Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-03-12
THE KINGDOM OF CANADA.

Quarrellng because the latter jumped
contemptuously over the ambitious
young walls his brother was rearing is
familiar to ALL 1t is dangerous to mock
rising ambition, but when we read of the
grave absurdities so solemnly being got
through in Canada at this time, it is
hardly possible to repress the Remus-
like desire to hop over the walls of the
capital of the Kingdom of Canada being
created on our borders by act of Parlis-
ment. 1t seems that news has just been
received at Toronto of the provisions of
the Confederation bill of the British I'm
perial Parliament, by which the United
Provinces are to be styled 1.-The King
dom of Canada, and to consist of the
Province of Upper Canada (under the
name of 0ntario), Lower Canada Ito be
called Quebec, Nova Scotia and New
Brunswick. Newfoundland, Prince Ed
wards Island, Ruperts Land, the North
west Territory and British Columbia are
to be left out in the cold for the present,
with the opportunity ofjoining hereafter.
The four Provinces now included will
each have its own local Legislature and
Lieutenant Governor, but there will be
capital of the whole kingdom at OF
tawa, with q Senate and "House of
Commons" The former will consist of
seventy FIVE members, appointed by the
Crown for life, having the power to add
six more to their number in case of ne.
cessity The House of Commons will
consist of one hundred and eighty-one
members-6fteen from New Brunswick,
nineteen from Nova Scotia, sixty.fve
from Quebec and eighty two from On.
tario. This will, perhaps, give them
enough of legislation.
This is one of the many changes of the
government of the British Provinces.
Within two generations even the little
island of Cape Breton, with less than
thirty thousand inhabitants, was sepa-
rate Province, with its government and
council and secretaries and treasurer.
Then the treasury was found in state
of defalcation, and the officers of the gov
ernment could not agree, and the whole
concern was annexed to Novia Scotia.
The valuable mines of coal were treated
by George ~ as private property. In
deed, all mines and minerals reserved to
the crown in the sale of the land were
given to the spendthrift Duke of York,
who made them over to his creditors.
Then the Canadas rebelled, and they
were united and separated, and now are
half united and half separated AZ
1t has frequently been the English OBJ
lection to our Constitution that it in
wolves an imperium IN emperio, and that
the conflict of local and general gov
ernments is, sure to break things to
pieees But what can be said to this
as here voluntarily introduced !
three deep? Each Province is mem
ber of the Kingdom of Canada, apd has,
first, its own set of Provincial laws; I'd,
the laws of the new Kingdom of Canada;
and, Sd. the whole is subject to the I'm |
perial British Parliament.
Before long it probably will be felt
that nothing has ever yet been devised |
so calculated to bring the British aris-
tocracy into contempt. In England its
mmens wealth has supported and given
i weight. But in Canada neither the
government nor the individual members
Of it will have much of that sort of re-
ipeetability. it will be called a king.
lom; but all its revenues, armE and
navy, what will they be, compared with
hat of the neighboring republic2 It's
public buildings and defenses will excite
he same feelings that Nehemiah com
planned of so touchingly, when, coming
o Jerusalem from the rich court Of
be heard Sanballat say that as
or the defense, il so much as a fox
we're to push against them they would
all.
We have all heard of an Emperor In
Il Domingo, and of his court and counts
md dukes aud earls and barons Of Lem
made and Marmalade, whose wives made
EXCELLENT washerwomen when their hus-
Iands abdicated. and it really used to
eem q sort Of burlesque on aristoeracy.
But to those accustomed to the courts of
Europe, where real strength, wealth and
efinement backed all the courtly man
Iers and aristocratic bearings Of the in
ividuals, what will be the feelings which
be Canadian House Of Commons and
.enatOrs will produce as they attempt to
move the dial OF the world backwards in
america towards old world aristocracy
{ will be easy 10 select a Senate Of old
,nglish blOoded families, but they will
e poor and dIssipaied younger
ranches, selected through inAuenoe, Or
will be easy 10 select 3 Senate of
.ealthy, able, respectable men, but they
ill be industrious, selfmade, strong in
vereoming the defects Of fortune, birth,
nd education. The thriving people Of /
anada will be found somewhat like the
iriving people Of the United States and
he chief difficulty these have TO surmouHt