inion. He had by his personal attraction soothed the wounded feelings of a noble people, and by his strong good sense and words of truth and sympathy had placed their own position, as it regarded the other Provinces, in its true light before them. He had never been found unreliable in his statements, and his words fell like pearls, pure and beautiful. He found the Provinces uneasy and suspicious, - he left them at peace with themselves and their position; the furtive look with which they had regarded Confederation now disappeared, and the frank expression of the confidence of a warm-hearted people took its place.

In Ontario the tour of 1874 will always be remarkable in the annals of the great province, and of the Dominion. No ruler in British North America ever before devoted himself with so untiring a zeal, or with so persevering an industry to the task of making himself acquainted with the resources, industries, and latent powers of the country, or with the character, opinions, and aspirations of its inhabitants. No industry escaped his personal examination,-no manufacture was unknown to him, no commercial enterprise was hidden to him. By a laborious personal study he made himself acquainted with the intricacies of every business, and formed an accurate and independent estimate of its difficulties and its prospects. He took a warm and active interest in the educational institutions of the Dominion, and was listened to with the deepest attention as well by the professors of McGill University as by the boys and girls of Carleton Place. He charmed the teachers and pupils of our female colleges and schools by a graceful politeness, in which he wrapped up, as in a bon-bon, words of invaluable advice. He visited the struggling settler, hewing his way to competence in the back woods of Canada, and cheered him in his manly toil by words of sweet encouragement. He drew the sensitive but noble hearts of the French population to his great Mistress by a frank acknowledgment of their loyalty, and a delicate sympathy with their natural love for their language, their institutions and their religion. He fired the usually phlegmatic hearts. of the Germans by his unaffected and well deserved admiration of their industry, their loyalty, and their value as citizens, as exemplified in the beautiful homesteads and thriving villages of the German settlements of Ontario. Even the small colony of Icelanders at Parry Sound was cheered by the pleasant words of one who had already spoken so kindly of their northern European home. The Indians greeted him with a loyalty which has never been shaken by

harshness, or cooled by injustice. The great Irish population laid at his feet the enthusiastic homage due to the representative of a Queen whose whole life has been a protest against indifference to the wellgrounded complaints of their brethren at home, and if among these generous people a few misled hearts were found, the demon of Fenianism instantly fled at the sound of Lord Dufferin's soothing words and kindly advice--the thoughtful Scotchman saw in the Governor General one who recognized the inestimable value of sturdy independence and untiring industry;-the Englishman found in His Excellency a man of a highly cultivated mind, deeply versed in the glorious history of their glorious land, and emulous to write his name on the roll of her wisest legislators and ablest statesmen. The politician saw in the Governor General a man of exceptional grace of manner and suavity of temper, bowing with deference to every constitutional right,-supporting with unhesitating loyalty the ministry chosen by the people, but ever ready to rebuke with stern justice the slightest attack on the rights of the governed, guaranteed to them by the system of Constitutional Rule. Those who when in opposition had not hesitated to heap upon him the most opprobious epithets, were received by him when they reached power, with a frank smile and a warm grasp of the hand,―the natural outcome of a lofty mind and a generous heart. This tour had developed the man to a degree hitherto unknown, and the Imperial Government must have been surprised at the expression of the "passionate loyalty" of the people of Canada to British rule. For this expression the Vice-regal progress is to be thanked. Every feeling of discontent departed. Every hamlet, village, town and city poured forth its tens, its hundreds and its thousands of enthusiastic admirers, each striving with his neighbor to be foremost in laying his respectful homage at the feet of the distinguished exponent of the thoughtful kindness and warm attachment of their illustrious Sovereign towards her people, whether they sat in her gates at Windsor, or gazed at her well-loved likeness occupying the place of honor on the walls of their humble huts in the back woods of Ontario. The tour proved, if proof were necessary, to the statesmen and people of England, that the soil of Canada, though rich for all other purposes, is utterly barren for the growth of republicanism,-and His Excellency's brilliant and truthful account of the immense resources of the country, the thrift and happiness of its people,-the salubrity of its climate,-its productiveness,the unsurpassed excellence of its educational institutions,-its unrivalled

system of government, combining as it does all the strength which the unbounded power of the British Empire can impart to it, with all or very nearly all the freedom of an independent state, has been of infinite value in correcting foreign misapprehension and encouraging foreign immigration. His replies to the addresses form an excellent repertoire for every emigrant agent,-and they possess this invaluable characteristic, that, coming from him, every word is believed, as it may well be, for no speaker ever spoke more guardedly or more correctly. To Canada, the tour therefore, especially when taken in connection with that through the Maritime Provinces, has been of very great value, since it raised her high in the estimation of foreigners who will listen to and believe the Earl of Dufferin when they would neither listen to nor believe any other authority.

But, while much is due to the Governor General, much is also due to Her Excellency the Countess of Dufferin. She divided with him, as she was fairly entitled to do, the honors of the tour. His kindly smile was always supplemented by her graceful gentleness, and while hundreds of thousands of stalwart yeomen and horny-handed artisans received him with an admiring respect, they greeted her with enthusiastic homage. Canadians have a respect for women unsurpassed by the inhabitants of any country, and their thoughtful kindness to the sex is one of the brightest ornaments of their character. This profound feeling found free expression in this tour, for wherever Her Excellency appeared, she was universally met with demonstrations of the warmest love by all classes, all creeds, all nationalities. The social policy of His Excellency found in her an invaluable assistant, and it in no way detracts from the lustre of his reputation to say that the people of Canada will always insist on her sitting with him under the same canopy of Canadian admiration and affection, and dividing with him all the honors of the highest seat in the hearts of a noble population.

On the 12th October His Excellency left Ottawa on' a visit to New York. Major General O'Grady Haly, Commander of the Forces, was sworn in as Administrator during his absence. Though the visit was in no sense a public one, His Excellency met with a very warm and hospitable reception from the citizens of all classes with whom he came in contact. He visited the chief public institutions, and left behind him, to use the words of a New York journal, a reputation for geniality, good sense, and manliness which is altogether in opposition to what Americans think a British

nobleman ever deserves." Having declined a public banquet, he was invited to a dinner at Delmonico's for the 19th October, and among the Committee were such distinguished gentlemen as Wm. M. Evarts, John Jacob Astor, Alex. T. Stewart, Wm. Butler Duncan, James Grant Wilson, Rutherford Stuyvesant, Edward F. De Lancey, Robert Lenox Kennedy, Henry E. Pierrepont, Frederick De Peyster, William H. Appleton, John T. Johnstone, Clarkson N. Potter, Joseph H. Choate, J. Carson Brevoort, David Dudley Field, Hamilton Fish, John A. Dix, George Bancroft, August Belmont, Thurlow Weed, Edwin D. Morgan, Cyrus W. Field, Henry E. Davies, John Sherwood, E. W. Stoughton, L. P. Morton, Benj. H. Field, John D. Jones, Albert Bierstadt, Royal Phelps, and Wm. Allen Butler.

As the dinner was a private one, no reports of the speeches were made, but His Excellency never visited the Americans without removing some portion of the misconception of that people as to the Canadian character, institutions and progress; nor without rubbing off some of the sharp corners of suspicion and dislike which are so apt to exhibit themselves among people who in many important matters are strong rivals. Wherever Lord Dufferin went, he appeared as the bold, warm advocate of Canadian rights; as an accomplished eulogist of the Dominion and its people; and as the reliable exponent of her industries and resources. But he had the good taste, while raising Canada in the estimation of Americans, not to lower their own country either in the estimation of foreigners or of themselves. If he could not speak without hurting the national pride, he was silent; but when he could speak with approbation, he was eloquent. Hence his great popularity among the American people, which was hardly excelled by his popularity in Canada.

After a short visit to Washington and Boston His Excellency returned to Ottawa on the 4th November.

CHAPTER VII.

CONTENTS.

THE North-West troubles of 1869-1870-Riel and Lepine-The "Amnesty" question-Lord Dufferin's despatch of 10th December, 1874. He exerts the prerogative of mercy without the advice of his Ministers-Discussion on the Constitional question involved in the House of Lords-Opinions of the Earl of Belmore-The Earl of Carnarvon-Lord Lisgar-Earl Granville and the Earl of Kimberley-The difficulties with British Columbia-First official complaint made 26th July, 1873—Statement of the case—Address of the House of Assembly of British Columbia-Mr. Edgar's mission-Account of his dealings with the British Columbian Government-Failure of the mission-The "Carnarvon Terms"-Opening of the House in February, 1875—Amnesty to all the participators in the North-West troubles except Riel, Lepine and O'Donoghue-Expul sion of Riel from the House-Esquimault and Nanaimo Railway Bill carried in the Commons, but defeated in the Senate-Mr. Blake's resolutions on the power of the Governor General to disallow Provincial Acts without consulting his Ministry-The Constitutional importance of the question-The Supreme Court Bill passed-Mr. Irving's amendment destroying right of appeal to England-Bill for the establishment of a new Government for the NorthWest-Session closed 8th April, 1875-Life at Rideau Hall-Children of their Excellencies-Visit of their Excellencies to England and Ireland in May, 1875 -Dinner at the Canada Club-One of His Excellency's Great Speeches-Remarks on it—Visit to Clandeboye-Reception there-Reply to the address of His Excellency's tenants-Return to Canada-Arrival at Ottawa, 23rd October, 1875-Appointment of Supreme Court Judges-State dinner to themHis Excellency's speech-Reply of the Chief Justice-Opening of Parliament, 10th February, 1876-Speech from the Throne-Extradition Treaty-Mr. Blake's memorandum respecting Correspondence with the Foreign Office— Continuation of the account of the British Columbian difficulties-Motion of Mr. De Cosmos, 28th March, 1876-Case brought down to the Earl of Carnarvon's despatch of 23rd May, 1876-Remarks on the Session of 1876-Grand Fancy Dress Ball, 23rd February, 1876-Visit of their Excellencies to Quebec, June, 1876-Dinner to His Excellency by the Citizens of Quebec-His Speech on the occasion-His plans for the embellishment of Quebec-Proposed "Chateau St. Louis"-Visit to Laval Normal School-The "Pet Names" speech-Remarks on it by New York World-Return to Ottawa.

It will be remembered that on the 4th March, 1870, Thomas Scott was shot at Winnipeg by the order of a few men, calling themselves a 66 'Provisional" Government, headed by Louis Riel and