concocted scheme to embarrass

this of their Own accord; they have been coached into it. What does this country want? Is it to remain in a state of stagnation? Is it to leave its vast extent of territory lying waste and unprofitable? Is it to drive our people into a foreign country through lack of occupation, and not affording facilities for settlement and immigration? Is it to perpetuate a short-sighted narrowminded policy? Fortunately for the country the majority of the people have decided against such a condition of things. The Government and the people decided that the great North-West must be opened up for settlement by railway communication and not wait for forty years. They have decided that as far as possible the public faith of the country should be preserved by fulfilling existing obligations. They have decided that the country must be progressive, with a national railway, as well as a national commercial policy of its own, not relying on, or subservient to a foreign country, and the people begin to realize that they no longer live on the border of a "great lone land," but on the shores of a boundless ocean of wealth, which we trust will, before many years pass over our heads, wave with golden corn and resound with the hum of industry, and on whose mighty bosom the Land Leaguer from sweet Killarney may dwell in peace and love with the Orangeman from Belfast.

induce settlers to go into the country a that we furnish them with lands free of the Government. They have not charge. We must, therefore, make up done our minds if we are to settle that country, it will be done only at the expenditure of a large amount of money to aid settlers on going in and giving them land free after they get in.". This opinion coincides with mine now. That is what I now say the Syndicate will have to do. That is the burden taken off the Government by the Syndicate. and in the face of all these utterances utterances they turn round now and they speak of the great value of those lands which a year ago they considered value less, and had to be given away free. Now everything is painted in the brightest colors. It is earnestly to be hoped that the North-West will turn out to be of as much value as hon. gentlemen say it is. If so, the Government have land enough left to pay off the whole debt of Canada and build the Pacific Railway as well. By this contract the country will be relieved of shoals of officials forced on the Government through political influence, and get rid also of all jobbery and corruption in connection with small contracts, as well as exercising a wholesome influence on the moral tone of the country. I can well imagine a party looking more to office than to the welfare of the country being in terror and making a desperate fight when it sees by this contract power and patronage passing beyond its grasp perhaps for ever. I do not intend giving much time or attention to the so-called new Syndicate, but would ask why did not those patriotic gentlemen come forward during the five years their friends were in office, and offer to save the country? Why did they not say, we will take this great work off your hands, we will build the Pacific Railway, and colonize the NorthWest?" Why did those patriotic men not come forward when their friends could have given them much larger grants of money than they can now get? The reason is too transparent. 1 don't know any of the gentlemen composing this Company, but I have no doubt some of them are good men, and I have no doubt there are black sheep amongst them, and they have each and all lent their names to a political trick, and to

Hon. Mr. McLELAN (Londonderry) moved the adjournment of the debate.

The motion was agreed to.

The Senate adjourned at 11.40 p.m.

THE SENATE,

Wednesday, February 9th, 1881. The Speaker took the chair at three p.m.

Prayers and routine proceedings.

THE CATTLE TRADE.
AN INQUIRY.

Hon. Dr. BROUSE rose to inquire

"Whether the attention of the Government

has been called to the action of the Imperial

Government in placing such restrictions upon Canadian cattle entering Briitish ports as will greatly injure the cattle trade between Canada and England."

He said: The reason for my giving notice of this motion is contained in a paragraph in one of the leading papers of Montreal, in these words :

"All of our city cattle dealers have received communication from their agents in Liverpool, London, Glasgow, and the other English and Scotch cattle ports, informing them of an Order from the Privy Council, placing all cattle under quarantine, and ordering that all cattle arriving

from abroad should not be allowed to leave the port at which they are landed, except as carcases; all live stock from Canada having to be slaughtered within six days of landing. Several prominent shippers, in conversation with a Star reporter this morning, said that they thought this would prove a death-blow to the trade, as they knew from experience that it is absolutely impossible to sell a large cargo of cattle within six days of landing. Moreover, they say the restriction will completely cut off Canadian cattle from the inland markets, as the meat could not be kept fresh until it reached the consumers in the inland counties. For this reason, they think that no business will be done but that of fulfilling orders from across the Atlantic. As this in the past has been but the least possible fraction of the trade some idea may be obtained of the detrimental effect the embargo will have on this important trade. Some of the city dealers are in considerable difficulty as to what they will do with the large number of cattle they have been buying up this winter, ready to ship on the opening of navigation in the spring. Our firm alone has 6,000 head of cattle wintering in the neighborhood of Kingston, Ontario,

waiting for the ice to leave the river."

sibly could after reading the paragraph in the paper, calling the attention of the Government to the fact, and I certainly hope that whatever may take place in the future, the Government will at all times look to this great and increasing branch of Canadian industry.

Hon. Sir ALEX. CAMPBELL The hon. gentleman has placed a very just confidence in the Government, the expression of which I am very glad to hear from him. The Government noticed the report which was spread in the newspapers, and to which my hon. friend's attention has also been called, and immediately took action to ascertain authoritatively whether there was any truth in the rumor or not; they were informed that no such Order in Council as was indicated had been passed, nor is any contemplated. The Government is keenly alive to the importance of the matter, and is desirous in this, as in all other respects, to discharge its duty.

PACIFIC RAILWAY BILL.

DEBATE CONTINUED.

Hon. Mr. McLELAN resumed the debate on the Pacific Railway Bill. He said: It is an ill wind indeed that blows no good. The weak little hurricane that has been raging round this building - that has been howling through public halls, as the moaning of vexed spirits, ever since the opening of Parlia

ment has not been an unmixed evil. It has brought a new experience, a new sensation, pleasant indeed and the better relished because of its great rarity. We have positively had gentlemen who form and lead the Opposition in Parlia

own country. We have actually had them praising our territory, its soil and the extent of our resources, and speaking in glowing terms of the great future that awaits this Dominion. They have - like all new and sudden converts

A notice of this kind appearing in a leading journal would call for some action, and it is, I think, important that our Government should be alive to this question, because the export of live stock from Canada has assumed very largement and in the country — lauding their proportions. In 1876, I believe the first venture was made, and some 500 head of cattle were sent to England. That increased in 1879 to 26,000 head, while in 1880, no less that 50,866 were sent to England, with an aggregate value of $4,750,000, Now, a statement like this appearing in a leading newspaper would certainly give some cause for inquiry, but I believe and I have understood since I gave this notice that there is some mistake with regard to this matter; and no such action has been taken by the English Government. I felt it my duty to give the notice as soon as I pos

gone a little beyond the line; they have been too glowing in their descriptions of the value of these possessions, and of that great future; but it is infinitely better that they should over-step in this line; it is a thousand times better to over color the picture a little than that their speeches should form, as they have in the past, the chief certificates to the

value of the lands in Dacotah, Texas, I would have been fitted to have exercised and Kansas, and their portraits be found the duties of the position, and to have adorning the advertisements issued by given that wholesome criticism to the the railway companies seeking to dis- acts of any administration which would pose of those lands. If I may use the tend to the public security. But, hon. term applied by the ex-Secretary of State gentlemen, the country has been disapto his own speech, we have had, also, in the pointed; its just expectation has not "feeble," dying murmur of the breeze, a been met. My hon. friend from Charpleasant surprise. The hon. gentleman lottetown was good enough the other was kind enough to say to us that, in the night to read to us, from the memoirs of year in which the Bill introduced and Napoleon I, his saying that "an error advocated by him for the construction of steadily adhered to becomes a virtue in the Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway the eyes of posterity." Long ago did the was thrown out by this Senate, the Sen- hon. gentleman and his party read and ate did right. The Senate itself consid-adopt this saying, with the slight misiners that it always does right. The trouble terpretation that they must be always in is that the hon. gentleman is always a error, always wrong, to secure the apfew years behind that right; he places proval of posterity; and, striving to win himself in opposition to the majority of posthumous fame, they pursue the wrong, the Senate for the time being, but in the and on this great question they do wrong, course of two or three years comes to not only to the country, but to themadmit that the Senate was right. On selves. They have doubled on their more than one occasion has this occurred. track, gone back on their own record. What a pity he could not overtake and African hunters tell us that, when the live up to the spirit of right which pre- ostrich becomes weak and exhausted, it vails in this body! Why, hon. gentle doubles and turns backward, but, growing men, when he now asks you to throw out weaker at every step, finally buries its this Bill, the experience of the past head in the sand, to fall readily into the is that, if you do not now take his hands of the hunter. So those hon. advice, he will, in a few years, thank gentlemen, in their blind weakyou for refusing his counsel of to-day. ness, have doubled on their course, In 1875 he asked you to pass the Esqui- and, growing weaker at every step, finalmalt Bill; you threw it out, and you ly, tottering and feoble, stick their heads saved $200,000 a year at least to this into American soil at Sault Ste. Marie, country. Now he says you did right on to fall helplessly into the hands that occasion. He asks you to-day to of the American Northern Pacific throw out this Bill, and, as a logical Railway Company. We had hoped, consequence, you should go in direct op- looking back upon the history of position to the counsel which the hon. this great question, for a different course. gentleman gives you. But I have said I do not propose to refer to this history that the spirit of right has always pre-in its details, but there are certain points vailed in this Senate since my acquaintance has been formed with it. During the five years that the hon. gentleman and his associates ruled this country, a large majority of this body was opposed to the policy of that Government. We maintained that we were right. They went to the elections and the country confirmed the right. The country declared that these gentlemen were no longer fit to be entrusted with the management of the affairs of this young and growing Dominion; and they passed it over to other hands, and appointed them Her Majesty's constitutional Opposition in Parliament. It was supposed that with five years of official training they

that stand out prominently, clear and well defined, marking the course of that history, just as the higher mountain peaks mark the line of that rocky ridge which, crowns this continent, and separates us from British Columbia, through which the proposition is to construct this great highway. We have first, the point that all the public men of this Dominion, upon the acquisition of the North-West Territories and the Union with British Columbia, were agreed that the railway was essential to the security, safety and prosperity of the whole Dominion. The next point: Parliament declared that that great work should be undertaken by a company subsidized by land and by cash,

Pembina Branch 63 miles, subsidized men, and placed in the hands of the men Georgian Bay Branch and Canada Cen- who now rule the Dominion, the men tral; erected telegraph lines over muskegs who, from the very inception of this work, in winter, that could scarcely be reached were of the opinion that it should be in summer, and, to crown all, they had constructed by a company, subsidized by men employed at Fort Francis for four the lands of the North-West, and by a or five years digging a hole; these works small sum in cash. It may be supposed, involving an expenditure and liabilities and it has been claimed by some gentleamounting to upwards of $20,000,000. | men who have spoken on this question, In the meantime British Columbia be- that the members of the present Governcame restless, and in addition to having ment, when they came into office, had placed it in an Act of Parliament that changed their opinions, and said it must they would build the road from Lake be constructed as a Government work. I Nippissing to the Pacific Ocean, they do not, for a moment, admit that there is solemnly engaged with the British Gov-anything in their administration to warernment that they would build a railway on Vancouver Island at an expense of from $3,000,000 to $4,000,000.

Hon. Mr. MACDONALD 000.

$2,000,

Hon. Mr. McLELAN I de not think the hon. gentleman will find anyone acquainted with the cost of constructing railways who will put it down at less than $3,000,000 to $4,000,000.

It was

Hon. Mr. MACDONALD $30,000 per mile for a road 70 miles long.

rant such a conclusion. I am sure I am right in saying that, from the beginning to the end, through good report and evil report, they held to the opinion that this work must be constructed by a company, and that the lands of the North-West should be utilized to meet the cost of that construction. When they came into office, it was no time to talk of a coinpany; it was no time to talk of a company when they received the heritage of confusion which had been bequeathed to them by their predecessors. Their first great duty was to take up the tangled skein and unravel it, and bring order and sysHon. Mr. McLELAN-They engaged tem out of that which was only confuto build that road, cost whatever it might, sion. Let me for a moment glance at and to expend at least $2,000,000 a year that heritage of confusion which they in British Columbia. Then next we found. Why, the late Government had come to 1877, when the Government, been expending money by the millions at finding the entanglement in which they every point of the compass, almost. were involved, and becoming disgusted They had been expending money upon with the profits of constructing the road the road from Lake Superior westward themselves, announced to the country 114 miles; they had been expending money that they would seek a company to build from Selkirk eastward 114 miles; then at it according to the terms and for the sub-right angles from the line of connection sidies named in the Act of 1874. They of those sections 100 miles south, they prepared plans and issued advertisements, had expended hundreds of thousands; calling upon contractors to tender for the they had the Pembina Branch partially work and to say for how much, in addition graded for two years, but not a rail laid to 20,000 acres of land and $10,000 upon it, although there were thousands per mile, they would undertake the work. of tons of rails scattered over almost In addition to this, they sent Mr. Sand- every section of Eastern British Amerford Fleming, the ablest man in their ica, to be eaten away by rust, and 5,000 employ, to Europe to, if possible, interest tons in British Columbia undergoing the capitalists in the work; but all without same process, whilst the sections in Briaccess. This brings us to another pro- tish Columbia were only advertised a few reinent point, the elections of 1878-the months before the election. They had Yellow Head Pass, the turning-point in away north fifty or sixty miles of railthe history of the Canadian Pacific Rail- way to Cantin's Bay, involving a cost wayof one a half millions, whilst as much more was required to make the French River navigable. They had the telegraph

when the management of this and of all other affairs of the country were ken out of the hands of those gentle