regard to the Imperial
services of the recipients. The reputations of Galt and Cartier as
serious statesmen were not enhanced. Explain it as we may, there is a
flavour of absurdity about their proceedings. Galt was offered a
knighthood in 1869, and would not accept until the Imperial government
had been made aware of his views upon the ultimate destiny of Canada.
In a letter to the governor-general he thus placed himself on record:

{149}

I regard the confederation of the British North American Provinces as a
measure which must ultimately lead to their separation from Great
Britain. The present connection is undoubtedly an embarrassment to
Great Britain in her relations to the United States and a source of
uneasiness to the Dominion, owing to the insecurity which is felt to
exist from the possibility of a rupture between the two nations. It
cannot be the policy of England, and is certainly not the desire of the
people here, to become annexed to the United States; but I believe the
best, and indeed the only way to prevent this, is to teach the Canadian
people to look forward to an independent existence as a nation in the
future as desirable and possible. Unless such a spirit be cultivated,
the idea will become engrained in the public mind, that failing the
connection with Great Britain annexation must ensue.

Galt went on to state that he hoped separation would be postponed as
long as possible. The reply of the secretary of state, Lord Granville,
was private, but it appears to have been in effect a declaration that
Galt could hold {150} any views he pleased about the future of the
Empire. He accepted the K.C.M.G. and worthily wore it to the end of an
honourable and public-spirited career. Thus was vindicated the freedom
of speech which is the birthright of every British subject. But Galt,
in exercising it, showed lack of stability and a tendency to take an
erratic course, which crippled his influence in the young state he had
done so much to found.

It was an enormous burden of duty which now fell upon the executive.
The whole machinery of state required recasting. The uncertainties of
a situation wherein party bonds sat lightly and diversities of opinion
lingered, taxed all the resources of the leader of the government.
Although different views are held as to the particular stage in his
long career in which the remarkable qualities of Sir John Macdonald
displayed themselves most conspicuously, the fi