IMAGE EVALUATION 
 TEST TARGET (MT-3) 
 
 // 
 
 / 
 
 
 it. 
 
 V] 
 
 %- 
 
 /: 
 
 a 
 
 
 %. 
 
 *^ .5^'^ 
 
 
 (9/^^. 
 
 ^ 
 
 1.0 
 
 14^ ilM 
 
 IM 
 
 2.2 
 
 I.I 
 
 ? ^ Ilia 
 
 1.8 
 
 1.25 
 
 iA ill 1.6 
 
 6" 
 
 Photographic 
 
 Sciences 
 Corporation 
 
 ^> 
 
 f^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^.^v 
 
 ;\ 
 
 V 
 
 \ 
 
 ^ 
 
 i^ 
 
 ^^ 
 
 
 \ 
 
 
 23 WEST MAIN STREET 
 
 WEBSTER, N.Y. 14S80 
 
 (■/»6) 872-4503 
 
^j- :• 
 
 ^ 
 
 CIHM/ICMH 
 
 Microfiche 
 
 Series. 
 
 CIHM/ICMH 
 Collection de 
 microfiches. 
 
 Canadian Institute for Historical Mir.roreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiqu9S 
 
 
 k 
 
Technical and Bibliographic Noten/Notes techniques et bibliographiques 
 
 The Institute has attempted to obtain the best 
 original copy available for filming. Features of this 
 copy which may be bibliographically unique, 
 which may alter any of tha images in the 
 reproduction, or which may significantly change 
 the usual method of filming, are checked below. 
 
 D 
 
 Coloured covers/ 
 Couverture de couleur 
 
 i I Covers damaged/ 
 
 Couverture endommagee 
 
 \ I Cou 
 
 Covers restored and/or laminated/ 
 verture restaur^e et/ou pellicul^e 
 
 I ; Cover title missing/ 
 
 I I Le titre de couverture manque 
 
 □ Coloured maps/ 
 Cartes g^ographiques en couleur 
 
 □ Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ 
 Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) 
 
 □ Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ 
 Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur 
 
 y 
 
 D 
 
 D 
 
 D 
 
 Bound with other material/ 
 ReliA avec d'autres documents 
 
 Tight binding may causa shadows or distortion 
 along interior margin/ 
 
 Lareliura serree peut causer de I'ombre ou de la 
 distorsion le long de la marge interieure 
 
 Blank leaves added during restoration may 
 appear within the text. Whenever possible, these 
 have been omitted from filming/ 
 II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajoutAes 
 lors dune restauration apparaissent dans La texte. 
 mais, lorsque cela itair possible, ces pages n'ont 
 pas iti film^es. 
 
 Additional comments:/ 
 Commentaires supplementaires 
 
 L'Institut a microfilme le meilleur exemplaire 
 qu'il lui a ete possible de se procurer Les details 
 da cat exemplaire qui sont peut-^tre uniques du 
 point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier 
 une image reproduite. ou qui peuvent exiger une 
 modification dans la m^thode normale de fllmage 
 sont indiqu^s ci-dessous. 
 
 □ Coloured pages/ 
 Pages de couleur 
 
 I I Pages damaged/ 
 
 □ 
 
 Pages endommagees 
 
 Pages restored and/or laminated/ 
 Pages restaurees at/ou pelliculees 
 
 Ef Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ 
 Pages decolorces, tachet^es ou piquees 
 
 □ Pages detached/ 
 Pages detachsas 
 
 HShowthrough/ 
 Transparence 
 
 ies/ 
 in^gale de I'impression 
 
 □ Quality of print varie 
 Qualite in^gale de I'i 
 
 Includes supplement 
 
 Comprend du materiel supplementaire 
 
 Only edition available/ 
 Seule Edition disponible 
 
 I I Includes supplementary material/ 
 [~~| Only edition available/ 
 
 □ Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata 
 slips, tissues, etc.. have been refilmeo to 
 ensure the best possible image/ 
 Les pages totalement ou partiellement 
 obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata. une pelure 
 etc.. cnt ^t^ fiim^es i nouveau de facon a 
 obtenir la meilleure Image possible 
 
 This item is filmed at th^ reduction ratio checked below/ 
 
 Ce Qocument est film* au taux de reduction indiquA ci-dessous. 
 
 10X 14X 18X 22X 
 
 ^1 I 
 
 12X 
 
 16X 
 
 20X 
 
 26X 
 
 30X 
 
 24X 
 
 28X 
 
 □ 
 
 32X 
 
.€?:. 
 
 Th« copy filmed hare has baan raproducad thanks 
 to tha ganarotity of: 
 
 Uniwtrsity of British Columbib Library 
 
 L'axamplaira film* fut raproduit grflca A la 
 g*n*roait* da: 
 
 University of British Columbia Library 
 
 Tha imagas appaaring hara ara tha bast quality 
 poasibia cunoidering tha condition and lapibility 
 of tha original copy and in kaaping with tha 
 filming contract apacifications. 
 
 Laa imagaa suivantas ont AtA raproduitas avac la 
 plu* grand soin, compte tanu da la condition at 
 da la nattatA da I'exemplaire film*, at an 
 conformity avac las conditions du contrat da 
 filmaga. 
 
 Original copias in printad papar covars ara filmad 
 beginning with tha front covar and anding on 
 tha last paga with a printad or illustratad impres- 
 sion, or tha back covar whan appropriate. All 
 other original copies ara filmad beginning on the 
 first paga with a printed or illustratad impres- 
 sion, and anding on the last paga with a printed 
 or illuatrated impression. 
 
 The East recorded frame on each microfiche 
 shall contain tha symbol — »- (meaning "CON- 
 TINUED"), or tha symbol V (meaning "END"), 
 whichever applies. 
 
 Le^ exemplairas originaux dont la couverture en 
 papier est imprimie sont filmis en commenpant 
 par la premier plat at en terminant soit par ia 
 darnlAre page qui comporte une empreinte 
 d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par la second 
 plat, salon le cas. Tous les autres exemplairas 
 originaux sont filmAs en commenpant par la 
 premiere page qui comporte une empreinte 
 d'impression ou d'illustration at en terminant par 
 la derniAre page qui comporte une telle 
 empreinte. 
 
 Un des symboles suivants apparaTtra sur la 
 derniAre image de cheque microfiche, selon le 
 cas: le symbole -^ signifie "A SUIVRE", le 
 symbols V signifie "FIN". 
 
 Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at 
 diffeient reduction ratios. Those too large to be 
 entirely included in one exposure ara filmed 
 beginning in the upper left hend corner, left to 
 right and top to bottom, as many frames as 
 raqt'ired. The following diagrams illustrate the 
 method: 
 
 Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre 
 film^s A des taux de reduction diff^rents. 
 Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre 
 reproduit en un seul clichA, il est film6 A partir 
 de Tangle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite, 
 et de haut en bas, en pranant le nombre 
 d'images nAcessaire. Les diagrammas suivants 
 illustrant la niAthode. 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 1 2 3 
 
 4 5 6 
 
'■'t«'l(,- 
 
 ■'•wi;^ 
 
SPEFX'H OF MH. JOHN CHARLTON, M.P. 
 
 IN 
 
 HOUSE OF COMMOISrS 
 
 MARCH i.'8th, 1893 
 
 RECirROCITY NEGOTIATIONS 
 
 DOCUMENTS AND STATEMENTS 
 
 CRITICISM OF GOVERNMENT CONDUCT AND MOTIVES 
 
 NO REAL £!FI'ORT MADE FOR RECIPROCITY 
 
 Exphumlion „/ Diverse Statements at Washi.ujton and Ottawa 
 
 Mr. CIIARLTON. Mr. Speaker, I wish to 
 toko thi.s opportunity to make some remarks 
 on this question. The hou. Minister of Fin- 
 ; nee, in his speech on the tariff, following 
 nunt' of somo days ago, ma<le sonw 
 personal allusions to myself and some 
 diarges with reg;ird to my veraeitj- 
 hi s(jme statements which I had previously 
 made in reference to the negotiations at 
 nashington. In questioning mv veracity he 
 referred to the fact in disparaging terms 
 that I was a Presbyterian elder and a pro- 
 moter of Sabbath legisLition, and stated that 
 under these profe.ssious i cloaked mv attempt 
 to deceive the ix-ople and to mtike* false re- 
 presentations as to the motives and character 
 of tJie operations of the Government. Now 
 I may say that I have the utmost contempt 
 for thus dealing with the private character 
 «.f a member of this House. I do not intend 
 to retaliate on the hon. gentleman. If T wer(> 
 t- do so. I dare say I might possibly find 
 Kon.ething in liis record that would not be 
 more creditable tluon behig a Presbyterian 
 elder : hut it is- not my intention to do so I 
 intend, however, to justify the position I 
 took with regard to the course of the Govern- 
 ment in their negotiations or their professed 
 negotiations at Washington. The observa- 
 tions and ehaiges made with regard to the 
 rour.se I took render It necessary for me to 
 vmdicate myself hi this matter. Now, the 
 Hon. member ha.s brought down a report in 
 winch he professed to give a histor^• of the 
 uegotjations at Washington. Tn that re- 
 r^^.u ^**. ^'"^P^y reiterated and reaffirm- 
 ed the statements he had previously made 
 Ll™.,"?^^**' *° Imagine what purpo«5e wa^ 
 f^^ ^^ *^® brtoghig down of that pro- 
 rosa^^ report. The hon. meiiii)er had re- 1 
 peatedly made the some statement, and It! 
 i^ T'S.T^'^* sigUficant-I tMnk It was a | 
 ume Invldlous-on the part of the hon. gen- 
 tleman to bring that report down at a time 
 
 I when Secretirj- Blaine, ono of the actors in 
 mat matter was dead, and when another 
 of the actors, Secretary Foster, had ceased 
 to be Secretary of State, ;.nd had not only 
 c^ed to be an official and to act in an 
 I official capacity at Washington, but 
 j ii.id left the country as weU, and 
 was at that time hi Eurcipe. I <io 
 not imdersfcuid why tlie document should 
 have been brought down at that thne How- 
 ever, it was brought down. iTie date of 
 that communication was 15th February, ISQ** 
 It was laid on the Table of the House the 
 , -th March, 1893. Now, I repeat that It was 
 simply a reiteration of the statement fre- 
 quently made by the hon. gentleman and 
 Ids colleagues, and it might almost seem that 
 there would be -rrounds for layhig the chargf. 
 that tlie wnthig of this communication wnr 
 an aftertbiugbt, and that it had actuallv 
 been written after these statements had been 
 frequently made and reiterated, and after 
 tiiQse negotiations had been made. However 
 whatever may be the conclusion as to the 
 good taste of the hon. gentleman In making 
 this ratement after Mr. Blaine was de-ad. 
 I and .-Ltter Mr. Foster had censed to be Sec- 
 i rotary of State, the document Is not con- 
 cluMve evidence because It was not confirmed 
 ' bj the Ameriam participamis in the negotia- 
 tions. It was a statememt made by the hon. 
 gentleman and his oolleagues, and that state- 
 ment happens to be hi direct oonffict with 
 the startements made by Secretary Blatne 
 and Secretary Foster rjid President Harr- 
 son. After a ca-oful exammation of that 
 
 Sin^^^',/ ^k'^ "^^^ *t ^ conclusion, 
 I wnicn will perhaips oxons'«+" rrin.^H~— _. 
 
 1^ Govemmert and members oiihe^jjmed 
 
 Stutea Government from any intenMon to 
 
 make misrepresei-tation, and I thtoi J wUl 
 
 ! ""^L®J«^°^ ^ *^® House that there was 
 
 I a poeslbUity of a mlsunderetauding, and that 
 
the Finance Minister bad ax?tuBlly been 
 labouring under a mi»ippreheiwiou »\Y^^: 
 fitoteuient he ha-s raaiie that the «'n«W»';° 
 of the Amer-oan Government ^as posiUvely 
 that there ebould be uniformity of tanff be- 
 tw(M-n the t^vo countries. Mr. Blame .says, 
 In bis reports furnished to Ck)ngre8S : i 
 
 Tl..- ef.iiniiis»ion.Ts wen- i..f..r.n..l :hat tl,.' Covin- 
 m.-nt of the United Stat.- wuul.l m<i hv i,r.|.ar.<l to , 
 renew th- ireaty of 1H.-.4, .u.r t- atriv u,K,n any .-on - , 
 niercial reeiprocitv wind, sl,onUl .- cnntjne-l ... : 
 natural pr..lucts'al,.n... an.l t!,at. n. y-', '■ /'Y.i; - 1 
 ,l..veloi.. nent in tl.e in.lustnal u.t.T.'st^ of tli- L mt.-l 
 States an.l of tl>.-ehanfred eou.ht,.,n ..f the cnnner- 
 cial nlations .,f th.. two .ountnes sjnc- t ' '-•;:;;> f ! 
 l«r.4 wius negotiate.!, it was r.Kar.le.1 of esse itia nn- ; 
 K Int thit a list of n.annfaetuml Ko-ls '^l"^"''/, ;• ' 
 ...•In.ledin the sche.luV o.' articles f'''' f'^' ;;■•'■ ':' 1 
 exchange nnder any reeipro-.ty arrauR.^.n.-.it winch j 
 
 niitrht be nude. 
 
 Now, the hon. gentleman will m:irk the lati- ; 
 S rgfi ; not that th-re should bo ;,ntestfi<'t.Ml , 
 Reciprocity, not that there shoultl be absol.ito 
 admission into the markets ot Canada .. aU 
 American manufactures ; but the condit -in ; 
 laid down by Mr. Blaine was tnat t!io 
 treaty should not be conlin.Mi ;a rociprocit.s 
 in natural products, but that there .ihomd 
 be in addition, a list of manufactnre.1 ar- 
 ticles to be agreed upon boiweeu the comniis- 
 siouers of Canada and th.- authorities ot th.' 
 United States. The Canadiaii comu.is- 
 sioners refuse.! to recede, in the shgbtest de- 
 eree. from the position they took. The.\ 
 came to Washington with the idtimattim : 
 Give us reciprocity in natural product;,, or. it 
 vou will not, we will not tdk the matter 
 with you at all ; wo will have our way. \ve 
 will make no coucessions, we will engage m 
 no diplomatic discus.-^ion to see wheth.-r we 
 cannot arrive at an agrwment ; but we ia> 
 down our ultimatum, which is the recipr..city 
 treaty of 1854, witli modihc ions such as th.' 
 hon. 'gentleman explained ..it(>rwards. And 
 I will show what liis explanations were. 
 This was their ultimatum. Mr. Blames re_ 
 nueat that tliey should agree upon a, list or 
 manufactured artleles-a list-not all maim- 
 f.,^,,,^,.(,s-alld that 1h.\v shouhl iiKik.' 
 iiroposltlons were not ac.eded to. and 
 no attempt was made to see If tii.'rc 
 was any possibility of making a reciprocity 
 treaty, "("here was room for diplomatic dis- 
 cussion ; there was room for an honest at- 
 tempt, on ttie part of the Canadian cominis- 
 slone-s, to see If they could possibly secure 
 a treaty of commerce with the United States. 
 It was not reasonable for Uiose gentlemen 
 to go to Washington and lay down an ulti- 
 matum w'lich the Americans would hav.- to 
 accept. And it was not reasonable to lay 
 dowu an ultimatiuu and refuse to discuss 
 the question. Discussion was absol-tely and 
 peremptorllv closed by our commissioners, 
 and the negotiations broken by tneir own 
 act Had my hon. friend opposite any reason 
 to suppose, when he went to Washington, 
 tliat his proposition for a treaty of recipr.)- 
 clty, base.! on the treaty of 1854, wotild be 
 
 accepted ? Had be any reaaoa to suppose 
 it was worth his while going there U> make 
 that proposition ? Of course not. The Am- 
 erican Government, time and again, lussnred 
 this countrj' that no such treaty woul.i bo 
 accept.Kl. Only a few days before tl.e dis- 
 solution of the House of Commons, ^Ir 
 Blaine had expressly stated <biit no such 
 proposition would l)e entertiuned by the 
 Amoiirau (;..voi'iiinein. 'I-his was cli':n-\y 
 st.-it.'d ia his c.'lei.fatod letter of Mth 
 Tiiiuary The coin.i-.issioners went to 
 '\Vnsiiiiigt4ni. Well, tii.'V u.mv awaro 
 that the proposition they Intendt^i t» miik" 
 %yas one which woulil lie unacceptable and 
 inevitably refused. It was a fon'gone con- 
 clusion that that would be th.' r-sult. and 
 they were simply trifling with the quostioti 
 an.i th.' people when they went to ^\ashing- 
 Tou f..r the purpose of making such a pro- 
 position. It is worth while Inquiring. Mr. 
 Speaker, whi-ther it woul.l not havo been 
 nosslble for the Canadian commissioners to 
 liave slightly varie.l their conditions, and 
 \ylietlier thev should not have receded from 
 the position' they took, that they must ah- 
 soluteiv have reciprocity In natural products 
 alone or else accept no treaty. Was It not 
 possible for th.'iii to have accepted Mi. 
 Blaine's proposition, an.l mad.; proposals oil 
 the lines of his suggestion that there shoiih 
 be a list of manufactured gootls agreed 
 upon ? Thev might have .lone that without 
 discriminating against England at all. ^ li.v- 
 Sir *hc" could have agree.l upon a list hat 
 would embrace coal oil, barb wire, agricul- 
 , nn-il imidem.'ius. nails. spik.'S. cars loc.jino- 
 tiv.s, common cottons, twine, .a mi ages, 
 (locks, certain kinds of glasswar.-. thr.'shei-s. 
 portable sleam .ndnes. s.'winj maeliines. 
 type-writers, machinery, e<lgo to<>ls. plcKs 
 sna.les. l.'ather, pmiting presses, musical in- 
 ^tniiiients, wliite paper, wall paper funutuiv 
 !iu a, gnat variety of other mamifat^tun-.i 
 '"'oods. "wliich we import almost .-x.'lnslvoly 
 fn.m ih.' T'nited Slat.'S. They could have :n-- 
 raiiged a wide list of manufactured articles, 
 ■m.rdv.'u. if n.-.-'Ssao-. to tlu' Aniori."in peo- 
 ple preferential treatment m onr market iii 
 these aiticlos. and. . -it tin' same time, have nor 
 been nndor ilio necessity of discnminatuiu' 
 a"ainsc Endand. except, periiaps. to a A-ery 
 sliglit flegree. If these commissioners had 
 l.'.'u honest in their prof.^Jscd .l.'sire to oh- 
 Miii reciprooitT. if they hnd deigned to accept 
 Mr Blaine's proposal to .alk the matter ov.n- 
 and make propositions, if they had been wU- 
 mg to make the attemnt to agree upon a hst 
 .>f mamu"a. tm-Ml articles, limited in extent a 
 li^t such as tljev likely will adopt in part lie- 
 fore twelve months from this date, -witliout re- 
 ciprocity In view at all. they could have, in 
 all hnnian probability, securetl access to tlie 
 American market for our natural products in 
 return for a concession which woul-l h;!v^" 
 admitted a certain list of American goods 
 ' which .ve do not import to any great extent 
 frrmi England, and which, if we give pre- 
 i ferential treatment in our market, would not 
 
ha"« effectcfl Fiifflnncl to anv fonsldornblo fl.>- 
 frno. r repeat iliat tlu-.v .-..uM liavoilun:. tlds 
 bo.voml all inifstiuii. niKi ilic whol.. ,>,,„is,. .,f 
 
 th!^'^^^.?^*^.?"!^* Washington demonstrated 
 the truth or the ass< rtlon that they were 
 not tht-rt. to get a mii)rooitv treat v ; that 
 
 nwinl to it, hooaus.. if ti..,.,- ,,.„, ,„,.„ ,„.. 
 y»u>\ all Inui.ai! ,ju,.stiuu thov coiiia i,avo 
 
 ti a<i,' to soiu(. f.xteuf. ami would to a ver>- 
 
 sli^^l.t iU'tir,',^ discflininat,. a>,'aiust JOiiKl.-.ti.i. 
 
 •Nou.SiiM wish lo iM.iut urn. and i„ du ii 
 
 II. 'lit Miih d(H'(.piion ill this matter. The 
 :ine-aii,,ii was made in the lii-st place by the 
 <rovenime:it that the Uui;ed .Sr.ites had made 
 
 whioi they w»v,it t,, the couiitrv. That al- 
 egation i thialc I sha-1 he able to si ow 
 u.-is witlmnt foundation. hi the next nhu-e 
 They jfaye people to tuiderstaiid that there 
 wotild be no tronbl.. to ^',t a trean Tli'it 
 ih.u w': ."I'/'T=" i"'I>'-.'ssion in the eom.trV. 
 
 subj,>ct. that was tlie lan/rnase „f ii e nl- t- 
 foi in ti,,nn the subjcK-t. They wnt to the 
 "•'"Hitiy. I repeat, with an implied, if n.,t a 
 
 •nTf 'd' 4;'?)'"'"'' '".'Y ••'■^iP'tx'it.v with the 
 inted Siat.>.s wotild l,,. tlie onteoiii,. of 
 
 e.ineu'oiations. whirl, nesofiations. tlvv 
 
 «l.iimo.l. had l)e,.n iiwlitnted a.s the result of 
 
 .overtures made by that country, Th.-ir 
 
 KirtisniLs wep. le.! to expect reciprocity ■ 
 
 M Me>[""nr "•"^^' •"■'""'^'^•^ '-ecSH-ocity: 
 
 s ute. mnt.s and ivp.-es.nna lions ml.dc 
 
 .1 }. Goyernincnt Now, I wish to 
 
 c. the anention of ,h,. „„„;,, i„ ti^V^.s? 
 
 '•o^(^;t<^' Afon'^'^'*'''! ''"'"'^^' i'l'Poared in the 
 joioiito Mail," in January, isyi. and wlii,>i, 
 
 ir.l'lf "••:'-^'|, '>^' " "'"-"patch appearing 
 >e Lmpn-e" on the followine: day ( i 
 .e l..th of January. ISOl. the To^ui,?"Ma " 
 iMd a d(>spatch which road as follows :- 
 
 .under the date of 20th 
 
 Mr. Bakw writes, 
 January, 1891 .- 
 
 W.Asiii.MiTox, D.C., 29th January, 1891. 
 
 IImIi. .IaMKS <;. 1W..MNE, 
 
 Secretary of State. ' 
 
 , .,^^1 l^KAH Mr. l!l..viN-K. It is r..,->rt(Hl i„ the ,»•«•«. 
 l-aiH-rs of f an.ila an.l aIo>.>; tla- .lortliern hord.-r of 
 n.y.stat.-, vl,,.,-.. „,y c.,n-.tit.i.-uts an- deeply ii,tere«t- 
 e.l in tlie sul.jeet, tl.at negotiations are «,ln^ „n Ix- 
 twen tliiM countrv .•mil Crenf It-if..;. ...;.i. _ . • _ , 
 
 It is reported from Ottawa, on authority ^^hi^l, 
 
 .Uini>ters to uinte in a iiro|K)siti,,i, t) arraiitr,. il 
 "matters ,n dispute hetvveen C.anaiia and e r.nte 
 
 n^;«.cH;!'"'""^ "'''""'''""-•'- "f -niniS 
 
 Jij^S.^Ser:!!'^ "^•"P''-^" --^« the 
 The " Knipire " is authorized to giye this statemenr ' 
 
 r":^tr!nri;^r't''- ''W^'^- r^ -^ t'Au^"C ™ 
 
 t U A ^' ■ •™';''^'l f'<"" tl"' very be.n s,,u rces ', 
 the Cana.han Oovennnent has 'recently hee^t I 
 
 ; r^o ^hlY "r ^^'"'"^ ^^•""'^ *;<.vernn,en \y r" 1 
 Mew to the deyeloinnent of trade relations iK-tween' 
 the t;vo countries and that our (Jover n mt h s n' 
 thn^ihle'i;:"'^''"^'^"' ^"^^ Majesty's CJoyernnieS on" 
 
 Following this and callwl forth by this and 
 snmlar statom^nts which appear^ in Ihe 
 ^ •nn.iian pi\ss wo hayo u iefeter ^'rom Mr 
 B:ikor, member of the United States House 
 oi: Representatives, maiing inquiry with r,- 
 
 ^tZ. '^ ^^^ ^'^"^'' '^^ tbP Secretary of 
 State for the United StRtes (Mr. Ql^ne) 
 
 tw.en tills country ,in.| Creat Hritai.. wiUi a vie\y of 
 [..•.itial reci|.r(K-,tv with Canada, •nchxling natural 
 jr(Hlu,;ts only and not uianufacture.s, and it i.s stated 
 lliat Sir (has. 1 uppe,- ,.. ,,n his way here as comniis- 
 Moiier .,ne-,,tiare (,,, „K.l. ni,«liticution to our tariff. 
 I would 1 e yery ^dad it you would enable in« toan-twer 
 my constituents. 
 
 N'erv truly yours, 
 
 '■II.\S. .S. I!.\KKli. 
 To tliLs intiuiiy Mr. Bhiine replies on the 
 same day : 
 
 W.AsuiNoTov, D.C. L«itli .laiiuary, IS'Jl. 
 Mv Dk.ar Mr. KvKKH.-I authorize you to contra- 
 'iKttheri.iMoursyou refer to. There are no negotia- 
 r I. .MS whatever on foot for .a reciprocity treaty with 
 Canada, and you may l». assured that no scheme for 
 reciproivity with the Dominion confined to natural 
 pro.|uct4 will «. entertained 1.^ this tJoyernment. 
 w'ishin'.'to. ' ^"" *""''"■'■ '^"I'l""'"'* coming to 
 
 ^ e y trulv yours, 
 
 •i.V.MKSt;. HLAIXK. 
 Now, the menibors of tlie Canadian Minlsti-y 
 were m pos.ses.sion of tlds stitemmt of Mr 
 Bl.-une l>efore the House was dis.solyod oil 
 the ;,rd of February, They had the fact be- 
 tore them that these assertions were made 
 uith rcH-ard to their abilitj- to secure recipro- 
 city and I ropeiit that they were guilty of 
 (luphiity .ind made ropresenfcitions to" the 
 peopl,. which they loiew could not lie re- 
 de. .ue<l. But this eyidence did not silence 
 'heir reciprocity a.ssertions. They still con- 
 iinuod to assert that they were "pble to .-et 
 reci.,rocity, that they were Uk-ly to get "it 
 
 ■h.''l V"?^ ,''■'''■*' •''''""* *'^ S^yt it. On the 
 .Id of lebniaiT the House wa.s dissolved 
 Jnd the .announcement of di.-'soiutlon w.is 
 made lu the following terms in the Giivem- 
 mcnt organ, the Toronto " Empire " :— 
 
 . riic sixth Parliament of Canada is at an end Act- 
 ing on the .advice of his res,x,nsihle MinLsteri, His 
 Kxce lency tlie (iovemor-tieneral has heen pleased to 
 dis,solvethe House of Commons and issue i^wriL 
 for a new Parliament. 
 Nominations take place on Thursday, 26th Febiu- 
 I ary, polling on Thurs.lay, .-,th March. The writs are 
 I ApWL '"'•' *''^l'"''*'->-^'»'' '"ade returnable on 25th 
 
 J In yie .f the foregoing im,x)rtai)t statement the 
 
 , ques ion . ,11 .^tur.ally 1^. askec'i, what are th" reaso ^ 
 
 «hich have induced the (Jovernnient to apijeal H, tho 
 
 coun ry at the present time ? It is unde,4to;Kl that 
 
 the Uominion Government have through Her Ma- 
 
 L nited ht.ates for negotiations l.K.kingto an extension 
 of our commerce with that countty. These proposals 
 have been submitted to the President fo. hi- c^n^der 
 th^iV\'l'^ ''"^ ^>''f'l""' <i"vernment is of the opinion 
 that if the negotiations are to result in a treaty, which 
 must be ratified by the Parliament of Canadk. it is 
 .^xpedient the <,oyernnient should be able to deal 
 w th a Parliament fresh from the iieople rather than 
 with a moribund House. 
 
ll i. imd€-™t<K.<l that Canada will s.-njl a .leleffation 
 t,, WalhinKt..n after Uh Man!., tl... > -^- ''" -hy 
 thelif.-of the premnt CmKr-Hs .•Nl'irf", f'>r tl>' I'"' 
 
 Umoii aiKl 'levef;.p..»ntof trad. ■Ut«..'n tl. I te. 
 
 Stat.-H and Canada, and tl..' s..ttl.n..nt < f all .j>uh 
 
 ?i,m«..f diff.-ni..fl»tw..... the tvn(r...ntn.s Hiis 
 
 &atl.,."dl visit tl... rnit..<l Stat.is vapital. it .s 
 
 ^aid'as tlU\llt uf afri.-ndly s„gg.-.t..m fna,. NVanh- 
 
 inpton. 
 
 Till-; noIl.!.> tliiit apix'aro.l ou the :!r.l of 
 
 Iv ii. tl.f Montreal "(laz.tt.; O th ^ -i 
 
 o'tirml stan-m.-nt of 1U." <}ovomn..'ni ^, pi'>- 
 ,...sals. and wby they wimv made : 
 
 Tn vi.-w .,f the in.I-.rtance ..f ti... n^asonn wl.icli 
 hav.. i .,uc.d the(i..v. mi.i.nt t..MI.I>.',d to t,..- -o,", rv ^ 
 
 t i, !. Hn...--('e...nd to tl... S.-r.Hary ..I Mat., oi. 1 
 . C ^. nes sh.lwinK tl.e nature of t "•.<■;-■■•"■;:'■ ^^ 
 ■o.MHals eothe rnit.-a Stat.-s. an.l mdicat nj,' tl e 
 • ust les re of tl... A.ln.i..i.t..ati.m for tlu; 'Ir"-''!^.'!'- 
 
 n,™; of trade betwe.... tl... Unit.-d States an.l Ca..ada. 
 
 Now. Ml- SDoakiT. 1 ^voula in.iuiiv. if 
 tins oUu'ial stat.-nu>nt ^j'S, ,";'.'\..,,, ". 
 spiivd by the 0..v.-fu,non . 1-^ ^^/ '"" 
 ih\K Govcmincnl or^iu to liave nn 
 !£nal^'r.ateh which cotd.l ottly hav. boon 
 .d.iainod ihr..u<-'h Iho .-onnivanoe of tho fr.n- 
 Inln.ont. by Iho c..nso,»t ..f th. J "ve™;: ;;^. 
 jind bv iho pfii.iai-y aoti.m of th.> (")<"' 
 r.ont V \Vh..n Ihi. .luostion was nndor dis^ 
 !,"i..n a f>-w days a.,',>. th.' Mim-t.-f of 
 J St c,> said in .'xplanation of Ibis sratomonl 
 th-ii tho '• Enn>iro " ha.l this d.-spatch fr.>n 
 !ho •• ( 'utada Caz «tto." Th.> 'Vanada < az,.to 
 oontanis no su.li dosi.afh b.-txv.vn tho L.tli 
 D.vonibof. tho .lato of th.- .losiiateh. and tho 
 'ArO. of r..bniary. tho datv- of <■■ ' 'J^r';'^"''' 
 Th.^ statomont nia.lo by the Mnnstor <.t 
 Jitstieo siiir^'oslinK that tho Toronto '-f^nipuv _ 
 took this despatch from tho '•Canada ♦^^''-'-'''t 
 WIS niisl.>adinu. an.l must hav." boon pni- 
 posrlv niislotidinir, boc-inso it doos n<it appear 
 1h.-r.>"- and I ask Iho :Minisnn- of Finance If 
 ho will boar out to-day The statomont mad.' 
 hv tlio IVliaistor of .Tustic- on that occasion, 
 that this uAsnateh of tho i:ith D..ceraber. 
 ISMO was taken bv the Toronto '• Kmplre 
 froni the "Canada Oazotte." and was obtain- 
 od in tho usual ooui'so of an .-xaminati.ui ot 
 iho Oovommont publications, or wbeth.vi- it 
 was fumisho.l by the (lovernmont to tisat 
 paper for tho purpose' of carrying': forward 
 a scheme of deceplian ? H.-r.- istho , .-spau-h 
 as it appeared in the •'Empire of 4th I'OD- 
 niary : 
 
 1 Renewal of tl..- reripmcity treaty of 1K54, with 
 th. ,nodit>ationH r-.i-.ire<l bv tl..- altered -rcum- 
 ' ancH oflH-th c.m>.-ne8 an.l w.th the .ext«..H ons 
 ,l....„„Kll.vtl.e....n.n,i>M.,n to »>. .n the mteiests .,f 
 Cai.aila and tl... Cit.-.l Stat.-s. 
 
 2. R..i.onMi,l..rati..nof th.- treaty of 1HH.H, wuh re- 
 .K^t t.. the Atlanti.- tisheri.*, with tl... a.n. of »..cur- 
 
 „« the fr.... a.l.nisMi..n into the i:n.t..<l Stat.'s i..ark..ts 
 of Cana.lian tiHhery pr.Kl.ict.. n, return for acd t...s 
 
 to 1,.. (rrant..d to Cif.-l Stat... h>h.rn...n to buy baa 
 
 an.l H..ppli..^ an.l to tran^h... .ar^.^'s .n Can-U, all 
 ■I l>r!'t.'..tio„ .-f n.a.k..r..l and otl-r ti.h.^r...H on the 
 
 GOVKKNMEST HOIHK. 
 
 Ottawa, 13th L>e..'.nib.'r. !*«). 
 
 MvLoRn,-. have the honour to send t.', ^'"'": 
 j^„r,^4,:„ todav a teletrranhi.! niessaire in cipher, nt 
 w.hich tlie following is the substance. 
 
 With reference to n.y teL^Rraiu of the PHh mst., 
 this Covemment is desirous to prop.>s.. a joint c.nn- 
 tnission. such as that of 1871, with authority to deal 
 with.iut linutati.n. and to prepare a treaty resj^cting 
 the following subjects :— 
 
 VthinticVHean ami in inlan.i wat. is; als.> 
 4 Keiaxati.-n of H..a-lx,ar.l ...astinK laws of the tw.. 
 
 c.iuntri.s. . , • .. ,. tu-.^ 
 
 5. K.iax.ati.a. ..f th.- coastarr a»s .,. t"' '«" 
 .onntries on th.< inlan.i waters .lividing Canada fn.n. 
 the liiit.il Stat.'s. , , 
 
 .i. Mutual salva^.. an.l saving ..f ^vr-k.<t -•-;■;. 
 
 7. .Vrrang. .......ts for s.it.ug iH.un.lary b..twe..n 
 
 Caua.la and .\lasl<a. ,•..„,;„,, 
 
 Tl... tnatv w.Mild, of cours.., b.. -.'/ nt,,,„'h,i<i. 
 
 T . nan,...r in which this p,.o,-.al ..ai.... to Winadj- 
 n,th.-riiit..dStat..»Cov...i.n...ntisbn.tlyastoll.ms.- 
 
 S ev r.,1 w.-ks ago wh.n .....'otiations w.r.- .• progn-ss 
 r». V 1 N..wfo.indlai..l an.l die Cnited Stafsh-.k-ir 
 o a r.-cipr.K;itv treaty, th.- Ca..adiuii (.oY.nn....nt 
 a .. r ■ r •s..nlations that Ca.iada shouhi hav. rl..- 
 ,",;.„. of UiuK inclu.l...l in any anangen..nts 1. 
 that colony as to the tishen..s or tra.l.-. lis u >.t 
 ti.ai was l,a,;..a on s,,leinn assuranc.s piv..n •>> tl.. 
 X:!^f:mndla,.d (iov..rnn,.;nt two or thr..- yea-^ =vg.^ 
 •ind r..peat..d .>ii suec.ssive occasions, that il .ii.> 
 
 "p:;iai'privii..g..s w..re ""'-> '1 "-"^ -"1^^^ ,';,:;: 
 
 .4r.l to 1... purchase ..f supp i.s ..r '''^'t'-V^' "'.',' 
 K,,,l su.l. privil.'g.s w,.ul.l also I... gran ..I t..Can:Kla. 
 
 ;:a;S-,±:v:iXrw;t:d:,p^^ 
 ;i;.;r;ii:;x:d^'i:r;nv:.:;:!:^in;:m^i^a:'vi 1; f i- 
 
 i !. ..vlr;.n...nt,hA.,..,p.a,ask..dtl.eli,.!..r,a a^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
 •ills to •.mind Mr. lUain.. that Canada ha.l alvavs 
 nii.s o ... ;,.,.,„.,,,.■,„ ■! .irn'...".!!''!.! ami ha.l 
 
 '"■■■'; '7': : ;: , V ■ " '. . .-ib'^, ^^i-h. l.ow..^er, 
 
 1;:;:m: r^io, :; -.-fus.! l-y ti;. i;nite,lStat.-s. 
 i; w- . urth;" r..pi.es..nt...l that th.. Dotnu.u.ii Covenv- 
 1 . t «'"willi..gl now that '>v-tnr,.s 1^.1 been ma e 
 to th.iu. to again negot.at.-. and ' "^^ /'iV.^ •"' 
 nr..i, .■ thit thes.' n..got.at..)ns should b.- ..ttic.al .u.u 
 Cler a con.n.issi.,n^fro... tl„. V.ritisl. tiovennnent. 
 Vow Sir, the elections were brought on, the 
 M ni^ters took tlio field, aoid let us se.- what 
 iS mt.M-nuces were upon ^"'^^ .^^^^^ 
 with retrard to this matter. My chaige, yon 
 V b^ar in mind, is that tho Government 
 woiv all the time holding out inducomeius 
 to the c.n itry that they coiUd obtam re- 
 ."nrocity iJiev were asserting to the counm- 
 hat the United States had made overturee. 
 •md the United States being anxious foi a 
 ■tre'itv there would be no dirticulty upon thm 
 pan m Obtaining one. On the Ttb l^^rr^^T 
 •I ureat mass meeting was held m ^-oroma 
 Tlvit meeting was addre.ssed, among oilier 
 s, eikers: bv the Minister of Customs, M • 
 Bowell bv the Minister of Finance, Mi. 
 l?,^sto% bVthe Minister of Justice, Sir John 
 'Thompson ; and Sir John Thompson In tho 
 Icotirse^of that speech, made some reference 
 t,° "his matter which I beg to trouble the 
 House with, as I deem it of importance in 
 conuectton with thi-j case. He said . 
 
A little over thrw mnnths am* it traimpirpd thai 
 
 npffotiatKinH wen- b»-inK entertained Ijy t(i<- I'nite'l 
 Stiitps for thf niiikinK of u treaty of reciprcnity witli 
 the colony of New foimillind. These ncifotiiitic. as havB 
 no*- yet ri|»iie<i into a treaty, hut tliey were proceed- 
 niKx on lines whirh were not iiidike, ho far a» they 
 we.it, the lines which Canada woiilil hi willing to 
 pursue in any trade neffotiati..n> »ith that loimtrv, 
 and not, niin<l you. at the dictation of the I'.ritish 
 <}overnnient, as jias U-en untruly asserted in the press 
 rpjxised to us, hut on our own line, on hearing tliat 
 these ne^^otiations were progressing, we insisted uix.n 
 the Hritish <!oveninient demanding at \Vashingt<Mi 
 tiiat Canada should have the option if she pleased, of 
 haviiiK Canaihi inchidcd in any treaty whiili niighc 
 he iua< e witli the colony of Newfoiin.ll'and. Imt we in- 
 (lic-t rl i.t'lie same time that thepio|)osed treaty with 
 regard to New;,,undlaii I did not seem to !«■" uiK)n 
 lines so extensive as woiihl suit the wants and inter 
 ests of Canada, and tliat it might 1m' l«tter to avail 
 ourselves at tiie same time of entering u|Kpn 
 separate negoiiahons on IxOia'f of Canada. (Cheers.) 
 \\<\\. .Sir, that intimation was promptly conveyed tiy 
 Her .Majesty's ( iirveniment to Washington, .I'nd the 
 .•ins wer made hy.Mr. I ilaiue, the .Secretary of thi' I'niteil 
 States on lieh;,lf of his ( Jovernmeiit, was an overture 
 to reciprocity. Now, thes.- i;entlemeii may assert in 
 this oouiitiy tliat it was all moonshine anil humbug 
 aoout .,lr. Blaine's heing willing to entertain our 
 negotiations hut it will he pi-oved t(j you « hen the 
 time comes that, in res|>onse to that, .Mr. IMaiue, 
 \yhat( ver his ^ -u.-Mnents ;uay lie .-uwl J am Umnd for 
 ti.e iiresei't to give him credit for candour— as the 
 negotiations with Xewfoundland W(,u!d not suit tlie 
 Dominion of Caiuula for a trade treaty hetween the.se 
 two coi.ntrie. , he was willing to mak<- a wide treaty 
 for reciprocity joid enter up<.n .s.-paiate iU''(jtiations 
 with her. (Hear, hear.) Th.it sratement Ixing made. 
 We are lioiind to avail ourselves of that to extend our 
 traiie. We have ne\er declared our unwillinguess to 
 trade with them. On the contrary, we are seeking 
 extensions of trade in every direction. 7'he next ' 
 re(|uest from .Mr. JSlaine was'that jireparatory tone- j 
 goti.itious lieiug eutere 1 upon. We would propound a 
 • ■asisnpfin whieh the convention shouM eventually! 
 ■roceed. W e did so in a docuuieiit wlacli has lieeii i 
 published in the juess, ottering to consider the re- 
 newal of a reciprocity treaty of lS.'i4, with such modi- 
 tications as the altereil circiimstancesof the two coun- 
 tries might call for. We .asked him to reconsider the 
 alxirtive treaty of ISS8, which .settled the fishery dis- j 
 pute along with trnde ((ue.stions, and wliich expr'e.s.sed 
 our willininu'ss likewise to enter into trade negotia- 
 tion^ which would settle the Hehring Sea difficulties ! 
 and all (juestions uixin the .Vtlantic coast with i-egard 
 to tisheries, and to continue the coasting and wreck- 
 ing liusines.s as well between the countries. Now, < 
 Sir, a g(KKl deal has been said to the people of Canada ■ 
 .about the insincerity of all this. Jt is state<I that hav- ' 
 ing made that iiroiKjsition to Mr. lilaine without any 
 prospect of its being accpted, without any prospect i 
 of its being eventually entertained. Sir iloiin Mac- j 
 don.ild has sprung the elections iqxm the jieople of j 
 Can.ada under the pretense that he is going to enter i 
 into these negotiations, while in reality the Cabinet I 
 at Washington will have none of it. Let me tell you, i 
 -so far from that being true, we had the pro- 
 (Kjsition that w.as submitted to Mr. lil.Mne : that 
 tlie answer that Mr. Bl.aine made to us wa.s thfit 
 he was willing to enter upon a preliminary discussion 
 to iireceilethe more formal commission; ho w.as will- 
 injjr to enter nixm that discussion and to con.sider all 
 iwints embraced in it. but would not \»' prejiared to 
 do .so until after the 4th of March, when the term of 
 the present Congress expires. In the meantime, .Sir, 
 wha: would our jiosition have been if we hiid not ap- 
 l^ealed to the country, if we had not gone to the people 
 of Canada ? It would have been said that in the very 
 
 taut hotir of the existence of ottr Parliament, we were 
 endeavouring to make a treaty which would entirely 
 
 ' chaiK.'e the liusiness )f the country, and v hen we 
 went to Wiisliington «.. would have U'en coniimra- 
 
 I lively weak in the handsof tlie men with whom we were 
 
 ' negotiating,lM>eausethemen witli whom we we. e nego- 
 tiating would know, that instead of Uing there with the 
 confidence of the country beliind u.s, w.- hiwlto anktlie 
 .assent < f a I'arham. nt w liich liiul already kikmU itx 
 
 > last session U-fore the negotiations had jiractically 
 commenced ( Me.ir, hear, and cheers.) We woiihl 
 have the (Joveriiiiient eiiteriir.; u|)on the mo8tim|Mirt- 
 aiit treatv -'egotiationti without a Parliament Uhiml 
 us, and what we would pro|...,e is that, if you and the 
 lH-op!e of Canada accept the p.ilicy 'hat we put liefore 
 you now, we will g:) f. Wasiiington with the Parlia- 
 ment behinil us, and we will be alih- to treat with .Mr 
 P.l.iine with the assurance that the Premier of this 
 
 i country has the renewed confidence of Canada. (Loud 
 applause.) 
 
 Now, Sir, \\hat iuference was to be dniwn 
 froai that snoech of Sir John Thompson wi;h 
 lolVf'iicn to tho reci|»rocity (uu>«tlou and 
 nef,'ot«xtion.s at Washington ? Did ho not 
 j)lainly stnto that overtures wore had from 
 Mr. Hl.iiiit' ■; Did he not i)l.il:ily state that 
 In iiiu-suancii of tho.se overture.^ th«? (}ov«>ni- 
 nioiit were pi-opo.sinjj to send their oom- 
 mi.>.<sion t.> Wjt.sliiiij,ton ? Did he not plinnly 
 .-tate that the prospects for a reciprocltj- 
 treaty wre .so good that It w.is advLs.nhl'e 
 lor the tiovemmont to dissolve Parhanient, 
 have a new election, and eall a new House 
 I fresh fi-otn the people, so that this treaty 
 that the (Jovernnient hoped to ni'gotiate with 
 Ihe iuithorities at Washington could be laid 
 hef.iro reprasentatives fresh from tho people, 
 and not lioforo a moribund House ? 
 T as.sert that the course of the Government, 
 that tho language of the meniliers of the Uov- 
 erninent, that tho whole of the policy pur- 
 stied by the Oovemnient In regard to this 
 <:nestion was a policy .leslgne<l and calcu- 
 lateil to leod the people of Canada lo lx>lievo 
 tlint they wer(> about to obtain reciprocity, 
 and that the protnises of the Lib.Tal party 
 A^ith regui-d to this matter need not be en- 
 tertainefl. for while the Lil)orals Av<'re tell- 
 hiu' the people that they would secure re- 
 ciprocity sometime in the future, if they 
 came into power, the Government had iv- 
 t il.rocity in their hands, and In order to havo 
 a ncAV I'arli;>.t\ent rcaO.y to sanction tho 
 t;-eaty tlfey were alwiit to make they were 
 hol'liiig a general election. There can be no 
 queslion about that. If the impression pre- 
 vailed in the country, as it assuiMly did, 
 and if this Impression was not well foimded. 
 If the Government were not actually on the 
 liiie of obtaining reciprocity, as the people 
 were told and as they allowed their press 
 and orators to assure the people, then, were 
 the Government not pursuing an invidious 
 and improper course in laying the case lie- 
 fore the people, as Sir .Tohn Thompson did 
 at Toronto, In permitting their organs and 
 orators to talk about obtaining reciprocity 
 and declaring that the m;\tter was safe In 
 their hands, when .all the time the Oovem- 
 ment. although they sent commissioners 
 Washington to submit proposals, knew their 
 
proposals would b« rojected and could rn>t 
 uwlor any rlrciun!*tm;c4»s lie accpptod. nisy 
 know this from Mr. Blaine's letter of SOth 
 January, In whlfh he dlHtlnctly stated that 
 propositions of that character could not for 
 one moment ho entertalntHl by the United 
 States Government. They knew from the 
 whole hlf«or>' of the fact<« slnw 1800, when 
 the reclprooilty treaty In natural pnxlucts 
 was abrogated, that the deolamtlons of the 
 Amorlonnfl on everj' oe<'aiSlon had been that 
 no wK'h treaty wrmld be n'liewtd, that the 
 Unlt«l States agents wo\il<i never enter Into 
 negotiations for reclpi'oclty conflncd to na- 
 tural prf)ducts, Imt would in any event in- 
 sist on the admission into the markets of 
 Canada of some products of their lubiur 
 which they had to sell and could exclinnge 
 with the people of Canada for the prcKlncts 
 of their lal)onr here, namely, tho natursU 
 products. I will l>e able to slmw that tho i 
 Government In tho pursuit of this plan -which j 
 they adopted vlolatel the confidence of the 
 Washingtou Goveniraent, that they made 
 known the fact and had It talked alK)ut that 
 reciprocity negotiation.^ were In pixigros-s, 
 when It viTis distinctly understood, and an 
 explicit ple<lge h:id been exa(ti><l by ]Mr. Hlaiue 
 that all the proceiMlings should 1m» ronsidere<l 
 private and secret, and that n(>gotia- 
 tlons should not l>e known or allud«l 
 to until the preliminary negotiations or 
 conferences or talks had t:\ken pl.ace between 
 the commi.^sionei's or agents from Canada 
 with members of tho Washington Ad- 
 miuistratlou, and it had been decided Av'ietlier 
 there was any possibility of effecting a treaty 
 or whether It had been de)nonstrate<l that the 
 negotiations would be fruitless. Did the Do- 
 minion Govermnent observe that pledge ? I 
 have here a letter from SecretaiT Blaino 
 to Sir Jtilian I'aimcefote bearing on This 
 matter. It will be found in the St'sslonal 
 Papers f)f 1801, volume 24. No. MS, page St."!. 
 Mr. Blaine in that commimication to Sir 
 Julian Pauncefote, dated 1st April, says : 
 
 DEPARTMICNT OK ST.vrE, W.\shin<:tos, 
 
 April 1st, 189). 
 'Mr De.\r Sik .Tui,i.\n,— I duly received the note 
 which yo)i did me the lioiumr ti) oddrea.s to me on the 
 20th of March. I regret that for many reasons I have 
 been vmable to make an earliei' res])onse. 
 
 For convenience sake I here quote tlie substantial 
 jiart of youi' note. 
 
 The quotation appears here. 
 
 A copy of the basis of negotiation which you placed 
 in my hands tpn the 22nd of Decemlier last is appended 
 hereto. 
 
 You told rae, if my memory is not in error, that 
 you were instructed by Lord Salisbury to proixjse the 
 topics to the United States for discussion, and, if pos- 
 siljle, for agreement. 
 
 I answered that I felt sure that the President 
 would be unwilling to apjKiint a commission to consider 
 the propositions as they were stated, and, further- 
 more, that I siiuuid be unwilling tu submit tiieui to 
 the President. 
 
 After some further conversation, in which you re- 
 pealled that the pro(X)sitions were merely the basis 
 uix)n which a discussion might be instituted, I replied 
 
 that in any event I had not a moment to give to the 
 subject until after tlie adjournno-nt of Congn-H in 
 .March, but that after that date I woidd l>e wdling to 
 resiMind to yiiiir r«pii-Ht "to have a full but private 
 conference with the liritish Minister and one <»■ more 
 agents from Canada, and go over every liointof iliffer- 
 ence, and consider every subject u|ion wliicli a mutiml 
 int**n'st could 1m* foiitidf'd. 
 
 " If an agreement is reiu'lied, all well ; if not, no offi- 
 cial mention is to 1* iiimle of the effort. 
 
 ".')lM>veall things, it is im|x)rtant to avoid {mblic 
 reference to the matter. 
 
 "This the I'resiilent will insist ui>on " 
 
 Wliile no notes were excliunged l)eiween us I care- 
 fiillv minu'ed my moditication of the j-aper you left 
 with Jiie c( ntaining Lord Salislmry's pioi>osition, and 
 (lid so inin ediately after you left the department. You 
 will obserke the )iri\ ate character wliieli I wished to 
 impart to the coufereiite is recognized by you amonth 
 later in your note of 27th .laiiuarv, when you called 
 the corris|M)ii(Ieiice "confidential. 
 
 In view of the fact tliat you had come to the .State 
 
 Departii.ent with the proiKisals, and that the subject 
 
 i was then for the first time mentioned Ix'tween us 
 
 Not a proposition from Mr. Blaine, but Sir 
 Julian Patmc<^fote had come to the State 
 De])artment with the iroposal. and the sub- 
 ject was then for the first time nienitioned 
 i)etweeii them. 
 
 — and in view of the further fact that I agreed to a 
 private conference as explained in my minute. I con- 
 fess th.at it was ,a surprise to me when sexeral weeks 
 later during tlie Canadian canvass. Sir .folm Mac- 
 donald and Sir Charles Topper, Ixith stated In-fore 
 
 ' public asseml)lages that an informal discussion of a 
 reciprocity treaty woul<' take place at Washington 
 after the 4tli of March, by the initiation of tlie 
 Secretarv of State. 
 
 1 detail these facts beoinse I deem it important, 
 since the matter lias l)een for .sfmie " 'eks open to 
 jiublic remark, to liave it settled tliat the conference 
 was not " initiated " liy nie, but on the eoiitniry tiiat 
 the i>rivate i:'Tangement of which I sjnike was Imt a 
 moditication of your propisal and in no sen->- an 
 original suggestion from thetiovernmentof thel'iiitetl 
 .States. 
 
 With this explanation it only remains for me to s.ay 
 
 ; that gentlemen reiiresenting the Dominion of Canada 
 
 ' and pro]H>sing to discuss the commercial relations of 
 the two countries may \m- assured of a courteous and 
 
 ; cordial reception in Washington by the Uoveniment 
 of the United States. 
 
 There Ls the statement of Mr. Blaine, a 
 most explicit statement, and a most 
 damaging statement to the CanacUan 
 Oovomiuent, if that statement L^ 
 true. Is there any c-onfinnation of that 
 statement ? Let us see if there is any men 
 tion made of the stajtement by any of the 
 parties Interested. Sir Ch.arles Tupper, Mr. 
 Foster, Mr. Bowed and Sir John Thompson 
 •wont to Washington, and this letter fmm 
 the Secretary of Steite of the United States 
 to Sir Julian Pauncefote was laid TWore Sir 
 Charles Tupper. And what did Sir Charles 
 say about It ? In his communication to Sir 
 John Macdonald. 21st April, 1891, Sessional 
 Papers, 1891, volume 24, No. 38, page 07, he 
 says . 
 
 I told Mr. Blaine in reference to these charges, that 
 I wished at the outset to recognize the accuracy of the 
 statements contained in his letter to Sir JuUan Paunce- 
 
f«)te, which I hkcl i«nt in rpference to the initifttion 
 of the iieKcitiation* nyanlintf tht! recipr<«ity arratiKe- 
 nu'titM lietWffti the two coiiiitrien. 
 
 ^at Is what Sii- Chnrles Tiipper told the 
 Hon. Mr. BLUne : That ho wished to recoR- 
 nize and acktiowlodgo the acoinu-y of this 
 Htnteint'nt made in Mr. Blaine's letter to Sir i 
 Julian Paiincefote. That was simply an 
 acl<nowled>;aient on the part of Sir Cliaries 
 Tupper, ^hat he and that Sir Jolin .Ma<<!onald 
 and tliat every party hitereste*! in tliat netfo- 
 tiitlon on behalf of Caaida. had Ix'en jniUty 
 of duplieitj-, had been gnilty of a 
 breach of contidenoB In piaeinir tlicse 
 f.uts iKvforo the people of Canada, con- 
 trary to their expressed ple<i.'es, and 
 iontrary to the aminjfementa made witli 
 Sei>retary Blame ; and hi acMiiion to that, 
 tliey liad made false representations, becaiuse 
 they had sUifed tliat the negotlatloas were 
 initiated by the ^Va8ll.intfton autlioritics, xvhon 
 the express declaration of Mr. Blaine. wlU^h 
 was .sanctioned and confli-med by Sir Charles 
 Tupp-r, was : That these negotlaUons had 
 been initiated by Sir Julian Paiincefote, and 
 tlmt for the first Ume they had boen re- 
 ferred to, when he called upon Mr. Blaine 
 in refcrenco to thi> matter. 
 
 Now, lot us see, Mr. Spealvor, whetlier there 
 Is any other evideiiee upon this point. I have 
 lieru a :Mimite of Coiuicil. pass<Hl on 18th 
 DeeemJvr, 1890. wliicli will be found in Ses- 
 sional Papers for 1891, vol. 24, No. 38, pajre 
 
 i-O > 
 
 tho frr.> adini«ttm of Can«.li»n ««hery producti. into 
 
 ^ hemarl<et«Mf tl... r„it„l State* in exchange {^ 
 
 [ facilities for (nit.Hl StateH fisheniien to iHirchai.. bait 
 
 am »iip|, i,H, and traiishi|. cartfm' . i.i Can«<ia .^11 
 
 «..cli privileK... to be iin.tual. ^»na<la. /. 11 
 
 3. Tlie |«otection of the mackerel and other fi»h- 
 er.e» on the Atlantic «>ceai. and on the inland watenu 
 
 ^. I he relaxation of tiie co*«ting Uwh of both conn- 
 triehon thenealKMrnl. vii««iu 
 
 5. The relaxation of the cxtuifmg lawn of both wmn- 
 tries on inland waters U-twe.tn the United SUU* and 
 L/unncia. 
 ^H. The mutual halvage and navingr of wreckcxl ves- 
 
 :. Arrantfements for the delimitation of boundary 
 Ix'tween Alu-.ka and Canarla. 
 
 Such treaty to 1h.. of course. u,l refernidmii. 
 U-v <^"'"""".*" "'sptctfully submit thi« minute for 
 Ills hxci-Uency n sanction. 
 
 {%d.) JOHN J. MeOKK. 
 
 T,. .h„ \i ui Cl:rk, Privy Council. 
 
 to the Hfmourable 
 
 The .Minister of Marine and Fisheries. 
 
 IlEPoKTuf .a Comniittee of the Hoiiouralile tlie Privy 
 Council, approved by Hi.s Kxcellency the Gover- 
 1«!W '""*"'' Council, on the l«th December, 
 
 ». 'l'''!' Coiiiniitteo of tlie Privy Cuncil having learne-l 
 that the Ifoiiourable the Secretary of State for the 
 Lnited States, h;!.l expressed to H*er .Maj.stys Min- 
 ister at \\asliinKton, his readiness to negr)tii'ito for a 
 reciprocity treaty on a wide basis, and particularly 
 for the protection of the mackerel fisheries, and foV 
 the hshirus on inland waters, and had sulw,- 
 cmently stated to Her M,.jfsty-s Minister his great 
 desire to conclude .a reciprocity treaty, they desire to 
 take the op.s.rtumty afforded by these intimations 
 fn>m Mr. blame of suggesting tlie expediency of t.ak- 
 ing early ste|>s toadjust the various matters that have 
 arisen pnd now exist affecting the relations of Caniula 
 with the Unitwl States, or rather the relations lie- 
 tween the (Toveriinient of the United States and that 
 ot the Lfnited Kingdom on questi.Kis affecting Canada 
 
 the most obvious means of caiTying tliis object in- 
 to effect, would Ije the apiH,intment oi a Joint Com- 
 mission as in 1S71. 
 
 The Committee of Council desire to siig"-est that 
 such commission siiould b.- autiiorized to rleal with all 
 such questions without limitation jw to range of dis 
 cussion, and to prepare a treaty or convntion as to 
 such of those matters as tiiey may come to an agi-ee- 
 ment iijion. 
 
 Tlj^i!""'^'''*' *"^J'*'^* f""" discussion would appear i 
 
 1. The renewal of the Reciprocity Treaty of 1&j4 '• 
 subject to such modifications as the altered circum' ' 
 sUnces of both countH.-. require, ami to .such oxtcu- - 
 sions as tlie commission may deem to be in the in- 
 terest of the United States and Canada. 
 ;„„.?* ';rcon8ideration of the treaty of 1888 respect- 
 ing the Atlantic fishenes, w.th the view of effecting 
 
 Sir, here is a formal Minute, wldch repeats 
 the assertion which Mr. Blahie deidcs, namely, 
 that the Washington authorities had stated 
 to Tier Majesty's >Unister their preat desire 
 to conclude a reMproeity treaty with Canjida. 
 while the trutli was, that Sir Julian Paunce- 
 fote, under the direction of his (Jovemment 
 prompted by represtmtiitlons from Ottawa* 
 had himself jjoue to (h' Hon. .1. G. Blaine 
 and h.-id hUtlated the proceedings, by pro- 
 posing to opon negotiations for reciprocity, 
 and Mr. Pdaino liad told him tlien and there 
 that it was useless to .submit a proposal for 
 V^iPr^V^ ^'■*^"'y ^'u ^hc basis of the treaty 
 of lSi>4, tliat, in fact, he would not submit 
 such a proposal to the Ppeeident at all, but 
 that a private conference coidd be held to 
 see if some common basis for aiuTeenient as 
 to llioir views might b(. arrived at ; and that 
 .statement made by Mr. Blaine, which is 
 directly contrary to the affirmation of this 
 Minute in Council and to the statement made 
 i»y th(« .Ministers upon tlie hnstln^rs. was 
 afterwards continued by Sir Charles Tupper 
 at Washington. WTion the letter of Mr 
 Blaine to Sir Julian Pauncefote was brought 
 to his notice, he acknowledge*! that the 
 st.itements of Mr. Blaine were true, and that 
 he had been guilty of a breacli of confidence 
 and that Sir John Mactlonald. as well, had 
 been guilty of nuikhig statements which were 
 not warninted by the facts. Now, Sir I 
 come to the consideration of statements made 
 by the ilinlster of Finance. On the 11th 
 December, 1892, the Miidster of Finance 
 granted to a newspaper (tlie "Empire") re- 
 porter an Interview with reference to the 
 Me.ssiige of the President of the United 
 suites, and in that interview the Minister of 
 Finance made this statement : 
 
 I need not say that it causes surprise and regret- 
 surprise at the nature of .someof the statements made 
 and regret at the unfriemllv tone ad-Dt-d »r."ard" 
 Canada. The statement that Canada Was only pre - 
 l.ared o offer to the United States the admisjion^f 
 natural prmlucts ,s not full eno.igh to conveyTa^ 
 curate idea of what took place. The Canadian renre- 
 sertatu-es asked those of the United States if t^y 
 
wiT«> fin-jNirwl to c«iimiil«r an HmHi«<"iiient on the 
 Inmih of fret- •dmiiiHii n of the natural iinoluotN of tiotli 
 countries, m In th« tn^aty of IHM, with niuh enlarge 
 immtH and modifications lut the <-hanfred conditionM of 
 the two countries iiiade neceiwary. The reply waM a 
 neK*''**"- With a view, then to ch-ar the l^oiuuI for 
 arranKeincnt wider than that, if nuph could h«< done, 
 Mr. Blaine was a;tked aa to certain conditions f)f a 
 |Mmi«i)>ly wi«ler HmtM^enient, auiouK otherd, whether 
 the Unit«^ Stat<-H would inHint u|Hin a uniform tariff 
 and would demand ^)referentinl treatment in our 
 iiiarketn as a^aiuHt U.'itiHh ami foreign ifiaNN. The 
 aUHwer was tnat a tiniforni tariff woulil U- n>Ke»Har>' 
 and that, too, on the line of theprewnt I'niteil Staten 
 tariff, and that the I'niteil StateH could admit of no 
 arranifenients wliioh did not (five I'nited States (fiKifls 
 favour»Hl treatment an aj^iiuMt foreijjn (JinmIm, eM|)ecial- 
 ly tlioxe of (treat ISritiiin, who wan their chief comi*- 
 titor. To theHe pro'KiHitioni* the Canadian repreHenta- 
 tiven d«>clined to aifree. The coiifereni'e then bi-oke 
 off HO far an r»'(far<le<l the coiioideration of the com- 
 mercial quiftion. What the conference plainly de- 
 velo|ied waH thai the f^'anadian (ioveinuient consid- 
 ertd the practical surrender of its fiscal |)owers and 
 absolute discrimination a({ainst (ireat Britain, with 
 all that this involved, as too hi^di a price to pay for 
 any luUantai^e which might accriie from a i>o«silile 
 treaty. 
 
 Hero is a distinct assertion niaiio by the Min- 
 ister of Fiuiinw. tliiit till' llnltotl Stiitcs ,iu- 
 tlinrities required as a preliminary, as a condi- 
 tion to a reciprocity treaty, a uniform tarilf, 
 and that, too, on tht* lines of tiie present Uniied 
 States tarlir. Tliat was the assertion made 
 by tlie Minister of I'lnanee in tJds Interview 
 on lltli December. Now, tliis Interview was 
 lircuKlit to the attention of Secretary of State 
 Foster at Wasldn^on on tlie foliowing day, 
 and lio reviews ali the points taken up In the* 
 interview. I shiUl only refer to those matters 
 relatuif? to reciprixity. In lilA revi(!W witli 
 reference to the reciprocity negotiations, Sec- 
 ivtary Footer of Wasliington says : 
 
 l)uriiij?the recipnK-ity conference of List winter, 
 Mr. Blaine did not insist tii it in a reciprocity :irraiit?e- 
 nient a uniform tariff would lie necessary for Initli 
 Canada and the United States, nor much less, that it 
 should Ik' on the lines of the present I'nited States 
 tariff. Ho did ask that the schedule should not Iw 
 contiiied to natural protlucts, hut should include an 
 afH'eed list [not an unliiuited list, hut an agieed listj 
 of iiianufactuo'd giHxIs, and that the reciprocity 
 should 1m> confined to Canada and the United States : 
 and Uicause of these two conditions the negotiations 
 were fruitless. 
 
 Now, here is a direct issue between the Jlin- 
 Ister and the Secretary. If Si'cretary Foster 
 of the United States is rlglit. Minister Foster 
 of Canada Is wrong ; if .Minister Foster of 
 Canada Is right, Secretarj' Foster of the 
 United States is wrong ; one or the other is 
 mistaiien. There may be an intentional 
 misrepresentation ; there may be merely a 
 misvmderotanding. I think I will be abh; to 
 show that the probability is that there is 
 merely a mlsimderstanding. The difference 
 is an imfortunate one. It is greatly to be 
 regrettwl that some record of the proceed- 
 ings of that conference, attested by both 
 parties, was not published. Then there could 
 have been no question of fact or veracity, 
 and no doubt as to the truthfulness of the 
 
 reconf. There is one thing, perhaps, that 
 might milltiite against Secretary Foster of the 
 United States, In the estimation of my lion, 
 friend the Minister of Financa St^iretary 
 Foster Is a rresbyteriaii eltler, and I believe 
 the .MlnUt'-r of Fhunce is not. and lia>« a 
 great <llsl!ke to them, rids fact may, in tho 
 estimation of tho Minister of I'lnanee, make 
 Secrotar>* Foster an imtnistworthy witness. 
 \o\v, Mr. Speaker, 1 jiropose to 
 make an extract frrmi thi' correspond- 
 ence i)uldlslied and laid on the Table 
 of this House on the 7th day of Maivli 
 —the ofticiaJ statement of tlie C'anndlan (lov- 
 emnient relating to the negoti.itloas which 
 t(K)k pla^e at Washington with reference to 
 rtH'iproi'it.v ; and I think I will be alile to 
 establish that the dllTerence In regard to a 
 uniform tariff on the lln.-s of the rnlti\l 
 States taritV arose very nattiraliy, and was 
 probably simply a misunderstanding, anid 
 nothing more. This report says : 
 
 .Mr. Foster went on to say that a thinl nuestion 
 an>se at this jKtint which was in its way not li-ss im- 
 ]Kirtaiit than the two alri'afjy discusscl ; namely, 
 granted that discrimination in favour of T'nited 
 .States' manufactures in the vjiiiatlian market was 
 necessary, how should the standard of discrimination 
 l>e fixcil, and uh.'it should Im' i'sdcjjn'e? Would the 
 Canadian tariff have to 1h' raised to an equality with 
 that of the United States tariff ui"in these articles, 
 or would the present ( 'an:vdian tariff iw .iccepted as 
 sutHcicnt, or would Canada be at liberty to fix the 
 rate as and when she pleased, provided that the prin- 
 ciple of discrimination were always luaiiitainedV He 
 took the items of w<M)llens and wool, and illustrated 
 tlie alxive (Hiiiit by a comparison of tariffs on these in 
 the two couiitri's. 
 
 Mr. BUiiii-.' said that this was a vita! l«)int ; that 
 under the existing tariffs on wnils and wiMillens in the 
 two countries, a reciiirocity such as lie (Mr. Foste,-) 
 contemplated would result in manifest disadvantage 
 to the United .States, whose ]>olicy w.as one of large 
 protection on wimiIs as well as wtKillens. I'nless such 
 IKiints were guarded there would lie noseciiiity on the 
 one li.ind from siiiiig|.<ling along a UirdiT line of over 
 S.fKH) miles in length, or on the other of maintaining 
 the present jKilicy of the I^'iiited States. This could, 
 in his opinion fmly be done by making the tariff uni- 
 form for bith countriPM, and eipializing the Canadian 
 with chat of the United States. 
 
 Now, tho mistake which the Minister of 
 Finance has fallen into In connection with 
 this matter is probably this : Mr. Blaine as- 
 serted that it would be necessary, with re- 
 ference to wool and woollens, to make the 
 tariff of the two coimtries uniform, and M". 
 Foster accepted that a.ss<'rtion a.s .-ipplying 
 to the entire tJiriff system of fiotli coxmtiles. 
 Now, why should Mr. Blaine raise this point 
 as to the necessity of having a miiform tariff 
 on wool and woollens ? It is very manifest, 
 'flic United States has a duty on wool of 10 
 cents a pound, while Canada admits wool 
 free. If the woollen manufacturers of these 
 two coimtries imder a reciprocity treaty were 
 to pass interchangeably free of duty, it is 
 evident that the Canadian manufacturer 
 would have a vast advantage. He would be 
 placing in the market of the United States 
 goods made from free wool, while the Amerl- 
 
£r..L^ _J'L'" '° "*® niarkota of the two 
 wim'a'".,rv"' f^:?" "'^^ "^™ woolZrS 
 
 lo=."7oTa7e a^^K tl^WnS 
 You could n<uhnT?ei,2^rv Tn VT'""". 
 
 ^ ,,'■^„^■t•„r;^s.rc,;;.;■".s 
 Es■»H:r''-''--'™w 
 tie tho ,llfflri,lt.v. and rooonoDo thV ,li f "onro I 
 havocs '^^^t/ATh''""'^''- «^ -1" Slv' 
 
 ference to a unlfonn^^Hff.'l'h.ch'Tn,' rT 
 
 toi^Hn"^' ^Z""- ^''f'-'"^*^'-- I fJcsiro to call at- 
 Mr. Blaine in the hands of the President 
 with regard to these reciprocity nogoHa ion, 
 
 "u iius case. I will now read Mr lltnino-o 
 
 ^ ^'\o^yi»^<'epartment on a matter concern 
 tag which he ought to be thoroughU- inform 
 bv fLV '*"'''*"« ^^♦^'' the spe^h deliv«rS 
 by the hon. gentleman at Petrolea on fha 1 
 
 ;nhii?"i:^t'7h''^;; "•^^'•^- «p-i "? o5r' 
 
 Sowing' lanXe^!!- ^^""^"""^ ^^^ ^he 
 
 was «o\-n^-^, l^*^. '^ "'•>.' ?237,OOO.0OO, in 1801 it 
 w^: Afa^VTi^'f,"'* ■" TV- «'*«*23<!,OO(i.0OO How . 
 H.l.t"; f H n '• - "P ^^" ''*■''''• '•'or tour years the i 
 
 \n^V* "^* ^1"^ th^ assertion of the Finance 
 Minister, made on the 7th Septembe. W^at 
 
 iheVniL' Ti::'*'^ ""'"^'^ Accordimr to 
 
 thp%i.f 1 • *"",'• "»P monthly return made 
 the 31it August, Juat Peven days befo-^ he 
 
 l*'4ia^rLi^ "^*."[!'°""t'Xl on that day to 
 a? r;S?. ,.ff *.h"'*' ^°- «^"Ueman >tateS 
 
 pan:L;S'L^r^--£K 
 su.f s.,«,srs"er^^^^^^^^ 
 
 r?he Zr^e^'thi:;""' ''''"' ™«^ b^someUdng 
 
 ri^sTiSS"^ ^^ dlplon^tl^^SSnc'el 
 nffl r'.7'''.T *" ''"" attention to Mr. Blaine's 
 
 ai.fl was antifipatH, I thinlc jX l,im Ln-1 K ""*' 
 iithrr fli/.i. ,.>,»(.. I t i-""""iK, oy niin ana by every 
 s ip,.f ^ '^•'' '^^'''••'can who had conaidered th^ 
 
 rr s iU:tas'„rr'T f '• '"■sit "" 
 
 t he Canadmn Government, in view of its p^it .m.H 
 oCntri^s'^lr^'i^r"""'" '"*■• '^"^'^ "f "'h^" 
 
 Kmpirrth.fdid^rtta; ir^'m-irt t^or'^a 
 
 dud'd. "^ «■•-' Britain and its eoIonJeTshould'T ev 
 It is not for this Governmenc to anrue against fK?. 
 
 Se-reTSLoL^^-lTirinfS'th^^^^^^^^^^ 
 ^^y^'^rtire-;*; P-a^^ a^il".J^ - It J^T inl: 
 
 Domi^iot'""'"'* ""'""■" *»•« United Statfs and the 
 And Mr. Blaine, In his communication, says : 
 
 This Ua-that is, the fact that there was recinro 
 
10 
 
 forwarded by it to the British Goverr^nu-nt against The «,mjn.««one^-H ^^^^^^^ 
 
 the raUh^at-L of th.action of the - <.n>al .n.n.j.tHr » /^^ Un.^d i^^^^t^njoul ^ „,anuf.vtur«l g<x. « 
 
 of Newfoundland, and th.« ^v ■« f.jU,^ 1. ^ )- ^c ml-.^^ 1 tjatu.en^.^^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ .^ i,.tr.Kl«ctu,n u.to Oana.* 
 
 of theUnitod States on tlu ir intr.Kl«ctu... into Oana. la 
 bv virtue of a recipixK^.ty treaty, or whe.her it would 
 r^^Jrd the Canmlian (lovmnnont a« at liberty t.> 
 ^ten 1 tlie same favours to th.. manuf.ictured goods of 
 Xr countries not parties to th. treaty on the.r nitro- 
 
 For the opening of forn.ai negotiati.ms in this copy | '»H;;;|;;';.:",*" ^j'v^'.Tlhe.n v';.h that it was the desire ...• 
 for a tre.-.ty einhnvc-inp conunercial ^'l'^'^; > /, ^ ; ^be ;, ' nnient of tlie Unit...! Stat.s to make a 
 Cana<la, the «'.h..ios. aiid -.tWr ""-;"''»- ^....Uy cnvenrion whul. w..dd ^'•■::^<:^--Z^'-^ 
 
 wtounaianii, aim <-'"," r"." •■■: , ' -.- i 
 
 18W by a proixisition initiated and made to nit by 
 the British Minister in WashmgUm,- 
 
 Not a pi-oDosition Initiated by Mr. Blaine : 
 
 wTtirthe DcaninVon (loveinment. 1 .Ic^lined to .-p.-n 
 ronnal«e^otiati..ns, but stated that I W^^^^^ 
 
 to have a full and ..nvate '=""f';'* 'V'^V- . 1 v ai c'nv 
 Minister and one or mure agents of C aiiad.v, am to 
 sider with them every subject connect... wi . .- 
 relations of the two countn.'s uih.u which a mutual 
 ntfres c.?uld W f.mn.le,!, with a vj-'W t..t.,rma nego^ 
 tuitions should the prop..-e.l '^""f':"'"';'', j ^^.^^^ jj' 
 probability of agr.-einent on any of th.^ snbj€..cts .lis 
 
 ; cl,^^ V c nV;nt cm whi.h w.ml.l b.. ..xc usive in itH 
 ap. ie"t 'nu.the r.ul. <1 State, ami Canada an. that 
 otl'ier c.untries wiiicli ar- i...t parties t.. it sh.ml.l not 
 enjov gratuitously the fav.,urs winch the -•., neigh, 
 "unng countries might i-e.ipr<K«llv ...nc'.le t.. each 
 ',tli'rf..r valuable considerati..ns and at a large sacnhce 
 of their res|*'.tive revenues. 
 
 r K, recvning this reply, the Canivlian con.m.s- 
 si,I,.Lask...ltl,aUhefui.lH.rc,ms,,h.nvt....y.fUu.^ml^ 
 
 iisKe.ni.aii.iic mill'' ' ^ •■ .,..ui„ 
 
 tv of agr.-einent on aii.> >" >••■ "■•.■■j'";, "^ i • ,.^ i... .,,ii,iurned till an.it her coiif Tcuce, to enaiue 
 cusse.l. 4is ba^is was a..cept..l by J'';; ' '^^^-^.M- ^ ! -\. \; ' Zult as to the curse whicli they w..uld 
 ster and the D..minior Covernmeiit, but foi v. nous , tie foregoing d.^'Iaratuin. 
 
 Reason, of i.mvenience t. thememb..rs -f * '^, I'l-"!--'' | '«' l'\ " ^ ,;,.!,„.,, „f tlu- Uth the C.n.duin c..inm.8- 
 Srence it .li.l not tak,. place until 10th Vebn ary , ^k - n^.;,,^^,^,,,, ha.l given careful consideration 
 
 wl-.en the British .Mn.ist,.i pr. ^ente.l to "_»■. J^* t ■ De «J^' ^ .,,, t^,,,, that manufa<tun..l g..o<ls f^"^Mhe 
 
 ni.rtment of State, Sir .I.ihn lh.mips..ii, Minister ot ^o i i , 't.« schedul.'s ..f articles for exchange n a 
 
 SS?Hon. Cie.,;-t,'e K. »'-'<fr >lV'""7r , toi'n ai ec n^ t" ct- vt'It^m. and t.. th.-lesire expresse.l L.y 
 and H.m. Mackenzie Bowcdl,Min.s.T..f C.usto us as I recM.,H^iy^^^^ ^,^^ ^.^^.^^^^ ^ t, t such 
 
 c."mmissioner8 on the 1«^" "f the ( ..vernniei . l^^^^ „,^ ^,„.^ intro.huti.m nto Canada 
 
 Dominion of Cana<la, to participate w ith liun m th. Aim. k^^^_ acconled preferential treatm.-nt over similar 
 
 -t'Z^ inference, on 10th V^^^^^^Z '^l:^::!^::^ ^^^^'^^'^'^^ '* 
 missioner sUted that they were "^"^ ',^'»;'. .^^f ^'^ I ^i ,X to meet tli^^ t'"- f^T'Tl 
 
 Canadian Government to I'''"I'!''\-' »'" '^ ""^"".''Vn J jn i t''*-"" respects In the first 
 
 reciprocity treaty of 1H54 (vvhich ^^'^-^ ^^"''"^'^ft'^ i ',.,'<^eU-"y ™c..untere.i a serious obs 
 1«,«[ by (he act^ion of the C<'ns,'re««.^ ' « J.^' f , if;;-,^. ey ^^ ^^^^^ ,,„,i,,.rable .list of n.anufacUu;ed 
 States), with such "^xlihcat^ons a d ^^en^un s as t^^ 
 
 aftered' circumstances of lx,th countries aii.l their res- 
 pective interests miglit seem to re<iuue. 
 
 I liave often been curioiLs to know what 
 was meant by this exiensio.i ;''»;' "i"<}i^.^;{7^' 
 of tlie rmprocity treaty of 1S>4. I did e\- 
 pect at tinios that the (Jovevu.uent would 
 claim they meant that they NV.-re willing to 
 
 of revenue. 1 f any considerable Is of »""/ '^^ ^''^^ 
 .roo.ts«f theluited Stat.s s ...ul.l h.- a.liu tci tree 
 bito Canada, it would .ntail a material los. t. the 
 dini..n Tt;-asurv, an.l if th.>same f^-'"^-;;;;,^", 
 wise extended to the merchan.lise of ..ther ' "^"^8 
 the loss of revenue w.ml.l In- mu.li greater. I h<-y felt 
 t at liey wouW n,.t b.. able to re.oup these l.sses by 
 ot er metli.Kls ..f taxati.m. In the second plivce. it 
 seeme Ito b.. hnisissible f..r th.- ( 'anaduin U..vernnient. 
 tZt li Its ,.r 'sent .«>>it,ca, i.lati.ms.ndoljhg^^^ 
 
 Claim they meant that they Nvre wmin;,' ^-^ i "' view .. its preseiM^^^ 
 
 a^t?on I do not think th.it I ever heard i ..f the I 
 the assertion made; bill .'xpwti>d at times 
 
 thrt it x^ould l>e made, as the lunbf^nity of , 
 tlie languaije left room for doubt. Mr. ( 
 Blaine tlu-ows li^iht on tl>'> -ub.i><-t. Hi^ 
 seems to have been troubled also Mith a 
 Uttle curiosity on tne subject, and he siiys : 
 
 In answer to an inquiry, the c^mimissioners st.at.<l 
 that the moditioati.ms or extensions c.mteniphiteil in 
 rhe schedules of articles shoul-l be cmhned to iiatura 
 products and should not embrace manufactured 
 articles. 
 
 So that settles our Fhiance Minister's mean- 
 ing on tluvt point : 
 
 The conimissi.)ners were informed that the (loverii- 
 tnent of the United States woul.l n.it lie pr.'l.ar.'.l t.) 
 renew the treaty »t l.s.-)4 nor to agree ui"m any c.mi- 
 mercialrecil.rocitv which shoul.l b,.c<mtiiie,l to natural 
 
 nercialreciprocity wiv.chsiioui.io.-con M.,-.iu..M..v --^ „.;-+i.ii nvdnrocitv 
 
 roducts alone ; .an.l tlu.t, in view of the great deve- of partial riKipiOiuy 
 iroflucts aione .V , , i:„;fp, stat.s mmuI to tllO commissi 
 
 couinrie». ^vo V'.*....--- , - » 
 of VheBritish Empire, they did not consider it (Oin- 
 Vete. t f." tlie Dominion Cover.iment to enti-r into 
 nv c.m ne cial arrang-mumt with th.- United States, 
 fnmi tl.r lienefits of which Great Britain and its 
 clrKmies sh.mld Ik- txclu.led. . , 
 
 T lie anu.mncenient of these condusi.ms of the 
 Ciiiuiian cm.niissi.mers was accepte.l as a bar to 
 furti e m'gotiations on this subj.-ct. and 't was ""t 
 a^ii^discus.'e.l. exc.-pt in c iinection with the hsliing 
 privileges .m the Atlantic coast. 
 
 Now, Mr. Speaker, it i« ^^^fl^"* fj*°i5„.S'J' 
 I a.Ktiments I have presentetl t^ t *. "onse 
 
 ' i-mauatinK from -Uueriean J'"^^;" '! * "■ /I'f.'! 
 the general assimilatien ot tbo tan Es ot the 
 two countries was not proposed, that it w.a^ 
 not deemed necessarrr. It is fmther evidont 
 fr ni ties., docutnents that the Anieiican 
 ' V, horities at Wa.shington were prepanxl to 
 ' ; r up^ reciprocity neirotiations. not upon 
 l^'LXof um-estrU'ted. but "I-n the basis 
 ill LT.xxls. Mr. Blame 
 
 loinm-nt of industii.d interests of the I rite. 1 Mat. 
 _„,) nf tt.» chanmnl cm.liti.ms of the commercial rela- 
 tions of he two cmntries since the treaty .)t ]m4 wa^ 
 neirotiated, it was rega-ded of essential imiKirtaiice that 
 a list of manufactured g.Hids shouUl be includ...! in the 
 schedules of articles for free or favoured exchange m 
 any reciprocity arrangement which might be made. 
 
 saitl to tlu- cmiml^ioners. acc.irdin- to hh^ 
 own stateuu'nt and a'^ordmi,' to the stite- 
 meiiit ot SiHJivtary Fo..ler, ihat 'f ^''^, "'™ 
 nro'lncls of Canada were to be admitted free 
 hlto the '""rkets of .he United States, th-- 
 Unit.Ml Slates wonld require from Canad.i 
 
11 
 
 tbe concession of oonvRpondlnR priTllejfcs, 
 tliMt they would require fn.in Cntiaila the 
 adinission into the i;!Uia<llari iniirkcts. not 
 of an luilimitwl varictj- of the niiuiufactiircs 
 of the UnltiMl States, hut a list of lunnn- 
 faoturcMl jroods to ho asjTe*"*! upon, an-l ho 
 iuvitwl a proposal from the Caundian iciu 
 missiono«N as lo whnt list of Tnaiiul'acture<l 
 j;o(m1s they would Ik? williny to coiicc*!!-. He 
 invited their proposals iniiiuatins; that ho 
 w:is nsiily to treat. He <1id not lay downi the 
 ulrhnntuni ; he did not say : We mast have 
 admitted into the Canidian iii:irkets all th ■ 
 niainifaottiied articles of the I'liited Stitos. 
 He invited them to make proposnls, aii<l saM 
 it wotild 1)e iieerssary to liave a list of maim- 
 f'U'tured ffiHxls, Are., from ivll we can p-ather 
 from t!ie lam.ni;i«e of Mr. Blaine that list 
 mijiht have been an extensive one or it iiil<?ht 
 ho a restrictwl one. I lielieve it was pd.s- 
 siUlo for the commissioners <if C.inida t.) 
 have securc<l a treaty at that time by the 
 sujr-.jc'stion of a list of inantifactur(>d troods. 
 little, if any )iior(> exteiisi\e, than the list 
 eml)rao4><l in the Bnnvn draft treaty. Ami 
 I repeat that they iiik'ht have 8iig:ie-;ted a 
 lisit of i;oo<ls to he adiuitte<l free fi-otn the 
 United Statt>8 which cotild have receixed pre- 
 foreiitial treatment in the markets of tJanada 
 willKuit Kreat injury to Kritii l> tnide in this 
 eoimtrj-. We import a ,i;re;it variety of articles 
 from th(- Ignited States ;ilmost exclusively. 
 We lni{)ort eoal f)il, barbed wir(>. agricul- 
 tnirnl implements, locomotives, ears, steam 
 threshers, axes. spades and a sreai 
 variety of tools an.l (,ther manufaetury. 
 and we amid have .suj.'a:e.st<?il at 
 extensive list of manufacture*! goods. If the 
 commis.sioners had acte<l upon the sui,'s;estion 
 and invitation of Mr. Bl.aine and hail pro- 
 posed that list to him for his eonsideratioti. 
 we coukl then lia\e known whether we could 
 ha\-e obtained a reciprocity tre.'iity on terms 
 admissible or favourable to tliis "country or 
 not. But the commissioners refused to oix'n 
 negotiations at all ; they refused to adoi)t 
 a sinL'le diplomatic expedient. Thev said in 
 effect : Here are our terms ; .idniit our raw 
 m.iteriiils free of duty or thrnw up the ne.'o- 
 ti.-ntion. as yon please. That was the best , 
 possible way of s- ciirin'j; the defeat of the 
 P'lrpose they profe.ss«'d to have in view when 
 they visited Washington. Sir, I a.s.sert. as 
 I have ;ussert(Hl n^)eate<lly before, that \ve 
 can fjet a reciprocity trenty witli the United 
 Statt^s up<m fair and e(iuitable terms. Tlie 
 (lovernment could have had it Ujion favour- 
 ;i.ble terms, even from the Republican Ad- 
 nunistration at Wa.shinjrton. and still l>ett(>r 
 opportunities are aflfonhMl now that the Deiuo- ! 
 era tic Administration is in power. 1 roiieat ! 
 that the (Jovenmient trifled witli the inter- \ 
 ests of this country, they decilv(»<l th,' peo- '• 
 pie of the country, they went to Wash n'.i- ' 
 ton, not to £fet a treaty, but to make a treaty I 
 •niportfiihle. They did ]\-:t \vnv,t a tre:ity. ' 
 They made such proposals as they knew 
 wotild defeat rwiprocity ; they did it dollber- 
 ately. ^^ith imilice aforethought, without 
 
 nny Intention, dedm or hope of getting a 
 trejity, iind they 8pum<>d the proposition 
 iiuido by the Americui authorities, the rea- 
 sonable pi^>p(,sltlon, inviti.ug theia to make 
 a pn)p<wjiJ. The American autliorities 
 s;dd : We are ready to open negotla- 
 tioiLs ; let us talk this mitter over ; 
 let us see ho\v far you would go in admitting 
 (air manufactures free into your .»nutry ; 
 suggest ii list of goods and let us talk It over 
 and see about It. But our representatives 
 s.iid ; " No ; we suggest no list ; we will not 
 admit into Canada a single article of your 
 m.anufactured goods ; we deniand .is an ul- 
 timatum tliat yoti .shall accede to our terms 
 bolus bolus, or we will throw up tlie m goti- 
 ations. Then the Minister comes back here 
 wltli what Mr. Bla'.ue said Avlth regard to 
 the dlfilculty as to v.'ool and woollens ; point- 
 lug out to liim, accortli. ,' to his own state- 
 ii:ei<t, that is that it would b(> necessary to 
 lia\f a uniform taiitf <ui wool and W(K)llena ; 
 ili.it it wouhl not do to luive Canada ml- 
 leiftuig wool frtH- and the rnitwl Stat'« 
 (haiging 10 cents per nonnd. and tUeu <'.x- 
 (•ii.iiifilng goods mamifactni-iMl from vv(mi1 on a 
 free? traxle Iwisi.s. and when Mr. Blaine pointed 
 out this and said there shouhi be a uniform 
 tarilT ill ret'ei-enci- to wool and wooleas 
 our represent!! fives come back and say that 
 Mr. Blaine demanded a uniform tariff for 
 the whol(! list, and that upon tlie Ihies of the 
 American tariff. Tlie assertion is abs.n-d, 
 espei'ially in view of Air. Blaine's express de- 
 claration that it is not true, ami Secretary 
 Foster's deaa ration that it is not true, to- 
 gether with the internal evidence con- 
 tained iu MinLster Foster's report. It 
 sijonis tlie most natural thing In the 
 world that the ditliculty l>etween the 
 parties is explaine<l by the discovery that 
 Mr. Blaine referred to a single article and 
 that Minister Foster supposed his reference 
 was to all articles. Now, Mr. Speaker. 1 am 
 happy to say that I believe the question of 
 veracity is obviated. It was a most dis- 
 tre.ssing and unfortunate position of things 
 to have the Secretary of Staie of the United 
 States, who Is dead, aad the Secretary of 
 State of the United States who succe'ded 
 that great Secretary, Mr. Blaine, mniiing a 
 statement diametrically and exactly antl 
 positively opposite to tlie statement made by 
 the gentlemen who sit on the Treasury- 
 benches in this House. I am glad to have a 
 loophole througli which wo can see how to 
 reconcile the differences and to establish the 
 fact that that dlfticulty rests upon d misuti- 
 dersliuidlng on the part of Minister Foster 
 and his colleagues. 
 
 Mr. Spe.iker. \\v .slijill have this rwl- 
 procity trea;.\- di.scusse<l again. The i.'.sne 
 Is not de.id ; the necessity of obtiiln- 
 ing n r«iproelty has not cease<l, the need 
 of tills country for a wider market and for 
 its natural market Ls as great as ever ; the 
 people of Canada are as desirous of obtolu- 
 ing reciprocity as they ever were. The peo- 
 ple have been misled ; they have been 
 
12 
 
 led to mu)po8e that difflcnltleg eilated mip- 
 roiindlng this question, difflcnlUes of au in- 
 supera'-le character, while, ujiou close In- 
 vestigation, we find that these difficulties 
 vanish away. There le no difficulty 
 in obtaining a reciprocity treaty with 
 the United States In my opinion, but 
 we cannot have It all our own way 
 \Ve cannot have the reciprocity treaty of 
 1854, which worked so greatly to our ad- 
 vimtage that we exported $2 wortt of goods 
 tree of duty that formerly bore a duty, where 
 we iujported $1 worth from the United 
 States formerly d'ltiable. We cannot 
 L-xpeet to have a recdprocltj treaty 
 exdu^vely in our own hiteres^. If we 
 
 ^L ^ /!u *^® ^°^*^ States untold 
 millions of the natural products of this coun- 
 try if we are to secure that trade which 
 wiU increase millions upon milUons annuaUy 
 wo^ hiive got to Hive somothins in consldor- 
 ntlon for the advantage ; w(^ h;ivc got to 
 iiijiko a reciprocity trmty, and a rwipro- 
 olty treaty means a mutally advantatn>ous 
 treaty, where the advantages lu-e reciprocal 
 (K>t\voon the contracting parties It we ob- 
 tam access to that market, we have got ^) 
 f-'ivo them aooess to some extent to mr i 
 market, and it should be the wire of the 
 (Tovemmoit to ascertain if that can be done: 
 when hivited to make a nroposition thev 
 
 buould be roady to make one ; they should 
 endeavour to secure a treaty. They did not 
 endoavour to do that In 1891 and In 1892 • 
 they aiade no effort to get a treaty ; their 
 whole course warrants me in asserting that 
 they did not desire to make a treaty Tliat 
 WIS not their object v/hen they went to 
 Washington. ITieir purpose was to decelv«» 
 the countiy during the el.«ctlons. In order 
 to deprive the Liberal party of the advant- 
 age that an appeal to the country in favour 
 of reciprocity, woidd naturallv give them 
 Their object was to deceive the people, to 
 niiUie ther.; beUeve thrt the Conservative 
 party were as favourable to reciprocity and 
 as likely to obtain It, as the Liberals wore 
 Then, when they obtahied power, they went 
 to Waslilngton ostensibly to cirry out the 
 purposes they professed to have in view, but 
 actually to block tho road to obtaining 
 reciprocity, and they did do this by making 
 iiroDosala that wen- not admissible, ask- 
 ing for things that were unattainable : 
 and thoy came back to the people of this 
 .ouuiiy i.i-of..*!lng to have met difflculties 
 tU.it (lid not oxlst. and now they are dis- 
 (TeditLMi as to their truthfulness and tholr 
 lu.n.-sty to^\•ll•ds ih<. people, by tlie revela- 
 tion of fapt.s that has .subsequently been 
 made x ,, .^ 
 
167 should 
 
 ey did not 
 1 In 1892 ; 
 aty ; their 
 jrting that 
 aty. Tliat 
 ■ went to 
 to deceive 
 
 In order 
 le advaiit 
 in favour 
 ive them, 
 pi'ople, to 
 riservatlve 
 •ocity and 
 •als were. 
 ;hey went 
 ' out the 
 view, but 
 obtaining; 
 y making 
 bio, ask- 
 talnablc ; 
 p of this 
 lifflcnltleB 
 
 are dis- 
 ind tholr 
 e revela- 
 tly been