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Date: 1864-11-15
By: New York Daily Tribune
Citation: “British America”, New York Daily Tribune (15 November 1864).
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BRITISH AMERICA.

The Canadian papers publish at length a semi-official statement of the new Federal Constitution, recently agreed upon by the Inter-Colonial Conference at Quebec. Although the verbal correctness is not guaranteed, we are assured by many of the leading papers of British America, which are in a position to know, that the publication may be accepted as substantially accurate.

The most important points of the Constitution were, not withstanding the secrecy enjoined upon the members of the Inter-Colonial Conference, telegraphed to the American Press as fast as they were adopted, and at the close of the Conference we were therefore able briefly to review its work.

The complete publication of the Constitution in a connected form acquaints us, however, with many interesting additional details. and gives us a better insight into the spirit of the whole. The intention of the framers of the Constitution to graft many go the features of English law upon our own Constitution, which they could hardly fail to adopt as a model, is apparent throughout. The work of the Canada Conference appears as a move toward what was called in 1848 a Democratic monarchy, although some of its provisions are less liberal than the constitution of even the present monarchies of the European Continent.

The right conferred upon the Confederate Government to nominate the members of the Legislative Council is not so absolute as was at first announced. The several Legislatures are to present persons for selection. A property qualification is also demanded of the members, and the property must be situated in the Electoral District which the member assumes to represent. The Crown has the right not one to appoint, but also to remove, the President of the Legislative Council.

There are other points worth noticing in the Constitution, but as we we shall now soon have its official text, we postpone until than further comment.