b PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



Donations and exchanges since last meeting, 73. 



D, A. O' Sullivan, D-C-L., read a paper on " Experiments 

 in Governing Canada." 



He would refer to changes in the mode of governing Canada since 

 the fall of Quebec until 1867 with some references to proposed 

 amendments in the Act of Union of that year. The period prior to 

 the cession and after the capitulations of the two cities was a period 

 of militaiy occupation in which the country was in an unsettled stat(? 

 without its future destiny being quite apparent. It was the govern- 

 ment of the driim-head, unsatisfactory to all parties. Goveniment 

 under the Treaty of 17G3, is, of course, to be imputed to the British 

 authorities, who were then under no manner of doubt as to the 

 ownership of tlie country. It lasted for eleven years with a very well 

 founded complaint on the part of the people that by the Proclamation 

 of the Act of 1763 no share in the government was accorded to them. 

 The Quebec Act of 1774 was the first attempt in that tlirection, and 

 failing to introduce or continue the laws of England in civil matters 

 it was highly objectionable to the English settlers. A sketch of the 

 extended Province of old Quebec was given, showing the boundaries 

 reaching on the south and west to the Ohio and ]\1 ississijipi rivers. 

 The Constitutional Act of 1791 was the next change brought about 

 by the increase of the English-speaking settlers iu the western part of 

 Quebec, now Ontario. This lasted for fifty years, and if any sufficient 

 measure of self governuient was embodied in it, it woiild doubtless 

 have survived until a more general union was possible than that fore- 

 shadowed by Lord Durham. The Union of 1841 was the last one 

 until the present union. The provinces had then become about 

 equal in point of i-ace and religion, and the Act recognized the two 

 sections of the country. In all these changes the British Ministry 

 had an eye to relative numbers of race and religion. The cliarter of 

 1867, the latest of these experiments, is a new departure of Colonial 

 government. It is a system of divided powers — one set for pro- 

 vincial matters and one general government for uiatters pertaining 

 to all parts of the Dominion. The power of disallowance was the 

 only great inroad on former methods, but the legislation and its pro- 

 hibition were all in the hands of the one people. The veto power 

 looks offensive, but it has not worked much more injustice than any 



