[Hon. Mr. Howe]- I, for one, as most of you all know, had no part in framing
this Confederation measure; it was not for a time acceptable to me, but
having come here and having accepted it, I feel that my hon. friends from
Shefford and Sherbrooke would act more wisely if, instead of making the great
interests of this Confederacy a party question, they were to endeavour to
combine upon some policy that would have for its object the success of this experiment,
in the only way it seems to be practicable,
(cheers). Now, sir, something has been said of Prince Edward Island and
Newfoundland. I would say to the hon. gentlemen opposite, if they want Prince
Edward Island and Newfoundland to enter the Confederacy, is it likely
they will come in when they see that in questions of this magnitude we cannot sink
our party feelings, and cannot consider it as a question
touching our commercial relations with other nations. If my hon. friend
therefore would be content to look at this question merely as one touching our
commercial relations, in order to secure the success of this great
experiment of Confederation, I think it would be much more wise than
the course they have taken. Now, Mr. Speaker, I feel I have treated the
subject at greater length than I intended, and have thrown out
observations which occurred to me during the course of this debate, and I can
only say that as the matter has been made a party question by the hon.
members for Sherbrooke and Shefford, they can hardly expect that we
can allow it to give him a party triumph, (hear, hear). My hon. friend
does not suppose we are quite so soft as to allow him to choose the ground upon
which to fight a party fight, and therefore the result will prove that
the hon. member for Shefford will have no other choice but to accept the
consequences of the course he has taken.
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