^ J^^ <^^^. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) "^ 1.0 1.1 11.25 IttlM 12.5 Sf Dig "^ £ E^ 12.0 »£ ^ iJ-6 6" — Vl 'f ^>^ y Hiotographic ^Scmces Uffporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. I4SM (716) 872-4503 ^ ^ # - that they contribute large sums of money to th(5 Public Revenue. Sir Fran- cis Hincks has a seat in the Dominion Government, and Nova Scotia can boast an Irish Catholic Mi- nister ; but assuredly this is not a %ir representa- tion, and I know no man so deprived of common honesty as to affirm that thtj Irish people, and par- ticularly the Irish Catholics, are fairly dealt with. The Constitution, according to which the commu- nity has agreed to be governed, provides for a fair recognition of the various nationalities, and if the representation be only fairly adjusted and the suf- frage properly distributed in a liberal spirit, much good will be done. If instead of acting in con- formity with the principles and objects of the Constitution, the Government administer public affairs in a way to do violence to the rights of a great body of the people of Canada, I fear me very much that they will be paving the way for a pe- rilous state of affairs. I am concerned that every- thing should be done to preserve our inward l^eace, because that only will give us national strength. And the more I consider the compro- mise made and the state of affairs which brought 7 it about, the more I am cniivint'-nd, that to have inward poacc, <'(ium1 jiisticr must be extended to the various varies iiihabitinjj: our country. Those Who doKirt* th.' ^Inry of Cnuidn, will find that i he only way of procuring- it is to make every man in the Dominion iW\ secure in his rif^htH; — upon no other condition will the various races in this country join their ctibrts to heal our divisions. CANADA SINCK THE UNION. % I hav«' })t'ou rtskocl by tho " Youiii? InshmPii's Association " of this city, to lecture upon Cnnn/ia since the Union. For many reasons, I like the subject. Not bocause I believe myself capable of doing Justice to it, but because it reveals the deep anxiety which my young countrymen feel in the affairs of Canada, and a desire to have dis- cussed their actual and prospective position under Confederation. Of course, in the space of an hour and a half, [ can do no more than view the situation generally ; and as I cannot deal with every phase of the subject, I shall principally dwell upon that one which concerns us most. I shall take as broad grounds, under the circumstances, as it is possible for me to tal .. ; and however much any of luy hearers may feel inclined to dispute any position taken by me, I promise you I shall give no candid or just man offence. That I shall "-peak freely there can be no doubt. 1 owe this to truth, and to the gracious attitude which my young countrymen have assumed towards me. And besides, living in a country where society is only tied by its own engagements, and the consideration of what it owes to its dearest interests, I feel that I am per- mitted in my speech a prodigality which the strictest discretion cannot blame. This latitude, while it gives me the right to com])lain of certain — 10 — things which are wrong, makes me find in the causes of my complaining the best impulse of ray activity. 1 should scorn to assume the position of a fault-finder, or to weave a groundless accusa- tion against the existing order of things. 1 love Canada, and lor her sake I pm concerned about those things which in the end must work against her peace and prosperity. I cannot look with indifference upon what is going on around me, and while I would have been unwilling to thrust myself forward to condemn what I felt to be un- just, I cannot but feel, as the guest of a represent- ative body, that I am fulfilling a duty, when I point out what I consider acts of manifest injustice, of injustice so great, that while it exists there nb,or can be any real confidence in those who govern our destinies — of injustice so great, that when it is fully felt by those who suffer it, there must, as there ought to be, such an organ- ized agitation as will shake the very tap-roots of the system under which it exists. However much inclined I feel to conciliate matters, the truth compels me to state, that in Canada to- day the Irish people, if not proscribed, are entirel)'^ ignored, indeed shamefully so. But it may be said, the Irish have no right to any special repre- sentation. Let us inquire. Now, if you will follow me out, and I hope you %rill forgive me if I am tedious, I will take a glance at Canada pre- vious to Confederation and since, with the view of ascertaining if government be entitled to con- fidence while it virtually proscribe the opinions of a large section of the people of this country '* Previous to the Union of the two Canadas in 1841, Ontario was known as Uppar Canada, and ^ ■'jr-i.T.V'R'-''^'' ^ •f-'firwj^.'T^ ^y — 11 — Quebec as Lower Canada — the design of Mr. Pitt, who framed the Act of 1701, being to leave to the French Lower Canada and to create an English colony in Upper Canada. Circnmstances with whi^w out (►!■ the ({uention oi' races. It was hold timt this country could not, under the Union Act ol 1841, he ^ovtMiicd while French Cana- dians were ex(;luded ironi si«ats in the Cabinet and ii t'liir represenlation in Parlinment. At the Union, the French Canadians held, in the matter of repre- sentation, that they were uniairly dealt with; that the population olLowtM- Canada exceeded that of Upper Canada, and that they were entitled to a larger representation. A tew years passed, however, and the positions were changed. The large number of immigrants who had swelled the population of Upper Canada gave an excess of people to that provini e, and linally led to the question of races again, thinly disguised under the name of Repre- sentation by Population. The Hon. Oeori' Brown, having set up many questions, at last bt^thought him that the population of Uppei Canada exceeded that of Lower Canada, and very adroitly adopted the cry of what was then known as Kepresentatiou by Population. This cry had been first raised by Sir. Allan McNab in 1852. In the lirst place, Lower Canada domination was inveighed against by Mr. Brown ; and in the second, the people of Upper Canada we^e told that as the population of that province ^^reatly exceeded that of Lower Canada, they ought in justice to have a larger representation. The people of Lower Canada resisted this, and very properly, for they felt that by means of Repre- — 28 — sentaiion by Population, they would, if not im- mediately, ultimrttoly be Hwampod. For years and years this qiiostion absorbed the minds of the people and public- men of Ciinadn, and I he- yitatc not to say, to the c^reat damagti of the country. The interests of (-anada were nej^lected, th«? produ- cer was forgotten, and our credit cried down to suit the ends of parties — sectarian and national. I^ir John A. McDonald, in his speech on the Con- federation of the Provinces in 1866, said, in relation to this question of Represtuitation by Population, that — " They found that sujh was the " opposition between the two sections of the " Province, such wuh the danger of impending " anarchy, in consequence of the irreconcilable dif- " ferences of opinion with respect to representation " by population between Upp«r and Lower Cana- " da, that unless some solution of the difficulty was '* arrived at, we would suffer under a succession of " weak governments, — weak in numerical support, " weak in force, and weak in power of doing good." Here was an admission from one of the leading statesmen of the country, after the coalition with Mr. Brown had been formed, and while the ques- tion of confederating the provinces was being dis- cussed — that under th(» old Union things had come to that pass between the rival provinces, that to save the country from a succession of weak governments, perhaps from anarchy, it had become necessary to adopt the principles of Confederation, to carry which the Oartier-McDonald G-overnment had pledged itself in 1858, if it were able. The consti- tutional question here again was wrapped up with the question of nationality. The French would not accept Representation by Population, pure and ,•1 — 24 — simple, because it would absorb them. Mr. Brown, during the same debate, said : "Something must be " done. We cannot stand still. We cannot go back •' to chronic, sectional hostility and discord — to a " state o perpetual ministerial crises. " And lower down in his speech, he asserted that " The people " of Upper Canada have bitterly complained that " though they numbered ./bw/* hundred thousand souls " more than the population of Lower Canada, and " though they have contributed three or four pounds " to the general revenue for every pound contri- " buted by the sister pro^dnce, yet the Lower Cana- ' dians send to Parliament as many representatives " as they do." The question of Representation by Population, started under the old system, had raised a storm that could only be quelled by yielding in some way to the wishes of its promoters. Luckily the stand taken by Mr. Lafontaine, in 1841, had paved the way for a compromise in this case. F^om the time the French nationality was recognized through him, the Union of 1841 had virtually become a Federal Union. And I will tell you why — because, in matters relating exclusively to Upper Canada, Lower Canadians never interfered, and in matters affecting Lower Canada solely, Upper Canadians did not interfere. In all matters of a general nature, however, both parties expressed themselves, and voted as they thought proper. But, besides this, a movement by the Maritime Provinces to form a Confederation amongst them- selves, led to our delegates attending the Char- lottetown Convention, and to the Lower Provinces consenting to send delegates to the famous Quebec Conference, where the present system was planned — 26 — and agreed upon. To use the language of Sir John A. McDonald — " The whole scheme of Con- federation, as propounded by the Conference, as agreed to and sanctioned by the Canadian Q-ov- ernment, and as now presented for the consider- ation of the people and the Legislature, hears upon its face the marks of compromise" This is made the more clear from the fact that Mr. Drown, in his speech, says : " It was necessarily the work of concession ; not one of the thirty-three framers but had, on some point, to yield his opinions ; and, for myself, I freely admit that I struggled earnestly, for days together, to have portions of the scheme amended." I would ask you, ladies and gentlemen, to remember these quotations, as shortly they will serve to illustrate a position which I feel myself bound to take, in relation to a scheme which can- not be regarded in any other light, between our- selves, than that ol an agreement to act fairly by one another. At the last census, in 1861, the population of Canada numbered : In Upper Canada 1.396.091 souls. " Lower Canada 1.111.666 " Classified according to origin, you have in Up- per Canada, natives of the province, 911.963; natives of England and Wales, 114.914; of Ireland, 191.431 ; of Scotland, 98.892 — the natives of loreign coun- tries numbered 78.891. In Lower Canada the na- tives of the province numbered 1.01T.925 ; of England and Wales, 13.821 ; of Ireland, 50.337 ; of Scotland, 13.204^-the natives of foreign countries numbering 16.279. Classified according to religion, you have, in Upper Canada, 268.141 Catholics ; 311,- 26 — 566 belonging to the Anglican Church ; 308.384 Presbyterians ; 841,572 Methodists ; 61.559 Baptists ; 24.299 Lutherans; 9.357 Congregationalists; 60.718 belonging to what are called miscellrneous creeds. 17.373 are put down as of no religion, and we are told that 8.128 pooplo have no stated creed. These figures establish beyond a doubt that Canala is in every sense a mixed community, composed of individuals v ho enjoy common rights. These people, who had stood in a position of hostility to one another on many vital questions, entered into a compromise, through their representatives, on the faith of certain pledges made to them. Nova IScotia and New Brunswick entered the Confederacy at the time, on the same conditions, and form portions of Canada to-day. If we take it for granted that owing to the question of Representation by Population, as it was commonly called, or rather the claims of Upper Canada, that the position of the two sections of the then Province was one of " impending anarchy, " we will at once see how necessary it is in mixed communities that legitimate interests should be fair- ly represented. We we told by Sir J. A. McDonald, that unless some solution of the question of Repre- sentation by Population were arrived at, that there loas dangei of "impending anarchy," and that three modes only presented themselves of settling this vexed question. The first was to dissolve the Unionj and place Upper and Lower Canada where they stood before the Union of 1841. This proposition had no declared supporters. The next mode wai that of granting Representation by Population. This, puieiy, could not be carried ; the French would not sanction it. The third mode was a Federal or a Le- a I li — 27 — gistative Union. Sir.Tohnbelieved,if practicable, that a Legislative Union was preferable. But it was not practicable, and why was it not practicable? be- cause the French were opposed to it to a man, and the provinces were not prepared to lose their indi- viduality as separate political organizations. In view of these facts, Sir John says : " Therefore, we were " forced to the conclusion that we must either " abandon the idea of Union altogether, or devise " a system of Union in which the separate provin '* cial organizations would be in some degree pre- " served." With this end in view, all parties modi- fied their ideas and accepted a Federal Union. With the French Canadians a Legislative Union, compri- sing all the provinces, or between Upper and Lower CaHada, was impossible, and why ? because their Language, their Laws and their Religion was diffe- rent from those with whom they would have been united. Under it, far from participating in the go- v^ernment of the country, they would have been driven to defend mere sectional interests ; and I do not blame them for protecting rights recognized by the constitution. What I would call attention to, is the fact that in all that brought about this scheme of Confederation, as it is called, the question of na- tionalities, in one shape or the other, was uppermost. This is admitted, and it was admitted too by Sir J. A. McDonald, that the old Union had not allayed the " local jealousies that had their root in circumstances which arose before the Union. " But on every side we were told that all interests had been considered under this scheme — that none of the great parties would have to fear being assailed. And although it was not considered a perfect system ; although it was said that a Legislative Union would have m — 28 — been better, still great and everlasting things were expected from Confederation, because it was a com- /?ro;m&'e between the statesmen of Canada, represent- ing her various interests and races. *' I say (said Mr. Brown), then, that every one who raises his voice in hostility to this measure is bound to keep before him, when he speaks, all the perilous conse- quences of its rejection — I say that no man who has a true regard for the well-being of Canada, can give a vote against this scheme, unless he is pre- pared to offer, in amendment, aonie beUer remedy for the evi/s and injustice that have so long' threatened the peace of our country^ And, said he, " not only must the scheme proposed in amendment he a better scheme ; it must be somethinu' that can be carried^ Tken there was something that could not have been carried. Yes! anything that could have done violence to the leading nationalities of this country or tended to interfere with the individuality of the French Canadians, could never have hei^n popular with the people. And as to the question of nationality, Mr. Brown says : " Whether W(i ask for parliamentary reform for Canada alone or in union will the Ma- ritime Provinces, the French Canadians must have thoir views consulted as well -as us. This scheme can be carried, and no scheme can be that has not the support of both sections of the province." You will have remembered how boldly Mr. Brown spoke on the question of Reprnseutation by Popu- lation ; how he denounced the injustice perpetrated upon 400,000 souls in Upper Canada, who were not represented. The old territorial syst^iiu of elec- toral diAHsions must have appeared to him an un- fair one — for the constitution he sighed lor was one that took human nature into account ; and so 1 ' (- >' — 29 — ' •■'■ y far, too, he was right. We all know that the man- ner in which the country is split up under the old law, for purposes of representation, is one fraught with injustice to the Irish people and other leading parties in the State, and which virtually disfran- chises them. But all this was to be remedied — for we were told by Mr. Brown, who longed to have the 400,000 souls by which Ontario exceeded Quebec represented, that " it applies a complete and satisfaclory remedy to the injudice of the existing system of parliamentary reprtsentation. " And, said this gen- tleman further on in his speech, " and it provides a simple and convenient system (or readjusting the representation after each decennial census." That the protection given in this way might not be a dead letter, it will be observed that the limita- tion of the number of members of the Upper House is the base upon which the whole compact rests. This the British Government were very anx- ious should be reconsidered. I think no man will deny that, in working out the principles of Kesponsible Grovernment, regard was had to the leading nationalities of the provinces. Under the old system, the Irish people were not flagrantly insulted by an attempt to govern the country regardless of them ; though they were in the fact that constituencies were so shaped as to exclude them from lair representation. There can be no peace it* the present systematic injustice be adhered to ; and I will t(»ll you why. If this were a homogenous community, all of whose people had the same interests, so that the laws which oppressed or impoverished one portion of the people would necessarily oppress and impov- erish all other portions — or the reverse — then the mere general right of suffrai^e might be sufficient to counteract the tendency of the government to op- press The interest of all being the same in a homogenous community, as far as the action of the government was concerned, all would have a like interest as to what laws were made, and how they should be executed. But such is not the case here. Because, besides the difficuhy ot equalizing the action of the government, in reference to the va- rious and diversifted interests of Canada, looked at from a geographical point of view, under the exist- ing compact the statesmen of this country are hound to equalize the action of the government in reference lo the various nationalities who hold the soil. And any attempt of one or two of the leading nationalities of this country to pervert the powers of government into instruments to aggran- dize and enrich one or more party interests and impo- verish the others, and this, too, under the operation of laws couched in general terms, and which appear on their face fair and equal, but which are unjust, is a thing not to be permitted. By dealing fairly with the various nationalities of this country now, you may in the end bring about something like a common sentiment of nationality ; but if you deal unfairly with any of the races, you do thai which makes the position of Canada a perilous one. The rnmpronme at the bottom of the Ac*^ confederating the British North Americf; Provinces is the very principle of constitutional government, as /arce is the distinguishing principle of absolute govern- ments. And any attempt to violate the rights of leading parties in the State is fraught with danger to the happiness and well-being of the people oi Canada. And why so ? Well, I will tell you. We > — 81 — all know that the link which binds us with England must sooner or later-be severed. Under any conside- ration, we must contribute our share towards our own defence. In order, therefore, that we may be in a position to protect ourselves, the government must at all times be prepared to command the resources of the community proiaptly. Can they do this, if by injustice they have raised up hostile parties in the State ? Will men who are wronged and cajoled by the cupidity and avariciousness of those who have grasped the honors and emolu- ments of the State, yield to the first call made to them by and in the name of a country whose people have not a name which belongs to them in their national capacity — no one name that could exalt the pride of patriotism, but only appelations de- rived from national discriminations ? But there is an- other question. In the matter of Taxation, are the people of Irish descent in Canada, who number over a million, to bear the burdens while they are denied the right of sharing in the bounties. And what I say of tht^ Irish would apply to any other leading nationality deprived of its proper place at the Council Board and in Parliament, by an unjust operation of the suffrage. Just consider the propor- tion of the different origins in Canada — and in this table, which is from the ^ensus of 1861, those only born in England, Ireland and Scotland are set down. The natives of B, N. America are 79 per cent. Ireland 9 " England and Wales 4^ " Scotland 4 " Foreign Countries 3 " " 100 — 82 - Now then, 9 por cent of tho population of this country arc nntives of Ireland, their per ceiiteige alone being as jrreat as that of the English and Scotch united. ' ' '"' I need not tell you that they must have contri- buted largely to the 70 per cent of Cimadian origir^ : and yet these Irish have absolutely no participation in the governinj^ofthe country. I may be told that the right of suffrnge will cure that ! It would most eftectively, and they know it who prevent it, wefre the law relating to elections justly framed. Under the appearance of being just, the laws relating to the suffrage may be a means of doing the most grievous wrong. We have seen the uSes to which they wer<^ put against Mr. Lafon- taine ; and they know the danger who caused 12 electoral districts in tho Province of Quebec to be specially fixed. The concession made in this way shows how far th'> si)irit of compromise was pushed by the representatives of the various nationalities of this country when the scheme of confederating the provinces was planned ; and gives force and additional weight to the remarks of Mr. Brown, when in examining the remedial provisions of the compact he stated (I have already spoken the words, but I shall repeat them) : *' First, " then, it applies a complete and satisfactory reme- " dy to the injustice of the existing system of par- " liamentary representation." It did this, because it would give the 400,000 souls by which Mr. Brown claimed the population of Upper Canada exceeded that of Lower Canada, a chance under the new law to be represented. "Well, Art. 51, of the B. N. A. Act, does provide for the readjustment of the re- presentation of the four provinces, on the comple- ss — tion of the census of 1871, and of each subsequpnl decennial census. But all this was subject to cer- tain conditions, one ot which shows how anxious- ly the question of nationality was balancod. The condition runs thus : " Quebec shall have the fixed number of sixty-five members. There shall be assija^ned to each of the other provinces such a number of members as will bear the same proporiion to the number of its popula- tion (ascertained at the census) as the number 65 bears to the population of Quebec (so ascer- tained), " Now you see the whole question of representation rests upon the question of nation- ality. Mr. Draper might have told Mr. Lafontaine, when he formed a Cabinet which did not contain one French Canadian — >Sir, this Cabinet represents the people of Canada with the same amount of justice as an Irishman might be told to-day that the pre- sent government represented the people of the Do- minion. Draper's G-ov^ernmentno more represent- tedthe people then than the present government — for, admitting the presence of Sir Francis Hincks (an Irishman) in the government to day, I say that he only represents one section of the Irish ; and I say further that the Irish would not be fully re- presented it by the side of Mr. Hincks there sat a Cittholic Irishman. The governorship given to Mr. Kenny is a seeming sb adow of justice to our people ; but we do not wane favors which are thrown over the wall — we simply want to be placed upon a fair footing with all parties in this country. And my own opinion is that Catholic and Protestant Irishmen alike feel pretty warmly upon this point. When Sir Francis Hincks was called in to save the coun- try from financial ruin, what number of years — 84 — had elapsed ^ince an Irish E'rotestant held a seal in the Cabinet. Weigh the treatment of the Irish in matters of representation by the (vartier-JMcDonald Q-overnment, with the. sterling and unflinching support that the Irish gave that government, and you will lind how shamefully we have been treated. But under the old system we knew the bitterness of sectional quarrels, and our public men always hoped for better days. Now, however, the time has come for us to exact, first : That Irishmen be fairly represented in the Cabinet; and secondly, that care be taken in readjusting the representatioi) of Canada that the Irish be not parcelled out in a way to make them count for nothing. If the fact of 400,000 souls being unrepresented were a sufficient- ly powerful cause to produce a state of affairs border- ing on anarchy, in the one instance, is the danger not equally great if, under color of the law, over a million of souls are made to count for nothing in the other ? The precedent is established and the doctrine laid down, and if the Irish people will only organize and agitate ; if they will only follow opinions that are honestly given and men who are without any interested bias ; if they will only weigh the conclusions of those who have studied and re- flected ; if they will but turn a deaf ear to the crude speculations of mere pretenders, and listen with deference and respect to the plain language and honest suggestions of upright men, they will soon see in politics as in everything else, that skilful and honest men are the safest and best guides. I would not ask Irishmen to allow any man or set of men to dictate his or their opinions to them, or how they should think or act ; but I would ask them to weigh, and reflect upon, the opinions of those — 85 — :«-\ J< • i. > r.i •-T ■■■.?; iii:i .J whose experience is 'lArge, whose fniuds are far- He«tiiig', and whose ht?art8 are deep and brOad. Now,'ladieH and rt;entlemcii» il n doubt lingers in yourr mind alter till I iiate stated, if. I say, you do 'Hot be'Heve that the questiort of ' ualironijtlities" - v^ifts the One attemf)ted to be si'ttlod by the Act of •British North America, I wi"!!, 1 think, remove it by the 'iibiloWing quotations; If you will but'rdm.'m- ♦ bfer the qtiotatioh made by me from Sir John A. ^ McDonald'd speech in 1863, that the bonnection ' which had existed for jiearly a (Quarter of a century ^* under the old' Union "had 'not allayed altojgether • 1 the iocal jealousies' that had their rdot in drcum- atances which arose ibe^fore the Union,'bur province •thtough as rt whole (said that gelitlbman),' had ne- ter'lory of the new Cont'odoracy. (Hear ! hear !) lie viewtul the diversity ol* races in British N^orth America in lliis Wiiy : — We Were oF different races, not lor the purpose of warring aj^ainst each other, but in order to com- pete and emulate for the yejieral welfare (cheers). We could not do aw an with the. dhti net ions of race. We could not legislate for the disappearance of French Canadians from American soil, l)ut British and French Canadians alike could ajipreciate and un- derstand their positions relative to each other. They were placed like great families beside each other, and their contact produced a healthy spirit of emulation. It was a t)eneJU ratlier tlian otherwise that we had a diversity of races. Of course the diffi- culty, it would be said, would be to deal fairly by the minority. In Upper Canada the Catholics would find themselves in a minority ; in Lower Canada the Protestants would be in a minority, while the lower Provinces were divided. Under such circumstances would anij one pretend that either the Local or Gene rat Governments would sanction any injustice. What would be the consequence, even supposing any such a thing were attempted by any one of the Local Grovernments ? It would be censured everywhere. Whether it came from Upper Canada or from Lower Canada, any attempt to deprive the minority of their rights would be at once thwarted " Why, so perfectly was it under- stood that the interests which affect us all deeply \9 — 88 — .1 r, ., >^^i'A*i'5®^tled ^Jy this q^mpr^iB^ise, ^^i^t SirjGeorge ( .»jfty;i^5^-Wpul4 a^iy (^iie pretend thi^t eiU^ei\iiheJL f 91* lGrene^ral6;9vernD[iente» would s^n9tio^i s^ny: fnjus- ,^ ti.V]e I ?j , find i t' they did, he e xcl j^^ms, ft ^yo^ild be at ,, o)jic«5', thwarted ! Well now,, you ^1 know whether ^ .,. .tljiL.e u;iinori1,y of Qntario ery py : eq[U^l righ,tp with 7 the minority of Quebec ; and I ^m no^.a^y^are that 1 . . ov Wy. f^ttempt ha^ b«en made to ,j^hfWart those who ,,,,., i^3ic^ iuj^^i'^ice upon-ithe. minprity in that and the .(. ,9^l^er p^-ovinces, .. , .m..:*! rC'l-j , y; ISow, whether you look at the position q| Irish , I , ^ ^ Pfiii^iolic^s in this Dpmiuion frpi|a ^a r^l^gioju^ JP^^i^^ ^^ I m^, ipr ^. a section of the Irish p^rtj, injustice has .i,; I .^^^11. ,4p?ii^ 1^9 P^^Vf^. Ij^.^^^. }]^'^^S^^> ^f ^ , ,1 j.thj^yare not as ijairly trcjated in p,i^t£pio jas t^e mi- .i M., UPTityi itt Qu^becj— as a se,ct^on of the great Catho- i, ,;,.,lic,p^rty of |the_ Pominion^ whose p^oj)le, c^^siiied ^.., according to religion, are mainly C[ at holic, they iji; J l^^ye i^9t th^t eflfective participation in tke aflairs of ^.i ,j^^^.t^, to whicl;i, they jare entiijled,— as a, feading ....,i...iWWg W % Irisi party,; an^ it i^. as sucla't', would ,.n- Tegjard. ftenft, , I , may say thej^an^e .i|%^. Now, pw.m^.AJ^ iuji^stice contempla^^^^ of , . I , , I P nipn^-^w ^lich was based up(J\n a co^prpmi^se^ ? I be- lieve not, and I look to the readiustment of the . ,. ^ ^epre^^ntation as a means of curing tne evil. — In the mqantime I would , not cease to as^itate i.^ I J ,jthfi^, tJ^^J?,road, principles of the Act be' applied. I ij.i , 7^^ oppose^^to any one pi; two sections of tije peo- ...,.> piftPithis, pom^^unity coalescii^g'aniljys^^^ )-x.u..,9Mlypei;verting the power, of taxation ^^'^^ ,^. .( jl^i?^s^m9,»t, for Uie purpose of a^^ and ,^i.n .t^W^Ai^K ^P particular sp^tio^s of tne community ,at the expense 01 , tiie others. This ^s ,uii¥air and unjust. I may be told the sujSrage can remedy — 39 — <»^ ^'George bie^ocal ly.pjus- lid be at whethei' hip with i/^ate that lose who b and the x'o^^ Irish IS point of ustice has adupation as tfie mi- ea^patho- ," cUssihed lolip, they ie afeirs of ajleading 3^'i\would ^^.' 'Now, ;he 'Act of ' " ' ' ' n T V» nise.? A D®' aent oi the ill. 1^" •■• tiie evil.— 3 to agitate applied. I 3 01 t^e peo- ci'sy^eniati- loii %cLdis- iidiji.ng and 'cbmmnnity 3 unfair and ' cain remedy this. As it exists at present, as far as we are con- cerned, arid"^o£her' leading parties, tlie siiffr^^^ ife'^"" a vicious pi^ce of machinery, calculated to '^Idcft ' ' ' ^ " contrblling and governing power in the "hands of'^ ^" one set of meii, to the exclusion of men who uh- '' der the readjustihent must he secured. And hoW, ' ' "^ I may-be asked, will you prevent any one partjr 6t ' " ' combmat'ioii of parties from using the powers of '" " government' to aggrandize itself at the expense of ' ' " others f This is the great evil 1 complain olf, ' '^ and here is tberemiedy T suggest ; and it is the *' only certain mode in which the result desired can ' ' ^^ be seb'iired : Let ihe readjustment of the Kepf6- ^"' sentatipn bif the four Provinces, as provided fbi* '' in tl£e*!B. K. A': Act, and subject to the limitations ^^ in that Act in favor of tbe French Canadians, be • " made in such a way as that it sball effectually pre- '" vent any oiie interest, or party, of combinatibh of * '^ interests of parties from obtaining the exclusive "^ control of ' the government, and render hopeless '" all attempts to that end. Bv this means vou will give to each of the great parties in the Dominioii, ' ' to eacn division of intefest, either a concurrent '^ voice in making and executing the laws, or a veto ' on tlieif execution. This coiistitutes the elements of cbhstitufional isrovernment. This would ffive"'' the Irish party to-day, and all other paf ties as " ' '--■ weir, what Mr. Lafontaine struggled fof and bb- " tainedj through the fidelity of his Irish and Cana- " dian suppbftefs. ^' an ejficaciom participatibn in the ' action oj the goveirnment.''' It would also give the ' ' leading parties of Canada an effective and consti- tutional cbiitrol over those who are immediately ' called upon to wofk oui the ends of government. To-qav' there Ts aii atteinpf of two dotniharit " " ff— -" '■ HI- iii."™i"ipi»WWWBpp -- 40 ^ nationalities to advance their interests, regardless of the rights of others ; and the flying squadron of the British party, represented by Mr. McKen- zie, would be prepared to do just what the more fortunate section of the wing are doing No gov- ernment can be stron-^ though it may count large majorities, unless it fairly represent the commu- nity, and this it can only do (and h bound to do, to act constitutionally), by giving to each section of our people, the English, Irish, Scotch and Cana- dian, a means of protecting itself by its negative influe'^.ce against all measures calculaced to injure its rights and liberties. This authorized and effectual resistance is the only way of preveitin .: oppression, and a recourse to force ; becauou ic makes compromise instead of force the conserva- tive principle of the government. It is the only way, too, of equalizing the fiscal action of the govern- ment. Turn the matter over as you will, and you will find that all hopes of Independence are futile unless you recognize the leading nationalit'es of this country in matters of representation. It is the only way, too, in which yon can set the question of religion at rest. Wny, to-day, in a country which, as I have said, classified according to reli- gion, is mainly Catholic, you have only three Catholics in the ministry. Is this fair ? Under such a state of affairs the insecurity of Catholic interests is a great source of anxiety to the Catholic partv. They are far from imputing any motives to their fellow -citizens of different creeds ; but that greater injustice to them, than they suffer, is possible as things stand, is a cause of alarm, and this will be readily understood by those who refused to assent to Confederation until their religious rights — 41 — ess [•on ;en- lore TOV- ar^e Linu- > do, 3tion 3ana- ative njure L and iitin serva- y way, overn- id you , i futile it'es of t is the uestion iountry to leli- y three ei such nterests c partv. to their ; greater possible this wIa) (fused to us rights I were guaranteed in Quebec. The Catholics of the Dominion are extremely sensitive upon the man- ner in which they are represented. Why the active government of the country should almost exclusively vest in one party, where all have equal rights and contribute equally to the revenue, is what they cannot understand. When you re- member the great Catholic party in Ontario and the Provinces, who feel themselves to be unfairly treated under Confederation, you will see how necessary it is to remove all causes of bitterness for the future. Suppose t*ie whole British Pro- vinces independent to-morrow, and the Irish party treated as they are, how long do you think independence would last? Would a people — the natives of Ireland — not counting their descen- dants, who number twice as many as the natives of England, Wales and Scotland united, long per- mit themselves to be ruled without a fair repre- sentation ? Why the thing is absurd. And some- thing must be done now, right away ; we must have no religious cries if we can help it in this country, though I am not opposed to the Catholics securing their rights in matters of education by prompt organization. But that there may be no religious cries, you must have the leading nation- alities properly represented in the Cabinet, and you must readjust the representation in the four Provinces, in a way that will provide for their fair and full representation, and this must be done under the Act uniting these Provinces into a Confederacy. The measure of justice contemplated in th(i Union must be carried out, and if it be not, the people should remember that there are bounds beyond, which those in authority cannot go with- ^y -■ iniwipp^w^p fim ''11 ' ,*— • — - II -- . .J .. _ J . - ^ i. ~ .. 1-. — 42 — out enctoiichiiig oml popitl&r liberties; withoitit mak- - inromise, theV call -- only do so at the cost of liaisting ahd extensive ' dange!",- 'Let no' man doubt the trrtth of this. ^ ''' Having n«^T? lasteertained what are our righti^ iinder the Britifeh / ^ > Alnetica A'ct, is it not time to bon- ' siderli^^W we ly enforce them— fir6t theii : Un- der the constitution f \^ery citizen has a right of in- ' terferitig iri public ihatters, ^ud this right of ex-*' pressing his opiti'ion iu a wdy to' influelnce the ■ sentiments of the Legislature procureB to every man a sort of leigi si ative authority: This the' people «hould remember, and in Consequence should nev^r fail io keep a watchful eye on thtr' motionis of power. Btit-to achicA^e aiiy great pur^- pose a |yarty mu^t be united— there must be identi- ty of seh'tiitterit amongthem upon the stiiii of affairs, for if. they 'are not united they ai^eincapgtble of exertinsc influence: The same drder aLnd thesame disciplihiff which exist ' amortg those who infringe-^ the rights of particular patties must be followed by the- injilred paMy ; While the Irish people should Carefully avoid the suggestions and opi- nions and foHies of ^perficial or bad men, they " should ilever fail to repose entire trust in the opi- "' ' nions of honest and good men ; by this mea-ns thfey^ - - will oppose to those who oppose' them, men v;^hd-'^ are gbverrted ^y wifie '^riircipies aftd" plans that^ -* they li^Ver losier sight of: The greater'tlfeir'tjoiiir-- '-' _ 1 u.. 43 den'^^^ stidh men, the morei 'will such men b$ slanclered ; bui iF»they will only turn a deaf ear to these- slanders; 'and point with a finger of scorn at the slAttderer,^ stich a body of raen will <»spouse their cause asJ will uHimately win for them those rights which are guaranteed to them by the British North America Act, and without which that Act would be essentially imperfect. -J • *• ' j.-. .. „ Th^ aim of dominant parties has always been to turn 'against leading men who are opposed to them their collective stl-ength. We have seen that in the caAe of Mr. Baldwin and Mr. Lafontaine. And I would say to you nev(^r— never desert your leading, men", but g'ather around him, and back him up who > is fighting yo^itr battles, that he may not find him* self engaged alone in the combat. I know the generous nature of the Irish people — that they are not prone to desert their champions ; but I cannot too often tell you to be guarded against those eneniies of mankind who, by cunning, seek to di- vide the ranks of those whom they would trample if they could. In the history of Canada our country- men have always played a leading part, and it were Jcowardly in us to-day to abandon a path- way so brilliantly studded, or forget our rights. We are bound by ever3r obligation by which men can be bound, to fight out this great question of Edu- cation and Representation, and the sooner we enter the '.lists the better. Nevci- were men better prepared for a great struggle than we are ; and if we will only be true to ourselves, it is not in the nature of things that we should be defeated. Con" t'ederation without our efiective participation in the government of the country can only be a mock- ery aud deceit, and Jik« all mockeriesjs dooiqaed.' • ««».« ) .-I I .1, - .1 Jr I . . 'A J. a . L I . . .: J — 44 — Independence under the condition of affairs that exist to day is an impossibility. Rest assured that you are strong ; for without you little can be done, if you will only 2:0 to work with a will. Wrong is indissolubly bound to right, and those who would throw a shadow o\re" your path may find that they have but obscured their own way. But remember. abov<' all things, that in politics men's rights are not so much valued by the atti- tudes they assume, as by their power to defend whatever position they may take. If justice be on the side oi' that position, and unity prevail in the ranks, that party is powerful and its pretentions will meet with respect, whatever be the apparent disadvantages under which it labors. The power of a party is never doubted until it is felt that it is divided. And if it is divided, were its numbers countless, they are perJ'ectly harmless. The great object of Confederation was to shape such a system as would etlectually remove all important causes of uneasiness. When the scheme was being discussed in 1S65, we were told, as I have shown yoa, by every leading statesman in the country, tliat it had provided for the removal of all important causes of uneasiness. Now, we want that system to be applied in the spirit in which it was framed; and if it be not applied in that spirit, then the people of this country have been wronged by their public men, and the way for futur«> intestine difficulties paved. 1 would like to see all this remedied, but I would never give up one iota of the rights of the Irish people under the Act which binds the provinces together. I feel as deep a concern in the success of this country as any man in it, and I would say to all -46^ who are actin):^ an offensive part ai^ainst the com- promise, who seem to have imposed on themselves an obligat; i of preparing bitter discords for the future — Hold ! you must stop short. Those who are anxious to preserve the advantaaes guaranteed by the compromise, and the peace of the country, are no longer inactive nor supine, but aware of the danger, have constituted themselves the defen- ders of what is right. Truth is with all such men, and I would remark that truth is independent of the obscurity or the fame of the man who utters or asserts it. It is only groundless opinions and what is false that time can destroy. The humblest indi- vidual in the State, grasping truth with his poor hand, possesses an advantage which no superior abilities and cunning culture can command. Were the promises made to us when the compromise took place the reverse of truth, the mere assertions of intriguing and grasping factions ? Certainly the men who made them will not admit this. They are not prepared to come down now and tell us, that when they made the portion of the bargain with us, there was a variance between their tongues and their heart. No, they are not prepared to say that ; but, from the fact that Irishmen are ex- cluded from the Cabinet, there being only one, the Irish people have a right — are justified in looking upon the dominant parties, be they whom they may, as upon men who contemplate a policy at variance with the compromise, and are war- ranted in appealing from their acts to the spirit of that compromise. Our dissatisfaction is not a ruere dissatisfaction with the laws, or this or that govern- ment — ^far from it ; our complaints are governed by no calculated refinements, but we simply say ..'t i: .' 40 1 i| ■I- »» that ft. (t5p5jprpinjefe v^^as entjBre^, into by.^which ,.,^ certaiwiihiuffS "were, to be done , to all, and, to all alike^ ,Wid X^ow we ;Wai^^ tjhat these things sl^ouldj be dgne, Wq ask tpr ptheri^ wbat we asjc, foif .our- , selves, faiv pl«y and jio ff^vors,;, and we dp so, be- cause. Wfi. believe that any attempt ol* dominant, , parti^iSii tp restrict: or circumscribe the latitude of concQ^siou, ifO th(? variolas nat;ionalities of thi^ countr.y, o| t^qual rights, iSjan ,atiie;mpt to i^nd(^r- min^., the personal seCjUrity, ij^ghts, staiji^n an^ j property pj' ey^ry man ir^ the Domiijjon, a|id th^t which ;Tni^8t tend to make qiyil liberty ins<^(pure ip the fwinrPv ,11 I k»PW that thpse whom I complain of are not , . without that left-fianded wisdoni which will in- duce them to attempt to ffive color to their, acts, or to promise again that in the course pf time all will be rights I think myself ^ ;in the course of time, all will biQ right; but in the meantime I would say-^ , ajritate, and Jiever cease agitating till you get what is fair..; J For th*? acts pf thpse . whp dp i^ijustice, and Qpntemplate further injustice tp ypu, is dpu]3ly , mean, bi^cause they knew the evil pf it so well that they. ih*vt? guarded themselves ,mpst ppwerfuUy . against it; jaud wpuld, upw tl^at they are sa|*^ themseh eSj leave ypu whp were a fjarty tp ithe ' comproiji;iis<3 out in the cold, and not merely n^- uflect^ bpit actually insult you. Is this to be tolerated Y Certainly not, aiid the well-wisher pt Canada, whpever he may be, must Irown it down. There is every reason to dp sp, and the past would seem to tell us not a|>ain to have sectional pr natipnal quarrels. We knpw npw what.the sectipnal, natipnal and sectarian quaj-r els under the pid system cpst. Thpugh Pur cpuntry Ol -47- ..r...i ...•• I . 1 maae some' headway, httw feftlrfuliy f iBtal'A^d' Was it hoifyy the aniihoisitieFi which existed' 'h^i\VA'An the vnnous reliffiouK arm natidnal parties. A cbinmercial policy is what Call ada n(>VdY had, and riever can haA'e, uiitil we iiiay t^xcltt^iveiy deal with our owii trade. But eren uilcler thi^ beg- ' garly commercial systeni wtiich W^ iio posi^t^ss, had it' hot been lor" the bickerings of the pftfit, our "'"broad nelas would have' been thrbwh'dp'en to fhose ill * search of a home, and sOlhe atteitipt' inade ' to foster home inaustry and create a horrid' 'rtf ^rket. . feut all was ' made secohaary t6' hdtlohM' a'nd sec- tariaii" clamors ' and session alter -session JiaiSfeed and noihi lig done,' uiitil at last oiit of i^heei* hbp'eless- ness Cbnfeiefaiioii was grasped as a istoty'lilank. All' was to be remedied, by it ;' Under its i^W^y we would ' prosper, ' and [ the arran^emerit^ w^^re so ' coniplete,' we were tild, that we mi^ht'stsjilre to become one day a gi'eat peojple. ■Was thii^ pos- sible '^ ' If tW spirit ' of the tioihpi^oihiyd' ' were Calri:ied out fairly;' if all important caUseS '6f 'unea- sihess were fully kid ' fairly removed, that e't isted '"[ betWeeii' the gi-'eat ' natliohalities in (CftWda ; if fn fhe Cabinet were wisely and ' moderiit^l ^ blen - ' *'ded fepreseiitativfes of "all the ' ^reat ^af ties, so """^ fhiat ho' man ' would have to iiaiheiit the'da/ when '" ' 'Oohfederation becaiid'e a fact— if this t^e'reMone, then I say ffreat hopes might be' elritSel't'diiied for *^" ''fhe'ftitufe'.^ Bfut rf ihstead df thi^ Mr'i>lsLY you exclude in all' tlie Pi'oviii'ciiy £i^' In thfe^ G^feneral i--/* »..-?. " " 'G^bveriiihenf'the reiJr^sfeiit^tivetr Vjf a' p'6<5^1'e who ' ['" huihber bvfei- a mtltioh— and I libvv" fep^eak'd^t'those of ' Irish "desceiit, and 'ffoiii'tHe censti's oflSei— in a country whose whole po^ulatibn'^^ was -"" 'oiily ^;aiO;$'6iv'4heh I say ybti'a'r^' nod «ttiy viola- ; )4 • $ — 48 — tiug the spirit which gavo birth to the Confede- racy, but you are dragging into the future un- told miseries, undermining hope, and making men war against oacb other, who should "com- pete and emulate ior the general welfare. " I be- lieve Sir G-eorgc Cartier was right when he said : *' We could not do away with the distinctions ol" race.'' Certainly you cannot legislate for thoir disappearance, under a system which recognizes their existence and their common rights. In New Brunswick to day, one-third of the population ask for an Education Bill similar to that granted to the minority in Quebec, and how are they met? Why, ladies and gentleman, a (Jommon School Bill is brought in and they are told that they must contri- bute to its support. Will this violence to the feelings of one-third of the population of a province l)e thwarted? In the readjustment of the representa- tion will power be lodged in the hands of this one- third of the province, to protect its interests and resist encroachments ? If justice be done there is no fear for Canada ; but if justice be not done, Ca- nada is a soap bubble that may burst any day. The people of this continent are not of the stamp who are to be drilled into aquiescence into what is wrong, and that man only is a true man who is true to the spirit of the compact which brought about Confederation. There are reasons why the Irish people should hold to their fair representation, — they have as much as any other people on this continent con- tributed to win for Canada civil liberty, and I know of no great retbrm in this country which they did not assist to bring about. When the French Canadians were struggling for liberty, and ! r — 49 — the hand of power pressed heavily upon them ; when, to defeat everlastingly their hopes, coun- ties were disfrane ised, ami the whole system of suftVage perverted, and the greatest corruption prevailed; when thh (heir tears. IT you would brini»* about a happy state of thinii^s, that eondition contemplated by the eom])romise, the humblest in- dividual in the State, throui»h a thoroui'h reform of the sutfrai^e, must ])e made to l»el that he is an actor in the atlairs vvliieh eoneern the \vell-b(»ing of all. Deny th»^ eiti/en this ri<»ht, and remove from his reaeh the prize \vhi(!h you place within that of others, and you make him sullen and dis- contented. He ce.is(\s alike to respect the hiws and those who make them, and as far ns within him li'vs, he will struggle to overset an order of things that treats him as an alien. That the power of levyino" money and regulating commerce and such like, and the correspondent executive and judicial jiuthorities should be fully and eiFectualy vested in the Government of Cana- da, no man will deny ; but the impropriety of dele- gating* such extensive trusts to one or two parties in the State, who wield these authorities without regard to other vested rights, is evident, and what no large section of the people will subu? it to with- out a struggle. Tf it were the intention of the members of the Quebec Convention, who planned the present Constitution and (xoverament, to prac- tice a deception upon the people of this country, then I say they have done that which no sincere or honest man can acquiesce in. They have foun- ded the Confederacy upon a basis that affords no strength to it, and far from removing the diffi- culties of the past, their work will bring about a state of things which in the end will destroy the political existence of this country. tQ.\^-J^likL'-]Lu