December 14, 1867

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

Following the execution of Ethan Allan, Alexander Morris (Conservative, South Lanark) has introduced legislation that would prohibit the carrying out of executions in public. Morris said the Bill would require executions carried out in prisons to have all the safeguards necessary to assure the public that the executions have in fact taken place. He pointed to Germany and Austria where executions were no longer occurring publicly and that a committee of the Lords in England in 1856 had endorsed this course.

SENATE VACANCIES

The prime minister, Sir John A. Macdonald has made no announcement regarding the Senate vacancies and it is believed those seats will remain vacant until Parliament returns in the New Year.

NORTH POLAR CONTINENT

The Hamilton Evening Times writes of the adventures of Captain Long, commander of the whale ship Nile who declares he has discovered land in the North Polar Sea. It is described as “running for several days sail along the souther horizon, in latitude 73 30 south, longitude 78 30”. Captain Long describes mountains of volcanic origin, covered in snow andas tall as 5,000 feet. The coastline, meanwhile, is green with what appears to be vegetation. Long’s report bolsters the belief that a great continent lies around the North Pole.