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Date: 1864-07-22
By: True Witness
Citation: “No title”, True Witness (22 July, 1864)
Other formats: TBA

L’Ordre, of the 13th instant, asks us how it is, that the TRUE WITNESS, whilst professing repugnance to the Coalition betwixt Messrs. Brown and Cartier, and declaring its hostility to Confederation, nevertheless, in its issue of the 8th instant, says that—if the measures or acts of the Coalition Cabinet are good, it will offer the members of that Cabinet no opposition?—Our reply shall be short, and we trust satisfactory.

We speak and act in the manner attributed to us, because we care not one straw for men or parties. If the present holders of office were to be kicked out to-morrow, we should not shed one tear; whilst at the same time, if we could effect their expulsion from office by holding up a finger, we would not give ourselves the trouble to do so.

On the other hand, we are, as Catholics, and as citizens of Lower Canada, deeply concerned in everything that may in any manner affect the interests of our Church, and of our adopted country. We, therefore, knowing that the project of Confederation is seriously menacing to both, oppose that measure heart and soul; our object being, either to crush it entirely, or failing in that, so to emasculate it, as to render it incapable of evil. Here is the light in which we view the proposed Confederation, and its effects upon Lower Canada.

Every Government must have functions; and it is the nature of every government to extend its legitimate functions, and to make itself felt in every direction. If then we have a Federal Government, it must have functions assigned to it; and as the dominant body in that Federal Government will be alien and hostile to Lower Canada, it is certain that it will be ever seeking to extend its functions over the weaker member of the Confederation.

Now it is also certain that, so long as the Canadas remain British Dependencies, the Imperial Government will never consent to surrender any of its functions to a Colonial Confederation. It follows therefore that the functions to be assigned to the proposed Federal Government will be the functions hitherto exercised by the several Provincial Governments of the British Colonies. Every thing given to the Federal Government will be so much stolen from, will be an encroachment upon, the actual functions of the Provincial Government; and it is therefore the duty of every Lower Canadian to exert himself now, so as to reduce the functions of the threatened Federal Government to a minimum, and to restrict its sphere of operation within the narrowest limits; and on the other hand, so as to give the greatest possible latitude and freedom of action to the several State or Provincial Governments. The Federal authority in short must be looked upon as our enemy, of whom we should first try and rid ourselves altogether; and failing in that as one whom we should endeavor to weaken as much as possible, and starve to death, if we cannot kill him at once.

Now if the French Canadian section of the Ministry will do this ; if they will, above all, insist that no measure of Federation will be imposed on Lower Canada, without the assent of Lower Canada, given by her representatives in Parliament, and expressly chosen with a view to the great question of the day—the TRUE WITNESS, though it will continue to deplore the Coalition, though it will still look upon that measure as humiliating and dangerous—will offer no opposition to the members of whom the Coalition Ministry is composed. All we insist upon is this: that the Double Majority principle in its integrity, be applied to every clause of the Bill which they—the Ministry—propose to lay before Parliament; and that Lower Canada be allowed to determine for herself, absolutely and without any reference whatever to Upper Canada, whether she will consent to form a member of a Confederation of the British North American Provinces.

This is the explanation of our language and of our attitude. We know nothing about, we care nothing for, men and parties. Brown, Cartier, &c. &c., are in our estimation of no more intrinsic importance, than are the algebraic expressions of which we would avail ourselves to work out a problem. If they can serve our turn we would avail ourselves of them, thankfully; if they cannot, we reject them for others, pitilessly and without remorse.