e Constitutional Act of 1791 turned back the
pendulum of Canada's progress fifty years, and it certainly took fifty
more years to eradicate the bitterness generated by the era of
misgovernment.

With the Upper and Lower Canadas united in a federation of two
provinces, it was a foregone conclusion that all parts of British North
America must sooner or later come into the fold. It would be hard to
say from whom the idea of confederation of all the provinces first
sprang. Purely as a theory the idea may be traced back as early as
1791. The truth is, Destiny, Providence, or whatever we like to call
that great stream of concurrent events which carries men and nations
out to the ocean {434} highway of a larger life, forced British North
America into the Confederation of 1867.

In the first place, while the Union worked well in theory, it was
exceedingly difficult in practice. Ontario and Quebec had equal
representation. One was Protestant, the other Catholic; one French,
the other English. Deadlocks, or, to use the slang of the street, even
tugs of war, were inevitable and continual. All Ontario had to do to
thwart Quebec, or Quebec had to do to thwart Ontario, was to stand
together and keep the votes solid. Coalition ministries proved a
failure.

In the second place, Ontario was practically dependent on the customs
duties collected at Quebec ports of entry for a provincial revenue.
The goods might be billed for Ontario; Quebec collected the tax.

Ontario was also dependent on Quebec for access to the sea. Which
province was to pay for the system of canals being developed, and the
deepening of the St. Lawrence?

Then the Oregon Treaty of 1846 had actually brought a cloud of war on
the horizon. In case of war, there was the question of defense.

Then railways had become a very live question. Quebec wanted
connection with New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. How was the cost of a
railroad to be apportioned? Red River was agitating for freedom from
fur-trade monopoly. How were railways to be built to Red River?

Ontario's population in twenty years jumped past the million mark. Was
it fair that her million people should have only the same number of
representatives as Quebec with her half million? Reformers of Ontario,
voiced by George Brown of _The Globe_, called for "Rep. by
Pop.,"--representation by population.

Civil war was raging in the United States, threatening to tear the
Union to tatters. Why? Be