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Date: 1864-10-20
By: Chicago Tribune
Citation: “The Canada Conference”, Chicago Tribune (20 October 1864).
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THE CANADA CONFERENCE

Important Result of its Deliberations – A Confederation agreed upon – its Features Outlined.
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QUEBEC, Wednesday, Oct. 19. – After a long discussion, the Canadian Confederation has been decided on. Its main principles are ranged, and only the details about set [sic] remain. The great difficulty was too proportionate representation of the colonies in the Upper House. It is now decided that [sic] – that is, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edwards Island – are to have twenty-four members, of whom eleven are for Nova Scotia, ten for New Brunswick, and three for Picton. Newfoundland is to have four, and Upper and Lower Canada twenty-four each. Total 76. These are to be selected from the existing members of upper houses by the Crown, which is to fill up vacancies occurring by death. The Representatives in the lower house of the Federal Legislature are to be according to population, periodically re-arranged. The constitution will be such hat the chief power will reside in the Central Legislature. The Provinces will have few separate rights. It is decided that the whole scheme shall be submitted to the existing Parliaments, in all the colonies, without a direct reference to the people, which is a very summary measure, as none of the Parliaments were elected with reference to this question. The local Legislatures will not necessarily be alike in their constitution. There is no decision as yet whether the local Government shall be nominated or elected. This point will likely be left to the Imperial Government. It is believed that Ottawa will be the seat of the Federal Legislature. The only difficulty remaining is as to the constitution and power of the Federal Judiciary. The question as to the militia or army by maintained by the colonies will likely be settled by convention with England.

Hon. John A. Macdonald has been the leading man in the conference. His views have been adopted in almost all cases. Mr. Galt and Mr. Cartier are also much looked up tp.