Excerpt from The Future of the Dominion of Canada: An Address Delivered Before the Canadian Club of New York; 1877

It is true that these men give a semblance of patriotism to their movements by allying themselves with a party; but this party has become a machine, and the harm that the machine does to public interests and public morals is greater even than could be accomplished by loose fish who held themselves aloof from either side. I take it for granted that there is a splendid opportunity in store for young men in Canada, provided they stand aloof of the machines and take as their watchword, not Protection or free-trade, but the purification of public life. I say the young men, because the older ones have already suffered themselves to be bound to the wheel, and to the end will go smnmg for the party rather than bring upon their brilliant names the reproach of turncoat.

I affirm, without dread of refutation, that our country is worse now, and not better, for her politicians.

The Confederation is made up of interests more or less divergent, and of aims more or less conflicting; there is a slight antagonism of religion, and there is fierce conflict of races. The best and the noblest deed patriotism could perform would be to restore harmony to that part of the instrument which is jangled and out-oi-tune; to seek and close up the joints in the Confederation; to demonstrate that the interest of the many ought to prevail over that of the few; that Canada is the country of the Gaul as well as of the Celt and the Saxon and, finally, that the triumph of the country as a whole, in civilization and prosperity, is of far greater moment than the success or the aims of a section, a creed, or a race. Mr. Gold win Smith describes the French province as a wedge driven between the Eastern and Western sections of the Union but even this tenacious and exclusive nationality would in time blend into its surroundings if the politicians did not rekindle the old feuds periodically and were not continually unearthing for new discords. I do not think, however, that there is much room for anticipating that this province will readily submit to the logic of environment; if there were, such a hope dwindles down to mere nothingness when we find that the execution of a man convicted of treason and murder furnishing a new source of discord and isolation.

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