lan bringing
all the provinces together, rather than a scheme to perpetuate local
divisions. It reflected the hopes of the Loyalists then and of their
descendants at a later day. In William Smith's view it was an
imperfect system of government, not the policy of the mother country,
that had brought on the Revolution. There are few historical documents
relating to Canada which possess as much human interest as the
reminiscent letter of the old chief justice, with its melancholy
recital of former mistakes, its reminder that Britons going beyond the
seas would inevitably carry with them their instinct for liberal
government, and its striking prophecy {5} that 'the new nation' about
to be created would prove a source of strength to Great Britain. Many
a year was to elapse before the prophecy should come true. This was
due less to the indifference of statesmen than to the inherent
difficulties of devising a workable plan. William Smith's idea of
confederation was a central legislative body, in addition to the
provincial legislatures, this legislative body to consist of a council
nominated by the crown and of a general assembly. The members of the
assembly were to be chosen by the elective branches of the provincial
legislatures. No law should be effective until it passed in the
assembly 'by such and so many voices as will make it the Act of the
majority of the Provinces.' The central body must meet at least once
every two years, and could sit for seven years unless sooner dissolved.
There were provisions for maintaining the authority of the crown and
the Imperial parliament over all legislation. The bill, however, made
no attempt to limit the powers of the local legislatures and to reserve
certain subjects to the general assembly. It would have brought forth,
as drafted, but a crude instrument of government. The outline of the
measure revealed the honest {6} enthusiasm of the Loyalists for unity,
but as a constitution for half a continent, remote and unsettled, it
was too slight in texture and would have certainly broken down.
Grenville replied at length to Dorchester's other suggestions, but of
the proposed general parliament he wrote this only: 'The formation of a
general legislative government for all the King's provinces in America
is a point which has been under consideration, but I think it liable to
considerable objection.'

Thus briefly was the first definite proposal set aside. The idea,
however, had t