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Date: 1865-02-07
By: The Montreal Herald
Citation: “The Confederation Scheme in the House”, The Montreal Herald (7 February, 1865)
Other formats: TBA

THE CONFEDERATION SCHEME IN THE HOUSE.

— The debate on the form in which this subject should be taken up, which occurred at Quebec on Friday night, was not altogether one of mere formality. On the one hand the ministry, asserting that the measure is of great importance to the country—comparable for example in that respect, taking the relative greatness of the countries affected into the account, to the Unions of England and Scotland, and of Great Britain and Ireland—not unnaturally desire to push it through with as much decision as the law of Parliament will permit. Measures of such comprehensive proportions, involving such numerous details, and which require the assent of so many parties, must, if carried at all, be preserved very nearly in the shape which they receive from those who have prepared them with a knowledge of all the difficulties and with a view to the necessary compromises. Large majorities obtained, partly by conviction and partly by means well known in party warfare, are a necessity for any Ministry which undertakes to pass laws affecting so many interests through Parliament. There can be no doubt, therefore, that within reasonable limits, assuming the Government to be convinced of the propriety of their measure, we must grant them excuse for a somewhat more arbitrary exertion of their influence over the House, as to details, than would be reasonable on ordinary occasions. Most of readers probably agree with us that the union of Great Britain and Ireland was a piece of legislation involving enormous benefits for the people of the two countries; yet it was carried, as we all know, by means which could be excused by nothing but necessity on one hand, and the inestimable value of the change which it effected on the other. We do not believe that the more sordid class of means employed to bring about the British Union will be required to effect the Confederation of the B. N. A. Provinces; but, whether we like that measure or dislike it, we see plainly that any Ministry which has it in hand must, in the nature of things, allow as little delay and as few inroads as possible upon the scheme as concerted by the Conference. On the other hand, the want of time and opportunity for the discussion of the scheme by the public, has naturally made all those politicians, who are not personally responsible for the measure, who have not that love for it which parents proverbially have for their own offspring, and who wish that before it passes it should have the well settled assent of the country, desire that it should be thoroughly understood by the people at large before it obtains the final assent of the Legislature. This can best be obtained of course by the slowest and most graduated progress of the scheme through Parliament, so that at each stage the people who follow the Parliamentary debates may comprehend it, and advise their delegates on their conduct. This was the view of those who desired the adoption of the slower method of proceeding, and who were disposed to insist on the measure being made to go through as many stages as possible. The number of members who now stand in the place of an opposition, are by the coalescing of parties too few to justify any attempt on their part to make such resistance as is made by those who desire to seize the reins of power. We believe they appreciate that position, and have no intention to wage a sort of warfare, which under the circumstances would be unjustifiable and merely factious. The position which Mr. Holton assumed was, as we understand it, this—that with no confidence in the scheme of Confederation himself, he was perfectly ready to accept it, if after a fair hearing the people should show themselves to be favorable to it; or should even, by their silence, exhibit tacit acquiescence. These are the natural positions of the members of the Assembly which is just now debating the plan of Confederation, and it is desirable that it should be thoroughly understood.