Editing Canadian Confederation (section)

====Constitutional scheme discussed in London====
George Brown was the first, in December 1864, to carry the constitutional proposals to the British government in London, where Brown received "a most gracious answer to our constitutional scheme".{{sfn|Mackenzie|1892|p=230}} He also met with William Gladstone—who was then Chancellor of the Exchequer and, later, Prime Minister—"who agreed in almost everything".{{sfn|Mackenzie|1892|p=230}} In April 1865, Brown, Macdonald, Cartier and Galt met with the government and found "the project of a federal union of the colonies was highly approved of by the imperial authorities".{{sfn|Mackenzie|1892|pp=96–97}}

On the form of the proposed system of governance for Canada, the Fathers of Confederation were influenced by the American republic. Macdonald said in 1865:

{{blockquote|By adhering to the monarchical principle, we avoid one defect inherent in the [[constitution of the United States]]. By the election of the president by a majority and for a short period, he never is the sovereign and chief of the nation. He is never looked up to by the whole people as the head and front of the nation. He is, at best, but the successful leader of a party. This defect is all the greater on account of the practice of reelection. During his first term of office, he is employed in taking steps to secure his own reelection and, for his party, a continuance of power. We avoid this by adhering to the monarchical principle—the sovereign, whom you respect and love. I believe that it is of the utmost importance to have that principle recognized so that we shall have a sovereign who is placed above the region of party—to whom all parties look up; who is not elevated by the action of one party nor depressed by the action of another; who is the common head and sovereign of all.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.bartleby.com/268/5/1.html| last=Macdonald| first=John A.| title=On Canadian Confederation| year=1865| publisher=Bartleby| access-date=May 8, 2012}}</ref>}}