and. He thought that the legislature had no authority
under the terms of confederation, or from any understanding between the
delegates while in England, to create county courts, while the other
delegates held a different view. The Act was passed, however, and has
proved to be one of the most useful ever placed upon the statute-book,
relieving the supreme court of many cases, both civil and criminal,
which would otherwise block its business, and enabling them to be
disposed of more rapidly than before. The county court judges appointed
under this Act were, with one exception, taken from the legislature, and
this made another serious drain upon its experienced members.

CHAPTER XI

THE FIRST PARLIAMENT OF CANADA

The British North America Act, by which the provinces of Upper and Lower
Canada, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia were bound into a confederation,
came into force by royal proclamation on the first day of July, 1867.
When it is considered how vast and vital a change this measure brought
about, it is surprising that it produced so little excitement anywhere.
With the exception of one or two demonstrations which were made with
flags by persons hostile to confederation, it was received in the
province of New Brunswick, which had been so much excited during two
elections, with perfect calmness, and although for some years afterwards
there were always a number of persons opposed to union who predicted
direful things from confederation, and thought it must finally be
dissolved, the voices of such persons were eventually silenced either by
death or by their acquiescence in the situation. To-day it may be safely
declared that the Canadian confederation stands upon as secure a
foundation as any other government in the civilized world.

In June, 1867, the Hon. John A. Macdonald, the leading spirit in the
government of Canada, was entrusted by Lord Monck, then
governor-general, with the formation of a ministry for the Dominion. Mr.
Macdonald naturally experienced a good deal of difficulty in making his
arrangements. In the formation of the first ministry much care was
necessary; provincial and national interests were to be thought of and
denominational claims had to receive some attention. But the greatest
difficulty arose with respect to old party lines. Mr. Macdonald thought
that these ought, as far as possible, to be ignored, and accordingly
selected his men from the leading advocates of confederation belonging