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A.D.C. VOLUME 1. .h.y m.y 1., f„, ,he ,^ „r ,Hi. D„™i„i„„ of Canart'^^:;:^:^;''' " i; ST. JOHN, N.B. EARLE PUBLISHING HOUSE 1891 /% c /^>^ 163588 er zor^ ^ 9 I Jambs Murray & Co. Printers and Bookbinders Toronto NJ ]H TO (Pj? (Stlotjer SIR JOHN MACDONALDS OLDEST ...V.Nr. KK.KM, AN,, RK..AT.VK TliesK VOLIMES ARK RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED fij' the Amlutr. 891, by Li. Minister of ^n a^ntimi toast. The lady of each kniKhIyhear7w'.M ""^' "'"^ '"-•"''"^^•"' -' -t: cantof lovdiness. had Jen u JJ ^i^? •'""-«='-' "-ya sylla...., si«n.'. the s,«ukling cup on high : ' " """^ '" '^'- '^'^""'^ '"'"• when, hftinj; •• 1 drinl. to one." he iiai.l. W U.SC- imaKf ne».r mav dipnrt Ti.'^;;:-;;rJ-•^.•atefu,heaT• 1 o . nc whosi; K»e hath longer dwelt Mo. . d.vply hxcHl. „,orc k.vnK Mt . ' i h.in any pledged by youi" Ar.d U,d a hand i,pi,„ hi,, sword, U .th hery. Hash.W fVf • WW- i ov .V '■■' '"""' '^•*'''''"' dame ""**• ''^*«-" >"u count so hiffh." ;\,^^".?"".."*^> *" '■'■''e would r3i \ PREFACE. I CAN recollect Sir John A. Macdonald as long as I can recollect anything. The first incident that I arn able to recall, in connection with him, is in the year 1843 when I was a little fellow of about four years of age. One of my mother's sisters had, shortly before, arrived from Scotland on a visit to my home in Kingston, and, by her sweet gentleness of manner and tender sympathetic nature, had completely won m> baby heart. Sir John, who was always a freifuent caller at the house, he being first cousin to both my parents, became more assiduous than ever in his visits, and, one day, it was explained to me that my pretty young aunt and playmate, whom I had learned to love only next to my mother, was to leave us and go away with "Cousin John," and would, no longer, be available to tell me fascinating fairy tales or to soothe my sorrows with her warm caresses. The news seemed to convey the sense of a terrible impending calamity, and I gave utterance to my feelings in bitter sobs. These, in turn, were chased away by bright visions of wonderful thing's to li.tppen as soon as they returned from the wedding tour and took possession of their own home to which it was promised 1 should be permitted to go as often as I liked. This house was situated on Brock street, was large and commodious and contained all the comforts and conveniences then known to Cana- dian civilization. There was also a fine carriage and a pair of horses, " Mohawk " and " Charlie." Here I spent some of the happiest days of my life, being allowed the honour of sitting beside the coachman if the carriage was taken out, or at other times, the almost ecjually enjoyable privilege of being my uncle's companion in his library. VVe seldom talked : he was deep in his books, while I had a corner to myself where were gathered together, for my special delectation, numerous illustrated books and such captivating tales as " King Arthur and his knights of the round table," "The Arabian nights entertainment," etc., etc. I have no doubt but that I was often troublesome, but I cannot recollect ever receiving from him one unkind word. On the contrary, I was always made happy by a warm greeting, a pleasant smile, an encouraging word, or an affectionate pat on the head. Often I used to meet him on the street, when going to or from school, and then it was his delight to indulge in the pleasant fiction that he was my debtor to an unknown amount, and proceed to liquidate this debt to the extent of the half-pence he might have in his pocket. These sums seemed to me to represent V Tm: LiKK of Sik John A. Ma( DONAi.n •ii. fabulous wealth, and I ^rcw to regard him, not only as the richest but as the most generous man I had ever known. After a time, Mrs. Macdonald, having become delicate, started with her husband for the .Southern .States in order to escape the severity of the Canadian winter. The means of travelling were then of so tedious and trying a nature that before New Yoik was reached she had become so ill that it was impossible to proceed. .My mother was sent for and remained many months nursing her sister with all the love and devotion of her warm Highland nature, a.id, when she came back, bore in her arms, a dear little baby boy to v/hom his father's name had been given. He remained with us for soirc time and became the pet and delight of the whole house. When his mother returned, a beautiful place on the borders of the city, the property of Mr. Hales, was taken for her. It is now owned by Mr. James \Vils(m and is known as Hellevue. Here the parents and child were re-united, but not for long. When at, perhaps, the most endearing age, just able to toddle about and to prattle a few words in his sweet infantile language, my mother came home one day and, in tearful words, told us of convulsions and approaching death. A day or two later we were taken to sec and to bid a last sorrowful farewell to the little white-robed figure, lying so still and quiet in its tiny cot in a darkened room. Three years afterwaids a second baljy boy made his appearance, and from this event, there grew another pleasant fiction which was, that, from the hour of his arrival, this small atom of humanity was aware of the recurrence of birthdays, Christmas Day, and other im|)nitant events, and was graciously pleased to testify his approval of the conduct of his youthful friends by presents of books, balls, fishing rods and various other articles dear to the hearts of young boys. About the time that this wonderful possessor of supernatural powers had grown to such mature age as to be able to inform the world that his name was " Hugh John Jin,'' I was sent away to a boarding-school at Cornwall. After this followed an arts course at Queen's College, law studies in the office of Macdonald, Macdonel' and Wilkison and starting out for myself in the world. Hut the seeds of warm affection and loving admiration had been sown at that period of life when the heart is most susceptible, and the impressions became so deeply graven as to be incffacable by any occurrences of after life. Is it any wonder then, that, in the dark days of 1873-78, when Sir John Macdonald had been so borne down by the wave of public opinion which followed what was supposed to have been his wrong-doing in connection with the Pacific Railway that it was thought that he would never rise again, I should offer my spare time and such ability as I might possess to hand down to posterity the story of his life up to that date ? He accepted my offer and gave me letters to Mr. Shannon, of the I'KKKACK. VII. 1 is le y )f e s Kingston News^ and to the late Dr. Marker, of the Kingston W'hig^ ask- ing them to allow me the use of their files, and to the late Dr. Toddi Parliamentary Librarian, requesting him to afford me every facility in the way of books. It was my intention to submit to him, for revision, every chapter as it was written, but he came back to power before I had accomplished much, and then the demands upon his time were so heaw and urgent that the reading had always to be postponed to a more convenient season. Had it not been for that overwhelming sense of duty which impelled him to throw himself into the late contest with such force, energy and utter disregard of self that his own life was the penalty, we might have looked forward to an early retirement from active politics and the enjoyment of a long evening of life, during which he would have h.id the leisure necessary to thoroughly revise my work and to add such matter as would have made it an invaiual)ie history of the country. As it is I have been thrown on my own resources, and have even been prevented, by the demands for immediate publication, from obtaining the kindly criticism of friends to the extent tiiat I would have liked. .Vlthough 1 have been at the task for over twelve years, only a very few, beyond those above mentioned as having been written to by .Sir John A. Macdonald, were aware of the fact. These exceptions were his son Hugh John, his brother-in-law the Rev. Dr. Williamson, and Mr. George Johnson, Dominion .Statistician, and to these I have only been able to submit a portion of the whole work. I am awaie of the great value that would attach to these pages were I able to say that they had been revised and approved by the late Premier. I also realize that, in saying that he was cognizant of what I was doing and contemplated going over the manuscript, there is a possibility that a certain amount of responsibility for the opinions e.\i)ressed therein may be attached to him. To avoid all danger of this I shall give fac similies of some letters received from him which will corroborate my statements both as to his knowledge of my work and intention to revise it, and his inability to give the necessary time thereto. To these I will add a third, which contains his opinion of a book now being pushed by enterprising publishers, and which is advertised as having been re-written by a gentleman who was the secretary of the Commercial Union Club. This biography is said by the Empire to show a marked partiality for the doctrine of commercial union with the States, and to be prefaced by a tacit endorsement of the very policy against which Sir John A. Macdonald fought so strongly and so successfully. As the author has written to that paper and not contra- dicted that statement it must be accepted as correct, and friends and opponents alike will agree in condemning so unfair and improper a procedure. The opinions I have expressed in these volumes respecting very remote events are such as I have formed after careful examination of viii. The Life of Sir John A. M.u donali*. various histories of the country, memoirs of governors-general, etc. Those respecting occurrences of more recent date, and prior to Confed- eration, represent my own conception of Sir John A. Macdonald's career up to that time. In those days public questions were discussed with a freedom and vigour, not to say bitterness, which would appear strange in thesi; days. I have felt, however, that the best view of that period and of the men who were then prominent actors in our affairs will be given by following as far as possible the language employed by themselves- From Confederation to the present date we may be said to be dealing with contemporary politics, and it becomes difficult to touch upon the questions without becoming, or being credited with becoming, contro- versal and partizan. Therefore, while it is necessary to follow Sir John A. Macdonald down to his latest act, I have endeavoured to do so in as calm and dispassionate a manner as possible, and have striven to avoid saying a word that would hurt the feelings of any of those who may not have agreed with him. Respecting his last great fight I have ventured to write the story as it appeared to me, to present the various questions discussed, and to >.'ive some statistics in connection therewith. These figures have been carefully collated from official sources and may be accepted as correct, and are given in a strictly impartial and unbiassed manner. I have referred to three gentlemen, two re.atives and a friend, as having seen portions of my work. Of these the Rev. Dr. Williamson, the venerable vice-president of Queen's College, is good enough to write to me : •' You may be sure of my warm recommendation (for whatever that is worth) from what I know of your ability and from what I have read of your manuscript." Nearly ten years have elapsed since 1 submitted to Mr. Hugh John Macdonald the portions of my work which were then complete. From his letters returnmg the parts to me I quote the following kindly extracts : " I read the manuscript, carefully, several times, and, so far as the introduction is concerned, I don't think you can improve it in any way, and in other respects I can honestly congratulate you on the success of your work. Hoping you will bring the biography to a successful conclusion," etc., etc. Mr. Johnson, the Dominion .Statistician, being so well known all over Canada, I will give his letter in full : Mv Dear Macpherson,— In re request for a statement respecting your work on Sir John's " Life,'' I have to say that the manuscript passed through my hands, previous to its being sent to Sir John ; that I have carefully read it, and that, so far as I am competent to judge, the work appeared to me well executed, both as to matter and manner. Your possession of original and valuable material, and your opportunities for frequent consultation with our lamented chieftain is to me /rvwrt y^i«V evidence of your qualifications for the important task of presenting Sir John's life and labours to the people of Canada, whom he T Preface. IX. i T loved so dearly, for whom he laboured so disinterestedly, and for whom he laid down his life so cheerfully. I remain, Yours truly, (Signed) GEORGE Johnson. June 25, 1891. I can only add that I fully appreciate the importance of the task 1 have undertaken, that I am sensible of the many shortcomings my work will present to the critical reader, that much has been left out which others may think should have been put in, and that, altogether, my eflforts have failed to do justice to the character of the great man who has passed away. I will, however, throw myself upon the kindness of readers and ask them to accept these pages as an humble effort to pay a a tribute of love and respect to the memory of Canada's greatest son. Death has removed all bitterness of feeling, and he is now universally acknowledged to have been a sincere patriot, a wise and far-seeing statesman. No man has ever so won a nation's affection during his life ; no man has ever been more mourned in his death. His great heart was full of the kindliest feelings to every one, and he ruled as much by the love he instilled and the confidence he inspired as by the respect which his marvellous intellect commanded. Friend and foe alike wept over his grave and vied with each other in doing honour to his name. Fully realizing all this and implicitly believing in the purity of his motives and the wisdom of his policy, I h.ive striven to make these clear without, at the same time, antagonizing any one. If I have at all succeeded in doing this to the satisfaction of the people of this country, I shall deem myself fully lewarded for years of labour and research. In conclusion, I desire to express my grateful thanks to Mr. James Shannon, late proprietor of the Kmgston Daily News, and to his son and successor. Major Lewis Shannon, for so kindly permitting me to have the old files of the journal at my own honie. When the Parliament liuild- ings in Montreal were destroyed by fire, all the back numbers of papers belonging to the library were burned up, so that I could only obtain those that had accumuluted since that date. It will, therefore, be readily seen of what great value to me were the files of the Chronicle and Xcws. In its columns I have found not only the views of that paper on all public questions, but also those of other leading journals of both sides of politics, and, at the same time, special information respecting Sir John A. Macdonald, a mass of material, the importance of which cannot be over-estimated. Ottawa, July 16, 1891. _i .'-I.- . ^mrr ^ I J •f I CONTENTS. CHAPTKR I. Introduction -Deplorable condition of inhabitants in 1750-BlessinRs derived from change to British rule-(,)uebec erectwi into a new Government inijGj -Kffects of sudden introduction of new laws and language-Quebec Act 1774-U. E. Loyalists-Division into Upper and Uiwer Canada-General Craig's imperious rule— Toronto made seat of government in i797-\Var of 181 1- 14 -Collisions with governors-The Canada Trade Act, 182^ -Difficulties with Lord Dalhousie— Appeal to Imperial Parliament— Death of George IV.— Expulsion of Wm. Lyon Mackenzie-The ninetv-two resolutions of 1H34— Commission fn.m Home Government— Succession of ()ueen V ictoria- -Rebellion of 1837-8^-Lord Durham's report -Lord Syden- ham- Union of the Provinces-Responsible Government— The Clergy Heseryes-Sir Charles Bagot-Sir Charles Metcalfe - Robert Baldwin. PACK 19 CHAPTER II. Sir John A. Macdonald's ancestors-Intellectual vigour and strong person- ality of his mother-His fathers high integrity-His birth in .Scotland in 1013- I he departure for Canada in 1H20— Settlement in Kingston— His grandmother's death there in 182 1 -Removal to Hay 1 -ay— Sir John's school days-His character as a boy-Poetical fu u'*"- ^"^ studies— Anecdotes of his youthful life -Called to the bar in 1836— Takes charge of an office in Picton-Commences practice in Kingston— Defence of Von Shoultz and other sym- pathisers—Becomes an alderman— First election to the Legislative Assembly in 1844. .... 73 CHAPTER HI. Mr. Macdonald's appointment as Receiver-General in 1847-Testimonv as to his ability by newspapers of both sides of politics— The Uni- versity Bil- Dissolution-Review of Government Policy -Mr Macdonald s appointment as Commissioner of Crown Lands— He defeats Mr. Mackenzie by 386 tp S4-Meeting of new Parliament February 25, 1848— The Government beaten on the Address 104 CHAPTER IV, The Baldwin -Lafontaine Government-The Rebellion Losses Bill-Bitter Personalities between Mr. Blake. Sir Allan McNab and others- Exciting scenes in the House- Meeting at Bonsecours Market. Montreal — Resolutions passed — Mr. Hincks Circular— Mr Cayleys Reply— Popular Excitement— Burning in Effigy of Bald- Tttack^d^ ^^°" Mackenzie-Mr. George Brown's residence 12G I Xll. The Life of Sik John A. Macdonald. CHAPTER V. Meetings to promote a federal union of all the B. N. A. Provinces — Rebellion Losses Bill as viewed in England— Mass Meeting on Champ de Mars, Montreal — Burning of Parliament Buildings — The outrages condemned on all sides — Sir Allan McNab's letter — Meeting at Kingston — Mr. Boulton's resolution — The excitement extends to the Maritime Provinces — Resolutions at Fredericton. . CHAPTER VI. Speeches in British Parliament ^ n Rebellion Losses Bill — Mr. Gladstone strongly opposes it — Lord Lyndhurst's disapprobation — His defence of Sir Allan McNab — He points out Mr. Lafontaine's connection with the rebellion and says the proposition to reward reliels was monstrous — Lord Brougham's definition of the loyal and disloyal parties — His resolution — List of less important Bills reserved for Her Majesty's pleasure, ... ..... 142 '55 CHAPTER VII. Mr. Baldwin's University Bill — Petitions of (Jueen's College against — Mr. Hinckson Free Trade — Mr. Cayley on Protection — An Intercolonial Railway advocated — The Seat of Government Question -Mr. Macdonald's motion in favour of Kingston— Formation of the British-American'League — Meeting of 145 Delegates at Kingston— The platform of the Conservative party defined as Protection. Con- federation and Retrenchment — Address issued by the League — Speeches by Delegates — Expression of opinion against an elective Legislative Council CHAPTER VIII. (1849-51). Great depression in Canada — Conservative remedy therefor— Annexation movement in Montreal — Address signed by 325 influential men in favour of the movement, issued to Canadians — Article in the London Times — Meeting of Parliament, May 14, 1850 — Control of Post Office vested in provincial authorities — Petition from Kingston against convict labour — Attack by the North Ameritan on the Administration — The proposed policy — Opinions of the i'.lohe — The Hudson's Bay Company's territory — Movements in favor of rail- road communication — Mr. Macdonald's speech at Gananocjue. . .76 198 CHAPTER LX. Opening of Parliament, May 20, 1851 — Mr. Cayley's resolution on Pro- tection — Mr. W. L. Mackenzie's motion to abolish the Court of Chancery — Resignation of Mr. Baldwin — Mr, Hincks' resolutions on the Grand Trunk Railway — Reconstruction of Administration- Dissolution — General Election — Mr. Macdonald's speech in Kings- ton — Assemblingof new Parliament, August irj, 1852 — Mr. Sanfield Macdonald elected Speaker — Mr. John A. Macdonald's Speech on the Address — Provincial Board of Trade meeting at Ouebec — Protection asked for — Mr. Morin's resolutions to make the Legis- 1 \ CONTKNTS. XIII. lative Council elective— Mr. Hinck's resolutions on the Clergy Reserves — Mr. Houlton's Amendments— Mr Macdonald's Speech —Resignation of Hon John Young on the Trade Policy of the Government— Adjournment— Negotiations for a line of Ocean steamers 143 217 '55 CHAPTER X. Northern Railway Df>lv itures Scandal— Pas age of New Representative Bill, March, 1853 — ^Mr. Brown's hostility to Mr. Morin's Klective Councils resolutions — The Globf also opposes the change — The resolutions are carried — Prorogation June 15, 1853 — Reconstruc tion of Administration— Attacks on the Government by Mr. George Brown — Charges against the Administration by the North American and the Globe— Opening of the Great Western Railway — Specific charges of corruption against members of the Cabinet . 243 CHAPTER XI Meeting of Parliament, June, 1854— The Government sustained on the Address — Defeated on motion of Messrs. Cauchon and Sicotte — Mr. Macdonald's Speech— Prorogation — Sir Allan McNab's protest against — He is endorsed by Mr. Brown and W. L. Mackenzie — The Speaker protests to the Governor — General condemnation by the Press — Mr. Hincks' address to the electors of Oxford — Ixtrd Elgin's despatch — Bitter election contests. The Government party beaten at the polls— Mr. Macdonald defeats Mr. Counter by 162 votes - 255 .76 )8 CHAPTER XH. 1854 — (Continued). Defeat of Ilincks-Morin Government on the Speakership— Second defeat on the Bagot Election case — Resignation— Sir Allan McNab forms a Coalition Administration — Mr. John A. Macdonald appointed Attorney-General — The Government denounced by the Globe — Mr. Cayley's Address to the Electors — Mr. Macdonald returned by Acclamation — Large majorities in favour of the Government — Passage of the Reciprocity Bill — The Clergy Reserves' Bill carried by 62 to 39— The Seigniorial Tenure Bill passed — Adjournment December i8th — Meeting February 23, 1855— Ministerial changes during Christmas recess — Mr. Cauchon's Bill to make Legislative Council elective— Mr. Macdonald's Speech— Seal o^ Government question^Prorogation — Remarks o 1 work of session . . 2''4 CHAPTER XIII. 1855 — (Continued). Mr. Hincks appointed Governor of Barbadoes — Removal of seat of gov- ernment to Toronto — Meeting of Parliament, February, 1856 — Quebec decided upon as permanent .Seat of Government — Changes in Cabinet — Vote of want of confidence lost by twenty-three votes — Mr. Macdonald's uefence of the Government — Resignation of Messrs. Spence, Morrison, etc.— Sir Allan McNab resigns Premiership xiv. TiiK LiKK OF Sir John A. Macdonald. Formation of Tache- Macdonald Administration — Sir Allan's state- ment in the House — Mr. Macdonald's endorsement of the Govern- ment Policy —Birth of Libeial-Conservative party — Mr. Macdonald's position considered. 2'j6 CHAPTER XIV. Reform Convention, January, 1857 — Principal Planks of Platform — Indig- nation of Lower Canada Reformers — Opening of session of 1857 — Seat of Government Question — The yueen petitioned to settle the Question — Sir Edmund Head's Despatch — Prorogation — Sir E. P. Tache appointed Commissioner of Crown Lands — Resignation of Seat in Parliament by Sir Allan McNab — Sketch of his Life. . 318 CHAPTER XV. 1857-58. Resignation of Colonel Tachc — Formation of Macdonald-Cartier Govern- ment, November, 1857 — Review of work of preceding Ministeries — Dissolution of Parliament — Kingston nomination — Ottawa selected as seat of government — Result of elections — Meeting of Parliament, February, 1858 — Vote on election of Speaker — Amendments to the Address— Speech of Honourable Attorney-General Macdonald — Ministry beaten on seat of government question— Sr.stained on want oi confidence motion — Resignation of Macdonald-Cartier Govern- ment — Remarlcs on course pursued 327 CHAPTER XVI. i8s8-(Co«//«/W). Formation of Brown-Dorion Administraiion, August, 1858 — The Globe on Ministerial Policy — Mr. Patrick's announcement of names — Mr. Langevin's want of confidence motion — Mr. Sicotte's Precedents for Motion— Mr. (ialt's Speech — Mr. Morion on Attorney-General Drummond's Course — Mr. Malcolm Cameron's attack on Ministry — The Government defeated — Mr. Brown asks for dissolution and is refused— Resignation of Hrown-Dorion Administration — Correspon- dence of Mr. Brown with the Governor-General — Attack of Mr. McGee on His Excellency — Reply to Mr. Macdonald — Mr. Drum- mond's previous opinion of Mr. Brown — Mr. Brown's previous treatment of his other colleagues. 356 CHAPTER XVII 1858-59 Formation of Cartier-Macdonald Administration — Exchange of Offices, known as " the Double Shuffle " — The Globe's denunf^iations of the Governor-General— Character of Mr. Brown — Prorogation — Suits to test the Legality of the Exchange of Offices — Visits of Mr. Cartier and Colonel Tache to England — Colonel Tach^ receives the honour of Knighthood— Death of Robert Baldwin— Resignation of Mr. Sicotte — Opening of Parliament, January 1859 — The seat of govern- ment question — Mr. Brown left off the Public Accounts Committee — Refusal of Legislative Council to vote Supplies — Prorogation. . 379 Contents. XV. CHAPTER XVIII. Mr. Macdonald's ball on St. Valentine's day— Session of i860— Mr. Brown's resolutions — The Government sustained by large majori- ties — Adjournment — Phrenological estimate of Mr. Macdonald's character — Visit of the Prince of Wales— He lays foundation stone of Parliament Buildings— The Orange difficulty — Explanation of the cause of trouble by Mr. Macdonald at Brantford — Civil war breaks out in the United States — Session of 1861 — Bitter debates on the Address — Reduced Government majority— Representation by Popu- lation Policy — Mr. Macdonald's views — Prorogation and dissolu- tion—Dinner to Mr. Carling— Kingston election — Mr. Macdonald opposed by Mr. Mowat— He is re-elected by a majority of 311 — Festivities 393 CHAPTER XIX. 1861 — {Continued). Result of the elections — Death of Wm. Lyon Mackenzie— Arrival of Lord Monck — The Trent difficulty — Session of 1862 — Election of Mr. Turcotte as Speaker — Ministerial changes— Defeat of Cartier- Macdonald Government on Militia Bill — Resignation — Macdonald- Sicolte Administration — Itspolicy— I'rorogation — Significant speech of Lord Monck on National Defence 426 CHAPTER XX. i?i()2— (Continued). Feeling in England c .-er vote on Militia Bill — The London Times article — Death of Sir Allan McNab — Election of Honourable Alexander Campbell to Speakership of Legislative Council — Resignation of Honourable A. A. Dorion— Session of 1863 — Passageof the Separate School Bil] — Comments of the Globe — Honourable John A. Mac- donald's -.vant of confidence motion— Defeat of the Macdonald- Sicotte Government — The Assembly refuse to go on with business — Dissolution — Reconstruction of Cabinet— Formation of Mac- donald-Dorion Government — Attack by Honourable D'Arcy McGee on his late colleagues— Result of the elections 442 CHAPTER XXI. Summer Session of 1863 — Debate an Speakership — The Honourable John A. Macdonald compares the Premier to Frankenstein's Monster — Government sustained by sixty-six tofilty-eight — Warm Attacks on re-constructed Ministry — Abandonment of Principles of " Double Majority " and " Representation by Population " — Mr. Sicotte's charges of bad treatment — Mr. Foley and Mr. McGee explain how they were dismissed from the Government — Mr. Sicotte's Amend- ment to the Address — Mr. Sandfield Macdonald's Attack on Mr. McGee— Mr. McGee's reply — Mr. Sicotte's Appointment as Judge — Mr. Cockburn's Resolution — Dr. Bown's Speech in favour of Motion — Government sustained by a majority of two —Close of Session. ........... 458 V^H XVI. The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. CHAPTER XXII. 1864. Defeat of Mr. A. N. Richards, Solicitor-Genera. West — Opening of Parlia- ment — Resignation of Macdonald-Dorion Government — Formation of Tache-Macdonald Administration — Ministerial Explanations — Disinclination of Macdonald to accept Office— Policy of the new Government — Defeat of Mr, Foley — Factious Spirit of Assembly — The Ministry sustained by two votes on Want of Confidence Motion — Defeated by two votes on Motion respecting Montreal loan. 47' II \ \ f CHAPTER XXIII. 1864 — iContinueil). Negotiations wii . Mr. George Brown — Resolutions passed at Opposition caucus meet ig — A coalition Go ■ernment formed — Memorandum of proceedings between the Government and Mr. Brown — Speeches by Mr. Brovn and Mr. Mowat — Prorogation — Appointment of Messrs. Brown, Mowat and McDougall to places in the Cabinet — Correspondence with His E.xcellency. ...... 502 CHAPTER XXIV 1864 — (Continued). Conference of delegates at Charlettown, P.E.I., in September — Con- ference at Queliec in October — The projected Constitution for , British Norta America- Despatch from Honourable E. Card well, Secretary of State for the Colonies 533 f AI.D. ig of Parlia- -Formation lanations — of the new Assembly — nee Motion loan. . -"jACK" Mac.kj.nald (Sir /ohn's Grandson at the aL-e of three. ..... A J SIR John as a Younc; Man (from a paintin^r ^n ivory) ' ' ' ^^ The Hon. John Carlino, . . . . ^ " ' ^\^ The Hon. Alexander Mackenzie (Prime Minister, November .87'^ ^"^ to October 187S), ' T.iE Hon. J. J. C. Abbott, D.C.L., Q.C, • ^g^ Hon. Sir Charles Tc-pek, Bart , G.C.M.G., C.B., D.C.L. (Cantab) ^ ^ (High Commissioner for Canada in the United A-imrdcm), Hon. Sir S. L. Tilley, ... i ;. . 499 Hon. S.r John .S. D. Thompson! K.C.M.G.. (i.c/l-.C.'. (Minister ^"^ of lust ice), S2J ^•frnmsa LIKK OK KIGIIT llONt)UKAHLK SIR JOHN A. MACDONALD, ecu. D.lM.. (0.v„„.), I.I..I).. g.c. I'.C c: 11 A !• T V R 1. Introduction— Deplorable rtmcliiion of inhahiiants in 1759— HIessinjjs di-rived from changfto Hrilish rule -fJuclnT cncu-il inloa new (iovrrinnt-m in 1763 — Kffccts of mkUIlm) introduction of new laws anci languanc -(^»ucl)ci: Act 1774 -U. K. Loyalists Division into Upper ami Lower Canada (leneral Crai^j's imperious rule —Toronto made seal of (iovernmenl in r7t)7- Warof l8n 14 -(,'ollisions with governors -The (!anada Trade Ait 1S22 — DiHi- culties with Lord Dalhou '•• -Appeal to Imperial Parliament Death of (leorjje I\'. — Kxpulsi(/n of \Vm. Lvon Mackenzie —The ninety-two resolu- tions of i8?4 Commission from Home C into a \k\v Govkknmknt. 2^ 4 advantages have become our birthright aiul shall, I hope, be the lasting inheritance of our posterit}'. To secure them let us only act as British subjects and freemen." In 1763, by proclamation under the (ireat Seal, Quebec was erected into a new gosernment, the law and customs of the colony set aside, and the Kiigli; h laws, incUuling the penal statutes against Roman Catholics, introduced in their stead. General Murray was appointed to the governorship, with instructions to nominate a council of eight members to assist him in the administration The effect of this sutlden introduction of a new language and of new laws was to produce the greatest confusion and di.sorder The people could only understand what was going on through the medium of interpreters. All offices of emolu- ment or importance were ccjnferred on British-born subjects (many being brought from iMigland), who were alike ignorant of the customs and language of the inhabitants. This state of affairs naturally created di.sgust and discontent, antl when Sir Guy Carleton succeeded Cieneral Murray, he took the earliest opportunity of returning to l^ngland and getting the French civil liws revised by the law officers of the Crown, and con- stituted the chief authority in the courts of Canada in all questions affecting land the iMiglish law being retained in commercial transactions. In 1774 the Quebec Act was {massed This Bill repealed all the provisions of the ro)al prcx;lamation of 1763, annulled the acts of the governor and council relative to the civil government and administration of justice, revoked the com- missions of judges and other existing officers, and established new boundaries for the province, which was now declared to embrace all ancient Canada, Labrador and the counties west of the Ohio and Mississippi. It also released the Roman Catholic religion in Canada from penal restrictions, renewed the dues and tithes of the members of that church to its regular clergy, and confirmed all classes with the exception of the religious orders and communities, in the full possession of their properties. The French laws were declared to be the rules for the decision of questions relating to property and 24 The Life ok Sir John A. Macdonald. civil rights, while the English criminal law was established in perpetuity. Both the civil and criminal laws were, however, liable to be altered or modified by the ordinances of the governor and legislative council. This council was to bs appointed by the crown and to con- sist of not more than twenty-three nor less than seventeen members. Its power was limited to levying local or muni- cipal taxes, and to making irrangements for the administration of the internal affairs of the province, the British government jealously reserving to it.self the right of external ta.xation or levying duties on articles imported or exported. Every ordinance passed by this council was to be transmitted, within six months after enactment, for the approbation of the king, and, if disallowed, to be null and void, on his pleasure becoming known in Quebec. At this time the population was about 100,000. This law, ba.scd upo;i the presumption that the French would remain the dominant race in Canada, was ?. great boon as far as that people were concerned, but oppressive to a degree to those of British origin, many of whoin had settled in the country or in the valley of the Ohio, which, by this Act, was made part of Quebec, and who were thus deprived of the right of a jury in civil cases, of the Habeas Corpus Aci, and of constitutional government, and were made subject to French laws. The mayor, aldermen and city council of the cit}' of London petitioned the king not to sanction the bill, and, as soon as it reached Quebec, the English .settlers al.so promptly petitioned for its repeal, while, in the American colonies, its passage was greeted by a storm of indignation and contributed, in no small degree, to fan those feelings of irritation against the mother country which finally brought about the struggle that led to their independence. This war, commenced in 1775 and concluded by tue treaty of peace of November 1783, caused the first settlement of that part of the country afterwards known as Upper Canada During its progress many fatnilies emigrated across the border, and were followed by large numbers at its close. The country was then a perfect wilderness and entirely uninhabited, with 1 United Empire Loyalists. 25 the exception of a few military posts and some P'rench settle- ments in the neighbourhood of Detroit, the entire population being less than 2,000. To reward these faithful servants, large grants of land were made, ranging from 200 to 1,200 acres of land each, with 200 acres for each child born, or to be born, upon arriving at the age of twenty-one years. In 1789 a list of these persons was directed to be made out and returned "to put a mark of honour" — as it is expressed in the orders in council — "upon the families who had adhered to the unity of the empire, and joined the royal standard in America, before the treaty of .separation of 17H3, to the end their posterity may be dis- tinguished from the future .settlers." From t!ie initials of the words "Unity of the Empire," it was styled the V.K. list, and those who.se names were entered on it, were distinguished as U.lv Loyalists. In 1785, Henry Hamilton was .sent f)ut as governor, and one of his first acts was to assemble the legislative council and recommend to their consitlcration the introduction of the Habeas Corpus Act into the province, which w as accordingl\ done. In 1786, General Carlcton, who had in the meantime been raised to the peerage as Lord Dorchester, returned to Canad.i as governor, and at once directed enquiries to be made into the state of the laws, connnerce, education, and police. It was found that English judges followed iMiglish law, Canadian judges French law, other judges no law at all, but decided according to what they believed to be the ecjuity of the ca.se. Commerce was in a languishing condition owing to the active rivalry of the United States, and education was almost entirel\- neglected. This state of things, and the expressed wishes of a portion of the inhabitants, principally the English-speaking residents of the cities of Quebec and Montreal, ilecided the home govern- ment upon conferring upon Canada a Legislature modelled on the same principle as that of Great Britain. The .scheme, however, caused great alarm to the F'rench-speaking portion of the community, who, in December 1778, memorialized the 26 TiiK I.iFii OF Sir John A. Macijonald. Crown as follows: "It is our religion, our laws relative to our property and our personal security, in which we arc most interested, and these we enjoy in the most ample manner by the Quebec Hill. We are the more averse to a House of Assembly from the fatal consequences which will result from it. Can we, as Roman Catholics, hope to preserve, for any leni;th of time, the same prerogatives as Protestant subjects in a House of Representatives, and will there not come a time when the influence of the latter will overbalance that of our jxxsterity? In this case should wc and our posterity' enjoy the same advantages which our present constituticjn secures to us? Again, have we not reason to dread lest we should soon see those taxes levied upon the estates, which arc at present actually levied upon articles of commerce, which the inhabi- tant pays, indirectly, it is true, but in proportion to what he consumes? Shall we not fear that we may one day see the seeds of dissension created by the Assembly of Representa- tives, and nourishctl by those intestine hatretls, to which the opposite interests of the ok! and new subjects will materially give birth." To meet these objections it was decided to divide the province into Upper and Lower Canada, the boundary' line being drawn at the point where the grants from the F'rench Crown ceased. In 1791 the bill was passed and continued to be the con- stitution of the Canadas until the Union of 1841. This Act repealed .so much of the Quebec Act as related to the appoint- ment of a council for the affairs of the Province of Quebec, divided the province into two parts, with a legislative council and assembly for each, the members of the former to be aopointed for life, and in Upper Canada to consist of not fewer than seven, and in Lower Canada, of not fewer than fifteen persons, the governor to have the right of appointing the speaker. The members of the latter were to be elected by owners of freehold property and tenants paying a rental of ;£^io per annum, and to consist of not less than sixteen in Upper Canada, and fifty in Lower Canada. An allotment of lands was made in each province for the support and i' Division into Uim'Kk and Lowkr Canada. 27 maintenance of a Protestant clergy, to be as nearly as possible equivalent to a seventh part of what was granted, or to be granted. His Majesty was also authorized to empower the governor in each province to erect parsonages and to endow them, and to present incumbents, or ministers of the church of England, subject to all rights granted, or to be granted, to the bishop of Nova Scotia. Power was given to the provincial legislatures to vary or repeal the provisions relating to the clergy reserves and parsonages, provided that no bills on that behalf were to be assented to by His Majesty, until thirty days after they had been laid before both houses of the Imperial parliament. The home government reserved to itself the right of arranging duties, and of regulating navigation and com- merce. The population of the province of Quebec had now increased to about 1 50,000, and was composed, in a very large proportion, of French Canadians, n simple, cheerful people, unaccustomed to taking part in political matters, and to whom the Quebec Act was admirably suited. The revenue was only about ;6 5,000, and the expenditure nearly ;{^20,ooo, and as the difference was paid out of the Imperial chest, they did not trouble themselves about cjuestions of finance. They neither understood nor cared for self-government, and were entirely unconscious of the power the new Act was to give them. The press wielded but little influence, news travelled slowly, and the postal arrangements were so primitive, that it took a month for a letter to go from the city of Quebec to Halifax or New York, and four months for a reply to be received to a letter sent to England. The first parliament of Lower Canada sat for over six months, during which time it pai^scd Jive bill.s. It is worthy of remark, that on the 3rd of November, 1809, the steamer Accomodation left Montreal and after a voyage of thirty-six hours, arrived in Quebec. She was built by John Molson, and was the second steamer on this con- tinent. As an instance of the power exercised by governors in for- mer days, it may be mentioned that after the fifth parliament 28 The Lifk of Sir John A. Macdonald. of Lower Canada, which met on the 9th of Apt i!, 1809, had been sittinj^ for five weeks, General Craig took umbrage at their proceedings and went down and dissolved the House on the l6th of May, using terms of strong censure towards the members, but complimenting the legislative council. When the new assembly met on the 29th of January of the following year, they resolved by a vote of twenty-five to seven, " that the executive's approving of the conduct of one part of the legislature, and censuring that of the other, was contrary to the spirit of the constitution, a breach of their privileges, and dangerous to the rights and liberties of His Majestj's subjects in this province." Their action with regard to judges holding seats in the assembly, also gave offence to the governor, who came down and again dissolved the House. '' Le Canadieit'' was the only newspaper that oppo.sed these acts, so, on the 17th of March, a party of soldiers, a magistrate and two con- stables went to the office, seized the press and material, and conveyed them to the vaults of the city court-house. The printers and six h'rcnch Canadian gentlemen, were also taken prisoners and placed in gaol, from which, after a time, they were released, one by one, without the form of a trial. At the time of its formation into a separate province, Upper Canada contained about 20,000 inhabitants. The first parliament met at Niagara on the 17th September, 1792, and was opened by Governor Simcoe. The asstmbl)- consisted of but si.xteen members, and the council of still less. It sat for less than a month, but during that time, passed eight very important bills, l^y these, were introduced the English civil law, and trial by jury ; provision was made for the collection of small debts, the toll to be taken by millers was regulated, jails and court-houses were provided for in each district, etc. It having been decided to surrender Fort Niagara on the American side of the river, Governor Simcoe, considering that his capital was too near the borders, decided on removing it, and, after coasting along the northern shore of Lake Ontario, finally settled on a site near the old French fort, Toronto, which accordingly became the seat of government in 1797. « War ok i8i 1-14. 29 In 181 1, the democracy of the United States forced a war with Great Britain, the avowed object of which was to possess themselves of Canada. This course was strongly opposed by many members of Congress, delegates from several counties in New York protested at Albany against it, and the day war was declared the shipping in the harbour at Boston displayed their flags at half-mast in token of mourning. The whole population of the country at thi^5 time was barely 300,000, of which only 80,000 were in Upper Canada, whilst that of the United States, was upwards of 8,000,000. The promoters of the invasion anticipated that Canada would offer but a slight resistance. They relied, not only upon their own overpowering numbers, but on the willingness of a large portion of the inhabitants to see their country annexed to the United States. They soon found that they had reck- oned without their host in both respects. Very few of the Canadians were willing to change their allegiance, and, amongst those who first took up arms in defence of the country, and went forth to meet the invaders, were tho.se American citizens who had emigrated from the New England states and New York, and settled in the country. The whole brunt of the first part of the fight fell upon the comparatively few regular troops and the militia, owing to the belief in England that hostilities would cease as soon as it became known to Congress that the English Government had repealed the famous orders-in-council, the ostensible cause of the war, issued in retaliation for the Berlin and Milan decrees, by which all continental ports were closed against British manufacturers, and the whole coast of Great Britain declared to be in a state of blockade. But, small as were the numbers to oppose them, extensive the frontier to be defended, and bad the means of communica- tion between the different parts of the country, the enemy could make no headway, and, again and again, were driven over the border, and the campaign of 18 12 resulted in the complete overthrow of the hopes of those who had planned it. The inhabitants had proved loyal to the British throne, and had fought with yuch splendid courage, that, although but a hand- ful in number, thev had been able to roll back the tide of I 30 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. invasion, and, when winter set in, had the proud satisfaction of knowing that their country, from end to end, was still their own. There were many noble men in the United States who had vehemently opposed the unnatural war. The States of Massachussctts, Connecticut and Rhode Island had never approved of it, and had refused to contribute their quota of militia. The State of Maryland now raised its voice aj^ainst the unprincipled invasion of an unoffending people, and declared that these States were right in refusing to contribute men for such a purpose, and that the war was imcompatible with Republican principles, while Mr. Quinccy, in Congress, denounced it in the strongest terms. "We .seized." said he "the first opportunity to carry the war amongst the harmless colonists. It was not owing to our Government that the bones of the Canadians were not mixed with the ashes of their habi- tations. Since the invasion of the buccaneers there is nothing in history more disgraceful." The cause of freedom, justice and humanity was not, how- ever, allowed to prevail, and the majority of Congress determined that the Canadians should again experience ever\- evil that their hands could inflict. Accordingly, in January. 1813, ho.stilitics were resumed, and during the rest of the year the unequal contest raged with great fury from one end of the country to the other and with varied results. The peaceful inhabitants were treated in the most cruel manner, their houses and barns were burnt, and their cattle and stores car- ried off. They came to free the Canadian people from what they termed the tyranny of Great Britain, but found them loyal, incorruptible and satisfied with their condition. The}- spoke to them of the rights of humanity, how all men were free and equal, while thousands of slaves writhed under the lash in the South. They boasted of their respect for the rights of property ; yet they plundered the defenceless people, burned their houses, and visited their happy homes with all the horrors of invasion. On the cold and bitter night of December 13th, when the fierce north wind howled and the snow fell fast and thick, they burned the village of Niagara, turning the women, children and old men, the sick, the delicate, the BURNINt; OK NlAClAKA. 31 a.^\ir.':il, and severely censured the administration of Lord Aylmc--. 1 i\ n oly r \3 rejected by the Upper House, and matters wCiO in ■. .i ./, liition than ever. Parliament was prorogued on March 21st, and the Governor, in his speech, took occasion to say "It is to me a matter of sincere regret, that the offers of peace and conciliation, of which I was the bearer to this country, have not led to the result I had hoped for. The consequences of their rejection, and of the demands which have been made to His Majesty, I will not venture to predict." On September 22nd, of the same year, the Legislature were again called together, the Governor stating that it was the wish of His Majesty to give them an opportunity of reconsidering the course they had seen fit to pursue, and hoped that a proper Supply Bill would be voted, and the amount borrowed from, would be returned to the military chest. He further addressed them as follows: "The course, I have hitherto pursued has been approved by my sovereign, and I have never ceased to remember that the two first objects of my government were, the removal of abuses and the reconcilement of opposing parties. By caution, forbearance, and by the exercise of what I believe to be a liberal policy, I have sought to promote the welfare of the country and to gain your confidence. If I suc- ceed in this latter object, I shall rejoice at it, principally because it will afford me the means or doing the greater good, and if I fail, I shall always be consoled by the consciousness ] i Le(;islative Council Denounced. 43 i of having laboured earnestly to deserve it." The Assembly- was not, however, in a mood to meet these advances. They denounced the Legislative Council in the strongest terms, and stigmatized the Executive and judicial authorities as "a faction combined against the liberties of the country and its public prosperity," and resolved to do no business until such time as the Legislative Council had been made elective. Accordingly, after a short sitting of less than a fortnight. Parliament was prorogued on October 5th. Having completed their duties, the members of the com- mission, with the exception of Lord Gosford, who remained as Governor-General, returned to England and made their report, the result of which was, that the demands of the Assembly were rejected; the House of Commons, by a large majority, declaring that since 1832 no provision had been made for the civil list, and, after referring to the line of policy pursued by the Assembly, that it was inadvisable to make the Legislative Council elective; and, shortly after, authority was given to the Executive Council to use the public moneys of the province. The result of this was to produce intense indignation in Lower Canada. , Meetings were held, at which the most violent and seditious resolutions were passed, and Papineau was escorted, in triumph, by his countrymen from one district to another. On the other hand loyalist meetings were held by the English-speaking portion of the inhabitants, in which, part was taken by many of the better informed French Canadians, who, having spent their lives in the cities and towns, had a clearer view of the rights and wrongs of the points in dispute, and fully realized the benefits which they derived from their connection with Great Britain, and the impossibility of carry- ing out the mad schemes of the visionary Papineau. While events were thus progressing, William the Fourth died, and Queen Victoria ascended the throne. The Home Government, being unwilling, at the commencement of a new reign, to use strong measures whilst there was a possibility of succeeding by mild ones, directed Lord Gosford to again summon the Legislature together. They met, accordingly, on ■•-■!s;!'.^^»AVi-;'' : 44 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. August 1 8, 1837, but, although the Governor's speech was mild and conciliatory, the Assembly refused to vote a Supply Bill or to transact any public business until their demands were com- plied with, and, consequently, on the 26th Parliament was prorogued. Things were now going from bad to worse, the whole province was tainted with sedition, and the intention of form- ing the "North-West Republic of Lower Canada" was no longer corjcealed. But, while the ignorant and misinformed amongst the peasantry, and he visionary and ambitious amongst the better educated, wre willing to follow Papineau to rebellion, they found opposed to their schemes a body which has ever wielded a vast influence over the desti- nies of the people. Thoroughly alarmed at the cry for a republic, the Roman Catholic clergy threw their whole weight in opposition to the project, and soon, in every town and parish, an influence was at work, compared with which the leaders of the rebellion found their own was as nothing. This had the effect of keeping back the mass of the people who would gladly have gone with Papineau to the field, and his active supporters were reduced to a small minority. Lord Gosford, in writing to the colonial office, thus stated his view of the situation: "It is evident that the Papineau faction are not to be satisfied with any concession that does not place them in a more favourable position to carry into effect their ulterior objects, namely, the separation of this country from England, and the establishment of a republican form of government. The executive requires more power, and, under my present impressions I am disposed to think that you will be under the necessity of suspending the Consti- tution. It is with deep feelings of regret that I state this, but duty compels me to communicate it to you." During the autumn the disaffection increased, large mobs paraded the streets of Montreal singing revolutionary songs, the tricolour was unfolded at St. Hyacinthe, and the country people commenced to assemble at Chambly and St. John's. Collisions between the two parties soon followed and the whole province was in a state of open rebellion. At. St. Suspension of the Council. 45 . Denis the insurgents, under VVolfred Nelson, successfully opposed Colonel Gore's first attempt to dislodge them, but were subsequently defeated with severe loss, as they were also at St. Charles, Point Rivier, St. Armand's, and St. Eustache. As a natural result of this armed resistance to the laws of the country the Constitution of Lower Canada was suspended by the Home Government in February, 1838, and a special Council appointed to govern the province, whose decrees were to have the same force as Acts of the Legislature. At the same time the Earl of Durham was appointed to succeed Lord Gosford. The special Council met for the first time on April 1 8th, and was composed of an equal number of English and French Canadians. /^On May 2^, 1838, Lord Durham arrived in Canada, and, 'two days after, issued a proclamation setting forth his views and intentions. Being satisfied that, in the then state of public feeling, it would be impossible to secure the conviction of those who had been taken prisoners, he proceeded to take such measures as he thought were best suited to the emer- gency. A meeting of the special Council was called and an edict passed banishing the principal offenders, then in prison, to Bermuda, and forbidding Papineau and others to return to Canada under pain of death. His course of action met with the approval of the Home Government but not of the Imperial Parliament, which annulled the Act. This led to the resignation of Lord Durham after a residence in Canada of a little over five months. During this time he had made a thorough investigation into the state of the country and drew up an able and exhaustive report of its affairs. This document formed a guide for, and proved of great value to his successor, and brought to the inhabitants many of the benefits which they now enjo}-. The very day (November 3, 1838), that Lord Durham took his departure for England, the insurrection broke out again under the leadership of Dr. Robert Nelson, a brother of Wol- fred who had, on a previous occasion, issued a declaration of independence, signing himself president of the provisional government. Martial law was immediately proclaimed and 46 Thk Lifk of Sir John A. Macdonald. the Habeas Corpus Act suspended. The outbreak was quelled in a week's time, but not before several cngajfenients had been fought, the most bloody of which was at Odelltown, where the rebels lost sixty killed besides a large number of wounded and prisoners. Hut. short as the time was, a large amount of misery was inflicted. The insurgents burnt down the houses of many of those who did not sympathi.se with them, and the loyalists retaliated in the same way as soon as the opportunity presented it.self The leniency shown during the previous year had not pro- duced the desired effect, and now it was determined to try the effect of harsher measures. Courts martial sat to try those who had been captured, twelve of whom were .sentenced to death, and a large number were transported. While these occurrences were transpiring in Lower Canada, matters were in an equally unsettled state in the Upper Prov- ince. Sir Francis Bond Head, who had been appointed Lieutenant-Governor, arrived at the end of January, 1836, and soon got into trouble with the Legislature. After several changes in the Council, and a wordy war with the As.sembh-, who stopped the supplies, he prorogued the House, with censure, on April 20th. The radical party were in power at this time, Mackenzie and Bidwell being leading spirits in it. By the violent actions and language of these men, and their scarcely concealed wishes, the Lieutenant-Governor found himself forced to give his confi- dence to their opponents. In this step the country was pre- pared to back him, and, when Parliament was dissolved on May 28th, and a new election took place, all the principal leaders of the reform party, including Mackenzie and Bidwell, were defeated at the polls. The former, soon after, com- menced the publication of a paper called T/ie Coiistitutioti, which, by its violent language, inflamed the popular mind and prepared the way for rebellion. At the same time he kept up a steady correspondence with Papineau and his party, and agreed upon the course to be followed. He also went about from place to place stirring up the people by inflammatory I Unskttlki) Stath ok Uim'kk Canada. 47 appeals, and cMirollin^and orjjaiiiziti^ bodies of the disaffected, to arm whom muskets were brouj^jht in from the United States. Finally, he boldly threw off the mask and issued an appeal to the people, calling upon them to strike for freedom. During the month of November, 1H37, it was resolved by Mackenzie, Rolph and other leaders, to commence the rebel- lion by an attack on Toronto, and the capture of the person of the Lieutenant-Governor. Had matters been left entirel)- in the hands of the former, it is altogether probable that the attack would have been successful, as all the troops had been with- drawn by Sir John Colborne, to Kingston, in order to be better prepared to put down the rebellion which Papineau was then fermenting in the other province. It happened most fortunately, however, that Rolph, believing that their i)lans had been discovered, changed the date of attiick from Decem- ber 7th to December 4th. The result of this was to entirely dis- organize the carefully prepared plans. Small detachments came in at irregular intervals to the appointed rendezvous, which was Montgomery's tavern, about four miles from Toronto, and, finding uncertainty and vacillation prevailing, where all should have been decision, began to break up again and disperse to their homes. Meanwhile, the Government had learned of the proposed attack, assistance was pouring in from all directions, and the danger was over. A body of militia under the command of Sir Allan Macnab, marched out to Montgomery's and completely routed the rest of the rebel force which remained, inflicting a loss of thirty-six killed and fourteen wounded. The tavern, along with the residences of some others who had taken part in the insurrec- tion, was burnt to the ground. Mackenzie and Bidwcll fled to the United States, which they succeeded in reaching in safety. The former, undeterred by the issue of his first attempt at treason, proceeded to carry out his schemes from that country, and soon found himself at the head of a thousand desperate men collected from the slums and back streets of Buffalo, to whom he offered, as a reward, the lands of the country as soon as they had effected its capture. With this force he took possession of Navy Island about two miles " 48 TiiK T.iFK OF Sir John A. Macdonald. above the falls of Niagara. Similar attacks were organized from Sanduslvy, Detroit, Watertown and other places, the bait offered to induce men to join the expeditions being in each case the lands of the province, and, it is said, that so surf were they of success that maps were made and the farms played for as stakes. All these attempts ended in signal failure. In March, 1838, Sir Francis Head took his departure from Canada, and was succeeded in the lieutenant-governorship by Sir George Arthur. During the summer and autumn many raids were made by .so-called "Patriots" from the United States, the most important of which was that under the leadership of Von Shoulty, a Polish adventurer, who succeeded in bringing a body of men down the St. Lawrence from Oswego, and landing them at Windmill Point, below Pre.scott. Here, a desperate stand was made, and four days of severe fighting took place before the invaders were compelled t( surrender. Of the two hundred and fifty who had landed, upwards of fifty were killed and a large number wounded. The Legislature was called together by the Lieutenant- Governor, on February 27, 1839, but the Session was remark- able for little, save an unsuccessful attempt to settle the clergy reserve question. About this time Mackenzie was tried at Rochester for promoting invasions of Canada from United States soil, and being found guilty, was .sentenced to eighteen months imprisonment and to pay a fine of ten dollars. Some of his admirers have claimed, that, in inciting the people of Upper Canada to rebellion, he was actuated by pure and patriotic, though mistaken motives, and that he took the rash step because he believed that every other method of obtaining redress had been exhausted, but his language during the course of this trial, with reference to Her Majesty the Queen, completely dispels this idea and shows that he was utterly disloyal and a rebel at heart. "I affirm," said he, "that the girl has forfeited all rights to rule over any part of what she claims as her dominions. I was born in the reign of her uncle, and have long been tired of their usurped tyranny." Nor Arrival of Mr. Poulett Thompson. 49 docs this languaj;c lose any of its force when it is recollected that it was not uttered in the heat of passion, or under stronf^ political excitement, but in a foreijjn country and during the calm procedure of a trial at the bar of justice. The report of Lord Durham which had now been published, drew the attention of the public mind to the union of the provinces as a remedy for existing evil.s. Resolutions in favour of it were introduced into and carried through the Assembly, but were rejected by a majority of two in the Upper Mouse. I ^^ . 1 In the autumnNhere arrived in Canada, as Governor- General, Mr. Poulett Thompson, better known as Lord Syden- ham, a man who was destined to effect the union and to accomplish for Canada a greater amount of good than any of his predecessors or successors. By his rare talents he had elevated himself to a high position in the House of Commons, and, as minister of the crown and president of the board of trade, had won name anfl fame as a statesman and able finan- cier. Feeling that his h ilth wa-. breaking down under the strain to which it was subjected by his duties in the House of Commons, he was obliged to consider the necessity of choos- ing a position which would be more compatible with his physical powers. He had his choice between the chancellor- ship of the exchequer and the Government of Canada, and a most fortunate thing it was for this country that he decided to accept the latter. The character of Lord .Sydenham is thus described by his brother and biographer, G. Poulett Scrope. "He possessed the great qualities of tact and judgment in determining the course to be pursued ; firmness and decision in the execution of his resolves, great quickness of perception as to the char- acter and capacity of those with whom he had to deal, and a courteous and conciliatory manner that charmed all with whom he came in contact. Added to these, untiring energy and application, habits of business, information of the most extensive kind, and a perfect knowledge of the position of affairs in Canada, and of the .sentiments of the Home Govern- ment upon it, acquired during his attendance in cabinet 4 r 50 Till-: LiFK OF Sir John A. Macdonald. .11 I % councils when these matters were discussed. Lastly, although perhaps first of all in importance, he had enjoyed an experi- ence of many years in parliamentary tactics, and the mode of carrying through public business in a popular assembly, of incalculable value to the particular object of this mission to Canada, namely, the establishment of a new representative system, such as would be likely to work in harmony with the Home Government and Imperial Parliament. His liberal prin- ciples and known public character were guarantees also to the people whom he went to govern, that their welfare would be the first and principal object of his labours." At this time the political struggle was very bitter in both the Provinces. After the peace of 181 5, a large emigration took place to Canada, many of the arrivals being men of energy and ability, and possessed of a fair share of means. In coming to this country they naturally expected to better their condition and to take a share in the management of public business. In Lower Canada, finding themselves circumscribed by the French language and customs, all their sympathies went with the English-speaking part of the population, who alone understanding the laws and language of the mother country, had been placed at the head of affairs and formed the Executive Council. The French Canadians loo'^ed with alarm at the numbers of the strangers and banded themselves more clo.scly together to repel the danger which appeared to them to threaten. In Upper Canada the very reverse took place, and the new comers, instead of supporting the Govern- ment, went to swell the numbers of those opposed to it. Although, at the beginning, members of the Executive Council in both provinces had only been appointed during pleasure, yet, from the scarcity of talent in a new country and the little interest at first taken in politics by the sparse popu- lation, too busily engaged in making homes for themselves in the wilderness to give the necessary attention to such matters, these offices had gradually come to be regarded as being held during good behaviour. Many mernVjers of the Executive did not hold seats in the Assembly and those who did were not looked upon as the mouthpieces of the Government, and any ^ /? The Family Comtact. 51 / O ^ number of votes of want of confidence might take place with- out in the least affecting the position of the office holders. In Upper Canada these being for the most part descendants of the U.E. Loyalists retired officers and others who had been long residents in the country — whose loyalty was beyond impeachment and whose integrity and ability were undoubted — looked with scant favour on t^^j^^o"'' ^'•■'■'vnls . whom the y re garded as radicals and some of whose schemes they con- sidered as scarcely less than treasonable. The latter, finding themselves shut out from all positions of honour and emolu- ment, assailed the Government in the most bitter manner, passed grievance resolutions, and went from step to step until they finally landed the country in rebellion. This was scarcely over ; men's passions had not yet cooled, and the country was still in a state of intense excitement, when, on October 19, 1839, the new Governor landed at Quebec, charged with the formidable task of reconciling two races and inducing them to work together in unity and con- cord, of breaking down the barriers which divided the two political parties, of joining together Upper and Lower Canada, of instituting a new form of government, and of laying broad and deep the foundations of future peace and happiness. J;X)r:d Durham, in his very able reS«srt, had recommended two ^nogs as necessary ; namely, thevSin ion of the provinces and a<^rnodified system of responsibility on the parts of the officials, in accordance w'th the practice in the mother country. These words "responsible government" were viewed in very different lights by the two partic^X^The one in power, called by their opponents the "family compact," saw in it a probable loss of position JxL themselves and were prepared to resist^ whilst the i^R)rmers regarded it as yielding up everything for which tbcy had contended. There is no doubt that both parties exaggerated the concessions intended to be made. The state of the province may be judged from the follow- ing description sent by Sir George Arthur to the .secretary of state on the previous September 22nd; "All the wicked heads on both sides are constantly at work plotting mischief, and many inconsiderate persons, by the course they are now I 52 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. pursuing at the 'responsible government' meetings, promote the designs of the most criminal characters. The foundations of civil order were broken up by the occurrences of the year 1837, and general mistrust and bad feeling open out a way for the display of the worst passions of the worst men, of which they seem keenly disposed to avail themselves." On November 1 1 th, Lord Sydenham convened the Special Council at Montreal, and called their attention to the question of union, and experienced little difficulty in inducing them to pass a series of resolutions on the subject. These were to the effect, that the re-union of the provinces, under one legislature, had become of indispensable and urgent necessity, that a suitable civil list should be provided for, that the public debt of Upper Canada should be charged on the revenues of both provinces, and that the details should be settled by the Imperial Parliament. Having secured the concurrence of the only legislative body in Lower Canada, the Governor-General proceeded to Toronto, where, on the 22nd of the same month, he assumed the reins of Government. His arrival was anticipated by both parties with very different feelings. From his previous political career the reformers regarded his appearance with hope and confidence, whilst the opposite side were inclined to view him with distrust. He found that the all absorbing topic was "responsible government," his opinions on which can best be given by a quotation from one of his letters to a private friend. "I am not a bit afraid of the 'responsible government' cry. I have already done much to put it down in its inadmis- sible sense; namely, the demand that the Council shall be responsible to the Assembly, and that the Governor shall take their advice and be bound by it. In fact this demand has been made much more for the people than by them. And, I have not met with any one who has not at once admitted the absurdity of claiming to put the Council over the head of the Governor. I have told the people plainly, that, as I could not get rid of my responsibility to the Home Government, I will place no responsibility on the Council; that they are a \/ Responsible Government. 53 A council (o\- the Governor to consult, but no more. And I have yet met with no 'responsible government' man who was not satisfied with the doctrine. In fact there is no other theory which has common sense. Either the Governor is the Sovereign or the Minister, If the first he may have ministers, but he cannot be responsible to the Government at home, and all colonial government becomes impossible. He must, therefore, be the Minister, in which case he cannot be under the control of men in the colony." Parliament had been summoned for December 3rd, and, previous to its meeting, Lord Sydenham informed those mem- bers of the Government who had seats in either House of his own views, and those of the Home Government, on measures likely to be brought forward, and the course he wished them to pursue. At the same time he published a dispatch from Lord John Russell on the subject, in which the following instructions are given. "I am desirous of calling }our atten- tion to the tenure on which public offices in the gift of the crown appear to be held throughout the British colonics. I find that the Governor himself, and every person serving under him, are appointed during the royal pleasure ; but with this important difierence f the Governor's commission is in fact revoked wh2never the interests of the public service are sup- posed to loquire such a charge in the administration of local affairs; but the commissions of all other public offices are very rarely indeed recalled, except for positive misconduct. I can- not learn, that, during the present or two last re gns, a single instance has occurred of a change in the subordinate colonial offices except in cases of death or resignation, incapacity or misconduct. This system of converting a tenure at pleasure into a tenure for life originated, probably, in the practice, which formerly prevailed, of selecting all the higher class of colonial functionaries from persons who, at the time of their appointment, were resident in this countr}-; and, amongst other motives which afforded such persons a virtual security for the continued possession of their places, it was not the least considerable that, except on these terms, they were unwilling to incur the risk and expense of transferring their I- 54 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. l^ ^^ residence to remote and often to unhealthy climates. But the habit which has obtained of late years of preferring — as far as possible — for places of trust in the colonies, persons residing there, has taken away the strongest motive which could thus be alleged in favour of a practice to which there arc man)- objections of the greatest weight. It is time, therefore, that a different course should be followed; and the object of my present communication is to announce to you the rules which will be hereafter observed on this subject in the Province of Lower Canada. "You will understand, and cause it to be made generally known, that, hereafter, the tenure of colonial offices held dur- ing Her Majesty's pleasure, will not be regarded as equivalent to a tenure during good behaviour; but, that not only will such officers be called upon to retire from the public service as often as any sufficient motives of public policy may suggest the expediency of that measure, but that a change in the person of the Governor will be considered as a sufficient reason for any alterations which his successor may deem it expedient to make in the list of public functionaries, subject, of course, to the future confirmation of the Sovereign. "These remarks do not extend to judicial offices, nor are '/' they meant to apply to places which are altogether ministerial, and which do not devolve upon the holders of them, duties, in the right discharge of which the character and polic}- of the Government are directly involved. They are intended to apply rather to the heads of the departments than to persons serving as clerks or in similar capacities under them." The position of affaiis in Upper Canada is thus described by Loni Sydenham: "The state of things here is far worse than I had expected : The country is split into factions ani- , mated with the most deadly hatred to each other. The fin- Nances are more deranged than we believed even in England. The deficit of i'75,000 a year, more than equal to the income. ^,A11 public works suspended. Emigration going on fast from the province. Every man's property only half what it was. I When I look to the state of the Government and to the departmental administration of the province, instead of being Thp: Cler(;y Resekvks. 55 surprised at the condition in which I find it, I am only aston- ished it has endured so long." At the time appointed, Parliament was opened by the Governor-General, and, in a few days after, he transmitted them a message on the question of Union. After a long and e.xciting debate, lasting for nearly a fortnight, resolutions in favour of the step were carried in both Houses, the main con- ditions being-i=:=equality of representation,^he granting of a proper civil list, and the isqual support of the public debt. As soon as the resolutions were passed. Lord Sydenham lost no time in transmitting to England a draft of the proposed Union Bill for action by the Home Government. This was passed in the Imperial Parliament, with the exception of one clause relating to the formation of municipal councils, which was left . for local legislation. The next matter to which the Governor-General directed his attention was the settlement of the clergy reserves. This had been a burning question for the last twenty years. Origi- nally claimed by the English Church, the Church of Scotland had successfully asserted its rights to a share, and, following the example, every other church had put in a claim. Year after year the bitterest feelings had been evolved out of its discussion, and session after session, the Government had endeavoured to effect a settlement. But, although each party was too weak to carry its own views, yet all were sufficiently strong to prevent the others from carrying out theirs. Thus it had remained and rankled until it had come to be recogni/cd as the one great question which must be settled before peace and good will could be restored. On this point Lord Sydenham wrote in the following strong language : " The clergy reserves have been and are the great overwhelming grievance, the root of all the troubles of the province, the cause of the rebellion, the never-failing watch- word at the hustings, the perpetual source of discord, strife and I hatred. Not a man of any party but has told me that the greatest boon that could be conferred on the country would be that they should be swept into the Atlantic and that nobody should get them. And when, to this never-failing C' A fi- (,- ■ }i ■l^ .^T.w^' 56 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. source of excitement here, you add the consideration, that, by the Union, if you left the question unsettled, you would throw the agitation of it into the Lower Province, where, amongst all its ills, the greatest of all, religious dissension, is hitherto unknown, the necessity for a settlement becomes doubly great." Accordingly, a Bill for the purpose of disposing of the question was introduced by the Solicitor-General, Mr, Draper, and, by its provisions, empowered the Governor to sell the reserves and convey one half of the proceeds — after paying the salaries of the existing clergymen of the Church of England, to whom the faith of the Crown had been pledged — to the Churches of England and Scotland in proportion to numbers, and the other half to all the other bodies of Christians recog- nized by law, in proportion to their private contributions for the support of their ministers. It was successfully carried through both Houses, and sent to the mothi r country. There it was declared to be beyond the powers of the Provincial Legislature and disallowed. Lord Sydenham had, however, anticipated that such a result was not improbable, and accord- ingly, on his recommendation, a similiar Bill was introduced into and passed by the Imperial Parliament. The question was, however, still far from being settled and remained a souice of agitation. During this session the House of Assembly voted an address, asking for the views of the home authorities on the question of "responsible government." Lord Sydenham, in reply, declined to send down any despatches that had been sent to him, but said that "he had received Her Majesty's com- mands to administer the Government of these Provinces in accordance with the well-understood wishes and interests of the people, and to pay to their feelings, as expressed through their representatives, the deference that is justly due them." He again expressed his feelings on this subject during his visit to Nova Scotia, as follows: "It is the anxious desire of the Queen that her British North American subjects should be happy and prosperous, that tlicy should enjoy that freedom which is the birthright of Britons, and bless the tie that binds 1 , Lord Sydenham on Restonsible Government. 57 •li /■■■ I I 1 them to her empire. Her commands to her representative are, that he should consult their wishes and feelings, that he should promote their interests by well-considered reforms, and suit his administration of affairs to the growing impor- tance and varying circumstances of each colony ; that, whilst it should be alike his interest and duty to listen respectfully to the opinions which may be offered to him, and to seek the advice of those who may be considered to represent the wcll- /understood wishes of the people, he can devolve the responsi- bility of his acts on no man without danger to the connection ' of the colony with the empire, and injury to the best interests of those whose welfare is committed to his care." ^ In the resolutions brought forward by his Council in the Legislature of the United Provinces, he again, and still more 'explicitly, defines what he considers to be the meaning of "responsible government." These resolutions were: "ist. That the head of the Executive Government of the province being, within the limits of his government, the rep- resentative of the Sovereign is responsible to the Imperial authority alone; but that, nevertheless, the management of our local affairs can only be conducted by him, by and with the assistance, counsel and information of subordinate officers in the province. V "2nd. That in order to preserve between the different branches of the Provincial Parliament that harmony which is essential to the peace, welfare and good government of the province, the chief advisers of the representative of the Sove- reign, constituting a Provincial Administration under him, ought to be men possessed of the confidence of the represen- tatives of the people, thus affording a guarantee that the well- understood wishes and interests of the people, which our gracious sovereign has declared shall be the rule of the Provincial Government, will, on all occasions, be faithfully represented and advocated. ■*^ "3rd. That the people of this province have, moreover, a right to expect from such Provincial Administration the exertion of their best endeavours, that the Imperial authority, within its constitutional limits, shall be exercised in the 1 fl '«! i 58 The Liff. of Sir John A. Macdonald. ■N, manner most consistent with their well-understood wishes and interests." It was thought advisable to remove the Attorney- General, Mr. Hagerman, who had voted in the Assembly agamst the Union, which was accordingly done; but in con- sideration of his long and faithful services, he was elevated to a position on the bench. The vacancy thus created was filled by the appointment of Mr. Draper, in whose place Mr. Robert Baldwin was made Solicitor-General. After the prorogation the Governor returned to Lower Canada, the position of affairs in which he thus describes : " I have been back three weeks and have set to work in earnest in this province. It is a bad prospect, however, and presents a lamentable contrast to Upper Canada. There, great excitement existed, but at least the people were quarrel- ling for realities, for political opinions, and with a view to ulterior measures. Here, there is no such thing as a political opinion. No man looks to practical measures for improve- ment. Talk to any one about education, or public works, or better laws — let him be English or French — you might as well talk Greek to him. Not a man cares for a single practical measure — the only end, one would suppose, of a better form of Government. They have only one feeling — a hatred of race. The French hate the English and the English hate the French, and every question resolves itself into that and into that alone. There is positively no machinery of Government. Everything is to be done by the Governor and his secretary. The wise system hitherto adopted has been to stick two men into office whenever a vacancy occurred — one Frenchman and one Britisher. Can you conceive a system better calculated to countenance the distinction of races ? The only way, under these circumstances, in which I can hope to do good, is to wait for the Union, in order to get a Government together, and that I shall do." ^ On February 10, 1841, the Union of the two provinces was consummated by proclamation, and the city of Kingston fixed as the capital. Three days later writs were issued for a new election, returnable on April 8th. An Executive Bitter Elkction Contests in Uim'er Canada. 59 Council was also summoned, the members of which were Mr. R. B. Sullivan, President ; J. H. Dunn, Receiver-General ; D. Daly, Secretary, Canada East ; S. B. Harrison, Secretary, Canada West ; C. R. Ogden, Attorney-General, Canada East; VV. H. Draper, Attorney-General, Canada West ; Robert Bald- win, Solicitor-General, ('anada West ; C. D. Day, Solictor- General, Canada East. This election was very bitterly contested, especially in Lower Canada, where a committee had for a long time been in existence for the purpose of securing the election of mem- bers pledged to oppose the Union. In the address issued to the people it was urged that " no consideration whatever should induce us to vote for any candidate who does not dis- approve of that Act and its iniquitous provisions ; for in voting for such a candidate we should give our consent to the Act and approve of those who advised it ; we should proclaim our own dishonour and dishonour our country in stretching forth the neck to the yoke which is attempted to be placed on us, till it be repealed or amended, so that the injustice, which it authorizes, shall cease. But it will not be sufficient not to vote for any approver of the Act to reunite the two provinces; every elector who will suffer such a candidate to be chosen, by staying away from the place of election, or not voting against him, will be equally guilty." This document was extensively circulated amongst the people and read to them at the church doors when they had assembled after mass. The result was to inflame their minds against the Union and to bind them together for the purpose of returning candidates opposed to it. At some of the polling places serious fights occurred, and many of the elections were characterized by violence and intimidation. On June 13th the Legislature met for the despatch of business. The House of Assembly elected as Speaker Mr. Austin Cuvillier, member for Huntingdon, a loyal Erench- Canadian, who had previously lost his scat in the Assembly of Lower Canada in consequence of his refusing to follow the lead of Louis Papineau. The course which the Hon. Robert Baldwin saw fit to pur- 6o The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. I( 1 1 sue at this time was the cause of much embarrassment to the Governor-General. When accepting his appointment as Solic- itor-General in the new Executive Council, he had written to four of his colleagues protesting against being supposed to feel any political confidence in them, but subsequently had gone to his election as a member of the Government, and had been sworn into office in the month of April in the presence of these very collegues. His subsequent acts are thus described in the memoirs of Lord Sydenham : " Nothing further occurred until within two or three days of the session, when Mr. Baldwin, still retaining his office and seat at the Council Board, entered into communication with such of the French members of Lower Canada and ultra lib- eral members of the upper part of the province as had reached Kingston, relative to the course which they intended to pursue in the coming session. The result of these communications was a proposal from him to Lord Sydenham, within forty- eight hours of the opening of Parliament, to change certain officers of his Government and to substitute for them several French-Canadian members. This proposal Lord Sydenham at once rejected, y?nV, on the ground of the time and manner it had been brought forward, and second, on account of the unqual- ified opposition of the French-Canadian members to the prin- ciple of the Union Act. Further correspondence passed, and eventually, on the day of the opening of the session, Mr. Bald- win, though still professing his confidence in Lord Sydenham, resigned his office. He had previously assisted at several meetings of the Reform party, at which it had been proposed to bring forward a vote of want of confidence in the Adminis- tration. . , , There can be no doubt that an attack of this nature, from such a quarter, and at such a moment, was calculated very seriously to embarrass Lord Sydenham, but he was saved by his own firmness and courage, and by the honest straightforward generosity with which the moderate Reformers came out in his support. . . . Accordingly, when Mr. Baldwin separated himself from the Government, he did so to unite himself, not to the large body of moderate Reformers who represented the majority of the people of !! Mr. Neilson's Amkndmknt. 61 Upper Canada, but to the four or five ultra members whose politics bordered very nearly on democracy." In his speech, at the opening of the Legislature Lord Sydenham declared, in reference to the case of McLeod, who was then being tried in the United States for supposed partici- pation in the burning of the " Corolitie" her Majesty's fixed determination to protect, with the whole weight of her power all her Canadian subjects, and proceeded to advert to the necessity of developing the resources of the country by means of public works, to complete which and to re-establish the public credit of the united provinces, the Home Government was prepared to pledge the credit of the mother country to a loan of i^ 1, 500 ,000. .yThe speech also pointed out the necessity for establishing a system of local self-government by means of municipal councils, and urged the establishment of an efficient and well organized .system of education. To the address in reply to this speech, Mr. NeiLson, of Quebec, moved an amendment condemnatory of the Union, on the ground that " there are features in the Act now consti- tuting the Government of Canada, which arc inconsistent with justice and the common rights of British subjects." This amendment was lost on a division by a vote of fifty to twenty- five, the minority consisting of eighteen representatives from Lower Canada and seven from Upper Canada. Amongst the latter was Mr. Baldw in, who, throughout the debate had acted and spoken with the Opposition, notwithstanding that he had only just ceased to hold office under the Constitution which he denounced as unjust and oppressive, and that he had resigned his office, not because he disapproved of the provisions of the Union measure, but because the administration of it was not entrusted to his friend.s. Lord Sydenham entered into the fullest intercourse with the members of every party, and was unceasing in his exer- tions to carry through those measures which he considered necessary for the good of the country. He thus succeeded in having passed a Bill providing for the Establishment of Muni- cipal Institutions ; an Act creating a Board of Works ; an Act for Revising the Customs Laws; an Act for Readjusting the ■ 62 TiiK Life of Sir John A. Macdonai.d. !t Currency; and an Act I'rovidin^^ for the Education of the People by the Establishment of Common Schools, He also completed the purchase of the Welland Canal from the pro- prietors, and prepared a grand scheme of internal improvement by means of canals and great lines of roads. liut this great benefactor of Canada was not destined to see the fruits of his labour and the prosperity and happiness it was to bring to the country. Whilst out riding in the neigh- bourhood of Kingston, on September 4th, his horse fell withhim, breaking his leg and making a large hole above the knee. His health, always delicate, had been undermined by severe and unremitting labour, and serious attacks of gout, and was quite unable to stand this extra strain. After a fortnight of terrible suffering he expired on September 19, i84i,at Alwing- ton Avenue, and was buried in St. George's church, Kingston. Sir Charles Bagot was appointed to succeed Lord Syden- ham and arrived at Kingston on January 10, 1842. After passing the winter and spring in acquainting himself with the affairs of the country, he resolved on making overtures to the French-Canadians, and that section of the Reform party led by Mr. Baldwin. The result was the retirement of Messrs. Draper, Ogden, Sherwood and other members of the Cabinet, and the appointment of Messrs. Baldwin, Hincks, Lafontaine, Aylwin and Morin. Sir Charles Bagot did not long hold the position of Gover- nor-General. Towards the close of the year his failing health induced him to ask for his recall, and he died on May 19, 1843. His succes.sor was Sir Charles Metcalfe, a man, who by the force of his own talents, had raised himself froui t' position of a writer in the civil service of the E Company, to that of acting Governor, a post which occu- pied for two years. Subsequently he became Governor of Jamaica, where he remained from 1839 to 1842, and retire*., owing to the appearance of a cancer on his face. Being asked to accept the difficult Governorship of Canada, he, at once, gave up the happy retired life he was leading with his sister, at Deer Park, and placed his services at the disposal of the Administration. " Kksponsiiilk Gc)\ kknment." 63 On March 29, 1843, he landed at Kingston and entered upon his duties. He soon found that the (h'fficulties which he had to encounter were very j^reat and that he was Mkely to be at variance with his Council on the interi)retation of the mean- ing of the words "responsible government." In writing to the Colonial Office on May 12th, he said "Now, I conceive, is the first time when the scheme of 'responsible government,' as here construed, has come forward to be carried fully into effect in any colony. Lord Durham had no difficulty in writing at leisure in praise of ' responsible government,' which had no effect during his administration, and was treated by him as a general question, without any definition of the details by which it was to be carried into effect. Lord Sydenham put the idea into force without suffering himself to be much restrained by it; and for the greater part of his administration it had no existence and was only coming into operation when he died. Sir Charles Bagot yielded to the coercive effect of Lord Sydenham's arrangements; and thence, 'responsible govern- ment,' as understood by its extreme advocates, is said to be Sir Charles Bagot's policy; but though he yielded to the extent of calling certain parties to his Council, he had not the least intent of surrendering his power into their hands; and for the remainder of his time the contest was staved off by his illness; but that cau.se rendered it more certain for his successor. Now comes the tug of war, and, supposing absolute submission to be out of the question, I cannot say that I see the end of the struggle if the parties alluded to really mean to maintain it." Sir Charles Metcalfe appears to have considered, that, whilst the nominal head of the Government in England might be a woman, a child, or an imbecile old man, who was ex- pected, not to do, but to be, it was not in accordance with the spirit or practice of Colonial Government for the Governor- General of Canada, who was usually one of the ablest states- men that England could send out, to occupy a similar position, or, in any way, be a mere cipher, a seal, existing not doing, and, that if " responsible gcvernment," as construed by the party in power, was to be brought into operation, the question ii ■ 64 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. 1 at once arose "what was to become of the Governor-General?" The following passages taken from the memoirs of his life will illustrate the light in which he regarded the position in which he was placed. "He was called upon to govern, or to submit to the govern- ment of Canada by a party ; and the party by which he was to govern was one with which he had no sympathy. It was rather a combination of two parties, the principles of neither of which, Metcalfe could bring himself to approve. He found that there were three parties in the colony.^t^loyal Conserva- tive party ;l/a Liberal or Reform party, and an^rench-Canadian party. Of these, the first was branded by their opponents as Tories and Orangemen, and the second, by theirs, as Republi- cans and Rebels. It was only amongst the first of these three parties that loyalty, as signifying attachment to the mother country, existed in any force. It was only, therefore, with that party that Metcalfe, as the representative of the Imperial Government, could properly sympathise But that party was the Opposition of the day. The Reformers and the French- Canadians constituted the majority in the representative Assembly, and therefore the Executive Council — the 'respon- sible government' — which Metcalfe formed in the province was composed of the leading men of these two radical parties. "He found that there were some able and some honest men in the Administration; but that there was a great want of moderation among them ; that they were, for the most part, men of extreme opinions, and some of thcni of intractable temper. Where there was strong conscientiousness there was a vehemence almost bordering on fanaticism ; where there was most ground for respect, there was also most cause for alarm. They were principally Iri.shmen, French-Canadians, or men of American stock. The true British element in the Executive Council was comparatively small." The same work describes the characters of the mer, bers of the Administration as follows: "The President of the Council, Mr. R. B. Sullivan, an Irishman by birth and a lawyer by profession, was possessed of great and original talents, and was regarded as the best writer and speaker in the colon)'. Mr. ._ RoHEKT Baldwin. 65 Daly, Secretary of State, also an Irishman, was a man of high honour and intej^rity, of polished manners and courteous address, possessed of judgment and prudence, tact and dis- cretion; in short a man to be trusted . . Mr. Morin, a French-Canadian, Commissioner of Crown Lands, was a man with administrative abilities of the highest class, vast powers of application, and an extreme love of order united to a rare conscientiousness and a noble self-devotion, which, in olden times, would have carried him cheerfully to the stake. His patriotism was of the purest water. He was utterly without selfishness and guile. Mr. Lafontaine, Attorney-General for Lower Canada, the leader of the French-Canadian party, was a just and honourable man. His motives were above all sus- picion. Warmly attached to his country, earnestly seeking the happiness of his people, he occupied a high position by the force rather of his moral than of his intellectual qualities. He was trusted and respected rather than admired. His early life and training had, moreover, made him mistrustful and suspi- picious, and the doubts which were continually floating in his mind had naturally engendered indecision and infirmity of purpose. "The most prominent member of the Cabinet was Robert Baldwi n — the son of a gentleman of Toronto who had formerly been a member of what was called the 'family compact.' The elder Baldwin had quarrelled with his party and, with the characteristic bitterness of a renegade, had brought up his son in extrcmcst hatred of his old associates, and had instilled into him the most radical opinions. Robert Baldwin was an apt pupil; and there was much in the circumstances by which he was surrounded to rivet him in the extreme opinions which he had imbibed in his youth. So he grew up to be an enthusiast — almost a fanatic. He was thoroughly in earnest, thoroughly conscientious; but he was lo the last degree uncompromising and intolerant. He seemed to delight in strife. The might of mildness he laughed to scorn. It was said of him, that he was not satisfied with a victory unless it was gained by vio- lence; that concessions were valueless to him unless he wrenched them w ith a strong hand from his opponent. With 5 66 The LiFK of Sir John A. Mac donald. strong convictions and stern self-reliance, he made no allow- ance for others and sought none for himself There was a sort of sublime egotism about him — a magnificent self-esteem, which caused him to look upon himself as a patriot, whilst he was serving his own ends by the promotion of his ambition or by the gratification of his vanity or spite. His strong passions and his uncompromising spirit made him a mischievous party leader and a dangerous opponent. His influence was very great. He was not a mean man ; he w as above corruption ; and there were many who accepted his estimate of himself, and believed him to be the only pure patriot in the country. During the illness of Sir Charles Bagot he had usurped the government. The activity of Sir Charles Metcalfe, who did everything for himself, was extremely distasteful to him. He did not understand the character of the man who had been sent to govern them ; and it would have been strange, if one so blinded by passion and self-esteem had not soon wrought himself into a state of furious antagonism to the Governor- General." Sir Charles Metcalf resolved to abstain from identifyiiig himself with any party, and to render equal justice to all. In writing to the Colonial Office, he said : " The general course which I purpose to pursue towards the Council is to treat them with the confidence and cordiality due to the station which they occupy ; to consult them not only whenever the law or established usage requires that process, but also w hen- evcr the importance of the occasion recommends it, and when- ever I conceive that the public service will be benefited by their aid and advice. At the same time I must be on my guard against their encroachments. The jioint on which I most proximately expect to incur a difference with them is their claim that the Government shall be administered in sub- serviency to their party views. They expect that the patron- age of the Government shall be bestowed cxclusivel)' on mem- bers of their party and in support of their influence. I ilislike extremely the notion of governing as a supporter of any par- ticular party. I wish to make the patronage of the Govern- ment conducive to the conciliation of all parties, by bringing Sir Charles Mktcalik's Difficulties. 67 into the public service the men of the t^jreatest merit and effi- ciency without any party distinction. My powers of useful- ness, little as they might be under any circumstances, will be paralyy.ed by my being forced in any degree to act as the sup- porter of a party." On May 12th he wrote to Lord Stanley: "I learn that my attempts to conciliate all parties are criminal in the e>es of the Council, or at least of the most formidable member of it. I am required to give myself up entirely to the Council ; to submit absolutely to their dictation; to have no judgment of my own ; to bestow the patronage of the Government exclu- sively on their partizans ; to proscribe their opponents ; and to make some public and unequivocal declaration of my adhe- sion to those conditions — including the complete nullification of Her Majest)''s Government — a course which, under self- deception, he dominates Sir Charles Bagot's policy, although it is very certain that Sir Charles Bagot meant no such thing. Failing of submission to these stipulations, I am threatened with the resignation of Mr. Lafontaine for one, and both he and I are fully aware of the serious consequences likx-ly to fol- low the execution of that menace, from the blindness with which the French-Canadian party follow their leader. " The sole question is this, to describe it without disguise, whether the Governor shall be solely and completely a tool in the hands of the Council, or whether he shall have any exer- cise of his own judgment in the administratioti of the govern- ment. It is not whether the Governor shall so conduct hisi government as to meet the wants and wishes of the people, and obtain their suffrages by promoting their welfare and happiness, nor whether he shall be resi)onsible for his meat, surestothe people — through their representatives — butwhether he shall be at liberty to treat all Her Majesty's subjects with equal justice, or be a reluctant and [)assive tool in the hands of a party for the purpose of pro.scribing their (opponents, these opponents being the portion of the communi«^y most attached to Rritish connection, and the Governor required to proscribe them being a liritish Governor. The tendenc)' and object of the movement is to throw off the government of the mother i .'A- f^ [Ml i. and Sir Robert Peel submitted his name to the Quee:i with a recommendation that "for the purpose of n^.arking }-our Majest}''s cordial approbation of the services of a most able and faithful ofificer of the Crown, of aiding him in the di.^chargc of a most important public trust, and of giving confidence and Sir CirAKi.Ks Mktcai.fk madk a Bakon. 7' 1 4 animation to the Canadian friends and supporters of Sir Charles Metcalfe and of connection with the mother country , Sir Charles Metcalfe should receive the honour of an English Barony." This suggestion Her Majesty at once complied with, and the close (jf the year brought the news of his elevation to the peerage to the suffering Governor, accompanied by warm private letters of congratulation from Lord Stanley and his many friends. The announcement of the honour bestowed upon Sir Charles A tcalfe created a good deal of excitement in the province, being taken as a full endorsement by the Home Government of the course which he had pursued. In tlie Legislative Council an address of cfingratulation was carried unanimously, and in the Assembly a similar address though opposed, was carried by a majority of twenty During the rest of the winter and following summer, although living in darkened rooms his checK eaten through and through by the disorder, almost deprived of the power of masticaticjn, and sutTcring agony from the ravages of the disease and the application of strong remedies used by Ills medical attendants, Lord Metcalfe refused to apply for his recall; and although the Colonial Secretary was aware of the sufTering he was undergoing, he made no attempt to conceal the importance, in a public point of view which he attached to Lord Metcalfe s remaining in Canada, or the extent to which he considered the difficulties of the province would be aggra- \atcd by a change in the Executive. 'Above all,"' wnjte Lord Stanle}' on June i8^ 1845, "you will not fail to impress on your Council, though such a suggestion uould hardly come with propriety from me, the extreme risi< which wcnild attend any disruption of the present Conservative party of Canada. Their own steadiness and your firmness and discre- tion have gone far towards consolidating them as a party, and securing a stable administration of the colony; and it would be most lamentable if at a time when it is in the enjoyment of the highest prosperity, and when there is every appearance of the permanence of that prosperity, when no reasonable cause for dissatisfaction exists, dissensions on minor points til : I' J* 72 TnK Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. between those who are labouring in common for the general good should again endanger the loss of these great advantages, and give an opening for renewed excitement and confusion ; and probably for the temporary admission to power of men the most imscrupulous in its exercise, and quite ready to sacrifice all national, and above all, all British interests, to their own personal and selfish objects." As autumn deepened into winter it became apparent to all that it was impossible for Lord Metcalfe much longer to fulfill the duties of his office. This fact he was compelled to recognize and to communicate to the home authorities, who at once accepted his resignation with every demonstration of regret, and with a full and hearty recognition of the services he had rendered to the State. Accordingly he handed over the Government to Lord Cathcart and set sail for England, where, after nine months of terrible suffering, he died on Sep- tember 5, 1846 ii I 1 CHAPTER II. Sir John A. Macdonald's ancestors — Intellectual vigour and strong personality of his mother — His father's high integrity —His birth in Scotland in 1815 — The departure for Canada in 1820 — Settlement in Kingston — His grandmother's death there in 1821 — Removal to Hay Bay — Sir John's school days — His char- acter as a boy — Poetical efforts— His law studies — Anecdotes of his youthful life— Called to the bar in 1836 — T.ikes charge of an office in Picton — Com- mences practice in Kingston — Defence of Von Shoultz and other sympathisers — Becomes an alderman — First election to the Legislative Assembly in 1844, SIR JOHN A. MACDONALD was of gentle blood on both sides of the house, his father and mother bcinjj able to trace back their ancestry for several centuries. His father and grandfather were both in mercantile life, but preceding gener- ations were proprietors of the soil, and prided themselves upon a long pedigree which embraced some of the proudest and most renowned men of the name. His grandfather died in Suther- landshire in 1822, at the ripe age of eighty-six, and his qual- ities are thus described by Mr. John Murray, one of the mourners at his funeral, and who is now residing at the village of Allenford, Ontario : " He was a man of noble attainments, a great judge of human nature, one who had always a helping hand for the poor, and with a marvellous power in making and keeping friends. His advice was sought for by everyone, far and near. He had a merry, tender nature, full of humour, a quick and winning manner, with a bow and a smile for every one he met He loved his country and his countrymen, and the people honoured and trusted him in return. He was the principal merchant in the county town of Sutherlandshire, and was elected to the mayor's chair for years and years without opposition ; he was particularly neat in his dress, and in per- sonal appearance resembled our own beloved chieftain, being tall, straight and wiry, with the same black curly hair. His third child, Hugh, was born on December 12, 1781, and when grown to manhood moved to Glasgow and entered into mercantile business." 73 T I ^'j 74 TiiK LiiK OK Sir John A. M.\( donald. I 1 I. Sir John's mother was a woman of ^rcat intellectual power and strong personality. She was of a larj^e frame and p(jssessed much physical vigour and energy. Her features were of a masculine, massive type and indicated her character and dis- position. Her eyes, especially, were large and full of intelligence. She was one of those women whose very presence indicated the possession of strong oi)inions and great will-power. At the same time she was quiet in manner, and had a keen sense of humour. Her vitality was something wonderful. At the iige of seventy-two .'■he had a severe stroke of paralssis, but rallied and lived for thirteen years afterward.s. During this period she had twelve other strokes, and five times her family were summoned to what was believed to be her death-bed. All of her children inherited her remarkable mental qualities, and two of them, Sir John and the youngest daughter, Louisa, also resem- bled her in feature. This became more remarkable in the later years of their lives. The mother being a great invalid for many years, constant suffering stamped an expression of pain upon her features. This expression .'s shown in a large oil portrait painted a year or two before her death. Sometimes when Sir John was tired or overworked, the same look would creep over his face and vividly recall to those who knew her the features of his mother during the latter part of her life. She was the daughter of Captain Shaw and Margaret Grant, third daughter of John Grant, of Ballantomb, who were married June 20, 1763. Her grandparents were Angus Shaw, of the Machill, and Jean Macpherson, eldest daughter of Donald Macpherson, of Cullinline, who were married I'^ebruary 19. 1730- Mrs. Macdonald's mother was twice married, her first husband being Colonel Shaw, of Dalnavert, by whom she had several children. One of these, Margaret, married Captain Clark, of Dalnavert, and another, Anna, married Captain (after- wards Lieutenant-Colonel) Donald Macpherson, of Brae Laggan. She came to this country with the Macdonalds and died the following year. During the time the Macdonald's were at Glasgow, five children were born, William, Margaret, John, James and Louisa, -*» «■ L'd i \ ■i4J'll«' ■^ SIR JOHN A. MAcnONAlJVS MOTIIKK. {/\'rf>ni(iiictii»i froiii it /\iiiitinx). i !■ ; VovAdK TO Canada. the first four on the opposite side of the Clyde from the cit>-, the last in a house situated in Duke street, a continuation of George street. The business of Mr. Macdonald in Glasgow was in con- nection with the American cotton trade, ami diil not prove suc- cessful, owing, it is alleged, to the knaver}' of his i)artncr. His own integrity w as, however, um'mpeached, and he was permitted by the creditors to retain his librarj', siKer, and househokl effects. This library was, afterwards, of great use in forming the minds of the children, and some of it is in existence at the present time. The sale of the household furniture afforded a sufficient sum of money to bring the family to Canada, and, accordingly, in the year 1S20, they sailed therefor, in the ship Earl of Ihtck- inghamshire. The voyage lasted six weeks, and being made in a very old ship, was accompanied by more than usual dis- comforts. When the}' arri\ed at Kingston, they were wel- comed to the residence of their brother-in-law, Lieutenant- Colonel Donald Macpherson, a retired officer of the British army, who, with all the kindness of heart of a true-born High- lander, did everything in his power to make them comfortable, placed one of his houses at their disposal, and assisted Mr. Macdonald in again entering commercial life. He occupied, in turn, two places of business, one on Princess street, then known as Store street, and the other on the corner of King and Clarence streets, opposite to where the British American hotel now stands. This building is still in existence. Success, however, did not attend his efforts, and after a few years' trial he resolved to go to a country place, and moved up to Hay Bay ; from thence he went to a place called The Stone Mills, at the foot of Lake of the Mountain, now- known as Glcnora. This is one of the most beautiful and romantic spots in Canada. The lake is far above the level of Lake Ontario, and has no visible feeders. It is said to be on the same level as Lake Erie, and that its waters rise and fall simul- taneously with those of that lake. If this be the case, the theory of connection by underground passages is probably correct. It abounds in pike, pickerel, bass, perch and other fish, and here, during his holidays, young Macdonald was wont to come and practise the gentle art. 78 TnK LiFK OF Sir John A. Macdonalu. Business in both places was attended with ill-success, and in 1836 Mr. Macdonald cind family returned to Kin<,rston and took up their residence in a house on Rideau street, owned by Colonel Macphcrson, and which is still in the family. The attic windows are yet pointed out as those of Sir John's study. Mr. Macdonald did not again \enture into business, but was appointed by Mr. F. A. Harper to a position in the Commercial Bank, which he retained until he died in 1841, at the age of fifty-nine. He is described by all who knew him as a gentle and most lovable man, antl his death was deeply regretted. Before the family removed to Hay Bay, the \oungest boy, James, lost his life in a very sad way. His father and mot' er were going out for a walk in the evening, and the little fellow ran after them asking to be allowed to accompan\- them. It was thought better not to take him, and he was sent back to the house under the care of tiie servant-man. The latter was one of those rough beings who have no s\-mpathy with the woes of children, and, when the child did not ceasf. crying, gave him a push or a blow, and he fell on an andiron with such force that he was fatally injured and died in a few days. Little Johnnie was very fond of playing soldier. He was alvva\-s captain and his sisters formed the companw One day Louisa would not march properly, but went skippinir about the room to his great indignation ; so he picked up an old gun, and, pointing it at her, called-out in wrathful tones, " Louie, if you don't be quiet, I'll s'loot }"ou ! " She still kept pla)-ing about and he repeated the threat. His sister, Margaret, got very frightened and cried out, "Oh! Johnnie, Johnnie, put that gun down," which he did, most providentially, for it was afterw ards ascertained to have been loaded. It may nc.t be inappropriate to here say a few words about the above-mentioned Lieutenant-Colonel Donakl Macpherson, of whom, the following sketch is- furnished by his only surviv- ing child, Mrs. Burnet, of Hamilton: "In early youth he raised a corps composed almost entirely of Macphersons, and marched them up to Edinburgh, where COLONKL Donald Macphekson. 79 they were i;ladly received and drafted into the 71st High- landers, he and another, Henry Macpherson, receiving com- missions. The regiment was then commanded by Lieutenant- General Simon Frascr. Together, they served through the American war, he being promoted to the rank of lieu- tenant at New York, on October 19, 1779- The two friends were taken prisoners at the battle of Bunker's Hill, but allowed to go on parole. After a time they ascertained the position of the British army, and being filled with a desire to rejoin, went to the officer commanding the American troops and withdrew their parole. They were then imprisoned, but soon managed to get free, and after many adventures and hairbreadth escapes, got into their own lines, antl were sent on to their regiment, with which they served until the close of the war. Peace brought about a reduction of the force, when he retired on half pay, married Anna Shaw of Dalnavert, and lived at Brae Laggan, Badenoch. "In 1 79 1, he joined, as a lieutenant, the regiment of fencibles commanded by the Duke of Gordon, from which he was transferred, three years later, with the rank of captain, to the regiment commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Podmore. In 1798 he raised a company called the Cluny Volunteers, which he commanded until 1S03, A'hen, as captain, he joined the 92nd regiment, then commanded by the IV^arquis of Huntley. In 1805 he received his brevet majorit}' In Janu- ary, of the following year, he was transferred to th^ 9th Royal Veteran Battalion, commanded by Lieutenant-General Colin Mackenzie, and eleven months later was again transferred to the loth Royal Veteran Battalion, commandetl by Lieutenant- General Lowther Pennington. With this regiment became out to Canada in 1807, and was afterwards transferred to the com- mand of the 4th Rojal Veterans, in place of ("olonel Zouch, placed on the retired list. He was quartered in Quebec tor three years, and in iSiowas ordered to Kingston. He. With his wife and si.x children, went up the River .St. Lawrence in batteaux rowed by the soldiers, stopping each night where darkness overtook them and camping out. They were si.x weeks on the waj'. He was in command at Kingston d.. ing ■hi 80 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. M the war with the United States, and built earthworks and blockhouses to protect the entrances to the harbour and town, in the very places where forts have since been erected. The American vessels were not able to effect an entrance but they got sufficiently close to make it unpleasant, and I have heard my mother speak of having to hurry the children into the cellar to avoid the bullets that pierced the wooden walls of the pretty white cottage that then did duty as the commandant's residence. In 1817, the veteran battalions were disbanded, and my father, after receiving large grants of lands as a reward for faithful service, retired on full pay. He remained in Kingston until his death, which took place in 1829, wh?n he was buried with full military honours, the minute guns from the city battery being answered by those from the fort. By a strange coincidence the firing party was composed of his old regiment, the 71st Highlanders." When the removal to Hay Bay took place, Sir John, who was then a small boy, of about ten years of ago, was left behind to continue his studies at school. He first went to the grammar school taught by Mr. Cruickshank, to whom he was indebted for the principal part of his education, he then came under the care of Mr. Wilson, and finished with Mr. Baxter, his suc- cessor. Mr. Cruickshank is still living in Scotland p.nd has, amongst his most cherished mementoes, a collection of Sir John's early compositions. At school the young lad seemea to realize the necessity for earnest \\ ork, and was a most indefatig- able scholar, taking a pride in doing everything well. O'.itside of his .school A\ ork he devoured all sorts of books and was par- ticularly fond of poetry. He was also fond of makmg versos, but none of these have been preserved. During this time young Macdonald boarded with an old lady on Rideau street, who, apparentl)', was not sufficiently mindful of the wants of a growing lad. He u.sed to spend all his spare hours at the house of his uncle. Colonel Macpherson, and his cousin, xlelen, would save for him slices of pudding and other delicacies dear to the heart of a school-boy. She describes him as, even at th'>t period, so voracious a reader that he would seize upon any book that interested him, and sit down to peruse Mis Law Studies. 8 1 it, no matter what wjis ij^oiiig on. Nothinij that occurred, however, escaped his attention, and he never forijot what he read. The following reminiscences arc from the same source : " There was a cjueer old character who acted as pre- centor of the kirk, and who, singular as it may appear, was a sceptic — a freethinker of the worst kind. He took a great fancy to th i clever lad, and frequently asked him to his room, which was filled with curiosities of all kinds, and there engaged him in controversy respecting the Bible. This, John enjoyed very much. I don't know that it did him much good, but it taught him to argue, for the old man was very clever. At this distance of time, I find it impossible to recall his name. At the age of fifteen, John went into the office of George McKenzie, where he remained until the death of the latter. Mr. McKenzie was good enough to also take him to board. Mrs. McKenzie was a kind-hearted soul, but was much worried by thf difficulty of getting J'^hn out of bed in the morning, he was such a sleepy-head So one day, finding she couldn't rouse him, she darkened his room so that not a ray of light could enter. After a time he awakened, but found all darkness. After \ainly tr\'ing to go to sleep again, he got up, drew the curtains, and looked out of the window, when, to his astonishment, he saw the men returning from their work. He was .so ashamed that a similar difficulty never occurred. " As a youth he was quiet in ir.annor, but full of fun and mischief, quick at repartee and unable to resist a joke. One evening, at a large part}-, he forgot an engagement *o dance a quadrille immediately after supp::r, and appeared to claim his partner when it was too late. She was very in- dignant she had lost her dance, and would not forgive. He tried to appease her in every way, but finding it without avail, to her horror and dismay flung him.self .it her feet, and with eyes twinkling with merriment, but in the most heart-broken tones cried out,' Remember! oh, remember ! the fascinations of the turkey.' This was too much, and the ridiculousness of the situation, together with the laughter of the bystanders, brought .ibout a speedy reconciliation. 6 :j1 82 TiiK Lii 1-: OF Sir John A. Macdoxai.d. i i . i i t " J^'rom Kingston he went to J'icton, and took chartrc of the hiw office of m\' brother, L. V. Macpheisoti, who had been attacked b\' bronchitis, the treatment of which was then unknown in Canada. He went to J^Ln^dand in search of heahh, and, subsequently, to tlic West Indies to pay a visit to his brother-in-law, Commissary-General Wilson, then stationed in Jamaica. But the disease had made such pro^^rcss that he was beyond human aid, and died at sea on his way back. Durii\4 his absence, John A. took chars^e of his business and alsu opened a branch office at Napanee. In those da)s there was a good deal of e.xcitc.-ment resjjecting the rebels, and this afforded a grand opportunit)- for the formation of a serio-comic society, which received the droll, and to those who did not understand r'rench, the bewilderuig >iame of " the Societ\- of ' J'ac/ie Rouge.' " At the liead of it was John A. and a choice lot such as Tom Ramsay, clever and deepl)' read in heraldry Donald Stuart, a handsome Highlander, etc. The latter, b)- right of his royal name, was installed, ' Lord Lion, King at Arms.' John A. and the others bore Caelic titles, far bej'ond ni\- power to gi\e, while I, as lad}' patroness, was st\"led, ' The Lady I lelen o' that ilk,' (whatexer that ma)- be). Ikit although the knights held a high court of re\elr\-, the\- also formed them- selves into ainilitarycompaiu', and regalarlydrilled, in case their services might be required, and I, b}- virtue of iri\- position as lath' patroness, worked a hannei", on which was the legend, < Sans peur et sans reprcche,' and presented it with appropriate cer'.MTionies at the hospitable residence of Allan Macpherson. Afterwards, when trouble actually came, the latter, U[)on his authority as magistrate, called out the compan)- to stop some suspected waggons that were passing through the town on the way to KingsLon. Resistance being made, they vere taken by force, and on examination found t(j be loaded uith arms for the rebels. "The family ha.l not yet left the Lake of the Mountain when this sociel\- was formed, and I recollect his coming \\\) one Christmas time when I was there, and bringing with hiui some choice spirits to have a holida)', and verilj- the\- liad it. .1 y. s ,T I """mmmimm i t Christmas Holidays. 85 "One day he persuaded his dear old mother to sit in state, a throne being arranged for her at one end of the room. The Lady Helen stood at her right hand and all the knights knelt around her to receive at her royal hands the insignia of their order. For a sword she wielded a large paper knife, the chain of office being a cord of many coloured braids. This, with appropriate ceremonies and prescribed formula of words, was placed in turn about the necks of the kneeling knights, who received it with becoming gravity. The old mother entered heart and soul into the humour of the thing, and after the laughter which greeted the conclusion of the performance had died away, rose, with the tears still on her face, saying, 'God help us for a set of fools!' John A. singing They were merry in the hall And their beards waf^ged all, adding, in his comical way 'only, hang it, we haven't a beard amongst us.' The knights and ladies are all gone now, and I, alone, am left to tell the tale of the joyous, happy days at the old home. "After his father's death John, himself, had an illness of so .severe a nature that his life was despaired of, and, when slowly recovering, was informed that his only chance of living, for even a moderate period, was to travel as .soon as convalescent, and give up, for the future, all causes of excitement and anxiety. "He accordingly went to England, saw all the points of interest, and became acquainted with his relatives. After a time he journeyed to Scotland, and there, amidst the romantic scenery of the Highlands met his fate in the person of his cousin, the lovely Isabella Clark, daughter of Captain Clark, of Dalnavert, whom he married a )'e;ir or two later. She was not only a beautiful and accomplished w oman but pos.sessed of the sweetest, gentlest dispositic)!i possible anrl, when she came to Canada won the hearts of all who knew her. Some years after her marriage an old man came to see me, saying that his wife had been her foster-mother and would like very much to see her 'bairn' if possible, and spoke long and feel- I i , i ■f 1' I •r 86 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. ingly of the love she bore her. Being from the Cluny estate I thought I would please him by reading from an Inverness paper an account of the Queen's visit to Scotland, and lunch- con at Cluny Castle, and of the body-guard of clansmen that had been sent to accompany her, but he just nodded and said 'she's been well putten up.' But, I cried, 'don't you under- stand the honour to Cluny'? 'Honour'! said he 'Honour'! Na! Na! 'She's verra weal in her ain country, but at Cluny! Na! Na!' He went away very .sorrowful when he found that I could not speak Gaelic, shaking his head and saying 'Oigh ! Oigh ! that I should live to .see a Macpherson that could na speak ta Gaelic' I do not remember if his wife saw her foster-child or not, but I hope she did, for the love of a Scotch fost -T-mother for the child that she has nursed can scarce!)' be said to be of a lesser degree than that of its own mother." Mr. Macdonald was called to the bar in Hilary term 1836, and, on the death of Mr. Mackenzie, came into a large and lucrative practice. He at once took a leading position in his profession, and two years after was selected to defend those ".sympathisers" in the rebellion in 1837-38, who had come across from the United States to assist the Canadians in their suppo.sed fight for freedom. The exact part that he took in that trial does not seem quite clear. There can be no doubt as to his having bee^" retained by the friends of the leader, Von Shoultz, to defend him, and that he also acted for the paymaster, Daniel George, but a perusal of the papers of the day shows that the former pleaded guilty, and that Mr. Mac- donald made most strenuous efforts to have the ignominious sentence of being hanged changed to the more honourable one of being shot as a soldier. He was successful only in having it carried out on a special scaffold erected at Fort Henry, instead of the common gallows at Kingston where the others were executed. He drew the will of the unhappy, misguided man, and lent him every assistance up to the last. The brilliant defence with which history has credited him must therefore have been that of the paymaster and his associates. The trial was by court martial and took place at Fort Henry, Dkfp:xck ok Von Siioultz. 87 on November 28, 1838. The f()ll(juiiij.f report is taken from a contemporary paper : "On Wednesday last, Daniel George, late o[ Cape Vincent, New York, paymaster of the pirates, was placed on his trial. At his request he was allowed counsel and engaged J(jhn Macdonald, Esq., the court allowing a short delay for that purpose. "The Pole, Neils Szoltevski von Shoultz, was also placed on trial. When required to plead he asked if the statement which he had made to a magistrate would be received and sent to t Lieutenant-Governor. On being answered that it would he j)leaded guilty. The judge-advocate cautioned him respecting the consequences of such a plea to him, that in the y^rcsent circumstances of Upper Canada he could hold out no hope for mercy, and therefore, the prisoner must consider his situation well, and if he thought proper he might withdraw his plea and plead not guilty. The prisoner answered that he had been induced to take command of the mvadcrs under false impressions, and now that he saw through the whole and dis- covered the delusion under which he had laboured, he was aware of the nature of his conduct. It was no use to say any- thing in defence and he should persist in his plea of guilty." Formal evidence was then taken. Von Shoultz was executed on December 8th, near Fort Henry. George was al.so executed. A friend of Von Shoultz, in a later issue of the Ki.igston Spectator, gave an interesting account of the life of this unfortunate young man. "Niles Gustaf Schobtewskii von .Schoultz was of Swedish descent, a Pole by birth and of noble extraction. . . . He had accjuired the highest literary honours of the principal and most celebrated universities of northern Europe. ... In that sanguinary and decisive struggle before the walls of Warsaw his father and a brother fell, martyrs to the sacred cause of libert\'. His mother and sister fled in the disguise of peasants, but were trikcn and banished to Russia." Further on we are told by the same friend that he could "prove inieciuivocally that Von Schoultz's joining the expedition against Prescf)tt was entirely unpre- meditated — in fact, the entire result of accident." •' i M h 1 K •1 ] i I 1 88 Till-; Lii'K OK Sir John A. Ma( donai.d. Mr. Gunn, of Walkcrton, who was in Kin<^stoii at the time, has recently written a very interesting letter to the Empire, from which we make the followint^ extracts: "The prisoners taken at the battle of tlie windmill at Prescott, in September, I (S3 8, were brought up to Kinj^^ston in the okl mail steamer, Canada, and landed at Scobell's wharf, foot of Brock street, where Sanderson and Murray carried on the forwardinj,^ busi- ness, and for whom I was then ai^ent. A stout rope was fastened around the chest of General von Shoultz, to which the other prisoners were fastened by the rijj^ht hantl and the left iiand alternately. In this way the}' were marched to Tete de I'ont barracks at Fort Henry, pelted b)- the rabble in the crowd, the jail of the county beiny; too small t(j acc(jmmodate the number — some 120 or I 30 men. Althouj4h taken b)- the military in the act of war, in consequence of some peculiarit\- of the law, these prisoners were retained, not in militar\- custody, but in the custody of the sheriff. On a certain nit^dit a number of them made their escape. Colonel Dundas, of the 83rd rej^iment, bcin^ commandant at the garrison, had Mr. Ashley, the jailer, arrested and afterwards prosecuted in the Ctmrt of the Queen's Bench f(jr alleged complicity in the escape. The case excited intense interest. Mr. Ashle)- was a strong Reformer. The public mind was greatly excited against the American .sympathizers. John A. Macdonald, then a very young lawyer who had not hitherto distinguished him- self in any way, defended Mr. Ashley. I was present during the whole of the trial, which lasted two days or more. Mr. Macdonald handled the military authorities with great severity, for which the)' never forgave him, and this feeling of antago- nism was kept up, each new coming regiment evidentl}' receiving the tradition from its predecessor in the garrison, but John A. cared nothing for that. Although Mr. Macdonald's friends did not sympathize with him in his onslaught on the military authorities, yet all were surprised and delighted at the wonderful tact and the forensic ability he so suddenly displayed in that trial. The jury, after long deliberation, acquitted Mr. Ashley. The name and praise of the )oung lawyer were on every tongue. He had made his mark. This ' ■% 9 LT.-COLONKL DONALD MACIMI I'KSON. Horn I'lS^, liird /Sj~. {/•'roiii u I'uinling on Ivuivi. ,U ^z^ ^ '*<^. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.1 1^ I^B 1 2.5 U£ lilBi •^ l&i 12 2 ;^ 144 i" 12.0 m 1.25 1.4 1 1.6 M 6" ► ^ ^. c%i ^W ^,''* ^ > Hiotographic Sciences Corporalion 23 WIST MAIN STRiCT WnSTER.N.Y. MSSO (716) S72-4S03 4. ^ ;\ ^ » -y , { : Elected as Alderman. 91 P was at the Fall Assizes for 1838. His defence of Von Shoultz, for which he was specially retained by friends of Von Shoultz, in Syracuse, New York, was subsequent to this." Mr. Macdonald's popularity was terribly strained by his defence of these men, whose conduct was looked Ujion with the utmost abhorrence, but he came unscathed throujjh the ordeal, and on November 20, 1842, was elected President of St. Andrew's Society. Whilst he was acting in this capacity Sir Charles Metcalf arrived in Canada, and Mr. Macdonald called a meeting of the society on March 22, 1843, for the purpose of arranging for his reception. The enthusiasm must have been very great, for we find that the society turned out in kilts to meet the new Govenor-General. In February, 1843, he decided to offer himself for muni- cipal honours, and issued the following address : " To the Free and Independent Electors of Ward No. 4 in the Town of Kingston. " CiENTLEMEN, — Permit me to lay my name before you as a candi- date for yonr suffrages at the election in your ward — as alderman. " I can only assure you, that should I be honoured by your choice, my humble exertions shall not be spared in the performance of the duties thereby imposed upon me. " I have the honour to be, gentlemen, " Vour most obedient servant, "John A. M.vcdo.sald.'' The election took place on March 29th, when he was returned by a majority of sixty-ihrcc over his opponent, Captain Jackson, the ix)ll standing : Macdonald 156, Jackson 93. Mr. Anglin was at the same time elected as councilman, and the two were cha* cd triumphantly through the town. In June of the same year he took a prominent part in the very elaborate ceremonies with which the corner stone of the beautiful city hall and market buildings was laid by Sir Charles Metcalfe, and his name was included amongst those in.scribed on the brass plate let into the stone. Four years later (September, 1847), he and Mr. John Counter presented the city with the magnificent clock, which for nearly forty-five ^ -/r-f .^ ^ ■L J I 92 The Life of Sir John A. Macuonald. N ■^ years has told the inhabitants of Kingston of the passage of time. He did not long occupy the position of alderman, as in the year following, he was called upon to represent the constituency in the Legislative Assembly. The following report of the meeting held to decide upon a candidate is taken from the ' U ^ >> Kingston Netcs of October 3rd, of that year : " " On T^riday evening last, a large meeting of the electors of the town took place at Mctcalf's inn for the purpose of determining what steps should be taken in reference to the coming election, in order to secure the return of a candidate to represent the true interests of the town in Parliament. James Williamson, Esq., was called to the chair, and W. M. Strange, Esq., requested to act as secretary. The chairman, in a few words, explained the object of thus calling together a portion of the electors, when Mr. Macdonald, who was present, rose, and shortly stated that the meeting he'd been called at his instance, that the' necessary preliminary steps to an election contest should at once be adopted. As regarded himself, he felt gratified with the confidence which had been shown in him by a large number of the electors of the town, evinced by a numerously signed requisition addressed to him, requesting ^ that he would allow himself to be put in nomination as a can- didate for the representation of the town. Some time, how- ever, had elapsed since that requisition was signed, and it might be that the confidence of the signers had undergone some change, or, that they would now prefer to select another can- didate. To meet such a contingency, and to remove the slightest cause for a division among the Conservative electors of the town, he would now leave them free to act in the selection of a candidate ; and while he was still willing and ready to serve them, yrt, should their choice fall upon another, he would most cheerfully resign any claims which he might have, and to the utmost of his power assist in carrying out any ^-^arrangement which they might think proper to adopt. *' Mr. Macdonald then retired from the room, when Mr. John R. Forsyth, Esq., addressed the meeting in a short but efifective speech, in which he a^>•erted his conviction that ^9- Resolutions of Confidknc k. 03 I upon none could the choice of the electors fall more capable of representing the true interests of the town than Mr. Macdonald, and he would therefore move that it be : '*' Resolved: That this meeting continues to repose unabated confidence in John A. Macdonald, Ksq., as a fit and proixir person to represent the true interests of the town of Kingston in Parliament, and pledge to him their undivided support.' "This resolution was seconded by David John Smith, P3sq., and carried by acclamation. The contrary vote was called for, but no dissentients apjxjared." His address was issued two or three days later, and breathed the same spirit of loyalty and devotion to the mother country as characterized his latest utterances. It was as follows : " To the Free and Indef>endent liUctors ff the Town of Kingston. "Gentlemkn, — The approaching election calls upon me to redeem the pledge made in March last, in answer to the flattering requisition addressed to me by 225 electors, inviting me to become a candidate foi the representation of this town. "A residence in Kingston since infancy has afforded every oppor- tunity to me of knowing the wants and claims of our " Loyal Old Town" — and to you of ascertaining my political opinions and my <|uali(ications for the office I now solicit at your hands. " I therefore, need scarcely state my firm belief, that the prosperity of Canada depends upon its permanent connection with the motiuT country, and that I shall resist to the utmost, any attempt (from what, ever quarter it may come), which may tend to weaken that union. ' ' The proposed measures for reducing the enormous expense of the public departments, for improving the syste .1 of couunon schools, and for opening and extending the advantages of our Collegiate Institutes, will receive my cordial support. "It is alike my duty and my interest to promote the prosperity of this city and the adjacent country. No exertion will be spared by nw in forwarding the settlement of our rear townships, by the formation ot public road, sin assisting and concentrating the trade of this port, and in such other local measures as will in any way conduce to your advantage. *' I am deeply grateful for the confidence you have already reposed in me, and trusting that I have done nothing to forfeit it, " I have the honor to be, " Your obliged and " Faithful servant, " KiKGsros, October 5, 1844. "John A, Macdon.\lu." .:,jd^j! "J'v^ jlA' t^ /i^ M" \ ' 94 The Life ov Sir Jimin A. Macdonald. !i Judj^itiff from the following extract from the address of his opponent, Mr. Manahan, the old member, the latter did not belong to any political party. " I need not make profession of political principles. I am long known to you all as a no party man ; always anxious to promote |)eace and harmony, and the prosperity of this, my adopted country. With the assurance of an abiding gratitude for your former generosity and respectfully soliciting your con- tinued consideration, etc." The proceedings at the nomination are recorded in the Kingston News of October loth. " Mr. Manahan was first nominated. S. Morley, Esq., moved the nomination »ind was seconded by Rir. G. H. McLean* John R. r'orsyth, Esq., then stcpj)ed forward, and in an eloquent and forcible address rccominended Mr. Macdonald to the electors. Mr. Williamson in a few remarks seconded the nomination. The rival candidates then addressed the m:,>eting. Mr. Manahan defended his past conduct, and promised to do everjthing for everybody, and Mr. Macdonald stated generall)- tho.se principles which would guide his parliamentary career, should he be returned to represent the constituency. Ikyond catching a few stray .sentences, we were unable to hear dis- tinctly the speakers. At the close, the returning officer called for a show of hands, upon which, however, he was unable to decide." The result of the election was an overwhelming victory for Mr. Macdonald, as will be .seen from the following returns of the state of the poll in each ward, as taken from the A'ejvs of October 17th : MacdonuUl. Manahan. Ward, No. i 51 14 Ward, No. 2 35 y Ward, No. 3 50 8 Ward, No. 4 140 11 38a 4-i Macdoiiald's majority 240 The address given above forms one of the most interesting SIR JOHN A. MACnON ALirs SISTKRS. * MISS MACDONAI.M. MUS WILLIAMSON. (. Li] Sir Ciiaki.ks Metcalik. 97 reminiscences of the early life of Sir John A. Macdonald. and the principles therein enunciated were characteristic of his whole after career and were firmly adhered to through his long and varied official life, and it is profitable to reflect that the great monument of Canadian unity and greatness which he left behind him, was not the result of chance or circumstance, but the deliberate result of a policy conceived in youth, cher- ished loyally through all the remainder of his life, and realized at last with marvellous success. The morning after Sir John's death, a sketch of his career appeared in the Daily Citizen with a iu)tc to the effect that it had been carefully read over by himself, and contained inter- lineations in his well-known handwriting. From this we make the following extract as to this period of his life. ".As an adviser in civil cases, and in the unravelling of compli- cated land titles, Mr. Macdonald won the esteem and confi- dence of every large corporation. Was he permitted to enjo)- the fruits or reap the rich harvest of a lucrative practice? Canada needed her best men in the legislative halls of the country, and the joung barrister, with a self-denial that has dis- tinguished him throughout life, turned a deaf ear to those who painted in vivid colours the sacrifices he was inaking, the i)ro- fessional success he was forfeiting, and the an.xious, laborious responsibilities he was about to assume. Private ea.se, how- ever, had ne\er been enjoyed, nor yet coveted, by the young advocate. Possessed of an active, nervous temperament, public life and its allurements cast an irresistible spell over him — and, in the summer of 1S44, he was returned by a very large majority to represent the city of Kingston in the old Canada Assembly. Froin that hour up to the present time he has, without intermission, continued to hold the position, although forced to contest the constituency at least a score of times since first entering Parliament. At the time Mr. Macdonald was elected political excitement ran high, a determined agita- tion had been commenced against Sir Charles (afterwards Lord) Metcalfe, and some words, as bitter as they were unfair, had been used respecting his conduct. The language used condemnatory of the Governor was repudiated by several 7 ^ / ^ X '\ 9« TnK LiiK OK Sir John A. Mac donald. leaders of the Reform party. Sir Francis Ilincks, in fact, found it necessary to enter a protest against it in the follow- ing words, addressed to Mr. Isaac Buchanan, a prominent Canadian politician: 'The only feeling that I, or any of my late colleagues can entertain towards his Kxcellency is one of gratitude for the uniform courtesy with which we were treated by him up to the last moment we held office. I must not, therefore, be held responsible for newspaper paragraphs, of which, if personal to the Governcjr, I do not hesitate to say I disapprove.' Party feeling was strong, tempting many to utilize the misunderstanding for the advancement of their interests. Mr. Macdonald, however, took higher ground; although cordially sustaining his Conservative friends, and in accord with his leader, the Hon. Mr. Draper, afterwards Chief Justice of the Court of Error and Appeal, he brought with him into public life a mind liberalized by thee.xperience of his profession, accepting old traditions in so far as they promised to advance national interests, but rejecting such as threatened to prove inimical to the progress of the countr)-, or the full development and free expression of public opinion. He wisely determined upon espousing the cause of Sir Charles Metcalfe, being of opinion that, although responsible government had properly been granted to Canada, the Governor's advisers were attempting to carry the principle .so far as to destroy the legitimate influence of the Crown. His strong common sense convinced him that the first dut)- of a statesman was to elevate the tone of discussion, and tcmjier with true liberality the demands of those who .sought reform. Violence, cither in word or action, is the weapon of a demagogue, and the man who. during a grave crisis, when popular clamour points in another direction, is brave enough to pursue the straight course, is the man best adapted to ruling a great country aiul laying deeply and firmly the foundation of a prosperous and enlightened nation. A sense of justice, and not simply po\itica.\ ^nesse, prompted Mr. Macdonald to condemn those who appeared willing to assume responsibility for measures that might have proven detrimental to the interests of the country. He was not slow in meeting the defamers of Lord " RF.SI'ONSIHLK GoVEkNMKNT. 99 Metcalfe and in laying down the sound constitutional doctrine that a subordinate government could not expect to dictate to a public officer, responsible not to that government alone, but to the Crown, whose representative he was, and whose func- tions were discharged directly through him. The discontent in both the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada arising out of the troubles of 1837-38 was not yet forgotten by any class of the Canadian public. The union of the two provinces had, indeed, done much to lessen the acrimony that had previously existed, but there was still a feeling of jealousy — begotten of the differences of creed and nationality — that naught save the wisest polic)- could convert into harmony. It is true Lord Glenclg, the Colonial Secretary, had written, defining the jirinciplcs upon which the liritish Government would feel itself justified in interposing its authority. He said: "Parliamentary legislation on any subject of exclusively in- ternal concern to any British colony possessing a representative Assembly is, as a general rule, unconstitutional. It is a right of which the exercise is reserved for extreme cases, in which necessity at once creates and justifies the exception." Still, notwithstanding these assurances, it became evident that to avoid frequent collisions between the Crown's representative and the popular branch of the Legislature the Executive must be brought directly under the control of the people's repre- sentatives. Like many British statesmen, Mr. Macdonald frequently expressed a fear that sufficient time had not elapsed between the troubles of 1837 and the agitation of 1S44 to warrant an application of the principle in its fullest .sense; he, therefore, urged his party to stand by the Crown, and the Crown's representative, looking forward to the day when Ministerial responsibility might be safel}- extended, and con- stitutional government, as in Lngland, matlc the basis of the Government of Canada. Thus when in 1847 responsible , government was finally and full)- established under Lord Elgin, none hailed the change w ith greater gratification than Mr. Macdonald, and from that hour Her Majesty's represen- tative chose his advisers from the part)- able to command a majority in the Legislative .Assembl)-. -^ \ \ loo I III; l.ii i; 1)1 Siu John A. M.\» hoNAi.n. Oil Jul)- S, 1X45, Ml. Mactlonaltl was tlictid a ilircctor of tlu- (oiniiRTcial Itank, his associates at tlu" board bcinj,' tlic I lonoiirabli-s John llatnilton, John Maraula)', aiui Messrs. John Kirb\-, Joseph Hiiice, James Nickalls, John Macpherson, houj^'las I'retitice, William Loj^ieaiul K. Satcheson. On SeptemlKT i^th of this )ear, we fnul him taking an active interest in a meeting' called b\' the MaN'or of Kinj^'ston, Thos. W. Robinson, lvs(|., respecting, a railroad to Ix." built from Kingston to loronto, with connections via Cape N'incent with another projected line, then called the (ireat Western, but now known as the New York Central. A deputation from Water- town, N.\'., was present at the meetin},^ to ascertain the views of the people of Kin^'ston, and announceil that, if a j^'uarantee was f^Mven that the people of Canada West were in faxour (»f a railroad from Toronto to Kinj^rston, the (ape \ inceiit. Water- town and Rome Railroad would be commeiKici within three months. Mr. Macdonald elo(|ucntl>' advocated the scheme, and was appointed a member of a committee which was calletl "The Committee of the W(o.5 feeble of limb, and worn out mentally, yet, every day saw him occupying his seat and gazing about the office with an air of proprietorship. He apparently had no relatives or connec- tions, and, with most men, would have been turned adrift when his usefulness was gone, or, at best, granted a sufficient sum to meet his modest wants, but he had been Sir John's friend, and either course would have crushed his proud Scotch heart. One day the poor old fellow remarked, that he was not of much use and was ashamed to draw pay, but Sir John replied : *'Why, Mcintosh, if you left me I would have to close the office. You have an eye on the students and keep them to their work and keep everything straight in the office. Oh ! I could not part with you." So he was soothed, and led to believe that his presence was essential, and thus he lived on until death called him away, happy in the sense of respon- sibility, and provided for up to the very last. During the first two or three years of his parliamentary life, Mr. Macdonald .seems to have entered upon the study of his duties with all the earnestness of his character. He seldom rose to speak, and then only when he had something of importance to say. Even at this time he had a great objection to the carefully prepared essays which some members of the Legislature are prone to deliver, and made it a rule to /^ , store his mind with all the facts bearing upon the case under M discussion, and then express what he had to say, at the time, f* and in the manner, most likely to prove effective. His 'speeches thus always attracted attention, and before three years had elapsed he had won such a reputation for ability and discretion, and had become so popular amongst his fellow representatives, that no surprise was excited whcii the announcement was maile that he had been called upon to occupy a seat in the Cabinet. X fit . til mi • 'Hi i- ' m m ^ X' ^ CHATTKR HI Mr. Macdonald's appoinlmcnl as Receivcr(ieneral in 1S47— Testimony as to his ability by newspapers of both sides of politics — The University Hill — disso- lution— Review of Government Policy — Mr. .Macd<)nald'> appointment as Commissioner of Crown Lands — He defeats Mr. Mackenzie by 386 to 84 — Meeting (if new Parliament, February 25, 1848 — The (iovernment lieatenor. the .Address. THK Gazette of May 22, 1847, announced that Mr. Mac- donald had been appointed Receiver-General of the Province of Canada in the place of the Honourable William Morris resigned. His promotion seems to have given great satisfaction to the general public, and newspapers of both sides of politics joined in bearing tcstimon}' to the ability of the new- Minister. The Hamilton Spectator, which then, as now, was a Con.servative paper, said: "The feeling in favour of the Receiver-General is cordial and enthusiastic. All classes and parties appear to have joined together, and the Honourable John A. Macdonald will be returned for the city bj' acclama- tion. We have before spoken of the talent, application to business, and affability of the member for Kingston, and ha\c only to congratulate the constituency on th'jir own penetration and the firm attachment of their representative to Conserva- tive principles." The Bytown Gazette thus expressed its views : " Mr. Mac- donald is a sure Conservative, and being a man whose talent and integrity have gained him the confidence of his friends and the respect of his political opponents, his appointment will add much strength to the Ministry.'' Not less flattering was the opinion expressed by the Picton 6'«;/j a paper bitterly opposed to the Conservative, paity : " Mr. MacHoiiald commenced the study of the law in this town under the late L. P. Macphenson. He early gave indications of .solid abilities, and that self-reliance which have been the means of his rapid advancement in his profession ; and, although it is an unusual change of fortune for a poor and friendless boy of yesterday to be called to-daj- to fill one of the most responsible offices in the province, )et we know of no ^ 104 1 ^ % AlM'OIXTF.I) AS RK( KIVKK-GkNKUAL loS one amoii^ the Conservative party in the House who is really more deserving; of advaiiceineiit or who would be likely to fill the office more efficientl} ; and, we may add, one who would in all probabilit)' be more popular with the countr)-. For, if not materially altered since he be«ran his career, he is not of that bigoted and intolerant turn of mind which is too often the characteristic of a Canadian Tory. On the contrary, with none of the aristocratic fceliiii^s, and but few of the illiberal views of the part}- with which ho is associated, he will brintj into the Adininistration (if we arc not jrixvitly mistaken) a disposition to be ( the Quebec and Halifax Railway, Law of Copyright, etc. During the recess strong efforts had been made by ♦ihc Ministry to obtain the assistance of gentlemen possessing the confidence of the majority of the people of Lower Canada. _With this object His Excellency issued the following "confi- dential " memorandum : " The Governor-General is sincerely desirous that in the adminis- tration of the affairs of the province, the interests and fceHnKS of that important section of the inhabitants which is of French origin should meet with the fullest attention and consideration. " It would be very satisfactory to him, therefore, to have the nicanh^ of including in his Kxecutive Council some of those gentlemen who enjoy in a high degree their esteem and confidence. " He has reason to believe that this object might, under existing circumstances, l)e accomplished with great advantage to the public and on terms that would be fair both to them and the members of the present Council. " The Governor-General has too sincere a respect for the gentle- men to whom he addresses himself to ask their assent to any pn)j)al involving a sacrifice of principle. But in inviting them to consider the practicability of such an arrangement as he has suggesteil, and tu favour him with their sentiment thereupon, he desires to express his confident hope that objections founded on personal or party differences (if such exist) will yield to the dictates of patriotism and jjublic du'iy. " MoNKLANDs, Ffbruary 23, 1847. With this memorandum as a basis for negotiations, Mr Papineau went to Quebec and had interviews with Mr. Caroii on March 12th and April 5th, after which Mr. Caron went to Montreal, and the negotiations were there continued with Mr. Cay ley. The offer made to Mr. Caron and his friends was that they should have the disposal of three of the seven seats in the Council, three being reserved, and the seventh to be filled by His Kxccllency with the advice of the six. In making this offer it was frankly stat<;d on the part of the Ministers, that no reservation was made on their part as to the gentlemen who should compose the French-Canadian section of the Cabinet ; that they would permit no personal feelings — no sense of former personal differences — to interfere with the 1 I KFKOkTs TO Conciliate imi^.> / ,.,v^y>- ■.V ii6 Thk Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. duccd for the settlement of the University question, and I those which preceded it, was, that while the latter designed ! only one great institution at Toronto, inaccessible to the great body of the people, he (Mr. Macdonald) aimed at placing the advantages of a university education within j their reach. , People, he knew, would much prefer having their sons e.'ucated under their own surveillance than to send them from all parts of the province to Toronto, and maintain them there at a great expense. ^ He was desirous also of having a more regular gradation of education than at present. It was true that there existed district schools, but with the miserable pittance allotted to them it was not to be expected fliat they would be of much positive advantage to the countr)-. Under the best possible direction they could ill supply the wants of each district. It was more than any one man could do to impart effectively such an education as was designed in the original endowment of grammar schools, and there conse- quently existed a very wide gap between these schools and the university. He proposed to lessen this.V The ministerial measure embraced the establishment in each district of a gr^mar school, with a fund sufficient to maintain four mas- '' ters. In such an institution an education could be obtained equal to that which has fallen to the lot of the greater number of public men in Canada, and the facilities for such an educa- tion would, as he had before pointed out, be almost at every man's door. Then, it has been justly urged, that with only one uni- versity as proposed by Mr. Baldwin, the son of the poor man would be literally excluded from the higher walks and pursuits of life, for the poor man could not afford to send his son to Toronto for the purpose of receiving a universit)' education. How did Ministers meet this objection? Did they propose to continue this system, as some of these did who were fond of crying "justice to all classes?" No. There are now twenty-two districts in Upper Canada, and in a short time there will be twenty-four, v It is proposed that at the annual examination in each of these district grammar schools, the two scholars who shall prove their superior advancement shall f J.Jy^Aff^'-'" \\ Model I-'akms. 117 l i be sent to the university of their choice and educated at the public expense. Thus, for instance, if the youth belonged to the Church of England, he would prefer King's College and be sent there; if a Roman Catholic, he would desire to go to j Regiopolis; if a Presbyterian, to Queen's College; if a Metho- 'dist, to Victoria; and in like manner with reference to other colleges which may be established. This looked a little more like "justice to all " than the establishment of one great insti- tution under circumstances which would amount to a virtual exclusion of the poorer class of society. And it could not be justly said that the son of the farmer, or the mechanic, should be excluded ; that high education should be confined to high rank, — for some of the brightest names on the pages of the world's history are those of men who, by the force of getiius, ro.se from the lowest to fill the highest stations in society. But Ministers have gone yet further in their endeavour to bring education within the reach of the mass of the people. We are all u.sed to look upon the pursuits of agriculture as of the highest importance; we speak of the farmers as forming the " b(>ne and sinew " of the country ; yet it is well known that few are acquainted with agriculture as a science. Of the importance of its study as sucii, however, there cannot e.xist a doubt. But how is such a description of knowledge to be obtained ? How many farmers are there in the country who could .send their sons to Toronto to study agricultural science under the direction of a professor ? Perhaps not a dcjzcn. But the measure now before the country embraced the institu- tion of a model farm and school in the neighbourhood of every capital town, under the direction of a scientific man, where a scientific knowledge of agriculture will be imparted to the youth who attend it, as well as a good practical education. Such was the nature of the measure which Ministers submitted to the consideration of the people of the country, and by their verdict upon its fitness or unfitness, he repeated, they were ready to stand or fall." Mr. Macdonald also reviewed the general policy of the Government and claimed credit for having placed Upper Canada on a footing of equality with Lower Canada, and / I 7.-' ^■! 1 1 n < • Xf'-^ /^' ii8 TnK Li IF. OK Sir John A. I\Ia( donai.d. removing the injustice of which the foi-mer justl)' complained under the Lafontaine-Baldwin Administration. The addresses of Ministers to their constituents make it quite clear that the grounds upon which they felt it incum- bent upon them to dissolve the House and appeal to the country were, first, the measure which they had decided upon with reference to King's College; second, the close balance of party exhibited throughout the whole of the last session, and t/iird, the absence of any result from the overtures made to the leaders of the French pt)pulation of Lower Canada. That these overtures had failed affords one (jf the strongest proofs of the purity of the motives which influenced the Government in the course which they took. Parties were .so evenly balanced in the As.sembly that a majority of more than four to six votes could never be counted upon. Ministers felt the desirability, the ab.solute necessity of .settling the Univer- sity question in a way that by its broad spirit of fair pl?y and even-handed justice to all parties and classes of the communitj* would commend itself to the country, and remove forexer a fertile source of irritability and ill-feeling. They felt that when they had stepped forward and proved their readiness to carry out in effect, and not merely in name, the Union of the Pro- vinces, and unite with tho.se who represented the majority of the eastern party of Canada for the common welfare of the whole province, and these advances had been rejected, not on points of principle, but on personal grounds affecting but one member of the Cabinet, that these men had already decided not to unite \»ith the Conservatives, though composing a majority of Western Canada, but to ally them.selves with the minority in that section of the province for the purpo.se of .securing their own terms and obtaining a preponderance in the Cabinet. These sentiments were disclo.sed and avow^^l in the -Quebec manifesto issued by leading members of the party, and the silence of the chief members of the Opposition in Upper Canada could only lead to the belief that they met with their approval. Knowing, therefore, that they had lost all hold upon the Lower Canadians as a bod\-, and that, unless they could sweep Upper Canada, their days of power were gone, I Appointed Commissionkr ok Ckov.n Lands. 119 „ nothing but the purest of motives could have induced the Government, voluntarily, to dissolve the House and risk their chances in a pitched battle. Had they placed personal con- sideration before the country's weal, they might still have retained power and increased their majority by agreeing to accede to the scheme to make provision for the rebellion claims of Lower Canada from the general revenues — a propo- sition fraught with injustice to the western section of the province. The tavern licenses collected in Upper Canada formed the fund out of which her rebellion losses had been paid, and the revenue collected from the .same source in Lower Canada had been placed at the disposal of her local authorities and was then available exclusively for the advantage of Lower Canada. A demand, therefore, that the people of Upper Canada, who had already borne their own share, should also- bear half the burden of Lower Canada, was so unreasonable that no one pos.sessed of a sense of fair play or any feeling beyond the desire to grasp and retain office by any mean.s, could entertain it for a moment. The Government refused to .sacrifice principle to ofifice, although there was scarcely a, chance of their party being returned again to power. Before the elections came off Mr. Macdonald was appointed Commissioner of Crown Lands in the place of U. B. Papineau, resigned, and was succeeded as Receiver-General by the Hon, Francois P. Bruneau, and at the same time Mr. Turcotte became Solicitor-General for Lower Canada, a change that gave great satisfaction in Western Canada. It was also announced that the commissioners from the several provinces, appointed by the Governor-General to meet at Montreal upon the question of a general provincial post office, had adopted a scheme, and that the Government were prepared to reduce the high postal charges, then existing, to rates at least as low as those adopted in the neighbouring States, namely, three pence per half ounce for distances under 300 miles, and six pence for all greater distances. Before leaving the University question it is desirable to record the opinion of a gentleman who has since, for over twenty years enjoyed the confidence of successive Govern- ^ V !'y :w /' 120 The Life ok Sir John A. Macdonald. ments, and who having received the advatitagcs of a university training, and being an earnest supporter of the Church of England, might fairly be supposed to be capable of forming a , correct judgment on the question. Mr. Langton — late Deputy Minister of Finance — in his address to the electors of the .31 /''county of Peterborough, thus declares himself: "Three dis- '; p'*(l j tinct propositions are before the country, that of a university . J endowed by the public, but from which two-thirds of the '^ I public are practically shut out, is too exclusive to meet with i^^much support in the present age. The second plan, by which a large and wealthy university would be maintained at Toronto, unconnected with any religious dcnominatioi^, appears to me almost equally objectionable. ^'For. besides the impolicy of systematically excluding religion from the education of our youth, such an institution, however ciificient in itself, would, in the present circumstances of the province* be almost inaccess- ible to the majority of the population. By far the most equit- able principle is, in my opinion, that adopted by Mr. Macdon- ald's Hill — to give to each religious denomination a college amply endowed, where the higher branches of knowledge may be taught to those whose professions require, or whose means afford it, whilst for every district is provided a large and efficient grammar school and model farm, which will bring an excellent practical education within the means and home to the doors of all classes." Even more strongly did the late John Bower Lewis, also a strong supporter of the English Church, express himself in his address to the electors of Bytown : "The first great subject which now agitates the public mind, and which will engage tho earliest attention of the Legislature is the University X~^'" \ [ endowment. I regard the final settlement of this vexed Oi^ ^y question as essential, to set at rest for ever that spirit of strife ' ^ and agitation so baneful to the best interests of this colony. ■ Viewing the principles of Christianity as the basis of individual / happiness and national prosperity, I shall ever offer ray determined opposition to the ' godless ' scheme of education y proposed by the opponents of the present Government. On the other hand I am prepared to support the distribution of ^.'"■ y^ /■ Kingston Election. 121 I the endowment, propounded in the ministerial measure intro- duced last session, conceived, as I consider it to be, in a Christian and equitable spirit, and according to the sentiments of the various religious denominations in Canada, whose views the if\ssembly represent, and for whose benefit they arc called upon to legislate. That feature in the Bill by which a hand- some provision is reserved to accumulate for the benefit of other denominations, I will endeavour to see carried out in a spirit of justice and with a view to their numbers and position." The election in the city of Kingston came ofif on Decem- ber 28th and 29th, and resulted in the return of Mr. Macdonald by an overwhelming majority, the figures standing, Mr. Macdonald 386, Mr, Mackenzie 84. The victory was all the more marked from the fact that at the nomination Mr. Mackenzie was declared to have the show of hands. Great rivalry existed between the different city wards as to which should roll up the greatest majority for the Commissioner of Crown Lands, that honour eventually falling to Sydenham Ward where the votes polled were 87 and 15. In the other parts of the country the result was not so satisfactory. In Lower Canada the Ministry were hopelessly defeated. The French Canadians went against them in a body, and out of forty-two constituencies they were able to secure only seven, all of them represented by English-speaking members. In Upper Canada they were able to hold their own but no more. There could be no doubt that when Parliament met they would be obliged to give place to their adversaries, and that Mr. Baldwin would again be called upon to form a Government. If Louis I. Papineau be accepted as the mouth-piece of the French Canadians their views and intentions may be gathered from his address to the electors of Huntingdon. After referring to the sufferings of those who had taken up arms in 1837 " for the holy cause of the country," he goes on to say : " How has the confidence with which you honour me been inspired ? It can only have been by your observation of my public life during thirty years — during a struggle almost incessant, ft .r r: \ •;(' \-W' m all I H w * \m l^f' ' i V 122 \ TiiK LiFK OK Sir John A. Macdonalu. energetic but conscientious, against a bad government ; but much less guilty then than it has become since. That bad government is not, in my opinion, that of the Murrays, Haldi- mands, Craigs, Dalhousies, Colbornes, Thomsons and others, under which we and our associates have successively suffered ; it is that of ICngland which has selected, approved, recom- l)ensed those men for their acts of tyranny and violence towards the colonies, from which it is natural to conclude that they have been docile in following their instructions." He then goes on to show how the Union Act was pa.ssed, the great injustice it had done Lower Canada, for which province he claims the right to a majority of representatives in the House, considers that judges should be elected as well as the Ui)per Chamber, which he stigmatizes as a disgrace. He acknowledges no change whatever in his views since the rebellion. " All that I demanded in the House in 1836 I demand again in 1847, and believe that it is impossible there can be contentment as long as the.se just demands shall be unsatisfied. The repeal of the Union must be demanded, because it is the wish of the people, declared in their petitions of 1822 and 1836— because, apart from the injustice of its provisions, its principle is stupidly vicious in placing under one Legislature a territory so vast, that it cannot be sufficiently well known for the representatives to decide advisedly as to the relative importance of local improvements demanded on all hands, and the contradictory allegations of the people on a great variety of measures." He then declares that it is " the Liberals of Upper Canada with whom tho.se of Lower Canada must act in concert. The.se persons only (never the Tories) will be able and desirous of aiding us to put an end to our common miseries when they shall have become aware of the deception practised among them. In your county then, as vcU as in all others throughout the country, it will be proper to sustain those candidates who are known to you as having allied themselves to the Ministry, who strove with energy against Governor Metcalfe, and against his unconstitutional practice of attempting to govern by other advisers than those which the country gave him. " Mr. Pai'inkai's Addkkss. >23 " Nothing can be more honourable to me than this step on your part ; and I may atld that nothinj^j can be more consoUn^ after the inexhaustible chagrin which we feel at the conflagra- tion and devastation of so lar^e a portion of the country, at the bloody executions, the exile, the transportations, the sufferings, after illegal military sentences, of so j^reat a number of the dearest and most respected of our fellow citizens, than this manifestation on your part, which proves that }'ou remain the same men in politics that you were in i 1 \ nf 124 TnK LiFK OF Sir John A. Macuonalix sincere. He believed that those of his race and lan^ua^c had suffered injustice at the hands of successive English governors — injustice of a character sufficiently marked to permit the use of the strongest language, and, after that failed, even a recourse to the sword. He had taken up arms in defence of what he believed to be popular rights ; had been proscribed, and for eight years suffered banishment to a foreign country, a period during which the subject was ever uppermost in his mind, and his feelings had become intensified by his enforced absence. But it is hard to conceive how any of the English-speaking portion of Upper Canada could sympathise with his views, or at least with the majority of them. We know, as a matter of fact, that some of the organs of the Reform party had already laid it down as part of their political plat- form that the elective principle should be applied to the Legis- lative Council and to all officers from the Governor downwards, but none had gone the length of declaring that the Union Act should be repealed; that Lower Canada should have a majority of representatives in the Assembly to express sympathy with men who regarded the rebellion of 1837-38 as one of the most honourable epochs of their public life, or to say that the hour had come for reiterating the demands of 1836. There can, however, be but little doubt that the leaders of the part)-, by the silence which they as a rule observed on all the points advanced by the Lower Canadians, and the manner in which they were treated when reference was made to them, led the latter to believe that the two parties were in accord, and that by coalescing with the Reform party they could obtain con- cessions they could never hope to get from the Conservatives. The result of the elections determined the Government upon calling the House together for the despatch of business at the earliest possible opportunity. A Gazette extraordinar\- was therefore issued on Eebruary ist,announcing that the date to which Parliament s<^ood prorogued, namely March 4, 1848, was changed to February 25th, when they would meet for the despatch of public business. The first business was, of course, the election of Speaker, when the Hon. A. N. Morin received the unanimous vote of Dkficat ok tiik Administration. 125 the House; Sir Allan MacXab's name bein^ first submitted and negatived b)- a vote o'f 54 to 19. In making the motion in favour of Mr. Morin, Mr. Baldwin stated that he had no desire to base the question on party views. It was therefore not taken as a Government defeat. On the 28th His Excellency proceeded in state to the Chamber of the Legislative Council and delivered the Speech from the Throne. The main points were that he had called Parliament together at the earliest possible moment ; that during the recess he had made an extensive tour of the prov- ince and had met with the most gratifying indications of prosperity and contentment ; that commissioners had assem- bled at Montreal for the purpose of maturing a plan for placing the post office in British North America on an imj)rovcd footing, and he trusted to be able to submit a measure for effecting this object before the end of the session ; that informa- tion had been received of a good and practicable line of railway between Quebec and Halifax. He recommended the passage of a general Railwa}- Act, and announced that the constitution of the Universit}- of King's College, a more equitable assessment in Western Canada, and the improve- ment of the system of judicature in both sections of the province would be among the subjects which would engage attention. After the election cases were dispo.sed of, the Address in reply to the Speech from the Throne was moved by Colonel Prince, seconded by Mr. Christie. Mr. Baldwin, on the part of the Opposition, met the arguments of the previous speakers, and, after criticising the acts of the Ministry concluded b\- moving an amendment to the third paragraph in the Speech, with the addition of a declaration that the country had no confidence in the Administration. This motion was .secondec' by Mr. Lafontainc, and after a sharp debate was carried by vote of 54 to 20. y nil I ! ■'H i V X ./ C H A P T K R IV. The Baldwin- Lafontainc (ii)vcrnmcnl -The Rebellion Losses Bill — Bitter I'erson- alities between Mr, Blake, Sir Allan McNah and others — ICxcitiiig Scenes in the House— Meeting at Bonsecours Market, Montreal —Resolutions passed — Mr. Ilinck's Circular — Mr. Cayley's Reply— Popular Kxcitement— Burning in liflligy of Baldwin, Blake and Lyon Mackenzie — Mr. (Jeo. Brown's resirlence attacked. THE next day, Saturday, March 4th, the Ministry resigned and His Kxccllcncy .sent for Messrs. lialdwin and Lafontainc. These gentlemen succeeded ii; forming an Ad- ministration as follows : President of the Council, J.Leslie; Provincial Secretary, J. H. Price ; Attorney-General West, R. Baldwin ; Attorney- General Kast, L. H. Lafontaine ; Solicitor-General West, E. H. Hlake ; Solicitor-General East, F. C. Alwin ; Commissioner of Crown Lands, M. Cameron ; Receiver-General, L. M. Vigcr ; Inspector-General, Francis Hincks ; Commi.ssioner of Public Works, Dr. Tache ; Speaker Legislative Council, R. E. Caron. As a matter of course the new Ministry were not ready to bring down any subjects for legislation, and, after a short period during which a Supply liill and some private acts were passed, the Hou.se was prorogued on March 23rd. On January 20, 1849, the Legislature met again for the despatch of business. The Speech from the Throne announced the Queen's intention to pardon all those still liable to penal consequences for their acts in 1837-38 ; that the Imperial Parliament had passed an Act repealing the clau.se in the Union Act ; that on the meeting of the Imperial Parliament steps would be taken to confer on the provincial authorities the entire control and management of the Post Office Depart- ment — and signified that Bills would be introduced to increase -the Representation ; to amend the School Act in Lower Canada ; to amend the Judicature System ; to amend the District Councils Act and the Constitution of the Univer- sity of King's College ; to reorganize the Provincial Debt and create a Sinking Fund ; and a Bill to make further 126 Kkijki.i.ion I.ossks Hii.i.. 12: provision for Common Schools bj- the appropriation of Crown Lands, This session was made memorable by the introduction of the Lower Canadian Rebellion Losses Bill, a Hill which excited the English-speaking inhabitants to the very verge of frenzy, and culminated in acts, the violence of which must ever be a source of regret. The refusal of the Conservative Government in 1847, to accede to the proposition that these losses should be paid out of the Consolidated I^'und was, without doubt, one of the great reasons for the French-Canadians declining to share the responsibilities of govenunent with them, and this was dwelt on with much force by Ministers in their addresses to their constituents in December of that }ear. The c(jurse taken by the French-Canadians in voting in a solid body in favour of the Reformers, and the action of the new Ministry in intro- ducing this measure at the very earliest opportunity, would lead to the belief that there was an understanding between the two parties on the question. However, be that as it may, the moment the Bill was introduced a feeling of the most violent antagonism was dexcloped in Upper Canada, and public meet- ings in opposition to it were held in every part of the country. The first of these was called by the mayor of Kingston, in response to a large and influential requisition, and was com- posed of ail classes and shades of politics. The speech of Mr. John R. Forsyth, one of the most intelligent and moderate men, will give an idea of the manner in which the proposition was received. He said that "the pro[)osition contained in Mr. Lafontaine's resolutions had taken him, and he believed hail taken the country, by surprise. He for one was prepared to bury in oblivion the unfortunate occurrences of 1H37 ; he had trusted that no questions connected with these occurrences would arise to make them matters of public discussion. The / losses sustained by loyalists in Upper Canada, in consecjucnce. of those events, had been paid from a local fund, and there .seemed reasonable ground for the hope that, in .so far as the people of Upper Canada were concerned, there the matter would have been permitted to drop. But now it is seriously proposed to take from the public treasury a large sum to ^ ■>-r 111 128 TnK LiKK OK Sir John A. Macdonald. ! •' reimburse to some of the chief actors m the Lower Canada rebellion the losses which they had sustainetl in c(jnsequence of their own acts 1 Why the people of Upper t'anada should be thus called upon to pay one-half the sum of X i^o.ocxD pro- ]josed to be applied to such a purpose seemed to him unac- c(juntablc. Hail he merely heard that it was the intention of Ministers to do such a thin^, he could not have credited the information, but when he had before him a series of resolutions with the name of Mr. Lafontainc attached to them, proposing to apply the funds of the united province in this w a\-, it was impossible to doubt. And really no language could be too strong to characterize the outrage which Ministers were attempting to perpetrate. He, however, entertained the hope that their inic|uitous proposition would not be carried out. He could not believe that Her Majesty's representative in this colon v would dare to sanction it — he could not believe that the nobleman at the head of the Government would allow him- .self to be used for the purpose of inflicting so gross an injus- tice upon this section of the country. At least it was the duty of the people of Upper Canada immediately and strongly to remonstrate against it. In reference to this question he was satisfied there were no parties in the meeting which he was addressing. He was sure as all were equallj' interested, so were all united in opposition to this most iniquitous grant. In the House of Assembly party lines were more strongly marked and party interests more powerful. These Ministers might command their majority in tricking Upper Canada out of ;{J^90,C)OO to be applied to the reward of Lower Canadian rebellion, but if the people of this section of the Province were but true to themselves — if on this occasion the)' exhibited a becoming and determined spirit, they would defeat the con- templated wrong." Various other speakers took part in the meeting, all c.xj)ressing the same sentiments, and a series of resolutions were passed as follows : Resolved — That this meeting learns with astonishment that it is proposed by the present Ministry to appropriate ^' 1 80,000 of the provincial funds to the indemnification of the Lower Canadian rebels of 1837-38. 1 :i Rksoi.utions Passki). 129 III IS IS y le Resolved — That most of the persons whom it is now proposed to iiulcmiiify having Ik'cm actively and openly en^'a^'ed in the rebellidii, and their losses having been occasioned by their - the destruction of a large distillery which he had fortified, and from which he and his fellow rebels had fired upf)n Her Majesty's troops; that of Joseph Dumouchel, St. Martinie — conviction recorded — for X 1,878 13.S. gd., including ^525 for compensation for seven years imprisonment and exile ; that «)f Louis Pinsoneauts, St. Remi — conviction recorded — for ;{^2,275 lo.s. 9d., including /.855 15s. for imjjrisonment and exile, etc. It is not suppo.sed that, at least the Upper Canadian portion of the Ministry, ever seriously contemi)lated granting comi)en- sation on account of exile, but it was regardetl as certain that the balances of the claims would be alUnved. All the newspapers were filled with the most violent denunciations of the proposed Act. It was characterized as an " attempted robbery of our country," " an infamous pro- posal," " treason rewarded," " the climax of insolence," etc. In 9 It' ■ ) : '^ !: r l|v| ■ 1 "1 n ,1 .;- ■1, 1 y ^ i t' I, 'Am fl m 130 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. ^1^ it' all I fact language seemed unequal to the expression of the horror with which it was regarded. After the lapse of these many years we can look back upon the occurrences of those days with feelings unbiassed by the remembrance of active participation in the keen and bitter contest, and from our present proud position of perfect freedom can sympathi/x to a large extent with the men who struggled to obtain what they believed to be the rights of the people, and, knowing that much of what they then demanded has since been granted, and now occupies important positions in our political constitution, we can look upon their acts with more lenient eyes; but still the great fact remains that they did take up arms against their Sovereign and spilt the blood of loyal citizens ; that they committed acts of violence towards those who opposed them, and that many of those who had been caught rcdhanded had suffered the extreme penalty of the law, and while willing to make every allowance for the hotheaded misguided men who took part in that rebellion, we are still opposed to th*:; principle of the Rebellion Losses Bill of 1849, and now, as strongly as then, condemn the measure and the principles which actuated those who introduced and carried it through. When the resolutions were introduced into the House by Mr. Lafontainc, they were met with a perfect storm of oppo- sition. The feelings of members were so intense that the strongest personal language was exchanged. Mr. Baldwin applied the word " rebels " to the gentlemen sitting on the Opposition benches, which was characterized by Sir Allan McNab as a falsehood, and the language of Mr. Solicitor- General Blake was so strongly personal that it led to a hostile message being sent to him by Mr. Macdonald, for which the latter was taken into the custody of the Scrgeant-at-Arms. Mr. Sherwood desired to have a delay of ten days in order to be able to obtain the opinions of his constituents — a propo- sition which was opposed by the Government — and said that he was not sure that he would not vote for the payment of these claims from the Consolidated Fund if the honourable gentlemen on the Ministerial benches would assure him that % Mk. Hincks Defence. 131 it was only to pay the claims of loyalists. But he know- nothing more abhorrent in history than to call upon those who had lost their dearest friends in the defence of the country to remunerate those who had caused the murder and bloodshed. All he asked was that the funds of the province should not be applied to the payment of the rebels. Mr. Hincks said that, although this was not the proper time for discussing the question, yet, as the honourable member for Toronto had gone so largely into it, he would say a few words on the subject. The honourable gentleman was indignant that any person who was not, in his phraseology, a loyalist, should be paid. He would ask in reply if they were going to establish a star chamber to try who was loyal and who was not. The honourable gentleman had shown great indignation against those individuals who had taken up arms in 1837-38, but, he would ask, who was responsible for these disturbances but the honourable gentleman opposite and the party they supported. This was the express declaration of two noble lords from England, one of whom hpd said that the people were perfectly justified in taking up arms to oppose the unconstitutional government then carried on. The less honourable gentlemen said about it the better, for there was little to be gained by an allusion to it. Colonel Gugy said that he wished to offer reasons for the postponement of the consideration of these resolutions. The facts were that a rebellion had broken out in both sections of the province which had cost the British Government between ;{^2,ooo,ooo and ^3,000,000 — lives had been lost and families reduced from affluence to indigence, and the honourable member for Oxford had justified the parties who had commit- ted these evils, considering that they had been moved by good and valid reasons, and justified rebellion, because the Govern- ment had been carried on unconstitutionall)- by the honourable members for Toronto and Hamilton. He congratulated the House that they had a man high in the confidence of the Governor-General and occupying a lerding position in the Ministry, actually justifying rebellion. We wanted railroads and many other improvements, but what assistance could be m m iJ' I 'ir ii ; 'iii r 1^ Qi 132 Thp: Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. given to the projects now in contemplation, if the funds of the country were pledged to reward those who had resorted to rebellion; who flourished, while loyalists were beggared and disgraced. As to the resolution, he would ask the mem- bers of the Administration one question, and if they could ^answer it satisfactorily, he would promise them his support. / Did they mean to limit this compensation to loyal men ? He paused for a reply. No answer ; then he could form his own conclusions. If it was meant to indemnify those who had suffered in the cause of loyalty, he would vote for it, if not, it could never come to good. He understood that a gentleman who had been the very head and front of the offending (he alluded to the honourable member for Richelieu) had made a claim for .some ;^20,ooo or more. This gentleman had defeated the Queen's forces, had made widows and orphans of the wives and children of the humble but loyal soldiers of the Queen, and he would put the qu .stion if they intended to pay him, or the widows and orphans he had made? He had not opposed the Amnesty Act, but the pre-ent question filled him with horror. Yet the measure might be passed — a majority might do much — and it had been said that those who were loyalists might one day be dangling in the air as an offering to the manes of the rebels who had suffered in the time of trouble. It would be unjust to tax Upper Canada for the rebellion of Lower Canada. Let the locality pa}- the expenses. The rebellion of 1837-38 had been a long time pondered over, and formed part of a long concerted plan to .sever the country from England. It was an act of atrocity to pay these men. It was a matter involving the Royal honour. Dr. Nelson rose to reply and defended the course he had pursued. He regretted much that had occurred, but he was forced into the position he took ; and had he acted otherwise he would have acted in a manner unworthy of a British subject. He had been charged with not obeying warrants, but no warrant had been issued against him ; had there been any he would have given himself up, but the first warrant he heard of was a cannon ball through his house. He denied that the rebellion had been in contemplation before it broke out. Sir Allan McNab's Speech. 133 ,'a.s isc ;ct. no he of the )Ut, and objected to any delay in the consideration of the reso- lutions. Sir Allan McXab reminded the honourable member for Richelieu that on the occasion to which he had referred, tlie honourable member did barricade his door, and that the people who went against him were commanded by the Queen's representatives to put him down. He thought there was much good about the honourable member, but on that occasion he was a rank rebel. Dr. Nelson — " Not against my God." Sir Allan—" No ; but against the honourable member's country ; against his oath of allegiance. Since that time he (Sir Allan) had seen parties go to great lengths ; but never till that day had he been called a rebel, as he had been by the Honourable Inspector-General, who had accused him and his friends of getting up the rebellion. He threw that back in the face of the Ministers. He cared not whether he heard it outside or inside of that building ; wherever it was, it was something he could not distinguish from a falsehood. Were those rebels who had responded to the call made by Her Majesty's representative ? He knew that loyalists acted under great disadvantages. He knew that four years ago the Queen had thanked those persons who had perilled them- selves in most difficult times ; but he had since seen the best place in Montreal given to a person who was engaged in the rebellion, and that, while there was an applicant who had given his own services and three steamers of which he was then the proprietor. If loyal men had suffered in Lower Canada he was ready to lend his assistance to pay them. So he was if property had been improperly destroyed, as fit St. Kustachc, where it was said the Church was demolished in consequence of its having been taken possession of by the rebels, but he would never consent to reward tho.se in putting down whom he had spent time and money, and had lost his best friends. He could not express how much he despised that Government which had called on him to put down an unnatural rebellion, and then said : ' Yes, you did put them down, but they are now up again in a majority, and you must pay them for their m i f -ft 1 5'! 134 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. I -/- \ A ^ . ed the honourable gentleman felt that in his position he ought not to have made that charge. However he had certainly said that he (Sir Allan) had brought about the rebellion, and had justified the rebellion. That was the language used to the people of Upper Canada who had so nobly discharged their duty at a time when the honourable member for Oxford was not present. He could not help feel- ing more surprised at the conduct of the honourable Attorney General West, (Mr. Baldwin) who, in the Parliament of Upper Canada, uniformly resisted every attempt to remunerate the < brave loyalists of that section of the country, who perilled their >r lives in the defence of their Sovereign, and yet, on this ^ occasion, backed by his Lower Canadian friends, seized with J. C^y^f^ ^fvV.-*V ^ >V>>Av ^>^. ,^v * ^^^ ly c^ n Mr. Price's Comments. 135 k r ' such avidity on the opportunity of repaying the losses of Lower Canadian rebels. If that honourable member would be suflficiently condescending he would like him to point out a precedent for this most extraordinary motion, in which he had sufficient influence to induce many Upper Canadian members to concur. There have been rebellions in England — there have been rebellions in Ireland — there was a rebellion in the British North American Colonies (now the United States), and if any people were ever justified in rebelling he would say it was the people of those colonies, and yet he would defy any man to show a single precedent, in any one of these cases, to — authorize the Government to come down at the present day to demand that a set of rebels should be indemnified for thci losses. He had said that the people of the British North American colonies were justified in rebelling, but could it be asserted that the Canadians had any good cause for rebelling? Aye, the honourable, the Inspector-General, had stigmatized him and the honourable member for Toronto as being the authors of that rebellion, and had justified the Upper Canada rebels, because, indeed, the Government of the day had not given away, at the first onset, to the doctrines broached by Lyon Mackenzie. Mr. Price commented on the speech of Sir Allan and said that, although blame was attached to those who were engaged in the rebellion, a much greater degree of blame rested with the promoters of it. He said that the responsibility of the rebellion rested upon the oligarchy who, at that time, ruled Upper Canada in a most unjust and tyrannical manner. Mr. Solicitor-General Blake, in a speech of very great bitterness, in which he stigmatised the Conservative party as rebels, which Sir Allan McNab characterized as a falsehood, an epithet which was greeted with cheers from the gallery, and the Speaker called the House to order, declaring the language y jed to be most unparliamentary. As Mr. Blake refused to TVithdraw the expression, Sir Allan McNab r-peatcd that it was a falsehood, which was greeted with tremendous cheers from the gallery. Several members called upon the Speaker to clear the galleries ; others called out " No ! No ! " and a ,j ^jj ;i •: m if: til ■'h ! I ! I I I I : P ! 1 3G TnK LiiK OK Sir John A. Macdonald. fight ensued amoni^st the audience. The cry to clear the galleries was disregarded by the combatants, and the Speaker, after having endeavoured to obtain order, threatened to leave the chair. The ladies in the gallery were brought by some honourable members through the body of the House and jjlaced behind the Speaker's chair. After sonic time order wa. rc^w-v d and the House cleared of spectators. The next day Mr. Blake resumed his speech in a st}'lc similar to that which had characterized his utterances the previous day. He compared Sir Allan McNab to Sir John I'^alstaf". i*vi . ii vid that •'.' making historical comparisons, he had forgotten tL< .ikci- ':.i.. . '" :■! a certain notorious character, where the comparison would have been peculiarly applicable, viz., to one Titus Oates. While these events were occurring in Parliament, a ver\ large meeting of the inhabitants of Montreal was held at the Bonsecours Market, the Hon. George Moffat in the chair, at which the following resolutions were carried unanimousl)- : Resolved — "That this meeting had hitherto cherished an ardent expectation that the occurrences which charactcrizetl the years 1837-38 were to have been buried in oblivion, and they therefore regard with unqualified pain and regret, the course of the present Provincial Administration in reviving, by the measure now before Parliament, feelings of animosity and excitement which, it was hoped, had ceased with those deplorable events. Resolved — " That the Provincial Administration having submitted to Parliament a scheme for compensating the losses incurred by the misguided men who rose in arms against their Sovereign during those occurrences, this meeting considers that scheme as unjust and dishonest in principle as it is demoralizing and dangerous in its consequences. Resolved — " That this meeting protests against the pecuniary compensation proposed to be conferred on the I I 1 9 't |! ! ■ Indignation Mkktinc. Bonsixours Markf.t. 139 traitors and brigands who, under the standard of revolt in 1837-38, were guilty of pillage, arson and murder ; a measure which tends to consecrate the principle, not only of publicly rewarding crim:; and treason, but of repressing and discourag- ing allegiance to our Sovereign and attachment to our country. Rejolved — " That this meeting considers it a paramount duty to employ all constitutional means to oppose the adop- tion of a measure pregnant with such dangerous consequences, and that His Excellency the Governor-General be respectfully requested to dissolve the Parliament, so as to enable the country to express its opinion on the question^* At the same time the opposite view of the question was being vigorously pressed by the supporters of the Ministry, and the Mineive, which was regarded as Mr. Lafontaine's organy' thus gives its views : w < ,. ■' " We do not hesitate to take up this question of the indem- nity as viewed by our adversaries, and to say that it is just, honourable, and we may add, constitutional, that every inhabi- tant of Lower Canada, without exception, should be indemnified for his losses in the rebellion out of the consolidated fund of the province. First, observe that those who were called loyal, par excellence, have been already indemnified by the authority of the Special Council. The rest of the inhabitants have the same right. * * Without tarnishing the laurels of Dr. Nelson at St. Denis, and the brave Dr. Chcvrier at St. Eustache; without speakinginjuriously of the gallant men who sold their lives in defence of their homes a'^ainst hordes of robbers {iitie baud de brigand^) we may sa)-, that, in consequence of Mr. Papineau's want of foresight, the troubles of 1837 can only be regarded as partial disturbances. But in whatever light these unfortunate events be regarded, have they not been pronounced upon to-day? Upon whom has the blame of these events been thrown ? Upon us or upon the Tory party ; upon those loyalists who protest so loudly to-daj-, and who are the real authors of their troubles ? Have they not acknowledged the enormity of the grievances which weighed upon us then ? Lords Durham and Sydenham, have they not declared that our position was intolerable, that we were excusable — justifiable even — in acting as we did ? " , ■f." i /A' / ■■■■! I M 11 i I40 THK I.iiK oi' Siu John A. Macdonai.d. il 1 i H' A: /J 0) The exact jjoints at issue between the t\v(} parties are clearly defined in a circular written by Mr. Hincks to the Reformers of Upper Canada, and replied to by one issued by Mr. Caylcy. In the former it was contended that all parties who suffered loss by the rebellion in Lower Canada, stood on a footing of equality as regards their title to compensation, those alone excepted who had been convicted by a sentence of a court of law ; that the cost of compensation should be charged on the consolidated fund of the province, and that the former Conservative Administration had advocated the payment of the rebellion losses without reference to the part which the sufferers took in the struggle. To which Mr. Caylcy replied, "That the Conservative party contend that the claims of all who took part in the rebellion should be excluded and that the expense should be borne by Lower Canada alone — that whether a former Administration did or did not advocate the payment of the rebellion losses without reference to the part taken in the struggle (a charge which has always been distinctly and unequivocally denied), was a matter of very secondary importance to the people of the country. " The position taken by the opponents of the measure now introduced by the Government is, that to reimburse any other but loyal or innocent parties would be but a premium on treason, to adopt any other mode of payment than the one pursued in Upper Canada, would be unjust to that section of the province. *' It is contended by Mr. Hincks that Upper Canada has no pecuniary interest in the question, inasmuch as the claims of the loyal amount to the full sum which it is proposed to appropriate to the claimants generally. The force of this reasoning is not very apparent. If the claims are admitted to be just, they are just to their fullest extent, and should be paid whenever the country is in a position to do so, and the argu- ment will scarcely be entertained in a deliberative body that innocent and loyal men must be content with a moiety of their claims because it has been found expedient to reimburse the authors of all the misery which has been brought upon the country. " Another reason, urged by Mr. Hincks in his circular, for IXCRKASINC. 1<',\( ITKMKNT. 41 'v}' not disturbing the classification proposed to be adopted by the Government is the insignificant amount of disloyal claims which would, after all, be admitted. No details have been given to establish this fact, but some estimate may be found of the latitude given to the term * insignificant,' when the amount of two claims, alone, returned by the commissioners, and not excluded by the proposed classification, exceeds ;^28,ooo, and yet these two claimants have admitted their participation in the opposition offered to the troops of the Sovereign, and were, in fact, active leaders among the insurgents." Every day saw the excitement increasing over the [)ro- posed Act. Meetings were held all over the upper province and the strongest resolutions were passed in condemnation of "the measure. The papers fanned the excitement by their 'ecTTftjlTals; and comments on the speeches of leading members, and the minority of the Legislative Council placed on the journals of the House a most energetic protest. The popular mind became more and more inflamed until at last the excite- ment became so great that it was unable to find vent by the ordinary channel of speech, and the people began to show their resentment in a more marked manner. In Toronto Messrs. Baldwin, Blake and Mackenzie were burned in effigy. These were carried through several streets elevated upon long poles, passing the residence of Mr. Baldwin to that of Mr. Blake and then back to Mr. Baldwin's, and then they were burned amidst hootings and execrations. The mob then, to the number of some thousands, proceeded to the house of Mr. Mcintosh where Mr. Lyon McKenzie was staying. His effigy was here burned, and the house assailed with stones and all manner of missiles, completely riddling the windows. The gas lights in the vicinity were put out and the police resisted. The house of Mr. John Montgomery, which was nearly oppo- site, was attacked and the windows much damaged. Mr. H. Price, son of the Honourable J. H. Price, was severely beaten, and having been conveyed to the residence of Dr. Rolph, that gentleman's house was assailed by a portion of the mob and the windows slightly damaged. The residence of Mr. George i rown was also attacked and suffered injury. ■ \\ l'^ hV r If \tr':. i i! n:'l? »:<; m T I i-^'^- ^^l^ C H A 1' T K R V. Meetings to promote a fedcnil union of all the H. N. A. Provinces — Rebellion Losses Hill as viewed in Kngland — Mass meeting on Champ de Mars, Montreal — Burning of Parliament Buildings — The outrages condemned on X all sides — Sir Allan McNah's letter — Meeting at Kingston — Mr. Boulton's ■^^ resolution — The excitement extends to the Maritime Provinces — Resolutions at Fredericton. /r ^■1 IZ) r fW^' p J-t- ': IN other parts of the province the people, though not less earnest, were less violent, and, instead of assailing the objects of their wrath, met together to devise means of escape -f from the position in which they found themselves. Some /tr*^** were led by the sense of an injurious French-Canadian domin- ,'v«-V "^ ation to seek an alliance with the people of a kindred race inhabitating a neighbouring country, but these were few in /number. The vast majority of the loyalists of the country looked to a re-union of the British-American provinces, with central and local governments, as offering all the advantages which could be realized by a connection with the adjoining republic, and, at the same time, preserve and maintain those monarchical institutions under which they had hitherto lived, and which they justly regarded as affording, at once, liberty to ,the subject and stability to society. ~ The people of the Dalhousie district were the first to move in favour of a federal union, and a meeting, having that object in view was held at Woods* Inn, Township of Nepean, on Tuesday, March 20, 1849. Simon Fraser, Esq., sheriff of the district, was called to the chair, and amongst those who took l^art in the meeting were the Honourablcs Thomas McKay and Hamnett Pinhey, and Messrs. Edward Mallock, Andrew and John Graham, R. Hervey, J. McCracken, H. V. Noel, R. Stethcm, J. McKinnon, J. McNider, N. G. Robinson, Frederick Hcarman, Clement Bradley, etc. A petition embodying the views of the meeting was drawn up, and a committee appointed to present it to the Governor-General. This document referred to the views of Lord Durham as contained in his report, gave a short account of the causes which had led to the present 142 'liiK London " Moknino Ciikonk i.k." 143 diflficulty, asked his Lordship to submit the petition, at the earliest possible moment, to the Ri^dit Honourable the Secretary of State, and to recommend to the Imperial Legis- lature then sitting, a general union of all the provinces, " and thereby prevent the struggle of races predicted by the Earl of Durham, which your petitioners firmly believe to be otherwise inevitable." liy this time the question began to be understood in England and to excite a large amount of interest amongst all classes of sf)cicty, and the papers received from that country plainly showed how it was there regarded. The following extract is from the Londfjii Morning Chronicle: " We have relations with Canada not only formal but real ; not only arc her laws admini.stcred in the name of our Sovereign, but we are maintaining an army of 6,000 men to defend her against foreign war and domestic disaffection ; and, while this is the case, we deliberately say that it is impossible for us to accjuiescc in a measi ic by which the sanction and approval of the Canadian Gove .iinent arc given (in the shape of pecuniary rewards) to rebellion against the Queen's authority, and resistance to the Queen's troops. " It is conceded, we find, by the provincial Ministers, that persons ^ convicted^ of rebellion (and those only) are to be excepted from compensatioti ; and this may appear to persons who are not acquainted with the case, an important, as it is a plausible concession. But the fact is, that of the persons who were notoriously and avowedly in arms as rebels, a ver)* small proportion were ever * convicted.' It must be so in all rebellions — and it was especially .so in that of Canada, where the jury system is worked in such a manner as, generally speaking, to make conviction impossible, and trial a farce. Almost all the leaders escaped to the United States, whence they have ju.st returned under the benefit of an amnesty ; and it is from this class of people that many of the largest claim- ants for indemnity have now been selected. Take, for example, the case of Wolfred Nelson ; he, it seems, is to get ;{^23,ooo — a sum twice as large as he was ever worth in his life. This man fortified and defended his house against the m \ r, 1 ^ ■1.;!. , . Ill ig^ [ I 1 : 144 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. troops under Colonel Gore, who, after being once beaten off finally took and destroyed it. Nelson was captured and would have been tried and, of course, capitally punished, if he had not been included in the number of those whom Lord Durham, by his celebrated ordinances, liberated under the condition of banishment to Bermuda. When the ordinances were disallowed Nelson returned home, having escaped punishment by a purely fortuitous and unprecedented accident. But not being a 'convicted^ criminal, he is to be compensated for the damage done to his house during the siege, and for all sorts of things besides. This is a sample of the kind of men who are to receive public money with the sanction of Her Majesty's Government, and under the eyes of the very officers with whom they were in collision." Equally plain were the remarks of the London Morning Post: " Nothing can well be more anomalous than the condi- tion of the British monarchy in Canada at this present moment. A tyrannical democracy oppresses and insults the loyalists of the province, and Her Majesty's representative does not even effect to have any other rule for his government than what seems to be the will of the majority. The men who risked their property and their lives some years ago, to maintain the authority of the Queen's Government are now calLd upon to pay for the losses and injuries which they inflicted upon the rebels, in order to punish them for their disloyalty and to uphold the Government. The influence of Her Majesty's representative has not been used agaitist this monstrous proposition, further than to exclude from the right of claiming compensation those who were actually prosecuted and convicted for having taken an active part in the rebel- lion. Those who were actually prosecuted and convicted for having taken part in the rebellion. They who were / ' ostentatious and notorious rebels but a few years ago, are now the influential legislators of Canada and the hoJders of office under the Crown. To this state of things the Queen's Govern- ment, with apparent willingness, submits. The reward of those who were faithful, in vno worst of times, to their Sov- ereign and to the principles of the British Monarchy, is that 1! li 1 1 I The Bill Passed. H5 ' ■fc they are legislated against, insulted and forced to pay for what they did in defence of the government, and in oppo- sition to a rebellion which they suppressed. The plea urged in justification of what is still called the Queen's Government in Canada is, that the system has been adopted of allowing public opinion to govern, and that whatever is done is in accordance with the will of the majority. In other words, while there is still nominally monarchical institutions in Canada, the de facto government power is that of a democracy of which the Queen's representative is the executive officer. We contend that this is most disgraceful and unjust. There is an obvious distinction between carrying on the Queen's government in a popular spirit, and with careful attention to the public judgment, and carrying it on in degrading subor- dination to the absolute will of democrats, who but a few years ago were avowed rebels. Supposing it were true in the abstract that the will of the majority ought to be the absolute rule of the Government — a monstrous theory which reason and experience alike repudiate — still it would be unjust that a monarch who had encouraged principles of an opposite character, and induced men to peril all that was dear to them in opposition to democratic machinations, should desert these men, and with dishonourable cowardice truckle to those who had been called rebels. There should be some consistenc)* in a monarch's course. A monarch should not in one year call upon gallant men to suppress a rebellion, and in another allow the participators in that reoellion which had been suppressed, to lord it over those who had incurred their enmity bj- sup- porting the Sovereign's rights. Such conduct must tend to break the hearts of loyal men and to destroy all affection for the monarchy in the hearts of their children." Hut public opinion as expressed in the papers of Canada and of England; as expressed in the House and out of the House, in meetings in every town and village, and emphasized by .trongly worded petitions, and even, in some instances, by violent popular outbreaks, had no deterrent effect; the Hill , was passed through its various stages, and on April 25, \' \ 849, received the assent of the Governor-General. 10 1 ftViX^^ ■'<* y. 5» insisted upon the body guard bcinj^ dismissed, wliich I am glad to hear has been done." Mr. Sherwood followed Sir Allan, speaking strongly against the course the Ministry had taken, and the anomalous position in which they had placed the Governor-General. After which Mr. Gait moved the following amendment : — " That this House has viewed with the most profound regret the disturbances of the public peace in the city of Montreal during the last three days, and which has resulted in the destruction of the Parliament Buildings with the archives and library, the destruction of much private property, and injury to the persons of Her Majcst)-'s subjects. " That this House considers it their first duty to tender to the Government their assurance that nothing shall be wanting on their part to restore public tranquility, and that they are ready to make provision for any measures judged necessary to protect the lives and property of Her Majesty's subjects. "That while this Ht that, he concluded, was not the intention with which the indemnifica- tion was proposed by Lord Metcalfe ; and he took it to mean just claims arising in respect of losses sustained ; anil in that sense he should treat those words. Then the preamble of the Act went on to say, that a commission was appointed under that Address to enquire ; but that the powers of the commission were insufficient to make a complete cncjuiry, and that it was necessary to redeem the pledge given by the adoption of that Address ; that further measures should be taken both for levying money and conducting those eiuiuiries to a definite issue. The words were that it was ' necessary and just that the particulars of such losses as had not been paid and satisfied should form the subject of more minute enquiry under legislative authority ; ' and now he came to the subject of compensation, which he thought did ni)t apply to all just claims arising out of loss, but only to certain claims : the words were, ' that the same so far only as they may have arisen from the total, partial, unjust, unnecessary or wanton destruction of the dwellings, buildings, property and effects of the said inhabitants, and from the seizure, taking or carrying away of their property and effects should be paid and satis- fied.' Suppose the words 'just losses ' ran through the whole Act, and that it was to make further enquiry into them that the commission was appointed, and that it was to satisfy those that debentures were issued ; he should have regarded that Act with no suspicion or dislike : he believed there was a case j for an Act of the kind. He was told that in Lower Canada churches — one, if not more, were destroyed, and '■> some unnecessarily destroyed, during the rebellion, having been occupied by the rebels as fortresses against the Queen's troops, He should have said that nothing was more just than, being the property of the community it large, that these churches should be restored at the public expense. He believed that \V i r'4 ;-M It ;"! I| . fl miw i ■ 158 Thk Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. I i; ,■1 ■A some churches which were dcLitroyed in Ireland during the rebellion were so restored. " But this Act did not contemplate the payment of all those just losses or claims, hut it would only allow them to be satisfied so far as they arose out of ari 'unjust, unnecessary or wanton destruction of prop*, -ty,' and those words, so far from giving him a favourable opinion of the Bill, had con- tributed in a considerable degree to raise suspicions in his mind ; because, if the indemnification of loyal subjects were what they contcr^p.ated, it was not necessary for a loyal subject to say that the destruction of his property was unnecessary in order to give him a just claim, and therefore when he found that only the unnecessary destruction of property was to be satisfied, it induced him to believe that in the strange language being adopted, there lay more than met the eye, and that if it were an impartial measure for the indemnification of loyal subjects, there was no necessity for that qualification, that the looses must have been unjust, unnecessary or wanton. But the commissioners appointed had no discretion under this Act. All they had to do was to ascertain the loss intended by the Legislature. But now he came to a proviso, introduced into the resolutions before the Bill came under the notice of the Legislative Assembly, and to that proviso he wished to call the special attention of the llou.se, because it appeared to have a most important bearing on the construction of the other part of the Bill. It was in these words : " ' Provided that none of the persons who may have been convicted of high treason, alleged to have been committed in that part of the province, formerly the province of Lower Canada, since the ist day of November, 1837, or who, having been charged with high treason or other offences of a treason- able nature, and having been committed to the custody of the sheriff of the gaol at Montreal, or having surrendered them- selves to the will and pleasure of Her Majesty, and were thereupon transported to Her Majesty's islands of Bermuda, shall be entitled to any indemnity for losses sustained during or after the said rebellion, or in consequence thereof.' Mr. Gladstone's Speech. 159 ir I " That vva.s obviou.sly to exclude from compensation all who were convicted of treason, or who, havinjj been charged with it, had submitted and been transported to Bermuda, and about one hundred persons would in, practice be .so excluded. But there was a singular point connected with that provi.so and the convictions to which it referred. Those convictions, he believed without exception, were not convictions in courts of law, properly .so called, but in courts martial. ' Convicted ' in an Act of Parliament meant ' lawfully convicted,' and if a person was unlawfully convicted — if there was any defect in his conviction, not only in substantial justice, but in form and language, that was not a conviction, and if not, then the proviso made no exception. And how stood the matter? By what authority were those courts martial erected ? What authority was there in the empire, besides Parliament, that could erect legal courts martial? If that were so, he would ask whether the authority of Parliament was given before or afterwards to the courts martial in question? He had .searched the statute book, and though different laws were passed with regard to the temporary, and then to the permanent government of Canada, he found no sanction, no ratification, given to those courts martial. He dared say that cjuestion was before the noble lord when he was Colonial Secretary, and he would be able to correct him (Mr. Gladstone) if he was wrong. But if that were .so, — and parties having a claim to compensation depending upon it would be sure to raise the question — it would apply to 96 out of the 104 persons who were transported to Bermuda ; namely to tho.se convicted by courts martial as contra-distinguished from those who submitted. He believed that the illegality of tho.se con- victions was the doctrine of the party predominant in the Legislature of Canada. It had been professed b)' them on many occasions, and he found that that opinion was expressed, on the presentation of a petition in 1839 by Mr. Lafontaine, the present Attorney-General of Canada, and who virtuall)- exercised the functions of the leader of the Government. " The House, within a few days, had laid before it a list of claims made in 1846. Unfortunately the description of those Hi If m i.\\ i ft I I L i6o Thk Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. claims was not very succinct, but there were 400 of them, under two descriptions, for guns taken away and not restored. Those were claims of parties for guns lost in actions with Her Majesty's troops. Mr. Hincks, a leading member of the Assembly, had called upon him (Mr. Gladstone) that morning, and, on being asked by him whether he thought those parties would be compensated, his answer was that he should think not, but he apprehended that Mr. Hincks' opinion was of no more value than his own as to the construction of the Act. But he would place his arguments upon a broader basis, and the question he wished to raise was, whether those persons who took part by overt acts in the rebellion, were upon that ground, to be disqualified from receiving compensation .-* But the Act being ambiguous, he must refer to extraneous evidence. He might quote the conflicting statements he had seen on this vital question, but he looked to the declarations of the leading men in Canada. The Speaker of the Legis- lative Assembly, and who was one of the advisers of the Governor-General, said the only intention of the Government was to pay the just losses of innocent individuals but not of rebels. That might be true in words, but was it .so in meaning.'' It was obvious that they were not to rest upon any line marked out by tribunals, and the character of the Act appeared in the declaration of those who were responsible for its introduction, and who ought best to have understood its meaning. There was another declaration by Mr. Jones, a member of the Legislative Council, who, he understood, had the character of being independent of party considerations. That honourable gentleman .said he had had an interview w ith the Prime Minister, being anxious to get through this web of .sophistry, and having, as he said, a favourable opinion of the intentions of the Government, he named to the Prime Minister three or four persons whom he knew to have been engaged in overt acts of treason and rebellion, and to have taken up arms to subvert the Government, and he asked him whether those individuals would be entitled to indemnity under this Bill, and that honourable member of the Government, who was too honest and honourable a man to attempt to deceive him. Mr. Gladstone's Speech. i6i of he Icr to answered him, candidly and frankly, they could make no exception, and that those persons could not be excluded from the indemnity and compensation for their loss, if they had sustained any. "Lord Elgin himself did not escape from the fog of ambig- uity. That noble lord said it was his firm conviction that the majority who passed the Bill did not mean to countenance rebellion or compensation to persons guilty of high treason, but to make provision for claims arising out of wanton and unnecessary destruction of property. Taking the first part of that declaration, he should have supposed that persons who had borne arms against the Queen's troops would be disquali- fied, but from the latter part he thought it depended upon whether the destruction was wanton and unnecessary, and not upon the character of the person, that the claim would be determined. But he (Mr. Gladstone) held that a man in arms against the Queen's forces was absolutely disqualified by his own act, and they had nothing to do with the enquiry whether his property was necessarily destroyed. From the despatch of Lord Elgin of May 5th, it was clearly the intention of the Parliament and the Government to extend the indemnity beyond the limit of the loyal inhabitants of Canada. But was that so or not ? Lord Elgin said that the losses of the loyal inhabitants had been reported on and ascertained, and that he thought the Government of 1846 intended to extend the indemnity farther, but he (Mr. Gladstone) wanted to know how that could be and not include those who had taken part in the rebellion ? " One of the amendments which were proposed referred to persons in any way implicated in the rebellion. He was afraid that under those words a man's politics might 'gc enquired into, and he thought the House of Assembly, therefore, was justified in rejecting it, but Mr. Wilson, a member of the Assembly, brought forward an amendment, which, laying aside all sophistry and ambiguity, brought the question plainly to issue, for it was that ' no person who aided, assisted or abetted the said rebellion could be entitled to any indemnity.' As he understood those words they referred to overt acts alone, and I .- if.: I'M !i'i II vW} 1 62 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. n '1 excluded all reference to political conduct. But, unfortunately, they were rejected, though when they heard of the over- whelming majority with which this Bill was carried, it was right he should mention that the amendment was lost only by a vote of 44 to 29 in the present House of Assembly. But he was brought to the conclusion that although the construction of the Act might, to some extent, be ambiguous, it was too probable that when it came to be put in practice it would be construed and acted upon in the sense he had given to it. "If it were intended to give compensation to rebels in respect of losses sustained in and through the rebellion, that was a case which, so long as free institutions exist, he hoped the House would never refuse to acknowledge was entitled to the attention and interference of the Imperial Parliament. But it was said that so long a period of time had elapsed since the rebellion that it was difficult nov/ to tell who were rebels, or what the precise circumstances of each case were. He would admit that it belonged to the Legislative Assembly to determine who were rebels, but if it were alleged that the difficulty of ascertaining who were rebels was so great that it was better not to enquire into it, and that it was necessary to receive all the claims in a lump, without attempting to distinguish between each case, that would be to palm a delusion upon the House, or else it must be the argument of men who were themselves under a delusion. But an enquiry into overt acts of rebellion was not so difficult as an enquiry whether a particular destruction of property was a necessary destruction of property. " In the year 1839 certain '\cts were passed in Canada for the purpose of compensating .he loyal inhabitants who had suffered losses during the rebellion, and it was not found that these Acts had led to minute and vexatious enquiries. In Ireland where Acts were passed for the purpose of giving compensation to loyal subjects who suffered losses during the rebellion, none of these objections or difficulties were felt in carrying out these Acts. Commissioners were appointed, with power to put parties upon their oaths, and to require the ^ Mr. Gladstone's Speech. 163 for lad Ihat In ling Ithe in Hth the sheriff to empanel juries, when it was necessary to try evidence of facts. That might be adopted in Canada, or parties might be required to mai finally culminated in the rebellion He then went on to say: " There was much property destroyed by the rebels. Some was destroyed by the militia and by the King's troops in crushing the rebellion. And for some time nothing was done with regard to this loss of property, or in order to give that compensation, which all justice required, to those loyal men whose property had so severely suffered in consequence of their loyalty, and in discharge of their duties as loyal subjects. But, afterwards, a Bill was passed, by which it was intended that, as some damage had occurred in Upper as well as in Lower Canada, some compensation should be given in Upper Canada. But this had been the subject of the most false statements — for I cannot call them mistakes — imaginable. It is perfectly clear from the language of the Government, and the manner in which the Act was carried into execution, that it was never intended to grant compensation in the manner that has been alleged. }^ut sometime afterwards an important event happened. At the time to which I allude, when the first Bill had passed, the British party, whom, for distinction, I shall call also the loyal party, was in power. And I call them the loyal party, not invidiously, but Mstorically, for reasons wnich will presently appear as I go on. The British party were in the councils of the Governor, and, moreO\ : r, all measures were passed by a Canadian Parliament — at the time British in substance and in loyalty — and these n tsures included the one to which I have just .shortly referred — the Upper Canada Bill (hear, hear, from the Duk-j of Wellington). This 'Ticasure was followed by another event. Whether judiciously or not, it is not for me to say — I speak with great distrust of my own judgment upon such a subject, or on any matter of party tactics — but unhappily, as the result proved, the loyal British ministers of the Croum in Canada adopted a course of policy to which I have always a great dislike with all my love of conciliation and hatred of and aversion to violence." Lord Brougham here explains the Conservative negotia- tions with the French-Canadians, and continues : 'The result was that a Ministry was chosen from tnJ m I, Hi : ■ M !^f! > J. !■ iii I I Ii ill . I •J- 1 174 The Life ok Sir John A. Macdonald. party which I will not call the disloyal party, but which was not the loyal party. The Prime Minister of the new Govern- ment was Mons. A. H. Lafontaine, for whom and M. Mondelet, I presented a petition in this House, in which they complained of having been driven out of the country. He fled h» .vever before it broke out. To use a Scotch expression, ' he wasn't out in the '38.' But he was obliged to go away to save himself, and he was most undoubtedly implicated in the rebellion. I have Sir John Colborne's account of it, with which I shall not trouble your lordships, in which he is charged with being one of the movers. It was quite a mis- take, however, to suppose that an}- reward was offered for his apprehension. For two or three other Ministers rewards were offered, but not for Mr. Lafontaine. He was, however, most forward and ostentatious in his disaffection. He wrote a letter before he was in office to Monsieur Girouard, dated February 18, 1839 (after the rebellion), in which he said, ' There is nothing new except that they are speaking of coercion. Viger and Papineau will give you i^20,ooo to arm the blue bonnets of the north (that was a cant phrase for the disaffected Canadian population.) Let us stir them, (jthervvise the subject will never awaken from its lethargic sleep.' This is the exciting language of the Minister of the Crown after the rebellion had been suppressed, and before he could venture to go back to Canada. Now when 1 find that letter, in which a Prime Minister shows he has been using most y jditious language and endeavouring to keep the seeds of disaffection alive, and to fan the cinders of rebellion into flame again, I think I have enough to justify me in calling the party to which he belongs disloyal. I don't call the Ministry disloyal — they may be perfectly loyal, but after what has passed, I have no right to call them lo\-al." After a very elaborate argument, Lord Brougham wound up by moving the following resolution : " That by an Act passed in the Parliament; of Canada, entitled ' An Act to provide for the indemnification of parties in Lower Canada whose property was destroyed during che rebellion of the yc.irs 1837-38,' no .security is offered against Lord Brougham's Resolutions. 175 compensation, being given to persons engaged in the said rebel- lion, that it is just and necessary, either by recommending a further and amending Bill to the Legislature of Canada, or by such other means as may be effectual, to provide security against any compensation for losses sustained in the said rebellion being given to persons engaged in or having aided or abetted the Sr me." The Bill, however, was supported by the English Govern- ment, and was not disallowed. Although seventy-nine petitions, all of which were adopted at open meetings of the people, were presented to Lord Elgin asking him to reserve the Rebellion Losses Bill for the signifi- cation of Her Majesty's pleasure, he refused to do it. At the same time he reserved six others, none of which were to be compared in importance with this Bill. They were as follows: An Act to raise an income of one hundred thousand pounds out of the public lands of Canada for common school education. An Act to repeal a certain Act therein mentioned and to make better provision for the naturalization of aliens. An Act to secure titles to real estate to certain persons naturalized under the Statute of Lower Canada, first William /;vA <^ IV., Cap. 53. An Act to incorporate the Toronto and Lake Huron Railroad Company. An Act to incorporate the Queenston Suspension Bridge Company. An Act to amend the Act relating to Saving ; Banks. \ J :^^ % m m w ^ I "1 I 'J ■ r m .t w I . i, i I I I ' 1- i 11^ CHAPTER VII. Mr. Baldwin's University Eili — Petitions of Queen's College against — Mr. Hincks on Free Trade — NIr. Cayley on Protection — An Intercolonial Railway advocated — The Seat of Government Question — Mr. Macdonald's motion in favour of Kingston — For.Tiation of the British-American League — Meeting of 145 Delegates at Kingston — The platform of the Conservative party defined as Protection, Confederation and Retrenchment —Address issued by the League — Speeches by Delegates — Expression of opinion against an elective Legislative Council. DURING this session Mr. Baldwin passed his University- Bill, by which King's Colle It! ji ■i: m 'IS I I i I : i II ^^ A', ' )-r 178 The LiiK ok Sir John A. Macdonald. endowed body, monopolizing tiie education of a country is verj' seldom, if ever, efficient ^or the purposes in view ; that such a body, without rivalry, wholly independent of public opinion or confidence for its support, is apt to become inactive and indifferent, and careless about adopting improvements, and that nothing is more conducive to excel- lence than the rivalry of different institutions, each inciting the other to new exertions, and striving, by efficiency and zeal, to merit the confidence of the country. It appears, moreover, to your petitioners, that the same objection applies to the plan of concentrating all the means of a higher grammar school instruction at Toronto, which they believe to be alike contrai'y to the original object of the appropriation of the school lands for the erection and endowment of superior grannnar schools in different parts of the province, and unjust to the educational interests of other sections of the country. With respect to other chartered institutions surrendering their rights of conferring degrees in the arts and faculties, except divinity, which the measure contemplates, your petitioners can never, for the reasons above stated, or in any circumstances whatsoever, consent to surrender the university powers and privileges conferred on Queen's College by Her Majesty's Koyal Lettei's Patent, powers and privileges which are enjoyed by very few institutions in the British dominions. May it therefore please your honourable House, for the reasons above stated, not to pass into law the University Bill, lately introduced, but to adopt such measures as shall seem in }()ur wisdom best fitted to settle on a right and e([uitable basis, the long agitated question regard- ing the public university endowment, and such as shall be most advantageous I0 the educational interests of the country. And your ,etitioners will t^ 'jr pray, etc., (Signed) F. A. H/vRPER, Chairman. When the Inspector-General, Mr. Hincks, made his Budget Speech, he argued strongly against the impolicy of protection and in favour of free tratic, and the views expressed by him then, and by Mr. Caylcy on the other side, were identical with those urged by the Reform and Conservative parties when the National I'oHcy was introduced by Sir Leonard Tiiley in 1879. Mr. Hincks thus defined his views: " Political economy suppo.sed mankind to be engaged in pursuit of wealth — that wealth consisted in the possession of articles which were agree- able or necessary to man ; those articles were produced by labour, and the true p >licy was to allow men to labour and to exchange their productions for the productions of the labour r i :. Mr. Hincks' on Free Trade. 179 he in ny uit ie- by to )ur of other persons, as free from any restrictions as possible, and when a Legislature was obliged to impose any duties, they should be imposed so as to prevent as little as possible the interchange of productions. He wholly dissented from the principle that any manufacture should be protected in any countr)-. What did the protectionists want? That they should prevent the introduction of foreign manufactured goods into the country, so as to compel the people to manu- facture things which they would not otherwise do, because they were better employed at other things. This was an unsound principle, and one which would deprive the country of its revenue and reduce it to bankruptcy. Then, in a political point of view : First, he would refer them to the despatches of Lord Grey, and he (Mr. Hincks), would ask what interest Great Britain would have in keeping up any connection with this country, if they were going to deprive her of the power of trading with them, and to keep her manufac- tures out, instead of carrying on an exchange beneficial to both countries ; if they excluded her manufactures, what interest could she have in keeping up any connection and protecting them as she did at present ? None ! He could not look upon it as anything else than a declaration of independence, and it would be better if those parties boldly came out and declared it to be such, and then he would understand them. The next point which he would endeavour to establish was, that the protective policy was impracticable. They knew from exper- ience that if they put any high duty upon any article — such a duty as wcnild operate as a protection — that it was impossible to collect it, and with such an extensive frontier, it was impos- sible to prc\ent smuggling, even with every precaution they could adopt. " What was there to prevent the people of this country from manufacturing broadcloths? liecause labour was too high ; and wh\' ? liecause the people could engage them- selves more pnjfitably at other things, and nothing could shew the prosperity of the country better than when it enabled them to get the advantage of the experience of the mechanics in Manchester in the manufacture of cloths, while they were ■I I \^ M 1 \IW' li i ! 'I . I 80 TiiH Lii'E OK Sir Juhn A. Macdonald. engaged at something more profitable. But it has been said that, if they did not get manufactures estabhshed they would go back. He asked them to look at the statistics and census, and see the large amount of land cultivate^ now, compared with what was ten years ago. No one could tell him that a country in which wild land was turned into corn fields at such / a rate as it had been, was not prosperous. And let them look at the number of manufactures which had sprung up and that without any protection, and which flourished without it. Why would they not allow the people to think for them.selves ? They must know which was the most profitable occupa- tion for them.selves. Two or three men took it into their heads to start glass manufactures in the country, and then they asked us to protect them, because they said they could not compete with other people ; that Canada was a sacrifice market and that they were ruined by foreigners sending their goods to be sacrificed here. He hoped such was the case, for he did not see how people sending out their goods here to sacrifice them could ruin this country, on the contrary he thought it would benefit it." To this Mr. Cayley replied that " his honourable friend had enumerated one or two branches of trade, but had omitted others which had been materially encouraged by the removal of the duties from the raw material, for example, from dye stuff, wool and teasles employed in woollen factories ; from pig iron, bar, rod and hoop iron, in the manufacture of nails, scythes> axes, machinery and castings. He (Mr. Cayley) had always advocated the principle of imposing duties for revenue, and was prepared to give his humble support to the honourable the Inspector-General to carry out that principle ; but, as long as the foreign markets were closed by high duties to Canadian products and manufactures, he would advocate moderate protection to the Canadian agriculturists and manufacturers. The Honourable the Inspector-General had pronounced protection to be unsound, unpolitical and impracticable. He (Mr. Cayley) was prepared to acquiesce in that doctrine, whenever a free interchange of products and manufactures should be establi-shed with their American neighbours and n I 9 m Mk. Caylev on Pkotf.ction. i8i .d :d lof ff. 111. :S» ,-S d lie s .11 ;e Is. id e i t I I foreign markets ; but he did not understand that principle of free trade which adv(jcatcd the throwing open of Canadian markets to foreign products while foreign markets continued closed to Canadian products. The scheme of the honourable the Inspector-General he considered to be most defective and objectionable, as showing a total disregard to the manufactur- ing and agricultural interests of the province. The proposed Bill made a most .sweeping reduction of duty on cattle, removed it entirely from wheat and Indian corn, reduced it ruinousl)' to the distiller, on whiskey, the manufacture of which absorbed a \ ' > y large quantity of the coarse grains of the country, and threw it almost entirely off of leather and leather manufactures ; in short going back to, or rather below the scale oi' 1S44, which woukl most ruinously affect the farmer and others connected with that branch of trade. On the other hand, the duty was increased on .salt, on tin, lead, pig iron, bar and rod iron, hoop and sheet iron, boiler plate, 'm fact every description of iron which entered into the manufacture of nails, scythes, axes, tools, boilers, castings, engines, and machinery of all kinds. Not to deal in general terms, he would take the article of leather and leather manufactures. Since the adoption of the tariff of 1845, tanneries had sprung up in every direction, and the home manufacture of boots and shoes had increased to a very great extent. The new tariff would have the effect of seriously depressing both these branches of trade The return laid before the House by the Board of Statistics showed that upwards of ninety new tanneries had been established in Upper Canada within the last four or five years, an indication of the impulse which had been given to that branch of manufacture by the tariff of 1845. He had been informed, within the last few days, that the owner of a large tannery in Terrebonne, one of the largest in Lower Canada^ was prepared to abandon the business as hopeless, if the nev.- tariff, reducing the duty on leather, went into operation. That establishment required i," 18, 000 to carry it on, gave daily employment to from twenty-four to thirty hands, and turned out on an axeragc 24,000 sides of leather per annum, and required a yearly supply of 7,000 cords of bark, an article ■i:^; '/ '4i '4 '■'• .i ■ ^4 .//•'•' . ' 1^ i ■ ■■ If. \a l-"-^\ v. n I : I Im I 11 I I I lit t ■;-• 182 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. which was otherwise of very little value, but which afforded, in strippinf^- and carting, a good deal of einpl(>>'ment to the poorer populaticjn. Nf)vv what was the reason that the tanner apprehended such injurious conseciucnces from the reduction of duty? Was it that he could not manufacture as cheaply? Or that labour was higher, and that lie could not compete with the American producer? No! for, if reference were made to the average prices of leather and leather manufactures for the last four }'ears, that is to sa)', f#^ (? / ^J"/ ■" "^' Photographic Sciences Corporation 33 WeST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. M5M (716) 873-4503 4P^ m k n i8j Tni: Liii: ok Siu John A. MacdonaM). trary, would increase them, because it would increase our power to pay for them. " He considered that the proj^ositinn that j>rotcction was impracticable was a singular assertion, and what were the ar^,'umcnt^ used to support it ? They were these: that wc have such an extensive frontier wc could not prevent sinu^^- ling. Was our frontier longer than that of the United States? Was it easier to carry j^oods one mile south than one mile north? Had not the United States hatl a hij;her protective tariff for many years? Had it proved itnpractictibk ior them to j)r()tect their manufactures? They were alive to their interests, he hoped we would awaken to our own. The Honourable the Inspector-(ieneral had told us that his tariff was not for protection but for revenue. It was so. It fostered no cla.ss ; it benefited no part of Canada ; but, on the contrary, so far as lej^islative enactment would jjo, its direct tendency was to injure our trade and manufactures, and lessen the products of the country. "The Honourable the Inspector-General a.sserted that the prot>. -tion of our manufactures would diminish our imports. This was contrary to the most simple rule of trade. So far from domestic manufactures havinjj a tendency to diminish imports it was the contrary. They increa.sed the products of a country anil thereby enabled the inhabitants to import more because they could pay for more. Tltc amount of our imports was re<^ulated by our ability to pay. If the produce of Canada was double what it was, our imports would double. Was it not the fact that I'-n^land, the j^reatest manufacturinj; nation, imports more in proportion than an)- other? Was it not also a fact that the United States, notwithstanding the extent and perfection of her manufactures, now imported as much for every head as Canada did ? Notwithstanding^ her protective tariff, her imports increased as fast as her popula- tion. The difference was this — the country that had no manufactures imported the necessaries of life, the country that had manufactures imported the luxuries of life. It had been the rule of all civilized jiovernmcnts in levying duties, or laying on taxes of any kind, to study the interests of the ? ^i Intercolonial Raiiavav I'koii.< t. 1 8: people, but these resolutions proposed a plan that was dircctl>- at variance with our interest, their tendency was to discourage what they should foster, and embarrass thai portion of our trade which it should be the aim of legislatit)n to support and increase." At this time the project of an intercolonial railway occu- pied a large share of public attention in the different pro- vinces. His Excellency the Governor-General, in a despatch to Karl Grey, .strongl)' insisted on the advantaj^es which the mother country, tis well as the colonies, would derive from the execution of such a work, the various legislatures expressctl their desire to .see it com|)leled and passed resolutions embodying their views and mentioning the aid they were prepared to give to the undertaking. It does not, however, appear to have been contemplated to build the road out of the funds of the provinces, but rather that the Imperial Govern- ment should construct it and receive from the provinces such aid as they were able to give This is evident from the reso- lutions introduced in the Canadian Parliament by Mr. Hincks which were to the effect that if the Home Government should undertake the building of the railway between Halifax and Quebec, Canada should undertake to pay yearly a sum not exceeding ;{J^20,ooo sterling, to make good the deficiency, if any, in the income of the railway necessary to meet the interest of the sum cxf)ended upon it, and should place jit the disposal of the Imperial Government all ungranted lands within the province lying on the line of railway, to the extent of ten miles on each side, and also all the lanti required for the line of railway and for proper stations and termini. Sim- ilar resolutions were passed in the Legislatures of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The latter province was appa- rently not a'' ancing and the building of railways was looked upon as a means of bringing back some of the prosjxirity which had formerly existed. At a very large meeting of the inhabitants of the city of St. John, it was resolved " that the construction of railroads within the province will be the most effectual means of checking the ruinous emigration of its inhabitants, and of raising its commerce, manufactures and 1 86 Thk Life of Sir John A. Macdonald w hi I liS! f ( L agriculture from the state of depression into which they are now sunk, and that it was the imperative duty of the Legisla- ture to aid in any public works from which such desirable results could be obtained." In consequence of the riots which had taken place in Montreal after the passing of the Rebellion Losses Bill, it was felt necessary to remove the seat of GcncrniTicnt to some other p'acc, and accordingly a series of resolutions to that effect was moved by Mr. Sherwood. These, after reciting tae cause which led to Montreal being .selected as the seat of Government and the circumstances under which the Parlia- ment liuildings were burned down, recomincniled to the (jovernor-Gencral "that, after the present .session, His I'Lxcel- Icncy will be pleased to convene the Parliament alternately at Toronto and (Juebcc, during jxjriods not exceeding four years at each place, the first sitting under this arrangement to be held at such of the two places mentioned as His l^xccilency in his discretion may deem most advisable for the general good." A lengthy debate ensued, during the course of which .Mr. Macdonald moved the following amendment : " That an humble address be presented to His ICxcellcncy the Governor-General, representing U) His Kxcellcncy " That, at the time of the Union, the seat of the Provincial Government was, after due consideration, fixed at Kingston, and the first Parliament of United Canaila held at that place. " That the Government purchased a large and valuable tract of land in Kingston, for the purpose of erecting thereon the public buildings required for the accommodation of the Government and Legislature, and that this tract still remains public property and available for such purpo.ses. " That the inhabitants of Kingston e.\pendcd large sums of mcjney in providing for the increase <>( population conse- quent upon its being made the capital of the province, in the expectation and on the assurance of its remaining permanently the metropoli.s. " That the subsetjuent removal of the seat of Government to Montreal was deeply injurious to the prosfX-Tity of Kingston, The Seat of Government Question. 187 and ruinous to very many of its inhabitants who had embarked their capital in providing accommodation for the influx of |x>pulation. "That, in the opinion of this House, Kingston, from its central situation at the foot of the jjreat chain of lakes, and at the head of the river St. Lawrence, from its accessibility at all seasons of the year and from the strength of its position and fortifications, is jxiculiarly well adapted for the scat of the Government of this province. "That these considerations, as well as the recollection of the uninterrupted peace kept, and respect for the law shown by the jx.'oplc of Kingston, while it remained the capital of the province induce this House to recommend His Kxcellency to appoint Kingston again as the scat of Government and the place for convening the Provincial Legislature, should he, in the exercise of the Royal Prerogative, be pleased to remo\ e it from its present location. " This amendment was lost by a vote of 51 to 10 as was also another amendment by Mr. L)'on rcciucsting His l^xcellciic\- to remove the seat of Government to Hytown, and the f)riginal motion was carried by 34 to 29. The action of the Government in passing the Rebellion Losses Hill, their policy of non-protection to the manufacturing, commercial and agricultural interests and other acts, induct-d a feeling of uneasiness and insecurity in the countr)-, which finally found expression in the formation of the British- American League in Montreal. The first officers elected were : President — Honourable George Mofifatt. Vice-Presidents — Harrison Stephens, T. Wilson, I'. G. Johnson, D. Gorrie. Executive Committee — J. G. .Sims, John Orr, .Archibald Macfarlane, John Jones, John Ivsdailc, J. (i. Mackenzie, James Matthewson, William Spier, John Smith, Ivsciuires. Secretaries — W. G. Mack and J. H. Isaacson. Treasurer — H. E. Montgomerie. Their address was issued, not to any particular political party or nationality, but to "the inhabitants of Canada." It commenced by saying that those who issued the address had / \, V K lil The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. f Yj>X considered the time as fittiri}^ "to ascertain public opinion upon many important subjects intimately connected with the social, commercial, and political welfare of the inhabitants of this province. That commercial distress and j^eneral depression in every department of industry exist throughout the province to an extent unparalleled in the history of the colony is admitted by all men of unbiassed judgment and adequate opportunities of observation ; by commercial men of the greatest experience, and political economists of every shade of opinion, who, while they all bear concurrent testimony to the truth of this state- ment (as a fact all alike must feel the mournful weight), differ, nevertheless, to some extent, from eac i other as to the immediate causes from which this result has flowed, and the prospective measures most likely to afford relief. "It is neither necessary nor proper at this time to pro- nounce an opinion upon causes with respect to which man)' intelligent and experienced minds are in conflict with each other, nor upon remedies requiring more general concurrence and authority than of necessity belong to the limited sphere of duty now allotted to us. The discussion of these subjects will properly belong to the people of Canada. The duty of the association which now addresses you is of a preliminary nature merely. It is for us to point out the exigency of the time ; for you to consider the causes from which that exigency has arisen, and to suggest the remedies best calculated to obtain relief To anticipate public opinion upon matters of such deep and general interest, would be presumptuous and unw^arrantable ; to invite it we hold it to be no less our duty than right." / " Besides the commercial and industrial depression now weighing upon our community, evils of a social and political character exist among us to an extent unknown in any other portion of the British dominions. "Without descending to enumerate subjects which are confined to the narrow arena of party strife, it is sufficiently evident that our political system requires modification and improvement. t I ' AuDkESS TO Till-: I'Kui'i.E OF Canaim. 189 h *1 y d *' The diversity ol national origin, in itself so potent an impediment to projjrcss; its bearing; and influence upon the {general interests of the colony by the mere expedient of junction, apart from principle; the system of representation; the tenure of lands in the Lower I'rovince; the comi)osition of the Legislative Council and many other topics of far too great importance to be approached without cjiution or touched without dispassionate enquiry by the people at large, all pointing to the necessity of concentrating and asserting public opinion upon such matters. "The means which we would respectfully suggest of sub- jecting the grievances of the people to regular discussion and ultimate redress, are simple, natural and obvious. They are the means by which, in other countries all that is great, enduring and admirable has been obtained ; before which evils the most deep rooted, and abuses the most powerful, have invariably yielded, and without whose agency it is perhaps not too much to assert that no public object of dignity or importance can, in the present day, be reached. " These means, so vast in attainment, so powerful in agency, and yet so simple in contrivance, arc expressible in a single word, and that word is — organization." The address then went on to urge the formation of societies and the election of delegates to attend a convention to be held at such time and place as might be determined on. The scheme proposed by the British-American League was warmly received in the country, societies were everxwhere formed, and on July 25, 1849, the convention met in the city of Kingston, when 145 delegates answered to their names. While all of these were men of the highest respectability and character, many of them were men who then and since were in the enjoyment of the fullest confidence of the country. Many of them have occupied the positions of Ministers of the Crown, others have been promoted to the bench, while others as senators and members of the House of Commons have spent many years in the .service of their country. Amongst others there were present Honourabies George Moffatt, John A. Macdonald, George Crawford and Messrs. J. Macdonald, Asa 190 Thk Lifk ok Sir John A. Macdonalo. I i ! ^■ A. A. Hurnh.im, J. C. Hoswcll, K. H. Throop, George Monro, T. S. Uixon, John Lan^ton, Rolland Macdonald, G. W. Bowes, A.J. McDoncll, W. Gamble, Hu^^h Scobie, J. G. Vansittart, John O. Hatt, John R. I^'orsyth, John Henry Pope, Charles Brooks, Robert R. Smiley, Alexander McLean, Ogle R. Gowan, Edmund Murnej-, Henry Corby, Charles L. Herch- mer, Robert Read. G. C. Hogert, Henry Jones Ruttan, 1*. M. Vankoughnet, D. B. Stevenson and Donald Bethune. The chair was occupied by the Honourable George Moffatt. The following were elect.ed as officers : President — Honourable George Moffatt, Montreal. Vice-Presidents — Honourable W. Allan, Toronto; John Young, Esquire, Hamilton ; John R. Forsyth, Estjuire, Kings- ton; Thomas Wilson, Ivsquire, Quebec; John Prince, Esquire, Sandwich ; Honourable W. Morris, Montreal. Corresponding Secretary — VV. Gordon Mack, Esquire, Mon- treal. Recording Secretary — J. H. Isaacson, Esquire, Montreal. Treasurer — H. E. Montgomerie, Ivsquire, Montreal. Executive Committee — Ogle R. Gowan, Esquire, Brockville; J. VV. Gamble, 1 squire, Vaughan ; J. McGillis, E.squire, Glen- garry; Daniel Gorric, Esquire, Montreal: D. G. Sloane, E.squire, Melbourne; (ieorge Duggan, Esquire, Toronto; J. G. Vansittart, Esquire, Woodstock ; John Langton, Ivsc|uire, Peterborough; William Stewart, ICsquire, Bytown; R. Harvey, E.scjuire, Maitland. The resolutions which were passed were of the most important character and have ever since remained as the platform of the Conservative party. Some of these referred to the state of the country, the acts of the then Government, and of the (iovernor-General, and to other questions which have long since disappeared from the political arena, but the main ones have remained unto this da)-, and are, at the present time, even more thoroughly- endorsed than they were then. They were three in number as follows : Protection to Home Industry;' Economy and Retrenchment; and the Con- federation of all the Provinces; and after the resolutions were ■I Resolutions Passed. 191 T. rt, cs R. h- A. re . s 'J; a; passed, they were crjstallizcd into an address to the inhabi- tants of Canada, of which the following is an extract : "The true elements of your country's wealth, the certain indices of her prosperity, can only be developed by the adoption of measures which will fill her cities with the busy hum of industry, make her streams the outlets of that wealth which will be poured forth from the loom and the foundry, the teeming harvests of her soil, and the produce of her primeval forests. " For the attainment of these results it is essential that a tariff, carefully and considerately adopted, should be so pro- portioned anil levied as to afford just and adetjuate protection to every industrial class — the agriculturist, the manufacturer, the mechanic — so as to build up the prosperity of the farmer and the arti/.an side by side with the growing wealth of the manufacturer, so as to create a home market for home indus- try and enrich together consumer and producer. The present tariff is simi)ly inadcc|uate to protluce results so manifestly essential to the interests of our countrj-. The present Govern- ment is pledged to free trade principles. "Three subjects among those which have engaged our deliberations stand prominently forth, demanding your earl- iest attention. "By the first of these — a union fjf all the Hriti.sh-American provinces — it has been proposed in this convention to la}- the foundations for making this country a great nation upon a solid and enduring basis. " Impressed with the weight of such a proposal, but uncer- tain as to the sentiments of the sister colonies, this convention has proposetl a conference with those i)rovinces by a delega- tion of some of its members ; meanwhile it recommends this great question to your mature deliberation. " The .second great movement in which we invite your co-operation is that for retrenchment and economy in the public expenditure. " The third is that still more great and vital movement we are prepared to make in favour of protection to home industry. " Inscribe these glorious rallying cries upon your banners, '1 ' ''Wi i 1; ' ' «|n J 192 TiiK Like ok Sir John A. Macdonaij). glorious because they will elevate your country from failure to success, from ruin to prosjK'rity. They will unite with )uu all honest men, all men of reason and true patriotism. Keep them before you in )our assemblies, procure for them the assent and advocacy of jour neighbours. Support no man at the hustings who will not pledj^e himself to wise and salutary retrenchment, who will not agree to raise his voice in favour of protection. So shall you elevate this )-(iur country into a great nation of free men, fostered by and in amity atul con- nection with (ireat Hritain, preserving her time-hallowed institutions, adopting her old trade principles, under which she has flourished for centuries and her pe(jpl'j have grown the richest on the face of the globe, those great trade principles which in the neighbouring union have also been ad(ipted, and have established that mighty and prosperous nation. The arguments advanced by the various speakers were clear, forcible and convincing, and can be recalled with both plCfXsure and profit as embodying the views of the last genera- tion up Mk. (ioNVKN's Si'i;i;i II. 193 ' this difference of cotulition. CanacUi possessed ;is fertile a soil, as industrious and untcrprisinj^ a people as the I'nited States ; the ilisparity therefore could n<>t be traced to the absence of these elements. He believed it was attributable to this fact that, while the returns for enterprise antl labour in this country were sent to a distant market to procure various descriptions of manufactured articles, the Americans kept a j,'reat portion of theirs at home. The Canatlians had had sufficient exiKirience to convince them that a foreign market was not to be trusted, and that they should now look at home, and, by encouraj^inj; the growth of domestic manufactures, raise up a bcxiy of non-producers who would create a market in the country for the proiluctions of its soil. With such a home market those enj^a^ed in the trade would not have to complain as they now do, for uncertainty would \^\\c way to a steadiness in trade to which the)' hail hitherto bv-en stranj^^ers. If they looked to the neighbouring States what ilid they find? All knew the immense aj^ricultural resources of the ^reat west aiui the flooil of produce which, pourinj^ down by the ^reat lakes, sought eastern and foreign markets b)' the Krie Canal. Hut, he would like to ask, would there have been a " great west ' unless there had been a 'great east?' It was to the rapidh- increasing manufactures of the -cast that the progress of the west was fairly attributable. It was to the interchange of the produce of the loom and the anvil with the produce of the soil that they owed their common prosperity. It could not be said that this country was destitute of those natural ailvantages which had assisted so materially in the i)rospcrity of the one adjoining. Canada posses.sed them to an e.vtent ([uite as great, if not greater. Nature had dntie everything for her. It was only that its inhabitants had failed to perform their duty to themselves, that the country is not more prosjx'rous than it is. The Americans had wisely protected their enterprise and their industry against foreign competition. To insure the same success Canada must produce the same policy. It is because she has not done so heretofore that many of her people have found themselves comixilled to change their position, and seek in the neighbouring States a 11 ii 194 TiiK LiFK OF Sik John A. Macdonald. I • 4^ field and a remunerative price for their labour, and that pros- jx'rity f)f which they saw no pros{>cct here, under the existing condition of thin^js. He desired to see, in this country, a measure ado|)ted for the puriM)se of assistinj^ and encouraging; manufactures. He desired to see the raw material for manu- factures, and those articles which entered largely and neces- sarily into the consumption of the labourin},^ classes, such, for instance, as tea, su^jar, etc., adinitted cither free or at a merely nominal duty, but he desired that f»)rei^n manufactures, which ^ v^\ by their import would come into injurious coinpctition with U the industry of our own country, should be so taxed as to V afford to the domestic manufacturer an adcHiuale protection." ' Mr. Gamble confes.sed that " he looked upon all other questions as but of secondary importance. Me felt that the c]uestion involved was of vital importance to the country. Many of its peoi)le had already left it in the hope of bettering their condition among a neighbouring people, and it was not too jnuch to assume that, unless Canada adopted a policy which would make her keep up with the United States in progress, she would be compelled to a union uith those States. Such a result was inevitable. It was our duty, by the adoption of a wi.sc policy now, to avoid an alternative which could oiil\ be contemplated, by every loyal man, as a last resort. Jiut we had already, in his opinion, been forced into this position — we must consider the interests of this province and legislate for those interests irrespective of those of any other country. Great Ikitain, in virtually abandoning her colonial .system, had placed us commercially upon the .same footing as a foreign people, and our action must alone have reference to that fact. He could not say that he regretted that such was now the case. He had always considered the commercial interests of the parent state as at variance with the interests of its colonics. The laws regulating trade were framed for the advantage of the people of Great Britain, but, while they embraced protection to colonial interests, it was but natural that in return the colonies should submit to tho.se restrictions which the people of the parent state deemed essential to the maintenance of their commercial position — that there should / y aaaaH!;r .^i » ua j ^MJ Mk. Gamijlk's SriiKcii. '95 ,c or be reciprocity between them. And it was c(|ually natural that the British (ioverninent should seek to render that trade as beneficial .is possible to its own interests. Th.it was a wise policy. The people of the United States in like manner protected their own interests, but without reference to those of any other country. They h.id early adopted a protective system, and untler that system had rapidly attained to a hi^h tlej^ree of prosperity. Our situation is very similar to that of our neighbours, and a jjolicy which had proved beneficial to them could hardly fail to be attendeil by a like result in Canada. We must adopt the same policy, and in like manner seek to raise our own country from depression to a state in which enterprise and industry will meet their ileserved reward. He confessed that in his youth he had been instructed, and believed in, those commercial doctrines so ably laiil down by Adam Smith, and which seemed to him at all times to consti- tute a very beautiful theory of trade. lUit he hail ne\er seen that theory carried out in practice. There was no reciprucit)' of trade such as that contemplated by the author of ' The Wealth of Nations.' Every country was forced to look to Its own interests, and Canada must now do the same. She must look to her own advantage irrespective of any other country. We had hitherto erred in separating the pnxluccr and the consumer. Hereafter wc must endeavour to unite them. They should take a place side by side and mutually assist each other. " It had been said that the people of Canada were not as enterprising as those of the neighbouring Union. Under equal circumstances this assertion was not true. Hut appear- ances were at present against us, and why ? Simply because on one side of an imaginary line industry was encouraged and enterprise met with its due reward under a national protective system, while on this there was nothing to stimulate the one or the other. For the same reason the great body of emigrants from the British Isles prefer the United States, where a better reward for labour and a larger return for capital invited them. He desired to sec a system adt)pted here which would put an end to this disparity, which would draw i l\ 196 Tin: Like of Sir John A. M.\( ijonald. out the latent energies of the people and develop the resources of a country unsurpassed in natural advantages by any one on this continent. " The United States, previous to the war of 181 2, had been depeiulent, as we are now, upon Great Britain for manufac- tured articles, but that war necessitated thcin to look more at home and to establish an actual independence by substituting the products of home for foreign industry. He believed that the .Americans owed the greater part of their surprising pros- perity to that war, for the simple reason that it forced them to become a manufacturing as well as an agricultural people. Certainly their progress previous to iy 3J5 inlluentini men in favour of the niovcnu-nt issued to Canadians— Article in the London 7'hnes — Meeting; of i'r.rhanRiit May 14, 1S50 —Control of I'osl Dfficc vested in |)rovin(ial authoritie^— i'etition from Kinjjston ajjainst convict labour — Attack liy the .Xorth .tineridm im the Administration —The iiroi)osed policy — Opinions of the Glo/>e -The Hudson Hay Ciim])any's territory — Movements in favor of railroad communication — Mi. Macdonald's speech at (lanantKiue. AT this time Canada was in a state of depression almost impossible to describe; from want of local manufactures ki- the country was being drained of its cash; the magm'ficent water power allowed to remain unused ; agriculture was tleclip- ing for want of a home market and the means of conveying the surplus products of the land cheaply and easily from the place of its production to foreign inarkets; all enterprise was crippled anil the country becoming more and more impov- erished, whilst the neighbouring republic was being built up b\- the sale to us of its manufactures and the removal of the best and the most enterprising of our young men to its territories. The remedy for this state of affairs from a Con- servative point of view was laid down in the resolutions of the Hritish- American League, and while this runious state of affairs was fully realized and dwelt upon by all of the speakers, no doubt appears to have been entertained by them as to the future of the country if rigid economy were prac- tised, all the provinces joined in one confederation and manufactures built up by a judicious system of protection. In Montreal, however, a much more gloomy view was enter- tained of the situation, and the opim'on appeared to prevail that the country had sunk so low that it was impossible for it ever to recover so Ujiig as it remained a dependency of the Hritish Empire, and the only hope of saving it lay in joining our fortunes to those of the United States, Accordingl\-. an address in favour of such a .scheme was signed b)' 325 of 197 i 198 The Like of Sir John A. Macdonald. r the most influential men of the city and issued to the people of Canada in the month of October. And it is significant of the universal hopelessness pervading all parties and classes of the community that we find, amongst the signers lead- men of both parties and representing every shade of political opinion. Among these may be mentioned John and David Torrance, Luther Hamilton Helton, William Workman, D. L. Macpherson, J. G. Mackenzie, R. McKay, H. Holmes, M.P.P., J. B. Anderson, J. Molson, J. Redpath, etc. The address was undoubtedly an able one, unexceptional in tone, and powerful in argument ; a calm, dignified document, presented, apparently, in a spirit of sincerity and truth, and which, while breathing a spirit of hopelessness respecting the present and future of the country, expressed sentiments of kindness and respect to the mother country and of regret at the apparent necessity of severing the ties which had so long bound us together. The following extracts will give an idea of its contents : " The number and magnitude of the evils that afflict our country, and the universal and increasing depression of its material interests, call upon all persons animated by a sincere desire for its welfare, to combine for the purposes of enquiry and preparation, with a view to the adoption of such remedies as a mature and dispassionate investigation may suggest. " Belonging to all parties, origins and creeds, but yet agreed upon the advantage of co-operation for the perform- ance of a common duty to ourselves and our country growing out of a commercial union, we have consented, in view of a brighter and happier future, to merge in oblivion all past differences, of whatever character, or attributable to whatever source. In appealing to our fellow colonists to unite with us in this our most needful duty, we solemnly conjure them, as they desire a successful issue and the welfare of their country, to enter upon the task in the same fraternal spirit. "The reversal of the ancient policy of Great Britain whereby she withdrew from the colonies their wonted protec- tion in her markets, has produced the most disastrous effects upon Canada. In surveying the actual condition of the country, what but ruin and decay meets the eye ? Our pro- Annexation Address. '99 ne o- vincial and civic corporations embarrassed; our banking and other securities greatly depreciated; our mercantile and agri- cultural interests alike unprosperous ; real estate scarcely sale- able upon any terms; our unrivalled rivers, lakes and canals almost unused, whilst commerce abandons our shores; the circulating capital amassed under a more favourable system is dissipated, with none from any quarter to replace it ! Thus, without available capital, unable to affect a loan with foreign states or with the mother country, although offering security greatly superior to that which readily obtains mtMiey b(»lh from the United States and Great liritain, when other than colonists arc the applicants. Crippled, therefore, and checked in the full career of private and public enterprise, this posses- sion of the British Crown — our country — stands before the world in humiliating contrast with its immediate neighbours, exhibiting every symptom of a nation fast sinking to deca)-. "With superabundant water power and cheap labour, especi- ally in Lower Canada, we have yet no domestic manufactures, nor can the most sanguine, unless under altereil circumstances, anticipate the home growth, or advent from foreign parts of either capital or enterprise to embark in this great source of national wealth. Our institutions, unhappily, ha\c not that impress of permanence which can alone impart security and inspire confidence, and the Canadian market is too limited to tempt the foreign capitalist. "Whilst the adjoining States are covered with a net work of thriving railways, Canada possesses but three lines, which, together, scarcely exceed fifty miles in length, and the stock in two of which is held at a c ^preciation of from fifty to eighty per cent., a fata! symptom of the torpor overspreading the land. " Our present form of provincial government is cumbrous and so expensi\e as to be ill-suited to the circumstances of the country, and the necessary reference it demands to a distant Government, imperfectly accjuainted with Canatlian affairs, and somewhat indifferent to our interests, is anf)malous and irksome. Yet in the event of a rupture between two of the most powerful nations of the world, Canada W(;uld beccjine I- ?l I ' I' iiii ■ m i\ Hi r 200 TiiK Life ok Sir John A. MAfDONALD. mi t f ^ r" l:r-^ K ii^' the battlefield and tlie sufferer, however little her interests mi^ht be involved in the cause of quarrel or the issue of the contest. " The bitter animosities of political parties and factions in Canada often leading to violence, and, upon one occasion, to civil war, seem ncjt to have abated with time, nor is there at the present moment any prospect of diminuticjn or accommcj- dation. The aspect of parties become daily more threatening; towards each other, and, under our existing institutions and relations, little hcjpe is discernible of a peaceful and prosperous administration of our affairs, but difficulties will, to all appear- ance, culminate, until government becomes impracticable. In this view of our position, any course that may promise to efface existing party distinctions and place entirely new issues before the people, must be fraught with undeniable advantages. " Among the statesmen of the mother countr)-, among the sagacious observers of the neighbcjuring republic, in Canada, and in all British N(jrth America, amongst all classes, there is a strong pervading conviction that a political revolution in this country is at hand. Such forebodings cannot readil>' be dispelled, and they have, moreover, a tendency to realize the events to which they point. In the meanwhile serious injury results to Canada from the effect of this anticipation upon the more desirable class of settlers, who naturally prefer a countr\- under fixed and permanent forms of government to one in a state of transition." Having thus adverted to some of the causes of the state of the country, the address proceeds to consider " how far the .prop(xsed remedies possess sound and rational inducements to justify their adoption." vf " It reasons that the revival of protection in the markets of the United Kingdom would be but a partial remed}-, that the protection of home manufactures, although it might encourage the growth of a manufacturing interest in Canada, yet it would not work any result that could be admitted as a remedy for the numerous evils of which we complain — that a federal union of the British American provinces would not Annkxation Addkkss. 20 1 . /'-^ be a remedy, as it would not increase the trade in timber or the demand for ajfricultural products — that Canada could not exist as a federal republic — that reciprocal free trade with the f United States as respects the products of the farm, the forest, and the mine, would yield but an instalment of the advan- taj(es which might otherwise be secured. The free interchange of such products would not introduce manufactures to our country. It would not give us the North American continent for our market. It would neither so amend our institutions as to confer stability nor ensure confidence in their permanence, nf»r would it allay the violence of parties, (jr in the slightest tlegrce remedy many of our prominent evils." The address then gives the views of the signers on the questif)n of "annexation " in the following language: " Of all the remedies which have been suggested for the acknf)wlcdged and insufferable ills with which our country is affli:.ted there remains but one to be considered. It pro- pounds a sweeping and important change in our political and social condition, involving considerations which demand our most serious examination. This remedy ccjnsists in a friendl)' t^ and peaceful .separation from British c(jnnection and a union upon equitable terms with the great North American Confed- eracy of Sovereign States. " We would premise that towards Great Britain we ^ entertain none other than sentiments of kindness and respect. ' ,- , Without her con.sent we consider separation as neither practi- ' cable nor desirable. But the colonial p(jlic)- of the parent state, the avowals of her leading statesmen, the public sentiments of the empire present unmistakcable and signifi- cant indications of the appreciation of colonial connection. That it is the resolve of England to invest us with the attributes and compel us to assume the burdens of independ- ence is no longer problematical. The threatened withdrawal of her troops from other colonies, the continuance of her military protection to ourselves only on the condition that we shall defray the attendant expenditure, betoken intentions towards our country against which it is weakness in us not to provide. An overruling conviction then, of its necessity, and .^ 11^ I 1; \i]f If ^' l< / rill hi. ,.i ^ : '« » y X K ^ 202 The Life ok Sir John A. Macdonald. i high sense of the duty we owe to our country, a duty we can neither disregard nor postpone, impel us to entertain the idea ^f separation, and whatever negotiations may eventuate with Great Britain, a grateful liberality on the part of Canada should mark every proceeding. " The proposed union would render Canada a field for American capital, into which it would enter as freely for the prosecution of public works or private enterprise as into any of the present states. It would equalize the value of real estate upon both sides of the boundary, thereby probably doubling at once the entire present value of property in Canada, whilst, by stability to our institutions, and introducing prosperity, it would raise our public, corporate and private credit. It would increase our commerce both with the United States and foreign countries, and would not nccessaril)' diminish to any great extent our intercourse with Great Britain, which our products would, for the most part, enter on , the .same terms. It would render our rivers and canals the \ highway for the immigration to and exports from the west, / to the incalculable benefit of our country. It would also 1 introduce manufactures; and to Lower Canada especially, / where water privileges and labour are abundant and cheap, it ; would attract manufacturing capital, enhancing the value of property and agricultural produce, and giving remunerative employment to what is at present a non-producing population. ' Nor would the United States merely furnish the capital for i our manufactures. They would aho supply for them the , most extensive market in the world without the intervention I of a custom house officer. Railways would forthwith be "^ constructed by American capital as feeders for all the great lines now approaching our frontiers, and railway enterprise in general would doubtless be as active and prosperous as amongst our neighbours. The value of our agricultural produce would be raised at once to a par with that of the United States, whilst agricultural implements and many of the necessaries of life, such as tea, coffee and sugar, would be , greatly reduced in price. " The value of our timber would also be greatly enhanced J T Annexation Address. 203 / by free access to the American market, where it bears a hi^h price, but is subject to an onerous duty. At the same time there is every reason to believe that shipbuilders, as well at Quebec as on the great lakes, would find an unlimited market in all the parts of the American continent. " The simple and economical state government in which direct responsibility to the people is a distinguished feature, would be substituted for a system at once cumbrous and expensive. "In the place of war and the alarms of war with a neigh- bour, there would be peace and amity between this country and the United States. Disagreements between the United States and her chief, if not only rival among nations, would not make the soil of Canada the sanguinary arena for their disputes, as under our existing relations must necessarily be the case. That such is the unenviable condition of our state of dependence upon Great Britain is known to the whole world, and how far it may conduce to keep prudent capitalists from making investments in the country, or wealthy settlers from selecting a foredoomed battle-field for the home of them- selves and their children, it needs no reasoning on our part to elucidate. " But other advantages than those having a bearing on our material interests may be foretold. It would change the ground of political contest between races and parties, allay and obliterate those irritations and conflicts of rancour and recrimination which have hitherto disfigured our social fabric. Changing a subordinate for an independent condition, we would take our station among the nations of the earth. We have now no voice in the affairs of the empire, nor do we share in its honours or emoluments. England is our parent state, with whom we have no equality, but towards whom we stand in the simple relation of obedience. But, as citizens of the United States the public service of the nation would be open to us — a field for high and honourable distinction on which we and our posterity might enter on terms of perfect equality." The address then croes on to show the benefit that the / ■ if 1 n 204 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. If ' ' m \ r V ') h Vi i proposed change would be to both Great Britain and the United States, and concludes with a reference to the varied feelings and emotions experienced by the signers in advocat- ing the step, and an appeal to bury in oblivion all past dissensions, and to co-operate earnestly and cordially without distinction of origin, party or creed, in such lawful, prudent and judicious means as might be found necessary to carry out the aim and object of the address. This desire for annexation does not appear to have spread to any great extent beyond the city of Montreal, but it is interesting to observe the feelings with which the address was received in England as well as the policy which it was indicated would have probably been pursued had it been necessaiy for the mother country to give the question any grave consideration. The London Times of October 31st, thus expressed its views : "The news from Canada is deeply interesting rather than painfully alarming. Those who exult in every development of colonial difficulties, and every fresh cause of vexation in the Colonial Office will be delighted by the record of a movement which to less hostile minds must supply matter for grave reflection and philosophical investigation. " The movement to which we refer is one that tends to the dissolution rather than to the disruption of the British Colonial Empire in British North America. It is neither inspired by vindictivcness nor fraught with violence. It is earnest in its tone, but its earnestness partakes of the character of deliber- ativeness ; it reasons, even though it may reason wrongly, and proceed from incorrect premises to erroneous deductions. It is on this account that the Montreal address is entitled to a patient and — we were almost saying — a respectful attention at our hands. It breathes no hostility against the Crown and people ; on the contrary it emphatically records the cordial and kindly feeling of the Canadian people to both ; it makes no vehement protestations of affection for a democratic form of government, but simply rests its preference of republican institutions upon local and peculiar conditions ; it advises t ■ i IS II ■11 The "Timks" on Annexation. 205 t s separation from England as it suggests annexation to the United Stages, from the motive by which communities, not less than individuals, are impelled — motives of self-advance- ment. " There was a time when so singular a document as this would have exposed the authors to the penalties of high treason, and the colony in which it was broached to the calamities of civil war ; when every Englishman would have boiled with indignation at the presumption which complained of English domination, and the temerity which proposed to carry the presumption of language into action. But those days have passed away. We have been taught wisdom by experience ; and the most valuable as well as the most costly of our lessons has been taught by the barren issue of a precipi- tate conflict with a province, which, from remonstrance proceeded to rebellion, and crowned rebellion with independ- ence. We should iKJt go to war for the sterile honour of maintaining a reluctant colony in galling subjection ; we should not purchase an unw illing obedience by an outlay of treasure or of blood. If, indeed, with colonial dependence or independence there were indissolubly bound up metropolitan prosperity and decay ; if it were tolerably clear that the preser\'ation of metropolitan greatness depended upon it, and that that the latter would wane with the extinction of the former — then such suggestions as the Montreal address contains would find no place in the discussions, no sympathy in the feelings of the people of England. They would one and all identify their interest and prosperity with that which their forefathers were content to regard for and by itself, viz. the supremacy of English power. But tho difference between them and their forefathers is, that they will count and ponder on that more vulgar balance of profit and loss which was forgotten by the generation which hailed the commencement and lamented the conclusion of the great American war. Is the retention of Canada profitable, will its loss be hurtful to England ? is the question which Englishmen of the present day will put to themselves, as the converse of this question is that which Canadians are already discussing on their side." i i ill ' :'! vk 2o6 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. a-* f "'If : On the question of the policy to be pursued by England in the event of annexation taking place, the same paper says in its issue of November 2nd : '• But if, under the pressure of temporary adversity, or from an undue estimate of the benefits of republican institutions the Canadian people deliberately propose to exchange the freest polity that any colony ever enjoyed for the ambiguous honour of forming a small part of an unwieldy confederation, then 1 ;t them understand that the conduct of the people of England will be directed by motives of prudence and interest alone. If they think they can do without Canada, then, and then only, will they give up Canada. But, in surrendering Canada, they will take care not to surrender one jot of sea or land, the possession of which really and effectively concerns the maritime and commercial importance of Great Britain. They will not cede Nova Scotia ; they will not cede Cape Breton ; they will not cede that seaboard and those harbours which must ever command the mouth of the St. Lawrence, and protect the trade of the Atlantic. In parting from England, Canada will lose the name of a dependent province, to be brought more nearly within view of the force which might have perpetuated her dependence. In losing her hold of Canada, England will take care to lose only the respon- sibilities and expense of her retention. But we apprehend that the destined fortunes of Canada, and the disposition of her people, make all such anticipations as these wholly superfluous." ^ 'In the beginning of November the British American ^ League met in Toronto, when, in addition to resolutions in I favour of retrenchment, protection to home manufactures, and a confederation of the provinces, and against an elective Legislative Council and annexation to the United States, a report was presented by the "committee of conference on union of British American Provinces." This report showed that circulars had been sent to prominent persons in the Maritime Provinces, giving the printed proceedings of the last convention, and that a meeting had been held between the representatives of the British American League and of the wt r .. .*■ ^ A-JAJ - ^j^ -^.g^^J f?3?«5S?=!?s^?!5s?53? TiiK HkiTisii A.MKKUAN Lka(;ue. 207 Colonial Association of New Brunswick, at which, after a close and thouijhtful discussion, it was unanimously aj^reed : " That the commercial evils now oppressing the British American Provinces arc to be traced principally to the abandonment by Great Ikitain of her former colonial policy, thus depriviii}^ them of the preferenc e previously enjoyeil in the British market, without securing any equivalent advantages in any other narket. " That these colonics cannot remain in their present position without the prospect of immediate ruin, and that it is the duty of the Imperial Government either — first, to restore to the colonies a prcfexcnce in the British markets over foreign countries — or second, to have opened to them the markets of foreign countries, and more especially the United States, upon terms of reciprocity — one or the other of which is consitlcred indispensable to the continuance of our present political connection with Great Britain. " That a union of the British American Provinces, on mutually advantageous and fi. illy arranged terms, with the concession from the mother country of enlarged powers of self-government (including the unrestricted privilege of making laws to regulate and protect their commercial and industrial interests, and to reduce the expenditure of the civil government to an adequate scale), appears essential to the prosperity of the Provinces." On May 14, 1850, Parliament reassembled at Toronto, when it was announced, in the Speech from the Throne, that the entire control of the internal post-office in British North America had been vested in the provincial authorities. During the session Mr. Boulton of Norfolk moved a resolution with regard to elective Legislative Councils, and placed on record his entire disapproval of the proposal, and considered that it was the small end of the wedge which in time would subvert all our institutions, and effect a complete separation from the mother country. " He considered that it would be far better if hon. members turned their attention to practical objects instead of constitution tinkering ; so far as lay in his power he was determined to resist the introduction of republicanism." ' i i \l 208 TiiK Liu: ok Sir Juhn A. Macdunalu. A statement published at this time shewed the condition of the Canadian banks on h'ebruary 28th. I'Vom this the followinji facts are gathered : The total circulation was /• i<>59.y7 do. at interest ^H),^j2 Total liabilities ;^i»yi5>J Landed and other property . . - i Ji'",*? Government securities i28,(>o5 Notes of other banks 7f>.Ji Notes, etc., discounted j, j 1 7,05 1 Total assets ^f 4, 176,47s During the session Mr. Macdonakl presented a petitioi^ from the inhabitants of the city of Kingston against the manu- facture of certain articles in the provincial penitentiary, and strongly indorsed the prayer of the petition. He said that " the penitentiary had been a source of great expense to the pro- vince, and it was certainly time that efforts should be made to lessen that expense by making the labour of the convicts remunerative; but it should not be done at the expense of the city of Kingston, where the mechanics were unable to compete with the low rate of convict labor and were leaving the city in hundreds. It was indeed impossible that they could compete with labour at 20 cents per day, which was the contract price, when they had to pay rent and taxes, while the convicts were provided for by the Government. The evil also extended over the country. In the town of Belleville, as the member for Hastings could tell them, it had been most seriousl}- felt. The evil might be remedied by the manufacture being carried on in the penitentiary of those articles only which we imported and did not make ourselves ; this would not inter- fere with cur own mechanics. There might, even if this were not done, be some alleviation of the evils complained of, by I, tJ^^JjU^Um^^?'^-::.-- -^-:.d I Attack hv "North American" on Ministry, joy letting' the labour in larj^c (juaiititics, aiul by scllin^^ the articles by wholesale, s(j that they would be sent all over the country and not sokl all in one i)lacc." In the month of October of this year the Nonh Atnericau, which had hitherto supported the Govcrnnient, and was regarded as the mouth-piece of the extreme Clear Grit winj^ of the party, made a most violent attack upon the Ailmiiiistration, and esj)ecially upon the Honourable Robert Haldwin, and severely handled the Globe newspaper for supporting them. The article commenced with the following strong lanj^ua^'e : " There must surely be * something rotten in the state of Denmark.' The leaders of a great party who were chosen by that party to represent its views and to carry out its principles in administering the Government of the country, but who, ' yielding to the force of circumstances,' forgot their political antecedents, forgot their professions, forgot their c(;nstituents whose wishes they had pledged themselves to execute, and adopting the principles and practices of their predecessors, set themselves to work to discourage and weaken their own party, and to promote its opponents, who by low intrigue and the most paltry evasions opposed the progress of the very measures they were chosen to carry out, are certainly fortunate, SINCJULARLV fortunate, that amid the universal contempt they have so deservedly earned they can point to one newspaper which boldly asserts they arc uai ' traitors.' Kvery other charge is either expressly or tacitly admitted. That ' faint praise,' which, coming from a professed friend, is more damning than the open attacks of an opponent, poisons every paragraph. " The Globe is much offended with the clear, manly and truthful remarks of the Brantford Herald. This journal gave cjuite as much support to the Ministry, during the last session, as any paper pretending to express the views of Reformers could possibly give and retain the confidence of its readers. Like many others who had not the opportunity of peeping behind the curtain and witnessing the acts of the Ministry stripped of disguise, the Herald believed that Mr. Baldwin and his colleagues were really desirous of acting in accordance M •I" i) m m .y 'I \p L i i ' s s ■f>:;i i<:>. j/^ ^- 2IO The Life of Sir John A. Macdoxald. with the ' well understood wishes of the people.* Thouj^h unwilling to be convinced of the contrary, the proofs have so accumulated that it would seem their effect can no longer be resisted. Several other Reform journals that were actuated by similar feelings have arrived at the same terminus. The old sterling Reformers of the country, those who had fought the Reform battle fifteen or twenty years before the G/ode or the far fa'ned 'flourishing concern* had been heard of, saw Mr. Baldwin and his colleagues elevated to power through their hard earned victories. They expected, as they had a right to expect, that these gentlemen would use the powers thus given them to carry the measures which the party had long de- manded, which the said Baldwin & Co. had always promi.scd previous to ' coming election days,' and which it was the object of all the aforesaid battles to obtain. But the conduct of the Reform Ministry soon aroused their fears" — here follow a list of cases in which the Administration had failed in their duty — ' these and similar acts had driven into opposition hundreds and staggered thousands of the old Reformers before the meeting of Parliament at its last session. Those who still supported the Ministry were oppressed by many and strong doubts, and yet they hoped for the best. They said, ' let us see what they will do this session, give them another chance.* We expected nothing but opposition to every Liberal measure, for we had seen the cloven foot long before. But many who, like ourselves, had helped to place Mr. Baldwin in power, and had reposed unlimited confidence in his political integrity, hoped that he would make amends for past mis- take.;, and put himself right with his supporters during the coming session." The article then proceeds to show that he had supported doctrines " such as had never been heard publicly from Mr. Baldwin before. But as soon as he had subverted his enemies and secured the reins of government he turns upon his supporters, and advocates the very doctrines which his Tory opponents had alwaj's professed, and with which they had \ battled him. We have confined our attention to the single question of treachery to the party. It is the highest crime The Clkar Grit Creed. mc 211 which a politician can commit — it is the unpardonable sin in politics, and he who commits it must go over to the enemy, or sink into obscurity. That Mr. Baldwin is justly chargeable with the crime is as clear as noonday. To receive his doom he has only to present himself before the proper tribunal." Immediately after the North American published the creed of the "Clear Grits" — a document which called forth a diversity of opinion from the other Reform papers — the Globe in one sweeping clause pronounced the whole of the pro- positions to be of a republican tendency. The Pilot (Mr. Hincks' paper) saw nothing republican in them and was inclined to advocate them all, while the Patriot was willing to endorse a few of them to the fullest extent of their meaning, but expressed indifference to the others. The proposed measures were : I. Elective institutions from the highest office of the Government to the lowest, as follows : First, the election of Governor. Second, an elective Legislative Council. Third Election of all local officers by the county and town councils. II. No property qualification for the representatives of the people. This is not required in judges, nor even in a govert'.or. Let men choose whom they jjleasc. III. Extension of the electoral franchise to all house- holders and housekeepers. , IV. Vote by ballot. V. Fixed parliaments. VL No expenditure of public money without the consent of Parliament. ■'- VII. Retrenchment through all the departments of state. VIII. Law reform. First, The Court of Chancery to be abolished and equity jurisdiction given to the courts of law, as is done in fifteen states of the American Union, where it has been found for fifty years to give entire satisfaction. Second, Simplification of law proceedings. Third, Every man to be allowed to employ whom he pleases to plead his case. IX. No pensions to be attached to any office. Let pensions be given in individual cases, when and as Parliament may think proper. .0^^ i'4 ti I ^ m I ill M itii I; , ij 212 TnK Like of Sir John A. Macdonald. * r r. f- \ y V / y ,' X. Placing our commerce and intercourse with other nations entirely in our own power, leaving in the power of England nothing but the question of peace and war, and that under certain restrictions." Of these propositions the majority have never occupied public attention to any extent ; voting by ballot has become the law of the land, retrenchment in the departments is claimed as the policy of both parties, and all expenditures of public money are keenly scrutinized by Parliament. Of the rest the question of elective institutions is the only one which can be considered as in any way before the public, and as it has its supporters in the ranks of the Reform party and is sometimes introduced into public discussions, we cannot do better than quote the able and vigorous article in which the Globe expressed its opinions on the subject at this time : — " At present the Governor-General is the constitutional administrator of public affairs, according to the wishes of the people, as expressed by majorities of two large public bodies. We can bring public opinion to bear on his actions readily and certainly ; but by the new system we would make for ourselves a master who would rule us as he chose during his term of office. The President of the United States is a , despot, during his official term, in comparison with the Queen of England — his power is enormous, and as a political partizan he uses it unblushingly for party purposes. The idea of exchanging a British Viceroy, working a representative constitution, for a Republican President — and that under the \i\c?t o{ progression ^.nd extending popular power — is simply absurd. For our own parts we have no notion of losing the substance in running after the shadow. We deem the con- nection with Great Britain of the very highest advantage to Canada, and we would oppose any change which would seriously affect its permanence. But were the conn' tion cut to-morrow, we could fancy no greater difficulty than to devise a plan for providing a chief magistrate as likely to secure able high-minded incumbents, with as little power to do harm and under such wise restraints as at present. We have now all the advantages ofa hereditary monarchy without its disadvantages." 'IHE "GLOBE" ON THE CREED. le le "The second point was that of an elective Upper House ; and we admit at once that were it possible to work the constitution with two elective branches, we would prefer it to the existing system. But we cannot see how this can be done Shall the members of both Houses be elected for the same terms, and for the same electoral districts? If so, there is no use for two Houses, for men of the same stamp will sit and rule in both. Shall the term of office for the Upper House be longer than that of the Lower, and the districts different ? If so, from the ever varying tide of popular feeling in Upper Canada, the majority of the two Houses will almost invariably be of opposing politics. When such an event happened, legislation would be at a stand, and ministerial rcsponsibilit)' would be at an end, forntj Ministry could have a majority in a Tory House, and in a Radical House at the .same moment | The fact is, that an elective Governor-General, and an elective second branch arc quite impracticable under the British constitutional system of ministerial responsibility ; the question becomes simply a choice between the Briti.sh form and that of American republicanism. There seems to be no half-way hou.sc. If we break through the principle of ministerial responsibility, we destroy the mainspring of the British system, and must have a written constitution defining the utmost limit permitted to the .several arms of the Government ; we must have a supreme law court as the final arbiter of all questions, and not Parliament ; the responsibility of one Ministry must be replaced by the responsibility of one man ; the heads of departments must no longer have seats in the Legislature, but be the chief clerks of the President, and be selected and removed at his sole will and pleasure. The proposal demands ' an entire revolution in our constitutional .system of govern- ment, and one, in our opinion, very much for the worse." At this time the North-West was a terra incognita, and the information regarding its soil, climate, and capabilities of the most limited description ; and an article which appeared in tile Globe respecting it was hailed by the other newspapers of the day as " interesting from the comparatively novel character of the subject." This article clearl)' foreshadowed the change 4 ■ A ■i 1) t 1; ^: l' J ,1 ■| !J ' . '■' yii*' j El .' ^Il ■ ■ , ■: 1 f. I' f ': ■■ 214 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. which has since taken place, and contains much information that subsequent examination has proved correct. The follow- ing extracts will give the line of thought of the writer: " It is a remarkable circumstance that so little attention has been paid in Canada to the immense tract of country lying to the north of our boundary line, and known as the Hudson's Bay Company's Territory. There can be no question that the injurious and demoralizing sway of that company over a region of four millions of square miles, will, ere long, be brought to an end, and that the destinies of this immense country will be united with our own. It is unpardonable that civilization should be excluded from half a continent, or at best but a doubtful right of ownership, i^<: the benefit of 232 shareholders. " Our present purpose is not, however, v ith the validity of the Hudson Bay Company's claini to the country north of the Canadian line — but to call attention to the value of that region, and the vast commercial importance to the country and especially to this section, which must, ere long, attach to it. The too general impression entertained is, that the terri- tory in question is a frozen wilderness, incapable of cultivation and utterly unfit for colonization. This impression was un- doubtedly set afloat, and has been maintained for its own very evident purposes. So long as that opinion could be kept up, their charter was not likely to be disturbed. But light has been breaking in on the subject in spite of their efforts to keep it out. In a recent work by Mr. James Edward Fitz- gerald, it is stated that ' there is not a more favourable situation on the face of the earth for the employment of agricultural industry than the locality of the Red River.' He states that there are 500,000 square miles of soil, a great part of which is favourable for settlement and agriculture, and all so well supplied with game as to give great facility for colon- ization. Here is a field for Canadian enterprise. The distance between Fort William and Red River settlement is about 500 miles, and there is said to be water communication by river and lake all the way. But westward, beyond the Red Ri\er settlement, there is said to be a magnificent country, through cr cr rh Vi KAILkOAl) MKETINC.S. 215 which the Saskatchewan River extends, and is navigable for boats and canoes through a course of 1,400 miles. " Much has been said of the extreme cold of the country, as indicated by the thermometer. It is well known, however, that it is not the degree but the diaracter of the cold which renders it obnoxious to men, and the climate of this country is cjuite as agreeable, if not more so, than the best part of Canada. The height of the latitude gives no clue whatever to the degree of cold or to the nature of the climate. " Let any one look at the map, and if he can fancy the tenth part that is affirmed of the wide region of country stretching westward to the Rocky Mountains, he may form some idea of the profitable commerce which will soon pass through Lake Superior. Independent of the hope that the high road to the Pacific may yet take this direction, there is a field for enterprise presented sufficient to satiate the warmest iinagination." The article then proceeds to shew the necessity of a railroad from Toronto to Lake Huron, and for the construc- tion of a canal between Lakes Huron and Superior. Public attention seems now to have been fairly directed to the necessity for railway communication throughout Canada. The Toronto and Lake Huron, the Bytown and Prescott, the Prescott and Toronto, and the Montreal and Prescott Raihvajs were amongst those most strongly advocated, and a most sensible article which appeared in the Globe under the caption, " Will Railways Pay?" is worthy of reproduction. " One general expression is heard in favour of embarking thoroughly in these works, and we do not doubt that some- thing effectual will be done. But while all agree as to the advantage of having trunk lines run through the i)ro\ince, many persons fear that the municipal bodies who are lending their credit to build the roads will suffer pecuniarily by doing so. We think there is groundless alarm on this score. Even were the corporations taking stock in any of the schemes now before the public, to suffer, and the community to be taxed in consequence, it is very clear that there is no kind of taxation the public would bear with .so much fortitude. There is not ':■: i ■IS ^-11 m ^\ in i * i i 216 TnK Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. a farmer, or a mechanic, or business man of any kind, who will not be directly or indirectly benefited by the general introduction of railways into Canada, and if railways are ever hereafter the cause of taxation, they will undoubtedly have well enabled the community to meet the tax." At one of these railroad meetings, held at Gananoque,in the beginning of the new year — 185 1 — Mr. Macdonald took a pro- minent part, and moved the first resolution which was as follows: " That the opinion of this meeting is, that the construction of railroads tends very much to promote the prosperity and happiness of the country, and in order to afford the inhabi- tants of this township facilities equal to those enjoyed by other parts of Canada and the United States, it is essential that the railroad about to be constructed from Montreal to Prescott should be extended westward to Kingston, and, if possible, to Toronto and Hamilton." In the cour-e of his speech Mr. Macdonald showed that the farmers would be largely benefited by the construction of a railroad leading to the seaboard. Few of them could thrash out their grain before the close of navigation ; and, whenever the last vessel left Quebec, the price of grain fell. The reason was obvious : — Buyers had to run the risk of fluctuations in the markets of Europe before they could send their purchases there. With a railroad leading to the ocean, grain would command a fair price all through the winter, and besides, fanners could, in a very short time, and at trifling expense, convey their beef, pork, butter, poultry, etc., to the best markets on this continent. Another speaker — Mr. Wm. Brough — illustrated the losses which the Canadians had suffered in the past from the want of railwaj' facilities, by a reference to the winter of 1846-47. During this season an immense loss had been occasioned by the inability of farmers to .send their suri)lus products to Great Britain. Our cargoes of bread stuff did not reach England until the month of July following, when prices had receded fifty per cent ; thus, as much had been lost to the province in one year as would have made a railway from Lake Huron to the ocean. CHAPTER IX Opening of Parliament, May 20, 1851— Mr. Cayley's resolution on Protection — Mr. \V. L. Mackenzie's motion to abolish the Court of Chancery — Resignation of Mr. Baldwin — Mr. I lincks' resolutions on the tjrand Trunk Railway- Reconstruction of Administration^Dissolution— General Election — .Sir. ^^ Macdonald's speech in Kingston — Assembling of new I'arliament, August X " 19, 1852— Mr. Santield Macdonald elected Speaker— Mr. John A. Mac- donald's Speech on the Adilress — Provincial Board of Trade meeting at (Quebec— Protection asked for— Mr. Morn's resolutions to make the Legislative Council elective — Mr. Hinck's resolutions on the Clergy Rererves — Mr, Boulton's Amendments- -Mr. Macdonald's Speech — Resig- nation of Hon. John Voung on the Trade Policy of the Cjovernment — Adjournment — Negotiations for a line of Ocean Steamers. DURING the next scs.sioii of Parliament, which opened on May 20th, many subjects of great importance were discussed. Mr. Cayley moved the adoption of an Address to Her Majesty, .setting forth the injuries resulting from the adoption of the free trade policy, and praying fur a restoration of that protection to Canadian j)roducts which was formerly enjoyed by the Hritish colonies. Mr. Sherwood supported the motion, and advocated, as a remedy for existing difficulties, a Federal Union of the Hritish North American Provinces, and thought the other provinces should be invited to send representatives to meet His E.xcellency, the Governor-General, and to discuss the basis on which such a federation could be based and carried on. Mr. Hincks said that he had no confidence in the results likely to follow the adoption of the Address, and considered a postpone- ment of the matter desirable. He was unable to discover what commercial advantages would be conferred on Canada by the federation proposed by Mr. Sherwood. The motion was accordingly lost. On June 26th Mr. Mackenzie brought forward the follow- ing motion : "That a special committee of seven members be appointed by the Hou.se with instructions to report by Hill or otherwise for the abolition of the court of chancery, and for conferring equity powers in certain cases upon the courts of common law." This motion was strenuously opposed by the 217 ^ \ >;,'.■ I m^ t , 1= I' 1 |( ! Ill ^ ^ I i1 218 The Life ok Sir John A. Macdonald. Hon. Robert Baldwin, who considered that, as the Court had been recently remodelled and was now working in a ver)- improved manner, it ought to be thoroughly tried, unless the House wished to stultify itself. In this he was warmly sup- ported by the Hon. John Hillyard Cameron, who considered that, as the court had only been in working order for two years, it ought not to be abolished without further trial. Some reforms had been effected and others were in contem- plation. He was willing to vote for a commission of enquir\-, but would not vote for abolition. The motion was lost, the vote standing 30 to 34, but, inasmuch as it had been sup- ported by a large majority of the Upper Canadian members, Mr. Baldwin considered it his duty to tender his resignation. He considered that, as he was the author of the Bill of 1849, under which the Court had been remodelled, and could not obtain from his friends in Upper Canada a trial of the measure for two years, it was an evidence that he was no longer fit to occupy oi* attempt to perform the duties of the position he then held. His resignation created a profound sensation, and, on the conclusion of his speech, Sir Allan McNab and other prominent members of the House took occasion to express their high esteem and respect, and eulogised his con- duct as a member and leader of the House. Mr. Merritt, in a speech of much ability, brought before the Assembly a series of resolutions on the subject of a legis- lative union of the provinces, and strongly advocated, as well, that the St. Lawrence should be thrown open to the vessels of all nations, the public works should be completed, and a line of steamers established between Canada and England. These resolutions Mr. Hincks strenuously opposed. He could see no object to be gained by a legislative union, and a federal legislature would have little to do, while a line of steamers between Quebec and Liverpool would have no chance of paying expenses. Mr. Hincks moved the House into committee on the subject of the Grand Trunk Railway. He gave statistics by which he calculated the road could be built from Halifax to Sarnia for ;^4,ooo,ooo, Canada paying one-third of the cost from li i *■ I Mep:ting of Reformp:rs. 219 Quebec to Halifax, and shewed the advantages which would arise from its beinj^ constructed as a government work. He considered that a more injudicious step could not be taken than to allow it to go into the hands of private companies, and instanced the inconvenience which had arisen from the circumstance that the Great Western was in the hands of private parties. After a lengthy discussion the resolutions were carried by a vote of 29 to 19. About this time a meeting of some of the prominent members of the Reform party was held for the purpose of reconciling their differences and agreeing on principles and measures on which they could find common ground. AmtMig these were Messrs. Spcnce, J. S. Macdonald, Rolph, Win. McDougall, Christie, and others. The conclusions arrived at do not seem to have met with more than a partial approval by the organs of the party as, although the Examiner and North American endorsed the movement, the Mirror described it as "an effort to get rid of the cognomen 'Clear Grits ' and usurp the title of ' Reformers,' without any corres- ponding modification of sentiment," and the Globe concludes a very bitter article in these words : " The discord in the Reform party is not because Mr. Hincks was in or Dr. Rolph was out — it is because certain vital principles and measures are advocated by the great mass of the Reformers, and the representatives of these Reformers have been voting and speaking in direct hostility to their constituents on these great questions. The masses are indignant, and, to allay this indignation, the friends from the country stepped in. Now, what have they done? Have they brought Hincks & Co. to their knees ? Do they confess their sins? Arc they repent- ant? Do they pray mercy and promise amentls for the future? In short, what pledges have they made as to their future course ? None. We say advisedly, none. The thin^■ is a delusion. If a good story could be told, it would have been told ten days ago. The arrangement is merely one of cake and pudding — principles are nowhere." The session closed on August 30th. On October 2(Sth a new Ministry was formed, as follows: m m 'h ; ' il • M it '■ , '. 5 ' i : ■ r 4 lit 'la. 1 i i I!! Jrii Irfl K It I 5 I 220 Tllli LiFK OF Siu Joiix A. MACDONALI). Hon. M. Cameron, I'rcsidcnt of the Council ; Hon. F. Hincks, In.spcct(jr-Cjcncral ; Hon. A. N. Morin, Provincial Secretary ; Hon. John Youn^, Chief Commissioner of Public Works ; Hon. Dr. Rolph, Commissioner of Crown Lands ; Hon. J as. Morris, Postmaster-General ; Hon. E. P. Tache, Receiver-General ; Hon. L. T. Drummond, Attorney-General East ; Hon. VV. H. Richards, Attorney-General West ; Hon. R. E. Caron, Speaker of the Legislative Council ; Hon. John Ross, Solicitor-General West ; P. I. O. Chauveau, Solicitor- General East. These two latter were gazetted November 1 2th. The Hon. M. Cameron was not in Quebec at the time, and having expected the position of Postmaster-General, refused to accept the position which had been assigned him. On November 8th Parliament was dissolved and writs were issued for a new election, returnable December 24th. Mr. Macdonald and Mr. Counter were nominated for the City of Kingston, but the latter refused to be a candidate, and, although a poll was demanded on his behalf, not only declined the contest, but entered his vote for Mr. Macdonald. On the hustings Mr. Macdonald ably discussed the questions of the day, and, after dealing with local matters, passed on to those of more general interest, stating his views upon the Rectory, Clergy Reserves and School questions. Upon the first he urged the reasonableness of the proposition to submit the question of the legality of the Rectory Patents to the decision of a competent court ; the Clergy Reserves he con- sidered should be held sacred to religious purposes ; he desired to .see no inequality in the condition of the .several denominations of Christians, but he was for establishing equality by raising up to the enjo\'ment of the .same privi- leges those who were now in an inferior position, not by levelling down. He then adverted to the subject of Protection and urged the necessity of legislative encouragement to the mechanical and agricultural interests of the country. The present Government was a free trade one, and their free trade principles were ruining the countrj-, which needed protection more than anything el-^e. In other parts of the province the elections were contested 1^4 KiN(;sT()N Km:( HON. with the uunost vigour. Forty-three of the members t)f the last House of Assembly were displaced by an equal number of new men, a very larf^^c majority of whom entered the chamber for the first time. Prominent among those defeated on the Ministerial side were Messrs. Baldwin and Price, while the Conservatives lost Mr. Cayley, who was defeated in Huron by Mr. Malcolm Cameron. In June, 1852, a despatch was received from Sir John Pakington declining to recommend the Imperial Parliament to guarantee the interest of the sum necessary for the construc- tion of the Halifax and Quebec Railway if constructed through the valley of St. John, upon the ground that there must be some distinct Imperial interest, for the sake of which alone Parliament could be called upon to pledge the national revenue ; that among the peculiar advantages in this point of view which it was thought the Major Robinson route wt)uld realize, were the opening up of a new tract of maritime country, easily accessible with the railroad, but almost unapproachable without it, to emigration from (}reat Britain, and the effecting a safe and continuous route through the provinces, which, both by its distance from the American frontier, and its proximity to the sea, might be peculiarl)- available for military purposes. It having been found impracticable to raise funds for constructing " a main trunk line of railway throughout the whole length of the province," by means of a loan guaranteed by the mother country, or by advance to the province under the authority of the Imperial Parliament, or with funds raised partly on the credit of the Consolidated Fund and i)artly b\- subscriptions made by the municijjal councils, a proclamaticjii was issued on August 7th, calling into existence the private companies formed and incorporated for the construction (jf the several sections of the Quebec and Hamilton line as provided for in their acts of incorporation. Parliament met on August 19th, and, on motion of Mr. Hincks, seconded by Mr. Morin, the Honourable John Sand- field Macdonald was elected Speaker by a vote of 55 to 23. The debate on the Address lasted for eleven days, during ' sM ■ fl if;*'! 1 ir •; ' (1 w II 1 HI 11 V (■ fh I 222 TnK Lii-K OF Sir John A. Macdonald. I! I II ■i« which time upwards of forty speeches were delivered. Mr. J. A. Macdonald spoke on the last day and made a most .severe and telling exposition of the political morality of the Cabinet. The followinj^ is an outline (jf his speech : On rising to address the House, he remarked that " the delay which had taken place in cominj^ to a decision upon the Address in reply to the Speech from the Throne, was owing, not to any obstructions thrown in the way by the Opposition, but to the total absence of those explanations on the part of Ministers, which, it was felt, the House was entitled to have before voting the Address. If these explanations had been frankly anil freely given by the Inspcctor-Cieneral on the first day of the session, the delay would not have occurred, but this was not done, and it was not until after the excoriating speech of the honourable member for Kent (George Brown), that the House had been favoured even with a partial explan- ation of the late Ministerial changes. The Speech from the Throne which had been delivered at the opening of the present .session was, by the circumstances of tlie case, rendered one of more than ordinary interest. Viewed in the constitu- tional light, it was supposed to be or should be, a declaration on the part of the new Ministry of the course which they had marked out to pursue in the administration of the Govern- ment, and it should have been sufficiently explicit to have conveyed that information to the House, while, if anj-thing was wanting, additional explanations should have been given freely. But neither from the Speech from the Throne nor from the speeches of honourable gentlemen opposite could anything be gathered to indicate the principles upon which the Administration had been formed. Sir Allan McNab, at an early period of the debate, asked for this information, but all that he had been able to obtain was a general and vague declaration that the Cabinet was formed on the principles of ' progressive reform.' What kind of progression — whether forward or backward — the Hou.se had not been told, and probably would not. But the House should have been informed not only of the principles upon which the new Administration had been constructed, but also why it was that .' Sl'KKCII ON TIIK ADDKI.SS. 22i . the last Administration had boon dissolvcil. The IIt)usc; had been told that Mr. HaUlwin had retired on the chancery question; that Mr. Lafontaine shortly after ainiounced his intention to retire at the close of Parliament; and that, subse- quentl}-, the remaining members of the Government resigned, and the honourable the Inspector-iieneral was charged with the construction of a new Cabinet, but no cause for this breaking up of one Cabinet and constructing another had been assigned. It was at the .same time a matter for grave consideration, a question closely connected with the constitu- tional responsibility of Ministens to the Assembly, how far they were justifieil in retiring at the close of Parliament, and then declining to meet the pc()i)le of the country. At all events it looked very much as if they had been afraid to meet the people. Now of all these thin[js not one word of explana- tion had been offered by the gentlemen opposite, and for this the Inspector-General was chiefly accountable. (Hear, hear, from Mr. Hincks). Yes, the honourable gentleman was chiefly accountable. lie had been a member of the last and was chiefly instrumental in fc^ming the present Ministry, but he had not told the House why the change had been effected. The House would well remember the repeated declarations made up to the termination of last sessi(;n th.it there existed perfect unanimity in the late Cabinet; it would recollect that no one mort vehemently than the Insj)ector-General asserted this unanimity, or treated with greater severity the rumours to the contrary which were current throughout the province, yet this unanimous Ministry did not think proper, perhaps did not dare to go to the country; it had dissolved, shrinking from its responsibility, and wh}- ? If the late Government had for- feited the confidence of the country, who more resp')tisible for this than the Inspector-General. (Hear, hear). That honour- able gentleman had, however, found it necessary, for the purpose of maintaining his place in the Administration, to seek aid from without and to strengthen his position. And by what means had he strengthened it ? By abandoning what was conservative in principle in the late Administration (loud cheers), and forming an alliance with the Clear Grit or iv ■'VV 7 '/ -^ r /C^-ii---'V v^ '^ / -V^iA,//' ■J i'.'K y'^y-^^ " ^ **<» !. 1 ;»i .m r m- ^ 1' 'i "r'* ! » t . \ 'i ■' : 1 '1 ,1 ^i Lji I' i n ! I H I I 236 TiiK LiiK 01' Sir John A. Macdonald. ' A^ to occasion for^ctfulncss of, or to direct attention from their conduct ; and hence the resuscitation of the Clergy Reserves' a^Mtation ; hence the affectation of strong feeling on this subject, ami the empty professions of sincerity, when none could or ou^lit to exist. For if this aj^itation was sincere or honest why did Mr. Baldwin say, that any man who attempted to renew it would be an enemy to his country? And why did Mr. Cameron entreat, before he had lost all re[)utation for consistency and credibility, that it mi^ht never be brought up a^^ain to destroy the peace and harmony of Canada? He (Mr. Macdonald) characterised the whole proceedings as a solemn and discreditable mockery, and as a matter which should be repudiated by every honourable and independent member of the Hou.se. And can, he said, there be anything more wanton and disreputable to the Government of this country than rising up now, and threatening England with hostility on this matter ? The President of Her Majesty's l^lxccutivc Council here, has said that we should, if Englanf did not ccmiply with our wi.shes, get into collision with her ; and no one who heard his expressions and saw the manner and the spirit in which they were uttered, but must have seen that he meant that we should actually fight against our mother ccnmtry. He (Mr. Macdonald) characterized such expressions as alike in.solent and impotent ; as the unworthy emanation of base and contemptible hypocri.sy. He al.so regretted to sec that the Solicitor-General East (Mr. Chauveau) had expressed himself as strongly in favour of secularizing the Reserves this year, as he had expres.sed himself against it last year. Hf could not help being reminded, in witnessing the conduct of the honourable gentleman, of the celebrated lines in Hudibras : " ' What makes all doctrines pure and clear, — About six hundred pounds a year ; And what has proved true before. Prove false again — si.x hundred more. ' z' "With regard to Church and State, Mr. Macdonald denied ^^ that the History of England bore out the violent views of the ., - voluntaries in this country. Neither was the Church of England in the position, nor did she ever seek to be in the .///. ^ a "cAc-^^dwH^ ^l^ /iA ifcT- ■t-t 1 ^V'V "th A 7 / i'dv^l^/^'^J .^-.vjv 1 :*-. '--ui-a^tfai«._ SrKKCII ON THE C'LERdV RlCSKKVES. '! -I j)ositioii ill Caiiada, that her enemies in the House ami mit ot it sought to make out. She does not ask for more than her fair equivalent, acc()rdin : 1., (I \ I i i'i !* IT 'I. t: ■U' l;V^'' V" j/ ..■^-^J r- 238 The Life of Sir JoiIxN A. Macdonald. institutions — believing them to be supported by the Constitu- tion and the laws of the land — to the last. He expected the same treatment at the hands of the Lower Canadians, and he sincerely trusted he would not be disappointed. They had it in their power to put a stop to the turmoil and the agitation, and hypocrisy upon this question ; and they should do it, as well to protect the constitutional rights of others as to prevent the same violent hands being laid upon their own property-^ and institutions in turn." ,- ' After four days of acrimonious debate the House of Assembly came to a final vote, and Mr. Hincks' resolutions were carried by a large majority, but not, however, in their original shape, as Mr. Hincks, at the last moment, decided to strike out the word "collision." He declared that he believed it to be the proper word, but considered that no Minister would be justified in retaining it in the face of such an expression of opinion as had taken place, and he shewed by his allusion to the words " impotent and insolent," so stingingly applied by Mr. Macdonald to the resolutions, that they had gone pretty well home. He altered the resolu- tion before placing it in the Speaker's hands, but to this Mr. Macdonald took exception and insisted that such an alteration was out of order. Mr. Hincks insisted that it wis not, and one or two other members of the Ministry tried to uphold their colleague's view of the case ; but all was unavailing, as Mr. Speaker ruled that Mr. Macdonald was right. There was nothing left but a motion to strike out the word, which was done by Mr. Egan, who moved that "difference of opinion'' be inserted in its place. The motion was put and carried, Mr. Hincks and the Ministry voting with their opponents for the mutilation of their own resolutions, a necessary but very annoying course to be obliged to take. On September 20th the Hon. John Young rose in his place in the House and stated that he had resigned his position as Commissioner of Public Works, on account of being unable to agree with the future commercial policy of the country as laid down by the Inspector-General. He understood that policy to be to pursue a retaliatory course I Resignation of Mr. Young. 239 towards the United States by charging a higher toll on American than on Canadian exports through the canals, and by charging a higher duty on certain articles when imported otherwise than through the Gulf of St. Lawrence. He had entered the Cabinet as a friend jif Free Trade, his views being thoroughly understood, and he was not prepared to abandon those views for a policy which he believed in the end would be the most injurious. The news of the resignation of Mr. Young was received with a good deal of satisfaction by the Conservative press, it being taken as an evidence of the intention of the Govern- ment to adopt the principles of Protection, and to inaugurate a commercial .system which would foster the rising industries of the province, encourage the further employment of our own channels of communication, enlarge our home market, and thus render the country more independent of outside influences ; and this feeling was intensified by Mr. Hincks emphatic declaration, when referring to the resignation and its cause, that he believed the policy to be a truly Canadian one, one that would place us in a position to successfully negotiate for reciprocity with the United States, and on the success of which he was prepared to pledge his reputation. Subsequently, when the House went into Committee of the Whole on a .series of commercial lesolutions, Mr. Hincks stated that the probable changes in the policy of the Govern- ment had been explained earlier than would have been the case, but for the resignation of the honourable member for Montreal. At that time it had been determined to adopt a retaliatory policy towards the United States. Since then, an attempt had been made by the American Government to negotiate in a spirit different to that which it had before manifested. Under the circumstances the Gcjvernment did not propose to adhere to the policy previously announced, but at the same time had not changed their views as to what would be necessary if the American Government should decline to come to terms. The vacant position was offered to Mr. George Etienne Cartier, but declined, on the ground that if the Legislative €<^ i^"- K<^ ff 1 f 1- f r ■ I I f? 6 i: i; li 240 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. Council were made elective, he would require a property qualification of ;^2,ooo in real estate from each member, and this was a condition to which the Government would not accede. Two days later the appointment of Mr. Chabot, member for Bellechasse, was announced. The Montreal Pi/of, a paper which was supposed to be the mouthpiece of the Inspector-General, thus expressed itself with regard to the proposed alterations in the tariff: " Of by no means secondary importance is the question of fixing such a tariff of duties on our imports as shall encourage the trade of the Gulf and River St. Lawrence. Here also we trust that the Government will be able in a great measure to meet the views of the mercantile community as expressed at the recent convention. The advantages to this country of a direct intercourse with the foreign countries whose productions we consume, in preference to drawing our supplies through the United States, are so obvious that it is unnecessary to enlarge upon them further than to point out that it would be the means of inducing those foreign nations to draw in like manner their supplies from us. An import trade invariably leads to an export trade. Why is it that the United States almost monopolizes the supply to the foreign West India Islands, of provisions, flour, lumber, etc., whilst Canada, possessing the same articles in equal abundance and able to supply them on fully as favourable terms, enjoys no portion of the trade ? It is because Canada has not appeared as a buyer of the sugar, coffee and other products of these foreign colonies, but has been satisfied to draw her supplies through the United States. We have assisted to build up the navy and extend the trade of the United States at the e.\[)C!ise of our own shipping, our fishermen, our agriculturists and our manufacturers. This policy must be changed, we must develop new branches of trade, open new channels for our commerce and spread the sails of our merchant ships to evei\' breeze. " Had the United States offered a free market for our agricultural productions, we might have doubted the exped- iency of any legislative action to foster any particular trade i m '■' i The Montreal " Pilot " on the Tariff. 241 . in opposition to that which naturally springs up at our own doors. But that country, persisting in a diametrically opposite line, and shutting out, by virtually prohibitive duties, our pro- duce from the consumption of her people, it would be utter madness to place her on an equal footing with nations disposed to a liberal and a free intercourse with us. " From all we can gather we are led to the belief that our Government coincides in the views expressed by the Board of Trade convention on this head, and we entertain a hope that they will establish such a tariff as will furnish reasonable encouragement to direct importation of foreign goods, via the St. Lawrence, over importations through the United States. " Were a reduction of the specific duties, to the extent recommended by the convention, made on certain articles — if imported by the St. Lawrence — that enter largely into general consumption, such as tea, sugar, molasses and salt, the same description of goods, when imported by inland navigation, being subjected, as at present, to an ad valorem duty of 12^ per cent, a great alleviation of the public burthens would be effected, and at the same time a large accession to our direct trade through the river would ensue." At an early date Mr. Young embodied his free trade ideas in a series of rc-olutions which, seconded by Mr. George Brown, he gave notic<_ he would move in the House. These declared the condition of all classes of industry to be highly satisfac- tory, which was attributable to the commercial policy pursued for the preceding few years, and deprecated any change ; declared the true policy of Canada to be the simplif)-ing of the machinery of government ; reduction of public expendi- ture; the removal of all restrictions on trade not necessary for revenue purposes, and the use of the great natural capacities of the country as shall best advance the interests of Canada without regard to the policy of other nations; that it was highly necessary to place the internal water communication of the province in the best possible condition witn the least possible delay; that it was inexpedient to place higher duties on foreign vessels passing through the canals than on Can- adian vessels, or to impose heavier duties on foreign mer- * ! ^ m m W w\ ■i \ 242 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. « .1' f chandise imported inland than when imported by the St. Lawrence; that raw material required for manufacturing purposes should be admitted duty free ; and that it was desir- able that the full control of the St. Lawrence and other internal waters should be transferred from the Imperial to the Provincial Legislature. On November loth the Governor-General assented to a number of Bills, and the House adjourned to February 4, 1853. About this time a contract was entered into between the Canadian Government and Messrs. McKean, McLarty & Co., Liverpool, for the establishment of a line of steamships between Quebec and Liverpool. The agreement required fortnightly trips in summer and monthly trips to Portland, Maine, in winter, the ships to be not less than 1,200 tons burden, and to be propelled at the rate of nine knots per hour, the Canadian Government to pay ;^ 19,000 sterling, and the city of Portland and the railways ;^5,ooo .sterling per annum. I Iff r: (^ ;;!: I!: i fM:, \< ' ■>■■ '* i ' i ;' • ■ ": \l 1. ■ i 1 \ ;! i it. ir- er to a 53- he :o., ips ■ed nd, )ns >ur, the im. C H A P T P: R X. Northern Railway Debentures Scandal — Passage of new Representative Bill, March 1853 — Mr. Brown's hostility to Mr. Morin's Elective Councils resolu- tions — The Glo/)ea\^o opposes the change — The resolutions are carried— Pro- rogation June 15, 1853 — Reconstruction of Administration-^AUacksontJie (■kiu prnmpnt l^y M ^-, ( JpoT ge _Rrown — Charges against the Administration by the North Amen'tan and the Globe — Opening of the (Ireat Western Railway — Specific charges of corruption against members of the Cabinet. IN the beginning of the year 1853 great excitement pre- vailed with regard to a transaction in Toronto debentures which had taken place, towards the end of 1852, the facts of which had only then come to light. These were as follows : In November, 1850, the city corporation agreed to give the Northern Railway the sum of ;^25,ooo as a gift upon certain specified conditions. In August of the following year the city further agreed to lend the company ;^35,ooo in deben- tures for twenty years — receiving a first mortgage on the road for the amount. Sc\'cral months later it was found desirable to secure the Government guarantee for the road and the city mortgage stood in the way. It was accordingly proposed by the company to surrender the ^25,000 gift, and ^^35,000 loan, provided the city would purchase stock from the contractors to the amount of £1-^0,000 — the said stock having been paid by the company to the contractors for work done. This was agreed to, and on August 23, 1852, the corporation authorized, the negotiation of a loan of ;^ 100,000, one-half to pay for the railway stock, and the other ii.ilf to consolidate certain deben- tures falling due. On September 22nd a Bill to enable the corporation to make the loan was introduced into the Provincial Parliament. On September 28th, the cashier of the Bank of Upper Canada intimaved, by letter to the City Council, that he was author- ized by parties in England to say that, if the Bill then before Parliament passed, they would take the whole loan at par. On October 4th the Bill passed the second reading and through committee ; on October 6th it passed its third 343 ;. jij 244 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. r' reading ; and on October 7th it passed all three readings in the Upper House, and received the Royal assent. On October nth the city corporation accepted Mr. Ridout's offer apparently without enquiring as to whether better terms could be obtained. The ;^50,ooo of bonds were handed over to the Bank of Upper Canada — the Bank handed over ;^40,ooo in cash to the contractors : — the Bank drew on Masterman's for ;£^ 100,000, paid over ^^50,000 to the parties who bought the debentures from the contractors, returned the debentures to the city chamberlain, and placed the balance of ^50,000 to the credit of the city. Somebody, apparently, therefore made ^10,000 out of the transaction, and great anxiety existed to ascertain who that somebody was. The rapidity, energy and precision which characterized the whole proceeding shewed the hand of a master spirit, and the apparent desire for con- cealment indicated that the transaction was something more than an ordinary business one. The names of some n.-^n occupying high official positions were afterwards connected with the matter. The Representation Bill, which was passed on March 22nd, gave great dissatisfaction to the Conservatives of Upper Canada, who claimed that the effect of the Bill would be that the counties having Conservative tendencies would return a much smaller number of members in proportion to their population than those of an opposite political colour. In Lower Canada the distribution was considered to have been more fairly made. The following is the list of constituencies with their population and supposed political complexion : Liberal. Conservative. *i Toronto Peel Lennox and Addington Huron and Bruce Norfolk 21,285 Grenville 20,707 Wellaiid Hastings, S.R Frontenac 15,397 15,397 24,816 23,120 22,035 20,041 xg,8i2 19,150 List of Constituencies. 245 Liberal, Haldimand 16,788 Halton Lincoln 18,278 Oxford N.R 18,083 Glengary 17.596 Carleton ... Kent 17.469 York Elgin, E.K Prince Edward .... Lanark, S.R Durham, N.R Essex i6;8i7 Middlesex, E.R .... Oxford, S. R .... York, N.R 16,712 Waterloo, N.R 16,052 York, E.R 16,000 Ontario, S.R 15.675 Simcoe, S. R .... Northumberland, E. R 15,828 Wentvvorth, E.R Northumberland, W.R 15.400 Perth 15,545 Peterboro' .... Wellington, S. R. i4»54i Brant, W.R 14,176 Hamilton .... Dundas .... Durham, S.R .... Grey .... Wentworth, W.R 12,934 Ontario, N. R 12,696 Hastings. .... Wellington 12,255 Victoria 11,657 Kingston .... Brant, E.R 1 1,250 Simcoe, N.R .... Lambton .... Leeds, N.R Lanark, N.R 10,48 1 Waterloo, S.R 10,486 Prescott 10,487 Conservative, 18,312 17.582 17,206 17,181 19,000 16,956 16,767 16,207 16,330 16, 08 15,575 15,237 14,116 13,811 13,965 13.217 12,165 11,582 10,947 10,815 10,778 I,- f (4 i ■ ' 246 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. Liberal. Conservative. Leeds, S. R 9-7^2 Renfrew 9.445 • ■• • Russell 8,925 .... Brockville 8,554 Storinont . 8,290 .... Elgin S,2j7 Bytown 7.760 .... London ... ... 7.035 .... Niagara 5,596 Cornwall 6,355 Total 34 = 452,J7 1 30 = 523,993 or about one representative to 13,300 Liberals, and one to 17,400 Conservatives. The Bill for the re-construction of the Legislative Council, and to make it elective came up for discussion and met with a strong resistance. Mr. George Brown was particularly hostile to the change, and moved a series of resolutions in amend- ment, as follows : " That the system of government which exists in the mother country and has been introduced into this Province, rests mainly for its safety and efficiency on the facility with which the Ministry of the day can be made amenable to public opinion for their conduct, and removed from office upon an Address to the Crown from the representa- tives of the people. " That the House of Assembly under the existing constitu- tional system of Canada, is the admitted exponent of public opinion, and is in a position to exerci.se a prompt and effective check over the administration of public affairs. " That a second Legislative Chamber elected by popular vote would speak, equally with the House of Assemb'\-, the wishes of the people, and would be equally entitled to express th^m to the Crown. " That the rapid changes, experience had shown continually to take place in public sentiment, the difference in the electoral divisions for which the members of the two Chambers respectively would sit, and the different terms for which they would be elected, leave no reason to doubt that the political Mr. Mokin's Resolutions. 247 opposition to majority of the Lower House would be indirect views of those of the Upper House. " That when such variance of opinion occurred in the political views of the majorities of both Chambers a vote of want of confidence from one House would be met with a vote of confidence from the other House, and the Executive would be left practically uncontrolled. " That when such variance in the opinion of the two branches occurred, the responsibility of the Ministry of the day for the right conduct of all public affairs, legislative and executive, so absolutely essen jal under the British constitution, would cease ; that two elective chambers are utterly incompat- ible with responsible government on the British system, and that the great power entrusted, under that system, to the Ministry of the day, could not be safely continued under the relaxed restraint which the two elective Houses would entail. " That no urgent necessity calls for a change in the constitution of the Legislative Council. That no practical evil exists which such a change would remedy; and that there is no practical end now sought to be obtained and found unattainable which such a change would render attainable." Mr. Morin's resolutions were a good deal changed from the time they were first presented, and, as amended, read as follows : " I. That under the circumstances in which the Province of Canada is placed, in a social, political and economical ])t)int of view, the introduction of the elective principle into the constitution of the Legislative Council would not only impart greater weight to that important branch of the Legislature than it can have under existing arrangements, however judici- ously the selection of its members may be made, but would also ensure greater efficiency m carrying out that system of government which obtains m the mother country and has been happily introduced into this province. " 2. That the object in view might best be attained by dividing each of the sections of the province into thirty terri- torial divisions, containing each, as nearly as possible, an eciual amount of population, and by allowing the persons qualified )V % 'lil lb: Ji :.i]' 111! I 248 The Life ok Sir John A. Macdonald. 1 1 !■ "H. ' ||:. i - 1 : i i' ■ 1 - ! f ,- 1 ■ ■1 •■ ill ! ilr j L. 1^7^*1*^34 to vote at the elections of members of the Legislative Assembly in each division, subject to the arrangements here- after mentioned as to present members, to elect one person qualified in the manner hereinafter mentioned, to sit in the Legislative Council, which should be composed, after the arrangements as to present members have had their effect, of sixty persons so selected, one-third of whom shall be required to retire in rotation every two years, so that, except as to members elected after a dissolution, or to fill any occasional vacancies to replace elected members, the members shall be elected for the term of six years, and members retiring by rotation, whose term of service shall expire during a session of Parliament, may continue to serve until the end of that session. "3. That twenty new members of the said Legislative Council ought to be first elected ; that subject to a dissolution, as hereinafter mentioned, the present members of the Legisla- tive Council ought to continue members thereof, and to retire in rotation in numbers as equal as possible, at the end of two and four years respectively, at the end of which respective periods twenty new members of the said Council ought to be elected, whatever be the numbers of the members then retiring, for which purpose two lists of the present members, one for each section of the province, according to their place of residence at the time they were summoned to the said Council shall be prepared, and lots drawn under the direction of the Speaker of the Legislative Council, to determine the time at which they shall retire by rotation as aforesaid, and to provide for elections in the first instance, and upon the retirement of these present members in the manner provided, the Speaker shall also draw lots separately for each section of the province to determine for \v;liich division members are to be first elected until all divisions are represented, the said Speaker to apportion also by lot, on the re-assembling of the Legisla- tive Council after a dissolution, for each said section of the province, respectively, the order in which members shall retire; members elected to fill occasional vacancies to be elected for the divisions for which the former members were serving, and Mr. Morin's Resolutions. !49 for the term only for which they would have been entitled to serve. "4. That the persons qualified to be elected members of the Legislative Council should be all subjects of Her Majesty by birth or naturalization, of the full age of thirty years, and residing in the province, who shall have been at any time jjrcvious to such election, members of either of the Legis- lative Councils of Upper or Lower Canada, or of the Legislative Council of this province, or members of either of the Legislative Assemblies of Upper or Lower Canada, or of the Legislative Assembly of this province ; and also all subjects of Her Majesty as aforesaid, qualified, as above, as to age and residence, who may be possessed, for their own use and benefit, of real property, situated in this province, of the value of two thousand pounds currency, over and above all debts due and chargeable upon the same ; no person who may be disqualified by law to be elected member of the Legislative Assembly being eligible to the said Legislative Council. " 5. That, for the better working of constitutional govern- ment, the Crown ought to have power to dissolve both Houses of Parliament, or either of them, but that, as respects the Legislative Council, such power ought not to be exercised, except in the event of the rejection by the said Legislative Council in two successive .sessions, and at least six month's interval, of a measure which shall have passed the Legislative Assembly, in the second session, by the vote of an absolute majority of the members of the said Legislative Assembly ; the Parliament convened after a dissolution of either House, or of both, being reckoned as a new Parliament. "6. That members of the Legislative Council ought to have power to vacate their seats, either in vacation, or during the sitting of Parliament ; but that no member of either House, while being so, ought to be a candidate for election to the other House. " 7. That, under the proposed change in the constitution of the Legislative Council, it is inexpedient that any jjccuniary qualification should be retained for being eligible to the Legislative Assembly. • ' ¥■ r ' • I !'':t t . i II • , ■: I I? > 250 TiiK LiKK OK Sir John A. Macdonali). " S. That the Legislative Council, so constructed, ought to possess the exclusive jK)\ver of adjudicating upon all impeach- ments preferred by the Legislative Assembly against high public functionaries ; and that, in all other respects, the peculiar powers and privileges now possessed and exercised by each of the two Houses of Parliament should be main- tained inviolate, in so far as they may not be repugnant to the foregoing resolutions." The members of the Legislative Council also passed a firm and respectful protest against the prc)j)osc(i alteration in the C(jnstitution of that body, denying the allegations that the members seldom attended in full numbers, and that their views were not sufficiently in harmony with popular senti- ments and wishes. The Globe newspaper very ably di.scusscd the question, taking strong ground against the proposed change, and as the scheme is one which has been brought up time and agaiti since then, it will be found interesting to rei)roduce an extract from one of its leading articles, the arguments of which are as fresh and cogent to-day as they were then : " Is it not evident that a select House of sixty members, elected for six years from large constituencies, will be the most influential and honourable chamber, and will not give wax- to the other? Look at the Senate of the United States. The decision of the House of Representatives is hardly regarded at all. It originates .some measures, it is true, but that is its chief merit ; it passes loose and hasty bills, which are rejected and amended by the score in the Senate ; it is considered that almost nothing has been gained by the passage of a P through the Lower House, the Senate is the ''"le i*l- through which everything must be sifted. There .'Cgn. the most acute minds, the most profound thinkc. of tin State. So it will be with our Council, should we be unfortu- nate enough to see this Bill passed. Our best men would enter it, because their election would occur only once in six years, because the body would be more select, because the title would be higher, and with the best men would go the influence, which no Government could withstand. The \ery 1:1 TnK "Gloije's" Views. size of the constituencies would compel the person best known ;ind m(jst respected to enter the Ujjper House. Let a Government with a majority in the Lower House attempt to keep office with the Upper I louse against it, and the conse- ciuences would soon be evident. Why should a member of the Council feel obliged to give way to the Chamber beneath ? Ls he not elected by the people? Does he not owe them dut\- as well as those who sit below, and why shoultl he not dri\e out, if he can, inefficient or corrupt Ministers? At present the members of the Legislative Council feel like the members of the House of Lords at home. They arc aware that they are only a check on the popular House, and that they dare not draw the rein too tight, or the beast will bolt and throw his rider. This is perfectly well understood in England. A incasure passed by the Commons has only to be brought up often enough to the Lords to be passed in the end. Hut it would not be so with Mr. Mori ns' new Chamber. They would not be a check upon the people ; they would be part of the people, and would have as much right in the choice of the Cabinet, or the rejection of its measures, as the Assembl)-." A very long debate took place on the resolutions, but the)* were all carried, and a committee appointed to draw up an Address to the Queen, founded upon them. Parliament was prorogued on June 15, 1S53. On June 25th the Honourable VVm. Huell Richards was gazetted a judge of the Court of Common Pleas in the place of the Honourable Robert Haldwin Sullivan deceased, and was succeeded as Attorney-General by the Honourable John Ross, who in turn was succeeded in the Solicitor-Generalship by the Honourable Joseph Curran Morrison, and on August 17th the Honourable James Morris was appointed .Speaker to the Legislative Council in the place of the Honourable Rene Edouard Caron appointed a Puisne Judge of the Superior Court of Lower Canada. The Honourable Malcolm Cameron was appointed Postmaster-General in the place of Mr. Morris, and the Honourable John Rolph was appointed President of the Council in the place of Mr. Cameron, and a fortnight later the Honourable A. R. Morin hecame Commissioner of Crown ;l i ; •;■ ' i 11 1 ■ill rlil .■ \ 1 t - i 4' M ii '■>• ill 252 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. Lands, in place of Mr. Rolph ; the Honourable Pierre J. O. Chauvcau became Provincial Secretary in place of Mr. Morin, and Mr. Dunbar Ross was appointed Solicitor-General for Lower Canada. The Ministry appear to have lost Lheir hold upon public confidence. George Brown at ''.eked them most mercilessly on all public occasions, charging them with having broken their pledges upon every measure and having utterly aban- doned their principles. Other charges of corruption were also raised against then.. The North American, erstwhile a thick and thin apologist for Minii^ters, charged the Honourable Francis Hincks and Honourable James Morris with breach of trust, or, to use the plain language of that paper, with " down- right public robbery" in having advertised for sale a piece of public property near Point Levi, and not only bought it them- selves — in connection with Honourable Samuel Mills and Mr. Matthie of Brockville — but paid a private party, who appeared at the sale as a purchaser, the sum of ;^2CO to stop bidding, and then used their influence to induce the Grand Trunk Board to terminate the railroad near the property, by which its value would be increased to ^12,000 or ^15,000. The Hamilton Spectator, referring to the rumoured inten- tion of Ministers to dissolve Parliament and go to the country with the secularization of the Clergy Reserves for a cry, said : "The Ministry dare not face the country again, and a dissolu- tion must therefore speedily take place. The recent dis- closures, in which the corruption of the Government and complicity of its leading members in certain jobbing transac- tions arc clearly proven, render it utterl)- impossible for them to retain the confidence of any portion of the people." The Globe also attacked the Ministry in a pungent article, saying that " the dodge contemplated of going to the country and playing off next Parliament with reference to the Clergy Reserves excited unqualified condemnation." T'le Quebec Ga::ette, lately the English organ of the Ministry at the seat of Government, cut adrift and said that " the entire operations of the Hincks-Rolph Cabinet have been characterized by such faithless subserviency, and accompanied b\- so many inbred TnK "Leader" on Mr. Brown. ■:>5 dissatisfactions that their term of office is about to close in a manner discrebitable to themselves and in disappointment to their western supporters." The organs of the Government replied vigorously to the attacks made ; the Leader, the Government organ at Toronto, said : " The world has seen many cases of political profligacy, but none of them have worn a worse complexion than that which is to be found in the person and career of Mr. Brown, the member for Kent, One half of his political career has been a contradiction of the other half, and the whole has been an audacious lie. Consistency, principle and honour he tramples in the mire, glorifying in his own abasement, in proving to-day how politically debased he was yesterday. At one time he deals in systematic laudation of the Govcin- ment; at another he vends wholesale vituperation at them; and both for precisely the same thing. During his dinner tour* on which he recently entered and is still engaged, he has altogether outdone himself in those arts of detraction and slander of which he was before .so accomplished a professor." On November ist the great Western Railroad was opened from Hamilton to the Niagara River. In December Mr. Hincks wrote a long letter to the j^i/ot, giving as his reasons for refusing to proceed with the Clergy Reserves question that " one House of Parliament had been pronounced by a majority of two-thirds in both branches, not to be a true and faithful representative of public opinion, while the other house has been declared by the representatives of the people to be destitute of that weight and influence which the public interests require that it should command.' This view is also expressed by Dr. Rolph, in a letter to Mr. McDougall, who said that the Governor-Cicneral would ne\cr consent to any proposition for legislation upon all the great interests of the country by a Parliament so defective ; that the Ministry could bring into the House no measure without the Governor-General's consent, and that, if they had advised in A number of demonstrations had been got up in Mr. Brown's h'^noiir at various places, at all of which he unsparingly denounced the Ministry for their duplicity. !i:i:i iMi i ,1 I: ii 254 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. ■i! V ( r > I ■y favour of this particular measure, and such advice had been declined, they could not have retracted but must have resigned. Numerous charges of corruption were being made at this time against members of the Ministry. Mr. Hincks was charged with having entered into an improper arrangement with Mr. Bowes, Mayor of Toronto, in connection with the purchase and sale of debentures of the city issued to the contractors of the Northern Railway, and of having been allotted without payment ^50,000 of Grand Trunk shares as a recom- pense for services rendered to some English house. The Honourable Malcolm Cameron was charged with having pro- cured the sale to Alexander Cameron, for himself, of 15,000 acres of the Clergy Lands of Essex for the nominal price of seven shillings and nine pence per acre, or less than a third of the value. The Great Western Railway was opened from the Niagara River to Windsor on January 17, 1854, and the event was celebrated by a special through excursion, dinners, balls, torchlight processions, etc., at Hamilton, Detroit, and other places. li^'l! CH APTKR X I. Meeting of Parliament, June, 1854 — The (iovernmeni sustained on the Address- Defeated on motion of Messrs. Cauchon and Sicotte — Mr. Macdonald's. N Speech — Prorogation — Sir Allan McNab's protest against — He is endorsetL "^ by Mr. Brown and W. L. Mackenzie — The Speaker protests to the Clovernor — (leneral condemnation by the Press — Mr. Hincks' address to the electors of Oxford — Lord Elgin's despatch— Hitter election contests. The ' Government party beaten at the polls — Mr. Macdonald defeats Mr. Countery by 162 votes. , • ON June 13th Parliament was opened by His Excellency the Governor-General, who announced, in his Speech from the Throne, that he had proceeded to Washington during the recess — by the Queen's comtnand — to endeavour to effect a settlement of various important questions bearing ujxjn the interests of the H. N. A. provinces, and that he had been enabled to conclude a treaty which he was firml}' convinced would prove highly advantageous to both countries. Mr. Sherwood moved an amendment to the Address relative to the meeting of Parliament. He, with Sir. A McNab and Messrs. J. A. Macdonald, Gamble and Langton, charged the Government with a breach of faith in not calling Parliament together in P^ebruary. Sir Allan referred to the Ministerial changes which had taken place, and asked f(jr the usual explanations. Mr. Hincks stated that, in consequence ',>f the retirement of one of the members of the AdiTiinistration, some changes in the departments having been effected, the office of Commissioner of Crown LanJs was offered to Mr. Sicotte, who was willing to accept but, c^n learning that some changes in the policy of the Government had taken place, tendered his resignation, and other arrangements had been made. Mr. Sicotte's objection to being a Minister was under- stood to be that the Seignorial Teimre question, which occupieil the .same position in Lower Canada as that of the Clerg\- Reserves in Upper Canada and, a measure for the abolition ol which had been pledged to be passed iluring tlio then existing Parliament, was not intended to be proceeded with, but, w iti' 255 t ! *: fl il.i \'\ ! f ilM Hi iHf' 'I 256 The Life of Sik John A. Macdonald. the Clergy Reserves question, was to be left over to be dealt with by another Parliament. The division on Mr. Sherwood's motion resulted in the Government being sustained ; the vote standing 40 to 29. Sir Allan McXab moved for an Address to His Excel- lency the Governor-General, praying that he would cause to be laid before the House the names of the persons appointed to be Government directors in the Grand Trunk Railway Company, together with a return of the number of shares in the said company held by each of the directors, with the amount paid ; also a return of the situations or offices held by the directors, and also a copy of instructions given to the directors for their guidance in protecting provincial interests. Sir Allan McNab al.so moved for the appointment of a committee to enquire into and report on the sale of certain property belonging to the Crown, at or near Point Levi. On June 20th the Government was defeated on the follow- ing motion made by Messrs. Cauchon and Sicotte : " That this House see, and with regret, that Your Excellency's Govern- ment do not intend to submit to the Legislature, during the present session, a Bill for the immediate settlement of the Seignorial Tenure question or one for the immediate settle- ment of the Clergy Reserves." The vote stood 29 for the Government and 42 against. Two days later the Governor came down and prorogued the House with a view to an immediate dissolution. When the House met on that after- noon great excitement prevailed. Sir Allan McXab asked if it was the intention of His Excellency, as reported, to pro- rogue the House, in order afterwards to dissolve it, and without altering the Fr nchise Bill so as to make it come into operation. Mr. Hincks .eplied that it was. Sir Allan then said : " 1 have then to say for myself and my friends near me, that we are quite ready to give our assistance to pass that Bill in order to make it available at the next session. We are also ready to pass the supplies, or to do anything to enable the Government to be carried on in the best manner. It is not necessary for me to remark on this proposition to dissoUe the House without affording the country the means of under- Trotests against Prorogation. -'57 standing the reasons. We can only say that we are ready to return a respectful reply to the Speech, and, if the good sense of the House has inserted in the reply, sentiments not in accordance with those of the gentlemen opposite, the latter ought not to have shrunk from the responsibility of presenting it, and thus have avoided advising His Excellency to do what I take to be a breach of the Constitution. They have thus prevented the House from giving its views to the Governor- General," Mr. Mackenzie followed, endorsing Sir Allan's remarks, and declaring that the Bill w-as just and necessary, and should be passed without delay. He asked " If the Inspector- General, who had once so earnestly opposed His Excellency, was now to deprive thousands of their political rights ? Were their i opresentatives to be thus driven from their seats, like soldiers by drill sergeants in a garrison town ? They had come to see the public accounts. Where were they? The treaty — what has become of it? To lower the tariff — why is it not done ? Was all information to be shut out from them, though their table was furnished with a list of reports which ought to be presented ? As an old Reformer he cried shame on the Government." The excitement that ensued was tre- mendous. • Mr. Macdonald made a most vigorous attack upon the Ministry, but the uproar was so terrible that he could only be heard by speaking at the top of his voice. Mr. Brown tried to speak, but could not make himself heard. He was understood to say "why do not the Ministry pass their necessary measures before they dissolve to escape inquiry into their corruption." During this time the messenger from the Council had been admitted, and, while Mr. Brown was stand- ing and attempting to speak, the House arose and went to the Legislative Council Chamber. On entering, the Speaker of the Assembly read the following : May it please your Excellency : It has been the immemorial custom of the Speaker of the Com- mons House of ParHament to communicate to the Throne the general result of the deliberations of the Assembly upon the principal subjects which employed the attention of Parliament during the period of their labours. It is not now part of my duty to thus address your Excel- 17 ''P M ^1 11 - > h 'J, , i<' i '« .'H :r';l %n i: ,11 i i i' ' 111 II * H ! J 1 I 1 1 HI 1 i I: I II Ml' ■" IM : 258 The Life oe Sir John A. Macdonald. loiK-y, inaamnch as tlierc has been no Act passed, or judf,Mnent obtainetl since your Excellency's announcement of the cause lor sununoning Parliament by your gracious Speech from the Throne. The passage of an Act through its seseral stages, according to law, is the custom of Parliament solemnly declared. According to a decision of the Legislative Assembly of i84i,this is held to be necessary in order to constitute a session of Parliament. This we have been unable to accomplish, owing to the command which Vour E.xcellency has laid upon us to meet yon this day for the purpose of prorogation, and at the same time I feel called upon to assure Your Excellency, on the part of Her Majesty's faithful Commons, that it is not from any want of respect to yourself or to the august personage whom you represent in these provinces, that no answer has been returned by the Legislative Assembly to your gracious Speech from the Throne. After the Speaker had done reading, Lord Elgin read the .speech proroguing Parliament. Mr. Macdonald's speech on Mr. Cauchon's amendment is thus described by the Quebec correspondent of the Daily News: "The House was sinking into absolute dulness, when the, at one time called, 'old man eloquent,' (Dr. Rolph) sat down and the member for Kingston arose ; who, having quietl)- disposcd of several of the positions of the honourable member for Norfolk, commenced an attack upon the Ministry for their conduct during the last three or four years, such as was, perhaps, never before encountered b)' any Ministr)' in this country since the instituti(Mi of responsible goxcrnment. If it was unexampled for its severity it was because the misconduct which he had occasioned to review was unexampled in its extent, and in its threatened consequences to the country and the character of the Government and Legislature. The stillness of the House during the deli\er)- of this speech was only interrupted by the cheers which greeted each successive charge. Hincks looked terribly pale as he sat with downcast eyes. The Montreal Ga::ette recommended the speech to the attentive perusal of its readers, and said that " a more bold, manly, and at the same time, dignified speech, has not been heard for man\' a da)- in the Canadian Parliament." The concluding part of Mr. ALacdonald's speech is rei^orted as follows: "Gentlemen on his side of the House hatl al\va\-s •m SKVKRK SI'KKCII AdAINST TIIK GOVERNMKNT '59 held that the present Haiiiainent was competent, and he was much surprised t(j hear the Honourable Inspector-General come down that.'da\- and tell the Mouse that the Gov^ernment would not permit an\- LeLjislation that session, but such as they chose to think was convenient. What! had it come to that? Were they a free Parliament, or were they not? Had they to be told by the Minister in that House that they must just do that which he would allow them to do and no more? And after that to be sent away to their homes ? Mi<^ht not the honourablr* ' Lord Elgin and his Ministry was regarded on all sides as a glaringly outrageous act and a violation of the Constitution which would be resented by the people of Canada from one extremity to the other. Admit- ting, that as a rule. Lord Elgin was bound to follow the advice of his Council, he was not bound to follow it when it was in direct violation of the Constitution of the country and, more ^'( 1^: 4 A ! ' i U, ^\\\ 111 i 'it^ i 1 . ! 1 i M '; i^' ] ^ K i't A 1 i'i.l Ml m 1 262 Thk Lii'K OK Sir John A. Macdonam). especially, at a time when eiujuiries were beiiij;" made into various alle^^ed acts of corruption in which Ministers were concerned. He stifled eiK]uiry by dissolvinij Parliament before they could even answer his Speech fn^m the Throne or impeach his atlvisers, which it was openl)' said, was intended. I le departed from the position of dignified neutrality, which the Queen's representative ouii^ht to maintain, and stepped in between the House and the Ministr)*, and prcventetl the latter from receiving that treatment which they were belie\ed tf Assembly being so eftected as to equalize, to a i^rcater extent than is now the case, population and representation. Hy the terms of the Constitutional Act, an Act of this nature coidd not become law unless it received in each branch of the Lefjislature on the second and third readings, the support of at least two thirds of the members. In the passage of this Act through the Provincial Parliament these conditions were complied with, and having received a notification of this fact by Address, in the mode prescril)ed by the Constitutional Act, I assented to it in Her Majesty's name on June 14, 1855. 3. The second of these Acts to which I have reference was entitleil '* An Act to extend the IClective Fraiicliise, and better to define the (pialification of voters in certain electoral divisions by providing a system for the registration of voters," and the intentions of the Act, as stated in the title, were duly carried out in its provisions. 4. While these proceedings were taking place in the Provincial Parliament the Imperial Parliament passed an Act repealing the Imperial Statute which had regulated, since the year 1840, the distribu- tion of the Fund, conmionly known as the Clergy Reserve Fund of Canada, and leaving the future application of this fimd, as a matter of local concern, to the determination of the hx-al legisl.iture. This important Statute, having been duly assented to by Her Majesty, reached me shortly before tiie prorogation of the Provincial Parlia- ment. 5. The course which the Provincial fiovernment ought te of lej^islatin.i; upon this and other necessaiy mailers. |ireparator\- to dissd- lution, after wiiicli the opinion of tiie Lef,'isiature, as constituted imder th'^ extended Representation and Franchise Acts mii^hi be taken on th ;.e important (juestions, the settlement of which was anxiously desired by the people of the Province. 7. In accordance with this determination, in my Speecli from tlie Throne, which I transmitted to ^'our (jrace by the last mail, with m\- despatch No. 2 of the if,th inst., I reconuuendetl the l)a^silli,' of a law for brini^in;^' into early ope.'-ation the Act of the |)recedin;,' session which had extended the elective francliise, in order that a constitutional expression of o])inion mif^ht be (jbtained as speedily as possii)le, under the system of representation recently established, on tiie various important (piestions on which le};islation was recpiired, and I in\ ited lej,Mslation in the then existiuf^ Parliament on two other subjects only: the on(! of these; subjects beiu}; the Keciproeity 'I'reaty, to },'i\e effect to which it was desirable that an Act of Proxincial I'aiiiament sliouJd jx: passed without delay ; and the other theTarifl, in which the jirosperous condition of the revenue justified certain reductions. S. The first amendment to the Address was inoved by the H(.n. Mr. Sherwood, a leadiig member of the Conservative jnirty, who objected to the late; period at vhicli the Parliament had been con\ened. The explanations on this head, however, were deemed sufficient bv the majority of the Assembly, and this amendment was accordinj,'ly rejected by 40 votes to 29. Mr, Cauchon, a I'rench-Canadian mem- ber, then moved that, at the end of the fourth ]iara,i,'raph of the; Address in answer to the Speech delivered at the opening of the session, the followinij woi'ds should be inserted: — "That this Hdusc sees uith reL,'ret that His l'^xceileiu;y's Governnunt do not intend to submit to the Legislature during the present session a Hill for the immediate settlement of the Seignorial question;" to wiiich amendment Mr, Harman, an Upper Canadian member of the Lii)eral ]>arty, mo\cd as an amendment, to leave out all the words after " House " and add the m\ Lnui) I'j.ciiN's DKsrA'rcii. 26r following instcail thereof: '• ri',i,'ret that His I'xccllcMicy lias not been aih isfd to recoiiunciKl (luriii.i; tin; prosciit scsskjii a measure i'nr tlic seciilamation of tlio Cleif^y Rt'scrves, and also a measure for tliu abolition of the Scij^norial Tenure." The Ministerial and Conservative parties concurred in oi)|)osin!,' this motion, which was accordin,L;ly defeated by 54 votes to iG. Mr. Sicotte, another French-l^uiadian incinber, tlien nio\ed that the words "or one for the immediate settle- ment of the Clerj;y Reserves," shoidd be added to the end of Mr. Cauchon's amendment, and this motion was carried by 4^ votes af^ainst 29; tin; Conservative members availin.i; themselves of the and)ij;uity of tlu; w(;rd " settlement " to j\)in the ])arty who u ere censur- inj; the Administration for not havinf^ introduced durinj; the then session, a Bill for secnlari/inji; the Clerj,'/ Reserves. 9. It will be obvious to your <",race from the above statement <>( facts, that a most embarrassing situation was created 1)\- this \dte. It pledged the then subsisting I'arliament to settle the ciuestion of the Clergy Reserves, and it was carried by a combination of parties hold- ing opposite views with respect to the terms on which the settlement sliould be effected. It was my decided opinion that no measure on this subject, short of a measure of entire secularization could possibly have been carried through the House of Assembly with the prospect, more especially, (jf an immediate; dissolution hanging over the heads of its members. Against a measure of secularization, carried under such circumstances, the friends of religious endowments would, I conceived, have had good cause to complain. Hut if, on the other hand, out of the heterigenous elements of which the majority \ s composed, I had been able to form a Conservative Administration, and, with the aid of that Admiiiistration, a measure for perpetuating the endowment, I felt confident that in place of settling this vexed cpiestion, I should, by so doing, only ha\e gi\en the signal ior renewed and more vi( t agita- tion. The advocates of secularizat'on would ne\(r have admitted the permanency of a settlement affected by a I'arliament so ])eculiarly circumstanced, and the Ministeriii party might reasonably have been (wp-ciedto assert in opposition the views on this subject for which they had incurred the sairifice of otfice. Moreover, the position of the' House of Assembly itself, in refereuct; to the poin' which had iieen raised, was an anomalous one. On the issue wiietlier oi" nut it was seemly that a certain el.i,--s of (picstions should be dealt with before the dissohitiou, which woidd bring iirto operation a more perfect system )f popular representation, that body miglit be; ,^aid to be a jia, y to the suit. Its verdict, therefore;, in the j)articuiar case, could hardly 1 e held to carry with it the authority which, under ordinary circuui- stances, would attach to the decision Legislature. It is further to be observ of the popular braiK h ("f the ed that the L. gislative Council 4 J' ,1 I ' ,! It. 1 ■ : i 1 . 1 -li:' by the terms of their address in reply to the Sf)ee(ii fr om the ;iiijj; f-ilil 'I- r i.'i i: I 268 TiiK Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. ^ Throne, which I transmitted in my despatch No. 5 of the 15th instant, had virtually expressed their approval of the policy adopted by the Administration. 10. Under these circumstance ,, when the members of the Execu- tive Council informed me that they were prepared to ask the judgment of tl'i country on the policy of the postponement of the Clergy Reserves, and Seignorial Tenure questions which they had adopted with my full approval and sanction, I did not think that I should be justi- fied in refusing to act on the advice tendered by them, and to dissolve Parliament for this purpose, and having obtained from the law officers of the Crown a joint opinion in favour of the legality of the course recommended to me, I sunnnoned the House of Assembly to the Council Chamber in the usual manner and delivered the Speech of which the copy is herewith enclosed. I ha\e, etc., (Signed) Elgin & Kincardine. Tub Dukk of Newcastle, etc. Having stated minutely the results of the Representation Bill, in the second paragraph of his despatch, the Governor took good care to give no information regarding the result of the Franchise Bill, to which he alludes in the subsequent paragraph, giving merely its title. Now, of the two Bills, that of the franchise was the more important, and its going into operation seems, above all things, to have been regarded as indispensable before any further legislation could take place. The Governor ought to have informed the Imperial Government that the Franchise Bill was the pri' .:ipal reason put forward by the Provincial Government to justify the policy of dela}'. The statement in the fifth paragraph that "the course which the Provincial Government ought to take at this con- juncture, whether in reference to the measure of constitutional chanue which had been enacted bv the local Parliament, or to the Act respecting the Clergy Reserves which the Imperial Legislature had jjasscd, became necessarily, at an early period of the recess, the subject of deliberation:: in the Provincial ^Ji^^ Cabinet," is, to sa\' the least, misleading and calculated to convey the 'm[)rcssion that these subjects had not previously rcceivetl consideration. In the month of August, 1852, at the ir Commp:nts on the Govkknok's Di-:srA'RH. 269 opening of Parliament, the Speech from the Throne and the declarations of Ministers during the debate on the Address, announced to Parliament that its concurrence would be asked in measures for the augmentation of the representation, the extension of the franchise, and in the settlement of the Clergy Reserves and Seignorial Tenure questions. Now, in asking the concurrence of Parliament in passing measures on these various questior s, its power to legislate was clearly recognized. The Parliament then had power, according to the views expressed by the Governor in his Speech, and by his Ministers, to pass, simultaneously, laws to settle all the above- mentioned questions during the session of 1852-53. It is then quite clear, that at that period, the Governor and his advisers either saw no inexpediency or incompetency on the part of Parliament, as then constituted, to settle the Seignorial Tenure and Clergy Reserves questions, or, if they saw that incompe- tency and inexpediency, and yet invited Parliament to go on and legislate, thex laid themselves open to the charge of incompetency or of fraud. Not only did the Governor and his Ministers declare in August, 1852, that they saw nothing \ to prevent legislation on the.se points, but the latter promised, ( in July, 1853, to legislate on these qr>estions, and declared in ' their public speeches that any Government which would hesitate to .settle the question of the Reserves would justly ' merit the scorn of the people. But in spite of all thos9' declarations and all tho.se promises, thi. Governor and his Ministers did not hesitate, in August, 1853, to adopt a policy utterly oppo.sed to that which they had just .said was the only proper and popular course. His Excellency did not think proper to mention tlie date of the discussion which took place in Council in regard to a change of policy, — he acted prudently in concealing that date, for if he had said to the Duke of Newcastle : *' We decided in August, 1853, to adopt the policy of delay," — would n(;t the English Minister have replied — " Why then was not the Legislature convoked in the autumn of 1853, in order that the country might be without a competent Parliament for as short a time as possible, and that its most important affairs |p1 t,' i. m '■ ;s! 111! i 7;;'}| 1 i III I li' fl rljj •4 '1'J ^' i^ 270 Thk T.ifk ok Sir John A. Macdonai.d. initjjht not be retarded?" Lord ICl^in has failed U) ad\aiice a single reason which would justify his course. Again, His Ivxccllcncy alleges that those who condemned his Ministers were not all actuated b\' the same motives. Tliis was a new constitutional principle, and opposed to that which had hitherto been accepted, viz., that the will of the niajority should decide. According to this principle, majorities should count, not by nuinbers, but by unity of opinions. If forty-two condemn twenty-nine to quit pc^wer, the twenty-nine reply, " We will not quit it, because the motives which animate all of you are not the same ; you arc only a temporary union of minorities, whilst we twenty-nine arc all animated by the same motives, and we prefer to count majorities, not by numbens, but by motives." It was deplorable to .sec a Governor and his Cabinet reduced to the use of such untenable arguments. In the last paragraph the Governor admits that he entei- tained doubts as to the legalit^■ of the course which he was asked to pursue, and that to clear up these doubts he considered it necessar)- to ask the opinion of the two law officers of the Crown, but he did not think it necessary to state that these two officers were of the number of the beaten, and that they were also of the number of thcjse who hatl coun.selled the policy condemned, and moreover that they were of the number of those who were going to lo.se their portfolios by the very fact of that condemnation. A fair and imj)artial consideration of the despatch can only result in the opinion that Lord Elgin signall)' failed to justify the course pursued by him, tliat, instead of maintainii. an attitude of dignified neutrality between the contending political pa.-ties, he sided with the Ministry and by a most imwise and unconstitutioiud act kept them ir power after the House of Assembly had declared its desire for a change, and that his despatch to the Imperial (io\ernment, by concealing some facts and mistating others, and giving undue promin- ence to minor ones, is rather the laboured effort of a partisan than the impartial utterance of the rejDrcsentativc of Her Majesty. It was so regarded at the time, and, although many COURSKS Ol'KX TO Mr. IIincks. iS"' )-L'ars li;i\e since elapsed, the cooler judi^.nent of lo-tla\' can (;nl}' reL;ai'd it in the same iinfaxourable liL^ht. Mr. IIincks. when beaten on the Address, had a choice of two courses, either of w iiich he niiL;ht, with i^reat propriety, have followed. Me should either have immediately tendered his resignation and thnnvn u[)oii the Oj^position the onerous task of formir.i;' an Administration, or he should have ^one on and perfected the measures for which the Legislature was cfjiivencd and ^\hich the Opposition professed their willin^t^- ness to pass. .Mr. IIincks did neither. Apparentl)' \-ieldinij to temper, he directed the immediate proroi^ation of Parlia- ment, preparat(jry to its dissolution. In vain members of the ( )])i)osition — many of them i^entlemen who, up to that hour, had given unwavering support to the Government — implored Ministers to proceed with the measures referred to in the (iovertKjr's opening speech. In vain Ministers were reminded that the new I-'ranchise .Vet — which extended the franchise t(j 100,000 electors — would not come irito operation until after Ianuar\- 1st following, if an Act to give it an earlier effect was not passed. Mr. Jlincks was inexorable and would listen to nothing. No bills were passed, no supplies granted, no answer to the Governor's speech returned. The proceedings in the Assembly were suddenly arrested b)- the appearance of the usher of the black rod at the bar ; Parliament was pro- rogued amidst the greatest confusion and excitement, and, to cap the climax, the Speaker protested against the prorogation on the ground, that, as no Act had been consummated b\' Parliament, therefore no session had been held. Both sides were insulted and angered by the high-handed proceeding. All the old charges of corrui)tion and jobbery were revived and the Liberal i)arty was called upon to purge itself of leaders who had proved themsehes corrupt and unw<-> I hy (jf confidence. The attacks and accusations which had been made by the C'onser\ative press were now re-echoed by a large and influential section of the Reform press, and the leader of tile (jovernment was held up to public execration as a man who had been convicted of jobbery and corrui)tion — ot making his official position subservient to the furtherance ot tii ;,,t '■ 't. in ij ii! u. i i ' If; Hi I ? ' 6. S 1 [ 1 1 1 1 J: ! 1 l4) , 272 The Like of Sir John A. Macdonald. his private interests, with speculatinjf in public lands and stocks upon information derived in his capacity of first Minister of the Crown. Other Ministers were charged with similar offences, offences subversive of public morality and destructive to that confidence which should always exist between rulers and the ruled. They were also accused of shamefully violating pledges solemnly given and reiterated, that promised reforms were delayed and gross abuses winked at and Reformers were urged to hurl these men from office, and rather to sit in a minority in the House than to endure or tolerate for a single day an Administration which had proved itself so unworthy of their confidence and support. This was the state of the public mind \\hcn the elections came off, and the contest was carried on with more than ordinary bitterness; the most strenuous efforts being made on all sides to defeat the Ministry. The result was even greater than anticipated. The Minis- try were completely routed, and although the majority of members returned were Reformers, there was no cause to doubt that the Administration would be found to be in a minority when the House met. The returns in Uj)per Canada were largely against the Ministry, while in Lower Canada they had «i slight preponderance. The result in L'pper Canada was tl more gratify i-ig when it was considered how much the Government had exerted itself to .iecure the return of its nominees. The Postmaster-General, Honour.ible Mr. Cam- eron, was rejected in two constituencies, and the Provincial Secretary, Honourable Mr. Morin, was also defeated, while the two men the Ministry were most anxious to oust from their constituencies, Mr. George Brown and Mr. Cauchon, were returned by overwhelming majorities. The victory w as of the most decisive character, and the friends of good govern- ment had great cause for rejoicing. The nomination of candidates for the representation of ':he city of Kingston took place on July 17th, when the Honour- able John A Macdonald was proposed by Mr. Thomas Kirkpatrick, and seconded by Mr. James Morton, and Mr. John Counter was proposed by Mr. William Wilson, seconded The Kingston Election, 273 by Mr. Alexander Mair. The show of hands beinjjj in favour of Mr. Counter, a poll was demanded for Mr. Macdonald and the 26th and 27th fixed for the polling. It was supposed that Mr. Counter's long connection with municipal affairs and personal popularity would make him a strong candidate, but when the poll closed it was found that he was beaten by 162 votes. "(Mi- m ■' :■% "il'i ■lb* '"H I i ' ■ U: 1.1 t Ml !'IH 'r If 1 CHAPTER XII. Defeat of Hincks-Morin Government on the Speakership — Second defeat on the Bagiit Election case —Resignation — Sir Allan McNab forms a Coalition Administration— Mr. John A. Macdonald appointed Attorney-General — The Government denounced by the GM'e — Mr. Cayley's Address to the IClectors— Mr. Macdonald returned by Acclamation — Large majorities in , favour of the (jovernment — Passage of the Reciprocity Bill — The Clergy Reserves' Hill carried by 62 to 39 — The Seignorial Tenure Hill passed — / Adjournment December 18th — Meeting February 23, 1855 — Ministerial changes during Christmas recess — Mr. Cauchon's Bill to make Legislative Council elective— Mr. Macdonald's .Speech— Seat of Government (|uestion — Prorogation — Remarks on work of session. ON September 5th the new Parliament met. The Ministry at once met with a reverse, their nominee for the Speakership, Mr. Cartier, being defeated by a vote of 62 nays to 59 yeas. The Speech from the Throne covered several subjects of magnitude and importance with which it was proposed to deal, amongst the.se being the alteration of the Constitution of the Legislative Council so as to make it elective, the .settlement of the Clergy Reserves and Seignorial Tenure questions, the assimilation of the Municipal Institu- tions of Lower Canada to those of Upper Canada, the revision of the Tariff, and the Reciprocity Treaty. The Ministry did not conceive that the defeat on the Speakership necessitated their resignation, and Mr. Hincks was very much criticised in consequence. Two days later Mr. J. B. Dorion moved, as a matter of privilege, that the poll books of the returning officer for the County of Bagot should be brought up by the Clerk of the Crown in Chancer)-. The point in this ca.se was that Mr. T. Brodeur had been named returning officer, and in that capacity had returned himself as duly elected. The question raised was whether a returning officer could return himself, and again, whether, if he could, a returning officer was eligible to a seat in the House. The case was very fully debated, but the Government desired its further consideration to be postponed until the next day, and Mr. Drummond made a motion to that effect. The motion 274 ■'■'''■^.^jS^-JV.r I'\)RMATION UF McNAH-MOKIN GoVKKNMENT. 275 WHS, however, lost by a vote of 61 to 46. The next day the Ministry rcsif^mcd, and Sir Allan McNab was sent for to form a Ministry. In announcing the causes which led to the resignation of the Ministry, Mr. Hincks briefly sketched the occurrences of the last two years, and, in referring to the charges made against liiniself, said he courted the fullest cnquir)' — a statement that was received with cheers. Mr. Cauchon and others crossed the I louse at the conclusion of his Speech and shook hands with him. On the iith Mr. Morin stated in the House that a new Cabinet had been formed, the Lower Canaila members of the late Mini-i. retaining their places, while those from Upper Canada liad been replaced as follows : Inspector-General, Honourable Mr. Cayley ; Speaker of Legislative Council, Honourable John Ross; President of Executive Ctnuicil, Sir Allan McNab ; Attorney-General, Monourable John A. Macdonald ; Solicitor-General, Honourable H. Smith ; Post- master-General, Honourable J. Spence^ He went on to say that none of the measures of the late Ministry were to be abandoned. The new Ministry from Canada West were to concur in the adjustment of the Reserves in the popular sense ; in doing so, they being willing to follow the patriotic example of Sir Robert Peel. In the same way they would support the abolition of the Seignorial Tenure, the Elective Legislative Council, etc. Mr. Hincks rose and stated that, although he had not been able to accept Sir Allan McNab's offer of a seat in the new Cabinet, he had promised his support if an arrangement could be made to carry out the measures of the late Government. The combination was very displeasing to the extreme Reformers and Rouges, and a number of them (3(S) met the day after the announcement, and denounced it as " an utter abandonment of principle b}' the parties to it, and, if successful, would bring discredit on our constitutional system, and tend seriously to the demoralization of public men, and that it is of the highest importance to the cause of good govertnnent, that the representatives of the people who iiave compromised themselves by leading such a movement, and are about to I', !■■ ■1: =[1 ( l.j ■ni* I it !|iii 'tt^ ii. 276 TnH Lii'K OF Sir John A. Macdonald. I)rcsciit themselves for re-election, should be iiidi^niantl}' rejected at the polls." The (J/o/'e strongly denounced the coalition as a combin- tion of ultramontane Romanists from Lower Canada, with four Tories (jf the deepest dye from Upper Canada — Messrs. McXab, Mactlonald, Cayley and Smith — with Messrs. Ross and Si)ence added, the former representing the corruption of the late Government. The Leader, the L'pper Canadian organ of the late Government, and a large number of other Reform papers, either expressed their approval, or declared their intention of giving the new Government a fair trial. The Pilot, the organ of Mr. Hincks in Montreal, defended Sir Allan McNab and his friends, and quoted many precedents, amongst others the precetlent of the late Duke of Wellington in connection with Catholic emancipation, which he for a long time opposed, but of which he afterwards became the advocate, and the more recent struggle for free trade and cheap bread, when Sir Robert Teel, who for a long time had resisted the arguments of Mr. Cobden and Mr. Villiers, and insisted upon maintaining the principle of protection to the British farmer, but afterwards, being convinced, at once surrendered to the demands of the people, and abandoned a party of whose opinions he had long been the exponent, and of whom he was the political head. The article closed with these words : " The demand made by the country is that the measures which have been agitated shall be passed, and any senseless cry which may be rai.sed for men and not measures will be taken at its true value. A small knot of impracticable men cannot be permitted to play the dog in the manger, and, because they are not strong enough to administer the Government themselves, prevent the pe(^ple from getting the measures they want." Mr. Cayley was the first Minister to issue his Address to the electors. As his remarks cover the whole ground, the following extracts are made from it. First he announces, with reference to the Clergy Reserves : " Whatever doubts I may have entertained on the subject, I am now free to admit have been effectually removed, and that the wishes of the people have been most unequivocally expressed in the returns made at \ ;lii Mk. Cavlkv's Addukss. 77 the last elections. Out of a house of 130 inciiibcrs — this i)oint haxinj^ been raised at nearly all the elections, and made a test c|uestion at many — not thirty have been returned who adhere to the settlement of l84i,or adv(jcate the appropriation of the Rcsei*vcs to ecclesiastical purposes. Ilavint,^ declared myself, then, an advocate for prompt legislation, and being now satisfied of the course that legislation must take, I am prepared to assist in ^ivin^ effect to the wishes of the people, under the terms of the Imi)erial Act, authorisin<; Canada to legislate on the Royal grant. I am also preparetl to advocate lej,nslation upon the Reciprocity Jiill, the reconstruction of the Legislative Council, and the settlement of the Seigncjrial Tenure, due regard being had to the interest of all parties concerned. " As the Government which has just been formed has been designated a ' Coalition Government,' I beg a moment's intlulgence while I offer a few remarks on this subject. From the time that the Imperial authority recognised Responsible Government in Canada, and in proportion as it has relaxed the leading strings which influenced our movements and controlled our legislation, the distinctive features which cjrigin- ally marked and separated the Con.servatives from the Liberals have gradually been wearing away. While each had at heart the interests of tlieir common countr)- — while each was seeking her material advancement and both were ali\e to the benefit that would accrue from self government, the one has bided the fitting time when the parent country should volun- tarily accord the right, of which the other has, not without importunity, endeavoured to hasten the acquisition. " In proportion, however, as Great Britain has encouraged independent legislation in Canada, and conseciuently the tlistance which once divided these two parties has lessened until the distinction has been reduced to a name, two other l)artics have been springing up in the Province, known in Upper Canada as * Clear Grits,' in Lower Canada, as Rouge or Red Republicans, which promise to revi\e in all their freshness those differences which have so long interfered to prevent a joint and harmonious working for the common good. The extreme opinions of the Grits — their impatience of the so-called Ml ; iU !»(' so. -S^f- <^ ^,ir, IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I ."': iU 12 2 If i:£ 110 m 1.25 1.4 \h — — == < 6" ► y] V2 ^3 ^% c?y y^-^' A 7 /' 'yL tions shouId\ be continued during the lives of the then incumbentsijSrhe fund then was churj^eable with the expenses of management and with these stipends or allowances so pro- tected by the Imperial Act. Th^t being provided for, it was further provided that, annually, x)n December 31st of each year, after a full provision had been made for the satisfaction of these stipends, the fund should be divided according to the last census, or one taken for the purpose, yearly, among the ^y^ different municipalities, so that the principal of the money and not merely the interest should be divided, as fast as generated, ^among the different municipalities. In that respect the present Bill differed from that proposed to be introduced by the late Administration, which was merely to divide the surplus interest after meeting the claims of the incumbents. 'It was thought that the sooner the whole fund was gone the I better, and therefore it was provided that, after protecting the '"] interests of the incumbents in the way he had mentioned, the / whole surplus proceeds should be divided according to the y population returns of the year. ..^-^ "The second clause of the Bill provided for the protecti(»n of the incumbents. Th^^re was a difficulty as to the incumbents in one or two instancei. where a grant had been made, xuA to the -incumbents, but to tjic religious body. The V\'esle>an body, for example, stood in that category, receiving an annual grant which was appropriated in such manner as the confer- ence thought proper. It was the same also with the Roman Catholic body in Upper Canada. It was provided, therefore, in the Bill, that in those casds where sums had been payable jgn blo€,^csc sums should be continu ed Jbr^a^ertain number of _j^ars. The faith of the Government was plcclged toUiose religious bodies, as well as to the individual incumbents in the other cases, and it was for the House to say with what number of years the blank should be filled up. ' ' :^ " The third clause provided for the case of a commutation. It was thought advisable, as these allowances or stipends might run on for a long period of years, that the Government should have the power of commuting the allowances on well under- stood principles of life assurance. But, unless the incumbents Si'EKCII ON Tin; C'LICRGV Rkskrvks Hii.l. 2«5 in lilt themselves consented, as this was a vested ri^ht secured to them by the Ini|)erial Act, they must continue to receive their aiunial allowances durinj^ the term of their lives. In order to save the present (lovernment, or any future Government, from any possible imputations, it was provided that this clause should not {^o into {general effect except with the united con- sent of all the incumbents. The resitlue, it was next provided, should be dividetl amonj^ the different municipalities to be appropriated to whatever purpose they arc permitted to devote their funds, under the Municipal Act. There was also a vciy proper proviso in the Hill, that, in case any municipality should be in debt to the Government, the Receiver-General mijjht, of course, retain any money that came into his hands for them, to reimburse the Government for the debt, and hand over the balance, if any, to the municipality. This was nearly the whole of the Act, and he thought the House would sec that the measure was one which in principle, and he hoped in detail, would meet the views of the House. < " As to the appropriation of the money, after indemnifying the incumbents for their sii|)ends, some were in favour of its going lor educatioji, others were in favour of its going to the Consolidated revenue, while a third plan was that of the Hill td distribute it amongst the municipalities. The great objec- ~^^tion to absorbing it in the consolidated revenue fund was that the Reserves of L'pper Canada were much more valuable than those belonging to Lower Canada, and, if Lower Canada was to get an equal share of the whole, a good deal of dissatisfaction might be created in the other sections of the province. The plan of appropriating it to education had very many advocates in the country, but the great objection to that was that it would be only closing up one sore to open up another. The measure was one of peace, and it would very much fail in securing this object, were a new sore to be opened up in closing the old ongjlr The moment it became known that this money w(juld be divided for the purposes of education, that moment there would be a struggle between sectarian and non-sectarian schools. So lively was the feeling of interest on this point, that already he had received some strong representations on ,v I I 286 Tni: LiKK of Sir John A. Macdonald. the subject. High authorities in the Catholic Church had said that, if the fund went to school purposes, the Catholics would not tjct their share. The other extreme, the strong; anti-sectarian school party, were equally opposed to this plan^It seemed to him that the system proposed by the ^irescnt Government got rid of the two objections he hatl mentioned, at the same time that this money j^oing to the , -Ihunicipalities would render them the more able to raise r necessary funds or to increase the funds required for cducatioit,i»\vhile it removed it from being the occasion of any struggle between the opjx)nents and sup|)orters of the sectarian school system. J Some were apprehensive that the money would be wasted by being given to municipalities, but when they considered the rapidly increasing population in Cppcr Canada, and that, for some time, the allowances to the incumbents would continue to be ver>- considerable, there need not be much apprehension on that head. It would be an acceptable aid to the municipalities of Upper Canada, but at the same time it would not be a large eiKJUgh sum to occasion much fighting about. He believed also that the municipalities in Canada generally had applied their funds most faithfully to the improvement of their several localities, and that they might be safely trusted with the expenditure of so small a sum as this would amount to. What the exact amount would be he could not sa)-, but, before the second reading of the Bill, full information on that head would be given to the House. He had thought it necessary to say this much, but he did not invite discussion upon the Bill at that time. It would be placed in the hands of the members without delay. The Administration were extremely anxious to carry out the principles of the Bill, the details being such as, after full consideration, they had thought proper to submit to the attention of the House. It was a question in which all were interested, and the Government invited all, without distinction of party or creed, to lend their assistance in making this a complete Bill and they would find the Govern- Mk. Gamble's Amendment. 287 ^>' tK'' .J* / i>" fncnt most happy to receive suggestions. And even those gentlemen who felt themselves obliged in conscience to oppose the Bill on principle would, he hoped, when they came to details, aid the Government in making the Hill a final one. (There was one question which they had not thought projxir to embrace in the Bill, but to which they might probably call^-v^ the attention of the House during the session. There was a large quantity of unsold Clergy Reserves lands, and it was a question whether these should be put into the market at once and sold and the very name of Clergy Reserves lands cease for ever, or whether the Government should purchase them from the Clergy Reserves fund and make them Crown Lands, or whether some other mode might not be adopted. In the meantime he would ask any gentleman who might have any suggestions to make, to think well upon this point. VVitli these remarks he begged to move the first reading of the Bill.J On the second reading a long and acrimonious discussion took place, but the motion was passed by a vote of 93 to 15, an amendment moved by Mr. Gamble to the effect that to secularize the Reserves would be a violation of public faith, and of rights acquired by the Churches of England and Scot- land and other denominations, and that, therefore, the Bill ought to be rejected, finding only twelve supporters. When the House went into Committee of the Whole upon the Hill, a large number of amendments were moved by Messrs. Hrown, Foley, Dorion, Cameron, ~Bowes, Gait and others, all of which were lost by large majorities, ^r. Macdonald, however, moved that certain changes be made, having for their object / ^ the continuation for twenty years of the allowances which had j ''/y V* previously been made to the Roman Catholic Church in ,^.v^f », Upper Canada, and to the Wcslcyan Methodist Church for \,/^^ Canadian missions, and, in the cases of commutation, to prevent any denomination from investing the monies so received in real estate or property of any kind whatsoever, under penalty of forfeiture of the same to Her Majesty. On November 23rd the Bill was read a third time and passed, the vote standing 62 to 39 The announcement of the division was received with clapping of hands and loud cheer- .i/^^ ^■.f J 1," ill l! II 1 i 288 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. -*AiV -T*r^ jiif;. On December loth the Hill passed the Lejjislative Council without amendment. Thus was the bone of conten- tion at lenjjth removed, and the af^itation which had existed for so many years on this fruitful source of dissension and angry feuds, silenced for ever, ^^k^ The Seignorial Tenure Bill was also introduced and passed by the Government during this session. This tenure had its origin in the interest which the French Government took in promoting emigration to its North American posses- sions, and which rendered it expedient to devise every possible means of fostering colonization. Unlike the inhabitants of European countries at the present day, the people of France, at the beginning of the last century, had to be presented with every sort of inducement to leave their homes for a new country. Personal influence and solicitation with a view to forward emigration had to be recognized by the Government as an essential part of any scheme which would compass, even partly, the desired object. And, in order, first of all, to make it the interest of the more intelligent and wealthy of the population to join in the colonization enterprise, it became necessary for the Government to present them with such tangible inducements as would secure that result. ( The system of making over to the just mentioned class unconditional grants of the public domain it seems to have been considered, could only partly meet the exigencies of the case. It was thought that the relations between those who were to be leaders of the enterprise and the industrious, but less intelligent classes, whom it was necessary also to interest in the scheme, would be less intimate or binding unless formally recognized by a public statute. And with a view of securing these various objects, viz., the co-operation of the more intelligent and \»calthy in the colonization movement, and of permanently binding the interests of the two classes of colonists together, the tenure system of Lower Canada was instituted. The rights of the seignior embraced an^annual rent called cefis er rentes. Originally this sum is supposed to have been limited by the arrets of the King of France to one penny an acre. It is not indeed disputed, on any reliable authority, The SKUiNiORiAi. Tknurk. 2«9 led een an r«ty, that a sum not exceeding one penny an acre was all that could Icjfally be claimed from the ccnsitairc, for those who have most narrowly examined the statutes defining; the ri^jhts of the seignior have been able to show conclusively that there had existed a fixed rate which it was lawful for the seignior to exact, and therefore, that the augmentation which had from time to time taken place in that rate was clearly unauth- orized by any positive law. This augmentation had, in many instances, increased to ten times the original rate anil there were great facilities for unjust and oppressive exacticms. f^ In addition to the ill-defined privilege of drawing an annual rent from the ccnsitaire, the seignior claimed a fine on all lands which were sold. This fine was called lods et rentes, and amounted to the enormous sum of one twelfth part of tlie purchase money. If a farmer .sold a property for $i,20O, of this $is- sible. It provided for the entire abolition of the most odious «*4 2(JQ TiiK LiiK OK Sir John A. Macdonald. i'{ 1 aiul oppressive of the exactions made by the seigniors, the /ot/s et ventes ami the twelfth part of the purchase money received by the ceiisitaire for his property was no longer to ffo into the pock(?ts of the seijjnior, commissioners bein}^ appointed to determine the sums to be paid as indemnifi- cation. When the House met on December i8th, it was resolved, on motion of the Honourable Mr. Morin, that when tlu; lloust! .idjourned that day it should .stand adjourned until I'ebruary 2 ^rd. During the recess a chanj^a* took place in the Ministry, three of the Lower Catuula representatives, Messrs. Morin, (habot and Chauveau retirint; and beinjf replaced by Messrs. (i. I'",, ('artier, Joseph (auchon and Francois Ixinieux, Mr. M(»rin beini; appointed a puisne judijc of the Superior Court of Lower ( anada. When tlu> House a^ain met, .Sir Allan McNab cvjilained the Ministerial changes in the following words: " A short time previous to the decease of the late Jud^^e Panet, Mr. Morin had intimated to his colleaj^^ues that it would be iinpossible for him to continue much lonj^jer in the Govermnent in conse- quence of the state of his hiNilth, and, under no considt'ration would he remain loiijj^er than the present session. Immedi- ately after the dealli of the learned Jud^^e i'anet, the vacant seat oii the bench was offered to the Honourable Mr. Hlack, v.'ho declineil it, and as a reconstruction of the Ministry would under any circumstances become necessary at the chjse of the session, it was thoui^ht due to Mr. Morin to offer him the judgeship, which he accepteil. His retirement, in the opinion of the keceiver-deneral and other members from Lower ("anada, invoked the dissolution of that section of the Admin istration and the members thereof placed their resignations in my hands, with authority to make such use of them as I mij^jht think proper in the reconstruction of the Lower Canatia portion of the Cabinet. I therefore felt it my duty to consult Colonel Tachc, the .senior member of the Lower Canada section of the Ministry, and found that that gentleman wanted to continue in office. By his advice Mr. Attorney-Gcner?' Him- to maki: Fj;(;jsr-ATiVK Council Klkctivk. 291 vf DruinmoncI was i-i'(| nested to retain his office, aiul I communi- cated with Messrs. Cauchoii, Lcmieux aiul Cartier, whose names I was shortly after enabled to submit to IlislCxcel- Icncy the Govcrnor-(jeneral for the offices respectively held by them." Mr. Ilolton asked if the House were to have any explana- tion of the principles on which the chauj^es were made. Sir Allan replied that he was not aware there was any princi|)le in the matter. The discussion was rctiewed at a later sitting; of the House iMtl it was said that Mr. ("hauveau and the others had not been fairly treated. Mr. Chauveau, however, rose in his place and corr(iborated, in every particular, the e.xplanations j^iven b\' the IVemier. On March i6th, Mr. C'auchun introduced a Hill altering the '^'^v*'^/ ^ constitution of the Let^islativi! Council, of which the following /j>^ were the principal features : The Legislative Council was for the future to consist of forty-eijj[ht mctnbers ; the duration f)f the office of councillor would be oi^ht \'cars, but one-fourth would go out every two }ears. In order, however, to scatter the representation throu<,diout the countr)-, the counties would be fi^rouped in groups of four, till the .system was completed, 'ihe elected members would draw lots which should go out, but after that, of course, each would be electeil for eight years. The (|ualifications rc(|uire(l were thirty Ncars of age, residence, and Hritish subjects. 'I'he electors were to be the same as those for mendjers of the other House, excej)ting the differ- ences of divisions ; the power of dissolution was not to rest with the Government, and the Speaker was to be ap|Kjinted by the Crown ; the inunbt-r of" members was to be ecpially divided between Upper and Lower ('anada. the property cjualifications being placed at $4,000. The discussion on the Hill was a long and siiarp one, the details being severely criticised, and strong jjersonalities indulged in by Mr. Mackenzie, Mr. Hrown and others. Mr. Macdonald, in replying to these, said "that he had a great respect for liberty of discussion — for freedom of s])eech ; but, in Parliament, liberties of speech were indulged in which could a^ The Lifk of Sir John A. Macdonald. Hi ■\\[' / hardly be said to add to its dignity. A celebrated character going to the scaffold declaimed against the crimes committed in the name of liberty, and it did seem to him that, with the exception of the honourable member for Haldimand (W. L. Mackenzie), of all the members of the House, the honourable member for Lambton (Geo. Brown) most abused his honour- able colleagues in the name of liberty. Frequently strong language was used in England, in Parliament and out of it, but we did not hear of such personal attacks as were here so prominent. Not only were personal attacks much too com- mon, but it was a painfully common practice to virulently attack every measure as it was brought up. Where there was just cause, attack was undoubtedly proper, but to attack every measure, without regard to its merits, was only as absurd as it was improper. Every measure should be judged upon its merits ; but here it was the practice to enquire who introduced this measure or that measure, to attribute motives to its author and to vote for or against it as the author is a political associate or" the reverse. Those who really loved their country would discuss measures on their merits alone and without the slightest allusion to parties introducing them. "This was not the occasion to attack personally, nor one on which honourable members should allow themselves to be drawn away by the insinuations of those who, while professing to be the friends of elective institutions, were the opponents of this Bill. If the honourable gentlemen were anxious to carry out their own views ; if they were really .so disposed why did they not come to the help of the Administration ? The Bill was framed exclusively with the view to prevent any detraction from Imperial authority or Imperial responsibility. The object of it was to preserve the system of responsible govern- ment, of which the people were strongly in favour, b>' the election of part of the members of the Legislative Council. It was a gradual instead of a violent introduction of the elective system. After the most careful divisions of the province into electoral districts, it was found that forty-eight members were better than sixty. Honourable gentlemen had called the Bill an experiment, and it certainly was so. Of the whole of the Spekch on Legislative Council Bill 293 l^ U Upper House, according to the Bill, one fourth were to go out in two years, and one half in four years. " It was to be borne in mind that, if a second Chamber was wanted at all, it was not merely to record the measures of thp Legislative Assembly. If they were to have anything in the way of a .second House they must have one with a mind of Its own. The Legislative Assembly and the Legis- , . lative Council were a check upon each other. It was for y /-'*'■ the purpose of having a check — a check certainly not to be used every clay — that the Bill had been framed, and that the people were in favour of a second Chamber. The object of dividing the elective periods was to prevent a race for popularity between the members of the Lower House and the members of the Upi)er House. Gentle- men elected for the Upper House would not be elected for local reasons, but for their general knowledge, standing, wealth and influence. "Objection had been made that the Bill took away the power of dissolution. There were good and sub- stantial reasons for not introducing the power of dissolu- tion. Supposing, with a (lovernor who was full)' resolved upon suffering responsible government to be carried out, who, almf)st to an\' extent, was acted upon by his Ministers, a disagreement should hap[)en between the Houses, dissolution would be arbitrarily resorted to b)- the advice of the leaders of the Lower House, and so the Upper House would be made a mere echo of the Lower House, a mere record Chamber. Again, suppose ue had a Governor like Lord Sydenham or Lord Metcalfe — although the latter was right in the stand he made — and he got control either by blandishments or by assumption, away would go the power of the Hou.se. Such a Governor could play off one Hou.se against the other. It was to prevent the Upper Hou.se from being a mere register of the Lower House that this dissolution was dispen.sed with." When the House divided on the Bill the vote stood, yeas, ^ 80; nays, 4. It was, however, not concurred in by the Legis- lative Council. I <^t > M' I .'■Jl :k! I i. .,1! i I ''11 ■It 1 1 t > 294 TnK Like of Sir John A. Macdonald. The selection of the place for the permanent location of the seat of Government was now a question of primary importance to the whole population of Canada, and one which required to be soon decided. The perambulating system _which was adopted originally as a mere matter of expediency, ^' had been found to be injurious to the interests of the country, inconvenient to the people at large and to the ofificial emplojees, and subversive of the dignity of the country and the stability of its institutions. The press was busily ngaged in advocating the claims of different towns and cities for the honour, but it was felt that the selection ought not to be made to gratify the ambition of any single communit)-, but with a view to satisfy the wishes of the whole population. What these wishes were could not be agreed upon, each rcj)rescntative consider- ing that his own locality represented popular opinion more than any other, and so, when the question was brought up in Parliament there was found to be the widest divergence of opinion, and consequently there was no approach made to a settlement of the question. The House was prorogued on May 30th, after a session of more than usual length, but which had becti productive of a great deal of useful and important legislation. No session ever held since the union of the provinces had been so Important in its results, for, independent of the settlement of the great questions which had agitated the country for years, a greater amount of business than usual had been brought before Parliament. The once all-absorbing questions of the Clergy Reserves, the extension of the Franchi.se, the Feudal Tenure decision, and others were disposed of Provision was also made for an improved organization of the militia, more efficient auditing of the public accounts, the free transmission of newspapers, the remodelling ot the municipal system of Lower Canada, the establishment of commercial reciprocity between the United States and Canada, etc., and the country had every reason to congratulate itself on the results attained. Regret was, however, felt that the Legislative Council had not concurred in the Bill passed by the As.sembly to make that branch of the Legislature elective. Thk Work of thk Session. 295 A Government formed at the bef^innin^ of the ses.>?i(Mi — a coalition Government, presenting points open to attack from both sides cf the poh'tical camp, and supposed to have so few elements of adhesion as to render its existence for any length of time impossible — had managed to carry tlirough more measures of practical importance than any (;f its predecessors and generally by overwhelming maj(jrities. The fact was, a coalition had become a political necessity, as will ever be the case in a country with representative institutions, where three parties grow up into such standing that the two "outs" ma)' at any time defeat the " ins." So soon as the Rouge and Clear Grit eleinents in Parliament found it possible, by com- bination, to wield an independent influence upon the legisla- tion of the country, .so .soon did it become necessary for the old Liberal or Reform party to coalesce with them, or w ith the Con.servatives, in order to maintain its existence. Mr. Hincks tried a coalition with the former and broke down. His friends and successors in the leadership of that party then coalesced with the Conservatixes, and the experiment proxed successful. It could not, however, be .said to have been full}- and finally tested and established until after a general election. The fusion of representatives in the House of Assembly might not be approved by th(jse who were repre- sented, but there were grounds for believing that it would be so. One very strong ground for this belief was to be found in the fact that the Government majorities were in no wi.se diminished after the rece.s.s. It had often been urged b\- those who had waged fierce war upon the coalition during the early part of the session that, after the members had gone to their homes, and faced their constituents and learned their views on the subject, many of the supporters of the Ministr\- would no longer dare to afford them support. That predic- tion, however, signally failed of its fulfilment, and the Government seemed really stronger, and the Opposition weaker in the latter part 01 the session than in the former. 1 !J ni V i i :; ; f ( HAi'TKk XIII. iii$S—(Coiittiiiie: 302 TiiK Life ok Sir John A. Macdonalu. the duties Jippcrtciinin^f to his hi^^h situation than that any similar defection could ever be alleged aj^ainst the gentleman wlio occupies the like situation in Upper Canada, and it was universally atlinitted that the honesty, ability and /.eal of Dr. Rycrson were alike indisputable and beyond praise. He had thus fully answered tiie charge of want of vigour made against himself and his colleaj^ues. " The hon. member for North York had ta.xetl the Govern- ment with corruption. It was an unfounded accusation. Their hands were clean, and he defied any one to shew a single act of corruption. The (iovermnent so far from havinj; lost the confidence of some of their former sup[)t)rters, becau.se of want of energy and determination, had lost it throuj^h too firm an attitude. " With respect to the Grand Trunk Railway Company, the l*"iiiancc Minister had made proper provisions to meet the exigencies of the ])osition and to provide for the security of the country's credit. They had endeavoured to reconcile all interests and at the same time to retrieve the enterprise, consistently with the various demands of the province. Hut the honourable member for Montreal had complainctl that the Government were not ready with any policy to be propo.scd to the Lcj^islature on the subject of these railway enterprises. Now this was only because they have all along been in com- munication with the managinj^ parties interested therein, with a view to finally arranging .some wise and prudent policy. Negotiations were then going on designed to effect this wished lor result. These being yet incomplete, it was manifestly precipitate and altogether unfair towards the Administration to make subject of complaint the ab.sence of a system upon which they had not yet had time to deliberate in a manner consistent with the magnitude of the interests involved, and the importance of determining a .safe policy. The Inspector- General was aiding by every means in his power, and he hoped to be able to come down to the House with a perfect scheme for assisting this great national undertaking, which would be satisfactory to the House and the country, " Honourable gentlemen had made a great parade of their An UNjUbT Attack. 303 motidii of want of confidence Jit the moinent when the Ciov- eiinnent broiij^hl forward a deniaiul for an appropriatitui in accordance with the ortlers of the House. They desireil to e.vcitc an Upper Canadian feeling, in the hope of catching' a strong vote here and a strong vote tlierc. The (iovernnKiit had no reason to coinphiin of hf)noural)le ^fentlemen who have alwa\s been in opposition, making,' it a {ground of attack a^Minst the Adininistr.ition that they left the seat of (ioverninent an open cpicstion, but the member for Northuinl)erland and others, who have since deserted the Athninistration, had no rij^ht to make that a {j;round of complaint when they su[)ported the Government after it had been resolved to have it an open (|uestion. It was wron^, it was unjust, it was insincere in these memlx-M's Hut althouj^h the Government d<^)es not complain of the Opposition for attackinjr the Administrati<»n, on the ground that they left the seat of Government an open (|uestion. the\' have full reason to coin])lain of those ^cntk- men who voteil in favour of Quebec, and who now attack the Government for asking an appropriation to carr\- out their own expressed wishes. " Honourable <^entlcmen had been in the habit of w indiiiLi U)) their speeches by saying that the Government were incap- able of ' inauguratiu}^ wide measures.' Now he would like to know the meaninj^ of this term. The position of the countrx cuts it off from treaties, wars, etc., and the Government i^ necessarily confined to the development of internal resources, and the furthering the cause of educati(jn. liut what wide- views had the Opposition developed ? They have, to be sure, presented a bunkum motion on representation by population, and on the dissolution of the Union, and these are the sum and substance of the ' wide measures ' of the Opposition. They conceal their thunder until they come out in full reful- gence when they occupy the treasur)' benches. The member for Shcrbrooke and the chairman of the Committee i>{ Accounts certainly have wide views in one respect. They propose swallowing up all the canals in the province with a boa constrictor power, and certainly in this respect the Gov- ernment have not such wide and extended views. Long after 1 1 n 11 .1' I, ri I iM I M nil V TTTT l,^! 1 ) I i I- \l '' 304 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. the Government had ceased to exist, the country would do justice to it and to its honest, hearty endeavours to carry out fully, fairly and honestly, the great duty committed to it." Although the Government were sustained by a majority of twenty-three, the result of the vote was that Messrs. Spence and Morrison considered it their duty to tender their resigna- tion, on the ground that the vote disclosed the fact that thc>- had lost the o'd and assistance of a number of their supporters in Upper Canada who had, up to that time, given them their confidence, and upon the promise of whose support they had entered the Government when the coalition was formed. These resignations were followed by those of Mr. Cayley, Mr. Macdonald, Mr. Smith, and others. These latter did not agree with the double majority question raised by the former, but felt that, the support of the Reform section being withdrawn, it was impossible for the Administration to go on, and equally impossible to form a purely Conservative Government. Sir Allan McXab did not agree with the members of his Cabinet, but thought they ought to continue in office, ignoring the defection in Upper Canada, and depending upon Lower Canada for a working majority. The result was that the Governor-General accepted the offer of Sir Allan's portfolio, and called upon Colonel Tache to form an Administration. At the urgent request of the Conservative members of the House, Mr. Macdonald agreed to assist him in the task, and it having been ascertained that, with him as leader of the House, confidence would be restored, other members of the late Government accepted positions in the new Cabinet, and a strong Government was soon formed. The story was thus told by Sir Allan McNab in the House of Assembly : " Mr. Speaker, it becomes my duty to offer to this House and to the country the reasons which have induced the members of the late Go^vernment to retire from the situations which they severally held. Immediately after the vote was taken on the motion of want of confidence, the Government perceived that they were in a minority of six, so far as regards the Upper Canadian representatives ; they felt it their duty immediately to assemble, and take into consideration what Sir Allan McNah's Explanations. 305 was considered by some of them, a grave and important question. The Postmaster-General stated that, as he came into the Government as one of two representing the Reform section of the coah'tion Government, and having been deserted on that vote by a large number of those gentlemen who had given him to understand, when he entered the Government, that he had their confidence and would receive their support, he considered it his duty to resign the office he held. He felt he could no longer maintain that degree of confidence which was necessary to him to discharge his public duty, and to remain a member of the Government. The Honourable Mr. Morrison, who came into the Government at a late period, said that he joined the Administration to replace the late Speaker of the Legislative Council who had retired, and who was one of the gentlemen that represented the Reform party ; he also felt that he must follow the example that was set by his senior, the Postmaster-General. Attorney-General Mac- donald expressed his conviction, that having been left in a minority of six in Upper Canada, the Government of the country could pot be carried on with that degree of vigour necessary, considering the great questions before the country, and he felt it necessary to follow the course of the other gentlemen before him, and tendered his resignation. The Inspector-General also tendered his resignation, but as it was placed in my hands in writing and has been returned to me by the Governor-General after he had read it, I think I cannot do better than communicate the contents of that letter to the House : Hevekkly Strekt, May ziST. Dear Sir, The division of last night exhibited a vote adverse to the Adminis- tration, as far as Upper Canada is concerned. I am against the principle of donble or sectional majorities, but I apprehend that the vote of last evening will be repeated by further defections, tending to impair the usefulness of the Upper Canada section of the Cabinet, and to deprive the Government, as a whole, of that vigour which is essential to the efficient conduct of public affairs. Had an absolute majority been obtained against the Government, I would have been prepared to join in a request to His Excellency to be permitted to appeal to the 20 U- m •.hi ' ' 'i 'I ' ■'ill 11 1' '•■■ ! Ill p ii i ii i1 I i 306 Tin; Li I 1: (»i Sir John A. Macdonai.d. ;i)iiiitr\ . As it is, I coiiciir in tlu; propriety of tlic course taken by our Upper t'aiuKJa eolleat;iies, ami place my resi.v'iiation in your hands, to .•iial)le His ICxcelleucy to re-construct his Cal)inet. I remain ^durs t'aithrully, (Si.i,'nccl) W. Cavli:v. " Now tliat letter requires no remark at my hand. My Lower (Canadian colleagues disagreed with my Upper Canadian colleagues so far as regards the principle that an adverse vote of a majority of one section of the province should involve the resignation of gentlemen rejiresenting that section of the province. I also differed. It was my misfortune to differ with them. I said, as I say now, that we have but one Parliament to govern this great countr)-, and by our Constitution, and by our Union i\ct, it is by a majority of the votes of this House that we carry our money votes or our Bills. I do not admit that a Government, with a majority of twenty- three, is bound to resign because three gentlemen may think proper to walk oxer from this side of the House to that, and make a sectional minority of six. I consider that we owe to our constituents and to the representative of Her Most Gracious Majest\-, who placed us in the high position that we held latel}-, to remain there so long as we have a working majority ; and I think that twenty-three is a good working majority, and I think that we had no right to anticipate defeat. I am not the man to meet trouble halfway. When I took the place of a Minister of the Crown I felt that I would discharge my dut\', and that I should remain there until I was turned out by a vote of this House. The Governor-General asked me if I was prepared to fill up the vacancies : I said, ' No ! not with the present House.' I could not do it with the present House. .M)' Lower Canada colleagues were averse to a dissolution. I cannot say that my Upper Canada colleagues were in favour of it. They can speak for them- selves. But I would sa>- this, that I could not tender my resignation, and identify myself with the reasons given by my late colleagues for resignation. But I did say that ' if in the re-construction of the Govermncnt the position that I held in i 1 t 111- IIONOIKABLI-: CM'OKC'.K HKOWN. 111" !ii '1'^ < it' ' ( i * i ♦ ( Wry] 1 it: i i I >«--% '4*-^t •- IvXI'LANATIONS OF RliSKJXATION. 301; the Government you may find it necessary to use, Your Excellency will exercise your own discretion.' Taking it for granted that His Excellency would exercise his own discretion I placed my department in his hands, and the only reason I held it was, that there were not sufficient reasons to retire from the Government. I have nothing further to say, but to express my deep sense of the personal kindness, that, during the period of my services, I have ever received at the hands oi His Excellency.'' Mr. Macdonald followed, indorsing what Sir Allan McNab had said, and giving further particulars of the resignation of the old, and the formation of the new Ministry. He said : *' My honourable and learned friend from Hamilton, in the statement he has made of the causes which led to the resigna- tion of the members of the late Government and their acceptance by the Governor-General is perfectly correct, so f;u- as I can state. The Postmaster-General felt that in coming into a coalition government he came in, bringing certain support with him. Certain gentlemen belonging to the Reform Party offered their support to him and to the late Speaker of the Legislative Council, who, with him, had the confidence of the Reform Party. On the vote that took place the other night on the motion of my honourable friend from Montreal, the Government, although they have a working majority of twenty-three, were left in a minority of six in Upper Canada. The position in which the Postmaster- General found himself was such as to grcatl}- prejudice his usefulness, as he could no longer bring to the Government that support which was one of the conditions on which he joined it. He did not, as I understood it, assume the con- stitutionality of a double majority in the abstract. He did not put his resignation on that ground at all. The Hon. Mr. Morrison retired for the reasons stated by the Postmaster- General. Now these two gentlemen had made up their minds to retire in a certain event. I may say that the Postmaster- General had informed me beforehand that he would, in case of being left in an Upper Canadian minority on the vote, resign. On that honourable gentleman informing me of his intention ^-.M 'J i 1*1 . li 1 : f 1 1 i 1 ■ i 1 ' mi^ "itM 1_. 310 The Ln-K ok Sir John A. Macdonald. it became my duty to consider what course I siiould adopt. I did not, and I do not, think that the double majority system should be adopted as a rule. I feel, as the f^allant member for Hamilton stated, that, .so lonj^ as \vc are one Province and one Parliament, the fact of a measure bcinj^ carried by a working majority is sufficient evidence that the Government of the day is empowered to conduct the affairs of the country ; but I could not help feeling that the vote was a sufficient indication that the measures of the Government would be met with the opposition of those gentlemen who had, by their .solemn vote, withdrawn their confidence from the (iovcrnment. 1 felt also that without the aid of these gentlciiicn, represent- ing the Reform party in Upper Canada, no Government, as parties are now constituted in Canada, coukl successfully go on, and that the withdrawal of the Postmaster-General and Mr. Morrison would break up the Government. If those gentlemen retired they would, of course, take witli them the whole Reform party of the House. It would, therefore, be useless to attempt to go on if those gentlemen ictired. I felt this al.so, and I expressed myself to the effect that, though the double majority system was, in the abstract, intlcfensible, yet no Government could long continue governing one section with the assistance of the votes of the other ; tliat a continu- ation of that system w^ould destrox' any Government. And I also stated that it was one of the strongest arguments used by the Opposition that, in the present Goxernment, Ui)per Cana- dian interests had been sacrificed to Lower Canadian interests, and that, in fact. Lower Canada was the governing power in the Administration. If the Government continued to go on in that position, those arguments would be of double force, and we would'Tse unable to meet them. I therefore agreed with these two gentlemen on the propriety of resigning, and the Inspector-General followed in the manner stated by the ' vte premier. Under these circumstances the Government was at an end, and His Excellency, in the exercise of the Royal prerogative and acting on his high responsibility, sent for the Speaker of the Legislative Council to form a Government. That gentleman accepted the task, and Taciie-Macdonali) Government. ill asked mc to join him in forming a (lovcrnmcnt. I also accepted the task. I saw my friends who were in the late Government. I saw the Posimaster-General, Mr. Morrison, and the Solicitor-General West, who had also handed in their resignations with others.and they all accepted, on condition of being able to get sufficient support. After well considering the support we could get and what support could be looked for, I suggested the name of Mr. Vankoughnet, a gentleman who is well known in Toronto and who, wherever he is known, is respected and esteemed. I thought that, if we secured the aid of Mr. Vankoughnet in this House, the Government would receive the aid of a gentleman of great ability and unstained honour, of great acquirements in every way, who is well thought of by the Conservative party, of which, like myself, he is a member, and who, as a private individual, never engaged in political strife, and is not obnoxious to any party. Under these circum- stances Mr. Vankoughnet was asked to join the Government and, after some consideration, he consented to do so. I regret that the late Attorney-General East is indisposed, and not now in his place, and, with the consent of the House, I think it would be fair to that gentleman that he should be allowed to make his own explanations when he will be in his place in a day or two. He is suffering from a temporary attack of illness. The Government is now formed, and it is for the House to say whether they will accord it that confi- dence which will be necessary to conduct the affairs of the country." In reply to Mr. Sandfield Macdonald as to the polic>- of the Government, Mr. Macdonald said : " The honourable gentleman has called for an explanation of the policy of the Government. It is well known that during the course of the present session, there was a joint meeting of the Reform members who usually supported the Administration and of the Conservative members who also usually supported it, and that they met for the purpose of considering whether all the great questions, which formerly kept them separate, have not been finally settled, whether t» I i-n M ■>■: r t I 312 TnK Lii'K oi' Sir John A. Macdonalp. i^i';. i '. I 1 they could not act as one compact moderate jjarty, free from reactionary principles on one side, and from the principles of republicanism on the other. At the meeting they did come to a complete understanding that they should be one party, whether considered as progressive Conservatives l of the Government in the Lej^islativc .\ssembly, he now became, for the first time, the actual head of the Administra- tion, and, by the agreement of the moderate men, on both sides, to come together and work in harmony for the good of the country, the Liberal-Conservative Party sprang into existence. Since that date he has, uninterruptedly, held the foremost place in its ranks, and while preserving all that is good in our Constitution and in our laws, has shown such a liberal, progressive policy, that he has won the confidence of the whole country, and the Liberal -Conservatives have with the exception of two periods — one of two, and one of five years — uninterruptedly held possession of the treasury benches. This session must therefore be regarded as one of the most momentous in the history of the country and of the part)-. The position of leader was not of his seeking, it may be said to have been forced upon him. When Sir Allan McNab was so ill as to be unable to attend to his duties in the House, rumours were started that he was going to retire. In conse- quence of these rumours a meeting of the supporters of the Government was held, and a deputation was appointed to wait on Mr. Macdonald and to convey to him that, in case of the rumours proving true, and a re-construction of the Adminis- tration taking place, they desired that he should take a prominent position. Mr. Macd(jnald replied that there was no foundation for those rumours, and that, while he was exceed- ingly flattered by the compliment paid him, so long as Sir Allan would lead he would follow. Another joint meeting of Conservatives and Reformers was held, at which a proposition was made that a communication should be made to Sir Allan that, in their opinion, he should retire. So soon as Mr. Mac- donald heard of this he took innnediatc steps to counteract it, and, by his strenuous exertions, the letter was not sent, and when the next meeting was held, in deference to his wishes, it was adjourned si/ie die. Then the Reformers supporting the Government held the meeting previously referred to, and informed their representatives that they felt at liberty to withdraw their confidence and defeat the Government if possible. Immediately after came the retirement of Mr. Ross, . y % ii i 1 1 I \ ! Ill ! i 316 TiiK LiiK OF Sir John A. Macdonalu. li; .1 by which the Government was sacll)- shaken. Still Mr. Macdonald fought the ship, and, b)- every argument and by every influence in his power, endeavoured to induce the supporters of the Government to sustain the Administration, and to vote confidence in it. He succeeded in obtaining a majority of twenty-three, but, as we have seen, Mr. Spence and Mr. Morrison considered that, as Upper Canada had shown a minority on the vote, and in view of the notice received from the Reformers who had hitherto supported the Government, they were unable to remain in the Cabinet. The Government, therefore, could no longer go on. Sir Allan McXab was asked to fill the places of the resigning Ministers, but replied that he could not, and would be unable to carry on the business of the House. The Lower Canadian portion would not agree to a dissolution as they were already giving the Government a strong support, and the Upi)cr Canadians doubted if any good would result from it. There was, there- fore, only two courses to pursue, either to hand over the reins of (iovernment to the Opposition, or, to re-construct the Cabinet. The supporters of the Government decided upon the latter. Of late years a complete harmony of action and feeling had grown up between the moderate Conservatives and Reformers. All were anxious to form one great part)-, a middle common sense party, that would work together for the good of the country. Great satisfaction was therefore felt when Colonel Tache was sent for to form a new Ministry, and it was learned that Mr. Macdonald had yielded to the pressure of his friends and had agreed to assist him in the task. It was not to be expected that the change was to go unchallenged and, accordingly, a vote of want of confidence in the new Ministry was at once proposed. After a storm)' debate, which lasted several days, a vote was taken which resulted in the Government being sustained. During the rest of the session the Ministry were made the subject of many attacks, one of the greatest being on the seat of Government question. The House had delib- erately decided that Quebec should be the future capital and that the Ministry should provide the necessary funds Attacks on thk (ioviiKNMKNT. i^7 for build.n^rs. The sum of /."scooo w.-is accordin^rly placed in the estimates and when the item was reached the m<;st strenuous opposition was exhibited, many of those who had voted for Quebec, now opposin^r the money grant. The motion was, however, carried, but when the Supjily \\\\\ was sent to the Lcgishitive Council that body refused to concur and the Bill was sent back. The House of Assembly were! therefore, obliged to strike out the item and the Hill was then passed by the Council. The next day— July ist— the House was prorogued. ! -If rl H? I ■.. .• 1 f '. f!^i if i! t li .: ■ I C H A V T !•: R X I \'. Reform Ci)nvention, January, 1857 — I'rincipal I'lank-. of I'lailorm— Indignation of Lower Canada Reformers — Opening of session of 1857 — Seat of Ciovern- ment <^)uesiion — The (^)ueen petitioned to settle th-e (Question — Sir Edmund Head's Despatch — Prorogation — Sir E. I*. Tache appointed Comniisssoner of Crown Lands-Kesignation of Seat in Parliament by Sir Allan McNab — Sketch of his Life, IX the beginning of January, 1857, a Convention of tlie Clear Grit section of the Reform Party of Canada West was held in Toronto, lA which their platform was laid down. The principal planks were : /'V; .s7 / The wiping out of the dividing line between Upper and Lower Canada, representa- tion in Parliament to be based on population without an}- territorial distinction. Second : The assimilation of the local institutions of Upper and Lower Canada. Third: That Parliament should not legislate in matters of religion or appropriate the public money to sectarian uses. Fourth: That the national schools should be under one uniform system of superintendence and instruction, free from sectarianism and available to all classes and creeds on equal terms. Fifth: That the national prosperity would be best promoted by the adoption of a free trade policy ; the national debt should be liquidated, and the customs duties reduced and ultimately abolished. This manifesto did not meet with the approval of the Opposition in Lower Canada, the Montreal Herald declaring "That the whole thing was a slight and an insult, that the Lower Canada section had no sympathy with the plat- form movement and would not follow ; that, like previous platforms, it would probably end in smoke, and that it was not an evidence of real work, but only the tidgetting of politicians, unable to wait for the meeting of Parliament to give vent to their superfluous energies. Its effect must necessarily be to strengthen the Ministry." Nor was it any more pleasing to the moderate Reformers of Upper Canada, whose views were thus sharpl}- expressed by the Niagara Mail: "What is the matter? Do the performers of this . Dissatisfaction at Clear Grit Platidrm. 319 of lit list > ra lis % burlesque intend to make a solemn renunciation of their jjoliticai errors, and, like Falstaff, [)uri;e and live cleanly for the future? or have they onl>- put their principles in pickle for a time — and played moderation, in order to win over the public, who, they have found out, will not swallow their full len<^th programme? Twelve months ago the parties signing the above profession of faith were rampant for little less than a civil revolution. Elective Governor, elective magistrates, sheriffs, and other executive officers, a written Constitution, fixed parliamentary terms, universal suffrage, vote by ballot and dissolution of the Union were only a part of their demands, and now we have them coming out with a new programme, which leaves out all that has ever distinguished the Clear Grits from sensible people and adopted a platforin of such general and moderate pretensions, that the Toronto Colonist sajs they have stolen the two main principles of the Tory party and made them their own ! We must either conclude that the Clear Grits acknowledge they have been totally xvrong in their politics hitherto ; or else they arc playing a game to get support under false pretences. Either way the natural conclusion is, that while wc may carry out as far as we can, .some of the articles of their borrowed platform, the\- are not themselves safe and trusty men to be allowed to step into office with the likely chance of their hauling down their present moderation flag, and hoisting the 'death's head and cross bones," as soon as the}' feel strong enough to try the real issue between them.selvcs and the other Reformers of the l'ro\ince. On February 26th, Parliament assemblctl at Toronto, the Address in rei)ly to the Speech from the Throne being moveii by Mr. Benjamin, .seconded b\- Mr. Simard. On March 6th Mr. Macdonald gave notice of his intention to introduce a resolution asking an a[)propriation of /. 225.OCX1 for the erection of Parliament buiUiings, and for an Address to Her Majesty praying her to fix upon .some site as a permanent place for the meeting of the Legislature. Mr. Thibaudcau moved an amendment, .seconded by Mr. Simard, to the effect that it was inexpedient to discuss the ' lii wm IpMi I H \ i V (■ 320 TiiK Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. question of the permanency of the seat of Government during the present session, as that question was decided last session. This was negatived by a majority of twent)--one, the Assembly evidently concurring in the view expressed by Honourable Mr. Cartier, that the vote of last .session could not be regarded as an expression of the opinion of the Legislature, as many members, who voted for the proposition, refused to vote the appropriation for public buildings in that cit)', declaring that they had not been serious in voting to fix the seat of Govern- ment at Quebec ; that it was utterly impossible to get a sufficient majority in the Lower House to select any place permanently, and, even if that were [)robable, it would be impossible to obtain the consent of the other House. At the .same time it was admitted on all hands that the present .system could not be maintained, and that it was injurious to the country. After Mr. Thibaudeau's motion had been disposed of Mr. Dorin moved another amendment declaring that the reference of this question to the Home Government was at \ariancc with the principal of .self-government. He was in favour of the .selection of Montreal, and feared that if the main motion was carried, the question would be decided in favour of Upper Canada. Mr. George Brown was opposed to cither Quebec or Toronto, and preferred Kingston, but feared that the Queen might decide in favour of Montreal, which would be unaccept- able to Upper Canada, and would cause an agitation from one end of that Province to the other. The di.scussion lasted man)- days, and was taken part in by all the leading men of both sides. The long debate was finally brought to a close at 2 a. m. of Saturda)-, March 2i^t by the adoption of all the resolutions, the last vote, on Mr. Mas.son's motion in favour of Quebec, showing a majorit\- of one hundred against it. Three days later the concurrence of the As.sembly, by the respectable majority of sixteen, effectually established the wi.sdom of the movement. In the Legislative Council the motion was carried by a vote of 26 to 6. In order to afford the Home Government every opportunit\- of knowing the various views expressed, Mr. Macdonald X The Seat op Government Question. 321 promised to send to England copies of the resolutions and proceedings on the subject of the present and preceding sessions, and on March 27th a circular was issued from the Governor-General's office to the mayors of the various cities interested, inviting them to lay before Her Majesty a full and fair statement of the claims of their city, and to set forth the reasons why it should be selected as the future capital of Canada ; the answers to be sent to the Colonial-Secretary not later than July ist. In England the course of the Government met with approval, the Times declaring that " the Queen was called upon to discharge one of the most interesting and poetical duties of her station, the importance of which it was impossible to estimate, that before long it was probable that all liritish America would be under one Government, and, at the present rate of increase and improvement, b}' the end of another century, the population would be as numerous, as wealthy, and as advanced in all the arts of life as the mother countr)'." The article went on, " It is then, the metropolis of an empire, such as ours, that has to be selected. The occasion sends one back to the earliest origins, and to the grandest epochs of histor)' — to the tower of Belus, and the walls of Echatari, to Virgil's picture of infant Carthage, and Livys legend of }'oung Rome ; to Alexander laying out, with a line, the city which still bears his name and justifies his sagacity ; to Constantine founding, unwittingly, the scat of an anti-Christian empire, and Peter the Great driving piles into the mud of the Neva. The origin of cities, indeed, is generally wrapt in obscurity, and it is by the merest accident that they have become what they are. Even in our own time we have seen the seed of cities sown broad- cast over new continents, some to wither or languish, some to .shoot up into colossal proportions. In the memory of old men there was not an Englishman on the Australian continent, and within the life-time of school-boys there was no such place as [Melbourne, now a magnificent city. In the heart of the American continent the oldest inhabitant — a man abcnit fifty — finds himself surrounded by a vast cit)% and at the centre of an immense commerce. But probably there ne\er was an ai 1 i I Jt m 1 1 I 1 32: Thh Like or Sir John A. Macdonald. occasion when deliberate choice had to be made between several claimants, with all the results in view, and with the full knowledge that posterity would canvass the decision. Why should Rome, or Paris, or Madrid, or London be the capitals of great empires ? Had we now to choose our metropolis, how would Lancashire fight for the Mersey ; how loudly would Edinburgh proclaim the grandeur of Modern Athens, and Ireland her Atlantic site, her mild climate, her picturesque shores, and her vast harbours ! In almost every other instance the question is settled for us, and as each man pursues the path of his own advancement or ease, he unconsci- ously contributes to solve the grandest political and geographi- cal problems. But this large responsibility, this creation of history to come, which we are thus usually spared, is, in the present instance, thrown upon the Queen and her Ministers. They have to find or found a metropolis for British America." During the session many important measures were passed, amongst them being the Independence of Parliament Bill, the Civil Service Improvement Bill, the Ocean Steamers' Subsidy liill, the Lunatic Asylum Tax Repeal Bill, the Railway Accidents' Prevention Bill, the Lower Canada Judicature Bill, the St. Lawrence Light-house Bill, and the Decimal Currency Bill. In forwarding the addresses from the Legislative Council and Assembly, Lord Elgin conveyed his views in the following letter : Government House, Toronto, March 28, 1857. To THE Right Honourable H. Labouchere, et:j. : Sir, — I forward, with the present despatch, two Addresses to Her Most Gracious Majesty, of an unusual character. They are respec- tively from the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly, and the prayer of both is the same. The Address from the Legislative Assembly is founded on resolu- tions passed in Committee of the Whole House, which resolutions contain the additional assurance that the House resolves to appro- priate a sum not exceeding ;{"225,ooo for providing the necessary buildings and accommodation for the Government and Legislature at such place as Her Majesty may see fit to select. You are aware, sir, of the difficulty which in this colony has long surrounded the question of the seat of Government. After its removal jt'-^H — ^. ■int,r Her jpec- and 30I11- ions pro- sary e at long .-al Sir Edmund Head's Despatch. 323 from Kingston to Montreal in 1S43, certain circumstances caused the Legislature to adopt the migratory system, by which Parliament was to sit alternately four years at Toronto and four years at yuebec. The inconvenience of this arrangement has been strongly felt. It is attended by great expense, and by a periodical suspension of public business in every oiifice. At the same time, it is impossible to deny that it has done good; prejudices have been softened and mis- conceptions removed by it. In the last session, however, the Legislative Assembly asserted the necessity of a fixed seat of Government by a resolution of their own, and a vote was carried in favour of Quebec. When the question of providing money for the erection of the public buildings at Quebec came up, a clause appropriating ;^50,ooo for that purpose was struck out of the supplies by the Legislative Council, and the whole Supply Bill had to be introduced again in the Lower House. Practically, therefore, the main question at the connnencement of this session remained yet undecided. My own conviction was and is that the time has arrived when this matter ought to be definitely settled. To keep it open is to maintain in full flow a constant source of local bitterness and sectional animosity, which, by a little management can always be turned against the Government of the day. Nor is this the worst consequence of its unsettled condition. If the province of Canada is to remain one, it is essential that its seat of Government should be fixed and recognized by all. There can be no doubt that Her Majesty's prerogative enables her to summon Parliament wherever she may please, but Her Majesty, with a desire to meet the wishes of the people of Canada has, in practice, generally left the matter to be determined by those most immediately interested therein. It now appears to a majority of both branches of the Legislature that the (jiu stion is one not likely to be arranged satisfactorily by themselves. They do not, I conceive, by their present Addresses, in any way renounce or disclaim their own capacity for self government, nor do they, by referring this question to the Queen, intend to establish a principle in any way inconsistent with the free and unimpaired action of Parliamentary responsibility in the colony. The matter itself is one of exceptionable character. Noth- ing but this consideration, and a strong conviction that its speedy settlement is of the utmost impoitanco, would induce me to recom- mend that, so soon as money necessary for erecting the public buildings at the spot where Her Majesty may select shall have been placed at her disposal the prayer of these Addresses should be complied with. Under any circumstances, I apprehend that the Legislature and public iiffices will, in iSy), have to be removed again to Quebec, according to the present arrangement. What is asked of the Queen is to select a site at which in the meantime, fit and suitable buildings may be erected ill! I * i- :'» t' i; V I ! I * i!l^ i I ' ' i 1) i ^ 1 1 I ! i j ii i 1} fi 1 It i 1 1' t I;- 1 324 The LiiE oi' Sir John A. Macdonald. for the establishment of tlie permanent legislative capital of Canada. In order to lay fully before the Oiieen the claims of the several places which may be said to consider themselves entitled to selection as the seat of Government, I have caused a circular (of which a copy is annexed to this despatch) to be addressed by my secretary to the Mayor of each of these cities. I have asked each corporation to set fortli • .■ reasons in favour of their own city, and to forward such rea- . ons u. .he Secretary of State before July ist. In doing this I have, perhaps, presumed too much on the probability of Her Majesty com- plying with the request of the Legislative Council and Assembly. If so, I must entreat forgiveness, !)ut I have thought it important that no time should be lost. The question of course must be decided after call' '. M' r»rate consideration of the interests of the whole pro- vince, nn^ 01 ''osc of any particular city or place. It .>• 'Li'l f • >aently be improper to convey to the Qneen's advisers in England an) D^-^inion or adv':e in this matter, as on the part of the Executi ? r,cuncii ■ •;. • The whole reference is, as I have observed, 01 an except)' i( '!. ^r and if it were to be finally decided on the advice of pcsons, j'i>' o >iu are responsible to the Parliament of Canada, the great object of removing it beyond the cross-action of local politics and sectional jealousies, would be altogether frustrated. I annex to this despatch copies of the votes and proceedings of the Legislative Assembly relative to this matter, in this and the preceding session. This despatch has been shewn to the members of my Council and concurred in by them. With this observation I again submit my recommendation that Her Majesty may be advised to comply with the prayer of the Addresses now transmitted. I have, etc., (Signed) To this the following rcplj- was received : Edmund Head. Downing Street, Apyil 17, 1857. Sir, — I have to acknowledge your despatch, No. 49, of the 28th ultimo, forwarding Addresses from the Legislative Council and Assem- bly of Canada, praying that Her Majesty will be graciously pleased to exercise the royal prerogative by the selection of some place for the permanent scat of government in Canada. I understand the object of these Addresses to be the selection of some fitting place at which, under all ordinary circumstances, the Legislature of the province should henceforward be called together, and where the necessary public buildings may be provided for that purpose, as well as for the general administration of the affairs of Canada. I have to inform you, that Her Majesty, on the advice of her Ministers, and fully weighing Mr. Laijoucherk's Rkplv. 325 the importance of the reference thus iiuuie to Her Majesty by the Lcf^islative Council and Assembly of Canada, has been graciously pleased to comply with the prayer of these memorials. I shall await the further information which your despatch promises, and in particular the replies which may be received to the circulars which yon have addressed to the mayors of the several cities, before taking any further steps to initiate the necessary examination into the relative advantages of the places indicated, for the information of Her Majesty. I have, etc., (Signed) H. Lahouciii;kk. Parliamcr.t was prorogued June loth. Six days later an extra of the Canada Gazette announced that the Honourable Ktienne Paschal Tache had been appointed Commissi(Mier of Crown Lands. The apponitment was well received, Mr. Tache being a gentleman possessed of more than ordinary talents, cultivated and strengthened by active professicjnal and official experience. He had previously occupied several important posts under different Administrations the duties of which he had discharged with marked ability and unques- tionable integrity. Another important event was the resig- niition by Sir Allan McXab of his seat in Parliament, he being obliged to yield to the infirmities against which he had so long manfully battled. He issued his parting Address to the electors of the City of Hamilton on October 24th, giving as his reasons, that thir st.-itc of his health was such that he was unable longer to discharge his duties in Parlia- ment with justice to his constituents or satisfaction to himself, and therefore he felt that the time had arrived for him to retire from a position that it had been the pride of his life to enjoy. He was a gallant old man, and as leader of the Conservative Party, had enjoyed the esteem and resiject (jf his followers, all of whom joined in best wishes for his happiness and comfort in his retirement. Sir Allan McXab was born at Niagara in 1798. While still a school-boy he shouldered a musket and took part in the defence of Toronto, when it was attacked by the Americans. After the retreat to Kingston he was rated as a midshipman on board Sir James Yeo's ship and accom- panied the expedition to Sacketts Harbour, Genesee and U^* \-M ill .it Mm'! t' ^ii \ J ■■ < 326 Tfie Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. other places. FiiidiiiLj promotion ratlier slow he left the navy and joined the lOOth regiment, under Colonel Murray^ and was with them when they rcoccupied the Niagara I'Vonticr. For his conduct at the storming and taking of Fort Niagara he was rewarded with an ensigncy in the 49th regiment. He was at lilack Rock and Buffalo when they were stormed in retaliation for the destruction of Niagara a few months previous. He was with his regiment at the attack of I'lattsburg and had the honour of commanding the advanced guard at the Saranc Britlgc. At the reduction of the army in 1S17 he was placed on half pay and com- menced the study of the law, and during this time was employed as copying clerk and clerk of the journals in the Legislative Asscmbl)-. He was called to the bar in 1825 and commenced the practice of his profession in Hamilton, where he was very successful. He was first elected to Parliament in 1S29. When the Legislature of Upper Can- ada was extinguished by the Union Act, Sir Allan was Siieakcr. He was subsequently elected Speaker of the United Legislature. During the troubles of 1837-38 Sir x-\llan showed great zeal and efficienc\-, and the speedy termination of the troubles in Upper Canaila is credited to him. His services were duly ap[)reciated, not only in iiis native countr)' but by the Iinpcrial Government. He received the thanks of Her ]\L'ijesty, of Lord Seaton, of the two Parliaments of Can- ada (he being Speaker of the Lower I Ljuse) and also received the thanks of the Legislatures of the sister jjrovinces. He became Priine Minister in 1S54, and during his administra- tion the Clergy Reserves question was set at rest, the Reci- procity Act was passed, the Seigniorial Tenure difficulties were adjusted, and the Militia Act put in operation. He was a member of the Legislature for nine successive Parlia- ments, and was said to have never been absent from his place for a week, except during his last two sessions when illness confined him to his house. This illness was the cause of his retirement, and his constituents, while regretting to lose him as their representative, felt that he had taken the only course which a sense of duty to them as well as to himself, seemed to point out. CHAI'TKR XV. («S57-SS) Resignation of Colonel Tache — Formation of Macdonald-Cartier Government, Novemhcr 1857 — Review of work of preceding Ministeries — Dissolution of I'arliament — Kingston nomination — Ottawa selected as seat of government — Result of elections — Meeting of Parliament, February 1858— Vote on election of Speaker — Amendments to the Address — Speech of Honourable Attorney- (leneral Macdonald— Ministry beaten on seat of government question — Sus- tained on want of confidence motion — Resignation of Macdonald-Cartier Government — Remarks on course pursued. OX Xovcmbcr 20, 1857, it was announced that the Honourable Lt. -Colonel K, P. Tache had tendered his rcsit^nation, and that the Honourable J. A. Macdonald had been charged by His l^xcellencx', the Governor-General, with the task of reconstructiiii^ the Cabinet. A few days later the composition of the new Government was announced as follows : Attorney-General for Upper Canada antl Premier, Honour- able John A. Macilonald ; Inspector-General, Honourable W'm. Ca\'ley ; Postmaster-General, Honourable Robt. Spcncc ; Attorney-General for Lower Canada, Honourable Geori^e E. Cartier ; Receiver-General, Honourable J. C. Morrison ; Presi- dent of Council and Minister of Agriculture, Honourable P. M. Vankoui^hnct ; Commissioner of Crown Lands, Honour- able Louis \\ Sicotte ; Speaker Legislative Council, Honour- able X. V. Bel lean ; Chief Commissioner Public Works, Honourable Chas. Alleyn ; Provincial Secretary, Honour- able T. J. J. LoraiiL^rer. In the Upper Canada section, as will be seen, there was no change. Mr. Cartier, the Lower Canada leacler, retained the appointment held under Col. Tache. To Mr. Sicotte was assigned the Commissionershii) of Crown Lands. Mr. Alleyn succeeded Mr. Lemieu.x at the Board of Works. Mr. Loranger a.ssumed the Provincial Secretaryship, and Mr. Belleau followed the late Premier as Speaker of the Upper Chamber. The new arrangement was hailed as satisfactory. The 327 ■1 '•'■ii ... } At fp ! ( l! 1 i- -\ ^^tBSmu !^^l^S^^S » t7§ i Mm^mSu^ I M i fi 32'' 4 r 1 Hi 1^ . i ' I n i. ^1 I , h 1' I I* 1- '^ 330 TiiK LiTK OK Sir John A. Ma( donald. tUi 2 , Canadian section of the Ministry. They believed that the policy of the previous Government was satisfactory to the countrv* ; and, as they con- ceived no other policy could be successfully carried out, the\' came to the resolution to carry on any Government they might form, on that policy and no other. Under these cir- cumstances there was no necessity for making any change as regarded his colleagues from Upper Canada, if they were willing to act. They all agreed to resume office with himself. 22 T I II 1 1 , ' i:i!j! xV • i! H; Till:: Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. With respect tf) the Lower Canadian section of the Ministry, two offices had been rendered vacant by the retirement of Colonel Tache. As the House was aware, he had held, con- jointl)-, the offices of Commissioner of Crown Lands and Speaker of the Upper House. The resi<^nation of the I'rovincial Secretary rendered a third office vacant. Thus his honourable friend had the honour to reconstruct that section of the Cabinet. In doing so he thought proper to ask the aid the Honourable Commissioner of Crown Lands, (Mr. L. V. Sicotte), and he thought the House would agree with him that he had acted wisely in doing so. The Government was formed and every person joining it had done so with a desire to carry out the principles of the late Government and to throw aside all personal considerations. "The honourable member for Toronto (Mr. Brown), had asked for an explanation of the reasons for the dissolution. The reason was obvious, and must have struck the mind of every honourable gentleman, , He thought it did not lie in the mouth of the honourable gentleman to object to a dissolution. For it must be remembered that the honour- able gentleman agitated the country the year before to cause a dissolution ; that he got up addresses to the Governor- General declaring that the Ministry had forfeited the confi- dence of the people, and demanding an appeal to the country. It did not rest with the honourable gentleman, therefore, to say that they were wrong in dissolving. The Ministry had established a position before the people and the House. They had had a succession of triumphs, and the Opposition had had a succession of defeats. No better time could have been chosen for a dissolution. A change of Ministry had taken place and there was no agitation going on. Of course there was excitement enough afterwards, got up for the nonce by the honourable member for Toronto. (Laughter.) These, shortly, were the explanations which he had to give respecting the formation of the present Government." Having at much length defended the action of the Government on the Clergy Reserve question, the Seigniorial Tenure question, and the Legislative Council question, Mr. Macdonakl ])rocccdcd to defend his policy in the formation of his (jovcrnmcnt. He said "that, after the chssolution of ParUament, the Gov- ernment, of whicli he was then the unworthy IVincipal, met a heavy blow and deep discoura * •'I j . I " * i 11 I ;i: I 1 a >'■ ( I: I I i: lilH™ 342 Thk Lifk ok Sir John A. Macdonai.d. by distinct evidence. Where was that evidence ? Me declared most solemnly that not one sinjjlc farthin<^ had been either promised or ^iven to secure the return of his honourable col- league. (Hear, hear). In his elaborate speech the other evening, it had been stated by the hoiKjurable member for Toronto, that this cry had only been raised in three constitu- encies and by Ministerial candidates. Hut that honourable member was subsequently forced to admit that there had been a ' no popery' cry raised all through the countrj-, and that he would raise it again. (Hear, hear, from Mr. Hrown). It hatl also been asserted by that honourable member that the question of representation by population had been the main one in Western Canada. But he (the Attorney-General) would maintain that such was not the case. (Hear). West of Cobourg there was some little feeling in favour of the principle, but east of Kingston the people were, as a bodw opposed to it. And, although this question was presented to the western portion of Upper Canada and was popular in some constituencies — from local causes — from some of the counties being very large or from paramount influence, the question of defeat or elect on in Upper Canada was deter- mined by the 'no popery' cry. (Hear, hear). The cry on which the honourable member for Toronto himself was elected, was not representation by population but it was a cry against the Pope, nunneries and ecclesiastical corporations. (Hear, hear. No, no). The question of representation by population had no more to do with it than it had with affairs in Kamschatka." (Hear and laughter). Mr. Brown — " What I said was, that the great questions deciding the elections of Upper Canada, and of Toronto also, were first, representation by population, next the school ques- tion and other sectarian questions." Honourable Attorney-General Macdonald — " To show the incorrectness of the honourable member's statement, it is but necessary to mention that it so happened that both Mr. Robinson and Mr. Boulton who also ran for the city, were as much in favour of representation by population as that hon- ourable gentleman was himself. How then could that have ^.TflBlnyU.'- The No I'oi'i-.kv Ckv, 343 been the question tlecidinj^ the election ? The real question was sufficiently patent from one of the [)lacards put out by that honourable member. It contained lan<;ua^c which should make that honourable member blush, and sentiments almost diabolical. (Hear). He would read it. This placard was headed ' To the Orani^cmen of Toronto,' and went on to state that the hirelinj^ city orj^ans of the priest-ridden Minis- try, driven to desperation by the noble stand taken by Protestants, had raked up everything bad a<;ainst Mr. Hrown. The placard continued — ' What did Mr. Hrown ilo when in Quebec, .surrounded by men thirsting to bathe their hands in his blood. Regardless of his personal safety and the army of priests crowding the galleries of the House of Assembly, he nobly denounced the murderers.' " Mr. Brown — " I do not think the honourable member has a right to come down to that House and assert that I had written and published such a placard, when I had not the slightest idea that it was either written or published, and, in fact, never saw it." Honourable Attorney-General Macdonald — " W^ell, at all events, the placard was posted all round Toronto and the honourable member had assented to it. And was there not evidence of the ' no popery ' cry in that placard ? Perhaps Captain Moodic or John Holland had prepared it. But did the honourable member mean to say that it was just ? Did he mean to assert that the galleries had been crammed with priests and that he was surrounded by men thirsting to bathe their hands in his blood ? (Hear, hear and laughter). It had been said by the member for North VVcntworth (Mr, Notman) that the ' no popery' cry had not been raised in his constitu- ency. Now he (the Attorney-General) would say that if there was one place in Canada where e\cn the trees were eloquent with that cry, it was North VVcntworth. (Hear). During the honourable member's canvas did he ever make a speech with- out enquiring, at the very outset, why it was that all the Roman Catholics voted against him?" Mr. Brown—" Of course." Honourable Attorney-General Macdonald — " And yet he :\ J .( i ! .■ 344 'i'"' lAVE OK Sir John A. Macdonald. I !• says he never heard the ' no popery' cry. (Lauj^hterj The honourable member for Victoria (Mr. J. Cameron) ccjuld al.so testify that this cry had been raised by the honourable mem- ber for Toronto (Mr. lirown). (Hear). At first the G7ode was favourable to his (Mr. Cameron's) return on independent prin- ciples, but when three or four other persons came out, and the honourable member for Toronto saw a chance of running a candidate of his own, he chani^ed his tactics, ^ot up the ' no popery' cry, and said the present representative was the nominee of the priests. (Hear, hear). A relative of the mem- ber for Victoria (Mr. Hector Cameron) meeting Mr. Jirown, told him that he had just returned from Victoria, and that the statements respecting the present member were unfounded, yet day after day these charges were repeated." Mr. Brown — "It was that a bargain had been made between the priests and Mr. Cameron, and that he suited them on the school question, but afterwards the statement was understood to be incorrect." (Laughter). Honourable Attorney-General Macdonald — " The honour- able member ought not to ha\e published it in his newspaper without, at all events, first ascertaining whether it were true or not. But not only was this done, but it was {)lacardcd all over the county, ' Vote against Cameron the nominee of the Catholic clergy.' (Laughter). N(mv the truth was that the Catholics, as a body, voted against Mr. Cameron." Mr. Cameron — "All the Roman Catholics voted against me, with the exception of two or three who were my personal friends." (Hear). Mr. Brown — " I believe that there has been an 'ntii mistake. The member for Victoria would admit that they were all under the impression that the .gam alluded to had been made." (Laughter). Honourable Attorne}'-Gencral Macdonald— "This show how the members of the Ministry were defeated. (Hear). These were the attempts made to injure the Administration and its supporters. A squib containing all kinds of nonsense against Orangemen, having been published in the Catholic Citizen, placards of it were at once sent up to North Went- TnK Victoria Election. 345 m 1 1' worth and stuck in every tree there, appeahii^' to the Protes- tants to say whether they 'could conscientiously vote for Spence the miserable tool of the popish priesthood.' (Hear). In like manner was this cry raised in every county of Upper Canada. (Hear). It was raised a^^ainst the member for North Hastings (.Mr. Henjamin) and Mr. O. R. (jowan, both of whom had been ^'rand masters of the Oran^^e society and and of whose Protestantism there could not be a doubt. (Hear). \'ct the honourable member for Toronto had the hardihood to assert that it had only been raised in three con- stituencies where Conservatives had been returned. (Hear). The cry had been <;ot up in the counties of every member west of Kin^st(jn."' (Hear). Mr. William Lyon Mackenzie — "Not in mine (lau^fhtcr). I stated that I was opposed to this Oranj^e system, because I believed it a means of discord, and would not agree to any f)ne denomination receiving privileges over the other." Honourable Attoniey-Cieneral Macdoiiakl— " That ac- counts for the honourable member not having got a majority of \otes for the whole count)'. (Laughter). And if the honourable member had displayed a more obsequious spirit than he usually does, towards his lionourable colleague from Toronto, he might have been quite certain of having the religious cry in his county also, (Laughter). Lvery tree in Haldimand would have been placarded. (Renewed laughter). The House had heard the lionourable member for Lambton, (Honourable Malcolm Cameron) state that he had been called anti-Christ. (Hear). He (the Attcjrncy-General; wondered if the honourable member for Toronto ever heard of such a newspaper as the Howmanville Statesvian, or such a writer for that paper as the Rev. Mr. Climie. (Laughter). That person was reported to be the bosom friend of the honourable member for Toronto. And here is the style of writing — almost blasphemous — adopted by that person : ' Those electors who fear God, and desire to put the present Govern- ment out, and get those in who are right-hearted men, will vote for Henry Munro, Esq.' (Loud laughter). And ne.xt follow the prayers of the reverend right-hand man of the H Mi:- A li % •ill ■llilli II : r ^: 346 Thk lAhE OF Sir John A. Macdonald. m !:H \'\ honourable member for Toronto : ' VVc trust that every man will, on his bended knees, seek the divine aid to elect Mr. Munroe. (Loud laughter). Let no man wait for a leader to call for him ; every man must feel that he is an officer, that the work is his own, under God ; and let every woman pray, and rouse up any husband or on (renewed laughter), who may be luke-warm, and the victory is certain.' (Laughter). Well ! the prayers of the righteous are said to avail much. The boon was granted, and the gentleman thus interceded for represents the county. Agc.'.i, this ' no Popery ' cry had been raised i.n the Postmaster-General's county, when the honourable member for Toronto brought out a gentleman of Catholic connection. Me would quote another article from a local newspaper which contained th-, se words: 'Let every man and every woman work, and look to Heaven for help ' (great laughter) ; but, for some reason or other, the principles of the Opposition were not so successful. But, to further show the inconsistency of the honourable gentleman opposite, di-^ he not advocate the return of Catholics as against Protestants in more than one instance? (Hear). He had almost forgotten to mention that one honourable gentleman who had disclaimed all connection with the ' no Popery ' cry had, at least, profited by it, for he could not fail to see on every tree and stump throughout South Ontario, ' vote for the Queen and Mowat, and not for the Pope and Morrison.' (Renewed laughter). After all this it must be admitted that the elections in Upper Canada had, to a very great extent, been influenced by the ' no Popery ' howl. (Hear, hear;. " Alter the very lucid manner in which the Honourable Commissioner of Crown Lands had expressed himself on the subject of representation by population, he (the Attorney- General) need say nothing more on that subject than to allude to the censure cast by gentlemen opposite on his honourable friend, the member for V^ictoria, for putting on thi. paper a motion concerning that subject. That question was not taken up by gentlemen of the Opposition in the manner that it ought to be, and considered calmly and quietly. Why was it moved in amendment to the Address ? It was said that this course Representation hy Population. 347 was adopted, because the honourable members were afraid that it would have been burked if broutjht up during the session. But he could not think this the correct reas n, for were it so, an amendment relating to the school question would also have been moved, since that was another of the subjects which, it was said, had convulsed the country (Hear). He would ask why the honourable member for South Ontario (Mr. Oliver Mowat) had not moved an amendment concerning Separate Schools ? Why had he not done this instead of manifesting his fears that we should lose control of the lands all the way between this and the North Pole? (Hear, and laughter). No ! the question had been used, and was reserved again to be used for party purposes — to be made a sort of political engin^' for the benefit of the leader of the Opposition. It was almost the only question left for that gentleman to agitate. His stock in trade had been much diminished of late years. The settlement of the Clergy Reserves had almost ruined him. He did not like that settlement, although every municipality in Canada had, in reality, been grateful for that settlement ! He (the Attorney-General) repeated, that party expediency had been the only reason why some questions had been brought up as amendments, and others had not been brought up. It had been sought artfully to introduce divi- sion into the ranks of the Ministerialists, atul by moving the amendment concerning the ad valorem duty, it had been thought possible to even place one of the Ministry (Solicitor-General Rose), in a false position before his constitu- ents. (Hear). He was glad, therefore, that his honourable friend, the member for Victoria, had sought to rescue the ques- tion of representation from the hands of those who matle a base use of it, and had put a notice on the paper concerning it, so that it should receive a fair and calm discussion upon its merits. It had not been so treated by the leader of the Opposition, as would be found on tlie division, when not a single Lower Canadian vote would be given for it. (Hear). There had been no desire so to treat it, for, at the ne.x' elec- tion, if the 'no popery' horse would not ride, perhaps ' representation by population ' would be prominently trotted I I i!i ;' (! ii •1. ■■ IPi: >l ''^ Mil 1 1: • vi^^V' 34« The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. out. He would ask whether British statesmen, when they wished to do away with the slave trade, had treated that question in the same way as the honourable gentlemen opposite now treated the representation question ? Did they bring it up as an amendment to the Speech from the Throne ? No ! they kept it out of the political arena ; they laid infor- mation before the people ; they worked with statesmen of all parties, gaining what they could from each successive Admin- istration, until the public mind became imbued with correct ideas concerning it, and it was carried as a national, by no means as a party question. (Cheers). Again, the attempt to 'Alter the criminal law of England, a law so severe that it was said to be written in blood, was not made by a mere political party. Those who wanted a reform in the law got what they could from a Conservative Government, then again, a little more from a Whig Government, until they had accomplished their ends. (Hear). So Canadians should do who wished to amend the representation of the people in Parliament, and, if the advocates of representation by population were strong enough to bring it up in the House fairly, there could be no cause for fear that the previous question would be moved, for, if they could carry this point, they could defeat the moving of the previous question. (Hear.) " One honourable gentleman had charged the Government with all kinds of corruption. Now, he could not find that any one charged the members of the Government with personal corruption, with using their offices improperly for the sake of ' feathering their own nests.' Then what was meant by cor- ruption ? One member had made allusion to an attempt to bribe the county of Peterborough with a grant of ^25,000 for railway purposes. Now the facts were that the township of Wolfrcd, Lanark county, had previously applied for deben- tures, under the Municipal Loan Fund Act, to the amount of ;^2 5,000, had received but not issued them. A transfer of these debentures had lately been effected from the township of Wolfred to the town — not the county— of Peterborough. The Government had nothing to do with this but to sanction the transfer, which they were not unwilling to do, as it was Separate Schools. 349 from a heavily burdened municipality to one which had not a farthing of debt. The Government had no right to refuse the sanction which they gave. (Hear, hear). He appealed to the honourable member for Victoria to say if that were not the case." Mr. John Cameron confirmed the statement. Honourable Attorney-General Macdonald — "Another of the charges brought against the Government deserved com- ment. It had been alleged that they had attempted to destroy the Common School system by the Separate School clause. But he would call attention to the fact that the present Government were not responsible for the establishment of Sep- arate Schools. The clause permitting their establishment had been enacted long before the present or previous Government came into office. (Hear). The honourable member for Tor- onto was himself responsible for that clause. It was introduced by the Baldwin Administration, of which the honourable member had been a strong supporter." Mr. Brown — "The honourable gentleman ought to state that he (Mr. B.) was strongly opposed to it; wrote and lobbied against it, and went into opposition immediately after its enactment." Honourable Attorney-General Macdonald — "Butthehoii' ourable gentleman should remember that he had distinctly stated in the Globe that he assumed the fullest responsibility for all the acts of that Government. (Hear, hear). When the present Government came into office they found the Separate School system initiated ; and found it favoured by the Roman Catholics and a sccticMi of the Churcn of England ; and, so far from tending to destroy the Common School system, this clause, on the contrary, widened and strengthened its basis. This was clearl)- testified to by the able and efficient Superin- tendent of Education in Upper Canada. Perhaps the honour- able gentlemen who said that public moneys were expended for the support of Roman Catholicism were not aware that not a single farthing was, in fact, expended for that purpose. We have a variety of educational institutions where, amcMigst those of other creeds, Roinan Catholics receive instruction ; II ; ■ \ iff ill I J if I ' ill Ul I i.l 350 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. ) I I ■;! t\' all of which enjoy the support of the Government ; but no money is given to support Roman Catholicism, as such." "It had been asserted that the Government used their patronage unfairly. Now he had no hesitation in saying that, when two men applied for an office in the gift of the Govern- ment, one of whom was a political friend, and the other a political foe, if their qualifications were equal, he always pre- ferred the friend to the foe, and he always meant to do so. (Hear, hear.) But that could not be called corruption. Why, had not the Gpvcrnment; of which he was a member, intro- duced and passed the Civil Service Bill, which deprived them of much of their power of patronage by compelling every one to undergo an examination before being admitted into the Government ^»ervice, allowed no one to be dismissed unless for dereliction of duty, and permitted none to be unduly advanced, whatever his political opinions might be. " He would ask the House to look back at the legislation of the last Government. They found the country and the House convulsed by quarrels concerning the Clergy Reserves and the Seigniorial Tenure. They had settled these quarrels. They found the Grand Trunk Railway, for which they were not responsible, lying unfinished and helpless, stopped at Toronto, and valueless. They had to assufme the responsibility of carrying on the work to its completion. Had they been con- tent to sit idle and draw their salaries, they might have gained easy popularity by denouncing the Grand Trunk as a ' gigan- tic swindle.' But, instead of this, they had risen superior to the emergency, and seeing that the province was committed to the work, had shouldered the responsibility, and had now the satisfaction of seeing the road approaching completion. (Hear). Now if the most , ?judiced person, seeing that the road had increased the value of every acre of land from $5 to /'5, were asked whether he would rather have the ;f 3,2*^ L ] I ! i I i;r III 352 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. unacceptable to a large majority of the Canadian people. The motion was, however, ruled out of order ; upon which Mr. Dunkin moved an address to the Queen, asking Her Majesty to reconsider the decision formerly made and to name Montreal in lieu of Ottawa. Mr. Brown moved in amendment "That an humble address be presented to His Excellency praying that no action be taken towards the erection of public buildings in Ottawa for the permanent accommodation of the Executive Government and Legislature or for the removal of the public departments to that cit\'. " Mr. Piche then moved in amendment to the amendment, " That it is the opinion of this House that the City of Ottawa ought not to be the permanent seat of Government for the Province." At the termination of a long debate the vote was taken on this last motion with the following result — yeas 64 ; nays 50. Upon the decision being announced, Mr. Brown, feeling flushed with victory, rashly claimed the result as an express declaration on the part of the House of its dissatisfaction with the whole policy of the Government and imprudently invited the House to back him up in this assertion, by moving a direct vote of want of confidence. He declared that, if Ministers were willing to accept the test, he would move the adjournment of the House, with the understanding that all who voted in the affirmative were to be considered as record- ing their opinions against the Government and those who voted in favour of non-adjournment as expressing their con- fidence in the administration. Honourable John A. Mac- donald at once arose and, on the part of himself and his colleagues, accepted the challenge thrown down. He declared his willingness to make his retention of office dependent on the vote about to be given. If a hostile majority appeared, he would consider the administration of the affairs of the country taken out of his hands. The vote was recorded amidst much excitement and resulted in Mr. Brown's resolu- lution being rejected by 61 yeas to 50 nays. It was thus clearly demonstrated that the general policy of the Gov- ernment was in harmony with the views of the House, Resignation op^ the Government. 353 and that many former supporters had voted against them on the seat of government question without meaning to express dissatisfaction with the Administration. This Mr. Brown failed to rcaUze and, in endeavouring to crush what he believed to be, his thoroughly beaten opponents, drew upon himself a sharp and unmistakeable rebuff. The next morning Mr. Macdonald rose in his place in the House and announced that " in consequence of the carrying of Mr. riche's resolution on the previous night, the Government had deemed i' their duty to tender their resignations to His Excellency; the resignations had been acce[)tcd and the members of the Administration only held office until their successors were appointed. The Government consiiicrcd that, with respect to the seat of government, the law of the land was, that Her Majesty having exercised her prerogative at the request of the Provincial Legislature, the Government had but one course to take, namely, to carry out the law as it stood. No Government in a similar position could avoid taking a like course. The vote of the House, on the motion of the honour- able member for Berthicr, was that the law should not be carried out. It was, moreover, a bare statement that the prerogative of Her Majesty had been unwisely exercised, and that, in short, she had chosen the wrong place. The motion did not even ask her to reconsider her choice, it did not so much as assign a reason why that choice was erroneous ; it simply said, in a maimer which was an act of discourtesy and rudeness towards Her Majesty, that Her Majesty was wrong. Besides this, there was another consideration. The House had declared that Her Majesty's decision should not be carried out, so that their future course should be guided by that vote. The law had declared that Ottawa was to be the seat of Government and the House had declared differently. The Ministry must, therefore, either commit a breach of the law, or go against the unmistakeable majority of the House. Many honourable members, who usually supported the Government, acted differently last night, took a view strongly in opposition to Her Majesty's selection, although no other place more fit to be the seat of Government had in any way ;«4 if •■ 'I ' i I u \ ■ i ,\i i i!* \ ll' , 354 TnK Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. *r , ! , ifi ' i been pointed out. They (the Mini.str\-) had therefore no other course left but to resij^n. With these explanations he moved that the House adjourn until three o'clock on the following day." There can be no doubt but that Mr. Macdonald and the members of his Government did the proper thing in so decidedly expressing their feelings at the gross disrespect shown to the Queen, and it is quite clear that they might have retained the reins of power had they chosen so to do. Upon sound constituti()nal principles they were not called upon to give them up. The last vote taken in the House, previous to the resignation, was one of confidence. It was carried by a majority of eleven, which, in a full House would, probably, have been twentw There was nothing to prevent them from holding office and conducting the affairs of the country until the end of the session. They had a fair working majority. But they felt that they could, not, with honour, overlook the vote that had been given. They felt, as every loyal man must have felt, that a most discourteous act had been committed towards the Sovereign. They felt, as Mr. Drummond expressed it, that a gross insult had been offered to the Queen. And by whom ? By the Clear Grit opposition, with Mr. Brown at their head, who availed themselves of the votes of a few French-Canadian members to offer an indignity to Her Majesty and the Imperial authorities, and thus secure a a vote adverse to the Administration. The whole question, in a nutshell, was this : The two Houses of Parliament finding it impossible to secure a majority in favour of any one city, presented addresses to the Throne, humbly requesting Her Majesty to exercise the royal prerogative in fi.xing the locality for the seat of government. These addresses were carried by large majorities. They were submitted to the Sovereign. She graciously accepted the task, and after mature delibera- tion, counselled by her Imperial advisers, without any inter- vention on the part of her Colonial Ministers, selected the city of Ottawa. More than that, an appropriation of ;^225,cxx) was made by the House for the erection of parliament build- ings at the place that might be fixed upon, before Her 3t:a ling :ity, [cr dity by Mgn. |)cra- iter- jcity ,000 ild- iHer Revif.w of the Course Pursued. 355 Majesty's decision was known. This settlement was regarded by Parliament as final, and under those circumstances, no Ministry could help maintaining and carrying out the decision which had been come to. Now, what was the motion of Mr. Pichc which was carried by the vote of the House ? It was, that in the opinion of the House, Ottawa should not be the seat of government. It was saying, in effect, " we commis- sioned your Majesty by a solemn and deliberative vote of this House to fix the seat of Government by the exercise of the prerogative, and you have chosen the wrong place ; you have arbitrated for us in a matter which we voluntarily submitted to you, binding ourselves, in honour and duty, to abide by your decision, and we affirm by a vote of this House that you should not have selected Ottawa and we will not abide by your decision." It would hardly be possible to hurl a niOic deliberate and barefaced insult at the Queen and her Imperial Ministry than this. There was no request that Her Majesty would be graciously pleased to reconsider her verdict, but simply and plainly an uncourteous vote of censure upon the Sovereign and her advisers. And for what ? For doing what Parliament had solemnl)- asked her to perform. Under the circumstances the course pursued by the Government was the dignified and proper one. They need not have resigned, but by doing so they emphasized, in an unmistakeable manner, their sense of the rude and discourteous, not to say disloyal, vote passed by the House. By their action they retained their own self respect and secured the respect of all loyal and well thinking men. ' > 1I) '{ m'^ ill li " llil II i! I f-f . 1 i ■j lit! ^i 1 , t. jl ■ I i. i !'^'' V*" C H A I' T K R XVI. 1^1%— (Continued). Formation of Brown-Dorion Administration, August, 1858 — The GM>f on Minis- terial I'olicy — Mr. Patrick's announcement of names — Mr. Langevin's want of confidence motion — Mr. Sicotte's Precedents for Motion — Mr. Gait's Speech — Mr. Morin on Attorney-General Drummond's Course — Mr. Malcolm Cameron's attack on Ministry — The Government defeated — Mr. Brown a.sks for Dissolution and is refused — Resignation of Brown-Dorion Administration — Correspondence of Mr. Brown with the Governor-tieneral — Attack of Mr. McGee on His Excellency — Reply of Mr. MacdtinaUl — Mr. Drummond's previous opinion of Mr. Brown — Mr. Brown's previous treatment of his other Colleagues, AFTER the resignation of the Ministry Mr. George Brown was .sent for, to advise His Excellency as to the forma- tion of a new Government, and succeeded in forming an Administration constituted as follows : Inspector-General, Mr. George Brown ; Attorney-General West, Mr. J. S. Macdonald ; Speaker Legislative Council, Mr. James Morris; Provincial Secretary, Mr. Oliver Mowat ; Postmaster-General, Mr. Foley ; Attoriicy-Gcneral East, Mr. Drummond ; Receiver-General, Mr. Lemicux ; Bureau Agri- culture, Mr. Thibaudeau ; Crown Lands, Mr. A. A. Dorion ; Public Works, Mr. L. H. Holton ; Solicitor-General West, Dr. Connor ; Solicitor-General East, Mr. Laberge. This Government, brought into existence in such an unpleasant and undesirable manner, had scarcely commenced to live before it died, strangled by the votes of both Houses, in harmony with, and in obedience to the unmistakcable voice of an indignant country. The utterances of the Globe, the property of, and published by, the Premier, were accepted as official notifications of the policy and intentions of the Govern- ment. In the issues of July 31st, and August 2nd, we find these words : " All that the incoming Ministry will ask from the representatives of the people, whether from Upper or Lower Canada, is a fair examination of their policy, and a calm and considerate verdict upon it We are convinced that they will receive this from the present House ; that it will not be necessary again to appeal to the people in order to 356 TiiK "Glohk's" Ministkrial Announckment. 357 obtain a hearing;." (July 3l.st). "The Cabinet will be submit- ted to Parliament this afternoon, complete ; and we arc confident that the men of whom it will be found to be composed will command a dej^ree of favour rarely accorded to new political combinations. The aim of those who assume the administration of public affairs will be to brin^ together, in harmonious action, the various elements of popular strength, and to justify public confidence by the enunciation of a policy calculated to meet and to settle the delicate and important questions which now enter largely into the politics of the Province. . . . The ill-disguised spleen with which the prospect of a comprehensive policy is contemplated, etc., indicates more forcibly than words the mortification of some, at least, of those who affect to be actuated b}' a special devotion to the decision of the Queen. . . . The aim of the new Government will not be liable to the accusation of evasiveness. Its purposes will not admit of doubt or misconception. They may not please everybody, but, at any rate, we are sure they will be broad and intelligible, and, being so, will furnish ample opi)ortunities for free and open encounter. A policy shall be offered for the consideration of the Legislature and the country, and we speak the sentiments of our party, rather than of any individual, when we say, that by that policy the new Government will stand or fall. . . . We believe, indeed, that in Parliament, constituted as it is, any attempt to fritter away the public time, or to peril the peaceful relations of the two sections of the Province for the sake of narrow personal ambition, will be promptly and decisively frowned down." (August 2nd). After such a parade of good motives, of an intention to enunciate a policy for the consideration of the Legislature that would justify public confidence, about which there would be no evasiveness, which would not admit of doubt or mis- conception, and by which the Government would stand or fall, it was confidently anticipated that the announcement of the names of the new Cabinet to the Hou.se would be accompanied by an explicit statement of policy. It was, therefore, with surprise and inditrnation that Mr. Patrick was , 'J :i' li 'If 35^ TiiK Life oi' Sik John A. Macdonai.d. I ai listened to when, on the afternoon of August 2ncl, he ^^ave the names of the new Ministers and informed the Mouse that he was instructed to say that the Government would announce their policy as soon as they occupied their seats again, and in the meantime it was their wish that the necessary business of the country should be closed and Parlia- ment prorogued at the earliest possible day. The Govern- ment had had no time, as yet, to consider the public measures before the House which it might be necessary to pass, but he h(jped the following day to be in a position to make known their views. This was all he was authorized to state officially. Personally, he could say that he had no doubt that the announcement would be most grateful to the country at large (ironical cheers) as it was to their friends and sup- porters in the House. Mr. Ikireau, seconded by Mr. Piche, moved " that a writ be issued for the election of one member for Montreal in the room of A. A. Dorion, Esq., who has accepted the position of the Commissioner of Crown Lands." Mr. Langevin, seconded by Mr. Robinson, moved in amendment that the resolution be amended by adding thereto the following words : — " That this House, while ordering said writ, must, at the .same time, declare that the Administration, the formation of which has created the vacancy, does not possess the confidence of this House and the country." (Loud cheers). He said he had refrained from proposing the motion until now — expecting .some explanation from the honourable members who represented here the Administration just formed. If they had informed the House of their policy — if they had declared their principles, he might, perhaps, have done other- wise, but here were to be elections without issues, and mem- bers of one Administration succeeding those of another with- out making any explanation of any kind. In this case the House would be neglecting what was due to itself and the country, if it did not express its opinion on the merits of the new Government. Here was a crisis of an important nature. It was especially important as it would show to the country what was the morality of our public men (hear) and •^MwtC Mk. Langevin's Motion. 359 let the j)C(jplc know whether representatives came to I'arha- meiit to carry out the views of their electors, to fultil tlieir promises, to vote accordinj^ to principle, or to obtaii\ seats on the treasury benches and for that alone. (Hear, hear). For the members of this House should rei)resent the people — else why the perpetual outcry which had been recent!)' heard from the Opposition benches — Opposition no longer. Upper Canada should know whether the members of the new Administration were deserting' those principles which they had said were of vital importance to her. Lower Can- ada should know whether any (vas altogether an i.misual one. In the constitutional history of JMigland he saw n(» case such as this, of an honcmrablc member rising to nio\ e a xole of want of con- fulence immediatel)' on the formation of an Administration, and cited a case in which Sir Rcjbert Peel opposed tliscussion uiuler similar circumstances. Honourable Mr. .Sicotte replied In- rcnn'nding Mr. Cuichon Mr. SrcoTTK's Views. 361 that one of the most inipf)rtatit ))rincl])lcs of constitutional law was, that the Administration of the countn- should possess the confidence of the House. lie would refer to the cele- brated precedent of 1 832 in the case of the Reform IV\\\. (Hear). When, on that occasion, the Administration of l£arl Grey resigned, the first step of the House was to move an Address to llis Majestj' e.\'])ressivc of dc-cp rci^ret at the chant^e protluccd by the retirement of the Ministers, in whom the House continued to possess unabated confidence. That Address was [^resented to the KinL,^ on Maj' lolh, and remained unanswered until May l.Sth, when answer was returned that the late Administration had been recalled to the councils of the country. (Hear, hear). In j)rccedents of the House of ("ommons honourable members would also find that one of those thini^s in which it was most sensiti\'e was, that the House should, at all times, be able to e.vpress an opinion on the advisers of the Crown. (Hc-ar). .And wh\' ? I^ecause if that rij^ht were not exercised, the part\' in power could liave the House dissolved at any time, and thus prevent the of)inion of the House from bcinLj- expressed. Mr. (jait said "that if the molio'i was unusual, it should be borne ir. mind that the circumstances whi',.. ^^'ive rise to it were unusual. (Hear). He believed there never was a case in which lionourablc ^entl(Mnen accepting office were ncjt pre- pared to state their polic}'. Yet, in this instance, s "h was the course proposed to be taken b\' the Administration. Had the}' been prepared to .«t.ite their policy, they would have been fairl\- entitled to ask th.c- Hou.se to wait. (Hear), liut when they merely tell tlic House, in a few curt words, that members must \\ait until tlr- .Administr.itioii were in their seats before any intimation of their policy woukl be ^n'ver., he would say that it wa^ a most unusual course, and one which justified the House in forming', an opinion on these j^ren'lemeti fn in their antecedents. ^Ch'.-ers). Now that no si .tement had been volunteered by the Atlministratioii, he was bound to believe that they w()uld adhere to their principles ; and when he looked at the construction of tlie new Adr.inistration. he felt bound to sa\- that he could not see how the\- could rec jn- H^ iii: : n^^ ^'n^' w^ m ! ■ 1 11 II i 1 iff 1 ! ■ 4 362 The Lifk of Sir John A. MAcnoNAi.n. :ilc their differences. On the seat of government question he could not see how the Premier, who had strongly advocated alternate Parliaments, could associate with the Attorney-Gen- eral East (Mr. DrummonQ),vvho had strongly declared himself in favour of a permanent seat of government and was pledged >o carry out Her Majesty's decision. (Hear, hear). Again, how could the Premier associate with the honourable member for Montreal (Mr. Dorion), who was, equally with the Attor- ney-General East, committed in favour of a permanent seat of government. (Hear). And, in relation to this question, he would say that, when one Administration was displaced on it, the House was entitled to have some cxi)lan;iti()n on that point from honourable gentlemen taking the places (>f those who had resigned. (Hear, hear.) In regard to the question of ' representation by population,' it was perfectly well under- stood to be one on which the Ministry differed. On the question of the ' double majorit),' the gentlemen of the Administration had differed widely on the floor of the House. (Hear). Having followed so many different ways in these and other imjKjrtant public questions, it was strange to see honour- able members in the Administration bearing their present relation to each other." Mr. Moriii, who spoke principally in l'"rcncb, alluded to points on which he had differei! with the late Government, and said "that though he had thus disagreed with them they had, at least, fallen noblv. It would ha\ been nrong for the Government to ha\e consented not to carry out the Queen's decision ; anti he knew that the late Ministers did not 1 egret there position. They had not been defeated but a difficulty had been removed. (Hear). Th.ey would soon be supjiorted b}' a large majority, us the)' always had been when in power, on all important measures. He felt surprised lliat the new Ministers should have been .selected from a minority — shoukl have accepted office while knowing they could not commantl the confidence of the H(juse — should impose themselves upon the country. He was astonished that a few Rouge.s — crawling at the feet of the Upper Canada leader — should dare present themselves to the countr)-. It was an immorality, a frightful ^"^ ***. -^-ll ill Mr. Dru.mmond Dknounckd. 363 itnmorality, an insult to the common sense, at least of Lower Canada. (Hear) When he heard the honourable member for Lincoln say this motion was premature, all these reflections had crowded through his mind, and he wondered, again and again, at the impudence of men who intruded themselves into the seats of Ministers, having the title of ' honourable,' but no measures, no jiolicy, to justify it. (Hear). We had an Attorncy-Geneial East who had said, ' Did you ever think I would disgrace myself so much as to accept Mr. George Brown for my leader?' now doing so, saving, 'Oh! Mr. Brown has abandoned his principles.' This was one rea.son why he (Mr. Morin) would not support thcni. (Hear). The new Administration would be thoroughly beaten in the House and His I'2.\cellency, if he allowed them to go to the country, would soon be relieved of such advisers." Mr. Morin then said in Knglish : " On I'Vitla)- morning I met Mr. Drummond and said to him, ' How do you dc; Mr. Attorney-General I'^ast?' 'Do you think sir,' he replied, 'that I would, under uny circumstances, consent to accept office under Mr. Bro.vn ? ' Last niglu, when I was entering the Ro-isin House, I was stopjied by Mr. Drummond, who said to me : ' I have been twice to your rooms to .see }'ou. You know the ncw.s.' 'That the Administration is formed?' I demanded. ' You know the names,' he continued. I men- tioned the names of the Lower Canada section with tiie ex- ception of that of the Att(jrney-General I'.ast. On his remark- ing on the omission, I answered thai I did not like to menti(om that part which took place before the adverse vote, it would appear that, from the very first, Mr. l^rown demanded a dissolution. To this demand, verbally given in the first instance and before the Cabinet was formed, His Excellency rejilied, on July 31st. " J'he Governor-General gives no pledge or promise, express or implied, nith reference to dissolving Parliament. When advice is tendered to His I'Lxcellency on this subject, he will make up his mind, accord- ing to the cir uunstances then existing, and the reasons then laid t.cfore him." On Monday mornitig, August 2nd, at 10.30, Mr. Brown waited on His Excellency and submitted for his approval the nam^s of the propo.sed Government. At noon |HJ any the S( HKMiN(; TO Proclrk a Dissolution. 1(^7 the saine day, the members of the Govern metit took the oatli of allegiance. On Monday night adverse votes were given against the Administration in both Mouses, On Tuesday, August 3rd, Mr. Brown waited on Mis I'Lxccllcncy and informed him that the Cabinet advised a prorogation of Parliament, with a view to a dissolution. The Governor- General requested the grounds of this advice to be put in writing. In compliance with Mis Excellency's desire the following memorandum was sent to him : Memorandum for the consideration of His Excellency the Governor- General. When His Excellency's present advisers accepted office, they did not conceal fioni themselves the probability that they would be unable to cany on the Government with the present House of Assembly. That House, they believe, does not possess the confidence of the country, and the public dissatisfaction has been j^reatly increased by tlie numerous and j^daring acts of corruption and fraud by which many seats were obtained at the last {general election, and for which acts the House, though earnestly petitioned so to do, has failed to afford a remedy. For some years past strong sectional feelings have arisen in the country, which, especially during the present session, have seriously impeded the carrying on of the administrative and legislative functions of the Government. The late Administration made no attempt to meet these difHculties or to suggest a remedy ior them, and thereby the evil has been greatly exaggerated. His Excellency's present advisers have entered the Government with the fixed determination to propose constituti(.)nal measures for tlie establishment of that harmony between Upper and Lower Canada, which is esser.iial to the prosperity of the province. They respectfully submit that they have a right to claim all the support which His Excellency can constitutionally extend to them in the proscction of tiiis all important object. The nnprecedented and unparliamentary course ])ursued by the House of Assembly which, inunediately after having, by their vote, compelled the lat(^ Ministi'y to retire, proceeded to pass a vote of want of confidence in the present Adimnistration, without notice, and before their policy had be(Mi announcetl, affords the most ct)nviiicing proof that the affairs of tlu' country cannot be efficiently conducted under the control of the House as now constituted. At two p.m., August 4th, the following memorandum was received from the Governor-General : I ■«^^ ' u I, ' In m ;; f (tr i m\ i i<., I ! I ! I ill Hi 368 TiiK Lii'K OK Sir John A. Macdonam). i 'iii Mcmoyanditiit. His Excellency the (iovcrndr-ricneral has received the ,( Ivice of the Executive Council to the effect that a dissolution of Parliament should take place. His I-^xcellency is, no doubt, bound to deal fairly with all political parties, but he has also a duty to perforin to the (Jueen and the people of Canada, paramount to that which he owes to any one party, or to all parties whatsoever. The (juestion for His Excellency to decide is not, " What is advan- taj^eous or fair for a particular party ? " but what, upon the whole, is the most advantageous and fair to the people of the jjrovince. The resignation of the late Government was tendered in conse- quence of a vote of the House, which did not assert, directly, any want of confidence in them. The vote of Monday night was a direct vote of want of confidence on the part of both Houses. It was carried in the Assembly by a majority of forty, in a House of one hundred and two out of one hundred and thirty members; consequently, by a majority of the whole House, even if every seat had been full at the time of the vote. In addition to this a similar vote was carried in tiie Upper House by sixteen against eight, and an Address founded on the same was adopted. It is clear that, under such circumstances, a dissolution, to be of any avail, nuist be iuuuediate. His Excellency the (iovernor-General cannot do any act other than that of dissolving Parliament, by the advice of a Ministry who possess the confidence of neither branch of the Legislature. It is not tlicn the duty of His Excellency to dissolve Parliament. It is not the duty of the Governor-General to decide whether the action of the two House on Monday night was or was not in accord- ance with the uF'ud courtesy of Parliament towards an incoming Administration. The two Houses are the judges of the propriety of tlu'ir own proceedings. His ICxcellency has to do with the conclusions at wliirh they arrive, provided only that the forms observed are such as to give legal and constitutional force to their votes. There are many points which require careful consideration with reference to a dissolution at the present time. Amongst these are the following : I. It has been alleged that the present House may be assumed not to represent the people. If such were the case there was no sufficient reason why, on being in a minority in that House, the late Government should have given place to the present. His Excellency cannot constitutionally adopt this view. II. An election took place only last winter. This fact is not con- clusive against a second election now, but the cost and inconvenience His E\ci:i,LENi:v'.s Rki'Lv 360 (if such a proceeding are so great tliat tliey ought not to be incurred a second time without very strong grounds. III. The business before Parhainent is not yet finished. It is per- liaps true that very little which is absolutely essential for the country, remains to be done. A portion, however, of the estimates and two Hills, at least, of great importance are still before the Legislative Assembly, irrespective of private business. In addition to this the resolutions respecting the Hudson's Hay Territory have not been considered, and no answer on that subject can be given to the Hritish Government. IV. The time of year and the state of affairs would make a general election at this moment peculiarly inconvenient and burthensomt-, inasmuch as tlir harvest is now going on in a large portion of the coun- try and the |>r sure of the late money crisis had not passed away. V. The following considerations are strongly pressed by His Excel- lency's present advisers as reasons why he should authorize an appeal to the people, and thereby retain their services in the Council. First, The corruption and bribery alleged to have been practised at the last election, and the taint which, on that account, is said to attach to the present Legislative Assembly. Second. The existence of a bitter sectional feeling be^.veen Upper and Lower Canada, and the ultimate danger to the Union, as at present constituted, which is likely to arise from such feeling. If the first of these points be assumed as true, it umst be asked what assurance can his Excellency have that a new electi(m, under ]irecisely the same laws, held within six or eight months of the last, will differ in its character from that which then took place ? If the facts are as they are stated to be, they might be argued as a reason why a general election should be avoided as long as possible ; at any rate until the laws are made more stringent, and the precautions against such evils shall have been increased by the wisdom of Parlia- ment. Until this is done the speedy recurrence of the opportunity of practising such abuses would be likely to aggravate their character and ct)nfirm the habit of resorting to them. The second C(3rsideration, as to the feeling between Upper and Lower Canada, and the ultimate danger of such feelings to the Union, is one of a very grave kind. It would furnish to His Excellency the strongest possible motive for a dissolution of Parliament — and for the retention of the present Government at all hazards, if two points were only conclusively established — that is to say : if it could be shown that the measures likely to be adopted by Mr. Brown and his colleagues were a specific, and tiie only specific, for these evils, aud that the mem- bers of the present Council were the only men in the country likely to calm the passions, and allay the jealousies so imhappily existing. It may be that both these propositions arc true, but, unless they are m ! i , H f?^ i ( ll' ,1 : I ll I! I' i|! ll 370 Tm; LiiK OF Sir Jt)HN A. Macdonald. establislidd U> His Excellency's complete satisfaction, the mere exist- ence of the mischief is not in itself decisive as to the propriety of resort- int; to a general election at the jjresent nionient. The certainty, or, at any rate, the great prol)al)ility, of the cmu'c by the conrse proposed, and by that alone, wonld retiuire to be also proved. Withont this, a great present evil wonld be voluntarily incurred for the chance of a remote good. VI. It would seem to be the duty of His Excellency to exhaust every possible alternative before subjecting the Province, for a second time in the same year, to the cost, the inconvenience, and the demoral- ization of sui'h a i)roceeding. The (}overnor-( ieucral is by no means satisfied that every alter- native has been thus exhausted, or that it would be impossible for him t(j secure a Ministrj- who would close the business of this session, and carry on the administration of the Government during the recess with the confidence of a majority of the Legislative Assemby, After full and mature deliberation on the arguments submitted to him by word of mouth and in writing, and with every respect for the opinion of the Council, His Excellency declines to dissolve Parliament at the present time. (Signed,) Edmund Hkad. Government House, TOKONTO, C. VV., August 4, itS'56'. Immediately on the receipt of this document, Mr. Brown proceeded to Government House and placed in the hands of His ICxcellency the resignation of himself and colleagues in the following note : Mr. Brown has the honour to inform His Excellency the Governor- General, that, in consequence of His Excellency's memorandum of this afternoon, declining the advice of the Council to prorogue Parliament with a view to a dissolution, he has now, on behalf of himself and his colleagues, to tender their resignations. Executive Council Chamber, Toronto, A ugust 4, 18jS. As soon as these papers had been read, Mr. D'Arcy McGec ro.sc in his place and made a mtxst bitter attack upon the Governor-General and the Macdonald-Cartier Ministry, which was replied to, in language equally strong, by Mr. Macdonald, who, vehemently and indignantly, repudiated the statements and insinuations made by Mr. McGce. The excitement was at fever heat ; both political parties were thoroughly aroused ; innHinin.itory .irticlcs in the iicwspapcis h;ul iiicrciscd the feeling ; and the l.inj^uage of accusation and denunciation were as strong as the laws of debate would permit. Mr. McGce said — " That the country had only seen the beginning of the crisis, not the end. If he could jutlge of public opinion by what he had seen in Montreal antl along the line of the Grand Trunk Railway, he could say that people who now bore a great name and stood high in the estimation of the world would soon be made to feel whether there was such a thing as public opinion in Canada. (Cheers). The House had .something to learn, and it might as well be learned while speaking on a c]uestion of adjournment as any other ; a new lesson on constitutional government hail to be explained, for how was it to be gathered from any previous event that the E.xecutive, in any case, would not take a certain course when reccMiimended to do so by his constitutional advisers? The whole thing was a plot. Me was a judge of style and could perceive the law}'er-like cunning running through the whole of the very correspond- ence just submitted. Mow else was it that some people had of late be so confident ? How was it that they knew beforehand that His l^lxcellency would not take the course recommended by the advisers whom he hatl sworn in but a few hours previously ? If it were true that this was a preconcerted arrangement, as he judged it was, from what the party opposite had, perhaps inadvertently, let fall, and as he had been told, the gentleman, to whom he alluded, would deserve to have his arms reversed and the sword he had been permitted to wear broken before his face. (Order, order). He was in order and he might remind the House, that the Commons House of Parliament had ever been in the habit of speaking plainly whenever they thought them- selves cheated out of their rights by back stairs influences or a cabal. (Order). The country would say the same, and more especially the constituencies which had just been temporarily disfranchised by a trick — a trick, he repeated — and its success could have been measured by a cabinetometer, had their been such an instrument in existence or, as it was V i It' : I < .1 f i| '1 ii f H\ 1 ■ ! 1 ! i ; I ii;"i i: ,.^„'V. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) /. .<^% 1.0 I.I 1.25 1^ 128 |25 ' liU 12.2 UN 1.4 2_0 1^ i^^ m /a ^i ^s. ^J"-^ ^ ^j> ^ -*' ■^ ■i> '/ /!^ Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WIST MAIN STRUT WMSTER.N.Y. 14SS0 (716) 873-4S03 372 TiiK LiKK OK Sir John A. Macdonald. I ; not, by a face ^au^c, for the faces of the Macdonald-Cartier men were bright on Thursday morring, bright on Friday, and only fell temporarily \vh<'n it was announced that Mr. Brown had succeeded in forming a Cabinet (Laughter). And, as to the vote on Monday, it was unworthy of the House to condemn men unheard. He wanted to know if there were twelve men on earth who could, in twelve hours, develop a policy to suit Canada as it now was ? He thought not and to demand it was an outrage ujxjn justice. So that the unfair, ungenerous and unchivalrous vote of the other night would surely recoil upon every one of the seventy-one who gave it." Mr. John A. Macdonald said " he only rose to exonerate an illustrious personage from a charge ccjolly and foully made against him. The charge was, that the representative of Her Majesty, he himself, and all the members of the late Govern- ment, were dishonourable conspirators. It was false as hell. (Sensation), lie pledged his word of honour that, when he came to the House at three o'clock, he was as ignorant as an)- honourable member, of what His K.xcellcncy would determine. The junior member for Montreal who maile the a.ssertion — ' Mr. McGee — " I made no assertion that jours was the legal hand who wrote the despatch." Mr. MactlonaU' — " I cast the injurious insinuation, which the honourable gentleman has made, back in his teeth." Mr. McCiee — " I tlid ncjt say whether you had been con- cerned or not ; there are plenty of legal men in Toronto besides you." (Oh ! Oh ! ) Mr. Macdonald — "The honourable member is carrying out in this country the disloyalty he has displayed at home. He h«id plotted there to deprive Her Majesty of a crown ; he made a da.stardly attempt here to deprive her representative of his character. (Cheers). Hut, as he had failed there, so he would fail here, too. (Hear, hear). He had, that evening, displayed his virulent spirit in attacking a man who could not come into that House to defend himself, and who had the right to expect from the House, at least, common i I I ris&jfc. His Di;kkn( I. «>i tiik rfOViuNOK-CiKNKk.M. ^j} courtesy. (Cheers). With this he would leave the honour- able gentleman, who inif^ht affect an iniliflferencc he could not feel. The finj^'er of .scorn was pointed at him by every one in the House; it wf>uUI al.so be |)ointed at him, m<»st unecjuivocally, in the country, and it would be acknowletl^jed that, if he was honourable b\- courtes\- he was honourable by courtesy alone." (Hear, hear . Mr. MacdDtiald then pro- ceeded to say " that when his (lovernment was defeated it was on the motion of the honourable member f()r Herthier, of which no notice had been j,M\en. After that the Government had at once resolved to retire. He and Mr. Cartier hacr( Baldwin— Resignation of .Mr. Sicoltc— Opening of Parliament, January 1859 — The Seal of (jov^rnment (Question — .Mr. Brown left oflf the I'ublic Accounts Committee — Refusal of Legislative Council to vote .Supplies — Prorogation. AFTKR the receipt of the resi^nati<^n of the Hrown-Dorion Administration, Hi.s K.xccllency's next .step was to send for Mr. A, T. Gait, and invite him to form a Government He having declined, His I'lxcellency then .sent for Mr. G. E. Cartier, who accepted the task. Mr. Cartier, after .some persuasion, .succeeded in inducing Mr. Macdonald to join him, although the latter was desirous of retiring into private life. It is very certain that Mr. Macdonald was really anxious not to take office at this time, and we find that a great deal of pressure hatl to be brought to bear to induce him to alter his determination. A ineeting of his friends was held in the gen- eral committee room of the House of Assembly, on Thurs- day, August 5th, at which the following members were present: The Honourables Malcolm Cameron, Sidney .Smith, William Caylcy, John Ross, P. M. Vankoughnet, Colonel IMayfair, and Messrs. John Cameron, G. H. L. I^'cllowcs, John Carling, William Simpson, Francis H. Hurton, W. I*. Powell, John M. Robin.son, David Roblin, Isaac Buchanan, (ieoige Henjamin. George Sherwood, John McLeod, George Macbeth, Henjamin Lett, T. M. Daly. R. W. Scott, Marcus Talbot, Ogle R. Gowan, Gilbert McMicken, and Angus Morrison. Colonel Play fair having been called to the chair, and Angus Morrison requested to act as .Secretar)-, the following resolution was unanimously adopted : Moved by Isaac Buchanan, and secf)nde(l by George Benjamin : "That this meeting is of opinion that for the best interests po 'W % ■i I I i ! * i ! It !' f ii I* 380 TnK Life of Sir John A. MAcnoNALD. of the constitutional party it is cjuitc essential that the Honourable John A. Macclonald should resujne oflfice, and become leader of the Upper Canada section of the supporters of the Government." Moved by John Cameron, seconded by David Roblin : "That the Secretary be requested to enclose to the Hon- ourable John A. Macdonald a certified copy of the proceedings of this meeting." It is evident that Sir John placed a great deal of value upon this action of his friends, for the resolution was framed and hung on the walls of his Kingston home and is still to be .seen. He yielded to this strongly cxpre.s.sed wish of his suj)- porters, and joined Mr. Cartier in his efforts to form a new Government. They were cjuitc successful in this, and the new Ailministration, composed as follows, was sworn into oflfice on August r)th : Honourable- (icorge Kticnnc Cartier, Inspector-General ; Honourable John A. Macdonakl, I'ostMiastcr-CJcncral ; Hon- ourable IMiilip M. V'ankoughnet, Coininissicjiier of Crown Lands; Honourable Louis Victor Sicotte, Commissioner of Public Works; Honourable Narcisse V. lielleau. Speaker Legislative Council ; Honourable Charles Alleyn, Provincial Secretary ; Honourable Sidney Smith, I'rcsitlent of the Coun- cil ; Honourable John Rose, Receiver-General ; Alexander 'L (lalt, l^s(i , Member of Council ; (ieorge Sherwood, Lsq., Member of Council. On the following day, by the resignation of some of the members of the Ministry a reconstruction took place with the following results : Honourable (ieorge K. Cartier, Attorney-General Last; Honourable John A. Macilonald, Attorne)- General West ; Honourable John Ross, President of the Council ; Honourable Sydney Smith, Postmaster-General; Honourable A. T, Gait, Inspector-General ; Honourable John Ro.se, Solicitor-General East ; Honourable George Sherwood, Receiver-General ; Hon- ourable P. M. Vankoughnet, Commissioner of Crown Lands ; Honourable Narcisse F. Helleau, Speaker Legislative Coun- ^VmMMMKss: tl^nmmmfrm MiNISTKklAI, I''X( IIAM.F, uK OlIKKS. v^l cil ; Honourable Louis V. Sicottc, Moanl of W Orks ; H»>uoui- ablc Charles Allcyu, Provincial Secretary. Except that the late Inspector-Cieneral, Mr. (aylcy, was succeeded by Mr. Gall, and that Mr. Loran^cr retired, and Mr. Sherwooil came in, the (iovennnent was coinposeil of the same members as those which formed the .Macdonaltl-Cartier Government. The reason why the.sc changes were mat.e was to j;et over a technical diflficulty in the statute (jf 1S57, relating.; to the imle- pcndence of Parliament. Hy the peculiar wordinj^ of this .Act it was provided that an)- member holding office in the K.xecu* tive Government and resiLjnin^ such office mif^ht take an\' other office in the (iovennnent within a month after such resignation, without vacatinj^^ his seat. The statute only pro- provided f(tr the taking of an\- other office ; it maile no provision for an e.\-Minister returning to the office he had previously held. It must, however, have been intended to cover all cases of Ministers returning to office within thirty da\s after resignation. To arj^uc anything; else is to ar^ue an absurdit)'. If a Postmaster-General were to resign, and in three weeks after were to c(jme in as j-'inance .Minister, there would surely be more (grounds for his returning to his constit- uents for endorsation, than if he were, within the .same space of time, to re-occupy the position he had i)reviously vacated, and, on the propriety of accepting which, his constituents had already pa.sscd favourable judj^ment by re-electing' him. .Such however, was the wordiii}^ of the .Act, and, to avoid an\ technical difficulty as to the rij^ht of the members of the Government to return t(j the offices they hatl previously held. it was thought desirable tiiat each member, in takin;^ office, should first take a portfolio different from what he had for- merly held, and should then be nominated to his old position. This view was concurred in by His K.xcellency, and accord- iiif^ly a double Gazette was issued. The whole difficulty aro.se from the word " other." If the statute had .simply .said " any of the said offices," there wouki have been no necessity for what was called the " doubU shuffle," but by taking offices other than those held by them \ I k •I ^5 t i ! ; i; . i I 4-' ,1 Mf 4 3«a TiiK Like of Sir J«hin A. Macdonald. )/ I before, it is ijuitc clear that the Govermmnt fully observed, at all events, the letter of the law. As to the spirit of the law, those who tiesired to vilify the Adiniiiisiration and to turn attention from their own defeat, said that the object of this clause of the statute was only to permit of exchanj^es of offices amongst Ministers. Hut this ar}.',unient is negatived by the terms of the- statute itself, which allows thirty days to intervene. To what i-ml should there be such a delay as thirty days, if the only object of the law was to allow the readjustUK-nt of the offices of members of the Administration? It could surely have never been intended to encouraj^e the leavini^ t)f offices unfilled for so lon^ a space of time. It is clear, therefore, to every one unblinded b)- prejudice, that the introtluction of this word "other" is sim|)ly an error of com- position, and that it was never the intention of the Legislature that the new office should absolutel)' be a different one to the one resijjned. Mr. Cartier explained the circumstances attcndinj.j the formation of the new Administration to the House when it met f)n August /th, and proceeiled to expouml the policy of the (iovernment. He felt sure that when it was made known it would be supported by the House and country, and, in order that there should be no doubt thereon, he woukl rctid what he had to say : " The policy of the present Government is the same as was announced in the Speech from the Throne, in regard to all the subjects therein referred to. The operation (jf the new tariff will be closely watched, and it will be readjusted from time to time with a view to maintain the public revenue and uphold the provincial credit, and, incidentally, to encourage native industry and domestic manufacturers. In such re-ad- justment the policy of basin^;^ the tariff upon the ad valorem principle will be kept steadily in view. " The Government feel them.selvcs bound to carry out the law of the land respectinj^ the seat of Go\ernment, but in the face of the recent vote on that subject, they do not consider themselves warranted in incurring any expenditure until I'OLUV «)h rilK (iOVKkNMKNT. ^^^ Parliament has had an t)|)|)()rtunily of consiilerin^; the whole t]Ucstion in all its IxMrin^s. " The cx|)c(licncy of a federal union of the British North American provinces will be anxiously considered, and com- munications with the Home (lovernment anti the Lower Provinces entered into, forthwith, on this subject. The lesult of these communications will be submitted to Parlia- ment at its next session. "The Government will, during the recess, examine into the organization and working of the public departments, and will carry out such administrative reforms as will conduce to economy and efficiency." This change of offices was dubbed the " double shuffle " by the Globe, and by that name it has ever since continued to be known. Mr. C'auchoii made a violent attack upon the Ministers in connection with it, and was followed by Mr. Wallbridge, who, to test the feeling of the House, made the following motion : " That it be resolved that the Honourable Sidney Smith having, since he was elected to this House, accepted two offices of trust and emolument, to wit, those of President of the Council and I'ostmaster-Cieneral, has thereby vacated his .seat in this House as representative of the north riding of Northumberland." Mr. Wallbridge in support of his motion argued that the clause " provided always that, whenever any one holding any of the offices of Keceivcr-General, etc., and at the same time being a member of the Legislative Assembly, or an elected member of the Legislative (\)uncil, shall resign his office, and within one inonth of his resignation, accept any other of these offices, he shall not thereby vacate his seat in the said Assembly or Council," was not intended to have force after another Ministry had been sworn in, as the lirown-Dorion Ministr)' had been, in the meanwhile. He quoted various legal authorities in favour of the construction he thought should be put upon the statute in question. He was replied to by Mr. Cartier and a lengthy debate ensued. Mr. Wall- bridge's motion was, of course, tantamount to a direct vote of i: TT i. ll 'n ,^' 384 Thk Lifk of Sir John A. Macdonald. want of confidence in the new Administration and the division was looked forward to with considerable anxiety. The result was the complete vindication of the course pursued by the Administration, the motion finding only 14 supporters as against 32 against it, in a thin house of forty-six. Most of the members, in view of the near approach of prorogation, had returned to their homes. The Brown-Dorion Government having failed to secure the support of either House of Parliament or to induce the Governor-General to dissolve the House of Assembly after the strong vote of want of confidence had been passed, the Globe, the organ of the party, wreaked its vengeance upon the two Houses by denouncing them in the strongest language, as utterly corrupt and unfit for the duties of their positions, and upon the Governor-General by the most extreme accusa- tions of partizanship and duplicity. The paper of August 5th has the following : "The circumstance was communicated to the House by Mr. Wallbridge, amidst the manifest excitement of crowded galleries. Writs were issued for several of the seats — includ- ing all the Upper Canadian scats — rendered vacant by the acceptance of office, so that the gentlemen whom Sir Edmund Head entrapped must encounter the labour and expenditure of an election for a reason that no longer exists. The corres- pondence between the Governor-General and Mr. Brown in connection with the formation of the Government was read to the Hou.se, together with the memoranda setting forth .statements, pro and con pertaining to the negotiations. These documents are inserted m another column and merit a careful perusal, indicating, as they do, the low cunning and insincerity which have distingui-shcl the Governor-General throughout the brief but important proceedings." " The Government were not allowed to prorogue, the\' were not allowed to dissolve, they were seduced into taking office by Sir Edmund Head and then very coolly turned out with the loss of their seats." In another sentence the Gov- ernor's conduct is described as " duplicity and undue exercise of the prerogative." ]' The "Globe's" Attack on Gov.-Genekal. 385 A few days later the same paper says, " not only has Sir Edmund Head evinced a discreditable disregard of the temper and action befitting a statesman, he has displayed a contempt for the decency common to gentlemen." Mr. Brown was a very able man ; he was a man of strong convictions and fearless in asserting them ; his energy was untiring; his paper was a power in the land, its dictum was accepted by many of his followers, as gospel truth ; its circulation was immense ; but, with all these advantages, he never attained complete success. Mis mind was more con- troversial than judicial, more capable of destroying the fabric of an opponent than of constructing one of his own ; more fitted, as leader of the Opposition, to expose the short- comings of an opponent, than as a Minister of the Crown, to earn the approval of the House and the country by the excellence of his measures. He never admitted the possi- bility of his being wrong and his adversaries being right ; and, when his efforts were not crowned with success he was relentless in ascribing evil motives, in charging methods of corruption, underhand influence, and even falsehcjod and deceit, to those who had the misfortune not to agree with him. In the present case, although his party had been hopelessly beaten at the polls, his Government hopelessly beaten in the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council, and even the Governor-General, who must ever be accepted as the impartial arbiter in all disputes betw ccn political parties, had declared against him, he would not accept the thrice rendered verdict of people, Parliament, and Viceroy, but denounced them all, in the press and on the platform in the strongest language that tongue and pen could command. The following week, August i6th, Parliament was pro- rogued, after a long and stormy session of near!)- si.x months. The Government had passed a number of useful bills which bore testimony to their zeal and ability ; amongst these were .Acts abolishing imprisonment for debt, the prevention of preferential assignments in Upper Canada and the assimila- tion of the laws in the two provinces, the amendment of the jury laws and the municipal law of Upper Canada, and 1", i >:■ it 'i i' f-'W ■' m ) >. It !. 386 The LiiK of Sir John A. MAtDOXAi.n. to diminish the cost and faciUtatc the administration of criminal justice in Lower Canada ; the registration of voters ; the protection and encouragement of the fisheries ; the revis- ion of the customs tariff" and the abolition of the usury laws. These measures were of vital imj^ortancc to the country and were hailed as special boons, but more especially the Tariff and Usury Hills, both of which iiad been loudly called for. The importance of the Municipal Hill, one of the ablest measures ever passed by Parliament, cannot be overruled. It has proved of immense benefit to Upper Canada. The resolutions in favour of the proposed Intercolonial Railway were welcomed as the initiatory step in one of the most important railway movements of the age ; while the Hudson's Bay resolutions clearly indicated the intention of the Govern- ment to persist in the claim of the countr)' to the North- West Territories. Altogether the legislation of the session must be regardetl as of the most beneficial nature. The Ojjposition, not being satisfied with the verdict of Parliament on the course pursued by Ministers in coming back to office without goin.g to their constituents for re-elec- tion, decided to test the question before the courts, and accordingly suits were brought in the name of Mr. Allan Macdonald against the Honourable Siilney Smith, Post- master-General, and the Honourable Philip V'ankoughnet, Commissioner of Crown Lands, for alleged illegal holding of their scats. The case of the latter was different from that of the former in that he did not enter into an intermediate office but was called directly to the office of Commissioner of Crown Lands. The cases were argued in term, Mr. Adam Wil.son, Q.C., and Mr. C. S. Patterson, appearing for the plaintiff and Honourable J. Hillyard Cameron, O.C., and Mr. H. Ecrles, Q.C., for the defence. After hearing the cases exhaustively argued, the Judges took the matter into delib- eration, and after a month's consideration, both courts, Queen's Bench and Common Pleas, rendered unanimous decisions that, in the change of office, during the late Min- isterial crisis, the Ministry acted in strict accordance with the letter of the law. The failure of the case was important MWWfWWnBH-a *• DouHLK Shuffle" Uimikld hv Courts. i^7 from a political point of view. Had the i)laintiff obtained a verdict the Ministry would not only have been broken up, but those of them ajjainst whom the suits were broujjht would have been branded with the dishonour of having resorted to an illegal "shuffle," and descended to the perpetration of a fraud. As it was, the ju(l<;ments of the courts havitif^ established the lc<:jality of the position of the Ministers, and the cause of the plaintiff beiiiLj the cause of the Opposition, the blow recoiled with considerable force upcjii the party by whom it was directed. During the recess the IVime Minister, Mr. Carticr, accom- panied by his colleagues, Messrs. (ialt and Koss, went to JMigland, chargctl with a political mission to the Imperial (iovcrnment. They were there received with marked con- sideration. Mr. (artier was presented to the Ouecn, and, by special invitation, spent three da\s as her guest at W'iiulsor C'astle. He took advantage of the occasion to say how |)leased Her Loyal subjects would be if Her Majesty would deign to honour them with a visit on the occasion of the inauguration of the Victoria Hridge. I ler Majesty replied that state reasons would probably prevent her from having that pleasure, but probably one of the Princes, her children, would assist at the ceremony. This promise was redeemed the following year by the visit of H.R.II., the I'rince of Wales. While Mr. Cartier was in Kngland, another I'Vench Can- ailian of great distinction also visited the mother country, and was, in turn, presented to Her Majesty who, by reason of the services which he had rendered to the crown, conferretl upon him the dignity of Knighthood under the title of .Sir l^ticnne Paschal Tache. This recompense was certainly well earnctl. Colonel Tache had made his entr)' into public life al)out forty-five years previous!)'. He vaiiantl\- defended his country against the American invasion of 1K12-1 5. .Since that period up to 1856, when he retired from the office of Prime Minister, he filled, with distinction, many other offices both civil and military, to the entire satisfaction of men of all origins and shades of party. ! t: ♦ !■ i li:ii '} 1 388 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. As the year drew to a close there passed a\va>' in the person of the Honourable Robert Baldwin, one of Canada's most patriotic and high-minded sons ; a man eminently qualified by character, social position and attainments, for the most honourable positions in the land. The son of a rich man, and himself an eminent barrister, he entered political life, not for profit, but with a more honest ambition. An earnest and careful student of English '\istory, an enthusiastic admirer of the British Constitution, he sought to bestow on Canadians all the privileges and all the liberties which British subjects enjoy in the mother country. His motives were pure and honourable, but his methods were not conciliatory or calcu- lated to win over those extreme loyalist-:, who had sacrificed their all for the royal cause in the revolted colonies which became the United States, and who saw, in Baldwin's principles, the danger of the overthrow of the monarchy which they loved so well. He thus became the opponent of those men who held, that making a colonial Government responsible to a colonial Parliament was virtually to sever the connection with the mother country. He was tiius thro\ ii amongst men whose ideas of reforming and liberalizing the goverimient were of the most radical kind, and man\- of whom, it cannot be denied, were really desirous of the adoption of republican forms.' The extreme views of these men and the fears of the loyalists bred the bitter controversy which ended in the rebellion of 1837-38. Mr. Baldwin was, of course, com- promised by the treason of his associates, but he was not a traitor himself Called to power after the union of the provinces, he proceeded with the work he had undertaken, and got into a bitter controversy with Lord Metcalfe. Although posing as the champion of popular rights, he refused to be guided by public sentiment when not in harmony with his own views. A strong man, he forced his measures through even when followers became hostile. The result was inevit- able. The highest order of intellect, the purest motives, the most honourable intentions, will not save a man whose master- ful spirit and impatience of advice or restraint, embitters his enemies and estranges his friends. At the next general Dkath of Robert Baldwin. 389 election his party forsook him ; he was beaten by Mr. Hartman, and, heart-broken at the abandonment, and dis- appointed at the dissipation of all his political hopes and schemes, he retired into private life, from the seclusion of which he was never afterwards tempted. He was, indeed, induced to accept a nomination to the Upper House, a short time before his death, upon the condition that the election should be without opposition. Opposition was, how- ever, raised in the person of Mr. Romaine, and he forth- with retired from the field. His death was caused by a .severe cold which ended in inflammation of the lun ;i ||[ ! I |. ,r i r ;,.. TT Hi II ii l! i 'I ^ 392 TiiK Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. the late Inspector- General (Mr. Caylcy). His successor — Mr. Gait — declared that no Inspector-General, with a proper appreciation of the respect due to him.self, and with the exam- ple of the treatment bestowed by Mr. Brown on his predeces- sor, would consent to place himself in a position where he would be subject to the repetition of such an outrage, and rather than endure it he would resign oflfice. The House by a vote of 60 to 43 declared that the Government was right, and thus administered a sad blow to the mighty pretensions of the leader of the Opposition. Another remarkable incident of the session was the refu.sal of the Legislative Council, by a vote of 23 to 20, to pass the Supply Bill. The course taken by the Government in decid- ing upon removing to Quebec until the neces.sary buildings could be erected at Ottawa, did not meet the approval of the Upper House, and, when the Honourable Mr. Vankoughnet inoved the .second reading of the Hill, it was moved in amend- ment b)' the Honourable Mr. Dc Blaquiere, seconded by the Honourable Mr. Allan : ' That the Legislative Council feels itself called upon to declare and resolve in defence of its undoubted and unques- tionable rights as a co-ordinate and co-equal branch of the Legislature, and as the only means of preserving its independ- ence, that it will not take the question of supply into consider- eration, until satisfied that the E.xecutive Government will not incur any e.xiien.se whatever for the removal of the seat of government to Quebec, without first submitting the estimate for the same for consideration of the Legislative Council." At the next meeting of the House, the matter was again brought up, and the decision reversed by a vote of 24 to 20. Messrs. Campbell, Hamilton and Morris, who had previously voted against the Bill, were ab.sent, and Messrs. Prince, Renaud, De Beaujeu and Armstrong, who were absent on the first occasion, were present on the second, and voted for the Bill. On May 4th, after the transaction of much useful business, Parliament was prorogued by His Excellency, the Governor- (ieneral. C H A 1' T h: R X V I I I. Mr. Macdonald's ball on St. Valentine's day — Session of i860 — Mr. Brown's reso- lutions — The Government sustained l)y lar^e majorities — Adjournment - J'hrenological estimate of Mr. Macdonald's character— Visit of the I'rince <»f Wales — He lays foundation stone of Parliament Huildings— The Orange diffi- culty — Explanation of the cause of trouble by Mr. Macdonald at Brantfortl —Civil war breaks out in the United Stales — Session of 1861— Bitter delates on the Address— Reduced Oovernment majority — Representation by Popula- tion Policy — Mr. Macdonald's views — Prorogation and dissolution — Dinner to Mr. Carling — Kingston election — Mr. .Macdonald opposed by Mr. Mowat — He is re-elected by a majority of 311 — Festivities. ON Valentine's day, February 14, i860, Mr. Macdonald entertained all his friends at a ball, the nia<;nificence of which is .said to have never been surpassed in the city of Quebec. It was given in the Music Hall, then claimed to be the most beautiful room in British America, but on this occasion, its usual attractions were supplcincnted by ta.steful decorations and designs especially prepared for the occasi(jn. The room was brilliantly lighted, to insure which a hand.some chandelier had been especially procured and suspended from the centre of the ceilinjf. Around the upper walls, above the <;allery, had been hunj^ (Graceful festoons of crimson drapery, looped at inter\als by pendants of roses and e\er^reens. Below the galleries, facing each other, were two alcoves, in one of which dwelt a life-sized Cupid, who, as the god of love and valentines, smiled approval of the manner of celebrating the day. In the opposite alcove was placed a copy of Canova's celebrated statue of the " Dancing Girl." Near the entrance were the three Graces bearing a chaplet of beautiful flowers. The stage, carpeted and ballustraded with chains of choice flowers, was draped and overhung with materials in rose colour and white, with a view to present the appearance of a tent. In the front was a large bust of Her Majestv, and near by a fountain of eau de Cologne. In the vicinity were placed sofas and lounges, amongst which were interspersed statuettes aud small evergreen trees. The orchestra was adorned with flags, the Royal Arms, Prince of Wales plume and other devices. : t 1^ r • ■ r'. rnr 394 Till-: LiKK <»K Sik John A. Ma( donai.d. t i< During the evening Mr. MacdonakI, intent upon pleasing his guests in every possible manner, caused an immense amount of fun and enjoyment, by distributing, with the aid of the Stewarts who acted for him, some hundreds of valentines for the particular benefit of the ladies. When supper came there was another surprise in the form of a large />(i/i' from which, when opened, there flew out four and twenty birds, in imitation of those spoken of in history. There were about eight hundred guests present, and the ball was kept up until an early hour the next morning. A fortnight later Parliament was opened, and, after the Speech of the Governor-General had been delivered, a despatch from the Duke of Newcastle was read announcing that the Prince of Wales would come to Canada to formally open the Victoria Bridge, and visit various parts of the country. The .session was remarkable, principal!)-, for an exciting .scene between Messrs. Brown, Foley and Connor, of the Opposition, the two latter accusing the former of " vexing, worrying and finally overthrowing the Reform Party ; " and for the signal defeat by a vote of 67 to 26 of Mr. Brown'.s resolution for a repeal of the Union between Upper and Lower Canada. The resolution read as follows : " That the existing Legislative Union of L'pper and Lower Canada has failed to realize the anticipations of its promoters ; has resulted in a heavy debt, burdcn.some taxation, great political abu.ses and universal di.s.satisfaction ; and it is the matured conviction of this Assembly, from the antagonisms developed through difference of origin, local interests and other causes, that the union, in its present form, can no longer be continued with advantage to the people." Parliament was prorogued on April 19th. It would appear as if Mr. Macdonald had been submitting his head to a phrenological examination, for we find in a number of the American Phrenological Journal an estimate of his character and mental qualifications which will be inter- esting to believers in the science : " This gentleman has a remarkably sharp and acti\ e organization. The mental temperament predominate.s, which I'llKKNOI.OCU'AL EXAMINATION. 39S ^ivcs him quickness, clearness and intensity of mind. He has also a full decree of the motive temperament which, j^ives a wiry touffhness and strength of orj^anizatioJi, elasticity <»f action, and a j^ood decree of cmlurance, which sustains him in the mental labours induced by his highly wrought nervous temperament. "There is a {^rcat prominence of the lower iM)rtion of the forehead, indicatinj^ lar^e perceptive orj^ans which <;ivc a (]uick, ready and clear pcrce|)ti(jn of facts, thing's, business, and whatever comes within the ran^c of j)ractical life and effort. This is essentially an intellij^cnt forehead. He has a j;ood memory of events, of colours, of imideiits and of words. He is strongly endowed with order which renders him methodical and systematic in whatever he does. His languaj^e, which is indicated by the fullness and prominence of the e)-e, indicates uncommon power of speech, abilit\- to talk with ease, clearness and copiousness, and also to remem- ber cverylhiiijr he reads. His locality WDuld enable him to remember the place on a pai^e where a fact was recorded. His large eventualitj' renders him capable of retaining the history ami the incidents which form a part of his experiences or of that which he gathers from reading. "The upper part of his forehead is not as large. He is not so much a philosopher as he is a practical man. He has to do with facts and their bearing on common life. He is fond of wit and amusement, must be excellent in conversa- tion, and at home in the social circle. He has respect for whatever is venerable. The organs which gi\e tirmness, pride, ambition and energy are also strongl)- developed, but are not distinctly seen. " Such persons need an abundance of sleep, tem[)eratc habits, much e.xercise in the open air, and rcla.xation of mind and cultivation of bodily vigour, otherwise they break down early, because they overdo and exhaust their \ italit\' prema- turely." Every one who knew the old chieftain will recognize the truth of the character here given. In the month of July the Prince of Wales arrived in II i'^. i\ l! iii' n Ml; •'i I I .»' I; I' I I S I I! 8. 1! 1 i i . i 39<5 Tme Likk of Sik John A. Macdonald. Canada, and after visiting the principal cities of the Maritime Provinces, sailed up the River St. Lawrence to the town of (iaspc, where he was met by the Governor-General and the Cabinet Ministers. From thence he proceeded to Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa and the principal western cities, bein^ everywhere [greeted with boundless enthusiasm and treated in a manner befittinjr his royal rank. We do not purpose following him to all these places, or recounting the various iliimers, balls and other entertainments ^iven for his enjoy- ment, but it is fittinj^ to give a description of the ceremony of la>ing the foundation stone of the Parliament Huildinj^s at Ottawa, which took place on September 1st. A ^reat and handsome ^othic arch had been built at the entrance to the grounds, and inside, at the sjK)t where the ceremony was to take place, there was a canopy, immediately in front of which and over the stone was a gigantic crown. Outside this was an open space to which the press and a few privileged individuals were admitted. Surrounding it were tier upon tier of se.its, filled with thousands of ladies and gentlemen. On each side of the road leading to this amphi- theatre were platforms for children and for those who could not be accommodated within it, while bands of music, companies of militia, hosts of lumbermen in .scarlet shirts, societies in regalia, etc., occupied their assigned positions. The day was fine, antl punctual to the hour — 1 1 a.m. — His Ro)al Highness arrived, followed by the Governor-General, the Duke of Newcastle, Lord St, Germains, General Bruce, General Williams, Lord Mulgrave, Sir Allan McNab, Colonel Tache, etc. On the lower side of the stone were Mr. Kccfer, Assistant Commi.ssioner of Public Works, Messrs. Stent & Laver, Fuller & Jones, architects, Messrs. Haycock & McGreevy, contractors, etc. The ceremony was commenced by the Rev. Dr. Adamson, Chaplain to the Legislative Council, reading the following prayer : " Protect us, O Lord, in all our doings, with Thy most gracious favour, and furnish us with Thy continual help, that in all our works begun, continued and ended in Thee, we may glorify Thy holy name, and finally, by Thy mercy, Tmi I'KIN* i; OK Walks at Ottawa. 397 obtain everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.' Amen. " Our Father which art. " etc. Then the Prince and chief members of his suite advanceil to the stone. It was of beautiful Canadiati marble, brought from I'ortajje du l*'(jrt, and on it was the simple inscription — "This corner stone of the builditig intetukil to receive the Legislature of Canada, was laid by Albert ICdward, IVince i>t Wales, on the 1st day of September, i860." It was susj)ended from the centre of the great crown previously mentioned, by a pulley running in a gilded block. Under it was a similiar cube of the white Nej)ean limestone with which it was intentled that the building should be faced, with a cavity therein in which was placed a glass bottle containing a parchment roll inscribed with the same words as the stone, the names of all the members t)f the Legislative Council and Asscmhl\-, the members of the (io\ernment. the architects, contractors, etc. The Clerk of Works, Mr. Morris, superintended the spreading of the mortar. His Royal Highness giving the finishing touch with a silver trowel, on the back of which was engraved a view of the future building and on the front a suitable historical inscription. Then the stone was slowly lowered. The Prince gave it three taps with the mallet, and the Rev. Dr. Adamson read this prayer: "This corner stoiu- we lay in the name of the Father, and of the .Son, and of the Holy Ghost, and may God Almighty grant that what is thus begun in His name may be happily carried on to its complete terminatif)n without injury or accident, and that, when com- pleted, it may be used for the good (jf the province, the glory of our Queen, the happiness of our Prince, and the good government of the people." Amen. Mr. Morris then applied the plumb, which was in the shape of a harp. Mr. Keefer tested the work with a level, supported by the lion and unicorn, after which. His Royal Highness, having been informed that the work was well performed, pronounced the stone laid, a fact which the Governor-General proclaimed aloud to the surrounding people. Three cheers were then given for the Queen, the Prince of !: ill ' r • f ( ; "i'f I 1 '- ; . . 1 ■ m \\u *:i m i:!! i i-i f I if Wi m^\'^ i; i ' ■ ? i !l! I 398 Thk Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. Wales and the Governor-General, the band played the National Anthem and the artillery fired a ro\a! salute. After the architects and contractors had been presented to His Royal Highness, the party moved to the rear and strolled along the banks of the cliff viewing the beautiful scenery. A lunch was then given in one of the sheds, at which the usual loyal toasts were proposed. Afterwards came a levee, a '"'de to the Chaudiere Falls, a run down the slides on a crib of timber, boat races, etc. It was very unfcjrtunate and much to be regretted that, as the Prince proceeded westward, complications arose which caused great bitterness of feeling, and marred the success of his visit to the country. The Orange body, which represents a much larger proportion of the population in the west than in the east, had made extensive preparations to do honour to His Royal Highness by erecting arches on tlie streets of the cities where he was to visit, and by taking their assigned places in the processions which were to be organized. This was being done with the full knowledge and consent of their fellow-citzens, but was most displeasing to the Duke of New- castle, who refused to allow the Prince to land at Kingston or at Belleville, and had a most unpleasant cpiarrcl with the mayor of Toronto. Mr. Macdonald did his best to dissuade the Duke from taking this course, but without avail. What occurred between them is thus described at length b\' Mr. Macdonald in a speech delivered b)- him at a banquet tendered by his friends and admirers in the county of Brant, in the following autumn : " This has been a great jear for Canada. The chairman has alluded in graceful terms to the auspicious visit to Canada of the son of our j^resent Sovereign — our future Sovereign. He has spoken of Her Majesty as she deserves ; she is not merely a Queen appointed by law, but she reigns in the hearts and affections of all her subject.s. We are proud that we live in the times of such a Queen ; and our happiness is increased by ,1 knowledge of the fact that our children will, in all human pro- bability, live under a King who, from his visit to this countr>-, has satisfied us that he has all the virtues of his royal mother. ^. the HK KXIM.AINS TIIK OuANJiK DiPFUULTN 399 (Cheers). Why, he carried tlie hearts of Canada by storm. The people were loyal before his visit, but their hearts swelled within them when they saw the son of their Sovereign — s(j kind, so considerate, and always willin<^ and anxious to please everybody. If loyal before, they are twenty times more so, if possible, now. (Loud cheers). And it is particularly gratify- ing to me that the day selected by the gentlemen of the county of Brant for this dinner should be the birthday of our future Sovereign, and son of our beloved Queen. This is not a mere temporary gratification, but one of lasting remem- brance. As for His Royal Highness, the Prince of Walts, his visit to Canada formed a most important epoch in his life ; as long as he lived he would remember it as his first act of royalty. Hcfore he came here he had been labouring to form him.self for the government of the country, but he had been undergoing a course of training only, until he came to this country; and here first he had assumed the position and taken stand as Sovereign of Canada. (Applause). He did not come, as we are proud to know, simply as the heir to the Crown of the British Empire ; but with the added dignity of the direct representative of Her Majesty, who, unable to come herself arid gratify the wishes of the Canadian people, appoint- ed him to be for the time her locum tctiens, giving him for the time all her powers, all her position, as far as granting honour to this country was concerned ; and we have the gratification of knowing that not only our future Sf)vercigii, but the direct representative of Her Majest)', has visited this huge, great and magnificent colony of ours. Besides the great honiiur conferred, tlie people of Canada must feel that the visit will be of great and permanent advantage. It has called the attention of the world to the position and prospects of Canada ; and it will have a lasting effect upon all our great national interests. Ihe country will be sought after ; its great resources and \^■ealth thought of in a manner never known before ; and if much of the riches of the mother country pours into Canada — if we find, as I believe we shall find, that our character, our resources and our position are much better understood in Europe than • It ;i m • i i ; 1 t i \ • '.. ij i;!i '■■t ;5 ■if H M ' it I hi I' '•-'] ill m m 400 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. formerly — it will all be owing to the visit of the Prince of Wales to this country. (Applause). " It is quite true that in this world we have no perfect hap- piness ; and we have an instance of it in this case. We know that the visit of His Royal Highness was, in some respects, accompanied by mistakes and heart-burnings, for which, how- ever, the Prince was not responsible, from which he was per- fectly free. If there has been any feeling of discomfort or annoyance, we all know that His Royal Highness was not the cause of it ; if any interest of any character has been insulted or neglected, he was not responsible for it. On the contrary, we hold the Prince as dear to us as ever, and felt more proud of him the day he left Canada to visit the United States than the day he first put his foot on our soil. (Loud cheers). Hut there has been, I grieve to say, an unpleasantness to which the chairman has alluded ; there has been a source of discontent and heart-burning ; there has been a feeling in Canada that a large and respectable Association of men has bee:: neglected and their position ignored, that a wanton insult has been offered to them, that their dignity has been wounded. (Cheers). That feeling the chairman has given expression to in no equivocal language, and that feeling is entertained b\' the great majority of the people of Upper Canada. (Applause). " When it was announced that His Royal Highness was to come to Canada in place of Her Majesty, we all received the announcement with the greatest pride and satisfaction, and did not anticipate that any of the difficulties that sub.sequently occurred would have taken place. We hoped that the whole of His Royal Highness's course through Canada would be one unbroken triumph ; and I fear that if that prospect was destroyed, it was because the Prince's progress was advised and directed by an individual high in position, hign in power, and occupying a high post in the Imperial Government, but who unfortunately was not acquainted with Canada, who did not know our people and their social and religious relations. and who judged of things in this country by the position and bearing of things in the country in which he lived. ,^A^-, as to the and :ntly leof one was ised i\ver, but did ions, and Her Majkstv's Constitutional Course. 401 " It follows, as a matter of course, that when Her Majesty sent her son to represent her, she took the same course with respect to him that she would have taken with respect to herself. Had she come to this country herself she would have been accompanied by some member or members of her Ministry, to whom she would have looked for advice ; and bv whom her progress would have been directed. As you well know, when Her Majesty visits her Scottish residence at Balmoral, she is always accompanied by one or more Minis- ters, and the same is the case when she goes to Ireland. It was only the other day that she returned from Prussia, whither she had been accompanied by Lord John Russell, Minister for Foreign Affairs, in order that he might be at hand to give her advice should circumstances arise requiring it. In carrying out this political practice and usage, when she sent her son here to represent herself, she sent with him, as she would have brought with herself, one of the members of her Cabinet — that member who was most particularly connected with the colonics. His Grace, the Duke of Newcastle — to give him advice as to how he should proceed during his royal progress in Canada. Any one acquainted with British consti- tutional practice will see that she was only literally carr\-ing out a recognized principle. No one has so strictly observed constitutional usage as the Queen. She has never made a mistake in this respect. In this case she certainly did what she has always done — acted in accordance with the Constitu- tion of the country. (Applause). " I know that it has been attempted to make the Provinci.u Administration responsible for the progress of the Prince of Wales ; for the advice given to him ; and for tlie course adopted by him in this country. Hut you will sec from what I have stated, that His Royal Highness could not be advised by the Provincial Adm'mistration and by the Imperjal Administration at the same time. The Duke of Newcastle came here in behalf of the Imperial Ministry ; was endowed with all the powers and responsibilities ; and such being the case, there could not possibly exist two separate bodies to advise, who might not have agreed, and certainly would not •n' h, ' : u hi in I :i 402 Tin-: LiFK of Sir John A. Macdonald. have aj^rccd as to tlic course the Prince finally took. (Loud cheers). It should be borne in mind that the members of the Canadian Ministry have taken precisely the same oath as that the Duke of Newcastle took with respect to the laws and the liberty of the subject. The Provincial Government, as a Government, arc bound to give advice to the Governor-General. Tliat is their duty — nothing more and nothing less. In any case affecting the interests of Canada thev are bound to give advice to His Excellency the Governor-General, or to the Administrator of the Government ; and they cannot, without a dereliction of duty, shrink from it ; but they cannot, without an assumptioii of undue power, exceed it. (Cheers). This being the case, I show the whole argument against us to be fallacious. We were bound to give advice to the person who administered the affairs of this country ; but the Prince of Wales no more administered the affairs of this country than the most humble man in it. He came out here as the repre- sentative of Her Majesty, but did not exercise the functions of a (iovernor-General. The Provincial Government had no power, therefore, to advise him. We were bound to advise the Governor-General ; we could not go beyond onr duty and advise one who was not tlic Governor-General. (Applause^. " You know we are in a state of colonial dependence ; and long may the connection between this and the mother country exist. But the people of this country have rights to sustain ; they have their own position to uphold. It is w ithin the recollection of every man among us that it is only lately we became possessed of the right we now enjoy. It is only within a few years that, after a long agitation and stubborn contest, we were accorded the privilege of governing our own affairs as we think proper. But while vvc enjoy our own rights, we must take care not to trench upon those of others • and it would have been a great mistake to force advice upon the Prince of Wales when he was to be guided by Imperial considerations and by the ofificer of Her Majesty sent with him for the purpose. It is only by respecting imperial rights that we can claim and enjoy our own and be able to say that we possess all the same rights in this i'A^- hose brcc ided csty ting and this J'm; Ground Takkn hv thk Opposition. 403 country as the nicnibcrs of the Imperial (lovernnient in Great Ikitain. That is the view taken by the Provincial Govern- ment of which I am a member. " You may remember in reading the debates of last season — not very profitable or interesting matter, (a laugh) that the subject of the Prince's visit was discussed ; and there was a very natural anxiety that his Royal Highness should be received in a manner worthy of his position and of the country. At that time — I call the particular attenticMi of those who hear me to this point, for it is made a ground for party attack upon the Government that they neglected their dut}- in not giving their advice with regard to the Prince's progress— at that time, the whole of the Opposition party in Parliament took the ground that the Piovincial Government were not and ought not to be responsible for the progress of the Prince of Wales. fCheers). It was an afterthought to hold them responsible, induced by the natural desire to fasten a charge of dereliction of duty upon the Ministry, and thus lead to a forfeiture of the confidence of the people. Why, if you remember the speeches that were made in the House at the time, you must recollect one made by Mr. McGec. You must remember the language that honourable gentleman used with regard to the visit, and to the impropriety of the Governor-General and the Ministry interfering in the matter at all. And lest it should be said that this was merely an individual opinion, I will refer to the motion of Mr. Brown, who, in the absence of Honourable J. S. Macdoiiakl, moved the appointment of a committee, chosen from both sides of the House, to consider the most fitting manner of receiving the Prince of Wales. The fact is, the Opposition felt the Prince of Wales would rou.se to enthus- iasm the feeling of every man in this country, and feared John A. Macdonald and Cartier would take advantage of that feeling to destroy the influence of the Opposition and build up themselves. (Applause). They then argued that it was not the duty of the Government, but of the Legislature, to receive the Prince ; and that it would only make it a matter of party political triumph if the Government interfered at all J H 1 r< -> li 1^'^ 404 TiiK LiKK uF Sir John A. Mac im^nald. " Now, supposing the Government had, for the sake of avoiding responsibihty, consented to the appointment of a committee, what would have been the position of the com- mittee ? They would have held no position in the state, being a mere voluntary body without Administrative powers. Sup- posing these difficulties had arisen, as they probably would, would the committee have advised the Duke of Newcastle? Were they constitutional and responsible advisers ? And what would the Duke of Newcastle have said to them had they offered their advice ? — ' Pray, who are you ? ' (Laughter). "When Mr. J. S. Macdonald's motion was before the House, I said, ' the Prince, during his visit, would not be directed by the Government or the Legislature, but would be accompanied by his own advisers, and would consult Her Majesty's Representative here, the Governor-General, and of course the Governor-General could not receive advice from gentlemen who had no confidence in his Government. The Ministry could not admit the unconstitutional principle that this money should be voted and expended, except on their responsibility.' I said that the Government were responsible for the expenditure of the money, but as to where the Prince would go, how long he would stay in the country, and as to his line of progress, he was to be governed entirely by the advisers who would come with him, and if those advisers had not come, Her Majesty would have been guilty of that which .she had never before been guilty of, a violation of constitu- tional u.sage. " We made suggestions as to what was to be done, but merely suggestions, as we had no authority to advise. There our duty ended ; and when His Royal Highness came he was accompanied by the Duke of Newcastle, his con.stitutional adviser. Now I must say I think it unfortunate that the Prince was advised by the Duke of Newcastle. He was a man of undoubted integrity and honour, and of high rank and position, but liable to look at things from an Imperial point. He was, like myself, a member of an Administration, depend- ing upon Parliament for support, and had to consider what effect the progress of the Prince would have upon the mother Explanations. 405 country aiul the Palmcrstoti Administration. (Applause) He did look upon things from an Imperial point of view ; and from his course upon the Orange question, I am quite certain that the Duke of Newcastle thought more of the condition and prospects of the Palmerston Government than of the Province. Why, we know that at the very time the Duke of Newcastle was saying that he would not recognize the Orange institu- tion, a Hill was bcin'j passed through the Imperial Parliament, with the sanction of the Government, declaring it criminal to wear the badges or colours of the Orange Order. That fact, no doubt, was pressing upon His Grace, and we can easily understand what his feelings were when asked if it would be convenient for His Royal Highness to receive an address from the inembers of the Order in this country. He felt that by giving his consent, he would be practically oppo.sed to the legislation of the Imperial Parliament, in which he and his Govcrnmont had a very small majority — and that majority he was liable at any moment to lose. " Whatever effect that might have upon his mind, he evidently never thought of the effect of his course upon Canada. I must say that His Grace acted in a most inanl)- and straightforward manner, a.ssuming the rcspoiisibilit)- where he alone was responsible. I believe the letter he wrote to the Mayor of Kingston was most injudicious and dicta- torial. I am satisfied that, had he made the rccjuest, in the name of the Prince, that the Orangemen would not appear in badges and regalia, from one end of the country to the other they would have abandoned them ; and I am convinced that had His Grace pursued this course, there would have been no difficult)-. (Cheers), It is one thing to lead a man by kintl- ness and courtes}', and another to shake a halter and sa\', 'come along.' (Laughter and applau.sc). But while his course was dictatorial and injudicious, while he sacrificed the good feeling of the people of Canada, I must say thai His Grace manfully took all the responsibility upon himself, and I will explain how. " The Prince had reached Ottawa when the news arrived that there was likely to be difficulty at Kingston. Of course. lU ♦ r !f m I I I i I hi ll 1 1 li m III i! 406 'liiK LiiK oi- SIR John A. Macdonai,!). I was exceedingly anxious that evcr}thin<,r should pass onlt well at that place ; and, therefore, while His Royal Highness went up the Upper Ottawa, I left for Prescott, for the purpose of meeting a deputation sent specially down to come to some arrangement with the Duke of Newcastle. I accoinpanicd them back and introduced them to His Grace, witii whom they had a long, earnest and animated conversation on the matter. We pressed in stronger and more emphatic language than His Grace was probably accustomed to hear, what we tiiought it was his duty to do, and what might be the consequence if he persisted in his threatened course. In doing so, I tlid not act as a member of the (lovernmcnt, but as a representative of Kingston, whose interests I had at heart. " I am not going to enter into a discussion as to the propriety or impropriety of the conduct of the Orange A.sso- ciation. One thing is quite clear, that they had a legal right to as.semble in the streets; that like any other lojal subjects — and God knows there were none more Itn-al — they hail the right of presenting their humble dut)' to the son of their Sovereign. Whether they chose to do so in the peculiar garb of the Order or not, depended upon thenisehes, there being- no law to prevent their appearance in such regalia. It may not have been in good taste to do so, but the wa)- to avoid it was not by writing that letter, but to ask them to refrain for the sake of the Prince. When they were told that they must act in such a manner as was agreeable to His (irace, antl if they did not, the place where they assembled would not be honoured by a visit from the Prince, they natural])- felt deejily wounded and annoyed. All this was pressed strongly upon the Duke of Newcastle. He admitted the truth of it. He said he was quite aware of the difference of the law in luigland and in Canada, he was quite aware that the Ma}'or had no right to prevent the Orangemen appearing in proces- sion, and if he did attempt to use force to prevent them, he would be committing a breach of the law for which he would be held answerable, but His Grace said — and I am exceed- ingly grieved that he persisted in the course — ' as the Prince of Wales may visit Ireland next year, I cannot and will not Explanations. 407 advise him to take a course here that he cannot take there.' \un this determination and the results of it the Duke of New- castle alone is responsible. " In spcakinj^ of this conversation, I speak with confidence as to the meaning of his statement.s, because there were four jfentlemen of character and standing present who are tiuitc ready to vouch for the truth of them. We pressed upon I lis Grace also these considerations. The Orange Association were not forcint^ th-ir way unduly into the presence of the Princi-, but the committee of reception had notifietl them and tjiven them a place in the procession, and the different Iodides in the country had gone to great trouble and considerable expense in making preparations. The Mayor stated also that when the Duke of Newcastle's letter was received, announcing that the I'rince would not land if Orangemen took part in the procession, he informed the cominittee, who, although the\- had assigned the lodges a place in the jjrocession, came to the conclusion that there should be no procession of an\' kind, ami asked whether under these circumstances the I'rince might not land and sec the people, and )-et not be held to give up the position taken, or to recognize officiall)- the Orange in- stitution? The Duke, in reply, stated that as long as there was an Orange arch or banner or badge in the streets he could not allow His Royal Highness to land. He was fixed in this determination, and the deputacion, after exhausting cver\- argument in vain, finally left, and as I had no official duty to perform, I resolved to cast in my lot with ni\' own people at Kingston. I therefore returned there with the deputation and stayed there. I felt it would be ver)^ bad taste to enter into the festivities at other places, nor did I see His Royal High- ness again until the moment he was leaving the countrw when I went to pay him my respectful duties and bid him farewell. (Applause). " I have said before and no^v repeat, that the course taken by the Duke of Newcastle was highly injudicious. Had the Prince landed in Kingston under the circumstances stated b\- the Mayor, what would have been the conseciuences ? He would have pleased the Orange institution, because, although *l ]• ! . ■1 'I i \ I M II' i lull 1 ir >R ' ' ! II ll fi \i 11 5: 40S TiiK Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. not recognized officially, their rij^hts would have been vindi- cated, and on the other hand, the Roman Catholics would ha\e been pleased, because they would have succeeded so far that the Duke of Newcastle would not have carried out the recoj^nition of the Order. The people of Kingston would have been pleased, because the Prince had honoured them with a visit and accepted of their hospitalities. Hut, as it was^ everybody was displeased. The people of Kinjfston were annoyed because their city was avoided, and the Duke of Newcastle had left behind him a ranklincj wound which would require all the temper and moderation of the public mind to .socjthe, where we expected, and if he had acted judiciously there would have been, ^^ratification and pride. All that was lost by the injudicious and dictatorial conduct of the Duke of Newcastle, and upon him alone rests the responsibility. As far as the Government is concerned, we feel we have carrietl out the constitution literally; as far as I personally am concerned, I stood by the rights of the people and vindicated thcin as strongly as I could. I entreat the pardon of i^cntlcmen present for dwelling upon this matter, but it is of great importance that I should put the views of myself and my colleagues in the Administration fairly before them, and through thein, before the country." (Cheers). On April 12th there began amongst our neighbours that terrible civil war which, before it was crushed out, was destined to cost the loss of tens of thousands of lives, the destruction of an inestimable amount of property, and the expenditure of thousands of millions of dollars. It is not necessary here to discuss the questions which caused the war. Suffice it to say that, for many months previous, the Northern and Southern States had been drifting into a state of intense hostility to each other, which culminated in a determination on the part of the latter to form themselves into a separate confederation. On December 12th of the previous year — 1860 — South Caro- lina had passed the following ordinance of .secession : " We, the people of South Carolina, in convention assem- bled, do declare and ordain that the ordinance adopted by us in the convention of May 23. 1789, whereby the constitution of Civil War in tiik Unitkd Statks. 409 the United States was ratified, and all Acts and parts of Acts of the General Assembly of the State ratifying amendments to the said constitution are hereby repealed, and the union now subsisting between South Carolina and other States under the name of the United States of America is hereby tlissolved." This was followed by the seizure of the revenue cutter Aiken and of the U. S. arsenal. On December 26th Major Anderson moved from Fort Moultrie to Fort Sumptcr, and so took com- mand of Charleston harbour. Forts Pulaski and Jackson and the United States arsenal at Savannah, with lH)rt Mason and the arsenal at Fayettsville, N.C., were then seized. On January 6, 186 1, the Florida Convention adopted secession resolutions. On the 9th Mississippi followed suit, while at Charleston the steamer Marion was seized, and the Star of tlic West fired into. On the 19th Georgia seceded, being followed by Louis- iana on the 26th, and Texas on February 1st. Eight days later the Montgomery Convention proclaimed the " Confeder- ate States of America," and elected Jefferson Davis President of the provisional government. On the iSth he was inaugur- ated Chief Magistrate of the Southern Republic, and delivered his message. From this document we will only cpiote the paragraph referring to States rights : "The right solemnly proclaimed at the birth of the States, which has been often affirmed and confirmed in the Hills of Rights of the States subsequently admitted into the Union of 17S9, recogtnzes in the people the power to resume the authority delegated for the purposes of government. Thus, the sovereign States here represented proceeded to form the Confederacy, and it is by the abuse of language that this act is denominated revolution. They formed a new alliance, but within each State its Government has retained the rights of person and property, which have not been disturbed." The seceding .States seized upon all arsenals, Government money and property, etc., that they could get possession of, and every preparation was made for the conflict which both sides felt was inevitable. War was not, however, actually com- menced until Apfil 1 2th, when the ball was opened by Fort I * >l i \ i iV* iH'lr 410 Tiir, I, III". (>!• Sir Ioiin A. M.\( ix .\.\i.i.. Moultrie, and seven batteries on \arioiis islaiuls opening tire on l'"ort Suinpter, occupied by Major Amlersoii and a body of (J. S. troops. Tlie fort was soon rendereil untenable and the next day capitulated. I'resident Lincoln then issueil his prochunation calling out 75,000 militia, and the fratricid.d stru^r^dc, thus inau^airated, never ceased until the South lay prostrate at the feet of the victorious N(»rth. The House assembled on March 1 6th, and an acrimonious debate on the Aildress was one (jf the principal features of the first days of the meetin^f. As has been previously nientioneil. during the visit of the I'rince of Wales in the previous autumn, tie Duke of Newcastle had refused to allow him to land at Kingston and lielleville on account of the Orange societx" bein^ present in rej^alia, anil an unpleasantness had taken place in Toronto in connection with an arch constructed by the same btuly on the street throui^h which the Prince hail to ])ass. Mr. Fi r^nison took advantage of this circumstance lo offer an amendment to the Aildress "rei^rettinLj that, owin^,^ to the unwise counsel tei: leretl to His Royal I li^hness, the feelin^N of a lari^c class of Her Majest)''s subjects had been insulted, their ri^dits ij^nored, and much political and religious excite- ment engendered, dcirimeiital alike to the j)eace of the ci run- try, and that full aiii^ unreserved equality of the rights and privileges which all classes of the [leople should constitu- tionally enjoy." .\ strong effort was made to place the responsibility upon the shoulders of the (lovernment, and a long debate took place oil the motion. Mr. Macdonald exi)lained that, so far as the visit of the Prince was concerned, it was the same as if the Queen had come to the country, and the same steps had been taken by the Imperial Government in sending responsible Ministers of the Crown with His Royal Highness. \o matter where the Queen went she was always accompanied by a responsible Minister. Therefore the Prince had been accom- panied by the Duke of Newcastle. It was said that the Prince ought to ha\e been guided by the advice of the Governor, but he (Mr. Macdonald) did not see how it could be done. The Ministry was blameless because it was bound to tender advice ^^' / Hi! !i I i ti III 1 1 i 1 ■ ' ; 1 i. » K !■ • f. [ ^ ■ , lii hi I It I, , ^llUiji L DKHATK on TIIK Al)I)K»-SS only to the Governor-General. The Duke on all occasions assumed the responsibility of directinj^ the Prince's move- ments. When the Orange difficulty arose, he (Mr. Macdonald) was one of a deputation from Kingston to endeavour to induce the Duke of Newcastle to change his determination, and was .sorry that they had not succeeded in their object. The Orangemen he believed, had a right to appear in regalia, and he told the Duke so at the interview which had taken place. The views expres.sed by Mr. Macilonakl and others .seemed to be satisfactory to the House, for Mr. I^'erguson's resolution was lost by a vote of 85 to 14. The debate went on in rather a rambling fashion, all .sorts of subjects being dragged in for discussion. Mr. Thibau- bcau said that the adoption of representation by population would lead to bloodshed, and Lower Canada would go for dissolution of the Union sooner than concede it. Mr. Sand- field Macdonald denounced the ([uestion as having originated with the Tories. He also made a bitter attack on his own party. He .said he had been read out of the Reform part)- by men of yesterday who had been pitchforked into the House by accident ; but he hoped to hold his place long after they had retired into that privacy, from which they ought ne\cr to have emerged. The Opi)osition unilerstood him to mean Mr. Brown, with whom he had had a \er>' sharp correspond- ence, during the recess, on the policy of the Brown-Uorion Government. He denied this, but would not say to whom he referred. He moved an amendment condemning the Upper Canada portion of the (jovernment, and argued, in support of it, that the rule had been that Ministers of the day should bring to their support majorities from both .sections. He said that the Draper Administration had, from 1843 to 1847, governed Lower Canada, with an Upper Can- adian majority and now the Carticr-Mactionakl (jovernment ruled Upper Canada by a Lower Canada majority. I le warned Lower Canadians that they would yet suffer for this injustice. Mr. Dorion al.so moved an amendment, which he explained differed from that of Mr. Sandfield Macdonald, in that the lattcrs amendment condemned the Upper Canada H li Hi: Ml ,1 i \ 414 Till-: Like ok Sir Joux A. Ma( donald. ■\'\ i • ■! ! \ I I section of the Administration while his condemned the whole Administration for its sectional government of Upper Canada. The debates on the various amendments lasted for a week. When a vote was reached it was found that the Ministry commanded a majority of from fourteen to nineteen. The great debate of the session was upon a motion made by Mr. Ferguson for leave to introduce a Bill to amend the representation on the basis of population, viz : each constitu- ency having between 15,000 to 30,000 inhabitants to have one member ; between 30,000 and 60,000 two members ; between 60,000 and ioo,coo three members ; over 100,000 four members, and no more. Mr. Cauchon at once moved the six month's hoist. The debate opened on April 5th and lasted until the 26th — during which time fifty-seven speeches were made. Mr. Carticr spoke for four hours. He reviewed the position with much ability, and denied that Upper Canada had any right to complain of her representation, owing to the small excess of her population. He pointed out that, at the time of the Union, Lower Canada had 250,000 majority and he did not consider that 250,000 Upper Canadians were any better than the same number of Lower Canadians. Mr. Macdonald spoke in opposition to the motion and said that the Conservative party had always been opposed to the principle. He thought the Union compact should be maintained. He, himself, was opposed to the principle because it would lead to universal suffrage ; it declared that every man, woman and child should be represented. He was in favour of the English principle, in which property was represented and, for increasing the boroughs, giving members to Belleville, Cobourg, Port Hope, St. Catherines and Brant- ford. He wished the count)- members to represent the agri- cultural interest, and those from the towns the manufacturing interest. The scheme before the House would lead to the election of candidates by conventions, which brought out, not the best, but the most available men. He next assailed the Opposition for inconsistency, and charged them with produc- ing a plan in convention and repudiating it iu the House, and went on to say : Oi'i'osK.n TO Kki'uksentat[()\ I!V Population. 415 " His honourable friend from Cornwall had charged the Conservative part}-, the other day, with having commenced the agitation of the subject. That was not the case. The question was never mooted until it was brf)Ught up by the Baldwin Administration in 1849. I'rom 1840 to 1849, the country accepted the Constitution. It had been adopted by the representatives of the people of Upper Canada and by the governing power in Lower Canada. There was a great deal of doubt and hesitation in the mind of Upper Canaila at the time, and almost universal dislike to it on the part of Lower Canada, but both set themselves honestly to work it out to the best advantage. And so the}' went on until 1849, when a measure to increase the number of representa- tives in the House was introduced b}- the Haldwin-Lafontaine Government. " Under the feeling at present existing between Upper and Lower Canada, it was impossible that they could carry- out the principle of representation b}' population. It must, therefore, be left to work its own way, on its own merits. If it had real merits ; if it had vitality ; if it was a correct principle ; if it was just alike to the people of Upper and Lower Canada, whatever might be the temporary feeling or prejudice against it, it would be found that in the long run truth was strong and must prevail. As was the case in the other great question, it might take a long time to make a proper impression, but if it had truth on its side, it certainly must and would become, sooner or later, the law of the land. If honourable gentlemen opposite would but reflect for a single moment they would .see that, by the course they were taking, making this a tjuestion of party, they were causing it to be a matter impossible to be carried out, and declaring, to a certain extent, that the}-, themselves, and those connected with them, must forever remain in hopeless opposition. Surel}- there were questions enough besides this for them to quarrel about, and make the subjects of party strife ; surely they might put this one question aside, like the Slave- Trade question in lingland, and not regard it as a question affecting one party more than another. They might leave this question to fight its own way. III i ,4 :| r it ^ rr m » \ \i ! t m 4i6 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. uH m 1 !■ ri! Ui li: • They could take up other issues or. which to quarrel and divide ; and if they would only adopt this course they would prevent the unwholesome, the unholy agitation now going on ; they would avoid all the injury which would otherwise result to the national interests of the countrj- ; they would avoid all the agitation on this subject as a matter of party consideration at the polls. By setting it aside from party politics, they would preserve peace, prosperity and quiet to the land ; but by making it a matter of part)' strife, they agitated the country from end to end, and frustrated every possibility of its becom- ing the law. (Hear). "Dissolution of the Union had been spoken of. Rut he really hoped that this had been held out as an empty threat. He believed that the best interests of the Province were dependent on the continuance of the Union, and that our national prosperity and future greatness were involved in its being preserved intact. But before enlarging on this point, he desired to say a word on another subject. It was most unreasonable to expect the majority to yield to the minority. He believed that the majorit)' of the people of Central Canada would be found to act with the Lower Canadians on this point. (Loud cheers from the Ottawa members). If even, unfortunately, a dissolution of the Union were to take place, the people of Central Canada could not be expected to remain v ila Upper Canada. Supposing a disso- lution to take place to-morrow, Upper Canada could not for a moment insist that the line should be run as in 1791. If the people of Central Canada desired to be connected with Lower Canada, Upper Canada must yield. The whole of the interests of the country, from Kingston to the old Province line, the whole rountry lying between the St. Lawrence and the Ottawa, and the whole valley of the Ottawa, were inseparably connected with Lower Canada. Central Canada neither bought nor .sold in the west. Montreal and Quebec were her markets, and, indeed, every element of her prosperity was bound up with the prosperity of Lower Canada. They could not expect for a moment that with all the advantages of trade and commerce in the east. Central Canada would The Success of the Union. 417 ot be disso- for a f the ower the VI nee and were iiada lebec crity rhey ages ould consent to be joined to Upper Canada, and allow herself to be cut off" from the sea, and be separated from the sources of her prosperity, that, in short, she would look north and south and west, and everywhere but in the quarter from which her only help would come. (Hear, hear). Draw a line between the two Provinces, and Upper Canada would be obliged to surrender this large and growing portion of her country, and it would also be found that the agitation for representation by population was worse than useless, for Central Canada would have given a preponderance of population to Lower Canada. Such must be the result of this cry of dissolution. (Hear, hear). But he believed that that cry was a mere empty threat. He would not bring himself to believe that those by whom it \\'as used were sincere. God and Nature had joined us together. Stretched the full length along the northern shore of the great lakes, and commanding the mighty St. Lawrence, we possessed the same common interests — interests which were only now beginning to be developed. Rapidly and steadily Lower Canada was becoming one of the most import- ant manufacturing countries in the world. Upper Canada was increasing in an equal ratio in agricultural prosperity. Such was the rapid increase of this western world — such was the productive power of the west, that no Luropean market would be found for its immense cereal productions, and Copper Canada must, therefore, look for a wholesome inter- change of commodities with the eastern province, Upper Canada being the producer, and Lower Canada the consumer, Upper Canada would send to Lower Canada the products of her soil, and Lower Canada return the fruits of her manu- facturing industry, and thus, year by j'car, the Union would become a greater and still greater necessity. Would they consent to forego all these benefits, to scatter all these advantages because of their determination to impose repre- sentation by population upon Lower Canada? Who could lay his hand on any serious evils that had occurred under the Union? For his part he was surprised at its marvellous success. When they considered that at the time of the Union the country was torn by domestic dissensions, and Upper .i: : I] jj ■J « ' m ; i.; ii i!^ W -f, I ■ .; I . , . I : 7 j ( H' ;f? ^ ■f n llti i- '■ 1 t f 418 The LiiK of Sir John A. Macdonald. Canada overwhelmed with debt, and that now, because of the Union, the country possessed the best credit in the world, after the mother country, would they consent to a severance of that Union because Upper Canada had a majoritj' of a tenth or thr' shouts over Lower Canada ? '■ ,ve were now approaching to a population of 3,000,000 of people — wc were approaching to the population of the United States at the time they declared their independ- ence ; we were standing at the very threshold of nations, ai.-- •'•-" admitted we should occupy no unimportant posi- tion a^no". > the nations of the world. Long might we remai' ■j-i.\.rctcd with Great Britain. He hoped for ages, forever, that Cr^cody. mij^ht remain united with the mother cou it. , . But vvere fast ceasing to be a depend- enc)', and assuiv.. ^^^ v. position of an ally of Great Britain. England would be the centre, surrounded and sustained by an alliance, not only with Canada, but Australia, and all her other possessions, and there would thus be formed an immen.se confederation of free men, the greatest confed- eracy of civilized and intelligent men that ever had an existence on the face of the globe. (Cheers). He hoped to live to see that day, and it would surely come if our statesmen would only be patriotic enough to lay aside all desire to do that which tended to rend the existing union and allow us to continue to progress as we had progressed since 1840. He believed his honourable friend from North Waterloo was one of those who entertained feelings of patriotism and love of country, and that, though a strong party man, he could, when occasion demanded, lay aside all party feeling for the good of the province. He asked the honourable gentleman to carry out that principle on this question. Let him and all others return home to the sphere of their influence and usefulness; let them u.se every legitimate means for the purpose of carry- ing out their views on the other subjects on which they had set their minds, but do not, in the name of our common country, do not make this a matter of party agitation and party strife. Let each go home and imbue his neighbours as far as he could with his particular views on other matters, but ■^n! ui Dissolution of 1'arliamknt. 4«y !i 1 let them all set aside party feeling in a matter of such vital consequence as this, and work toj^ethcr for the common j^ood on the principle of union and not on the principle of one section fi<:jhting and striving a<;ainst and seeking to annihilate the other." (Loud cheers). A personal rencontre nearly took place between Mr. Macdonald and Mr. Mowat, owin ' 420 TiiH Lii r, OK Sir John A. Maidunald. mcnccd without delay all over the province. Mr. Macdonald returned to Kini^ston and threw himself, heart and soul, into the contest. His address to the electors referred to every important tjucstion and filled two and a cjuarter columns of the papers, and in connection therewith, he issued a large pami)hlet which contained copies of the tlocuments and extracts referred to. This was an octavo brochure of 153 paj^es antl treated of Mr. Macdonald's ])ersonal position ; the charj^cs at^ainst the Governinent; the measures passed by the Government; the composition and polic\' (jf the Brown- Dorion Government; Mr. Macdonald's views on representa- tion b\' population, etc. It was decitled by the liberal party to ofYer to his candidature the stroni^est j)ossiblc opposition, and accordinc^ly a numerously siLjned recpiisition was pre- sented to the Honourable Oliver Mowat, who was res^arded as the best man that could be brouj^ht forward. lie accepted and came down from Toronto on the mornin;^ of July loth, beinLj met at the station b\- a lanre number of his friends and admirers, accompanied b\' the Orange brass band, and escorted b\' them to the city hall. Here Mayor Gildersleevc took the chair and formally introduced Mr. Mowat, who made an interesting speech, and the cami)aign was formally opened. The following night Mr. Macdonald's first meeting was held, and was of a very turbulent character. His speech was inter- rupted in all sorts of ways, and, when the meeting was declared closed, a i/u-/r't' of the wildest kind took place. A fight was made for the platform, and men, with sticks and brawny arms, surged to and fro ii: a violent struggle on the confined cd'^c of the stand from which many were hurled ruthlessly down. The }-ells of the onlookers and the shouts of the actors were perfectly frantic. After a time the platform was cleared, when the wrecks of chairs and ruins of tables, lamps and candlesticks bore witness to the desperation of the conflict. The principles advocated by Mr. Macdonald were University reform; protection to home manufactures; the encouragement of trade by the St. Lawrence; confederation of the provinces; law reform, and a bankruptcy act. Mr. Mowat held his meeting at the same time in the park. rm; iion. oi.i\ i:u mowai. l'Kl:.MIKU IM- UNlAKkl. 'Ar I *l » ■■■ I 1 4 ! }'■ f ' ■ i • . ■ :; 1 . 'i -. ' k;;^ . 1 .ropriate that we should give a short extract from this speech to show the warm feeling entertained towards him more than thirty years ago. Mr. Macdonald said : " Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen, — Although I have felt extremely gratified by the two receptions given to me in this city, I have never felt such pleasure as I do now, when a most enthusiastic ' welcome home' is given to my personal and political friend, Mr. Carling, by his own con- stituents, in my presence. (Cheers). It is quite true that he has been charged with being a thick and thin supporter of the .Administration, but he has never been a servile follower of the Government. He has never been an unreasoning follower of mine, but an investigating one. He has fairly considered the course of the Administration and given them a generous sup- port. It would not have been like him, true Englishman as he is, if he had not thus fairly judged us. If he has warmly and continuously sustained us it has been a great relief and conso- lation to us, for we feel that when a man, with such honesty and clearness of intellect, went with us for four years, we can- 11 .1 .«< 1 i Vi i w i i I it ' 11 •"' Ml • « li 'i I : - 5:1? i '■Ml- ,u :l 1 f ■ ; ••*! ! ', V I I 1 : i 424 TiiK Li IK OK Sir John A. Macdonald. not have been far uroiij;. VV'c cannot have been so far ^one in the paths of corruption as some of our opponents state. (Renewed cheers). He had no personal interests to serve ; he had no personal aim but to keep his own name untarnishc so that when he returned to ycni for your vertlict on his con- duct, he mi<^ht still have a ri^jht to the title of 'honest John Carling.' " (Great cheerinj^). Mr. Macdonald concluded his speech with remarks on our relationship to the United States, which indicate that the views he then entertained were identical with those he retained to his dying hour, and his language breathes the same loyalty to the mother country, and hostility to absorption into the neighbouring States, as characterized his last manifesto against Unrestricted Reciprocity. "Now is the time for c\ery lover of the Constitution tc be on the alert. On the other side (jf the line we see a grer^ nation, of the same blood as ourselves, engaged in a civil w; in destructive, savage strife. One of the chief rea.sons for that strife was the defective form of Government they possess, and we must resolve, if necessary, even to shed our blood to uphold here the British institutions we have received from the mother country. We know that the happiness of our children and the progress of Canada depend altogether on our maintaining our Constitutif)n, under which we enjoy the mt)st thorough libcrt\-, but a liberty consistent with law and the rights of propert\-. We arc still a portion of the Empire ; we are under the same Sovereign ; we are her favourite colony — for no otiicr land c\cr received .so great a mark of favour as we — and wc li\c as nearl\' as possible under the shadow of the British Constitution and protection of the British flag. Long may the connection last. Our watch\v(M-ds should be ' Union with ICngland under Her Majest}-,' and ' the Union of the Provinces.' Now that we hear people talking of ' look- ing to Washington,' it is time to throw away petty jealousies and say ' we will not follow you.' Let these people not only look to Washington but let them go thither. The loyal population will stay here, happier that the others are away and, if they try to return with an army at their backs, why, LUNCM AT Ha/KI, DKI.I,. 425 in the name of tlic niilitiaincn of Canada, let them coinc." ( Loud applause). The noininati(jns at Kingston took place on Saturday, June 22nd. The numbers of people present, the parapher- nalia, the excitement, and the general interest were never equalled on any previous occasion. Mr. Samuel Muckleston proposed the Honourable John A. Macdoiiald, who was seconded by Dr. Lavell. Ma\'or Gildersleeve proposed the Honourable O. Mowat, who was seconded by Mr. William Robinson. Each candidate spoke for about an hour and a half, after which the show of hands was taken, which was declared to be in favour of Mr. Macdonald. The polling took place on Jul)' 1st and 2nd and resulteil in a marked victory for Mr. Macdonald, the vote stamlin^, Macdonakl 785 ; Mowat 474. The official declaration was made, three days later, by the returning officer, in front of the court ln)usc. Mr. Macdonald was followed from his committee rooms by a larj,re body of his support, rs in carria<^es. After the pro- ceedings had concluded, a beautifully decorated triumphal carriage drawn by six horses was driven up. In this Mr. Macdonald took his .scat with about a dozen of his more prominent supporters and was driven through the principal streets, followed by over one hundred carriages. The pro- cession then moved to the residence of his aged inotluM-, near Portsmouth, where a bountiful collation was spread on tables beneath the pleasant shade of the trees. After partaking of the good things provided, and giving hcart\- cheers for Mr. Macdonald, his mother and the Queen, the procession re-formed and returned to the city. I ii d H^ .{ i « I J lii «;v (HA I' ri': K X I X I' i I itj |S()I ( Contnniid ). Kfsult of ihc elections— Dealli of Wm. Lyon M;icki n/it:- Arrival of Lord iMonck - The Trent difficulty- Session of 1862 — Licction of Mr. Turcotte as Speaker Ministerial chanjjes — Defeat of Cartier-Macdonnid (iovernnient on Militia Hill — Kesifjnation — Macdonald-Sicotte Administration — Its policy — I'roro- (Ration— Si^jnilicant si)cech of Lord Monck on National Defence. TIIIC elections were keenly conte.sted ;ill along the line, and the losses and gains on both sides were numerous. The Ministry lost the I'ostmaster-Cieneral and the Solicitor- (ieneral I'^ast, and a score of other adherents, whilst the Opposition mourned the loss of (ieorge Brown aiul A. .\. Dorion their parliamentary leaders from both sections, and many others, l<>oin the number c)f new men who were not coinmitted, either by pledges or antecedents, to the policy of one siile or the other, it was impossible to accurately sum up the result, but it was apparent, from the fact that the Montreal Gazette only claimed a majority of six for the (joveniment that the election had been a close one. Solicitor-(iencral Morin was subsecpiently elected for the county of Laval, and Post- master-General Smith for the TrfMit division. On the evening of Wednesday, August 2 ! I li # w II t I '! ^1 m TiiK " Tkknt " Akfaik. 4^1 Havana, when the passengers took ship for England on the British mail steamer Trent. What afterwards took place is thus described in Earl Russell's official letter to Lord Lyons, British Minister at Washington : " The Trent left Havana on November /th with Her Majesty's mails, for England. Shortly after noon, on the 8th, a steamer having the appearance of a man-of-war, but not showing colours, was observed ahead. On nearing her at I p.m., she fired a round shot from her pivot gun across the Trent and showed American colours. When the Trent was approaching her slowly the American vessel discharged a shell across the bows of the Trent exploding half a cable's length ahead of her. The Trent then stopped, and an officer with a large armed guard of marines boarded her. The officer demanded a list of the passengers, and compliance with this demand being refused, the officer said he had orders to arrest Messrs. Mason and Slidell, and McFarland and Eustis, and that he had sure information of their being passengers in the Trent. " While some parley was going on upon this matter, Mr. Slidell stepped forward and told the American officer that the four persons he had named were standing before him. The commander of the Trent and Commander Williams protested against the act of taking by force out of the Trent these four passengers, then under the protection of the British flag. But the San Jacinto was, at that time, only two hundred yards from the Trent, her ships' company at quarters, her ports open, and tompions out. Resistance was, therefore, out of the question, and the four gentlcm'" before named were forcibly taken out of the ship. A furthei demand was made that the commander of the Trent should proceed on board the San Jacinto, but he said he would not go unless forcibly compelled likewi.se, and this demand was not insisted on. " It thus appears that certain individuals have been forcibly taken from on board a British vessel, the ship of a neutral power, while such vessel was pursuing a lawful and innocent voyage — an act of violence which was an affront to the British flag and a violation of the international law." 'i J 1 \l I i * I'l ' 432 The Life ok Sir John A. Macdonald. .;'r f'-i\ t m 1 J Pill ,> i_ Lord Russell then states the conclusions arrived at by the Imperial Government : Her Majesty's Government having in mind the friendly relations which have long subsisted between Great Britain and the United States are willing to believe that the U.S. naval officer who committed this aggression was not acting in compliance with any authority from his Government, or that if he conceived himself to be so authorized, he greatly misunderstood the instructions which he had received. The Government of the United States must be fully aware that the British Government could not allow such an affront to its national honour to pass without full reparation ; and Her Majesty's Govern- ment are unwilling to believe that it could be the deliberate intention of the Government of the United States unnecessarily to force into the discussion between the two Governments, a question of so grave a character, and with regard to which the whole British nation would be sure to entertain such an unanimity of feeling. Her Majesty's Government, therefore, trusts that when the matter shall have been brought under the consideration of the Government of the United States, that Government will, of its own accord, offer to the British Government such redress as alone could satisfy the British nation, namely, the liberation of the four gentlemen and their dehvery to your Lordship, in order that they may again be placed under British protection, and a suitable apology for the aggression whicli has been committed. Shoukl these terms not be offered by Mr. Seward, you will propose them to him. You are at liberty to read this despatch to the Secretary of State, and if lie shall desire it, you will give him a copy of it. I am, etc., Russell. The contents of this despatch were at once communicated to Mr. Seward, who replied, admitting the correctness of the position taken, and intimating that the four prisoners, then held in military custody at Fort Warren, would be cheerfully liberated and returned to the protection of the British flag. They were accordingly at once given up and placed on board the British sloop of war, Rinaldo^ which got under weigh and proceeded to England. The settlement of the affair did not, however, remove the feeling of distrust and anxiety which had arisen and it was felt that military preparations were a paramount neces- sity. Honourable John A. Macdonald was gazetted Minister of Militia, and organization and drilling went on without The "Trent" Akfaik. 433 the flag. abatement. Corps of militia were formed in every locality and all arrangements made to protect the country should further complications take place. Every mail steamer, as well as regular and chartered transports, brought troops from the mother land, and, before long, garrisons were placed in Quebec, Montreal, Kingston, Toronto, Hamilton, London, Guelph, St. John's, Chambly, Isle aux Xuoix, Niagara, Port Dalhousie, Port Colbourne, Dunnville and St. Catherines. Happily their services were not required, peaceful counsels prevailed and Canada was spared the terrible calamity of being the battle ground of the two contending forces. The new Parliament met on March 20, 1862, when Sir Allan McNab was elected Speaker of the Upper House, and Mr. Turcotte, Speaker of the Lower House. The latter was the Government candidate and was opposed by Mr. Sicotte. The division list showed a majority of thirteen for the Ministry. Two other vacancies were created in the Government by the appointment of Mr. Vankoughnet to the position of Chancellor of Upper Canada in the room and stead of Hon- ourable W. H. Blake resigned, and of Mr. J. C. Morrison to be a judge of the Court of Common Pleas. Their places and that of Mr. Rose were filled by the appointment of Honour- able James Patton to be Solicitor-General, Mr. John Beverly Robinson to be President of the Council, and Mr. John Carling to be Receiver-General. The latter was returned for London by acclamation, Mr. Robinson beat Mr. Bowes in Toronto by 527, but Mr. Patton was beaten by Mr. McMurrich in Saugeen division by a large majority. During the recess a commission, consisting of several members of the Ministry and prominent officers, had been appointed to prepare a plan for the better organization of the Department of Adjutant-General of Militia, and the best means of re-organizing the militia of the province. Their report, published early in April, recommended an active force of fifty thousand men, field batteries to be com- posed of eighty-five men, troops of cavalry of fifty-three men, and battalions of infantry of eight hundred and four men. 434 i'li' I'"'"!' f^i" ^n^ John A. Macdonald. ■■if I f ; The usual period of training to be twenty-eight days, never less than fourteen days, with fourteen additional for recruits. Drill grounds and buildings to be provided in each regimental division, the buildings to be within a stone or brick wall, capable of defence against sudden attack. On May 2nd Mr. Macdonald introduced a Bill founded on this report. After a full exposition of the objects of the mea- sure, he said that if fifty thousand men were raised and drilled for twenty-eight days, the expense, including clothing, would approach $ 1, 000,000, and it might possibly exceed that sum. The cost of the armouries would vary according to place. In country districts they would not be expensive, and he estim- ated sixty armouries would cost $3,000 a piece, or with drill grounds, etc., the cost would be $4,000 a piece. He provided for both volunteer and regular militia. There was no estimate for the cost of arms, for it was the intention of the Adminis- tration to ask the British Government to supply them. On the 20th the Bill came up for its second reading, when it was thrown out by a majority of 7 — (61 to 54). An analysis of the division list shows that 32 Upper Canadians voted for the Bill and 24 against it, and that 21 Lower Canadians voted for the Bill and 2)7 against it. The objections entertained by a number of the Lower Canada members who generally sup- ported the Ministry, had been for some time understood. The result seems to have been anticipated in the city, for the galleries were crowded with spectators. There was great excitement in the House when the vote was taken, but it was received in silence. Mr. Cartier then moved the adjournment In consequence of this adverse vote the Carticr-Macdonald Ministry resigned office. There was no other honourable course open to them, for the measure had been made most thoroughly a Government one. It might almost be said to i^ve had an Imperial character, for it may be presumed, from the formation of the commission appointed to consider the question of re-organization, that the suggestions of the British Government, made through Colonel Lyons, formed part of the recommendations found in the report. No amendments were offered, no alterations suggested, the vote was simply a Macdonald-Sicotte Administration. 435 1 J m |i brusque refusal to listen to such proposals for sticnj^theninjj^ the militia as His Excellency's Ministers had made. The resignation was accepted and Mr. Sandfield Macdon- ald called upon to form an Administration, which he succeeded in doing in connection with Mr. L. V. Sicotte, and on the afternoon of the 24th the new Government was sworn in as follows : Attorney-General West, Mr. J. S. Macdonald ; Attorney- General East, Mr. L. V. Sicotte; Receiver-General, Mr. James Morris; Provincial Secretary, Mr. A. A. Dorion; Postmaster- General, Mr. Foley; Commissioner of Crown Lands, Mr William McDougall; Minister of Finance, Mr, W. P. How- land; Commissioner of Public Works, Mr. Tessier; President of the Council, Mr. T. D. McGee; Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Evanturel ; Solicitor-General West, Mr. Adam Wilson ; Solicitor-General Itast, Mr. J. J. C. Abbott. On the following Monday, 26th, Mr. Wallbridge rose in his place in the House and read the following as the policy of the new Government. First. Recognizing the federal character of the Act of Union, and the danger at present of attempting to change the basis of that Union, the Government will seek to remedy the evils now encountered in the Government of Canada by committing to the members composing the Administration for each section respectively, the control of all matters of a local or sectional character, the Administration as a whole being charged with all such matters as are necessarily common to both sections of the province. Second. It will be admitted, as a rule, that local legislation should not be forced on either section of the province against the wishes of a majority of its representatives. Third. The Government will submit a measure for the more equitable adjustment of parliamentary representation in each section of the province respectively. Fourth. An amendment of the militia law will be proposed so as to secure a proper enrollment of the available force of the province under efficient officers ; the distribution of the arms furnished by the Imperial authorities through officers of y^ I I iiK "Ir 14 'H .• « 1 m 436 The Lifk of Sir John A. Macdonald. battalions ; and the encouragement of the volunteer move- ment. /''i/i/i. The tariff will be readjusted so as to meet, as far as possible, the demands upon the revenue ; but the readjust- ment will be made with a due regard to the manufacturing interests of the country. Sixth. A Bill will be introduced to settle, in a more equit- able manner, the relation of debtor and creditor, and to afford relief to insolvent debtors in an economical manner, such Bill being made to apply to the whole province. Seventh. A system of retrenchment, including every branch of public service, will be adopted with a view to reduce the annual expenditure of the country within its income. Eighth. Her Majesty's decision with reference to the seat of government will be maintained. A thorough investigation into all matters connected with the public buildings at Ottawa will immediately be made so soon as the investigation can be completed, and contracts ascertained to be such as to permit work to be proceeded with under them. No time will be lost in endeavouring to place the matter in a condition to make satisfactory progress. Mr. Loranger then explained the policy in French, and stated that it was the intention of the Government to ask the House to pass certain public Bills, including a portion of the Tariff Bill of the late Finance Minister, and then prorogue Parliament to meet in January next. He proposed asking the House to hold two sessions each day until prorogation. A debate ensued, in course of which the leaders of the late Administration stated that they did not intend offering any opposition at that time. Parliament only sat for another fortnight, and was pro- rogued on June 9th, after making some amendments to the militia law. On July 3rd Lord Monck was entertained at a public din- ner at Montreal, and availed himself of the opportunity to give the following sensible advice on the question of national defences : " Gentlemen, it would be madness in us if we did not recog- M 1 ■■^■1 ■ 1 %¥:;, THE REV. DR. WILLIAMSON, Vice-Principal Queen's ColUge, Kingston, brother-in-law of Sir John A. Macdonald. 1! I 1 . i If ' lit II ■Hi i ■!! ,.) 11 III < t LnKI) MoNCK's Sl'KlXll. 4yj nizc the ^ravc fact of the existence of a numerous army in that country to the south of us which, up to this moment, has been the abode of peaceful inchistry. Do not suppose that I am an alarmist, and that I entertain any expectation that we shall be immediately attacked. I entertain no such idea. Hut I shall now read you some words that express my sentiments full)-, and better than I can do m\self. Thev come, I may inform \-ou, from one who has lon^ held the front rank amon^^ iCnj^flish statesmen. Here they are, — ' Hut if you want to be on terms of perfect friendship with a j^reat nei^hbourin^^ i)owcr — a power of great military and great naval resources — if \'ou want to preserve your independence, and, at the sann,' time, your friendship with that power, you can only accomplish that object by being perfectly prepared to defend \-ourself from attack. It is not necessary that you should anticipate attack. It is not at all a part of your p(jlic)' that )<)U should say, ' I will only prepare myself for defence when I see an attack coming.' It ought to be the constant position of a country that wants to maintain friendly relations with its neighbours, and to hold that position in the world which its importance and dignity recjuire, not to be prei)ared for aggression, but to be constantly in a state of sufficient defence.' These are the words of the oldest, the most sagacious, the most popular of Hritish statesmen— a man under whom I served my apprenticeship in politics — the ablest statesman in iMigland I may call him. I mean the present noble Prime Minister. " I may remark that, in case of aggression on any part of the Hritish dominions, the whole resources of the empire will be put forth to defend the part attacked, no matter from what part the attack may come or in what possession of the exten- sive dominions of Great Hritain the assault may be delivered. But, when I say, ' whole resources of the empire,' you must remember that the colonies form part, and that, in my mind, colonial resources are for the purposes of defence, imperial resources. I will not attempt now to lay down the amount of protection that could be co itributed from what I will not call Imperial, but the Home a' id Colonial resources, in case of war. I i 1- I'' H ■ r i [:• I: i « t Mm 440 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. In the first place 1 have no authority to speak about the matter, and in the next place I believe that all experience will lead colonies to the conclusion that no such subject will be dealt with in a niggard form. Jiut although I am not empowered to tell you Jwhav England will do, I can give you a fair statement of what she cannot do. She cannot, alone, supply men to defend Canada ; the strong armies which must be arrayed against the enemy must come from the people of Canada themselves. I am perfectly satisfied from the spirit I have witnessed among the people, and the exertions which, with their limited means, thcj' ha\c matle to put them- selves in a position of defence, that they will not be found wanting should the day of danger unhappily arise. " What I wish to impress upon Canadians is this, not that they should rai^c a standing army, or engage in any large expenditure, but that they should take such measures as will enable them, in a sudden emergenc}-, to put forth their strength to meet any attack. I speak in the presence of a great mercantile community and I only ask j^ou to take the common precautions of every merchant, in the case of venture, to ensure against risk or loss, l^ut, gentlemen, the insurance which I ask you to effect has this advantage over the ordinarily commercial business transaction, that, not only will you suffer less should it take place, but, in all probability, the moral effect prochiced by the insurance will prevent the risk ever taking place." Lord Mor.ck's speech was looked upon as a very signifi- cant utterance, intended, at once, to convey to our neighbours the intimation that Great Britain would defend Canada at all costs and to express to Canadians the opinion of the Home Government that we must show ourselves prepared to assist in the defence, to the utmost of our abilit)'. There had just arrived, the speech of ti.c Duke of N-'wcastle on the rejection of the Carticr-^Licdonald Militia Bill, in which he stated that he would use all his influence to obtain an effective militia law for Canada, and it was, therefore, pre- sumed that His Excellency was acting under the inspirations of the Colonial Off ce, and had been instructed to urge upon V K Lord Monck's Speech. 441 the people of this country the necessity for such measures as would ensure that a defensive front might be at all times opposed to the cupidity of an enemy. His words attracted wide attention, not only in Canada but in the United States. In the latter country they were accepted as a fair warning of what might be expected should they venture upon a policy of aggression, whilst, in Canada, the assurance of Britain's readiness to defend us from attack inspired a feeling of con- fidence and security. , i ill ' \i •n ♦ in ll ■ PI 1 1! CHAPTER XX. 1862 — (Conti)iiu'(i). Feeling in England over vole on Militia Bill — The London Times article — Death of Sir Allan McNah — Election of Honourable Alexander Campbell to Speak- ership of Legislative Council — Resignation of Honourable A. A. Dorion — Session of 1863 — Passage of the Separate School Bill — Comments of the Gloiie — Honourable John A. MacdonaW's want of confidence motion — Defeat of the Macdonald-Sicotle Government — The Assembly refuse to go on with business — Dissolution — Reconstruciion of Cabinet — Formation of Macdonald- Dorion (lovernment — Attack by Honourable D'Arcy McGee on his late colleagues — Result of the elections, THE rejection of the Militia Bill caused the greatest dis- appointmment in England. Canadians had behaved so well during the Trent afYair that they had won the respect and esteem of their friends across the water, now all this was changed and they were charged with disinclination to defend themselves the moment their pockets were to be toucl'ed. The London Times spoke very plainly, and it would be well if people of this country allowed its words to sink djcply into their hearts and memories, for they are as true and as pertinent to-day as they were in 1862, and will continue to be until the time arrives when we are able to stand forth as a separate and independent nation, able to defend ourselves against all attacks, the ally and equal of Great Britain in every respect. We reproduce the greater part of the article : " It is difficult to read without emotion of some kind the announcement that, at the present time and under exist- ing circumstances, the Canadian Parliament has refused a second reading to the Bill fof establishing an efficient militia for the defence of the province. Let us make all possible deductions and allowances before we give way to that emotion — be it regret, surprise, or indignation. The Militia Bill, which was rejected, proposed to raise a force of 50,000 men and a reserve of 50,000 more. Such a measure could not be carried out without a very heavy expense, and at a great amount of private loss and inconvenience. The Ministry has resigned and the question is in the hands of the people of Canada. Time is given for reconsideration. 442 TiiK "Times" on the Militia Bill 443 We trust it will be well used, and, In order as far as possible to attain that result, we will endeavour to put the question before Canada from the point of view in which it is likely to strike the mother country. " In the first place the Parliament of Canada has shown itself signally wanting in those instincts of liberty which urge a free people to fly to arms on the least surmise of danger from foreign enemies. It is to us inconceivable that 3,000,000 of civilized people can watch the explosions of the great American volcano, without realizing to themselves the fact that the fiery flood, which is desolating so large and so fair a portion of the earth's surface, may come even to them, and, were it not for what we have seen, we should have thought it equally impossible to them to perceive this danger without taking every measure in their power to anticipate and prevent its approach. The only solution that can be offered for so strange a fact is that Canada has learnt to trust to others for the performance of services for which weaker and less wealthy populations are wont to rely exclusively on themselves. We have intersected Canada with canals intended for her military defence, and paid for out of the Imperial treasury. We have always garrisoned her fortresses, and paid for repairs and alterations ; as if these fortresses had been everything to us and nothing to the people in whose country they are situated. It is, perhaps, not very wonderful that persons educated under such a system should come to consider themselves relieved from the sterner duties of life, and be content to lean on remote and uncertain defenders, instead of on their own efforts. " There seems a disposition in Canada to treat the question whether the colony should arm in its own defence or not, as one in which the colony itself has only a very secondary' and indirect interest. The question is assumed to be, not whether the colony can defend itself, but whether the dut)' of defend- ing her efficiently shall be undertaken by anvonc. This is nut a question, as some would make it appear, of loyalty to the British connection. It has, in fact, but little to do with the matter. If Canada had wholly cmanci]iated herself from the ■t'^'.; Wf 444 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. I ' i t. i 1 m m \ r British Empire, she would not, by that means, have emanci- pated herself from the imperious duty of self-defence. If Canada remains ever so firmly attached to England, the duty of self-reliance will still cling to her. It is time to speak out and to despise the illusions which have misled men's minds in other and quieter times. People have thought — nay we trace something of this feeling in the very able speech of Mr. Rose, upon which we lately commented — that, if separated from England, Canada would have no further concern with questions of war or peace, such as she has at present, and that the only chance of her being involved in hostilities is her present connection with Great Britain. We are disposed to hold the exact contrary of this, and to think it far more likely that Great Britain should be involved in war on account of Canada than that Canada should be involved in war on account of Great Britain. Let Canada look carefully to her own circumstances ; let her statesmen study the tone of the American press, and the strange and momentous position of affairs on the American continent. How long will the present civil war afford employment to 700,000 armed men ? Or, if the war itself, should not abate, how long will the American Government be able to bear the vast strain on their finances which the payment of such an army implies ? And when the time has at last arrived when, either from the termination of civil strife, or the failure of money and credit, the United States are no longer able to support their vast army, what is to prevent that army from marching towards the northern frontier, and satiating its revenge ; its love of plunder and conquest, in the rich and unwasted provi res, of Canada? " Let not the Canadi^-is deceive themselves by supposing that these things only threaten them because they are a dependency of the British Crown, and that the moment the link is broken the danger of invasion is destroyed with it. The danger will be exactly in proportion to the prospect of success, and Canada will be just so much more likely to be invaded as an independent province as she would be more likely to be conquered. Let not the Canadians, on the other hand, believe that they have in their present connection with TIT )rd las ifc, : no and \n^ It. of be li :^! i ■ * ! J? ith iVrif u iA TlIK "TiMKS" ON THK MlI.ITIA l^ILI,. 447 Great Britain a sufficient protection a<^ain.st invasions without taking any trouble to defend themselves. Such an opinion is founded on a mistake both of our power and our will. It is not in our power to send forth from this little island a military force sufficient to defend the frontier of Canada against the numerous armies which have learnt arms and discipline in the great school of the present civil war. Our resources are unequal to so large a concentration of force on a single point, our empire is too vast, our population too small, our antag- onist too pov rful. But, if we had the power, it is quite certain that we should not have the will. Opinion in England is perfectly decided that in the connection between the mother country and the colony the advantage is infinitely more on the side of the child than of the parent. We no longer monopolize the trade of the colonies ; we no longer job their patronage. We cannot hope froin them any assistance for defending our own shores, while we are bound to assist in protecting theirs. We cannot even obtain from this very colony of Canada reasonably fair treatment for our manufac- tures, which are taxed twenty-five per cent, on their value, to increase a revenue which the colonies will not ajiply to our, or even their own, defence. There is little reciprocit)' in such a relation. Should the colony wish to put an end to it, wc should never draw the sword to defend it, and if Canada will not fight to protect its independence fn^n foreign invasion neither will England. " The question is not one of Canada dissolving or main- taining its connection with Great Britain. That it may dissolve almost at pleasure. The question is of destroying or maintaining its own liberty and independence, of being a self- governed commonwealth, or perhaps, as is talked of for the south, a subjugated territory of the United States. The question is much simpler than the Canatlians seem to think. If they are to be defended at all, they must make uj) their minds to bear the greater part of the burden of their own defence. This will be the case if they separate from us, this will be the case if they remain by us. It is said that the French-Canadians are led by national jealous)- to oppose the i ! tiintiiii^ nit /••/■,). t i i'? II i^i II) / Till'. I'J.KCTIUNS IN MONTKI.AI,. 437 :jtlici' pl.icc's, those for the cil)- of Montrciil, where two ineiii- bers of the ;\(hiiiiiistrHtioii, I lonourables L. II. IIoUon^ Finance Mim'ster, aiul A. A. Dorion, Attorney-Cieneral West, together with Mr. Youn<^r, had offered themselves as candi- dates, and "\ere opposed by I lonourables John Rose, (1. Iv Cartier, and T. 1). Mc(iee. The pollini^ took place on Jun;- 8th and 9th, in 1 ' iiii i : ( 1 FP m^ m I' • III 4^ I I M^i CH A PTI<: R XXI. Summer Session of 1863 — Debate on Speakership — Tlie I lonourablc John A. Macdonald compares the 1 .emier to l*'rankeiislcin's Monster— Oovernnient :iiislaine(i l)y 66 to 5.S -Warm Attacks on re-constructed Ministry — Aljandonmeiil of Principles of "Double Majority" and " Kepresentation b) Population"' -Mr. Sicotte's charj^es of ]5ad Treatment — Mr. Foley and Mr. Alctiee explain h(JW they were dismissed from the Ciovernment - Mr. Sicotte's Amendment to the Address — Mr. Sandlield Macdonald's Attack on Mr. Mc(;ee-Mi'. Mc( lee's reply Mr. Sicotte's Apjiointnienl as Judj;e —.Mr. (.'ockburn's Kes')lution — Dr. Jiown's Speech in favour of Motion — tioverninent sustained by a majority of 2 — Close of Session. THI'' new Parliament \va.s called together on Au-^^ust 13th. Mr. Tcs.sicr wa.s elected Speaker of the Upi)er Moiiso \vilh(jul a divi.sion. In the Legislative Assembly Mr. Saiid- ficld Macdonald propo.sed the Honourable Lewis Wallbriugc as Speaker, the mot.'on bein^ .seconded by Mr. Dorion. A warm debate ensued in which the late Ministers took part. Mr. P'oley declared that although he would support the motion, it was not to be accepted as expressinj^ confidence in the tioverninent. Mr. Sicotte denounced the Administration, and said that as the gentlemen on tho treasur)' benches did not possess his confidence, he was not going to stultify himself by vcjting for one of their number as Speaker. Mr. McGee believed that the Ministry were usurpers of an official character, and that when the time arrived he would vote want of confidence in tliem. Mr. John A. Macdonald took strong ground against the appointment of Mr. VVallbridge — then .Solicitor-General West — remarking that this was the first instance in nu 'crn iMiglish history, since the time (»f Charles II., that a member of the Government was proposed as Speaker. It showed an utter ignorance of constitutional usage on the i)art of the Ministry. 1 le created a great deal of amu.sement by compar- ing Mr. S.'uullield Macilonald to J^'rankenstein, who gave existence to a monster that pursued him to his death. George Hrciwn was the intellectual monster created by the Premier, and he would kill him yet. The movement was intensified when Mr. S.uidfield Macdonald rose to repl)-, and being, it is presumed, unacciuainted with Mrs. Shelle\'s well-known novel, 4.S.S ^i.^k^ , FraNKKNSTKIN'S MoNSTKk. 459 t /ant iiicr, ificd it is >vcl, aiul c(Jti found iiit,^ the name with some other (jf similar sound, proceeded to state with tlie i^ravcst face imai^inable, that he, himself, remembered havint^ once seen a hcjrse up(jn which I'rankenstein used to ride ! The Premier, an<;ered by the laughter, proceeded to make a violent attack upon Mr. Turcotte, charginc;" him with all kinds of corruption, and commented in strong language u|)on the sj^eeches delivered by the Opposition, lie refused to answer Mr. Dunkin's (juestion as to whether Mr. Wallbriilge was still Solicitor-General or not, upon the ground that until the election of a Speaker the House was not properly constituted. After some hours of debate Mr. Wallbridge was elected by a vote of 66 to 5ai way by which Messrs. Dorion and 1 lolton can be i^revailed upon to come in, namely, that Mr. Dorion >hall be the Lower Canadian leader" (Opp(isition derisive cheersj I'"urthermore he said this was insisted upon by his Lppcr Canadian supporters. He (Mr. .Sicotte) then undcrstcjod the cau.se for all the mystery, and this was a sufficient ^^njund for him to act upon at the Couii'il meeting on .Monday. At that mect'n^ he remonstrated with iho I'remier and said that his course towards him had not Ixen correct; that, as leader of the Lower Canadian .section of the Government, he was the Premier's ecjual, and that the I. liter's pretensions that himself and his Lower Canadian colkaj^ntes were .so many pieces of metal in his jiocket, which he could stamp with a nominal value at his pleasure, were not the conditions to which he (Mr. Sicotte) and his colleagues could submit themselves. (Hear, hear). The Premier replied: "Then \ou know what \-ou have to do?" Mr. ICvanturel remarked: "Oh, yes, wc know very well, Init ^ivc us time to write our resignations. ' (Laughter). They had not attended tin; H(ju.se on that d.iy. but had prepared their letter of resignation. Mr. Sicott'" went on to speak of the visit paid him on U'ed- nesday by Mr. Dorion, who said that he had been charged with forming the Lower Canadian secticjn of the (Government f' '*V>». I'.XI'I-ANATION ()!• I'iX-MlNISTKKS. 401 Tuf the nsclf ■s of ina! 1 he Ivc-. what \\c Ills. ' A'cd- mcnt and that if he ( Mr. Sicollc) were williiij; to join, he iiiij^ht select any of the offices at the (ns|)osal of that section. lie had stfjpijed Mr. Dorion by saying- that liis course was unfair, and that he had more reason to coini)hiin of him than of tlie I'reniier. Ihis was the first intimation he liad received that liis resi<4nation was accepted, and he rcprovetl the mem- ber for llochi'la^a for taking' his place, and then offerini; him an inferior seat in the ("abinet. He told him tliat he never liad l)elont;ed to the Rou^e party and would not accept office with it. Tiicsc were the facts, and he was sure Ills collcat^ues from Lower Caiuula would bear him out in what he said. .Mr. I''(jle\' then explained the manner in which he had left the ("abinet. He said he had no connection with any of the intrigues referred to. After the defeat of the Govern- ment he had attended the Council meetings. The onl\- ([uestion discussed was that of dissolution, lie had no idea that there was any intention of dismissing him. On the contrary the Premier appeared to treat him as his honourc*! collea;j;ue, as he had always professed to r(.;^ai"d him. I'he ne.xt nij^ht a member f>f I'arliamcnt, and a friend of his, sum- moned him antl told him for the first time, that he had been dismissed to make room fijr Mr. Mowat. lie could not believe it possible, after attendin!^ two Cabinet meetings and ^M\ini( his advice with regard to a dis.solution, and ha\ ini; a private conversation with the Premier respjctini^ the t^eneial elections, lie heard the same thing fn>m other quarters, but the next morniiiL;, as he received the usual notice to attend the Coimcil meeting, he ccjucluded there was no truth in it. At Council he demanded an explanation but did not get .uiy. .\s the rumours grew into positive staten.ients he .sought the Premier and stated what he had heard. Mr. Macdonald then toltl him, in a \er)' cavalier manner, that the 'cports were all true, and that he had to leave the Cabinet. i'here was, thcrelbre, nothing for him but to send in his resignation, which he did in these words: "I hereby tender \'ou my resignatujn as Postmaster-(ieneral in your .Xdmim'stration, regretting that your coiuluct has been such ! i mm 1 ! 1, ! ■ \ 1 %\ m ■ f j . 1' : 463 Tin; Liii; oi' Sii< John A. Macdonai-d. as to prevent our ])artin^f on terms of imitiial friciulship ami rfS|)L'it." 'I'hcsc were the facts connected with his rcsij^na- lion, and after hearinj^r them he felt satisfied that no man, on either side of the I I(juse, [jossessed of proper feelinj^s, could sanction the conduct of the Attorney-Cieneral West towards his collea;cc:11(;ik:\- ma)" confidently rely upon our readiness to sanction the outla\- wliichlias thus been incurred, as well as to ])ro\ ide for the necessary expenses of the (ioverninent for the coniin;^' jcar." Mr, Sicotte moved, secf)nded by Mr. I'oley, that tlie folUnving be ackled at the end thereof: " Jkit that we re|4ret to be compelled to represent to His Excellency tii*t the essential chan^^e of Administration after the vote < 't , he ("ominous and after a dissolution had been j^frantetl by the ("rown, on the advice of the Mirnstr)- as it was tiien constituted, invohini^, as that did, the withdrawal of two-thirds of the members of the (iovernment, and the forma- tion of an entirely new Ministry for Lower Canada, has j)rcvented the ])eo])le from exercising, in the maimc/ intended by the Constitution, the important ri^dit of Liivini;" their final decision between their representatives and the responsible advisers of the Crown, and lias deprived the people of that just control over both, which is essential to tiie workinj^ of a free (iovernment. That this House feel it their dut\' to repre- sent to His I'.xcellency that, in their opinion, the Administra- tion was orj^ani/.ed in a manner contrary to the si)iiitofthe ("onstituticni and U> usages which ha\e so lon^ and so benefi- cially prevailed in Canada, subversicju of the harmtJiiy which must exist between the two sections of the province, and that the course of the advisers of His Ivxcellency was highly prejudicial to the ccjnduct of public affairs and to the welfare of the people." Mr. Sandfieiti Macdonald, in speakini •nai.h. coiivciiiciil to IcMVc ('aiiada Ix'toic Idiil;. Was it lur him, wlio niij^lil leave tlit- (Diiiiti)' aii\' da)' without Ix'iii^ luisscd, to hiturc those wlio, like liimscll', f Mr. Mac(h)iiakl), wcrt: nati\c ( aiia(haiis, u ho had an iiitcrcvst in the soil and had worked for tlic ad\aiu:ement and proi^Mcss of the province ? lie (Mr. Mi(iet.-j was Init an eniij^rant, a peiuiiless achenturcr, and had no rii^lit to (h'ctatc to any one. Tlie I'rcniicr, who seemed to ha\c- worked liim.self into an nn^oveniahle passion, continued for some time in this st\Ie, taunting' his opponent with liis e.xpatrialion, Ins want (jf success in Hie, his ahenship and e\'en liis po\-ert)-. Mr. Mc(iee displaj'cd much self-control and dignity, and re])lied in calm but brilliant terms, lie said "that the Premier had sh(jw n what a lamentable fiL^ure could be cut by a ver)- small man when he accidentall\- _i;i)t into a hi^h position. lIi" asked it' a British subject conn'n_L( to ( anada was not the ecpial of an\- man in the pro\ince, and iMititled to the same rights as Mr. .Sandlk'ld Macdonald, who rt^prc-sented himself to be the descc'ident oi pt'ople who had come, perhaps a hundred )'ears at^o. To set up a claim to an extreme ri,L;ht in the soil was antaijjonistic to emiL;ration. H)' what riL(ht did the Premier dare speak of him or (Uhers who came from the British Isles as aliens ami foreigners ? Was not a British subject entitled here to the same rii;hts as in (ornuall, Donegal or Caithness? lie (Mr. Mc(iee) was an emij^rant of to-da)-, the Premier an emi!.;rant of \'esterda\-, and when he reviled him (Mr. McGee) as an alien, he .s])at on the praxes of his own ancestors, h'rom his (Mr. Sandfield Macdonald s; point of view it was derogat- ory to the chanicter of a statesman or a ])ublic man to lecture. Well, no doubt Mr (iladstone, who contlescended to lecture occasionall)', would be (|uite a minnow beside the le\iathan of (Oniwall if he hap])ened to be swimimn;^ in the same waters. Marl knssell, Lord BroUL;ham and even the veteran Lord Palmerston dii! not think it 1 eneath their di<4nity to lecture before scientific associations, lie (Mr. Mc(iec; felt that he beloiiL^ed to the pcu|)le, and, if he hail Intel liL^^ence or knou- ledtj[e on any subject, it was a pleasure to imi)art it to them, and he never felt happier than when contributing to make 11! 'VV. Il^i \ \ TlIK GuVKKN.VKNT SUSTAIN KD. 465 them iiKjrc tolerant, iiKjre iiitelli^feiit, niore inclined to ilwcll in peace and more capable of advancin^^ in material prosperity." The debate on Mr. Sicotte's amcn(hTient lasted for six days before a vote was reached, wiiich resulted in the Ministry bein^ sustaineti by a vote of 63 to 60. /\ week later, September 5th, to the surprise of every ouc, Mr. Sicotte was api)ointetl judj^^e of the Superi(jr C" ^ Vi ^>4 7 Hiotographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) «7a-4S03 ^ ^ ^ h !^ 466 TnK Liu-: ui- Sir John A. i\lA< donai.d. The rcin.'irks of the mover were able and to the point, and delivered with a calmness and moderation appropriate to the gravity of the subject under consideration. Those who fol- lowed him did not place the same restraint upon themselves, and stronjj lan'jua^e and reprehensible j)ersonalitics were dra^j;ed into the tiebatc. Mr. Isaac Huchanan compared the Government to " a nest of political ma^j^ots, thriving on cor- ruption — a mere conspiracy of men banded together, not by a community of principle, but b)- a common want of principle," and the Ministerialists were equally reckless in the expressions used by them. Inasmuch as the occasion marked the sever- ance of the connection of Dr. Hown, member for Kast Hrant, with the party in power, and as he was a man whose name had never been sullied by the breath of slander, whose social and pecuniary position rendered him thorouj^hly independent, and whose ability and moral character were beyond question, we will select his speech as }^ivin^ the fairest viow of the way in which the matter ])rcsented itself to men of honour untram- elled by the ties of jjarty. ; Ic said " he did not stand in the position of an out and out party man, and therefore could not avail himself of the shelter affortletl by the broad win^s of party on one side of the House or the other ; he stfKul, as it were, alone, and must assume the responsibility of his own acts, and would stand or fall by them. It has been laid down, time and a^ain, that the principle, upon which patrona^a- is bestowed by a part)' government is to tjivc it to those in whom the existing; Government have confidence anil who have confidence in them ; a mutual confiilence existing between the gjver and receiver. It is not t^iven to opponents of the Ministry, to those who think and act in antaj^onism to them, because in such a case there is no control no confidence. This seems sound doctrine when applietl to political offices, but there is a hij^hcr consideration, somethinij above party, above self- interest — the fjood of the countrj- ; and it is when the general good is made subservient to intlividual or party interest that faction may be said to rear its head. He would say, then, that a Government, having the honour and good of the Mr. Brown on Sicotte Appointment. 46Q •■ country at heart, in making appointmcnt.s that arc non-politi- cal — the judiciary, for example — may look without their party alliances for fit and proper person.s to fill them, but in .such instances they should be guided, not by the urgent necessities of .self or party interests, but act wholly for the honour and good of their country. " In arguing against this motion it has been urged by friends of the Admini.stration that intent or motive had nothing to do with the case, but he would remind honourable gentlemen that it was sometimes only the intent of an act that stood between the liberty of the accu.sed and the scaffold. The fact was that the Government was in such a state of weakness that it appeared doubtful whether they were going to e.xist at all or not, and Ministers were driven to re.sort to desperate expedients in order to preserve to them.selves a retention of power. Weak governments, it was known, were prone to desperate acts. " The honourable gentleman, the recipient of office in the ca.se under discu.ssion, had moved an amendment to the Address, affirming that the Administration had been formed in an unconstitutional manner, and by his speeches, his vote, and his after conduct, even to his last sitting in the House, he maintained the .same hostile position. If the honourable gentleman believed what he had said, then every act of theirs, in his opinion, was an unconstitutional act, and his acceptance of office under such a condition of things, must, so far as his own belief was concerned, have been unconstitutional, and could only be likened to that of a person receiving g()(K.ls from another which, in his judgment, were not honestly come by. The act condemned in this motion was one that had sought to change the legitimate voice of this House ; it was all the same whether a friend was brought into, or an opponent .sent out of the Hou.se, if it had the effect of changing the legitimate excrci.se of opinion ; the object was party benefit and not the honour or benefit of the country. The Govern- ment was a weak one, the very worst kind a country could have, and its tendency was to become more and more corrupt: it was unable to act rightly or carry such measures as they ■il ♦70 The Like of Sir John A. Macdonald considered right, utul in the interests of the country. The>' held out a premium for the pressure of unscrupulous men. He felt that, in the case under discussion, patronage had been utilized to remove a gentleman opjxjsed to the Administration and that, under the advice of Ministers, the prerogative had Ijeen exercised with a view to alter the legitimate expression of the opinions of the House, and therefore the motion of the honourable member for West Northumberland was one ho was justified in voti«ig for." After two days discu.s.sion the resolution was disposed of, September iSth, and lo.st by a majority of two, the vote standing 6i for and 63 against. .Amongst those who voted with the Government were Mr. Foley an 1 Mr. O'Halloraii, the former declaring th.it he could not vote against his old colleague, and the latter stating t >at he did not consider it would be proper for him to record a vote against the judge who, for the future, would preside over the district in which he practised. It was evident, hcnvevcr, that the life of the Administration was a very precarious one, and might terminate at any moment. Other discussions and divisions took place, but the Government managed to hold on to their positions until the end of the .session, which tci-minated on October 15th. ' CII AI'TK K X \ I I. (lS^)4)- Dffcai nf Mr. A. N. Kichar, Suliritort icni-ral Wtsi < )|ioninK n( rarliamcnt Rfsi^nnliiin i)f Macclc)nal(l-l)orii>i) (iovornnicnl I'lirinniiun <>f Tachii- Macdonald Adininistrntion -Ministerial l-Aplanations — nisinclinnliim of MariionaM li> arci-pl OHico - I'ulicy of the new (io'.orniiicni Defrat of Mr. Foley —I'artioUH Spirit of Assomlily — The Ministry sustained l>y two votes on Want o( ("(jnlidencc Motion — Dcfcatetl by two votes on Motion res|ivctin|; Montreal I^)an. TOWARDS the clo.sc of the year, the ( 'fice of Sohcitor- Getieral West, which hail been allowed to remain vacant, wa.s filled by the appointment of Mr. Albert N. Richarils, niemlnr for the South Ridinj.j of Leeds, who had been returneii at the last election by a majority of 135, anil was consiilered able to hold the constitiienc\' a^ain>t all comers. This, however, i)r()veil to be a filse impression, for, when the election came ofTin Jamiar)', 1S64, he was lx;aten by a majority of .sevent)"-five, Mr. I""ord Jones beinj; returneii in his .stcail. The narrow majority of two or three by which the Government worketl throu},Oi the last .session, was, therefore, practically destroyed, and speculation w.is rife as to what the)' woultl ill). Parliament met on February lyth, anil an animated debate ensued on the Aililress, but no amendment was moved. On March 14th Mr. Georj^e Brown moved a resolution to refer the question of representation b) popuilation to a select com- mittee, in a ".peech which appeared so inconsistvnt with his previous strong utterances on the subject, that Mr. Macdonald kept the House in roars of laughter, by readini; extracts from* former .sj)ceches and the files of the Globe. His course made matters more embarrassing.^ for the Ciovcrnment, ami Mr. Sandficld Macilonald having; faileil to form an alliance with leading members of the OpiXDsition, ilecided to yielil up the reins of Government. In announcinj^ this fact to the House he reviewed, at length, the circumstances under which he came into power, and the difficulties under which he had since laboured, concluding; his speech with these words : 471 472 Till-: LiFK OF Sir John A. Macdonali). " Wc h.ivc felt all .ilon^ that this prt-'-'^t province required tnat the Government should be carried on with more vijjour ; not as regards the fxirsons composing it, but as regards the numerical strength of their supi)ortcrs in the House. The gentlemen on the other side have abstained from putting to the test whether we had a majority or not. I have not, nor do I now admit, that at this moment they could carry a majority of the House against us ; but wc have come to the conclusion that it would not be just to the jieoplc at large, to the Hf)usc, or to ourselves, that we should longer maintain a position in which we find we cannot promote that usefulness which the country expects of us with so small a m.ijorit)- to sustain us, and that the time has come when we ourselves should make a fair acknowledgement of the difficulties in which we are situated, and place our resignations, as we have unanimously done to-day, in the hands of His Kxcellencj'. ' li(.th the Macdonald-Sicotte and the Macdonald-Dorion Governments have been sup|X)rted with as much cordiality and devotion by their party as ever existed between a party and a Government. To my friends and supporters behind me I owe much m* re than I have words to express. The)' have never shown tne least desire to swerve from a course of consistent attachment, and to them, my colleagues and myself owe the deejx^st gratitude. " i cannot conceal that I myself, in the position I occupied, and fighting the battle with many difficulties surrounding me from the commencement, must have created bitter political enmity, and ])crhaps enmity of a personal nature also. I must le,'i\c the course of conduct I have pursued, and that of my colleagues, who have entertained the same opinions as mjself, to be judged by the country. It is quite clear that the feeling engendered against myself i)crsonally, and the necessity f(»r a strong Government that will be enabled to deal with the important questicms of this great province, pointed to mjself, at all events, retiring from the position I held, and, on com- municating with my colleagues, they unanimously joined in placing their resignations in the hands of His Excellenc\' the Governor-General. I have to repeat that in the course of the TACnE-MAri>ONALI) GOVKRNMKNT. 473 time I have h.id the honour to hold this resjKMisible {Xisition I may have said some thiiijjs I rcjjret, but I am not the only i)cr sf»n who has hail occasion to ask the forbearance of the House If I have ever saiti anything with the ai)|)earance of malice, I diil not intend it in the sense in which it may have been under stood. I owe no ^rudj^e against anyone on the other side. I desire, so far as I am concerned, to ^ive and take, and shall be as reatly to forjjct as to forj;ive injuries. I move that the House do now adjourn." After the resijrnation of the Macdonald-Dorion Admini- stration had been accepted Mr. Blair was called upon to form a new Government, ami beinj; unable to do .so, Sir E. P. Tachc was requested by the Governor-General to undertake the task. His efforts proved successful and, on the opening of the House, March 30th, Mr. Cauchon, after some preliminary business had been transacted, announced that the following were the personnel of the new Administra- tion : — Upper Canada. — Commissioner of Crown Lands, Honour- able A. Campbell ; Attorney-General West, Honourable J. A. Macdonald ; Solicitor-General West, Honourable James Cockburn ; Postmaster-General, Honourable M. H. I'oley ; Provincial Secretary, Honourable John Simjxson ; President of the Council, Honourable Isaac Buchanan. Lower Can.ula — Receiver-General and Minister of Militia, Sir E. P. Tache ; Attorney-General Last, Honourable (i. L. Cartier ; Minister of Finance, Honourable A. T. (iait ; Minis- ter of Agriculture and Iinmigratif)n, Honourable Thos. \). McGee ; Solicitor-General Hast, Honourable H. L. Langevin ; Commissioner of Public Works. Honourable J. Chapai.s. He then read the following, as the enunciation of the policy of the ne\v (jovernment : — "The defence of the country will engage the constant and best attention of the Government, and such steps will be taken as will place the Militia Force in a position to render prompt and effective serviro when required, without increas- ing the existing expense. " Every effort will be made to maintain and extend the I I 474 rm; l.ii r, or Sik John A. Macdonai.i*. ■ I » Kcciprocily Treat)- with the I'liitcil States, and the botulin^f system, uiuler which ^{(khIs now i)ass freely thn)iij;h bt»tli countries ; measures not only important in themselves, but calculated to foster those frienilly relations which it is so desirable to cultivate. " A conference will i)e sou^jht with the sister provuices, with the view of effecting a more intimate commercial union with them. " Measures for the development of the North- West Terri- tory, and the improvement of our communication with the seaboaril, will be submitted for the early consideration of Parliament ; and such readjustments of ihe Canal 'I'olls will be made as may be necessary to prevent the divcrsi liis (>|)ii)i()ii tliat tlu- hiSt tiling he coiild ivcomniciid liim to do would In- to ;mthoii/.c inc to lonn a iicu Administration — to wliicli lie adili-d I had consented I lis l^xcellenc)' at once i'.\i)iessed his consent, and tlie desire that I slionld set about tlie work without dela\'. I laving recei\ed from I lis l'",\cellcnc\' tlie necessar)' auihorit)', I imniediatily w(!nt to th(Header of tlic C"onservati\-e part)- of Upper Canada, I lonourahle J. A. Mac- donald, to assure in\'self of his assistance, and to enj^aj^e him to construct, himself, the Upper Canada section of the Cabinet. Mr. Macdonald liein;^ of opinion, with me, that it was important to obtain, b}' means of jusl and even j;enc-n»us offers, the support of moderate men of the I'pper Canada Uibeial part)', thought it his (hit)- to tlech'ne a seat in tlie Cabinet, and innnediately caused Honourable iMr. Campbell, of Kin<.;ston, to be sent for, to confide to his hands the task which, under the circumstances, he tiiout^ht he would be most likely to succeed in. " Mr. Campbell, havin>4" arrived, concurred entirely in the views of Mr. J. A. Macdonald anil m)self, as to the |)ro- priet)- of callini^ upon a sufficient number of the Libc-ral part)' of L'pper Canada to establish, if possible, an etiuili- brium between the respective parties in that siction of the province, and, ha\'inL.j accepted the olfcr of K-atler of that section of the (iovernment, immediatel)' ])lacc(i himself in communication with some of the principal members of that section. As to the result, I will Iia\ e Mr. Campbell to speak for himself through the following re[)ort which he made to me : "In pursuance of the su_t4,i4estion made by Mr. Camp- bell, on bein^" recpiested b)- Sir I'.tienne Tache to assist him in the formation of the Upper Canadian .section of his Cabinet, Mr. Campljell, on Satiirda)', the 261!) instant, .scni^ht for an interview with Mr. l''ert,nison Hlair. At this interview, after discussing' the relative strent^th o{ parties in the Hou.se of Assembly, and the extreme im])ortance to tlie country of constructing.^ a (iovernment stron_<.( enough to deal vi^M)rously with those (piestions which wi-re pressint^ and likely to press for attention, Mr. Canii)bell explained that he had s ni^ht the *V<«. lil I If HON. AI.KX.WDI.K MMKIAZII. Prhiif Miiiistrr, .Xiniitilifr iS-^ I" Ih lnh>) / ^J■ s'. Ij I' I i-ii i' : t I*:XI'L.\ NATIONS RY Slli i:. V. T.\( UK 48 ( intcivicw with a view of ascertaining^ uhctlicr the aid of Mr. Blair and of some of his friends could not be obtained in the construction of the Upper Canadian secti«)n of the (iovern inent, and pntposed to place three seats in the Cabinet at Mr. Mlair's (iis|iOsal to that end. Mr. Hlair said that he must not be rej^ardeil as autiiori/,etl to speak for any one but himself, or to express an)' views but his own, and that he must reserve to himself the full rii^ht to consult with his friends; but he believed that the\' would not dei)art from the terms which he considered due to the interests of his part)', and which he had himself, some da\s before, discussed with .Sir i'.tieime Tache, and woultl have formal!)' |)roposed to him, had not that ^^entleman met him with a tleclaration of his personal unwillinj^ness tf) assume the tcjils of office; these terms, Mr. Hlair said, in\c)l\etl conditions affecting the whole province. Mr. Camj)bell bein},^ only authorized to speak as to the Up|)er Canadian .section of the Cabinet, saiil that he would be ^dad to learn what they were, ami woukl report them to .Sir ICtieime 'lache. Mr. Hlair replied that the)- involved the following points, namel)' : That Mr. Hlair shoukl have at his disposal si.x .seats iti tiie Cabinet, four for Upper and two for Lower Canada, and Sir Etienne Tache the same number, reversing the order. That Mr. Hlair (as the Premier of the (iovcrnmcnt under the proposed arran^fement) should lead in the Lejfislativc Council, and one of his frienils in tlu: House of Assembly. And, finally, that objections on ^n'ounds exclu- sively of a j)ublic and political kind e.xisteil on the part of some of his friends to Messrs. (artier, (ialt anil Cauchoii ; that he had felt it necessary to sti})ulate aj^ainst an)- of their names bein^ included in the proposed arrangement. lo these names, and for the same reasons oid)-, Mr. Hlair felt it neces- .sary now to add that of Mr. Turcotte. Mr. Campbell eniiuired if it had been proposed to concede to .Sir h'tienne Tache a rij:[ht to exclude a similar number of gentlemen ininncal to Sir Ktiemie Tache or his friends, and Mr. Hlair replied in the negative, addinj^ by wa)' of explanation that \\\> party occupied a position which he thou^dit cntitletl them to make such a stipulation without yielding its equivalent. !i 482 TiiK Life op^ Sir John A. Macdonald. \i- " i Mr. Ccunpbcll pressed upon iMr. Hl.iir the unfairness of his proposal, and also that Sir I'.tiennc Tachc, beint^ now entrusted witli the duty which had, when it was made, been in the hands of Mr. Blair, the <,fround was ni.uch chan^^ed — and exprcssinj^ his conviction that these terms could iKjt but be rejected by Sir I'Uiennc Tache, su^j^ested that Mr. Hlair should further consider them with his friends, with a view to their modifica- tion, and ^ivc Mr. Campbe" a second interview before Mr. Campbell should wait upon Sir I'^tieinie Tache. Mr. lilair assented to this ; and, upon the occasion of the second interview, said that, as far as he was personally concerned, he would be disposed to waive his claims to the I'remier.ship in favour of Sir l^tienne Tache (who would, conse(juently, also become leader in the Upper House). Mr. lilair adtled that he thought any atlvances should more properly come from Sir K. V. Tache as the person entrusted by His E.xcel- lency with the formati(jn of a Cabinet, but that in other respects he adhered to the terms ori<^inally proposed by him." The honourable and gallant knij^ht then went on to say, — " In consecjuence of the last conversation of Mr. C.unpbell with Mr. Blair, I met the latter on Monday, the 2 a. 496 TiiK Lii F, OK SiK John A. Macdonald. of those opposed to the late ,\dinini.stration, which had [roue to the coLiiitr)', and we all knew the result." It will been seen h'oni the speeches of Sir. K. V. Tachc and the Honourable John A. Macdonald, that the latter did not desire to a^^ain accept office, and it may be recollected that when Mr. Cartier was called upon to form an Administration, Mr, Macdonald was very much disinclined to join him in the task, and that it was only after a meetint^ of the Conservative Party had been held and resolutions passed representing that his friends considered that it was necessary that he should put his own feelings to one side and again lead the Upper Canada section of the Government, that he con.-.ented to do so. His opponents stated that he was not sincere in his refusals, but desired office and only wanted to be urged lo accept ; but those who were most intimate with him, and best understood the kindne::s of his heart and the sensitiveness of his nature knew that the policy of slander and calumny which seemed to commend it>:elf to the jJ'ipers and politicians of the day, was \ery distressing to him, and that only a high courage, com- bined with a keen sense of dut\', induced him tc face the pitiless storm to which public men were subjected. Turning back to the public dinner given him by his constituents at Kingston, November, i860, we find him thus expressing his feelings on this point. " I have been, as probably all of you are aware, honoured with demonstrations similar to this within the past (c\v weeks, and have been deeply gratified by the confidence which has been shown in all parts of Upper Canada, which 1 have been able to visit, in myself and the Government of which I am a member ; and I have likewise been honoured with invitations to numerous other places, which, however, the exigencies of public business will oblige me to forego. But those demonstra- tions, put them altogether — enthusiastic and cordial and generous as they were — did not and do not inspire those feelings within me which are caused on returning to my old home and my old friends, by such a welcome as this. (Loud applause). Sir, when I have looked back upon my public life, 1 have often felt bitterly and keenly what a foolish man I was 1 as 1 l\^ His Reluctance to Accei't Okfick 497 to enter into it at all. (Cries of ' No, no '). You have all seen how I have been attacked, maligned and calumniated ; but I must say this, that I have not been singular in that. In this country, it is unfortunately true, that all men who enter the public .service act foolishly in doing .so. If a man desires peace and domestic happiness he will find neither in performing the thankless task of a public officer, for the moment he assumes the duties of office he becomes exposed to the assaults, personal as well as political, of his opponents, and to the attacks of every puny mi.serablc libeller in the land. (Applau.se). It has been so in my case ; but when I .see around me the old friends who now come forward to do me this honour, I feel that I am amply, liberally compensated, (Cheers). I forget all the calumny with which I have been as.sailed, all the abu.se which malignant opponents have showered upon me, when I receive this overflowing bumper, this kind, this cordial and enthusiastic reception from my old and tried friends. It is here, although \-i.ars ago I gave up my residence amongst >'ou, where all nty hopes arc centered, where my infancy was passed ; here my boyish days were spent ; here in manhood I laboured in honest industr}- ; here my fellow-subjects honoured me by electing me their repre- sentative in Parliament ; and now when I come back after seventeen years of public life and receive from them this overwhelming demonstration, I accept it as a crowning proof that all that has been said of me behind ni)' back has not affected their minds or weakened their confidence in me. (Loud cheers). I take it as evidence on their part that they do not believe that the lad who grew up amongst them, who ac(]ui- red and practised his profession — his trade — amcjiigst them, who, as a man, was so well known to them all, has .so entirely changed his nature and become so degraded as to be unworthy longer of their support. (Cheers). Sir, when I said the life of a political man in America was hard, I did so for the purpose of drawing a distinction between the position of public men in this country and Great Britain. There, although great and able men of different political parties fight and fight strongly against each other, yet, at the same time, they mutually 32 '4 \l ( \< ir^ 498 TiiK Lii'K OF Sir John A. Macdonald. , i 1 if ( » respect each other. There 110 personal attack is made — no disgraceful recriminations indulged in. Why, the Earl of Derby, though diametrically opposed to Lord I'almerston on many questions, wcjuld feel his own honour and the honour of England insulted by any personal affront to the leader of the Government. It is the pride and glory of Great Britain that, however much parties may disagree nix)n principles, they sustain each other's dignity. They know that the country which has a degraded class of politicians, must also have a degraded population. (Cheers). But in this country how different do we find it. " I r.gret to say, from my own personal experience, that it is a thankless office, that of a Minister of the Crown. In iMigland, a man devoting himself to the public service, is sure of receiving — aye, from his opponents — a generous consider- ation, a generous appreciation ; but in this country, indeed over the whole of the continent, we find that much of the intellect, much of the worth, is driven into private life ; for the mcjment a man presumes to take a particular course of action, the moment he has the courage and manliness to connect himself with a particular part)-, and that party becomes the predominant party, that moment the Opposition set upon him, malign his public and private character, traduce his family and connections, and impart to each and every action the basest and meanest of motives. (Cheers). " I know that in a long course of political life I have made man)- mistakes — that the Go\crnment of w hich I ain a member has, of course, made errors and been guilty of omission as well as of commission ; but feeling as I do, I can say honestly and in the face of you all, that the desire of the Government is good, their motives good ; that we have done what we could in an humble way for the purpose of promoting the social, educational and moral interests of this country ; and if we have made mistakes in working out our designs, the people, knowing us not to be criminal, can endorse us, believing that if the Government has erred it was an error of the head, and not of the heart or of the intention." (Cheers). On May 13th, when Mr. Gait mo\ed the House into \ !i I w I ■I 506 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. with which the report was finally adopted, no doubt had also their effect in preparing the way for what has happened. The apparent dead-lock which matters had reached did the rest. The Government resolved to take Mr. Brown and his friends at their word. They sent Mr. John A. Macdonald and Mr. Gait to Mr. Brown with the assurance that they were prepared to deal firmly and promptly with the sectional diffi- culties between Upper and Lower Canada, and to invite his co- operation in the attempt finally to remove them. Mr. Brown replied at once iliat he was on the point of leaving Parlia- mentary life, and that he could not personally take office, but he was ready to aid them heartily and sincerely, and to seek the co-operation of his political friends in an earnest effort for the final settlement of the sectional troubles of the Province. Discussions as to the best practicable basis of settlement were forthwith opened, and at the latest accounts last night nothing had occurred to forbid the hope that a solution of the problem will be found. The task undertaken is one of no ordinary difficulty. Nationality, local interest, and personal prejudices all stand in the gap; but we believe the task has been undertaken on both sides with perfect sincerity and an anxious desire to succeed, and we doubt not that every man in Canada will earnestly pray that the effort may be crowned with complete success. We cannot doubt that Mr. Brown, in rt.sponding to the appeal of his old political opponents, felt, in all its gravity, the danger of misconception which he ran. He could not forget the past. He could not forget what has passed in by-gone days, between himself and the very gentle man who approached him. He could not forgot how often and how strongly he had denounced Ministerial coalitions as utterly demoralizing. He must have known how rigorously he would be judged, and how relentlessly assailed. He must have felt that momentous indeed must be the object, clear and undeniable must be the call of duty, that would justify him in appearing, even for a time, as the political ally of Mr. Macdonald or Mr. Cartier. But assuredly, if the immense importance of the object to be attained could justify such a step, Mr. Brown amply has it for the position he now occupies, 1! Mr. Brown's Coukse Endorsed. 507 ' and we are persuaded that he has not acted erroneously in casting himself fearlessly on the good sense and generosity of the Canadian people rightly to interpret the course he has thought it his duty to pursue." In order to obtain the views of the members of the Oppo- sition upon the course taken by Mr. Brown, a meeting was called on the morning of June 21st, at the Kent House, which was attended by every member of the party but two. After Mr. Robert Bell had been called to the chair, Mr. Brown gave a statement of the negotiations which he had for some days carried on with the Government. It was then moved by Mr. Hope F. Mackenzie, seconded by Mr. McGiverin: "That we approve of the course which has been pursued by Mr. Brown in the negotiations with the Government, and that we approve of the project of a Federal Union of the Canadas, with provision for its extension to the Maritime Provinces and the North- Western Territory, as one basis on which the constitutional difficulties now existing could be settled." — Carried. Yeas — Messrs. Ault, Bell (Lanark), Bowman, Brown, Burwell, Cowan, Dickson, Dunsford, Howland, McFarlanc, Mclntyrc, Mackenzie (Lambton), Mackenzie (Oxford), Mc- Conkey, McDougall, McGiverin, McKcllar, Mowat, Munro^ Notman, Parker, Ross (Prince Edward), Rankin, Rymal, Scoble, Smith (Durham), Smith (Torontoj, Stirton, Th(Mnp- son, Wallbridge, (Speaker), Wallbridge (North Hastings), Wells, Whit", Amos Wright— 34. The following members declined to vote either yea or nay, namely : — Messrs. Biggar, Macdonald (Glengarry), Macdonald (Cornwall), Macdonald (Toronto), and Scatcherd — 5. It was moved by the Honourable J. S. Macdonald, that the proposition for ac least three members of the Opposition entering the Government be accepted. Mr. Mackenzie, of Lambton, moved in amendment, that the proposition for three members of the Opposition entering the Cabinet be rejected, and that the proposition for the settlement of sectional difficulties receive an outside support. Mr. Mowat suggested that a division be taken, on the .'1 U mj li M • ■; ' n I'! !i ^■1 508 Thk Life of Siu John A. Macdonald. understanding that those votinjj " yea " were in favour of the first proposition, and those voting " nay " were in favour of the second proposition. This was agreed to, and the yeas and nays were then taken ■ s follows : — Yeas— Messrs. Ault, Hell, (North Lanark), Dunsford, Howland, Macdonald, (Glengar)-;, Macdonald, (Cornwall), McF'arlane, McConkcy, McDougall, McGiverin, Mclntyre, Munro, Notman, Parker, Rankin, Ross, (Prince Edward), Rymal, Smith, (Toronto), Smith, (Durham), Stirton, Thomp- son, VVallbridge, (Speaker), Wallbridgc, (North Hastings), Wells, White, and Wright. — 26. Nays. — Messrs. Bowman, Brown, Burwell, Cowan, Dick- son, Mackenzie, (Lambton), Mackenzie, (South Oxford), McKellar, Mowat, Scatcherd and Scoble. — 11. Mr. Macdonald, of Toronto, declined to vote. Moved by the Honourable J. S. Macdonald, " that it is all important that Mr. Bro.vn should be one of the party to enter the Cabinet." — Carried unanimously, with the exception of Messrs. Scatcherd, Brown and Burwell. Moved by Mr. White, and carried unanimously, "that Mr. Brown be requested to continue the negotiations with the Government." At two o'clock a caucus of the Ministerial members was held, and a unanimous feeling expressed in favour of sustain- ing the Ministr}- in the course they had taken. The House adjourned from day to day, upon the under- standing that certain Cabinet arrangements were in progress but not sufficiently complete for announcement, until the 22nd, when the Honourable Job.n A. Macdonald laid before the Assembly a detailed statement, in writing, of the entire negotiation, and of the basis upon which the compromise was founded. His explanation was as follows : — Before the orders of the day are called, I desire, on behalf of myself and colleagues, to lay before the House a full and accurate statement of the negotiations which, the House is well aware, have been going on ever since the defeat of the Government, on the motion of the honourable member for Hochelaga, on Tuesday week last. For the nurpose of h ,as in- Icr- ess the [)rc ve 'as the "eat ber of 1 SIK S. LKONAKl) TILI.KV I I 1 i i 1 ! ", * ■sHHnBHai H hi hi I !'■(■ 1 ! i' i • i 11 ,.' Mi \i 6 ii* '! :i : r II i 1 !4l avoiding anything like a mistake, or misunderstanding arising, a minute of the proceedings every day was carefully compared and considered, which I am now prepared to read. This statement, in itself, contains the whole substance of all the communications that took place between the Government and the honourable member for South Oxford. The negotia- tions have been principally conducted by that honourable gentleman himself on the one side, and the honourable Fin- ance Minister and myself on the other, with the assistance of several members of the Government, principally the Premier and the Honourable Attorney-General East. A printed copy of this memorandum will be placed in the hands of every member of this House, as soon as it is ready. (Hear, hear). It is in the folldwing terms : — " Immediately after the defeat of the Government on Tuesday night, (the 14th) and on the following morning, Mr. Brown spoke to several supporters of the Administration strongly urging that the present crisis should be utilized in settling for ever the constitutional difificulties between Upper and Lower Canada, and assuring them that he was preparetl to co-operate with the existing or any other Administration that would deal with this question promptly and firmly, with a view to its final settlement. " Messrs. Morris and Pope asked, and obtained leave, to communicate these conversations to Mr. John A. Macdonald and Mr. Gait. " On Thursday, at three p.m., just before the Speaker took the chair, Mr. John A. Macdonald said to Mr. Brown, while- standing in the centre of the Assembly Room, that he had been informed of what he, (Mr. Brown), had stated, and he wished to know if Mr. Brown had any objections to meet Mr. Gait and discuss the matter ? He replied, certainly not. " Mr. Morris accordingly arranged an interview with Mr Brown, and on Friday, June 17th, about one p.m., Messrs. Macdonald and Gait called on Mr. Brown at the St. Louis Hotel. Mr. Brown stated that nothing but the extreme urgency of the present crisis, and the hope of settling the sectional troubles of the province for ever, could, in his t ' r' I ■ ; 1 E K 512 Thk Likk of Sir John A. Macdonald. opinion, justify their meeting together with a view to common political action. Messrs. Macdonald and Gait were equally impressed with this, and stated that on that footing, alone, the present meeting had been invited. " Mr. Brown asked in what position these gentlemen came vO lim, whether as deputed by the Administration or simply as leading members of the Ministerial party. " They replied they were charged by their colleagues formally to invite his aid in strengthening the Administration, w'tV i view tc the settlement of the sectional difficulties of L. ppei' snd Lower Canada. Mr. Brown then stated that, on gi' " .i.s purely personal, it was quite impossible that he could i>c a nuMiiber yf any Administration at present ; and thu', 'v.^n hi' ' '■'■'; been otherwise, he would have conceived it liighl) .jb)(' : ; . . ' : I'^at parties who had been so long and so strongly opposed to each other as he and .some members of the Administration had been, should enter the same Cabinet. He thought the public mind would be shocked by such an arrangement ; but he felt very strongly that the present crisis presented an opportunity of dealing with this question that miyht never occur again. Both political parties had tried in turn to govern the country, but without success ; and repeated elections only arrayed sectional majorities against each other more strongly than before. Another general election at this, moment presented little hope of a much altered result; and he believed that both parties were far better prepared than they had ever been before to look the true cause of all the difficulty firmly in the face, and endeavour to .settle the representation question on an equitable and permanent basis, Mr. Brown added that if the Administration were prepared to do this, and would pledge themselves clearly and publicly to bring in a measure next session that would be acceptable to Upper Canada, the basis to be now .settled and announced in Par- liament, he would heartily co-operate with them to try to induce his friends (in which he hoped to be successful) to sustain them until they had an opportunity' of presenting their measure next session. "Mr. Macdonald replied that he considered it would I S n Memorandum of tiik Xkcotiations, 3' j ll.S he ind a oer ar- to to ing ' be essential that Mr. Brown himself shoiiUl bccmne a member of the Cabinet, with a view to give guarantees to the Opposition and to the country for the earnestness of the Government. " Mr. Brown rejoined that other members of the Oppo- sition could equally with himself give that guarantee to their party and the country by entering the Government in the event of a satisfactory basis being arrived at. He felt that his position had been such for many years as to place a greater bar in the way of his entering the Government than in that of any other member of the Opposition. "Mr. Macdonald then said that he thought it would be necessary that Mr Brown himself should, in any case, be identified with the negotiations that would necessarily have to take place, and that, if he did not himself enter the Cabinet, he might undertake a mission to the Lower Provinces, or to England, or both, in order to identify himself with the action of the Canadian Government in carrying out the measures agreed upon. " It was then suggested by Mr. Brown, and agreed to, that all questions of a personal character, and the necessary guarantees, should be waived for the present, and the discus- sion conducted with the view of ascertaining if a satisfac- tory solution of the sectional difficulty could be agreed upon, " Mr. Brown asked what the Government proposed as a remedy for the injustice complained of by L'pper Canada, and, as a settlement of the sectional trouble. Mr. Macdonald and Mr. Gait replied that their remedy was a Federal Union of all the British North- American Provinces ; local matters being committed to local bodies, and matters common to all to a General Legislature, constituted on the well-understood principles of Federal Government. " Mr. Brown rejoined that this would not be acceptable to the people of Upper Canada as a remedy for existing evils. " That he believed that federation of all the provinces ought to come, and would come about ere long, but it had not yet been thoroughly considered by the people ; and even were this otherwise, there were so many parties to be consulted, that its adoption was uncertain and remote. 33 I I M I!1 ^.r I; ■ ^^il m hi 1 ■,' ■- ■ I J ' f f ^ k 514 The Like ok Sir John A. Macdonald. " Mr. Brown was then asked what his remedy was, when he stated that the measure acceptable to Upper Canada would be Parliamentary Reform, based on population, without regard to a separating line between Upper and Lower Canada. " To this both Mr. Macdonald and Mr. Gait stated that it was impossible for them to accede, or for any Government to carry such a measure, and that, unless a basis could be found on the federation principle suggested by the Report of Mr. Brown's Committee, it did not appear to them likely that anything could be settled. " After much discussion on both sides, it was found that a compromise might probably be had in the adoption either of the Federal principle for all the British North American Provinces, as the larger question, or for Canada alone, with provisions for the admission of the Maritime Provinces and the North-Western territory, when they should express the desire. Mr. Brown contended that the Canadian Federation should be constituted first, in order that such securities might be taken, in regard to the position of Upper Canada, as would satisfy that section of the country, that in the negotiations with the Lower Provinces, the interests of Upper Canada would, in no case, be overlooked. " Further conversation ensued, but as the hour for the meeting of the House had nearly arrived, an understanding was come to that the state of the negotiations was such as to warrant hope of an ultimate understanding ; and it was agreed that that fact should he communicated to Parliament, and an adjournment until Monday asked for. " On Friday evening Mr. Gait saw Mr. Brown and arranged for an interview next morning, at which Sir Etienne Tache and Mr. Cartier should be present "On Saturday, at ten a.m., other engagements requiring a change in the hour appointed, Mr. Macdonald and Mr, Gait called on Mr. Brown, and after further discussion, a second appointment was made for one p.m., when the gentlemen named, with Mr. Cartier, met in the Provincial Secretary's room, Sir Etienne Tache being out of town. ' Memorandum ok tiik Nkgotiatioxs. 5'5 i( " The consideration of the steps most advisable for the final settlement c)f the sectional difficulties was then entered upon fully, and a general accord seemed to exist that, as the views of Upper Canada could not be met under our present system the remedy must be sought in the adoption of the I'^'dera! princij)Ie. " Mr. Broun then requested to have the views of the Administration, as expressed to him, reduced to writing, for the purpose of being submitted confidentially to his friends. The following memorandum was then proposed, and, having to be submitted to the Cabinet and the Governor-General, Mr. Brown enquired whether any objection existed to his seeing His Excellency, whereupon he was informed that no objection whatever existed. " Mr. Brown accordingly waited on the Governor-General, and on his return the memorandum approved by Council and by the Governor-General, was handed to him and another interview appointed for six p.m., Mr. Brown stating that he did not feel at liberty either to accept or reject the proposal without consulting with his friends. an xys ' Memorandum — Coii/ideittial, The Government are prepared to state that immediately after the prorogation, they will address themselves, in the most earnest manner, to the negotiation for a confederation of all the British North American Provinces. That failing a successful issue to such negotiations, they are prepared to pledge themselves to legislation during the next session of Parliament for the purpose of remedying existing difiiculties by intro- ducing the federal principle for Canada alone, coupled with such provisions as will permit the Maritime Provinces and the North- western Territory to be hereinafter incorporated into the Canadian system. That for the purpose of carrying on the negotiations and settling the details of the promised legislation, a Royal Commission shall be issued, composed of three members <>f the Government and three members of the Opposition, of whom Mr. Brown shall be one, and the Government pledge themselves to give all the influence of the admin- istration to secure to the said Commission the means of advancing the great object in view. That, subject to the House permitting the Government to carry 5i6 The Lifk ok Sir John A. Macdonald, I' : ^ i throuKh the public business, no dissolution of Parliament sliall take place, but the Administration will af,'ain meet the ])rc'scnt House. Shortly after six p.m. the parties met at the same place, when Mr. Brown stated that, without coinmutiicatiiifjf the contents of the confidential paper entrusted to him, he had .seen a sufficient number of his friends to warrant him in expressing the belief that the bulk of his friends would, as a compromi.se, accept a measure for the Federative Union of Canada, with provision for the future admission of the Mari- time Colonies and the North-West Territory. To this it was replied that the Administration could not consent to waive the larger question, but after considerable discu.ssion an amendment to the original proposal was agreed to in the following terms, subject to the approval on Monday of the Cabinet, and of His Excellency : " The Government arc prepared to pledge them.selves to bring in a measure, next session, for the purpose of removing existing difficulties by introducing the Federal principle into Canada, coupled with such provision as will permit the Mari- time provinces and the North-West Territory to be incorpo- rated into the same system of Government. "And the Government will .seek, by sending representa- tives to the Lower Provinces, and to England, to secure the assent of those interests which are beyond the control of our own Legislation to such a measure as may enable all Briti-sh North America to be united under a general Legislature based upon the Federal principle." "Mr. Brown then stated that having arrived at a basis which he believed would be generally acceptable to the great mass of his political friend.s, he had to add that, as the proposition was so general in its terms, and the advantage of the measure depended so entirely on the details that might finally be adopted, it was the very general feeling of his friends that security must be given for the fairness of those details and the good faith with which the whole movement should be prosecuted by the introduction into the Cabinet of a fair representation of his political friends. Mr. Brown stated that he had not put this question directly to his friends, but that Ml'.MOkANDrM OK Tiir. Nkcotiations. 5«7 Ihich I ass ition Isure be I that and be fair [that that he pcrccivctl very clearly that this was the strong opinion of a lar^c majority of them, and that his own personal opinion on this point (to which he still adhered) was participated in by only a small number. Messrs. Macdonald, Cartier and Gait replied that they had, of course, understood, in proposinij that Mr. Brown should enter the Government, that he would not come alone, but that the number of scats at his disposal had not been considered by their collcalied that the principle of equality would in this case be destroyed, and he was satisfied it could not be done. " Mr. Brown asked whether it was a sitie qua uou, that he should himself enter the Cabinet. To which it was replied that to secure a successful issue to the attempt to settle the sectional difficulties, it was considered that Mr. Brown's acceptance of office was indispensable.' A meeting was then appointed for the following day. " On Wednesday, a little after one, the same parties met — when Mr. Brf)wn stated as his final decision, that he would consent to the reconstruction of the Cabinet as proposed, but inasmuch as he did not wish to assume the responsibility of the Government business before the House, he preferred leaving till after the prorogation the consideration of the acceptance of office by himself and the two gentlemen who might be ultimately selected to enter the .Administration with him. "Sir E. P. Tache and Mr. Macdonald thereon stated that H i ! nil I , !li. ' H: ill i n 520 The Lifk of Sir John A. Macdonald. after the prorogation, they would be prepared to place three scats in the Cabinet at the disjxjsal of Mr. Jkown." After some discussion had taken place on his memoran- dum, Honourable Mr. Brown, apparently almost overcome by his feelings, rose to address the House. He said: "did he conceal from the House what he felt on this occasion — that he felt in all its force the position he now occupied — he would only be practising deception. He was well aware of the position he had occupied in this country for many years ; that he had stood opposed to honourable g(,ntlemen opposite for ten or twelve years, in the most hostile manner. He was wtill aware, in dealing with the question of a solution of our difficul- ties, and with the question of men of opposite political opinions going into the same Government, that he had used language and spoken in terms respecting honourable gentlemen in the Government, which had the agreement just read been signed under such conditions as had been usually attached to political alliances, could not have enabled him to stand here and justify his position before the country. He would deceive the House if he attempted to conceal, for a single moment, that he was fully aware of the painful position he occupied before the country as being that of one who would probably be spoken of as doing what he did from personal motives — for self-aggrand- izement. (No, no). He was free to confess diat, had the circumst.^nces under which the countr}- was placed, been one whit less important than they are, he should no*; have approached honourable gentlemen opposite to negotiate with respect to the present difficulties. He thought the House would see that if ever there was an occasion in the affairs of any country which would justify such a coalition as the present, that crisis had arrived in the position of Canada. (Hear, hear, and cheers). It was well known he had believed, for some time, that in consequence of the sectional differences existing in this Province, it was absolutely impossible the Government of this country could be carried on with peace and usefulness, and that there was but one way of obtaining good legislation in this country, and that was by taking such a step as had been proposed to him by honourable gentlemen f ,>4 Mk. Brown's Kxplanations to tup: House. 5_'i fi opposite, and whirh lie had consented to do. lie had loni; stated that he was prepared, as far as he was concerned, to join any man, no matter to what party he belonged, with the object of affecting a settlement of those great questions that had so long di\ided the country. We had had for years great difficulties arising from the existence of two different systems of religion, two distinct languages, and from sectional causes ; and the consequence was that it was almost impossible we could come together without increasing those difficulties. Well, the difficulties continued, increasing in gravity till at present, Upper Canada had a majority over Lower Canada of 400,000 souls who were unrepresented in this Legislature, while the upper province paid an enormous portion — much the larger portion — of the taxes without being adequately- represented in the Legislature. He had always maintained — while he claimed representation by population for Upper Canada — that the feelings of Lower Canada must be con- sulted ; that he was prepared to go into such arrangements as would settle this question and do justice to both .sections of the province. The day of such an opportunity had at last arrived; and, had he not listened to the approaches of honour- able gentlemen opposite, he would have shown him.self one of the falsest hypocrites that ever entered public life. (Hear, hear). He would not say that it was not without great pain he had to listen to the advances of honourable gentlemen opposite. He had been for years connected with a body of gentlemen from Lover Canada whom he had learned to esteem, who had stood to him through great difficulties, and who.se kindness he would never forget. (Hear, hear), liut party alliances were one thing and the interests of his countr}- another. For his honourable friends, the members for Hoche- laga and Chateauguay, he had no terms to express the personal attachment that existed between them and him. Nothing but a feeling of the urgent necessity of the case, and the man- ful way in which this question was taken up by the honourable member for Montreal East and his colleagues, would have induced him (Mr. Brown) to do that which the honourable members for Chateauguay and Hochelaga could feel was in M % Hi M if- I Vf\ I'll I :- 1 i ! ..jf 522 TiiK Like of Sir John A. Macuonai.d. the slightest degree contrary to the position in which he had stood toward them. He thought those honourable gentlemen would feel and acknowledge he had this justification for his course, namely, that for a long period he had urgently besought them to take up this question in the way in which it was now proposed to deal with it. He (Mr. Brown) had hoped to the last moment that his honourable friends would have joined him in the present movement ; that they would have accompanied him to the Committee to confer upon the settle- ment of our difficulties ; but when he found that they would not act with him — that they would not sustain the report read to the House — and when he considered that the honourable gentlemen opposite had suggested a conference to deal with the subject, he could not refuse to meet them and do all in his power to bring about a solution of our difficulties. His honourable friends on this side would do him the justice to say that, before he had made any approach to the honourable gentlemen opposite, after he had received the invitation, that he took the earliest opportunity of ascertaining whether his old friends, even at that moment, would not give him their assistance in this matter. (Hear, hear*). And when the first liiscussion between honourable gentlemen opposite and him- self had taken place, he asked his friends from Lower Canada to co-operate with him in the course he contemplated. He hoped that the course he had felt it his duty to pursue would not entail a weakening of those bonds of personal friendship hitherto existing between his honourable friends and himself He hoped the day would yet come when they would look upon this step as the best that could have been adopted. (Hear, hear). There was not a man in this House who had not admitted a great crisis had arisen ; that we had election after election, and had been able to get no solution of the difficulties before the country- ; and if he asked his friends from Lower Canada to give the Government a generous assistance in this matter, he did not ask them to pledge themselves to anything, but merely to allow the Government time to produce its measures when they could judge whether they coultl support them or not. (Hear, hear). Could hon- ■ I f cut her on- MON. SIR JOHN S. p. THOMPSON. K.C.M.U. MIMSTKR OK JISTKK. vx\ t i; 11 i ' u , 1 i> ( , \ ! 'f » ,1 A M ii . i' 1 h- 1 * 1 1 i 1 II f ^ ■ ■I Mr. Brown's Ivxplanations to tiik Housk. ourablc gentlemen think it was any pleasure or i^ain to him to sit in the Cabinet (jf honourable gentlemen opposite, and oppose his old friends? Nothing but the strongest sense of duty would ever have placed him in such a position. He had struggled to avoid entering the Government. He was willing to help them, and would have remained outside the Cabinet and given them all that honest, loyal and hearty aid that any man could give. " He would say to his honourable friends from Lower Canada — ' Let us all try to rise superior to the pettiness of mere party politics, and take up this question as it should be considered ; wait till a measure is brought down, and if we are to be condemned, let us be so ; but, at any rate, give us an opportunity of showing we are honest and will do our duty to our country.' (Hear, hear, and cheers). To his friends from Lower Canada, who were afraid of the character of this measure — or who might think that Upper Canada might obtain the advantage in this settle- ment, he would say that whatever was done would be done with openness and fair play — everything should be free as air ; and he was sure that in .saying this he spoke the .senti- ments of every gentleman who was a party to the negotia- tions. (Hear, hear). There was no desire but to extract our country from the unfortunate position it had been placed in. (Cheers). Were he to say he did not feel very painfull)' the position in which he stood with his old friends throughout the country, he would not speak the truth. During the vicissitudes of his public life, and while he was contending with the many difficulties that had beset him, if there was one thing more than ai her which he had relied on for encouragement, it was the belief that he possessed the sympathies of the honest yeomen of Upper Canada, of whom he felt proud ; and who, he was convinced, were always prepared to come forward, give him the right hand of friend- ship, and express their thanks for his humble services to the country. And if there was anything that inspired him with a painful feeling, in reference to his present line of conduct, it was the apprehension that this class might misinterpret ' 1 ! Ilf i ' > I : )' : ■ ! ^ . u 526 Thk Likk ok Sir John A. Macdonald. his motives, lie did think that he slioukl rcc(i\e the sym- pathies of the honourable irentleinen on his side of the I louse, in his present position. He had no fears as to the result, however, or as to the feeling of the country, when the measure contemplated was properly understood — or with reference to the sincerity of the parties to the ne<^otiati()ii ; for, in the long period of twenty years which he had been in ])ublic life, he had never found that the sound common sense of the ])eopIe of Upper Canada had been mistaken in discovering where there were truth and sincerity in dealing with men and measures. (Hear, hear). " He wished it clearly understood that the alliance between the honourable gentlemen opposite and himself, and between their followers, was not a common political alliance for political purposes ; that it had been brought about by the crisis that had arisen in public affairs, and upon this and the fair, frank and manly manner in which the honour- able member for Montreal Kast had met our difficulties, he (Mr. Brown) put his justification for the present alliance and con.sent to enter the Cabinet. (Cheers). And if honourable gentlemen asked how he could enter the Cabinet with only two other members of the Opposition to whom nine members of the Government would be opposed, he would answer he cared not whether any of his friends accompanied him into the Cabinet except for the assist- ance and ability they would bring to the aid of the Government, for he was so perfectly satisfied with the honesty and sincerity with which the honourable gentle- men opposite had approached this question — so convinced they would carry out their pledges, that he would have been content to enter the Cabinet alone, without the additional truar^tntee contained in the admission of two of his friends. (Cheers). It was nothing for himself (Mr. Brown), the Finance Minister, or the Attorney-General We- c to agree to this com- promise designed for the good of the country, but it was a wreat thing for the honourable Attorney-General East to have taken up this question in the bold, manly and straight- forward style he had done, feeling a great evil was upon f- w f r Mr. Brown's Exi'Lanations to tiik IIousk. 527 111 il s. c s \ V f the country which he dcsirctl to remedy. (Cheers). Ami he (Mr. Brown; felt that he was b(juiid to give that hunourahle gentleman, who had adopted his present course, even at the risk of his political position, every assistance and protection in his power. (Cheers). " He apprehended that the Government would proceed to the iinmediate consideration of the scheme of federation ; that it would send delegates to the intercolonial convention at Charlottctown, and also to England in order to effect a federation as soon as possible. They had arrived at no conclusion as to whether this federative proposition should be an open question or Government measure. (Hear, hear). As far as he was concerned he had gone into the Cabinet for the settlement of that question, and thereby he would stand or fall. (Cheers). If ever there was an important question before the country, this was it ; and he must congratulate the House that we had men from both sides united, and prepared to sacrifice even party ties and personal friendships in this matter for the good of the country. He was quite sure that if members would look at the sectional difficulty carefully, and the sectional question involved in this movement, they would say that if the Government came down next sessifjn with a solution of the present sectional difficulty acceptable to the House and country, they would be entitled to as much cretlit as the United States would have earned had they been able to settle their sectional dispute peaceably before the commence- ment of this war. If he had no other success to boast of during his political career than that which had attended him in bringing about the formation of a Government — with a strength which no other Government had possessed for many years — a Government formed for the purpose of settling the sectional difficulties between Upper and Lower Canada — he felt that he had something to be proud of, and that he had accomplished some good for the country. Me wanted no greater honour for his children — no more noble heir-loom to transmit to his descendants than the record of the part he had taken in this great work. (Loud cheers). Honourable Mr. Mowat said he felt convinced from what ( i lit' '■I 528 The LiI'K of Sir John A. Mac donai.d. had been said by the honourable nieniber for South Oxford (Mr. Brownj that honourable gentlemen opposite were sincere in their desire to grapple with the constitutional difficulty ; and he had great hopes that the new Cabinet would succeed in bringing about a settlement which would be satisfactory to Upper Canada and satisfactory to Lower Canada ; and which would be equally just to both. (Hear, hear). Parties were valuable indeed for the working of our constitutional purposes; but we should take care that they be not perverted to purposes of evil ; and that they be not allowed to stand in the way of good. He confessed to something akin to a hatred of coalitions, and he held that it was necessary for public men to avoid even the .semblance of doing wrong ; but in thus avoid- ing that which had even the appearance of being bad, we should take care not to do wrong. And, as a coalition under ordinary circumstances was anything but desirable, so in extraordinary and exceptional cases it became necessary and desirable. This was not a simple question. It was a grave, a serious, a complicated question. The struggle for a remed\' of our sectional difficulties had lasted for ten years, and had, as yet, been unsuccessful. " The honourable gentlemen proceeded to argue from these premi.ses that the present coalition was necessary ; and that we should congratulate ourselves on being so near the attain- ment of a great object. The steps taken to form a coalition government were regarded by the country, generally, as wise and patriotic. Hitherto, nothing but parly contention had prevailed, and it had become utterly impossible to further any great interest, as neither party could maintain the ascendency. Nothing had previously occurred in the history of the Province more important or better calculated to do good than the alliance which had just been entered into, and it was felt that the parties to it would address themselves to the subject of a Con- federation of all the British North American Provinces with zeal and energy, and do all in their power to bring to a satis- factory conclusion the great scheme they had taken in hand. I Mk. Brown and His Friends. 5^9 lore Mice the !on- •ith Uis- in The session lasted but a few days lon<^er, and was pro- rogued on June 30th, immediately after which the under- standing arrived at between the Government and Mr. Brown respecting a change in the /^rj^////^/ of the Cabinet was carried out. Mr. Brown was appointed President of the Council ; Mr. William McDougall, Provincial Secretary ; and Mr. Oliver Mowat, Postmaster-General ; succeeding respectively to Messrs. Isaac Buchanan, Simp.son and Foley. It is satisfactory to know that the union of parties was not only acceptable to the Governor-General, but was suggested by him in his official reply to the communication from the Premier announcing the defeat of the Government. By his permission the correspondence between them was laid upon the table in the Legislative Council on the last day of the session, and published in the newspapers on July 6th. It was as follows: The undersigned has the honour to state for the information of Your Excellencjs that, in the House of Assembly, last night, when the Finance Minister moved the House into Committee of Supply, the Honourable Mr. Dorion moved the following resolution : " That Mr. Speaker do not now leave the chair, but that it be resolved that an humble Address be presented to His Excellency the Governor-General, representing that in June, 1859, an advance of $100,000 was made from the public chest without the authority of Parliament, for the redemption of bonds of a like amount for the city of Montreal, v/hich bonds were redeemable by the Grand Trunk Railway Company ; that by the terms of the Orders in Council of June I, 1859, the Receiver-General was authorized to redeem the said bonds on account of the city of Montreal, and to hold the same until the amount so advanced ($100,000) with interest at six per cent., be repaid to the Government by the city of Montreal, subject to the C(jndition that the said city do immediately levy the necessary rate to meet their indebtedness under the Municipal Loan Fund Act, and that the amount so advanced be repaid within three months,' — that the said city of Montreal having fulfilled the condition of paying iis indebt- edness under the Municipal Loan Fund Act, the bonds in question were delivered by the Receiver-General to the city treasurer on September 13, 1859, whereby all claim against the city of Montreal for the said advance was relinquished; that under the instructions of the Minister of Finance, conveyed in a letter dated London, December 28, 1859, addressed to Mr. Keiffenstein, of the Receiver- General's department, the amount of the said advance was transferred ! t 1 I ' 1 ■ , I III ;i:fc m 'ill Mil - \l lili 530 The Lifk of Sir John A. Macdunald. to the debt of the financial af;ents of the province in London, who deny that they ever consented to become liable therefor ; that in view of the facts above recited, the House would be failing in its duty if it did not express its disapprobation of an unauthorized advance of a large amount of public money, and of the subseipient departure from the conditions of the Order in Council under wliich the advance was made." This resolution was carried by a vote of 60 to 5cS, and therefore the House adjourned. The undersigned has consulted his colleagues and submitted the state of the case to them, and they have come unanimously to the conclusion, that, although the motion is in its terms a censure uptjn an Administration not now existing, for an official act which occurred five years ago, yet, under the circumstances in which the vote was carried, it must be regarded as a vote of want of confidence, and as indicating the withdrawal of the support of the House from Your Excellency's advisers. The undersigned begs to call the attention of Your Excellency to the circumstances under which the present Administration acceptt'd the responsibility of office, and to point out that they have successfully obtained the support of Parliament to all their measures, which measures, they have also every reason to believe, are satisfactory to the country. The undersigned, therefore, with the concurrence of his colleagues, begs to tender the advice to your Excellency that tliey should be empowered to appeal from the vote given b)- a Parliament not elected when they were Your Excellency's advisers, to the people themselves, in whose decision they have every confidence. (Signed) E. P. Tache. June 15, 1864. MeiiiorandiiDi, The Governor-General has attentively considered the memo- randum submitted to him on Wednesday by Sir E. Tache, containing the views of himself and his colleagues on the resolution which passed the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday night, and their advice that they should be empowered to appeal from the vote of the House to the people. Before proceeding to give any answer to the request contained in this memorandum, the Governor-General is desnous to call the attention of the members of the Executive Council to the position in which political parties in the province are now and have been for a considerable time placed. Correspondence with His Kxcellency. 531 in the in r a ' The House of Assembly returned at the {general election in the year i(S6t, by successive votes, declared its want of cont'ulcnce in Ministers representing respectively the two parties into whicli it was divided. In May, 1863, a dissolution, the constitutional consequences of such a state of facts, resulted in the return of a House in whicii the Government, under the leadersliip of Mr. J. S. Macdonald and M. Dorion, found itself so weak that its members, after the experience of the whole of the autumn session of 1863, and a portion of the session of 1864, resigned their places in the month of March last, without having ever incurred actual defeat. During this period no question involving any great principle, or calculated to prevent politicians on public grounds from acting in concert, had been raised in Parliament. Under these circumstances, the Governor-General, on the resignation of Mr. Sandfiekl Macdonald's Government, conceived that the time had arrived when an appeal might with propriety be made to tlie patriotism of gentlemen on both sides of the House, to throw aside personal differences, and to unite in the formation of a Government, strong enough to advance the general interests of the country. The Governor-General deeply regrets that this attempt to form a Government, representing politicians kept asunder by no difference of opinion on public questions, should have then failed. The present Government was at that time formed on a distinctive party basis, and the course of events, since it came into power, has only given further proof of the evenly balanced condition of p(ili- tical parties in the House, and of the absence of public grounds for antagonism between them. The further continuance of such a state of things is very preju- dicial to the best interests of the Province, and it is very doubtful whether a general election would materially alter tlie relative position of parties. The Governor-General does not consider it would be right for him to enter into any examination of the character of the resolution come to by the House on Tuesday night, he may, however, without impro- priety, express his regret that it appears to have produced an impression on the minds of those affected by it, likely to render a junction of parties more difficult. The Governor-General still adheres to the opinion that such an amalgamation of parties is the course calculated to confer the largest amount of benefit on the province, and earnestly hopes that means may be found for effecting such an arrangement without doing violence to the self-respect of any gentleman connected with Canadian politics. The Governor-General desires to commend the views expressed in this memorandum to the serious consideration of the members of if 'it. I (,Jf 533 TiiK LiFK or Sir John A. Macdonai-D. th(! lixecutive Council, and would Uv. ^;lad U> hv. furnislu-d with the opinion of Sir I"-. V. Taclio and his collea^Mi's upon them ; and while giving them the assurance tiiat he is prepared to act on their advice, trusts that some means may he devised for ohviating the necessity of an appeal to the country under present circumstances. Mcmoyandum. The undersigned has the honour to convey to Your I'xcellcncy the thanks of his colleagues and himself for the confidence shown in them by Your Excellency's acceptance of their advice. The Executive Council fully concur with Your Excellency as to the expediency of avoiding, if possible, an appeal to the country under the circumstances referred to in Your Excellencv's meiiicrandum, and they desire the undersigned to assure you that they v ill not cease in their efforts to effect the formation of an Administration (without having recourse to dissolution) which will obtain the confidence of Parliament and of the country. (Signed) E. P. Tachi;. June 17, 1864. C H A r r K R XXI V ■ 1864— (C(j«//« «<•(/). Conference of delPKaies at Charloilctown, 1', K. I., in Sej)(cml)er — Conference at (^Ufl)ec in ()ctol>er — The projected Constitution for Hritish North America — Despatch from IlonouraMe K. Cardwell, Secretary of State for the Colonies. w ARRANGEMENTS for holding a conference at Charlotte- town, Prince Edward Island, on September ist, had been made some months previous by means of resolutions passed In* the Lcfjislatures of the three Maritime Provinces. The business assigned to the conference was that of discussing the propriety of a union of these provinces under one Govennnent, and one legislature, provision being made for the attendance of dele- gates from the provinces concerned, who were intended to represent all the political parties into which the people were divided. After the coalition of Conservatives and Reformers of Canada, pledged to carr)' out the idea of a confederation of all the British North American Provinces, it was considered proper that an invitation should be extended to them to be present at the conference, and official assurance was given that all parties wcjuld be gratified to meet the Canadian repre- sentatives and discuss with them the larger question. The conference took place on the date arranged for, and although it was held with closed doors, it soon became known that a basis of agreement was likely to be arrived at, but in consequence of the new aspect of affairs and the reluctance of Prince Edward Island to come into the Union, the meeting adjourned without report. Meetings were afterwards held at Quebec and all points carefully and exhausti\-cly discussed. After an agreement had been arrived at, the delegates visited the other principal cities and were everywhere received and entertained with the utmost enthusiasm. During the after- dinner speeches such explanations were given as were not considered incompatible with the secrecy supposed to be observed until the c ocument had been presented to the 533 ilifl Ilk H I \li 534 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. Executive Councils of the various provinces. What informa- tion was obtained in this way v/as not considered :;atisfactory, and the desire of the public to ascertain the conductions arrived at by the delegates was so stron<^ that it became necessary to satisfy it, ad accordingly the projected Constitu- sion for British America was semi-officially promulgated on November 1 2th. As everything connected with the birth of our Dominion must continue to be of interest to the people of this country, ,ve will give the whole document : " I. A Federal Union with the Crown of Great Britain at its head, would most conduce to the protection of existing interests and to give a future impetus to the prosperity of British North America, provided this Union could be estab- lished on principles that would be equitable to the various provinces. " 2. The best system for the federation of the provinces of British North Americ? the best adapted under the circum- stances to the protection of the aricd interests of the different provinces and the most likely to produce efficacy, harmony and permanence in the operation of the Union would be a General Government and Parliament which should have the control of matters common to the whole country, with local legislatures and governments for each of the Canadas, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. These local legislatures and governments to have respectively the control of local affairs. Provision should be made for admis- sion into the Union, upon equitable basis, of the province of Newfoundland, the North-West Territory, Vancouver's Island and British Columbia. " 3. The Federal Government and Parliament ought to be formed, as nearly as the circumstances will permit, on the model of the British Constitution; the convention wishing thereby to express 'ts desire to perpetuate the ties which unite us to the mother country and to serve more effec- tualh'' the interests of the population of the various prov- inces. "4. The Executive power shall reside in the Sovereign of Great Britain and be administered by the Sovereign or her ■ Confederation Arranged at Quebec. 535 representative according to the principles of the British Constitution. " 5. The Sovereign, or her representative, shall be Com- mander-in-chief of the militia by sea and land. " 6. There shall be for all the federated provinces a General Parliament composed of a Legislative Council and a House of Commons. " 7. To form the Legislative Council, the provinces shall be divided into three parts: the first shall comprise Upper Canada, the second Lower Canada, the third Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. These three parts shall be equally represented in the Legislative Council. Thus, Upper Canada will have twenty-four rep-esentatives, Lower Canada twenty-four and the three maritime provinces twenty-four; of which ten shall be for Nova Scotia, ten for New Brunswick and four Prince PZdward Island. " 8. Newfoundland in entering the Union shall have the right to four legislative councillors. " 9. The conditions of admission into the Union of the North-Wcst Territory, British Columbia and Vancouver's Island shall be determined by the Federal Parliament and approved by Her Majesty. As far as regards the admission, and the conditions of admission of Vancouver's Island, the consent of the local legislature will be necessary. " 10. The legislative councillors shall be appointed for life by the Crown under the great seal of the General Government and they shall lose their seats by a continued absence of two consecutive years. "II. The legislative councillors must be British subjects by birth or naturalization, be thirty years of age, possess and continue to possess, real estate to the value of $4,000 clear of all mortgage, etc.; but in regard to Newfoundland, the property may be either real or personal. " 12. The Legislative Council shall decide all questions relative to the eligibility, or ineligibility, of its members. " 13. The first legislative councillors shall L2 selected from the existing Legislative Councils of the various provinces, with the exception of Prince Edward Island. If there caimot ii i ^^ ! , ■ ( " IL... 536 The Like of Sir John A. Macdonalu be found amon<^ these councillors a sufficient number willing to serve, the complement will necessarily be selected else- where. " The councillors shall be appointed b}- the Crown on the recommendation of the General Government and the presentation of the local governments respectively. In the nominations regard .shall be had to the legislative councillors who represent the Opposition in each province, in order that all political parties may be, as much as possible, proportion- ably represented in the Federal Legislative Council. " 14. The President of the Federal Legislative Council, until it shall be otherwise decided by the General Parliament, shall be chosen from among the legislative councillors by the Crown, who may, by its own will, continue him in office or deprive him thereof He shall vote only when there is a tie. " 15. Each of the twenty-four Legislative Conncillors who represent Lower Canada in the Legislative Council of the Federal Legislature shall be appointed to represent one of the twenty-four electorial divisions named in Schedule A, in Chapter i, of the consolidated statutes of Lower Canada ; and this councillor shall either reside or possess the property he qualifies upon in the division of which the representation shall be assigned to him. " 16. The representation in the I'ederal House of Commons shall have population for its basis, and the numbers shall bj determined by the census officially taken every ten years, and the number of representatives shall, at first, be 194, distributed as follows : Upper Canada shall have eighty-two, Lower Canada sixty-five. Nova Scotia nineteen, New Brunswick fifteen, Newfoundland eight. Prince Edward Island five. " 17. There shall be no change in the representation of the various provinces before the census of 1871. " 18. Immediately after the census of 1871 and each decen- nial censuss, the representation of each of the provinces in the House of Commons shall be modelled on the basis of population. " 19. Lower Canada shall never have more or less than J Confederation Arranged at Quebec. 337 ] r sixty-five representatives, and the other provinces shall receive according to the census, the proportion of representation to which they are entitled, taking as a basis of calculation, the number of the Lower Canada representatives. "20. No reduction shall be made in the number of repre- sentatives elected for any one province, at least till the number of Its population has decreased five per cent, or more in comparison with the total population of the confederated provinces. "21. In computing the number of representatives at each decennial period the fractions shall only be taken into con- sideration when they exceed half the number ^\■hich has the right to a representative; and then, each of these fractions shall have the rirrht to a representative. "22. The legislatures of the various provinces shall respectively divide them into counties and define the limits thereof ''21. The Federal Parliament may, when it shall think proper, increase the number of its members, but it shall preserve the proportions then existing. " 24. The local legislatures may, from time to time diange the electoral districts for the representation in the' J^ederal House of Commons, and distribute, in such a manner as they shall think proper, the representatives to which they shall respectively have the right in the Federal House of Commons. "25. Until it shall be otherwise decided by the Federal I arhament, all the laws which shall be in force at the date of the proclamation of the Union ; the laws relative to the eligibility or ineligibilitx- of persons who sit and vote in the Legislative Assemblies of the provinces, as ^^■c\\ as to the qualification or incapacity of voters; to the oath required of voters ; to returning officers, or to their powers and duties • to elections, and the time which the>- shall last ; to contested clecticns and proceedings incident there'., ; to the vacation of Parliamentary seats ; to the issuing and execution of writs i,i the case of vacancies occasioned by other causes than the dissolution of Parliament ; all the laws which appiv to the k ! I HI I 538 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonald. election of representatives to the Federal House of Commons according to the province for which these representatives are elected. " 26. The duration of Parliament shall be five years, unless it shall be previously dissolved by the Governor-General. " 27. More than twelve months shall never elapse between the end of one Federal session and the commencement of another. " 28. The general Parliament shall have power to make laws for the peace, the well-being, and the good government of the confederated provinces ; always without infringing on the sovereignty of Great Britain. " 29. The following subjects shall be specially placed under its control : " The public debt and public property ; " Trade and Commerce ; " Customs duties on importations and exportations ; except on the exportation of square timber, staves, masts, spars, oak planks, sawed wood, coal and other minerals ; " Excise duties ; ** The raising of revenue by every other mode of taxation ; ** The borrowing of money on the public credit ; " The postal service ; " Companies owing steamships or other vessels, railroads, the canals, and other works which connect two, or more, provinces together or which extend beyond the limits of one of them ; " The steamships navigating between the Confederated Provinces and othe" countries, telegraphic communications and the incorporation jf telegraph companies ; " Every other work which, though situate in a single province, shall be specially declared by the Act authorizing it to be of general interest ; " The census ; " The militia, military and naval defence ; " Sea marks, buoys, and light-houses, navigation, and whatever has relation to shipping ; " Quarantine ; III, Confederation Arranged at Quebec. 539 " The fisheries of the sea-coast and of the interior ; " The water passages between a province and a foreign country, or between two provinces ; " Currency and coinage ; '• Banks of issue and paper money ; " Savings banks ; " Weights and measures ; " Bills of exchange and promissory notes ; " Interest ; " Legal tenders ; " Bankruptcy and insolvency ; " Patents of inventions and discovery ; " Cop)Tight ; " The Indians, and the lands reserved for the Indians ; " The naturalization of aliens ; " Marriage and divorce ; " The criminal law (except the constitutional of the Courts of Criminal Jurisdiction), comprising the procedure in criminal matters ; " The power to render uniform all laws relative to prop- erty and civil rights in Upper Canada, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, as well as the procedure of all the Courts in these Provinces. But no Statute passed for this object by the Federal Parliament shall ha\c force or authority in any of the provinces before having the sanction of the Local Legislature ; " The establishment of a general court of appeal for the Federated Provinces ; " Emigration ; " Agriculture, and generally all matters of a general char- acter not specially and exclusively reserved to the control of the local legislatures and governments, " 30. The General Government and Parliament shall have all the powers which shall be necessary to it as a portion of the British empire, to fulfil towards foreign countries the obligations arising from treaties which exist or may exist between Great Britain and these countries. "31. The Federal Parliament mav, when it .«hall think as 540 The Like ov Sir John A. Macdonald. proper, create new judicial tribunals, and the General Govern- ment appoint in consequence new jud>;es and new officers, if it shall become necessary or advantageous to the public. " 32. All the courts, the judges and the officers of the various provinces shall aid the General Government and render obedience to it in the exercise of its rights and its powers ; for these objects there shall be courts, judges and officers of the General Government. " 33. The General Government shall appoint and pay the judges of the superior courts in the various provinces, and of the county courts of Upper Canada ; the I'ederal Parliament shall fix their salaries. " 34. Until the laws of Upper Canada, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island become consolidated, the judges, who shall be appointed by the General Govcrnmetit, ;ihall be selected from their respective bars. " 35. The judges of the Court of Admiralty, who at present receive salaries, shall be paid by the General Government. " 36. The judges of the Superior Courts shall hold their offices during good conduct, and they shall be dismissed only upon an address of the two houses of the Federal Parliament. " We now come to the local legislatures and governments. " T,^. Each prcnince shall have an officer called Lieutenant- Governor, who shall be appointed during pleasure by the Governor- General in Council under the Great Seal of the federated provinces ; but this pleasure shall only be exercised after five years, unless for cause, and this cause must be com- municated in writing to the Lieutenant-Governor immediately after dismissal ; and also by message to the two Houses of the Ferleral Parliament in the first week of the first session which follows. " 3b. The Lieutenant-Governors of the provinces shall be paid by the General Government. " 39. The Convention in thus fixing the salaries of the Lieutenant-Governors, has not pretended to prejudice the claim of Prince Edward Island on the Imperial Government to the salary now paid to its Lieutenant-Governor. I CONFEDKRATION ArRAXCJEI) AT OUKBKC. 541 "40. The governments and the parliaments of the various provinces shall be constituted in the manner in which their present legislatures shall respectively judge proper to establish them. "41- The local legislatures shall have the power to amend or change from time to time their constitutions. " 42. The local legislatures shall have power to make laws on the following subjects : " Direct taxes, and the imposition of duties on the expor- tation of luare timber, staves, masts, spars, oak plank, sawn wood, coals and other minerals ; " Loans on the credit of the province ; "The establishment and tenure of loc;.l employments, and the payment of local officers ; " Agriculture ; " Emigration ; "Education, except the rights and privileges which the Protestant and Catholic minorities possess "in respect to Separate Schools in the two Canadas at the time of the Union ; " The sale and management of the public lands, except those which belong to the General Government ; " The fisheries on the sea-coast and of the interior ; '^ The establishment, support and management of peniten- tiaries and disciplinary prisons ; " The establishment, support and management of hospitals, asylums, lazarettoes and all charitable institutions ; " Municipal institutions ; " Tavern, stalls, criers and other licenses ; " Local public works ; "The incorporation of private or local companies ; " Property and civil rights, except those under control of the Federal Legislature ; " Punishments, fines, penalties ami imprisonment, for contravention of laws which are within their legislative competence ; "The administration of justice, comprising the constitution, support and organization of courts of criminal and civil juris- diction, as well as of procedure in civil matters ; 542 The Life of Sir John A. Macdonai.i*. " And generally all matters of a private or local nature. "43. The power of pardoning criminals, of suspending of or commuting or remitting, in whole or in part, their sentences, \ hich power belonging of right to the Crown, shall reside in the persons of Lieutenant-Governors in Council ; but these shall obey instructions which may be addressed to them from time to time in this respect by the General Government, as well as to the laws of the General Parliament. " We now proceed to give the various provisions which have for their object to explain the respective attributes of the Federal Government and Parliament, and the local legis- latures and governments, and which have reference to other objects of which we have not yet spoken. "44. In respect to what regards the questions submitted concurrently to the control of the Federal Parliament and the local legislatures, the laws of the Federal Parliament shall have force over those of the local legislatures. The laws of the latter shall be null whenever they come in conflict with those of the General Parliament. "45. The English and French languages may be simul- taneously employed in the deliberations of the Federal Parlia- ment as well as in the Legislature of Lower Canada, the federal courts and the courts of Lower Canada. " 46. No taxes shall be put upon the lands or properties which belong to the federal or local governments. " 47. All bills having for their object to appropriate any portion of the public revenues, to create new taxes or new imposts, must, according to the case, originate in the Federal House of Commons or the Local Legislative Assemblies. "48. Every vote, resolution, address or bill of the Federal Cornmons or the Local Legislative Assemblies which has for "^fs^^bject the appropriation of any part whatever of the revenue, or to create taxes or imposts must, according to the case, be preceded by a message from the Governor-General or the Lieutenant-Governor, and this message must be laid before the Chamber during the session in which such vote, resolution, address or bill shall be passed. " 49. Every bill of the General Legislature will be reserved COx\ FEDERATION ARRANGED AT OUKHEC. 543 in the ordinary manner for the sanction of Her Majesty, and the bills of the local legislatures shall also, in the same' manner, be reserved for the consideration of the Governor- General. " 50. The bills of the General Legislature shall be subject to the veto of Her Majesty for two years after their passage, and those of the local legislatures to the veto of the Governor- General for twelve months after their adoption. " 51- Ottawa shall be the seat of the Federal Government ; but the royal prerogative is maintained with regard to the fixing of the seat of the General Government. " 52. Toronto is chosen as the seat of the government of Upper Canada ; and Quebec for that of the government of Lower Canada. There is no change with regard to the places of the seats of the local governments of the other provinces. " We have now arrived at a very important part of the project ; it relates to the re-partition of the active and passive of the divers provinces at the time of the Union. " 53- All cash, the balances in the hands of the bankers, and all other values in cash of the various provinces at the time of the Union shall belong to the General Government. " 54- The following public works and properties of the various provinces shall belong to the General Government :— " The canals ; " The public harbors ; " The lighthouses or quays ; " The'steamboats, the dredges and other public vessels ; " River and lake improvcmenLs ; " Railroad and railroad stocks ; " The mortgages and other provincial debt due by railroac companies ; " The military roads ; " The custom-houses, post-offices and other public edifices except those which shall be reserved by the General Govern- ment for the local legislatures and governments ; "The ordinance property transferred to the provinces by the Imperial Government ; ^ 544 Till-: Life of Sir John A. iMacdonali). " The arsenals, the drill sheds, clothint,^, military accoutre- ments, munitions of war, etc.; " And the lands reserved for public purpcwes. " 55. All lands, mines, minerals and royal prerogatives which belong to Her Majesty in the I'rovinces of Upper Canada, Lower Canada, New Brunswick, Xova Scotia, and Prince Edward Lsland, for the usage of these provinces shall belong respectively to the local governments in which they are situated. They shall remain, however, subject to trust deeds and to other liens which may exist relatively in respect to these lands. " 56. All sums of money due by the purchasers or loca- taires of these lands, mines and minerals at the time oC the Union shall belong to the local governments. " 57. The various governments shall remain respectively in possession of all other public properties situated there ; but the Confederation shall have the right to take the lands which it may require for fortifications or the defence of the country. " 58. The General Government shall appropriate all the debts and the obligations of the provinces. " 59. The debt of Canada, which shall not be specially attri- buted to Upper and Lower Canada respectively will not, at the time of the Union, exceed $62,500,000 ; the debt of Nova Scotia, $8,000,000 ; and that of New I^runswick, $7,000,000. " 60. But, in case Nova Scotia and New Brunswick do not contract obligations exceeding those to which these Provinces are actually subjected, and that these obligations shall be respectively less than $7,000,000 and $8,oof),ooo at the time of the Union, they shall have the right to receive at five per cent, the difference which exists between the real figures of their obligations and those of $7,000,000 and $8,coo,ooo respectively, Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island are to be similarly dealt with. " The preceding has not for its object to restrain the powers which the governments of these provinces through their legislatures possess, but solely to limit the maximum of obligations which they may bring against the General ^ . CONKEDKRATION ArKAM;i:I) AI Or l.llKi . 545 -■• ^ Gm'crninctit. Hut the respect ivi; le-jislatiircs, after five years from this date, will not have the power t) contract obli^^ations of which we are about to speak. "6i. As Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island have not contracted debts ecpial to those of the other provinces, they will^ have the right to receive an advance from the deneral Government in semi-annual payments, or interest at five per cent., on the difference which may exist between the amount of their respective debts, at the time of the Union, and the average amount of the debt per head of the populations of Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick at the same date. "62. In consequence of the tnmsmission of the power of taxation to the General Legislature the provinces will respect- ively have the right to an annual subsidy of eighty cents per head of the population, computed on the census of 1861. The population of Newfoundland is estimated for this object at 1 30,000 .souls. The provinces will not be able in future to claim a larger amount from the General Ciovernment, and this amount will be paid to them semi-annually in advance. " 63. As the position of New Brunswick is such that this Province will be obliged immediately to make considerable payments out of its local revenue, it will receive annuall\- during ten ycais an additional sum of $63,000. But as long as its obligations remam below $7,000,000 there will be deducted from this sum of $63,000 an amount e(}ual to the interest of five per cent, on the difference between the real sum of its provincial debt and $7,000,000. "64. Newfoundland will, in consideration of giving up its rights in its mines, minerals, and crown land.s, which arc tun yet either sold or occupied, receive $150,000 a year in semi- annual payments, but this province reserves the right to open, construct and control roads and bridges, situated on its lands, which will, however, be under subjection to laws which the General Parliament will think it necessary to adopt in recrard to them. "65. The General Government will assume all the engage- ments which will be made, before the Union, with the Imperial Government for the defence of the provinces. .35 54^> TiiK LiiK <)i' Sik John A. .M.m donai.!). f "66. The General (lovcniineiit shall cause to be coinjjlcted without (lcla>', the liitercohtnial Railroad fmin Kiviere-du • Loup t(j Truro, in Nova Scotia, causing it to pass through New HruMswick. "67, The Convention re-^ards as (jf the hi^t^hest importance to the Confederated I'rovinces the communications with the North-West Territory, and for the development of the com- merce of the great west with the ocean ; and it engages to reali/.e these projects as soon as the state of the finances shall permit. "6(S. The sanction of the imperial Parliament and of the Local Parliaments to the union of the I'rovinces, on the prin- ciples adopted by the Convention, is to be sought. "69. The deliberations of the Convention shall be signed by the delegates, and submitted by each local delegation to its (iovernment ; and the President of the Convention is author- ized to submit a c 'py of it to the Governor-General, to be transmitted to the Secretary of State for the Colonies." These resolutions were transmitted to England, and in reply the following despatch was addresseil by the J'iight Honourable K. C'ardwell, M.P., Secretary of State for the Colonics, to His Excellency, the Governor-General : Downing Stkket, December 3, 1864. My Lord— Her Majesty's Governiiieiit have received with the most cordial satisfaction Your Lord.ship's despatch of the 7th ultimo, trausmittiufi; for thoir consideration the resolutions adopted by the representatives of the several provinces of British North America, whicli were assembled at Quebec. With the sanction of tlie Crown, and upon the invitation of the Governor-General, men of every province, cliosen by tlie respective Lieutenant-Governors without distinction of party, assembled to consider questions of tlie utmost interest to every subject of tlie Queen, of whatever race or faith, resident in those provinces, and have arrived at a conclusion destined to exercise a most important influence upon the future welfare of the whole community. Animated by the warmest sentiments of loyalty and devotion to their sovereign — earnestly desirous to secure for their posterity throughout all future time the advantages which they enjoy as subjects of the British Crown — steadfastly attached to the institutions which they live, they have conducted their deliberations with patient 1 DiCSPATCIl FKOM lIvlV. E. CaUDWI.I.L. 54; sagacity, .iiid liavi- arrived at uiianiinoiis ciiiicliisiniis on (|iicsti()iis iiiv()lviii<; many difliciiltios, and calriiiatttd, uikIit less lavoiirablc aus- pices, to have given rise to many ditiercnces of opinion. Such an event is in the hij^diest degree honourable to tiiost- who have taken part in these dehberations. It nmst inspire confidence in the men by wliose judgment and temper this result lias been attainiid, and will ever remain on record as an evidence of tiie sahitary intluence exercised by the institutions under whicli these cpiahties liave been so signally developed. Her Majesty's Government have given to your despatch, and to the resolutions of tile conference, tlieir most deliberate consideration. They have regarded them as a whole, and as having been designed li\ those who have framed them, to establish as complete and perfect a union of tin; whole into one (lovcrmiKuit, as the circumstanctjs of the case, and a due consideration of existing interests, would admit. I'hey accept them, therefore, as being, in the deliberate judgment i>f tlmse best cpialified to dc-ide upon tiie sui)ject, the best framework of ,1 measure to be passed by the Imperial Parliament for attaining that most desirable result. The point of principal importance to the practical well-working of the scheme, is the accurate determination of the limits between the authority of the central and that of the local legislatures, in tlieir relation to each other. It has nut been possible to exclude from the resolutions some provisions which appear to hv less consistent than might, perhaps, have been desired with the siniplirity and uiiitv 'if the system. Hut, upon the whole, it appears to Her Majests's (iovernmeiit that precautions have been taken, which ;tre obviously intended to secure to the central government the means of effective action throughout the several provinces, and to guard against those evils which must inevitably arise if any doubt were permitted to exist as to the respective limits to central and local authority. They are glad to observe that although large powers of legislation are intended to be vested in local bodies, yet the iMinciplc; of central control has been steadily kejit in view. The imi)ortance of this principle cannot be over-rated. Its iiiaii'tenance is essential to the practical efficiency of the system, ami to its harmonious operatiiju botli in the general athiiinistration and in the governments of tlu; several provinces. A very iinj)ortant part of this subject is the (ixpense which may attend the working of the central and the luc:i\ goveri:imMits. Her Majesty's Government can not but express the earnest hope tli.it the arrangements which may be adopted in this respect, may not be of such nature as to increase, at least in any considerable degree, the whole expenditure, or to make any material addition to the taxation, and thereby retard the internal industry, or tend to impose new burdens on the commerce of the countrv. eE!pyv.'-.'"t''i«ijiw'»?'.,. iiiwH'Uimmvwmitnf' > > *•' w j«4w ma nm 54« TiiK Ijii-; oi' Sir John .\. Macdhn \i i n Her M.'ijcstv's ( i()v<;niiii(;iit ;iio jiiixioiis Id Idsc no time in coii- vcyiiig to yon their f;<'n('r;il apijrov.'il of procdcdiiiL;:. of the conference. 'I'liei'e arc, howevei', (wo i)ro\isions ol ;^rcal import. uice \\liii li seem to rcfpiire revision. 'I'lu: lirst of tlicse is the i;io\ision contained in tlie 44th resolution with respect to t\\v. (;xeici,se of tiu; prerogativt; ol pardon. It a|)i)ears to Her Majesty's (iovernmcnt tiiat tliis duty JM'Ion};:. to tJH' representati\e of tlie So\crei,L;ii, and i.uuld not, witii propriety, be dc^volved upon tiie iaeutenant-(io\ c. nor-,, who will, under tJK! |)resent sciienie, Ix; ap|)ointed not directly by liie ( rowu, but by the central ^'overmnent of tlie united provinces. idle second point \vhi(di Her Majesty's (Government desire should be reconsidenMJ is the constitution of the le,L,dslati\'e council. They appreciate tin; considerations wiiich havi; inlluenced tlie couiereiUH; in det(!rniinin^' the mode in which this i)od\-, so import. mt to the consti- tution of the li';;islatnre, should be lomposed. liiil it apjx'irs to them to reipiire further (Consideration whether, if tlie niemi)ers be a|)polnted for life and their nund)ers Ix; iixed, tluMc will in; any sullicient nutans of restorinj^ ha.inouy between the !e,i;islati\(; coun:il and the popular asscunbly, if it sli.ill ever unfortiniately happen that a tiecided dilfer- ence of opinion shall arise betwetm them. These two poiut.s, relatin.L; to th<' |)rero^ative ol the Crown and to the constitution of the upper chambei', have appealed to retpiire distinct and sc^jarate notices. Unestions of minor conseipieiice, and iiiatt(!rs of detailed arranf,'eineiit, may ))roperly Ix; reserved for a fiitun; time, when the provisions of the bill intended to be submitted to tlu; Imperial Parliament shall come under consid('ration. Her Majesty's (i(jv(!rnnieii( aiiticip ites no serious difliciilty in this part of tlioca.se, since the resolutions will f,a;nerally be found siifiicieiitly explicit to guide those who will be entrusted vith the prei)aratioii of the bill. It appears ♦<) them, therefore, that yon should now take inunediate measnres, in concert with the Lieutenant-(iov(;riiois of the several lirovinces, for submittiiif to the respective lej^islatures this project oi the conference ; and if, as I Iiop(\ yon are able to report that thest; le;.;islatures s.inctioi. and atlopt the scheme. Her Majesty's Government will render yon all the assistance in tluvr pcnver foi' carryiiif^ it *nto effect. It will probably !>(■ found to be the most convenient conr.se that, in conccsrt with Lieiitenant-dovernors, yon should select a de|iiitation of the ])ersons bi^st (|ualili(.Hl, to |)roceed to this country, that they may be present duritif^ the preparation of the bill, and give to Her Majesty's (jovernmcnt the benefit