Document Information
Date: 1869-04-16
By: Canada (Parliament)
Citation: Canada, House of Commons Debates, 1st Parl, 2nd Sess, 1869 at 5-22.
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THE ADDRESS
The consideration of the address in answer to the Speech from the Throne was then taken up.
Wemyss Simpson [Algoma] moved the adoption of the Address. On looking round him he saw so many in every way better qualified for the task he had undertaken that he felt keenly his own inability; but he trusted that the same kindness which had been extended to him on a former occasion, would also be extended to him on this. With the opening paragraphs of the Speech few hon. gentlemen would, he believed, differ. He would desire more particularly to allude to the acquisition of the Hudson’s Bay Territory. They could not go into a single railway station without finding crowds of emigrants, some of them the young men of the country, who were going to find their home in the Western States which the Dominion had not to offer. Hence, it was a subject of profound congratulation that these negotiations had been carried on and completed, and that there could be now opened up to emigration a Territory offering far greater advantages than any portion of the United States. It was high time this Hudson’s Bay difficulty should be surmounted; for if Canada did not take hold of that country at once, in the course of a few years she would be squatted out. Minnesota and Dacotah were rapidly filling up, bringing the tide of immigration to the very borders of that North West Territory. He had lived some time in that section, and believed that its opening up and access to it by way of Canada would be an immense boom to the farming population of this Continent-as well as Europe. He knew the hardships endured
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by settlers in the bush, where a man’s lifetime almost was spent before he could earn a competency; while, in this new territory, a poor man could go in and get a splendid start in a couple of years. As a grazing country, too, it had no superior. But the first thing to be secured, on the acquisition of that territory, would be good and easy communication between Canada and the North-West, through the British territory. For the last two years the Government had been engaged in opening a road between Thunder Bay, Lake Superior, and Fort Garry. His opinion was that there was only one mode of communication by which they could hope to accomplish much in that section, and that was by railroad. If the Dominion had not cash enough, then let them give lands to build such a railroad. One of the earliest steps to be taken regarding the North-West was, the formation of a proper Government there. A land office of some description ought also be speedily established. The aborigines, he would also remind them, had to be dealt with. A very material step to take would be the establishment of a department which would act honourably and justly towards the Indians; and though the Hudson’s Bay Company was exessively unpopular in Canada, he believed the Government could not do better than take a leaf out of the Company’s books, in the management of the Indians. The Company certainly never had any trouble with them; but had since they came into their country always maintained the most friendly relations with the aborigines. In the North-West, he conceived, free grants of land would have to be made. The reservation of the treaty to be given to the Company had been objected to; but he thought it indispensable even if regard were had merely to that class of the Company’s officers which conducted their trade in the country. Many of them had left their homes when young. It was certain the stockholders in London would never give them a sixpence on transferring the territory, and these traders were men unfitted for the ordinary occupations of life. It would be hard to cast them abroad on the world without giving them a chance. In connection with the opening up of this territory, something had to be done to improve navigation on Lakes Huron and Superior. Additional steamboat communication and harbours of refuge would have to be provided. Coming to the paragraphs regarding the admission of Newfoundland into the Union, the House would, he was sure, fully agree with him that was a subject of congratulation. With the Union full and complete, there would be strength and
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peace. Having alluded to the other paragraphs of the address, the hon. gentleman sat down amid cheers.
John Bolton [Charlotte], in seconding the Address, said he would not trouble the House at any great length. It was gratifying to have His Excellency’s assurances of the prevalence of peaceful counsels among the nations of the earth, giving the Dominion the assurance that it might continue to enjoy the peace it had hitherto been blessed with. In future, he trusted their resources would be devoted to the extension of the peaceful and industrial interests of the Dominion. In view of prospective large additions to the Dominion, it was to be hoped that those peaceful sentiments would continue to prevail, and that the resources of the Dominion would be largely increased. Having expressed his gratification that Newfoundland had asked for admission into the Union, he expressed the pleasure he felt at the prospect that the discontent of Nova Scotia would be allayed. He was sure that for wrong done to Nova Scotia, if any, reparation would be made. That was something against which not a voice would be raised. There were other topics of great importance alluded to in the speech; but they did not at that stage require a more extended notice. He had great pleasure in seconding the motion for the adoption of the address.
The Speaker having put to the House the adoption of the first paragraph of the address,
Luther Holton [Châteauguay] said that before proceeding to the debate on the address, he desired to call the attention of gentlemen on the Treasury Benches to the necessity for offering to the House explanations touching the changes made since last session in the constitution of the Government. They al heard the rumour that a distinguished member of the House who had been in strenuous opposition to the Government during the whole of last Session, and not only in strenuous opposition to the Government, but to the fundamental laws of the country, had become a member of the Government. It was to be taken for granted that the Government
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would inform the House as to the motives which induced them to invite that gentleman to join them, and also the terms, conditions and policy involved in his accession to office. Then, during last Session, there were various Acts organizing certain departments of the Government, passed by a large majority. The Government invited the House to affirm, and the House did affirm, that it was necessary, in the public interests, that there should be separate departments for the management of the Inland Revenue of the country. The first Minister of that department became Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, since nine months ago, but his successor has not yet been appointed. Now, it seemed from this that one of two things must follow. Either the Government changed its mind as to the necessity of the Department, or that the public interests had suffered. Then the House had been informed last Session that the Government considered it necessary in organizing the Departments to have reference to the numerical strength of the various Provinces in the House, and apportioned the members of the Privy Council accordingly, giving a certain proportion to each Province, making a total number of 13 Departments. The great Province of Ontario, which had assigned to it five members of the Privy Council in the first formation of the Government, had, since December, 1867, but four, and since July, 1868, only three. These were points in which the House ought to receive information.
John A. Macdonald [Kingston] said that of late years such explanations were not usually given until an answer had been made to the Speech from the Throne. It was right enough to ask for them, but that was not usually the stage to make them; still he would answer the hon. member with regard to the accession of Mr. Howe to office, the question asked was really one pro forma, as his hon. friend and the country at large had been informed through the papers very fully of all the circumstances. Mr. Howe could not be considered as being in opposition to the Government last session. His position was different. He was in opposition to all the Governments under Confederation. His position was one of hostility to Confederation and the Confederation Act. On the floor of the House, however, he carefully guarded himself, neither taking the position of a regular supporter nor that of an opponent of the Government. His position was one of isolation from the rest of the house. Mr. Howe, as was known, went to England to seek a Repeal of the Confederation Act, and no doubt with his usual zeal
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and ability left no stone unturned to effect his object. Happily he failed. It became certain that the Confederation Act would not be repealed or modified, and he returned without accomplishing anything. It is also known that the late Colonial Secretary called the attention of the Canadian Government to the representations made by the Anti-Unionists of Nova Scotia, by the Government, by the Legislature, and by deputations; and it was further set forth in that despatch that, while it was the policy of the Empire to maintain Confederation, yet the attention of the Government and the Legislature of Canada should be called to the strong expediency existing for considering all the objections to Union, which could be considered by the Canadian Government within the bounds of the Constitution. Canada was expressly prohibited from interfering so far as regarded any constitutional changes; but the attention of the Government was directed to the financial ground of discontent of Nova Scotia-the objections made by her to the terms of Union. On that invitation, and in order to ascertain for ourselves the real basis of discontent in that Province, a deputation of the Government went to Nova Scotia, had the opportunity of meeting a great many public men there, of discussing the subject in all its details, and of assuring them that it was the desire of the House and of the Provinces that there should be justice and even generosity in dealing with any claims that Nova Scotia might have. They were assured by the deputation that if any injustice could be shown—if any hardships pointed out, or it were made apparent that burdens pressed unduly—Parliament would gladly remove those hardships and diminish those burdens. As a representative man-one holding a foremost position in the Province for many years—Mr. Howe was then asked to come forward and aid the Government in carrying out the Confederation Act. He declined, saying he thought that would do no good. He was not prepared, he said, to carry the agitation further. When the Imperial Government rejected all the appeals of Nova Scotia, he felt they had to make the best of it. He was not prepared to invoke foreign assistance against the decree of the Imperial authorities. Still he thought he could not then be of use to the Government by becoming a member of it; but said he would attempt, by moderate counsel, to bring about such a state of feeling as would admit of the Government of Canada and people of Nova Scotia conferring together in order to settle a basis on which Union might be accepted. It was a matter of notori-
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ety that in pursuance of this understanding Mr. Howe and Mr. McLelan came to Ottawa. The negotiations, which were free, frank and full, had already been made known through the press, and the papers on the subject would be laid before the House at the proper time. Having come to an understanding with these gentlemen as to what was fair to Nova Scotia, he (Sir John) repeated the invitation which he had given Mr. Howe months before, to come forward and accept office. He was reluctant, but felt the propriety of the appeal to take office, in order to show that he was satisfied the Government of Canada had acted fairly, justly and generously by the people of Nova Scotia. These were the conditions on which he took office, and he is now before his constituents, asking their sanction to his acts. With regard to the other question, that of the Government departments, it was not logical to say that, because the head of a department had not been appointed, the department itself was not wanted.
Luther Holton [Châteauguay]—Either that, or the public interests are allowed to suffer.
John A. Macdonald [Kingston] could assure his honourable friend that the department was a necessity. The experience of the last year and a half had more than proved the necessity of the separation between the departments of Customs and Inland Revenue; and with the growth of the country, this necessity would become still more apparent. In England, these departments were separated; and when, in the course of events, his honourable friends opposite crossed the floor of the House, he was persuaded that one of the last things they would ever think of was an amalgamation of these departments.
Luther Holton [Châteauguay]—Then why have you not both of them now? (Laughter).
John A. Macdonald [Kingston]—The department is in being, though the head may not be appointed. Subsequent to Mr. Howland’s elevation, the Government entered into negotiations to fill up the office vacated by him; but these negotiations were broken off as two members of the Cabinet were called to England. They had
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now returned after a most successful mission and the negotiations could be renewed. In the meantime he could inform the House that the Department of Inland Revenue had been most successfully managed by the Postmaster-General, who attended to these additional arduous duties during the whole of the winter, though at great personal loss and labour. The interests of the public service in this respect had not, therefore, suffered in any way. The thing, of course, could not be carried on, and it was the intention of the Government to fill up the vacancy, and place a responsible man at the head of the Department. As to the proportional representation of the Provinces in the Cabinet, his honourable friend would remember that it was stated by the Government during the first session that these matters, the formation of the Government, division of the offices, &c., were of necessity experimental, and this was the case yet. In the event of the absorption of the great North-West and Newfoundland into the Dominion, new duties and responsibilities would be involved, and very probably a re-adjustment of the different heads of the Departments. But he had no doubt that within the limits of a legitimate opposition, the Government would be supported in any efforts they might make to administer the new state of affairs. As to Mr. Howe, he (Sir John) hoped the people of Hants would soon enable that hon. gentleman to explain his own position on the floor of the House.
Luther Holton [Châteauguay] thanked the Minister of Justice for his full and explicit information. It would be unusual and inconvenient to debate at that moment the policy involved in the explanations; but there was just one point more that ought to be explained. The Minister of Justice said in the course of his explanations, that negotiations had been entered into with the view of filling the vacant offices before the two members of the Cabinet went to England. As a matter of courtesy, the House was entitled to know what direction these negotiations took, and why they did not go on. Having been informed that negotiations had been entered into, the House was entitled to know all about them.
John A. Macdonald [Kingston] said that at the proper time a full and frank explanation would be given. The negotiations ought never to be stated until they came to a result.
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Luther Holton [Châteauguay]—You mentioned them yourself. (Laughter.)
John A. Macdonald [Kingston] said that it was merely mentioned.
Alexander Mackenzie [Lambton] said there was one other point. The House had just been informed that the filling up of certain offices had been a matter of experiment. It would be desirable that the House should be informed concerning the two offices of Secretaries of State. Of course, this House was aware that the duties of both offices had been discharged by one person, the member for Dorchester. The House was entitled to know if that honourable gentleman was hereafter to discharge the duties of both offices.
John A. Macdonald [Kingston] was glad his attention had been called to that subject. The office of Secretary of State had been created because the necessity was felt for having a channel of communication between the Dominion and Provincial Governments. It was deemed desirable that the numerous questions which it was supposed would arise in this way should be disposed of by some one Minister. On the commencement of the new order of things, however, it was found that until the relative positions of the Provincial and Dominion Governments were ascertained, until they came to be clearly defined like those of old established Governments, a good portion of the subjects which would be ordinarily assigned to the charge of the Secretary of State, had to be disposed of by the Minister of Justice. So many questions arose in constitutional law and kindred topics, that he, as Minister of Justice, had been obliged to direct his attention to them. Therefore a great deal of the work which would eventually fall on some such officer as the Secretary of State, devolved at present on the Minister of Justice. Al correspondence between the Provinces and the Dominion of course was conducted by the Secretary of State. For the present it was proposed that things should remain as they were, because it was clear that if there was any necessity for the offices, before the extension of the Dominion boundary, that necessity would be greatly increased the moment Newfoundland and the North West became part of the Dominion. As he had stated before, the distribution of offices and power was of necessity to a great extent experimental in the Dominion. From the mover of the Address they had heard what the Government would be expected to do if they assumed the control of the North-West. The subjects then alluded to as having to be dealt with were numerous
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and of great moment, and this, along with the other circumstances in which they were placed showed how hopeless would be any attempt to sit down and form a more definite plan of administration. The number of duties thrown on the Government were such as might cause a very considerable distribution of and re-arrangement of the offices.
The first paragraph was then agreed to.
The second paragraph having been put,
Alexander Mackenzie [Lambton] said so far as he was aware it was not the intention of honourable gentlemen on his side of the House to move any amendment to the address. It was more convenient and more in accordance with English practice to allow the address to pass, provided there was nothing in it to demand opposition; and he admitted frankly this address was so framed that there was nothing in it they could take exception to, to such an extent as to warrant an amendment. He was exceedingly gratified to find from the first paragraph that there was a prospect of general peace at home and abroad. He had no doubt that the hon. Baronet opposite, the Minister of War, in his recent trip to Europe, had visited both Napoleon and Bismarck, and assured them that Canada at the present time had the most pacific intentions. (Laughter). He had no doubt the hon. Baronet had telegraphed to his colleagues that he had made all serene in Europe. (Laughter). He had heard a good deal about the creation of a new nationality; but until this speech came out which had been put into His Excellency’s mouth by the gentlemen opposite, he confessed he had not fully realized the position in which we stood. He did so now, and he was proud to know that our distinguished representative in Europe had so arranged matters that we could sit down peacefully “under our own vine and fig-tree, none daring to make us afraid.” (Laughter.) One or two suggestions had been thrown out by the member for Algoma in moving the address, as to which, it was desirable to know if he was authorized by the Government to make them. The hon. gentleman spoke of a large body of excellent men in the Hudson’s Bay Territory, as having lived in a place not quite civilized, and inured to habits which would perhaps unfit them to live in a civilized country, and he hoped something would be done for those gentlemen. He (Mr. Mackenzie) would like to know if, under the arrangements which had been accomplished by the hon. baronet in England, we are expected to provide for the Hudson’s Bay factors who would be thrown out of employment by that
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arrangement. He hoped that this idea had not been suggested by the Government to the member for Algoma, and that it was merely that hon. gentleman’s own generous view. He should have liked exceedingly if, as well as the mover and seconder, he could have honestly congratulated the country and Government on the present position of affairs. He observed that both gentlemen carefully avoided touching on certain topics on which he had expected, at least from one of them, an expression of opinion. It would be recollected that early last session a gentleman on his (Mr. Mackenzie’s) side of the House moved a resolution with regard to the route of the Intercolonial Railway. It was then announced by hon. gentlemen opposite, that on that question there was a minority in the Cabinet who, it was understood, were in favour of the economical route, and that an engineer had been sent to make further surveys in order to produce harmony in the Cabinet. It was also known that representations were made to certain gentlemen in this House, who supported those who were understood to be the minority, that if they would reject the motion made from his (Mr. Mackenzie’s) side of the House, all would be made right, and the route would be accepted which commended itself to the economical view. That was the way in which it was put to certain gentlemen, particularly from New Brunswick, and on the strength of these representations the motion was voted down. To-day, when the member for Charlotte undertook to second the address, he (Mr. Mackenzie) expected to hear that the route was, after all, to be changed, and that the delay, in giving out the contracts for the disputed portions of the road, was due to the determination of the Government to adopt the economical route. He expected that-as a compliment to the hon. gentleman-it had been left to him to announce to the House that what he (Mr. Bolton) had contended for last session, was now to be granted; and that it was for that reason he had assumed the post of seconding the Address. He regretted the hon. gentleman had not made the announcement, and would now pause a little to enable him to do so. (Laughter.)
John Bolton [Charlotte] did not avail himself of the opportunity.
Alexander Mackenzie [Lambton] said he was afraid he must have mistaken the hon. gentleman’s position. This in his (Mr. Mackenzie’s) opinion was a most serious matter. He regretted exceedingly that the Government should have adopted the policy they did. It was a policy which
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would not only cost the country a very large amount at present, but would inflict a permanent injury, that at no distant day must be repaired at a very serious cost to the Dominion, or the trade of the country would find its way to the sea through the channels provided by a foreign country, and all because the minority referred to chose to submit to the persistence and perseverance of a distinguished member of the Cabinet, who was understood to be resolved to carry his point at all hazards. That hon. gentleman’s persistence and perseverance had unfortunately been successful against right, against justice, against economical principles, and against the commercial interests of the country. Then there was another topic which he felt they had a right to allude to. It was a matter of complaint with his side of the House, when discussing the measure as to the independence of Parliament, that it had not been so con- structed as to prevent the possibility of a large number of members of the House being office holders in some shape or other, and yet retaining their seats in the House, without going back to their constituents for re-election. An honourable gentleman opposite had been appointed to the office of Arbitrator between the Governments of Quebec and Ontario, without being required to go before his constituents. There were also good grounds, he thought, for the complaint that the Government had not taken steps to prevent members of the Local Governments from sitting in the Dominion Parliament, because here those honourable gentlemen were more or less under the control of the Central Government. That of Ontario certainly was so, and no doubt so were others. The honourable gentleman who now stood at the head of the Ontario Government was obliged, before he would be allowed to proceed, to go on precisely the same plan, in organizing his Government, as the hon, gentleman opposite had done. Had any other course been pursued by the head of the Local Government, some of the gentlemen would, no doubt, have occupied that position to-day. This influence, it was to be feared, would be brought to bear in some degree on all the Provinces, unless some such provision were introduced into the law as had been contended for by hon. gentlemen on his (Mr. Mackenzie’s) side of the House. Another member of this House had been appointed one of the Commissioners for carrying out the Intercolonial Railway project, and had not been required to go back to his constituents. It was understood at the time when the office was created, he believed, even by hon. gentle- men opposite, that this would be necessary; and it was no secret that a meeting had been
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held in Norfolk in order to consider whether it was possible for that hon. gentleman to secure his re-election. The meeting, he presumed, turned out to be rather unsatisfactory in its results, and a careful investigation of the wording of the Act enabled the Government to come to the conclusion that it was possible, in violation of the spirit of the law, to allow the hon. gentleman to continue to sit here without obtaining from his constituents their sanction to his acceptance of office. How were they to know to what extent this might not be pushed; if this were permitted what safeguard was there against the filling of this House with office-holders? During the last session of Parliament there had been considerable discussion on matters of economy; and the hon. gentleman with whom he claimed connection, had endeavoured to enforce economical principles on the Government. Various large amounts were asked for by the Administration. They wanted $5,000,000 for fortifications; but in common with others he had contended most earnestly against granting any such sun for the fortification of an impossible frontier. It had been claimed by the Minister of Justice that Mr. Howe had not taken a position against the Government, having come here pledged to adherence to no party in the House. Now he (Mr. Mackenzie) had happened to have taken down the words of that distinguished gentleman. He desired to speak with all possible respect of him and say as little as possible against him until he was present, if he was to be present, and able to defend himself. But speaking of the acquisition of the North-West Territory, Mr. Howe said- “in speaking on this question, I shall try to consider myself a Canadian, and speak from that point of view.” Mr. Howe then spoke as a Canadian, supposing the Union to be consummated. He was not speaking merely as a Nova Scotian, but he gave his views as a distinguished member of the House, and these views were not only hostile, but bitterly hostile to the hon. gentlemen opposite. (Hear, hear.) Who did not recollect the powerful language in which he denounced the entire fortification scheme of the Government and ridiculed the absurdity of the Dominion Government, assuming control of the management of the far North-West. The hon. gentleman then seemed to prefer rather that the territory should fall into the hands of the United States, than that it should become part and parcel of the Dominion. On that policy he was at entire variance with the Government, and it would be instructive to know whether he has reversed his opinion on this question, or whether the Government
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have altogether ignored his opinion on this and other material points of their policy when they asked him to assume office with them. These observations had been made by Mr. Mackenzie simply in consequence of the statements of the Minister of Justice that he had occupied a neutral position in the House. Had the remarks not been made, he should not have taken the liberty of dealing with the President of the Council in his absence. Reverting to the question of fortifications, he (Mr. Mackenzie) expressed his surprise that nothing had been said as to the progress of these extensive works. Last year they were considered necessary, because the Ministry were apprehensive of war. The House was now assured that there was no danger of such a calamity. It would be well they should be informed as to what had been done in the way of fortifications, and if anything had been performed during the recess. He had visited certain portions of the country. He had been up the Ottawa through the interior, and had observed a number of points on the Ottawa and Lake Superior admirably adopted for fortifications if hon. gentlemen could only induce the Yankees to come to these particular places to make their attacks. (Laughter.) He felt at present as he felt last Session, that they had a most extravagant mode of conducting the public affairs of the country. In their attempts to re-organize their Departments; and even in their Militia Law, what was it but the same story-expense, expense continually! Take the Militia Law as a sample. Under the former law, the enrollment was effected without expense. The same service had cost $63,000; and what was the grand result of their attempt at improving the Militia system? Simply that a more ridiculous farce than their present organization was never perpetrated on any civilized country. In the western Province they had old superannuated men, who, for social and other reasons were appointed as captains and colonels. Men in every local city, as far as he knew, had been appointed to officer the battalions without any reference to their military qualifications. Then they had Military Schools established by gentlemen now at the head of the Ontario Government; Schools, which it was supposed would be of advantage in this respect, that when they had been in operation some years, they would have turned out a body of trained officers, capable of discharging the duties appertaining to commanders and subalterns of the militia force. He did not know how it was in other counties; but he believed that in his own county, though many respectable men had been appointed, men of both political parties, still there was
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not among them a man who could make any pretentions to military knowledge, and he believed matters to be worse still in the county adjoining. These appointments had been avowedly made from one little party; and they had the hon. gentleman who was intrusted with this selection avowing in his own paper that, until all his Tory friends had been satisfied, not one should get a commission who had opposed the Government or himself at the last election. (Hear, hear.) This was the new mode of administering the Militia affairs of the Dominion. (Hear, hear.) In the Militia administration there had not only been extravagance, but there had been a direct violation of the votes passed by this House, and the utmost practical inefficiency. He was told the other day, on good authority, that in one parish, where it was known there were altogether only 65 male adults, a return had been made of something over 300, in order to in- crease the amount allowed per head for enrollment. He made these complaints with profound regret. He was desirous to see the Militia force organized on an efficient footing, and he was sorry to say that, so far as he had been able to observe, this had not been done. The Minister of Militia was not directly to blame, having been absent from the country for six months, but some one ought to be held responsible. Until the papers were brought down, it would be manifestly inexpedient to discuss the question as to the admission of Newfoundland into the Confederation; but as a sincere friend of the Union of the Provinces and British connection, he congratulated the Government, the House and the country on the application of another of our North American Colonies to be admitted into the Union, and he begged to say that anything he could do to aid the Government in carrying this matter to a successful completion should be done most heartily and most cheerfully. (Hear, hear.) In regard to the opening up of the North-West Territory, he hoped the propositions of the Government would be so well considered that it would not be necessary for the hon. gentlemen acting with him to propose any serious amendment, as it was for the interest of the country that all questions connected with the opening up of that vast Territory should be settled as soon as possible, and upon as equitable a basis as possible. It was a serious matter to undertake the government of that great Province, as it soon would be, and the whole matter was one which would require the utmost attention of the Government and all other members of this House. He particularly recognized in that his own responsibility, as a member of the House, and should aid in
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perfecting arrangements which would have an influence on the condition of all the Provinces for many generations. Mr. Mackenzie then reverted to the pernicious system inaugurated by this Government, in allowing officeholders to retain their seats in the House without even requiring them to go before their constituents for re-election. He said they might just as well admit Judges and other such functionaries as the Arbitrator between the Provinces and the Intercolonial Railroad Commissioners. He had heard that another member of the House was to be appointed a Commissioner for codifying the laws; but he sincerely trusted that if such a step had been intended it would be reconsidered. Such a policy was in the highest degree destructive of public morality, and would gradually destroy in the public mind that respect which ought to exist for the Legislature of the country. There was another point to which he would allude before sitting down. The Minister of Justice professed to have constructed this Government on the Coalition principle. They had been told by the Minister of Public Works and the late Minister of Inland Revenue that it was solely because it was a Coalition Government that they had entered it-that it was solely because such a Government was necessary in order to the right conducting of our affairs, and in order to sustain some hon. gentlemen in the Lower Province who had taken office, that they had consented to enter it. Those hon. gentlemen also claim that the three Reformers from Ontario, and the others from the Lower Provinces, would be able to counterpoise the Conservative element, or at least to equal it. Well, if it was necessary that the Province of Ontario should have three representatives from the Reform ranks in the Cabinet, how must it have suffered when there was only one such representative, and that one absent from the country for the last six months, allowing the Conservative element to run riot in the organization of the militia, the management of the Intercolonial and everything else. (Hear, hear.) The Minister of Customs belonged originally to the Reform party, and perhaps it might be said that the hon. gentleman had been sufficient for the interests of that party in the Cabinet, in the absence of his colleague; but if the hon. gentleman yielded as easily on every matter that concerned the party he professed to represent as he seemed to have yielded with reference to the Intercolonial route, the protection given by him amounted to very little. The result had shown that he (Mr. Mackenzie) was right in the prophecy he ventured to make when the Coalition was
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formed, that it would end in the absorption of the minority element. (Hear, hear). Some of the Conservative organs, indeed, had claimed that, as at the last election, the Conservative element came a majority amongst the representatives of Ontario; therefore, the Ontario Conservatives were entitled to three seats in the Cabinet, and the Reformers to but two. With reference to this he (Mr. Mackenzie) contended that this result had been obtained by its being sedulously urged upon the people that it did not matter whether a Conservative or a Reformer was elected, and that the only question with reference to a candidate should be whether he would support the Government. In this way, by the joint action of the Minister of Justice and the Premier of Ontario, the Reformers had been cheated out of a fair representation in this House.
John S. Macdonald [Cornwall]—We beat you, at all events.
Alexander Mackenzie [Lambton] said they had tried to beat him, but had completely failed. The honourable gentleman ventured to make a pilgrimage into his (Mr. Mackenzie’s) county, but was compelled to beat an ignominious retreat, and his majority was twice the number of the electors, if not of the souls, in the whole constituency. (Hear, hear). He had thought it expedient to call the attention of the Liberals in the House to the manner in which they had been treated by honourable gentlemen opposite. He had never expected that the Minister of Public Works would be either the representative or the protector of the Reform party in the Cabinet; but he had expected that some decent measure of attention would have been paid to the position that was taken in the organization of the Government. Mr. Mackenzie then said he would refrain from entering on any more full discussion of the matters embraced in the address, until the papers were brought down, and again congratulated the House on the prospect we had that we should soon be not merely in theory, but in fact, a Confederation of the British North American Provinces—knit together in such a way as to promote mutual interests and to maintain the glory of our fatherland and our connection with it. (Cheers).
Paragraphs two to five were agreed to.
Paragraph six, relating to the North-West negotiations having been put—
Luther Holton [Châteauguay] said there was an evident desire on the part of the House not
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to prolong the debate, and agreeing in that desire, he would not make a speech. He felt bound to say, however, that so far as he could judge from the papers which had been published, he conceived we had nothing whatever to congratulate ourselves upon in the result of the mission to England. He had been from the initiation of the movement an agreeing party to the policy of acquiring the North-West and le still thought it most desirable we should acquire it; but he must say, so far as he could judge from these papers, that our case had been most deplorably misnanaged. We had now, perhaps, an opportunity of getting that Territory; but it was on terms which ought never to have been assented to. He should be prepared at the proper time to show, unless there were something in the papers which had not yet been given to the public, that our representatives had been completely out-generaled by the very able men who represented the H. B. Co. in England, and also by the Colonial Minister himself.
The sixth and the remaining paragraphs of the Address were agreed to.
John A. Macdonald [Kingston] then moved that the resolutions be referred to a Committee, consisting of Messrs. Cartier, Tilley, Langevin, Simpson, Bolton and the mover to prepare and report an Address.—Carried.
The Committee immediately reported the Address, which was ordered to be engrossed and presented to His Excellency by such members of the House as are members of the Privy Council.
Luther Holton [Châteauguay] reminded the Premier that the names of the Intercolonial Railway Commissioners had not yet been finally announced to the House.
John A. Macdonald [Kingston] said a message, making the announcement, was in his office ready to be brought down.
Alexander Mackenzie [Lambton] asked when the papers relating to the Nova Scotia arrangement, the admission of Newfoundland and the acquisition of the Hudson’s Bay Territory would be brought down?
John A. Macdonald [Kingston] said the Nova Scotia papers were complete, and would be brought down immediately. The Newfoundland papers were incomplete, but le would consider whether he could bring down the papers showing what had been done so far. The Hudson’s Bay papers were also income-
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plete. The Governor-General was warranted in making the statement he did as to the acceptance of the proposal by the Company, having received a cable despatched to that effect from Earl Granville; but of course a despatch from Earl Granville must be received before the House could be invited to take action.
John Rose [Huntington] then moved that on Tuesday next His Excellency’s speech be taken into consideration as the first formal step towards constituting a Committee of Supply. Carried.
The House at 20 minutes past 5 adjourned till Monday.