File:Modern and contemporary European history (1815-1921) (1922) (14597706830).jpg

Identifier: moderncontempora01scha (find matches)
Title: Modern and contemporary European history (1815-1921)
Year: 1922 (1920s)
Authors: Schapiro, J. Salwyn (Jacob Salwyn), 1879-1973 Shotwell, James Thomson, 1874-1965, ed
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Publisher: Boston, New York (etc.) Houghton Mifflin company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation

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t down, the British Government,having the American Revolution in mind, was greatlyalarmed. A special commissioner, Lord Durham, was sentto Canada to examine into the Canadian grievances and tosuggest reforms. The Report of Lord Durham, issued in 1839, is the mostfamous document in British imperial history. It has beenLord Dur- called the Magna Charta of the colonies, for itshams Re- liberal recommendations became the funda-mental principles of Englands new colonialpolicy. Lord Durham recommended: (1) that completeautonomy be granted to the colonies having representativeinstitutions by the establishment of ministerial responsibil-ity to the legislatures; and (2) that the various colonies inCanada should be united in a federal union under theCrown. These suggestions, if acted upon, would replacedependence of the colonies on the mother country by asso-ciation with her in the Empire. Lord Durhams recommendations were promptly trans-lated into law. In 1840 Parliament united Upper and Lower
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410 MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY EUROPE Canada by giving them a common legislature. Seven yearsSpread of later Lord Elgin, Governor of Canada and theself-govern- son-in-law of Lord Durham, established theprinciple of responsible government by choos-ing a Cabinet having the confidence of the legislature.Responsible government once established, it was rapidlyextended to all British colonies where white inhabitantspredominated. In 1867 another important step was taken by Parliamentin the passage of the British North America Act, which-ru n v u united all the Canadian colonies except New- The British t m r North Amer- foundland into a federal union called the Domin-ion of Canada. The new Government resemblesthe American system inasmuch as the nine provinces areallowed local government, though not to the same degree asthe States in the American Union. The central Governmentconsists of a Parliament of two Houses: a Senate with lim-ited powers over legislation, the members of which are ap-pointed

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