to it was taken out of the appropriations made, from time to time, for the survey and construction of the Pacific Railway and improvements on navigable waters in the interior in connection therewith. The works have been executed under the Government, by day labour, and not by contract, as required by the Pacific Railway Act of 1874."

The amendment proposed by the minority was—

"That all after the words Lake of the Woods' on the second page be struck out, and the following substituted :

w

"From the printed reports of Mr. S. J. Dawson, who had charge of the Red River route lying between Lake Superior and Winnipeg, from the year 1868 to the year 1874, and from other authentic sources, it was generally believed that the shortest .nd most feasible line for the Railway from Lake Superior westward, was to be found iâ Lake Shebandowan, Sturgeon Fails and the north-west angle of the Lake of the Woods, ɔn the general line of the Dawson route; that the engineer did succeed in finding line as far as Sturgeon Fails, and for a distance of fourteen miles north-west of that point; that exhaustive surveys were made extending over a period of two seasons with the hope of finding a line thence onward either by Rat Portage or by way of the crossing near the north-west angle; that the evidence fully confirms the opinion arrived at by the engineering staff of the Pacific Railway, that a practicabie line could not be found via Sturgeon Falls by either of the routes indicated, and it had, therefore, to be abandoned, and the route deflected by Lac des Mille Lacs, and the contract for work on the portion of the line abandoned had to be cancelled;

"That the Fort Frances Lock and improvements on the Rainy River were commenced on the well grounded assumption that the route via Sturgeon Falls was feasible and would be ultimately constructed; and so large an expenditure had been made on the works before that iine had to be abandoned that the Committee are of opinion it would not have been prudent to have discontinued the work after an expenditure of nearly $73,940;

"That the improvements now nearly completed will not involve a larger expenditure than $250,000, by which uninterrupted water communication will will be obtained from Kettle Falls to Rat Portage, a distance of between 180 and 200 miles. That by the evidence it appears that the total distances of the several portages from Port Savanne, the point to which the railway from Lake Superior will shortly be completed, and Kettle Falls, will not exceed twelve miles; that by the construction of narrow guage tramways, with horse cars, traffic can be carried to Kettle Falls, and thence by water to Rat Portage, where communication will be made with the railway to Red River, at a cost in money and time, that will enable it to compete with the present route via Duluth; that the expenditure involved in this proposition would not exceed $150,000, making a total for the improvements between Savanne and Kat Portage of $400,000, thus utilizing the two ends of the railway which will shortly be completed between Lake Superior and Red River.

"In view of those facts your Committee are of opinion that the Government acted wisely and prudently in not abandoning the Fort Frances works after so large an expenditure had been made upon them."

The report of the majority was adopted in the Senate on the 7th of May.

On the 19th March, Mr. Macpherson called attention to the public expenditure of the Dominion in a speech of some length, in the course of which he condemned the Government for having, as he alleged, been wasteful and extravagant in their administration of public affairs, and charged them with having increased to a large extent the financial obligations of the country. The speech was regarded by the Conservative party throughout the country as one of great power and research. It was specially printed and copies of the pamphlet distributed in every constituency in Canada, and it formed one of the most prominent of the political documents circulated in connection with the general election. Mr. Scott, the Secretary of State, replied in a most exhaustive speech, in which he contended that the Government, instead of increasing, had very largely reduced the controllable expenditure of the country. The debate on the subject, which was long, included speeches by many senators on both sides of the House.

On the 8th March, it was agreed, on motion of Mr. Botsford, that any private bill might, before finally passing, be referred by the Senate to the Supreme Court for examination and report on any point or matter in connection therewith expressed in the order of reference.

On the 15th March, Mr. Scott introduced one of the most important Government measures of the session-a bill to regulate the liquor traffic, of which the next preceding chapter contains a summary.

On the 5th April, Mr. Read moved a resolution regretting that the mode adopted by the Government in regard to the construction of the Pacific Railway involved the expenditure of enormous sums of public money without any corresponding beneficial results; and, the debate thereon having having been adjourned from time to time, the resolution was adopted by 36 votes to 20 on the 26th of the same month.

On the 10th May, His Excellency the Governor-General prorogued Parliament, when the following bills were assented to in Her Majesty's name :

To incorporate the Fishwick's Express and Merchant's Forwarding Company (Limited); further to amend the Act entituled "An Act respecting the Public Works of Canada; to incorporate "La Société de Construction du Comtè d'Hochelaga" as a permanent Building Society, and for other purposes; respect

ing the Port Whitby Harbour Company; to provide that persons charged with common assault shall be competent as witnesses; to grant relief to the Canada Agricultural Insurance Company; to incorporate the Missionary Society of the Bible Christian Church in Canada; to amend the law respecting Deck Loads; respecting the duty on on Malt; to provide.for the crection and registration of Homestead Exemption Estates in the Territories of Canada; to amend section sixty eight of the Penitentiary Act of 1875;" respecting persons imprisoned in default of giving securities to keep the peace; to make provision for the winding up of insolvent incorporated Fire or Marine Insurance Companies; to amend "An Act respecting conflicting claims to lands of occupants in Manitoba;" to grant certain powers to the Agricultural Mutual Assurance Association of Canada, and to change its name; to amend the Acts incorporating the Brockville and Ottawa Railway Company, and to provide for the amalgamation of the said Companies; to confer certain powers on the Montreal Building Association by the name of "The Montreal Investment and Building Company;" to authorize the Stadacona Fire and Life Assurance Company to reduce its Capital Stock and for other purposes; to amend the Act thirty-seventh Victoria, chapter eight, intituled: "An Act to impose license duties on compounders of spirits; to amend the Act respecting the Inland Revenue, and to prevent the adulteration of Food, Drink and Drugs;" to authorize the advance of certain sums to the Province of Manitoba, in aid of the Public Schools therein; to amend the Act respecting the Election of Members of the House of Commons; respecting the Ontario Express and Transportation Company; to amend the Law respecting Building Societies, carrying on business in the Province of Ontario; to amend the Law relating to Stamps on Promissory Notes and Bils of Exchange; to provide for the better Auditing of the Public Accounts; respecting the traffic in Intoxicating Liquors; further securing the Independence of Parliament; for the better prevention of crimes of violence in certain parts of Canada, until the end of the next Session of Parliament; and for granting Her Majesty certain sums of money requisite for defraying certain expenses of the Public Service.

The following Bills were reserved for the signification of Her Majesty's pleasure thereon:

To repeal Section twenty-three of the Merchants' Shipping Act, 1876, as to Ships in Canadian Waters; for the relief of Hugh Hunter; for the relief of Victoria Elizabeth Lyon; for the relief of George Frothingham Johnston.

After which His Excellency closed the last Session of the Third Parliament of the Dominion with the following speech:

"Honorable Gentlemen of the Senate:

"Gentlemen of the House of Commons:

"I am glad to be able to relieve you from further attendance in Parliament after a somewhat long and laborious Session.

"I shall take the necessary steps, at an early day after the close of the financial year, to give effect to the measure you have passed for the better auditing of the Public Accounts.

"I shall call the attention of Her Majesty's Government to your Address

1

praying that all of British America, except Newfoundland, shall be, by Imperial action, declared to be within the Dominion of Canada.

"I rejoice that during the term of my administration, this final step to consolidate British interests on the continent of America has been taken with so much unanimity, and that henceforth the Dominion Government will, under Her Majesty, exercise undisputed sway over the northern half of this continent.

"I am happy to be able to state that, pending the final settlement of the question of boundary, a conventional line has been adopted by my Government and the Government of the United States, between Alaska and British Columbia on the Stickine River.

"The large sums you have appropriated for the great works of internal improvement will be expended with the most rigid regard to economy, and in the expectation that the principal canals under construction may be nearly completed within the next financial year.

"The settlement of Manitoba and the North-West Territories has been proceeding this year with unexampled rapidity, and if the efforts of my Government to obtain a railway communication with Winnipeg, at a very early day, should be successful, I anticipate next year a still larger increase to the population.

"It is specially gratifying to find so many Canadians who had in former years emigrated to the United States now returning to the newly organized territories of their native land.

"Gentlemen of the House of Commons:

"I thank you for the supplies which you have granted for the various public services.

"Honorable Gentlemen of the Senate:

"Gentlemen of the House of Commons:

"Nothing could have given me more gratification than the joint Address with which you have honored me on the eve of my departure.

"My interest in Canada shall not cease when my mission as Her Majesty's Viceroy shall have terminated, and I am glad to know that you have taken so favorable a view of my efforts to fittingly represent our most gracious Queen in this the most important of Her Majesty's Colonial possessions.

"I now bid you farewell, and earnestly trust you may find in the future the manifold blessings which I shall ever pray may be continually showered. upon you."

CHAPTER VI.

JACQUES CARTIer and CharleVOIX CONTESTED ELECTION CASES JUDGMENT OF THE SUPREME COURT. THE PREMIER AND THE SARNIA CANADIAN "-ACTION FOR LIBEL. THE GOFF-STEWART-BAKER LIBEL CASE.--CANADIAN MILITIA OFFICERS TENDER THEIR SERVICES TO GREAT BRITAIN.-RUMOURED FENIAN INVASION.— THE QUEEN'S BIRTH-DAY IN MONTREAL-SPEECH BY LORD DUFFERIN.-THE VICE-REGAL FAREWELL TO OTTAWA.-THE TWELFTH OF JULY IN MONTREALTHE ORANGE PROCESSION STOPPED BY THE MAYOR.-THE LIEUTENANTGOVERNORSHIP OF NEW BRUNSWICK.-THE MARQUIS OF LORNE APPOINTED GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF CANADA.-THE DOMINION ADMITTED TO THE POSTAL UNION. BOUNDARY OF ONTARIO ON THE NORTH AND WEST.-AWARD OF THE ARBITRATORS

On the 13th April, the Supreme Court gave judgment in the Jacques Cartier contested election case. In November, 1876, on the resignation of Mr. Felix Geoffrion from long continued ill-health, the vacant portfolio was tendered to Mr. R. Laflamme, Q.C. (Jacques Cartier), who had occupied a prominent position in the Liberal party; and the offer was accepted. Mr. Laflamme accordingly became a member of the Government, in the capacity of Minister of Inland Revenue, and had in the usual course to seek the endorsation of his constituents. He was opposed by Mr. D. Girouard, Q.C., of Montreal, but succeeded in retaining his seat by a small majority. The election, however, was protested, and tried before Judge Wilfrid Dorion, who dismissed the petition. Mr. Girouard's friends carried the case to the Supreme Court on no less than seventeen charges. With respect to sixteen of these, the Court unanimously sustained Judge Dorion's decision. On the remaining charge, in respect of which an elector named Robert swore that he was promised an office for his vote, the Chief Justice and Mr. Justice Strong were of opinion that agency had been proved, and that the seat should be declared vacant. On the other hand, Mr. Justice Taschereau, Mr. Justice Fournier, and Mr. Justice Henry thought that agency had not been proved, that the seat should not be vacated, and therefore the appeal was dismissed with costs. Mr. Justice