A Nobleman's View of the North-West. 551 



when at last he was asked what the chief and his council had said 

 in then* eloquent orations, he turned round and only exclaimed, — 

 ' he damn pleased ! ' ' And what did his councillors say ? ' ' They 

 damn pleased ! ' 



" No gentlemen, let each man in public or literary life in both 

 nations do all that in him lies to cement their friendship,, so essen- 

 tial for their mutual welfare. But this cannot be cemented by the 

 publication of vain vaticinations. This great part of our great 

 Empire has a natural and warm feeling for our republican brethren 

 whose fathers parted from us a century ago in anger and bloodshed. 

 May this natural affection never die. It is like the love which is 

 borne by a younger brother to an elder, so long as the big brother 

 behaves handsomely and kindly. I may possibly know something 

 of the nature of such affection, for as the eldest of a round dozen I 

 have had experience of the fraternal relation as exhibited by an 

 unusual number of younger brothers. Never have I known that 

 fraternal tie to fail, but even its strength has its natural limit : so 

 Canada's affection may be measured. None of my younger brothers, 

 however fond of me, would voluntarily ask that his prospects 

 should be altogether overshadowed and swallowed up by mine. So 

 Canada, in words which our neighbours may understand, wishes to 

 be their friend but does not desire to become their food. She 

 rejoices in the big brother's strength and status, but is not anxious 

 to nourish it by offering up her own body in order that it may 

 afford him, when over hungry, that happy festival he is in the habit 

 of calling a ' square meal. ' 



"I must ask you now once more to allow me, gentlemen, to 

 express my acknowledgments to you for this entertainment. It 

 affords another indication of the feelings with which the citizens of 

 Winnipeg regard any person who has the honour as the head of the 

 Canadian Government to represent the Queen. You recognize in 

 the Governor General the sign and symbol of the union which binds 

 together in one the free and kindred peoples whom God has set over 

 famous isles and over fertile spaces of mighty continents. I have 

 touched in speeking on certain vaticinations and certain advice 

 given by a few good strangers to Canadians on the subject of the 



