EXPERIMENTS IN GOVERNING CANADA. 7 



other means of disallowance might give rise to. It is unpleasant to 

 have matured statutes disallowed, but the Canadian people might 

 find it moi'e objectionable if the disallowance came from a quarter 

 beyond the reach of their votes. If lodged in the Supreme Court 

 or the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in England it would 

 be as objectionable to those against whom it might be used as it is 

 now, and it would be absolutely beyond correction. 



Mr. Marling thought that the whole question of the constitu- 

 tion of the country did not receive that attention it ought in 

 the instruction of the young. He referred to the example of 

 the United States, where the youth were well instructed in the 

 nature of their constitution and government. 



Mr. G. M. Rae agreed with Mr. Marling as to the import- 

 ance of our young people being well informed in regard to 

 the nature of the government under which they live, and in 

 the principles of political science. There would be a diffi- 

 culty, however, in accomplishing this, arising from the differ- 

 ences between the two great political parties. 



Mr. W. Dale was of opinion that the youth should be 

 taught the history of their country without any reference to 

 party questions. He knew from his own experience that the 

 amount of ignorance in the matter was very great. He thought 

 that the instruction required could be imparted without touch- 

 ing party politics. He inquired whether the relationship to 

 the Crown in regard to the ownership of land in Canada was 

 the same as under the French monarchs. 



Dr. O'SulHvan said it was a difficult question. In England 

 the tenure of land was a system of tenancy, not allodial. The 

 English monarch succeeded to the rights of the French 

 monarch. He did not think that any allodial rights extended 

 back to 1763. 



Mr. T. B. Browning said that prior to 1790 the old regula- 

 tions of France were in force, since that time the land was held 

 in free and common soccag-e. 



