[skelton] the CANADIAN CONSTITUTION 101 



British authorities in 1858 and their attitude in 1865 and 1866, when 

 they could not do enough to speed Confederation, is striking. In the 

 years between, Canada had adopted a protective tariff which gave 

 warning that the old colonial system whereby the Mother Country 

 held a monopoly of colonial trade, had come to its end, while the 

 Civil War and the disputes between England and the Northern 

 States which it involved, had made it clear that the possession of 

 Canada weakened Britain's military position. With both the economic 

 and the military bases of empire thus weakened, it was not surprising 

 that in all parties in England the feeling grew that the independence 

 of Canada was not only inevitable but desirable. Confederation was 

 welcomed by many as a step in this direction, while those who did 

 not expect or desire this end, were equally anxious that by union 

 Canada should be enabled better to withstand invasion by what had 

 become the world's greatest military power. 



It is, however, not so much to this aspect of the interviews with 

 the Colonial Office, that I wish to direct attention, as to the hasty 

 sketch of the outlines of Confederation which Gait drew up on a few 

 hours' notice for the consideration of the Colonial Secretary. The 

 draft of this letter in his own hand, preserved in his private papers, as 

 well as the drafts of other offfcial and semi-ofïicial correspondence with 

 the British authorites upon the same question, make it clear that his 

 colleagues were content to leave to him the advocacy and direction of 

 the cause of which as yet he was the only important and thorough- 

 going supporter in the Canadian legislature. The letter was as fol- 

 lows: 



London, 25th October, 1858. 

 The Right Honourable 



Sir E. B. Lytton, Bart., 



Secretary of State for the Colonies. 



Dear Sir Edward: 



In the official communication which we have this day the 

 honour to address to you, on the Confederation of the British 

 North American provinces, we have felt it improper to offer any 

 opinion upon the details which will form the subject of the 

 proposed discussion by Delegates. It is also our duty not to 

 cause embarrassment by advancing views which may yet have 

 to be greatly modified. We venture, however, in compliance 

 with your desire for a confidential communication on these points, 

 to suggest: — 



That the Federal Government should be composed of a 

 Governor General, or Viceroy, to be appointed by the Queen, 



