official capacity, as Administrator of the Government, praying that M. Letellier might be dismissed from his office of Lieutenant- Governor of Quebec. In this petition all the grounds of dispute were set forth at great length. A copy of it was officially forwarded to M. Letellier, who formally replied to it, traversing its allegations, and justifying his conduct by elaborate and well sustained arguments. There was a subsequent rejoinder and sur-rejoinder, after which the matter was referred to the Home Government for decision, The sequel is still fresh in the memories of all readers of these pages. The Home Government declined to interfere in the matter. In the Colonial Secretary's despatch on the subject to the Governor-General of Canada, however, it was intimated that under the British North America Act the Lieutenant-Governor of a Province has an unquestionable constitutional right to dismiss his Provincial Ministers if from any cause he feels it incumbent upon him to do so. In the exercise of this right as of any other of his functions, he should, of course, maintain the impartiality towards rival political parties, which is essential to the proper performance of the duties of his office; and for any action he mav take he is, under the 59th section of the Act, directly responsible to the Governor-General. It was further intimated that the power to dismiss a dismiss a Lieutenant-Governor rests with the Governor-General and the Dominion Cabinet, and not with the Governor-General alone. The latter was recommended to discuss the matter carefully with his Ministers, and to be guided by their views. Under these circumstances there was but one course open to His Excellency, who found that the minds of his Ministers were fully made up on the subject. On the 25th of July last His Excellency signed the Order in Council dismissing M. Letellier from his office. A day or two elapsed before his successor was appointed in the person of Dr. Robitaille. The interval gave occasion to a prominent Montreal newspaper to discuss the usefulness of Local Governments generally. It was asked whether, if a Province can get along without a Lieutenant-Governor, being in the interval ruled from Ottawa for forty-eight hours, might not such a functionary be altogether dispensed with? The political allies of M. Letellier throughout the Dominion, felt strongly on the subject, and expressed the opinion that a great wrong had been inflicted on himself personally, and on the people of his Province who had stood by him and endorsed his acts. Public demonstrations in his favour were held in Quebec and elsewhere,
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