rudent, often lacking in sane statesmanship, and, once or
twice, in nice honour, still raised himself, the readers of his
newspaper, and the Assembly which he often led in morals, if not in
politics, to a plane not far below that of the imperial Parliament.
But the highest level of feeling and statesmanship reached by Canadian
politicians before 1867 was attained in those days of difficulty in
1864, when the whole future of Canada was at stake, and when none but
Canadians could guide their country into safety. There were many
obstacles in the way of united action between the leaders on both
sides; the attempt to create a federal constitution was no light task
even for statesmen of genius; and the adaptation of means to end, of
public utilities to local jealousies, demanded temper, honesty, breadth
of view. George Brown, who with all his impracticability and lack of
restraint, behaved with {322} notable public spirit at this time, spoke
for the community when he said, "The whole feeling in my mind is one of
joy and thankfulness that there were found men of position and
influence in Canada, who, at a moment of serious crisis, had nerve and
patriotism enough to cast aside political partizanship, to banish
personal considerations, and unite for the accomplishment of a measure
so fraught with advantage to their common country."[23] In the debate
from which these words are taken, Canadian statesmen excelled
themselves, and it is not too much to say that whether in attack or
defence, the speakers exhibited a capacity and a public spirit not
unworthy of the imperial Parliament at its best.[24]

It would, however, be a mistake to exhibit the Canadian Assembly of
early Victorian days as characterized for long by so sublime and
Miltonic a spirit as is suggested by the Confederation debates. After
all, they were mainly provincial lawyers and shrewd uncultured business
men who guided the destinies of Canada, guilty of many lapses from
dignity in their public behaviour, and exhibiting {323} not
infrequently a democratic vulgarity learned from the neighbouring
republic. That was a less elevated, but altogether living and real
picture of the Canadian politician, which Sir John Macdonald's
biographer gave of his hero, and the great opposition leader, as they
returned, while on an imperial mission, from a day at the Derby:
"Coming home, we had lots of fun: even George Brown, a covenanting old
chap, caught its spirit. I bought him a