THE DUNDONALD AFFAIR AND PARTY GOVERN- MENT.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR:1 SIR,—It can hardly be doubted that Lord Dundonald broke the rules of office so as to justify the Canadian Government in dismissing him. But collision between the necessities of party and the public service is normal and inevitable. A party Government, in a Colony at all events, cannot live without patronage ; and to that exigency the public service often is, and must be, sacrificed. England has given her Colonies many blessings. She has given them a curse in party govern- ment. What a curse party government is to a Colony you would know could you have been in this province of Ontario during the last twelvemonth and seen what things can be done by a party Government clinging desperately to power with a majority of three. The people, unhappily, blinded by habitual partisanship, do not sufficiently resent what is wrong. A patty organ justifies the acts of the Government on the ground that the Prime Minister is "a trustee for his party." We are being governed here practically, not by the Legislature, but by a party caucus, which settles all the measures, it may be by a narrow majority of its own members, in its private room ; then steps into the legislative hall and forces the measures on the Legislature by its Parliamentary majority of three. This is called Parliamentary government.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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