of its inhabitants using every exertion and straining evc-ry nerve to develop its material resources ; on the other, the fact of the whole popu- lation being engaged in these necessary oecujiations, and in the accumulation of wealth, ren;lers it all the more a matter of vital importance that the purely intellec- tual life of the community shoidd l)e ennobled, endx;llished, disciplined, and retmed by the wisdoi.., the poetry, the wit, the experience, and the philoso])hy of the classic ages. Leaving, however, this part of the subject, I will conclude by addressint,' a very few word-i to those young men who have shown in so gratifying a manner 1>^7.3] THE EARL OF DUFFKRIX IN CANADA. 101 with what in(liil{,'ence they will probaV)!)' listen to anything which falls from their uill-wislier and a friend. I would ask them, tiien. to reniemljer that tlie gener- ation which has preceded them has succeeded in bringing to a successful issue one of the most difficult and one of the most lieneficial aciiievements which statesmen have ever undertaken. The generation which now lives and superintends the affairs of this great country has lieen able, in spite of no ordinary difficulties and im]>cdi- nit-nts, to weld into an united Dominion the whole of those magnificent pro\inces of Canadian America which are contained Wtween the Atlantic and the F'acific. It In to the guardianship and the imj^rovement of that inheritance which in due time tluoe I now address will Ix- called, and a heavy burden and responsibility will lie u])on them to take the V)est advantage of that glorious birth-right to which they are ikstined to fall heirs, and in no degree to lie l)ehin(l those who have preceded ilium in tlieir devotion to their native country. I would further remind them that liaiijiily they live in a country whose inhabitants are as free as the air they breathe, that there is not a single prize which the ambition of man can desire to which they may not aspire, and which they may not l)e certain of making theirs, if only they will ajiply those faculties with which Providence ha.s endowed them with industry, intelligence, and perseverance. There is not one of you here who may not rise t" the highest offices of the state, who may not render his name illustrious for all time to come, who may not engrave for himself on the annals of his country an imperishable record. Finally, ladies and gentlemen, I must congratulate this university, this city, this province and the Dominion at large, upon the fact that an establishment so well conducted, founded upon so wide a basis, endowed with Mich a healthy vitality, should lie daily pouring forth into the world a band of young mon, who each sets out upon his se])arate career, endowed with all the advantages which a university education can give, and amongst those advantages you must reckon not merely the learning, not merely the intellectual training which is the eml (if all education, but that more subtle and even more important (juality which will enable the most casual accjuaintance to distinguish between a university man and one who is not. I cannot conclude these few and imperfect words, which I regret not having had the ojiportunity to study liefore I ventured to adflress you, without commenting upon the fact that it is to a citizen of Montreal that we are iiKlelited for this great establishment, and that it is to the continued and rejieated munificence of other .citizens of Montreal, who have imitated his liberality, that the iisefiihiess of the L'niversity has lieen continuously expanded. In this country heree a casual illustration ; I have observed in travelling on board the steamboats on the St. Lawrence, children running about from one end of the vessel to the other,whom more than once I have l)een tempted to take up and give a good whipping. 1 have seen them thrust aside gentlemen in conversation ; trample on ladies' dresses, shoulder their way about, without a thought of the inconvenience tliey were occasioning, and, what was more remarkable, these thoughtless indiscretions did not seem to attract the attention of their parents. \Vhen_ I ventured to make an i always to line. \V, strict !y ho their very behavior, remember particular to render ( fill, and ric of the Amt His E 3otli [anil ".Mr. .'- sacrilice on iiniiii.\ed gra such a scens of receiving address to th 1^47 has rec hajipened th.-i siliihties atta( my duties as i of tlint terrib circuni stances ciicunistances seized upon tl consf(juences. aajiiaiiiiixl wit informed, and the unfortunat 0"n country, many of them many of the "lenilicrs of tl endeavors to a 'won! of the 11 'I'lvt referred, I so, as an Irislm sense of the del to wlioin I have existence of this •irtiicte,! a mere ''^'"^■'its ; for, as "'"^■1' then arost 1.S73J THE EARL OF DUFFERIX IN CANADA. 103 make an observation on this to the people with whom I have been travelling, I was always told that these little peccant individuals came from the other side of the line. Well, I only hope that this may be so : at all events, without enquiring too strictly how that may be, I trust that the teachers of the schools of Canada will do their very best to inculcate into their pupils the duties of politeness, of refined Ijcliavior, of respect for the old, and of reverence for their parents ; that they will remember that a great deal may be done by kindly and wholesome advice in this particular ; and that, if they only take a little 'rouble, they will contribute greatly to render Canada not only one of the liest educated, most prosperous, most success- ful, and richest, but one of the most polite, l^st bred, and well-mannered countries of the American continent." Kis Excellency paid a visit to St. Patrick's Orphan Asykini on the 30th January. In answer to the address, he replied as follows : "Mr. Skcrktary, Ladies and Genti.emkn, — So far from it having been a sacritice on my jjart to come here, I can assure you that it has Iwen to me an unmixed gratification. No one can find himself under this roof, in the presence of such a scene as this, without esteeming the invitation which he has had the pleasure of receiving a very great privilege. The allusion which has been made in your address to that devastating famine by which Ireland was MIX1STKATI0N OF [I87:t when so many indications were afforded of the success with whi( h Canada was consolidating her |)olitical unity and developing her natural resources. He announced that to carry out the legis- lation of the preceding session a charter had been granted to a body of Canadian capitalists for the construction of the Pacific Railway. He informed the Houses that the surveys for the im- provement and extension of our system of canals had been in active preparation, — that the plans for the enlargement of the Welland and the construction of the IJaie \'erte Canal had been completed, and that the surveys for the St. Lawrence Canals would, he was assured, he finished in time to commence the works at the beginning of the next year. He ex|)ressed his gratification that the efforts made to encour- age immigration had met with a great measure of success. He alluded to the census, and informed the House, that a measure for the purpose of consolidating and amending the Acts of the several Provinces re- lating to the representation of the jieople in Parliament, and one for the trial of controverted elections would be submitted for their con- sideration. 'I'heir Excellencies held a " Drawing Room" in the Senate Chamber, on the evening of the 6th March, which was attended by an unusually large number of ladies and gentlemen, gathered from all parts of tlic JJominion, anxious to pay their respects to the representatives of Her Majesty who had already won for themselves the affections of the peoi)le. 'I'his reception was the formal inauguration of a system of •' At Homes," " Theatricals," " Concerts," " Balls," " Curling and Snow-shoeing parties, " and other amusements given at Rideau Hall, the invitations to which were very general, thus giving, during the Session, an oi)portunity to many to cultivate the personal ac- quaintance of their Excellencies. These gatherings were not exclu- sive. All ladies and gentlemen who chose to enter their names at Government House were sure to receive cards of invitation, and thus its doors were thrown as wide oi)en to every visitor as the hearts of Lord and Lady Dufferin were to the people to whom they had been sent as the representatives of the Queen. Fortunately for their Ex- cellencies, and for their guests, they found in Ottawa a large fund of histrionic and musical talent, from which they liberally drew for the excellent rendering of these tecreations. The frequenters of Rideau Hall, during this memorable Session, will recall with pleasure the efforts made by Col. Stuart, Capt. Hamilton, A.D.C., Capt. Coulson, Miss ih;.*}] TllK EARIi OF ItrFFKKIN IN CANADA. Ill Himsworth, Mrs. Stuart, Mdlle. Pcrnuilt, Miss I,ow, Mrs. Waters, Mrs. Beverley Robinson, Miss Ainiiond, Monsieur Kclward Kiml)er, Monsieur St. D. I.emoine, Mr. Himsworth, Monsieur Kimher, Master Henry Stuart and otiiers to assist their K.xcellencies in their festivities at Rideau Hall. The following extract from a leading Knglish journal of 21st March, expresses the unbiassed opinions of an intelligent foreign observer : " Tlie increasing; importance of the I )(>minion of C'an.ida is alunuiantly mani- ft'>lc(i l)y the unprecedented ceremony and display wliich accompanied liie opening of Parliament at Ottawa ii]ion tlie 5th instant. Kn^land lias j^ood reason t ) be |iiiiiul of ' I'ro-consui on Pro-consiil, a lii^jii and {glorious line,' to whose hands the administration of our North American Provinces has l)een successively committed. TIk- li>t of the CJovernors (leneral who within the present century have swayed the (lotinics of Canada, contains the names of statesmen no less eminent than any of till' illustrious viceroys who have served their country hy fjoverninf; Knjjland's mijjlitiest dependency from Calcutta. Lord Durham, .Sir Charles Metcalfe, Lord Sydenham, and Lord Elf^in will not suffer by comparison with Lord William IJen- tinck. Lord Dalhousie, I.ord Canning and Lord ^L^yo ; nor were there wanting many travelled Lnglishmen who, when Lord Northbrook was sent by Mr. (Mad- stone to Calcutta, and Lord DufTerin to Ottawa, were of the opinion that an Iini)erial statesman would find as many opportunities for gaining distinction among tlie snows and forests of the Dominion as awaited him among the liurning terri- tdiits of llindostan. Never has a Governor General of Canada had so fair a field before him as was surveyed by Lord Dufferin in the able speech which he read, tir>t in Knglish and then in French, from the throne at Ottawa some sixteen days .it;o. Nor was the most distinguished living representative of the .Sheridan blood unworthy of so suggestive an occasion. Young, elocjuent, winning in manner and appearance, and gifted with no slight share of the genius of his race, Lord DulTerin is well calculated to rivet the ties of loyal affection which bind the magnificent Provinces of Hritish North America to the Mother Country with hooks of steel. If \vc may l)e permitted to lift for a moment the curtain of private life, we shall be Init echoing the universal sentiment of our Canadian fellow subjects when we say that Lord and Lady DufHerin are already more popular at Montreal ami (Quebec than any Vice-regal pair that ever England sent across the Atlantic. There is nnicii in the physical features of the noble territory now submitted to his sway whidi cannot fail to fire an imagination so poetic, and a mind so quick and sympa- thetic as those with which the noble author of ' A Voyage to High Latitudes' is endowed. On a continent where female comeliness and grace command universal iiomai^f, Lady DulTerin is admitted, as was her husband's aunt, the Duchess of Somerset, at the English rournament, to be ' an unrivalled Queen of Beauty.' (ireat, indeed, are the advantages which ' this noble-hearted pair,' to use the words of a private letter, may have it in their power to bestow upon the young and vigor- ous offshoot of England, which covers more than half of the North American con- 1! 112 IIISTOKY OV THK A1>MINI8TU\TIUN OF [1H73 tinent. Wisely to jjuidc the destinies nnd utilize the almost unlimited resourivs of the Dominion, is a task worthy of tlie hjflicst and most far reacliinij amhitiuri \vlii>.li ever warmed an Knylisli heart." As was generally anticipated, the Government of Sir John Macdonald was sustained on the first trial of strength, but by a smaller majority than he had commanded in the old House, riic Hon. Alex. McKen/.ie, who had acted as leader of the Liberal party, was now formally installed as its head. 'I'lie .Session of the Ontario Assembly which 0])ened on the egislature for the Kxecutive assi'ul. The provision in the 'British North America Act, 1867,' ' that your Kxcel- lency m.iy reserve a hill for the siynificance of Her ALajcsty's |)leasure,' was solely nmdf with the view to the |)rotection of Imperial interests, and the maintenance of Imiicrial jjolicy ; and iu case your Lxcellency should exercise the power of reserva- tion conferred upon you, you would do so in your capacity as the Imperial officer, and under the Royal instructions. So, in any Province, the Lieutenant Clovernor should only reserve a hill in his capacity as an officer of the Dominion, and under instructions from the Ciovernor Cleneral. Tiio Ministers of the (Iovernor General and of the Lieutenant Governor are alike hound to op])ose in the I^fjislalure measures of which they disapprove, and if, notwithstandinjj, such a meas u is carried, the Ministry should either resij^n, or accijit the decision of the lA-^islature, and advise the passage of the hill. It then rests with the Governor General, or the Lieutenant Governor, as the case may Ir, to ^'onsider whether the Act conflicts with his instructions or his duty as an Inilierial, or a Dominion officer, and if it does so conflict he is hound to reserve it, wlialevcr tiie advice tendered to him may l»e ; but if not, he will dI persotis who are residents of Canada and sub- jects of Her Majesty" f a company was formed, at the head of which stood the Hon. Mr. Macpherson. By another Act passed on the same day, % entitled, *' An Act to incorporate the Canada Pacific Railway Company," a second company was formed, at the head of which was Sir Hugh Allan. These companies became familiarly known as the " Macpherson Company," and the " Hugh Allan Company." But, before the formation of these companies, — indeed befor the legislation of 1872, just referred to, an Englishman, Mr. Wad- dington, attracted by the agreement made with British Columbia in 187 1, had moved in the matter, with a view to the formation of a com- pany to build the road, and, after failing in Toronto to secure the co- operation of capitalists for the purpose, had succeeded in securing the assistance of a number of wealthy gentlemen of New York and Chicago, most of whom were interested in the American line, — the " Northern Pacific Railway." A deputation from these gentlemen visited Ottawa in the latter part of 187 1, and had interviews with some members of the Canadian Government, who intimated to them that it was yet too early to enter into negotiations respecting the building of the road. No move was made by any one for several months after this, but, in the month of July preceding this visit of the American projectors. Sir Francis Hincks, then a member of the Domi- nion Government, had informed Sir Hugh Allan of their movements, • 35 Victoria, cap. 72, — Canada. t Tiie Italics are the author's. + 35 Victoria, cap. 73, — Canada. ' ,. . , ,. 1873] THE EA.RL OF Pl'FFERIN IN CANADA. 117 — had given him the names of some of the Americans who had made advances to the Government in the matter, end had expressed his regret that a work of so great importance should pass into foreign hands. Sir Hugh acted on the hint, — carefully examined the subject, and soon formed a company for the purpose of building the road, com- posed of these Americans and some Quebec capitalists. But it soon became apparent to Sir Hugh that a company, important ingredients of which were Americans largely interested in the American Pacific, which would run parallel with the Canadian road, though further south, would not be countenanced by Parliament ; and Sir Hugh was informed by the Government that no proposition from such a com- pany would be entertained. He then proceeded to the formation of a professedly purely Canadian company, and positively assured the Government that his American friends had been completely eliminated from the new organization. This was the " Canada Pacific " already spoken of. In the meantime, the Hon. Mr. Macpherson had organized another company, — the " Inter-Oceanic." The three Acts already mentioned completed the scheme for the building of the road ; provision was made for the amalgamation of the rival companies, and now every- thing seemed auspicious for the speedy commencement and comple- tion of the great enterprise. The session closed on the day these Acts were assented to — 14th June, 1872. Parliament was dissolved on the 8th July. From ihe 15th July to the 1 2th October the General Dominion Elections were being held. So soon as they were completed, Sir John Mac- donald returned to the seat of Government, and immediately engaged in the work of putting forward the Railway negotiations. The Minis- try was not favorably disposed to either company. Mr. Macpher- son's company contained a dominant Ontario element, Sir Hugh Allan's a Quebec one. The undertaking was so vast that it was deemed imperative to secure the assistance of capitalists from all parts of the Dominion, and an amalgamation of the rival companies became the chief object of the Ministry; A long and intricate nego- tiation took place between the companies, but a union could not be effected. On the one hand it was discovered, or strongly suspected, that Sir Hugh had not really broken his connection with his Ameri- can friends*,— and, on the other, Mr. Macpherson was not dis- (*) This, if true, would have been a fatal objection, as, by the terms of the Act 35 Vic, C. 72, foreigners were excluded from the control of th*; road. 118 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [i87H posed to yield to Sir Hugh the Chairmanship of the proposed amalga- mated company, a position insisted upon by Sir Hugh. The Minis- try favored this claim of Sir Hugh, partly because he was first in the field, and partly because he was known to be a gentleman of large capital, and of very great influence in the moneyed community. Sir John Macdonald, finding it impossible to effect a union of the two companies, announced the intention of the Government to promote the formation of a new one, seeking elements for it in the various Provinces, and a short time before the meeting of the House, in March, 1873, such an organization was completed, which included not only some of the chief men of the now defunct rival companies, but also a number of representative gentlemen from each Province.* Of this company Sir Hugh Allan was elected chairman. In order to prevent the introduction of American interests into the management, it was prov'ded that no transfer of shares should take place during the first six years without the consent of the Govern- ment, nor after that period without the consent of the Board of Direc- tors. Sir John Macdonald was very careful, and exhibited much soli- citude in providing checks against the possibility of any one person, or combination of persons, whether represented by Sir Hugh or not, from obtaining any dominant influence in the direction. On obtaining the charter. Sir Hugh proceeded to England for the purpose of strengthening the company through the capitalists of that country, — and he was there in April, when Mr. Huntington's motion was made. Up to this time the railway policy of the Gov- ernment had been supported by the House, and the constitution * The charter to this company was granted 5th February, under 35th Vic, cap. 73, and the following gentlemen were named in it as constituting the com- pany, which was styled " Tlie Canadian Pacific Railway Company" : — Sir Hugh Allan, of the city of Montreal, Knight ; the Hon. Adam George Archibald, of Halifax, N.S., C.M.G., a member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada; the Hon. Joseph Octave Beaubien, of Montreal, Commissioner of Crown Lands in the Province of Quebec ; Jean Baptiste Beaudry, of Montreal, Esquire ; Egerton Ryerson Burpee, of St. John, N.B., Esquire; Frederick William Cumberland, of Toronto, Esquire ; Sandford Fleming, of Toronto, Esquire ; Robert Newton Hall, of the town of Sherbrooke, Esquire ; the Hon. John Sebastian Helmcken, of Victoria, British Columbia ; Andrew McDermott, of the town of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Esquire ; Donald Mclnnes, of the city of Hamilton, Ont., Merchant ; Walter Shanly, then of the town of North Adams, U. S., Esquire ; and John Walker, of the city of London, Ont., Esquire. 1873] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 119 of the new company did not challenge special opposition from any quarter, excepting from Mr. Macpherson, who was disappointed at the success of his rival, Sir Hugh Allan. At this stage, on the 2nd April, Mr. Huntington made this start- ling motion : " lion. Mr. Huntington moved, that Mr. Ht4ntington, a member of the House, " having stated in his place that he is credibly informed and believes that he can " establish by satisfactory evidence, — " That, in anticipation of the legislation of last Session, as to the Pacific Rail- " way, an agreement was made between Sir Hugh Allan, acting for himself, and " certain other Canadian promoters, and G. IV. McMullen, acting for certain " United States capitalists, whereby the latter agreed to furnish all the funds neces- " sary
e, it has l)een the good fortune of many of my predecessors to set foot upon your hospitable shores, none of them has tvtr arrived amongst you under such hajipy auspices as myself; and it is with unspeakable pleasure that I return you my warmest thanks for the cordial welcome you have extended to me. Until the present moment each successive Governor General of Canada, though nominally invested with vice-regal authority over your Island, was necessarily precluded by the separate system of Governments hitherto in existence, from taking that immediate and personal interest in your affairs which your recen^ incoriioration with the Dominion will henceforth enable me to do. IJut it is upon other [grounds than these that I desire to take this, the earliest opportunity afforded me, of offering you my warmest congratulations on the great change in your political condition which has so recently taken place. Hitherto, thanks to the native ability of your public men, and the intelligence of your Local Legislature, your affairs have been administered with so much success as to have secured the utmost peace and prosperity to your citizens ; and these advantages, as far as all matters of domestic interest are concerned, you will still retain, but to these there will be super added the innumerable benefits which cannot fail to How from your complete and perfect union with the Dominion, — a great and powerful com- munity, whose political importance and whose material wealth and resources are yearly on the increase. A larger and more important field will be aflorded to th talents and abilities of your public men, all of whom have so patriotically united in promoting the Confederation of the Island ; and who, I feel assured, will be per- fectly competent to hold their own, and to make their mark, and worthily to represent your sentiments and interests in the central legislature at Ottawa, while all the other arrangements which have become necessary to consummate the Union, whether of a commercial or financial character, will not fail, I trust, to pour a fuller tide of vitality and wealth through all the arteries which minister to your material welfare. - m 128 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1873 On the other hand, your accession t J the Dominion will powerfully contribute to its stre. t^th and completeness, while your well-known loyalty will still furtlier reinforce the devotion of its citizens to the Throne and the Empire. In conclusion, gintlemen, allow me to assure you that it will be my especial care to watch over your interests with the most anxious solicitude, and, as far as in me lies, to n.ake it a point of conscience that you shall not be losers by the bargain you have made. I rejoice to think that so beautiful a day should still further enhance the enjoy- ment of our arrival at your beautiful Island ; and, in returning thanks for the kindly words you have especially addressed to Her Excellency, I can assure you that we both look forward with the greatest pleasure to a visit so happily commenced." Their Excellencies spent nine days on the Island, and, with their usual industry and desire to become acquainted with the people and institutions of the Province in all their different phases and character- istics, the time was spent in driving about the country ; in a levee and reception at Government House ; in the reception by His Excellency of addresses from the members of the Local Government, from the Conference of the two Presbyteries, and the Irish Benevolent Society; in an excursion into the mterior of the island by railway ; in attending a ball at Government House, and one in the Colonial Building ; and in witnessing a regatta. The members of the Local Government then in Charlottetown, viz. : Messrs. the Hon. J C Hope, the Hon. T. H. Haviland, the Hon. J. Brecken, the Hon. W. W. Sullivan, and the Hon. L. C. Owen, presented the address from the Executive Council, which was read by the Premier, Mr. Pope. A deputation from the two Presbyteries, composed of Messrs. the Rev. Thos. Duncan, the Rev. John McLecd, the Rev. D. McNeill, the Rev. John McKinnon of Nova Scotia, and Dr. Mackieson and D. Laird, presented an address, read by the Rev. Mr. Duncan. A committee of the Benevolent Irish Society, of which Mr. James Reddin was president, accompanied by Messrs J. McCarron, assistant vice-president, Martin Hogan, Henry Hughes, John A. McKenna, Patrick Foley, Maurice Blake, P.jter Doyle and John Walsh also presented an address. To each of these His Excellency made a fitting reply. The party left Charlotte- town in the evening of the 26th July, being escorted to the dock by a torch-light procession ; their Excellencies having charmed the people with their urbanity and kindly interest in their pursuits and institu- tions.* 1H73] On matter Domini mines, ations t the Acc of Jeadi) their Ex On t Breton, 1 St. John Daily Ti>kgraph, 22nd August. 1H73] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 129 On their arrival at Pictoii, being anxious to inform himself of every matter connected with the great coal interest of this portion of the Dominion, His Excellency visited the Albion and Acadia coal mines, carefully inspected all the works, and extended his explor- ations to the bottoms of the mines themselves. Mr. Jesse Hoyt of the Acadia Company, Mr. Hurson of the ^ibion, and a number of leading gentlemen of Pictou and New Glasgow, accompanied their Excellencies on their tour of inspection. On the 26th July the party reached Louisburg, and Sydney, Cape Breton, where they were enthusiastically received. Immediately on the arrival of the Druid, His Excellency was waited on by the Hon. Mr. Bourinot, the Hon. Mr. Justice Dodd, Mr. McKay, M.P., Rev. Dr. Uniacke, Mr. Davenport Custos and others. His Excellency expressed his great regret that as the original route of his tour did not embrace this part of the country he had not at his command the time which he would like to have devoted to an examination of the coal mines, and the other industries of Cape Breton. He also said he was much pleased with the beautiful aspect and scenery of the Island, and greatly desired to have gone through the St. Peter's Canal, and seen the Bras d'Or Lake, of which he had heard so much. He was particularly desirous to examine the mines of North Sydney, the more especially as such a visit would have afforded him an opportunity of becoming acquainted with the people and their pursuits, and of giving him a further insight into the mineral and other wealth with which the Island had been by nature so lavishly endowed ; but being expected in Halifax on the 29th July, he was compelled to forego the pleasure and instruction (vhich such a visit would have given him.* The party ])roceeded on their voyage, and on the afternoon of the 29th July, Halifax was reached. Shortly after the Druid had cast anchor in the harbor, the distinguished party were visited by his Honor Lieutenant Governor Archibald, Mrs. Archibald and a number of prominent military and other officers. It was determined that the official reception should take place the next day. The landing took * 1 nc iJ,.ople so deeply regretted that no full opportunity had been given them of shewing their respect for the representative of the: Sovereign, that His Excellency sent a letter to the Hon. Mr, Bourinot, enclosing a fine steel engraving likeness of liimself, which he hopf ' that gentleman would "keep as a memento of tho only too short visit he paid to Sydney." 130 HISTORY OF THE APMlNISTir VTION OF [1873 I place accordingly at the dockyard. His Excellency wss received by the Mayor and Corporation, Admiral Fanshawe in co.nmand of the Fleet, then in harbor, I;ieutenant Governor Arch. bald and his lady. Archbishop Conolly, Bishop Binney, and othtr dignitaries of the Church and State. To the address read by the Mayor, His Excellency rei)lied in a very happy extcjtipore speech, thanking the Mayor and citizens for the cordiality of their welcome to himself and Lady Dufferin, and expressing the great pleasur.; his visit to Nova Scotia and the magnificent harbor of Halifax had afforded him. From all he had seen of the Province since his arrival, in visiting the coal mines of Pictou and Cape Bret<:)n, he said he was deeply impressed with the importance of the mineral wealth of the country, and of the industries which he was pleased to find in so forward a state of deve- lopment. Their Excellencies were greatly delighted with the magnificent scenery of Cape Breton, the harbor of Louisburg and the eastern coast of Nova Scotia. Pursuing his settled plan of seeing and learning all he could of the i)eople, institutions, industries, and capabilities of the various Provinces under his rule. His Excellency, most effectively assisted by the Countess of Dufferin, spent a most active life in Halifax and the surrounding country. 'I'he bitterness of the anti-confederate feel- ing had not yet wholly disappeared, and the dominant desire of the Governor General seemed to be to apply balm to the wounded spirits of many most excellent men, whose opposition to Confederation had been inspired by their warmth of attachment to their beautiful Pro- vince, and to pour oil on the waters which were still in some degree i utiled by the recollections of past acrimonies. But while thus engaged. His Excellency had been, ever since the rising of Parliament on the 23rd May, exposed to the insinuations of a press which, however, he understood too well to respect or fear. His course on the Pacific Railway matter was being assailed in the most uncourteous terms, though, as yet, he had done or said little or nothing to warrant the suspicions entertained, or professed to be entertained, by this press. Advice had been tendered to him by public prints, in the iincrests of a violent partisanship, and even threats were levelled at him if he presumed to deviate from the course wiiicii these ill-informed and heated disputants chose to mark out for him. His Excellency had left Ottawa under the conviction that as the meeting of Parliament on 187.1 J the 13 th sole jnir the Hoi fore j)roj disaljowa Blake to tion of tl dcnce an( these acc< rendered determine Session in But b( exprc'isin, powers 01 dine with invitation, lency bein^ Nova Scot ^Villiam Vc pherson we was given b "InalVo J^ominioii, stn great fiitiiie, tl "istitiitions, til, •1" t'nlhii.siaslic '"■•' ri,<,'lit hand entering with ieen, I trust, will always be greeted with an enthusiastic and cor'" a. ■•. I'uiij, more tui^rially when as now he brings in his rij^ht hand the fair pa.tni- ■ j las home, the impersonation of grace and beauty, entering witli gen"iiie zest into v an usements and lending new fascinations to the (lance. Since Canadr. began to assume real importance, we have seen a long, and, I might add, an illustrious line of able and distinguished men tilling the high post whicii is now in the '"inds of our noble guest. Lord Durham, just before, and koiU Sydenham, at ti.^ birth of, the Union of the Canadas, succeeded by Lords Metcalfe, Kigin, Monck and Lisgar, and now by the Karl of Dufferin, form a galaxy of statesmen, shewing the high estimation in which the office of Covcrnor General of this splendir. '. jlony is lield by the Mother Country, — and her deter- minaliiin to govern us thr^ .". "1 iV r>>t dium of her best and choicest spirits. Greece, the great colonizer of the . . ent, as Britain is of the modern, world, used to send * I departing frrjm his usual course, the author has, on account of the exceptional ixcih'nce of this speech, reproduced it in full. 132 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1873 I h out with her colonists a portion of the sacred fire which burned upon her'altars, to be ever preserved as a pure and living image of the institutions, the memories, and the beliefc of the Fatherland, iiut in place of this grosser and more material symbol, the Queen sends us as her representative a mature and experienced states- man, to imitate her virtues, to engage the esteem and win the affections of her subjects on this side of the Atlantic, as she rules the hearts of her own people at home ; and lie here, also, the living exemplar of the independence of character, the true nobility of thought, and the delicate and high sense of honor which are the pride and glory of the public men who make England what she is. The Earl of Dufferin has given to the world a striking picture, while cruising in 'High Latitud';s,' finely conceived and wrought out, of the peak of San Mayar piercing the sky, and making itself sublimely visible through the grey and murky atmosphere of those northern region; He hailed it with delight ; and the adven- turous mariner kept his eye steadily fi. .* ; and now, when His Excellency is embarked on a sea of political currents ar issitudes, where the waters boil and fret Ijelow, his parliamentary training and other antecedents assure us that, in discharging the high functions of a Constitutional Governor, there will still he an elevated point, a guiding star, to which his aims will be directed, and which will preserve untarnished the dignity of the Crown and his own personal honor. No one can retire from a conference with the Earl of Dufferin, when his heart is open, and the true purposes of his administration revealed, without admiration of his far-seeing sagacity, and a firm conviction that he means to do what is just and right A British nobleman cannot afford to have the slightest smirch on his escutcheon, and we may rest assured that the noble Earl will zealously and success- fully guard the purity of -lis own. I beg to propose as a toast : ' The Earl of Dufferin and his accomplished Countess, — health and happiness wj them Ijcth.'" To this exceedingly happy address His Excellency replied, in a speech which has ever since been extolled throughout the length and breadth of the Dominion, and is justly considered one of his best efforts. Its manliness and warmth tired the Canadian heart, exhibited as they were at a time when many men situated as he was would have hidden their true opinions under a cloud of platitudes, which might be interpreted to suit any and all parties. The ardent love of Constitutional Government, — the firm determination to keep this as his guiding star, — the expression of his determination to extend an unswerving, unhalting loyalty to the Ministers, whom the voice of the people had designated, as his propi - and only advisers, at least until they had been proven unworthy of his confidence, all combined to mark Lord Dufferin as an able and most just ruler. After a few preliminary remarks, he said : "Gentlemen, — If anything were wanting to enhance the honor done me, it would be found in the eloquent and most kind and considerate terms in \\ liich the health of 1873] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN (N CANADA. 133 health of the Countess of Dufferin and myself has been proposed by the Chief Ju'^tice. When I first arrived amongst you I was of course a stranger to all but a very few, and, although with her traditional loyalty, your city was prepared to pay every jiroper mark of respect to the Representative of Her Majesty, you have made us feel that, as our acquaintance improved, a sentiment of personal landness and good will has begun to mingle in daily increasing proportions with the official hos- pitalities with which we have been overwhelmed. (Great cheering.) Of course, these indications of your friendliness and indulgence are very gratifying to my feel- ings, noi can you be surprised that I should reciprocate your good-will in even a still warmer manner. (Cheers.) lam sure I shall ever look back to my visit here as a most pleasurable reminiscence. Independent of the advantages I have enjoyed of becoming acquainted with the material aspects and characteristics of the chief city of one of the most important Provinces of the Dominion, I have been able to iv.?kc the personal acquaintance of almost all your eminent citizens, your politi- cians, your clergy, your judges, and the heads of those various interests and profes- sions which maintain the intellectual vitality and minister to the commercial pros- perity of this the capital of Eastern North America. As a consequence, I feel that henceforth I shall be able to examine with a warmer sympathy and a far more in- telligent appreciation than heretofore, such problems affecting your welfare as may from time to time be submitted to the consideration of my Government at Ottawa. And here, gentlemen, I should be disposed to conclude this imperfect expression of my thanks, were I not desirous of conveying to mv friend the Chief Justice the great gratification I have derived from the remarks whuh have dropped from him in regard to my official position as Governor General of this great Dominion. Cientlemen, I am well aware that this is, as it were, a domestic festival, and that nothing could be more inopportune than the slightest allusion to any political topic, but I may be permitted to say this much in reference to what has fallen from the Chief Justice, that, if there is one obligation whose importance! appreciate more than another, as attaching to the functions of my office, it is the absolute and para- mount fluty of maintaining not merely an outward attitude of perfect impartiality towards the various parties into which the political world of Canada, as of the Mother Country, is divided, but still more of preserving that subtle and inward V>al- ance of sympathy, judgment and opinion that should elevate the Representative of your Sovereign above the faintest suspicion of having any other desire, aim, or am- bition than to follow the example of his Royal Mistress in the relations which she has constantly maintained towards Her Ministers, Her Parliament and Her people — (tremendous cheering), to remember every hour of the day that he has but one duty and but one office — to administer his government in the interests of the whole Cana- dian jieople, and of the Dominion at large. (Great cheering.) Of course, gentlemen, having been but one brief year in the country, my charactei and my sentiments in these respects can scarcely lie known, and there is always a danger during the fer- vor of those political controversies — which seem to be conducted by the Press of Canada with peculiar animation — (great laughter) — of unauthorized references being made to the Governor General's supposed sentiments, opinions and intentions, which would convey to the uninstructed reader a very erroneous impression of the conduct and the attitude of the Chief of the State. '.:'M!S^k 134 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1873 f- ill Gentlemen, I do not maVa this remark by way of complaint. If there is any person in Canada who has Ijeen kindly and considerately dealt with liy the Press, — to whom the Press of every political complexion has shown indulgence and good- will, it is myself; and it is a most natural, and by no means an uncomplimentary circumstance, that the organs of different shades of opinion should persuade them- selves that the Governor General must necessarily lie of their way of thinking and see through their spectacles (laughter) ; but what I wish to say once for all, and I do not care how widely this remark is disseminated, is this, that there is no human being who is authorized to make any statement or suggestion as to what my opin- ions or sentiments may be in respect of any political topic, or who has ever loeen in a position, or is likely to be in a position, to make anything approaching to a conjecture upon points of this description. It is true my object and my desire is to inform my mind upon every subject affecting the interests of the country by conver- sation and by discussion with any one who can afford me instruction or information, and it would be very unfortunate foi me if this freedom of intercourse with ail classes and parties in Canada, from which I derive so much benefit and pleasure, should be trammelled by the dread lest this casual intercourse should become tiie foundation for inference, comment or conjecture in the Press. No, gentlemen, I understand my duty too well ever to allow my judgment or my sympathies to be surprised into political partisanship. My one thought and desire is the welfare of Canada as a whole ; to maintain her honor, to promote her prosperity, to do my duty by her and her entire people, is the sole object of my ambition. When I con- verse with your public men, it scarcely ever occurs to me to remember to what political party they belong. I only see in them persons devoting themselves, each according to his lights, to the service of his country. My only guiding star in the conduct and maintenance of my official rel'Hons with your public men is the Parlia- ment of Canada — (cheers) — in fact, I suppose I am the only person in the Dominion whose faith in the wisdom and in the infallibility of Parliament is never shaken. (Great laughter.) Each of you, gentlemen, only believe in Parliament so long as Parliament votes according to your wishes (cheers) and convictions ; I, gentleman, believe in Parliament, no matter which way it votes (laughter), and to thos.: men alone whom the absolute will of the Confederated Parliament of the Dominion may assign to nn. a:: ~.j responsible advisers can I give my confidence. (Cheers.) Whether they are the heads of this party or that must be a matter of indifference to the Governor General. So long as they are maintained by Parliament in tiieir positions, so long is he bound to give them his unreserved confidence, to defer to their advice, and loyally to assist them with his counsels. (Applause.) W hen- ever in the vicissitudes of party warfare they are replaced by others (laughter) he welcomes their successors with an ' mally open and loyal regard. Such private friendships as he may have formed a ill have a right to retain. (Hear, hear ) As a reasonable being he cannot help hiiving convictions upon the merits of dillerent policies. (Hear.) But these considerations are abstract, speculative, devoid of practical effect on his official relations. (Cheers.) As the head of a Constitutional State, as engaged in the administration of Pai liamentary Government, he has no political friends — still less need he have political enemies (great cheering) ; the possession of either— nay even to be suspected of possessing either — destroys his use- 187:5] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 135 fulness. (Cheers.) Sometimes, of course, no matter how disconnected his personality may be from what is taking place, his name will yet dragged into some controversy, and he may suddenly find himself the subject of criticism by the I'ress of whatever party may for the moment be outof humor (laughter), but under these circumstances he must console himself with the reflection that these spasmodic castigations (laughter) are as transitory and innocuous (great laughter) as the discijiline ajiplied occnsionally to their idol by the unsophisticated worshippers of Mumbo Jumbo (immense laughter), when their harvests are short, or a murrain visits their flock. (Cheers.) For, gentlemen, of this I am certain, that, although he may sometimes err in his judgment, or fail in serving you as eflectuaily as he might desire, a Viceroy who honestly seeks to do his duty (cheers), to whom the interests of Canada are as precious and her honor as dear as his own (immense cheering), who steers, unmoved, an even course, indifferent to praise or blame, between the political con- tentions of t!" ; day (cheers), can never appeal in vain to the confidence and gene- rosity of the Canadian people. (Immense applause)." The time of their Excellencies in Halifax had been spent in visit- ing the various public institutions of the City, — in attending a yacht race, — a dinner at the Yacht Club, — drawing room theatricals, — a i)ii])lic pic-nic, — a review and field day, — a grand civic banquet and ball. — a promenade concert, — a cricket match, — a ball on board the Royal Alfred, the Flag Ship of Admiral Fanshawe, and in other gatherings by means of which they had been afforded frequent opportunities of mixing with all classes of the people. Finding his presence at Ottawa at the opening of the adjourned session, on the 13th August, indispensable, His Excellency, leaving the Countess on board the Druid zX Halifax, left that city for the seat of (iovernment on the evening of the 9th August by the Steamer Kestorian^ bound to Montreal. He was attended to the dock by an immense torch-light procession : the prominent places of business in the route of the procession were decorated and illuminated. Dense crowds of people filled the thoroughfares, and greeted the distin- guished departing guest with enthusiastic cheers. A military guard of honor received His Excellency on the dock. All the wharves in the vicinity were lined with citizens, who made the welkin ring with their cheers as the Nestor ian steamed out of the harbor. His Excellency reached Ottawa on the morning of the eventful i3tli (Jay of August. A number of members of the Commons had already arrived. A few hours after the Governor General's arrival, he was attended by the First Minister, Sir John Macdonald, who formally submitted to him the unanimous advice of the Ministers that Parliament should be prorogued. His Excellency considered it 136 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1873 1873] the only proper course to adopt, but he required the assurance that Parliament should again meet within a short time, — six or eight weeks. To this Sir John Macdonald made no objection, — in fact he had himself suggested the same course. The House was to be convened at 3 p. m. At one o'clock. His Excellency was informed that a deputation of members of Parliament were desirous of waiting on him for the purpose of presenting a memorial against prorogation. They were introduced by Mr. Cartwright, who placed in the hands of His Excellency a memorial signed by ninety- three members of the House, praying that Parliament be not pro- rogued until the House of Commons " should have had an opportunity of taking such steps as it may deem necessary and expedient with reference to this important matter," — the investigation into Mr. Hun- tington's charges. His Excellency declined to accede to this request, first verbally, and afterwards his reply was given in writing.* During the morning of the 13th August, four of the members of the Pacific Committee, Messrs. Cameron, Blanchet, Blake and Dorion, had met, and adjourned until the next day, — having done nothing. At half-past three o'clock, the Speaker took the chair. Mr. Mac- kenzie immediately rose amid great interruption and confusion, and though constantly interrupted by cries of " Order," " Order," " Privi- lege," " Privilege," moved the following resolution, seconded by Mr. Holton : '• That the House, during the present Session, ordered an enquiry by a com- mittee of its own into certain grave charges in connection with the granting of the charter and the contract for the construction of the Pacific Railway, which, if true, seriously affect the official honor and integrity of His Excellency's Constitutional Advisers, and the privilege and independence of Parliament : that the investiga- tion thus ordered has, so far, not been proceeded with, owing to circumstances not anticipated when the enquiry was ordered ; and that it is the imperative duty oftliis House, at the earliest moment, to take such steps as will secure a full Parliament- ary enquiry : that constitutional usage requires that charges of corruption against Ministers of the Crown should be investigated by Parliament, and that the assuniinion of that duty by any tribunal created by the Executive would be a flagrant violation of the privileges of this House, and that this House will regard as highly reprehen- sible any person who may presume to advise His Excellency to prorogue Parlia- ment before it shall have had an opportunity of taking action in the premises, inas- much as such prorogation would render abortive all the steps taken up to the present time, — would inflict an unprecedented indignity on Parliament, and produce great dissatisfaction in the country." * The full text of this memorial and of His Excellency's reply will be found post in his despatch to the Earl of Kimberley of 15th August. 1873] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 137 A scene of confusion, noise and unseemly conduct now took place, which formed a melancholy commentary on the loud professions of a ;)arty which have ever been ready to demand constitutional practice from their opjjonents, and as ever ready to trample it under foot when it did not run with their momentary desires, Mr, Speaker rose to quiet the tumult. The House resounded with the repeated cries of " Privilege," " Privilege," " Order," " Order," and he was inaudible except to those near him. He was in fact announcing that the Usher of the Black Rod was at the door with a message from His Excellency, Every one knew that the (iovernor General was at the moment waiting in the Senate Chamber for the attendance of the Commons, in order to prorogue the House. But Mr. Mackenzie, the leader of the Opposition, continued : " No message shall interrupt me. I stand here representing a constituency in this Province, and, I have reason to believe, the opinions of a very large numlier of people throughout the country. I propose to call the attention of the House to circumstances affecting the independence of Parliament. There is nothing in the circumstances which justifies His Excellency in proroguing Parliament for the purpose of preserving an accused Ministry, and I propose hereafter to proceed with the discussion of this matter to which our attention has been called on previous occasions. I have placed this motion in your hands liecause I have heard it is the intention to prorogue this House." At this juncture the Sergeant-at-Arms came forward and announced the attendance of the Usher of the Black Rod at the door of the Commons. Mr. Speaker rose amid loud cries of " Privilege," " Privilege," which continued despite his command to the House to maintain order. The Usher was admitted, but, owing to the hissing and cheering in the House, his message was heard by none except those in his immediate vicinity. After his departure, Mr. Speaker communicated His Excellency's message to the House, and imme- diately leaving the chair, amidst such a babel of groans, hisses and uproar as ,was never before witnessed in the Dominion House, he, followed by the members of the Government, the few of their suppor- ters who were present, and the officers of the House, took his way to the Senate Chamber, where the House was prorogued by His Excel- lency until Monday, the 23rd day of October then next. Immeuiately after the prorogation, a meeting of the Opposition members of the House was held in the Railway Committee Room, which may be aptly termed an " Indignation Meeting." Were it not that the principles of Constitutional Government are deeply involved in the proceedings connected with the Pacific Railway charges, no 138 mSTOUY OF THE ADMINISTUATIOX OF [187:5 allusion would here be made to this meeting, but the deliberate utterances of the leaders of a party claiming to be par cxcellciue the " Liberal " i)arty of the Dominion, expressed after an hour's {|uiet dis- cussion with His Kxcellency, — after hearing from his own Hps the unanswerable arguments in favor of prorogation which he subse(]uently condensed in his written reply to their memorial, and after a discussion of months in the jniblic press, must be taken as their settled ojjinions on the duties of a Governor General. That these opinions are utterly subversive of Constitutional Government, and if acted upon would degrade the rule of the country to a " personal " one, and render the Executive, to a dangerous extent, independent of his Ministry, and therefore of the ])eople, will doubtless now be admitted by all students of Constitutional history. But it is well the country should be reminded that the very party through whose invaluable agitation Responsible Government was secured by the noble reformers of the Baldwin School are ever ready to cast its principles to the wind.i when their application does not suit their present needs. The conduct of this i)arty on this occasion, and in the Province of Quebec in 1878, (which will be noticed in its proper place) stamps them as " Liberals " only in an usurped name. Mr. Holton said : " They knew that the most Uiiheard of indignity had been cast upon Parliament by the Representative of the Crown, advised by his Ministers." Mr. Mackenzie argued that as ninety-three members had signed the memorial against prorogation, and as several supporters of the Government had privately expressed their disapprobation of His Excellency's course, there was in fact a majority of the House against prorogation, and that the opinion of this majority thus expressed should have been followed by His Excellency. This proposition bears its own refutation with it. He is thus reported : " He might say that in addition to the ninety-three members who had signed the memorial, some of whom had been supporters of the Government, — he might say that he had been spoken to by some Conservative gentlemen who had tokl him that they thought it was an improper act on the part of the Government to prorogue Parliament, and that if they did not join with the Opposition in signing the docu- ment, it was because tliey had made a special remonstrance themselves. A number of those gentlemen who had always supported the Government had thought that the contemplated outrage was so great that it was impossilile that it could be com- mitted, and it was one which could not possibly be submitted to. The Ministry had therefore a majority against them, — a majority larger than they had ever had in the House.* * * In this instance, to shield members against whom a priiiid facie case had been made out, the privileges of Parliament had been infringed.* * * * It 1H73] TIIF EAUL OF KUFFERIN IN CAXADA. 139 would now become them to do nothing which could detract from their position, and at i» e same time to take such stejis to obtain the ojiinion of the country as would convince His Excellency that he had been most grievously misinformed." * Mr. Blake was more guarded. He denounced the act of proro- gation, hut he made no charge against His K.xcellency, and thus far he respected the jjrinciples of Constitutional (lovernnient, while Mr. Mackenzie directly fastened the so-called outrage on His Excellency himself. Mr. Blake said : " They were met by the (juestion whether the right of I'arliament to try such crimes was to be taken away. The Crown had prorogued the House on the advice of Ministers. Them I charge, and them I call upon the country to condemn.* * * I maintain that the course of justice ought not to have been interrupted by the proro- gation, and should be resumed at the earliest moment, at which this tribunal re- assembles." Hon. Mr. Cauchonf said : " It was known that the privileges of Parliament had been encroached on to-day ; and I w ill go further and say that the Crown had no right to interfere with the pri- vileges of Parliament. I move the following resolution : ' Resolved — That the prorogation of Parliament without giving the Mouse of Commons the opportunity of prosecuting the enquiry it had already taken was a gross violation of the privileges and independence of Parliament, and of the rights of tiie people.' " Mr. Mills X entirely concurred in the resolution : " It seems to me that there had been a departure from the Constitutional system. The Crown was seeking advice from the Ministry in a matter which affected them- selves." Hon. Mr. Cart\vright,|| Mr. Burpee,§ Mr. Laflamme,** Hon. Mr, Smith, tf Mr. Huntington, %% Pr. Forbes, Mr. McDonnell (Inverness), Mr. Cunningham (Marquette), Mr. Coffin, |||| the Hon. Mr. Letellier de St. Just,§§ Hon. Mr. Christie,*** Mr. Goudge, Mr. Fiset, Mr. Rymal, Hon. Mr. Young, Mr. Jette, and Mr. Anglinff f all sjjoke in the same strain. * Parliamentary Debates, 1873, page 21 1 — Library of Parliament, t iS'ow Lieutenant Governor of Mani- toba. + Now Minister of the Interior. ii Now Finance Minister. § Now Minister of Customs. ** Now Minister of Justice. ft Now Sir Albert James Smith, Minister of Marine and Fisheries. XX Now Post Master General. nil Now Receiver General. §§ Now Speaker of the Senate. *** Now Lieut. Governor of Quebec, ttt Now Speaker of the House of Com- mons. 140 IIISTOUY OF THE ADMINI8TUATI0N OP [1873 ♦ The Hon. Mr. Smith said : " It apiKjars to me thnt the present was just the case in which the Crown was called upon to interjiose its prerojjative ayainst the advice of the Ministry. The reason jjiven for the exercise of the prerogative to-ilay had no justification." Mr. Christie said : •* I have no doubt that the privileges of Tarliament have been trampled on to- day. Mr. M.icken/ie lias Iwen used in the most arbitrary manner when he had this day risen in his seat in Parliament. I believe in the sense of the resolution before the meeting, and I hope it will not take any notice of the report of the Commission, and I hope that Mr. Huntington will not attend before that Commission to give evidence. 'J'he Ministers are incompetent to advise the Governor General, and I think the Governor (ieneral was wrong in taking their .advice." 'I'hat these declarations are in direct antagonism to the true prin- ciples of Constitutional Clovernment is shown so conclusively by His E.Kceliency's own account of the Pacific Railway difficulty given by him in his now historical and remarkably able despatch, No. 197, to the Earl of Kimberley, dated the 15th August, two days after the pro- rogation, that at the risk of .^ome repetition, it is reproduced in full. No. 197. Canada, Anf^ust 15, 1873. Mv Lord, — I have the honor to state, for your Lordship's inform.ition, that at half- past three of the afternoon of Wednesday, the 13th instant, I prorogued I'arliament. As this event is likely to l)e regarded with dissatisfaction by one of the great political parties in this country, and has been already animadverted upon in no measured terms by a portion of the Canadian press, I propose to give your Lordship a full account of the circumstances under which it has taken place. Although I have already acquainted your Lordship from time to time with everything which has occurred in connection with the grant of the Pacific Railway Charter, as well as with the proceedings in and out of Parliament to which it has given rise, it may be well to preface my intended statement by a brief recapitula- tion of its previous history. The scheme of a Canadian line of railway from the Atlantic to the Pacific first acquired a practical character in 187 1, when its construction within ten years from that date became one of the conditions on which British Columbia covenanted to enter into Confederation. The firLl move towards the realization of the project seems to have been initiated not by a Canadian, but by an Englishman of the name of Waddington, who, after broaching his proposals in Toronto and elsewhere, apparently without success, eventually succeeded in obtaining the co-operation of a number of capitalists in Chicago and New York, most of whom, though not all, were interested in the •• Northern Pacific Railway," a United States line connecting at Lyndon with the continental system, which it is intended to carry across the Northernmost States of the Union to a port on the Pacific^ and which will consequently run parallel — though at a lower latitude and over a wider arc — with the proposed Canadian line. lH7:n THE KARL OF DUFFEHIN IN CANADA. 141 No. A deputation from these gentlemen seem to liave visited Ottawa in ttie aiitiinin (if 187 1, and to have had an interview with some members of the Canadian (iovern- nicnt, by whom they were informed that the time for entering into negotiations for tlie construction of the railway had not arrived. For several months no other pro- position was received by the (iovernment, but it is st.ited by Sir Francis Hhicks, in a letter of which I append a copy, that, being in Montreal in the month of July of the same year, he met Sir lluf^h Allan, and, giving him the names of some of the Americans who had made these advances, expressed his regret lliat a work of such importance should fall into the hands of foreigners. Acting upon this suggestion, Sir I/ii^'h Allan turned his attention to the matter, and even- tually, in conjunction with these American gentlemen and some (Juelx-'C friends of his own, formed a company for the prosecution of the work. Hut as the Session of 1872 aiiproached, it liecame evident that the admission of parties connected with tlie American Pacific to a share in the contract for the Canada I'acific was liecome unpopular, and. Parliament appearing to share this feeling, it was announced by the (Jovernment to Sir Iltigh Allan that no proposals emanating from an American Company would he entertained. On this intimation. Sir Hugh Allan appears to have addressed himself to the organization of a purely Canadian Company, and gave to the Oovernment the most positive assurances that he had entirely dissociated himself from his Anicrican frie'"'s. the meantime another Company had lieen formed in Toronto called the " 'eanic Company," of which Mi*. Macphcrson, a gentleman of very high standing and character, and a Dominion Senator, was chairman. During the ensuing Session — that is, in the spring of 1872— both the Companies, the " Interoceanic " and " Canada Pacific," as Sir Hugh's was now called, obtain- ed Acts of Incorporation, and, at the same time, an Act of Parliament was passed enabling the Government to enter into a contract with one or other of the above- mentioned Companies, or with an amalgamation of the two, or, if they should see lit, to grant a Koyal Charter to a new and altogether distinct company, in case an agreement should be found impossible with those already in existence. The terms which Government was authorized to grant to whatever Company undertook the contract were settled in the last Parliament, and will already have been communicated to your Lordship by my predecessor, Lord Lisi;ai; who, up to this time, was still in office ; but it may be convenient to mention that the princi- pal concessions consisted of a grant, under certain conditions, of 50,000,000 acres of land, in alternate blocks along the line, and of a subsidy of $30,000,000 (say ;^6,ooo,ooo sterling). Of this sum, the interest of ;^2, 250,000, which, by the transference of the fortification loan to the same account, became eventually ;^3,8oo,ooo, was guaranteed by the Imperial Government. The session closed on the 14th June. Parliament was dissolved on the 8th July. On the 25th Tu"e I arrived in this country, and liecame personally cognizant of many of the events I now proceed to record. From the 15th July to the 12th October the elections were being held. As soon as they were concluded, Sir John Macdonald returned to Ottawa, and the 142 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [IH'.S Canadian [I'acific Railway became a frequent topic of conversation lx;tween us. My Ciovernment never seem to have favored the i('ea of giving the contract to either of tiie rival companies, who were then cf-mpeting for the preference. In Senator Mac/;''!'! son's company an Ontario interest •■as very strungly re]iresentecl. In Sir I/iig/i Allan's a Quebec interest precIominJ.cJ. The conteiriplated under- taking v.duld evidently tax the resources of the country to the utmost. It would be undesirable, therefore. Sir yo/iii argued, that any Ciinadians desirous of putting their shoulders to the wheel should be excluded, a'vi afusioii of the two Companies — as provided for in their incorporation acts, and conicnplaled l,y the Act of Tarlianient — was the object to !)e attained. Into the intricate and somowhat obscure negoti- ations which then ensued between Mr. Macpliersoit and Sir IIu^J: Allan, at the instance of my Government, I need not enter. They are sufficiently ^' displayed in the Blue Book which I subioin, and which I have marked for reference. It suffices to say that, notwithstanding Sir John Macdonald's efforts to bring the parties to an understanding, the negotiation altogether failed, princii^ally, as it was alleged on the one side, because Sir Hugh Allan had not really broken off his connection with the American interest, and, on the other, because Mr. Macphcrscn was not willing to recognize the claims to the chairmanship of Sir //. Allan, whose pretensions my Uovernment were disposed to favor, in consi loration, as they stated, not only of his influential position in tiie I'rovince of Quebec, but as having been tiie first Canadian in the field to associate himself with tiie enter- prise. In reference to this point, I may observe that, altiiough I linve no iv.cr.ns of knowing either when or to what extent my Ministers may liave pledged themselves to favor Sir Hugh .lllan's election to the chairmanship, the selection of such a person, the originator of the Oceanic line of communication between CJreat liritain and Canada, a gentleman who might fairly be regarded as the represenlative capitalist oi the Dominion, and who would bo more likely than any other to make an impression upon tlie English money market, was a choice which, at that time, few seemed disp' ied to question. Baffled in their efforts to effect the amalgamation they desired, .^ii Jihii Macuonald and his colleagues announced their intention of promoting the forma- tion of a new ai\d independent Company, out of whatever elements of strength were to be found throughout the Dominion, and shortly before the meeting of tlie new Parliament in March, a Board of Directors was constituted, wliicii included not only some of the leading promoters of the two defunct companies, but repre- sentative men from each of the Provinces of the Dominion, Of this Hoard, Sir Hugh Allan si^enis to have been elected Chairman as a matter of course, and to the company it .epresented the Charter was eventually issuetl. In previous despatches I have already described to your Lordshiji the precau- tions which were taken to prevent any American interest or foreign capital ever pbtaining control over the concern. 1 am not sufficiently conversant w iiii railway financing to assert, on my own authority, that the restri'-tions intruduced into the Charter, with this view, are sufficient for their purpose. Money, like w ater, has a very narrow shouKler, and will find its way wherever it is likely to fructify, — but 1^573] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 143 as far as I can judge, every reasonable precaution seems to have been *aken. All the Directors must be British subjects. The I'resident and the majority of the Directors must reside in Canada, and, though the shares are transferable, no transfer cnn be made for the first six years without tiie consent of the Government, nor after six years without the consent of the Directors, — the transfers in both cases being registered in the books of the company. Another sul)ject which seemed constantly to pre-occupy the mind of my Prime Minister at this time wai tlie necessity of preventing any one in(hvidual, or any one interest, or combination of interests, whether rejjresented by Sir Ilu^h Allan or another, from acquiring a predominant influence on tiie -.''rectory. Here again I an-, not sufficiently familiar witii the arcana of Board-rooms to know whether the adjustments on which Sir John relied were as effectual for the purpose as they a])])eared to me to be, but I may observe that, although the scrutiny of Parliament ^'■^< directed under the light of subsequent event'- o these especial points, nei'her House has expressed dissatisfaction with the prov sions of the Railway Charter, or tlie p.'rwitncl of the governing tjody. On tiie contrary, up to the last moment of the session, on repeated occasions. Parliament continued to manifest its confidence in those who framed the one and constituted the other. If, therefore, as is alleged, a corrupt modification of the Pacific Railway Charter to the advantage of Sir //«:,'■// Allan and his American friends, was the consideiition for which these personages squandered the enormous sums asserted to liave been spent, it would >eem that tht.y have scarcely ol)tained their money's wortli, — a result, I should imagine, fore'gn to the experience of such shrewd men of business. But though the Parliament of Canaila thus unmistakeal)ly ratified the Railway policy of my Ministers its verdict on the subject was not des''ned to jiass unchal- lenged. On the 2nd of April, Mr. Lucius Scth Huntington, a distinguished member of the House of Commons, startled his immediate auditory, as well as tJie wliole political world of Canada, by the unexpected introduction of the follow- ing motion : "Hon. Mr. Huntington moved, that Mr. Huntington, a member of the House, "having stated in his place, that he is crediblv informed and behaves that he can "establish by s.itisfactory evidence, — " Tliat, in anticipation of tiie legislation of last Session, as to i!ie Pacific Rail "way, an .agreement was made between .Sir Hugh Allan, acting for himself, and "certain other Canadian promoters, and G, \V, Mc Mullen, acting for certain "United States capitalists, wliereby the latter agreed to furnish all the funds "necessary for the construction of the contemplated Railway, and to give '.he " former a certain per centage of interest, in consideration of their interest and "jjosition, the scheme agreed on being ostensibly that of a Canadian Company "with Sir Hugh Allan at its head, — "Thill the Government were aware that negotiations were pending l)etween "these parties, — "That subsetiuently, an understanding was come to between the (Government "and Sir Hugh Allan and Mr. Abbott, M. P.,- -that Sir Hugh Allan and his "friends should .advance a large sum of mon y for the purpose of aiding the " elections of Ministers and their supporters at the ensuing General Election, — and 144 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1873 Ir "that he and his friends should receive the contract for the construction of the " Railway, — " That accordingly Sir //r/^'/; Allan did advance a large sum of money for the "purpose mentioned, and at the solicitation, and under the pressing instances of " Ministers, — "That part of the moneys expended by Sir Hugh Allan in connection with the "obtaining of the Act of Incorporation and Charter were paid to him by the said ** United States capitalists under the agreement with him, — it is " Ordered, That a Committee of seven Members be appointed to enquire into " all the circumstances connected with the negotiations for the construction of the " Pacific Railway, — with the legislation of last Session on the subject, and with tiie "granting of the Charter to S'*- Hugh Allan and others ; with power to send for " persons, papers and records ; and with instructions to report in full the evidence "taken before, and all proceedings of said Committee" — which was negatived. As I have already remarked in a previous despatch. No. Ii6, May 3rd, the charge thus brought against my Government was very grave, viz. :— that they had trafficked with foreigners in Canada's most precious interests in order to debauch the constituencies of the Dominion with the gold obtained as the price of their treachery. In making these allegations, however, Mr. Huntington did not enforce them by any confirmatory statement or by the production q{ zxv^ prima facie ■^xooh of their validity. He merely read his motion and sat down. Neither Sir yolin Macdonald nor any of his colleagues having risen to address the Mouse, a division was taken without debate, which resulted in a majority of 31 for Government in a House of 183. Notwithstanding this display of their Parliamentary strength, — which I imagine was put forward by way of protest against Mr. Huntington'' s appeal to his own mere ipse dixit— my Government felt that the matter could not thus be disposed of, and accordingly the next day Sir John Macdonald gave notice of the following motion which was carried on the ensuing Tuesday, April 8th : — "On motion of the Right Hon. Sir John A. Macdonald, that a select Com- "mittee of five members (of which Committee the mover shall not be one) be "appointed by this House to enquire into and report upon the several matters "contained and stated in a Resolution moved on Wednesday, the 2nd April, " instant, by the Hon. Mr. Huntington, Member for the County of Sheflord, " relating to the Canadian Pacific Railway, with power to send for persons, papers " and records : to report from tim>^ to time, and to report the evidence from time "to time, and if need be to sit after the prorogation of Parliament." The Members to compose the Committee were then named by the House "- follows : Hon. Mr. Blanchet, Mr. Blake, and Hon. Messrs. Dorion (Naplervilk) Macdonald {y'xciovi) and Cameron (Cardwell). Of the five above mentioned gentlemen, three, viz. : — Mr. Cameron, Mr. Macdonald, and Mr. Blanchet, may be regarded as regular supporteis of the administration, and two, — Mr. Blake and Mr. Dorion, as leading members of the Opposition. On the debate which took place on this motion, I am informed by my Prime Minister, — and here I must remind your Lordship that I have no other means of 1873] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 145 acquainting myself with what takes place in the House, as I am precluded from being present at its proceedings, i^nd the newspaper reports are quite untrust- worthy, — that Mr. Mackcnzii:, the leader of the Opposition, as well as Mr. Blake, Mr. Do Hon and Mr. jfoly, eminent members of the same party, expressed them- selves of opinion that the evidence tendered should be on oath, and the former gentleman further suggested, it bemg doubtful whether the Committee could sit after the House was once prorogued, that a Bill should be introduced expressly enabling it to do so. I shall have occasion subsequently to refer to this latter circumstance. As the necessity for sworn testimony in respect of such grave charges was generally obvious, an Oaths Bill was introduced into the House of Commons on the i8th April, — was passed through the Senate on the 29th, and received the Royal Assent on the 3rd May. The time occupied in getting this measure through Parliament was pronounced unnecessarily long by many members of the Opposition. Into the motives which induced me to sanction the Oaths Bill, and into its subsequent history, I need not enter, as the former are stated in my despatch of the 3rd May, (No. 116,) and the latter is recorded in your Lordship's communica- tion of June 30th, (No. 198) — but I may observe in passing, that amongst other respects in which my conduct has been criticized, the fact of my having communi- cated to you by the first ojjportunity a certified copy of the Oaths Bill has been a very general point of attack. I apprehend it will not be necessary to justify myself to your Lordship in this particular. My law-adviser had called my attention to the possibility of the Bill being illegal. Had perjured testimony been tendered umler it, no proceedings could have been taken against the delinquent, and if, under these circumstances, I had wilfully witheld from the Home Government ?' cognizance of the Act, it would have been a gross dereliction A duty. To tho.^. in this country who have questioned my 'Procedure it would be sufficient to reply, that [ recognise no authority on this side of the Atlantic competent to instruct the Governor General as to the nature of his correspondence with Her Majesty's Secretary of State. In the n.eantime the Committee had met, and on the 5th May had resolved, amongst other things, " That in view of the absence of Sir George Cartier and the " Hon. J. J. C. Abbott, and the impossibility of the investigation with which the '• Committee is charged being carried on in a proper manner without an opportunity " being afforded these gentlemen of being present and hearing the testimony "adduced, it was advisable the Committee should adjourn until Wednesday, the " 2nd day of July, if Parliament should be then in Session,"— a conclusion which appears to have been arrived at in the Committee by a majority of three to two. On the following day these recommendations were adopted by the House of Commons, on a vote of 107 to 76. The ordinary business of the Session being now nearly concluded, and it having l)ecn admitted, I understand, by all parties, that the Committee could not sit after prorogation, it was arranged that the House should adjourn to such a day beyond the 2nd July as would enable the Committee to complete the investigation and to frame their report. The date eventually determined on was the 13th August, which was also settled as the day on which Parliament was to be prorogued. K 146 IIISTOIIY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1873 As the nature of the understanding at the time in respect of this latter event has 1)een warmly controverted, it is necessary that I should here acquaint your Lordship with the facts of the case so far as I am cognizant of them. Early in j^ay, I forget the exact date, — Sir John Miudoiiald \\^\\.^A upon me in my office, and having communicated to me the arrangements contemplated for the conve- nience of the Committee, informed me that he wished to take my pleasure as to the date of prorogation, mentioning the 13th August as the one he desired to suggest. Having received my assent to this proposal, he repaired to the House of Commons, and announced from his place as leadei of tlie House and the person resi)onsi- ble for the conduct of public business, that Parliament would be prorogued on the I'Jth August, stating — as he affirms— in the most distinct terms, that the " re-assem- «' bly of Parliament on that day would \^ pro foniui, — that no business would l)e «' done beyond the reception of the rejiort of the Committee, which could then be «' printed with the evidence, and go before the country, — that the Members would " not be required to return, and that only the Speakers of the two Houses need be in «' their places." — The only observation elicited by this announcement proceeded from Mr. Holton, an Opposition Member, who remarked " that to do any business " there must be a quorum, and that he and a quorum would be there," — to which Sir John informs me he replied, that " if a ciuorum was necessary a sufficient " number of Members would be found in tiie neighborhood of Ottawa," — a quo- rum consisting of the Speaker and nineteen others. It was upon this understand- intr Sir Jofin assures me, that the Mouse consented to adjourn, and in confirmation of his assertion he has commi'nicated to me the subjoined letter from Mr. Palmer, the member for St. John : " St. John, August 11, 1873. " Sir John Macdonald, Minister ofjiisiice, Ottmoa. (( giR In consequence of statements that I understand have come from some members of the Commons to the effect tliat there might be an actual Session of Parliament at the adjournment on the 13th, to you, as the leader of the Government, I beg to make the following statement by way of protest. " I have to remind you thac the House of Commons only consented to adjourn to that time on your pledge openly given in the House that no business should l)e transacted nor would the attendance of members be icquired. as there would be enough around Ottawa to make a quorum ; that Mr. Speaker would receive the report of the Committee on the Huntington charges, so that it might be published, and that then Parliament would be at once prorogued. " If this promise had not been made, I do not believe the House would !rve consented to any such adjournment. I certainly would not have given my consent to any adjournment that would have put the country to an expense of a quarter of a million dollars by bringing the Legislature together again. " At all events, be thai as it may, I feel that it would be dishonoralile for myself to attempt to do business at an .adjournment of the House, at whii my colleagues had been told that no business would be done, and that they nenl not attend, and therefore I must decline to do so ; and I protest at any attempt i" do business, and I require the Government to fulfil the pledge made to me and to every member of the House, that Parliament would be at once prorogued. 1873] THE EARL OF DUFFEKIN IN CANADA. 147 " While I do this, I do not wish to interfere in any way with the right of the tiovernment to call Parliament together whenever they think the exigencies of the country require it ; they must be the judges of that, and be responsible for it ; but let that be done in the usual way, that all may understand that it is their duty to attend ; and when I, together with all my colleagues, am so called upon, I trust that I shall be found in my place, and I snail then feel that whether or not all my colleagues attend, they will not have been kept away by a pledge that they would not be required, and I could therefore honorably join in doing anything that the House might consider for the interests of the country. " I have the honor to be, &'c., " A. L. Palmer, " Member for the City and County of St. John." As far as my opinion is concerned, I am quite clear that it was the desire and ex- pectation of Parliament that prorogation should take place at the time mentioned. Every member must have known that Sir Jo/in's announcement on the subject was an intimation of the pleasure of the Crown through its official organ in the House, ami that the Prime Minister could only have made it after receiving my authority to do so. Formerly, the intentions of the Sovereign on this subject were conveyed to either Chamber by a written message, but though a verbal communication through the First Alinister has been now substituted, it does not render this latter mode of communication less formal or official. Had, therefore, the House of Com- mons desired to prolong the Session beyond the 13th August, its proper course would have laeen to have communicated its wishes to me by an Address. Though the fact that no motion to this effect was even suggested is sufficiently conclusive, tiiere are other circumstances which indicate, more or less distinctly, the feeling of the House. The motion originally appointing the Committee, and carried on the 8lh April, ordered it to sit, " if need were, after prorogation," and more than one memlier of the Opposition urged the propriety of a Bill being introduced to enable it to do so. Clearly, therefore, when this motion was carried and these sug- gestions made, the majority who passed the one and the individuals who proposed the other must have contemplated the probability of the Report of the Committee l)einij considered, not in the present, but in a subsequent Session of Parliament. Indeed, the mere fact of prorogation being fixed or the 13th August implies ■ 's much, for it is not to be prooumed that the House would have proceeded to con- si'lev the Report, until both "it and the evidence upon which it was founded had been printed and distrilmted to Members, — but to enable this to be done an interval of a few days, after Parliament had re-assembled and had received the report, would mani- fe>tly have been required before action could have been taken u]ion it. If, there- fore. Parliament had contemplated considering the Report during the current Ses- sion it would have desired a later day to V/e fixed for prorogation than th.at on which the mere manuscr'pt copy of the Report was to be laid on its table. Again, when ^.'r. Dorion moved in amendment of the motion for the Com- mittee's adjournment to the 2nd July, that, " inasmuch as the Committee will have " no [lower either to enforce the attendance of witnesses or to compel them to give " testimony without the action of this House, it is essential to the proper conduct 148 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1873 n :>% '* of the investigation that it should be prosecuted under circumstances that will •• admit of the prompt exercise of the authority of the House, it is therefore neces *' sary that the House should sit on the day to which the Committee has leave to " adjourn," the House decided against him by a majority of loi to 66, — one of the representatives from British Columbia, as I am informed, protesting against Members from the more distant Provinces in the Dominion being required to return to Ottawa so late in the summer as the 2nd July. But the intention of the House is still further exhibited by the following circum- stance : During the Session a Bill was passed increasing the indemnity paid in this country to Members of Parliament for their attendance. Into that Bill a clause was introduced to the following effect : "The said amendments shall apply •'to the present Session of Parliament, and if either House shall adjourn for more '♦ than thirty days such adjournment shall, for the purposes of such act, be equiva- «« lent to a prorogation." This provision was intended by its authors to enal)le Members to receive their salaries and travelling expenses on the 23rd May, tbe day on which Parliament adjourned, without having to wait for the 13th August, the day named for prorogation. I may also mention that tie same day, i.f., on the 23rd May, I came in State to the Senate Chamber to give my assent to the Bills of the Session ; and in view of a Progress I intended to make through the Maritime Provinces during the summer, I provided, before leaving Ottawa, for the prorogation of Parliament by commission, in order to spare myself the labor and fatigue of a journey of 2,400 miles for what I understood would be a mere formality. From the foregoing narrative your Lordship will probably agree with me in tlie conclusion that up to the time when the Houses adjourned, it was clearly the wish and the expectation of Parliament that prorogation should take place on the 13th August. And it is most natural that this should have been the case. The com- mercial business and the agricultural operations of the year have to be crowded into the five short months of summer. Almost every Member of both Houses in this country is actively engaged in business pursuits requiring his personal atten- dance. To be detained from home at this season implies nov only extreme incon- venience but pecuniary loss. Already the lateness of the current Session had bred considerable discontent, and it had been expressly determined by the House that in future the Session should never begin later than the first week of February. The distance from Halifax to Ottawa is something like 1,200 miles, from Victoria in British Columbia it is 4,000 miles. The re-assembly of Parliament in August, for the transaction of business, would have cut up the entire summer, as far as many members were concerned, and would have been more or less inconvenient to all but those who reside within a day or two's journey of Ottawa. The majority in the House of Commons appear to have attached but little significance to Mr. J/i/ut- in "ion's accusations, for they negatived his motion without even requiring my -Min- isters to reply to it, and I do not imagine that any one of them contemplated a renewal of the Session on the 13th August. But, though the conduct tif the majority who confided in the Government is easily understood, the procedure of the Members of the Opposition is more difficult to explain. Tliey had in their ])osses- sion, it is to be presumed, what they considered convincing proofs of the corruption of Ministers. The matter had been referred to the adjudication of a committee, 1873] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IX CANADA. 149 anil, according to the theory of the prosecution, could have but one result. Strong in these convictions, they should never have allowed the announcement of Proro- gation to have passed unchallenged, but should have resorted to every means known to the Constitution by which such a consummation could have been precluded. Indeed, so obvious was their duty in this respect, that their opponents have attributed to tliem a deliberate intention of allowing the dispersion of the majority to take place sill) siUntio, with a view to the packing of a Mouse with their own adherents on the day to which it had adjourned, an operation to them exceptionally easy, as the parliamentary strength of the Ministers lies principally in the Maritime and out- lying Provinces, while their own is close at home in the central region of Ontario and n the suggestion of the Committee subsequently made, that the 'House and Sei....e unanimously passed the Oaths Bill, although on more than ' one occasion you yourself made the suggestion, unheeded by the House, that a ' Commission might be issued instead of passing an Act to authorize the adminis- ' tering of oaths to the witnesses. This alone seems to me to be conclusive that ' the House of Commons, whose nominee I am on the Committee, did not intend ' that the enquiry should be carried on by a Commission appointed by the Execu- ' tive, and responsible as such only to that Executive. It seems to me, moreover, ' that the authority which is sought to be conferred on the Committee to examine ' witnesses under oath cannot be attained by the issue of a Royal Commission, for, 'although the Commissioners appointed might examine witnesses under oath, it ' would not be as members of the Committee appointed by the House that they ' would do so, but as Commissioners, whose decisions and proceedings would be 'subject to the supervision and control of the Executive, under whom they would ' hold their appointment, and not of the House. I have always lieen willing, as a ' member of the House of Commons, to oliey its commands in reference to any ' I'ailiamentary duties it might impose upon me ; in that view I did not shirk the 'ardurus and unenviable position of a member of this Committee of Enquiry, as 'being part of the labor and duty to which a member of Parliament is bound to '.^ul)mit; but if, instead of moving for the appointment of a Committee by the 'House, the Government had proposed to name me on a Commission for the pur- ' pose of this enquiry, I would then certainly have declined the proposed Com- ' mission. I cannot see why I should now accept it, when it seems to me that 'the effect of issuing such a Commission would be to supersede the Committee, 'and more especially in view of the declaration you made immediately before mm- 152 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1873 "the adjournment of the session in reference to Mr. lUake and myself, that we «* should not have consented to serve on the Committee, that men in our positions " in England would not have done so, and that you could not expect any fair play "at our hands. This alone should Ix; a sufficient reason why I humbly believe I " should not l)e called upon to accept a Commission from the Government of which " you are the head, after your public declaration, made in my absence, of my un- " fitness to perform what the Commission would impose on me. " I have the honor, t&'c., (Signed,) " A. A. DoRiON." " Montreal, July 3. " Sir, — I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 2nd " inst., enclosing a copy of a letter addressed by you to the Hon. Mr. Cameron, " as Chairman of the Pacific Railway Enquiry Committee. I cannot agree in your " statement that the acceptance of a Royal Commission would enable the Com- " niittee to proceed with the enquiry and the examination of witnesses on oath. " The Committee is, I believe, unanimously of opinion that the acceptance of the " Commission would not enable the Committee to make progress, and that the " action of the Commissioners (whether or not they be the same persons as those who " constitute the Committee) would be entirely disconnected from the action of the " Committee. Shanng their opinion, I am called onto consider whether I should " accept the offer made by the Government, of a Royal Commission addressed to " the gentlemen who happen to be members of the Committee, calling on them to " enquire into the matters of charge preferred in the statement of Mr. Huntington , " I believe that it would be of evil consequence to create the precedent of a Govern- " meut issuing a Commission of enquiry into matters of a charge against itself, " the Commissioners being, as they are, subject to the direction and control of the " accused. I believe that the acceptance of such a Commission would be opposed " to the sense of the House of Commons, as manifested by its action last session, " and would, under present circumstances, be calculated to prejudice the enquiry " ordered by the House, and to impair the full and efficient exercise of its most " ancient and important powers. The House of Commons does not, I think, ex- " pect that the Crown or any one else, least of all the members of its own Com- " mittee, will interpose between itself and the great enquiry which it has under- " taken. Apart from these and other difficulties, you have yourself interposed a " barrier to my acceptance of your offer. During my absence from the House of " Commons last session, you stated in your place that I had done wrong in not " declining to fulfil the duty of Committeeman, which had been imposed on me by " the House, that English statesmen in my position — which however, you mis-st.ited " — would have scorned to do as I had done, and that my speeches during the " session showed that your Government could not expect fair play from me on the " enquiry. I shall not condescend to reply to these statements, but I have to say " that although I reluctantly came to the conclusion, that I was not free to decline " to serve the House of which I am a member, I do not think it consistent with " my self-respect to accept the Commission here offered by a Minister who has 1873] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 153 " cliosen to so characterize my conduct. I have sent a copy of this letter to Mr. " Cameron for his information as Chairman of the Committee. •• I have, ijr'c., " (Si}Tned,) Edward Blakk. " The Right Hon. Sir John A. Macdonald." No. 3. and No. 4. I do not presume to question for a moment the propriety of the course adopted by these gentlemen. As members of the House of Commons, they may have had a more acute appreciation of llieir Parliamentary obligations than had occiured to my apprehension, — but I trust that your Lordship will not consider that I acted wrongly in thus endeavoring to forward the enquiry by what I considered an opportune expetlient. I'he Committee l^eing thus precluded from swearing in their witnesses, a motion w.is made by Mr. Dor ion, supported by Mr. Blake, that they should content tlieniselves with unsworn testimony, but the majority considering themselves debarred from this course by the express instructions of tiie House upon the point, tliey determined to adjourn until the 13th August. This resolution was taken on the 3rd July. The day after there appeared in the Montreal Herald a series of letters and telegrams written by Sir Hugh Allan to a i\Ir. McMiillen, and to a Mr. Smith of Chicago, and to some unknown person in the United States in reference to the Canadian Pacific Railway. Tiie day following a long statement on the same subject in the form of an affidavit was issued by Sir Hugh Allan in another newsjiaper. I have already had the honor of forwarding to your Lordship both these docu- ments, but I think it well to append them to this despatch for convenience of reference. It is not necessary for my present purpose that I should either analyze or contrast the conflicting assertions observable in these productions. It will be suftkient to note that not only does Sir Hugh Allan admit upon oath thai the language of his letters is " inaccurate," but he also denies in] the most positive manner the correctness of the inferences sought to be deduced from them. On the whole, as far as I could gather from the tone of the press, and from conversation, these revelations rather improved than otherwise the position of the Ministry. On the one hand. Sir Hugh Allan^s letters accounted for and justified Mr. Hunting- ton's pertinacity, on the other, his affidavit, — or rather, Sir yohn A/aca'onald's tele- gram, (juoted in the affidavit, — satisfactorily proved that, so far from yielding him- self, or allowing his colleague. Sir George Cartier, to yield to the pressure put upon him by Sir Hugh Allan in the height of the election contest, my Prime Minister had required the immediate and complete cancelling of an arrangement favorable to Sir Hugh to which Sir George had evinced a willingness to subscribe. In illustration of this point, I subjoin Sir George earner's letter, as well as Sir Hugh A/ltiii's reference to Sir ^ohn MacdonahV s telegram concerning it. [Copy.] "Montreal, 30th July, 1872. "Dkar Sir Hugh,— "I enclose you copies of telegrams received from ^\x John A. Macdonald; " and with reference to their contents I would say that, in my opinion, the 11 ' '"'V^ 154 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTUATFON OF [1873 " Governor in Council will approve of the amalgnmation of your Company with •' tlie Interoceanic Coni|)any, under the name of the Canadian Pacific Railway •' Company, the Provincial Hoard of the amalgamated Company to be composed " of seventeen members, of whom four shall be named from the Province of " Quebec by the Canada Pacific Railway Company, four from the Province of •' Ontario by the Interoceanic Railway Company, and the remainder by the " Government ; the amalgamated Company to have the powers specified in the " tenth section of the Act incorporating the Canada Pacific Railway Company, *' (S^c, the agreement of amalgamation to be executed between the companies •' within two months from thi. date. *• The Canada Pacific Company might take the initiative in procuring the *' amalgamation ; and if the Interoceanic Company should not execute an agree- " ment of amalgamation upon such terms and within such limited time, I think the " contemplated arrangements should be made with the Canada Pacific Company " under its charter. " Upon the subscription and payment on account of stock, being made, as " required by the Act of last session, respecting the Canadian Pacific Railway " Company, I have no doubt but that the Governor in Council will agree with the " Company for the construction and working of the Canadian Pacific Railway " with such branches as shall be agreed upon, and will grant to the Company all " such subsidies and assistance as they are empowered to do by the GovernnKiit '• Act. I believe all the advantages which the Government Act empowers the •' Government to confer upon any Company will be required to enable the works '• contemplated to be successfully carried through, and I am convinced that they " will be accorded to the Company to be formed by amalgamation, or to the " Canada Pacific Company, as the case may be. " I would add that, as I approve of the measures to which I have referred in " this letter, I shall use my best endeavors to have them carried into effect. " Very truly yours, (Signed,) "Geo. E. Cartier." " To the I lor Extract from Sir H. Allati's affidavit of jfuly ^th. "On the same day that I received the above letter from Sir George Cartier I informed Sir John A, Macdonald of the contents of it, and asked for his sanction of the views which it contained. But he declined to concur in the terms of Sir George's letter, telegraphing to him that he would not agree to them, and that he would come down to Montreal and confer with him respecting them. Thereupon, I immediately informed Sir George Cartier that I should consider the letter addressed to me as being withdrawn ; and to my knowledge Sir George telegraphed Sir John that he had seen me, and that as he (Sir John) objected to Sir George's letter, it had been withdrawn. I also telegraphed to Sir John on the same day (July 31st) to the effect that I had seen Sir George Cartier, and that he (Sir John) miglit return my letter or regard it as waste w:n THK KAUL OF DUFFEIUN IN CANADA. ins " paper, and that I was satisfied with the telefjratn of the 26th as expressive of the " views of the Clovernmcnt." Hut any reaction in favor of the (iovernment which might have thus set in was more than counterbalanced by the appearance of another serie ; f letters, which I also re-ap|iend, and which are now generally known as the Mc Mullen cox- ^' respondence. Amid these productions there have been introduced docu- ments of a very compromising character, the one a letter from Sir (/ "r^r Caitier asking for twenty thousand more dollars ($20,000 = /4,ooo sterling), and the other a telegram from Sir John Macdouald demanding an additional ten thousand dollars ($10,000 = ^'2,000 sterling). These latter I subjoin : — ♦♦MONTRKAI., Aug. 24. 1872. " Dkar Mr. Abbott,— In the absence of Sir Hugh Allan, I shall be obliged " by your supplying the Central Committee with a further sum of twenty thousand " dollars upon t'l • same conditions as the amount written by me at the foot of my " letter to Sir Hugh Allan of the 30th ultimo. "Georoe E. Cartier. " r.S — Please also send Sir John A. Macdonald ten thousand dollars more " on the same terms." "Toronto, Aug. 26th, 1872. " To the Hon. J. T C. Abbott, St. Anne's : — " (Immediate, Private.) " I must have another ten thousand ; will be the last time of calling ; do not " fail me ; answer to-day. "John A. Macdonai.d." I5ut for the appearance of the foregoing documents, I doubt whether so great an impression would have been produced on the public mind by the statement of Mr. iMc Mullen. I myself have no knowledge of the gentleman, and have no right to impeach his veracity, but it is manifest that many of his assertions are at va- riance with Sir Hugh Allan^s sworn testimony, while others have been contradicted by gentlemen whose credibility it would be difficult to impugn. Even with regard to the documents themselves, it is to be observed that they were neither addressed to Mr. McMullen nor to any one with whom he was associated, and that they could scarcely have come into his possession by other than surreptitious means. They do not therefore necessarily connect themselves with those nefarious transactions to which Mr. McMullen asserts he was privy. It is further contended by the friends of the Government that the sums mentioned or even referred to were not very large —about ;^i 2,000 sterling in all — an amount which would go but a little way to defray the legitimate expenses of the 150 Ontario and Quebec Elections, and that there was nothing to show whether they had been proffered as a subscription or as a temporary loan from a wealthy political partizan. Their sinister significance re- 156 HISTORY OF THE ADM^NISTllATION OF [1873 suited in a great measure from their factitious juxtaposition with Mr. McMiille)i''< narrative. Under these circumstances, though without attaching too much imp(,ri ance to mere conjectural picas of this kind, I was unwilling to jump to a hasty conclusion on a ni-atter involving both the i rivate and ihe public honor of my Ministers, and above all things I felt bound not to allow my judgment to be swayed by the current of popular suspicion which this concatenation of documents would naturally produce. I happened to be at Evince Edward Island when the McMuUen correspondence reached my hands, whither two of my Ministers — Mr. Tilley, the Minister of Finance, and Dr. Tupper, the Minister of Customs — had also come for the purpose of settling certain details consequent on the recent confederation of the Island. I immee con- " ducted by the press of Canada with i^eculiar liveliness and animation — (great " laughter) — of unauthorized references being made to the Governor Generrd's " sup;-/osed sentiments, opinions, and intentions, which would convey to the unin- " structed reader a very erroneous impression of the conduct and the attitude of " the chief of the State, (jentlemen, I (h) not make this remark by way of com- " plaint. If there is any person in Canada who has been kindly and considerately " dealt with by the press, to whom the press of every political complexion has " shown indulgence and good will, it is myself, and it is most natural and by no *' means an uncomplimentary Circumstance, ihat the organs of ditTerent shades of " opinion should persuade themselves that the Governor General must necessarily " l)e of their way of thinking, and see through their spectacles. (Laugiiter.) But " what I wish to say once for all, and ^ ''o not care how widely this remark is " dissemmated, is this — that there is nj luiman being who is authorized to make " any statement or suggestion as to what my opinion or sentiments may be in re- " spect of any political topic, or who lias ever been in a position, or is likely to be " in a position, to make anything approaching to a conjecture upon points of thiS •' descr.[)tion. It is true, my object and my desire is to inform my mind upon " every subject alfecting the interests of the country, by conversation and by dis- " cussion with any one who can afford me instruction or information ; and it would " be verv unfortunate for me if this freedom of intercourse with all classes and " parties in Canada, from which 1 derive so much beneiit and pleasure, should be " iranrnelled by the dread lest this casual intercourse should become the foun- " (liition for mferc ce, comment or conjecture in the press. No, gentlemen, I un- "(ler?tand my duty too well ever to allow my judgment or my sympathies to be " surprised into political 'partizanshij). My one thought and desiie is the welfare " of Cunada as a whole. To maintain her honor, to promote her prosperity, to do " my di,ty by her and her entire people, is the sole object of rny ambition. When " 1 converse with vuur public men, it scarcely ever occurs to me to remember to " what political partv mey lx;long. I only see in them persons devoting them- " selves, each according to his liglits, to thv* service of his country. My only guid- " ing star in the conduct and maintenance of my official relations with your public " men is the Parliament of Canada. (Cheers, j In fact, I suppose I am the only "person in the Dominion whose faith in the wisdom and the infallibility "( I'arlia- " nient is never shaken. (Great laughter.) Each of you, gentlemen, only believe 158 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1873 " in Parliament so long as Parliament acts according to your wishes — (cheers and •' laughter)— and convictions. I, gentlemen, believe in Parliament iio matter which ** way it votes — (laughter) — and to those men alone whom the deliberate will of the " confederated Parliament of the Dominion may assign to me as my responsible ad- " viserscani give my confidence. (Cheers.) Whether they are the heads of this party ** or of that party must be a matter of indifference to the Governor General. (Cheers.) " So long as they are maintained by Parliament in their position, so long is he bound •' to give them his unreserved confidence, to defer to their advice, and loyally to " assist them with his counsels. (Applause.) Whenever, in the vicissitudes of " party warfare, they are replaced by others — (laughter) — he welcomes their " successors with an equally open and loyal regard. (Cheers.) Such private " friendships as he may have formed he may have a right to retain. (Hear, hear.) " As a reasonable being he cannot help having convictions upon the merits of '* dift'erent policies — (hear) — but these considerations are abstract, speculative and " devoid of practical effect on his official relations. (Cheers.) As the head of a " constitutional State, as engaged in the administratio.'' of Parliamentary Govein- " nient, he has no political friends ; still less need he have political enemies. '* (Great cheering.) The possession, or even to be suspected of possessing either, *' destroys his usefulness. (Loud cheers.) Sometimes, of course, no matter how " disconnected he personally may be with what is taking place, iiis name will get *' dragged into some controversy, and he may suddenly find himsei/ the subject of " hostile criticism by the press of whatever party may for the mon.ent be out of *' power. (Laughter.) But^ under these circumstances, he must console himself " with the reflection that these spasmodic castigations — (laughter) — are as transi- " tory and innocuous — (great laughter) — as the discipline applied occasionally to " their idols by the unsophisticated worshippers of Mumbo Jumbo — (immense " laughter)— when their harvests are short or a murrain visits their flocks. " (Cheers.) J'or, gentlemen, of this I am certain : although he may sometimes " err in his judgment, or fail in serving you as effectually as he might desire, a •' Viceroy who honestly seeks to do his duty — (cheers) — to whom the interests of " Canada are as precious and her honor as dear as his own — (immense cheering) — " who steers unmoved an even course indifferent to praisf" or blame, between the *' political contentions of the day— (cheers) — can never appeal in vain to the con- " fidence and generosity of the Canadian people. (Immense applause.)" But though keeping ni_, nal decision in suspense, my mind was much occupied, as your Lordship may ii.;agine, with the consideration of the various courses open to me. On one pomt I was quite clear — namely, that it would not be right for me to countenance the settlement of the serious issues raised between my Ministers and their opponents — involving, as they did, the personal honor of the most eminent men in Canada, the fate of my Ministry, and the public credit of the country — except at the hands of a full Parliament, in which the distant provinces of the Dominion were as well represented as those of Ontario and Quebec. As I have already described to your Lordship in the earlier part of this de- spatch, before Parliament ailjourned on the 23rd May, I had caused it to be an- nounced to both Houses that Prorogation would take place on the 13th August. This arrangement, I have no hesitation in saying, was agreeable to what were then ]87H] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 159 the views of the majority both in the Senate and in the House of Commons. On the faith of this pledge, many gentl ;men were gone to so great a distance that it was physically impossible for them to be recalled, and it so happened, from causes to which I have already referred, that by far the larger proportion of these absentees were supporters of the Government. All the members from British Columbia, ex- cept Sir /''. Hincks, were on the wrong side of the Rocky Mountains. Some Ministerialists were in Europe, as I was informed, others in the States, and even to tliose in I'.ie Maritime Provinces, a return to Ottawa, though not physically im- possible, as it was to their colleagues, "ould prove a great inconvenience at such a season. On the other hand, 1 learnt that the Opposition were mustering their full force, an operation for which they possessed certain geographical facilities. Were, therefore, the House of Commons to meet for the transaction of public business, it was evident that important votes might be passed, and decisions taken, contrary to the real sense of the country, and that my Ministers might justly complain that tlit'v were being unfairly treated, and their fate determined by a packed Parliament. But, apart from these practical considerations, a grave question of principle seemed to me involved. The Imperial Officer representing the Crown in the Dominion is the natural protector of the federal rights of its various Provinces, as secured under an Imperial Act. The sanctity of the rights of any one of these Provinces is not affected by the number of its rei)resentatives or the amount of its ]iopulation. In this view it is especially necessary that, in a country of such enormous distances, ample notice should be given of the times and seasons when lailiament is to sit. But if it be once admitted that the official "fixtures" which ref,ndate the opening or closing of a Session and tlu conduct of public business, are to be capriciously tampered with, and changed at so short a notice as to preclude the distant representatives from being present, it is evident much wrong and inconvenience would result, and the door be opened to a great deal of trickery at tile hands of an unscrupulous Minister. The foregoing considerations pointed pretty distinctly to prorogation as an inevitable necessity of the situation. Only one other alternative indeed either suggested itself then or has occurred to me since, and that was another adjournment of the Hduse to such a date as would suit the convenience of the absentees. At first I confess this course appeared to me fairly practicable, but further reflection (lisclo'^ed difficulties I had not at once seen. In the first place, this was an arrangement which I had not the power of enforcing, and I was confronted by the obvious reflection, that if the Ciovernment made a motion to that effect, it miglit lie defeated or meet with an amendment tantamount to a vote of want of conlidence at the hands of the majority in presence, and I should then find myself landed in the very position which I was quite satisfied ought to be avoided. Even if tile o])]ionentsof the Government were to refrain from taking so unfair an advan- tage i;f their numerical superiority, it was evident that in view of the adjournment preliminary is.ues would crop up of vital importance relative to tiie fresh instruc- tions to he given to the Committee ; for instance, whether the evidence was to be swoin or unsworn, and, if tlie former, iiow tlie oath was to be administered,— all of wliicii would necessarily be decided in a manner unduly adverse to the Govern- nitnt, and in the absence of those who had an undoubted right to make their voices IGO HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTKATION OF [1873 heard on the occasion. I was so anxious, nevertheless, to find some way of avoid- ing a course which I foresaw would be denounced, however unjustly, as an undue exercise of the Queen's Prerogative, that I thought it desirable to make a sugges- tion in this sense to Sir John Macdonald, olTering at the same time to become the channel of communication by which an understanding between him and his oppo- nents might be arrived at. Sir John's reply was very much in the sense I had anticipated. He insisted upon the injustice of his Government being given over bound hand and foot to the tender mercies of their opponents in the absence of his supporters, whom he had dismissed to their homes with my sanction, and with the acquiescence of Parliament. He called my attention to the fact, that the Opposi- tion organs, far from hinting at any compromise, were insisting on the fact that a quonim of Parliament could do anything that Parliament itself could do, and were evincing by unmistakeable signs that they would show no quarter : — that both Messrs. Blake and Donon had endeavored to persuade the Committee to content themselves with unsworn evidence, and that if Parliament met for business they would be in a position to pass an instruction to the Committee to that effect,— that no man would be wilbng to risk his life, still less his honor, in the hands of witnesses released from the consequences of perjury, — and finally, that he would not feel himself safe in entering into any arrangements dependent upon the l>ond fides of those with whom I had suggested he should treat. Unfortunately, in this country party animosity is intense, and the organs of each side denounce the public men opposed to them in terms of far greater vigor than those to which we are accustomed in England, The quarrel at this moment is exceptionally bitter. The one party openly accuse the other of personal dishonor, while these regard their opponents as unscrupulous conspirators. As a consequence, a mistrust of each other's fair dealing, — which I cannot believe to be justified on either hand, — has been engendered, which would render the r^^t- of mediator under any circun.stances extremely difficult. As it was, the former part of Sir John^s representations, if not the latter, coincided too closely with what had occurref' to my own mind to enable me to deny its cogency. There being, however, no further time for correspondence, I left Halifax on Saturday night, the gth August, and arrived in Ottawa on the morning of Wednesday the 13th. Had I been at liberty to have done so, I should have preferred starting soo.^er, but the town of Halifax had organized a series of popular demonstrations in 01, v honor for Saturday after- noon, and it would have occasioned great dissatisfaction had I absented myself. Before continuing my narrative, there is one incident connected with my stay at Halifax which perhaps ought to find mention here. T .. Huntington sent me a sealed packet covered by an official communication to my Secretary, which, ns 1 understood from the gentleman who brought it, as well as from Mr. Huntington's letter, contained copies of the incriminatory documents in his possession. As the matters to which the papers referred had become the subject of a public investiga- tion before a House of Commoi.s Committee, and as I was still uncertain what turn affairs might take, I did not consider it would be proper for me to take per- sonal cognizance of these papers. I therefore returned the packet unopened to Mr. Huntington. The 13th August was not only the day appointed for prorogation, but it was 1873] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 161 also the day to which the Committee of enquiry had adjojrned, but, as far as I can gather from the subjoined report of what occurred, it camt, together to very little pur- pose. Indeed its whole procedure on this occasion isdiffici It of comprehension, in con- sequence, I suppose, of the meagrenessof the only report cfwhat passed, which I have been able to obtain. In the first place only four out of the f ve Members were present, and eventually another, Mr. Dorian, withdrew in the middle of a discussion, leav- ing what are considered the Government Members in a majority. One of these, Mr. Blanchct, then proposed that they should report their proceedings to the House. Mr. Blake, in amendment of this sug<;estion, moved the adjournment of the Committee, which was carried, — the result l)eing that when the Ho;ise met at three o'clock, as had been arranged six weeks before, for the very purpose of receiv- ing the Committee's report, no report of any sort or description was forthcoming. The following is the account of the proceedings referred to : — " Ottawa, Aug. 13. "The Pacific Committee met at 11.30. Present : Messrs. Cameron, Blanchet, "Blake, Dorian. " At the request of Mr. Blake, the resolution passeu by the Committee at last "meeting — that the Committee cannot proceed without further instructions from "the House, was read. " iVlr. Blake moved that the said resolution be rescinded. " Yeas — Blake, Dor ion. " Nays — Cameron, Blanchet. " Resolution lost. " ^vfler son.e conversation as to the Committee making a report to the House, " The Chairman said if Mr. Dorion and Mr. Blake were not in favor of mak- " ing a report, and withdrew because they thought no report should be made, the "majority of the Committee would not make any report. " Mr. Dorion said he wanted a report to be made, but did not concur with the majority. "The Chairman — All we propose to do is simply to report our proceedings "to the House. If you don't like that report, we need mi make any at all. " Mr. Dorion — If I move any amendment, I would si op the report from being " made. " The Chairman — It is impossible for me to tell the result of merely reporting " our proceedings to the House. But if you don't think any report of our proceed- " ings should be made, I have no objection that it be so resolved. My own im- " pression is that as we reported all our former proceedings to the House, there " is no objection to our also reporting those which have taken place since the last " meeting of the House. " Mr. Dorion said he would not interfere with such a step. " Tiie Chairman — Then I suppose it is so resolved, and we have comple*.a " our business ? " Mr. Blake — No, there is a (porum present, and any amendment is in order. " I move that the House be asked to give such instructions to the Committee as " will enable them to proceed with the enquiry. 1 162 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1873 " Mr. jDorion here withdrew from the room, and the motion was carried unani- " mously by Messrs. Cameron, Blanchet and Blake. •' Mr. Blake inquired of the Chairman — Do you propose to give the House coni- " munication of this resolution ? '* The Chairman — Not unless you move it to be done. " Mr. Blake — Do you propose to communicate any of the previous proceed- " ings? •' The Chairman — I do not. " Mr. Blanchet — I think we should report our proceedings. I move that the " proceedings of the Committee since 17th May last be reported to the House. " Mr. Blake — I move an amendment that the Committee adjourn till eleven " o'clock to-morrow. " Carried. *' Yeas — Blake, Cameron. " Nay — Blanchet. «' The Committee then adjourned." A few hours after my arrival in Ottawa, Sir yohn Macdonald called upon me by appointment, and formally submitted the unanimous advice of my Ministers, that Parliament should be prorogued according to the announcement made by my authority in both Houses previous to its adjournment. After some conversation, in which we went over the whole ground, and again examined the suggestion con- tained in my letter relative to an adjournment, I finally announced to him th.it, on a due consideration of all the circumstances of the case, the prorogation of Parli.i- ment seemed to me inevitable, — that I did not feel myself justified in withdraw ing my confidence from Ministers, or in concluding that Parliament had done so, and that, therefore, I was prepared to be guided by the counsels of himself and his colleagues, — but that I must formally insist on one condition as the price of my assent to prorogation, viz. : — that Parliament should be again convoked within as short a period as was consistent with the reasonable convenience of Members, and that I considered six or eight weeks was as long an interval as should intervene before the House re-assembled. Sir John Macdonald did not offer any objection to this proposition — indeed he had already volunteered a suggestion to a similar effect, — and it was agreed that I should meet my Council at two o'clock, in order that it might \)e ratified in the presence of all my Ministers. At one o'clock, however, I was unexpectedly informed that a deputation of Members of Parliament was desirous of waiting upon me with a memorial against prorogation. I had not received the slightest intimation of the intention of these gentlemen, yet, although I felt the propriety of such a step upon their part was very questionable, I concluded to receive them. In the meantime I had repaired to the Council Chamber, as agreed upon, where my Ministers jointly re-submitted the advice they had commissioned Sir 'John Macdonald to convey on their behalf in the morning. I made the same reply to them as to my Prime Minister, and the re-assembly of Parliament within the time specified was agreed upon. It was, however, suggested that if ten weeks were named as the limit instead of eight, it would be possible to get the preparation of 1873] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 163 the Estimates sufficiently advanced to roll two Sessions into one, and dispense with the usual Spring Session. Although I was scarcely in a position to know how far this proposal was practicable or would be acceptable to Parliament, it would evi- dently prove such a saving of expense to the country and of fatigue and inconveni- ence to Members, many of whom would otherwise scarcely have time to return to their homes at all, between an autumn and the usual Session, that I consented to the additional fortnight upon the specific understanding, however, that if in the interval anything should occur which, in my opinion, required Parliament to meet sooner, an expression of my wishes to that effect would be at once acted upon without comment or discussion. These matters being settled, I returned to where the deputation of remonstrant Members was waiting for me. They were introduced by their Chairman, Mr. Cart'd'right, a gentleman for whom I have a great esteem. In presenting the Memorial, Mr. Cartii'vight stated that it had been signed by ninety-two meml>ers of Parliament, and that another gentleman had intimated his willingness to have his signature attached to it. I found, however, on examining the document that three of the ninety-two signatures had been affixed by deputy, though, of course, with tlie full authority of their owners. I note the circumstance, however, as I shall have occasion to refer to it hereafter. As my interview with my Council had occupied some little time, it had not been ])ossible for me either to study or to write my reply to the Memorial. I was therefore forced to make Mr. Carhvright and his friends an extempore answer, which was afterwards reduced to writing as nearly as possible in the terms actually used. This document, together with the Members' Remonstrance, I subjoin for your Lordship's information. Memorial, " The undersigned. Members of the House of Commons of Canada, desire le- " spectfully to approach your Excellency, and humbly to represent that more than ■' four months have already elapsed since the Honoral^le Mr. Huntington made, " from his place in the House, grave charges of corruption against your Excel- '• lency's constitutional advisers in reference to the Pacific Railway contract ; that " although the House has appointed a Committee to enquire into the said charges, " tlie proceedings of this Committee have, on various grounds, been postponed, and " the enquiry has not yet taken place ; that the honor of the country imperatively " requires that no further delay should take place in the investigation of charges of " so grave a character, and which it is the duty and undoubted right and privilege " of the Commons to prosecute. " Tlie undersigned are deeply impressed with the conviction that any attempt " to postpone this enquiry, or to remove it from the jurisdiction of the Commons, " would create the most intense dissatisfaction ; and they, therefore, pray your Ex- "ceilency not to prorogue Parliament until the House of Commons shall have an " opportunity of taking such steps as it may deem necessary and expedient with " reference to this important matter. " The number of n.ames signed to this document is ninety, within ten of one- " half the House. They are as follows : — " I'OSITION. — Anglin, Archibald, Bain, Bechard, Bergin, Blain, Blake, 164 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OP [1873 t< i( (( (I u (( (( « (( (( l( Bodwell, Bourassa, Bowman, Boyer, Brouse, Buell, Burpee (Sunbury), Cameron Huron), Cartwright, Casey, Casgrain, Cauchon, Charlton,* Church, Cockburn (Muskoka), Cook, Cutler, Delorme, St. George, Dorion, Dorion, Edgar, Ferris Findlay, Fiset, Fleming, Fournier, Galbraith, Geoffrion, Gibson, Gillies, Goudge, Hagar, Harvey, Higginbotham, Holton, Horton, Huntington, Jette, Laflamnie, Landerkin, McDonald Glengarry), McKenzie, Mercier, Metcalf, Mills, Oliver, Paquet, Paterson, Pearson, Pelletier, Pickard, Poser, Prdvost, Richard, Rich ai Is,* Ross, Ross, Ross, Ross, Rymal, Smith (Peol), Snyder, Stirton, Tas- chereau, Thompson, Thomson,* Tremblay, Trow, "White (Halton), Wilkes, Wood, Young, Young. " Ministerialists. — Burpee (St. John), Coffin, Cunningham, Forbes, Glass, Macdonell (Inverness), Ray, Schultz, Scriver, Shibley, D. A. Smith (Selkirk), A. J. Smith (Westmoreland). "t Reply. *« Gentlemen, — It is quite unnecessary for me to assure you that any reprcfen- " tations emanating from persons possessing the right to speak on public affairs with "such authority as yourselves will always be considered by me with the greatest •' respect, even had not circumstances already compelled me to give my most "anxious thought to the matters to which you are now desirous of calling my •'attention. •'You say, in your memorandum, that four months have elapsed since the •• Hon. Mr. Huntington preferred grave charge^ of corruption against my present •' advisers, in reference to the Pacific Railw.iy contract, and that although the •' House has appointed a Committee to enquire into these charges, the proceedings •• of this Committee have on various grounds been postponed, and the enquiry has •• not yet taken place. "Gentlemen, no person can regret more deeply than I do these unfortunate '• delays, the more so as they seem to have given rise to the impression that they •• have been unnecessarily interposed by the action of the Executive. " It may be premature at this moment to enter into a history of the disallowance '•by the Imperial Government of the Oaths Bill, but this much, at all events, it is '• but fa.r to every one that I should state, viz. : that immediately after I had assented •• to that Act, I transmitted a certified copy of it to the Secretary of State, in ac- " cordance with the instructions by which I am bound on such occasions. That, *' leaning myself to the op.nion (an opinion founded on the precedent atforded by •• the Act of the Canadian Parliament, which empowers the Senate to examine " witnesses on oath), that the Act was not ultra vires, I accompanied it by a full '• expositon of the arguments which could be urged in its support ; but on tiie '• point being referred by the Secretary of State for the professional opinion of tlie " Law Officers of the Crown, it was pronounced inconsistent with the Act of Con- * The names thus noted were s'gned by proxy. + The above classificat on is founded on the votes taken on Mr. Huntington's motion. One or two gentlemen, however, cla.ssed w.th the Opposition migiit be more properly set down as "Independent." 1873] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 165 " federation. The postponement therefore of the enquiry, so far as it has arisen "out of this circumstance, has resulted wholly by the operation of law, and has " been beyond the control of any one concerned. " You then proceed to urge me, on grounds which are very fairly and forcibly " stated, to decline the advice which has been unanimously tendered to me by my "responsible Ministers, and to refuse to prorogue Parliament ; In other words you " require me to dismiss them from my counsels ; for, gentlemen, you must be " aware that this would be the necessary result of my assenting to your recommen- "dation. " Upon what grounds would I be justified in taking so grave a step ? " Wha,: guarantee can you afford me that the Parliament of the Dominion would "endorse such an act of personal interference on my part ? "You, yourselves, gentlemen, do not form an actual moiety of the House of " Commons, and I have no means, therefore, of ascertaining that the majority of " that body subscribe to the opinion you have enounced. " Again, to what should I have to appeal in justification of my conduct ? "It is true grave charges have been preferred against these gentlemen ; charges " which I admit require the most searching investigation ; but as you, yourselves, " remark in your memorandum, the truth of these accusations still remains untested. " One of the authors of this correspondence, which has made so painiid an "impression upon the public, has admitted that many of his statements were hasty " and inaccurate ; and has denied on oath the correctness of the deductions drawn "from them. ' ' Various assertions contained in the narrative of the other have been positively "contradicted. " Is the Governor General, upon the strength of such evidence as this, to drive " from his presence gentlemen who for years have filled the highest offices of State, "and in whom, during the recent Session, Parliament has repeatedly declared its " continued confidence ? It is true, certain documents of grave significance have "lately been published in the newspapers in connection with these matters in ' regard to which the fullest explanation must be given, but no proof has yet been " adduced which necessarily connects them with the culpable transactions of which " it is asserted they formed a part, however questionable they may appear, as " placed in juxtaposition with the correspondence to which they have been appended "by the person who has possessed himself of them. " Under these circumstances, what right has the Governor General, on his per- " sonal responsibility, to proclaim to Canada — nay, not only to Canada, but to "America and Europe, as such a proceeding on his part must necessarily do, that " he believes his Ministers guilty of the crimes alleged against them ? Were it "possible at the present lime to make a call of the House, and place myself in " direct communication with the Parliament of the Dominion, my present em- •'barrassment would disappear, but this is a physical impossibility. I am assured " by my Prime Minister, and the Report of the proceedings at the time bears out " his statements, that when Parliament adjourned it was announced by him, as the "Ixader of the House, that the meeting on the 13th August would be immediate- "ly followed by prorogation; that no substantive objection was taken to this 166 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1873 " .innouncement ; and that, as a consequence, a consideralile portion of your fellow *• Members are disi^rsed in various directions. I should therefore only deceive " myself were I to regard the present Assembly as a full I'arliament. " Since the adjournment, indeed, circumstances have occurred which render " your proximate re-assembly highly desirable, but in this country there are physical " circumstances which necessarily interpose a considerable lapse of time liefore the "representatives of the various I'rovinces comprising the confederated Parliament " of Canada can assemble, separated as some of them are by thousands of miles "from the capital of the Dominion. " In regulating the times and seasons when Parliament is to be called togetlier, "the Executive is bound not only to consider the reasonable convenience of these " gentlemen but also to protect the federal rights of the Provinces which they *' represent, and under these circumstances I have concluded, on the advice of my " Ministers (and even if I differed from them as to the policy of such a course, *< which I do not, it is a point upon which I should not hesitate to accept their " recommendation) to issue a Royal Commission of enquiry to tliree gentlemen of "such legal standing, character and authority as will command the confidence of "the public, by virtue of the powers conferred upon me by the Act 31 Vic, cap. ** 38. On the other hand, I have determined in proroguing Parliament to announce •'to the Members of both Houses my intention of assembling them immediately ** after the Commission in question shall have concluded its labors. By these •' means an opportunity will lie afforded for the preliminary expurgation of tliese " unhappy matters before a tribunal competent to take evidence on oath ; ample " opportunities will be given to the Members of the more distant Provinces to *' make their preparations, in view of an Autumnal Session ; and within two months "or ten weeks from this date a full Parliament of Canada will take supreme and "final cognizance of the case now pending between my Ministers and their " accusers. •' Gentlemen, the situation we have been discussing is one of great anxiety and " embarrassment, but I cannot but hope that on a calm retrospect of the various "considerations to be kept in view, you will come to the conclusion that in deter- " mining to be guided by the advice of my Ministers, on the present occasion— in " other words, in declining to act as though the charges which have been iv.vanced " against them were already proven, and in adhering to arrangements upon the " faith of which many of your colleagues are absent from their places, I have " adopted the course most in accordance with the maxims of Constitutional Govern- "ment, and with what is due to those whom the Parliament of Canada has recom- •' mended to my confidence." After the Members had retired, it had become time for me to proceed to the Senate Chamber, and about half-past three o'clock the Speaker appeared at the Bar, and Parliament was prorogued. Considerable excitement, I am informed, prevailed in the House of Commons, and cries of " Privilege" were uttered, when Black Rod made his appearance ; but as far as I can learn, nothing was done or said incompatible with the dignity and self-respect of that assembly. Only the Ministerialists present, about thirty-five in number, accompanied the Speaker to the Senate Chamber. The Opposition, amongst whom, on this occasion, I suppose 1873] THE EARL OF DUFFRIIIN IN CANADA. 167 must hv included tliirteen of the ordinary supporters of my (lovernmcnt who had signed the Memorial, remained behind in their places. Upwarrls of seventy Memliers in a House of two hundred must have been absent — all of whom, witli tlie exception of three, were claimed by (lovernment as their adherents. In the evening, what is popularly i^■^ible, but this emiuiry has been pretty well exhausted in the course of the preceding statement. The alternatives I have seen suggested by those who are disposed to criticize my conduct are indeed very few. The morning after the news of the prorogation had reached Toronto, but before my pledge in regard to an Autumn vSession was known, tile Glohf — a recognized organ of the Opposition, and one of the ablest conducted ])apers in Canada — in lamenting the prospects of a recess which was to last to February of next year, observed that " a prorogation for two or three weeks " would have been a proper course. As I had actually anticipated, iW pith of these Higgestions (for the question of a few extra weeks, I apprehend, could not have be- come any grave cause of complaint) I naturally might have expected to have been complimented on my action : but although this paper and all the other 0]iposition journals in Canada have, with a few exceptions, shown great forbearance to me personally — considering the excitement which prevailed and the forcible language in wiiich leading articles are written — I am afraid I must admit to your Lordship that its subsequent allusions to my procedure have not been eulogistic. Hut if a short prorogation was wrong, what were the alternatives ? An adjournment. But an adjournment is an act of the House, and cannot be com- pelled by the Executive. The leader of the House had already rejected the sugges- tion, and not the slightest intimation had ever reached me that such an expedient would be agreeable to the Opposition. On the contrary, their last word within an hour of the time the House was to meet, as conveyed to me by the ninety-two Members, amongst', hom were Mr. Mackenzie and Mr. Blake^ was — " Let us meet and proceed to business as though we were a fully constituted assembly, repre- senting the collective will of the people." 168 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1873 But "t has been suggested that I should, on the one hand, have comjielled the acquiescence of Sir John Macdonald in an adjournment by refusing to inoroguc, while on the other, Mr. Mackenzie ought to have been driven into the arrangement under a threat of prorogation. Now I am quite ready to admit, that one of the functions of a Governor Gen- eral is to moderate the animosities of party warfare, to hold the balance even between the contending parties, to see that the machinery of the Constitution is not unfairly strained for party purposes, to intervene with his Counsels at oppor- tune moments, and wlien desired by his Ministers to become the channel of com- munication with their opponents, or even though uninvited, to offer himself as negotiator in a difficulty. But the rdle marked out for me above is very different from this. I certainly should not have considered it consistent with my personal honor to have approached my Prime Minister with a threat I had no intention of executing, even had I seen less clearly than I did the objections to the course pro- posed, while, except at his instance, I should have been still less justified in open- ing communications with the Opposition, But as I have already explained the mere negotiation of an adjournment would not have advanced matters in any degree, unless the issues relative to the future proceedings of the Committee could have been settled at the same time ; but the divergencies of opinion upon these points were irreconcileable, and could never have been satisfactorily dealt with except by the House in full Session. If, then, my choice lay — which seems to be admitted — between a short proro- gation and a barren adjournment for a similar period, I do not think it can be disputed that the former was the preferable of the two. Of course it was always open to me to have dismissed my Ministers, and have to take my chance of Parliament approving my conduct, but I did not feel my- self warranted in hazarding such a step on the data before me. Indeed, the rash- ness and injustice of the proceeding would probably have roused such a feeling of dissatisfaction in the minds of what I have no reason to know may not prove the majority of the constituencies that there would have been a great chance — if Sir John and his friends came at all decently out of the affair — of their being borne back into office on the shoulders of the people. If wholly exculpated, your Lord- ship can imagine what my position would become in presence of the reaction tliat would have ensued. At all events, as I told the remonstrant members in my reply, I was not prepared, by publicly withdrawing my confidence from my Ministers, to proclaim to Canada, to America, and to Europe that I believed untried men guilty of such atrocious crimes as those imputed to them. It is, however, not necessary to debate this line of conduct, as no responsible person in this country has ventured to recommend it. But though not directly suggesting the dismissal of my Ministers, it has been very generally contended that I should have considered them under a ban, and should have ceased to act on their advice, though still retaining them in office. The establishment of a relationship of this kind between the Crown and its Minis- ters would be a novel fact in Constitutional history, and might have proved difiicult of execution. I was to go to my Council and say to them, " Gentlemen, you state " that in your opinion the Crown has pledged itself to Parliament to prorogue on 1873] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 169 " a certain day : you assert ns a matter of fact that, relying on this pledge, sixty or " seventy men)l)ers are not in their places, and that to allow the House to jiroceed " to business in i! "^ r absence would be a gross impropriety to which you would '♦ not consent, and that in view of this circumstance as my constitutional advisers, " i)laced al)out me by the will of Parliament, you unanimously advise me to pro- " ro^ue. Well, gentlemen, when Parliament last voted, you jiossessed a command- " ing majority : whether you have lost the confidence of Parliament or not I can- " not tell. You say you have not. Others say you have. Your political oppo- " nents have brought grave accusations against you. You are therefore under a " ban. You have forfeited my confidence. I do not intend to take your advice, " except on mere questions of administration, but — Pray retain your places." To which, of course, these gentlemen would have replied : — " We are highly sensible "of your Excellency's forbearance, perhaps you will favor us with alistofsub- " jccts on which you will accept our recommendation, as well as an it/c/cx expur- " giitoritis of those which are tabooed. The arrangement will lighten our respon- *' sibilities, our salaries will remain the same, and our honor " — I cannot exactly conjecture how the sentence would have concluded. But the suggestion that my refusal to take their advice on prorogation would not have been tantamount to a dismissal of them, is too untenable to need refutation. Before, however, closing this head of the discussion it may be well to examine the grounds on which it is alleged I ought to have withdrawn my confidence from Sir Jcfin Macdonald and his colleagues. In order to answer this question, we must inquire what I had to go upon ? There were Mr. Huntington^ s statements as displayed in his motion, — but these statements were not statements of facts, but of ccr^lusions drawn from facts within Mr. Huntington^ s knowledge perhaps, but not within mine, and offered no safe foothold. Next, there were Sir Hugh ^//rtw'j statements, — but upon which was I to found myself, — upon those in Sir Hugh's letters, in which he admits there was a good deal of '• inaccurate " language, or upon those in his affidavit ? If upon the latter, could I have pronounced the Government guilty ? Then there were Mr. Mc Mullen'' s statements, — but these have been much questioned, and many of them have been contradicted. I do not think the people of Canada would be willing to allow the reputation of any of their representative men to be staked upon evidence of this nature. Lastly, there were Sir George Cartier's letter, and Sir John Mac- donaUrs telegram. In respect to these documents, I would merely observe that suspicious as they might appear, no man would have been justified in acting upon any conclusion in regard to them, until it had been shown with what transactions they were connected. There is as yet no evidence to prove that the sums referred to were consideration moneys for the Pacific Railway charter ; and Sir Hugh Allan states upon his oath that they were not, as will be seen from the subjoined extract from his affidavit :— " In these and similar ways I expended sums of money approaching in amount " those mentioned in those letters, as I conceive I had a perfect right to do ; but " I (lid not state in those letters, nor is it the fact, that any portion of those sums " of money were paid to the members of the Government, or were received by " them or on their behalf directly as a consideration in any form for any advan- " tage to me in connection with the Pacific Railway contract." 170 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [187,'^ On the other hand, what were the countervailing facts within my knowlcdj^o ? The theory of the prosecution is " that the terms of the charter were corruptly " modified to the advantage of Sir IIuj:;h A'lun and his American confederates." Has the Ijargain been carried out ? Certainly not as far as the nmericaus are con- cerned. Their complaint is that they have taken notiiinjr by their motion. I was myself a witness of the pains taken to exclude them when the charter was being framed. Have Sir lliigk Allan and his friends been gratified with that control over the concern to attain which Mr. Me Mullen asserts he bribed my Ministers? This is ci fact less easy to el.icidate, but I myself believe that he has not. At moments when Sir Joint Macdonald cowMX not liave been playing a ]iart he gave me rejieated indications of his desire to prevent Sir Hugh from obtaining any com- manding influence on the direction. That direction was framed with a view to a pro]ier representation upon it of e»'ery Province in Canada, regard l)eing hnd to the wealth and population of each. It numbers amongst its niembers gentlemen who had been on the direction of the late Interoceanic '"ompany, and it includes t!ie names of men whom every one would acknowledge would never willingly asso- ciate themselves with any dishonoral)le enterprise. It is difficult to believe that these jiersonages are either the willing or unconscious tools of Sir //. Allan. Hence, we must airive at the inference that, at all events, if the crime was im- agined, it can scarcely have been consummated. T.iis would not in the least excuse its auiliors, but if a thing has not been done, the fact affords /;•//;/ were not even a moiety of the House. They were a minority, and therefore not in a position to ac fact felt that witliin a very few days after prorogation, it was industriously Cir- culated by all the Opposition newspapers, that in refusing to acquiesce in tf.e sug- gestions of the signatories of this Memorial, I had flown in the face of a " majority" of the House of Commons. It is said that hypocrisy is the homage paid by vice to virtue. The pertinacity with which this mis-statemen*' has been propagated, I can- not but regard as a homage to the strength of my position. But, not content with this, some pa{)ers have even gone further, and stated positively that other gentlemen, fiiciuls of the Government, waited upon me the same day and held language similar to tile remonstrants — an assertion for which there is not the slightest foundation, for on that day, up to three o'clock, with the exception of the Speaker, the remon- strant members themselves, and my Mini.sters, I had neither spoken to nor heard from a single Memlier of Parliament. But it has been subsequently argued, that ina^iinuch as no division ever took place in a perfectly full house, ninety-two signatures implied a practical majority, — as though my appreciation of what should constitute a majority is to h t regulated by mv estimate of the cogency of the respective whips. If, however, we are to count noses with such particularity, let us see how the case stands. I admit that the numerical strength of a house is always in excess of its voting power. There ^^ill alwajs be accidental vacancies. But the ranks of each side are equally liable to be thinned by casualties. What was the voting power represented by this Memorial ? It is true, on the w-ord of the Chairman, I took 93 as the number of persons on whose behalf he spoke, but the actual signatures at the time I had to decide on my course were only 92. '^f these, three were afiixed by proxy, reducing tlic momentary voting strength of the body represented to 89; for it s to be picsumed that, unless detained from Ottawa, the remainin;^ gentlemen would li:ive signed with their own hands. Now, if we double 80 we get a house of 178, and no later than last Session 183 names appeared on a division list, — so that the 89 remonstrants rep'-esented only a minority of the 1 louse even on this principle of reckoning. But during the whole of last Session, Government had a large 172 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1873 1873] majority, a condition of affairs which superinduces a laxity of attendance. Had the two parties been more evenly balanced, had victory depended on only a feu- votes, the muster of members would have been inevitably stronger, and the maximum division list of l83 undoubtedly exceeded. But I am not i)re))ared to admit that a Governor General would be justified in taking so serious a st'-p as was then urged upon me, on the strength of a memorial signed even by a majority of Members of Parliament. Except so far as bringing a certain amount of pressure to bear upon him for a momentary purpose, a docu- ment of this nature is quite inconsequent. It would prove so much waste paper in the presence of a different mandate from the constituencies of many of these gentlemen, and when the time for voting arrived the Governor who relied upon it might very well find a considerable proportion of its signatories on the wrong side of the division list, with a dozen plausible excuses for their having played him false. Indeed within a couple of hours after the deputation had left my presence, I was assured on trustworthy authority that some of these very persons had openly stated that in signing the Memorial they by no means intended to signify that they withdrew their support from Government. It is further to be remembered that, although I was in Ottawa at six in the morning, I heard nothing of this Memorial until i o'clock, that three was the hour at which Parliament met, that the gentlemen bringing it must have known that its presentation and jierusal must have occupied some time, and that I was bound to communicate it to my Ministers, — yet it was upon the strength of a document of this nature, presented in this fashion, when my Speech from the Throne was in the hands of the printers and the guard of honor undei arms, that I was expected to take a step which under such circumstances must have inevitably led to a change of Government, and possibly a general election. I have one further point to mention, and I have done. It is a favorite theory at this moment with many persons, that when once grave charges of this nature have been preferred against the Ministry they become ipso facto unfit to counsel the Crown. The practical application of this principle would prove very inconvenient, and would leave not only the Governor General, but every Lieutenant Governor in the Dominion, very thinly provided with responsible advisers, for as far as I have been able to seize the spirit of political controversy in Canada, there is scarcely an eminent man in the country on either side whose character or integrity has not been, at one time or another, the subject of reckless attack by his opponents in the press. Even your Ix)rdship and Mr. Gladstone have not escaped, for it has been more tiipn insinuated that the Imperial Government have been 'got at" by Sir John Macdonald, and that the law officers of Her Majesty were instructed to con- demn the Oaths Jiill contrary to their legal convictions, In conclusion, I desired to call your Lordship's attention to the fact, that in this despatch I have made no allusion to the Royal Commission, which I have just issued under the advice of my Ministers. My desire is to keep the transactions relating to the prorogation of Pailiament, and to the issue of the Commission, entirely distinct. These two events are (juite disconnected and independent. The reasons which induced me to a}i;ree to the prorogation of Parliament had to be considered without reference to the effect of prorogation power any c mittee alive treated Parli of the lesser under the ci was an ill efl deration ver prejudicial t( being denoui to admit tha dissatisfactioi class of mine main induce speculations considered n< sequences inc Tliere is ( the (lovernni means of kno concluded thj their follower con^i(lerable | In anotlie Commission, The Right He This de Constitutioi by Robert : the political undtT any t( stance that mont in Cai made i)y tht and second, I.ctellier de were neede Colonial Gc furnished b' 1873] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IX CANADA. 173 prorogation on the Committee, or, at least, they appeared sufficiently cogent to over ■ piiwer any countervailing arguments founded on the necessity of keeping the Com- niitlee alive. However much I might have desired to do so, I could not have treated Parliament as a pregnant woman, and prolonged its existence for the sake of the lesser life attached to it. If I have satisfied your Lordship that prorogation under the circumstances was the proper course, the extinction of the Committee WHS an ill effect with which I had no concern. It is necessary to keep this consi- deration very clearly before our eyes, otherwise a confusion of ideas will ensue, prejudicial to a correct judgment of the case. The extinction of the Committee is being denounced as the worst feature in the transaction by persons who are ready to admit that prorogation was perhaps a necessity, and they insensibly transfer their dissatisfaction with the result to the circumstance which occasioned it. The same class of minds probably conjecture that the destruction of the Committee was the main inducement with my Government for insisting on prorogation, but with speculations of this kind I have nothing to do. I prorogued Parliament for what I considered not only full and sufficient, but imperative reason. The subordinate con- 5ec[uences incident to the transaction oo not, therefore, come under review. Tliere is one further point it may be well to remember. 1 see it is asserted that the ( lovernment purposely kept its sixty Members away. Of course I have no means of knowing h^vv far this may have been the case. It is probable that having concluded that th ■ s.r .i >a could not be prolonged, my Ministers may have notilied their followers to that effect, but it is an indisputable fact, that the absence of a considerable proportion was unavoidable. In another despatch I propose to address your Lordship on the subject of the Commission. I have the honor to be, my Lord, Your Lordship's most obedient servant, (Signed,) DUFFERIN. The Right lion, the Earl of Kimberley, &=€., i^T'C, &'C. I'his despatch shews that Lord Dufferin better understood the Constitutional form of government which our early reformers, headed by Robert Baldwin, so long and so untiringly strove to .secure than tlio political descendants of that sterling man, who would have scorned under any temptation, to violate its principles. It is a notable cir( um- stance that the only two attacks sustained by Constitutional Govern- ment in Canada, since the Confederation of the Provinces, have been made by the Liberal party, — first, in the case now under consideration, and second, in the person of the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec. Mr. I.etellicr de St. Just, in the early part of this year (1878). If any thing were needed to show the absolute necessity of administering our Colonial Government through a statesman from Britain it would be furnished by the history of these two transactions. 174 HISTOKY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1873 The Governor General, as was to be expected, now became the object of bitter animadversion. The Opposition press exhausted the vocabularies of abuse, but its violence was so extreme as to shock all just-minded people, and thus its attacks were deprived of most of their force. Its statements were so grossly untrue, — its views of Con- stitutional Government so cnide and incorrect, and its virulence so un- justifiable, that its utterances, may be passed by as unworthy of note ; and when we examine the arguments of the cooler men and the more educated minds, which have been placed before the public, on this much debated subject, we find even them so disfigured by mis-state- ments, and so marred by illogical reasoning, that we rise from the task, convinced that Lord Uufferin's ])osition, as taken by himself in his answer to the ninety-two memorialists and in his despatch to the Earl of Kimberley, was the correct one ; and that he, in his dealings with the embroglio, has done the cause of Constitutional Government good service, in the proper ap])lication of its principles, and the enlightened working of its rules of practice. The House was prorogued on the 13th August. On the 14th a Royal Commission was issued under the Canadian Act, 31 Vic, Cap. 38, to the Hon. Charles Dewey Da}-, of Montreal, late one of the Judges of the Superior Court ; the Hon. A. Polette, of Three Rivers, one of the Judges of the Su])erior Court; and James Robert Gowan, of Barrie, County Court Judge of the County of Simcoe, in the Pro- vince of Ontario, authorizing them to enquire into the various mat- ters connected with the issue of the Pacific Railway Charter. It will be borne in mind that Mr. Mackenzie's motion of the 13th August declared that : "Constitutional usage requires tliat charges of corruption against Ministers of the Crown sliould lie investigated by Parliament, and that the assuminion of that duty by ary tribunal created by the Executive would be a flagrant violation of iho privileges, of tliis House." This was, of course, directed against the anticipated issue of a Royal Commission, which the leader of the Opposition, supported by all of his followers, with the exception, perhaps, of Mr. Blake — whose adhesion to the doctrine of Mr. Mackenzie does not seem to have been clo.se — took pains beforehand to denounce. liut the point of Constitutional lav/ involved is by no means clear in Mr. Mackenzie's favor; on tlie contrary, it seems to be pretty clear ago nst him. In discussing Colonial Constitutional law, it must be kept constant- ly in view that a Governor General, unlike Her Majesty, has two lsr^] THE EARL OF DUFFEKIN IN CANADA. 175 characters : he is the head of the Executive of the Dominion, and thus far his i)Osition is similar to that of Her Majesty in Britain, — but he is, besides, an Imperial officer, charged with the duty of guarding Im- perial interests, as rontra-distinguished from Colonial ones. In this particular case this duty was emphasized by the fact that the Home Government had passed an Act to guarantee a large loan to be raised for the purpose of assisting the Pacific Railway enterprise. Admit- ting, for the sake of argument, that the issue of the Royal Commis- sion was J>cf se an improper interference with the privileges of Parliament, — for it is not denied that the moment the House had become "seized" of the matter by the ai)pointmert of a Parliamen- tary Committee, any interference with that proceeding would have i)ccn irregular — yet it by no means follows that the Governor General, ill his character of guardian of Imperial interests, was debarred from eiKiuiry. It might — and there is nothing unreasonable in supposing such a case — it might happen that a dishonest or factious Ministry, supported by a dishonest or factious majority in the House, was pursuing a dishonorable course affecting Imperial interests. To pro- tect these interests is the duty of the representative here of the Crown, but to ap])eal to his Ministry would, in the case sujjposed, be useless. Would there be no escape from so anomalous a position? The duty of the Governor General was to facilitate the Parliamentary encpiiry, which he did to the utmost extent of his ability, by insisting on an early and extra session of the House; his duty to the Im{)erial author- ities was to institute an encjuiry at the earliest moment, — and this he did by means of the Royal Commission. It is vain and unfair to argue that he should not have prorogued. Had he permitted the House, as constituted on the 13th August, to take the m;itter into its control, he would have been playing into the hands of an unscrui)ulous minor- ity of the whole House, who well knew that a great many of the sup- porters of the Ministry, trusting to the understanding arrived at before they left Ottawa on the 23rd May, were not in attendance. Ad- journ the House he could not, for thai is the act of the House itself ; and as the Session was at the moment composed of a majority of the Opposition, who had evidently gathered in strength, hoping to take the Ministry at a disadvantage, — to leave this majority to proceed accord- ing to their pleasure would havr been to break faith, or rather permit them, too willing as they were, to break Liith with the other members, who were, many of them, thousands of miles distant. 'I he only course, therefore, open tc the Governor Geiieral was to prorogue, with 176 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1873 the pledge of a speedy Session, and issue a Royal Commission. Ry this strictly constitutional proceeding he obtained an enquiry into the conduct of his Ministers, whom he could not on the simplest princi]jles of justice dismiss on mere suspicion,— and he avoided all interference with the privileges of Parliament, since an enquiry on the part of the House could be ordered when it next met. The Commission was declared to be issued under the authority of the Act of Canada, 31 Victoria, chapter 38 (1868) intituled, "An Act Respecting Inquiries Concerning Public Matters," which provides that : «' Whenever the Governor in Council deems it expedient to cause enquiry to he made into and concerning nny matter connected with the good government of Canada, or the conduct of any part of the pubhc business thereof, and such encjuiry is not regulated by any special law, the Governor may, by the Commission in tlie case, confer the power to examine witnesses on oath," &=€. It was urged that this Act gave power to the " Governor in Coun- cil " only to issue the Commission, but, be that as it may, Sir John Macdonald urged the issue from the commencement, and the fact that it was really issued as an act of the J3ominion Government in no way detracted from its value as a means of obtaining information, untlor oath, — from Sir John Macdonald's frankness in offering it, nor from His Excellency's sincere desire to obtain the fullest information as to the conduct of the members of his Government at the earliest moment, find in the most thorough manner possible. On the 1 8th August His Excellency sent to the Colonial Secre- tary, the Earl of Kimberley, the following despatch : No. 198. Canada, .htg. 18, 1873. Mv Lord, — In my previous despatch of liie 15th August, I had the honor of informing your Lordship of the circumstances under which Parliameni w.i^ pro- rogued on the ijlh. As a con>^'(juence .>! that event, tlie Pacific Railway Conimiuec of Kiu[uiiy became extinct, and, ah I have already mentioned, an interval of eight or ten wciks was to ';hipse befor. the n assembly of Parliament. A questit>n consi iaciuly arose as lo whether, ilunng this short recess, anything could be doiu' to Knw.ud the hitlierto aoortive inciuiry touching the Pacific Railway Charter. Whtii I was at Prince Edward Island, and in communication with my (wo Ministers, .Messrs. '/'i/hy and Tuppcr, — shortly after the publication of the Mi Mid- len correspoodence, — 1 had intimated to them that, should the Comniiuee of the House of t ..minions fiivi itself unable lo prosecute the investigation, the trutli imist be got at !~omehow. — and that perhaps an in([uiry conducted before three jii(lt,Tsof the land might prove a satisfactory issue out of the difficulty. In niakini; this suggestion 1 svas actuated by a double motive. In the first place, I was ikx| ly 1873] THE EARL OF DUFFKRIN IN CANADA. 177 distressed at the embarrassing relations whicli existed between my Ministers and nivself. '1 hese gentlemen were being assailed by irresponsible newspaper corre- spondfiits with accusations of the most injurious description. Documents which, perhajis, in themselves proved nothing, had been brought into an allLj^ed connec- tion with a narrative that invested them with a very sinister signification. Tiie rnrliamentary Committee that had undertaken to discover the truth appeared to be jiaralyzed, and the accused were thus shut out from all means of vindicating lliLir cliaracters. Vet it was to these persons I was Viound to recur for advice in all matters affecting the administration of public affairs. Again, as an Imperial olricer, it was my duty to watch with especial care over Imperial interests. The allegation current against my Ministers and others, was that tiiey had fraudulently dealt w ith certain monetary trusts, voted indeed by the Parliament of Canada, but guaranteed, to a considerable extent, by the Imperial Government. This being so, I was evidentl) bound, apart from any action of the Canadian House of Commons, wliiise powers of scrutiny seemed for the present of small avail, to obtain satisfac- ticrn in regard to these matters by any constitutional methods within my reach. Indeed from this point of view it was not the Ministry of the day, — who are but an evanescent Committee of Parliament, — but the Parliament of Canada itself that was responsible to (Jreat Britain in respect of any malversation which might have occiureii — as having confided the disposal of these interests to improper agents. Al the same time, as long as the Parliamentary Committee was in existence, even though it had ceased to act, the resort to any other instrument of investiga- tion was not desirable. Beyond, therefore, the casual suggestion to which I have referred, nothing further was volunteered by me in this sense. Wlien, however, the prorogation of Parliament being decided upon, and the Committee of the House of Ldmnuins being about consequently to become extinct, my (iovernnient under- took, on its own responsibility, to advise the issue of a Commission to three Judges ofeharacter, standing, and acknowledged integrity, I had no difficulty in acquiesc- iiii; in their recommendation. I have now, therefore, to inform your Lordship that on the 14th August T signed a ('onimission at the instance of my responsible advisers, and by \irtue of the jKiwers vested in the Ciovernor General by the Canadian Act of the 31 Vic, Cap. 38, to die Honorable Judge Day, the Honorable Judge Polette and Judge Cowan, autliori/ing them to inquire into the various matters connected with tiie issue of the racilie Railway Charter. A copy of this Commission I havethe lionor to ajipend. On iiferring to it, your Lordship will observe that the purview of the Com- mission is very wide and inquisitorial, and that there is nothing to restrict its recep- tion of anything that may appear to deserve the name of evidence. The professional antecedents of these gentlemen are set forth in the accomixvnying docunienl, which hasl.ieii jjiepared for me by my Ministers. Only one of them is personally Icnown to me, viz. : Judne Day, who, as Chancellor of the Mctiill University, received me on niy visit io that Institution. Since that we have improved our acquuintance, and 1 liave no hesitation in stating, both from what I know and have kariu, that 1 liave every contidence in Judge Day's high sense of honor, capacity, and tirmness. 1 W.iw also considered it my duty to satisfy myself as to the (jualifications of the I wo uther gentlemen with whom he is associated, and I am in a position to 178 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1873 inform your Lordship that they are generally regarded as persons of unblemished integrity, sound judgment, and professional aV)ility, while the length of time all three have been removed from politics frees them from the suspicion of political partizanship. Notwithstanding the creditable antecedents of these personages, they have been sharply assailed by the Opposition press, for which the praises of the Ministerial organs is scarcely an adecjuate consolation. Perhaps, however, it may not be amiss that I should append two or three articles from newspapers bitterly ojiposed to the (jovernment, who, nevertheless, are compelled to bear a scant and niggard testimony to the high qualities of these gentlemen. Under ordinary circumstances, I should have thought it sufficient to have ter- minated my despatch at this point, but as matters now stand, it is necessary that I should describe to your Lordship the chief features of the controversy to which tht; issue of this Commission has given rise. The objections urged against it seem to be three in numl)er. 1st. That the present investigation is not of the kind contemplated by the Act. This point is so entirely a question of legal interpretation that I can only be guided in regard tc it by my law officer. 2nd. That the issue of the Commission is an invasion of the privilege of Parlia- ment ; that Parliament being seized of the matter, no other authority has a rigiit to concern itself in the investigation. I apprehend that this view cannot be sustained. The powers with which the Commission is vested being legal, and granted by Parliament without limitation, it is difficult to believe tlx.ci their exercise can be held an interference with the pri- vileges of Parliament. It is not a criminal suit, but a simple inquiry that has been instituted by the House of Commons at the instance of my Ministers. Moreover, Parliament has ceased to conduct this inquiry- The Crown possesses no atjsulute guarantee that it will be renewed, or that, when renewed, it will be effectual. If Ministers fall on a vote of want of confidence on the address, it might j)i()ve tlie interest of so many persons to let the matter drop, that the Committee may not be re-appointed. Unless conducted under oath, the investigation will certainly prove ineffectual ; and I am advised that it is doubtful whether any device exists by wliich a mere Committee of the House of Commons can be enabled to swear its witnesses. If, therefore, an immediate investigation will promote the " good f lovernnient of Canada," to quote the words of the Act, I do not apprehend that ParlianuMit can denounce tlie Commission as a breach of privilege. The House of Commons may declare the issue of the Commission to be inopportune and unadvisable, and may visit with its displeasure the Ministers who counselled its appointment, but it can have no locus standi as against the Crown itself. Moreover, it mast be remembered that the Commission can in no way intLMcept or supersede the jurisdiction of the House tif Commons. It will be quite com- petent for Parliament to ignore the fact of its having existed. Its influence on the present situation will entirely depend on the way in which it discharges its function^. If the public is convinced that it has elucidated the truth — no matter with "bat result — its position will be unassailable — if it fails to do so, it will not require the action of Parliament to proclaim its dich^ance. 1873] THE EARL OF DUFFEUIX IN CANADA. 179 There is yet another way of looking at the matter. Few people will deny that individually I have the right to require an exjihmation from my Ministers in rej^ard to these transactions. Hut it is evident that in respect of so complicated a busi- ness I have neitiier the time, nor tiie knowledge, nor the professional acutcness necessary to unravel the tangled web of incriminatory matter presented to me. If, tlitii, I possess the legal power, and if, by undertaking to answer for the Act, my Ministers endow me with the constitutional power, can Parliament comiilain if I t.nke advantage of these circumstances to subject my Ministers, through the C'om- niission that represents me, to such an interrogatory as I may deem .advisable, or if 1 order the collection of such other evidence as may be forthcoming, and is calculated to throw light upon the business ? Nor has Mr. IIuHtington himself any grounds to dispute my right to take cognizance of this affair. While the Parliamentary Committee was still in exist- ence, he approached me officially and directly with communications incriminating sworn members of my Privy Council. It is true I returned him the documents he forwarded, and declined to take personal cognizance of a matter then before a Committee of the House of Commons, but I retain his covering letter, and it is scarcely competent for him, — the Committee having ceased to exist, — to decline the jurisdiction of the Commission so far as it is concerned with what he himself liroiight to my notice. Hy his own act he has invited my intervention, and sub- mitted the matter to the direct cognizance of the Crown. Thirdly. Tlie *^ personnel" of the Commission is complained of as partial to the Covernment, and as having been chosen by the accused. Into the personal (luestion I need not enter further than I have done. That the Commissioners shuidd have been named by the Covernment is an accident inevitable to the anomalous situation of affairs ; but when we consider the character and antecedents of tliese gentlemen, that they sit in open court, that their powers of inquiry are luiiimited, that they will act under the eyes of unsparing critics, that any ajjjiear- ance of flinching rn their part will only stimulate llie desire both in and out of Parliament for further inquiry, and that in such an event a review of the case by the House of Commons is extremely probable, I do not think that any practical objection can be taken to them on this account. 1 should have much preferred that Sir yo/ui's previous offer to the House of Commons' Committee should have been renewed, for although this Committee can- not lie pronounced free from those characteristics which adhere to all Parliamen- tary Committees on such occasions, it might possibly possess greater vigor of evisceration than a Commission, though its ultimate verdict might not prove iMiani- mous. It would, moreover, have been able to command the appearance of Mr. lluntiiigton as a willing prosecutor. That gentleman, as I understantt, intends to question the jurisdiction of Judge Day and his colleagues. Of course, the Minis- terialists asseverate that he fears being brought to book, that having thoroughly prejudiced the pui)lic mind through the agency of Mr. .l/c.l////(V«V letters he would \villinL;ly let the Government lie as long as possible under the odium of a vague vhaige which accurate inc^uiry would dispose of ; but this seems a groundless asper- sion. Mr. Huntington may be, and indeed 1 trust, and so far believe, is mistaken, lie may have "got hold of the wrong end of the stick," and have been too quick in 180 IIISTOKY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [IHI?, draw iiif,' inferences ; it may l)e (ioubtful if he is well advised in declininfj to appear, if that siiould he liis determination, hut tiiat after all he has said and done lie should have misgivings as to his case is not credible, and such an injurious supposition is unjiuliliahlc. Hut the difl'iculties in tlie way of niaUinij; a second offer to Messrs. Bliikc and Doiion api)eared insuperable, for both these {gentlemen dediniiij^ Sir jfo/iii's former proposal to make them Commissioners grounded themselves iidt only on the necessity of obtaining the House's sanction to their change of status, an objection which, though somewhat subtle, was iierhajis. sustainable, but furthermore asserted that as Commissioners their independence would be destroyed. Mr. lUnkc, moreover, had stated that on jiersonal grounds he could not consent to act on a Commission appointed under the advice of Sir John MacdonalU. As there was no reason to suppose that these gentlemen had changed their minds in these resjieds, it ditl not appear advisable to re-approach them on the subject. Under these circumstances it was evident, — if the interval that must elapse before the re-assembly of Parliament svas to be utilized, — that any incpiiry which might be possil)le must be contidetl to fresh hands. That my Ministers should desire an opp'\tunity of making themselves heard can lie well understood. The language used on their behalf is something of this sort •• — "For months past we have been the objects of the vilest calumnies. (Jur " most confidential documents have been purloined by an informer, and dishonestly " connected with a narrative which is itself untrue. Hitherto we have had no " opportunity of relnitling these accusations. The instrument appointed by the " House of Commons to do justice between us and our traducers has proved " powerless for that object. Considering with whom we have to deal, we re(|nire '' the evidence against us to be substantiated by an oath. We are not willing to *' place our honor at the mercy of our accusers unless protected against perjury. " We ourselves are anxious to be heard ujion our oaths. We doubt whether a "Committee of the House of Commons can accjuire the power of swearing in its " witnesses without an Imperial Act. We think it but fair before Parliament " re-assembles that we should have an opportunity of answering fully, point i)y " point, the injurious allegations brought against us. This cannot be done by mere " statements. We desire therefore to subject ourselves to as searching an inlerro- "gatory as a skilled tribunal or our most bitter opponents can apply. Unless we " have this opportunity we shall meet Parliament at a disadvantage. Our enemies "have possessed themselves of the ear of the public for months. We have had " no opportunities of counteracting these inlluences. l^t at least our story be "heard before a premature decision is snatched fr(jm Parliament, saturated as it "may have become with these calumnies. We do not wish to escape from the " scrutiny of the House of Commons. We know we could not do so, — did we so " desire, — but since its action is for a time suspended, do not condemn us to " remain, during the interval, under the opprol)num of such accusations." It is not my jirovince to examine the force of this pleading. I merely report it for your Lorilship's information ; but no one can fad to see that my Ministers are fairly entitled, so far as the law allows them, to do whatever in them lies to diss.pate the impression occasioned by the enforced silence entailed upon them by the inaction of the late Parliamentary Committee. l.^T.'JJ TllK KAIIL OF DUFFEHIN IN CANADA. ISl I have now concludtHl my narrative of the two ini]iortant occurrences in which I li.ive found myself so unexpectedly en^'a};ed. My anxieties have l)een very {,'reat, and my position most embarrassing;. If I iiave erred in the conihict of these aflairs, I firl I can count upon your Lordship's indul^'ence to put a favorable construction on my intentions. Trained in tiie iilx;ral school of politics under the auspices of a j^reat cliamjiion of I'arliamentary rights, my political instincts would revolt against any undue exercise of the Crown's Trerogative. Vet it is of this 1 find myself accused. I trust, however, that reflection will dissipate such impressions, and that the people of Canada will ultimately feel that it is for their permanent interest that a Ciovernor (leneral should unflinchingly maintain the principle of Ministerial rt^poiisibility, and that it is better he sliould l)e too tardy in reliiuiuishing this palhidium of colonial liberty, tlian too rash in resorting to acts of jiersonal inter- fcicnce. (.'onsidering how eager has been the controversy, I cannot hope to escnjie criticism, Imt any irritation thus engendered will jierhajw be softened by tlie reflec- tion that, coming to this country full of faith in its people and its destinies, I was naturally slow to believe that widespread public and jiersonal corruption should e\i>t among its most eminent public men. If it should turn out that I have been (kcL-ived in my estimate of Canadian purity, the error is one which Canada may afford to pardon. If, as I trust will be the case, the integrity of her chief states- men is vindicated, I shall be well content if the fact of " my not having despaired of the Republic" is forgotten in the general satisfaction such a result will |)roduce. He that as it may, there is one circumstance which we can regard with unmiti- gated satisfaction. The alleged revelations which have taken place have profound- ly moved the whole population. Ajiart from the section of society " within ])oli- tics " whose feeling may be stimulated by other considerations, every citizen in the country, no matter how indifferent to public affairs, has been dismayed and humiliated by the thought that such things as are alleged to have taken place by Mr. McMiiUoi and Mr IInntiii^toii should be possible. This is a re-assuring sign, and even should it be found, which God forbid, that the Government has been un- worthy of the trust confided to it, the indignation and the searchings of heart that will ensue throughout the land will go far to cleanse the public life of Canada fur many a year to come. I must apologize ibr the length of this and my previous despatch, but in record- ing; these transactions, I felt that I was contributing to a page of the History of Canada. I have, (S~'c., (Signed,) DL'FFERIN. Hie Right Hon. the Earl of Kimberley, e^c,, (^c, iSt^c. Dates may be antici])ated hc^e, l>y introducing the expression of the opinions of the Imperial Minisny on these despatches. Downing Strekt, 9th Octolier, 1873. My Lord, — I have received and laid before the Queen your Lordship's despatches, No. 197 of the 15th August, and No. 198 of the i8th August, giving IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) 1.0 ISBS I I.I f, Ui 1^ 2.5 2.2 2.0 u 1.25 1.4 1.6 ^ 6" ► '/] !» .-k^.^''.^ # ^"^V" ^^\'>' A /^ 'W '/ Hiotographic Sciences Corporation 23 WI' T MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14S80 (716) 872-4503 s? 182 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1873 an account of the circumstances connected with the recent prorogation of the Dominion Parliament, and the issue of a commission to enquire into the chnri^cs brought forward by Mr. Huntington. Her Majesty's (lovernment have read these clear and able statements with much interest. It is not their (luty to express any opinion U|H)n the particular measures adopted on the advice of your responsilile Ministers, but they fully approve your having acted in these matters in accordance with constitutional usage. I have, 6^., KIMBERLEY. Governor Gkni-rai., The RionT HoNORABLK The Eari. of Dufferin, &*c. The London Times, a journal which has so frequently expressed opinions offensive to all intelligent and loyal Canadians, and views of colonial policy antagonistic to the prosperity of Canada, is yet an authority of respectable weight when it confines itself to questions of purely constitutional law. That paper, speaking without full infor- mation, at first condemned the proceedings of Lord Dufferin, hut subsequently, when they could be interpreted by the light of the accurate statement of facts which his despatches and the evidence taken before the Commission contained, it veered round, and con- cludes a very fair review of the case, in its issue of the 6th Novem- ber, with these words : •* But, whatever may lie the issue, the vindication of Lord Duflerin is complete. Tlie page of the History of Canada which he mmlestly apologizes for writing may record events discreditable to the public men of the Dominion, but it contains nothing that does not reflect honor on the representative of the British Crown." His Excellency left Ottawa immediately after prorogation, en route for St. John, N.B., where he was to rejoin Lady Dufferin, and proceed on his progress through the Provinces. His Excellency arrived at St. John, on the 19th August, where he met Lady Dufferin, who had just come from Halifax and Anna- polis. They were both received with unusual demonstrations of joy.* * The following notice, cut from a local paper, is a tnithful picture of the recep- tion of His Excellency in the chief city of New Brunswick : " Those in Ontario who were curious to know how His Excellency would l)e received on his return from Ottawa, those especially who predicted that the people would follow their own disreputable example of abusing him, must Ix; interested in knowing that the demonstration in St. John has surpassed any previous demonstration in honor of a Governor General ever given in this city ; that it has lieen a popular demonstra- tion in every sense, a demonstration without the aid of civic appropriation, regular troops, or official pomp of any kind ; and that the meanness shown by the 1873] THK EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 183 As usual the days of their stay were days of universal holiday- making, and the recent occurrences at Ottawi had so elevated His Kxcellency in the estimation of all well-balanced minds that the citizens of St. John did their utmost to prove their respect and attach- nunt. A drawing room reception, ball, regatta, torch-light procession, public holiday and addresses were the order of the time. In his reply ti) an address jiresented by the children of the Common Schools of St. John, His Kxcellency truly said : " Kdiicition is a subject to which I have devoted a great deal of my time, and in wliich I am deeply interested. During my tour through the various parts of tlif I )<)minion, I have felt it my duty to pay es]iecial attention to a subject so vital to ilif interests of Canada, and wherever I have gone I have had the satisfaction of observing that the education of the children is among the foremost subjects which |)re-occupy the attention of my fellow citizens. ♦ • • j ^vju conclude by saying thiit among the many glorious sights which it has lieen my gocxl fortune to witness since I crossed the Atlantic, there is none wl.'ch has l)een so gratifying to liie feelings of myself and of the Countess of Duflcrin as that which is here exliibilfd. (Jentlcmen, I see before me, standing in the brightness of their youth .-inil Uaiity, the smiling representatives of the seven Provinces which constitute this 1 )()niinion ; — and, if I may lie jiermitted to close my observations with a prayer, it is that as their prototypes now stand side by side in sisterly union, and in the l)rii;htni"ss of their youthful loveliness, so may these glorious Provinces ever remain uniti8) ; Mr. Laflamme (19) ; Mr. Carter (20) ; Mr. Burpee (21) ; Mr. Domville (22) ; Mr. Pickard(23) ; Mr. Ouimet (24) ; Mr. Prevost (25) ; Mr. Mathieu (26) ; Mr. Huntington (27) ; Mr. White (28) ; Mr. Bodwell(29) ; Mr. W. McK. Wright (30) ; Mr. Mills (3«} ; Sir John Macdonald (32) ; Mr. Blake (33) ; Mr. J. Hillyard Cameron (34) ; Mr. Laird (35) ; Mr. D. A. Smith (36) ; Mr. Pope (37); Mr. Dodge (38) ; Mr. Davies (39). (1) .Minister of Customs, and member for Cumberland, N.S. (2) Memlwr for Vancouver, B.C. (3) Meml)er for the City of London — Upjiosition. (4) Member for Missisquoi — Opp. (5) Mend)er for Waterloo. {(>) Memlx;r for Ikant, N.R., now Chief Justice of Manitoba — Opposition. (7) Mtnit)er for St. John, N.U. — Minis- terialist. (S) .Member for Ixnnox, Ont., now Min- ister of h inance — Opposition. (9) Meml)er for Cape lireton — Opp. (10; .Mcml)er for Krontenac — Ministerl't. (11; Meml)er for Inverness, N.S. — Opp. (12) Meml)erfor Russell, Ont — Minister. (13) .Meml)erfor Marquette, Man. — Opp_ (14) Memlx'r for Cariboo, B.C. — Minst. (15) .Memlwr for Lotbiniere — Opposition (10) Memlx;rfor Siielburne, N.S., now Keceiver-Ceneral — Opposition. (17) .Member for Norfolk, Ont.— Opp. (18) Minister of Finance, Memlwr for St. John, N.B., late Lieut, (jovernor of New Brunswick. (19) MemlH;r for Jac(iues-Cartier, Que- l)ec — Opposition — Now Minister of Justice. (20) Memlier for Brome — Ministerialist. (21) Member for St. John, N.B. — Oppo- sition — Now Minister of Customs. (22) Memlx-'r for Kings, N.B. — Minstr't. (23) Meml)er for York, N.B. — Opp. (24) Memljcrfor Laval, Q. — Ministerl't. (25) Memlier for Two Mountains — Opp. (2()) Meml)er for Richelieu — .Ministerl't. (27) Meml)er for ShetTord, Q. — Opposi- tion — Now Post-Master (Jeneral. (28) Meml)erforK. Hastings— Ministl't (29) Member for Oxford, S.R. — Opp. (30)Memlx.'r for Fontiac, Q.— Ministrl't. (31) Meml)or for Bothwell, Ont. — Opp. — Now Minister of the Interior. (32) Member for Kingston — Premier of Canada. il. I ipl' 190 HISTORY OF THE ADMIN IHTUATION OF [1H73 The House adjourned at 1.30 a.m. of 5th November, and on its opening at 3.30 p.m. of the .same day, Sir John Macdonald announced that : "The advisers of the Crown, until jestenKny, until last ni{;ht, l)elicvceeches made in this House, and from certain communi- cations more or less formal, outside of this House, reason to l)elievethat they have not at th s moment a good working majority, and the consequence was that I felt it my duty lo-day to go to His Kxcelleiicy the Governor General, and to res|H.'ct- fuUy tender him the resignation of the present (iovernment ; and I have his autho- rity, and 1 may rejieat now what I stated two days ago, that no statement could l>e made by a Minister connected with any action of the Crown without the direct assent and consent of the Crown. I have it, therefore, in charge from His Kxcul- lency to state that he has accepted the resignation of the present Administration, and I have his authority to state that ht- has sent for Mr. Mackenzie, the leader of the Opposition, to form a tlovernment." On Friday, the 7th November, Mr. Holton annou'. ^ed to the House that Mr. Mackenzie had executed the commissic 'trusted to him by His Excellency the (Governor Cieneral, and he submitted the names of the members of the new Administration as follows: Mr. Mackenzie, Minister of Public Works ; Mr. Dorion, Minister of Justice • Mr. Blake, a member of the Privy Council without a Department • Mr. A. J. Smith, Minister of Marine and Fisheries ; Mr. Letellier de St. Just, Minister of Agriculture ; Mr. Cartwright, Minister of Finance ; Mr. I^ird, Minister of the Interior ; Mr. Christie, Secretary of State ; Mr. Burpee, Minister of Customs ; Mr. McDonell, Post Master General ; Mr. Coffin, Receiver General ; Mr. Fournier, Minister of Inland Revenue ; Mr. Ross, Minister of Militia and Defence ; and Mr. R. W. Scott, a member of the Privy Council without a portfolio,— leaving the Presidency of the Privy Council yet to be filled. At 4 o'clock, His Excellency prorogued Parliament. Thus ended the most exciting Session of Parliament since Confe- deration. A leader, confessedly the most able statesman Canada had (33) Memlier for South Bruce — Opp. (34) Member for Cardwell, since de- ceased — Ministerialist . (35) Member for Belfast, P.E.I.— Opp. — Now Lieut. Governor of N.W. Territories. (36) Member for Selkirk, Manitoba. (37) Memlier for Queen's, P.E.I.— Min- isterialist. (38) Member for North York— Minisll't. (39) Member for King's, P.E.I.— Opp. 187:{] THE KARL OF DUFFEUIN IN CANADA. 191 yet produced, supported by a powerful party of warm admirers, — one who had been for a (juarter of a century a member of every Conserva- tive (Jovernment in the old Province, and of the new Dominion of Canada, — who had rendered the Imperial Covernment most signal and valuable services in its negotiations with the United States, — who had been the ruling spirit by which the noble work of Confederation had been consummated, — a chief by whose astuteness and adaptability to the reasonable wishes of the Provinces, Nova Scotia had been (liiicted, and New Hrunswick satisfied ; and by whose skillful hand the beautiful Province of Prince Kdward Island and the magnificent territory of British Columbia had been added to the great Dominion, — a gentleman whom Her Majesty had signally honored, — a Minister who had dispensed the enormous patronage of the Crown for almost half an ordinary lifetime without his most bitter political opponent daring to charge him with personal dishonesty, — one who had by his admirable social (lualities secured the tsteem of all classes, cieeds, and races, — who counted his personal enemies on his fingers, his personal friends as the sands of the seashore, — one who had entered public life a comparatively rich man, but now laid down the seals of office, a [joor one, — a Minister who had raised thousands to posts of honor and wealth, and had taken no thought for his own old age : this man was comi)elled to bend to the verdict of the people of Canada, when they reluctantly declared him guilty of an act as to which much may be said in extenuation, — in justification — nothing. As the great debate proceeded it became more and more evident that it would be impossible, successfully, to resist Mr. Mackenzie's amendment. It is creditable to the people of Canada that they were determined, at whatever sacrifice, to declare to the world that the corruption of the country which had culminated in this transaction would not be condoned by them ; and it was as creditable to the Conservative members of the House that they refused to join in the justification of the proceedings so justly arraigned before Parliament. No vote was taken. The Conservative party were desirous of examin- ing all the evidence, of listening to all that could be said by the pro- moters of the charges, and of considering all the points made in defence, or extenuation. When the debate had exhausted all these means of forming an accurate opinion, the friends of Sir John, seeing that it would be useless to go to a division, advised the lesignation of the Ministry, which was accordingly placed in the hands of His Excellency. P 11 • 192 HIHTOUY OF THE ADMINrSTIlATION OF [1H7.1 They said that though the precise charges made by Mr. Huntington had not been established, yet enough of impropriety ha purposes, a venial. 'I'| —Sir Hug liundreds (j who (ontri ihird of a ir an authori^ therefore, fr •"'irjohn tlia it (lid not lii cries (,f abh suing for y, (It'i.ths of w pi-'rhaps inoi hounding to st-TVed for Si T''in- felt tli; no oiif char^ o'''i system f ^^t^rt^' e(|uai|_\ ^^^ '.iberals [xr.\] TIIK KAKL OK KIKKKHIX IX CANADA. 193 extent less than the Conservatives, simply because their means were less. The depth of their sins was measured only by the depth of their purses. 'I'he result of the contested election cases brought before the Courts during the subsecpient years clearly j)roves that the Liberal (TV of " purity " was a hypocrisy and a sham, — for their seats in the House fell before the judgments of the Courts like grain before the reaper, — and this too in face of the strongest legislation against l)ril)cry and corrupt practices, and in face of their own loud-mouthed professions of purity. The vice had penetrated even to the fireside of iIk- well-to-do farmer, and after (ontaminatiug the needy pop';' nions of large towns had invaded the precincts of a class of peoj)le who ild not |)ka(l poverty in excuse for their crime. The practice had guwn up ill each party, of organizing election associations, charf>L 1, am .ig otiur duties, with that of raising a fund for election purposes. The rainifii ations of the«^e Oigani/ations were enomious, they extend' d i/.to every hamlet of the Dominion, and every supporter of his j)artv was expo* ltd to n.ntribute to this fund according to his means. It was never piil)licly announced, but every one knew that great jmrtions of the moneys collected by these organizations were used for improper purposes, and the impropriety had come to be looked upon as almost venial. Thousands of partisans contributed their hundreds of dollars, —Sir Hugh .Allan, being an e.xceptionally rich man, contributed his hundreds of thousands. The difference between the humble laborer who ( ontributed his dollar, and the millionaire who contributed his third of a million was simply one of degree, and the practice seemed an authorization for universal corruption. In receiving money, tlierefore, from Sir Hugh it may fairly be urged in extenuation by •Sir John that nothing unusual had been done, and that, at all events, it (lid not lie in die mouth of the Liberals to condemn with such loud cries of abhorrence a practice which they themselves had been pur- suing,' for years with increasing vigilance and extent, and into the depths of whose foulness they were themselves at the very moment perliaps more deeply plunged than the men whom they were now hounding to death. It was chiefly this consideration which has pre- served for Sir John Macdonald the sympathy and support of his i)arty. I'hey felt that he had fallen a victim — not to his own impurity — for no one charged him with any personal dishonor, but to the impurity of a system for the establishment and growth of which both parties were e(|ually responsible, — and when they found the attacks of the Liberals accompanied by the most hypocritical professions N 194 HISTORY OT THE ADMINISTRATION OF [187;t of honesty and purity, which every one knew to be hollow, the great Conservative party, while bowing to the judgment of the country, ytt instantly declared their undiminished confidence in Sir John Mac- don aid, and nobly determined to stand by him in this his great day of trial. Meetings were held, declaring this determination, and the Con- servatives quietly retired from the government of the country, content, under the leadership of Sir John Macdonald, to wait until public opinion, never cruel, should again call him, after a proper expiation, to the helm of state.* * 'llie text was written in July — this note on 2oth .September, 1878. At the nomination for Kingston on the loth .Sejitemlier, Sir John made the followinj,' explan.ition : — " \Vith reference to the Pacific Scandal, if the thing had to lie done over ag.iiii I wouhi not make the same mistake. In Ei. gland where they had a higher jxiliti- cal morahty the elections were managed by the Carleton Club for the Conservniives, and tiie Ueform Club for the Lilierals. In Can.ida there was nothing of the kind, and when subscriptions came in to aid in elections they were sent to the leadci of the party. I received money, and I am sorry I did, for we should avoid tho very appearance of evil. I, however, distributed the money I received all over tiie country, — and not one cent went to Kingston. So conscious am I of mistakes hcinj; made in this respect, that when I went to Toronto the first thing done was to ^lart the U. E. Club, which has received and distributed the subscriptions." The readers of Canadian journals will remember with what severity Mr. Culd- win Smith in 1873 arraigned Sir John Macdonald for his participation in the " scandal." This writer is conspicuous for the vigor of his style and for liis imlc- pendence of character, and his letter quoted lielow is referred to as ex|irissive of the almost universal feeling whicii, forming a leading constituent in the -loim of public dissatisfaction, which swept the Mackenzie Ministry out of exi>ionio on the memorable 17th September, 1878, restored Sir John Macdonald to the hi[;h position whicii had been wrested from him on the 5th November, 1873. * '" ''^^ l6th September, 1878, Mr. Smith tints u rites to a Toronto journal : •'Sir, — I perceive that Mr. Brown has been imputing to me, thrnui^h his organ, some sinister and dishonest motive for avowing my conviction that, in our present circumstances, our 1)eervice from being dominated, for years to come, V)y the narrow and vindictive niim! of a man who never, in the whole course of his long public life, has been generous or even just to an opponent. " Yours faithfully, "(JOLDWIN SMITH." 187.1] Mr. i tl'.'ctions Ho is ih jiolitician juvty. J- eouiitry o to any jiai to .Mr. Mi tint our cc I'eojile, ai ludu, and That led him — for ' power, {i Mate. I le \\or(l of d the i)apers dan^'ers \vl divi-ions ai I oth sides de.sire eitht Pacific Sea people, not' want to extt money frouj desperate st opposition, helieved for he Won hi no 'lid. as he (\ "hat he did "f t lie excess was neeessa ""-•'■e as to ti •1 lepuMic. ''ol"een then tile i)eople, '^•'ch (juestion ''on of the ar to him that in ii'oiit, the CIt lition was sel fi'^i-on why I •^!;»C(lonal(l fi to it broke it see any great IST3] THE EAHL OF DUFFKHIX IN CANADA. 105 Mr. Smith in a siieech at Hrockton, West York, a few days liefore the general il'.ctions of 17th Septenil)er, spoke of Sir John and the Pacific Railway matter. \\c is thus reported : He (Mr. Smith) could fairly claim to Ix; an inde])en(lent pulitician — an inde|>endent man — for he had never associated himself with either p.iily. Hut as an indejiendent man he had only one object, and that was that this cmuitry of ours shoidd l)e well governed. (Applause.) He owed no allegiance to .my party ; he owed no allegiance to Sir John Macdonald, to Mr. CJeorge Hrown, 1(1 Mr. Mackenzie, or to any other party lender. He owed allegiance to no one Imt our common country, and he had no object in view but the good of the whole ])t(>])Ie, and esjiecially that section of the jjcople who lived by the sweat of their lnow, and who, in consetpience of misgovernment, are oppressed most cruelly. Tiuit led him to liis reasons — and he did not say that every one agreed with liini — for wishing, on the whole, that Sir John Macdonald might be restored to ]>o\ver. (Applause.) Politics here, unfortunately, were not in a very satisfactory ■•i.itu. He did not wish to paint them blacker than they were, or to say any won! of discouragement ; but he must say that it was impossible to take up lilt.' papers on either side without seeing that there were in existence evils and ilani;crs which arose from the excessive ]iarty spirit and the bitterness of the (livi-ions amongst us. He ascril)ed the party spirit and the corruption with which 1 (ith sides charged each other — and, unfortunately, with some truth — to the dcsiiL' either to hold power, or to drive from power those who hold it. 'Ihe racitic Scandal, for instance, which was continually dinned into the ears of the people, notwithstanding that it w.is a thing of the past — what was it ? He did not want to extenuate it. IJut what was it tiiat led Sir John Macdonald to call for inoiuy from Sir Hugh Allan to be expended in the elections? It was the (Icspcraic struggle for power that was going on, and the keen fight with the then opposition. Sir John Macdonald took no money for himself. If he (Mr. Smith) l)LliL've(l for one moment that one cent of illicit gain went to Sir John Macdonald, lie would not think of saying one word in Hivor of one of his supporters. Sir John dill, as he (Mr. Smith) stated at the time, and as he now frankly said, wrong ; but what he did he did under the pressure of a great party struggle, and in consecjuence uf the excessive party spirit which existed. There were countries in which party was necessary. Look, for example, at France. There was a great question there as to the form of government ; half tiie people wanted a monarchy and half a republic. They must be divided into parties, and there must be a struggle lielween them. So, in Knglond, when there was a struggle between the Crown and the people, there were necess:uily parties ; and even now, while tiiere were siich (juestions to be settled as the existence of the Kstablished Church, the (pies- tiiiii of the aristocricy, etc., the people must l)e divided into parties. Hut it seemed to him tliat in Canada party questions were settled. Canada ha— r lOG THE EAUL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA, [1878 that there would l)e, so long as both parties had the same object, namely, to t^'tt the opposite party out and to get in themselves. On either side evidences were to be found of the same party spirit. He would not fix the blame of this upon any- body, but he would say that the blame was attachable to party spirit and not to persons, as was the case with the Pacific Scandal. He would not go into the stetl rail question or the Anglin contrjict, because, really he did not like to touch am • thing so doubtful. Hut alwut the Hig Push letter there was no doubt. Its authen- ticity had Ixien admitted in a Court of Justice, and he would just remark in rcfti ence to it that it showed the same si)irit as was shown in the telegram sent by Sir John Macdonald to Sir Hugh Allan. There could Ix; no doubt that in both cases money was called for the purpose of influencing the elections. He did not tliiiik there was much difference between calling upon the president of a railway conijinnv and the president of a bank for aid, but he would rather that the president of ilie bank should not be called upon, l)ecause in the banks was the very sinew and vital- ity of our banking system. 'i'he (Jeneral Elections of 17th Septem1)er, 1878, stp.iid unparalleled in the history of British North America. They will l)e fully referred to in their proper place, but it may here lie observed that one ingredient in the popular feeling which then passed over Canada like a tidal wave was a kindly sympathy for Sir John Mac- donald. The people felt that he had l)een sufficiently punished for oflences of wliich he was guilty to an extent even less than his pharnsaical accusers, and they sei/ed the first opportunity of declaring their restored confidence in his integrity, and their never-shaken trust in his ability. He suffered with dignity, and in patience, tlie penalty which his assailants should have shared with him ; and his nobility of character, so strikingly exhibited while the cloud was passing over him, has restored him to the supreme power of the State with the universal respect and the undiminished love of his countrymen. CHAPTER VI. CONTKNTS. Appointment of Mr. Crawford and Mr. Tilley as Lieut. Governors of Ontario and New Brunswick — Policy of the new Ministry — Social System of their Ex- cellencies — Life in Ottawa — General Election in January, 1874 — System of awardirg Medals inaugurated — Proposed appointment of six additional Senators — Imperial Authorities decline to accede to Mr. ^L^cken/ie's retiuest — Visit to Montreal — Latin Address from the High School — Latin Reply — Life in Montreal in February, 1874 — Opening of Parliament, 26th March, 1874 — Speech from the Tiuone — Kiel takes the oath as Meml)er for Provencher — Grand Hall given to their Excellencies by the Citizens of Ottawa— Close of Session, 26th May — Negotiations for a new Reciprocity Treaty with the United States — Their failure — New Hrunswick .School (^)uestion — Points of Constitutional Law established by it -Ministerial Scheme for Building the Pacific Railway — Visit of their Excellen- cies to the Lower St. Lawrence — Visit to Toronto in July, 1874 — Conimcnce- nient of the great Tour of 1874 — Newmarket— Allandale—Harrie^ — Orillia — Lake CvUichiching — Rama — Washago — Gravenhurst^ — Hracebridge — Muskoka River — Port Carling— I-«ike Rosseau — Port Cockburn — Parry Sound — CoUing- wood — Owen Sound — Presqu'ile — Killarney — Manitoulin Island — Little Cur- rent—West Hay — Hruce Mines — Ciarden River — Sault St. NLirie — Hatchewau- ning Hay — Agate Island — Nipigon Hay and River — .Silver Islet — Prince Artinn's Landing — Fort William — The Dawson Road — Shebandowan Lake — Mattewan — Kaministiquia Bridge —Kakabaka Falls — Point Huron — Indian Mission — Chicago — Sjieech in Reply to the Corporatie good enough to favor me with any suggestions which may occur to you as to the conditions on which those annual l)ii/:es should l)e given, and the branches of education to which they might most properly l)e awarded. I have, &^,, (Signed,) H. C. FLETCHER, Gcn'c'ruof Gf>icnr/'s Scavtaiy, Till. Rkv, Dr. McCaul, LL.IX, Univkrsity ok Toronto. TiiK Vkry Rkv. T. E. Hamki,, Laval Univkrsity. \V. ( . Havnes, B.A., McOiM. University. Till, I'RiNciPAi. OK Dai.hoisik Com.kck, Nova Scotia. Till. Trksident ok University ok New Brunswick, Fredericton. Governor General's Okkick, Ottawa, March 31, 1874. Sir, — I am directed by His Excellency the Earl of Dufferin to inform you that, with the view of encouraging education, he is desirous of presenting annually, (lining the time he remains in Canada, a silver medal to \ye competed for under sucli conditions as may ajipear l)est suited to the recjuirements of the case. I'erliaps at your convenience you would be good enough to favor me with any suggestions which may occur to you as to the conditions on which this annual prize should lie given, and the branches of education to which it might most pro- perly be awarded, I have, (S^c, (Signed,) H. C. FLETCHER, Gin'crnor General'' s Secretary. To HIE Secretaries and Principals ok 37 EnucATioNAL Institutions in THE Several Provinces ok the Dominion ok Canada. [Circular.] His Excellency the Governor General, Earl of Dufferin, taking a lively interest in the game of Curling, has decided to give annually, during the time he remains in Canada, a gold medal, to be played for by all the regularly organized Curling Clubs of the Dominion who desire to enter into the competition. The game to be played in competing for this medal to be that described in the rules of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club as for local medal competitions, but with the special provision that eight are to form the number of players in each .H'f 202 HISTORY OF THE AUMINISTKATION OF [lH7i 1S7.J] Club, and the length of rink l)e that in general use in the Dominion, namely 42 yards from hack to tee. The Club which scores the greatest aggregate numl)er of shots to l)e the winner of the medal. The President or the Vice-President and Secretary will l)e charged with the duty of having the ice iirojxjrly marked out, and seeing that the game is |)la\c(! according to the said rules, and the scores correctly kejit. On the completion of the game they will make up a statement showing the particulars, and sign and transmit the same to the undersigned on or Ixjfore the loth day of March next, for the information of His Excellency. His Kxcellency will also give a silver medal to lie jilayed for by all the memlwrs of the winning club who choose to compete for it in accordance with the ruKs aliove referred to, or asj may In; agreed jjion by the members of the said clu' nnd on completion of this match a statement thereof to be made up, and trans ud, as required in the Club match, as soon as circumstances will permit. H. C. FLETCHER, Go7>enior Generals Secrdaiy. Government House, Ottawa, Jan. 30, 1874. The result of this generosity of His Excellency is shewn in Ai)])en- dix A, which contains a list of the subjects for which medals ha\e been awarded, and the names of the successful candidates. One of the first steps taken by Mr. Mackenzie, as head of the new Ministry, was to attempt to secure additional party strength in the Senate. He was in a hopeless minority in that Chamber, and he, therefore, i)roinptIy sought the intervention of the Imperial authori- ties to fortify himself in the Upper House. The power to ai)point to the Senate is, by the 26th Section of the "British North America Act, 1867," conferred on Her Majesty on the recommendation of the Governor General, and Mr. Mackenzie evidently supposed that this recommendation would meet with instant approval. The brevity of his request indicates this, for he gives no specific reason why Her Majesty should thus interfere. The follow- ing are the words of his application as embodied in his official report to the Privy Council of the Dominion : " The undersigned begs leave to report that under the 26th Section of the British North America Act, 1867, Oi. the recommendation of the Governor General, Her Majesty may direct that three or six Senators be added to the Senate. That in his opinion it is desirable, in the public interests, that six additional Senators should lie named under that provision. The undersigned therefore recommends that Her Majesty be requested l)y His Excellency the Governor General to direct that six nieniliers be added to the Senate in accordance with the provisions of 'The British North America Act, 1867.' (Signed,) A. MACKENZIE." \^-i] THE FAUL OF Dl FFERIX IN CANADA. 203 To this request the ICarl of Kimberley, in a despatch to the (lov- ernor (leneral, dated i8th February, 1874, repHes in these words: " I have to acknowlcdjje the receipt of your despatcli No. 34, of the 26th January, enclosing cojiy of an approved report of a Coniinitlee of the Privy (. Duncii, recomniendinji tliat six nienil)ers he added to the Senate, in accordance wiiii a nienioranchnn by Mr. Mackenzie of tiie 22ni' December, 1873. After careful examination of the cpiestion, which is one of consideral)le import- ance, I am satisfied tliat tlie intention of the framers of the 26th Section of ' The liritish North America Act, 1867,' was that this power should Ix: vested in Her Majesty in order to provide a means of bringinj; the Senate into accord with the lh)use of Commons in the event of an actual collision of opinion Ixitween the two Houses. Vou will readily understand that Her Majesty could not be advised to take the responsibility of interferinjr with the constitution of the Senate, excep. upon an occasion when it had l)een made apiiarent that a diflerence had arisen )et\veen the two Houses of so^serious and permanent a character that the (Jovernment could not be carried on without her intervention, and when it could l)e shown that the limited creation of Senators allowed by the Act would apply an adecjuate remedy. This view is, I may observe, stronjjly confirmed by the provisions of the 27th Section, which show that the .addition to the Senate is to l)e reduced to its usual number as soon as possilile after the necessity for the exercise of the special power has passed away. It follows from what I have said that I am not prepared to advise Her Majesty to direct the proposed addition to the Senate." Tlie wisdom of withdrawing from the Dominion Government the ])ower of increasing the members of the Senate is here strikingly exhi- bited. Mr. Mackenzie obtained power in November, 1873 ; he had not met the House, and no opposition had consequently been shown by the Senate ; and yet, on mere suspicion that his measures would be thwarted by an adverse majority in that Chamber, he instantly asks for a new supply of Senators. I'he constitutional history of England would have taught him that the power of increasing party strength in the Lords is never exercised excepting under the most urgent necessity, and in cases where without such an exercise revolu- tion would probably ensue. Had Mr. Mackenzie's request been granted, a precedent would have been formed for a practice which would have degraded the Senate, and utterly destroyed its character as a judicial portion of parliamentary machinery. On the 2nd February their Excellencies visited Montreal, and on the 5th His Excellency, accompanied by Colonel Fletcher, visited the High School. The Preparatory School, under the direction of Profes- sor Robins, was first inspected, and the system of teaching pursued was examined. 204 HISTORY OF TIIK ADMIXIPTHATION OF riH7j Dr. Dawson, Rev. Dr. Jenkins, Professor Mac Vicar, Rev. Canon Bancroft, Mr, Lunn, and other gentlemen, were in attendance, and accomi)anied the Governor in his visit to the different class rooms where the scholars were examined by their teachers, in Latin, mental arithmetic, and other subjects. I'he i)assages and rooms had been neatly decorated for the occasion. The party next proceeded to the High School proper, undir the management of Professor Howe, assisted by a numerous staff of teachers. The cadets, under the command of Captain Barnjmn and Lieut, Adams, were drawn up in the drill room on the ground floor, which was first visited. 'J'hey presented an excellent appear- ance. In one of the class rooms on this floor His Excellency remained to hear an exercise in Paiclid, and having observed the different arrangements of the school as regards accommodation, the party ascended to the rooms of the Oovernors of the school. Rev. Dr. Jenkins then briefly expressed the gratification which the students felt at His Excellency's visit, after which Mr. Macpherson, one of the students, stepped forward and read the following address in the Latin language ; — Viro Excelleiiti Cotiiitiijne iVobili Diiffeii)!, Victoria Rci^inri;if/i(\ are in marked contrast with years gone by, and lead to the hope that Lord and Lady Dufferin will long remain amongst us." The Session closed on th-* 26th May, after a sitting of two months. It was in no way important. Put little was done. The (iovernment ])assed an F'.lection measure providing for voting by bal- lot. The Militia Act provided for the establishment of a Military College on the system adopted at West Point.* The Insolvency Pill was brought down, but was not proceeded with. Nothing was done as to the Court of Appeal. The College was opened at Kingston. ■ [ 208 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1874 ll It will be remembered that in the Speech from the I'hrone on the opening of Parliament it was stated that steps were beir g taken to arrange a iiew Reciprocity Treaty with the Government of the United States, and that a Canadian Commissioner had been appointed to act with the British Minister at Washington in promoting such a Treaty. Mr. (ieorge Brown was called to the Senate on the i6th December, 1873. On the 23rd February, 1874, the following Report of a Committee of the Privy Council, approved by His Excellency the Governor General in Council, was made : " 'I'lie Committee of Council liase had under consideration a memorandum, dated 23rd February, 1874, from tiie Hon. Mr. Mackenzie, reporting that he con- siders the present a most favorable opportunity for a renewal of negotiations fur a Recijirocity 'I'reaty between Canada and the United States of America, by which the claim for compensation as regards the Fisheries might be settled without the reference provided for by Article XXII of the Treaty of Washingto.i,* and therefore recommending that the Imperial Ciovernment be rec[uested to authorize tlie Ikitish Minister at \Vashington to enter into negotiations on that .subject with the Cluvern- ment of the United States." His Excellency the Governor General on the next day despatched this Order of Council to the Colonial Secretary, the Earl of Carnarvon, and added : " My present advisers are very anxious to take advantage of the opportuiiitv which seems about to present itself of re-establisliing a Reciprocity Treaty betwan Canada and tiie United States of America. I imagine that the course the\ con- template V ill be generally approved throughout the country, and they assure nie that it will meet with the approbation of Parliament." On the 5th March the Colonial Minister writes to Lord Dutfcriii that the Earl of Derby had addressed a despatch to the Minister at Wash- ington, instructing him to lake immediate steps for entering into nego- tiations with the United States Ciovernment, with a view to the renewal of the Reciprocity Treaty, and he adds : " L'lxm learning the strong Trf 212 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1874 Iff Dominion when Confederation was established on istjuly, 1867. Her population then was about 285,000, of whom about 96,000 were Roman Catholics. Under the School Law of the Province in force at the time of Con- federation, and up to the passage of a local Act of Parliament on the 17th May, 187 1, Roman Catholics were enabled, whenever their numbers were sufficiently large, to establish schools, where they taught what they pleased; and they were not compelled to contribute by any system of taxation to the support of Protestant or any other schools. In May, 187 1, a new School Act was passed by the Local Parliament withdrawing these privileges, providing for the supi)ort of public schools by a general taxation, and making no distinc- tion of persons or creeds. While the Bill was before the Legisla- ture the Roman Catholics did their utmost, by petitions and other legitimate means, to induce the Legislature at least to grant them the same liberty enjoyed by the Protestant minority in the Province of Quebec and the Roman Catholic minority in Ontario, who were permitted to establish separate schools. By this system the supporter of a separate school is relieved from the burden of contributing to the support of any school other than that of his own faith, and his school tax is paid over to the separate school authorities. This proposition was lost in the House on an equal division. The new Act provided that there should be a compulsory rating and assessment for the support of schools in every county in the Province in a fiscal proportion to the number of the inhabitants, and that no part of the money so raised, or of any money appropriated by the Provincial Government for educational purposes, should be given to any school in which the education was religious. It was urged, with great force, in a petition to His Excellency the Governor General in January, 1872, by the Roman Catholic hierarchy, clergy and laity of this Province, that : '♦ If this Act be allowed to go into operation, your petitioners will be compelled to contribute to the support of a school system of which they conscientiously dis- approve. And if they would not expose their children to what they regard as the most serious and alarming dangers, they must maintain other schools at thtir own expense, thus paying twice, while others pay but once ; or when their numbers or means will not enable them to establish and maintain schools to which they can with safety send their children, they will be compelled to allow them to grow up in ignorance." The petition prayed that the Governor General would disallow the 1874] Act. ' declare( of your jjower 1 the Pro' to inter Act of Parliamt Ministry Act, or the Dor possible. His ; adviser c donald. difficulty Xumen Catholics c that the A( disallowed. The gro I. That Catholics e: and subseqi II. Tha taken away, as having a Now, th tion to educ America Ac or (lissentien Provincial L Province. The Act repealed by reference is r the undersig exists, establ It m.iy b 'ics, or on hodics to ap redress. 1874] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 213 Act. This prayer, supported by the powerful and zealous body who declared the Act to be, " a most serious infringement upon the rights of your petitioners," brought up the question of jurisdiction. If the power to legislate on the education of the people still remained in the Provincial L'igislature the Governor General had no authority to interfere, — but if "The British North America Act, 1867" — the Act of Confederation — had transferred the power to the Dominion Parliament, His Excellency was properly appealed to, and his Ministry would be compelled to advise him either to disallow the Act, or decline to act. The introduction of such a fire-brand into the Dominion House was to be prevented by the Government, if possible. His Excellency in due course referred the petition to the legal adviser of the Crown, the Minister of Justice — then Sir John Mac- donald. His report of the 20th January, 1872, thus dealt with the difficulty : Numerous petitions to His Excellency the Governor General from the Roman Catholics of New Brunswick, most respectably signed, have been received, praying that the Act, Chapter 21, intituled "An Act relating to Common Schools," be disallowed. The grounds upon which the prayer is based are : — I. That the Act will destroy or greatly diminish the educational privileges which Catholics enjoyed at the time of the passing of the British North America Act, and subsequently. II. That the pecuniary grants hitherto made to the graded schools have been taken away, although to those grants Catholics may, in most cases, be fairly regarded as having a prescriptive right. Now, the Provincial Legislatures have exclusive powers to make laws in rela- tion to education, subject to the provisions of the 93rd clause of the British North America Act. These provisions apply exclusively to the denominational, separate or dissentient schools ; they do not in any way affect or lessen the power of such Provincial Legislatures to pass laws respecting the general education system of the Province. The Act complained of is an Act relating to common schools, and the Acts repealed by it apply to parish, grammar, superior and common schools. As reference is made in them to separate, dissentient or denominational schools, and tlie undersigned does not, on examination, find that any statute of the Province exists, establishing such special schools, It may be that the Act in question may operate unfavorably on the Catho- lics, or on other religious denominations, and if so, it is for such religious bodies to appeal to the Provincial Legislature, which has the sole povv-er to grant redress. ■f'; 214 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1874 As, therefore, the Act applies to the whole school system of New Bninswick, and is not specially applicable to denominational schools, the Governor Geneial has, in the opinion of the undersigned, no right to intervene. As to the second objection respecting pecuniary grants, these must, of course, be under the annual sup)ervision of the Legislature, which has the sole power to deal with the public funds, unless, by special enactment, those grants have l)een conferred for a specified period by an Act of the Legislature. In such case the grant might be considered in the nature of a contract, and the repeal might 1)e held to be a breach of that contract. The undersigned does not find that any such statutory contract has been made. Under the circumstances, he is therefore of opinion that no other course is open to the Governor General than to allow the Act to go into operation. Matters remained in this position until the meeting of Parliament in April, 1872. On the 20th May Mr. Costigan moved in substance, that His Excellency should disallow the School Act of 1871. The Hon. Mr. Grey, the Hon. Mr. Chauveau, Mr. Colby, Mr. Dorion and Mr. Mackenzie each moved an amendment, and after a sharp debate, which extended over four days, it was resolved that the opinion of the Law Officers of the Crown, and, if possible, the opinion of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, should be obtained as to the right of the New Brunswick Legislature to make such changes in the School ]jaw as deprived the Roman Catholics of the privileges they enjoyed at the time of the Union, in respect of religious education in the com- mon schools, with the view of ascertaining whether the case comes within the terms of the 4th sub-section of the 93rd clause of the Bri- tish North America Act, 1867. ' In accordance with this resolution the case was submitted to the Law Officers of the Crown, — the Attorney General and Solicitor General, and on the 29th November, 1872, these gentlemen — Sir J. D. Coleridge and Sir G. Jessel — reported to the Earl of Kimberley, the Colonial Secretary : "Tliat we agree substantially with the opinion expressed by the Minister of Justice of the Dominion : — so far as appears from the papers before us, whatever may have been the practical working of annual education grants in the Province of New Brunswick, the Roman Catholics of that Province had no such rights, privi- leges or schools as are the subjects of enactment in the British North America Act, 1867, section 93, sub-section et seq. *' It is, of course, quite possible that the new Statute of the Province may work, in practice, unfavorably to this or that denomination therein, and therefore to the Roman Catholics, but we do not think that such a state of things is enough to bring into operation the restraining powers, or the powers of appeal to the Governor 1S74] General i Dominior conchisioi Subs Executiv Secretan opinion, General, documen February "We i submitted I Thiss but it wij House of the Judic With this of the Co the reply "ftapp Provincial l of Canada, a this case wh though it i< future time 1 ofjustice. "Thisbt with propriel tion which \ on which tht the Dominior It will ment of 1 England, m l^ominion. But in H lies. The others, and I^ruiiswick 1874] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 213 (Jeneral in Council, and the powers of remedial legislation in the Parliament of the Dominion contained in the 93rd Section. We agree, therefore, in the practical conclusion arrived at by Sir John A. Macdonald." Subsequent to this opinion, on the 23rd December, 1872, the Executive Council of New Brunswick submitted to the Colonial Secretary an elaborate argument against Sir John Macdonald's opinion, which was also referred to the Attorney General and Solicitor General, with instructions to report whether, on considering that document, they saw any reason to change their opinion. On the 12th February, they replied : ' ' We see no reason to alter or modify the opinion which has been already submitted to your Lordship on this subject." This settled the question so far as the Law Officers were concerned ; but it will be remembered, that by the resolution of the Dominion House of May, 1872, it was directed that, " if possible, the opinion of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council shall be obtained." With this view the whole case was submitted to the Lord President of the Council, and on the 13th December, 1872, that officer directed the reply to be given, that : " It appears to His Lordship that, as the power of confirming or disallowing Provincial Acts is vested by the Statute in the Governor General of the Dominion of Canada, acting under the advice of his Constitutional advisers, there is nothing in this case which gives to Her Majesty in Council any jurisdiction over this question, though it is conceivable that the effect and validity of the Act may at some future time be brought before Her Majesty as an appeal from the Canadian Courts of Justice. "This being the fact, His Lordship is of the opinion that Her Majesty cannot, with propriety, be advised to refer to a Committee of Council in England a ques- tion which Her Majesty in Council has at present no authority to determine, and on which the opinion of the Privy Council would not be binding on the parties ivk the Dominion of Canada." It will thus be seen that the only mode of obtaining the judg- ment of the highest Court of the Empire, the Privy Coimcil in England, was by way of appeal from that of some court in the Dominion. But in the meantirae this course had been adopted by the Catho- lics. The question was raised in a suit of Auguste Renaud and others, and in Hilary Term, 1873, the Supreme Court of New Brunswick decided that the Provincial Act of 187 1 was within ■FT T 216 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1874 the competence of the Local Legislature, and that it could not bo interfered with either by the Dominion Parliament or the Dominion Government. The case was, therefore, again for the third time submitted to the Law Officers in England, with the addition of this judgment, but with tlie addition also of further opinions and arguments from the Roman Catholic Bishop of St. John, — and on the 7th April, 1873, they thus reported : " We have re-considered this case with special reference to the further papers now sent, and we see no reason to alter or modify the opinion which we have already submitted to your Lordship on the subject." No Steps were taken to bring the case before the Judicial Commit- tee of the Privy Council, though the Ministry of Sir John Macdonald were willing to furnish funds for the purpose, and on the i8th May, 1874, Mr. Costigan, who had managed the Catholic case in the Com- mons, asked leave to withdraw his proposed motion for an address to Her Majesty on the subject of the Common Schools Act of 187 1, and praying for an amendment of the British North America Act, 1867. He said he believed it to be inexpedient at present to press the matter further. It afforded him pleasure honorably to withdraw his motion, and he believed he did so with the approval of his constituents. The New Brunswick Elections for the Local House came on immediately afterward, and the school question was the chief subject of debate between the rival parties. The result was a decisive nega- tive of the demand of the Roman Catholics. Thus ended, for the time, a perplexing matter, — one which materially assisted Sir John Macdonald in strengthening his reputation as a sound constitutional lawyer, since he from the first insisted that the interference either of the Dominion Government or the Dominion Parliament would have been tiltra vires ; and this opinion was ratified on three different occasions by the Law Officers of the Crown in England. An attempt was made in February, 1875, by Mr. Costigan, in the House of Com- mons, to revive the question by petitioning the Imperial Government so to amend the British North America Act, 1867, as to enable the Domi- nion Parliament to deal with the question, but his motion was defeated by a large majority. The constitutional question was important, and has 1 ^en settled in a way to guarantee the rights of the Provinces 1874] against John M dence o to Prov though l)arty de lie sui)p( The that it h dechne ; strong ca cognizab Home G a (juasi e manner I to the hi| Privy Co the matte Durin struction The new assented relate to t tion,— tha that the n and not b; given to se of land, an the then e: of the ther obligations beyond the the signific " And wi work as rapi of taxation." It then Railway," 1874] THE EAllL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 217 against undue interference from the Dominion Government. Had Sir John Macdonald's opinion been reversed, a fatal blow to the indejien- dence of the Provinces would have been struck ; but he was too loyal to Provincial rights to countenance, for a moment, a course which, though it ran side by side with his own interests as the head of a party desirous to retain the strength given to it by the Roman Catho- lic support, was yet, in his judgment, unconstitutional. The case established another highly important point. It shews that it has become the settled policy of the Imperial Government to decline all interference in purely local questions. Even though a strong case of grievance be made out, yet, if the matter be properly cognizable by either the Provincial or the Dominion authorities, the Home Government will studiously abstain from intervening its power ; a (/i/asi exception occurs when the case may be brought in the usual manner by way of appeal from the Supreme Court of the Dominion to the highest Court of the Empire, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, — but then the Court, and not the Government, acts in the matter. During the Session the policy of the Administration as to the con- struction of the Pacific Railway was announced and fully discussed. The new system is developed in the Statute 37 Victoria, Cap. 14, assented to on 26th May, 1874. It recites the terms, so far as they relate to this road, under which British Columbia entered Confedera- tion, — that the House at about the time this Act was passed resolved, that the road should be constructed and worked by private enterprise, and not by the Dominion Government ; and that the public aid to be given to secure its accomplishment should consist of such liberal grants of land, and such subsidy in money, or other aid, as would not increase the then existing rate of taxation. It declares that by the legislation of the then present Session, in order to provide means for meeting the obligations of the Dominion, the rate of taxation had been raised much beyond that existing at the date of the Resolution of 187 1, and it adds the significant clause : " And whereas it is proper to make provisions for the construction of the said work as rapidly as the same can be accompli'^hed, without further raising the rate of taxation." It then provides that a railway, to be called the " Canadian Pacific Railway," shall be made from some point near to and south of Lake ^rr 218 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1874 ll Nipissing to some point in British Columbia, on the Pacific Ocean, with branches. The work is to be divided into sections and sub-sec- tions, which are to be given out to contractors, who are to receive $10,000 per mile in cash, as the work proceeds, with a guarantee for interest at four per cent, for twenty-five years on a sum to be stated in the contract ; that land not exceeding twenty thousand acres per mile shall be appropriated in alternate sections of twenty square miles each along the line, or at a convenient distance from it, — this land to be sold by the Government, two-thirds of the proceeds to be paid half-yearly to the contractors, the other third to be conveyed to them. But, in case it should be found by the Governor in Council more advantageous to construct the road, or any portion of it, as a public work of the Dominion, then the construction may be let out by con- tracts. Distinct provisions are made for two branch lines — one from the eastern terminus to Georgian Bay, the other from the main line, near Fort Garry, to some point near Pembina. The 2ist Section pro- vides that out of the moneys to be raised by another Act passed during the Session (chap. 2), the Governor in Council may apply ;^2, 500,000 Stg. out of the sum raised with the Imperial guaranty, and sums not exceeding in the whole $15,000,000 out of the sum raised under that Act without the Imperial guaranty, for the construction of the road. To understand this, it must be explained that the Statute just referred to (37 Vict., cap. 2, 1874), after reciting that, as one of the terms on which British Columbia was admitted into union with the Dominion was that the Pacific Railway should be built, it is expe- dient to raise by way of loan for the purpose of the construction of the Pacific Railway, and also for the improvement and enlargement of the Canadian canals, a sum of money, not exceeding ;^8,ooo,ooo Stg., the Imperial Parliament had passed Acts enabling the British Treasury to guarantee ;^2,5oo,ooo Stg. of this loan of ;^8,ooo,ooo, and this is the sum referred to in the Railway Act. Mr. Mackenzie, though strongly pressed, especially by the mem- bers for British Columbia, to state when the building of the road at its western extremity would commence, and where the terminus would be plac.u, was unable to give a decided answer. He replied, and the reply was, under the circumstances, a reasonable one, that it was impossible to answer either of these questions until such surveys had been made as would enable the Government to decide on the route ; 1K74] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 219 that these surveys were being made as rapidly as possible, and that until their completion nothing decisive could be done. It will be seen that in the Session of 1878 although he was able to give clearer answers, they were nevertheless as unsatisfactory as those given in 1874. On the 14th June, His Excellency the Governor General laid the corner stone of the Ottawa Collegiate Institute, in the presence of the scliool authorities, the Mayor and Corporation, and a large number of citizens. On the 6th, their Excellencies arrived at Quebec, where, after a stay of a few days, they proceeded to the Lower St. Lawrence. 'I'licy returned to Quebec on the 15th July, and immediately proceeded on a tour in the western part of Ontario. They reached Toronto on the 24th July, where they were most cordially received. An address was presented to His Excellency by the Mayor and Alder- men. The gentlemen who formed the deputation to wait upon His Excellency, who had taken up his quarters at the Queen's Hotel, were the Mayor, Aldermen Sheard, Ball, Boulton, Spence, Adamson, Downey, Tinning, Clements, Gearing, Mutton, Blevins, Withrow, Hayes, and Davies : they were joined by Col. Durie, Deputy Adjutant General, and Mojor Algar, Paymaster; and subsequently their Ex- cellencies were attended by his Honor Lieutenant Governor Crawford, Hon. Mr. Mowat, Hon. Mr. McKellar, Mr. Johnson, City Engineer, and Sheriff Davidson of Waterloo. On the 25th July, the Vice-regal party left Toronto for Newmarket. At every station, en route, enthusiastic crowds assembled to greet Her Majesty's representative. At Newmarket great preparations had been made for the visit. Mr. E. Jackson, Reeve of the town, read an address from the Council. Mr. Kane, Warden, presented an address from the County Council. After fitting replies had been made to these, a number of gendemen were presented to their Excellencies, when they proceeded to the new Christian Church, the corner stone of which His Excellency had been requested to lay. An address was read by the Rev. T. Garbutt. After laying the stone His Excellency said : " Having spent the greater portion of my life in a country which, whatever its other merits and blessings may be, has unfortunately been only too much distin- guished by the vehemence of religious controversy, it has always afforded me the most genuine pleasure to observe how in Canada the descendants of those who in past generations often found themselves bitterly opposed, still retain allegiance to the respective churches in which they were born. If in the progress and M 220 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OK [1874 enlightenment of learning they regard with very diflerent feelings from their ances- tors those with whom they have the misfortune to differ in religious l)elief, I must say wherever I have gone in Canada, I have almost invariably found, as I have found this day, that ministers of the various religious persuasions, wiiether Catholic, Kpis- copalian, Methodist, or to whatsoever denominations they may belong, regard each other with sentiments of the most unaffected good will, recognizing, as a broader and stronger tie than any other, that brotherhood which is engendered by tlicir common faith in the principles of Christianity. I trust that this gootl feeling will always distinguish the inhabitants of Canada ; and that as civilization progresses, and as human intelligence becomes more extended, we shall lie more and more disposed to overlook those slight differences of opinion which at present separate us, and be more ready to unite in one common effort against those enmities wiiich we are apt to create in striving against the scourge of human existence." At each station between Newmarket and Allandale crowds were collected on the platforms, who cheered heartily as the train passed with slackened speed. At Allandale the party were met by the Hon. G. VV. Allan, Mr. Little, M.P., Mr. Cook, M.P., and Mr. Ardagh, M.P.P. Arriving at Barrie their Excellencies were greeted with cheers by an immense crowd. The station was decorated with evergreens and Howers. The 35th . Battalion of the Volunteer Militia were paraded as a guard of honor, and flags were seen in every direction. There were on the platform Mayor Boyd, Judge Gowan, Mr. T. I). McConkey, Mr. Thomas Atkins, Warden of the County, and other County and Town officials. The following reverend gentlemen were also present : Rev. Mr. Morgan, Church of England ; Rev. A. O'Connor, Roman Catholic ; Rev. Mr. Boyle, Primitive Methodist ; Rev. O. Crampton, Primitive Methodist ; Rev. Dr. McDonald and Mr. Longford, Wesleyan Methodist ; Rev. Mr. Fraser, Canada Presbyter- ian Church ; Rev. Mr. McKee, Free Church of Scotland. An address from the Mayor and Corporation of t'le cown was read by Mayor Boyce, and one from the Clergy was read by the Rev. Mr. Morgan ; to each of which His Excellency gave impromptu replies. The party then proceeded to Orillia in the steamer " Lady of the Lakes," and as she approached Atherley, four steamers, crowded with passengers, and with bunting flying, came out to meet her. When nearing I.ake Couchiching, a number of canoes, brilliant with bunting, came along- side the steamer ; they were paddled by Indians who cheered lustily. Kempenfeldt Bay, Orillia, was reached, and here a procession was formed to the place where the addresses were to be delivered. An 1S74] THE KARL OF DUFFKUIN IN CANADA. 001 address from the Corporation of the Township of OriUia and Matcha- dash was read l)y Mr. lirown ; and, after a suitable reply, the party rc-cniharked and proceeded to the Couchiching Hotel. This beautiful summer retreat was crowded with visitors. In the evening the grounds wore beautifully illuminated, and a ball took place which was honored by the presence of their P^xcellencies.* On Monday, the 27th July, the party, after witnessing a yacht and canoe race, proceeded to Rama, Washago, Parry Sound, and Colling- woud. v\t Rama, the i)arty were received by the Rev. 'J'hos. U'oolsey, Missionary to the Indian settlement. The wharf was gaily decorated, and a large number of Indians and white ])eople congregated to receive His Excellency. On leaving the boat their Kxcellencies were conducted to a rising piece of ground, where Chief Benson of the C)jii)l)eway Tribe, and two lesser Indian j)otentates, named Isaac Vcllow-head and John Young, were presented to them. Mr. Woolsey then read an address from the Indians of Rama. He said : " We have long desired to see our Great Mother the Queen, and to-day our hearts are made glad by the presence of her Cousin, whom she has sent in Her place to govern and protect the country. We also lieg most respectfully to assure Lady DutTerln that we rejoice greatly because of her presence amongst us, a favor long to be remembered by us with profound gratitude. As the children and faithful allies of our Great Mother the Queen, we wish to tell your Excellency, for we desire Her to know it, that Her children are well satisfied with the way in which the promises made to our fathers thirty-seven summers ago by Sir Francis Uond Head, the Great Chief who then governed this country, have been kept. These words have proved true to the present hour, and Her children are happy and con- tented in the receipt of their annuities, and in the possession of their lands. The Imiian iloes not easily follow in the ways of his white brother, but our young men, liiie him, live in their houses and cultivate their lands. We have a school in which our ciiilclren are taught ; and we have good missionaries who direct us how to walk in right paths, and we are glad to say that through their influence many of our young men have given up the use of fire-water. Our present Missionary, having lived many years amongst the Pagan Indians of the Saskatchewan Valley, fully comprehends the ditTerence between them and ourselves. We pray that the Great Spirit may protect your Excellency, LadyDufferin, and party, in your journey, and guide you safely back." * Tlieir Excellencies were accompanied by their eldest son Viscount Clandeboye, a lad of about ten, who enjoyed his trip very much, and took a boyish interest in everything that came under his notice. He remarked here, that he would not care to be a Governor General, alluding to the hard work his father was performing with so much patience and good nature in making so many replies to addresses. 222 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1874 IS 74] The address was signed " Joseph Benson Waneguishking, Chief." His Excellency replied : " I am especially glad to learn from your address that you are contented with your present situation, that your circumstances are prosperous, and that Providence has blessed your industrious endeavors. I can assure you that your Great Mother across the sea, though from certain circumstances she is not able to be in your midst, takes the deepest interest in your welfare, and it is my duty from time to time to make Her acquainted with the condition of Her Indian subjects. If, at any time, they have occasion to complain, or have any grievance to be redressed, they will always find in me a ready and willing channel through which their repre- sentations may be conveyed to the foot of the Throne. You have -said i.: your address that the promises which your Great Mother, through the late Governors, made to you have been faithfully fulfilled. I am glad to think you so thorouglily comprehend that there is no obligation which Her Majesty considers so sacred as the obligation to keep faith with her Indian subjects. Nothing would occasion us greater sorrow th^n that we should have reason to think that our good faith nnd our fair word were not trusted, and that the Government of the country had not the confidence of the Indian nations. I do not know that any paragraph of your ad- dress to which I have listened has caused me a livelier joy than to hear that, under the auspices of your missionaries, and the example of your chief, tiie young men of this nation have begun to understand how terrible are the evils which result irom an undue indulgence in intoxicating drinks. Let me assure them that if they wish to secure happiness for themselves, for t leir wives and for their children, there is nothing that is so certain to bring -'.jout such a result than that they shall exeicise self-restraint in this particular. Fi-.e-vvater, and intoxication, are the root and source of every physical evil, almost every moral misfortune." Her Excellency then desired to see some of the Indian babies, and immediately a number of papooses were brought to her. The Rev. Mr. Woolsey then presented a copy of the Psalms of David to His F^xcellency in the Indian language. In return His Excellency gave him a volume, " The Land and the Book," on the fly leaf of which was the following inscription : " To Chief Joseph Benson Waneguishking, July 27th, 1873, from His E."ccellency the Governor General." Upon the request of His Excellency, Mr. Woolsey took him to the Indian Church, which he inspected with much interest. Upon leaving the church Mrs. Woolsey and the teacher of the school of the settlement were presented to His Excellency. He then paid a visit to an Indian cottage belonging to an Indian named Philip Antoine, an invalid. On his way to the vessel he spoke kindly to several squaws, and upon arriving at the wharf the choir of the Indian church, who were bedecked with the regalia ci" Good Templars, sang the 1S74] THE EARL OF DUFFPJIIN IN CANADA. 223 Icncy leaf lini to 'pon )f the visit loine, National Anthem, which was followed by a Hymn. His Excellency desired to have a war song, but as the young men were not prepared with one, he asked for a love song in their native language — this, too, they were then unable to supply. His Excellency then presented Chief Benson with an elegant briar r^^ot pipe. The sub-chiefs and the male members of the choir were a ;so presented with pipes, and all the females upon the wharf receivjd a bead necklace each. Bowie knives were also given to the chiefs. The account of this visit has been given at large in order to show by what justice and kindness the Indians of British North America have been made and kept the faithful allies of the Crown. Though distant many " moons," every minute incident of this interesting visit of their Excellencies to the Ojibbeway Indians of Mara was speedily known in the recesses of the Rocky Mountains, and thousands of the warm hearts of Indian mothers traversing the illimitable North-West kindled with love to Her Excellency, when they were told of her kind- ness to the papooses of their red sisters of Ontario. Arriving at Washago, an address from the Reeve and Councillors of the United Townships of Orillia and Matchadash was presented hy the Reeve, Mr. John Ryan, Wm. Tremble, Deputy Reeve, and Arch. Thompson, Councillor, to which a reply was given. The Vice-regal party then drove to the new Presbyterian church, the cornerstone of which was laid by His Excellency. On arriving at Severn Bridge, an address was presented by the Council of the Munici- pality of Morrison, read by Mr. J. H. Jackson, Reeve. On the road to Gravenhurst a salute was fired from Gibraltar, and on arriving at the former place an address was presented by the inhabitants of the town- ship of Muskoka, and by Mr. J. R. Cockburn, Reeve. At Brace- bridge, a large concourse of people had assembled to greet their Excellencies ; a procession was formed which conducted them to a platform, beautifully decorated .v^ith flowers, where an address was presented from the Reeve and Township of Macaulay, read by Mr. Robert E. Perry, Reeve, and signed by J. W. Dill, William Kirk, George Willson, and Joseph Cooper. Oi the 28th July, the party proceeded down Muskoka river. The charming scenery of this lovely country was much enjoyed, and His Excellency said to Mr. Cockburn, M.P., who accompanied him, that he had not been in so beautiful a portion of Canada before. The steamer v 1 224 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1874 passed Port Carling, where Soine twenty or thirty people had as- sembled upon the wharf, and an elderly gentleman named Birne, in an earnest speech, warmly welcomed their Excellencies. Passing through the locks, the steamer entered La):e Rosseau, and the village of Rosseau was soon reached. Here an address was presented, read by Mr. Samuel Greer. Port Coc'cburn was . reached after a delightful voyage among the thickly wooded islands of Lakes Rosseau and Joseph. The next stage of the journey from ?ort Cockburn to Parry Sound a distance of seventeen miles, was accomplished in vehicles. His Excellency anxious to obtain a thorough knowledge of the condition and prospects of the settlers, stopped at nearly every log hut on the road side, inspecting the dwellings and outhouses, and interrogating the owners. When about two miles from the village of Parry Soium, the Vice-regal party met a deputation which had driven out to meet them. Just after the bridge leading into the village had been passed, a row of houses inhabited by Icelanders came in sight. When Lord Dufferin wrote his " Yacht Voyage to High Latitudes," he little thought that he should, as Governor General of the Dominion, meet a colony of Icelanders in the backwoods of Canada. He was naturally delighted to see theni, and conversed some time with them. They expressed themselves well pleased with the country and their prospects. On reaching a platform prepared for their reception, their Excellencies found a large number of Sunday school children, who sang the National Anthem as they approached. An address was then presented by the Municipality of Macdougal Township, read by the Reev: Mr. John D. Beatty. An address was also presented by the Ojibbeway tribe of Indians of the Parry Soand District, inhabiting the Reserves known as the Parry Sound Island and Shawanaga Reserves ; this was signed and read by Chief James, on behalf of the tribe. On the next day, the 29th July, the party embarked on the steamer C/iicora, for Collingwood. When about eight miles from that town, twelve steamers and a large number of yachts and small-boats freighted with passengers came out to meet them. The Chicortu on meeting these vessels, passed slowly between the lines, each saluting in turn. The salute consisted of whistling three times, and dij^iiing the ensign, the Chicora responding. The reception by the inhabit- ants was enthusiastic. Mr. Mobeily, Mayor of Collingwood. read an address of the inhabitants, to which His Excellency replied. The party, in the afternoon, proceeded to Owen Sound, when; Mi 1874] Patterso tions ha children their E\ der Bay. His Ontario, been but rough, tion of tl and even l)iit he wr that what ':()l:fidf'1C ;'.- ail.'y ,i:r' i \h\i the history of our native land. But, although we can "jII understand i'. t !'■ representative of a great English family may regard with pride tlie fact that he can boast among his ancestors some great lord who i_.;'ved oiii for iiimselt' possessions with the sword, and founded a family, I confess tliat i mysL'lf would far rather be able to point out, among those from whom I am ilLsctiv' ' one who, like yourselves, in spite of many discouragements and great iliHicidt.es, having successfully contended witli the rigors of Nature, and all t'.e emharrassments which attend the early settlement of a colony, has succee led in founding .•' rommunity so prosperous as that by which I am now surrounded. Although it -.ri;.Tlit be presumptuous in a mere casual visitor, who can have fornud but very h<\.-r >. oii'di '.ons from what may have caught his attention as he made his tliis di. I ■ [ion, to pronounce an opinion on the future prospects of the countr\ , wav ;et any one who has pt all studied the economical phenomena which characterize ' [ 226 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OP [1874 it the advances of civilization, cannot help being struck by the immense natural advantages which surround the locality in which you have pitched your tents. On the one side stretches away to a great distance, a water communication, navigable by steamers, which offers those necessary facilities for the distribution of the natural wealth of the country without which it would be comparatively valueless ; on the other there exists what may be called an ocean of timber land, ready to supply the inhabitants of Canada for another fifty ^ears with the commodity which I regret to say is rapidly failing in the more thickly populated districts. Around nie, on all sides, I see the evident proof, not merely of industry, but of that remarkable intelligence which will enable you td extract from your labors the most profitable returns, lliat you are loyal in your attachment to the Throne and to the institutions of thr i.mpire, is a characteristic you possess in common, I am happy to say, with all your fellow subjects from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and it affords me, as the represei ^.ive of Her Most Gracious Majesty, singular satisfattion to find in this most rem'. ►: :t a numerous population who are prepared to maintain unimpaired those r ,, and privileges of freedom under whose protec- tion and influence the Dominion is year by year acquiring greater strength, and a more extended empire." The Chicora, with the Vice-regal party on board, was now en route to Lake Superior and Thunder Bay. On their way they visited Pres- qirile, and arrived at Killarney, Manitoulin Island. Upon His Excel- lency landing he was met by some half dozen chiefs of the two tribes, Ojibbewaysand Ottawas, and one of them welcomed him in a speech in the native tongue, which was translated into French by a l^rench Canadian, flis Excellency called forth an exclamation of pleasure from them when le told them that their white fello\v subjects had every where met him with written addresses, because they were unable to receive him with so elegant an extempore speech. There were here presented to their Excellencies the Jesuit Missionary, Mons. J. Jennesseaux, and the School Master, Mons. P. Nadeaux, both of whom lived at Beaver Bay, the capital of Manitoulin Island. Thos. Kinachameg (the Pike), alias Kilohe ; Mokoman (Big Knife), Chief of the Ojibbe- ways; and L. Wakegiyig (The Setting Sun), were also presented. These chiefs wore medals given to their ancestors by George III. Leaving Killarney they soon reached Little Current, where a large number of people, whites and Indians, had assembled to welcome His Excellency, '"'heir Excellencies were received on the landing by Mr. J. C. Phipps, \ isiting Superintendent of Indian affairs on Manitoulin Island; the Rev. Rowland Hill, Church of England Missionary; the Rev. VVm. Sutton, Wesleyan Methodist ; and the Rev. Mr. Ross and the Rev. Mr. Mackenzie, Presbyterian Ministers. An address was pre- sented Island, address Mv F you will c let us kno told when The N'ortl; is some m don't see ; it would ii en crease w over now ( now that it I am tellin you very o Father I dr I got now i not willing me I (lid lei done justice more lo Do this CT' I do this time an( All the C One of I was coming arrived. T but they wa so had deci( His Exc voted to the 1874] THE E\UL OF JUFFEUIN IN CANADA. 227 sented by the Municipality ot Howland and the inhabitants of the Island, which was read by Mr. G. B. Abrey. The following unique address was then presented by the Indian Chief: " WivsT Bay, 2()th July, 1874. My Father, — I am telling you this as your favered to the Indians. I hope you will obey our words to you we are telling you Father we are expecting you to lei us know how, so that we mist our payments, it's not increasing any, for I was told when I was asked that it will not increase my payment, and I did let it go. The North Shore and all the Reserve could bes found on North Shore and there is some milles now on North Shore and plenty farmers on the island, and still we don't see any different yet we only see that dollar * one person. We thought it would increase that is what I was tolde and we are looking for more now to encrease what I was tolde it will encrease my payment for I see a white m.an all over now on North Shore and over the island, and I am Indian I am asking you now that it does not grow any Beeger our payment. After we lit our land go and I am telling you another thing about the reserves Indian reserves for I have told you very often that we were gone to our reserve soon that is what I Here My Father I don't obey that I am going to keep all the time for there is only that land I got now and I hope no none will take it away from me a bout this island I was not willing to let it go for I did Loved very much only when you came &' asked me 1 did let it go to to satisfied y ou to obey y ou I done it for I was tolde to be clone justice to me «5r» to be well paid by Mc Dogall and me do expect to be paid more 10 Dollars for one person that is what me will look for every payment after this cr^ I do Hope you will excepted our saying we Beeg to do Something for us this this time and we are hung ray just now while we are waiting for you. PENEGUAHNESHUM Indian Chief, West Bay. CHIEF LABASEKA, West Bay. CHIEF ABENSE, West Bay. CHIEF MESHAHQUANGA. CHIEF ETUTUN KESES, CHIEF MESHEHESSENAHNAHQUOT. All the Chiefs very glad to see you &= very happy &= all say good by to you." One of the Chiefs, addressing His Excellency, said that, hearing he was coming to visit them, they had decided to be present when he arrived. They had come from a long distance, and were very hungry ; but they wanted to shew their attachment to their Great Mother, and so had decided to encounter all difficulties in order to do so. His Excellency replied that he was very glad to see them so de- voted to the Throne of England. He always thought Indians were very The sum paid by the Government to each Indian. 228 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1874 wise men, and would not come a long way without supplying them- selves with the necessaries of life ; but, in consideration of their loyal sentiments having rendered them oblivious to the cravings of nature, he would present them with a barrel of flour and one hundred pounds of pork. With regard to the demands made in the address with which he had been presented he could make no promise. He would, how- ever, lay the matter before the Government when he arrived in Ottawa. Mr. Sims acted as interpreter, and upon the announcement of the pre- sentation of flour and pork being made they expressed their satis- faction by the characteristic " Ugh, ugh ; " their faces beaming with delight. Leaving Little Current the party visited the Bruce Mines, Garden River, and arrived at Sault St. Marie on the 31st July. As the Chicora approached the American side of the river a salute was fired from the United States P'ort, from which the Union Jack was flying. The ensign of the Fort was also dipped. His Excellency was speedily called on by the American officers of the Fort, Capt. Minor, Capt. Rush, Lieut. Lopwood, Lieut. Camel, and Lieut. Davis. On their invitation His Excellency visited the American Fort. The Chicora soon passed into Lake Superior, and reached Batche wanning Bay early on the ist August. Michipicoton Bay and Agate Island were visited, and Nepigon Bay was reached on the 6th August. An expedition up the river occupied five days, and ^he party on returning to the mouth of the river proceeded on their voyage westward, and reached Silver Islet, where an address was presented by Major Sibley on behalf of the Siiver Mining Co., the Ontario Mineral Land Co., and the Enterprise Mining Co., of Black Bay. After an inspection of the island the party left for Prince Arthur's Landing, where His Excellency was received v^th every demonstration of joy. An address was presented by the Municipal Council of Ipswich, read by Mr. S. A. P. Somers, one of the Managers of the Dawson Road. Before returning eastward the Vice-regal party visited Fort William, the Dawson Road, Shebandowan Lake, Mattawan, Kaministaquia Bridge, Kakabeka Falls, and Point Huron, the Indian Mission near Fort William. The head of th "licora was now turned eastward, and on the morning of the i6th , .ugust she reached (Chicago. In visiting this city for a day or two. His Excellency expected to do so informally, but when the city was reached, he found that preparations had been made to give him a formal reception and a hearty welcome. 1874] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 229 According to the programme which had been prepared, the Recep- tion Committee were to meet His P^xcellency at one o'clock. During the intervening time the Vice-regal party remained on board the steamer and a crowd of persons were continually standing on the wharf gazing in at her after gangway, apparently anxious to get a look at her distinguished passengers. The Chicora also attracted a great deal of attention by her smart appearance, which was due in i)art to the rakishness of her funnels and mast, and to the naval attire of her crew. Capt. Orr and the other officers wore, during the trip, their gilt buttoned coats, and their caps adorned with gold bullion and lace, and the deck hands were all attired a la Royal Navy, in white trowsers, very tight about the hips, and very loose about the feet, in blue jackets with wide collars, trimmed with white cord, and in straw hats having the name " Chicora " on the band of each. At one o'clock the Reception Committee, consisting of the Mayor and Corporation and several of the leading citizens — arrived at the dock with carriages, and the Vice-regal party, after a number of introductions, were driven through some of the principal streets to the Grand Pacific Hotel. The visitors and the Reception Committee, with a large number of others, having assembled in the drawing room of the hotel. His Excellency was presented with and replied to a number of addresses. The first was that of the Mayor speaking for the Corporation and citizens of Chicago. To it His Excellency made the following reply : "Mr. Mayor, and Gkntikmkn, — When it wasoriginalls suggested to me that I should put in at Chicago during tlie course of my cruise round those magnificent lakes which are the joint property of Canada and of the United States, it never occurred to me that I should land upon your wharves in any other capacity than that of a private individual seeking information and pleasure from a visit to one of the most flourishing cities in the United States. The kind consideration which has prompted so magnificent a reception as that with which you have honored the Countess of DulTerin and myself has, therefore, taken me by surprise. I can assure you I am deeply touched by the expression of so much unalTected friendliness. Of course it is needless for me to assure you that with us, in England, Chicago has almost become a household word, not merely in consequence of the terril)le calam- ity which a few years since overwhelmed it — a calamity in which the peojde of England most heartily sympathized with you — but as an evidence of what human intelligence and industry can accomplish in con%'erting the waste regions of the eartli into emporiums of wealth, commerce anfl architectural beauty. I am told that it v\as within the period of my own life-time that Chicago first received her cliarter of incorporation, and in passing through your magnificent streets, unless K— -jr II 230 IILSTOUY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1874 that fact had been conveyed to me on the liest authority, I confess I could scarcely have credited it. 1 have been very much interested, Mr. Mayor, in the account with wiiich you have been pleased to favor me of the characteristics of those muni- cipal institutions under which this marvel has been accomplished, and it is a matter of satisfaction to me that the secret of municipal government, which is one of the great safeguards of freedom, and which was originally the fountain of political free- dom, should have received so successful a development in this country. In Canada we are happily able to point to similar arrangements, and I confess that there is nothing in tiie social and political institutions of that country which I regard with greater admiration, or which I think is more likely to secure the good govern- ment of the ]>eople at large than the principle of municipal government, applied to the very great extent to which that luinciple has been applied throughout the Dominion. It was, of course, with the greatest curiosity that I looked forward to the pleasure of ]iassing through your magnificent streets, and of visiting those various other points of interest to which you have alluded. I do not know whether it may lie known to any gentleman jiresent that a great English statesman, a friend of my own, and what is of more importance, a constant friend of America, during every phase of her national history, Mr. John Bright (applause), wished to test the capacity of the rising generation of English politicians, and the character of their education, by ascertaining whether or no they possessed due and accurate information in regard to the condition of Chicago. That was a crucial test which he said he would seek to apply in the case of every candidate for office, and he intimated that his opinion of their capacity would very much depend on their ability to answer it. Probably no other city has ever had so great a compli- ment paid to it by a foreign statesman. In conclusion, Mr. Mayor, and gentlemen, I can only again thank you from the bottom of my heart, ])oth on behalf of Lady DulTerin and myself, and on behalf of those who are my fellow travellers and fellow-visitors, for the extreme kindness and thoughtful consideration with which it has pleased you to welcome us to Chicago." The Mayor, Mr. Colvin, then introduced Mr. George M. Howe, President of the Board of Trade, who also addressed His Excellency. After a rei)ly, a numl)er of presentations of prominent men were made. Among those presented was General Philip Sheridan, with whom His Excellency shook hands and addressed with a cordiality unusual even in him. Governor Beveridge, of the State of Illinois, was then pre- sented, and he also addressed His Excellency. Mr. George E. Gooch, President of the St. George's Society, then read an address from that Society, and Mr. Robert Hervey, read one frgm the Illinois St. An- drew Society ; to each of these fitting replies were made. Mr. 1). McKellar, President of the Caledonia Club, next came forward and addressed His Excellency. To this His Excellency replied by saying, " 1 thank you, sir," and this observation a Chicago paper speaks of as the best speech of the occasion. 1874] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 231 This brought the proceedings to a close, when a large number of distinguished Americans were presented to their Excellencies. After visiting the gigantic works by which Chicago is supplied by water from Lake Michigan, the party returned to the steamer, where in the even- ing His Excellency entertained at dinner Lieut. General Sheridan ; Mr. Howe, President of the Board of Trade ; Alderman A. Dixon, President of the Council ; Miss Reed ; H. B. M. Vice-Consul ; Col. James VV. W'arrack, and Mrs. Lewis. After dinner the Mayor, Mr. Forrest, the City Clerk, and several of the Aldermen waited on their Excellencies and accompanied them to the Palmer House, — the Chicora having been despatched on her regular route. His Excellency having been invited to meet the Board of Trade at their Hall, their Excellencies, on the 17th August, proceeded to the Exchange Rooms. They were received by the President, Mr. Howe, who introduced His Excellency to the immense assemblage. In reply to Mr. Howe's address His Excellency said : "Gkntlemen, — When I accepted the invitation which was so kindly addressed to me by your President, I certainly was quite unprepared to find myself in the presence of so large and so distinguished an audience, or under the obligation to adilress you in a speech. At the same time I do not like to content myself merely with a curt expression of my acknowledgments ; hut I will try to express, not only on behalf of myself and of those who accompany me, but on behalf of the people of Canada, our deep sense of the friendliness rind courtesy which is thus exhibited towards the person who administers the Government of the Dominion. I cannot help considering as a most striking proof of the friendly feelings which I know are entertained towards British North America by the people of the United States, the fwt that so large a concourse of citizens should have assembled on this occasion to sii]>port your President in welcoming the Governor CJeneral of Canada. I feel, however, that at this moment there is peculiar propriety in my finding myself in such pleasant relations with the Board of Trade of Chicago. Chicago is the prinii])al city of the United States, situated upon that great chain of lakes which are tlie common property and joint pride of the people of America and of Canada. At this moment, as you are aware, the Governments of our two countries are enga;j;ed in considering a most important question — as to whether or no it might be possible to unite the interests of the two )>eoples into a closer connection by the ties of free commercial intercourse. That, of course, is a subject which must have had special claims upon the attention of members of this Association. It would be out of i)lace for me on the present occasion to refer in any particular manner to the teinis which have been already communicated to the American Senate as those upon which the people of Canada would be disposed to enter upon the re-construc- tion of the existing commercial arrangements between themselves and the United States. Of course I am well aware that in the States, as well as in Canada, there are differences of opinion as to the policy of Free Trade versus Protection. I do \msL lir 232 HISTORY OP THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1871 not imagine that in any country will there be found a jierfectly unanimous coinci- dence of opinion upon these much disputed topics, but at all events this I may sav, the Government of Great Britain and the Government of Canada are generally anxious to promote whatever policy and whatever arrangements are most likely to increase and develop those commercial relations by which Canada and the United States are already brought so close to each other, and which, in our opinion, at all events, cannot be too much extended, and, if extended sufficiently, cannot fail to stimulate a friendly intercourse Ixtween the iJeoples. (Applause.) In the policy which the Government of Canada has shown itself willing to promote, I believe there existed but one motive, and that is the desire to come to an understandini; with the Government of the United States, which shall be mutually advantageous both to the people of Canada, and to the people of the United States. I do not think that for one moment we have imagined that in any agreement or treaty wliich may be agreed ujion that it would l)e either possible or desirable to make a one- sided bargain. What we desire, is fair and equal dealing, and I believe you, gentlemen, are actuated by the same honorable sentiment. The Governor General of Canada, who is the administrator of a Parliamentary Government, is not in a position at any time to express his own private sentiments upon any political question. His opinions, so far as he can officially announce them, are the opinions which are suggested to him by his responsible advisers, and the policy which he at any time is authorized to advocate is the policy which is inaugurated by his Minis- ters. It would not be, therefore, proper for me to intrude on this occasion upon this assemblage my own private opinion in resjiect to this most important topic. I will simply content myself with saying that both in my private and my public capacity it will always he my most earnest object, and one of the dearest motives of my ambition, to do e\'erything in my power which will in any way promote and extend good feeling between the people of the United States and the inhabitants of Canada. (Applause.) In conclusion, gentlemen, allow me to express to you, as well as I can under the very unfavorable conditions under which I am called upon to address you, both on my own l^ehalf and on behalf of the Countess of Duflerin, my deep sense of the great honor which you have done me in coming together this morning in such large numbers, in receiving me with so much kindness and courtesy, and in listening to my few and imperfect observations with so much patience and indulgence." (Applause and cheers.) Their Excellencies next visited the Union Stock Yards, accom- panied by the Hon. Mr. Beveridge, Governor of Illinois ; his Honor Mr. Colvin, Mayor of Chicago ; Mr. Howe, the Hon. Arthur Di.\on, Aldermen Sidwell, Pickering, Moore, Clark, Shaffner, O'Brien, Jonas Murphy, Foley, Mahar, and a number of other gentlemen. In the evening a reception was given by their Excellencies at the Palmer House. On the 1 8th August the party, after a run of fifty miles into the country west of Chicago, left the city in the evening for Detroit. tsM 1874] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 233 They were courteously attended to the station by the Mayor and other civic functionaries, who, well supjjorted by the citizens in general, had made the visit to the beautiful and wonderful City of Chicago one of great delight. They arrived at Detroit early in the mornnig, and at noon the party crossed to Windsor. They were received by the Mayor, Mr. Donald Cameron; Mr. Theodore Wigle, Warden of the County; the Hon. Alex. Mackenzie, first Minister of Canada ; Mr. Wm. Macgregor, M.P., and others. (Ireat preparations had been made at the Creat Western Railway Station for the reception. \ large and enthusiastic crowd had assembled about the platform, and there were j)resent, in addition to the gentlemen already named and the Committee, Mr. Theoduld Girardot, Mayor of Sandwich ; Mr. S. S. McDonald, Clerk of the Peace, and .several members of the Town Council. An address from the Mayor and Council of the town was read by the Mayor, Mr. Cameron ; another from the Municipal Council of the County of Esse.x, read by the Warden, Mr. ^Vigle, and another from the St. Jean Pr.ptiste Society, read by Dr. Casgrain. To the.se His Excellency replied, — his last one being in French, — was as follows : "J'ai ecoute avec une satisfaction toute particiilii;re I'advesse que voiis m'ave/ fait I'honneur de me presenter. Je siiis bien convaincu que nulle part dans la I'uissance Sa Majeste n'a de sujets plus loyaux, phis fideles et plus intelligents que ses sujets de race frangaise, et je me rejouis de I'occasion qui m'est donnee d'expriniur mon estime et mon respect pour les representants de ces heroupies pionniers, a la hardiesse desquels nous devons, en si grande partie, 1' heritage dont nous juuissons. " C'est une chose des plus etonnantes que ce coup-d'ceil avec lequel les chefs des premieres expeditions fran9aises discernerent comme par inspiration sur leur route cliaque endroit avantageux, chaque position convenable, soit pour leur defense soit pour leur commerce. lis choisirent avec une telle sagacite les sites pour la construction de leurs forts, et pour la fondation de leurs etablissements, que les generations suivantes ne purent faire de meilleurs choix. C'est pour cela que presfjue chaque cite inqjortante, dans les vallees du Mississippi et du St. Laurent, doit son origine a un fondateur frangais. " Mais ce n'est pas k ce seul titre que nous sommes obliges envers la race fran^aise. II ne faut pas oublier que c'est a son elevation d'esprit, a. son amour de la liberie, et a son exacte appreciation des droits civils contenus en germe dans la constitution primitivement accordee par I'Angleterre au Canada, que nous devons le (teveloppement de cette autonomic parlementaire dont le pays est fier k si bon droit ; et je puis vous assurer, qu'aux yeux d'un anglais, il y a peu de choses plus agreables a observer que la dignite, la moderation, et I'habilete politique avec 234 HISTORY OF THE ADMINIHTllATION OF [IH-.I lesquelles les homnies pul)lics fran^ais, dii Canada, aident leiirs coll^jjues an^jlais ;\ ai)|)li(|uer et .'i faire fonctionner ces (jrands principes de droit et de pratitjue con- stitutionnels, qui sont la base dii gouvernenicnt libre de ce pays. *' Messieurs, j'ai toujours considerc coninic du meilleuraugure la collahoratimi de la race frangaise dans le Canada ; cette race qui a dOjh contrilni(5 si jiuissaninuiit h civiliser I'Kurope, ne peut niancjucr de supplcer et de corriger de la fa^on la plus heureuse les qualiteset les ddfauts considdrt?s comnie inh^renfs au John Bull tradi- tionnel ; d'un autre cote on me pardonnera, si, conime anjjlais, j'espfere que nous pourrons lui rendre le nieme service. Avec la gendrositd, I'esprit d'inv^ntioii, I'dlan, la grace, la delicatesse, la precision du jugement et la finesse artistique des fran9ais, avec le flegme et le tempcramnient hritanniques, on peut dire que nous r^unissons les elements qui gouvernent en grande partie le monde moral et le monde physique." After a drive through the town the jiarty went by the Great Western Railway to Chatham, which was reached shortly after three p.m. His Excellency was met by the Mayor and Council, the Hon. A. McKellar, Mr. John McLeod, and a number of other gentleman. An address was presented from the Mayor and Council, read by the Mayor, and another from the County Council of the County of Kent, read""by the Warden, to each of which His Excellency replied. At a short time before five o'clock, the party left Chatham on their return to Detroit. As the reception given to His Excellency at Detroit was the grandest of the series accorded to him during this tour, a full account is given of it. The Mayor had exerted himself to the utinost to induce the people to receive the Governor General in an appropriate manner, and they did so, and in a style not equalled since the visit of the Duke Alexis of Russia.* On descending from the train His Excellency was met by City Controller Gaifield, Aldermen Heames and Guest, and Mr. King, of the Board of Public Works, who were appointed a Committee to meet him at Windsor, and escort him across the river to Detroit. As the ferry boat left the Windsor side, a salute of one hundred guns was fired. As the steamer approachtd the Detroit dock, the Detroit Light Guard, a fine soldier-like body of men, who were detached to form a guard of honor, were drawn up in two ranks from the boat to th e carriages. Mayor Moffatt caine on board to escort His Excellency ashore. The carriages being filled, the procession moved fonvard The account is taken from the Toronto Mat'/ of 20th August, 1874. IH71] TIIK KARL OF DUFFERIX IN CANADA. 233 under the direction of Lieutenant J. Rogers, of the United States Army, in the following order : FIRST DIVISION. Metropolitan rolice Hand, 22ml United States Infantry Hattalion. St. Mary's Independent Zouaves. I'elonze Corps. District Cadets. SECOND DIVISION. Light (juards Band. Detroit Light Cluards, as Ciuard of Honor. National CJuards, and 22nd United States Infantry. Carriage containing the CJovernor General, Her Excellency the Countess of Dufferin, and suite. Common Council, City Officers and Invited Guests, THIRD DIVISION, District Fire Department. The following gentlemen acted as Assistant Marshals : Gen. F. AV. Swift, Col, G. S, Warmer, Col. Jerome Croul, Col, Louis Villman, Col. S. E. Pittman, Capt, S. K, Stanton, Capt, H, M. Duftield, Lieu- tenant George Green, The line of march was up Woodward Avenue to Monroe Avenue, uj) Monroe Avenue to Miami, up Miami to William street, up William street to Adams Avenue, along Adams Avenue to Woodward Avenue, thence to the City Hall, where their Excellencies and suite left the carriages and were conducted to the Council Chamber, 'i'he following proclamation had been issued by the Mayor : " City of Detroit, August 18, 1874. To TIIK CrnzKNs of the City of Detroit : To-morrow, Wednesday, a distinguished representative of a foreign Govern- ment, the Governor General of Canada, and his suite, will pay a visit to the city of Detroit, and, as it is eminently desirable that they shall be received with proper courtesy, it is recommended that all citizens display flags, and such devices as they may deem appropriate, from their buildings and residences. Tlie reception will take place at the foot of Woodward avenue, about 6 o'clock, p.m., and it is hoped that as many citizens as possible will assemble in that locality to assist in extending a hearty welcome to our visitors. H. MOFFATT, Mayor. iiii^ 23G HISTORY OF THE ADMIN ISTKA'l ION OF [1874 This was sufficient proof that the authorities were desirous that His Excellency should not leave the city with any idea that a coolness existed between the two countries, and the result of the united efforts of the city officials and the i)eople was such as to leave no doubt on this ])()int, at least, so far as the 'jeautiful " City of the Straits" was concerned. Around the dock w-.s assembled a thickly packed crowd, and along the whole of the ron^e the sidewalks were densely i)ackf(l with spectators. The se' eral bands in the procession gave, in admi'- able style, choice selections of music, and frequently struck uj) the National Anthem. His Excellency was heartily cheered by the crowd, both on leaving the boat and on alighting from his carriage at the City Hall. Lady Dufferin met His Excellency at Windsor, and accompanitu him through the celebration at Detroit. Hie distinguished visitors were escorted to the Common Council Chamber by the Mayor, who presided over the meeting. Lord Dufferin occupied a seat near His Worshii*, and several Aldermen also occu])ied seats on the ])latform. Lady Dufferin, Lady Harriet Fletcher, Col. Fletcher, Capt. Ward, and Lieut. Hamilton were accommodated with seats on the floor of tlie chamber, which was crowded to excess. The Mayor called the meeting to order, and introduced Aid. W'm. G. Thompson, who .said he would address His F^cellency in the name of the City Council. Aid. Thompson then rose, and said : '•On behalf of the Municipality of the City of Detro't, I bid your Excellency welcome to the City of the Straits. I beg to assure you your visit has affordcil to our cit'zens the profoundest satisfaction and gratification. (.\|)plause.) I welcome yuur Excellency to the city as the ("lovcrnor (ieneral of Canada, a country with whose inhabitants we have maintained, and shall and must necessarily maintain, the most intimate associations and commercial relations. (Applause). We welcome you as the rejiresentative of the English power, and because you come to us not unheralded. Your fame has jireceded you, and yoi?r assertion of tenant rights in Ireland has earned for you the kindest regard of the Irish-American c.tizens of this State." The speaker proceeded to ])ay a compliment to Lady Dufferin's poetic genius,* and then went on to give the history of the city since * This error is noted here for the purpose only of correcting an idea which h;is found expression in many printed notices of Her Excellency. Her Eadyship has too many just claims to .admiration to stand in need of the honors lielong nt,' to others. She never wrote a line for publication, and the lady entitled to the credit of possessing the "poetic genius" referred to was Latly Duflerin, the mothcf of His Excellency, referred to in the tirst chapter of this work. 1S74] THE EAKL OF DUFFEKIN IN CANADA. 237 170 1, when it was founded, and traced its gradual progress to the present period. In conchision he said : " Your I^xcellcncy, I bid you ;i most hearty wtlcome, and olTer the most heaity i^rotlini^ of our city, and it is with the ('eepest and most unfeigned ieL;it't tliat we Ic.irii your stay with us will be so limited," Lord Dufferin, who was received with loud and continued cheer- ing, said : "Mr, Mayor, Ladiks an'd Gknti.kmkn, — I am sure it will surprise no one jiresent if he should perceive that I am jierfectly incapable of rendering; an adecpiale return to the citizens of Detroit for the li uor they have done me, and for the rt'ct-iUion with which I have been honored. 1 confess that the kindness and hosjii- t;\liiy I have received, conveyed in a manner so delicate ana so .igreeable to my feelings, has completely taken me by surprise ; nor am I jircpared on the jiresent occas.on to express to yoa in any w which will satisfy me how deeply i have been touclied by the kindness I have received. At the same time 1 feel it would be unt;racious on my part did 1 not endeavor, however humbly, to make you under- ilcrstand that it is not from any want of appreciation that I fail to record the senli- iiitiUs uf which I am conscious. (Applause.) And, gentlemen, the gratitude which 1 feel is all the deeper, becauhc I perfectly understand that the demonstration whicii lias taken jilace has been addressed, not so much to the humble .ndiv.dual 'vho >ian(ls before you, as to the representative of a truly friendly power, and to the (lovernor (ieneral of that rising n.ition tiiat stretches along your banks, from ocean t.) ocean, and whose hopes and interests, as well as whose commercial ties are so closely amalgamated with your own, (I.oud apjjlause.) lientlemen, when 1 canu' to C.an.ada, and when it became my bu, iness to acciuaint myself with the inniosl srnliments of th" people, tln.'re was nothing which struck me so forcilily as the .,Hhuin(.' admiration anti res]iect, and I tliink 1 miglit say, afrection w itli which the peojilc of Canada reg.u-ded tlie people of the United Stales. (Apjilause), Gentlemen, 'jf course I came to Canada as an officer of the 15rit,sh Ciuvernment, as a servant of the British tjueen, and was bound tlieretore to promise and maintain the cciniieclion between Canada md tiie Mother Ci untry, wliich 1 b^'jievc the iiiiialiilanls of both countries consider to be of e(iual advantage to each otlicr, and iliLMv was noth ng which more satisfied me as to the absence of all diflicultics in thai respect than the observation of how heartily was the esteem felt by C: 1 ada for the Liiiled States, and how compatible it was with the most perfect co'.U'ntment. lienllcnien, I believe that upon the part of tiie I'nited Slates isagenerc' s sympathy with Canada in her endeavor to work out her own future, to cMend the foundations uf iier prosperity, and to pursue that honorable career upon which sl;e has em- barked. There is nothing upon which Canadians more surely count than the o„,„l will, sympathy and encouragement of the people of the I'nited States on that sub- ject. (Hear, hear and apjilause.) As you are aware, and as has l)een most ju^tly uliserved by the gentleman who has spoken in your behalf, the commercial interests of Canada and of the United States are inseparably united. At this moment it is a niatler under the consideration of thj two governments whether they c."iinot even be drawn into closer harmony, ami .f, as a couseciucnce of such result, the friend- 'T 238 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1874 ship between Canada and the United States be thereby increased, all I can say is, that out of these arraiigenients no result can come which would be more cordially welcome, or would be more agreeable to the people of England. (Applause.) The good understanding between Canada and America is considered in England as a happy and a fortunate circumstance. (Applause.) As I said before, I knew I s! ould fail to adequately express all I feel on this occasion, biit I am sure there is not one will leave the room without understanding that the few words I have thus spoken are a genuine expression of my most inmost sentiments, and tiiut, so long as I live, the magnificent spectacle which has been exhibited to my eyes to-day, as the procession which has been organized in my honor passed through your beautiful streets, will L, one of the dearest and most agreeable recollections of my entire life. I indeed congratulate you on being citizens of your beautiful city — I congratulate you upon the fact tliat the foundations of your prosperity are placed on so secure a basis as you observe they are — I congratulate you upon those various natural advantages with which Providence has blessed you, and, above all, I congratulate you upon that feeling of just pride which you entertain for the insti- tutions of your country, and for the nation's soil of which you are such wortiiy inhabitants. (Applause.) W.thin a few short years England and America have given an example to tiie world of what nature can do to remove those difficulties which from time to time necessarily intervene and draw a cloud between friendly peoples. They have shown that, by mutual forbearance, by mutual respect, by a determination to seek nothing but what is just and honorable from each other, that difficulties of tlie gravest character — difficulties which in less wise ages might liave produced lamentable results, can be obliterated — can be completely obliterated— and leave those between whom they occurred more closely locked than ever in llie bonds of mutual friendship." (Loud and prolonged applause.) Mr. P. Parson, President of the Board of Trade, next delivered an admirable speech, very complimentary to Canada and to England, to which Lord Dufferin replied in the following terms : " Mr. Pre.sident, — Having already trespassed almost unduly on the patience of our kind friends, I will add no more in reply to those eloquen: words which you have addressed to us than to say, tiiat the sentiments to wh'ch you have given utterance are Jieartily reciprocated by myself and all Englishmen." Col. Wilkins delivered a brief address, after which several ladies and gentlemen were presented to their Excellencies. The party then returned to the Russell House, wher^ the Band of the 22nd Infantry played several airs in front of the hotel, concluding with the British National Anthem. In the course of the evening another band serenaded their Excellencies. This demonstration, made, as it was, spontaneously by a foreign people, was one of the most gratifying incidents of the Vice-regal tour, not only to the Governor General himself, but to the peoi)le whom he represented, — and the kindness of the citizens of Detroit on the occ the rece their E: excelled The Hon. A Stcinhoi and the thus affo of count rivers we the Cana the stean being see it, and th opportiin boat and at about , steamers 1 evergreen either sid^ their Exc< deck. \V over to tJ followed i little fleet battery of anchored i At this Stcin/ioff, \ as tic in exp seen anyth pavilion, th pink cloth, liiing arour red. white 2 having a ve peted, and to the edge double man 1S74] THE EAKL OF DUFFEllIX IN CANADA. 239 the occasion will never be forgotten by either. The preparations for the reception were commenced only twelve hours before the arrival of their Excellencies, and yet the demonstration could hardly have been excelled had the occasion been the national holiday. The next morning, 20th August, the party, accompanied by ti.e Hon. A. Mackenzie, left Detroit for Sarnia, by the steamer J. W. Stcinhoff. On this trip they passed up the beautiful Detroit River, and the equally beautiful St. Clair Lake and St. Clair River, and were thus afforded an opportunity of seeing a charming and very fertile stretch of country. Several fine towns and villages on both sides of the two rivers were passed. Amongst them was the village of Mooretown, on the Canadian shore. Here a number of tlags were displayed, and as the steamer approached, an anvil salute was fired, a crowd of people being seen on and near the wharf. The Stcinhoff wd^s, steered close to it, and though she passed without stopping, the villagers had a good opportunity of seeing their Excellencies, who went to that side of the boat and bowed to them. Eive miles from Sarnia, which was reached at about half-past three, the Stcinhoff vfn?, met by a procession of six steamers laden with peojjle, and elaborately decorated with boughs and evergreens. These passed her in two lines of three each, one line on either side. As they did so the passengers of each loudly t heered their Excellencies, who were standing in a conspicuous position on the deck. When all the steamers had passed the Stcinhojj uey crossed over to the opposite sides, turning about as they did so, and then followed each other in two lines as before, as an escort. As '' little ileet approached the town, a salute was fired by the Sarnia battery of Artillery from the gunboat Prince Alfred, which was anchored in the river. At this time the scene on shore, as viewed from the deck of the Steiiihoff, was exceptionally fine, and their Excellencies were enthusi- astic in expressing their admiration of it, remarking that they had never seen anything more charming. On the wharf was erected a beautiful pavilion, the roof of which consisted of alternate strips of white and pink cloth, and was surmounted by a large evergreen crown, while, hung around the structure at the top of the uprights, were pieces of red, white and blue bunting, formed into a sort of loose plaid, and having a very pretty appearance. The floor of this was richly car- peted, and stripes of carpet ran from the steps by which it was entered to the edge of the wharf To the right of the pavilion was a large double marquee adorned with flags and carpeted like the former. To i 4% It m iBgw^: i 240 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1874 the left was a grand stand, containing several hundred people. Be- hind it, on Front street, a magnificent arch of evergreens reared itself to a great height, and displayed on one side a piece of canvas having on it a portrait "^f the Queen, with the words " She reigns in our hearts," while on the other side was a similar piece of canvas, with a portrait of Lord Dufferin on it, and the words " Our best wishes follow thee," as also His Excellency's motto, " Per vias rectas.'^ In addition to the people on the grand stand, thousands of others filled Front street in the vicinity, and all the adjacent space, except what was kept clear for the passage of the Vice-regal party from the boat to the pavilion, and from the latter to the marquees. This was done in a most efficient manner by the police, and by members of the 27th Battalion of volunteers formed into cordons. On the wharf was stationed, as a guard of honor, a detachment of the corps just named, whose lively colored uniforms tended greatly to heighten the beauty of the scene. As the Governor General stepped ashore the crowd cheered loudly, the guard of honor presented arms, and the band accDmpanying it played " God save the Queen." Their Excellencies were met upon landing by Mr. George Stevenson, Mayor, the members of the Town Council, and the Reception Committee, which consisted of Col. Davis, Hon. A. Vidal, Hon. T. B. Pardee, Charles Mackenzie, brother of the Premier, R. S. Gurd, J. J. Lister, and Daniel Mackenzie. The party were at once conducted to the platform, and the Mayor j^ro- ceeded to read an address on behalf of the citizens, to which His Ex- cellency replied. Hearty cheers v/erethen given for their Excellencies, after which Mr. J. D. Eccles, \V' arden of fhe County of Lambton, read an address from the Warden and Councillors of the County, to which also a reply was given. These were followed by addresses from the Munsees, the Indians of the Thames, presented by Isaac Dolson, and Thos. Snake, Chief, and from the officers, < hicfs and delegates of the Grand General Council recently held in Sarnia, numbering one hun- dred and thirty delegates, and representing twenty reservations and ten different tribes, viz. : the Chippewas, Mohawks, Tuscaroras. Cayugas, Senecas, Oneidas, Onondagas, Munsees, Delawares, and Pottawatamies, signed on behalf of the Council, by Henry P. Chase, President, and John Jacobs, General Secretary ; a third from the Indians of the Ojibbeway nation residing at Sarnia Indian Rest vation, signed on behalf of the Sarnia band by Wawanosh, Head Chief", John Sumner, Wilson Jacobs and Nicholas Plain ; a fourth from the Chief and Indians of the Oneida tribe on the Thames river, signed by tlic Rev. Abraham 18T4] Sickles, Antoul ; Johnson 7'hames, Missions nient to treatmen ings of n a compla " Fati present be covenant t Third, and this great t substance c well ;— anci grounds ai because the pleni/ of" 1; not been fu '••t Ceneral ing east war close of the retreating, ( the Americ: lecumseth, strong allies our country, the battles and during i have been lit -Munsees onl too often me ston, says tht outside of thi scattered ove I's, but says I Munsees earr your obedien His Ex " Among few of them v face to face vv Indian Comn 18T4] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 241 Sickles, John S. Sickles, Moses Brown, Augustus Cornelius, and Henry Antoul ; a fifth from the Indians of Walpole Island, signed by Alex. Johnson, and a sixth from the Councillors of the Chippewas of the Thames, signed by Jos. Fraser, Councillor, and Alexander Salt, Native Missionary, and others. All these expressed feelings of strong attach- ment to the rule and person of Her Majesty, contentment with their treatment by the Dominion Government, and gratitude for the bless- ings of religion and education. One only, from the Munsees, contained a complaint, and this from its novelty is re-produced : " Faiher, Lord Dufferin, — Your children, the Munsees of the ITiames, present before your Excellency our entreaty. First, we will describe the great covenant treaty which was made by the British Government, King George the Tliird, under the superintendence of Sir Wm. Johnston. Our forefathers accepted this great treaty, for it sounded good to them, — to their children's children. The substance of this great treaty was that as long as the world last you will be used well ;— and for this reason our forefathers spilt their blood, and left their hunting grounds and possessions in the United States for the sake of the British Cro'vn, because the promises were made for them that the King George was rich, and had pleni; of land similar to what you left, and freely granted ; but this it appears has not been fulfilled on our part. Father, Lord Dufferin, another Treaty was made ■'V General Proctor similar to the one mentioned in the war of l8l2, while retreat- ing eastwards from Amherstburgh. The substance of this Treaty was, that at the close of the war land will be freely granted to us in the river Thames ; and while retreating, our brave warrior Tecumseth and General Proctor were overtaken by the Americans at Moraviantown, and a battle ensued, and here our brave warrior lecumseth, and many other warriors lost their lives. We Munsees have been strong allies of the British Crown, and have spilt our blood in defending the flag of our country, and our warriors have laid and bled side by side with the British in all the battles of i8i2 in Canada. Your children Munsees were numerous at that time, and (luring the war of i8l2 many of them were killed. Father, Lord Dufferin, we have been little uneasy concerning our rights on the river Thames. It seems to us Munsees only have a claim of one nile square and no more. Th e expressions are too often mentioned by our neighbor tribe ; even our agent. Mi. William Living- ston, says the same thing to us ; he tells us, Munsees have no rights to occupy lands outside of that one mile square. Such expression don't suit our minds, for we are scattered over beyond our rights. All his predecessors never say such a thing to us, but says to us that we had equal right to the land. Father, Lord Dufferin, we Munsees earnestly beg this right to be considered by your Excellency. \Ve remain your obedient Munsees." His Excellency in replying to these addresses said that : " Among the many pleasures which he had enjoyed during his present tour, few of them were to be compared with that which he experienced in finding himself face to face with the intelligent, well educated, well dressed representatives of the Indian Community in this neighborhood. Coming as he did from the distant West, Q 242 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1874 f. i i and from interviews with their Indian fellow subjects, who unfortunately, from their remote position, had not yet been able to share those advantages which the Indians of this locality enjoyed, he was sensibly struck by the wonderfully, improved condi- tion of the latter. He was proud to think that, thanks to the wisdom of the British Government, such marks of advancement and improvement should be seen among them. He declared himself fully sensible of the obligation which rested upon tlie white people to use their utmost endeavors to promote the welfare and guard tiie rights of the Indian tribes, and expressed his pleasure at the fact of all the Indians present Ijeing able to converse with him in the English language. He was glad to think they were sensible of the benefits which had been conferred upon them by those good and Christian men who had sown amongst them the truths of religioi,, both by means of tiie Bible and by their own noble examples. He spoke of having, during his tour, made the acquaintance of a tribe of Indians to whom, unfortunately, the glad words of the Gospel could scarcely have been preached yet. He remarked that, in contrasting the condition of those people with the condition of the Indians before him, he could not fail to be struck with the immensely beneficial results which flowed from religion going hand in hand with civilization. With reference to the allusion which had been made in some of tho addresses to questions affecting certain rights depending on ancient treaties, he said that, of course, it was not desirable for him to enter upon the present occasion into a consideration of these, but he assured them, and this, he said, must be his answer to all representations of that nature, that no petition was ever addressed to him as the representative of the Crown, by any of Her Majesty's Indian subjects, without his feeling it his duty to instiuite enquiries in regard to tlie statements it contained, and under the advice of his responsible ministers to do whatever might be thought desirable under the circum- stances of each particular case. He wished them all happiness and prosperity, and trusted that they would continue to be satisfied with tae Government under which they lived ; that year after year they would learn better and better, by industry, by attention to their duties, and by those labors from which no one, rich or poor, was ever exempt in this world, they would join with tlieir white fellow subjects in help- ing to build up the Dominion of Canada." The members of the Town and County Councils, and a number of others, were then presented, and their Excellencies were next con- ducted to a marquee, where they held a reception. Those who wished the honor of an introduction to their Excellencies passed through two lines of volunteers facing inwards, and extending from the pavilion to the marquee, handed their cards to Lieutenant Hamil- ton, A. B.C., who announced their names, and after shaking hands with their Excellencies, passed out at the opposite end of the marquee from that at which they entered. Among those presented were .\lr. Stevenson, the Mayor ; Mr. Oliver, M.P.P. ; S. D. Pace, United States Consul ; Robert Mackenzie, Rev. T. S. Ellerby,Rev. J. Thompson, Rev. Mr. Ross, Rev. A. Jamieson, Walpole Island; Rev. Allan Salt, Indian Missionary; Rev. VV. H. Claris and Mrs. Claris, Rev. Father Murphy, 1874] THE EARL OF DUFFEKIN IN CANADA. 243 Rtv. Father Walker, Rev. Father Bonbat, Major Series, Capt. Adams, Mrs. and Miss Vidal, Miss Lizzie Vidal, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mac- kenzie, Mr. and Mrs. John Mackenzie, Mr. and Mrs. James Mackenzie, Dr. and Mrs. Shoebotham, Port Huron ; T. A. Mara and Miss Sarah Mara, Toronto ; Miss Minnie Long, St. Marys ; Miss Mitchell, Port Huron, and others. The reception over, the Vice-regal party were taken for a drive about the town, in the course of which they passed through several triumphal arches, one of them was made of evergreens and sun- flowers, having arranged on its top, barrels of salt and coal-oil, a sheep, sheaves of ripe grain, various agricultural implements ; and on front of it the following : " The County of Lambton welcomes the Governor General and Lady Dufferin with hearty good will." On the other side: "Fear God and honor the King "—" Commerce " — "Agriculture." During the drive the carriage containing their K\- cellencies was escorted by a detachment of Mooretown Cavalry. At its conclusion the Vice-regal party were taken in a steamer to Point Edward, where they remained for the night. The reception given to His Excellency by Sarnia was most en- thusiastic, and everything connected with it was most creditable to the town. The completeness of all the arrangements, and the very orderly manner in which everything passed off, were deserving of the highest praise. The Steinhoff, with the Vice-regal party on board, left Point Edward for Goderich, on the morning of the 21st August. When the party embarked, a body of riflemen were drawn up on the deck as a guard of honor. The Hon. Mr. Mackenzie here left the party. When the steamer left the wharf, the weathv.^r .vas fine, though the sky was cloudy, and for a time she progressed very pleasantly. Shortly after noon, however, rain began to fall heavily, and with it the wind rose almost to a gale from the north-west. A great sea was soon rolling, and during the rest of the voyage the boat pitched about in a most lively manner, upsetting chairs and benches, and rendering it very uncomfortable for every one on board. The party were not, therefore, in the best possible spirits when they entered the harbor of Goderich. According to the programme of the tour, the steamer should have reo^hed this town at two o'clock, but owing to the adverse wind it was not until half-past three that they did so. About a mile from the town, rough though the lake still was, the Steinhoff was met by half a 1I«I( 244 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1874 ^IV dozen steamers laden with people, and decked with flags. As the Steinhoff passed through these, all whistled, and their passengers cheered loudly. When these steamers met the Steinhoff they turned about, and escorted her into the wharf, as was done at Collingwood and Sarnia. Meanwhile the guns of the Goderich garrison, placed at wide intervals along the high cliff in front of the town, thundered out from that commanding position a Vice-regal salute. The eminence was at the time covered with people, and another large crowd was down at the wharf. When the Governor General stepped ashore, a guard of honor, consisting of a detachment of the 33rd Battalion V. M. pre- sented arms, and the Goderich band played the National Anthem. Mr. Horace Horton, M.P., Mayor of the town, and Mr. M. C. Cameron, M.P.P., presented His Excellency with an address, to which he made a suitable reply. The party were then taken into carriages, and driven through the town. On their way they passed under a number of arches, bearing words of welcome, and other appropriate inscrip- tions, — one arch consisting of barrels of the great natural production of the town, salt, piled up on each other in a fanciful manner. Dur- ing the course of their drive the procession halted at the Central Public School, the children of which sang a song of welcome, to the air of " God save the Queen," specially composed for the occasion by Mr. J. Miller, Public School Inspector. His Excellency was presented with an address on behalf of the pupils, to which a reply was given. Another address from the trustees and teachers of the Public Schools of the town was presented by Mr. Christo Crabb, chairman of the Board of 'I'rustees. Their Excellencies then pro- ceeded to the Court House where they held a levee, when a great number of ladies and gentlemen were presented. After the reception the party were driven to the International Salt Works, owned by a joint stock company, of which Mr. M. P. Hayes was President. When in full operation these wells furnished sixty barrels of salt per day. Enough brine, however, could have been pumped from the single well which supplies the works for the manu- facture of a thousand barrels per day. There were dien fourteen or fifteen salt wells in the town and neighborhood, but the works of none of these were as extensive as the International. In all thes>- works the evaporation is obtained by the use of pans, in place of kettles. In the International works there were four pans, each one hundred and twenty-two feet long, and twenty-six feet broad. They are formed of boiler iron, about an eighth of an inch thick, riveted 1874] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 245 together. In these works, as in the majority of those in the town, the pans are heated by furnaces placed under them, but in the works connected with one of the wells in the town, the brine is heated by steam, the pans having two bottoms, between which the steam is passed. By this arrangement the heat is more universally diffused over the bottom of the pan than when it comes from furnaces, which do not, of course, extend the whole length of the pans, The depth of the International well is one thousand one hundred and seventy- eight feet. So sure were the projectors of obtaining brine, that the International works were built before the well was sunk. After the inspection there was a luncheon at which the President ventured to express the desire of the Company to have a free exchange of products with our American neighbors on a fair and equitable footing. He said : " The interest with which I am connected was perhapj one of those most directly affected by treaties with the United States. At present, the salt manufac- turers are laboring under numerous disadvantages, but notwithstanding these we are doing pretty well, and hope by encouragement from the Government to do Inciter sti" •• This mild attempt to obtain an expression of the opinion of His Excellency on the vexed question of " Reciprocity " was unsuccessful, for he humorously replied : " I have derived the greatest pleasure and instruction from my visit to these works. It is the first occasion in my life that I have had an opportunity of acquainting myself by actual inspection with the manner in which salt is prepared for the market, and I am glad to think that, thanks to the bounty of Providence, underneath our feet there should be what appears to be an inexhaustible supply of that article, — and that, too, of the finest quality, and so situated as to be readily and easily obtained. I am still better pleased to think that this Company, notwithstand- ing these invidious restrictions which are imposed, should still find themselves in a position to trade with the United States. With respect to any possible future alterations in the tariff which might render the trade in salt between thi? country and the United States freer than at present, I can only say that I shall only he too glad if the wishes of the gentlemen connected with this interest should be gratified in that respect. (Applause.) If every individual interest in Canada could be accommodated, it would be a matter of gratification to the Government. I am afraid, however, that as I pursue my progress through other portions of the country I may meet with interests which would not be disposed to entertain exactly the same opinion as that which I heard fall from the lips of your President to-tlay. If I do meet gentlemen expressing opinions different from these, my reply will be that I should, of course, be very glad if their views could also be furthered. (Laughter.) 24C) IIISTOUY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF im-i As far as the political aspects of the question are concerned, I am afraid I must refer you to my responsible advisers." (Laughter.) The party then re-entered their carriages, and were driven to the beautiful residence of Mr. M. C. Cameron, M.P., whose guests they were during their stay in the town. After dark there was a grand ilhi- mination, nearly all the windows facing the large square in which tlie Court House is situated being ablaze with light. Chinese lanicins were suspended at short intervals all around the fence enclosing the Court House square and in the front of several of the buildings. During the evening a band played through a programme of excellent music on the square. A torch-light procession took place, and there was a fine display of fire-works, and a public ball was given in honor of their Excellencies. The party left Goderich by train on the morning of the 22nd August for Mitchell, where an address was presented from the Mayor and Council of the town, read by Mr. T. Matheson, Mayor. The Municipal Council of the County of Perth also presented an address, read by the Warden, Mr. Robert Jones. After a few jjresentations the journey was resumed, and at about a quarter to ten o'clock Stratford was reached. A large crowd of persons were present, including a guard of honor, consisting of a detachment of the 28th Battalion V. M. under the command of Major Larmour. The fine band of the town, which carried off the second prize for amateur bands at the then recent Forresters' Festival in Toronto, was also present, and when the Gover- nor General stepped off the train played " God save the Queen." Their Excellencies were conducted to a very prettily decorated tent close to the station, and there His Excellency was presented with an address from the Mayor and Council, read by Mr. Thomas Stoney, Mayor. At the conclusion of the reply the party were taken for a drive about the town, the principal streets of which were spanned by a number of arches, and further decorated with evergreens and bunting. The carriages halted at most of the churches (of which Stratford can boast some very fine ones), in order that the visitors might have an opportunity of inspecting them. When the party entered the Wesleyan Church, the organist struck up the National Anthem, and continued playinjg it until they left the building. After luncheon, an address was presented on behalf of the German inhabitants of Sebring- ville, when the party proceeded on their journey to Berlin, where they arrived at about half-past one o'clock, and at no place since the tour 1874] THE EAUL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 247 commenced was a heartier or more thoroughly well arranged reception given to their Excellencies. Escorted by a long procession of vehicles, headed by the Berlin band and a British ensign, the Governor's carriage was driven through the streets, when a halt was made for the presen- tation of an address from the Town Council and inhabitants, read by Mr. Hugo Kranz, Mayor. Berlin is in the midst of a large German population, who occupy one of the most beautiful and productive portions of the magnificent Province of Ontario. As the German people of Canada form one of the valuable elements of her industrial strength, the opinions of such a class are important, and as this was the first opportunity His Excellency had of meeting this intelligent yeomanry, their admir able address and his reply are reproduced in full. The address was as follows : " The Council and inhabitants of the town of Berlin desire to convey to your Excellency an assurance of the great pleasure and satisfaction with which every one of us feels animated on the occasion of meeting the representative of our beloved Sovereign the Queen. These sentiments are not artificially instigated, but arise from a sincere love of our country, and from the heartfelt esteem we entertain for the Government which your Excellency so worthily represents. It is the prominent feature of the British Government in the Mother Country as well as in her numerous colonies to preserve peace, and wisely to adapt the laws to the requirements of changeful periods and varying localities ; to grant the greatest possible measure of liberty consistent with the maintenance of order ; to establish equality in the administration of the laws between men of diflerent races and creeds without destroying those social distinctions naturally arising out of her historical development, and sustained by the sound judgment of nations. ]{ritish Colonies are not regarded as mere sources of revenue, but are treated as integral jioitions of the Empire, in which the influence of the present state manifests itself in the grand principle of self-government, in (lie active race for public improve- ment, the development of internal resources, and in the solution of the great i)rob- lem of the greatest good to the greatest number. The Sovereign is represented in these colonies by statesmen inspired with true British principles, who, like your Excellency in our Dominion, endeavor to create for the settler a happy home, and a remunerative field of enterprise. The large measure of freedom, the undoubted comforts which surround our Colonial life, are the rational motives of our attach- ment to the institutions of Great Britain, and of our love for the august Sovereign whose personal virtues excite our deepest reverence and affection. We most respectfully welcome your Excellency and your esteemed lady the Countess of DulTeriii to our town, inhabited principally by Germans, who loyally contribute tlieir siiare to building up our Canadian nationality, and who glory to live, labor and prosper under the British laws and Constitution." •4 Il 1 248 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1H74 His Excellency in reply said: " Mr. Mayor and (Ienti.kmkn, — Among the many pleasurable visits which it has been my jjockI fortune to make during the course of my present tour, I can conscientiously say that there has l)een none which has given me greater i)leasure than that which I am now paying. It is a matter of pride to me, as an Englishman, that in my capacity as representative of the British (^u*-'*^" ^ should have the honor of addressing a German audience. (Applause.) It is needless for me to assure you that I, in common with all your other Hritish fellow subjects, am prepared to recognize you as kllow-citizens with the utmost cordiality and affection. I Kditve that in saying this I am accurately expressing the general feeling of the Hritish section and of every other section of the Canadian people, who all recognize in the German element a contribution of strength to our national Constitution, and .1 population, who, by their thrifty habits, by their hereditary intelligence, by tlieii industry, sobriety, and general good conduct, are likely to aid most powerfully in furthering the prosperity of our common country. (Cheers,) Gentlemen, it has ])een my privilege to reside for a considerable period in your Fatherland, and I have had the honor of receiving many marks of kindness and good-will at the hands of that august Emperor under whose beneficent sway Germany has become united. (Applause.) And it may be a satisfaction to you to know that I shall consider it my duty, in communicating from time to time, through the projier channels, my impressions as to the condition of the Dominion, to take care that the Government of Germany understand that her children in this country are contented with the land of their adoption, and that, although they regard with undiminisiied affection the traditions of their forefathers, they are perfectly contented to find themselves under British rule, and in the enjoyment ol the liberties secured to them by the British Constitution. (Applause.) Gentlemen, I believe that under no government, and in no country, are popular rights and those principles of true lilierty better combined with the administration of order than under the Constitu- tion under which you live. (Hear, hear.) I am sure there is not a person in this vast assembly who does not feel that under Parliamentary Government his voice is duly heard, — that his rights as a freeman are respected, and that his material interests are adequately subserved." (Cheers.) Mr. C. A. Durand then presented an address on behalf of the in- habitants of the County of Waterloo, signed by Mr. Abraham Tyson, Warden. After replying, cheers for His Excellency and for the Countess of Dufiferin were called for, and the multitude responded with much enthusiasm. The German is generally described as phlegmatic, but judging from the manner in which the people of Berlin cheered on this occasion, they can be as demonstrative in expressing their joy as any Englishman or Frenchman could be under similar circumstances. A choir of young men sang " Die Wacht am Rheim," when several presentations were made. After the presentations the Vice- 1874] THE EARL OF DUFFEIIIN IN CANADA. 249 regal party were driven buck to the station, accompanied by a large crowd, who, as the train moved away, began cheering loudly, and con- tinued doing so until distance and the ra*Me of the carriages on the train i)revented their voices being any longer heard. The reception at Berlin must be set down as one of the very heartiest His Excellency had received. Guelph was reached at half-past three, and as the train approached the place at which the party landed, a Vice-regal salute was fired by the Wellington Field Battery, under the command of Capt. Mac- donald. From the track to an ornate pavilion, erected beside the Town Hall, e> '..aded a detachment of the 30th Rifles, who constituted a guard of honor, the rank facing inwards, so as to keep a clear passage between these two points through the large crowd. Accompanying the guard of honor was the band of the 30th, which played the National Anthem when their Excellencies made their appearance. Mr. John Harris, Mayer, having been presented to the Governor General, conducted the party to the pavilion, and then, on behalf of the town, read an address. Aftrr a reply by His Excellency, another address was presented from the Central Fair Association, read by Mr. J. B. Armstrong, its President. Their Excellencies were then conducted to the Town Hall, where a number of ladies and gentlemen were presented. After luncheon, at which short speeches were made by the Mayor, and Mr. George Howard, the Reeve, to which His Excellency responded, the party were taken for a drive through the town to the residence of Mr. Andrew Lemon, whose guests they were during their stay in Guelph. In the evening their Excellencies held a reception in the Town Hall, which, with most of the buildings on the market square, and those on Windham street, were brilliantly illuminated. The day's journey had afforded His Excellency an opportunity of seeing one of the most fertile districts in the Province of Ontario, so that though great as was his admiration of Canada before, and he had a higher opinion of both the country and the people than he could express by even his glowing speeches, he was now prouder than ever of Canada and of his high position in it. The entire stretch from Goderich to Guelph, and as much further as the eye can reach, com- prises some of the finest land to be found on the continent, and every- thing indicated the greatest happiness and contentment among the people. 250 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1874 On Sunday, the 23rd August, the party attended divine service in St. George- s Episcopal Church. On Monday, the 24th August, the party visited the various sewing machine and musical instrument factories in Guelph, and also Mr. McCrea's woollen mills. Shortly before eleven o'clock they were driven to the Cireat Western Station, where a spei ial train was in waiting for them. A large cowd of citizens were as.sembled here, and the Wellington Field Battery was drawn up near at hand. After His Excellency had inspected the Battery, the party entered the train, and started on their journey amidst ringing cheers from the crowd, and the explo- sion of a large number of fog signals which had been placed on the crack The first stoppage was at Preston stati m, where a considerable number of the townspeople were assembled, on whose behalf an address was presented, read by Mr. Otto Klotz, the accomplished president of the German Societies of Preston and its vicinity. After a suitable reply to the address, a number of children who were on the platform sang the National Anthem, accompanied bv a band. The train then left, and a little before noon arrived at Cialt. It was not on the programme of the tour to stop at this town, and it was not until the evening before that it was known theie that His Excellency would honor its citizens with a visit. There was con- sequently but little time to prepare a reception. The people of Gait were, however, equal to the occasion, and spontaneously prepared a hearty welcome for His Excellency. The streets were decorated with bunting, and a number of flags were displayed. On the station platform the firemen of the town were drawn up in two lines, as a guard of honor, and the band of the 29th Battalion played "God Save the Queen," when the party stepped from the train. His Excellency was presented with an addre.^s on l)ehalf of the inhabitants of Gait, read by Mr. Thomas Cowan. After a short reply, the party entered carriages for a drive through the town to Miss Macpherson's Boys' Home, the firemen accompanying them a portion of the way as an escort. \\'hcn they entered the grounds of the Home, which is pleasantly situated a short distance to the north of the town, the boys greeted His Excel- lency with a hearty cheer. 'I'hey subsequently favored their Excel- lencies with some good singing. After spending a shon time in inspecting the Home, and in conversing with the children, they 1ST4J left ami to the r view of the Stat loyalty large nu train stc decorate few of t 1S74J THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 251 left amidst loud and oft-repeated cheers from the boys, and proceeded to the residence of William Dickson, Esq., whence they obtained a fine view of the town. Having spent a short time here they returned to the station, and took their departure amidst renewed demonstrations of loyalty and friendliness. As the train moved away it exploded a larue number of fog signals which had been i)laced on the track. The train stopped fcr a short time at Harrisburg Station, which was decorated, and where a large number of persons were assembled. A few of them were ])resented to His Excellency. The party were joined liere by the Hon. David Christie, Speaker of the Senate ; Sheriff Smith, of Brant ; Mr. Plumb, of Niagara, M.P., and a number of other gentle- men from Brantford, who had come down to meet them. Brantford was reached at about half-past one, and here His f^xcel- lency met with such a reception as was to be expected of so loyal and enterprising a town. The Grand Trunk Rifles were stationed on the platform as a guard of honor, and with them was their excellent band, which ]jlayed "God Save the Queen " as their Excellencies left the train. The party were (conducted to carriages, and a procession was formed in the following order : Guard of honor. Grand Trunk Band, the \'ice-regal party, the members of the Corporation and County officials in carriages, the Fire Brigade in ftiU uniform, drawing their hook and ladder wagons, and their hose reel, beautifully decorated with flowers and flags, and private carriages, of which there were a great number. The procession, with the band jjlaying, then moved by way of Colborne and Market streets, which were thronged with enthusiastic crowds of people, belonging both to the town and the neighboring country, into the beautiful Victoria Stjuare. Here was a platform, around which the guard of honor formed so as to keep the crowd from getting too close to it. Upon this the Vice-regal jjarty Were conducted, and then the Governor General was presented wii.. an address from the Mayor and Members of the Municipal Council, to which His Excellency replied. The party were then driven to the Central School, where a large number of children, from I2C0 to i.ioo, occupying two large platforms erected in front of the btiilding, and facing each other, greeted him by singing, to the aeconii'animent of an organ, the National Anthem. These included not only the pupils of the Central School, but also those of the Roman Catholic Separate Schools, who joined with the former on the occasion. The pupils of the Public School then presented His 252 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1874 Excellency with an address signed by Lizzie King on behalf of the Scholars of the Public Schools, and by Emily Barr, on behalf of those of the Separate Schools. To this a fitting reply was given. The procession then proceeded to a spot just south of the town, called Cockshutt's Flats, where His Excellency was to tu.n the first sod of the piujected Brantford, Norfolk and Port Burwell Railway. A platform was erected at the place, and was neatly decorated. Here His Excellency was presented with an address from the Company, read by Mr. Wilkes, the President, to which His Excellency replied. He tlien proceeded to turn the first sod,- he placed it in a wheel- barrow, wheeled it a short distance, and then dumped it on the ground. On this was a block of white marble, with the following words carved on it, to be placed on the siation building : " First sod B. N. and Pt. B. Ry. turned August 24th, 1874, by His Excellency the Governor General, Earl Dufferin, K.P., K.C.B." At the conclusion of the ceremony hearty cheers were given for the Queen, for His Excellency, and for the Countess of Dufferin. The party then proceeded by way of Brant avenue to the new Presbyterian Young Ladies' College, formerly the fine residence of the present Chief Justice Wood of Manitoba. Proceeding up that fine thorough- fare, the party passed a number of elegant private residences and charming grounds. When they arrived at the College, the President, Mr. A. Robertson, presented Her Excellency with an address fronuhe President and Directors of the Brantford Young Ladies' College in connection with the Canada Presbyter'an Church, to which His Excel- lency, commissioned by the Countess, made an excellent reply. As the sound views of His Excellency on the education and train- ing of girls are of great importance in a country so much exposed as is Canada to the influence of the American system, by which young people become men and women before they are boys and girls. His reply is reproduced in full. After a few preliminary remarks, he said : " There are few subjects which present greater interest to Lady Dufferin and my- self than tiiat of education, especially the education of the female portion of the lead- ing classes of Canada, as it is so intimately connected with the future fortunes ana status of this country, because it is on the proper education of our girls that we must depend for that high tone of moral feeling, for that delicacy of sentiment, and for that freedom from whatever is meretricious, frivolous and base, whicli more than anything else are the essentials of a nation's glory, (Applause.) lam the more inclined to insist the more strongly upon this point because we must all be 1H74] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 253 aware that female education is a subject with respect to which we are liable to fall into error, ami over which it is tlierefore incumljent for the people of Canada to watch with the f;;reatest jealousy and attention. In Canada, as in every new coun- try, there are, of course, circumstances and considerationM which in some degree militate against that which ought to be the leading and principal feature of all education, namely, its domesticity. In a newly settled country, where the scattered halntations militate against education, and where even in towns a very considerable numt)er of the inhabitants are driven to live less in private than is the custom in Eiuope, it is of course more difficult to maintain unimpaired those home influences wliich are so essential, especially in the training of young girls. Now, I confers that I am strongly of opinion that we cannot keep our girls too long from coming out into the world, and becoming young ladies. (Applause.) In other countries we sometimes see the contrary occur more frequently than is to be wished, but I am hopeful that in Canada we are so convinced of the desirability of maintaining amongst us simplicity of manners, simplicity of dress, (hear, hear,) simplicity of thought and feeling (applause), that we are determined to prevent the youthful members of our families from becoming prematurely sophisticated. (Applause ami laughter.) Even if we middle-aged men can carry into the occupations of our mature years the freshness, the liveliness, and the innocence of boyhood, we feel it tol)esomuch gained. (Applause.) And this trith, of course, is infinitely more applicable to those who are to be the ornaments of our houses, and the mothers of our children. (Applause.) However, it would be presumptuous in me to do more than simply glance at these topics. I am sure that every experienced person pre- sent will be able to gather from what I have said the full meaning I desire to con- vey, and that that freshness and that simplicity which I am proud to think are anion;^ the noble characteristics which distinguish the Canadian people at large will aljro long be maintained, the prominent attribute of the manners and of the tone of thought and feeling of our woman-kind." (Great and continued applause.) Lady Diifferin was then presented with an elegant silv r trowel and a little ebony mallet, and with these tools proceeded with the formality of laying the inscription stone. lT,e party next proceeded to the Asylum lor the Blind, and were conducted through it by the Principal, Mr. J. Howard Hunter, M.A. While there His Excellency was i:)resented with a sheet of embossed music, written by a blind pupil of the Institute. This .system of writing music is said to have been the invention of Mr. B. F. Cheeseboro, one of the teachers of the Brantford Institute, and the sheet of it given to the Governor General was the first ever written in Canada. The lad who presented it, Roger Roberts, played very well during the visit the "(lloria" in Mozart's 12th Mas';, on a cabinet organ. The party returned to the Kerby House, which was their head- ([uariers while in town. At about six o'clock in the evening His 254 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1874 Excellency gave a dinner party to which were honored with invitations the Mayor ; Mr. Sheriff Smith ; his Honor Judge Jones ; the Rev. J (;. Salter; Colonel Villiers, of Hamilton, Brigade Major; Mr. Daly; Hon. D. Christie ; Mr. Patter^ion, M.P. ; Mr. Hardy, M. P.P. ; Captain Kerr, and Captain Marshall. In honor of the Governor General's visit tlie town was beautifully decorated, and Colborne street viewed from the station looked particularly gay. Near the Kerby House was erected a very high arch of evergreens, bearing appropriate mottoe?,, and at the corner of Colborne and Dumfries streets the St. George's Society had a pretty and unique one. The latter consisted of evergreens, and was supported on two imitation granite pillars, while waving from the top of it was the beautiful banner of the Society, displaying in con- spicuous characters the sentiment, " England our Country, Canada our Home." All along Colborne street the display of flags and banners was profuse ; and strips of different colored bunting were stretclicd across at every few yards, and festooned in front of the stores. Jhe station at which the party left the train was also nicely decorated, hut what struck one most was the extent of the decoration of ]jrivate dwellings. Large numbei-j of these residences were ornamented in a manner which showed the exercise of much taste and the expendi- ture of a great deal of time. On the morning of the 25th August, carriages were at the Kcrhy House, Brantford, and His Excellency Lord Dufferin, the Countess of Dufferin (accompanied by Lieut-Colonel Gilkison, Visiting Superinicn- dent Indian Affairs), Colonel and Lady Fletcher, and Staff, were driven to the village of the Six Nations Indians in the Grand River, about nine miles from Brantford, called Ohswekea. They first went to the Mohawk Church (built in 1784), where they were received by the Rev. Canon Nelles, and other Missionaries. The Reverend Gentleman read th^ following address : — To His Excellency the Right Honorable Earl of Duflerin, K.P., K.C.B., Gowr- nor-General of the Dominion of Canada, dr^c, 6^c. May it please. Your Excellency, — We, the missionaries of the Church of England, to the Indians of the Six Na- tions, under ihe auspices of the New England Company, one of the eai liist missionary organizatrjns in Creat Britain, whose Ijeneticence has been extendcnl lo the Indians here for many years, most cordially welcome your Excellency ;nnl Lady Uuffcrin to the Mohawk Church, which is the oldest Protestant place of kin- ship in the Province of Ontario. As an ecclesiastical edifice of such priority, i' 1874] TIIK EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 255 will no doubt be an object of interest to you'" Excellency, but its interests are greatly enhanced by the fact, that at the in stance of the late celebrated Chief Joseph Brant, " Thayendanegea," it was erected ly the British tjovernment, for the bene- fit of the Indians, whose spiritual as well is temporal interests have always been the objects of the paternal care of the suciessive occupants of the British throne. Tlic instructions issued by the Colonial Ofili -e in 1670, respecting the Indians, were as follows : — " You are to consider how the Indians may be best instructed in the Christian religion, it being both for the honor of the Crown, and of the Protestant religion, itself, that all persons within any of our territories, though ever so remote, shinilil be taught the knowledge of God, and be made acquainted with the mysteries of salvation." And the laudable spirit which prompted these ever memorable in- structions has been possessed by every British sovereign down to the present tiuie, and perhaps by none more than our Most Gracious Queen. We beg to call your Excellency's attention to a copy of the Holy Bible, and a serviio of plate for the administration of the holy communion, gifts of Her Majesty Queen Anne to her Indian Chapel of the Mohawks. In this sacred eilifice, the Indians have been religiously instructed, and doubtless they have been much benefited by their attend- ance ujion the ministrations of the Churc, and though the Indians have removed from this neighborhood, and now seldom worship here, many of their children who are educated at the New England Company's institution regularly attend divine service in this place. Many of the Six Nations are truly pious, antl strongly ailached to the English Church, and as a body, have always been distinguished for their unswerving loyalty to the British Crown. We beg to express our gr.nitude for the deep interest which your Excellency shows in the welfare of the Indians, and our high appreciation of the kindness of Lady DutVerin and yourself, in visiting the settlement of the Six Nations. 'We beg. In conclusion, to assure you of our arileni aspirations for the welflire of your Excellency and Lady Dulferin, both here and hereafter. (Signed,) ABRAHAM NELLES, ADAM ELLIOTT, JAMES CHANCE, R. J. ROBERTS, ALBERT ANIHONY. Mohawk Parsonage, August 25, 1874. His Exxellency replied briefly, and in doing so, desired to express, on behalf of the Government which he administered, and, he might add, on behalf of alltheir fellow-subjects, their deep sense of the obligation under which they were to the reverend gentleman and his fellow- lahorers, for the devoted manner in which they had addressed them- selves to the noble task which they had undertaken. It would be diiticult to overrate the benefits which had been conferred by them. It was exceedingly interesting to Lady Dufferin and to himself to find tlieiiiselves in a locality surrounded by so many historical associations, and he confessed, that it was with the very greatest pleasure that he 256 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1874 looked forward to making himself thoroughly acquainted with the pro- gress which had been made, and the success which had attended the efforts put forth, in the direction of civilizing their Indian fellow-sub- jects. Their Excellencies looked at the Communion plate, and the Holy Bible, presented to the Mohawks, by Queen Anne, 17 12. On the fly-leaf of the Bible, are the signatures of their Royal High- nesses the Prince of Wales and Prince Arthur : His Excellency was pleased to add his signature. Leaving the church, the Tomb of Brant was visited. The drive was continued, via Newport and the Grand River, to the Indian Reserve of Tucarora. At the entrance of the Reserve, an arch was erc^led, with the greeting : THE SIX NATIONS WELCOME THE GOVERNOR GENERAL TO THEIR RESERVE. At the turn of the road from the River, another arch had the words : THE SIX NATIONS PLEASED! Two miles further, a third arch was reached, declaring : THE SIX NATIONS REJOICE ! ! On the arch opposite the Council House : THE SIX NATIONS TRIUMPH ! ! ! At the third arch, their Excellencies were met by Interpreter Johnson, in the costume of a chief. Marshal John A. Beaver, and a body of Six Nations and Ojibbeways, with the excellent band of the latter playing " God Save the Queen," a Royal salute being fired ; further on, they passed the Mohawk band^ which sakUed with "' Rule Britannia," and on reaching the Council House, a large crowd (estimated at 5000) were assembled, half of whom were Indians, who received their Excellencies with whoops and cheers, the Tuscarora and other bands uniting in the National Anthem. 1874] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 257 The Council House was prettily decorated with wreaths of hem- lock, and on the inner walls were hung portraits of the Queen, the late Prince Consort, Prince Arthur, Sir William Johnson, the Brants (father and son), and other celebrities, interspersed with a variety of Indian weapons and curiosities. The pathway to the Council House was lined with Indian chiefs and warriors, and in its rear was a rustic hall decorated with Hags, in which was erected a carpeted dais, having in its rear the British ensigns, a royal crown and an illuminated ribbon or scroll with this motto : — " WELCOME LORD AND LADY DUFFERIN." As their Excellencies were conducted to the dais, their path was strewed with flowers by Indian maidens, and a number of children sang the National Anthem. On the dais to the right and left of His Excellency were seated the Countess of Dufferin, Lady Fletcher, MissGilkison, Hon. Mr. Mowat, Prime Minister of Ontario, Col. Fletcher, Hon. D. Christie, Speaker of the Senate, Mrs. and the Misses Christie, Col. Cumberland, A.D.C., Col. Villiers, Judge Jones, Captain Ward, A.D.C, Lieut. Hamilton, A.D.C., Mr. Patterson, M.P., Mr. M. Whiting, Mr. Hardy, M.P.P., Mr. Matthews, Mayor of Brantford, Mr. Cleghorn, Col. Patton, and about eighty chiefs of the Mohawks, Onondagas, Senecas, Oneidas, Cayugas, Tuscaroras, Delawares, the Six Nations, and the Ojibbe- ways ; among whom were Chief J. Smoke Johnson, Speaker of the Council, J. Givens, Jacob and John Carpenter, J. Fraser, D. Thomas, jr., T. Burning; J. Snow, Geo. Buck, G. Key, J. Buck, Fire- keepers ; I). Hill, John Mill, Johnson Williams ; Jacob General, H. Clench, John Cieneral, Thos. Isaac, Jacob Williams, Josiah Mill, Wm. Jacob, Geo. Monture, Jacob Silversmith, M. Anthony, Dr. Jones, "Wm. Elliott, L. Herchmer. In the body of the hall were many ladies and gentlemen, among whom were the Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Nelles, Rev. Mr. Cochrane, Prof Bell, G. Fleming, M.P., Mnyor Whitlaw, Paris; Rev. J. Chance, Mr. Muirhead, Dr. Henwood, Dr. Dee, Captain McLean, Dr. McCargow, Dr. Bown, Rev. Mr. Hurlburt, Mr. Jose])h Robinson, Rev. Mr. Stewart, Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Elliott, Mr. H. Andrews, Mr. Shenston, Mr. Robertson, .Sheiifif and Mrs. Smith, Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Salter, Mr. Plrmatinger of Simcoe, Mr. and Miss Stuart of Philadelphia, Mr. Thos. McLean, -T 258 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1877 4ii Mrs. Scott, Mr. Garland, Mr. Thomas Messenger, of Caledonia ; Mr. J. I). Clement, Mr. Pollock, Dr. Griffin, Mr. Hale, of Clinton ; H. Finlayson, M.P.P., Rev. Mr. Roberts, Rev. Mr. Tenant, Rev. Mr. Starr, Mr. Weymes, Mr. Ashton, Dr. Pyne, Mr. Wilkes, and Mr. Van Norman. The Superintendent announced that His Excellency would be ad- dressed, in behalf of the chiefs and people, by Chief Jacob General, of the Oneidas, who spoke to the following effect : '•Though young compared with some of the aged Chiefs present, he had been chosen Speaker on this occasion, and would endeavor to discharge the duty. He reminded His Excellency, that when British supremacy on this continent was in peril, their Indian forefathers shed brooks of blood on behalf of tlie English nation, and, if the services of the Six Nations were ever required again, in defence of the British flag, they would be willing to risk their lives as their fore- fathers had done. The Six Nations had confidence in the treaties they had with the English Government, none of which had ever been violated. They welcomed Lord Duflerin, as the only nobleman who had ever visited their reserve, and they also welcomed the Countess of Dufferin. They hoped His Excellency would con- tinue for many years to represent Her Majesty in their native country, Canada, and that the Almighty would bless their Excellencies and their family. The speaker informed the Governor General, that there was a great change for the better in the condition of the Six Nations, that they lived like their white fellow-subjects, by tilling the ground and by other industry, and not by hunting and fishing, as some, he regretted to say, had asserted of them. In education, great progress had been made. The Government had been pleased to appoint a gentleman to the chait^e of the Six Nation Indians, who is ever ready to promote their interests, protect and defend them. Tliey were quite contented with the Government under whicli tliey lived. Their timber and other property had lately been much better protected than formerly." Chief George Buck, of the Onondagas, also delivered a short ad- dress of welcome. The Governor General replied as follows : "Chiefs, Councilmen, and young men of the Six Nations — I desire to express to you the pleasure which I derive from my visit to your settlement and from the elo- quent addresses with which I have been honored. I have long looked forward to this expedition with the greatest impatience, for you must understand that it is no idle curiosity which brings me hither, but that when the Governor General and the representative of your Great Mother comes among you it is a genuine sign of the interest which the Imperial Government and the Government of Canada take in your welfare, and of their desire to show that your interests and your happiness are as much a matter of solicitude to them as are those of the rest of your fellow citizens. Neither must you suppose that I am ignorant of those claims upon the 1874] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 259 t;iatitiule and affection of the English nation which you possess. I am well aware that in ancient times, when there was war between the early French coloni/.ers of Canada and the early English colonists of the lower States, you were always a friendly people to the English Crown, and that in later days, when differences arose between our ancestors and the ancestors of the present inhabitants of the United States — differences which I am glad to say have long since been buried in ol)livion by both parties — it was on the bravery in arms and on the fidelity of your grandfathers that the Crown of England then relied. The memory of these transactions I can assure you shall never be allowed to pass away, and although you have ceased to be the warlike allies of Great Britain, we are still proud to hail you as its pacific and contented svdijects. You could not have a greater proof that the memories of the ancient ties which bound the Six Nations and the English peojile together have not been forgotten than the fact that one of the principal towns in Ontario has been called after that glorious Chieftain Tyendinaga, of whom you are so justly proud, and in the next place than by the manner in which those treaties and reservations which, in consideration of their services, were made in your favor, have been observed and maintained. There is no part of your address which has given nie greater pleasure than that in which you acknowledge that the British Crown has kept faith with its Indian subjects, and that you and all the members of the Six Nations have confidence in the word of the British Government. Although the days are happily past in which we needed your assistance on the battle field, you must not suppose that we do not count with equal anxiety upon your assistance in those peaceful efforts to which the people of Canada are now devoted, or that we fail to value you as faithful and industrious coadjutors in the task we have undertaken of building up the Dominion of Canada into a prosperous, rich, and contented nation. During my recent visit to the westward I came into contact with other tribes of Indians who were, unfortunately, less happily circum- stanced than yourselves, inasmuch as, inhaV)iting a more distant region than you they have not had an opportunity of acquiring those habits of civilization which you have so readily adopted, and of which the lieneficent efforts are apparent in the comparison of the scene before me and the appearance presented by those Indian tribus to whom I refer. For although, like yourselves, they are animated with loyal feelings towards your Great Mother and firmly attached to the Government of the British Crown, they were in every way inferior to you in physical appear- ance, in their habits of life, and in their material comforts. It is to be hoped that in the course of time a more settled mode of existence will gradually be extended amongst all the Indian subjects of the Canadian Government, but at the same time I wish it to be understood that it is by no means the desire of the Government unduly to press upon its Indian subjects a premature or violent change in their estal)lished habits. To have done this would have been, in my opinion, a great mistake. I believe that one chief reason why the Government of Canada has been so pre-eminently successful in maintaining the happiest and most affectionate rela- tions with the various Indian nations with whom it has had to deal, has been that it lias recognized the rights of those people to live according to their own notions of what is fittest for their happiness, and most suitable for the peculiar circum- iHi 260 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1874 stances in which they are placed. I am glad to think tliat in doing so they have already l)egun to reap the fruits of their forbearance and good sense, and that from ocean to ocean, amidst every tribe of Indians, the name of Canada is synonymous with humanity, with good faith, and with benevolent treatment. I am very pleased to see amongst those who have assembled to welcome me many members of your families arrayed in the ancient dress of the Indian nationality, for I cer- tainly am of opinion that it is wise of you to take a just and patriotic pride in those characteristics of your past history which, being innocent in themselves, will serve to remind you of your forefathers, and of the antecedents of your various tribes, and will add color and interest to your existence as a distinct nationality, so happily incorporated with the Hritish Empire. We see that those of French, Eng- lish, Irish, and Scotch origin who have settled in Canada, however closely united they may be in their present interests, and in a common patriotism to the land of their adoption, still rejoice in those innocent celebrations which recall the memo- ries of the various sources from which their parentage is derived, and I trust that the Indian subjects of Her Majesty will always take a similar jiride in preserving intact, from generation to generation, the distinctive attributes of their national circumstances. And now I trust, you will forgive me if, standing in the relation to you of the representative of your Great Mother, I venture to utter a few words of advice. In the first place, let me entreat you with all the earnestness I can, to devote all the energies which you possess to the improvement of your agriculture. Of course I am well aware that a nation of hunters cannot be expected even in one or two generations so completely to change those habits which are engraven into their very nature as to rise to a level with other communities who have followed the occupation of agriculture for thousands of years. Still you must remember that, making every allowance which can justly be demanded in your behalf, on that score, there is room for still further improvements, and in the course of the next generation the Government of the country and your fellow-subjects will exjiect that you will compete with them on more equal terms than you are able to do ;U present in all those arts of peace, whether of agriculture or of mechanics, whicli it is necessary to cultivate for the purposes of your own support, and in the interests of your common country. In the next place — and now I am addressing myself to the young men of the nation, because I feel that it is scarcely necessary tiiat I should give any recommendation to their fathers — let me recommend you to avoid all excess in intoxicating liquors as if they were so much poison, as if it were the destruction of the happiness of your homes, of your health, of your energy, of everything which you ought to hold dear, as honorable and right-minded men. It only remains for me to thank you from the very bottom of my heart for the kindly welcome which you have given me, for the pains you have taken to make my visit agreeable, for the evidences which you have exhibited of your loyalty to your Great Mother, and for your friendly feelings towardsmyself and the Countess of DulTerin. On entering the Indian Reserve we passed through an arch which was beautifully constructed and decorated with appropriate emblems. On our passage through your domain we encountered Indian bands of music, all of them playing the hymn in honor of the Queen. At arriving at your Council House our path to the d.iis 1874] THE EARL OK DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 2G1 was strewn with flowers, and we found ourselves accommodated in that traditional arbor in which from time immemorial the Indian tribes have been accustomed to (^rt'L't tlieir guests. In return, let me assure you that so long as I achuinister the government of this country every Indian sul)ject, no matter what his irilx;, wiial his nation, or what his religion, wiU find in me a faithful friend and sure protector, (applause) — and that n undertaki.j; tliis office I am but representing the wishes of tlie Local Canadian > .overnment and following the instructions nf tlie Imi)erial autliorities. The people of Canada and the people of Uritain will not cease to recognize those obligations which have l)een imposed upon them by tiie hand of Providence towards their Indian fellow-subjects, and never shall the word of Bri- tain once i)ledged be broken, but from one end of the Dominion to tin' iher every Indian subject shall be made to feel that he enjoys the rights of a iVeemnn, and that he can with confidence appeal to the British Crown for protection." The Superintendent submitted an address from the Chiefs to Prince Arthur, with the respectful request, tliat His Excellency would transmit it to His Royal Highness, together with an edition of "Stone's Life ot Captain Joseph Brant/' and a portrait of that celebrated Chief. His Excellency was pleased to give his assent. An address was presented by Chief Dr. Peter E. Jones, in behalf of the Mississaguas (Ojibbeways), neighbors of the Six Nation The following address from the Agricultural Society, was presented by Mr. Isaac Barefoot, the Secretary : To llis Excellency, the Right Honorable the Earl of DutTerin, K.P., K.C.B., Governor General of the Dominion of Canada, &'c., iSr'c. May it tleask Your Exckllency, — We, the officers on behalf of the Six Nations' Agricultural Society, desire to approach your Excellency with the most profound respect, and as the Representative of our Most Gracious Majesty the (^)ueen, to express to you our attachment and loyalty to the British Throne. Aware of the deep interest your Excellency takes in the welfare and prosperity of the Indian race of the Dominion, it is our privilege to call your attention to the prosperity and success of this Society, established and conducted entirely by Indians. At the seventh annual exhibition to be held in October next, the amount to l)e offered as prizes will be ten times that awarded at our first meeting, in 1868. Tlie success which has attended our elTorts to encourage a lietter mode of agricul- ture, the rearing of improved stock, and, generally, to assist our people in acquir- ing industrious and economical habits, has been chiefly due to the timely and gen- erous aid extended to us by the New England Company — a company who have not only afforded our people facilities for acquiring educational and religious know- ledge in the most liberal manner, but are ever foremost in heart and hand to assist any measure that lias foi- its object the advancement of the Six Nations. As a 262 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1874 community, we rejoice in the conviction, that under the blessings of Him who alone can give the increase, our Society has done much towards accomplishing its purpose, and we confidently hope it will prosjier even more than it has done. Had your Excellency's visit occurred during our annual exhibition, a still greater proof of the advancing civilization of our people would have been afforded to you than has lieen presented to your notice to-day. We trust that this visit of your Excellency and the Countess of Dufferin to the Reserve of the Six Nations, may find a place among your pleasing recollections, and that you will bear away the conviction that we have at least made some progress in the arts and practices of civilized life, and that at no distant day, we shall take an equal place among thohc of Her Majesty's subjects who people this beautiful Canada of ours. [Signed on behalf of the Society,] J. A. Beaver, President. Wm. Martin, Vice-President. Isaac Barei-oot, Secretary. James Styers, Treasurer. Committee, Peter Garlow, Peter Hill, William Smith, Henry Hill, Jacob Davis. His Excellency briefly acknowledged the address. The Superintendent presented to His Excellency many chiefs and warriors, nine of whom were in the war of 1812 and 1813, namely: John Smoke Johnson, James Givens, Joseph Eraser, Old Silversneth, Jacob Winnie, Geo. Monture, John Tutle, Joseph Snow, Wm. Johnson, Several of the Indian women pressed forward and craved Her Excel- lency to accept some specimens of their handiwork, which she did very graciously. Their P^xcellencies returned to the Council House, from which they witnessed a war-dance in Indian costume, and a sham-fight be- tween contending parties of Indians, one led by chief D. Jacket Hill and the other by Chief George Johnson. Their Excellencies were then conducted to Styers' Hall, where four tables, ornamented with bouquets and devices, were spread with an excellent luncheon, which over, they rose and retired, — and about 3 o'clock departed amidst hearty whoops and cheers ; on returning through the arches, additional mottoes, on the reverse side, were presented to their view : — 1874] THE E\RL OP DUPFERTN IN CANADA. THE SIX NATIONS PROUD I 1 ! THE SIX NATIONS HAVE HEEN GRATIFIED. PLEASE REMEMBER THE SIX NATIONS. FAREWELL! LORD AND LADY DUFFERIN, 20.3 COME AGAIN I On the return drive, a pleasing incident occurred, in His Excel- lency's desire to see the interior of one of the log dwellings. He sprang out of the carriage — followed by the Superintendent and Meutenant Hamilton — and ran a short distance off the road to an old log house, surprising a good woman and her two children, whom he kindly noticed.* * Mr. J. T. Gilkison, the popular and efficient Superintendent of Indian affairs at lirantford, informs the author that "Ohswekea" is the Mohawk name for " Running Water." The " Grand River," he says, was known by the Indians as "Ohswekea," and " Oswega." The American River on the south side of Lake Ontario as well as the Port were called by the Mohawks, who once owned that part of the state of New York, "Ohswekea." Mr. Gilkison further writes: "'ihe Reserve of the Six Nations is now 52,000 acres, situated on both sides of tlie Grand River, a few miles from Brantford. The tract is the remains of an orii,'inal grant of 700,000 acres from the source to the mouth of the River, six miles on cither side, given to the Six Nations in consideration of their being gallant and faithful allies of King George during the American Revolution, when they also saciiticed their great possessions and homes in the valley of the Mohawk. All but thf 52,000 acres have been from time to time surrendered to the Crown, and sold for the benefit of the Six Nations, the proceeds being invested, the interest of which is paid half-yearly to the Indians. The Reserve is divided into 100 acre lots ; settled upon by Indians as farmers, their numliers being now about 3400. riie Rev. Canon Nelles, the worthy clergyman who has for many years been in chaif^e of the Church of England Mission on the Reserve, has obliged the author witli a copy of the Book of Common Prayer, printed in English on one page, and in tlie Mohawk language on the other, and published by the 'New England Com- pany.' This Company was originally constituted a corporation under the name ■"•(^■ypr 264 HIiSTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1874 The Vice-regal parly proceeded to Bov Park, where they were entertained at dinner by the proprietor, the Hon. George Brown, wh"- of 'The President and Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in New England,' by an ordinance issued in 1649. Under the authority of this oidinance, a general collection was made in all the countries, cities, towns and parishes in England and Wales, and lands were purchased with the money so collected. On the Restoration, a Royal Charter, dated 7th February, 14 Charles II., was issued, erecting the corporation anew by the title it still bears : ' The Company for the Propagation of the Gospr! in New England, and the parts adjacent in America.' Amongst the pi rposes of this Society the Charter states it to be for the further propagpt'on of the CJospel of Jesus Christ amongst the heailien natives in or near New England, and the piirts adjacent in America, ."nd for the better civilizing, educating, and instructing of tlie said heathen natives in learning, and in the knowledge of the true and only God, and in the Protestant religion, already ow.icd and publicly professed by divers of them, and for the better encouragement of such others as shall embrace the same, and of their posterities after them, to abid.^ and continue in, and hold frist the s;iid profession. » ♦ » j(- ^yj^j; j]^g Company, composed as it always has been, partly ot memlx?rs of the Church of England nnd partly of Protestant dissenters, which sujiported various missionary undertakini^'s in New England during the se\enteenlh century . Their endeavors were continued for the same purpose through, th.e grenter part of the eighteenth, until interruptal aiul for some time suspended by tiie war between Great Britain and most of her American Continental Colonies, which ended in the acknowledgment of the inde- pendence of those colonies as the United States. The operations of '.he Company have since been carried to the neighboring Provinces of New Bruriswick and Canada, latterly principally directed to that jwit of Canada formerly called Upper Canada, where, in addition to schools and other establishments for the instruction of Indians in useful learning, this Company lias contributed largely to the repairing of the church at the Mohawk village on the Grand River (the Church now in charge of the Rev. Canon Nelles), and lias caused aiiother chu"ch to be built lower down on the same river at the Tuscaiora village. In both, service is now regularly performed by Ministers c*" the Anglic in Church duly ordained, whose income is supplied from the funds of this Com- pany.'' * * * The Preface further states ♦' that the particular superintendence of the work of preparing the translation of the Prayer Book has been undertaken by the Ktv. A. Ne'les, the Company s Chief Mis.sionary at their Moh.iwk station, a gentlenuin extremely well qualified for the duty by his long residence among the Tuscaroias and Mohawks, and his contact and friendly communications with them." It may ]ierhaps reconcile some of our young jieople to the difficulties of (lie English language if a sample of the Mohawk be given them. Mere is the Lord s Prayer in (hat interesting tor.gue : " Shoegwaniha Karouhyakuough teghsiderougli, 1P74] THE EARL OF PUFFERIN IN CANADA. 265 had specially invited some ladies and gentlemen from Toronto and Brantford to meet their Excellencies. After dinner the party returned to Brantford where their Excellencies held a reception in the Town Hall. On the morning of the 26th August, their Excellencies proceeded from Brantford to Paris, accompanied by the Hon. David Christie, Mv. Patterson, M.P., Mr. Sheriff Smith, and Col. Villiers. Upon reaching Paris the party were driven through the i)rincipal streets of the town which v.'ere effectively decorated with flags and triumphal arches. The station of the Great Western Railv.cV. was decorated in beautiful style ; and a platform had been erected at the eastern end of it, carpeted, and covered by an awning composed of a British ensign and ■m American flag. There His Excellency was presented with an address from the Mayor and Corporation, read by the Mayor, Mr. Charles Whitlaw. After a reply, loud and repeated cheers for His Excellency and the Countess of Dufferin were given. A number of presentations were then made, and among those who had the honor of being presented, besides the members of the Council, were the Rev. I). Henderson, Rev. Father Darling, Dr. Clarke, Dr. Butt, Col. Stanton, \V. J. Powell, J. P. Patton, Mrs. Ferguson, the Misses Curtis, Miss Whitlaw, and others. Three cheers were then given for the Queen, and immediately afterwards the party took their departure by a s|)ecial train which had come uj) from Brantford. As they left, a band played the National Anthem, and the people cheered loudly. W oodstock was reached about noon. At the Railway station was a guard of honor from the 22nd Battalion V. M., accompanied by the band of the corps. The fire brigade of the town, about two hundred in number, were also present in uniform, with the town band. The slope in the vicinity of the station, together with the intervening space, was covered with people, who cheered the Governor General heartily \\ai;'.v;i(rlis eanadokeaghdiste ; Sayant'rtslierah aoedaweglite ; Tsineaglisereh egh iita^awcane iie ouglnveatsyake tsioni iiityout^lit ne Karouhyakough. Takyouh ne Ktagh weghniserate ne niy..;le\veghniserake oegwanadarok : Neoni toedaghwaiigh- wivdstea ne tsiniyoegvvatswatouh, tsiniyouht ne oekyoiihha tsit; , akhirighwiyosteanis ne waonkhiyatswalea. \euni toglisa tagwaghsliarinet tewadadeanakeiaglitneke : I^iik t(R-dni;\vay adakoi tsinoewe niyodaxheah : Ikea ie.se saweank ne kayanesls- errih, mani ne kashatsteaghsera, neoni ne owes^aghtshcra, tsiniyeaheawe neoni tseiii yoaheawe.— ^/ WiV/ ." 266 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF []87i as he stepped from the train. He was conducted to a platform in rear of tlie station, where an address from the Mayor and Corporation of the town was read by Mr. G. C. Field, the Mayor. His Excellency in reply said : — Mr. Mayor and Gkntlemkn,— I .-im glad to find myself for the second time in 111)' life in Woodstock, and Lam still more glad to think that my visit will be sufiiciently prolonged to enable me to make a better acquaintance with the town and its inhabitants than on the first occasion. I thank you very heartily for the patriotic and loyal address which you have presented to me, and I assure you that there is no feeling by which the Canadian people are animated with which I sym- pathise more than in their desire to build up their country into a distinct, prosperous, and respected nationality. As the representative of Her Majesty the Queen, and an officer of the Imperial Government, n is of course one of my principal duties to strengthen by every means in my power those ties of affection by which the inhabi- tants of the Dominion are bound to the connection with the mother country. Wm must not, however, imagine that upon that account I regard with any other feeling than that of the utmost sympathy the spirit of local patriotism which I am proud to think is day by day being more strongly developed from one end of the Dominion to the other. I do not think the Canadian people would be loyal to the i;ni])ire unless they were also able to be equally loyal to their own country, to be jiroud of the fact that they are Canadians, to believe in the destinies which are in store for them, and to be able to look forward with confidence to the task which has been imposed upon them by Providence, and entrusted to them by the mother country, of becoming a glorious adjunct of the British Empire, affording an example to the Continent of America of what can be done under British in.stitutions when they are supplemented by a spirit of noble and patriotic independence. In conclusion allow me to thank you for those expressions in your address of kindness and good will to myself I only desire to be a faithful servant of the Queen and a genuine friend of the Canadian people (cheers), and I neither wish for nor do I look forward lo any other rewaixi than that of carrying home with me the conviction that as long as I live I may be able to boa.st of having always maintained friendly and affectionate relations with that noble community in whose midst for a few years my lot has been cast. (Cheers.) Three cheers were then given for His Excellency, after which the members of tlie Town Council were presented. The Vice-regal party were next placed in carriages, and a procession was formed con- sisting of the bands, the guard of honor, and the firemen. It passed through the principal streets, which were decorated with a profusioii of flags and bimting, stopping at the fine grove of the Hon. Ceo. Alex ander, which was thronged with people. Here His Excellency was presented with an address from the Warden and members of the County Council of the County of Oxford, read by Mr. Benjamin Mop 1874] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 267 are low 11 to 1(1 of any as I male . I icon :li the )arty con- issed 'usion Vlox- was f the \\oy kins, the Mayor. After a reply, the members of the Council were ])rfscnted to their Excellencies; and after them a number of gentle- men and ladies, among whom were the Rev. Mr. McTavish, Rev. Mr. McMillan, Col. Cowan, and the officers of the guard of honor, Mrs. and the Misses Bird, Mrs. PatuUo, Miss Blackie, Mr. James Martin, Mrs. Martin, Mr. John Douglas and others. The party then sat down to a luncheon at which the Mayor pre- sided. Among those present were the Honorable Mr. Mowat, Mrs. Mowat, the Honorable Mr. Alexander, Mr. Thos. Oliver, M.P., and Col. Skinner, M.P. After luncheon the party were escorted to the Rail"'ay station, and took their departure from the town amidst the renewed acclamations of the people. Near Beachville the train passed over a number of fog signals, and IngersoU was reached aijout four c'clock, where His Excellency met with one of the finest demonstrations of the tour. The town was literally alive with people, a great number having come in from the country to swell the throng of citizens who had turned out to greet Her Majesty's re] '■ • lative. When His Excellency stepped from the train upon the plaitorm he was loudly cheered by the great crowd of })ersons assembled at the station, while a guard of honor from the 22nd Battalion V. M. presented arms, and a band played "God Save the Queen," Among those present to do His Excellency ho-;.or were die numerous members of the fire brigade. The party were driven through the town. Thames street was exceedingly gay with beautiful decorations. Almost ever)- one of the fine brick stores along that thoroughfare had mottoes in evergreens, devices of different kinds, drai)ed with flags and huniing. Ropes of evergreens, ornamented with strings vi flags, or str!])es of bunting, were stretched across the streets, in w:iich were erected a number of arches, some curiously ornamented : — one con- sisting chietly of cheese boxes, cut cheeses, cut hams, and flowers, and displaying the motto " Cheese, the Making of Ingersoll." Another street, with various articles of furniture; and a third, had high u[j on each side of it, a reaping machine of Ingersoll manufacture. The i)arty were driven to the Central School grounds, where a large number of children were assembled, who received their Excellencies hy singing the National Anthem. His E.'xellency was tlien presented with an address from the Mayor and Council of the town, read by Mr. ¥.. H. .Sorley, Mayor. After a suitable reply, a number of presentations were made, among them were the members of the Town Council, Col. T 268 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTIIATION OF [l'^74 Worham, David White, Rev. Mr, Hindis, James Battersby, Thomas Broson, Adam OHver, M.P.P., Dr. Williams, J. S. Gurnett, his Honor Judge McQueen, M. Bixal, Jas. McCaughey, C. E. Chadwick, and others. The party were then driven to the Ingersoll Cheese Factory, wlicre they were welcomed by the President and Manager, Mr. Thos. Hislop. In opening the cneeses for the inspection of their Excellencies, one was found with the inside scooped out, and filled with bottles of champagne; this one, after tasting, was admitted to be "just the cheese." Leaving the factory, the party were driven about the town, and halted whi^e His P^xcellency laid the corner stone of a new school house. The party then embarked on the train, and left the station amid repeated rounds of cheers. London was reached shortly before seven o'clock. The party found thousands of j^eoijle gathered at the Railway station, and a guard of honor from the 7th Battalion V. M. drawn up on die platform, accompanied by the splendid band of the 13th Battalion of Hamilton, After the loud cheering which the Governor General's apjiearance liad elicited, and the playing of the National Anthem, an address was i)re- sented from the Mayor and Corporation, read by Mr. Benjairin Cronyn, Mayor. After replying, His Excellency was presented nith -xnother from the Warden and Council of the County of Middlesex, read by Mr. L. E. Shii)ley, Warden. The Vice-regal party were next conducted to carriages and driven to the residence of Major Walker, M.P., whose guests their Excellen- cies were during their stay in the city. From the station thither they were escorted by a troop of cavalry, and by the Reception Committee in carriages, i)receded by the bands, playing alternately. In the even- ing a promenade concert in honor of their Excellencies was given in the New Park, and a fine torch-light procession took place, in which were all the firemen with their steamers and hose carts j^rettil)- dccoi ated, and accompanied by the band of the 7th Battalion and a file and drum band. On the morning of the 27th August, the Vice-regal party !ett Major Walker's residence n about ten o'clock, and were driven about the eastern portion of the city escorted by a body of cavalry. At about eleven o'clock they went to the New^ Park in which some thou- sands of people were assembled. The London Field Battery, which 1874] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 269 was posted in the Park, received their Excellencies with a salute of seventeen guns. As on the previous evening, a guard of honor was fuinishtd by the 7th Battalion, and the band of that corps, together with the ])and of the 13th of Hamilton, was present. Upon arriving at the Park, the party ascended a i)latform erected near its entrance, and His Excellency was then presented with an address, requesting him to name the Park. His Excellency, in acknowledging the ad- dress, congratulated the citizens of London on the great advance the city had made since he last visited it, by the many new buildings and the niiinber of new and fine broad streets. In the course of his remarks he said that he had that morning received a private letter from Earl Russell, who said he trusted that the Im])erial Government would do everything to maintain and strengthen the ties by which Canada was bound to England, and that it would show how deeply it appreciated the loyalty and the affection of the Canadian people. Piis Excellency con- cluded by naming the Park " The Victoria." Three cheers were given forihe(^ueen. The party were then driven to the City Hall building, where their Excellencies held a reception, which was ver}' largely attended. They were then entertained at luncheon in the City Hall, to which upwards of five hundred ladies and gentlemen sat down. His Worship Mayor Cronyn being in the chair, he proposed tiae health of Her Most Gracious Majesty, the (,)ueen, and afterwards tiiat of the Governor General. After acknowledging the compliment, His Excellency and party left the hall, and, at about two o'clock, the city, amid the cheers of thousands who were at the station to see their Ex- cellencies off. St. Thomas was reached at about half-past two, and their Excel- lencies were met at the Railway station by a guard of honor from the 25th battalion, together with the band of that corps, a detachment of < a\ airy for a body guard, the silver cornet band of the town, and the fire brigade with its hook and ladder waggon gaily decorated. 'l"he \'ice- regal party were conducted to a platform adjacent to the station, and HiN Kxcellency was there presented with an address from tht- Mayor, i-oimcil and i iiizeiis of St. Thomas, read by Mr. I). Drake, the Mayor. Another address was presented from the Warden and Council of the Cuiiiitv of Elgin, read by Mr. John McCausland. Warden ; to each of them His Excellency replied. A procession was then fijrmed as fol- lows : iiandof the 25th Battalion \'. M., escort of Cavalry, N'ice-regal party, X'olunteers, Reception Committee, Town Council and officers. 270 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTllATIOX OF [1S74 County Council and officers, Clergy, Marshal, Silver Cornet Band, Fire Brigade, Citizens In this order the procession moved through the town to the Central School, where it halted while the cliildren sang the National Anthem. The procession, in the course of its progress, passed under the great wooden bridge of the Canada Southern Rail- way, (ninety feet high, and half a mile long), and stopped at the magnificent station of that railway. A reception was held in this building, and afterwards their Excellencies were conducted into its refreshment rooms, where luncheon awaited them. Owing to the time which had been allowed for the stay of the party at St. Thomas having nearly elapsed, they remained at the table just long enough for His Excellency's health to be proposed and responded to. They then, much to the regret of the members of the Corporation and the citizens, and much to their own regret also, left for the train. St. Thomas is a town of whose fine, tasteful public buildings and stores, as well as of whose astonishingly rapid increase in pojnilation and prosperity, its inhabitants may well feel proud. Seven years ago its inhabitants numbered only about eighteen hundred — now its poj)u- lation is about six diousand. All this is owing to the Railway system. The reception which the town gave to His Excellency was such a one as was to be expected of a town of such remarkable vitality. Simcoe was reached shordy after five o'clock, and the Vice-regal party were received at the Railway station by a guard of honor from the 39th Battalion V. M., accompanied by the band of that regiment, the fire brigade, and a large number of citizens. Mr. R. S. Living- stone, the Reeve of the lt)\\n, read an address from the Municipal Council and the inhabitants ; after the reply a procession was formed and it proceeded through the town to the Court House where an addix'ss from the Warden and Council of the County of Norfolk was read by Mr. Jacob Soverin. To this His Excellency replied, Three hearty cheers were given for His Excellency and three for the Countess in the true Norfolk style. The ]s,irty were then driven to the residence of Mr. Duncan Campbell, whose guests their l.xdi lencies were during their stay. In its reception of the Governor General, Simcoe proved itselt worthy of being the county town of so fine a county as "Glorious Old Norfolk." The spirit with which its inhabitants received the representative of Royalty was as apparent in the extent, as their 1874] THE EARL OF DUFFKRIN IN CANADA. 271 good taste was manifest in the character, of the decorations. The principal streets and thoroughfares were sjjanned with arches and were beautifully decorated with a profusion of tlags, bunting, ever- greens, flowers, devices and mottoes. In the evening their Excel- lencies held a reception in the Court House. At the same time a grand illumination took place throughout the town. On the morning of the 28th August, the Vice-regal party visited tlie Union School, where they were received by the children singing '• ( ;od Save the Queen." Six young girls then advanced, and jjresented the Countess with a bouquet, one of them read a prettily worded address to His Excellency which he gracefully acknowledged. After the girls had retired the princi[)al teachers and trustees of the school were presented to their Excellencies. Three hearty cheers were then given by the boys for the Governor General, and the visitors took their de- parture, — the children singing " The Red, ^^'hite, and Blue." ■Waterford was soon reached, being distant fromSimcoe only eight miles. The drive took them through a most charming country. The village was reached shortly before noon, and in going tlTrough it the party passed under two arches. The Main street was decorated with tlags and bunting. The party were driven to the station of the Canada Southern Railway, where a large crowd were assembled. A band of musicians was in attendance. Mr. John Challen, Reeve of the township of Townsend, then read an address from the Municipal Council of the Township, to which Elis Excellency briefly replied. At this point the party embarked on a special train of the Canada Somhern Railway. The car set apart for their Excellencies was very splendidly fitted up. Here the party were joined by Mr. W. A. Thompson, M.P., W. Snider, General Superintendent of the road, Mr. N. Kingsmill, of Toronto, solicitor for the Company, and at A\'elland Junction, by Mr. W. K. Muir, the General Superintendent of the Great Western Railway. Cayuga was reached shortly before noon, the Vice-regal ])arty passing under a triumphful arch just before they reached the station at which a guard of honor, a band, and a large crowd were assembled. Upon the platform an address was i)resented from the Council of the (\mnty of Haldimand, read by Mr. John Caldwell, the Warden. The party then proceeded to Welland, which was reached at about three o'( lock, where they were met at the Railway station by an immense crowd, the town band playing " God Save the Queen." His Excel- i 272 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1874 i.'^i-tj lency was conducted to a platform, and presented with an address from the Council of the village of Welland, read by Mr. J. H. Price, the Reeve. After the reply, the party were driven through the village, and on their taking leave were loudly cheered. The Vice-regal party arrived at St. Catharines about half-i)ast four. In front of the Station was drawn up a guard of honor from the 19th Battalion, with their band. There was also in attendance a detachmciu of the St. Catharines troop of Cavalry as a body guard. As soon as the party left the train they were conducted to carriages, and a pro- cession was then formed which at once moved up to the town, — the St. Catharines Garrison Battery, meanwhile, firing a Vice-regal salute, and the bands in the cortege, of which there were three, playing at intervals. In cro.;sing the Canal bridge, the procession passed under a struc- ture built in imitation of the mast of a ship with its rigging, except that the ropes were covered with evergreens. The yards crossing it were manned by sailors, and the structure was [jrofusely decorated w iih tlags ; attached to it was the motto " Commerce, the Life of the Country." Another arch was formed of flour barrels. On reaching the large space at the intersection of St. Paul and Ontario streets the procession halted, and the i)arty ascended a spacious platform erected at that point, with a flag pole rising from its centre, from which ropes of evergreens extended in every direction to the buildings adjoining, and from which numerous flags were floating. The streets were crowded by a mass of five or six thousand people. Hundreds of others looked down on the scene from the windows of the fine high buildings in the vicinity. The public square was beautifully decorated. On one side of it is the Odd Fellows Hall, in a handsome lofty build- ing. Stretclied across the front of this were pieces of canvas bearing mottoes of the Order. Near this building is the Masonic Hall, an imposing edifice with a massive iron front, which was elaborately decorated. As soon as the Vice-regal [jarty took uj) their positions on the platform, a large band of vocalists, consisting of singers from the various churches of llu" town, placed on an adjacent platform, sang "God Save the Queen." The Governor General was then pieseiued with an address from the Council of the County of Lincoln, read In' the Warden, Mr. Calvin Brown. After the reply, another one was jjresented from theCoimcil of the Town of St. Catharines, read by Mr. James lf.^ ^ > (? / /. M Hiotographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. I4S80 (716) 872-4503 ,»1^^ >► 276 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1874 On the I St September His Excellency attended the annual com- petition of the Ontario Rifle Association, and after opening the match by firing the first shot, he sat down to luncheon with a large number of gentlemen. After replying to the toast, " His Excellency the Gover- nor General," and listening to the brief speeches of the Chairman, Mr. John Gordon, his Honor the Lieutentant Governor and Chief Justice Draper, His Excellency left. On t!.- 2nd September His Excellency visited the Royal Canadian Yacht Club, and distributed the prizes won at their last year's regatta, in addition to those won at their regatta a few days before his visit. In the evening a dinner was given by the Toronto Club to His Excellency, to which a party of sixty sat down, in the dining room of the Club House. The Hon. J. Hillyard Cameron, President of the Club, acted as Chairman, Mr. Todd and Mr. T. D'Arcy Boulton occupying seats at the heads of the side tables. Among the company present were his Honor the Lieutenant Governor, Hon. VV. P. How- land, C.B., Chief Justice Draper, C.B., Mr. Justice Strong, Mr. Speaker Wells, Vice Chancellor Blake, Hon. Frank Smith, Hop W. Cayley, Hon. O. Mowat, Attorney General of Ontario and Premier; Hon. E. Blake, Hon. A. Crooks, J. B. Plumb, M.P., Messrs. M. Michael, Torraii-e, Manning, Crombie, Risley, Bickford, Cumberland, Moffatt, St. George, J. O. Heward, J. Michie, H. Moody, A. Furniss, Kerr, J. D. Edgar, W. Thomson, Alister Clarke, Hector Cameron, Thos. Moss, M.P., Colonel McGiverin of Hamilton, J. Ap. Jones, H. O'Brien, Major Draper, etc., etc. After full justice had been done to the repast, the Chairman pro- posed the healths of the Queen and Royal Family, which were received with the usual demonstrations. The Chairman in proposing the health of His Excellency the Governor General said that : During the short time Lord Duflerin had been amongst us he had won ^oVkn opinions from all classes. (Applause.) lie (the Chairman) felt certain that Mis Excellency desired in every way to show the extent, which, as represenlnti\t' of Her Majesty, he would naturally feel in everything that concerned the welfart- and happiness of the people of the Dominion. They would easily perceive that the path that the Governor General had to tread in this country was not one iUvwn with flowers. If, however, there were roughnesses in the way — obstacles tliat might embarrass him. His Excellency might be assured that the Canadian peojle would appreciate the difficulties of his position. Many jiersons thought that the Governor General was irresponsible, and that upon his advisers must fall al! the blame of the acts of the administration. He (Mr. Cameron) considered that Ih^ 1874] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 277 Kxcellency had two responsibilities : he was directly responsible to the Queen, and indirectly responsible to public o|)inion. It was possible that times might arrive when the Governor General might himself steer the ship, and then he would Ik; doubly responsible in the manner mentioned for the way in which he dischargetl his duties. It would dejiend altogether upon the judgment he exercised whether he satisfied lioth the Canadian people and the Imjierial Government. They all knew how jieculiarly His Excellency was placed. As he had himself said, he had no organ to vindicate his course, or express his views, whenever they might l)e n)iMtpresente personal character of the kind and genial nobleman, of whose lienevolent acts accounts had been wafted to us across the ocean. Hi.s Excellency in reply said: — " Mr. Camkron andGkntucmkn, — I cannot but con.sider it a very happy cir- cumstance that one of the most gratifying jirogresses ever made by a representative of the Queen through any portion of the British Emjiire should find its approjjriate dose in this cordial and splendid reception, at the hands of a Society of gentlemen which, though non-political in its corporate character, is so thoroughly represent- ative of all that is most distinguished in the various schools of political thought in Canada. It is but a few short weeks since I left Toronto, and yet I <|uestion whether many born Canadians have ever seen or learnt more of the western half of the Dominion than I have during that brief period. (Hear, hear.) Memory itself scarcely suffices to reflect the shiftinj vision of mountain, wood and water, inland seas and silver rolling rivers, golden corn-lands and busy prosjK-rous towns, through which we have held our way ; but though the mind's-eye fail ever again to re adjust the dazzling panorama, as long as life endures not a single echo of the universal greeting with which we have 1)een welcomed will be hushed within our h'.'arts. (Great applause.) Yet deeply as I am sensible of the jjcrsonal kindnesses of which I have been the recipient, proud as I feel of the honor done to my office, moved as I have been by the devoted aflection shown for our Queen and for our common country, no one is more aware than myself of the imperfect return I have made to tlie generous enthusiasm which has l)een evoked. If, then, gentlemen, I now fail to respond in suitable terms to the toast you have drunk, if in my hurried replies to the innumerable addresses with which I have been honored, an occasional indiscreet or ill-considered phrase should have escaj>ed my lips, 1 know that your kin(hiess will supply my shortcomings — that naught will Ik; set down in malice — and that an indulgent construction will l)e put iii)on my liasty sentences. (Cheers.) But, i;entlemen, though the language of gratitude m.iy fail, the theme itself supplies .'le w ith that of congratulation, for never has the head of any Government passed through a land so replete wifh contentment in the present, so pregnant with pr.'mise in the future. (Cheers.) From the northern forest borderlands, whose primeval recesses are being pierced and indented by the rough ami ready cultivation of the free-grant settler, to the trim enclosures and wheat-laden townships that smile along the lakes, — from the orchards of Niagara to the hunting grounds of Nepigon,— in the wigwam of the Indian, n the homestead of the farmer, in the 1 278 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1874 Pi fft' ■-■) ^^' i^' mKr' ^K' "■ I'w" workshop of the artisan, in the office of his employer, every where have I learnt that the jieople are satisfied (applause)— satisfied with their own individual prosiJects, and with the prosjiects of their country (applause)— satisfied with their Govern ment, and with the institutions under which they prosjjer (applause) — satisfied to lie the subjects of the Queen (tremendous applause) — satisfied to l)e members of the British Empire. (Renewed applause.) Indeed I cannot help thinking that, quite apart from the advantages to myself, my yearly journeys through the Pro- vinces will have lieen of public Ijenefit, as exemplifying with what spontaneous, un- conccrted unanimity of language the entire Dominion has declared its faith in itself, in its destiny, in its connection with the Mother Country, and in the well- ordered freedom of a constitutional Monarchy. (Applause.) And, gentlemen, it is this very combination of sentiments which apjiears to me so wholesome and satisfactory. Words cannot express what pride I feel as an Englishman in the loyalty of Canada to England. (Hear, hear.) Nevertheless, I should be the first to deplore this feeling if it rendered Canada disloyal to herself, if it either dwarfed or smothered Canadian patriotism, or generated a sickly spirit of dependence. Such, however, is far from being the case. 'Hie legislation of your Parliament, the attitude of your statesmen, the language of your press, sufficiently show how firmly and intelligently you are prepared to accept and apply the almost unlimited legislative faculties with which you have been endowed (liear, hear) — while the , and insures by its social accessories, so far as is compatible with the imper- fections of human nature, a lofty standard of obligation and simplicity of manners in the classes that regulate the general tone of our civil intercourse. (Cheers.) On my way across the lakes I called in at the city of Chicago — a city which has again risen more splendid than ever from her ashes — and at Detroit, the home of one of the most prosperous and intelligent communities on this continent. At both these places I was received with the utmost kindness and courtesy by the civil authorities and by the citizens themselves, v ho vied with each other in making me feel with how friendly an interest that great and generous people who have advanced the United States to so splendid a position in the family of nations, regard their Canadian neighbors ; but, though dis- posed to watch with genuine admiration and sympathy the development of our Dominion into a great power, our friends acrosi, the line are wont, as you know, to amuse their lighter moments with the ' large utterances of the early gods.' (Laughter.) More than once I was addressed with the playful suggestion that Canada shouhl unite her fortunes with those of the Great Republic. ( Laugh - ter.) To these invitations I invariably replied bv acquainting them that in Canada we were essentially a democratic people (great laughter) ; that nothing would con- tent us unless the popular will could exercise an immediate and complete control over the Executive of the country (renewed laughter) ; that the Ministers who con- ducted the Government were but a Committee of Parliament, which was itself an emanation from the constituencies (loud applause), and that no Canadian would Ix' aiile to breathe freely if he thought that the jiersons administering the affairs of his country were removed lieyond the supervision and contact of our legislative asseinhlies. (Hear, hear, cheers and laughter.) And, gentlemen, in this extem- pori/L'd repartee of mine (laughter) — there will be found, I think, a germ of sound philosophy. In fact, it appears to me that even from the point of view of the most enthusiastic advocate of popular rights, the Government of Canada is nearly per- w^w 280 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1874 feet, for while you are free from those historical complications which sometimes clog the free running of our Parliamentary machinery at home, while you possess every popular guarantee and privilege that reason can demand (hear, hear) — you have an additional element of elasticity introduced into your system in the |>erson of the Governor General ; for, as I have had occasion to remark elsewhere, — in most forms of Government, should a misunderstanding occur between the head of the State anil the representatives of the people a dead-lock might ensue of a very grave character, inasmuch as there would be no power of uppeal to a third party — and deadlocks are the dangers of al 1 constitutional systems — whereas in Canada, should the (Jovernor General and his Legislature unhappily disagree, the misunderstanding is referred to England as •• amicus curiie" whose only object, of course, is to give free play to your Parliamentary institutions, whose intervention can be relied upon as impartial and benevolent, and who would immediately replace an erring or imprac- ticfxble Viceroy — for such things can he (laughter) — by another officer more com- petent to his duties, without the slightest hitch or disturbance having l)een occasioned in the orderly march of your affairs. (Applause.) If then the Cana- dian people are loyal to the Crown, it is with a reasoning loyalty. (Applause.) It is because they are able to appreciate the advantage of having inherited a con- stitutional system so workable, so well balanced, and so peculiarly adapted to their own especial wants. (Applause. ) If to these constitutional advantages we add the blessing of a judiciary not chosen by a capricious method of popular election, but selected for their ability and professional standing by responsible Ministers, and alike independent of popular favor and political influences (hear, hear) ; — a civil service whose rights of permanency both the great political parties of the country have agreed to recognize (applause) — and consequently a civil service free from partizanship, and disposed to make the service of the State rather than tiiat of party, their chief object (hear, hear) ; an electoral system purged of corrui)- tion by the joint action of iiie ballot and the newly-constituted courts for tlie trial of briljery (applause) ; a population hardy, thrifty and industrious, sini])Ie in their manners, sol)er in mind, God-fearing in their lives (cheers) ; and lastly an almost unlimited breadth of territory, replete with agricultural and mineral resources, it may be fairly said that Canada sets forth upon her enviable career under as safe, sound, and solid auspices as any State whose bark has been committed to the stream of Time. (Great cheering.) The only thing still wanted is to man the ship with a nore numerous crew. From the extraordinary numlwr of babies I have seeri at every window and at every cottage door (laughter and applause) — nativf f.nergy and talent appears to be rapidly supplying this defect (laughter) ; still it is a branch of industry in which the home manufacturer has no occasion to dread foreign competition (great laughter) — and Canadians can well afford to share their fair inheritance with the straightened sons of toil at home. When crossing the Atlantic to take up the Government of this country, I found myself the fellow- passenger of several hundred emigrants. As soon as they had recovered from the effect of sea sickness the captain of the ship assembled these persons in the hold, and invited the Canadian gentlemen on board to give them any information in regard to their adopted country which might seem useful. Some of the emigrants began asking questions, and one man prefaced his remarks by saying that ' he had 1874J THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 281 the misfortune of having too many children.' Being called upon in my turn to aord Dufferin himself, while at home, breathed forth no such notes ol triumphant confidence in our future as this. The heavy atmosphere of the Conservative party's surprise and displeasure at our diminished importance in Europe, and of the progressive party's cynical prognostic of the growth of the United States at our expense, has now for many years blighted the old spirit of our exultation in British power and destiny. We have been accustometl to hear that, on the one side, we could not hope to count for much lieside military states which could put their million of men into the field ; and on the other, that our great possessions on tlie Western Continent were simply untenable against a power which has eight tinu's the population of the Dominion, and which is divided from us by a long and straggling boundary offering no exceptional facilities for defence. But Lord l>ulTtrin has been living in a bracing atmosphere in which these misgivings cannot live. As (jovernor General of the Dominion, he has had now, for upwards of two years, the opportunity of watching the hardy political as well as physical life of the British settlements, and their rapid growth in resources, unity, loyalty and hope. He hos seized the occasion of his recent journey westward to connect together his experience and his impressions into a picture glowing with life, beauty and promise, thou^'h evidently based on a sagacious review of solid facts. There is the fibre of a strong root of prosperity, and the hope of a teeming and vivid life, in the story on which Lord Dufferin dwells ; and the knowledge of this sends a spirit through his review and his anticipations which seems to freshen the whole face of the political future for us, and even to ' shed,' as Matthew Arnold says — • on spirits that had long lieen dead, — spirits dried up and closely furled, — the freshness of the early world.' How eloquent, and at the same time how touching, is Lord Duflerin's picture of the earnest loyalty of the widely-scattered jieople amongst whom he had travLlled ! " ♦ • ♦ •< And how happy in its playful banter is Lord Dufferin's account of his reply to the American impatience to see Canada fall into the arms of the United States."* * * *' We have fallen upon a structure of dry political conscientiousness, where there is a real break of continuity Ijetween the aims of the statesmen and the understanding of the people. Politics have lost their glow and spring, while they have gained in purity and disinterestedness. It is to powers such as Lord Dufferin has shewn in his brilliant Toronto speech that we look for the restoration of that glow. It is to that mixture of Irish genius and English sagacity, of Irish playfulness and English humor, of Irish buoyancy and English phlegm, of Irish pathos and English pride, and to that confidence in the life of British institu- tions, and the steadfastness of the British race to which these qualities help to give so l)rilliant an expression, that we hope to owe a restoration of what we may call the imaginative school of politics, without any loss of that practical conscientiousness i i ..t 284 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1874 I Whitby was the first stopping place, where they were met at the station by the Mayor of the town, Mr. Malcolm Cameron, M.P., and others. There was a large gathering of citizens, and a guard of honor of the 34th Battalion with their colors, and the band of the regiment. His Excellency was presented with an address from the Town Council, read by Mr. J. H. Greenway, the Mayor. After the reply and the usual presentations made, the party were taken in carriages for a drive through the town, in the course of which they passed under a pretty and unique arch. It was so constructed that on the top of it were seen a number of men engaged in the various operations of cradling, raking, binding and pitching real grain, the whole forming a very pretty tableau. The town was otherwise decorated. During the drive the carriages stopped at the High School, on the front of which were the mottoes, — " Per Vias Rectus" and " Our National Schools." Before the building were assembled the children of that institution, and those of th > public schools, together with the teachers of both, who, upor. ' e arrival of the Governor General, sang " God Save the Queen." On another plat- IJilf g| ■• ^ ', and painstaking industry, in the absence of which even the most imaginative states- men can give us nothing but brilliant and dazzling displays of rhetorical fire." The Chicago Tribune, one of the most influential papers of the Union west of New York, thus speaks of this speech : "' Lord Dufferin after his return from Chicago de- livered a sjieech on the state of the Dominion, and its attachment to the British Kin- pire. He had but a short time before taken a trip into Western Canada, and of course felt that he was prepared to speak on the subject. The speech itself is a very ad- mirable production, both rhetorically and otherwise. It is eloquent, able, niul abounds in genuine vivacity, wit and humor. Nor is it by any means devoid of statesmanship. Judging from the picture he has drawn of the loyalty and devotion of the people of the Dom.inion, and even of the Canadian Indians, to Queen Victoria, we need not entertain any very sanguine hopes of annexation in ttie immediate future. Lord Dufferin says that wherever he went in Canada, whetlier into the crowded city or to the remote hamlet, the people blazoned forth their affection for their Queen by every device which art could fashion, or ingenuity in- vent. Occasionally, he says, an American would suggest to him in a playful man- ner that Canada should unite her fortunes to those of the Republic, to which he replied that Canadians were essentially a democratic people, and that they would never be satisfied unless the popular will could exercise an immediate and complete control over the executive of the country, referring to the custom which requires a Ministry to resign when in opposition to a majority of the voting population, and to the fact that a Canadian viceroy might be instantly removed by the Imperial Government if it turned out that he was not in harmony with the popular feeling of the country." 1874] THE EARL OF DUFFERIN IN CANADA. 285 form, His Excellency was presented with an address from the Board of Education, to which he replied. The hoys then heartily cheered tlu'ir Excellencies. The drive was resumed, and soon a magnificent building, the Ontario Ladies' College, was reached. As the carriages were entering the grounds they passed under a fine arch, on the centre span of which was a number of little girls, each of whom waved a small Union Jack. In the College a large and fashionable crowd of citizens were assembled. In one of the larger apartments the Governor Cicneral was presented with an address.* In his reply His Excel- lency again took the opportunity of warning the parents and teachers of our young girls against a serious danger. His words can not be too much pondered, nor his advice too carefully followed. After a few preliminary remarks, he said : . " I do not know whether it would be out of place to remark that there are (liiifjcrs against which it is advisable for all those who are interestei' in the healthy, Intel Itctual training of the youth of this continent, and particularly of its female youth, to guard. Of late there has sprung up a class of literature which, in my opinion, contributes but very little to the advancement of those higher aspirations wliich it ought to lie the aim and object of all literature to promote. There has arisen of late a school of writers whose chief trick seems to l)e to extract amuse- nieni and awake laughter by turning everything that is noble, elevated, and reverenced by the rest of the world into ridicule, to substitute parody for invention, and coarse vulgarity for the tender humor of a better day. Or, if this error is avuidcd, a sickly, morbid sentimentalism is substituted, more corrupting than absolute vice, or an historical sensationalism which is as bad as either. I cannot but think it is a great matter that in our schools we should take the greatest pains to nmintain a standard of healthy, robust, and refined taste." After a great number of presentations, and about an hour and a half spent in the town, the party were driven back to the station and took their departure. iJowmanville was reached about ten o'clock. It was raining heavily, but nevertheless a large concourse of people were gathered. The station was handsomely decorated, and a fine platform, for the presentation of the addresses, was erected at the rear end of it. Upon landing, an address from the Town Council was presented, read by Mr. F. Cubitt, the Mayor, which His Excellency acknowledged in * This splendid building, known as "Trafalgar Castle," was ererted as a private residence by Mr. Sheriff Reynolds in 1859, and is said to Ije the largest detached private dwelling on the continent. The college grounds contain ten acres, beautifully laid out in gardens, and supplied with fruit and ornamental trees. The College is undsr the special supervision and patronage of the Wesleyan Methodist Conference. 280 HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF [1H74 i4 IMlnl ■,:; ■ i p,; .»«* appropriate terms. He was then presented with addresses from the Uowmanville Division No. 39 Sons of Temperance, and the Bowman- ville Temple No. 259 of the Independent Order of Good Templars, signed by VV. R. Climie, J. T. Mason, Worthy Patriarchs, and W'm. Jeens, Worthy Chief Templar. His Excellency replied, assuring those from whom the addresses came, of his hearty symj)athy with all who, both by their own example and otherwise, were doing so much to discourage intoxication. A deputation of young ladies next came forward, and one of them read, in a charming manner, a beautifully worded address, to which His Excellency made a complimentary reply. A number of i)re- sentations were then made. As it was raining hard, the i)arty did not drive to the town, but shortly afterwards resumed their journey. Port Hope was reached at about three o'clock, and His Excellency was received with a salute from the two guns of the Durham Field Battery. The train was run up near the Town Hall on the Midland Railway track. Here was a fine arch bearing the words, " I'he Midland Railway welcome Earl Dufferin," the Governor General's Coat of Arms, and j