ereign;
on the contrary, they are, in a real sense, subordinate to the central
government.

Sir John Macdonald had also observed, with ever-growing concern, a
disposition on the {135} part of some of the provincial legislatures to
amend their electoral franchises in a democratic direction. Now, the
necessity of a property qualification for the right to vote was ever a
first principle with him--the central dogma of his political faith. He
said with much energy that no man who favoured manhood suffrage without
a property qualification had a right to call himself a Conservative.
Once, when Sir John was dwelling on his favourite doctrine in the House
of Commons, a member interrupted him to know if he might ask a
question. 'Certainly,' replied Sir John. 'Well,' said the member,
'many years ago, during the gold fever, I went out to California, and
while there working in the diggings I acquired an interest in a donkey.
Under it I voted. Before the next election came round the donkey died,
and then I had no vote.... Who voted on the first election, I or the
donkey?' It was on the tip of Sir John's tongue to retort that it
didn't much matter which, but he forbore, and merely joined in the
general laughter.

In conformity with these views Sir John Macdonald introduced his
Electoral Franchise Bill in 1883, not with the object of carrying it
through parliament that session, but merely {136} for the purpose of
placing it before the members. The same thing happened in 1884. But
in 1885 the Bill was introduced in earnest. It provided, as far as
practicable, for a uniform qualification of voters throughout the
Dominion based on property, and also for the registration of voters by
revising officers to be appointed by the federal Government. The
measure encountered a desperate resistance from the Opposition. For
the first time in the parliament of the Dominion there was organized
obstruction. On one occasion the House of Commons sat from Thursday
afternoon until Saturday midnight, and although this record has since
been beaten, it was felt at the time to be a most trying experience.
Obstruction was naked and unashamed. Members read long passages from
_The Pilgrim's Progress_, or _Robinson Crusoe_, or any other work that
happened to appeal to them. One day--the passage is hopelessly buried
in Hansard and I cannot find it, but I remember the occasion very
vividly--Sir John rose at the opening of the day's proceedings and