New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-03-13
TIE FUTURE or BRITISH AMEFIcA.


make great progress IN point Of consolidation.
A few days ago the Legislature OF one OF the
four provinces constituting the Confederation,
Nova Scotia, by nearly unanimous vote, de-
clared It's opposition to the whole scheme amt
IL, wish for being permitted to withdraw from
il. In Lower Canada powerful address mas
ju.t been made against the Confederation 10y
Mr. Papneau, whose name has SO long, so
prominently, and so honorably been connected
with the political history of British America,
and whose energetic declaration in favor OF
American and against English institutions can
not fail to WELD a considerable influence.
Louis Joseph Papineau is the senior of all
the statesmen Of British America, being now
in his eighty.iirst year. Tho beginning OF his
political life dates back nearly sixty years, for
he was only twenty-five years old when he en-
tered the Parliament of Lower Canada In 1914,
he succeeded his father rs one OF the deputies OF
Montreal, aud in 1873 was elected Speaker OF
the House Papineau was then The leader OF
the Radical party, which avOwed its profound
and thorough sympathy with tho Democratic
institutions of the United States, and aimed
ot the gradual introduction of similar in
,titntions into British America. The English
~
Papiucau. and endeayored to neutralize 1t by
appointing him one Of the Executive Council !;
but Papineau never took his seat IN this body.
From 1871, when he was rccho,eu Speaker,
until the outbreak of the insuTection
in 1881, Papineau led the constitutional
opposition of the Radical party against En-
elish prerogatiyes. Reluctantly ho joined in
the armed insuirection. the failure OF
which drove him into exile until 1910,
when general amnesty, granted on occasion
of the union of the two Canadas, allowed him
TO return. He was again elected to the Cana
dian Parliament, but the part he took III
politics was no longer 80 prominent as before.
But tho letter which he has just addressed
to tie Insftg! GagGdss Of Montreal proves
that in his old age he is still faithful 10 inc
Liberal convictions of his youth, and that his
hopes for the future triumph OF Liberal ln'litu-
tons remain as strong as ever.
The address referred to is brief review of
tho political history of Canada. To leave no
doubt as to the standpoint from which this
review is made Papineau states, at the outset
that he finds the good political doctrines OF
"modem times condensed, explained and COM
Emitted TO tho love of nations and for their
"regenerationr in tho American Declaration
of Independence of 1i,6 and in tho Declar-
alton of the Rights of Man by the French
Assembly of 1850. After briefly stating the
merit, of Aristotle and Montesquieu as the
forerunners Of this era of political selt-goyefn-
ment, he gives, in a few sentences lucld
erpos6 OF tho "rue sociological doctrines
"of modern times,n which he finds real
lied in the american System, by TAR
"the most perfect which human reason
"and ingenuity have thus far developed for
" the most rapid possible promotion of the great
"ness and prosperity of the States which may
"be so fortunate "a to receive it, From this
standpoint the nine periods into which Papi-
mean divides the political history of Canada are
briefly reviewed. The ninth period, introduced
few months ago by the establishment OF the
Dominion he calls the most culpable regime of
all. He shows that it did not proceed from
the people, and that it was not ratified by pop
ular vote. The men who asked England for
this new Constitution had no mission to do so.
"They were not Constituent Assembly; they
chad been chosen to preserve the previous
combination, and to make laws not exceeding
q the limits of the authority which this old regime
conferred upon thom.r The English Parla-
ment, in arrogating to itself the right of regl-
lating the finances of British America, violated
the fundamental principle of its own Constitu-
ton. The utter disregard of the nearly unanl-
nous opposition OF tho Nova Scotians to the
Confederation showed that the leaders OF the
movement and the English Government dld
not scruple 20 force the scheme upon re-
luctant people. 1t is, on the whole, leglsa-
tion bv and In the interest Of, the arissocracy
against the elective system.
Mr. Papineau, in conclusion, rldlcules 'ho iaoa
of those who dream Of tho building up OF
new nationality in British North America. dos