The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-12-29
PRESS.
PORTLAND.
Tuesday Morning, Deoember 20, 1863
Dominion of Canada.

~
DUAL REPRESENTATION.
The newspapers of Canada show consia-
erable degree OF dissatisfaction in various
parts of the country in view of the now evil
dent fact that Parliament win not be called
together until some time in the spring. The
reasons of this postponement of the legisla-
tive business of the country to the busiest
time of the year, when members would natu-
rally be least at leisure to leave their own at
fairs for those of the public, is one which we
on this side of the line are hardly able TO ap-
preciate. The root of the difficulty lies in
the system of ''dual representation" under
which member of the Dominion Parlia-
ment is allowed also to hold seat in the Lo-
cal Parliament of the Province to which he
belongs. A great number of the ablest and
most influential men are returned to both
bodies, and as they natu ally wish to have a
voice in the deliberations of both, much in
convenience arises. And as the time of as
sembling is not regulated by law, as with us,
but by the will of the government at the
time, it is easy te see how much Individual
influence and preference may have to do with
the matter.
In the present instance it is Quebec which
stands in the way of an early session. Sir
George E. Cartier, Mr.. Langevin and other
influential members of the Dominion Parla-
ment have seats in her Legislature, and they
do not choose to have the two bodies in ses-
sion at the same time. Moreover, Sir George
Cartier is absent in England, and so great
man is he in his own Province that the Que
bee government postpones the calling of its
Legislature together until he is graciously
pleased 10 return and attend to his business
in it. AT least that is the explanation which
the newspapers give of the announcement
that the Quebec Legislature will not come to-
gether before the middle of February. If
that body should sit two. months, the session
of the Dominion Parliament could hardly
commence before the opening of spring sum-
mons its members to attend to their own pri-
vate business.
This is a fair illustration of some of the
evils of the system Of dual representation, a
system which seems to be unpopular with the
mass OF the people, and which in New Bruns-
wick, and il we mistake not in Nova Scotia
also, has been subjected to some legislative
checks. But it is in a much more striking
degree an illustration of how little the Cana
dian government is really government of
the people. A few able and unscrupulous
men have control of the machinery, and they
are able to use as they please the vast power
which patronage gives them to aggrandize and
enrich themselves at the expense of the people
and public treasury. The people have such a
habit OF doing as they are bid by those whom
they esteem their superiers that they seem
not to care about governing themselves; they
quietly allow few prominent men to man
age everything for them.
THE NIAGARA SHIP CANAL.
The project revived the other day in Con-
gress, for ship canal round Niagara Falls, is
hailed with delight by the Canadians, iecog.
nizing as they do the benefits which would
accrue to them from its completion. The
Toronto Globe says:
The building OF the Niagara Ship Canal
will affect Canadians in two ways. It will
ioi hiSh q lNdI W tu6 WGlidQQ Odnal, anu
take business away from it. On the other
hand, it will bring into Lake Ontario a large
amount OF business which would otherwise
go down the Erie Canal. Once that business
reaches Lake Ontario, business men of this
country and the st. Lawrence route will
share largely in it. If we do not very much
misjudge, the trade which the Niagara Ship
Canal will in that way bring to this c,untry,
Will lar more than counterbalance the loss
we shall suffer by its competition with the
Welland. By all means let our neighbors
build the canal, and bring the produce of the
great West into Lake Ontario, and Canada
will in her turn enlarge the st. Lawrence ca
nails in order to be able to take it to the sea-
board.
Some excitement has recently been caused
by the publication OF letter from the Bishop
of Montreal to the President of the Canadian
Medical School, threatening him, and through
him the institution with immediate annihia.
tion, so far as clerical authority could accom-
plish it, if they retained In Office as professors
members of the Canadian Institute. The
great crime of the institution is having relus
ell to reject from its reading room, at the die
tation of the Bishop, certain Protestant pa
| pers, the Montreal Witness among the mum
| Der.
At meeting of the stockholders of thu
Commercial Bank of St. John, the defalca
tions of Scampton, the absconding Cashier
were stated at S95,OO0, only small portion o
which will be recovered. The total assets o
this bank are set down at $465, ,671, and liza
bilities, exclusive of stockholders claims, a
$3.50, ,95S-showing that nearly all the capita
has been lost. There is no possibility of tb
bank resuming business.
The Huron and Ontario Ship Canal Com
pany will apply to the Parliament of the Do
minion of Canada, at its next session, for al
amendment of their charter and for aid anC
facility, including the enlargement of the ST
Lawrence canals and the improvement of thu
channel of the river.