Mr. RAY presented a petition from Mr. G. R.
Grassie for remuneration for Crown Services
performed.
Mr. TOBIN presented a petition from 225 of
of the congregation of the German Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lunenburg against
the bill introduced yesterday by Mr. Jost.
The bill and petitions were referred to the
Committee on Private Bills.
Mr. D. FRASER presented a petition from
Pictou for a grant to build a hospital.
Hon. ATTY.GEN. laid on the table for information of members a copy of the bill introduced by the
Committee of Ways and Means into
the United States House of Representatives
containing the duties proposed to be levied on
articles heretofore included in the free list.
BILLS.
The bills to incorporate the Washington Pier
and Harbor Company, the Nova Scotia Chamber of Commerce, the Ophir Mining Company,
the Merrigomish Coal Mining Company, and
the Strait of Canso Marine Railway Company,
were read a second time and referred to the
Committee on Private Bills.
UNION OF THE COLONIES.
Hon PROV. SEC.—By command of His Excellency I beg leave to lay on the table of the
House copies of correspondence relating to
the Union of the Colonies. The House is aware
that both branches of the Legislature at the
last Session passed a resolution in favor of reopening negociations for the Union
of the Maritime provinces. When that resolution was
under discussion I stated that we had not only
no reason to suppose that Prince Edward
Island would he prepared to co-operate with
the other Colonies in this matter, but we had
every reason to anticipate that she would decline to re-open negociations. At the
same
time it was thought desirable that an effort
should be made to ascertain whether Nova
Scotia and New Brunswick could not be
brought under the government by a legislative
union. The government and the legislature
had initiated the policy of a Legislative Union
of the Maritime Provinces at the previous session, and owing to circumstances detailed
last
year the negociation arising from their action
had been postponed, and the greater question
of a union of all British North America was
brought under consideration. When, however,
an immediate union of that kind was found impracticable from the fact that the people
of
New Brunswick had returned a majority in
the new House opposed to the scheme, the Government felt it their duty to revert to
their
former policy, and in discussing that resolution, I stated that so far from a legislative
union of this and the adjoining Province in the
slightest degree impeding the larger union, we
regarded it as likely to promote that union
and as being indispensable to the latter. Upon
this subject have always entertained very
strong opinions, and have always felt there
were a great many reasons why it was desirable that the Governments of the three Maritime
Provinces should be carried on in a united
form in case they agreed to enter into the proposed Confederacy. The resolution to
which
I have referred met with the unanimous approval of the House. I do not mean to say
that
there were not individual gentlemen who did
not concur in the policy proposed, but the reso
lution must be accepted as the unanimous expression of the opinion of the Legislature.
The
attention of the Government of New Brunswick was invited to the action thus taken,
and
corresponding action was adopted by the Legislature of that Province. Subsequently
a delegation to England took place from the Governments of the two Provinces, and
although the
two Governments differed widely in their opinions upon the larger questiou they were
completely in accord as to the desirability of a
Legislative Union of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, and the views which the delegates
for New Brunswick expressed upon this matter entirely corresponded with our own. I
am
aware that these gentlemen urged all the reasons in their power on the Imperial Government
to induce their concurrence in the policy
adopted. I have stated in detail the results of
that delegation and the reception it met at the
hands of Her Majesty's Government, and I am
frank to say that after the fullest and most unreserved communication on the question
we
were given to understand that while no antipathy existed to the Legislative Union
proposed,
that Government having so fully committed
themselves to the scheme of Confederation,
were unwilling to revert to any policy which
would seem to indicate that their opinions had
undergone a change or modification and under
these circumstances they were not prepared to
give authority to revert to the question of a
legislative union, except that question were
taken up and passed upon as auxiliary to, and
intended to promote, the larger union.
While we were quite at liberty to urge our
opinions in favor of a union of the martime provinces as being conductive to that
object, we
were not prepared, and the Government of
New Brunswick were by no means prepared,
to adopt the policy with that view, for, as is
well known they were specially charged to oppose confederation upon the basis of the
Quebec
scheme. While the delegates, used every
means to induce her Majesty's Government to
concur with reference to the union of the lower
colonies, that Government refused their assent
upon the grounds stated. The correspondence
contains copies of despatches in reference to
the adoption of confederation, which the Imperial Government continue to urge on all
the
colonies by every argument in their power, and
by the use of that influence which they consider
themselves entitled to exercise, from the rela
tive postion of the countries in a question
which they regard as vitally affecting the prosperity of British North America. It
also contains despatches setting forth their reasons for
declining to assent to the re-opening of the
proposed negociations.
Hon PROV SECY laid on the table a statement asked for by the hon memeber for Inverness (Mr. Blanchard)
in reference to payments
for-road services. Also, plans and specifications of bridges and returns of engineers,
inspectors, &c.. on the Pictou Railway.
Mr BLANCHARD introduced a bill to incorporate the Nova Scotia Slate Company.
This individual participated in:
