New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-22
TIE CANADIAN SCANDAL.

THE CANADIAN SCANDAb'
fHE GovERNoR-GENERAL IN TRYING POSITION
THE TROUBLES OF A VICE-REGA POSITION
ULrRA-REPUBLCANIsM OF THE CANADIANs-fEk-
soNNEL OF THE ROYAL COMMISSION.
iTRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE }
ToRoNTo, Aug. 20.--Lord Dutferin's expert
snce Of Canada has been all eoUer de rose-unti Few
weeks AGO Hitherto every circumstance of his vice
regal existence has been unprecedently brilliant ms
popularity with all classes and all parties unoouDueu'
ana might have so continued the machinery of State
had continued 20 smoothly without him. But IN an
unlucy hour he called upon to exercise his ludg
Inent and decide between two rate political parties TO
perform, in fact the task for which his once
exists and his popularity became at once
eauiyoeaI. 10 would be amusing commentary
upon the fckeness Of popular favor to quote no" tine
iaudations heaped upon him by Canadian newspapers
while as yet performing the merely ornamental
part OF functions, receiving the homage OF a pro
1essedy ultra loyal people and dispensing pncey ban
duets speeches, and Establishments; and then To quote
the unequivocal abuse OF the same newspapers Wmch
happened 10 differ with him about the proprety OF pro
roguing Parliament. That Canadians should ruckle 10
rank and then chae at the exercise of the prerogatves
attached 70 that rank, is not unnatural; their British
prochyites for the former, while the very at
mosphere Of this continent discovers rationale IL the
latter.
The head and front OF Lord Duferiu's offending was
that he followed the advice OF his constitutional adyls-
ers. The situation delicate one and probably as
dcult a. any which a GovernOrGenera has ever been
rallied upon to deal WITH on the hand was Minis
try in whom Parliament during its recent session, had
repeatedly declared continued confidence, and Of whom
the representative Of the Queen bound TO ask cOun
eel and follow IL. on the other was a party which
claimed that by acting the advice OF Minister'S the
independence OF Parliament would be Violated and the
conduct Of important investigation taken out OF the
hands of the peoples representatives. Ninety mem
c1 ha n
10 follow the advice Of Minister'S deputation from
these 95 waited upon him. and he made them
speech IN reply but requested them not 10 accept his
words as an answer until he had committed them to
writing This be done, and the substance OF II
l. defense OF the nc has adopted. People of all
parties here regard this silly thing for hun TO
have DONE for Il laws open TO criticism the actions OF
parsonage who by fiction Of the British constitution
can do wrong. But the Stiffness of the reply ends
there he gives very substantial reasons for
doing what he did. He points out that the postpone
nent Of the inquiry 80 far it has arisen fran the
sature Of the Oaths BILL has resulted wholly from the
operation OF law and beyond the control Of one
concerned In reference TO declining the advice rendered
him by MS responsible Minister'S which would be tanta
mount TO calling upon them to resign, he asked upon
what grounds he should be justified in taking go
grave o step, and what guarantee could they
afford him that the Parliament of the Dominion would
Endorse such act Of personal interference on
Las part. Thus was he placed on the horns OK a
dilemma by taking his Ministers advice he was sure to
tye oeuse and by ignoring IL he was equally sure All
ihat lie could do to lean toward the party he deemed
strongest IL the House of Commons "You yourselves,
gentlemen he said TO the deputation do not form an
aetus majority OF the House Of Commons, and have
mo means therefore, OF asoertaning that the majority
of that body Subscribe 70 the opinion you have an
poupeedy He admits the gravity OF the charges and
abe necessity for Investigation, but considering the
nature Of evidence TO grant the prayer Of
A,s netioners would TO proclaim that he, the Gov
80, General believed his Ministers guilty OF the
y,,nes red against them. He concluded by repeat
ing what he had already said in his Propagation speech
shat as soon as the Commission had concluded their
Iabors, which would be in some two months or ten
seeks he would call Parliament together for
Aatumnsl session
As 20 the personnel Of the Commission the names of
the members Of which appeared in a dispatch in THE
RIBUNE Of the 18th inst there not much 10 he said
Judge GOwan Of Ontario was placed on the bench by
the celebrated Canadian reformer Baldwin was in
trusted with the task OF consolidating the statutes I'm
The shape they stand UP the year 1855 and WA
appointed Of the Commission for the fashion of the
rOurts Of law and equity IN Ontario Judge Day on
Rover Canada, retired from the bench acted a.
Arbitrator for the Province Of Quebec under the pro
visions Of 1.-The British North American Act 1861
Judge Polctte is a Lower Canadian judge Of some \.
years standing These are the men TO whom Lord Dui
hrin has Entrusted the investigation Of the Pacific
scandal; but the Opposition press them OF
being strong political Of the present Gov
eminent one does not know how much TO believe
disbeleye Of Canadian newspapers for not ony mas
eooh strong bias toward It's own party but they all
appear 10 be most INSCRIPTIONS in their style OF asse
non. IL will be seen from what have stated that tho
action taken by the GOyernorGeDera mere side issue
10 connection with the Pacific scandal has occupied
large share OF public attention. Political parties m the
Dominion are pretty evenly balanced and IA The Oppo
ntion condemn Lord DuKenn In no measured terms
threatened appeal TO the Home Government for
his recall IL may well be imagined that he finds horns
vel feathers 10 the ycercga cushion. Hc Known