PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER.
216
TUESDAY, April 21.
[...]
Afternoon Session.
[...]
DESPATCHES.
On motion of Hon. Leader of the Government, the
House resolved itself into a committee of the whole
on the consideration of certain despatches.
Mr. Reilly in the chair.
The Despatch was read relating to the Confederating
of the Provinces of Canada, New Brunswick and Nova
Scotia.
HON. LEADER OF THE GOVERNMENT.-This Despatch,
Mr. Chairman, merely informs us of the fact that the
provinces mentioned in it have been confederated. We
might remark, however, that if we take notice of the
working of the Dominion, which has lately been formed,
we will find that not only has it lost one of its most
talented statesmen as we have heard within the last few
days, but that there is a great deal of dissatisfaction existing among its people
In fact a delegation has been
sent to England from one of the confederated provinces,
(Nova Scotia) for the purpose of trying to get a repeal
of the Act which unites that province with Canada. In
the province of New Brunswick also, if we are to believe what appears in the newspapers,
there is a great
deal of dissatisfaction. Although we did not join the
Union, we may be sorry that those who have done so
should begin to complain before they have given the Government of the New Dominion
a fair trial. As to
whether Nova Scotia will succeed in her attempt, to
withdraw from the Dominion or not, is a subject upon
which I will not venture an opinion.
HON. ATTORNEY GENERAL.-Mr. Chairman, when in
London last year I saw a great placard posted up containing the proclamation which
is in that despatch, and
I was not sorry to find that our little Island was not included in it. With the doubts
we had on the subject, I
think it was well to wait and ascertain how the system
would work. And now we see that the people of one of
the most important parts of the Dominon are very dis
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217
satisfied, and I think with very good reason, for they
were forced into the Union against their will ; and if
justice is done to that colony I think that before many
months we shall see a great change in the constitution
of the Dominion. If Nova Scotia records in getting
out of Confederation, New Brunswick will very likely
follow, for she connected to enter the Union with the
understanding that Nova Scotia was also to be a part of
the Dominion. It has not worked as well as it promoters thought it would, and I think
we may be satisfied
that we are free from it.
Hon. Mr. MCAULAY.—There is scarcely an incident,
Mr. Chairman, which passes before the eyes of a wine
man which does not teach him a lesson, and I think we
have learned a lesson from what has transpired in the
neighboring provinces. I think we acted the wine part
in refraining from joining the Union until we found out
what effect Confederation would have on the other provinces. It is a satisfaction
also to know that the most
ardent unionist in this Island would not comment to join
the Union without appealing to the people and obtaining
their comment. So soon as it appears that a Union will
be advantageous to us, it will be soon enough for us to
think seriously of joining it. We have taken the safe
course, and we are not affected with that disaffection
which prevails in the other colonies. They acted the
part of a child springing to grasp something which appeared bright, but the nature
of which it did not understand. I hope, however, that the results will not be so
disastrous to them as some persons anticipated. I cannot agree with my hon. friend
the Attorney General that
New Brunswick can free herself from the Union—for
she entered it in of her own accord, and she must lie on the
bad which she made for herself,
Hon. Mr. HENDERSON.—I think, Mr. Chairman, that
no hon. member can think with indifference of the subject before the committee. It
is true that the New
Brunswickers entered the union with too great haste,
and the fact that they are now dissatisfied with their
position goes to confirm what you, Sir, and others have
so often expressed as your convictions, that nothing
would justify us in entertaining the question while we
could avoid it. But while the people of New Brunswick
entered the union those of Nova Scotia were dragged
into it by a conspiracy, a conspiracy against the best
interests of the whole colony, and a gross abuse to the
constitutional power put into the hands of the people's
representatives for a very different purpose. Now, Sir,
I feel no pleasure at any confusions or disturbance in any
portion of the North American Provinces, for whatever
tends to distrub any portion, more or less tends to disturb the whole, and we being
so closely connecting with
the rest must sensibly feel the effects of any jarring elements at work within them.
But, Sir, it is easy to contrast the first movements of the Dominion machinery
with the glorious state of things which the admirers of
union would fain have made us believe would be the result. I think that whatever may
be said of the future
prospects of the Dominion, every person who takes a fair
survey of the question will come to the conclusion that
for the present, at least, it will be better for Prince Edward Island to retain her
isolated position,
Hon. LEADER OF THE GOVERNMENT.—About the time
the Dominion Government was being formed, an offer
of $800,000 was made to this Island, and it was thought
by a great many that this would be sufficient to induce
the people to go into Confederation, that it would be enough
to buy out the proprietors claims. But it should be remembered that that was an offer
of the Nova Scotia and
New Brunswick Delegates, and was not confirmed by
the Canadians, and if the people of this Island had joined
the Union it is very doubtful if these promises would
have been fulfilled. I believe the people of this Island
are satisfied that they are better off in their present position than they would be
if connected with Canada even had
they obtained the $800,000. There was no guarantee
that the Dominion Government would pass a compulsory
measure to settle the land question, and from the Despatch from the Colonial Minister
now before us, we may
infer that such a measure would not be sanctioned by the
British Government. If the proprietors were unwilling
to sell, the Dominion Government although they had
offered the $800,000, would not be called upon to pay it.
If ever this Island does enter Confederation it will be
when matters are going on more smoothly than at present.
Hon. Mr. DAVIES.—I wish, Mr. Chairman, to my a
few words on this subject, chiefly to express my sympathy with the people of Nova
Scotia who have been dragged
into the Union against their wishes. A far as my
knowledge goes, I believe the people of this Island are
unwilling to join the Union on any terms. The $800,000 would nothing like compensate
us for the disadvantages to which we would be subjected by enter confederation. I
believe that if the grievances connected
with the land tenure were far worse than they are, the
people would submit to them rather than join themselves
to Canada. We may, however, express our regret that
the people of Nova Scotia have been forced into a union
which they did not desire. There is a strong link connecting us with the people of
Nova Scotia, and it is
lamentable to contemplate the position they are in at
present ; but I have no doubt but that they will yet be
allowed to secede from the Dominion, and again assume
the proud position they formerly occupied.
Mr. MCNEILL.—It is true, Mr. Chairman, that the
people of the lower provinces entered the union without
sufficiently considering the subject, and numbers of the
people of this Island thought it would be a benefit. It was a new thing which the
people did not understand; we had suffered a good deal from this rent system,
and some were under the impression that confederation
might be a panacea for that evil. About the time it
was first brought to our notice, however, a great many
public meetings were held through the country, (for what
purpose it is not necessary now to state,) but this matter, among others, was thoroughly
discussed. The people
of this Island when they take a matter into consideration are quite capable of judging
for themselves, and
they declared against confederation for this reason, that
if they joined it instead of having the management of
their own affairs, they would have no control, and these taxes
would be appropriated without their consent. There
was another reason also, they watched the proceedings
of the delegates who met at Quebec, and they found
there was very little sympathy or respect for Prince
Edward Island. Even the talented T. D'Arcy McGee,
whose untimely death we have been lately deploring,
could not refrain from indulging in a little burlesque on
our Island by saying that they would send one of their
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steamers and tow it up into one of their lakes. But
while we rejoice that we have escaped the evils of confederation, we deplore the fact
that our sister province
Nova Scotia was not so fortunate. She was sold into
confederation by her unprincipled representatives, but
her brave and intelligent people unwilling tamely to submit to such treatment, are
at present engaged in a great
contest for the recovery of their former rights and privileges. They have just reason
to rebel; and it is my
opinion that they will eventually regain their constitution and forsake their undesirable
alliance with Canada.
The Americans were many years trying to gain their independence; and Nova Scotia may
also be a considerable
time before she gets free, and it is not improbable that
another American war may be brought on before the
question is settled. Nova Scotia is an injured province, she has been forced into
union against the wishes of
five-sixths of her inhabitants. The British Government may not however be blameable
in this matter, for
after the Quebec Conference the delegates went home
and stated that all the people were in favor of Confederation. The Lieutenant Governor's
of the different
provinces received their instructions to carry out this
matter, (I was going to say by fair means or foul,) and
a pressure was brought to bear which should not have
been in a free colony. I think it would be no more
than right for this Legislature to pass a resolution
sympathising with Nova Scotia in the struggle in which
she is now engaged, and expressing a hope that she will
succeed to her efforts, er if she can be forced into confederation against her will,
we may be also. It appears
that the New Brunswickers are also beginning to be
dissatisfied with their condition, but as they voluntarily
entered it they must put up with the consequence.
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