rence to Her Majesty was
fiercely opposed by the Clear Grits as being a tacit acknowledgment of
Canada's unfitness to exercise that responsible government for which
she had contended so long. The _Globe_, in a series of articles,
denounced the 'very idea as degradation.' The motion was nevertheless
carried by a substantial majority, and the address went home
accordingly.

The harvest of 1857 proved a failure, and in the autumn of that year
Canada passed through one of the most severe periods of financial
depression with which she has ever been afflicted. The period between
1854 and 1856 saw great commercial activity. Vast sums of money had
been spent in constructing railways. This outlay, three bountiful
harvests, and the abnormally high prices of farm products caused by the
Crimean War, combined to make a period of almost unexampled
prosperity--a prosperity more {54} apparent than real. The usual
reaction followed. Peace in Europe, coinciding with a bad harvest in
Canada, produced the inevitable result. Every class and interest felt
the strain. Nor did the Ministry escape. It was at this gloomy period
that Colonel Tache, weary of office, relinquished the cares of state,
and Macdonald became first minister. Two days after the new Ministry
had taken office parliament was dissolved and writs were issued for a
general election. The main issues in this contest, both forced by
George Brown, were 'Representation by Population' and 'Non-sectarian
Schools'--otherwise No Popery. These cries told with much effect in
Upper Canada. 'Rep. by Pop.,' as it was familiarly called, had long
been a favourite policy with Brown and the _Globe_. By the Union Act
of 1840 the representation of Upper and Lower Canada in the Assembly
was fixed at eighty-four, forty-two from each province. At that time
Lower Canada had the advantage of population, and consequently a
smaller representation than that to which it would have been entitled
on the basis of numbers. But the French Canadians were content to
abide by the compact, and on that score there was peace. As soon,
however, as {55} the influx of settlers into Upper Canada turned the
scale, the _Globe_ began to agitate for a revision of the agreement.
In the session of 1853 Brown condemned the system of equal
representation, and moved that the representation of the people in
parliament should be based upon population, without regard to any line
of separation between Upper and Low