Canada proper a French colony—Dominion of the Papacy and the Church in Quebec—The French peasantry and their lot—Rapid increase of their numbers—Their occupations—Hold of the Church upon them—Wealth of the Church—The Jesuit and his relation to education—The Parti Rouge—The Guibord affair—Recent change in the character of the Church—Attitude of the Church towards the State, and towards the British and Protestant population—Ecclesiastical pretensions and nationalist aspirations—The Quebec Premier the champion of both—The apostrophises the Tricolor—Relations between the British and French race in the Province—Extrusion of the British—Protestant strongholds—Exodus of French Canadians to New England—The Irish at Montreal. 4
Ontario the core of the Confederation—Its chief industries—Structure of society and social sentiment—Effects of democracy in the household and on juvenile character—City life—The public school system—The Churches—Nationalities and national societies—Canadian respect for law—Public justice and the bench—Social life—The climate—Pastimes—Commerce and industry—Trade organisations—Social problems—City government—Literature, Art, and Science—Journalism—Emigration and native feeling towards the emigrant Migration of Canadians to the United States—Practical fusion of the two nations—The Maritime Provinces, Nova Scotia, New Bunswick, and Prince Edward Island—Manitoba and the North-West—British Columbia. Page 24
Jacques Cartier, the discoverer—Champlain, the founder of Quebec—Coming of the Jesuits—Their missions, heroic exploits, and relations with the Indian tribes—Ursaline convents and hospitals—Aims of the Jesuits—Their rule—Moral decadence of the Order—Foundation of Montreal—The Sulpicians and their relations to the Jesuits—Failure of Quebec as a colony—Epoch of Louis XIV.—Royal administration extended to the colony—Colbert's commercial system and the Intendant Talon—The fur trade—Bushranging—Passion for exploration, and feats of discoverers—Abuses under Louis XV.—The parish clergy—Moral state of the colony—Contrast between the French and English colonists—The Conquest. 64
What was to be done with Quebec—The question settled by the American Revolution—Military rule—British concessions to the conquered people preserve their allegiance during the American invasion—The Quebec Act—Incoming of royalist refugees from the American colonies, and formation of an oligarchy of conquest—With the French Revolution comes a re-settlement of Quebec—Policy of Pitt—Attempt to separate the races by dividing the colony into a French and a British Province—Failure of that attempt—Political conflict between the two races in Lower Canada under the Parliamentary Constitution—Want of information and of decision on the part of the Home Government—British rule an improvement on French rule—War of 1812—The French Canadians again faithful to Great Britain—Renewal of civil strife after the war—Ineffectual mission of Lord Gosford—Rebellion breaks out and is suppressed—End of the Constitution—Military opinion as to the value of Canada as a dependency. 80
Upper Canada founded by the United Empire Loyalists—Their wrongs as a vanquished party shut out from amnesty—Constitution of British Canada—Simcoe its first Governor—Beginnings of political life and controversy—Governorships of Hunter and Gore War of 1812—The Tory "Family Compact"—Conflict between it and the Reformers—Leaders of the Reformers, Mackenzie, Rolph, and Bidwell—The clergy reserves and other political issues—Demand for responsible government—Governorship of Sir Francis Bond Head—Conflict between the Governor and the Reformers—Rebellion breaks out and is suppressed—End of the governorship of Sir Francis Bond Head. Page 98
Mission of Lord Durham—His report on the situation—Re-union of the two Provinces under a single Governor and legislature—Concession of responsible government—The change carried into effect by Lord Sydenham—Parties and politics under the new constitutional system—Governorship of Sir Charles Bagot—An attempt of Lord Metcalfe as Governor to restore the power of the Crown brings him into conflict with the Assembly and the people—Practical end of monarchical government in Canada—Governorship of Lord Elgin—Personal influence retained by him under the new system—The Rebellion Losses Bill—Secularisation of the clergy reserves—The reciprocity treaty—Failure of the policy of union to bring about British ascendency or assimilate the French element—Influence of the French in politics—Political combinations and parties—The "Clear Grits" and the struggle for representation by population—Series of ephemeral administrations—Political deadlock from which refuge is sought in Confederation—Other motives for that measure—Mood in which it was carried. 121
The monarchical element of the Constitution—The Governor-General—His loss of political power—His social and other functions—The office devoid of constitutional value—Baronetcies and knighthoods—Futility of attempts to introduce aristocracy into the New World—Canada in reality a Federal Republic—Deviations of the Canadian Constitution from the American model—Powers of the central government and legislature—The veto power—The Canadian Senate compared with the American Senate, and with the British House of Lords—The Canadian House of Commons and its composition—Localism in elections—Party government—Weak points of the elective system—Provincial governments and legislatures—The interpretation of the Constitution—The Supreme Court—The Civil Service—The Judiciary—Canada practically independent of the mother country—Canada affords no precedent for Irish Home Rule—A written constitution a necessity of democracy—Ottawa as the seat of government. Page 147
Doubtful increase of military security—The incorporation of the North-West—Resistance of the French half-breeds to the annexation—Federal railroads, the Intercolonial and the Canadian Pacific—Adoption of a Protective tariff under the name of "National Policy"—Effects of that measure, particularly in regard to the settlers of the North-West—Apparent failure of Confederation to produce national unity—Aspiration of French Canada to separate nationality continued and increased—Question of the Jesuits estates—Renunciation of the national veto on provincial Legislation—Want of national union and of Dominion parties entails government by corruption—The Pacific Railway scandal—Injury to the political character of the people—Conflict of sectional with national interests—The financial condition of the Dominion—The Exodus from Canada to the United States. 192
Dependence—The sanction of the mother country necessary for any change of political relations—Canada considering the problem of her future—Distinction between a colony and a colonial dependency—Misleading use of the term "Empire"—Supposed influnce of sentiment on emigration—The strength of England lies in herself, not in her dependencies—England's protection of Canada precarious—Canada's complaints against British diplomacy—Political tutelage no longer possible—Society in the New World unalterably democratic—British interests in Canada—Value of the filial sentiment and that of dependence compared. 237
Independence—The "Canada First" movement—Its tendency to independence—That solution of the problem probable in itself—Obstacles to its adoption—The moral of the movement. Page 253
Imperial Federation—Origin of the movement—Absence of any definite plan—The scheme without pretendent in history—What would be the object of the Association—A limit to the effects of steam and telegraph in annihilating distance—What would be the relation of the Federal goverment to the British monarchy—What diplomatic policy would prevail—Complexities and embarrassments of the proposed system—Difficulties of setting the negotiations on foot—Difficulty of finding trustworthy representatives of the colonies—A moral federation of the whole English-speaking race more feasible—The colonies will not part with self-government. 257
Political Union—"Annexation" an improper term—Union of Canada with the American Republic might be on equal and honourable terms, like that of Scotland with England—Service which Canada, if admitted to the Councils of the Union, might reader to England—By entering the Union Canada need not forfeit her peculiar character or her historical associations—The idea that the connection would be one of moral disparagement unfounded—The evils and dangers of both countries substantially the same—Objections on the ground of ever-enlargement of territory and populations—No line of political cleavage on the continent—Americans ready to welcome Canadians into the Union—No thought of conquest or violent annexation—Difficulty of gauging Canadian sentiment—The Canadian people certainly in favour of free trade with their continent—Respecting their feeling as to political union nothing can be certainly said—Difficulty of bringing such a union about on the American as well as on the Canadian side—The primary forces will in the end prevail. 267
Commercial Union—Mr. Bayard on the subject—The name Commercial Union adopted in contradistinction to Political Union. Account of the movement—Her own continent the natural market of Canada—Reciprocity of trade or reciprocity of tariffs the motto of the Conservative leader—The continent an economical whole—Reciprocity the dictate of nature—Special strength of the ease with regard to the mininerals of Canda—The shipping interest of Canada needs the freedom of the coasting trade—The Americans on their side ready for Reciprority—Policy of Mr. Blaine—Answer to the assertion of Protectionists that there can be a profitable trade between Canada and the United States—Remarkable growth of the trade in eggs when free from duty—Prevalence of sumggling under the present system—Special hardship resulting form the tariff to Manitoba at the Maritime Provinces—Comparison of the British with the American market—Reasons why the near market is the best—Counter-proposal of an Imperial Zollverein—Fatal objections to that plan—Efforts of the Caroline government to open up new markets —The natural interests of Canada all in favour of Reciprocity—Objections to Commercial Union between the United States and Canada similar to those made between England and Scotland—Appeal of Protectionists to Imperial sentiment—Answer to the allegation that Commercial Union would be annexation in disguise—Practical difficulties of the scheme enhanced by the M'Kinley tariff—The policy of the M'Kinley Act not likely to endure—A new commercial era apparently dawning for the United States. Page 281
APPENDICES—
A.Mr. Henry W. Darling on Banking303 B.Mr. Thomas Shaw on Agriculture in Ontario307 C.Mr. T. D. Ledyard on Mining321
