John A Macdonald on the Federal System麦克唐纳谈联邦文档格式.docx

John A Macdonald on the Federal System麦克唐纳谈联邦文档格式.docx

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JohnAMacdonaldontheFederalSystem麦克唐纳谈联邦@#@DocumentsJohn @#@A. @#@MacdonaldontheFederalSystemTheseportionsofMacdonald'@#@sspeechduringtheConfederationdebatesareexceptionallyimportantinthattheygiveustheclearestpictureofthemotivesunderlyingourfederalsystemasoutlinedintheBritishNorthAmericaAct....Now,asregardsthecomparativeadvantagesofaLegislativeandaFederalUnion,Ihaveneverhesitatedtostatemyownopinions.IhaveagainandagainstatedintheHouse,that,ifpracticable,IthoughtaLegislativeUnionwouldbepreferable.（Hear,hear.）Ihavealwayscontendedthatifwecouldagreetohaveonegovernmentandoneparliament,legislatingforthewholeofthesepeoples,itwouldbethebest,thecheapest,themostvigorous,andthestrongestsystemofgovernmentwecouldadopt.（Hear,hear.）But,onlookingatthesubjectintheConference,anddiscussingthematteraswedid,mostunreservedly,andwithadesiretoarriveatasatisfactoryconclusion,wefoundthatsuchasystemwasimpracticable.Inthefirstplace,itwouldnotmeettheassentofthepeopleofLowerCanada,becausetheyfeltthatintheirpeculiarposition--beinginaminority,withadifferentlanguage,nationalityandreligionfromthemajority,--incaseofajunctionwiththeotherprovinces,theirinstitutionsandtheirlawsmightbeassailed,andtheirancestralassociations,onwhichtheypridedthemselves,attackedandprejudiced;@#@itwasfoundthatanypropositionwhichinvolvedtheabsorptionoftheindividualityofLowerCanada--ifImayusetheexpression--wouldnotbereceivedwithfavourbyherpeople.Wefoundtoo,thatthoughtheirpeoplespeakthesamelanguageandenjoythesamesystemoflawasthepeopleofUpperCanada,asystemfoundedonthecommonlawofEngland,therewasasgreatadisinclinationonthepartofthevariousMaritimeProvincestolosetheirindividuality,asseparatepoliticalorganizations,asweobservedinthecaseofLowerCanadaherself.（Hear,hear）.Therefore,wewereforcedtotheconclusionthatwemusteitherabandontheideaofUnionaltogether,ordeviseasystemofunioninwhichtheseparateprovincialorganizationswouldbeinsomedegreepreserved.......TheConferencehavingcometotheconclusionthatalegislativeunion,pureandsimple,wasimpracticable,ournextattemptwastoformagovernmentuponfederalprinciples,whichwouldgivetotheGeneralGovernmentthestrengthofalegislativeandadministrativeunion,whileatthesametimeitpreservedthatlibertyofactionforthedifferentsectionswhichisallowedbyaFederalUnion.AndIamstronginthebelief--thatwehavehituponthehappymediuminthoseresolutions,andthatwehaveformedaschemeofgovernmentwhichunitestheadvantagesofboth,givingusthestrengthofalegislativeunionandthesectionalfreedomofafederalunion,withprotectiontolocalinterests.IndoingsowehadtheadvantageoftheexperienceoftheUnitedStates....Wecannowtakeadvantageoftheexperienceofthelastseventy-eightyears,duringwhichthatConstitutionhasexisted,andIamstronglyofthebeliefthatwehave,inagreatmeasure,avoidedinthissystemwhichweproposefortheadoptionofthepeopleofCanada,thedefectswhichtimeandeventshaveshowntoexistintheAmericanConstitution....Eversincetheunionwasformedthedifficultyofwhatiscalled"@#@StateRights"@#@hasexisted,andthishadmuchtodoinbringingonthepresentunhappywarintheUnitedStates.Theycommenced,infact,atthewrongend.TheydeclaredbytheirConstitutionthateachstatewasasovereigntyinitself,andthatallthepowersincidenttoasovereigntybelongedtoeachstate,exceptthosepowerswhich,bytheConstitution,wereconferredupontheGeneralGovernmentandCongress.Herewehaveadoptedadifferentsystem.WehavestrengthenedtheGeneralGovernment.WehavegiventheGeneralLegislatureallthegreatsubjectsoflegislation.Wehaveconferredonthem,notonlyspecificallyandindetail,allthepowerswhichareincidenttosovereignty,butwehaveexpresslydeclaredthatallsubjectsofgeneralinterestnotdistinctlyandexclusivelyconferreduponthelocalgovernmentsandlocallegislatures,shallbeconferredupontheGeneralGovernmentandLegislature.--WehavethusavoidedthatgreatsourceofweaknesswhichhasbeenthecauseofthedisruptionoftheUnitedStates.Wehaveavoidedallconflictofjurisdictionandauthority,andifthisConstitutioniscarriedout,...wewillhaveinfact,asIsaidbefore,alltheadvantagesofalegislativeunionunderoneadministration,with,atthesametime,theguaranteesforlocalinstitutionsandforlocallaws,whichareinsisteduponbysomanyintheprovincesnow,Ihope,tobeunited.......anyhonourablememberonexaminingthelistofdifferentsubjectswhicharetobeassignedtotheGeneralandLocalLegisl