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Laa diagrammos suivants illustrant la m^thorfa. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 I mmmmm H-. / IMi HON, GEO. BROWN, M.P.P PmidttU of the Bxteutive Council of Canada, •t» AT MB B&STISOS, WHEN RE-KLECTBD BY ACClJOiATIOW POlt THB SOTTB BIDINQ or OXVOBD, ON THE ARRANGEMENT OF 1864, Ttt firBCFUlL-i FEDERAL CONSTmrriOXAL IT^LTl. i»i ■ »» Woodstock, Wth July, 1864. He,. oJeo. Brown having been declared duly elected by acclamstfcn manoerlor the County, came foi-ward, amid great cheering, and said: , Electoes of Oxford!-! thank you most heartily for the kind manner m which you have acted to-day. But, indeed, it is only what I ventured to expect at your hands. This is the tenth occasion on which I have pre- sented myself for the suffrages of an Upper Canadian constituency— but never at any time hav; I been able to come before the electors with such perfect conhdence that I had a just claim to their support— that I was right cleaily right, m *he course I was pursuing, and was seeking earnestly and with a single mind the wdtare of my country. (Loud cheers.) I confess to you that I do feel deeply gratified by what has taken place to-day. When I look over the immense crowd now stretched before me, I see the well- ^nown faces of men of all parties and creeds— of those who have been oitterly opposed to me in past years, as well as of the long-tried friends who have stood unswervingly by me iii every political vicissitude— (cheers) —and have I not just tause to feel gratified and happy that all are at last agrced—tliat the bold step recently taken kas your unanimous sanction and approval— and that I may now return to my seat in Tariiament with the assurance that I tmly represent the sentiments of all classes of my con- stituents. (C'^"""" » r>....„ i,..r_... T 1...1 ^T. — .-^ .. « J. Gov'emmont Deiween ''PP— —•- »^-..... -^uu^uo, uui, uu mm, uucasiou me jiovement proceedei* fi%m my own political party, and was resisted by our political opponents. Great difficulties stood in our way— and though I am persuaded •*** |M .i% ^1:. aax to V .E:.:v,.:t : JAxoir-TTi'iM' . a J .■ . . .: * ) . I 1!; :■:,." .070 .-rol roll / . '^»»i""^i^ mmum m- a. APPESDIX 0. (hose difficulties would have been overcome had we been allowed that con- stitutional appeal to the electors to which, I think, we were entitled— still if ia not to be denied that' on the present occasion the influences combined in favour of a just settlement of our troubles give much better security for '.uccesa than wo possessed in ISoS. I stand here to-day as a member of an Administration pledged to deal promptly and finnly with the question — an Administration sustained nearly bv the unanimous voice of the Upper Canafla Reform party in the Assemoly, by nearly the whole of the Upper Canada Conservative party, and by a large majority of the representatives of Lower Canada. (Cheers.) The position I occupy to-day is, ' tliink, a lull and satisfactory answer to the charges of impracticability, i f factious- ness, of demagogueism, and so forth, that have so often and so freely been Uurled against me. (Cheers.) I wish not to utter a word to-day calculated la the least dcgi-ee to revive old feuds. (Hear, hear. ) We have all agreed to act heartily togetlier for the rcuiedy of a great national WTong, from •.t-hieh nil of us equally ; j^'fcr, and the sooner we completely banish ''he jiaat and fasten our thou^*'# > upon the future the more prompt and complete '..ill be tlie success of our joint ctForts. But I am ptivsuaded it will not be I'lOUgliL out of place if once and forever I state the grievances of which we Upper Canadians liave complained, the persistent elibrts we have made to i Ltain redress, and the various remedies suggested for adoption. Gentle- men, the primary cause of all our troubles is to be found in the provisions of the Imperial Union Act of 18 40. Previous to tlie passing of that Act tapper Canada and Lower Canada were separate provinces, with separate Legijlaturcs and separate Executive Go\ emments. The Union Act brought MV T :ibXi APFKNBIX 0. lU. r lilaTtnce, Jacqnes-^Jartier, Soulangss, and Stanstcad. Huron and Perth have a population of 117,586, but sond only two represratatives to Parlia- nient; while there are ten Lower Cap ida <<)unties, with an aggregate popu- lation of 117,964, that send i •• I' v li- than ten representatives! Huron, Perth and Grey have a population of 155,286 souls, and send but three fepresentatives, while there are thirteen counties in Lower Canada with an aggregate population of 157,085, that send no fewer than thirteen repre- Sentativcs! These thirteen counties are the seven named a1)ove, and Vau- ;reuil, L'Islet, Brome, Argenteuil, Bonaveuture and Chambly. There are etxteen Upper Canada constituencies, with an aggregate population of fc05,359 souls, that send only sixteen members to represant them; while (here are twenty-eight Lower Canada constituencies, and fourteen Upper Canada constituencies, with an aggregate population of 501,287, that send 110 fewer than forty- two members to represent them! Thirty-nine mem- bers of Parliament represent constituencies having in the aggregate 1,248,579 souls; while all the other ninety-one members represent only 1,256,783! There are twenty members of the House who represent an aggregate constituency of 198,084, while there are otlier twenty members who represent 642,503! One-half the House (yixty-llve members) sit for ^(09,503 souls, while the other half sit for 1,585,448. Nothing could be inore unjust, more utterly absurd, in a country almost entirely agricultural apd having no class interests to be protected. I can well understand an objection being raised to population's the sole basis of representation. I <':an understand how territory may be contended for as an additional basis. I can understa id how education may be contended for as a basis of repre- gjutation — or wealth, or taxation, or even hereditary succession. However Inuch I may dissent from such propositions, I can well understand liow an argument upon them may be sustained ; but I confess I never could com- prehend with what sense or justice a united people, under one Legislature End Government, could in 1864 be divided for representative purposes by an imaginary division line drawn in 1792, without regard to popul::tioil, •\vealth, taxation, or any other consideration than the existence ef that magic line. But, gentlemen, unjust as this is — humiliating as it is for the people of Upper Canada to occupy so inferior a position in the body politic — the practical injury an 1 injustice become intolerable when we look at £be enormous proportion ol the general taxation contributed by the people of Upper Canada. Many years ago it was admitted by \he Lower Canadians themselves that Upper Canada contributed 67 per cent, to the general revenue, and Lower Canada only 33 per cent. ; but this was under the fact, hnd no one conversant with our commercial statistics now ventures to deny "that Upper Canada pays three-fourths of the whole Provincial taxation — if, indeed, she does not pay four-fifths. A better illustration cannot be given than that of the excise duties. These duties have been recently very largely increased. Last year they yielded $771,164. Now, of this sum Lower Canada paid $192,932, and Upper Canada not less than $578,232 — ^ind no doubt a large portion of ihe articles on which these excise duties ^ere paid in Lower Canada found their way into U])per Canada lor con- gumption. Now, is it to be borne that a section of the people of Canada, Jess by four hundred thousand than the other section, and paying but one jjound of taxation out of every four c iive xiounds going into the public phest, should send to Parliament one-half of the whole number of repre- eentatives? And the curious part of the matter is, that while Upper Canada is made to contribute this disproportionate share of the revenue, the divi- i of the cxpendititre ia verv far from being rOTuljrted on the same s ■» . i^-^i-^' ^J'-^K- ;^- ' "^ '^w*f->^W, Wf' 4^ i\ T ;«" .>^;i4 "■>• AfPBVPIX 0. Tholiin'a sliiro cf tho err/:22itv.re inT.r-lJivjroe9 talyyrnrrCanada; atiJ if an c::tva su:u nt any time has to be voted to u pper Canada for any snccia T)ui-P03('. a eoircsr)oiidin2 sum must be invariably appropriated to Lower Canada, to lauinUia the cquilibriumi Three or four to ono la the prui'-nde of t-sa i^i — jou-lity ij the princiido oi expenditure! And the iudu;,tnaj procluct3 of the two sections are ctiually disproportionate. In the year 18j9 —the last of ./hich we have official returns— the wheat raised in Urper Canada was 24,620,425 bushels, and ia Lower Ci;nada only 2,654,854 baa'icls: reas in Upper Canada 9,901,39(5 bushels, and m Lower Canada 2 043.777: o-^its i:i Upper Canada •_1,2:.0,871 bushels, and r.i Lower Canada 17,C5i.i:C0 busliclsj'fiidian com in Upper Canada 2,2.>a 290 tuahcls end in lower Canada 334,861 bushels; turnips in Upper Canada 13,-Ca,9oO bushels, and i:i Lower Canada 892,434 bushels; can-ots in Lppor Unada 1,905,693 bushels, and .in Lower Canada 293,007 bushels; wocl r.i Upper Cmada 3.059,760 lbs., an.l in Lower Canada 1,007,383 1^;^-; Gutter itl Upper Canada 26,828.204 lbs., and in Lower Canada 15.093 9.1D lbs ; cxieeso in tpper Canada 2,087,172 lbs., and in Lower Canada 686,297 lbs. The estimated value of the farms and farming i^lPlements in Upper Canada was in 1861. $306,442,662, and in Lower Canada onlv |178,870.271. bat in the face of these undeniable facts, the people of Lower Canada send .o Parliament one-half of the whole llepresentative body. •Nothing could be more unjust— nothing more irritating to an intelligent and high spirited neople. And not only do ivc contribut a most unjust share of the revcnua ind receive a most unjust share of the expenditures, but the system of taxation, the .;ommercial policy, and i . fact the whole conduct of public affairs has been to a very great extent, ever since the Union, controlled bv Lower Canada. It is tme that each Province has tne same number of Representatives— 65 each— but the French Canadians arc bound closely together by a common language, a common religious faith and a common nalionality; the Uppei Canadians, on the contrary, are separated by all the diversities of social, religious, commercial, and political opinions that every, where prevail among the Anglo-Saxon family; and the consequence is that when a new ministry has to be fomed or an old one reconstructed, the influence of the Lower Canada members has been ever the -ireponderatrng power. The measures of the day, too, have systematically felt the influence of their moulding hand, and those who pay the vast proiwrtion of the taxes have had little influence in controlling the mode of taxation, or the econo- mical expenditure of the revenues. It could not be otherwise than that extravacance and waste should have resulted from such a system. Where one section of country pays the taxes and the other spends them— where men have the power oi' voting for the expenditure of moneys ma way bene- ficial to themst^.-^s and the heavy bui-den of the cost i-; lorne by rthers. It is not in human natu.c that strict economy in the expenditure should be mstised. Give the tax-payevs of Canada full control over the taxation, nrd. mv word for it, there will be very different economy practised in the futu'c from what we have witnessed in the paat. Another senous grievance resulting from the woUdng of the Union has been the direct control exer- cised by the Lower Canadians in the local aff'airs of Lpper Canada. The Lower Canadian representatives have been so united, that the dominant party of that section have been able to obtain a majority m Parliament and retain the reins of power by allying themselves with a small section of the Upper Canada representatives. And thus, after an excited general election, It which public o'Tv'-iion in Upper Canada has been Uftmistakeably mani- fested 08 to men and measures, brthe trimnphaait returu to Parliament ct • ;. Killx^^-M ]l ►"••i-.ij, m APPENDIt C. ▼. ft large^aiorltyof onp party — by Lower Cantylian Inflnence, the exjmwsrd r, '.alios ci' tho electrvs have been set. tit lumi^lit, tho jefoniist approved cf at the P0II3 have been R'jeetctl, Qinl tlio adnihiistnitloa of local business and local patronage in Unner Canada haa In-en placed in the hands of thobe whom tlie electors of Upper (';in!'.dii hail eoridenined, but whom the iioli- ticai leaders of Lower Canada chose to honor. But, genti^-nien, perhaps the wornt of all the evils entailed by the system of Covemment has been the deuoralizing influence exercise:! on thu public men of tlic Province. In other countries the road to iniluenec and power in the State is by a career of consistent adherence tc: rrinciph'; lut iieio tli' io.ad to v.hat is called siiccens in pul)lic life for en Upper Canadian has been liy r.l'.'.icj^o'.irg, i.!ien ho got in the seat oi Government, nil the i.icfes.oion'j that v.cii Jiim I le contiucuce of his coiMtitnents. lower Canadian vicvs end L-ell.'.ga I .ve been vciy difterent IVou those r,f Upper Canada — I, t Lower Canada lias held the gate cf olllce, and he who v.ould enter tae ollicial portal had to forget his dd V.'tstern opinions and bow low to the enuncialionrj cf tho t.dst. Neeil I remind yon how r.iuny Upper Canadians have entered public life high in hope and giving jiromise of a bright career, but who speedily tost the confidence of their constituents by thus ignoring thy principle.'! on which they were elected? Ar' v ed I remind you, also, of the effect of Juch scenes on the putlic n. •>- ihe loss of faith in public men — the gen- eral belief that the con^^rats ot public life were but a light for otEce ? Much, vei-y much|i has there been to condemn in the public events of the last ten Tears — much has there been in the conduct of public men to der)lorc — but it would be useless to deny tliut a large portion of the wron,'» and cnor that have been committed, directly resulted IVoni the demoralizing influence I0 wliit.h public men have been exposed. Cut two inct. iices have v.e In modem history of countries enjoying free institutions with the eamo diffi- culties to contend against. Holland and Uelgium w(-re bound together }n 1815 under circumstances almost identical with those of Canada — but the union was found toldly unworkable, and in the short space of fifte^T. yearp the discontent i isued in open revolt, and the connection was rent asunder. In the United fitates of America, the Union between freedom in the North and slavery in the South produced tlie same sectional evils, but in a more aggravated form than those we have had to deplore. The slave power was the prominent influen'' > in the !>tate — he who would rise in j.-ablic lif3 had to bow before its maivi.L s — thj utter demoralization of Northern roliti- cian= was the result — :■" it is not to be denied that had *he general Gov- einment of the Republic been, like ou'-s, legislative and not federal, an open rupture of the alliance ;7ould have come long before it did in the desolating civil war now raging beyond our lines. Was it in human nature hat the people of Uiiper Canada should have patiently submitted to euch njustice? Is it at all sui-prising that acrimony and discord should hpve jeen the result of so deplor.ible a state of affahs? Was it not clearh' our duty to combine at all haiards, and by every menus within our reach, for the speedy and complete reform of a system so hurtful and unjust? (Cheers.) For one, I am free to say that I look back on the agitation of the last twelve years, with all its attendrnt strife and discord, without a shadow of regret. I have all along regarded it — and I sec it more clearly to-dgy than I ever did before — that all that agitation and discord was the painful, but the al^r^itely necessary, ordeal tiirough which we had t" pasR to the accomi^nment of our great purp"3e. (Cheei. For man^yt vl, before I entered Parliament, I had been behind the scenes, and perceived ali the evils of our political system as plainly as we do to-day; and ^"hen I first tt*H--f I 3836 VI. APPENDIX C. b."»3ariM ft cai/JiJata for a seat in ParHaTncrrt in 1851, it-rras Trith the (iroxmi iiiteutiou of Lboriug, in season and out of season, for a refonn of the con- stitutional relations between Upper and Lower Canada. My friend, Mr. Mackenzie, of Lambton, whom I am glad to see on the hustings to-day — (cheers) — was with me in that first contest; his brother, Mr. Hope Macken- iie, my colleague in the North Hiding, and my friend Mr. McKcllar, of Cent, were also active participants in that contest, and they could tell you Jiow completely we then understood the long straggle that was before us, Bind how clearly we foresaw the ordeal we had to pass. But they could al-jo tell you how well we knew that that ordeal was needful to be passed, and that through agitation and discord victory would certainly be won. (Cheers.) The agitation was speedily carried into the Legislature. We took up the broad ground that on the just settlement of the iJepresentation question rested tlu future peace and prosperity of Canada — tliat good g()V- cmment was not to be hoped for until that was accomplishi d — and from that day to this we have sought to make every question subsei'vien'; tr that — to make every passing event and every political movement conaucive to its accomplishment. (Cheers.) A v -rv small band was there of us when \ve commenced, but our numbers quickly increased. It was not an easy battle we had to light — it was never at any time an agreeable one — but the end we sought was nothing less than a political revolution — and if success '.s won — as won I am satisned it will shortly be — we who liave home the brant of the battle may well aSbrd to bear calndy and without retort, taunts as to the weapons with which the fight was won. (Cheers.) Fro^n the first day the agitation commenced in Parliament our course was on- ward. From session to session we increased in strength, and each new general election brought us fresh recraits from the people. At last, in 1858, the Government of the day having resigned, the Governor-General cntrasted to my hands the fonnation of a new Administration, atid I suc- ceeded in constracting a Government jilo'lged to ap^ ly a permanent remedy to the sectional difficulties of the Province. The proposed basis of .settle- ment was Pkcpresentdtion by Population, with checks and guarantees for the local interests of Lower C inada. Unfortunately, the existing Parlia- ment did not sustain us, and the Governor-General refused us an appeal to the electors: — Mr. James Law — The double shuffle! Mr. Brown — Never mind that. We have forgotten all about double shuffles now! (Laughter and cheers.) The formation of the Brown-Doriou Administration had, however, this good effect, that it coerced their oppo- nents into action in the same direction. In October, 1858, several promi- nent members of the Cartier-Macdonald Government were in En^and, and they aildressed a formal despatch to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, cu>;ng attention to the grave evils that had arisen under tlie existing Con- stitution. The document was signed by Mr. CiK-tier, Mr. Gait, and Mr. John Iloss. It stated that "veiy grave di»'Reukies now presenled them- "selves in conducting the Government of tjdnada" — that "the progress of "population had been more rapid in th« '.vesteru section, and wl«ims are "»low m,ade on behalf of its inhabitants for giving tiiem representfition in "ihe Legislature in proportion to their numbers" — that "tlie result is ".shown by an agitation fraught with great danger to the peaceful and "h-unionions working of our constitutional system, and •onsequently de- '■tiimental to the progress of the Province" — that this "state of things "is yearly becoioing worse" — and that the Camdian Government were "impressed with the &ec<>s8ity of s>!;king for such a mode of dealing m ^•.•'■r-nt*) o* / i / 3837 APPENDIX C. V\l. \ "with those difficultios as Tnav forever removp thnm " r<„ ti — ^.„. ...iituiA VI luu vvnoie lint ••people!'- ^ ^"^ "° ^°"Ser be continued with advantage to the "sarily common to' both sectionsVf Sf Provkee ^ """"'" ^ "'' "^'^^^ "of Efp-esenWon by rcijililtio" ?■ """'' " "»' '«""' °» '!» l™«irl« •nam aU the advantages, appertaining to the existing uSon?" ».*-.>.Ai I .UOl.' ... ...■/^UilU.Vi.l.-i.i ij. I t 3838 vui. APPENDIX C ^^ Thn proposition to federalize the Canadian Union is not-new On the ^^contrary it h:is boon frequently mooted in ParLiimont and in the mess, aunng tae l.^r.t fe\y yeara. It v;a,j no douht suggested by ih ■ cr-.mr.le of the r.ei-hbounn- bt:itcs, ivLcro the ai:mi:-able adu- L.ticn ,•• Z- ■ federal systcia to the foverninent of an extenciv ■ 'emtory, inhub.lcd bv peoile ^ dn^en on:;i::,;, crecda, l.nv. and customs, ha:, been amply demoiliitratcd; 'tiir', on the excellent ^,,^'^,=1- • Vr ^"""^ '''k:' r.ian. At freely consider an, d s^uss t he' S le V'^' "^'' '''^il ^"' '"'-^'^ ^lie nior^ result was, that, after a .m.^Wr o neS.^^^^ f 1^ \'^1'"'S^- ^'^^^ report, which was si^med by i out , f tl ^n' ™ f *"«"/ ' id r.gree ou a oaly three voted against the r^rt fivl ' "r¥\"* ^'"' eouin.ittee; then,, had they been present woul I'lwll ' ' ^'AT"^' ^"* *«"° "»' ""-'e of had been gained by tfraimoi tn St nt fl''^'"'*^ *•'''' '"P?'"*' ^^ S^*-'^^ '^^P by the adoption of the nS The o il'"""^"'"''^'' 1^"* ^ sti" feater Canadians w -aid desire-tl.or.. " v-. IJ'^'stion was uot, what we Upper what would ho sat s?S^f to ; ;:^ or difficulty as to thatiJS CanaUans. Theva3k, "wLtdo'^^o in^T-'n''"'' '''.'^•'^^Ptable to the Lower "by Pop-.at:on-thc: sv^An^ aw l o1 til i?"'''Vr^''T':^^'^r'-««™tation "tween Upp.r and Lowe Cnmda a„d , . ^ 'n '/"'" "f ^'-^'^^'^rcation be- "level." 'ihcv answer "W \ ^'^'^""^ ''^ Canadians on the same "Because, if 4 STouIhat'yorAS'j"; >'°" ?■''■" ''^-•' ^^hy not°r "and destroy our lan^Ee oS Knn '"'i ^'"^"^ ^^'^1, your majority "peculiarly cherish." "'^a" we saf '"w," "' ^'■""■■«' T^rything which we "not be at full liberty to m ana-'o vom- 1 !*•"'' ''"'"''-" ^^'''^ >'"» ^'oiilJ ;' want is to have a like eo"t S^oveTom own'P"T % ^°" '"^^ '^" '"' ". ust influence in matt,-rs of commnn ^- l°"ijl ?ff"irs, and also that "bers entitle us. " WcU a repo't wn. T '"' *° -^""^ *° ''^''^^^ °'^'' "^"n- in fovoitr of the federal prfn^ * m^'Z:?V\Z'7'rr l"^ '''''' were not settled, but it was a VM-v^.lf • '. ^"^ '^'-'t^il^. oi course, Turcott«, Mr. c'hapals and oH,! 'LS* Svelh ^"' ^^^^ ^'''''''' ^^'■ report in favour of applyinc tn,- F^mWi ^^- -il ^^n'ldians, to sign a it did, ihat, in the S i? Jl „et'^S r^''/ i i ^'^^^ ^"^"^">"" ''' ^.ntation should be lijcd on i milnJl ^?^^^'''"\^'n'."^''<^"^'^' ^^^ 4re. the very same d.y thartLt r, - + S ^^^I'T' ^ ^^^'"' gentlemen: on Macdondd Govei^nm t wS* d.'fV Id b P?r-" -^ *^ "°"^^'' ^^'^^ ^ache- th«y had then to cons He w / wW In 'i!!"''*^' f ^ *:'"• '^'^'^ ^l^^stion they sl^ould resign, re-^^Jtn,;; ^r^, ^^h^ St^^"'^/"?"!'^-^^'^^'- but a few weeky before had ti'ied to fmr>n " r /.f.""^'/- / h"'' r'vdecessci-s Thty themselves had' 're d, • m ?H ""/'^'"".'i^V-* '''iJ ""t succeeded, ro.ung to tl... .■onr.t .; r, e .r"i f'"f ':•"'"■} *^"'''J- And es for ap- und tlitrew:.. little h'iVUa;ioirr.^r^^^ir^ ^}''' ^'^^^'^^ ^'-^^ in the position of d^'ks \S nil vf •'''"^''/'^=''^'' '""--i '!iia>rcnc; deemed it best to advia^i dissolution I, '/""'^ lu^yvi'vvr, they I urn I)...nd to sav tlVi t v • , '^^"'^ ^'"'-^ ^" ''^'^^ ^^"J "i' E:;eellere/ tke first da^lJ'S.lI^^/Se pSe^'tS V r '"' '^'^^'^^^^^^ ^''^"'^ -«- :'oni and an earnest desire to pionSe'tho 1 n/^'' ^''^'S^^T/'i^" '' wis- 1^ ei^titled to our wair.est Sud^ Jw ' 1 <-f "=^^J^- /^^^ ^^'Ineh he tL. pcailion taken by His Exc lleSV, t wa this '\V'' ^ l"''™-"'"'! "dissolution, I will grant it to voiiJi\.t ,. u r ^^ '^■°" '"^ist on a giaui It to J ou— but remember how serioua a . rspoasi- ' I ! 38a i » IPPEITDIX C. "bility you take upon you. i''ou \^^ll have had three elections in three years; you had iour Administrations fiondenuicd in that time; and it ia lor yoii sf-nously to consider what grounds there are for supposing that anotTicr elcetioa will cIian.Te the situation. " 1 am satisfied there was not a mnn on either unh of the House who believed that a general election wou.d h;ivo materially idtercd the state of matters. But suppose that either .lartylia,! obtaine.l a gain of four or live seats, and more was im- poasibJ-.': utill thviv would li-.ve been a large LTpper Canada majority cirayrd m hostile Ijud against a large Lower Canada i: ajoritv, and we would have have iia.l, wit.i ag';ravation3, a repstifion of all tfie old difliculties. Clearly a very grave! .lilemina bad aiisen. Instantly, I determined to make use of that dilemma. I went at once to several supporters of the Government and strongly urged upon them that the existing crisis should be improved lor the settlement ' o-v whok' .'^eetioiifd troubles; and 1 assured them Vtx.i I, lor one, was prc) : ■ t to eouperatc; -vitli the jrescnt, or anv other Admlu- istration that would fleid with this .luestioii, promptly and'iirmly, with a. vnw to Its final settlen:e-it. i'he gentlemen to whom I .spoke, rommunl- catecHo the members of tlie Government the jiurport of what I had stated, and - 'lO Government resolved to apjjro.aeh me on the sul jeet. Aecordin-dv a meeting was arrang«:l, and Messrs. Macdonald an 1 Gait called on me at my qu.artcrs. I stated at the start that, in my ojnnion, notliin'? but the hope oi settling loiever tlie seetional troubles of the Province, could ju-stify men f;o o])posc,l as we had been for voars, meeting' to-ether with a v'ew 1o united i)clitie:d action— :;n I in this Messrs. Macdonal'l and Gait en'bcly ucrinicyced. I then asked in what position they cann* to me, wlietlr r {is dc-.uted by the Adininistv;;tion or siinply as leading members of the Mill- istcri..! j.arty. They replied tliat tliey were charged by tlitir colleagues lon-r.Uy to invite my aid lu strengtlieuing the Administraiion with ii view to the setUcment of tlie sectional diirieulti.'s between Upper and Lower (.anada. My answer at once was tliat, on grounds purely jersoiii:! it was mute nupossiblo that I could be a member of any Administration at present: but t._:at even had this been oih-rwise, I would liave conceived it highly objectionable that parties who had been so long and so strongly opposiMl to eaen other, should enter the same Cabinet? I thou-lit the public mind woulJ be .shocked by such an arrangement; but I felt very strongly that the jiresent crisis presented an oppovtunitv of de ding wit'h this question that might never occur again, and if the Administration were prepared to pledge thcniselvcs clearly and pul licly to bring in a measure next session that would be aeeeptalde to Upper Canada, tlie basis to be now settled and announced in Parliament, I would heartily coiiperate with them and try to induce my friends to sustain them until they had an opiiortunity of matur- mg their measure. Mr. Macdonald and ilr. Gait then contended, that with a view to giving conlidence to the Opposition and the country in the arrangement— It was essential that 1 should enter the Goveniment; I de- nied this, and contended that other members of the Opposition could give that guarantee eiiually with myself, and might be disposed to enter the Government. It was finally agreed that we should waive all personal matters for tlie present, and ascertain first whether a satisfactory basis could be agreed upon. After many interviews with Sir Etienne Tach^, Mr. Jlicdonald, Mr. Cartier, and Mr. Gait, we finally agreed upon the IcUovang baais, as one which we believed would be satisfactory to Uppei Canada and acceptable to Lower Canada: ^ "The Government are prepared to pledge themselves to bring in a mea- sure, ne.vt session, for the purpose of removing existing difflcultre.s by I ■v-HH 3841 ▲TPSIfDIX 0. Zl* •nntrodudnff the Federal rrrinciple into Canada. PonY^led with m.i?!i ]-tov!- "sion aa will permit tho Man lime Provinces ana tliu I<'ortii-Tt3t tciiiio.y "to be incorporated into tho sume system of Government. "And the Government will seek, by senfling representatives to tho Lower "Provinces, and to England, to secure iLo ussent of those iateresta which "aro beyond the control cf our own lejii-lation to such a iiicabinc c. J may "enablo all Britis!i North America to be united under a general Legiola'."aro "based upon the Federal principle." I was now in a position to submit a definite proposition to my political friends, and without dduy I culled a meeling of tho Upper Canada }le- forniers i:i tlic House of Assembly. Thero aro forty-one of us i.i all, of whor.i l.di'ty-iiiiu! were present. There were but two absentees, and 1 oth, I believe, go heaitily with t!ie new aiTangement. Doubtless you have oil seen tlio resolutions adopted at that meeting. Tho result was, that 1;.e basis wliicli lia^l been agreed upon was all but unanimously accepted, 'i jo Conservative vaembers cf Parliament al,o hehl a meeting, i... John A. Macdonal.l, I understand, explained to them the conclusion we had arriv I at, u!id they endorcid the b.henie almost ai unanimously Xi the Libe ,1 paity had done. Then came tlic question Low the compact was tj ' e carried out. Tho Government had proposed that three members cf t '-.o Oppo".ition should accept seats in the t'abmet; wit'.i a number cf our frieuw : Mr. Mowat and I strongly objected to that, and contended tlirt it wouhl bo much better to support the Government outside until tlieir measure wad matured. We were, however, defeated i;i tliis. The meeting decided ly a votes of twenty-;ii.Y to eleven t'.iat the offer of the Government shoul I ] e accei)ted, and that one of the three seats in t];e Cabinet should bo Idled ly me. I was still most unwilling to consent, but tlio Government were im urgent as my own friends, and liiially, not daring to assume the resjonil- bilityof refusal, I agreed to accept olllee. But 1 wish everyone fully I o understand that nothing but tlie unsiieakable i:nportancu of the settlement sought to be accomplished by the arrangement would have induced i;:c to consent. Had the proposition been to enter the Government for tlio mere purpose of carrying on the ordimiiy administration cf publio cffaira — nonang could have temjaed mo t* listen to it for one moment. (Cheers.) Aa it was, I had extreme repugnance to overcome. I was willing to dc anything but take joffiee. I oli'ernl to l;e sworn in as an Executive Coun- cillor without depaitment and \.ithout salary — or to go to tho Lower Provinces as a Commissioner, or in any other way to be made responsible for the movement, provided only that I was exmised from entering the same Government with those to whom I had been so long and so strongly opposed. I have ah.ays regarded Ministerial Coalitions as vicious in principle, and calculated to bring the public men who are parties to them into jiopular contempt. "When gentli'nien wdio have been arrayed against each other for many years, on all the great (questions of the tlay, are seen suddenly entering the .same Cabinet, acting together and defending each other in all theii' acts, how car it fail to give a shock to the public mind, and cause peoph; to doubt wdiether they ever were sincere m the course they so persistently [jursued? For myself, with reference to the gentlemen with whom I am now associated, I say I have never spoken a word nor written a line which in ray conscience I did not believe to be aeserved. And, although we may admit that when actuated by strong political feelings, all men are apt to see things in a ditfcrent light trom that I mtm I 384'. xa. APras'^ix 0. .n wbca thoy npwnrtd to tbosc who \\ere the «ctor.-in thrm, and that iU-Qvpv l..";.ua-o t mn i i nc-cmary jr. coni^antJy u^cd in t'lo heat of arLni- mciK— atiil I v.aa tlio last ijan t:. taku my ck^ tljat mi^Iit ly rossibilltv cxMosu i.ie t, tlin imputation of insiiiceiity in my na^t imllic career. (C.iccrs Uut who c:;n f>iil to m«, tlist it waa only fv men cf opposite paitica (ijaMhn gr«at vpfoim we iou-ht to «.(?€. t eouUl possibly bj atcom- pli8.}cd? Hear, Ii.ar.) This wis 1:0 onlinery qu.;.tion cf 1 a. ty politics. W(. Jmd (ill the scctioiu;! and naiional prtjudices of the Lower Canadians to de.,! with, niid an onportunity w.-.s presented for approaehin-c the question emciently that might not occur again for twenty years to ':onie. Under (lieso circuimtancrs, I t.lt tliut I would bo ttiking a s.-rious vsponsiLility ou myself, if I did that which mi-ht jcopardi«..' tlie success of thi' rreat movement. Lvents had so .hap.d t!>....icl.s, that wejir.d with us/ the Reiormcrs of Uj.per Canada, the f'oMseivutivcs (f rpp..' Canada, and to both section < of the Province. (Cheers.) V/oe to thi:t Ui.pcr Caiiauiun «ho IVom » petty persona nictives takes upoi- him tin; icspom il ility ut M( iiulirin-' A lyoveinent that twenty years mi-nt not a-ain present un otiport'm.i^- of a-ccess ully comideting. (Cheers.) I hear it constantly d.'i;.ai.e..i, af.-eed to is, that all local afhiirs shall be committed to local bodies, and that matters common to all shall l)e committed to a Legislature, eonsiitnted on th( biusis ot licprcseritation by Topulation in the lower branch, and equaLtv in the upper. Wk. James Law— What better off will we bc-aa regards oar laonej-Tmrt. teirs when there is equaUty iu the Upper Uoase » I Va«'. I Ob 43 1 /rPSSTDIX 0. xiii. Mh. Brown — TTiat question of my friend Mr. Law is aflpecimen-of what I have been referring to. I am placed at great disadvantage in answering such a question. I might reply that the Lower House has control over the public monevs— that though the Upper House can throw out tho whole of a Supply Bill, it cannot alter, or reject, or add to any of its separate items. I might also reply that even were this otherwise — were both Houses equal in power — at least we would obtain what we have never yet had — the full power of rejecting objectionable meMurca. But this would be veiy far from such an answer as I might give were I able to say what shall be held as local matters and what general, and how many sections will have repre- 1 sentatiou in the Uiiper House. These are questions of detail, but of snch vital importance as seriously to affect the merit of the schemr, and aa they have not yet been settled I cannot enter on their discussion, ((iheers.) An Electcr — Are wealth and extent of territory to have no effect on representation in the Lower House? 1 ask this because I hirve been told that they will. Mr. Browx — So far as wealth exists in large and populous constituencies, it will, of course, be represented, and so far as the qualification of the mem- bers of Parliament is concerned it will also be represented. Bnt you liave heard\;he basis which has been agreed upon, and can judge what the effect will be as well as I can. (Hear, hear.) I can only say that, in my opinion, the scheme which it is intended to carry out will cut off a hvp[e share cif the waste and extravagance we have been complaining of, and will give us a cheaper system of government thin Avhat AVf h;ivc r.ov,-. Certainly we could not well have a more costly system than that we have at jircsent. (Hear, hear.) But 1 am told that I .should not liave gone into the (Jovern- ment with a less representation thrn one-hulf tlie Cabinet — luat it was quite improper that three of tlie Liberal parly should have gone in with nine of the other side. Now, when the question was put to iiie by the Coyernment— "How many seats do you demand for your party?" I replied, "Six — one-half of tlic Cabinet." I was then asked how 1 proposed to distri- bute them, and 1 rcplit d, four from Upper Canada and two from Lower Canada. I was asked how many .supjiorters I could bring IVom Lower Canada — and having ascertained that Mr. Uoriou and his friends would not as a body be parties to the compact, I was coniijclled to rejjly that I could bring very little strength to the (Jovernmcnt from Lo :. er Canada. The argiunent then assuineil a totally dilferent siiape. Sir E. Tache and Mr. Cartier had boldly and nianf'ully committed themselves to the movement — it was our interest to strengthen them in every possible way — it was con- tended that the Lower Canada section of the Government, quoad tlie ques- tion that we had coalesced u])Oii, was as satisfactory as it could ])nssibly be made — and that any change in its personnel could only lessen the ability of the Government to deal effectively with the question. 1 had to admit the force of this reasoning. Then came the distribution of the Upper Canada seats. On behalf of the Liberal party I claimed four seats— being our fair proportion according to our numbers, but I was met at once with the reply that with anything less than equality the Conservative party could not be induced to sanction the arrangement. I was quite satisfied tl at this was the fact — and as the whole object of the Coalition was to unite 1 oai jiarties in promoting the measure— and as I believed that the tliree gentlemen representing the Conservatives are equally with us interested in the question And equally desirous of settling it, I did not hesitate cheerfuUy to yield ,ar.x i ?ai'i ' V.,.. .,-«»# Oi oo !..,..,■»»* X17. APPETKOIZ C. the point. I did not conceal from myself, moreover, that every cxecntire act must be unanimous — r.nd that as v.e hr.d entered the Cabinet tipeei'.lly for the promotion cf one great work, w hethcr \\e had threo votuy cr'l'jur in the discussion would not liave alfccteil the llnul issue. (Hear, hear.) Lut it is said — " Vou fjhould not have gone in undir Mi. Alacdouald — having' a much larger following of the Upper Canada members, jou vwAd to have had the leadership." l^'ow, let me confess 1 have not Kt any time much care about hi^i;h places in tlie synagoj^ue. ily constant de«i;c is to uccom- Iilish the thing I am aiming at, and if 1 Ijut get it I care little whether it je in a hifjh position or an humble one, m oiiioe or out cf it. (Cheers.) But the o'jecuon i.) without loundation. There is but one cliitf i.i t!:c Government. Sir K. P. Taehe is Prime Alinister, and all the others tn!;c precedence according to the time when tliey iirst became lliiiister:} ( f the Crown. (Cheers.) lUit I am told that I have deserted my Lower Cana.'a friends. Kow, in tins there is not a ])artick' of truth. V.'hen 1 moved ibr my committee of iiuiuiry they refused to vote for it. Wl.e'.i i urged V.'sm to come into the committee and diseu.ss the question, they refused to do it. When the report was adojited iMr. Cartier and his iViendj voted lor i:, lut of the Liberal party only Jlr. Ilolton diil so. Defore the negotiations v.'erc opened with me I warned Mr. Dorien and Mr. Ilolton of what was eomi::g, and urgeil them to take action on the cpiestion, but they refused to do f;o, AVhen t!ie negotiations were fairly begun I told them f;tnk!y wbat li.'.d passed, and strongly urged them to join the moven:ent, but they iiteaLli'.y declined. I felt all the paiu of a('tii;g aj)art from my old friends, but they left me no resource. 1 ab'k you, n.y constituents, if I wouLl have been true to you and true to Upj er Canada, if 1 had sacrificed the interests cf my own section of tlie country, and all my labour duiing the last i'.ftecn years, simply because tliese gentlemen refmx'd to go along with me? (Hear, hear.) Ilael I done ,so — had I refused to ai I the Governnient and tiie nego- tiations had been broken oil' — a general election must have followed, and truly 1 would have found myself i:i a most untenable j oaition. Mr. John A. Macdonald and his fiicnds would have gone to the country si:yi::g: "Here is a jiarty who liave Ijeen (k'claring that they wanted P.epresentalion "by Population above all other measure.^ — we were prepared to give i. la "them, and tliey flatly refused to aid us. Here arc men wlio profcLS fo "have so much at heart the interests of Ujiper Canada — we give tliem ;.n "opportunity of getting justie:' to Upper Canada, such as m.:y net recur "for twenty years to cume, and they refused to toucli it." Had I taken such a couise, I would havi; deserved to be binished IVom ] ublic lile for- ever. But, I am told, "Oli! I.Ir. Biown is siditting up the Kefoi'm party." And very funny it ii to observi; from what (piarter this objection comes. Does it come from tlio.se wlm have; always been Beforincrs? Not a lit tt it, but mainly from men wlio liave come into the ranks within the last few years. (Hear, hear.) 1 ar.i free to say that I look upon jiarty alliances as formed for the good of tlie wliole peoile, and the moment they utaiid in the way of the well-being of the country, they become an injury and not a blessing. And did my party or iifty parties stand in tlie way of oltaiidng this great mea.sure of redress for Upper Canada, 1 .shoull rend all ] arty ties asunder without a moment's hesitation. (Cheers.) 1 have faith cncuga in the lleform electors of Ujijier Canada to believe they will thorough Jy comprehend that in going into this Coalition, it has been done with a sincere desire to advance the peace and prosperity of our country, and that they will think with me to place this great work of reform in the balance with a momentary party advantage, would be but paltry statesmanship. I si tion ; that Mr. John A. Jlacdonald and Mr. (.'arti • are merely p-«llii,^- the wool over Ur. Drowu's eyes— (lauf^liter)— without the .sli;j:.;tL'..t iiiten-lon of c«r- ryiiig out wlmt tliey soli^ii.nly ngrcrd to. New, ;.o kv IVoei Ir^nc Leing any tiuth la this iinpututioi., I am Iwuiid to say tiiat r.U tlw f ajj-Ies to thf negotiatioiia, IVom first to Imt, have acted in the rno„t •■.mdid, tiucfre end honouraLla manner. (!*eflr, hear.) And thosi! soellti^..l grntkuifu, vho aie so nmch afraid of being deceived, will j)leasc carry tlii-. r.wny wi.*i them — that, if the conibinsition had broken down the very day it comiiunKtid, or were it to break down to-day, or a we -k, or a month, or tliri.e incnta:' hence, more good would hav(! bivn alieady aeeom]ilishi;d Ijy it tlir.n wnild he 11 Kuftieient compensation fci- all the loss and evil whi.di could i o.^siblv result, were the fears of these scejitieal gentlemen reali;;ed. (Hear, liear.") By this movement the Icailing puldic men in the eountiy have })ccn eom- nutted to do justice, immediate Justice, to Uppur Canada— all the great political parties have committed themsiivcs to the admission that a great evil exists, and that a remedy nmst speedily be provided, -^aiid more tlian that, we have now an acknowledged remedy formally iilaced on record, agreed to by a Conservative Cabinet, endoraed Ijy both political parties, and sanctioned by Her Majesty's representative. (Cheers. ) The fmal accom- plishment of this gieat reform may be defen-ed— but it must go fonvard it cannot now go back. (Cheers.) But I am told that o-ir scheme is un- British. I have here some extracts to show you tliat, if the scheme be nn-British, it has at all events been assented to by some of the foremost of British statesmen. The first person of eminence' who declared in favour of a Fe(h'ral system as regards ihe two Canadas, was no Ics.i a statesman than William Pitt. When the Constitutional Act was before the Imperial Parliament in 1791, Mr. Pitt used the followii.5 language: "If the Province were not divided there would be only one House of oppres; _.. partof tlie same sneecii, he said,— "He believed there was such a rooted "opposition 0' int'-refits, that if tliere was u constitution consisting of a "House of Assembly in whicli the jiarties miglit be r.jarly balanced, the "conseipience, at le:iat for a long series of year;, would be, a great degree "of animosity and confusion." He accordingly opposed the scheme for -union, and the Provinces were Beparated under liis Act. And what did Edmund iJurke .say? He used this language: "An attempt to join people dissimilar in law. langijage, and manners, "appeared to him highly absurd. To join, too, tlie compierors as'.d the "conf^uered must give rise to nuich unpleasant feeling and n-uiiy invidious "distinctions. Ho recomnu'nued tliat system of government which tended "to promote the good of tlie individual a .d the public, in opnosition to "that which attempted to methodize anarcliy." That is just what we have been attempting to do— to methodize anarchy. (Hear, hear.) Such were the speeches (hdivered when the original Constitu- tioual Act was passed. Aud tt is a singuloi- thing, too, that tixose who cxy *%A, 'S-ste"' **3?jwtr* 3S'U xvl APPENDIX O. i "^n . V •: I ; ■L'Yii^-ltunH Gl tlie said Provinuea rcsprctivclv be .^: ■'"'."'; ." !!±.J^!T:''\''^;i tUo joint regulation anJ^adhlntoei oJ .sufli tuiii' coiiinion inrcrcita." u-ld ■ a ,1 f '• ''"' '"' "1?^ to Canada to enquire into the evils Jiv It .him Lti I ,,';:'"'' •'' ^°'' "'""' '^ ^"ttor of instruction ^va3 giv(n to Jam hy the In.penal Government, part of which reads as follows: Lri" 'taaa.h. It will le for your Lordship, in eoniunetion with the Conmut e,., eon.juer if this should not le clone by eoXut m- m « mon inOrcst to the two Piovin.'es, .-ind wliieh niidit b« n)peale(i to in extraordinary eases to r.rbitrate bctw, ..1 ..onh.ndin... parties SeiLr uu 111 aJ. laafta-.': of an cxdusivdif romcMk comrni. If this Hior' 1 be Nour op,r,H:„, you will kdvc' farther time to consider wl.:t sI.ouH U e : ua .„v und Ijuuts of sm-h .urhori.y, „kI .11 the ,,artieulars wEl ^i ? to be eomprehended in ai.y scaeuu> for its establishment." ^ Si.eh were the viows of tlie Imperii;! Government of that dav an.i it il mueh to b,. regretted that th.y did not adhere to their or S purpo, ^r^^^);^""^"^^' «f ^T'^^irl ^"■'■'' '^'^^^^^ their in ere tr^Sd suller if left in th« hanus ef the French Canadians, and tlu^ had inllienee enou.^'a to get the mteulions of the ImperiaUJovemment changed Now observe what was Lord Durham's repo't : ""o'-"- i^ow, <'\AT''" 1""^ •••'oulJ I'ontain provisions by which any or all of tlie other .< .'^ ''',^'='"'"-'^'^ rolonies ia.13, on the applicilion of tlie Le'rislature be |VKa the ,;onscnt of th. two C, nada:,, or lU-ir united Le;,islat{,^ Sit ^i into the Lnion on sucli terms as may be agreed on between them." Tlie very tliiiur we are proposing to do now. •aWHr.i.'^^l w'f™'i'"",f "'" ""^'^'^ of Assembly of the two «J 'm^ T T^ ''° advisable, or rijive at all a due representation to each, ;i I Mi mentary eor.ir.nssion should be appointed, for t'le purpoce of ;; oi^un:^t-.,, ..eetov.l diyi.i^„s and determining the mimber 0/ miSbe -s to be leturncv on tne principle ot giving TcprcseiUation, as near as may "or, in proportion to 2wpulatio)i.' o utuy Which is just what we now propose. "I nm averse to every pdan that has been proposed for pivin" an equal numlKr of men:l,ers to the two Provinces in order to altaiVl tlie^temiSy end o£ outumiijjciuis the- French, because 1 tluiik the same object %viil be 'iiaMi?'''%^ i«M*^ :Y/- ■4 ■1 1 V»i*|fe|M, APPESDIX 0. XVU. ^ oUai-'l without any violation of the principles ot represnitition, imd ^^w;tiiout r.Dv siuch appearance of injuscice in the scheme as would set imo.io orauoii, loth in Etglana ami America, utrongly against it: and Ijccaiisc wheii Kuinl:5ration sliall have iiicreaseJ the English population in tlio ljp;>or Province, the adoption of such a principle would operate to dcluat t^e very puqtose it is intended to serve. It appears to me that ^^any such electoral an-angenitnt, founded on tlu; present provincial divi- ^^sions, would tend to defeat the puii)oses of union and perpctuatt; the idea ot disunion. The same Commission should form a phiu of local govern- ment by elective bodies, subordinate to the general legislature, and exer- cisiug a «ompleto contzcl over such local affairs as do not come within ^^tho province of general lo-islation. The plan so framed should be made an Aet ot the Imperial Paiiiamcnt, so ay to prevent tlie general legisla- ture from ^acroaching on the powers of the local bodies. A general executive on an improved principle sliouki be established, toi'ether with a bupreme Court of Appeal for all the North American Colonies." This, then, was Lord Durham's plan, and, had that been carried out, we would not have been in the position which we have held for the last ten years. Lord John Kusscll introduced a Bill, founded on Lord Durham's report, and observe what he says: "The Bill provides for the establishment of a central district at Montreal and Its neighbourhood, at which tlu^ government shall be carried on, and where the Assembly shall meet. The other parts of Upper and of Lower Canada are eacli to be divided into two districts. It is ],roposed that these districts should be formed for the puri)ose of becoming municipal districts, lor the imposition of taxes and rates, /or all local pur2wses. Witli regard •'to the franchise, the right of election is to be the same for the municipal "and the general election." That was the Bill of Lord John Russell in 1830, and it is only to be regretted that this Bill was v.ithdniwn, and the Bill of 1840 substituted in itrf p'lace. (Hear, hear.) It is the same scheme tljat tlien commended Itself to the minds cf Briti^Ii statesmen which we have now under consider- ation. The m. But I api)rehend that when our measure conies to be matured, they will find tliat we have not been forgetful of the inter- ests of the Lower Canadians of Britisli origin. (Hear, hear.^ But I am told that the only thing that will be acceptable is the Federation cf all the Provinces; that federating the Canadas alone, without gathering in the whole of the Provinces, is a ])eddling alfair which ought to be treated with contempt. Now, 1 like great schemes as muuh as any one, but I v,-ant to see, before I leap, ^viiere I am leajjing to. (Hear, hear.) Few of us know much of the Lower Frovin^.s, and it is full time that we knew more— but if it IS found that we can make a union with them on the ground of com- h I ! I \ / XVIU, APPEiroix c. ffion interest, and on-ttms -riiich will be juBt to na and fair to tnem, i lor ono (uii pn-rareJ to go hcmlily ibr it. And in any coao it is the purpose of t.'.o Clovcrnmcnt to put into tlie coming miusuro such claui-es aa will entitlt! tiic Marilinie Pioviiiccs und the Noith-wcst to como into the Cana- (ii.-.:i Union on cuitablc tcnna. Ilut that man takes a straugw view of our rcailioa who says— because we cannot bring in the other Provinces into the Union, wo shull not have any remedy for the evils that Canada lalwura tinai;r. I am free to admit that the future of the Ijiitijh portion of this continent is a theme iitted to aiouso the most lively enthusiasm of every true Canadian. Men talk of America and the Amoricdn peojde mt if our facnJs of the United States monopolized the wJiolc contuuut. But the truth is that the Biitish tenitories covci- a larger portion of North America than the wliole Uuitcal States— (cheers)— and thou\,'h a [lortion of it may never be filled up, although we may not for some time stretcih our outiwsts to the extreme north of our domains— still boundless tracts of fertile lands have yet to be thrown onen to scttlemeni and cultivation— exhaustless mineral wealth has yet to be developed— an I the most e.vtensive and valua- bio fisheries in the world are those of the British American Colonies. (Caeera.) Whether tlie dav for its accomiilishment has yet arrived is a fit Dubject of enquiry, but asauretUy no Canadian has a claim to the name of statesman, wlio hay not looked forward to the day when all the British portion of tliis continent shall be gathered into one. (Cheers.) It cannot be that these great Provinces shall always Jje permitted to hold their present relations to the mother country. \Vc cannot expect that liritain will always, without consideration, send lu^r navy to guard our shores. \Ve fcannot expect that British troops shall always, without consideration, stand ready to defend us against attack. We must look forward to the day when the whole of Britisli America shall stand together, and, in close alliance and heartiest sympathy with Great Britain, be prepared to >issumc the full duties and responsibilities of a great and powerful nation. But, gentlemen, the first step towards the eccomplidliment of all this, is to settle our politi- cal institutions on a sound and healthy basis, to inspire peace and harmony at home and conli-lence abroad. (Cheers.) It does appear to me that with the settlement of the //reat grievance that has so long distracted our country, a new era of prosperity will speedily open upon us. The bitter sectional strifes of the past will be forgotten— the gi-eat dividing questions of the day will be schemes of public improvement— the development of our inter- nal navigation— the extension of our foreign commerce— the advancement of our agricultural interests— and the deeply important issues of political economy and social reform. But I am afraid I have already detained you far too long. I thank you most heartily fo- the attention you have given me, a.id for all the kindness I have received at your hands. (Cheers.) Only remember this— that a hard battle has yet to be fought— that the end is not yet gained, and can only be gained by the hearty coiiperation of all the friends of .hose who have staked so much on the accompliiiment of this greatieform. (Loud and prolonged cheers. ) f* #' I