The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-03-17
Dominion of Canada.

The Parliament of the Dominion, which
re-assembled at Ottawa on the 18th instant
has come together at an important junctuIp.
The situation is peculiar, and not little crit.
iccl. A breakup in the cabinet seems i'm
minent, the men who compose it, the choicest
spirits OF that knot OF shlewd political man
ayers who were instrumental in pushing the
Confederation scheme through, having Jailed
to retain the public confidence. The Prem
ier, Sir John Macdonald, has managed TO sci
himself 7eiy thoroughly disliked and distrust-
ed His personal integrity is not directly as
sale /; but 1t is coz planned that he affords
the opportunity tor Others to plunder the pub
lie, and that under his government tie pub.
lie funds have been lavlshly wasted in the
wholesale bribery of classes CT the people and
sections of the country. Several of his col
leagues are equally unpopular. They ale,
moreover, divided among themselves, the
public business being constantly impeded by
their qnares. 1t would hardly seem prof.
able that an adm nistration so circumstanced
can long hod toSethe. in face OF the diticu.-
ties which are sue TO beset it. Whas some
OF these difficulties are may be gathered from
the following, which we cut lrom Montreal
paper: I--'
There are two rocks ahead on which any
administration would be very Likely to make
shipwreck. One Is the intercOlonIai Iai.N ay,
winch every one knew was a tub to catch tic
Lower provinces, but an awluiIy costly tuD,
and wlthal vely useless. Now, Canada west
which will have to loot most OF THIS bin Oh
costs, insists that il shall 5e as light as posi-.
bic, and Mtntleal ana ether ilnuentIal CI-
tions OF canada Last do the same. lLey
insist, Therefore, Cn The shortest road, alU i'll
this view they are aided by New brunswick
itsell, which wishes Ior cenLal route to
open up the country, instead OF 10 Iud-
aDCut cute through d country aIleauy CLen-
ed up. There Is nttie dOubt. also, but hat
Nova Scotia will join in this view in Older 10
get prouuce brought down at the cheapc~t
rate tor consumption anu shipment, in Cluer
to send Sck sugar and fish 6hIaliy. But,
til IN, all the tIeneh Canadians aIe deter
mined to have tue ROAD by Gasle and the
Gut, and they will hnd the northern sectloh
OF New Brunswick with them. The British
government is also SAID so be ON that side III
oroer get the road as TAR as possible from
the American lines. Tae contractors and
SPECTATORS will so, probably be in iavor OF
tue longest line, as the one which win ill.,
vOlve the largest expenditure. Now, it must
be confessed that this is question sufficient
ly complicated TO test the powers OF any adj
ministration.
Tue other question is even more difficult
namely the Mi,lIia Bill. Unless that meas
ule involve very heavy expense and much
military training, it will not at all meet the
views OF the British government in pIomo-
ting Confederation, nor tulhi the pledges Civ
en- by our delegates in London. Neither Will
it accord with The views oil what may lie call
ed the Tar-party IN Canada.
But, II a costly and onerous measures OF
defence be adopted, 1t will render any admin
istration SO unpopular that it will necessarily
be overthrown, and the law revised. 1he
Lower Provinces will not stand such a miii-
tia law as would please Britain, and neither
wou the Eastern Townships nor. tor that
matter, will the French Canadians, unless
there be plenty OF pay going tor all services
rendered. However iond they may he OF
France, they would not stand French con-
scription.
Here are perplexities. But in addition to
these there is seeding Nova Set to lc
colxed back into the arms Of the Union; an
cry New Brunswick to be appeased by tie
speedy modification of the tariff which so op-
presses her; and some kind OF explanation to
be devised for the awkward fact that al