y
Macdonald and Galt called upon Brown at the St Louis Hotel, Quebec.
Negotiations, ending in the famous coalition, began.

The memorandum read to the House related in detail every step taken to
bring about the coalition, from the opening conversation {35} which
Brown had with Morris and Pope. It was proper that a full explanation
should be given to the public of a political event so extraordinary and
so unexpected. But the narrative of minute particulars indicates the
complete lack of confidence existing between the parties to the
agreement. The relationships of social life rest upon the belief that
there is a code of honour, affecting words and actions, which is
binding upon gentlemen. The memorandum appeared to assume that in
political life these considerations did not exist, and that unless the
whole of the proceedings were set forth in chronological order, and
with amplitude of detail, some of the group would seek to repudiate the
explanation on one point or another, while the general public would
disbelieve them all. To such a pass had the extremes of partyism
brought the leading men in parliament. If, however, the memorandum is
a very human document, it is also historically most interesting and
important. The leaders began by solemnly assuring each other that
nothing but 'the extreme urgency of the present crisis' could justify
their meeting together for common political action. The idea that the
paramount interests of the nation, threatened by possible invasion and
by {36} commercial disturbance, would be ground for such a junction of
forces does not seem to have suggested itself. After the preliminary
skirmishing upon matters of party concern the negotiators at last
settled down to business.

Mr Brown asked what the Government proposed as a remedy for the
injustice complained of by Upper Canada, and as a settlement of the
sectional trouble. Mr Macdonald and Mr Galt replied that their remedy
was a Federal Union of all the British North American Provinces; local
matters being committed to local bodies, and matters common to all to a
General Legislature.[3]

Mr Brown rejoined that this would not be acceptable to the people of
Upper Canada as a remedy for existing evils. That he believed that
federation of all the provinces ought to come, and would come about ere
long, but it had not yet been thoroughly considered by the people; and
even were this otherwise, there were {37} so many parties to be
co