^% .^^v^ V**'. Ci. o^X^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) A ^^ J^^4^. ^^\?¥ 1.0 I.I If: 1^ IIIM 11 !^i^ t i& lllllio 1.8 1.25 M U ^ 6" — ► V] ^ /a //a W\J9 7 Hiotographic Sdences Corporation ^> m \ V \\ s ' (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Un des symboles suivants apparaTtra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole — ► signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmds d des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est filmd d partir de Tangle supdrieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images n6cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m6thode. errata 1 to e pelure, ion d n 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 T TWO SPEECHES ON THE UNION OF THE PROYINCES, BY HON. THOS. D'ARCY MCGEE, M.R.T.A., MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, CANADA, &o., &a. PRINTED BY HUNTER, ROSE & CO., 26, ST. URSULE STREET. 1865. ■'W THE UNION OF THE PROVINCES. Note. — At the ref|uestof several friends throughout the Province, the foUowing Speeches, (the first di'livorcd at Cookshiro, County of Compton, December 2li, 18(j4, the second in the Legi.sLiti\x' 'sssenibly, on the 0th Feliruary, lbG5,) have been prmted in their present form. QuEBKr, March 1, 1865. Hon. Mr. McGEE on risinjr, was reooivoil with cliooring, uiid said: — Mr. Chainndii, Luflics and Gentlemen, — I. proinised my respected friend, your county member, Mr. Poi'K, to meet him :it the recent publl'i dinner given to my col- league, Mr, (r ALT, at Sherbrooke, and to come over hero with liim to Compton to speak to you on the sul>jeet of Briti.sli American Union. 1 was, greatly to my regret, prevent- ed, by a .sudden and .sharp illness, from being present at the Sherbrooke dinner ; for there is no public man in ('anada whoso .serviees to the l.^nion deserve all honorable acknowledg- ment more than Mr. (Jalt — (cheers) — and there is no place in the country I had rather discuss this question than in " the Eastern Townships." (dheer.s.) J am here to mako good your member's promise in my behalf, and I am deeply thankful that I am able to be here, and have still a voice to raise in behalf of this cause. (Cheers.) This is a border country —it is a country actually undergoing its colonization — it is the home of a mixed people, various in origin, in language, and in creed — and, therefore, a very lit place to consider propositions which must interest men of all languages, ori- gins, and creeds, which involve all our future relations among ourselves and with our neighbours, internal and external. So tar as I can help it, gentlemen, I will not trouble you with what has been said before by my colleague in tho Crovernment at otlier meetings, but I will endeavour to give you my own views on the nature of the constitu- tional developments which have been pro- jected by the late Colonial Conferences, to show on what principle the project stands, to illustrate by comparison and contrast tho merits of our design, and to show, in closing, its special ailaptability to our present situa- tion as British American Provincial com- munities. THE TIME FAVORABLE. At the srart t cannot but congratulate tho people of ;iU the Provinces on the fortunate conjunction of circumstances which makes this the best possible time for a searching examination and a thorough overhauling of our political system. When I was in the Eastern Provinces last summer — when the Conferences were still a thing to come — I appealed on behalf of tho project to the press and the public there, that it should not be prejudged, and I must say I think a very great degree of forbearance and good feeling was manifested in this respect. But I should be sorry, speaking for myself, now that the stage of intelligent discussion has been reached, now that we have got something before us to discuss, that such a vast scheme should pass, if that were possible, snlmilentio. So far from deprecating discussion now, I should welcome it, for there could not be, there never can be, a more propitious time for .-uch a discussion than the present. I Cheers.) Under the mild sway of a Sove- reign, v.hose reign is coincident with respon- sible government in these colonies — a ^. 1 Sovoreip;n whose personal virtues liiivo rm- tlcrod iii(iiiarcliic;il jiriiicipl'.'s r<'P|iect;iliK' (Ti'ii fo tliiiso AvliD jiri'l'iT !ilifiiiTity at pn'Hciii, within niir dwn Ixjrdcrs — we are called on to consider what I'urther constitu- tional sat'eijuanls we need to carry us on for the I'uture in the same path ol peaceable pioi,'rcssioii. UNION, TUK M(»r li'(iRl>ltK. And never, suicly, gemlcnien, did the wide fleld of American public life jiresei.t so busy and so instructive a prospect tu the tliou^'htful observer as in this sauic j;ood year of grace, ISdl. ( )verloukiiii: all minor details, what do we Ibid — the one prevailing and all but universal characteristic i)f Ame- rican politics in tlmsc days ? Is if not that *• I'liion'' is at this moment fhrouuhout tlie entire new world tlu^ mof (/'(infrc of States ami statesmen '( If we look to the far Soutli, we ])erceivo ii Congress of Central American States endeavoring to recovt'r their lost unity; if we draw down to Mexico, we perceive her new Kmperor endeavoring to establish his throne upon the basis ol uninn ; if we come farther north, we iind eleven States battling for ii new Union, and twenty- five on the other side battling to restore the old I'l/ion. (Cheers.) The New World has evidently had new lights, and all its states and statesmen have at last discovered that liberty without unity is like rain i>i the desert, or rain upon granite —it produc.s nothing, it sustains nothing, it protiteth nothing. (Cheers.) I'rom tbe bitter expe- rience of the past, the Confederate States i'.av" seen tlie wisdom, among other things, of givin. their miriisters seats in Congress, anil extending the tenure of executive uffiee fifty per cent beyond the old I'nited States period ; from bitter experience, also, the most enlightened, and what we may cinsider the most patriotic among the Mexicans, desiring to establish the inviolability of tlieir executive as the foundation of all stable government, have not hesitated to import, not " a little British Prince," but an Aus- trian Archduke, a desccndent of their riucient kings, as a tonic to their sliattered constitu- tion. \ow, gentlemen, all this American experience. Northern, Southern and Centr.-il. is as accessible to us as to the electors of Mr. Lincoln or 31r l>AVis.or the subjicts of the Kmperor Maximiij.ian : it lies before us, an open volume, and invites us to well read, mark and digept its contents. (Cheers.) ft was with a view to contribute my niito at the present stage of the discussion, that 1 accepted iMr Pdi'k's kind invitation and am now lierc to oiler you as clear a view as I ciui put into wirds, of the process of reasoning and observation by which tliose who com- ))osed the laro Cotifercnces arrived at tlie decisions at which they have arrived, in relation to th(> constitution and ]iowers ol the rieneral and Local (lovernments in the futiirt: Confederation. Hear, licar.) Vou have probably all read in the newspapers what jiurported to be the text — and it was very near tlie text — of the conclusions arrived at Vou have no doubt all read .^Ir. HitowN's explanations at Toronto, and Mr. (lAl/r's further explanations at Shcrbrookc ; you liave probably also seen two other exprc-sions of opinion, on the general (jues- tion, in the journals of the day, one from the Honorable .Mr. I'oKloN, who is op- posed to all union, except some sort of Kederation ol the Canadas ; another from the Honorable Mr. IIii,r,v\ni) Cami'.iion, who Would much prefer a legislative toa fcilcrativo union. I don't say that if it could be had by eoinnion consent, 1 would not be prepared to agree with Mr. Cami'.uon ; but a legisla- tive union, under our circumstances, was simply out of the question. We might as well ask for tlu^ moon, and keep asking until we could get it. (Laughter.) It was a question between some tbrm of federative union or no union at all ; and 1 am not at all prepared to say with Mr. DoiiioN, ami never was, that the greater union is not the most desirable, it eonditi ns can be settled satis- factorily to all parties. (Cheers.) It seems to me — and in saying so I intend no shadow of disrespect to the hotuir.ible member for Hocbelaga — that the man who can seriously maintain that union is not strength, that fiv-e or six comparatively small communities, owning a commo:i allegiance, existing side by side en the same <. ontinent, in the presence of much larger eomuiunities owning another allegiance, would not be stronger and safer united than separate, that such a one put^ himself out of the pile of all rational argu- ment. THE DEFENCK QUESTION. I will t.vke as an in. ich an argument — thi; particular question, the great test question remaining between Canada and I'bigiaud : the question of defence. (Hear, hear.) The future General Government has reserved to itself, 'i my mite at .sitrn, tliat I ion :iii(l am lew as I ciui if reasoning .' wlio com- ivoil at tlio arrivoil, in Dwers ot the fits in tlic icar.) Vou nowspapers -ami it was c'onclusion.s all read Mr. ito, ami Mr. "Holbrooke ; two other cncral (|ue.>*- y, one from who is op- me sort of ler from the ir.iiox, wlio a federative oiild he had he j)repared it a Icgislu- tanees. was miuht as i.sking until It was a Icderative m not at all ;, and never )t the most ttled satis- 1 It seems I no shadow neniher for an s«riously th, that fiv'e immunities, tini: side by lie presence iiiL; another r and safer a one put^ tioiial argu- he irratiou- particular reniaiuing le question .'he future 3d to itself; saving the sovereignty of England, the con- trol of our militia and military expenditure. Kvery one can see that a war with Kngland and the I nitcd States would be largely a naval war, and such a naval war a.s the ocean has never bcfon,' seen — (hear, hoar) — a war that would interest and stir the heart of Kngliind even beyond the pitch that made her stai I merrliants ustoiiish liLoVii's in li^l^^ with '' three times three; cheers," when they hi'ard that the " Shannon" had fought ami cajiiured, and carried the " (Miescapeake" a prize into llalifa.K harbour. (Cheers.) Sup- poses, then, in the event of an invasion .-;d of six to be consulted — how much in p ■ nhptitude, in decision, in time, in unanimity, and in etfectiveness. I need not (Milarge, I a vi -iuri?, on so self evident a proposition as this ; tiie man that will not sec it, will not, that is all I need aid on that score. (Laughter.) It has, indeed, been asserted by the sceptics in our wurk that all our theories of a closer commercial inter- course are chimerical; and yet, oddly enough, these are the same [leoplo who think a com- mercial union would " secure all the benefits" of this cl'inierical prospect. (Laughter ; Well, 1 will not meet a.ssertion by assertion, but I will answer a conjecture by a fact. At the very time the member for Hochelaga was issuing his rather inconsistent declaration against a political union as other reasons, wholly unprolitalde in a cotnmereial point of view — ami in favor of a eomniereial union as all that was to be desired in itself, — at that moment, the (irst steamship, laden with breadstulfs, direct from .'^luntreal to XcwfouniUand, was dmpping down the St. Lawrence, as a result of the partial and brief inteiXMjurse, brought almut between the two communities, through our ' 'onfereiice at (Que- bec I That is a fact not very important in itself, perhaps, but very indie itive of the jiossible usefulness of Union in a c unmercial pointof a view I ((Jheers.) I may mention another lact : while wo were lying in Cliar- lottetowii harbor last September, our alten- ti(.in wa.-5 called to the arrival of a line ocean- going steamship — one of a regular line be- tween IJoston and I'rinee Ivlward Island. The Huston peojjle (ind the trade of tiiat rich little island worth cultivating, and they do it ; they know where there is produce and wiiere there is a market, and they establish a line of steamers to run then; ; yet 1 am sure they sell nothing to the islanders which we, at tliinl the distance, could not just as well >upply them with from (Jnebec or Mon- treal. (^(!lieers,) I repeat, however, I will not argue so plain a point as that with pro- vinces like ours, Ut'.ion is strength, is repu- tation, is credit, is security. I will just give one other illustration on this last head, and tlum r will drop the topic where it is: the security for peace which a large political or- ganization has over a small one, lies not only in its greater interests and dispos able force, but in this other consideration, that the ag- gres-or must risk or lose the benefit of much larger transactions, in attacking a larger than in assailing a smaller, stale If, for exam- ple, in our .system of defence — in addition to all the Imperial Government could do for us, — if we could, by our joint representative action, be sun; to shut up the Kiver 8t. John upon the people of Maine— to exclude from the gulf the fishermen of Massachusetts — to withhold from the hearths and lurnaces of New England the coal of Cape Breton — no man can question but that we wculd wield several additional means of defence, not now at the command of Canada. ,\n 1 so with the L.iwer Provinces ; if their statesmen could wield our forjcs and our n sources in addition to tlieir own, does any sane man pretend that would not be an immense gain to them 1* (Hear, hear.) I may be told 6 n^ain the Imporinl Govevnmont can Jo all tlii;' for us, it' they will ; f rcpcjit that the [mpi'iiiil ( luvtM'iiuu'iit alone (^ati iieitlu'r Jo ixuy of those thitiys so pruiiiptly, so i'ully, nor with so littli! tri!spass on our responsi- ble i,'()vernnieiits as ;i uniteJ leL,'islaturo coulJ, thnmi;!! an uniteJ piiljic Ibrco, with the aiJ of a FcJeral treasury. I really, ^'on- tleinon, oii<^'ht to hen' your parJon — anJ L Jo so — I'or tlweliinj,' so lonn' on the tniisni that union is, in our ease, slren,i,'iii ; hut as the tirst proposition to which we all airrccJ at the lirst (.'ont'eronee, I flumuht [ woiiiJ L'ive some explanation why we had unanimously arrived at that res ilt. (Cheers.) i'KUEUAiasM AND IMPKHIALISM. Another ohjcetor opposes our jirojeet be- cause Colonial I'liion is iiiennsistent with im- perial connexion. Well, to that we might answer that we are quite willinu' to leave it to the statesmen of tlie empire themselves to JeciJe that point. If KnjihinJ Joes not tin J it so, I think we may safely assume it is not so. And, in point of fact, the imperial Parliament several years ago deoided the question when they passed the Xew Zealand ('onstitutiot)a] Act, establishinii; six or seven local governments, un Jt'r one general govern- ment, in that colony. (Cheers.) Still ano- ther objector contends '.hat the eonqdcment of I'^eJeralism is l{e])ublic.itiism, because most of tlie States with which we are familiar as Federal States, are also IJcpublics. liut this objection is by no means unanswerable. it is true Switzerl.and is a lu'public in the sense of having no hereditary head, but the [Tnited Xetlierlands, when a Confederacy, were not a republic in that .sense ; it is true the United States and .^Icxico, and the Ar- gentine Federations were all repuldiean in basis and theory ; but it is also true that the German Confederation is, an J has always been, predominantly monarchical There might be half as many varieties of federal go\ i:rnment8 us there are states or provinces iu the world ; there may be aristocratic le- Jerations — like the \'euetian. — or monarchi- cal, like the (rerman — or dtimocratie, like tlie UniteJ States: the only definition wliich really covers the whole species of govern- ments of this description is, the political union of states of dissimilar size and resour- ces, to secure external protection and intoiiud tranfiuilliiy. (( 'beers.) These arc the two main olijcets nl all <'onfeileiacies of states, on whatever principles governed, locally or unitedly j fcJcralism is a political co-part- nership, whicli may bo, anJ has been formed by Monarchists, .\ristoerats, and Democrats, I'agan 1 and Chrisiiaiis, under the most va- rious eircumstaiieos, and in all perioils of human iiistory. (Cheers.) There may bo almost as many vi'.rieties of confeJeration as of e(inq)anies, in private anJ social lil'e ; wo say, with propriety too, the company at tlie hotel, or tlie coii.pany who own the hotel, but the oigani/ation of I'ach is wiJely JitVerent. Our l*'ederation will lie Mritish; it will bo of the fourth class of Lord Coivi'.'rt division, uilut the same virtues which feed and nourish filial affection, and conjugal peace in private life, are essential to uphold civil authority ; and these are the virtues on which tho monarchical form of Government alone cm be maintained. DISCUSSION RKNDKRED POSSIBLE BY HECENT EVENTS. There was a time when such a doctrine as 8 this, which I am now, iiiculciititiji here, in Conipliiii,iMPuUl hardly yi't 11 {mtiunt hearing in any iiart (it Nurtli Aiia'iica; but that time i,-* Ibrtuiiatcly pa.st away : it is |ii)Shihlo in our days, cviii lor republican writcrsto admit the merits ol' the iiicnarihical .systt'iii, witliout bciuj.' hooted into silence, ax the elder Ai>AMS was when ho piildislieil in I'liiludelpliia, to- wards the end ol'the last century, his ilo<|uent JJiacoitrsis on Ihnlld. His (^ramlson and editor, the jHCKcnt able Minister at the ('ourt ol St. James, tells us how the jirinter was intimidated I'rom procoedinir with the publi- cation, and that it was the L'reat cau.-e ul'his auccstor's lil'u long-unpopularity ; and lor what? Because lie maintained, with HuHKK, WASIIlNdXiiN, JioSSl'KT, and SlIAKSl'KUK, the divine orij;in of society, us aij;ainKt tho theory ol' its human origin, ujdield by Jeffkk.so'n, I'aink, R()Ussi;au, and John LocKK. John Adams could be i 'resident of tho United .States, but he could nut get uprin- ter to publish a j^eneral treatise on g(jvern- ment \vlii( h admitted the merits of muuarchy — which contended tliat there was " a natural aristocriu-y at Bftston as well as at Madrid" — aud the intolerant outcry then raised against him lor the /Ji'.stouifis <•/ JJatllti pnrsuetl him to the grave. i^Uear.) Another Ame- rican, of even higher mental marlc than Pre- sident AjiAMs — perliaps tlie very lir^t intel- lect ol' all the authors of the American sys- tem — was ou the same ground cijually su.s- pected, aud e(iually abused ; .Vi.KXANDKli Hamilton, in his original plan of tlie Ameri- can Constitution, oH'euded in the same way as Adams by advocating '-a solid and coercive union" with " complete sovereignty in (Jon- grcss" — and wc all know how, dowu almost to yesterday, his memory was branded as that of an enemy of the country be did so much to bring into existeuco. No wonder political science has been at a stand-still for tifty years on this eontiuent, when no uian, however liigli his position, dared raise a ne- gative to tlio prevailing democratic theories, without permission of the clamorous majority for the time being. (Cheers.) At last — and almost simultaneously the negative has been raised at the extremes of North Ame- rica — Mexico aud Canada — and we, at least here, wc iiuve no fear that our printers will be bullied into silence like the printer of President Aj'AMs. (Cheers.) We have not conceived our system in a spirit of antagon- ism to our next neighbors; we will still have enough in common with them constitution- ally to obviate any very zealousi propaga ndisra ou either part ; but we will alsohavo enough itil't of our ancestral tty-stcm tu distinguish permanently nur people from their jxdple — our institutions from their instil ul ions — and our history (when wo shall have a history) from their history. (Cheers.) MK.Xlto ANli CANAIiA. 1 have referred, Mr. Chairnuin and gen- tlemen, to the a>sertioii of somewhat similar principles to our own now being nnide in .Mexico. Tt would be Htrarig(.' if Canada should reach, liy ddiberafionaiid iiirethought, the same results which M»;xieo has grasped at out of the mi.icrable depths of her long anarchy (Cheer.^.) We are not yet in- formed whether the new Emperor designs to consolidate his i)rovinces, or to leave thora their local organizations; but this 1 know, that with all the immense natural advantages of Mexico, I should, for my part, rather take my chance for tho permanent establishment of a free monarchy in the North than in Mexico. (Cheers.) We have already solved lor ourselves one gru.it problem — the legal relation id' Church and State — which is still before the rulers of Mexico, If we have but half the jiopulation, we havi- three times tlie number of men of pure Muropeau race that .Mexico has ; aiid while 1 own that I wish every suecc^is to the .Mexican Kinpire, utider the auspices of France, I have, I con- fess, still stronger hopes Ibr the sueoessful estublishment of the free kingdom of (^anada, under the auspices of Great Britain. (Cheers.) " For fr^r.y. fioroo and fioklo is tliu Suutli ; But loviug, Uark uuil tender ii tho North," — (Cheers.) imiXISlI AMERICAN FEDERALISM ESSEN- TIALLY C0N.SERVAT1VE. Wc have also solved — so far as tho late Conferences could do so, for these provin- ces — the relation of the Crown to the peo- ple, — the sphere of the prerogative, and the sphere of tho sufiVage. We have preserved every JJritish principle now in use aumugus, and we have recovered one or two that were well nigh lost; we have been especially caro- ful not to trench on tho prerogative of tho Crown, as to tho powers, rank, or income of its future representative on this eontiuent ; as to tho dignity of the oflBce, or the style aud title of the future kingdom or viceroy- alty, or by whatever other name it may be IJer Majesty's pleasure to designate hcrcaf- terherdominions on this continent.(Cheers.) Next to the United States, we have the mo3t We have the p tho lan^ m iiiVf t'liuuph ir |)cnjil(i — aliutif! — umi B a history) V. Ill and ;;cii- v\v\l I'iniiliir nir iniulc ill i; if Caiiadii liirt'thou^flit, Iiiis grasped dl' lici" luii;^' not yot iri- or dcsit^tis to I li>;ivt' th(un this 1 know, 1 advantiij.'-eH , rather talse stablislimoiit orth than in Iruady sdIvimI II — tlii^ lopl ivhich i.s still If wc have • three tinios irupean ri'.eo . own that I ean i'mjiire, have, 1 con- ic HUt.'OL'HSrul ni ol'C^anaJa, eat Britain. ho South ; ho North." JSM KSSEN- VE. US the late ,hcsc provin- to the peo- tivo, and the ve preserved ise among us, wo that were pocially earo- ^ :itive of the or income of is continent ; or the style 11 cr viceroy- mo it may be juate hcrcaf- ent.(Cheers.) lavo the most o extended Huffrn^o in the New World; some think «|iiite too fur exti^nded ; but in our state of .society, I do ntit .see how that in to be avoided, in the selection at least, of the tax-iniposin^ House of i'arliament. We have, besides, nstored to the Crown one of its essenrial attributes when, as the Ibiintain of honor, wo leave to the Soven ' 'u the eon- firniiiiioii of the second, the smalU r and more (Junservative Chamber ; and we prest;rve for the Crown its other great attribute, — as the fountain of justice, by retaining itn right to appoint tln! dudiies, — of course upon the advice of the Constitutional ('ouncillors of the (^ueen in this country, who arc in turn reH[)OUsiblo to I'arliament and the peojile for their advice and appointments, (tllieers.) We have provided also, in our new arrange- montH, tliat the tenure of all oifiees, shall be good behavior, in contradistinction to tlie '' .spoils priiicipit; " of our next neighl)ors. In all these respects wo have built on the old foundations, in the spirit of the old wis- dom — and we have laith, therefore, that our work will stand. (Loud cheers.) DIPFrClILTIKS IN TrtK WAY. Naturally, gentlemen, we cannot expect tliat our course will l)e all plain .-ailiiiL'. W(! siuiU have our dilliculties, n:^ all ,state.«. have had ; and this brings me t(j refer to tlu! powers remaining in the posse.s,-,ion of the local legislatures. The ditlerenee of language between the majority of Lower Canada, and the majority ol the whole union is a diiiieulty ; but it i.s a dilVu uliy wliieli almost every otiier nation ha.s had and lias solved: in Ijclgiuni tiiey have at leasi two languages, in Switzerland they have three chief languages — (jlerm.'in, French, and Italian; i he Federal I'orm of Government, the compromise between great states and small, seonis peculi rly ada|)te(l to conciliate ditfioulties of thi.s description, and to Iceep politically together men ol' dillVrent origins and languages. (Hear, lu.'ar.) L eonfe.ss, I have less anxiety on this score tlian 1 have on another — the proper protection of the minority in origin and religion in Ijjtpor and Jjower Canatia respectively. (Hoar, hear.) On this point there is no doubt a good deal of natural anxiety felt in tlie Townships, as there is anuuig my own constituents in Montreal, and i have no doubt you would like me to enlarge upon it as the point most imiBcdiately interesting to yourselves. amii'is Of Mi.MiiimK.s. I nm, a.M you are, interested in the duo protection ol the right.s of the minority, not only as a?i Mnglish-speaking member in Lower Canada, but as interested naturally and reasonably (or my eo-religionists, who form the minority in Cpper Canada. (Hear, hear.) I am ])er.-uaded as regards both minorities, that tlnjy can have abundant guarantees, sacred beyond the rea(di of siH'tarian or sectional domination — for all their rights, civil and ndigious. (Near, hear and cheer'.) If we had failed to secure every possible constitutional guarantee for our minorities, east and West, I am sure the gentienian who may be considered your spi'cial representative at the Conference — (lion. .Air. (i.vr.T) — and F am Cijually sure, th.il I myself, could have been no party, to the conclusions of the late Conference. (Loud cheers.) But wc both believed — and all our Canadian colleagues went with us in this belief — that in securing the | , wer of disal- lowance, under circumstances which might warrant it, to the (ieneral Covernnient, in giving thr ajipointment of 'fudges and Loetd Ijioveruors to the (ieneral Government, and in expressly providing in the Constitution for the educational rights of '.he minority, we had taken every guarantee, legislative, judi- eiid and educational, against the oppression of a section.'d minority by the scctiontil ma- jority. (Cheers.) Vou will have for your guarantee the (,>uecn's name, — which L think the case of Ottawa has shown is not without power in Caiiiida ; you will have the subor- dination of the local to the general authority, provided in the e institutional charter itself, and you will have, besides, the gre.at material guiirantee. that in the General (jiovernment you will be two-th rds of the whole told by language, and a clear majority counted by creed ; and if with these odds you cannot protect your own inter(!sts, it will be the tirst time you ever failed to do so. (Cheers.) fhe Protestant minority in liower Canada ;ind the Catholie minority in I'pper Canada may dep,;ud upon it the General Government will never see tlicm oppressed — even if there were any disposition to oppress them — which I. hope there is not in llp[icr Canada ; which i am pretty sure there is not in Lower (.'a- nada. (Clieers.) No General Government could stand for a single session under the new arrangements without Catholic as well as Protestant support; in fact, one great good to be expected from the larger interest 10 witli v.lrifh tliat o I'.iuro !iud iiKirc .-iip».'ri(jr lu siu-li low and pitil'ul politics (Loud clu'cr.^.) What wmild be the effect oi nuy ^ft oi'iiien. in any subuivi- siou oi the I iiion, atteiniitiii^^' I'or exaiiijilc, thereliuiuusa.scuiidaiiev ul'anx race or creed J' ^\'hy, the direct ell'eet would be to coiidi'iiin th'.ui.-elve.s aud their jiviuciiih.s to insiuMiili- cance in the tiencral Govorniiieiit. Neither you here, nor llie Caliidlic ninorily in rpper Canada w'il nwc yuiir lueal riirht.- aud iibri- tie.s to the iorlnarancc orji'.od will oi the ncighbuiinj^' uiajdrily ; neither (d' ynu ,vill tolerate beiuLi' toie)';,ted ; but all ynw .-iieeial institutions, reli^^ious and edneatioiial, ;is well as ail ^our ueueral and eoiiiuion iiviu- ciii.ses anil rijihts, will be secured under tiu; broad seal of the empire, which ilie strong arm ol' the (leneral (loveninient will suiler no bi^ut to bi'eak, and ).u piovinei to lay iis Unjier on, slionid any oi e he' I'oo'isli (.'nouL'h to aileuipt it. '^Cheers ) TllK iScni.ME A.S A WIJOLI';. Tliis is tile iriaiu; ol' ;;o\ eminent wo inive to oiler 3011, and to this ti^stem, when i'ully understood, I am eertpin you will give a cheeriulaiid a I.earty adherence. ((Jheers.j We oiler llie good ]!et)p!e of liio.-o eolouics joiiitly a system of government wliieh will secure tu th( ni ample mi an.-- of preserving external and internal piae^ them the common protiis which was lepresenteii in lMii3, by im- ports and cvports, tj the ^'ro.-^.s value ol J.a7,lM,iU,iM'U of il.illar.s, and by a s^a-going and lake tuunage el J .;', 'jUU, ill )U ol lonsl W'c oii'rr to each ollur s]iei-ial aiiva.itages in detail. The ."^lariume rrosinees give us a right ol' way auil iite outpoii- I'm- live months out of every year ; we give tin in what they need, duei-t connexion with the great pro- ducing regions o; 1; e .Nurili-west. ail the year roun ., J hi> eoiinexioii, il they du not get through Canada, they must uitimately get through the L niied .'-itatis j and one rea- son why 1, in ,-eason, and perhaps, out of season, have continued an advijeate I'or an liiterc -.onial Kailuay was, that the lirst and closest aiei ludsi lasting connection ot those Lower i'roviiiees, with ihe coutineiital trade system, might be e.-tabiished by, and through, aud ui uiiiou with, ( anada, H'heers.) I do not pretend that mere railway conuexion we olter to a trade, ■y will make trado between us and thoni, but I am (juite sure wo can have no e jusidcrable intercourse, no exchanges or accounts jjro or II, n withotit such a connexion both for postal and travelling purposes. 1 rejoice, moreover, that wo, men of insular origin, are about to recover one of our lost senses — tlio sense that couiprchends the sea — (Cheers) — that we are not now about to subside into a char- acter so foreign to all our antecedents, that ol' a mere inland people. The I'nion of the Provinces restores us to the ocean, takes us liack to the Atlantic, and launches us once more on the modern Mediterranean, the true central sea of the western world. (Cheers.) ]5ut it is not I'or its material advantages, by which we may enrich each other, nor its jiint )iolitical action, by which we may pro- tect each other, that the Union is only to bo valued; it is because it will give, as it only can give, a distinct historical existence to iJritish America. If it should be fortunate- ly safely established and wisely upheld, man- kind will tiud hero, standing side by side, on this halt-cleared continent, the British and American foriLs of free government j here we shall have the means of comparison and contrast in the greatest aft'airs j here we shall have principles tested to their last results, and maxims inspected and systems gauged, and schools ot thought, as well as rules of state, reloruud and revised, founded and refounded. (v,'heers.) All that wholesome stimulus ot' variety which was wanting to the intellect of Home under the liist emperors, will be abuiidai.tly supplied out of our own circum- stances aud those of our neighbours, so that no ClciiiU) need e\er, by perfonal considera- lions, enter into indefensible inconsistencies, and no Tacitus be forced to disguise his virtuous indignation at public corruptiou, under the thiu veil of an outlandish alleuory. (' heers.) I may be sanguine for the future i.if this country, — but if it bean error of judg- ment to expect great things of young coun- tries, as of young people wlio are richly cn- di)Wed by nature, and generously nurtured, I hen it is an error 1 never hope to amend. (Cheers.) And here let me say, that it is lor the young men of all the provinces we who labor to bring about the t'onfederation •ire especially working ; it is to give them a country wide enough and diversified enough to coute-t I hem all, that we labor; it is to erect a standard worthy to euLcaiic their alieetious aud ambition; it is to frame a system which shall blend the best principles 11 and them, but 30 c jusiderable iccouiits^>;'o or "lotli for [lostul jice, luorcovcr, 1, are about to ics — the sense Chcur.s)— that Je into a char- tfccilcuts, that i In ion of the ccau, takes us jches us once moan, the true d. (Cheers.) idvantagcs, by other, noi its we may pro- i is only to be ivo, as it only existence to be fortunate- upheld, nian- Je by side, on British and nmeut; here niparisun and here we shall st results, and gauged, and 'ules of state, ud rufounded. lue stinuilus • tiie intellect .Tors, will be own ciicum- )uurs, so that lal considera- ^onsistencies, disguise his ! Cdrruptiou, lish allegory, ur the future ;rror of j udg- young coun- re richly cn- dy nurtured, lu to amend, y, that it is roviiiccs we oul'ederatiou nive them a died enough or ; it is to ugago their to frame a St principles with the bfst manners, which shall i'ifiise the sjiivit of honor into the pursuit of poli- tics, hat wo have striven — and who can be more interesfed for our success than the young men of the Provinces, who arc to carry on the country into another century? (Cheers.) RKI.ATIONS WITTI UNITED STATKS. We in our time, hope to do our duty ; not only in " lengthening the cords and strength- ening the stakes" of our eonstitutiontd system, with a view to that future, but in guarding jealously in the perilous present, the honor and integrity of this provinee. I may say to you lu're, on the Mastern tVon- tier, that the tiovornment of the day are fully informed of all the machinations that have been set on foot, within and without our borders, to drive, or tempt, or tric-k ():inada, out of that straightforward neutra- lity cominandedby the Queen's Prociatuatiun four years ago. So far, we have been enabled to maintain that neutrality in the letter, as well as in the spirit, and I trust we may be ecpially successful in doing so, so long as it may be required. ((cheers.) 1 am well convinced there is no (\'inadian who wou d wish his Government to make any base com- pliance — to overdo or overstrain any legtil obligation— in order to buy for us the in- estimable boon of peace ; but I. am equally convinced, and you will agree with me 1 feel eontijent, that all that can be done by way of prevention, however onerous or costly it may be to us a province, ought to be done to maintain friendly relations with our neighbors, so far as they will enable us to do so. Tlie rest depends on them, — on tlie fairness of theii' statesmen and their military authorities ; but come what m ly in the fii- (ure, at all events wo must see that Canada does its duty, and itr, whole duty, cheerful!)', fully, and fearlessly. (Cheers.) IS TIIK QUEHKC TliAN OENKRALLY IJE AI'PUOVED ? T(t Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I beg your forgiveness for the great length to which these remarks Inivo detained you. Out our general plan having already found its way to the public, I was anxious to show our coun- trymen, here t'ud at home, in a plain, popular way, the processes of reasoning and the guiding principles by which we arrived at the results at which we have arrived, t should blush for myself, and grieve for my colleagues, if wf witc any of in capable of picking up our principl'w in a p'inie, without inquiry or reflection, t real stage of its success — the thing that gave importance to theory in men's minds — was the MOW celebrated despatch, signed by two members of this tioverninent and an lion gentleman formerly their colleague, a mem- ber of the other flouse ; 1 refer to the des- patch of IH58. The rcfumimendations iu that desp'itch lay dormant until revived by the Constitutional Comndttceof last Session, which led to the t!oalition, which led to the Quebec Conference, which lealous and laborious contribu- tors to the public press, who, althouuh n >t associated with governments. ;iiid not them- sclves at the tiinc! in politics, addressed tlio public mind, and greatly contributed to give life and interest to this question, and i idi- rectly to bring it to the happy position in which it now stands. Of those gentlemen T will luection two. 1 do not know whether hon. gentlemen of this h lusehave seen somo letters on colonial union, written in ISTif), the last addressed to the late Duke of Nkw- r.vsTLE, by .Mr. P. S. ll.vMiiiTON, an able public writer ol' Nova Scotia, and the pre- sent Gold (Commissioner of that Province ; but I take this tijiportunity of bearing my testimony to his well-balanced judgment, political sagacity and the skilful handling the subject received from him at a vrry early period (Hear, hear.) There is another little book written in English, six or seven years ago, to which I must refer. It is a pamphlet, which met with an extraordinary degree of success, entitled Xi'va HrlUninla, by my hon. friend the member for South Ijunark (Mr. Moitiils) ; and as he has been one of the principal agents in bringing into existence! the present (lovernment, which is now carrying (lilt the idea embodied in his book, I trust he will I'orgive me if L take the opportunity, although he is present, of reading a single sentence to .how how far he was in advance and liow irue he was to the coining event, whieh we are now consid- ering. At page 57ol'h's panifdilct — which I hope will be reprinted among the political miscellanies of the provinces when we aro one country and ont; people — I find thii paragraph : — 'flic de.iiiiig with tlit> d.'-;tiniei deal in the soirit ol' real statesmen vvitli issues so moiiu nt )ii.-, and to origi- nate and ilevelope a national line of commercial and ^•eIlet•al policy, sucli as will pri)V(> adapted to tlie wants and e.\:i . eneies of our position. There are inaiiy other excelhmt passiges in the work, but I will not detain the House with many (|Uotations. The spirit that animates the wlnde will be simmi from th ) tixtract I have read. But whatover th 3 private writer i.i his closet may have con- ceived, whatever even the individual state.*- man may have designed, so long as tho public mind was uninterested in the adop- tion, even in the discussion of a change ia our position so momentous as this, the Uuioa of these separate provinces, the individual labo vain bori wou hori for stro 'A 16 vo seen some 1 in LSof), the Ivc of Nkw- roN, !in able ami the pre-- it Province ; ' bearing my il juilgiuent, fill luiudling i a very early i iw another six or seven 3t'er. It is a xtraonlinary 'I Hi'itdiinia, w for South as he ha-i in bringiug (loverntiioiil, ou eniboilicd ;ive uie il' I 10 is pvcHtMit, hi!\v bow j'ar 10 he was to ■ now consiil- lilrc — which tlie political ivlu'ii W(; aro L find this it' ;l rilllUii mrsc, llie lay- uid th(? eroL't- |ii'rstriK'tiii'c, »l\0 the 01101- rilH !Uul \I^\\-i ratiotw ol' a!l oi' tliu iiifer- I ovule many i.'i'e soetioiia'- ioiit coniprc- siiirit ol' roal iiinl to origi- coiiiincrciul ' adapted to tiiin, nt passiges the House spirit that II from th 5 lafever tb ) iiavc con- dual states, uig as the tho adop- change ia the Uuioa individual labored in vaiu — porhap*. sir, not wholly in vain, for although his work may uof liave borne fruit then, it was kindling a lire that would ultiiiuitely light up the whole political horizon and herald the dawn of u botler day for our country and our people. Events stronger than advocacy, events stronger than men, have come in at last like the lire beldud the invisible writing to bring out the truth of these writings and to iiniiross tlioin upon the mind of every thougliti'ul man who has considered the position and probable future of these scattered provinces. (iJhoors.) Before I go further into the iletails of luy subject, I will take this opportunity of con gratulatiug this House and the public of all the provinces upon the extraordinary activity which has been given to this subject since it has become a leading topic of public discussion in the Maritime ami what 1 may call relatively to them, the Inland Provinces. It is astonishing how active has been the public mind in all these communities since the subject has been fairly launched. I have watched with great attention the expression of public opinion in the Lower Provinces as well as in our own ; and I am rejoiced to find that even in the smalle-t ol the pro- vinces I have been able to read writings and speeches which would do no discredit to older and more cuhivated commuuitics — articles and speeches worthy of any press and of any audience. The provincial mind, it would seem, under the inspiration of a great question, leaped at a single bound, out of the slough ot mere mercenary .''trugglis for otHoe, and took po.-^t on the high and honorable ground from which alone this great subject can be taken in, in all its diiuensions — had risen at once to the true dignity of tiiis discussion with an elasticity that does honor to the communities that iiave exhibited if, and gives assurance that we have the luot.il, the material, out of which to construct a new and vigorous nationality. (^Ohcors.) We find in the journals and in the speeclus of public men in the Lower J'rovin'x's a discus- sion ot the first principles of government, a discussion ot the principles of constitutional law, and an intimate knowlodge and close application of the leading facts in constitu- tional history, which gives to mo afc least tiie satisfaction and assurance that, if we never went farther in this matter, we have put an end for the present, and I hope for long, to bitterer and smaller controversies. We have given the people some sound mental food, and to every man who has a capacity for discussion we have given a topic ujion which ho can fitly exercise his powers, no longer gnawing at a tile and wasting his abilities in the poor effort at advancing the ends of some pallry faction or party. I can congratulate this House and J'rokinoe and the Provinces below, that such is the case, and I may observe, with some satisfaction, that the various orators and writers seem to be speak- ing or writing as if in the visible presence of all the colonies. (Hear, hoar.') They ;'rc no Iongut they are no longer now local celebreties : if celebreties at all they must be eelobrelies lor British North America ; for every one ol the speeches made by them ou this subject is watched in all the provinces, and in point of fact by the mere appearance of political union, we have made a mental union among the people of all these provineos ; ami many men now speak with a dignity and carefulness which formerly did not characterize them, when thoy wjre watched only by their own narrow and struggling section, a/id weigbe 1 only according to a stuntf J local standard. (Hear, hear.) Federation, 1 hoiie, ni:iy supply to all our }iublie men ju.-.t ground for uniting in nobler and more profitable contests than tlioso which have si-ualized the past. (Hear, hear.) We.onlhis side, .\lr.Sl'i;.VI<.t;Li, propose for that bettor future our plan ol' Union ; and, if you will allow mc, I siiall go over what appears to mc the principal motives which exist : i>resent lor that Union. My hon. frierni the Pinance Minister mentioned the other evening several strong motives for uiiioci — free access to the sea, an extended market, breaking down of hostile tariffs, a more diversified tield for labor and capital, our enhanoed credit with Knglanl, and our greater eifectiveuess •.vlien united for assistance in time oi danger. (Cheers.) The Hon. Piesident of the Council also enumerated several motives for union in relation to the commerci.il advantages which will How from it, and other powerful reasons which may be advanced in I'avor of it. But the motives to such a comprehensive change as we propose, must be mixed motives — partly commercial, partly military, and partly poli- 16 tical; aud I shall go over a few — not strained or simulated — motives which are entertained by many people of all these provinces, and are rather ol a social, or, strictly speaking, political, than of a financial kind. In the first place, 1 echo what was stated in the speech last night of my honorable friend, the President of the Council — that wo cannot stand still; we cannot stave ufl" some great change ; wo cannot stand alone, province apart from province, if wo would ; and that we are in a state of political transition. All, even hunorable geutlemeu who are opposed to this union, admit that we must do some- thing, and that that something must not be a mere temporary expedient. Wo are com- pelled, by warning voices from within and without, to niai e a change, and a great change. AVo all, with one voice, who are unionists, fleclare (mr conviction that we can- not go ou as we have gone; but you, who are all anti-unionists, sa}- — "Oh! that is bagging the question ; you have not yet proved that." Well, j"\ir. Speakkr, what proofs do the gentlemen want? I presume there are three influences which determine any great change in the course of any indi- vidual or ytate. First — Ills patron, owner, employer, protector, ally, or friend ; or, in politics, •• Imperial connection." Secondly — His partner, comrade, or iel low-laborer, or near neighbor. And, thirdly, — The man himself, or the state itself. Now, in our case, all throe causes have concurred to warn aud force us into a new course of ccnduet. What are llicse warning.-^ i,' We have had at least three. The lirst is from E gland, and is a i'rienuly warning. England warned u< by S( veral matters of fact, according to her custom, rallier tlian verbiage, that the cjIo- nies had entered upon a new era of existence, a new phase in their career. .She has given us thi.-i warning in several ut of late days she has given us much more intelligible notices — such as the notice to abrogate the liecipro- city Treaty, and to artn the lakes, contrary to the provisions of tho addenda to the treaty of 1818. She has given us another notice in imposing a vexatious passport .system ; another in her avowed purpose to construct a ship canal round the Falls of Niagara, so as " to pass war vessels from Lake Ontario to Lake Eric ;" and yet another, the most striking one of all, has been giveu to us, if we will only understand it, by the enor- mous expansion of the Aaiericau army and navy. 1 will take leave to read to the House a few figures which show the amazing, the unprecedented growth, which has not, perhaps, a parallel in tho annals of the past, 17 Colonial Office, lat (lay to this m of despatches n particular or h our dctbnco j [' bound up to- lamented Duke luako a respect- is (xovernmeut, onveycd, that f apart from rcial relations other Country )ld iu the uio&t be employed, sidcr ourselves, same position ds the mother ngs have been have failed to m, we must, at were addressed luously and so the Imperial for whatever showed to the iveut of certain lad to expect, lie necessity of upon us, but, have, at all entered upon ations to the icar.) Then, came what 1 om without — r, hear,) lle- oticcs in times r demagogues c days she has ble notices — tliG llecipro- ices, contrary to the treaty mother notice port system ; to construct Niagara, so Lake Ontario k'.T, the most giveu to us, l)y the enor- au army and read to the the amazing, oh has not, of the past; of the military power of our neighbors with- j in the past three or four years. I have the j details here by mo, but shall only read the ' results, to show the House the emphatic ' meaning of this most serious warning. In ' January, iStii, the regular army of the ; United States, including of course the whole ; of the States, did not oxcoed 15,000 men. This number was reduced, from desertion and other causes, by 5,000 men, leaving 10,000 men as the army of the States. In December, 18G2 — that is, from January, 1801, to January, 180.^, this r.rmy of 10 000 was increased to 800,000 soldiers actually in the field. (Hear, hear.) No dcmbt there are exaggerations iu some of these figures — the rosters were, doubtless, in some cases filled with fictitious names, in order to procure the bounties that were ofi'ercdj but if we allow two-thirds as correct, we find that a people who had au army of 10,000 men in 1801, had in two years increased it to an army of 000,000 men. As to their ammu- nition and stock of war material at the opening of the war — that is to say, at the date of the attack upon Fort Surapter — we find that they had of siege and heavy guns 1,052; of field artillery, 231 ; of infantry firearms, 473,000 ; of cavalry firearais, :n,000 ; and of ball and shell, 80:i,00(). At the end of 180o — ih3 latest period to which I have statistics upon the subject — the i unhappy Southerner whom he h;id, contrary 1,052 heavy guns had becoa:e 2,110; the ! to tiio poet's forint'v politicil ethics, "stuck 231 field pieces had become 2,905; the 'thru." (Laui;hter.) But it is not the revo- 473,000 infantry arms had become 2,423,000; j lution wrought in tiio minds of men of great the 31,000 cavalry arms had become 309,- 1 intelligence that is most to be deplored — for 000, and tho 363,000 ball and shell had ! the powerful will of such men may compel become 2,92.5,000. Now, as to the navy of: their thoughts back again to a philosophy of the United States, I wish to show that this [ peace ; no, it is tho mercenary and military wonderful development of war power in the | interests created under Mr. LiNCor.x — which United States is thesecond warning wo have i are represented, the former by an estimated had, that wo cannot go on as wo have gone, i governmental outlay of above §100,000,00(t (Hear, hear.) In January, 1861, the ships I this year, and the other by the 800,000 men of war belonging to the United States were | whoso blood is thus to be bought and paid 83: in December, 1864, they numbered for; b)' the armies out of uuifurm who pny upon tile army ; by the army of contractors who are to feed and clothe and arm the million ; by that other army, the army of tax-colle:tors, who cover the land, seeing give tho worst view of tho fact — for Kngland still carries more guns afloat even than our war-making neighbors. (Cheers.) It is the change which has taken i>lace in the spirit of the people of tho Northern States them- selves which is the worst view of the fact. How far have they travelled since the humane Cii.\NNrN'0 preached tho unlawfulness of war — since tho living Sumner delivered his ad- dresses to tho I'eace Society on the same theme I I remember an accomplished poet, one of the ni)st accomplished tlic New Eng- land States have ever produced, took very strong grounds against the prosecution of the ."Nlexican war, and published the IJigelow Papers, so well known in American litera- ture, to show the ferocity and criminality of war. He thus made Mr. Hn?n-ni" Fuf.edom S.vwtv sing: Kf you lake a soaonl an* ilraor it, An go stick a foller thru, (luv'mcnt won't answer for if, (ioil'll aciul tlio bill to you ! (^IjMU^htcr.) This was slightly audacious and irreverent in expression, but it was rcm:u'kably popular in New Kngland at that time. The writer is now one of the editors of a popular IJoston periodical, and would be one of the last, I have no doubt, to induce a Northern soldier fn Vr'ithdraw his sword from the body of any 071, of which 5t were monitors and iron- clads, carrying 4,610 guns, with a tonnage of 510,000 tons, and manned by a force of 5 1 ,000 men. These are frightful figures for tlie capacity of destruction they represent, | that no industry escapes unburthened, n. for tho heaps of carnage that they represent, } possession unentered, no affection even, un- Tax ! taxi tax! is the cry from the rear : Blood I blood ! blood ! is the cry from the front 1 Gold ! gold I gold ! is the chuckling undertone which comes up from i the mushroom millionaires, well named a for the quantity of human blood spilt that j taxed. they represent, for the lust of conquest that they represent, for the evil passions that they represent, and for the arrest of the onward progress of civilization that they represent. But it is not the figures which ! shoddy aristocracy ; nor do I think the army :i 18 intcrewt, tlio contracting' 'nitcrost,atul thetax- j;athcrlng interest, tiic worst results that liavo grown out of this war. There is another and equally serious interest — tho change that has conic over the spirit, mind and jirineiplcs of the people, that terrible change which has niatlo war i'aniiliar and cveu attractive to them. When tho first battle was fought — when, in the language of the Duke ol Welmnoton, the first "butch- er's bill was sent in" — a shudder of horror ran through the length and brcalth of the country j but by and by as the carnage in- creased, no newspaper was considered worth laying on tho breakfast table unless it con- tained the story of the butchery of thousands of men, " Only a couple of thousand killed! I'ooh, pooh, that'rf nothing I " exclaimed Mr. Shoddy as he sipped his coffee in his luxu- rious apartment ; and nothing .short of the news oi ten, fil'tcen, twenty thousand human beings struck dead in one day would satisfy the jaded palate of men craving for excite- ment, and such horrible excitement as attend- ed the wholesale murder of their fellow creatures, ilavo these sights and sounds no warning addressed to us 't Are we as those who have eyes and see not ; cars and hear not; reason, uoithcr do they understand? If we are true to Cantida — if we do not desire to become part and parcel of this people — we c; nuot overlook this tho greatest revolu- tion of our own times. Let us remember this, thiit when the three cries among our next neighbors are money, taxation, blood, i it is time for us to provide lor our own secu- rity. 1 said in this House, during tho ses- sion of the year 18G1, that tho first gun tired at Fort Sumpter had " a mcssago for us;" I was unheeded then; I repeat now that every one of the 2,700 great guns in the field, and every one of the 4,600 guns afloat, whenever it opens its mouth, repeats the solemn warning of England — prepare — pre- pare — prepare ! (Cheers.) liut I may be told by some moralizing friend, Oh I but when thoy get out of this, they will have had enough of it, and they will be very glad to rest on their laurels. Thjy ! Who? Tho Shoddy aristocracy have enough of it ? Tho disbanded army of tax-gathers have enough it ? The manufacturers of false intelligence have enough of it ? Who is it pcssible will have had enough of it? The fighting men themselves ? I dare say they would all like to have a furlough, but all experiences teaches us, it is not of war soldiers tire but of peace ; it is not of tiio sea soldiers tiro but of the land, .fack likes to land, and have ii frolic and spend his money, so does Jack's brother tho fighting landsman — but the one is soon as much out of his element as tho other, when parted from his comrades, when denied the gypsy joys of the camp, w1\en ho no longer feels his .'iwoid, he looks up to it where it hangs, and sighs to take it down and bo " at work" again, lie will even quit his native country, if she continues perverse- ly peaceful, and go into foreign service, rather than remain what he calls " idle." (Hear.) This is experience, which I beg respectl'ully to cite in opposition to the se- ducive, disarming fallacy of my moralizing friend. (Hear, hear.) Tho Attorney Gen- eral East told us in his speech tho other night, that one of the features of the original programme of the American Revolutionists was tho acquisition of Canada to tho United States. They pretend to underrate the im- portance of this country, now that they are fully occupied elsewhere ; but I remember well that the late Mr. Wkbsteu — who was not a demagogue — at the opening of the Worcester and Albany Hallway, some years since, expressed tho hope that the railways of the New England States would all point towards Canada, because their influence and tho demands of commerce would in time bring Canada into the Union and increase the New England element in that Union. (Hoar, hear.) I think, sir, I am justified in regarding the American conflict as one of tho warnings wo have received ; and the third warning, that things cannot go on in this country as they are, is a warning voice from within — a warning voice from our own experience in tha government of these pro- vinces. (Hear, hear.) On these internal constitutional difficulties existing among oiir- selves, which were so fully exposed last evt^ii- ing by my hon. friend the President of the Council, I need say little; they arc admitted to have been real, not imaginary, on all hands. An illustration was used in another place in explaining this part of tho sulijcci by the venerable and gallant kniglit, our Premier, than which nothing could bo more clear. lie observed that when wo had had five administrations within two years, it was full time to look out for some permanent re- medy for such a stato of things. True — most true —Consti tut ioiialGovernment among U3 had touched its litwcst point when it ex- isted only by the successful search of a mes- 19 Jiers tire but l1, anil liavo a » docH Jack's -but the one nicut as the iiraJcH, when mp, wlien he )oks up to it take it ilown .vill even quit UCH p((rverse- y\<^n Hervlee, calls "idlo." wliich [ bo^ on to tlic se- y moraliziu":; ttorney Grcn- h the other f the original Revolutionists the United rrato the ini- ;hat they are I remember sa — who was ining of the ', some years the railways uld all point niluence and luld in time vnd increase that Union, am justified ict as one ol" d ; and the not go on in ling voice om our own if these pr.i- icse inteni.il ^ amonjj; mir- ed last eviMi- idcut of the ire adniifctfd lary, on a! I d in another the subjecl kniglit, our uld bo more we hiul hail years, it was rnianent re- ;s. Iruo — niout among v/hen it ex- 'h of a mes- senger or a jKige, alti^r a member, willingly or unwillingly absent from his Beat. Any one might in those days have been the savi- our of his country. (Laughter.) All he Iiad to do was, when one of the live succcs.s- ive governments which arose in two years, was in danger, to rise in his place, say "yea I" and prc^^tu the country was saved. (Laughter.) This House was fast losing, undi.r.'^uch a state of things its hold on the country ; the adnjiuistrative departments were becoming disorganized under such fre- »iueut changes of chiefs and policies ; we Avero nearly as bail as the army of the Potomac, before its " permanent ri'uu'dy" was found in (ieneral Uuant. Weill we have had our three warnings. One warning from within and two irom without. I dare say, sir, wo all remember the old class-book story of Mrs. TuK.VhE's "Three Warnings;" how Death promised not to come altera certain individ- ual he had unintentionally intruded on, on his wedding day. 1 .say, unintentionally — for Death is a gcnilcuian, and seldom walks in, unannounced — (laughter)— but ho pro- mised not to call upon this particular per- .son, without giving hiin three distinct warnings. Well, the honorable gentleman in ((uestiou — 1 dare say he was honorable, and a nic nbcr of some Ilouse, — he, like all the vest of us expected to outlive everybody. iJut in process of years he fell lame, then afterwards, he became deaf, and at last he grew blind : then Death's hour hail come, and in spite of some admirable pleading on behalf of the dcfeudaut in the case, he had his *' three warnings'' like a Parisian editor, his case was closed, his ibrm was locked up, and his impression was struck off' the face of the earth, and J)eath claimed and had, his own. (liaughtor.) Now, sir, we have had three warnings, and if we do take lieed of them and prepare for the possible future condition into which we may be plunged, woe to us if we are Jound un;ireparcd when the hour of destiny strikes I (Cheers.) We have submitted a plan prej)aring us tor such a contingency, and the Attorneys tJcncral East and West have analysed its constitutional character, while the Minister of Finance and the President of the Council have treated it iu its financial aspects. There are some objections taken to the plan, I understand, but T do not beUcve that any member will get up in this Ilouse, and de- clare that ho is an anti-unionist, that he is opposed to all union, and that he considers union unnecessary and inexpedient. (Hear, hear.) I do not know that there is one man out of the one hundred and thirty who com- po.so this Ilouse, iu view of the circumstances in which we are placed, who will declare that he is opposed to any .-ort of union with the Lower Provinces. One may say that ho does not like this or the other clau.io — that ho docs not like this or that feature of the proposed scheme ; but still all admit that union of some kiiul would increase our pro- tection and be a source of strength. Some honorable gentlemen, while admitting that we have entered, within the pres.Mit decade, on a period ,4" political lraii:.ition, have contend- ed that we might have bridg^■d the abyss with that Prussian pontoon, call';d a ZoU- vercin. But if any one for a moment will remember that the trade of the whole front of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia gravi- tates at present along-shore to IVirtland and Boston, while the trade of Upper Canada, west of Kingston, has long gravitated across the lakes to New York, he will see, I think, that a mere Zollverein trctily without a strong political end to serve, and some poli- tical power at itb back, would be, in our new circumstances, merely waste jiaiier, (Ilea:', hear.) The charge that we have not gone far enough — that we have not. struck out boldly for a consolidated union, instead of a union with reserved local juris lictions, is another charge which deserves some notice. To this I answer that, if we had had, as was proposed, an Intercolonial Kailway twenty years ago, wo might by this time have been, perhaps, and only perhap.s, in a condition to unite into one consolidated (iovcrnment ; but certain politicians and capitalists having defeated that project twenty years ago, special interests took the place great general interest might by this time have occupied ; vested rights and local ambitious arose and were recognized ; and all these had to bo admitted as existing in a pretty adva.iced stage of development, when our Conferences were called together. (Hear, hear.) The lesson to bo learned from this squandering of quarter centuries by British Americans is this, that if we lose the present propitious opportunity, wo may find it as hard a few years hence to get an audience, even for any kind of union (except American Union) as we should have found it to get a hearing last year for a Legislative Union, from the long period of estrangement and non-inter- course which had existed between these 20 provinces, aad the special intorests which ha the Archbishop of Halifax ? In either of the coast colonies, where bo has labored in his high vocation for nearly a third of a eentury, it would be absurd to ask the ques- tion ; but in (^anada he may not bo equally well known. Some of my honorable friends in this and the other House, who were his guests last year, must have felt the impress of his character as well as the warmth of his liospitality. (Hear, hear.) Well, ho is known as one of the first men in sagacity iis he is in position, in any of these colonies ; that he was lor many years the intimate j-.ssociate of his late distinguished confrere, Archbishop HuoiiKS, of New York; that he knows the United States as tlioroughly as ho does the provinces, and these are his views on this particular point ; the extract is somewhat long, but so excellently put that T am sure the House will be obliged to me fjr the whole ofit : — Instead of cursing, liko the boy in the up- turned boat, and holding on initil we are fairly on the brink of llie cataract, we must at once begin to pray and .striko out for the shore I7 all moans, before we get too far down on the cui rent. "VVe must at this most critical moment invoke the Arbiter of nations for wisdom, and abandoning in time our perilous position, wo must striko out boldly, and at some ii.sk, for some rock on the nrarrst shore — some rof^tinff jilaco of grcatnr security. A cavalry raid or a visit from our Fenian frii'nds on horseback, through the ]ilain8 of Camidii and llio fortil* valleys of New Hruns- wick and Nova Scotia, may cost more in a single week than Confederation for the next iifty years ; and if we me to believe yon, where is tho securiiy even at the jMCsont moment against such a disas- ter? Without the wholo power of the mother country by land and son, and the concentration in a single hand of nil tho strength of British Ame- rica, our condition is seen at a glance. Whenever tlio present dilRcnlties will terminate — and who can toll the moment ?— wo will be at the mercy of our neighl)oi8; and victoriou.s or otherwise, they will be eminently a military people, and with nil llieir apparent indifference about annexing this country, and all tho friendly feelings that may bo talkei', tliey will have tho jiower to .strike when they please, and this is precisely the kernel and the only touch point of the whole question. No nation ever had tho power of conquest that did not use it, or abuse it, at the very first favorable opportunity. All that is said of the magnanimity and forbearance of mighty nations can lie explain- ed on the principle of sheer inexpediency, ns tho world knows. Tho whole face of Kuropc bus been changed, and the dynasties of many hundred years havo been swept away within our own time, on tlio principle of might alone — tho oldest, the strongest, and as some would have it, the ino.st sacred of all titles. The thirteen original States of America, with nil their professions of self- donial, have been all the time, by money, jiower and by war, and by negotiation, extending their frontier until they mors than quarupled their ter- ritory within si.Tty years ; and believe it who may, are they now of their own accord to come to a full stop? Xo ; as long us they have the power, they must go on onward: for it is tho very naturn of power to grip whatever is within its reach. It is not their hostile feelings, therefore, but it is their power, and only their power, I dread; and I now state it, as my solemn conviction, that i*' becomes the duty of every British subject in thes^ provinces to control that power, not by the insany policy of attacking or weakening them, but bg strengthening ourselves— rising, with th« whol power of Itritain at our back, to their level ; and so be prepared for any emergency. There is no sensible or unprejudiced man in tlie community who docs not see that vii^orous and timely pre- paration is the only possible means of saving us I'roin the horrors of a war such as tho world luu never seen. To be fully prepared is the only j)ractical argument that can have weight with a powerful enemy, and make him pauso beforehand and count the cost. And as the sort of prepara- tion I speak of is utterly hopeless without the union of the provinces, ho at a moment when public opinion is being formed on this vital point, as one deeply concerned, I fed it a duty to declare myse (hen I fpder .'.ai'ril Af llie a last llie v< imde and I sitig; .111(1 lllipp 1 31 id abaudoning sust strike out e rock on the CO of f,'rcatPr visit from our i^'h tho |)lainH of New Bruns- oro in a siiifjlo Dxt fifty yoiu.s ; i is tho secuiiiy t such a disds- if tho inothor inrpntration in f Hritish Aino- ico. Whenever lalc — and who it the mercy oi )t her wise, they ', nnd with nil imnoxin;:; this 1(8 that may be strike when he kernel and quCKtion. No finest that did first favorable 3 ina;,'uaniniity •an bo e:<|ilAin- diency, ns tho »f Kuropc has many huii(h-ed our own lime, ho oldest, tlio 3 it, tlie most )ri<,'iniil SUitc.-i ssions of Koll' money, ])()wer Ltending their led their tor- e it who may, to come to a vo tho powL'r, 10 very nature its reacli. Ii ore, but it in dread; and ction, that i*^ bject in thos^ by the intiany them, but be 1 the whol ir love! ; nnd There is no e comnnniify timely pro- of saving u« lie world ha;S is tho only eight with a beforehand t of prepara- without tho loment when 3 vital point, ty to declare mys'.'lf uneouivocally in favor of Confederation as r hoafily aun an honorably as possible — but Con- ^deration at all hazards and at all reasonable sacrifices. After tho most mature consideration, and all the argurut'Mts 1 have heard on both sides for the lust UKjuth, thc^e aie my inmost convictions on the iwccRsilv and merits of a measuro which alone, imder Providiiicc, can srciire to us social order and peace-, and rational liberty, and all tho bics- sltig^ we now enjoy imd 'rthe mildest tlovernment .lud the hallowed institutions of tho freest and Imppiest country in the wurld. These avo the words of a statesman — of a mitred .statCHiniiii — olio of that order ol ini^hly men, powerful in their ueneration, wiioho ^tatesmaiily ^il'tH have been cact in tho .■"(ron^ mould of theolou:ical discipline — sucli men as wcro .Ximknks and Woi.sky. No one more depreciites than I do the interf'er- ciico ut derfrynieu in mere party politics, and I ihiuk bucli is tho Bcntimciit also of His (iracc of Ifalifax ; but when it is an issue of peace or war, of deliverance or eon((uest, who has a bettor, who so good a light to speak as the ministers of the Gospel of peace, and justice, and true freedom? Observe once more those two closing senten- ces, " I feel it a duty" says tlic illustrious Areliliishop, '• to declare myself unequivo- cally iu favor of t oiiledcration as cheaply and as honorably obtained as possible, but ('(mledcratiou tit idi hazards and at all rearonabie eacriliecs. After tho most mature consideration, and all the arguiuoiits I have heard on both sides for the last month, those are my inmost convictious on tho necessity and merits of a measure which alone, under I'rovidencc, can secure to us social order and peace, and rational liberty, and all tliu blessings wc uow enjoy under the mildest (Jovcrnmcnt and the hallowed institutions of the freest and happiest tounfry in the world." (Hoar, hear.) Th; next motive for union to which 1 shall refer is, that it will strengthen rather than Weaken the connection with the empire, n> essential to these rising provinces. Those who may be called, if there arc any such, the aiiti-iiiiionisls, allege, that tlii.s scheme here submitted will bring separation in its train. Jlow, prayi* ]Jy making these coun- tries more important, will you make them less desirable as connections to England ? i.{y making their trade more valuable, will you make her more anxious to get rid of it '/ By reducing their I'cderal tariff will you lessen their interest for England ? By making them Btronger for each other's aid, will you make her Ic^-s willing to discharge a lessor than a greater responsi- bility? But if the thing did not answer itself, England has answcreil that she " cordially approves" of our plan of union, — nnd .she ha.s always been accounted a pretty good judge of her own Imperial interests. (Hear, hear.) She docs not consider our union iQiniicil to those interests. Instead of looking upon it with a dark and discourag- ing frown, she cheers us on by her most cordial approval and bids u< a hearty " (\od speed" in the new path we h ive chosen lo enter. (Hear, hear.) I'lit I put it nn provincial grounds as well. We are not able to go alone, and if we attempted it wo would almost certainly go to our own destruction — so that ns wo cannot go alone, and as we do not desire union with the United States, it is tlio duty of every man to do all iu his power to strengthen the connec- tion with Great Britain. And how shall wo (I it? Is it by compelling the Imperial Government to negotiate at (Iharlottetown, for every man and musket re(|uired for our deflence, to negotiate again at Halifax, and again at Frederickton, and again at St. John's, and again at Quebec? Is it by htiv- ing these five separate governments that wo are to render the connection desirable tirid appreciated, or is it by putting the power of these colonies into tho bauds of one Goneral Government and making tlie negotiations between two parties only, thereby simplifying the whole transaction and expediting what- ever is to be done between the two countries. (Hear, hoar.) I will content myself, Mr. Si'KAlvER, with thoso principal niotive.-j to union ; first, that wo are in the rapids, and must go on ; next that our neighbors will not, on their side, let us rest supiucly, evea if wc could do so from other causes; and thirdly, that by making tho united colonies more valuable as an ally to Great Britain, wo shall strengthen rather than weaken tho Imperial connexion. (Cheers.) Let «uo now, sir, call your attention to the difficulties, past and present, which tliis great project had to encounter, before it reached tho fortunate stage in which wc now find it. When it was first advocated by individuals, however eminent, of course, it had but scinty chance of success. (Hear, hear.) That was the first stage; when, as in 1822 and 1831), it foundfavor with Downing street, it excited the suspicions of the colonists ; when it was # 22 idciilificil with tlio QiU'hi'O ninl Ifiilifiix railway project, it hIiuiimI iIk; fiito, — it wuh sacrificrtl to tho jotiluucica und di^'HonHi()n« wliii'li (h'stniyo'l tliat particular mulcrfakiiif,'. ^VlK•n, an ill till! cas(! of my lioti. Ijicnil (Mr. (iAi/r's) iu( tioii in lSr)S,nnd my own motion ill ISOO, tl\o subject was mootod in this llouHO by a jirivuto mLMubfr, the Ministry of tho day could not allow so uravo a mcasuro to succeed in other hands than their own; when, as was the easo in ]S[)H, the Ministry eomniifted tlicinselves to it, the ()j)positi(;ii complained that I'arliament had not been consulted. When (Canada jiroposcd to move, in 1 850, Nnwl'oundlaiid aloiio responded ; when Nova Scotia moved, in iSliO, New Urunswick ulonc agreed to with her ; at all events, Oanada did not then consent. (Hear, hear.) Ol'lato years tho language of tlic Colonial Oilicc, of Mr. Laiioitukkk, of Sir IJuLWKK Lytton, and of the lamented Duke of NKWOASTiiK, was substantially ; "Agree among yourselves, gentlemen, and wc will not stand in tho way." Ah I there was the rub — " Agree among yourselves !" Hasier said than done, with five colonicH so long estranged, and whoso former negotia- tions had generally ended in bitter coatro- vcrsicH. Up to the last year there was no conjunction of circumstances favorable to the bringing about of this union, and probably if wo suffer this opportunity to be wasted wo shall never see again such a con- junction of circumstances as will enable us to agree, even so far, among ourselves. l»y a most fortunate concurrence of circumstances — by what 1 presume to call, speaking of events of this magnitude, a providential concurrencr of circumstaneos — the Govern- ment of Canada was so modified last spring as to enable it to deal fearlessly with this subject, at tho very moment when tho coast colonics, despairing of a Canadian union, were arranging a conference of their own for a union of their own. Our Government embraced among its members from the western section the leaders of tlie Ibrraer Ministry and former Opposition from that section, At the time it was formed it announced to this House that it was its inten- tion as part of its policy to sock a conference with the Lower Colonies, and endeavor to bring about a general union. This House formally gave the Government its confidence after the announcement of this pc.licy, and although I have no desire to strain terms, it docs appear to mo that this House did cora- »nit itself to the prlnclpln of n union of tho eidonies if found praetieable. That is my view, sir, of the relation^ of this House to the (ioverniiient after it gave it expressly its (jonfidenco. Other members of llio House take another view of that matter, they do not think themselves coniiiiitted even to 'lio principle, and they certainly are not to the details of the scheme. (Hear.) After the coalition was lornicd an incident 0(!cuiri'(l, which, though not of national iniportance, it woulil be most uiigialeful of me to larg'^t. An intercolonial excursion was proposed an;ht any new country in " 1 world couM produce, — and that snnio among the'in would ooniparo not unfavorably in nliility anil iiifoiniatiun with Mtmo of the li'atorial parlies of heir .'•evoral provinces. A moi-o hard-working set ol men ; men more f<'r>ueious of their own riglits, yet more eon- siJei'ttti! for thiiHO of others ; men of reailior vtsoiirees in (I'biitn; men of gentler manners ; men more willing to bciiraud forbear, I never lan liope to see togetlier at one eonneil table again. (Cheers. ) IJut why need I dwell on this point ? Tlicy were ^^een and heard in nil our principal cities, and I am sure every Canadian who met them hero was proud of them as fellow-subjects, and would bo happy to feel that lie could soon call them fellow-countrymen in fact as well as in name. ((Micers.) Sir, by this combination of great abilities — by this coalition of leaders who never belbre acted together — by this extraordinary armistice of party warfare, obtained in every oniony at tho same moment — after all this l:ibor and all this self-.sacriliee — aftcrall former impediments had been most fortunately overcome — the treaty was con- eluded and signed by us all — and theie it lies on your tabic. The propositions contained in it have been objected to, and we were remind- eu tho other evening by tho honorable mem- ber for Chatcauguay, thatwc are not a treaty- making power ; well, in reference to tluit olyeetioii, I beliovt; the Imperial (Jovern- iiient has in certain ca.ses, such as the Reei- pr.K'ity Treaty, conceded to these provinces tlie right of coactioii ; and in this case there is the Imperial Despatch of l.^Gii to Lord MuL- (UiAVK, ((overnor of Nova Scotia, distinct- ly authorizing the public men of tho colonies t>) confer with each other on the subject of union, and writing them to submit the re- sult of their conferonccs to the Imperial Clovernment. (Hear, hear.) Wo a.ssenibled under authority of tint despatch, i.nd acted under the sanction it gave. Everything we did was done in form and with propriety, and tho re.sult of our proceedings is tho do- cument that has been submitted to the Im- perial Government as well as to this House, and which we speak of here as a treaty. And that there may be no doubt about our posi- tion in regard to that document we say, ques- tion it you may, reject it you may, or accept it you may, but alter it you may not. (Hear, hear.) It is beyond your power, or our power, to alter it. There is not a sentence — aye, or even a word — you can alter without desiring to throw out the document. Alter it, and we know at once what you mean — you thereby declare yourselves anti-unionists. (Hear, hear.) On this point, I repeat after all my lion, friends who have already spoken, for otu! party to alter a treaty, is, of course, to dcitroy it. liCt us be Irank with each other; you who do not like our work, ni>r do you like us who stand by it, clause by clause, line by line, and letter by letter. Oh I but this clause ought to run thus, and this o(1h r eiau.-ie thus. I)oes any lion, mem- ber seriously (hiMk that any treaty in the world between five Mcpumto provinces ever gave full and entire patlsfaction on every point, to every party i* Does any hon. mem - bcr seriuu-ly expect to have a constitutional act framed to his order, or my order, or any man's order i* No, .sir, I am sure no legisla- tor at least since An.\('IIAU.si.s Oi.ootz wa^ " Attorney (leneral of the Iluniau Ilace"ever expected sucli ideal perl'ectiou. (Laughter.) It may Ik' Raid by some hon. gentleman that they admit the prinei[)le of this measure to be good, but that it should be dealt with as an ordinary parliamentary .'^iibjtet in tho usual parliamentary manner. D\r. Si'KAKKR, tlii,s is not an ordinary parliamenf;(ry mea- sure. We do not legislate upon it, ! itics, lequiro :i id I'iti^^lish. A \Ir. MiTCIIKM-, t at the earlier owed his first ties, because lu- d speak to his own hinguago. se, road on this 3 from a very district of Now enant (Jrovernor Vacatiim Tuvr- inly iiiterestini;' i'ovms HO larLTi* ants of tiio couii (ilouc'PsliT, ap- MibiUmts of Vii.' olf. Tlu'i'e wa-i about the ]ar;!i' ed a dark Imiinu 10 luimorouH gouil eok cattle, which e stopped afl(M' ;i views of the bo !ii taiu, at tiie hoiisf mouth of Grain! rtitig point. I'lii' at of the metairie f the house >'aud. ly painted — the panels of a different color from the frame — the lai-ire, open, unearpeted room, willi its bare, shinintf floor — tlie lasses at ihe spimiiii<.*-whool — the ]•' rench costume and ajipcar- ance of Maditino V'loi.KTand her sons and dau^li- ters, all carried me back to the other .=id(> cf the Atlantic. Aftei- u short conversation with the Vio- i.i-JTS. we walki'il down to the bridge, where two lof.' canoes, manned by Frenchmen — three Cviis and n Thibaideai' — were waiting for us, and pushed off from the shore. A turn in the river very speedily hid from us the bridge and farm, our cmf)tv carriage, and the friends who had ac- companied us from Grand Falls stancliiig on the bank, in th" evening sunshine, waving us then- farewells, and it was not without pleasure that we felt that the same turn which screened them from our view, separated us for some time to come from civilized life. It wi'l bo observed Governor Gordon speaks of four counties in the north of N'.'w Brunswick which still bear a marked French character. Well, gen- tlemen of French origin, we propose to restore these long-lost compatriots to your protection : in the Federal Union, which will recognize equally both languages, they will naturally look to you ; their petitions will come to you, and their representatives will naturally be found allied with you. Suppose those four New Brunswick counties are influenced by the French vote, and two in Nova iSootia, and one in Newfoundland, you will, should you need them, have them as .sure allies to your own compact body, to aid your legitimate influence in the Federal Councils. (Cheers.) I shall proceed with my outline analysis of the maritime popula- tion, in order to establish the congruity and congeniality of our proposed union. In point of time, the next oldest element in that population is the Irish .settlement of Ferry- land, in Newfoundland, undertaken by Lord B.vi/n.MouE and Lord Falkland (Lord Lieutenant of Ireland at the time), immediate- ly after the restdration of King CilAiiLKS I., soon after IGGO. Newfoundland still re- mains strongly Irish, a.s is natural, since it is the next parish to Ireland — (laughter) — and I think we saw a very excellent specimen of its Irish natives at our Conference, in Ambrose Shea. (Cries of hear, hear.) To me, I conless, it is particularly grateful to reflect that the only Irish colony, as it may be called, of our group, is to be included in the new arrangements. (Hear.) Another main element in the Jiower Province population is the iliirhland Scotch. Large tracts of Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton were granted after the Peace of Paris, to officers and men of Frazek's Highlanders and other Scoti.^h regiments, which had distinguished themselves during the seven years' war. If my hon. friend from (llen- garry (.Mr. D. A. ^Iacdonald) had be n with us last September at Charlottetown, he would have mot clansmen, whom he would have been protid to know, and who could have conversed with him in his own cherish- ed (laelie. Mr. 1). A. MACDON.\LD.— They are all over the world. (Laughter.) Hon. Mr. 31cOFiK — So much the better f(jr the world. ((Jheers.) And I will tell him what I think is to their honor, that the Highlanders in all the provinces pre- serve faithfully the religion, as well as the language and traditions, of their fathers. The Catholic Bishop of Charlottetown is a .McIntvkk; ills Plight llov. brother of Ari- ehat ((Jape Breton) is a.McKiNNON; and in the list of the clergy, I find a constant suc- cession of such names as .^Iol)oNALl), Mc- GiLLis, -McGiLLVARY, McLk.od, xMcKen- ZIK and C.VMEKON — all " Anglo-Saxons " of course, andiiiixiid up with them FoL'RNIERS, (_rAUVREAU.S, PAQUITS and Mai!TELLS, whose origin is easy to discover. (Cheers.) Another of the original elements of that popuLition remains to be noticed — the U. E. Ijuyalists, who founded New Bruaswick, just as surely as they founded Upper Canada, for whom New Brunswick was made a separata jirovince in 171I4, as Upper Canada was for their relatives in 1791. Their descendants still flourish in the land, holding many positions of honor, and as a representative of the class, I shall only mention Judge AViLMor, who the other day declared in charging one of his grand juries, that if it were necessary to carry Confederatioii in New Brunswick, so impressed was he with the necessity of the measure to the very existence of British laws pnd British insUtu- tiot;s, he was prepared to ((-lit the benefit for polities. (Cheers.) There are other ele- ments also not to be ove/iioked. The thrifty Crermans of Lunenberg, whose homes are the neatest upon the land, as their fleet is the tightest on the sea, and other smaller subdivisions; but I shall not prolong this analysis. I may observe, however, that this population is almost universally a native population of three or four or more genera- tions In New Brunswick, at the most there is about twelve pei cent, of an immigrant p«o- 26 pie ; in Nova Scotin, about eight ; in the two Islands, very much less. In tlic eye of the law we admit no disparity between natives and immigrants in this country ; but it is to be considered (hnt where men uro born in the presence of tlio graves of their fathers, for even a iew generations, the influence of that fact is great in enhancing their attach- ment to that soil. I admit, for my part, as an immigrant, of no divided aUegiance to Canada and her interests ; but it would be untrue and paltry to deny a divided afl'ectiuu between the old country and the new. Kept within just bounds, such an affection is rea- sonable, is right and creditabi»i to those who cherish it. (Hear, hear.) Why I refer to this broad i'aet which distinguishes the popu- lations of all the four seaward provinces as much as it does Lower Canada herself, is, to show the fixity and stability of that popula- tion ; to show that they are by birth liritish Americans; that they can nearly all, of every origin, use tbat proud phrase when they look daily from their doors, " this is my own, my native land." (Cheers.) Let but that population and ours come together for a generation or two — such are the ele- ments that compose, such tbe conditions that surround it — and their mutual descendants will bear with wonder, when the history of these present transactions are written, that this plan of union could ever have been seriously opposed by statesmen in Canada or elsewhere. (Cheers.) I am told, however, by one or two members of this House, and by exclusively-minded Canadians out of it, that they cannot entertain any patriotic feel- ing about this union with 2«few Brunswick or I^ova 8cotia, and that they cannot look with any interest at those colonies, with which we have had hitherto so little association. " What's Hecuba to me, or I to Hecuba?" Well, I answer to that, know them and my word for it, you will like them. I have been on seven or eight journeys there, and have seen much of the people, and the more I have seen of them, the more I respected and esteemed them. (Hear, hear.) I say, then, to these gentlemen, that if you want to feel any patriotism on the subject ; if you want to stir up a common sentiment of affection be- tween these people and ourselves, bring us all into closer relation together, and having the elements of a vigorous nationality with us, each will find something to like and res- pect in the other; mutual confidence and CBpect will follow, and a foolicg of being engaged in a common cause for the good of a common nationality will grow up of itself withcmt being forced by any man's special advocacy. (Hear, hear.) The thing who shuts up his heart against his kindred, his neighbors, and his fellow subjects, may be a very pretty fellow at a parish ve«try, but do you call such a forked-radish as that, a man ? (Laughter ) Don't so abuse the noblest word in the language. (IJcar, hear.) Sir, there is one other argument for this union, or rather an illustration of its mutually advantageous character, which I draw from the physical geography and physical resources of the whole territory which it is proposed to unite ; but before I draw the attention of the House to it, I may perhaps refer to a charge that pro- bably will be made against me, that I am making what may appear to be a non-politi- cal speech. If it be non-political in the sense of non-partizan, then I plead guilty to the charge ; but I think that on some of the points to which I have alluded the country is desirous of being informed, and as many hon. gentleman have not had time to make a tour of the country to the east of us, those who have had the opportunity of doing so cannot, I think, better subserve the interest of tbe community than by giving what appears to them a fair, just and truthful sketch of those provinces and their people, and thus informing those in Canada who have not had the opportunity of making observations for themselves on the spot. (Hear,hear ) It was remarked by the late Sir John Keverley Robinson, in his letter to Lord John Russell in 1839, that if the Bri- tish Government had attempted to maintain the ancient boundaries of New France, in the treaty which acknowledged the United States, it would have been impossible to do so. Those boundaries extend to Ohio on the south, and included much of what is now called by our neighbours " the North-West." 'Ihere is great force^ I think, in this obser- vation. 13ut in relation to what I may call the ground-plan on which we propose to erect our constitutional edifice, its natural oneness is admirable to contemplate. There is not one port or harbour of all the provinces now proposing to coufederate,which cannot be reached from any other by all vessels, if not el' too great draught, without ever once leaving our own waters. From tbe head of Lake Superior the same craft may coast uninter- ruptedly, always within sight of our own shores nearly the distaaoeof a voyage to Eng- beg to 27 the pood ot up of itself lan's special ; thing who kindred, hia cts, may bo a e«try, but do that, a man '( noblest word Sir, there is ion, or r&ther advantageous the physical ■s of the whole to unite ; but the House to arge that pr»v le, that 1 am ! a non-politi- itical in the )lead guilty to in some of the i the country and as many ;imc to make a ,t of us, those ty of doing so ve the interest giving what and truthful \ their people, I Canada who ty of making on the spot, by the late Sir in his letter to that if the Dri- ed to maintain ew France, in eJ the United ipossiblc to do to Ohio oTi the f what is now North-West." in this obser- diat I may call we propose to ice, its natural wplate. There 11 the provinces vhich can not be s^cssels, if not ct' er once leavini? head of Lake r coast unintcr- it of our own voyage to Eng- land — to St. John, Newfoundland. (Cheers) We sometimes complain of our inland navi- gation, that we have it free but half the year round, but what it lacks at one season it amply compensates by its vast capacity. (Cheers.) Last summer, when we visited Halifax in the Queen Victoria, which the good people of that blockade running strong- hold mistook for a Confederate cruiser, we were the better part of a week steaming away, always in British American waters, within sight of the bold and beautiful coasts, which it was our privilege to call our own. (Cheers.) While wo wore thus following our river system to the open sea, I could not help often recurring to the va.?t extent of the whole. If any hon. gentleman who has never made, and who cannot find time to make, a journey through his own country, will only go to the library he will find an excellent substitute for such a voyage in Keith Johnston's Physical Atlas, & hook that when one opens its leaves his brain opens with the book. (Laughter.) He will find that our matchless St. Lawrence drains an area of 298,(100 square miles, of which only 94,000 arc occupied by the five great lakes taken together. I shall not attempt to tread in the path of my two friends who sit next me (Hon. Messrs. (jtALT and Bhown) by ex- hibiting in any detail the prospects of mutual cummerciiil advantages opened up by this union : [ have prepared a statement on this subject, giving certain general results, — which I do not present as complete, but only as proximately correct — and which I now beg to read to the House : — »5 O l-H H < H 'A W Oi o I— I H < P Oh O o H Pi H d e g ;^ CO . O « " •O t— • TC :Ci 3i rH (M O i-H O M t- O I— I ■* CC CC I— ' p. P. a o a 9 125 p4 |2; o e3 CJ a £ 111 o !-♦ ir> r- o 1^ cc i-H f-( o^ oo 'O -t< lO »o CO CO i-- ^ - ci fc o i>^ C^ JO ''li CO rl I— I CO 1-^ 1-- 1^ CO Oi CO '-'5 -* "^ =0 cr lO ^ o a. co^ CO — T — c-r cT c^r C3 I— I ^t o cc c^ CO c-1 <= »o o CC ^ r-H (M !■- Oi i^ C'l 00 o I— I ^t 3> -o o C^ d J-^ I-H^O lO O CI CO o <=; v: o CO CO - ;^9 CO o O 4-» II g 9 Oh ' -3 J --J £ a s a <■% ■ a "a -3 a .— I r/3 in 5C -^ CO o -r -t -i> 'O o CO c4 ■^ . ea aJ .^ I" "^ a .° ^ ^ .® ■a 5 H o a a EM a a -3 "^ •9 28 o V> lO X eo o 1.-5 I - ',; ■/: f^ ff-T -c o O «> « P H M O C C) I'" < ft o p, I. S - ' £3 ■ 3 la e/> O r- ^ rt cc o CD 1^ r- ^- C-l t/: c-i cc t^ --f^ cf ci -t •— " cT m -^ 1-- y^ i-^ ^- ^- o c/2 i-t -^ P >• PS C cj 3 ^ ->5 c. > " 3 21 c. cc cc -#■ •— O :', .o .n -T J. VJ « M C.-5 (N -■: ^•■^ W ■^ CC 00 C/5 -"r 'o ca *f <— o a; C' ^- Ci 1>- 1— 1 ^ o t~ C3 ^ C. (^ o M «c: a; — . -- y: c-i J- « cc m -^ •o cTrH 'M »^ o f^ . v> •w"? c S cH a ■< •>*•* — -H O o 1 1— r- M « l-H B ^ o O ■<*• t>. ^- r7 — 1.* 0-. -r Ci l~ C5 c. o c^ a; S? ^ CO .r. ci -f w C-. ..O =i -T c-i C) X 1.^ cs CI r-i C3 u «^ VJ o K-( r-« £ U ^ O ^S c: ft O CC o rt iM -.0 e-1 ■>>< Ml a o , OO 00 ■^ CO t^ <=> «2 ( lO o •«i« -^ c^ o H 2 . C-1 W CO C^ CO <=? C3 f-" -^ o o -^ o »n -V -H CI t- o a o u. > '■^ a ■»-» o <-) O l-H ■* 00 o CO O Oi CI CI CI ■*^ O CO cc O b- cc 3 -r" =" -r c^r cf o' «» CO — cc ci -r cc 2 --^ a C3 CI I- -C CI lO O t- ^ "O ■< i»r i-i 1- c/> • : : :t3 : • ■ ; a : : : c3 : H O I 1 M : *fl : '.Jat — '• O M ••2 ? fc^ (n Oi :-s i=:=-^ '■4 • o 3 W a « -yj .*; „ 3 -a J « ? ,= H a > S .S & cj = « t. a cj;z;; CO CO f- < ^^ «/> CI o ^ «/> wealth to ces, which y my hon. t article of oubt that, ist pasi^ing' cutcrin.'d L'very year, pour from ;e sums are id benevo- le families perishing for want of fuel. I believe v/o must all conclude with Sir William Louan that we have no coal in Canada, and 1 may venture to state, on my own authority, an- other fact, tliat wc have — a five monthH* winter, generally very cold. Now, what are the coal resources of our maritime friends, to whose mines Confederation would give us tree and untaxed access forever l* I take these data from the authority in my hand — from thn highest authority on the oubject — Taylor's Coal Fields of the New World : — Dr. A. Gesn'eh, in a conimunicatii)n to tlio Geological Society of Loiidou, l81o, states tliat the area of coal fields in Now Brunswick has been recently determined to l)e 7,500 square miles| 10,000 square miles, including Nuva Scotia, but exclusive of Cape Breton. Since his first teport he has explored the wiiole of this vast region, and has found the area covered by that coal formation to be no less than 8,000 square miles in New Brunswick. He says the mtst pro- ductive coal beds prevail in the interior, while those of Nova Scotia occur ou the shores of her bays and rivers, where they offer every ad- vantage for mining operations. The coal fields of the two provinces are united at the boundary line, and belong to the carboniferous period. The duvulopnicnis of almost every season illus- trate more tlearly the niuguitude of these coal fields, which extend from Newfoundland by Ca|ie Breton, Prince Edward Is'ai.d, Nova Scotia, and across a large portiou of New Brunswick into the State of Mame. Mr. Hexwood, a geologist of high standing, observes that the beauty and extent of these coal treasures it is impossible to describe. In Nova Scotia, Dr. (Jtsxtirs state- ments exhibit an area of coal formation of 2,500 square miles, while Messrs. Looax, Dawson and BiiOWN greatly exceed even that area. Sir W. E. Logan demonstrated by a laborious survey the thickness or depth of the wjiole group in North- ern Nova Scotia to be over 2s miles, an amount which far exceeds anything seen in the coal for- mation in other parts of North Aaaeiica; in this group there are seveuty-six coal beds one above the other. I must say, sir, that this is a cheer- ing statement of facts, coming to us on the very highest authority, and I feel warm- ing with the suijject, even while mak- ing the statement. (Laughter.) These ex- haustless coal fields will, under this plan — which is in fact our Reciprocity Treaty with tlie Lower Provinces — become, hereafter, the great resource of our towns for fuel. 1 aee the cry is raised below by the anti-un- ionists that to proceed with Confederation would be to entail the loss of the New Eng- land market for their coals. I do not quite nee how they make that out, but eyeu an anti-unionist might sec that the population of Canada is within a fraction of that of all New England put together, that we consume in this country as much fuel per annum as they do in all New England ; and, therefore, that we offer them a market undci' the union equal to that which these theorizers want to persuade their followers they would lose. (Hear, hear.) Sir, another cry raised by the anti-unionists below is, that they would have to fight for the defence of Canada — a very specious argument. What, sir, three niillions and one million unite, and the one million must do the fighting for all. In pro- portion to their numbers no doubt these valiant gentlemen will have to fight, if fight- ing is to be done, but not one man or one shilling mor-; than Canada, pro rata, will they have to fight or spend. On the con- trary, the greater community, if she should not happen to be first attacked, would be ob- liged, to fighl for them, and in doing so, I do not hesitate to say, on far better authority than my own, that the man who fights for the valley and harbour of St. John, or even for Halifax, fights fur Canada. 1 will sup- pose another not impossible case. I will suppose a hostile American army, on a fish- ery or any other war, finding it easier and cheaper to seize the lower colonies by land than by sea, by a march from a convenient rendezvous on Lake Champlain, through Lower Canada, into the upper part of New Brunswick, and so downward to the sea — a march like Suerman's march from Knox- ville to Savannah. AVhile wo obstructed such a mareli by every means in our power, from the llichelieu to llivii^re du Loup, whose battles would we be fighting then ? Why the seaports aimed at, for our common subjugation. (Hear, hear.) But the truth is, all these selfish views and arrangements are remarkably short-sightjd, unworthy of the subject, and unworthy even of those who use them. In a commercial, in a military, in every point of view, we are all, rightly considered, dependant on each other. New- foundland dominates the Gulf, and none of us can afi'ord to bo separated from her. Lord Chatham aaid he would as soon aban- don Plymouth as Newfoundland, and he is said to have understood how to govern men. Nova Scotia and New Brunswick are Siamese twins, held together by that ligature of land between Bale V crte and Cumberland Basin, and the fate of the one must follow the fate of thu other. (Hear, hear.) Prince Ed- 80 ward is only a little bit, broken off by the Northuuiberlunil Strait from those two big- ger brethren, and Upper and ijower Oaiiiida arc essential to c;ich other's prosperity. Our very physieal outline teaches us the lesson of union, and indicates liow many mutual ad- vantages we m;iy all derive i'rom the treaty we have made. Mr, Speakkr, while we in Canada have no doubt of the ratification of the Intercolonial Treaty, by this House and country, I cannot conceal from myself that our friends in the Lower Provinces are light- ing a battle with narrow views and vested interests which are always most bitter in the smallest communities. There are coasting trade interests and railway interests ot work ; and there are the strong interests of honest ignorance and dishonesty ingenuity. What can these men mean, who are no fools 't Do they, too, fancy they can get a Government made to their own private order ? Do they think tliey can go on on the old system '{ Do they mean to give up the country to the Americans 't Why not hung up at once tlie sign, "these provinces for sale — terms cash I — ' greenbacks ' taken at fud value 1" I re- joice to see the unionists of the Maritime Provinces so resolved, so high spirited and so united — and though their victory will nut be won without work, yet I feci assured ic will be a victory. If the honest and .misguided would but rcfieet for a moment the risks the run by defeating, or even delaying this measure, I am vsuro they would, even yet, refract. (Hear, hear.) If we reject it now, is there any human probability that wo shall ever see again so propitious a set of circumstances to bring about the same results i* ICow they came about we all know. (Hear, hear.) The Strang!! and fortunate events that have occurred in Canada ; the extraordinary con- cessions made by the leaders of the Govern- ments below — Dr.TuiU'KR, the Nova Scotian Premier, for instance, admitting to his con- fidence, and bringing with him here as his co-representatives, Hon. Messrs. Aroiiibalb and 3IcOuLLY, two of his most detcimined political opponents — can we ever expcct,if we reject this scheme, that the same or similar things will occur again to favor it? Can we expect to see the leader of the Upper Cana- dian conservative party and the leader of the Upper Canadian liberals sittinT side by side again, if this project fails ;.. \\or«. out, in a spirit of mutual compromise and concession, the problem of our constitutioual difficulties 't No, sir, it is too much to expect. Miracles would coa«c to be miracles if they were events of every day (Kicurronce ; the very nature of wonders re((uires that they should he rare; and this is a miraculous and wonderful cir- cumstance, that mt;n at the head of the Gov- ernments in live separate provinces, and men at the head of the parties opposing them, all agreed at the same time to sink party differ- ences ibr the good of all, and did not shrink, at the risk of having their motives misun- derstood, from associating together for the purpose of bringing about this result. (Cheers.) I have asked, sir, what risks do we run if we rtject this measurer' We run the ri.-k of being swallowed up by the spirit of univers;d democracy that prevails in the United States. Their usual and favorite motto is — No pout uj) rtica contracts our powers, But tlio whole boundless contiueut is ours. That is the paraphrase of the Monroe doc- trine. And the popular voice has favored — aye, and the greatest statesmen among them have looked upon it as inevitable — an exten- sion of the principles of democracy over this contkinent. Now, I suppose a universal de- mocracy is no more acceptable to us than a universal monarchy in Europe, and yet fur three centuries — from Ckaulk.s V. to Na- poleon — our fathers combatted to the death against the subjection of all Europe to a sin- gle system or a single master, and heaped up a debt wliich has since burthened the pro- ducing classes uf the empire with an enor- mous load of taxation, which, perhaps, none other except the hardy and ever-growing in- dusiry of those little islands could have borne up under. (Hear, hear.) The idea of a uni- versal democracy in America is no more wel- come to the minds of thoughtful men among us, than was that of a universal monarchy to the mind of the thoughtful men Avho fol- lowed the standard of the third AVilTjIAM in Europe, or who afterwards, under the great •Marluorouuii, opposed the armies of the particular dynasty that sought to place Europe under a single dominion. (Hear, hear.) IJut if we are to have a universal democracy on this continent, the Lower Provinces — the smallei fragments — will be " gobbled up" iirst, and we will come in afterwards by way of dessert. (Jjtuightcr.) The proposed Confederation will enable us to bear up shoulder to shoulder ; to resist the spread of this universal democracy doctrine; it will make it more desirable to maintain on both 31 Hides the connection that bini's us to the parent State ; it will vaise us from the posi- tion of jnere clcpc^ndeiit eoloiiiis to a new and more important ])()Hition ; it will give us a new lease of existence under other :ind more I'avorahle conditions ; and resistance to this project, which is preifonnt with so many advantajrcs to us and to our children, means simply this, ultimate uniiin with the I'nited States. (Cheers.) IJut these are small matters, wholly unwortliy of the atten- tion of the S.AiiTiis, and Annanus, and Pa J,. MK lis, who have come forward to forbid the banns of British American Union, Mr. Spfaickh, betore I draw to a close the little renuiinder of what f have t(i say— and I am Horrry to have detained the House so lonj:; — (cries of " No, No") — I bcLi,' to offer a lew observations apropos of my own pos'tion as an English-speaking member for Lower Ca- nada. 1 venture, in the first place, to ob- serve that there seems to be a good deal of exaggeration on the subject of race, occa- sionally introduced, both on the one side and the other, in this section of the country. I congratulate my honorable friend the Attor- ney Ceneral for this section on his freedom from such prejudices in general, though 1 still think in ma'ters of ])atronage and the like he always thinks first of his own com- patriots — (laugliter) — for which neither do I blame him. IJut this theory of race is some- times carried to an anti-christian and un- philosophical excess. Whose words are those — " God hath made of one blood all the nations that dwell on the face of the earth '{" Is not that the true theory of race '( For my part, I am not afraid of the French Ca- nadian majority in the future Local Clovcrn- meut doing injustice, except accidentally ; not because I am of the satue religion as themselves; for origin and language are bar- riers stronger to divide men in this world than is religion to unite them. Neither do I believe that my Protestant compatriots need have any such fear. The French Ca- nadians have never been an intolerant people; it is not in their temper, unless they had been persecuted, perhaps, and then it might have been as it has been with other races of all religions. Perhaps, on this subject, the House will allow me to read a very striking illustration of the tolerance of French Cana- dian character from a book T hold in my hand, the Diyt<'rian8 of Moiitival of ill! (leiioniiiiatior:-!, botli J'litisli and AiiRrioaii, (ir;raiii/.i'(l tliemsclvcs into n. Ciiuu'li, anil in the I'ollowing year .si'cuumI llio services of the iicv, .loMN ^'o NO. Al lliis time tlioy met in the Kccollet Konum Catholic t'lmicli, Imt in the year f'ullowiiiu- llicy civcfid the eilidce wliicli is now known ii.s St. (iahiici Siroet Clinrcli — the oldest J'rotcstanl Cliarch in the I'rovince. In their curly Minutes we find them, in acKnowjcd;,'- nic'iit of the kindness of the Heeo'lct Fathers, |iie,sentin,irtlieni uith "One liox of candles, ■IGlbs., at sd., ami one hogshead of Spanish wiue at £G .'is." ( Laughter. ) [ beg my hon. friends, who n.ay havediileieiit notions of Christian intercourse at this time of day, just to fancy doings of that sort. (Hear, hear.) Hore, on the one hand, arc the llecollet I'^ithers giving up one of their own churclies to the disciples of Joii N Knox to enable them to worship GoD after their own manner, and perhaps to liavo a gird at Popery in the meantime — (great lau'^'hter) — anil here, on the other hand, are the grateful Presbyterians presenting to these same Semi- nary priests wine and wax tapers in acknow- ledgment of the use of their church, for Presbyterian service. Certainly a more characteristic instance of true tolerance on both sides can hardly be found in the history of any other country. I cite this little incident to draw from it this practical moral — that those who arc seeking, and, in some particulars, I believe justly seeking, the set- tlei: ent of Protestant education iu Lower Canada on firmer ground than it now occu- pies, might well afford to leave the two groat Seminaries of Montreal and (Quebec ;it peace. No two institutions in Christendom ever more conscientiously fulfilled the ends of their erection ; and whoever does not know all, but even a little, of the good services they have rendered to both the people and the Government of Lower Canada, to the civilization and settlement of this country, has much yet to learn of the history of Canada. (Hear, hear.) To close this topic, I have no doubt whatever, with a good deal of moderation and a proper degree of firm- ness, all that the Protestant minority in Lower Canada can require, by way of secu- rity to their educational system, will be cheerfully granted to them by this House. I, for one, as a Roman Catholic, will cor- dially second and support any such amend- ments, properly framed. I will merely add 32 in relation to an observation of uiy friend (Hon. Mr. Brown) lust nij^'lit on tlic .sub- ject of the Catholic Seiiarate Schools of Upper Canada, that T accoptcd for iiy own part, as a finality, the arni>ndod act of lsr;{. I did HO because it yraiKcdall the petitioners asked, and 1 think they uuL'lit to be satisfied. I will be no party to the re-openinfi; ol" the question; but I siiy this, (hat if there are to be any special f/uarantces or trrants t xteuded to the Protestant minority of Jjower Canada, I think the Catholic minority in Upper Ca- nada ought to be placed in precisely the same position — neither better nor worse. (Hear, hear.) At present I shall not add another word on this subject, as I am not aware of the particular nature of the amendments asked for at present, either east or wvst. (Hear, hear.) All who have .spoken on this subject have said a good deal, as was natural, of the interests at stake in the success or failure of this plan of Confederation. I trust the House will permit me to add a few words as to the principle of Confederation considered in itself. In the application of this principle to former constitutions, there certainly always was one fatal defect, the weakness of the central authority. Of all the Federal constitutions I have ever heard or read of, this was the fatal malady : they were short-lived, they died of consumption. (Laughter.) But 1 am not prepared to say that because the Tuscan League elected its chief magistrates for two months and lasted a century, that therefore the Federal principle failed. On the contrary, there is something in the frequent, fond recurrence of mankind to this principle, among the freest people, in their best times and wor.st dangers, which leads me to believe, that it has a very deep hold in human nature itself — an excellent basis for a government to have. But indeed, sir, the main question is the due distribution of powers — a question I dare not touch to- night, but which I may be prepared to say something on before the vote is taken. The principle itself seems to me to be capable iif being so adapted as to promote internal peace and external security, and to call into action a genuine, enduring and heroic patriotism. It is a fruit of this principle that makes the modern Italian look back with sorrow and pride over a dreary waste of seven centujies to the famous field of Legnano ; it was this princi- ple kindled the beacons which burn yot on the rocks of Uri; it was this principle that broke the dykes of Holland and overwhelm- ed the Spanish with the fate of the Egyptian oppressor. It is a principle capable of ins])iring a noble ambition and a most salutary emulation. You have sent your young mvu t') ;uard your frontier You want a principle to guard your young men, and thus truly defend your fron- tier. For what do good men (who make the best soldiers) fight ? l"'or a line of scripture or chalk line — for a pretext or for a prii.ciple 'f Wliat is a better boundary between nations than a parallel ot latitude, or even a natural obstacle ? — what really keeps nations intact and apart ? — a princi- ple. When I can hear our young men say as proudly, " our Federation" or " our Country," or " our Kingdom," as the young men of other countries do, speaking of their own, then I shall have less apprehension for the result of whatever trials the future may have in store for us. (Cheers.) It li;.s been said that the Federal (jonstitutiou of the United States has failed. I, sir, have never said it. The Attorney General West tcdd you the othc night that he did not con- sider it a failure ; and I remember that in 18G1, when in this House I remarked the same thing, the only man who then applauded the statement was the Attorney General West — so that it is pretty plain he did not simply borrow the argument for use the the other night, when he was advocating a Federal Union among ourselves. (Hear, hear.) It may be a failure for'us, paradoxi- cal as this may seem, and yet not a failure for them. They have had eighty years' use of it, and having discovered its defects, may apply a remedy and go on with it eighty years longer. But we also are lookers on, who saw its defects as the machine worked, and who have prepared contrivances by which it can be improved and kept in more perfect order when applied to ourselves. And one of the foremost statesmen in Eng- land, distinguished alike in politics and literature, has declared, as the President of the Council informed us, that we have com- bined the best parts of the British and the American systems of government, and this opinion was deliberately formed at a distance, without prejudice, And expressed without interested motives of any description. (Hear, hear.) We have, in relation to the head of the Government, in relation to the judiciary, in relation to the second chamber of the Legislature, in relation to the financial responsibility of the General Government, 88 Ifiyptian able of a most nt your r You young ir tron- 10 mako liiiii of xt or for )oundary latitude, it really a princU men say 3r " our tie young ; of their nfion for turo may It lli.8 tution of sir, have Tal West [ not con- r that in arkod the ipplauded I General e did not ' use the ocating a (Hear, paradoxi- a failure years' use ects, may it eighty )okers on, e worked, iiuces by t in more ourselves, 1 in Kng- litics and esident of have com- and the t, and this I distance, 1 without iscription. lOn to the on to the chamber e financial ivernment, i iind in relation to the public officials whoso tenure of ofticc is during good l)ehaviour instead of at the caprice of a party — in all these respects wo liave adopted the British system ; in other respects wc have learned something from the American system, and 1 trust and believe wo have made a very tolerable combination ot both (Hoar, hear.) 'Iho principle of l''ederation is a generous principle. It is a principle that gives men local duties to discharge, and invests them at the same time with general supervision, that excites a healthy sense of responsibility and comprehension. It is a principle that has produced a wi^c and true spirit of statcs- luanship in nil countries in which it has over been applied. It is a principle emi- nently favorable to liberty, because local affairs are left to bo dealt with by local bodies and cannot bo interfered with by those who have no local interest in them, while matters of a general character are left exclusively to a General Goverment. It is a principle coincident with every govern- ment that ever gave extended and important services to ti country, because all govern- ments have boon more or less confederations in their character. Spain was a federation, ibr although it had a king reigning over the whole country, it 'had its local governments for the adminirttralion of local affairs. The IJritish Isles are a Confederation, and the old French Dukedoms were confederated in the States General. It is a principle that runs through all tho history of civilization in one form or another, and exists alike in monarchies and democracies; and having adopted it as the principle of our future government, there were only tho details to arrange and agree upon. Those details are before you. It is not iu our power to alter any of them even if the House desires it. [f tho House desires it can reject the treaty, but we cannot, nor can tho other provinces which took part in its negotiation, consent that it shall be altered in the slightest parti- cular. (Hear, hour.) Mr. Speaker, I am sorry to have detained the House so long, and was not aware till I had been some time on my legs that my physical force was so inadequate to tho exposition of these few points which, not specially noticed by my predecessors in this debate, I undertook to speak upon. Wo stand at present in this position : wo aro bound in honor, we are bound in good faith, to lour provinces occupied by our fellow-colonists, to carry out 5 tho measuro agreed upon here in tho hut week of October. Wc are bound to carry it to tho foot of the Throne, and ask there fioni Ilcr Majesty, according to the Ui-.-st resolution of tho Address, that She will be graciously pleased to direct legislation to be had on this subject. Wo go to tho Imperial (iovcrn- mcnt, tho common arbitrar of u.s all, in our trUvJ Federal metropolis — we go there to ask for our fundamental Charter. Wo hope, by having that Charter that can only bo amond('(l by the authority that made it, th it we will lay the basis of permanency for mr fiitunt government. The two great things that nil men aim at in any free government, aro liberty and permanency. We have had liberty enough — too much perhaps iu some respects — but at all events, liberty to our heart's content. There is not on the face of tho earth a freer people than the inhabitants of these colonies. But it is necessary there should bo respect for the law, a high central authority, the virtue of civil obedience, obcylHg the law for the law's sake, even when a man'v private conscience may con- vince him sufficiently that the law in some cases may be wrong, he is not to sot up his individual will against tho will of the country expressed through its recognised conntitu, tional organs. We need in these provincos- wo can bear, a largo infusion of authority. I am not at all afraid this Constitution errs on tho side of too great conservatism. If it bo found too conservative now, the down ward tendency in political ideas which characterizes this democratic age, is a suffi- cient guarantee for amendment. That i.s the principle on which this instrument is strong and worthy of the support of every colonist, and through which it will secure the warm approbation of the Imperial authorities. Wo have here no traditions and ancient venerable institutions ; here, there aro no aristocratic elements hallowed by time or bright deeds j here, every man is tho first settler of the land, or removed from tho first settler one or two generations at the furthest ; here, we have no architectural monuments calling up old associations; here, we have none of those old popular legends and stories which in other countries have exercised a powerful share in the government; here, every man is tho son of his own works. (Hear, hear.) Wc have none of those influences about ua which, elsewhere, have their effect upon government just as much as tho invisible atmosphere itself tends to 84 influciHV! llAi, niid uniuiul and vcv;otM!jIc oxisteiif.'C. Tills is a now lutid— :i html of prttonsioii bcciiuso it is now ; bot- aiso classes lunl h),stcm§ liiivc not linl tli;it lime to grow lioro nalunilly. "\Vc liavo no ari^tooracy butof'virtuu and talont,whic)i istlio culy truo iirislocraoy, and is the old and truo nicanini^ of the Icnn. ( Ilcra-, hour.) There is a ch-n of men ri-in.n in th(\sc oolunics, superior in many respects to otiiers witli whom they migiit be compared. Wliat I shouM \i\n: to soe is — tliiit fair rcproHentuiivcs of the Canadian and Acadian aristocrary, sh«iild bo sent to tiic foot of the Throne witli tliat scheme, to obtain for it the royal sanction — a sehunu; not sutr^cslod by otiicrs, or imposed upon us, but one tlie work of ourselves, the creation of our own intellect and of our own free, unbiassed and untrammelled will. 1 should like to see our best men '^o there, and endeavor ti have this measure carried lhrou;;li the Imperial Parliamei't — p;oina; into Ker iMajesty's presence, and by their manner, if not actually by their speech, sayinj;' — " IJurini;' Vour Majesty's reign wo ]iav(! liad llesponsible (.iovernmert conceded to lis ; wc liave administered it lor nearly a quarter of a century, durin;j; wliic'i wo haV(! under It doubled our populatio-\ and more , 1.1 than (|uadrupled our trade. The ."-mall colon- ic?! which your anccsto;s could scarcely see on the map have {frown into j^reat communi- ties. A great danger has ari.scn iu our near neigliborhood. Over our homcj a < loud hang.>y, dark and heavy. Wo do not know when it miiy burst. AVith our own strength we are not able to combat against the storm, what we can do, we will do cheerfully and loyally. IJut wo want time to grow — Ave want more people to till our country, more industrious I'amilio.i of men to develope our resources — v.'o want to increase our prosper- ity — wo want more extended trade and com- merce — we want more land tilled — more men established through our wastes and wilder- nesses. Wc of the British North American Provinces want to be joined together, that if danger comes, wo can support each other in the day of trial. We come to Your iMa csty, who have given us liberty, to give us unity, that wo may preserve and perpetuate our freedom ; and whatsoever charter, in the wisdom of Vour Majesty and of Your I'arlia- ment, you give us, we shidl loyally obe}' and fulfil it as lon^' as it is the pleasure of Vour 3Iajestyand Vour Successors to maintain the connection between Great liritnin and tliese (Clonics." (Loud cheers.) 1 c^lon- oly siM' aiimni- Lir near t know troni^tli ! Sturm, Uy and )W — we y, nioro ope our iroapcr- id com- )rc inon wilder- uoru'iiu or, Hint li other 311 r Mu givo us rpotuntu ', in tlic • P.'irlia- boy and A' Vour tain tlio id theHQ