"The long anticipated commencement of our national existence as the Dominion of Canada is at length realized. Henceforward the four millions of British subjects upon this continent will exist but as one people. We begin our new era of history under most auspicious circumstances. The causes that provoked so much strife and bitterness between us and our sister provinces are at length happily removed; the objects for which as a people, we have so long struggled have been in the main effectually secured, and the calamities that loomed so ominously in the future have vanished altogether from the political horizon." ...