Hon. Mr. ABBOTT-I am sure it will not be within my lips to find
fault with the departure from the ordinary custom into which this
House has fallen this evening. The remarks which have been made
with regard to the Senate I sympathize with most cordially. I
think it is an advantage to the Senate to have in it members of
the Cabinet who are able with authority to communicate to this
House the views and the principles which actuate the Government
in carrying on the business of the country. With reference to
the number of them, and with reference to the diminution in that
number, and to the nature and extent of the business which the
Senate has recently been doing, I think there is much to be said
and thought of that the Senate has not yet fully considered. To
my mind, the Senate to some extent is in a transition state. At
first its functions were not, perhaps, thoroughly well understood.
We had Ministers here who ruled over large spending departments,
and who were obliged to seek their resources from the people by
the medium of deputies, oragents, or representatives in the other
House, not being in a position to speak directly to those who
held the purse, and give the requisite information as to what
they proposed to do with the money. I do not feel at all satisfied
that this House is the proper place for those who rule over the
great spending departments. I think that is very doubtful, and
that this House has functions which have not yet been by any means
exercised to the utmost. It is, as every one may see who has heard
what has been said this evening, free from all rancorous party
feeling; it is animated by a desire for the progress and success
of the country, and altogether guided by a wish to perform its
duty in directing and carrying forward legislation in the best
possible form in the interests of the country. That seems to me
to be recognized as one of the truly important functions of the
Senate. It has the right of inquiry, like the other House, and
it has been using of late that right of inquiry by prosecuting
investigation into matters of the greatest importance to the country.
That is another of the important duties of the Senate, and one
that can be exercised by us, apart from the influence of that
kind of party feeling which must necessarily to some extent, attach
to almost every step in a House largely governed by party considerations.
As to its legislation, we have already on a former occasion discussed
that subject at considerable length and I think every hon. member
has recognized that this Houses possesses a wide field for its
labours in legislation. Its seats are garnished by men from every
profession and business in the Dominion, and from the most experienced
men among them in every section of Canada, and if valuable opinions
on banking, law, and business of all kinds, are required in any
detail of legislation -- and they are invariably needed, as everyone
knows -- they can be found on the benches of this House, I venture
to say, in as great perfection and efficiency as in any assembly
in this Dominion. It appears to me, therefore, that with these
two great functions and others analogous to them, this Senate
has plenty of work before it. I never despaired of the Senate;
never thought there was any danger of its functions not being
appreciated by the people, if it were only true to itself; and
what we have to do now, as I think we are emerging from our state
of transition, is to prove to the people that we possess powers
equally important and exercise them in a manner equally beneficial
to the country in our own departments to those that are possessed
and exercised by other branches of the Legislature in theirs.
Now, with reference to myself, I feel the greatest diffuculty
in remarking at all upon what has been said by hon. gentlemen
in this House. I feel grateful to my hon. friend from Halifax
for the tribute -- the very kindly tribute which he paid to the
character, standing and ability of my hon. friend the Minister
of Agriculture, and on this occasion I cannot stop to think for
a moment of the little good-natured criticism which he made on
the motive which he thinks led to my hon. friend being in this
House. That I dispense with remarking upon, and I am glad to think
that my hon. friend is properly appreciated. With regard to myself
-- and now I come to the most delicate portion of what I have
to say -- I would recall to the minds of hon. gentlemen that about
four years ago, when I came here, I was entirely unacquainted,
or nearly so, with the procedure of the Senate, and was not intimately
known to a great many of its members. I came here determined to
do my duty as far as it was possible for me to do it, and I have
laboured in that direction as well as I could during the time
I have had the honor of occupying a seat in this House, and of
holding the high and honorable position of leader for the Government
here; and hon. gentlemen, I wish you to know at this moment, and
to be persuaded, as it is true, that I never aspired to, never
looked for, never wished for, any position higher than that which
I occupied prior to the occasion of this discussion. The kindly
feeling, the unduly warm appreciation which my small labours have
met with in this House, have won from me a regard for the House
and its members, and its business, and reputation, that would
lead me and carry me to the greatest extremity of my powers possible,
in order to further its reputation and its usefulness, and to
assist my hon. friends in this House, all of whom are always ready
to work in the same direction, in placing it in the position before
the country that I think it deserves, and that it ought to have
and will have. But the position which I to-night have the honor
to occupy, which is far beyond any hopes or aspirations I ever
had, and I am free to confess beyond any merits I have (cries
of no, no), has come to me very much probably in the nature of
compromise. I am here very much because I am not particularly
obxious to anybody.
Hon. GENTLEMEN - No ; no.
Hon. Mr. ABBOTT - Something like the principle on which it is
reported some men are selected as candidates for the Presidency
of the United States - it is not that they are so able, it is
not that they are so wonderfully clever, or such great statesmen,
but it is that they are harmless, and have not made any enemies.
I am inclined to think that sentiment has had a great deal to
do with the position in which I am placed.
Hon. GENTLEMEN - No; no.
Hon Mr. ABBOTT - I do not feel at all conscious of any ability
to conduct the affairs of this great country in the way that they
should be conducted, and I am ten times more overwhelmed
with the responsibility I have assumed when I reflect on the great
man whose place I am supposed to fill in this Government. However,
I felt, as you may suppose, greatly honored in being asked to
undertake the task of forming a Ministry, and although I assumed
it with reluctance, I tried to do it, as I try to do everything
to which I put my hand, to the best of my ability and energy ;
and I shall endeavour to continue to do my duty in this position
with all the ability and industry, whatever it may be, that I
possess. That is all I can promise. I cannot promise that my services
shall be of great account, or that I shall render great service
to my country. I can promise that my whole strength of mind and
talent, whatever it is, shall be devoted to its interests. To
the members of the Senate who have spoken this evening, and who
have overwhelmed me with praise, which I cannot claim to deserve,
which I know I owe more to their friendly feeling towards me than
to any merits I possess - to those members, I can only say :
hon. gentlemen, I thank you most cordially and sincerely for the
kind sentiments you have been pleased to express towards me, and
my greatest hope in what little time is left me of my career,
is that I may be able to deserve them in some small degree.