The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, JULY 6, 1877.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 158, 6 July 1877, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, JULY 6, 1877.

Aw. excellent; speeclt on the position of a Colonial" Governor was recently delivered fay Lord Dufferin, the Govemor-Geaeral of Canada, on the occasion of a dinner that was given to him afc the National Club, Toronto. Abounding in rich humor, it yet contains a deal of good sound common sense, and gives very clearly his viewa of the duties that devolve upon a Colonial Governor. He commenced his remarks by the following description of the position in which he finds himself :— " Precluded as the representative of the Crown necessarily is by the very essence of his duty from the slightest appearance of a desire or design to place himself in sympathy with any phase of political enthusiasm, or with the special predilection of any section of the community; reduced as his functions are to those of a negative rather than of a positive character, and unsensational as is the routine of his ordinary duties, there necessarily remain but very few points at which he can come into anything like intimate contact with those to the promotion of whose interest, happiness, and welfare the energies of his life are nevertheless directed." This in itself does noi present a very attractive picture to an able and active-minded man, but Lord Duffierin then proceeds to show in what way a Governor may use his power, position, and influence for the good of those over whom he is placed. "His" (that is a Governor's) " principal achievements," he says, •• consist rather in preventing mischief than in accomplishing any substantial good; and even with regard to hia public speeches, which more than anything else give substance to his shadowy individuality, the besfc parts of them (to adopt the privilege of my country) are those which he is discreet enough to leave unsaid. [Laughter.] In fact, the head of the State in a Constitutional regime is the depositary of what, though very great, is altogether a latent power— a power which, under the auspices of wise Parliamentary statesmanship, is never suffered to become active. His ordinary duties are yery similar to those of the man we see tending some complicated piece of machinery, who goes about clad in fustian, with a little tin can having a long spout to it, and pouring a drop of oii here and another there ; his who'» attention being directed to the smooth working of the parts, and to the keeping out from the wheels and cogs of dust and grit or other foreign bodies." At this stage of hia speech his Excellency was interrupted by roars of laughter, for which he seemed for a time to be unable to account. The reason, however, ig thus explained by the Times, from which the report is taken :— " Political parties in the Dominion of Canada are popularly known as Tories and Grits, and to keep the Grit out of the machinery of State is manifestly no part of the duties of a Constitutional Governor." \ Many men would have been discomfited by such an interruption, but Lord Dufferin was quite equal to the occasion, and readily turned to account the little mistake into which he had unwittingly fallen, by accepting it as an illustration of ths difficulties that beset a Governor. " See," he exclaimed, as soon as the meaning attached to his words dawned upon him, " how easily an unguarded tongue can slip into an ambiguous expression —an expression which I need not assure you is entirely devoid of political significance." Lord Dufferin then speaks in glowing terms of the progress recently made by Canada, of her school systems, her federal arrangements, her municipal institutions, and her maritime regulations, which, he asserts, have repeatedly been cited in recent years by English statesmen of distinction as worthy of imitation. In a mosfc humorous manner he then goes on to compare the Government of Canada with that of the United States expressing the opinion that the latter would be all the better for having a GovernorGeneral placed over them. But on this subject he must speak for himself. "Aa for the United States," he says, " although they may be too proud to own ifc, there is hardly a citizen of the neighboring Republic who does not envy the smooth and harmonious working of our well-balanced and happilyadjusted institutions. (Applause.) Of one thing I am quite sure, there is hardly an American politician between the Atlantic and the Pacific who would not at the present moment be content to possess that most serviceable and useful thing — a GovernorGeneral. (Laughter and applause,) Indeed, the acquisition by the United States of such a personage would prove so obvious a means of solving their present difficulties and of remedying the defects of their governmental machine that lam almost nervous about passing near their border. (Laughter.) There is no knowing what might happen with people under such a terrible temptation (Renewed laughter.) Raids have before thi3 been prompted by love ag well as by hate; in fact, the tame ceremonies of modern marriage are but a feeble reproduction of the far more spirited principle of capture by which brides in less sophisticated ages were obtained. Who knows to what lengths Mr Tildeu and Mr Hayes, and the millions of their respective adherents, now drawn up in hostile array against each other, may not be driven in the agony of their prssent suspense? (Laughter.) A British GovernorGeneral! That would, indeed, be a cuttiug of the Gordian knot! And so near, too. Just across the water. A gunboat and a corporal's guard are all that's needed, and the thing is done. (Laughter.)" He then suddenly discards the element of fug which has pervaded hi 3 speech from its commencement, and, supposing himself to have been captnred and made Governor-General hy the Americans, he proceeds to point out what they would have secured thereby in words that are clearly inteuded to convey hia idea of what a Governor should be:—" And, then, see what they would get in him,— a person dissociated from all sectional interests, prejudices, and pwssions— (hear, hear)— who can never become stronger than the people's Parliament or divide the national vote—(applause)—a representative of all that is august, stable, and sedate in the government the history, and the traditions of the country, incapable of partisanship, and lifted far above the atmosphere of faction, without adherents to reward, or opponents to oust from office ; docile to the suggestions of his Ministers and yet securing to the people the certainty of being able to get rid of an Administration or a Parliament the moment either had forfeited their confidence." To men such as Lord Dufferin no colony need fear to entrust its interests.