(1) _For Confederation_: (a) _J. A. Macdonald_.
=Source.=--_Debates in the Parliament of Canada on the
Confederation of British North America, 1865._
The colonies are now in a transition state. Gradually a different
colonial system is being developed--and it will become year by
year less a case of dependence on our part, and of overruling
protection on the part of the Mother-country, and more a case of
a healthy and cordial alliance. Instead of looking upon us as
a merely dependent colony, England will have in us a friendly
nation--a subordinate but still a powerful people--to stand by her
in North America in peace or in war. The people of Australia will
be such another subordinate nation. And England will have this
advantage, if her colonies progress under the new colonial system,
as I believe they will, that, though at war with all the rest of
the world, she will be able to look to the subordinate nations in
alliance with her, and owning allegiance to the same sovereign,
who will assist in enabling her again to meet the whole world in
arms, as she has done before. And if, in the great Napoleonic war,
with every port in Europe closed against her commerce, she was yet
able to hold her own, how much more will that be the case when she
has a colonial empire rapidly increasing in power, in wealth, in
influence, and in position? It is true that we stand in danger,
as we have stood in danger again and again in Canada, of being
plunged into war and suffering all its dreadful consequences, as
the result of causes over which we have no control, by reason of
this connection. This, however, did not intimidate us. At the
very mention of the prospect of a war some time ago, how were
the feelings of the people aroused from one extremity of British
America to the other, and preparations made for meeting its worst
consequences! Although the people of this country are fully aware
of the horrors of war--should a war arise, unfortunately, between
the United States and England, and we all pray it never may--they
are still ready to encounter all perils of that kind, for the sake
of the connection with England. There is not one adverse voice, not
one adverse opinion on that point. We all feel the advantages we
derive from our connection with England. So long as that alliance
is maintained, we enjoy, under her protection, the privileges
of constitutional liberty according to the British system. We
will enjoy here that which is the great test of constitutional
freedom--we will have the rights of the minority respected. In
all countries the rights of the majority take care of themselves,
but it is only in countries like England, enjoying constitutional
liberty, and safe from the tyranny of a single despot or of an
unbridled democracy, that the rights of minorities are regarded.
So long, too, as we form a portion of the British Empire, we shall
have the example of her free institutions, of the high standard of
the character of her statesmen and public men, of the purity of
her legislation, and the upright administration of her laws. In
this younger country one great advantage of our connection with
Great Britain will be, that, under her auspices, inspired by her
example, a portion of her empire, our public men will be actuated
by principles similar to those which actuate the statesmen at
home. These, although not material, physical benefits, of which
you can make an arithmetical calculation, are of such overwhelming
advantage to our future interests and standing as a nation, that to
obtain them is well worthy of any sacrifices we may be called upon
to make, and the people of this country are ready to make them.