THE END OF THE GREAT MINISTRY

“Le ministère présidé par MM. Lafontaine et Baldwin occupe sans contredit la plus belle époque de notre histoire. Ses actes sons là pour le démontrer. Sous l'égide de ces chefs habiles, le Canada a fait un pas immense dans la voie des réformes administratives, et vers la prospérité matérielle.” —TUuRCcOTTE : Le Canada Sous l'Union; Deuxième Partie, pp. 177, 178.

FA Bourret succeeded to the Chief Commissionership of

ÉS Ministry was complete. The new Commissioner retained

ER the Presidency of the Council. The Hon. H. H. Killaly sueceeded him as Assistant Commissioner, and a seat in the Cabinet thenceforward ceased to be a concomitant of that office. Her Majesty having assented to the Provincial Post Office Act of the preceding session, the office of Postmaster-General was made a ministerial one, and on the 22nd of February the Hon. James Morris was appointed to the position. Mr. Morris had amassed considerable wealth in commercial pursuits, and was an eminently practical man of business, greatly respected for his integrity and uprightness of character. Of the eight gentlemen now composing the Administration four only had seats in the Assembly, the remaining four—Messieurs Taché, Leslie, Bourret and Morris—being Legislative Councillors. It was an open secret that Mr. Price, Commissioner of Crown Lands, had resolved to withdraw from public life at the expiration of the existing Parliament, which was soon to assemble for its last session. There were rumours also of other impending