mmenced the study of law, Canada was entering upon a
new phase of her political life. The rebellion of 1837 had resulted in
the suspension of the constitution of 1791, and the union of the
provinces, effected under the Imperial Act of 1840, was framed to compel
the obedience of the refractory population. It was an unsatisfactory
measure, providing a single legislature for two provinces, with an equal
number of representatives from each province, irrespective of
population. At the time the lower province was the larger, but it was
foreseen that a tide of English emigration would eventually place the
upper province in the stronger position. Indeed, at the date of the
Union, there were many English residents in the lower province, so that
in the aggregate the English had then the majority. From the first it
was apparent that representation by population would become an issue,
and for several years there was a constant struggle for the
establishment of responsible government, which was only achieved after
the contest of 1848, when the La Fontaine-Baldwin administration was
maintained in power. The difficulty had been avoided during the first
years of the Union by La Fontaine, who succeeded in uniting English and
French Liberals, and by substituting principles for race carried out a
policy based upon a broader conception of human interests. Although a
decisive victory had been gained by La Fontaine and Baldwin in 1848,
they did not press for an immediate overthrow of institutions which for
years had been a cause of contention, and their influence gradually
diminished until, on the 28th of October 1851, the administration was
handed over to Hincks and Morin. Liberal principles had now become
aggressive; the new leaders did not keep abreast of the spirit of the
times, their majority decreased, and, on the 11th of September 1854, a
government was formed by McNab and Morin.

The elections of 1854 had brought new blood into the ranks of the
Liberal party, young men eager to carry out measures of reform, and
Dorion was chosen as leader. Under the coalition brought about by McNab
between the Tories of Upper Canada and the Liberals of the lower
province old abuses were removed, and, after the abolition of
seigneurial tenure and clergy reserves, it appeared that the political
atmosphere was clear. In 1856 the question of representation by
population was again prominent. Upper Canada had increased, and it
contributed a larger share to