The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-30


had stipulated for the largest responsibility
and refused tho smallest emolument: and,
above all. by the appeal for generous for
besrance and loyal support. which. before
leaving England. he made In tho House Of
Lords to friends and oes alike.
The appeal was not to have q rttinR
answer. From his political ~opponents, In
the place OF generous forbearance, Durham
met with unremitting persecution; while, 40
for the character Of the support which hc
btained from those Ministers who them
selves had placed him in the forefront OF
the battle, it sufices to say that he was
abandoned almost at the outset OF his great
task in Canada by Melbourne and his col
leagues for at most an error OF Judgment
which easily could have been rectiied. He
was abandoned in submission to the over
bearing attitude Of so reckless an assailant
as Brougham. By every consideration OF
loyalty Melbourne and his colleagues ought
to a thrown the whole weight and pro-
lection Of h Cabinet around a Governor
General who had been intrusted by the
Crown with extraordinary powers But
Lord Melbourne had to choose between the
d~isapproval OF the House OF Lords and the
abandonment Of Lord Durham. He elected
to disallow the ordinance rather than risk
q hostile vote.
The news Of the d~isallowance Of his
ordinance caused Durham to resign his
Office, but not until he had published the
so-called Act of Indemnity, which on the
score Of a minor technical error had con-
demned his treatment Of Canadian pris-
oners. But, as John Stuart Mill pointed
out at the time, Durham. though he had been
thwarted by Brougham, nae not failed.
The period OF Durham's government was
but OF five months duration, yet in that
short time he brought about vast political
results. His policy it was that pacifed
Canada and secured its retention. He saw
the defects OF the existing legislation and
devised the remedy. In the report which
he presented to Parliament after his return
to England he p~ropounded a scheme for the
future government of Canada which was
destined to be adopted in the end, the union
of Upper and Lower Canada. This union,
accomplished in 1871, led to the formation
OF the Dominion in 1867. His projects Of
State aided emigration n OF an inter-
colonial railway have been carried out.
We observe, finally, that his proposal to
make the Canadian Executive responsible
to the United Legislature n to grant the
latter the most complete constitutional
privileges has been embodied in the organic
law OF the Dominion. OF Durham it may
truthfully be said that the free institutions
now enjoyed by the Canadians are due
primarily to the deep impression made by
his report to ~Parliament.
The royal assent to a bill for the govern
ment Of Canada, based on his proposals,
was given on July %, 1910, five days be-
fore Lord Durham's death. He had been
conscious, even in the darkest hour OF
his life, hat his work would stand. and
that no matter what men said at the moment
he had served England and her scattered
children well. He went to his grave a
great but temporarily discredited man.
Yet he had no m~isgivings. He was con-
tent TO await the verdict OF history, the
triumph which he foresaw Of his policy
In Canada, and the acceptance OF the prin-
ciples Of government on which he had
based his political reputation in his Re
port on the Affairs OF British North America
He never doubted that. coming genera
tons would recognize the honesty Of his
intentions and tie magnitude Of his achieve
ment. 1t may well be, a. his biographer
says, that the Lambton motto, lie jour
viendra," flashed through his mind as he
murmured when dying, Canada viii one
day do justice to my memory From
Bulwer Lytton's tribute to Durham, which
is reproduced in the book before US, We
quote these lines:
Courts may have known. than thee. Q reader tool;
States may have found. than thine. Q su0tler brain:
But States shall honor many q formal fool.
And many . tawdry fswner courts may gain.
Ere King or People In their need shall see
A soul so grand as that which ned with theei
M. w RI.