expression of opinion that the resolutioning the opinion of Canada. He thought was only what was in the minds of every the motion, which he seconded, was a subone in this country less than two years ago. stantial motion to come up on this occaHe did not wish to go into any of the sion. He agreed with the member for the questions that might suggest them- Lambton that the proper time for dis selves in connection with the subject. cussion on the matter was when the Perhaps they would come up more pro- bill was under discussion. He could not perly when the Treaty itself was under agree with the hon. member for Terrediscussion. He did think when the coun- bonne as to the error of the Imperial try felt so deeply with regard to the Fe. Government in withdrawing the troops. nian claims, and when there was no assu. He thought they were bound to consider rance as to what would be done in the the Imperial interests, and so long as future if these raids were repeated, it Canada had the assurance that by mainwould be a subject of regret to the coun- taining a good and active militia, she will, try, if not to the House, if the matter should necessity arise, be supported by were left in the position in which it now the whole force of the Empire surely she stood. ought to be satisfied. When the Fenian raids occurred the Imperial troops in the country assisted to drive the marauders back at the expense of the Empire and would do so again should necessity arise. Pecuniary compensation being now the mode of settling all disputes and claims, he thought the Government were justified in the course they had taken.

Hon. Col. GRAY would not have risen had it not been for the remarks of his hon. friend from Sherbrooke. He had never read the history of Canada or of any public man with greater interest than he had heard the utterances of the hon. gen. tleman. When he was a member of the Government it was proposed to the Imperial Government to interfere in the course which the Government of Canada thought it best to pursue in the interests of this country; the hon. gentleman said that they would not adopt any course unless they were allowed to manage this country with reference to the interests of its people. If it was sound in us to adopt as principle that the Imperial Government could not interfere in any matter in which the interests of this country were solely concerned, he thought the same rule applied to us, when the Imperial Government decides upon a policy for the Empire. The hon. member for Lanark had put the question to the House in a clear and able manner. He then quoted the first resolution, to which he said the Im perial Government would reply that we had no right to pass it unless we were prepared to represent the Empire. The member for Lennox had said that it was not the opinion of the British people, but of the Government; but the Government represented the people, and whether we agree with Mr. Gladstone or not, so long as he commands a majority of the House of Commons, he must be taken to represent the people, and to speak for them. He thought that this Parliament had a perfect right to make representations to England, and there was no question which affected the interests of this country more than a general desire to have an under standing in reference to the Fenian raids in the past and assurances of their prevention in the future; but he doubted if the resolution of the hon. member for Lennox was the correct mode of express.

Mr. STREET thought it was to be regretted that this matter of the Fenian claims had not been strenuously urged. We all felt that a wrong had been done, and that it would be a cause for gladness if the American people, who had supported the Fenian movement, had been called to pay for the damage that had been done and that it would be a cause for gladness, if the American people, who had supported the Fenian movement, had been called to pay for the damage that had been done by those outrages. He did not, however, think it expedient at the present time to discuss the question of the withdrawal of these claims. The resolution was, in point of fact, a direct condemnation of the Government, and the people of England, and he did not think, under the circumstances, that it was one this House should pass. Holding these views it was his intention to support the amendment of his hon. friend, and he only hoped that the amendment would meet the approbation of the House. Of course the great question which was involved in this matter would come up for consideration at another time, when the House would be able to speak more fully than in discussing the subject piecemeal. Hear, hear).

Mr. MILLS said they had been told that the Fenian raids were made upon Ca nada from hostility to Great Britain, and that, because Great Britain controlled the matter, and should have pressed the United States for compensation, we must now look to the Mother Country for reparation. He thought the object of Canada should be to substantiate the posi

tion taken, and that the American Gov-portant to the parent state, would be a ernment should guarantee that they matter of vital importance to the younger would exercise diligence in the future; country. England was prepared, at almost but he considered that, by accepting a any sacrifice, to endeavour to arrange the money consideration from the Imperial whole of the questions on which they were Government, Canada would put it out of at issue with the United States. She her power to deal with any matter of the assumed the responsibility of instructing kind in the future. He referred to the the Commissioners to withdraw the claim acts of Southern refugees during the civil for Fenian losses rather than break up war in the United States, and the demand the whole negotiations, and leave her of the American Government for the extra relations in regard to this continent in dition of Barby and the St. Alban's raid- the same unfortunate position in which ers, and thought the Government should they before stood. By the act of reprehave demanded the extradition of O'Neil sentation of the claim, they committed after the Fenian invasion of Manitoba, He the Imperial character to it as just and knew that the Americans were afraid that legitimate; and by taking the responsisuch a demand would be made, as they bility of withdrawing that claim which felt that it could not be refused if made. was admitted, both by Lord Granville and He could not see on what ground the Mr. Gladstone, they were prepared to resolutions of the member for Lennox assume the consequences and provide could be opposed. It could not be ex- that Canada should not be precluded from pected that Canada would submit to Fe- compensation for injuries done to her. nian raids for the next 15 or 20 years be Was there in this anything that Canada cause England will endorse her paper. He could properly complain of? No; if there considered that the proposition of the Gov- ever was an act committed by the Imperial ernment was to sell the honour of the Government that deserved the confidence country for a certain consideration. and support of Canada it was the present. Hon. Dr. TUPPER thought a stranger The Government of Canada felt that they entering our legislative halls for the first had a right under the circumstances; in time would find a good deal of difficulty the first place that the Imperial Governin ascertaining the position of public ment should press for compensation on affairs by listening to the speeches of ho. the Government of the United States, gentlemen opposite. The least thing they which was done; and in the second, that would have expected, after listening to should that compensation not be obtained, the very animated address of the hon. they had a right to some reparation at the member for Lennox, would have been a hands of the Imperial Government. The frank, fair, manly statement of the facts as result of the application was stated by the they existed. What were they? Canada, Minister of Finance, viz: that Canada a dependency, and a very strong depend would receive compensation to the extent ency of the British Crown: Canada, a of $600,000 a year. If Canada had to go into country fostered through long years of the market for the large loan necessary to infancy and childhood to man's estate, carry out her great public works her credit was invaded by a wless band. must have sustained a rude shock; but Imperial Government expected that they instead of that she would go side by side would be prepared to strike in their own with England, and the result was the defence, as Canada did strike; but they saving he had named. Was it nothing to gave her the aid of the Imperial forces the taxpayers and people of Canada that at the expense of the Empire, and, having they could say, that, having suffered by given that aid, and driven back the inva❘ those lawless invasions, and England havders, they at future stages pressed a claiming, in the interest of the Empire, felt it for compensation to the country from whence the invasion came. The House need not be told, after the able exposition of the first minister, that England considered it to be of the greatest interest to Canada and the Empire that all questions of dispute between the two countries should be settled, and any one who heard that speech must be convinced that if there was one question more than another that rendered the parent state anxious for a settlement of matters, it was the conviction that a struggle between the two countries, however comparatively unim

The

unwise under the circumstances to press their claim-which she admitted as justthey were compensated to the extent of $600,000 a year? Were these the circum. stances under which the Parliament of Canada should say to the Imperial Government, "We think this is a time to censure you?" No; such a sentiment would receive a response whether inside or outside of the House. No man could be so lost to the interests of the country as to take such a view, and to say, "we do not wish imperial aid in the construction of our public works; we do not want any

partnership." It had been said by to approve but not condemn. He did the mover of the resolution that the not doubt that if any independent member action of England would tend to encour- had been rash enough to propose a motion age raids on Canada, but no rational to the effect that the withdrawal of the man could possibly accept such a state- Fenian claim was highly advantageous to ment. England has shown that she con- the interests of the country, hon. gentlesidered our claims just, but that, failing men would have denied it very properly; to obtain redress for us, she was prepared but there was to be no whisper of disap to discharge the obligation herself, and probation. He had shared the feeling to discharge it with no niggard hand, but that a debate on this subject would conin a way which, while it involved no pay. flict with the debate on the Treaty, and ment by her taxpayers, was none the less for that reason he would have given a valuable to Canada. Would such a guas silent vote but for the extraordinary rantee of protection as this encourage speeches and the extraordinary amend oppression? It had been alleged that ment proposed, that it should be decided another raid had already taken place; but that the interests of the Dominion would let it be compared with former ones. In not be promoted by an expression of the latter case the United States soldiers opinion of the withdrawal of the Imperial were employed to arrest the movement, claims. The fact was the mover and the prisoners, though at first released, of this amendment desired the matter were at the present moment under arrest to be given up altogether, because for a new trial. He had listened with he knew that an expression of opinion great pain to some of the remarks of the was sure to be unfavorable. The seconder member for Lennox, who had shown such of the amendment told them that in anxiety to assail the Imperial Govern matters in which the Empire acted for us, ment. It would have been much more we had not the right to speak. This, manly if the hon. member had brought however, could not be, for the Govern his motion forward as a direct attack ment of the day had told the Imperial on the Government of Canada, for the Government in pretty plain term what action of the Imperial Government was at they thought of the matter, whatever view the instance of the Canadian Govern- might be taken in the discussion of the ment, and, if there was any "ignomy," matter when the whole Treaty was before the term used by the member for Lennox, the House. The proposed amendment attached to the matter at all, it rested was one for which no one could vote who with the Government of Canada. The had a proper sense of the independence hon. member had made a bold, unfortu. and spirit of the country. They were not nate and ineffectual motion, and he had prepared to stultify themselves and decide only couched his motion in its present that they should not discuss a question of form because he knew that the Canadian such vital consequence. The leader of Government had the full confidence and the Government informed them that a support of the people, who would sustain great concession had been made by Great the manly attitude they had assumed, and Britain in raising her voice in protection had attempted to assail the Parliament of of our fisheries, and that she had a right England, 3,000 miles away. The remarks to cede the navigation of the St. Lawrence, of the hon. gentleman had implied that aye, and the soil of the country, aye, and Canada could not take care of herself. He the people of the country. As to the had cast an indelible slur on a force the Fenian matter, however, he would read to country might be proud of; and if any- the House what had been the action of the thing would tend to induce invasion, it Government in the matter, and stated was the utterance of the hon. gentleman that the expressions were such that had himself. Further than this, he attempted he used them he would have been greeted to tear down the credit of the country by with hisses, because, of course, all the saying that England might as well have loyalty was on the other side of the House. paid the money as put her name to the (Hear, hear.) He then read extracts from bond, and if the hon. gentleman's finan-printed papers laid before Parliament, to cial statements had any authority, they would tend to strike down the credit of the country. If the House was true to itself and to Canada, it would vote down this bold, uncalled for, unqualified attempt to shake the good feeling that now existed between Canada and the Mother Country. Loud cheers.)

Mr. BLAKE then said: So we are open

show how strong had been the manner in which the Government had urged the claim of Canada for losses on account of the Fenian raids. Ther, he continued, a Commission was appointed; and what were the results ? First, the United States demanded an expression of regret for the escape of the Alabama, and she got that. Then she demanded the adoption