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scheme in toto. Others, conspicuous among whom were Mr. A. A. Dorion and Mr. Holton, believed that the time was not ripe for such a project. Mr. Dorion would have consented to the substitution of a federal union of Upper and Lower Canada, in place of the existing legislative union. Indeed, as has been seen,* he had years before expressed his approval of such a change in the constitution; but he regarded the larger scheme of a general confederation of the British North American Provinces as being altogether in advance of the necessities of the time. Mr. Dunkin declared that such a union would lead to more serious embarrassment and confusion than had ever existed in Canada. A number of Upper Canadian Reformers, while approving the principle underlying the scheme, disapproved of Mr. Brown'’s conduct in entering the Government, and predicted that his doing so would be the means of once more breaking up the party to which he belonged. These latter, moreover, objected to the acceptance by the Opposition of only three seats in the Cabinet. The Opposition, it was urged, had a majority of two in the Assembly,as had been proved by the vote on the 14th. Why then should they consent to accept three seais, leaving nine to the Ministerialists, who were in a minority ? There was but one opinion, however, as to the patriotic motives by which all parties had been actuated in entering upon the negotiations, and it was evident enough that Upper Canadians generally were in favour of supporting the coalition. As for Mr. Brown himself, he had abundant reason for selfgratulation. The joint authority scheme which he had time after time advocated in the Assembly, and which had been received by Liberal-Conservatives with ironical derision, had at last commended itself to the intelligence of those very persons who had so contemptuously laughed it down. It is dué to Mr. (J. A.) Macdonald to say that from the time when he became a convert to the joint

* Ante, p. 404,

The Birth of the Dominion. 443

authority project he was one of its very ablest advocates.* It was understood that the alliance between the opposing political parties was to be maintained until the project of Confederation should be fully accomplished.

The sessional business was hurried through, and on the 30th of the

month Parliament was prorogued. On the same day the ministerial

readjustments were carried out. Mr. Brown entered the Government as President of the Council, Mr. Buchanan having resigned that office. Mr. Mowat became Postmaster-General instead of Mr. Foley ; and Mr. McDougall became Provincial Secretary in place of Mr. Simpson, who was soon after appointed Assistant Auditor of Public Accounts. Mr. Brown and Mr. Mowat were reëlected in their respective constituencies. Mr. McDougall was defeated in North Ontario by Mr. M. C. Cameron, but three months afterwards found a seat for North Lanark, where the sitting member resigned in his favour.

The history of Confederation has been written at considerable length by a gentleman who took a not undistinguished part in the initiatory proceedings for bringing it about.+ A bare outline is all that can be attempted here. As every well-informed Canadian knows, the project had occupied men’s minds, at intervals, for many years prior to the Union of 1841. It has been seen that the idea had engaged the attention of the Canadian people and Legislature, as well as of the Government, in comparatively recent times.t The discussion of the subject had not been confined to Canada. In Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island the idea of a union between themselves had long been under discussion, and in 1864

* (Here we get a glimpse of the line where his Conservatism ends and his readiness to reform begins. He will not consent to be hurried, but no one can say that on any given

question hisfinality of to-day may not be his starting-point at some future time, ”—Cunadian Portrait Gallery, Vol, I., p. 14,

+See Confederation, etc., by the Hon. John Hamilton Gray, D.C.L., M.P., Vol, I, Toronto, 1872,

+ Ante, pp. 173, 383, 388, 389,

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444 The Last Forty Years.

the Legislatures of those Provinces had passed resolutions authorizing the holding of a Convention for the purpose of effecting that object. The delegates were to meet at Charlottetown, PE, in the following September. The new Coalition Government in Canada determined to take advantage of the opportunity thus afforded, and to bring before the Convention the merits of the larger scheme of a general union of all the Provinces. Eight* of the Ministers accordingly proceeded to Charlottetown at the time appointed. Though they had no official standing at the Convention, which had been summoned to discuss a question in which Canada had no direct concerr, they were immediately upon their arrival invited to be present, and to express their views with the utmost freedom. This, of course, had been the precise object of their mission, and they accepted the invitation as cordially as it had been given. Their representations produced such an effect upon the delegates that, after remaining in session some days, it was resolved that the Convention should adjourn to a date to be fixed by the Governor- General, when the members should re-assemble at Quebec, to confer with Canadian representatives on the question of a general union. On this understanding the proceedings at Charlottetown came to an end. The Canadian emissaries then proceeded to Halifax, and thence to St. John, at both of which towns they did much to influence public opinion by means of able speeches delivered at banquets held in their honour. Upon their return to Canada they formally advised his Excellency of what they had accomplished, and recommended the naming of an early day for the meeting at Quebec. His Excellency accordingly fixed upon the 10th of October, and notified the respective Lieutenant-Governors of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland.

On the date indicated the Quebec Conference was opened. Canada

*J. A. Macdonald, George Brown, G. E. Cartier, À. T. Galt, T. D, McGee, H. L. Langevin, W. McDougall and Alexander Campbell.

The Birth of the Dominion. 445

was represented by the twelve members of the Administration.

é Novo Scotia was represented by : The Hon. Charles Tupper, Provincial Secretary. : # “William Alexander Henry, Attorney-General. 4 ï “Jonathan McCully, Leader of Opposition.

A “ “Robert B. Dickey, M.L.C.

Fa “ “Adams George Archibald, M.P.P.

xh New Brunswick was represented by se The Hon. Samuel Leonard Tilley, Provincial Secretary. ct « “John M. Johnson, Attorney-General.

be “ “William H. Steeves, M.L.C., 16, “ “Edward Barron Chandler, M.L.C.

y « “Peter Mitchell, M.L.C.

elr ce “John Hamilton Gray, M.P.P.

. “4 Charles Fisher, M.P.P.

the és The representatives of Prince Edward Island were hfer The Hon. John Hamilton Gray, Premier.

ion. « “Edward Palmer, Attorney-General.

b an & “William H. Pope, Provincial Secretary. nce L “A, À. Macdonald, M.L.C.

nce # “Edward Whelan, M.L.C.

ets “ “George Coles, M.P.P.

ally . “TH. Haviland, M.P.P.

qu Newfoundland sent only two representatives, viz., bbec.

and The Hon. F. B. Carter, Speaker of the House of Assembly. New “ “John Ambrose Shea, Leader of Opposition. Sir Etienne Taché, the Canadian Premier, was chosen President of nada the Conference, and Major Hewitt Bernard, of the staff of the Attorney-General West, was appointed Secretary. The sittings, like H. L.

those at Charlottetown in September, were held with closed doors. :

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