with the United States of America, and to the negotiations on the subject of our commercial relations with that country. It has now become still more imperative to open by an extension of the trade of the country with other nations new markets for the varied products of our industry. In consequence of the notice for the termination of the Reciprocity Treaty, I deemed it needful, with the assent and approbation of Her Majesty's Government, to send a deputation, representing the Colonies of British North America, during the winter to the West Indies and Brazil, to ascertain the best means of developing and extending commercial relations with these countries. The period at which the delegation returned from their mission is so recent that no report could as yet have been presented, but as soon as received it will be communicated to you. The threats and preparations for attack on Canada, constantly and openly made by a body organized in the United States of America, and known as Fenians, compelled me since Parliament rose, by the advice of my Ministers, to call out for active service a large portion of the Volunteer militia force of the province. The spirit displayed by the people, and their ready response to my proclamation, have received the well-merited approval of Her Majesty's Government. The events which have occurred within the last few days afford additional proofs of the necessity for the precautionary measures adopted. The province has been invaded by a lawless band of marauders, but I congratulate the country that they were promptly confronted, and within twenty-four hours were compelled to make a precipitate retreat. I deplore the loss of life and suffering which have been entailed upon the gallant body of the Canadian Volunteers in the engagement which took place in repelling so promptly the invaders who had attacked the country; and I feel assured that you will not omit to alleviate as far as may be in your power, the miseries so wantonly inflicted on many families; but, while I grieve for their individual loss, I must congratulate the country that the first note of danger has shown that Canada possesses in her Volunteers a body of men ready to peril their lives in defence of their Queen and country. The entire people have been thoroughly aroused by recent occurrences, and it must now be apparent to all that the whole resources of the country, both in men and means, will at any moment be cheerfully given to repelling any invasion of their homes. In the measures of defence which I have been called upon to take I have received the unremitting support of the Lieutenant-General Commanding and of Admiral Sir James Hope. It is also a source of unfeigned pleasure to me to acknowledge the gallant devotion displayed by the officers and men of Her Majesty's military and naval forces in Canada. I am happy to be able to state that the President of the United States has issued a proclamation declaring that serious infractions of the laws of that country have been and are being committed by evil-disposed persons within the jurisdiction and territory of the United States against the British possessions of North

America, and requiring all officers of his Government to exert every effort for their suppression. I trust that the course thus adopted will ere long prevent this country from being subjected to further attacks from the citizens of a nation on terms of amity with Great Britain. The maintenance of the force on active duty which the Government has been compelled to call out has involved an expenditure to a large amount which was not provided for by the votes of the last Session. The accounts of this expenditure will be separately laid before you, and I feel confident that you will immediately pass a Bill, indemnifying the Government for the provisions of the audit account. Recent discoveries show the necessity of extending to Lower Canada the Act, chapter 98, Consolidated Statutes for Upper Canada, to protect the inhabitants of that section of the province against lawless aggressions from subjects of foreign countries at peace with Her Majesty. It has also been necessary, for the preservation of law and order, to adopt a course similar to that taken in the present Session of the Imperial Parliament for the temporary suspension of the writ of habeas corpus. I invite your immediate consideration of these measures. I have fixed by proclamation the 1st day of August next as the time at which the Civil Code of Lower Canada, passed in the last Parliament, shall come into operation. The Code of Civil Procedure of Lower Canada, as reported by the Commissioners, shall be submitted for your adoption during the Session. Gentlemen of the Legislative Assembly, I have desired that the financial accounts for the current year and the estimates of expenditure for the next year shall be laid before you. Upon the very satisfactory results of the commerce of the country during the past year the revenue has been so largely in excess of the estimate as to enable me without inconvenience to provide for the heavy and unexpected charges entailed upon the country. The position which the great question of the union of the provinces of British North America. has assumed is now such as to induce the expectation that the mission will be shortly carried into effect. I therefore hope and believe that it will be found practicable during the present session to adopt such procedure as may be necessary for completing the details of the scheme as regards this province, and I venture to express the confident expectation that the next Parliament which will be held within these walls will not be confined to an assembly of the representatives of Canada, but will embrace those of all the colonies of British North America. I am happy to be able to congratulate you on the general prosperity which pervades all classes of the community in the province, and I pray that your councils may be guided by Divine Providence, to secure that which is the true end of all Governments-the moral and material advancement of the great body of the people."

A Bill for suspending the Habeas Corpus Act was immediately introduced and passed without opposition, and indeed without discussion, in both Houses.

CHAPTER VI.

UNITED STATES.

Resolution passed by Reconstruction Committee-Resolutions of the Virginian Legislature-Speech of the President in reply to a deputation from Virginia-His speech at Washington-Resolution passed by Congress as to representation of "Insurgent States"-Re-admission of Tennessee into the Union-Freedmen's Bureau Bill passed, but vetoed by the President-Veto on the Civil Rights' Bill-It passes notwithstanding-New State of Colorado admitted into the Union-Message of the President as to Reconstruction Amendment-Neutrality Bill-Riot in New Orleans-Conventions at Philadelphia-The President refuses to recognize a blockade of the ports of Mexico-Progress of the President through the Northern and Western States-Violent denunciations of the President-His Speech at New York-General Election-President's Message to Congress: Topics:-Reconstruction; Finance; Navy; Foreign Relations; Atlantic Telegraph; Mexico; Claims against Great Britain; Fenianism: Conclusion.

THE important question of the re-admission of the Southern States which had seceded during the late war, into the Union, was referred by the House of Representatives to a Reconstruction Committee, which, at the end of January, reported to the House the following resolution :

"Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, two-thirds of both Houses concurring,-That the following Article be proposed to the Legislatures of the several States as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which, when ratified by threefourths of said Legislatures, shall be valid as a part of the Constitution.

"Article.-Representation and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within the Union, according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed; provided that whenever the elective franchise shall be denied or abridged any State on account of race or colour, all persons of such race or colour shall be excluded from the basis of representation."

in

According to the original Constitution of the United States the slave-holding States were entitled to Representatives in Congress in proportion to their population, and in reckoning the numbers, the slaves, who of course had no votes, were counted as five to three; that is, five blacks were reckoned as three whites, so that each slave-holding State was entitled to as many representatives as it would have supposing that three-fifths of its black population had been whites'. As our readers know, the House of Representatives

1 The effect of the change proposed by the Reconstruction Committee upon the representation of the Southern States will appear from the following table, which

is constituted anew after each census on the basis of population. Thus Ohio has 19 members, Pennsylvania 24, New York 31. In this enumeration the coloured population of the South used to be counted as equivalent to three-fifths of their number: thus 100 black men would count as 60, and the State received representatives on the whole number thus made up.

After an animated debate the House of Representatives adopted, in substance, the amendment to the Constitution proposed by the Reconstruction Committee by a majority of 120 to 46 votes, but the provision for the apportionment of direct taxation was struck out. The Senate also adopted the amendment. The President, however, was strongly opposed to it, and wished to preserve the right of representation to the Southern States on its old basis. The result of this was a conflict between him and Congress, which lasted throughout the whole year, and was maintained with a degree of violence and animosity, which at one time threatened to involve the country in civil war. At a later period another clause was added by the Reconstruction Committee to their amendment of the Constitution, which deprived "all persons who voluntarily adhered to the late insurrection, giving it aid and comfort," of the right to vote for Representatives in Congress until the 4th of July, 1870. In other words, they proposed to disfranchise the Southern States for a period of four years. They also reported a Bill which declared ineligible to hold any Federal office, the President, Vice-President, and foreign agents of the Confederacy, all Confederate officers above the rank of Colonel in the Army and Master in the Navy, Governors of States, Confederate judicial and civil officers, and persons educated at the national military and naval academies who favoured the rebellion, and all who unlawfully treated Federal prisoners of war.

Of course the Southern States strongly supported the views of

shows the numbers of the white and black population, and the number of members to which each State is now entitled, and the number to which it would be entitled if the blacks were excluded from computation.

the President; and to show their feelings on the subject, we will quote the following series of resolutions which were passed by the Legislature of Virginia early in February:

"1. Resolved by the General Assembly of Virginia, That the people of this Commonwealth and their representatives here assembled cordially approve the policy pursued by Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, in the reorganization of the Union. We accept the result of the late contest, and do not desire to renew what has been so conclusively determined, nor do we mean to permit any one subject to our control to attempt its renewal or to violate any of our obligations to the United States' Government. We mean to co-operate in the wise, firm, and just policy adopted by the President, with all the energy and power we can devote to that object.

"2. That the above declaration expresses the sentiments and purposes of all our people, and we denounce the efforts of those who represent our views and intentions to be different as cruel and criminal assaults on our character and our interests. It is one of the misfortunes of our present political condition that we have among us persons whose interests are temporarily promoted by such false representations; but we rely on the intelligence and integrity of those who wield the power of the United States' Government for our safeguard against such malign influences.

"3. That involuntary servitude, except for crime, is abolished, and ought not to be re-established, and that the negro race among us should be treated with justice, humanity, and good faith, and every means that the wisdom of the Legislature can devise should be used to make them useful and intelligent members of society.

"4. That Virginia will not voluntarily consent to change the adjustment of political power as fixed by the Constitution of the United States; and to constrain her to do so in her present prostrate and helpless condition, with no voice in the councils of the nation, would be an unjustifiable breach of faith; and that her earnest thanks are due to the President for the firm stand he has taken against amendments of the Constitution forced through in the present condition of affairs."

A Committee of the Virginian Chambers having proceeded to Washington to report their resolutions to the President, he said to them.

"The Southern people are entitled to be represented in Congress if they send loyal men. I feel that the day is not distant-I speak confidingly in reference to the great mass of the American people -when they will determine that this Union shall be made whole, and the great right of representation in the councils of the nation be acknowledged. Gentlemen, that is a fundamental principle. 'No taxation without representation' was one of the principles which carried us through the Revolution. This great principle will hold good yet; and if we but perform our duty, if we but comply with the spirit of the resolutions presented to me to-day,