Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1867-07-11

J The Dominion Of Canada.
Yesterday the New Dominion ofCanada
was proclaimed, in the province Of Ontario
and Quebec with much show OF rejoicing
with roar ofcannOn and clangOr OF trumpet,
and profusion OF military parade, and civic
display: in Nova Scotia, where confedera-
ton has been forced upon an unwilling
people, with striking manifestations Of
public NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. in mourning.
shops closed and flags at half Still.
Confederation is an accomplished fact, and
however diverse the feelings with which it
has been received, yesterdays celebration
was unqucstionaply All event of considcfa-
bic importance, FOR it marked what hiay
be regarded as virtually the birth OF new
nationality. Canada, Nova Scotia, and
New Brunswick have disappeared from
the list of British colonies. They haveex-
lchanged provincial isolation for cOnfedcr-
alton, and their affairs will henceforth be
controlled by Government which.
although maintaining a nominal connection
with the Imperial Government, will be TO
all intents and purposes sesindcpendent. Be
yond appointing the Nicerov, and nAaiatein-
ing in British North America a certain
military and naval force for Imperial pur-
poses, the mother country will now have
little to do with the Dominion, in so far as
public matters are concerned. The politi-
cal connection hitherto existing between
England and the Provinces has been all but
severed. The bonds of Union must now
be sought In identity OF race, similarity of
government, aud the reciprocal advantages
of commerce.
The establishment OF this Dominion is
cohlesscdly in the nature Of an experiment
in government 1t is the first instance in
which England has conceded practical in
dependence TO any OF her Colonies, accept
! ing the old dependency in the new charac-
ter of ally. England has learned modera-
ton and wisdom since the period when the
des'inies of the British Empire were ruled
by George the Third and his clique of
Tory lords. The wholesome lesson taught
by the loss Of the thirteen splendid Colonies.
whose independence, won at the point of
the sword, laid the foundations Of this great
Republic, has not been lost upon British
Statesmen. 1t was seen that in any event
Canada must have become Independent.
The natural course of events was toward
Independence as Slate of the American
Union. But clever political management
counteracted the tendency hitherward, and
Confederation has estopped Annexation.
l. now remains to be seen how this
novel scheme of government will work
1t is certainly large in promise, but the
and the Viceroy has a task before him which
will tax his craftsmanship in no ordinary
degree. Religious prejudces and animos-
ties are still rife, the Protestant minority of
what was Lower Canada looking with
ipQlous ey-pa unpn fha in .bat
section of the Roman Catholics, and the
Rbman Catholics of the upper Province
entertaining the same feeling toward the
Protestant majority there. Then there is
the discomfort of the maritime Provinces
notably of Nova Scotia, with the new ar
rangcment, growingO out Ofthe apprchensions
that their commercial interests will be
sacrificed to the aggran,iizcmcht of the
other Provinces There is the fact that
the machinery of government is nct aniform,
Ontario having elected to have on;y one
Legislative Chamber, while the other three
members of the Confederation are to have
two Houses each. There are also the
diverse prejudiceS of race as to forms of
government, the French portion ur the
population leaning to centraiization of DOW
er, while the Ahglo-SaSon are notDriously
in favor of municipal institutions. There
is the danger of conflict between the Gen
cral Government and the several local gov
ernments. the new Constitution failing to
define clearly the limits within which the
functions of the former are to be confined
And lastly, there is the difficulty inherent
in the attempt to establish sort of mock
royalty in community already largely i'm
bued with republican sentiments. In their
enthusiasm over the contamination oftheir
hopes, the Coniederationists may possibly
overlook these elements of future trouble:
but the practical statesman cannot be indif-
ferent TO them; and Lord Monck doubtless
already realizes the greatness of the task
that he has undertaken. Should he sue
ceed in consolidating the work which has
been commenced under his auspices he will
indeed have earned title to enduring fame.
During debate which took place in the
House of Commons on the. Confederation
bill, John Bright, in alusion to the oppo.i-
1 ton Of Nova Scotia To the scheme remark
ed that the House should guard against
"a little sore left at a time like this, be-
coming great sore" The dis lffectiOn OF
tho people of Nova Scotia is not the only
little sore that has been left 10y the Canadi-
an politicians and the British Government
1t will be interesting to watch how these
ulcers are treated by such State physicians
as Mcdonald, Gait, and McGee
II Is impossible TO read what has been
written, both in the English press and that
Of British North America, on this question
without perceiving that the feeling among
the promoters OF Confederation is that,
now the danger of annexation is past-as
they imagine-a great and prosperous fu-
turc is before the United Provinces One
writer in late number of The Fortnight
y RcUieW says: ''The shadow of the
great Republic has hitherto rested heavily
upon these Provinces; but they have already
begun, and will continue to free themselves
from this" How American greatness
should have exerted malign influence
upon the prosperity of these Provinces one
Is at a loss 10 conceive; nor can we under
stand, supposing the malgn influence
reality. how Confederation is going to
neutralize 1t. Time will show whetherthis
new scheme ofgovernmentw will give British
North America, comparatively as much
prosperity rs the United States enjoy II
it is now quas-royalty versus republican
ism, we are willing patiently TO abide the
issue Of the appeal to that great arbiter-