PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER.
157
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THURSDAY, April 1.
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Afternoon Session.
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Mr. Cameron in the Chair.
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PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER.
158
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I
do not, therefore, purpose asking this hon. Committee to make any further provision
than what
will meet the Salary, and beg therefore, to submit- the following Resolution:—
Resolved, That a Salary, annually to be paid, to
the Lieut. Governor or other Administrator of the
Government of this Island, after the present Lieut.
Governor shall relinquish his office, be provided
and fixed at £1,400 sterling, equal to £2,100 of
current money of Prince Edward Island. I may
say that my opinion was quite conclusive as to
the uselessness of appealing to the Home Government again, and that it was prudent
and wise not
to go Home again with another memorial on the
subject. The despatch to-day read, shows conclusively that the decision of the Home
authorities is fixed, and that they have assumed that we
will soon be placed into Confederation. I think
that no man of influence could be got in the Imperial Parliament to undertake the
successful
prosecution of our demand. I am not so terribly
afraid of Confederation, as to suppose but that we
could get along even if we were placed in the
union; but this is not the wish of the people of
this Colony, and our duty is to prevent it if we
can, and give no cause for having it forced upon
us contrary to our wishes.
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I cannot, therefore, give the
Government my applause for what they have done
in this matter. It appears as if they wished to
frighten hon. members into voting for the Resolution, by pursuading them that if it
was not agreed
to, we would be immediately pitchforked into the
Dominion. Whereas my learned friend the hon.
member for Charlottetown and myself argued,
that we could only be placed in by both Branches
of the Legislature passing a Bill for that purpose
and sending it home for the sanction of the Home
Government ; and now, we have that Despatch
and it fortifies the arguments that we used. In
the reply which the Government received, the
Home Government refuses to guarantee a loan to
enable them to purchase out the Estates of the
remaining proprietors, and the Imperial Minister says: "Having regard to the evident
uncertainty, whether the Colony of Prince Edward
Island will or will not soon unite itself to the
Dominion of Canada," obviously showing that it
is not the intention of the Imperial authorities,
to do anything in the movement in any other way
than that indicated by the hon. member for Charlottetown and myself. The Despatch
is plain;
go into Confederation, and you will have your reward.
Hon. Mr. LAIRD.—It appears to me, that the
learned Leader of the Opposition sees more in the
Despatch than any one else; at all events, it appears to me, that if the hon. member
would read
it over carefully, that he will find that the views
which have been expressed on this side of the
House, are substantially such as those which
have so far been used by those hon. members who
supported the resolution. A general election
may show that a change, with respect to Confederation, has taken place in the views
of the people
on that question, but I have no reason to suppose
that it has, and I believe that who ever our successors may be, they will be, like
ourselves,
charged to vote against anything, and everything,
which might lead us into a Union with Canada.
It is clear though, that in the opinion of the authorities at Home, they look upon
Confederation
as a settled fact, that it is to take place at no distant day, and if the Salary of
the Lieutenant Governor had not been provided, what better argument would they require
to place us into the Dominion, than our refusal to comply with the
demand ; and I have little doubt but they will
yet endeavor to find some means for driving us
into a union with the New Dominion.
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PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER.
159
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I think it fully
bears out the arguments used by the Opposition ;
for instead of using any threats towards us, it is
quite clear from the whole of the Despatch, that
it will be left to the decision of the people of this
Island whether they " will or will not" unite with
the Dominion of Canada. I must say that I think
the hon. Leader of the Government did not act
fairly in withholding this Despatch so long.
Why allow us to come to a conclusion in the
matter when there was information in his possession which should have been laid upon
the table
of this House ? In the Despatch which the Government sent Home, the Imperial guarantee
is
asked for raising a loan on our Debentures and if
this is conceded, the Government say they will
make provision for the payment of the Governor's
Salary. No Imperial guarantee has been given ;
and even before they knew it would not, they
ask this hon. Committee to provide for it. Although we do stand here as a small minority,
I
tell them that this despatch does not breathe a
single threat or contain any statements to justify
the Government in the arguments which they
have used here on this question. This Despatch
does not fortify the position they have taken.
The whole tenor of it is, that they will not interfere with any of our affairs,—in
plain English,
will do nothing for us, while we remain out of the
Union. The last House passed some strongly
worded no-terms resolutions ; this House have
also virtually acted upon them. Now, the Home
Government obviously hold out a bait. They
do not say if you not do so and so, we will take
up this question you have submitted for our consideration; but tell us if we do not,
we must settle
our Land Question and all others as we can best
do so ourselves ; and if we now refuse, it is not
beyond the range of possibility for them to use
means to put us into the Union. The whole
tenor of the Despatch fortifies the views of the
Leader of the Opposition and myself on this question.
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Mr. REILLY.—I look upon this minute of Council as another very strong remonstrance on the
part of the Government, against the gross injustice of the demand for the payment
of the Lieut.
Governor's salary by this Colony ; and I am decidedly of the opinion that the Government
did
right in asking some consideration from the Home
Government, on account of the great injustice
done to us in the disposal of our lands. The
answer shows that they look to our connection with Canada as an event which is soon
to
take place.
Mr. McNEILL.—I think I said, yesterday or the
day before, that, if we want to go into confederation, we have but to accept the $200,000
bribe
which had been offered to us ; and in this Despatch we are clearly and plainly told
that if we
want our land question settled, we have to go
into confederation. This Island would never
have objected to the payment of the salary of the
Lieut. Governor, if we had been placed in the
same position as the other Colonies were. This
Despatch plainly proves that when the demand
was made, in 1865, when confederation was the
order of the day, that it was with a view to our
being placed in the Dominion.
Hon. Mr. DAVIES.—The memorial which was
read here to-day, to which this despatch is a reply, shows very plainly the sincere
and ardent
desire of the Government to do all they can to
settle the land question, and that they have left
no stone unturned in their endeavor to induce the
Home Government to consent to what is but just
and reasonable in the matter. But, sir, I really
now do not see that there is any way in which to
carry out the great wish of the people for the
settlement of the land question, as the proprietors
will not accept what we can offer them. With
reference to the whole tenor of Lord Granville's
reply, it at least shows quite plainly that the
British Government do not care much for us ;
that they have cast off all protection ; and, in
effect, have said, that we can go and find protection where we can. I only wish the
Despatch
was more explicit and out-spoken on this point ;
then we would know the extent of our freedom.
As to the offer, seemingly, or plainly, implied,
to go into confederation, it is similar to the one
made to Newfoundland, which was, in effect, that if
they went into the Union, Her Majesty's Government believed that Reciprocity would
soon follow. Such a statement is in the speech of the
Lieut. Governor of that Colony, at the opening of
the Legislature ; and, sir, you know that there
was never a poorer prospect of obtaining Reciprocity than there is at present. We
know that
the feeling between the United States and Great
Britain just now is not such as warrants us to
expect that a renewal of reciprocal trade relations with these Colonies is likely
to be soon
realized. I see it stated in press that the feeling
in the United States is, that no pecuniary recompense which Great Britain could offer
to the
PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER.
160
United States Government, on account of the
Alabama claims, would compensate them for the
evil they received from them during the last war.
That, but for Great Britain, the war would have
been closed two years earlier than it was ; and
they say further, that, while this was going on,
the Government of England was expressing great
sympathy for them, and yet, at the same time,
was allowing their ships to go and destroy her
commerce ; and, therefore, I think that the encouragement held out to Newfoundland
had no
foundation in fact. We all know where the
treaty making power lies, and the prospect of its
being soon renewed with Canada is now apparently
out of the question, so that the union of Newfoundland with the Dominion will only
have the
effect of making that country poorer, as their
taxes will immediately increase, without affording
any means for improving their trade ; and such
would also be the effect upon this Colony. The
obvious policy of the Dominion is to impose a tax
upon our products and exact large duties. The
duty on oat-meal, last year, was fifteen per cent.
As to Confederation, I am not for going into it
on any terms which they may or can offer ; for
it is not in their power to offer terms to us that it
would be any advantage for us to accept. I only
regret that the Home Government did not tell us
more plainly what we might do ; but I think they
have very nearly told us to go where we please,
and had they but said so in plainer terms the
answer would be more satisfactory.
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Hon. Mr. HENDERSON.—It does appear from the
whole tenor of this Despatch as if there is an inclination to put the screws on this
Colony, unless
we conform to the present policy of the British
Government. I said a few days ago that I believed the British nation, at heart, was
right, and
that the great bulk of her people meant that justice, and that only, should be extended
to the
Colonies ; but, between red-tape-ism, on the one
hand, and the leviathian crust, on the other, in
the present Government, with the so-called
wholesale reform now pressing upon the Govern
ment, upon which the party in power will, in
their dealing with it, have to stand or fall, so
that the view I took of it a few days ago agrees
with what we have since learned. If any claims
in way of saving the Imperial finances is made
upon us, it must be responded to by us in the
manner in which we are directed to do so ; but if
we present our grievance and ask to be allowed
to pass such measures as we know would assist
us in redressing them, we are told to go into
Confederation. We have always called Great
Britain the Mother Country, but I think we may
now call her the step-mother, and a very harsh
one at that. I am a British subject, and I believe a loyal one, and think British
justice should
consist in extending equal justice to all her subjects ; and justice to myself and
those who sent
me here demand that I say this much. There is
also an additional matter to be considered, and
one which ought not to be overlooked. This
Colony asked for Reciprocity ; this is an Imperial
measure, and one that can only be entered into
by independent powers ; but the idea that we
should use a privilege which belongs to every
British subject as his inalienable right—the right
of petition for what we knew would be to our
advantage—gave offence, and for so doing we
were snubbed at once. We have, sir, held our
shoulder against pressure for the last five years
from those who wished us to go into Confederation, and now I consider it no more than
justice
to our own people, since the Imperial authorities
are bearing so harshly upon us, that we should
see to our own interests ; and if the Imperial
Government send a gentleman here to represent
Her Majesty, I consider that the allowance
should be according to our circumstances, and,
therefore, consider that £1,000 is as much as we
can afford to give, and if his Imperial masters
think the amount too small, they can add to it as
much as they please.
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PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER.
161
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Mr. G. SINCLAIR.—The Despatch only the more
firmly fortifies the views expressed, that if we
wish to keep out of the Dominion of Canada, we
have promptly to comply with this demand ; for
we are clearly given to understand that it is
owning to the uncertainty of our remaining out of
the Union, that the authorities in Great Britain
decline to discuss our grievances, or enter into
their consideration, yet there is no doubt but that
the British Government would be loath to force
us into the Union, unless we give them some
reason ; and my opinion is that if we do not comply with this request, they may compel
us by the
force of circumstances to do so. I do not think
we should offer a lower salary than that proposed in the Resolution. This Island is
differently situated from the other Provinces, as they
have their Lieut. Governors appointed by the
Dominion Government, whereas ours will receive
his appointment, like that of the Governor of the
Dominion, directly from the Imperial Government.
We are aware that the Dominion Government
endeavored to have the salary of their Governor
lowered, but they could not, and in the attempt
were met with a stern refusal.
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