all see later, Sir John
Macdonald nearly gave up in despair his first attempt to form a
ministry after Confederation. Yet it must be said, surveying the whole
field, that the critics of the resolutions failed to make out a case.

Both in the Legislative Council and in the Assembly the resolution for
a nominated second chamber caused much debate. But the elective
principle was not defended with marked enthusiasm. By the Act of 1840
which united the Canadas the Council had been a nominated body solely.
Its members received no indemnity; and, as some of them were averse
from the political strife which raged with special fury until 1850, a
quorum could not always be obtained. Sir Etienne Tache drew an
affecting picture of the speaker frequently taking the chair at the
appointed time, waiting in stiff and solemn silence for one hour by the
clock, and at last retiring discomfited, since members enough did not
appear to form a {92} quorum. To remedy the situation the Imperial
parliament had passed an Act providing for the election of a portion of
the members. Fresh difficulties had then arisen. The electoral
divisions had been largely formed by grouping portions of counties
together; the candidates had found that physical endurance and a long
purse were as needful to gain a seat in the Council as a patriotic
interest in public affairs; and it had become difficult to secure
candidates. This unsatisfactory experience of an elective upper
chamber made it comparatively easy to carry the resolution providing
for a nominated Senate in the new constitution.

The agreement that the resolutions must be accepted or rejected as a
whole led Dorion to complain that the power of parliament to amend
legislation was curtailed. What value had the debate, if the
resolutions were in the nature of a treaty and could not be moulded to
suit the wishes of the people's representatives? The grievance was not
so substantial as it appeared. The Imperial parliament, which was
finally to pass the measure, could be prompted later on to make any
alterations strongly desired by Canadian public opinion.

Why were not the terms of Confederation {93} submitted to the Canadian
people for ratification? The most strenuous fight was made in
parliament on this point, and in after years, too, constitutional
writers, gifted with the wisdom which comes after the event, have
declared the omission a serious error. Goldwin Smith observed that
Canadians mig