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Date: 1864-09-10
By: The Montreal Herald
Citation: “Correspondence. Federation— Canals”, The Montreal Herald (10 September, 1864)
Other formats: TBA

CORRESPONDENCE. FEDERATION—CANALS.

To the Editor of the MONTREAL HERALD. Montreal, Sept. 7th, 1864.

DEAR SIR,—Since the Government has not enlightened the public as to what they are doing on this all important subject, I presume they are waiting to see and hear the matter discussed through the ever available channel—”The Press,” I therefore avail myself of the medium of your most valuable paper to give my view on this subject, with an earnest hope that they may be well considered and discussed, as well as all other theories and communications touching the same.

It is one thing to form a union or fusion of all the British North American Colonies, and it is quite another to do so and secure at the same time that perfect harmony and equitable working which will perpetuate stability, and avoid consequences such as, alas, we are now witnessing in the Government of our neighbors.

It is argued that a union would secure power to defend ourselves; this is undoubtedly very well in such a case as foreign aggression; but what will, or might, be the case if one section of such an union revolted against the other. It can hardly be hoped that we shall be an exception in these respects, and, therefore, sooner or later may be doomed to find ourselves in a turmoil more ruinous than that which we now witness. We can look around and see what great Federations have been formed and their results, and from all that has transpired, history, carefully considered, seems to indicate that none have been so successful as the union of Great Britain herself. Why should not we then mould our union after hers? Let us have a grand fusion or union of all British North America, let us have but one Parliament, Upper and Lower House, one Executive, and one Governor General or Viceroy sent from Great Britain, for I sincerely desire that we should maintain our connection and identity with such a powerful nation as this, chiefly because our ancestors and a large portion of our present population came from her shores, and pride themselves on being called by her name as our parent stem or root; also because our institutions are modelled very much after hers, and we might hope to derive still greater blessings by becoming more worthy sons of such a model government, which is now being copied by all reforming nations. I say then let us start with such an union, and let equity pervade our parliamentary deliberations. It is quite clear that having several local Parliaments it will be difficult for the great Confederate or Federal one to interfere with the local ones. The preference, in my humble opinion would be to have, as I stated before, but one Parliament for all, and in equity, to have a fair representation from each locality, so as to have the same laws made for all This brings to mind the old proverb, “What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.” If a law is good for one section it should be for the other also, and so all should participate in that most desirable acquisition; but I must admit there may be some laws of a purely local character. In such cases I would propose that, if the General Assembly would not grant it in the usual way, a two-third vote of the section requiring it should be sufficient as expressive of the wants of the people, and any measure so voted upon should receive the sanction of House and the Governor General, and become law for that section only, provided always that it does not conflict with any existing law, or tend to disturb the peace and harmony of the whole union. Let the union when so made be perpetual, without privilege to any of withdrawal under any pretext, unless by a two-third majority of the whole Assembly and Council. Let the Executive be remodelled so as to give each of the present colonies an equitable representation in that branch of the Government, and let it be absolutely necessary that every member of the Executive shall be a member of the Lower House, who should not hold office unless he represent some constituency within his own section. Of course there are many other points affecting these departments, that require very careful consideration, and which should be looked after by the united wisdom of those who would have the framing and concocting of the details.

I am quite of opinion that this mode of union would be the most economical, and, setting aside all matters of prejudice, would in the end work most satisfactory and be what we really want, and productive of the most beneficial results.

While I have my pen in hand, there is another point that I would touch upon which I consider of the utmost importance and that is OUR CANAL COMMUNICATION WITH THE WEST. We should at once set to work to enlarge our existing canals to Lake Erie, and open up and make our Ottawa route to the Georgian Bay equal to the St. Lawrence route. The time is not far distant when both routes will be required. The reasons are at once patent to a reflective mind, and the advantages cannot be hid. They will affect not only the trade of the country, but largely increase the population. In making arrangements for the Ottawa Canals a due regard should be had to free grants of land to actual settlers, and possibly a large portion of their cost might be paid in lands. It is useless here to discuss such details, but really it occurs to me that the time has arrived for our Government at any rate, whether we have federation, confederation, union, or neither, to take up the subject of our canals, or we may be too late. It is a shame that we should be compelled by circumstances forced upon us to do what we should be sagacious enough to foresee for our own benefit.

With these remarks, Mr. Editor, dictated by an unbiassed mind, I beg leave to subscribe myself.

Your obedient servant,

“AMICUS.”