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The Birth of the Dominion. 469

population of Quebec. The entire representation was for the time

placed at 181, made up of 82 members for Ontario, 65 for Quebec,

19 for Nova Scotia, and 15 for New Brunswick. Provision was

made for increased representation, but the proportion fixed by the

Act was not to be disturbed. The duration of a House of Com-

mons was not to exceed five years. Except as otherwise provided,

all existing laws and regulations, judicial, Parliamentary and statutory, were continued.

Constitutions were also provided for the four Provinces included in the Dominion. A Lieutenant-Governor, with a salary fixed and provided by the Federal Parliament, was assigned to each Province. A local Legislature, the composition whereof was adjusted to the preferences of the inhabitants, was also assigned to each. Thus, the Legislature of Ontario was made to consist of the Lieutenant-Governor and a single Chamber, called the Legislative Assembly. Two chambers, consisting of a Council and Assembly, were assigned to each of the other Provinces. The jurisdiction of the local Legislatures was restricted to internal affairs, whereas that of the Federal Parliament was extended to matters affecting the Dominion at large. Provision was made by the Act for the admission of the other British North American Provinces into the Confederation, in case such admission should be sought on the one hand and approved of on the other. It was moreover declared to be the duty of the Government and Parliament of Canada to promptly begin and proceed with the construction of the Intercolonial Raïlway. Such are the most important provisions of the British North America Act.

The royal proclamation of May 22nd announced the names of the 72 Senators whose appointment had been provided for, and who consisted of 36 Conservatives and 36 Reformers. The birthday of the Dominion was looked forward to with some expectation, and upon its arrival it was celebrated as a holiday throughout the land. On the same day Lord Monck issued a

470 The Last Forty Years.

proclamation announcing his appointment as Governor-General of the new Dominion. It was deemed fitting that the Governor under whose régime Confederation had been brought about should enjoy whatever honour pertained to inaugurating the new system. His Excellency in like manner considered that Mr. Macdonald was entitled to the honour of forming the first Administration of the Dominion, and he accordingly committed the task to his hands. Mr. Macdonald, recognizing the necessity of a strong Government, resolved to for: a coalition, and to bring together, irrespective of party considerations, those gentlemen who represented majorities in the respective Provinces to which they belonged. “I do not want it to be felt by any section in the country,” said he, “that they have no representative in the Cabinet, and no influence in the Government. And as there are now no issues to divide parties, and as all that is required is to have in the Government the men who are best adapted to put the new machinery in motion, I desire to ask those to join me who have the confidence and represent the majorities in the various sections, of those who were in favour of the adoption of this system of government, and who wish to see it satisfactorily carried out.” As matter of fact the membership of the new Government had been arranged some time before, and the names unofficially announced to the country. They were now announced officially, as follows. It will be seen that the number of portfolios had been slightly increased, and that the nomenclature of some of the Departments had undergone a change.

The Hon. J. À. Macdonald, Premier and Minister of Justice. Alexander Campbell, Postmaster-General.

À. J. Fergusson-Blair, President of the Privy Council. W. P. Howland, Minister of Inland Revenue.

William McDougall, Minister of Public Works.

G. E, Cartier, Minister of Militia and Defence. A. T, Galt, Minister of Finance.

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The Birth cf the Dominion. 471

The Hon. J. C. Chapais, Minister of Agriculture.

à “° H. L. Langevin, Secretary of State of Canada.

à “°° $S. L Tilley, Minister of Customs.

# “Peter Mitchell, Minister of Marine and Fisheries.

F “A. G. Archibald, Secretary of State for the Provinces. # “ Edward Kenny, Receiver-General.

Of the gentlemen composing this Administration, the first five represented Ontario, the next four represented Quebec, the next two New Brunswick, and the last two Nova Scotia. The Conservative element was represented by Messieurs Macdonald, Campbell, Cartier, Galt, Chapais and Langevin. The other members were ali professedly Reformers except Mr. Kenny, who had some time before passed from the Reform to the Conservative ranks. Five of the thirteen —Messieurs Campbell, Fergusson-Biair, Chapais, Mitchell and Kenny —were on the list of newly-appointed Senators. Of these five, two were from Ontario, and each of the other Provinces was represented by one.

Lord Monck, having been sworn into office by Chief Justice Draper, in the Chamber of the Executive Council, at Ottawa, announced that Her Majesty had instructed him, through the Colonial Secretary, to confer the title of Knight Commander of the Bath on the Hon. John A. Macdonald, and the title of Companion of the Bath on Messieurs Cartier, Galt, McDougall, Howland, Tilley and Tupper, for their distinguished services in bringing about Confederation. Mr. Cartier and Mr. Galt declined the proffered honour, and this unequal distribution of imperial dignities led to the first and only serious rupture that ever took place between Messieurs Macdonaid and Cartier. The latter considered himself slighted in not receiving honours of equal dignity with those conferred upon Mr. Macdonald. He attributed the slight to the advice of his quondam fidus Achates, and he felt that he had deserved better things at the hands of one who had for years carried

472 The Last Forty Years.

on the Government of Canada by means of majorities obtained through his, Mr. Cartier’s, instrumentality. Mr.—henceforward Sir John—Macdonald set himself to repair the diplomatic blunder that had been committed. A year later Mr. Cartier was created a baronet of the United Kingdom—a higher dignity than had been conferred on Sir John. This did something to mollify the recipient, who however felt as though reparation had only been made under pressure, and was not disposed to value his newly-acquired dignity so highly as if it had been spontaneously conferred. In a word, the golden bowl had been shivered, and the relations between him and Sir John were never again of that truly cordial nature which had subsisted between them in the old days which, in more senses than one, had forever passed away.

With the swearing-in of the new Ministry the old one of course came to an end. Confederation having been fully accomplished, the conditions of the compact entered into between the rival political parties in 1864 were fulfilled, and the compact itself was ended. Another event that marked the birthday of the Dominion was the appointment by the Federal Government of the first Lieutenant-Governors of the four Provinces. The appointment for Quebec was conferred upon Sir N. F. Belleau. In the uuner three Provinces the senior military officers were temporarily appointed to act. Major-General Henry William Stisted thus became first Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario, Lieutenant-General Sir W. F, Williams of Nova Scotia, and Major-General Charles Hastings Doyle of New Brunswick.

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