New-York tribune., 1879-03-07
CANADIAN TOPICS.
POLITICS AND SOCIETY.

r,no,, = CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIDUNE.l
OTTAWA, Feb. 21.-The great event of the season.
both social and political the formal opening OF far
lament, took place last Friday afternoon az d
o'clock in the Senate Chamber. Parliament
was really called for and did meet on Thursday the
18Th hut owing to the fact that a new Speaker hau
TO be elected, the formal opening was postponed
until Friday sneak of il as a social event as well
as political because while there are small entertain
mens before IT, very few balls large dinners ever
are given until after Then, toO it was made more
interesting than usual by the presence OF the lrh
cess Ionise Owing to her exalted rank, the one
chair had been removed from beneath the canopy
(which has always thrown the representative OF
ROYALTY into the shade in the Senate Chamber ana
two seats were substituted So that instead OF the
Governor General sitting in solitary grandeur as
heretofore, this year his wife sat beside him.
The Senate Chamber which | believe was FIN
nisFed under the supervision of Lord Dunerh' In
crimson draperes and capets, with a gray wall has
been, rs far as the walls are concerned, somewhat
altered When the Government buildings were
first visited by Her Royal Highncss, she pro-
nouucad the walls of this room far too cold, and 1t
Is SAID. suggested that they should be retln'ed
I'm some warmer color. Decorators were
at once called in, and this IS the
not very happy result. Formerly, upon state occa-
eions. when the room was turned into mouster ka-
icIdoscope by the mauy-cOorod evening dresses OF
Lalies and the scarlet uniforms of officers there
was really no positive ground Tor combat save
with tne carpet which would not down at the bid
ding of the bright cleaning silks aud satns whlch
ewept over il. Now the carpet is aided and
abottel by the was-that is. while they quar-
vel with each other when left alone, they
soin forces against the yellows, blues, scarets,
greens and browns which andaciOus humanity
brinrs upon them. 1te decorator has sought a
bloody battlefield for his tints and secured light
Sarenta 1t is deadly color at best, and destroys
alike blonde and brunette and should forever
have thrown a cold suspicion upon French taste for
originating it. Perhaps the one woman IN ten thou-
sand who looks well with it close to her lace
had rival with a sallOw complexion, and not being
able to turn her green with envy" made the color
popular and turned her green with magenta. But
what a depression.
The opepipg of the session of 1879. and the COM
mencement of the IYth Parliament of the Dominion,
is political event. as with 1t rdes IN, on the top
wave of popular favor, the new Conservative
Ministry led by Sir John A. Mcdonald.
Those at all familiar with Canadian
politics will know how great triumph his
Seturn 70 the leadership Of his country is TO that
successful politician The two generals of the CON
tending political armies are both "canny Scots,
but Sir John has proved himself far the cannler oi
Che two, and now smiles cOmplacently across at bls
opponent the Hon. Mr.. Mackenzie. who sits tins
session in the place recently occupied by Sir John
himself in the front rank of the Opposition.
In the Conservative family there have been jars,
filed with anything but sweets, and even vet, al
though the Premier allows no question to arise as
20 who is the head of the house, there are muttcr-
ings in corners and chickering's in public sad TO be-
hold whore all should be harmony and unison. Sir
John, AS leader of his party finds constant
play for all lis tact and does not dare to indulge in
any such siclv sentiment as rewarding the faithful
and furnishing the wicked. The many horses he is
rldng have "a stubborn inclination to part company
and galop off in opposite directions so that
q firm hand a strong rein and we'll
trained pair of legs are required to in
sure a graceful and successful performance.
In forming his Cabinet, bis troubles began, and no
sooner had he in measure slenced the malcon-
tents by turning the deafest of deaf ears to their
complaints than up comes a delegation from Que
bee. aud with menace in voice and manner
demand the ignOminOus dismissal OF Lieu
tenant Governor Letelher, of that province
who last year SO gallantly opened the doors and
kicked out INTO the cold the corrupt De Boucher
willie Government of Quebec. Now. it must have
been hard for Sir John to listen unmoyed to the
arguments of the wwthfuI delegation, es-
pecialN rs his heart probably argned iondIv
with them; hut - once again, aad never
perhap~ more ably III his long political caTeeT-he
gave that sensitive and tender organ to understand
That M, head was above his heart, and that the
latter must have only second voice IN d'Ctatlrg
his actions. So Sir John said mo" very
firmly and the delegation went sn'hly
back TO Quebec, only to % SAL sally .;n agaln d'arn
threatcningv " If won't dismiss LetcllleT. then
you've got 20 give us the SDeaker,hlp Of the next
House of Commons Now, Sir John had an hni
promised that honorable and comfortable seat
TO the Hon. William McDougul OF ontario
who had Cabinet hopes, the dl.a9pont-
the intlmation that the Speakership should be his
reward. But Quebec CLAIMS he dared not quite
overlook and after the bitter pill he had admlnlS-
tered to the faithful in that province thcy "6edCd
a little petting SO Or. Blauchet of Lewis, L. z
was placed in the chair GompromSSs , are neycG
between whom they are built up always feel that
each has given up lit lie more than the Other
Not only is there displeaSnre III the CONSERVATIVE
ranks but the Liberals of the Civil Service have al
ready had an opportunity to reallZe tlat new
party is in power. Numerous dismiSNalS nave taken
place the extra clerks have been thlnned out with
q firm hand and IN some instances, even perma-
nent employees have been dismissed either
on the plea of TctTcnchment, or on some
constitutional bubble in their appointment The
Civil Service of Canada has been looked upon as a
profession by those entering II. but SIT John Mac
Donald has destroyed that Illusion IN adopting
the American plan y of turning ont OLD ana uselul
employees 20 replace them by rncXuerenccd par
tisans When the Liberal party returns TO power
either ii Will have To follow his course or leave the
Government patronage entirely 10 its political enc
mics 80 may decide that death-olow has
been dealt to the Civil Service as permanent IN
sttutiOn IN this country, and II is sinking under It,
although it of the best features OF the Cana
dian Government. , =,
first ball given by the Princess Louise at Rdcau
Hall, on the 19tn instant. Invitations 10 IL were
ISSUED about two weeks ago. and were accepted by
some ii fteen hundred recipients Our party went
out at o'clock. aud even al that early hour, we
ION ourselves III lam Of sleigls Immediately after
enter the grounds. and could drive forward ONLY
n carnage length at time. ana al this 1lneTea
pace We finally arrived al the door. LnieIIhg & ine