"i^ ^ >^. .0^, \^^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 mat 125 1.4 2.2 12.0 1.8 1.6 m vQ /. VI c': ^1 > > s ''W '/ ^ S ^^ VvO<^ OR <( The First Quarter-Century of the Dominion," BEING THE PRESIDENT'S INAUGURAL ADDRESS. BY REV. GEORGE BRYCE, LL.D., HONORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SOCIETY. Given before the Society November 3rd, 1893. A NEW NATION. "piHST QuAKTEJj Gehtuhy Of THE Do|wiHioH." B"3r X)ie. Brsa-s-cE. All Interesting- Ketrospect— A Pjitriotic and Hopeful Fore- cast of the Future— Past Aehievements in National Advaiiceinent — Brilliant Possibilities. The Literai'y society of Manitoba Col- lege met in the spacious Convocation hall of the college. The society is the most popular among the college organ- izations and its meetings are well attend- ed. At the close of the literary programme which had been provided, the honorary President of the society, Rev. Dr. Bryce, gave the inaugural address for the college year, 1893-4, on "The first quarter centurf of the Dominion." He spoke as follows : — "In the year 1867 the Dominion of Can- ada was born. The writer well remem- bers the beginning of confederation as it was the year in whi^h he graduated in Toronto University, During the years which preceded that date the question of Canadian union was much discussed, and the literary society of Toronto University took its full share in debating the propos- al. The writer recalls great debates on confederation, in which were students, whose names are now familiar as judges on the bench, members of Provincial and Dominion parliaments, professors in the seats of learning, leaders of the medical profession, and prominent clergymen of che several churches. In these debates the burden of argument was against con- federation. A few persons of wider view and more sanguine temperament pro- phesied of the giorv yet to be, but the great majority doubted the utility of the movement, and cared little for its accom- plishment. No doubt this arose partly from the fact that confederation was A POLITICAL NECESSITY. The lower provinces were the first to move for a maritime union. This was for the purpose of reducing the expense of government, and of bringing the provinces into closer sympathy The inland pro- vince with its two portions of upper and lower Canada had reached a deadlock in its aifairs. Ministry after ministry had fallen. Eastern and Central Canada with Quebec and Montreal as centres were {(itted against the growing west, which ooked to Toronto for leadership. The solution of difficulties, which had been promised by the constitution evolved from the fertile brain ci Lord Durham and which had prevailed from 1841, had not been attained, although looking at the Canada of 1867 and comparing it with that of 1841, no one could call the union a fail- ure. In addition, at the time immediately before confederation, fchereciprocity treaty, which had been in force since 1854, had been terminated by the United States, and great uncertainty prevailed in the minds of Canadians, as to the future of trade. Besides Canada had a few years before sent expeditions to ex- plore Rupert's Land, with the thought of increasing her territory, but the diffi- culties of Hudson's Bay company occu- pancy seemed to stand in the way. The Canadian sentiment as to confed- eration was far from being hopeful. Upper Canada feared that its numbers and standing were such that partnership with the other provinces would result in its being compelled to support the weaker members. Such men as Matthew Crooks Cameron, one of the purest of Canadian public men, and John Sandfleld Mac- donald, one of the shrewdest of Canadian politicians, opposed the union. Moreover Nova Scotia, led by Howe, her favorite son, had been alienated by the method of bringing confederation about, and even opposed the British North America bill before the Imperial parliament. When the first Dominion day, 1st of July, 1867,came, faces were dull, spirits were low, the pow- der was damp and enthusiasm was want- ing. The times were discouraging, and the wiseacres declared that the remedy for the political troubles of Canada was worse than the disease. The general apathy was quoted as an evil omen. THE DIFFICULTIES OF CONFEDERATION. The task undertaken by the first minis- try under confederation was a difficult one. Nova Scotia was hostile, the mari- time provinces were afraid of the over- powering infiuence of the west, New Brunswick soon had a "school case," which roused religious feeling, the North- weht entered confederation with the Kiel rebellion to be dealt with, British Columbia was shy to the approaches of her transalpine suitor, and Prince Edward Island was the last of the provinces to enter confederation, taking six long years to consider the matter. The vast extent of the Dominion, after its completion in 1873, stretching as it did from Charlottetown to Victoria, in what Mr. Goldwin Smith called a fringe along the northern iwundury of the United States, involved a wide divergence of in- terest. Fishermen and sailors, farmers and miners, mountaineers and prairie settlers, villagers and urban dwellers, all made their special demands. To these were added prejudices and feelings aris- ing from differences in origin, language or creed. Probably no statesmen of any country ever faced more real difHculties than those which met the Canadian min- istry in the first decade of confederation. The writer was never in political sym- pathy with the late Sir John Macdonald, but it is only just to say, that for a divid- ed, inharmonious, and clamorous group of provinces perhaps no man could iiave been better fitted for healing divisions, and proposine from time to timea"modus Vivendi" than he. Sir John's greatest quality was undoul)tedly his patriotism, and his adroit and skilful management of men, and sections, and provinces was all required to solve the difficult (luestions, ever rising like spectres before the young Dominion. VISION OK A NORTHKBN KiMl'IKK. Probai)!y few politicians appreciate the work they are doing at its true value. Usually they aim only at meeting the immediate necessity, at overcoming the present dillicuUy. Amidst all their fail- ures and shortcomings a fairminded critic will be able to say, "They builded better than they knew. " But there weie not wanting Canadians, who early in the days of the Dominion, entertained the hope of a great northern empire on this continent. It was the old vis on. with which many of therefugees from the United States, after 17H3, came to the wilds of Canada, and declared their Vjelief and hope in an united empire. With the tyrannical views of the U. E. loyalists we may not sympathize, but their faith in a great empire on the north of the Ameri- can continent shames many of their des- cendants and successors a century nearer the fulfilment of this vision. True patriotism shines forth most bright- ly amid the surrounding gloom of pessim- ism. Happy is the man who can with courage see beyond the obstacles to the fulfilment of his dream. It is not a diffi- cult thing at the close of the first quarter century of the Dominion to be able to say, the prospect of a nation- British and loving Britain— in North America is now clearly in sight. In saying this the writer would not give comfort to the pestilent tribe of politicians, on either sides of politics, who try to gain a party advantage by crying out that the country is prosperous because they are in power, or that that the country is going to ruin because they ar'. not in power. Canada to-day, does not depend on either politi- cal party for her place and standing as a rising nation. THE POLITIC AL CONCEPTION. To the patriot, whose aim is the highest good of his native land, there seems no gain in discussing whether we should prefer annexation, independence or the present status of Canada. Annexation is an impossibility from many different standpoints. There is little reference to it this year in our newspapers, there is no great desire for it on the part of the United States, no political party or section of a party in Canada shows any tendency toward it. It would mean the extinction of our heredi- tary sentiments, it would be asking us to adopt modes of life and customs very dis- tasteful to us. It is at present question- able whether annexation would even be a financial advantage to us, and it would on the whole give us less freedom of ac- tion than we at present enjoy. No ! the question of annexation is hardly practi- cal enough even to enjoy the attention of a juvenile debating sor Nor does independence pressing question. Why what our condition will be would have the temerity „o a century at this age of the tory would bring forth? An increase of responsibility without any corresponding advantage, a great expense in maintain- ing defence and a foreign diplomatic ser- vice, an invitation to other nations to re- gard us as rivals, a quadrennial turmoil such as is seen in the United States on the election of a chief ruler, and the x'e- a;arding of Great Britain as a foreigr na- tion instead of the sun and shield she has been to us— all this is what independence would mean. BRITISH CONNECTION IS SATISFACTORY. Our position as a dependency, and the favorite dependency of Great Britain, has enabled us to advance greatly in the quar- ter-century of our Dominion histoi-y. As against Great Britain we have not a sin- gle grievance. She sends us a chief luler, whose personal character and fitness make us receive him with enthusiasm, she bestows honors on our statesmen who distinguish themselves at home or in the service of the empire, she gives us the benefit of her legal wisdom in the highest court of the empire, the privy council; she pours her money out to construct our railways, to build up our cities, and establish our growing institutions, her churches send large annual gifts for the development of the higher phases of life among us, her litera- ture is our literature, her victories are our victories, her hopes are our hopes, jm at all a iscuss now ■i)9;i? Who ivjrecast what world's his- it h( gover ferenc minis In th( perial Lornt eral is ada of archy Th'i ada b^ in the Eowei istor has act in In 187 M a party country I power, to ruin Canada ;r politi- ding as a le highest seems no e should ie or the lily from There is ir in our iesire for jtates, no party >n ward it. It lur heredi- king us to 8 very dis- , question- i even be a [ it would lorn of ac- No ! the dly practi- i attention m at all a scuss now ■\mvi Who recast what world's his- increase of rresponding u niaintain- )lomatic ser- itions to re- nial turmoil ed States on and the re- % foreigr na- licUl she has idenendence ISl'AC roKV. cy, and the Britain, has in the quar- history- As e not a sin- a chief ruler, and fitness enthusiasm, atesmen who nie or in the rives us the ti the highest y council; she onstruct our cities, and institutions, rge annual ;nt of the us, her litera- victories ate B our hopes, and her peace and prosperity are objects of highest solicitude to us. No ! we need no change of system. We are not cramped, dwarfed or checked in our high- est and true.st development by our Hritish connection. Any ideal we have as a na- tion may have its freest scope, so great is the lilierty given us by Great Britain. In- stead of being kept in leading strings, we are treated as a wellnigh grown-up daugh- ter, the companion rather than the help- less child of our august mother across the sea. Our highest Canadian aspiration may be gratitted under our present con- dition. If we have infelicities, and short- comings and defects in our affairs they are matters we ourselves may remedy, "Tlic fault, (Iciir Umiliis, is not in our stars, Hut, in ourselves." That all this is no fool's paradise or op- timist's dream may be proved by looking somewhat more in detail at our condition, and at the events of the quarter-century which has just closed. OUK VIHTUAl, INIJEPKNDKNCE. Until the last iifly years a system of government prevailed in all the British ependencies, which is now known as the "old colonial system." This system made the governor an autocrat, and disregarded the rights of the people. It is beside the mark to point us as British colonists of to-day to the "old colony days' of the United States a hundred and more years ago, with the Stamp act and Boston riots, and the tyranny of George III., "at whose door,.' says Green, "lies wholly the shame of the darkest hour of ICnglish history." It is useless to remind us of the disregard of popular rights shown by stern old Lord Dalhousie, when he dismissed Fapineau, though chosen speaker by the Lower Can- adian assembly, and then prorogued the recalcitrant house. It does not rutlle us to speak of Sir Francis Bond Head and his sublime disregard tor popular rights, for Sir Francis so severely strained the good old idea of absolute government that it gave way, never to be restored among us. Responsible government as the new ideal of the British colonial system was called, was introduced more than fifty years ago, and as the late Mr. Todd said, "it has become the policy of the Imperial government to withdraw from any inter- ference with colonial legislation and ad- I ministration in matters of local concern." i In the new instructions given by the Im- I perial government on the coming of Lord I Lome to Canada in 187H the goveruor-gen- j eral is made a thorough exponent in Can- I ada of the principles of the limited mon- archy in England. The great consideration shown to Can- ada by the Imperial government is seen in the making of treaties with foreign powers. During the greater part of the history of the Dominion Great Britain has appointed prominent Canadians to act in cases where Canada was concerned. In 1871 Sir John Macdonald was high commissioner in the neRotiations for the Washington treaty ; in 1874 Hon. George Brown was appointed a commissioner, in company with the British minister, to (leal with the United States on matters of trade; in lM7iJ Sir Alexander Gait acted as negotiatorin framinga treaty with France and Spain; while in IHiCl tlie Canadian premier. Sir .John Thompson, was a com- missioner at Paris on the Bering Sea case. It may be said that Canada now has a voice in ail treaties in which she is con- cerned. Her high commissioner at London has important functions in representing Cana- dian interests there, and Canada certainly has a virtual independence, nnitid with all the advantages that come from being under the shadow of the Union Jack. THE LAKGER CANADA. As we look back over the quarter of a century just past we plainly see that Canada's national life has been greatly strengthened by the great enterprises in which she has been engaged. A quarter of a century ago we were four millions of people, somewhat divided, largely unac- quainted with one another, and with little prestige, soon to be engaged in a task as great as piling Pelion on Ossa. To undertake th« work of opening up and governing the vast extent of country forme-ly held as a fur-trader's preserve by the Hudson's Bay company, to pledge their honor and resources for the large expendi- ture necessary to build a railway— the In- tercolonial -to connect the inland provinces with those on the seaboard, and then to unite all the provinces from ocean to ocean by a transcontinental railway, were enterprises worthy of the Titans, which might have ruined the older provinces, but which were entered upon and accomplished with great cour- age and enthusiasm. And yet it was these very perilous undertakings that made Canada what she is to-day. Note the business of the Do- minion parliament and read the reports of public aft'airs, and it will be seen that a large proportion of all proposed and done during the quarter-century relates to the Northwest. The four original provinces of the Dominion had not sutticient scope to inspire national hope, but the thought that we have a territory more extensive than that of the United States, that we have a country whose shores are laved by the two great oceans of the earth, that there is a possibility under present con- ditions of building up a North American Scythia— a Scythia founded on the princi- ples of freedom, peace and humanity, is a conception and a dream togive any people nerve, and to draw out the highest effort and the noblest hope. Hopeless as the task seemed to the pes- simists of 1881, the great necessity of a transcontinental railway became in less than ten years an accomplished fact. The C(inaf our Dominion, imperfectly as some of us may have appreciated it, has touched true cords in the hearts of our noblest spirits. We name the cluster of seven, who stand out most clearly before our eyes, and no- tice that all of them are between the ages of 31 and '.V,i, and so have been entirely moulded and formed under our Dominion life. Further, we would say that it is not only in the notes these have sung, but in the fact that they, with others whose names and songs might well be men- tioned, are the outcome of a hope and be- lief that Canada has a destiny worthy of the confidence of her sons. We shall hear a single note from each, interpreting some aspec*^! of our Canadian life. Referring to the feeling of gladness with which the returning Canadian sees again the great St. Lawrence, Duncan Camp- bell Scott, of Ottawa, a frequent contrib- utor to the American magazines, says : You know the joy of coining iiome, After long leagues to France or Spain ; You feel the clear Canariian foam. And the gulf water heave again. A true poet, Frederick George Scott, author of "The Soul's Quest" and the pathetic poem of "Wahoiiomin" sees the hei-oism of the true man In Columbus as he seeks America : "And westward with the stars in midnight sky His strong thought travelled 'gainst the mov- ing world. So onward to the line of mist which curled Around the the setting sun, with steadfast eye. He pushed his course, and trusting God on high Threw wide the portals of a larger wnrld." Archibald Lampman, of Ottawa, author of the beautiful collection of poems called "Among the Millet," sings the loftier strains of the poet, seeking the nobler things for our Canadian life, and spurning the base and the sordid : "Gold is but the juggling rod Of a false, usurping God, 6 (Jraven lonsr fVKO ii> l>"ll With a Hombre, wtoiiy spoil. WorkiiiK '» tho wild forovor. Hate in not ho strong to Hcvcr." From HIisH Carman, of New Brunswick, noted for his graphic lyrics, and full of love for the flowers that hloom and the winds that sigh, let ua hear : CAUNATIONH IN WINTKR. "Your carniiiio flakewof bloom to-niKbt TbeHn.'of wintry miiiHotHbold; AKaii) ii' droaiiiH you burn to light A fur Canadian garden old. The blue north summer over it Is bland with long ethereal days; The gleaming m..rtins wheel and tlit Where breaks your sun down orient ways. There, where the gradual twilight falls. Through (juictudes of dusk afar. Hermit antiphonal hermit (Mills From hills below the tlrst pale star. Then, in you passionate love's foredoom Once more vour spirit stirs the air. And you are lifted through the gloom To warm the eoils of her dark hair." Miss R. Pauline .Johnson of Brantford,a descendant of Joseph lirant, sings as a true Canadian, and as the poetess of her race fading toward the west. "West wind blow from your prairie nc^t, Rlow froui the mountains, lilow from the west. The sail is idle, the sailor too; Oh ! wind of the west, we wait for you. Blow! blow! I have wooed you so, But never a favor you bestow; You roekyourcraalo the hills between. But seorn to notiee my white lateen." There is a strength worthy of our bold scenery in the writings of William Wil- ford Campbell, the author of "L^'ie liyrics." These contain true artistic sketches of our Canadian lakes. Hear a single strain from the "Ode to Thunder Cape." "Storm-beaten cliff, thou mighty cape of thunder; lloek-Titaii of the north, whoso feet the waves bo'it under Cloud-reared, nUst-veiled. to all the world c. wonder. Shut out in the wild solitude asunder, O ! Thunder eape, thou mighty capo of storms." Last of the seven, but most classic and Satriotic is the Nova Scotian professor, has. G, D. Roberts. He is truly the laure- ate of Confederation: "But thou, my country, dream not thou ! Wake and behold how night is done, — How on thy breast, and o'er thy brow. Bursts "^ho uprising aun." Or again : "Here in Canadian hearth, and homo and name; — This name which yet shall grow Till all the nations know Us for a patriotic people, heart and hand Ijoyal to our native earth- our own Canadian land !" ir bold Ti Wil- ' "L-;e artiHtic Hear a Ode to cape of feet the 9 world p. or. • capo of tasic and rofessor, he laure- thon ! e, — aw. loino and [land Canadian PUBLICATIONS OF REV. PROF. BRYCE. LLD.. MANITOBA COLLEGE, WINNIPEG. (Also author cf Articles "Manitolui" and "Winnipeg," in Encyclopaidia Britiuinioa, and of "Canada," in "Narrative and Critical History of America.") Namk. PL'KUSIIEKS. 1. MANITOBA : Infancy, Gkowtii and Pkesent CoNniTlON Sampson, Low .!• Co., London . . (The standard work on Manitoba history.) 2. A Short Histokv op the Canadian People. ..Sampson, Low A- Co., I^ondon (The best short History oi '^'anada puhlished.) 3. Five Forts oi Winnipeg Royal Society of Canada 4. Plea for a Canadian Camden Society " " 5. Noted Journeys in Rupert's Land " " 6. History of Education in Manitoba British Association 7. The Winnipeg Country Manitoba Historical Society... S. The Mound Builders, Illustrated (scarce) " " 9. Memorial of A. K. Isbister, LL.B " " 10. The Souris Country — Mounds and Monmnents " " 11. Sketch of John Tanner, Manitoba Scout " " 12. The Old Settlers of Red River " " i.j. Notes on Harmon's Journal " " 14. The Celt in the Northwest Montreal Celtic Society 15. Holiday Rambles between Winnipegand Victoria ..Manitoba Free Press i6. Two Provisional Goveininents in Manitoba Manitoba Ilistoiical Society . . 17. The First Recorder of Rupert's Land— Judge 'I'honi " " iS. A Modern University Manitoba College Literarv Soc. 19. Surface Geology of Red River, &c Manitoba Historical Society.. . 20. Early Reminiscences of Manitoba College Manitoba College Literary Soc 31. Ohier Geology of Red River, &c Manitooa Historical Society... 22. The Assiniboine and its Forts Royal Society of Canada 2_^. Our Indians i'ages. Price Svo. 3f>4 $2.50 Svo. 551 4to. 4to. 4to. 8vo. Svo. '3 S 10 20 4 10 7 ^4 ■•^7 II 8 •5° 25 ■^5 2.S 40 59 LS ■SS 10 ■«S '5 SO So -iS 25 *s 10 10 $10.65 Immediate orders will be filled by W. D. RUSSELL, Bookseller, 26(» Main Street, Winnipeg, at 10 per cent discount for any separate work, or 20 per cent off if the whole are ordered.