PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 11
In the paragraph having reference to the Union of the Island with Canada, it
was amusing to notice that the Government expressed the hope - the
earnest hope—of the Imperial Government on that question. If the paragraph expressed
anything it was the
hope that the policy of the late Government on that question should be—
carried out. Yes, that the policy which
the hon. member for Alberton had, on
nomination day, condemned in his-
speech. at St. Eleanors, should he sustained. The hon. member on that
occasion said, that the government was
" going to take away the Constitution."
In order that they might escape the
disagreeable duty of presenting the
public accounts "to the Legislature,"
and asked " what there was in our
affairs to cause the delegates to rush
away to Ottawa on Saturday night to
sell our privileges to the Dominion.
They were pledged against Confederation, but they stole away to Ottawa in
the silence of the night, to put us into
Confederation." That was his language before the election. Yet the Government of which
the hon. memhér
formed one, came down, and in the
Speech from the Throne said the
matter will receive their most serious consideration . He (Mr. L.) would
tell the hon. member, that in going to
Canada they did not violate any pledge
made to the people. The delegation went up, not to sell the country, or barter away
its Constitution, but in
12 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 1873
the embarrassed state of the Colony,
brought about by the Railway measure
to see what terms could be had—
expressly with the intention of laying
them before the country - and giving
the people an opportunity, if they were
willing to cast in their lot with the
Dominion; and although as a Government they had been defeated, yet the
Speech from the Throne proved their
policy had been sustained. This was
not acting like the Coalition Government, which in violation of a promise made to
some of their supporters,
brought forward the Railway Bill, and
carried it at midnight without submitting it to the people. This was the
main charge brought against that
Government, and for that reason did
the people on the first occasion that
offered afterwards, hurl them from
power. The late Government pursued
a different course. They dissolved
the House and sent Confederation to
the polls. Those who passed a measure for the construction of 200 miles
of Railway, knew when doing so that
it would involve an expenditure utterly
beyond what the resources of the
Colony could hear. The hon. Leader
of the Government had not the manliness then to lay that great measure
before the people. But he (Mr. L.)
and his friends displayed no such
cowardice. True, they were not now
backed up by a majority, yet it was
equally true that they were not condemned on account of their Railway
policy. In confirmation—of this he
claimed that the late Government
were sustained in all the most wealthy
and intelligent districts in the Island,
Charlottetown alone excepted. When
the Murray Harbor district was contested last autumn, the Government
was handsomely sustained. The same
success attended their candidates
lately. When Mr. Gordon resigned
his seat in the Legislative Council,
the then Opposition could find no man
willing to oppose Mr. McDonald. If
there was one district more difficult
han any other to contest an election
in after agreeing to the Branch BilI, it
was Belfast, and though the most
popular man who had ever represented
that part of the County, was brought
out, yet the candidates of the late
Government were handsomely returned at the head of the poll, It was the
same, and attended with similar results
in the district represented by his hon.
friends Messrs. Callbeck and McNeill.
His hon. friend the late Leader of the
Gov't. in this House, met also with
more than ordinary opposition, yet he
(Mr. L.) was proud to know that that
intelligent district had triumphantly
sustained Hon. Mr. Sinclair, and had
also given him an able colleague in his
hon. friend Mr. Stewart, who ran in
conjunction with him. He ,was glad
also to be able to state that the plucky
and worthy member for the second
District of Prince County had also
been returned without opposition. He
referred to the Hon. James Yeo. He
(Mr. L.) held, therefore, that the assertion he made was correct, and that
the late Government had not been
defeated on account of its policy with
respect to building the Branch lines of
the Railway. In proof he would turn
to those districts in which there had
been a falling off. In Cardigan the
probability was that the late representative got in there to some extent by
accident. Had their present representative, Hon. Mr. Owen, been on the
Island at the time, in all likelihood he
would have been returned, then, as
now. So that the result there could
scarcely be looked upon as a defeat to
the late Government. He would next
turn to Bedeque ; and he regretted
that the senior member for that district had changed sides. That hon.
member is reported to have stated on
nomination day, that " he would not
give sixpence for D. Laird's calculations." Although [that might be so,
yet he thought the hon. member would
agree with him in saying that it was
the Railway policy of the coalition
1873
PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 13
government which brought the country
into its present difficulty. The hon.
member said further, that, " he found
no fault with the Government till they
changed their policy with regard to
Confederation, and then he had no
alternative but to oppose them." Thus
the hon. member had honestly said
that it was their Confederate and not
their Railway policy which made him
Oppose the late Government. In the
Third District of Queen's County, hon.
Mr. Beer had been handsomely returned in spite of the extraordinary
influence which had been used against
him. The senior member for that
district ran his election as an officer of
the late Government, and therefore
the electors had no legitimate reason
for knowing, but that in supporting
him they were also supporting
the Government as much as when
voting for hon. Mr. Beer. It was well
known, however, that Catholic influence
had been largely used to prevent the
return of the hon. member (Mr. Beer)
though he was happy to add, unsuccessfully. Up to the day the delegation
left for Ottawa, they looked upon the hon. member for Fort Augustus, as a supporter
of the late Government. It was said, their flying visit to Ottawa had the effect of
changing their views of the hon. member ; then, if such was the case, he would oppose
Confederation. It could not have been their policy with respect to the Branches which
caused that hon. member to change sides. The same was true also of the hon. member
for East Point, the hon. Mr. McLean. He, too, of all men, could not have been dissatisfied
because they undertook the immediate construction of the Branch lines. He remained
in the Government until the dissolution of the House was agreed upon, which showed
that he was not against ascertaining what better terms could be obtained from the
Dominion Government. In so far, therefore, as going to Ottawa was concerned, the hon.
member was as much responsible
as any of them. But the plain matter
of fact seemed to be, when some men
want an excuse, if they have none,
they will make one, as the hon. Mr.
Sullivan did last winter, when he made
the matter of the reinvestment clauses
in the Branch Bill one for resigning
his seat at the late Executive Board.
But on that question the opinion of the
late Government was sustained by the
law officers of England, notwithstanding the boasted legal ability of some men on
the other side. Yes, we had
during the last session, to contend for
that measure, hour after hour, and by
hard fighting won the ground inch by
inch, and being sustained in our views
by the authorities in the old country,
he could not but regard their victory
in that matter, as a triumph of which
the late Government might justly feel
proud. It was a triumph which showed no imbecility. He was sorry the
hon. member for St. Peter's was not
now in his place. It was currently
reported that Roman Catholic influence similar to that brought to the notice
of Judge Keogh, of Ireland, had been
brought out against the late Government in St. Peter's. The hon. Mr.
Hogan did not offer again. If, therefore, the late Government had in St. Peter's and
elsewhere, been defeated, they fell in a manly fight. The school question was made
to do duty against them. It was education, and not Railway Branches and Confederation,
which overthrew the late Government. Well did the hon. member for Souris know, that
every disposition was shown by the late party and the Government, to do all that lay
in their power for his and other districts. This they did to the loss and injury of
their own districts. What were the tanks they received in return ? The Government
took a look at the affairs of the Colony. They found the Finance was not in such a
state as they could wish. Large amounts for land damages were required. The Railway
Bill provided that immediate payment should be
14 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 1873
made in cash for. land damages, as they
became due and were presented.
Hence it was found difficult to obtain
cash to meet the claims for lands as
they came in. The Government required $50,000. The old Bank, at
that time, in November, could only let
them have $10.000 and the Union
Bank $5,000. The hon. the leader of
the Government told him a few days
ago, that if he had been in power he
would have had no difficulty in obtaining the amount required. This he
(Mr. L.) did not believe. The credit
at the Colony was just as good under
one Government as the other. If
otherwise, and the Banks were to become more party institutions, the
sooner the country knew it the better.
Such, however, he had no reason to
believe was the case. Under those
circumstances the Government had to
try and dispose of some of their Debentures abroad. They sold a few at
par, but rather than dispose of them at
a discount, they borrowed $25,000,
which had been of great service during
the winter, In view of the present
and prospective difficulties of the Colony, they saw that increased taxation,
or Confederation, was unavoidable. As
a nativeof the country, it he saw any
feasible way by which they could hope
to overcome those difficulties and remain as they were, he would feel glad.
But as the Railway debt would be
largely increased in another year, he
saw no course open but the one they
took. They opened up a correspondence, and then by invitation from the
Dominion Cabinet, went to Ottawa
and discussed the matter with the
Privy Council. They obtained terms,
dissolved the House, and laid the
question before the country, and he,
for one, would never feel ashamed of
what he did in that matter. It was
not selling the country as has had been
said. He would not go into the financial aspect of the question then, as he
intended doing so when the papers,
came down, and the general question
would be considered. The late Government viewed the difficulties of the
Colony, and having done so, cheerfully
cast their trust upon the people's care.
He had to contest an election in one of
the most difficult districts to be found
to contest an election on that question
in, yet he met with but one man who told him he was afraid of union, and still he
voted fro him. But in several districts other questions had been brought forward.
The Herald, which up to the time the delegates left for Ottawa, had supported us, immediately
changed its tone, and in its last issues says ;-
"That flying visit which he made to
Ottawa, brought disaster upon his luckless head, and ' nipped his countless honors
in their bloom."
Further on he says :-
" True, Mr. Laird made a very
pompouparade of lofty motives, and
discoursed feeling on patriotism, but
the country would not believe him.
.The computations he put forth were
pronounced worthless by the people,
and to the chagrin and mortification of
Mr. Laird, his party returned from the
election numbering barely ten."
1873
PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER 19
[Mr. Howlan — ] [...] the rights and privileges of the Opposition
had been infringed upon, because the
rules had not been passed immediately
after the officers were appointed. He
(Mr. H.) saw, no attempt made to infringe upon any rights or privileges; if
he saw any such attempt, he would be
the first to raise his voice against it.
But he could pardon the hon. member
for the charges which—he had just
made against the government, because
his parliamentary experience was extremely limited, and he had everything
to learn in reference to these matters.
If the hon. member's law out of parliament was no sounder than he had
shown it to be in it, he (Mr. H.)
pitied his unfortunate clients. The
course pursued by the government
was in perfect accordance with the
rules laid down in May on Parliament.
But what did the hon. member for
Murray Harbor care for precedent?
Nothing whatever ; precedents were
nothing to him, as his decision was, in
his own opinion, superior to them all.
People are generally satisfied with
one well-established precedent, but a
dozen were of no account in the
judgment of the hon. member for Murray
Harbor. When the consideration of
the Draft Address was resumed, he
(Mr. H.) would pay his compliments
to the hon. member, but he would
make no further remarks upon the
present amendment, further than to
say, that it was his. (Mr. H's) opinion
that his honor the Speaker could not
entertain it, as it was out of order.
Mr. T. Kelly said that he had
listened to the eloquent address of the
hon. member for Murray Harbor with
surprise, not unmingled with amusement. He (Mr. D.) was a member
of the legal profession, and a gentleman
of culture, and considerable ability, and
yet had just made statements which he
himself must have known were not
strictly correct. The hon. member
stated that a law of Parliament is a
law of the land. Now the expression,
" law of the land " was a very nice
expression, and one which tended to
captivate and please the general public; but the statement was not strictly
correct. Would the hon. member
deny that one well-established precedent in a case perfectly analogous to
the one under consideration would not
bind? On the other hand, it can be
shown that there are 'none strictly
against the present one. By consulting the Journals of 1854 and 1859
and 1863, hon. members would find
that the Draft Address was submitted
during those three Sessions of the
House before the Rules were passed.
If those three precedents would not
bind in cases perfectly analagous, he
could not tell what would. Then
again, there is a rule laid down that
in all cases where the tules of last
Session do not apply, the Rule of the
Imperial Parliament is binding. It is
also clearly established that the Standing Rules of the late House stand
good from Session to Session until
they are repealed. A single precedent is sufficient to bind in all
questions of this kind, and "the hon.
member for Murray Harbor knows
this very well.
His HONOR THE SPEAKER said that
the amendment submitted by Mr. Sinclair was irregular, and that he declined to receive
it. The question on Mr.
T. Kelly's motion was then put and
carried.
Hon. B. DAVIES said that in the
foremoon he had been speaking of the
propriety of a portion of the Speech
with which His Honor the Lieutenant
Governor had opened the Session. As
hon. members were aware of the country
had been tested on the great question
of Confederation, and the result was
that the late government had been
ousted and that the present government
owed their majority to that result.
The late government were not defeated
on the question of Confederation, for a
majority was turned in favor of it,
but on a side issue. viz, the School
20 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 1873
Question. If the late government had
advocated Sectarian Schools, they
might to-day have been in power, but .
they could not conscientiously grant
public money for the support, of those,
schools. After the battle of Sadowa,
as is well known, the School Question was discussed all over Europe,
and the Emperor of Austria, was com-;
pelled to bow to the will of his subjects to prevent a political revolution,
and took the education of the people
out of the hands of the clergy and
placed it in the hands of the Government. The Concordat was thus repealed on the demand
of the people.
Are we now going to take the education of our people out of the hands of
the govarnment and place it in the
handsof the Clergy, thus establishing a
system which the people of Europe
have tried to rid themselves of ? The
demand of His Lordship the Roman
Catholic Bishop, amounts to nothing
less than that. If the grant were
once conceded, denominational schools
would inevitably follow, for the Clergy
are never satisfied. If one denomination received a grant, others would
demand the same, and there would be
no end to the trouble that would arise
from it. If the public schools of this
Colony were once placed in the hands
of the various denominations, where is
the man who would dare raise his
voice against denominational Schools ?
It is well known that the School
Question underlaid everything at the
late election, and that the Catholic
Clergy used their influence against the
return of the late government to power.
For this demand he (Mr. D.) did not
blame them in the least, because he
believed they were sincere in what
they asked for . He lost, through their
influence, one-third of the votes of those
who supported him at the former
election, but some Roman Catholics
did support him, and those he thought
were true patriots. He would most
sincerely thank them for their support,
and they deserved the thanks of the
country for the public spirit which they
had shown. The district had formerly
been a strongly Anti-confederate one,
and nothing would have turned the
people in favor of Confederation if they
had not come to the conclusion that if
the Colony did not join the Dominion
it would be placed in great financial
troubles. When the Delegation first
started for Ottawa, he thought the act
of the government in sending it there
a monstrous one, and contrary to the
interests of the Colony, but when the
terms came down and he found that
they were just and liberal he at once
embraced them. He saw that the
sum allowed us was sufficient to meet
the requirements of the Colony, if they
did not exceed those of the last few
years. He thought the late government had obtained a great triumph in
carrying those terms at the late election as they had done. The only thing
which prevented them from retaining
the reins of power, was the School
Question. He was told that he need
not show himself on the Pisquid Road,
but he obtained considerable support
there, and believed that to-day, he
could poll as many, votes there as the
hon. member for Tignish, (Mr. H.)
although he represents the head of his
church. The terms he thought were
very liberal, as the Canadians would
not only pay our Railroad debt and
our old public debt, but would allow
us a sum sufficient to pay all our requirements. This is a very important
question, for if we do not accept the
terms now offered we must be prepared
to pay the interest on 3.25 millions of
dollars, and that in gold. He would
like to see how the government could
make provisions for it. On the other
hand, if they accept the terms, and join
the Dominion, many of their supporters
in voting with them would break the
pledges given by them to the people at
the polls. He believed the hon. member for Alberton (Mr. H.) had went
through that district, declaring against
Confederation and he could not under
1873 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 21
stand how that hon. member could
now turn round in favor of it. Several other hon. members on the Government side of
the House were in a similar position to that hon. member. The government need take
no credit to themselves for obtaining a majority in the way they had. It has been
Her Majesty's intention for some years past that these Provinces should be united
and consolidated, but we as a Province, have not, hitherto, been favoured with an
offer of just and liberal terms for our acceptance. When the Quebec terms came down,
we found that they would entail intolerable burdens upon us, and therefore indignantly
rejected them. The better terms of 1869, although far more liberal than the first,
were also rejected, because, after counting the cost, we found that the country would
suffer great loss by accepting them. But the passing of the Railway Bill by Mr. Pope's
government in 1871 has increased our debt to the extent of three millions of dollars—a
terrible debt for so small a population as ours. The late government saw that they
must either go into Confederation or tax the people heavily. Now we know that our
taxes are already nearly equal to those of Canada ; some say they are greater. A great
many kinds of goods manufactured in Canada, would, under Confederation, come in here
duty free, such as winter clothing, blankets, boots and shoes, mowing machines, &c.,
upon which we now pay a duty of fifteen per cent. He was of opinion, all things considered,
that we should be great gainers by accepting the terms now offered us, and he believed
that the great body of the people entertained a similar opinion. At the outside, we
could not increase the duty upon goods more than 2 1/2 per cent, and the increase
of Revenue from this would fall far short of meeting the wants of the country. There
was no other course that could safely be adopted, but to seek a union with Canada
upon reason
able terms. The present land tax is
an unfair one, as it is levied from rich and poor alike without regard to the quality
of the land. If ÂŁ30,000 or ÂŁ40,000 sterling were drained out of the Colony every year
to pay interest on the Railway debt, what would be the result ? The Railway would
never pay the interest on its cost and working expenses. As to the terms offered by
Canada, be thought the Laird terms $168,000 per year better than the Better Terms
of 1869. He understood a delegation was about to be appointed by the government to
be sent to Ottawa to ask better terms still, than those now offered. The Canadians
will certainly be astonished to meet his honor the Leader of the Government asking
for better terms, when they remember that he was satisfied with terms far less liberal.
22 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 1873
Hon. Mr. HOWLAN.—It appeared
that the hon. senior member for Belfast had read the Address over and over again,
and the oftener he read it the less he knew about it. The beginning, in the hon. member's
opinion, was no good, the middle no good, and the end no good. The hon. member had
read the Address through, found fault with it, and yet did not know anything about
it after all ! This reminded him (Mr. H.) of the despatch which the hon. member once
signed, but some months after, he declared that he never signed it, had not seen it
and did not believe in it ; yet his signature was at the end of it. It appears the
hon. member got along first rate during his late
canvass in his district ; he had one
story for the Catholics on Pisquid road and another for the Presbyterians of Belfast,
as he told the former that the clergymen, only, agitated for the grant, and that Col.
Gray would not give his vote in favor of it, and the latter that Col. Gray had made
a Speech a few years ago at St. Dunstan's College in which he stated that if he had
a son to educate, he would entrust that institution with his education. The hon. member
would have had no chance whatever of being re-elected for that district, if he had
not misrepresented his political opponents. Not satisfied with scattering printed
circulars in English among the people, he had Gaelic circulars printed for their especial
benefit, in order to complete his misrepresentation and to make it as effectual as
possible. If it had not been for the School Question, the hon. member would not have
had the smallest chance of being elected ; this could not be denied. The hon. senior
member for Belfast tells us that the opposition of the people to a change in the school
system, enabled him to carry his election, and the hon. junior member says he gained
his election on Confederation , alone. He (Mr. H.) believed that Confederation had
nothing to do with the election of
either of those hon. members, and that
if it had not been for their misrepresentations on the school question, the hon. Col.
Gray would be a member of the House of Assembly to-day. Little did Col. Gray think,
when he delivered that Address at St. Dunstan's College, that it would, a few years
afterwards, be worth so much money to the present hon. members for Belfast. Col. Gray
spoke in the Address, in high terms, of the efficiency of the teachers, the cleverness
and good-conduct of the pupils, and the excellent course of training carried out in
St. Dunstan's College ; and how could he speak otherwise ? Could he (Mr. H.) not admire
the beautiful edifies erected by the Methodists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, &c.,
because they belonged to denominations differing from himself in religious opinions
or matters of conscience ? Were it not for scheme, trickery and misrepresentation,
no seat in this House would be occupied by the hon. B. Davies to-day. That hon. member
used language throughout the country in reference to the memorial presented to Mr.
Hensley's government by His Lordship Bishop McIntyre, intended to misrepresent His
Lordship. The hon. member wished to make it appear that the Bishop demanded separate
schools, although he well knows that His Lordship asked for nothing of the kind.
1873
PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 23
The
hon. member had made allusion to his
(Mr. H's) speech at St. Eleanor's, on
Nomination day. He opposed Confederation at that time, because he
could not do anything else ; no terms
were before the country and no prospect
of obtaining fair and equitable terms. At
the close of the financial year, it was
shown by the late government party
with a great flourish of trumpets that
the Revenue for the past year had
increased to the extent of $10,000—
notwithstanding their dashaway-policy.
This country was his home, and he
loved it too well to sacrifice its constitutional rights and privileges. It was
a great misfortune that the miserable
faction who had ruled the country for
the past twelve months had control of
its affairs as long as they had ; but he
had hoped, all along, that by economy
and good management chaos might be
reduced to order, and the credit of the
country preserved without going into
Confederation. He little thought, at
the beginning of the present year, what
plotting and scheming were going on
in the government, and it appeared
that some of the members of the government themselves, knew nothing
at all about the delegation to Ottawa,
until it had stolen off. The hon.junior
member for Belfast and two or three
more schemers concocted the whole
scheme, and kept it to themselves till
they were prepared to strike. A few
months before, those very men had
published an account of the flourishing
state of the Colony, and had undertaken
the construction of new and very expensive bridges at New London and
North Rustico. Never before had
$94,000 been spent by the Board of
Works in a single year. Yet this was
done by the very men who complained
that the Colony could now no longer
maintain its credit without Confederation ! Before the present Government
was organized, he was not aware of
the real financial condition of the
colony ; but he now saw the bad state
of affairs, and was in a position to say
that the mismanagement of the late
government had been the sole cause
of it. There never was a time when
the country stood in greater need of a
good government than last year ; but
it was notorious that the country had
never before suffered from one so imbecile as the one that had lately resigned the
reins of power. They had sent
Mr. Albert Hensley off to the Dominion to negociate the sale of the Land
Damage Debentures, and through
mismanagement, disposed of but a small
amount. They then, through their
agent borrowed the sum of $25,000
from a Provincial Bank to meet their
wants and Mr. Hensley's note now
lies there for that amount. That note,
they intended, he believed, to renew,
at the enormous interest of one per
24 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 1873
cent per month, if they remained in
power. It appeared they had sent about $80,000 to London, to meet the interest of
the Railway debentures due in July. Was it a business like transaction to send off
money early in the spring to meet the interest due in July, and then to turn around
and borrow money from one of the Banks of the other Provinces at an enormous interest
? No man in transaction his own business would have acted in this manner. The hon.
Mr. Muirhead stated in Summerside, that the first intention of the late govenrment
was to legislate the Island into the Dominion without appealing the the people at
the polls at all, while Hon. E. Palmer declared that the Delegates had gone to Ottawa
for the purpose of "fending off" Confederation. This shows that there was secret plotting
going on somewhere, of which all the members of the late government were not aware,
at first. The hon. junior member for Belfast has not, now, a word to say about the
charges made by him and his party last year against the Coalition government. The
only charge he now makes against them is, that they forced the Railway upon the people
without their consent. Does that hon. member remember his charges made during the
six days'scession, of Bribery, Corruption, Tammany, Ring &c., &c. When the Opposition
of last Session asked for a Committee of Investigation to ascertain the truth of those
charges, they received no answer but "haw ! haw ! haw ! the country has condemned
you and that is sufficient ; that is all the investigation we will grant you." Not
a nook in any public office was left unsearched; no drawer was left unsearched, no
scheme was left untried, no means unemployed, to endeavor to convict the members of
the coalition government of dishonesty. Neither himself nor his friend the hon. A.
A. McDonald had ever accepted a public office of any kind, and could not be accused
of being greedy of office and of
making money out of their position in
the government. Not so with their most prominent accusers, for the moment they obtained
the government, they showed a greed for office never before known in this Colony.
Although they had every means at their command, they could have wished for, to enable
them to investigate the conduct of their predecessors, they refused to do so. The
record of the country is against them, that when really put to the proof of their
charges they utterly failed. After they had carried out their dash- away policy for
a few months, off they start for Ottawa, and seek admission into Confederation, contrary
to every principle upon which they were elected, a year ago. Hon. Mr. Haythorne, although
acknowledging himself a Confederate had pledged himself to his constituents not to
put the country into the Dominion without their consent at the polls ; but it was
the intention of that hon. gentleman together with the other members of the government,
to force the Colony into Confederation, if possible, this session. Mr. Muirhead had
made a statement to this effect in the presence of two gentlemen who stood high in
the community, and he (Mr. H.) repeated it on their authority. There are no longer
snake maps exhibited through the country, no curves int he line, no spruce sleepers
to condemn, no badly constructed culverts to be carried away by the first spring freshet,
no stumps on the road bed. What has produced this great change ? Where is the government
of last year ? Where ? The old Coalition is back in government again stronger than
they ever were ; they have been tried by a jury of their countrymen and most triumphantly
acquitted of the slanderous charges made against them by the present Opposition Party.
That is the cause of the silence in reference to those charges. There was one thing
he was sorry to have to state, and that was, that matters affecting the best interests
1873
PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 25
of the country were in a far different
state from that in which the Coalition
government left them ; in fact they
were now in a most deplorable condition. When the late government found
that they had brought the country to
the verge of bankruptcy by, their dash-
away policy they proposed secretly
to send that famous delegation off to
Ottawa, and ascertain what terms
Canada would offer for the admission
of this Colony into Confederation. To
ensure their return to the legislature,
they determined to excite the minds of
the people on the school question, and
to make them believe that if the Bishop
obtained the grant, two crosses, would
be erected on every school-house in
the country. He (Mr. H.) had seen
a public notice " to whom it may concern," and at first concluded that a
ship must Be ashore and for sale, or
something of that sort ; but when he
had read it, he found it was a circular
on the School question, signed by a
large number of Protestant Clergymen.
The ship was for sale, sure enough,
for, away the Delegates started for
Ottawa for Better Terms. When
they returned, the late government
party concluded to agitate the school
question in order to carry Confederation at the Polls. Said they, " if we
can only make the people believe that
Messrs. Pope and Brecken will go for
the grant to Catholic Schools, we are
all right. No matter what terms we
may get or what we may do, we shall
be all right." When the delegates
first started for Ottawa, people could
not believe that the report of their
departure was true. Some refused to
believe it even upon the oath of their
informants ; but they seen discovered
that they had not properly estimated
those hon. gentlemen. The Patriot
editor had formerly led the people to
believe that the whole Dominion
Parliament did not contain an honest
man ; but was now among the first to.
propose going into Confederation, and
to show that it was the very best
course the Island could take. Why
we could never get new potatoes or
seed grain worth having, unless we t
them from Canada ! The Hon. E.
Palmer who had said that if everybody
would follow the example of the Catholics in their opposition to Confederation
the Island would be safe, was changed.
all at once into a full blown Confederate ! All those of their suppporters
whose greed for office and opposition
to the acts of the Coalition Government
had been conspicuous, followed the example of their party and turned. Confederates
in an hour. Nothing was
now to be heard from those new-born
Confederates but high-sounding praise
of. the Dominion and its government—
their statesmanship was grand, their
position exalted and their credit unbounded. The people of the Dominion
should be made aware that the terms
now before the country were obtained
by a government the most unprincipled,
reckless and imbecile, that ever held
the reins of power in this Colony.
The people of Belfast and Murray
Harbor were told that the Steam
Dredge was built expressly for them ;
but they now found that theyhad been
hoodwinked by the late government
and that the local government of this
Colony, under Confederation, will only
be able to obtain a share of its services.
In the New London District, Protestant Clergyman sounded the alarm on
the school question, from their palpits, and reports were circulated that
pledges had been given by Mr. Pope's
party to the Catholics, promising a
grant to their schools. (The hon.
member here read a letter received by
him from New London corrobating
this statement.) But with all their
manoeuvering, twisting and misrepresentation, the hon. member for New
London did not receive as many votes
ashe did last year. He (Mr. H.) had
the Returns for that district for the
last three Elections, and found that
there was not at present as large
majority there, against the present
26
PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 1873
government, as there was two years
ago. At Bedeque, he had this year
received a courteous and fair hearing,
but a year ago, one could scarcely meet
a man who did not say something
about the Ring, Curves and Spruce
Sleepers. All this is now changed for
the better, and the falsehoods and
misrepresentations circulated against
Mr. Pope's government, have almost
entirely died out. A great change had
also taken place at Summerside, and
Mr. Muirhead a member of the late
government had made the statement
there a short time ago, that he had
never stated that there was a Railway
Ring. Another great change had occurred in the West River district, and
it had been stated on good authority
that if it had not been for the Roman
Catholic Frenchmen of North Rustico,
the present representatives of that
district would not be here to-day, as
members of this House. Indeed, it is
pretty clear, that in all cases where
the people could get reliable information, the late government have been
shaken to their foundations. The returns for the West River and Rustico
District show unmistakeably, that the
heart of that district was, and is opposed to the policy of the late government, and
that it had been fairly dealt
with on the school question, it would
have returned Messrs. Jenkins and
Longworth at the head of the poll.
Where is now the boasted strength of
the late government ? The slanders
uttered by them last year had much
more to do with their defeat than they
are willing or honest enough to admit.
A vast change has also taken place in
Belfast, and had they been honorably
dealt with by the present Representatives of that district, Messrs. Gray and
Smith would have had a large majority of votes : of this there was the clearest
proof. In Charlottetown, Messrs. Pope
and Brecken, members of the Coalition
government, walked the course, as no
one could be found to oppose them.
At Summerside Mr. McMillan, an
ex-M. P. voted against his own nominee, and Mr. Vickerson, the only candidate
brought forward by the late
government party, was pledged to
support Mr. Pope's government. The
public feeling there ran so high
against the late government, that even
the office-holders voted against them.
If Confederation had never been
mooted or mentioned, their defeat
would have been just as sure as it is
to-day. The very things with which
the late government had charged the
Coalition, they themselves did ; for
instance, they charged their predecessors with not accepting the lowest
tender, but they did worse by passing
over several tenders without even
making the necessary inquiries. They
charged the Coalition with putting too
many curves on the line of Railway,
but when they let the Branch Lines
they put in 15 per cent more curves
than the Trunk contained. Mr. Pope's
government were taunted by them for
the manner in which the Contracts
were let, but they immediately turned
round and let the Branch lines at a
cost of $1000 per mile more. The
Coalition government did the best they
could, but having had no experience
in building Railways, made some mistakes ; but the late government, with
all the experience of their predecessors
to go by, made far greater blunders
than they did. Then again, it was
said by some members of the late
government that no man could be
honest who had anything to do with
Schreiber and Burpee ; but these were
the very men whom they selected for
their contractors. They paid from the
public chest for the survey of the
Branch lines, but the Coalition compelled the Contractors of the trunk
line to pay the cost of the survey of
that line. Then another terrible
blunder was made by them,—the
worst of all—they removed the only
proper security the country had for
the proper construction of the trunk
line. When the coalition government
1873 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 27
let the trunk contract, it was stipulated that the Contractors should receive
only 90 per cent of their money,
before the completion of the contract,
and that ten per cent should remain
in the hands of the government till
then. The late government agreed to
recind that part of the agreement, and
in doing so, released every man who
was security for the faithful performance of the contract. The bond
was signed by the securities on condition that ten per cent of the pay was
to remain in the hands of the government, until the completion of the contract, and
might have been a strong
inducement to them to give their
names as security. But the securities
are, by the act of the late government,
entirely released, because the contract
has been broken by the latter without
the consent of the former. With our
public credit broken up and our finances placed in a wretched condition by
an unprincipled and imbecile government there was, he was sorry to say,
only one way to get out of our difficulties, and that was to get still better
terms, if possible, at Ottawa, and unite
with Canada. Fancy the effect of a
travelling financier going round to all
the cities of the Dominion, endeavoring, with little success, to sell our government
debentures ! What effect
would this have upon the sale of our
Railway Debentures in the London
money market ? The hon. junior
member for Belfast, when setting off
on the delegation, acted like a robber,
who having robbed a house, sets fire to
it, and burns it down, to prevent his
robbery from being discovered. After
all that had been said and done, what
was the only charge that had been
made against him (Mr. H.) as a public
man ? He had been charged with
being in favor of a grant to Catholic
Schools, of taking the poor child off
the street, and placing it in a good
school. He gloried in his position
upon the School Question. The public mind is in a diseased state upon
this question ; but he had no doubt
that in time the disease would die out.
The present opposition did all in their
power to establish a strong Protestant
government, and to exclude Catholics
from having any voice in the administration of the government, and any
share of the official patronage. They
wished to divide Catholic against
Protestant, and then to go into Confederation—that was their whole
policy. In what position would they
stand , if they had entered the Dominion with a government from which
Catholics were excluded ? How would
their policy appear to the statesmen of
the Dominion, many of whom are
better Protestants than they ? They
would leave over forty thousand of the
people of this colony in a discontented
condition, without any voice in the
government of the Colony or participation in the management of Public
affairs. Do they believe that their
conduct would receive the approbation
of all high-mined liberal Dominion
Statesmen? If so, they are woefully
mistaken. That kind of policy might
do very well for Uigg, Rona and Raasa,
but it would not do for the Dominion !
The hon. junior member for Belfast
who a short time ago had endeavoured
to stigmatize every hon. member of
the House who entertained confederate
sentiments ; he who had been only one
year in public life and had been notorious for being a malicious defamer
so pronounced by the records of the
House ; had, in a moment changed his
policy and had lately done more to
promote Confederation than any hon.
member in the whole Legislature.
This was the action of an hon. member who had defamed the characters of
more men, in his public utterances and
his journal than any other man he
(Mr. H.) had ever heard of. His
(Mr. Laird's) own friends had condemned him by their vote recorded in
the Journals of the House. On the
strength of a mere minute of Council,
that hon. member and his co-delegate
28
PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 1873
set off for Ottawa, and the first information the country received of their
departure was contained in a fly sheet
of the Royal Gazette of Feb. 15th.
The official announcement of the terms
published in the Royal Gazette, did
not reach him (Mr. H.) till after the
general election ; as it was only printed on the 28th March, there was not
sufficient time for it to reach the more
distant parts of the Island. He could
come to no other conclusion, than that
there were no terms before the country on nomination day, as there was
nothing officially published for which
anybody was responsible. If the
terms had been published in time as
they should have been, the people
would have been in a position to pronounce an intelligent opinion upon
them, but as this was not the case, they
could not do so. No intelligent man
would say that a list of terms with no
official signature should be recognized
by the people as reliable. A great
many people believed all that time,
that the whole thing was a fabrication
got up for the purpose drawing their
attention from other matters. His
honest conviction was, that it was the
original intention of the late government to put the country into Confederation nolens volens. Mr. H. Beer, a
member of that government resigned
his seat as a member of the Executive
Council when the delegation was appointed and no reason had been given
for that resignation. Although that
hon. member had resigned months ago,
his resignation had not reached the
Lieutenant governor till a day or two
ago.
Mr. BEER rose to a point of order,
and stated that he had resigned his
seat in the late Executive before the
Delegates were appointed. He had
ran his election altogether on the Confederate ticket.
Hon. Mr. HOWLAN.—There must
have been some reason for the resignation of the hon. member, and it was
fair to presume that the Delegation to
Ottawa had something to do with it.
His Honor might not have received
that resignation, at the time, and this
may have been the reason why it was
not published till all the members of
the late government resigned. There
was, at one time, a great flourish of
trumpets is reference to the ability of
the late government as displayed in
the reinvestment clauses of the Branch
Railway Bill, but what did those
clauses amount to ? The station at
Summerside had been changed, which
necessitated the building of a breastwork in a very exposed situation that
might be broken down by the first
storm after it is completed. One would
have thought they would move the
whole world by their rejoicings at the
change of that Station—the Great
Peace Jubilee in Boston was nothing
to it. How far did they move the
Alberton Station ? Merely across the
road. He had offered to the late
Railway Commissioners a site on the
side of the road opposite ; they complained that the ground was too low ;
he offered to fill it up and make it
level, but they still refused it. The
truth is that the original spot chosen
was the proper place for the station,
when the continuation of the line to
Tignish is taken into account, and the
the Engineer will corroborate this
statement. The investigating Engineers reported on that station under
the impression that it was to be made
a terminal one, and did not take into
account the continuation of the Branch
to Tignish. In speaking of the change
of station at Summerside, the Engineers
stated, " of course in taking this suggestion into consideration, the increased
cost must be borne in mind." But
the increase of cost was nothing to the
government that carried out the dash-
away policy. The property-holders in
that part of the town through which
the railway at present passes, happened to be opposed to the late government, and
therefore the latter did not
1873 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 29
hesitate to direct that the road should
be carried through their property, thus
greatly damaging it, and cutting up
the streets. In changing that station
the late government squandered $100,000 of the public money, and did
$500,000 damage to the town. It is
stated by engineers and others acquainted with the matter, that a small
country town requires a large station
ground for agricultural and other purposes, as the products of the soil and
forest are bulky and conveyed in
vehicles requiring considerable space.
The Summerside station ground is a
small one, and often washed by the
tide, and will always be a source of
trouble and dissatisfaction. The late
Government have left this Island in
such a position, with its credit irreparably injured, that nothing less than
Confederation will relieve us from financial embarrassment. They had sent
for the New York Engineers, and the
result was that their own charges were
proved to be false, and without a shadow of foundation. The Hon. R. P.
Haythorne declared last session in his
place in the Legislative Council, that
he was not answerable for what takes
place in the heat of debate, but if he
found that the Contract had been faithfully carried out according to the letter
and spirit of the Railway Act, he
would be the first to acknowledge it.
Where is the acknowledgment ? Nothing of the kind has been made, although the Engineers'
Report has
shown the Railway Act to be carried
out to the letter. When that Report
was received, they (the late Government) did not understand the figures
it contained, nor the statements in reference to the curves, and therefore
they wrote that famous letter to the
Engineers, almost begging them to find
some fault with the Trunk Line, in
some way or other. There was that
terrible curve on the Thompson farm
and some others, which they almost
implored the Engineers to find some
fault with, but did not succeed in their
designs. Then, in order to throw
odium, if possible, upon Mr. Boyd,
they put the Report in a drawer and
locked it up, instead of publishing it,
like honest men, for the information of
the people who were deeply interested
in the result of that investigation.
When the Engineers were about setting out to engage in their work, a
letter was sent to them by the late
Government telling them not to speak
to Messrs. Pope, Howlan, or Carvell,
in other words to " avoid as far as
possible the intrusion of persons desirous of volunteering information, and
offering their opinions," and to " form
your own unbiassed opinions on the
matters submitted to you." No men
durst speak to them, as there was a
fence all around them. Now, who
were the men who were to be particularly guarded against as dangerous,
and therefore to be dreaded ? The
strong advocates of the Railway policy
of the Coalition Government, Messrs.
Pope, Howlan, Carvell, &c., &c. Then
certain members of the late Executive
were to accompany those Engineers
wherever they went, in order to prevent the intrusion of those dangerous
persons he had just mentioned. He
(Mr. H.) wondered what these Engineers thought of those gentlemen
who watched and guarded them with
such jealous care they, no doubt, entertained their own opinions of the
state of matters and of the motives of
the men who gave them their instructions. What did the late Executive
say to the following remarks of the
Engineers in answer to Mr. Haythorne's statement in reference to the
curve on the Thompson farm : " Now
we beg leave, most respectfully, to say
that these remarks about the alignment
at these points, are not borne out by
the facts of the case." Those Engineers
came here with the very best testimonials, and it is fair to assume that
they knew more about Railways than
the Hons. P. Sinclair, Haythorne, &c.,
members of the late Executive. Be
30 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 1873
fore the Engineers left the Island. they
old the then Government in the Council Chamber. what their opinions on
the Trunk Line Were. and were also
thoronghly cross-questioned on every
point, yet the late Executive depended
that it would, after all, come to pass
that the Report would condemn the
Railway
in toto, and therefore made
every possible effort to the very last,
to break down and destroy the reputation of the projectors of 'the Railway
Scheme. They even went so far as
to express to those Engineers their
own opinions on the curves, spruce
sleepers, wire fence, &c., &c., thus intimating what kind of a Report they
desired. The Engineers gave a truthful report, and when the late Government tried
to trip them up, they found
it impossible to do so, and circulated a
report which they knew to be false,
viz.: that the Engineers had been
bought over to the Opposition. Their
last resort was to slander the very men
they themselves had selected to investigate the work of their political
opponents. The whole matter, together with their action in reference
to Confederation, has been the means of placing them where they richly deserve to
be, viz.: in the small minority they are to-day. Even if Confederation had never been
mooted, they would not have been able to hold the Government many hours after the
opening of the Legislature. Last year, Mr. Boyd's statements were not trusted by the
hon. members of the present Opposition; this year his statements are taken by them
to Ottawa as the very best authority on our Island Railway that can be got. Last year
that gentleman was pronounced by them an incompetent; this year he is a walking monument
of ability. A great deal had been said about Mr. Boyd being a relation of Hon. Mr.
Brecken; and it had also been said that he owed his present position as Chief Engineer
to that relationship. Nothing could be father from the truth. The
fact was that he (Mr. H.) had been
the means of that gentleman's appointment to that important office; having
made his acquaintance in New Brunswick, and knowing that he ranked
high in his profession, he recommended him to the Government to fill the
position he at present occupies. The
fact that the Colony is to day in a bad
financial position and compelled to
knock at the doors of the Dominion
for admission, altogether owing to
the incompetence. blundering and mismanagement of the late Government.
It is much easier to destroy the credit
of the country than to build it up as
strong as it formerly'was. He would
rather see the Colony remain out of
Confederation, if it could redeem its
credit, but he saw that there was not
much prospect of its-doing so, and
would therefore endeavor to obtain
the best terms possible, and do all that
lay in his power to forward the best
interests of this Island.
I.O.
1873 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 33
Mr. BEER said boldly that the school
question was used against him at the
last election, and were it not so used,
he would have been returned with a
much larger majority. To the Railway he was always opposed, as he
felt convinced it would be the means
of forcing us into Confederation. A
few months ago a gentleman told him
that he was a strong Confederate, and
also a strong Railway man; but that
when the Railway Bill was passed he
felt perfectly easy as he then knew
Confederation would of necessity have
soon to follow.
Mr. P. SINCLAIR said, were it not
that he felt it his duty to reply to the
hon. member for Alberton, he would
not then Speak to the motion. The
hon. member made a statement which
could not be substantiated.
Hon. Mr. HOWLAN enquired if the
hon. member meant to say that he
made a statement which could not be
substantiated ?
Mr. P. SINCLAIR.—The hon. member stated that the Board of Works
expended $120,000 last year.
Hon. Mr. HOWLAN said, what he
did say was that the Board expended
$94.685.44 and left $31.345.64 to pay,
which amounted to over $120,000, or
$126,031.08.
Mr. SINCLAIR would acknowledge
that statement to be correct. Yet at
the same time, when the hon. member
made the statement first he said the
Board Spent $120,000 which was not
correct. The Board had a vote of the
House last session for ordinary public
works, such as roads, bridges, wharves,
breakwaters, &c., of $32,000. For
lighthouses, buoys. jails. &c., including
Government House, fuel,&c... $10,000.
And for unfinished works a sum sufficient amounting to about $46,000. In
addition to these amounts they had
local subscription lists for most of the
heavy works amounting to $3 000.
These amounts when balanced against
$93,500 expended, showed that the
Board of Works department kept
within the limits assigned by the
House last session. The hon. member
laid the Government did wrong in
remitting money to London before it
became due, this he thought could be
easily answered when the public accounts came up for discussion. Thus
as regards the delegation to Ottawa,
he had simply to say that the Government took the state of the Colony,
with reapect to its finances into consideration, and found that in order to
meet the public demands as they be.
came due, taxation to the extent of
about $2.00 a head on the population
of the Colony would be required to be
levied. Such being the result of their
enquires it was deemed advisable to
open up negotiations with the Dominion Government. All they did in the
matter was fair and open. No advan- Â
tage was taken of the country in any
way whatever in what they did. The
late Government was defeated because
the school question was used against
them and not on account of their Confederation policy. On these two ques
34
PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 1873
tions their policy was sustained by the
present party. For his part he was
not once of those who had one policy
for today and another for to-morrow.
The letter which the hon. member for
Alberton read, stated that the school
question was brought up at a public
meeting in New London. Mr. Ross,
who he believed wrote that letter, was
a candidate at the late contest, and appeared to think he might succeed if he
could get the Catholic vote. For his
(Mr. S.'s) part, he only mentioned the
question once, and that was at a meeting at Lot 29. The hon. member for
Alberton if in earnest on the school
question. now that he was in power
again, should move in the matter. If
there was an hon. member in the
House which that question did more
service to than another, it was the hon.
member himself. He denied the mismanagement charged against the late
Government. When they went out of
power they left more money in the
Treasury titan they found there when
they came into office, and had besides
in London, to the credit of the Colony,
ÂŁ6,000 sterling. With regard to surveying and locating the branch lines of
the Railroad, he believed the country
gained by their doing 80. Previous to
the location of the Main Trunk the
distance from Alberton to Georgetown
had been computed at 120 miles, or 27
miles less than the actual length. The
branches had been estimated at about
50 miles, and the resulthad shown that
in estimating the length'they came
within a mere trifle oi the distance.
This he thought would not be the case
if the Contractors had been allowed to
locate the branches as they did the
main line. True the cost per mile
was higher, but they would have a
better road. The sleepers were to be
Juniper and cedar instead of spruce and
hemlock. He felt satisfied that those
living on the two ends of the line
would have a better road than the
centre would prove to be. The financial affairs of the Colony were man
aged as efficiently and with as much
regard to economy and the welfare of
the country as they had been by their
predecessors, and on retiring from the
Government they left them, as he before said, in as good a condition as
they found them. He knew of no
clergyman in his district who used any
influence in his favor during the late
election ; but believed there were
clergymen on both sides who did so in
other districts. The policy foreshadowed in the Speech be regarded as a
sound one, and if the Government adhered faithfully to it they should, while
doing so have his support. When the
Railway Bill was carried he felt the
Island would not much longer be able
to stand erect under the burden it
would impose, and the result proved
that he was correct. He had the
honor to represent one of the largest
and most intelligent districts in the
Island, and notwithstanding what was
said by the hon. member for Alberton,
received more votes at the late election
than Hon. Mr. Howlan did.
Hon. Mr. POPE did not rise to make
a speech, but to express a hope that
hon. members would not unnecessarily
prolong the discussion, lest by so doing
the time of the House might be so
taken up, that the passage of the
Revenue Bill might be endangered,
when that matter was disposed of, then
he should not object to time being
given for as free arid open a discussion
on all public questions, as was
necessary. But their first duty was to see
that the Revenue Bill should be passed
in proper time.
Mr. L. H. DAVIES would only any
in answer to the hon. member the
Leader of the Government, that when
the hon. member for Alberton was allowed to occupy so much time, and
hon. members kept three hours listening to his slanders against the Opposition, he
would find there were hon.
members in the Opposition who would
resent it, who would not allow their
1873 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 35
party to be slandered while their
policy was swallowed. The Opposition do not intend by factibus opposition to embarrass
the Government in
having the Revenue Bill carried
through at the proper time, yet when
a member of the Government occupied
so much time in saying so little, he, for
one would assert his right to reply.
The result of the election had been discussed. He for one felt surprised to
hear hon. members state that the
school question was not before the
country. The fact was—it could not
be denied—every man on both sides
was schooled up on that particular
question. Each elector when polling
a vote for a Catholic candidate knew
he was recording one in favor of grants
in aid of Catholic schools. (No.)
Hon. members might say no, but he
believed such was the fact. He knew
it was so in the Murray Harbor district in which there were many Catholics who value
and appreciate the Free
Educational System which we possess.
Numbers of them voted for him (Mr.
D.) because he was in favor of maintaining the system in its integrity, and
in, so far as his humble ability would
enable him, hoped he would be found
always ready to defend and support it
He felt quite convinced the school
question was just as much before electors at the late contest as Confederation. In
looking at the Speech of His
Honor the Lieutenant Governor he
could not but feel that a majority were
returned to support the policy of the
late Government on the question of
grants to Denominational Schools and
Confederation. On these two questions the late Government carried the
country with them. Certainly if such
was not the case and the views of some
ere to be met on Education, it should
be set forth in the Speech. On Confederation the Speech did foreshadow
the fact that the Governnent had endorsed the policy of their predecessors.
Where in such conduct was the consistency of the hon. member for Tignish
who had inscribed, on his flag "No
Confederation ?
Hon. Mr. HOWLAN rose to a point
of order, to say, he had no flag with
such an inscription on it.
Mr. L. H. DAVIES would say further,
that when the hon. member came
down on this particular occasion with
aspeech in which no reference was
made to the school question,—in a
word, abandoning the Catholic claims
for their schools, it ill became him to
assail the late Representative for Charlottetown in the manner he did. He
could tell the hon. member, that the
Hon. Daniel Davies as a public man
stood high in the estimation of the
petple. That in all the walks of life
the Hon. Daniel Davies stood upon a
pedestal far higher than the hon. member for Tigrish had ever reached.
And such being the case the remarks
made respecting him by the hon. member could do that hon. gentleman no
harm. In so far as Confederation
went, the late Government was the
only one which ever existed in this
Colony that could have carried that
question at the polls. Nor would he
hesitate to assert that on the general
question the hon. member for Belfast
(Hon. Mr. Laird) would pull more
votes, yes a two to one vote, over any
other public man in the Colony.
Again, an attempt had been made to
shew that the late party slandered the
Engineers. This he denied. But at
the same time was willing to admit,
nor would he hesitate frankly to admit,
that the Report of the inspecting Engineers cleared the late Government.
of all blame in the matter. Yet while
admitting that much, he could not but
express his firm belief also, that the
ultimate intention of Mr. Pope's Government in carrying the Railway Bill,
was to land the Colony into Confederation They must have known, and
he believed did know, that it could be
used as an effectual means to accomplish that end. Unquestionably the
86
PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 1873
measure was carried against the wishes
of a large majority of the people, and
when so sweeping a Bill was rushed
through the Legislature without the
consent of the electors, they felt themselves grossly insulted, an insult
which they resented on the first opportunity which afterwards presented itself. The
bulk of the people knew
that the passing of that Bill meant increase taxation to an extent beyond
what they could bear, or Confederation. This the people knew, and felt
it too, up to the present hour. The
Report of the Inspecting Engineers
substantially says that most of the
blunders it. connection with the undertaking, were chargeable. to the manner
in which the contract was let. There
was not a man in the country who for l
a moment believed the contract was
fairly let. In letting it the Government opened the door wide for fraud
to enter. As a professional man, he
would not for a moment hesitate to
assert, that a more loosely drawn up
Bill was never passed through the
Legislature. It was utterly impossible to understand some of its provisions,
or to account for many omissions therein. Unless the Act was amended the
land damages which would have to be
paid, would be enormous. The amendments required were numerous. No
provision is made for crossing the
Road. No one knew who drew up
the Bill, though it was shrewdly suspected that it was drawn up by some
of the friends of the hon. member the
Leader of the Government, across the
water. Any one who would take up
the Act and carefully peruse it would
find tlat it was all he described it to
be. It was a Bill, however, which
virtually changed the Constitution of
the Colony ; and the manner in which
it was carried through the Legislature
went far to convince the people that it
was done with a view to deprive this-
Colony of its Constitution. Was it
any wonder the electors hurled the
Government which carried the mea
sure, from power on the first opportunity which offered afterwards. But
says the hon. member from Alberton
"the country have hurled you from
power too." True, but the principle
upon which the late Government ap
pealed to the people on, has been sustained. The speech of the hon. member was so
incoherent he could make
nothing of it. While on his feet he.
made some strong assertions and read
a few letters for the information of
hon. members, but believed if they
were closely examined they would
prove to be the emanations of the hon
member himself. On one question.
however, he (Mr. D) felt pleased to
be able most cheerfully to congratulate
his Catholic friends, and that was on
the change which had taken place in
their minds on the question ol Education. It was a question at all events
which demanded an answer, but upon
it they were as silent as the grave.
Yet, notwithstanding, he assumed it
was not their intention to allow the
matter to drop. He supposed the hon.
member held the same views now as
those he gave utterance to last year.
In the Parliamentary Reporter for
1872 the hon. member is reported as
pleading thus :—" But it was a lasting
disgrace that when ÂŁ23,000 or ÂŁ24,000 were spent for educational purposes
in the Colony, seven out of every ten
parents in the city. were paying for
the education of their children in the
private schools. Would any person
say it was fair to allow those schools
to be kept up by private enterprise
when schools in a disgraceful state in
back lanes and yards were receiving
large sums from the public. There
was no reason why this should be, except the narrow minded views of men
of the stamp of the hon. member for
Belfast. In almost all other countries
grants were given to Denominational
Schools. In the Dominion, France,
Austria, Prussia, Great Britain and in
Australia this was done. Then why
not here? The only thing that stood
1873 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 87
in the way was the intolerance and
bigotry of men of whom the hon.
member was a type. If that hon. gen
tleman were a Christian these could
not be the sentiments of his heart.
We believed he made use ot them as
clap-trap for electioneering purposes."
Such was the earnestly expressed opinions of the hon. member when in
Opposition. So earnest was he that
in the same speech he further says :
" He would tell that hon. member that
the blood of 45.000 of his fellow
colonists was reeking on his hands, that
he was the Champion of infidelity and
a disgrace to any Christian Church."
Well the hon. member was now in
power and if sincere in what he then
said, he should see to it that his cherished views on that question were
carried out. He well remembered
when the hon. member was the respected leader of the Liberal party in
this House. But who broke up his
party on that question. If he was
sincere then, he would show it now.
He then signed a bond not to press
that question, had he done the same
again? Did the hon. member suppose
his Catholic friends were going to be
satisfied with empty promises ?—with
vain words and unfulfilled pledges ?
For his part be (Mr. D.) owed much
to the Free Educational System, and
to the full extent of his humble ability
would ever use his best efforts to maintain it in its purity. He admired the
system because in its princrples it extended even handed justice to all, and
favor to none. He would never consent that Catholics or Protestants
should enjoy or receive any advantage
the one over the other. Fair play to
all and favor to none was the rule
which should govern him. It was
time that question ceased to be one
which could be used for breaking up
Governments, at the will and pleasure
of any party. So long as such should
continue to be the case, it would be
not only a source of political annoyance
but also an injury to the country. He
hoped the junior member for Bedeque
would have the manliness'to adhere to
the statements he gave utterance too
or nomination day. and not go in for
selling his country like another Castlereagh. As to the senior member (Mr.
Howatt) he did not doubt for a moment
bu. that he would keep those he made
and believed the hon. member would
feel more comfortable on the other
side of the House. But that the hon.
member will vote against Confederation as he promised he had no doubt.
Mr. HOWATT understood full well
what the general policy of the Government was at the time of the late general election.
He knew also, that many
at the Government were in favor of
going into Confederation. During his
canvass in the late contest, he did not
say anything against either the Government or Opposition. But gave it
as his opinion that Confederation instead of improving the situation of the
country, would on the contrary have
the desired effect. Some of the candidates said it was simply a question
of Confederation or taxation. His
opinion was it would beincreased taxation in either case. It was said that
he had left his party. Such was not
the case, on the contrary when they
took up their Confederate policy, they
then left him. He disapproved of
their policy. A great many were disposed to regard the question altogether
from a pound, shilling and pence stand
point ; nor did he hear a single argument in favor of a union with the
Dominion, but those which had reference to their pockets. He disapproved
of getting ontheir knees and begging
terms of Canada. Before doing anything of the kind it would have been
much more consistent with what was
due to themselves and to the country,
to have first put their own shoulder to
the wheel and tested the resources of
the country. The speech of the hon.
member for New London convinced
him that if we were willing we might
38
PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 1873
get through with our difficulties. The
hon. member had shown that the country was not in such a state but that
this might be done, with the exception
of ÂŁ10,000 or 15,000 which would
fall due for interest next June, there
were no pressing demands upon the
Colony nor would there be any until
next January. When such was the
case, he failed to see the necessity
which existed for sending a delegation
so hastily to Canada. Last year the
crops were not as good as formerly.
Mercantile men met with more difficulties than usual and other reasons,
occurred to render the public affairs
of the Colony more difficult to adjust
than formerly. Such might not occur
again. If we went into union with
Canada our Revenue would then belong to the Dominion Government.
The general Government would collect the Revenue in our notes, and no
doubt draw the gold as freely out of
our Banks as it is drawn now. He
was told that the Bank of Montreal, in
the interest of the Dominion Government had a branch in St. John and
Halifax, and that they were drawing
the gold from the local Banks in those
cities to an extent that was felt to be
injurious to trade. Suppose then that
the same was done here what better
position would we be in, in Confederation than we would be out of it. Why
it would have a tendency to place
the business men in as tight a place as
ever. If we go into the Dominion we
will receive but ÂŁ40,000 or ÂŁ50,000 a
year for our local wants. Now if
ÂŁ120,000 is not sufficient at present it
was clear that at an early day we
would have to resort to direct taxation
for local purposes. It was an easy
matter to say we are going to throw
our burdens upon the Federal Government, but for his part he regarded the
Canadian ministers as too shrewd to
make a bargain that would relieve us
in the slightest degree from paying
our full share of the Revenue which
will be continually required. No
doubt the Canadian Government will
work our finances to suit themselves.
The fact that the Government expressed a wish to unite with Canada, gave
them an advantage, inasmuch as it
showed we were not able to manage
our own affairs. For a period of one
hundred years we had been able to
conduct the business of the country,
but all at once when a pressure came
the first thing thought of was the surrendering of our rights to Canada, —
giving up before we had tested our
own ability to tide over the difficulty.
The amount of taxation they had to
pay in the Dominion was far higher
than it was here. Direct taxation we
would have to come to very soon if we
went into Confederation. He would
move a Resolution when the proper
time came which would express his
views on the subject, as one he would
vote against Confederation on any
terms. He hoped each hon. member
would hear in mind that the question
was one which offered us for all time.
It amounted in his view of the matter
to political annihilation. We might
add a little to the credit of the Dominion Government.
Hon. Mr. LAIRD, would remind the
hon. member, that the Dominion Government can borrow money at five per
cent while we have to pay seven and
a half.
Mr. HOWATT, that was because they had the imperial guarantee. He never did deceive his constituents,
and hoped he never would, therefore he would vote on the question as he promised tem.
Mr. T. KELLY, felt surprised at what fell from the hon. member from New London, who said he knew
twelve months ago that we would not exist much longer as a separate colony. If so,
was it not most extraordinary the hon. member did not twelve months ago strive to
carry confederation. Surely when his statement and con
1873 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 39
duct were considered they would appear most inconsistent. It was amusing to listen
to the arguments of the
hon. member the Leader of the Opposition and those of the learned member
for Murray Harbor. No doubt the
Catholic members duly appreciated the
kind intentions of the hon. members.
He would however inform them and
other members of that hon. House, that
the views of Catholics were entirely
misrepresented. Two or three days
before the late election, the " Patriot "
said that two or three Catholic members were free to act upon the School
question as they saw fit. But in his
next issue stated that they had swallowed the School question. His belief was that
the manner in which they
carried on the Government while in
power, and the ways they let the contract for the Branch Lines led to their
overthrow. It had been asserted that
when they passed the Bill for the construction of the Branch lines, one of
their supporters said, that although
they carried the Bill yet it never
would be agreed to at Home. Thus
while passing that Bill to gratify some
of their supporters, they led others of
them to suppose it never would become law. As a corroboratives opposition, the contract
was not signed until
a few minutes before the clock struck
twelve, which was the very last moment it would have been legal to do so.
He would ask the hon. member from
whom he received his authority to proceed to Ottawa ? Had they the consent of their
own friends in the Legislature ? certainly not. They did not
as much as call their own supporters
together and consult with them before
moving in so important a matter.
They say now they sent the question
to the people at the polls. But the
hasty manner in which electors were
called upon to vote upon a matter
which would affect them for all time,
rendered the appeal more like a farce
than a reality. The terms were not
placed before the people in a reliable
manner until after the election had taken place. Some few might have seen them before
the poll closed but the majority of the people did not see the Royal Gazette in which
they were published until after that time. He's a Catholic, but on the School question
was determined not to do anything which would violate the promise made to the constituency
he had the honor to represent. It was not the School question but opposition to the
late Government that determined the late election in Summerside. So intense was the
feeling that even Mr. McMillan cast a vote for an opposition Candidate while his own
nominee was pledged to support Mr. Pope if he should succeed in forming a government.
Mr. STEWART—Said there was but
one paragraph of any importance in
the address, and that is the one which
referred to Confederation, so that on
that question he was happy to say he
was in unison with the Government.
But whilst fully concurring in the
views expressed in the address on that
subject, he had also to congratulate the
Leader of the Government on his
change of views with regard to Confederation. For up to the time the
colony was free from the embarrassed
position it was now in, brought about
entirely by the policy of the hon.
member, he had proclaimed himself an
anti-confederate. Yet the hon. member
ought not to suppose he had power
now to grind down others. Nor could
he refrain from saying that these hon.
members who so suddenly changed
their views, and who were now such
warm advocates of a policy which they
so recently condemned, should, in view
of these facts be more modest. For
his part he would not for a moment
dare to cope in ability, much less in
experience with the hon. and learned
member for Summerside. But he could
not refrain from observing, that it was
most singular the hon. member did
not see the Gazette of the 17th inst.,
40 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 1873
in which the terms were published.
The hon. member for Bedeque (Mr. Howatt) regards the matter simply as one of money.
Well assuming the view taken of the question by the hon. member to be correct would
he regard it as wise to refuse these terms, when, in a money point of view, they are
so favorable. It was obvious to any one who would carefully consider the matter, that
by accepting them we can get along for some time without resorting to local taxation,
whereas if we reject them, we will be forced to resort to increased taxation immediately.
When contesting his election, his hon. colleague (Hon. P. S.) and himself were fiercely
opposed. With regard to the statement of the hon. member from Alberton, who said the
School question was not before the country at the late election, he would only say,
if such was the case the hon. member knew very little of what was going on in the
country. Any one however, acquainted with the hon. member would hardly give him credit
with being so innocently ignorant respecting what was before the country at the late
election. Why in listening to him one would suppose the hon. member did not meddle
with politics at all. But he (Mr. S.) believed that whoever shook the fruit bearing
political tree he made out to be nigh enough to it for some of the political apples to fall
into his hands. The hon. member for Alberton must not therefore, endeavor to impose
upon the House by telling them that the reaason the government favored going into
a union with Canada was because the late government mismanaged the finances of the
Colony. Mere assertion and high toned declamation would not do. When the Documents
were brought down and their administration fairly considered, he felt convinced, it
would be seen that the statesmanship of the out-going government was equal to, if
not far superior, to that of their predecessors. Had it not been for the
School question, and the use made of it to influence the elections in some districts,
Mr. Haythorne's party were still in power, Catholic, to his own knowledge, expected
a Grant for their Schools, from Hon. Mr. Pope's Government. They rendered good service
when the Free School System was first carried, and many of them felt they were entitled
to an allowance for a few of their Schools. He could and does respect the honest convictions
of a sincere Catholic, but a man who acts inconsistent with his profession he did
not respect. Much was said respecting the embecility of the late administration, but
he failed to see wherein the administrative ability of the present Executive lay.
It does not appear in the draft address, or in the arguments used in its support.
The late government conducted the business of the country as ably and with as much
ability as the former government did, and with much more consistency. Were it not
for the manner in which the Railway Bill was carried the hon. the Leader of the Government
would stand higher than he does in the estimation of the people. But Mr. Haythorne,
and his hon. friend the Leader of the Opposition took no advantage of the people in
their Confederation policy or in any other way. They laid the matter fairly before
the people, leaving them to accept or reject the Terms brought down. He and his hon.
colleague were returned to vote for their acceptance. It therefore the hon. member
the Leader of the Government brought in a Resolution in their favor he would support
it.
Mr. HOLLAND,-Said that he did condemn the Terms brought down by the Delegates, and said, they
wree not such as were just to the Colony. He also told his constituents, that, when
the House met and the question came up for consideration he would, if he thought confederation
a necessity still not vote for it, unless supported by a
1873 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 41
written requisition from his supporters requiring him to do so. And like his hon.
colleague (Mr. H.) he was not going to violate any promise made to his supporters.
When considering the question, he felt it to be his duty to look across the straits
and see how Confederation was working in the Provinces which are united. And what
did he see? Why this: New Brunswick was clamoring for Better Terms. Manitoba too was
complaining. When such was the case the duty of this colony, and those who represented
her in the Legislature, was, calmly to consider what they did. The question should
be well and very carefully considered. No hasty legislation should be gone into on
so important a matter. He was of the opinion that we might keep out of Confederation
altogether if we were so disposed, and the way in which this might be done he would
on some future occasion submit for the consideration of hon. members. The Catholics
did not press the school question on him, on the contrary many of them told him they
did not wish him to vote for any alteration in the School Act. Yet notwithstanding
these facts the Summerside
Progress stated that he had been pledged to vote for grants to Catholic schools. A more barefaced
lying assertion was never made. And were it not for the falsehoods circulated against
him on that question he felt satisfied he would have received 400 more votes than
he did. When the hon. member the Leader of the Opposition referred to what he (Mr.
Holland) said at the nomination, he should have told the whole truth. For he who withholds
a part of the truth is as guilty as he who utters a falsehood. What he did say was:-
that we might keep out of Confederation if we prepared to pay a gih a tax as they
did in the other Provinces in the Dominion. But his words were perverted, and further,
if he had
[?] a correctly reported, he
would have been made to say, who referring to [?] , that though that statesman after selling his country, ended his career by [?] his throat, he had no dread upon his [?] that the Delegates who went lately [?] to Ottawaa would cut their throats. On the contrary, he was inclined to believe they
found themselves [?] comfortable when they got up among the Canadian swells and [?] , to do anything of the kind. It was most likely they would be looking forward for
opportunities which might enable them to put something into their pockets. If it was
found that the [?] stances of the country were [?] Confederation was a necessity, then the cause which produced this [?] state of affairs would have to be [?] at the door of the men who [?] Canada as Delegates and their [?] ciates, whose [?] of the affairs of the colony while in power brought about such a [?] and circumstances [?] that the late Government did at [?] time intend to legislate the colony [?] a union with Canada, if it could possibly be effected, without an appeal, to the
people at the polls.
Mr. McNEILL could hardly believe the late Government did all the mischief laid to their charge.
He was suspicious that the party which carried the Railway Bill did much more injury
to Prince Edward Island than, the late Government could have done, if ever so much
disposed to do as. They all knew that he (Mr. McN.) was always a strong Anti-Confederate.
He was such from conviction, and
[?] because he would oppose this on the other party. But under the present circumstances
of the country, came to the conclusion that it was beyond their power to avoid that
alternative. He always believed - whether intentional or not on the part of the originators
that the Railway Bill would ultimately lead to this result. That when that
42 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 1873
[?] Law of the Land,
[?]
formed a highway upon which the Island would run swiftly down into the depths of financial
ruin, and thence of necessity
[?] union with the Dominion. The argument brought forward by the Senior member for Bedeque
would not do. The failure in our crops did not produce the present state of affairs.
The simple fact is the Railway was too much of an undertaking for this small colony.
It might be thought strange that he (Mr. McN.) should have won his election so easily
during the last campaign, especially when it was borne in mind that he came out in
favor of the terms brought down by Mr. Laird and Haythorne. The fact was many of his
supporters were leaseholders. They saw that the great cost of the Railway deprived
them of ever becoming freeholders
[?] hope that under present circumstances the Government would be able to purchase out
the Proprietors Estates
[?]. They saw that if the Proprietors were even willing to sell the Government would
not for want
[?] funds, be in a position to purchase. Hence
[?], in the $800,000 offered in the terms brought down a positive certainty, when the
Proprietors would sell, of purchasing their farms. He believed no hon. member on either
side would be willing to levy a tax equal to what would be required to meet the present
and increasing requirements of the country. The hon. member from Alberton thought
a change in the mind of the electors, unfavorable to the late Government, had taken
place or he (Mr. McN.) would have been returned with a much larger majority. But he
believed such
[?] had not influenced half a dozen of voters. A friend of Mr. Longworth asked him how
he intended to act on the Grant Question. He (Mr. McN.) stated in consequence of having
done so lost about 150 votes. But the number of his Protestant sup
porters was the same as usual. Some
represented him as a bigot, while others among his Catholic friends said they had
nothing against him. Emissaries went among the people telling the Catholics that
[?] could be wrong from him in aid of endowing Denominational Schools. Nor would he ever
agree to anything of the kind. The moment they did so, they would lay down a principle
which in the end would completely destroy the public schools of the colony. He had
been opposed by able men who were much respected in his district, and he believed
were it not for the issue raised on the school questions, his support would have been
as good as ever it was. One clergyman did vote for him; he was a gentleman through
a clergyman who considered it his duty always to record his vote, and although he
voted for him at the last election yet the same, Rev. gentleman voted against him
on former occasions. But he (Mr. McN.) never asked him for a vote, he did not see
therefore that out of that circumstance his opponents had say just grounds for manufacturing
political capital. When the Railway Bill was passing through the House, he then told
th ehon. member for Bedeque [Mr. Howell] that the time might come when they would
have to choose between increased taxation or Confederation. That crisis in our history
had come. Doubtless financial and other pressures had come upon the Colony, during
the past year, but these had occurred before, and would do so again. The true cause
of our present difficulty can only be attributed to the fact, that our responsibilities
were greater than the resources of the Island, could bear. Such being the case, he
saw no course open, but to accept the terms brought down by the Delegates and unite
with the Dominion.
Hon. Mr. POPE, said that under present circumstances it was unreason
1873 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 43
able to expect munch in the Speech. Had the government introduced any new matter,
it would have led to a lengthened discussion and the passing of the Revenue Bill,
was a consequence, might be encouraged. With respect to confederation, he hoped when
the question came up for consideration it would be considered entirely upon its merits.
The government had no desire to prevent a full discussion on any subject brought before
the House, but their first duty and
[?] of the hon. House was, to see that no
[?] was thrown in the way which might prevent the passage of the Revenue Bill in due
time.
Mr. CALLBECK:- could not fail to notice the change which had come over the hon. member since last
year. He presumed the hon. member felt the responsibilities of his present position.
Meagre thought the speech undoubtedly was, yet it contained matter, which, if the
Opposition felt disposed to avail themselves of, gave a wide scope for a lengthened
debate. But he did not suppose hon. members in Opposition would follow the bad example
set by the hon. Leader of the Government and his friends during the last session.
The charges of imbecility made against the last government had been so well refuted,
and ably met, by hon. members who preceded him, that he would not revert to that matter
now. It was said the late government did not pursue the proper course in placing
the terms before the country. But the circumstances and condition of the colony have
so changed that he thought when men would lay aside party and side issues, they would,
when the facts were fairly considered, come to a different conclusion. And when so
looking at the case, they would, in the letting of the Branch Lines and sending up
a Delegation to Ottawa, see that the late government could not be discharged with
either imbecility or mismanagement. In 1859 the public debt of the Colony was $5.00
a head
while that of the Dominion was $25.00 or five times that of this Island for its population.
Such was not the case now. Our debt had run up very much since 1859. The debt of the
Dominion was also increased. In the terms brought down the debt was placed at $45.00
per head, which left a margin in our favor. He regarded the terms brought down as
fair, just and reasonable and such as reflected great credit on the ability of the
Delegates. His intention was to vote for accepting these Terms. He was one of those
who attended the meeting which was held in Hon. Mr. Palmer's office. They had the
terms then, and emphatically denied that anyone at that meeting either spoke of,
or suggested accepting them without submitting them to the people. When the House
was dissolved he (Mr. C.) did not go through the District soliciting votes. He was
invited to attend a public meeting, and when there explained his views fully, and
his approval also of the terms brought down. He was not returned by means of the use
of any lies as the hon. member for Alberton said, neither was he pledged. All he did
was contend public meetings and express his views freely and without reserve. He had
to contend with gentlemen of position and influence who are much respected in that
District and in this community. The District is not far from Charlottetown, and there
being no contest in the City, many of the influential men came out and lent their
aid in favor of the gentlemen who ran against him and his hon. colleague, Mr. McNeill.
The government of Hon. Mr. Pope carried the Railway Bill without an appeal to the
people. The late government did not follow their example in that important particular.
It was amusing to hear the government members saying, Oh! if we had been in power
the pressure now felt on the finances of the Colony would not have occurred. For his
part he did not believe anything of
44
PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 1873
the kind. In Nova Scotia Confederation was carried without an appeal to the people,
and as might have been expected, much bitterness of feeling was the result. In building
the branch up, inconsistency could be charged against the late government. Things
were morally bound to do so. They
found the Colony in the position of a
ship drifting to certain destruction on a sea shore, and had to consent to build the
Branches in order to obtain a crew sufficient to man the ship. Those hon. members
from the East who came to their aid could not assist them on any other condition,
as they were pledged to the course they took. Nor had they who ran the Branch
[?] any inducement held before them to run it in a zig zag manner for the benefit of
any contractor. He would give the government no factious opposition, but would act
as he should deem most conducive to the interests of the colony at large.
Mr. L. H. DAVIES, said, the first duty of the hon. member the Leader of the Government was, to have
Standing Rules for the guidance of the House agreed to. A copy of the address should
also have been laid on the desk of hon. members before it came up for consideration.
Ordinary courtest to say nothing about the usages of parliament, demanded that much
deference should be paid to Her Majesty's opposition. And he would just say, that
nothing would be gained by withholding it from that side of the House. While the opposition
would take care not to do anything which might impede the passage of the Revenue Bill
they would at the same time, show the hon. member, the Leader of the Government, that
they knew their rights and had spirit and ability enough to maintain them. G.
G.
Mr. D. LAIRD said that the hon. Leader of the government and the hon.
member for Alberton had both declared the Opposition a factious one ; but those hon.
gentlemen forgot the part they acted in the Opposition of last Session when they
kept the House day after day and hour after hour while they delivered speeches which
they repeated again and again in which they slandered every hon. member on the then
government side of the House. This session was prolonged to over sixty days on account
of the action of the factious opposition of those hon. gentlemen, who expected thereby
to drive the late government from power, but did not succeed. They, at that time,
made three hour speeches, but
the present Opposition, had, so far made
short speeches. It was not in the power of the hon. Leader of the Government to carry
the Revenue Bill without the help of the Opposition as the latter could keep up the
discussion day after day till after the first of May, if they chose to be factious.
The House had, at present, no rules by which it was to be governed in the transaction
of business, although it was fully entitled to the protection which the Standing Rules
afforded. The Opposition had no intention of being factious, but the hon. members
composing it, had, at the same time, no intention of permitting themselves to be brow-beaten
by his Honor, the Leader of the Government. Twelve hours is not too long a time to
spend in discussing the Draft Address, as he well remembered when he sat at the Reporter's
desk a whole week taking notes of the speeches made upon it, in years gone by. There
was all due courtesy and respect shown towards each other by the Leader of the Government
and the Leader of the Opposition in the Dominion Parliament, and, he thought the present
House could not do better than follow their example in this respect, for it had fallen
very low.
Hon. LEADER OF THE GOVERNMENT moved that Mr. Laird have
1873 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 45
leave to withdraw his resolution.
Amendment carried on a division of 14 to 10.
House in Committee on the Draft
Address in answer to the Governor's
Speech.
Hon. B. DAVIES moved that the
following be added to the first paragraph of the address: " and beg to
assure you of our cordial co operation
in the management of public affairs."
Mr. D. LAIRD thought it neecessary
to add the words proposed by his hon.
colleague in order to complete the
sense. His Honor asked for the cooperation of the House. but the paragraph as it stood
at present, gave him
no answer. This would not do ; the
House should act fairly, honestly and
above board in all matters and especially in so important a matter as that
referring to the Union of this Colony
with the Dominion of Canada. His
Honor asked for the co-operation of
the House, and the reply as it at present stands amounts to the phrase, "go about
your business." The hon. member for Summerside (Mr. L.) stated the other evening that
they (the government) intended to rule the country. Yes, with a rod of iron. They
intend to carry out the policy of the late government in reference to Confederation
and the School Question, which shows that the latter had the voice of the country
in their favor. If the government did not co-operate with His Honor, he would not
be surprised some fine morning to see the Usher of the Black Rod come down to summon
the House to the Bar of the Council Chamber and hon. members sent about their business,
as the Lieutenant Governor could soon stop this little game. Fairness and courtesy
demanded that the proposed amendment, should be added to the paragraph.
Mr. L. H. DAVIES thought that the
expression of His Honor the Lieuten
ant Governor, in the first paragraph of
the Speech, asking the co-operation of the House, should be reciprocated. Taking into
consideration the expressions which his honor the Leader of the Government had used
towards himself, he was not at all surprised that the Committee had not responded
with the courtesy due to His Honor the Lieutenant Governor. It was but fair and reasonable
that the amendment proposed by the hon. senior member for Belfast should be added
to the first paragraph of the Address.
Hon. Mr. HOWLAN said that he had been for several years, a member of that House, but he had never
before seen so young a member as the hon. member who had just sat down, take upon
himself so much talking and lecturing. Balderdash and clap-trap might do very well
for that hon. member's purposes in Murray Harbor, but it would not have any effect
upon that House. The amendment that had been proposed by the hon. senior mem. for
Belfast was the most miserable and contemptible thing of the kind he had ever seen
submitted, although it was, he believed, the result of a whole day's caucus of the
Opposition. The young limb of the law who penned it, no doubt, thought he was writing
for the
Patriot newspaper, and after he had finished it, was ashamed of it, and handed it to another
to present for him.
The question was then put on the amendment and lost, after which the first paragraph
was agreed to.
The second paragraph was then read.
Mr. L. H. DAVIES said that apart from all party feeling, he thought there was a serious omission in
that paragraph. Hon. members all knew there was a strong feeling of loyalty to Her
Majesty the Queen and of respect for His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales on both
sides of the House, and
46 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 1873
yet no mention is made in the Address of the handsome manner in which the latter acknowledged
the Address forwarded to him last Session. Some allusion should be made to His Royal
Highness, and he (Mr. D.) would therefore move that the following be added to the
second paragraph: "and we are glad to hear from your Honor of the pleasure with which
the Prince of Wales has received the congatulations of the Legislature of this Island."
Mr. D. LAIRD seconded the motion, and said that as the Prince of Wales may, at no distant day,
be the reigning Sovereign, some respect should be shown him by referring to the kind
manner in which he received the Address. The late House had recognized him and sent
him an address congratulating him on his recovery from his illness, but the present
one did not seem to care about His Royal Highness- he might get sick and well again
for all they cared. Such conduct as this was discourteous, and savored a little disloyalty.
The amendment was then put and lost.
The third and fourth paragraphs were severally read and agreed to.
The fifth paragraph was then read.
Mr. LAIRD moved that all after the words "interests of this Island," be struck out, and the
following inserted instead: "and at the same time we assure you that no effort shall
be wanting on our part to bring about the realization of the earnest hope which you
have expressed in common with the Imperial Government that Prince Edward Island will
not love this opportunity of union with her sister provinces." This paragraph referred
to the most important subject brought to the attention of the Legislature. He for
one, was most anxious that the House should not pass a vote of a want of confidence
in Her Majesty's Govern
ment till they saw what they were going to do. It will be observed in the Speech,
that His Honor the Lieutenant Governor makes the hope of the Imperial Government that
Prince Edward Island will not lose this opportunity of union with her sister provinces,
his own. He was sorry to find that the Address does not echo those sentiments, and
therefore thought thaat it did not seem in harmoy with the policy of His Honor's Advisers,
who are generally supported to suggest the matter contained in the Speech with which
the session is opened.
Mr. A. C. McDONALD had taken the field at the last election with the tall belief that we were to remain
out of Confederation as heretofore, carrying on ouir own affairs and conducting the
business of the country in a proper manner without any assistance from Canada, and
without burdening the people by heavy taxation. But he now found there was a more
difficult task to perform that he had imagined, and that was to restore our credit
abroad and to establish a good financial position at home by repairing the damage
done through the extravagance and mismanagement of the late government. A representative
owes a duty to himself and to his country, and as he (Mr. McD) believed his duty to
the country to be by far the most important, he felt bound not to sacrifice its interests
in any way. He would therefore, before committing himself on the great question of
Confederation, consult his constituents upon this matter, and endeavor to lay the
real facts of the case before them so as to enable them to judge for themselves and
to decide what course they wished him to pursue. He would not for one moment forfeit
the confidence which his constituents had reposed in him, by acting
[?] to the views enunciated by him previous to the late election. The hon. junior member
for Belfast had stated that the candidate
1875 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 47
brought forward by the late government for the Cardigan District had lost his election
simply on Confederation, while the hon. member for Murray Harbor (Mr. D.) declared
that that candidate had lost his election on the School Question. Which horn of the
dilemma was to be taken by those who shied to ascertain the true state of matters?
He (Mr. McD) had canvassed that district previous to the late election, without any
side issues whatever, in opposition to the conduct and policy of the government. A
good deal of weight was to be attached to the statement of the hon. junior member
for Belfast that his (Mr. McD's) late colleague (Mr. Scrimgeour) was a mere political
accident in the Cardigan District; but this was stronger language than any he (Mr.
McD) had used against the late government in a fair and open manner; neither the School
Question nor any other side issue had been used by himself and his hon. colleague
during the whole election campaign to secure a single vote. The hon. junior member
for Murray Harbor had stated at a public meeting held in the Cardigan District that
Mr. Prowse was as firm on the School Question as he (Mr. Davies) was, and yet that
hon. member had made use of the School Question in the Murray Harbor district to secure
Mr. Prowse's defeat. He (Mr. McD.) believed that if the hon. members for Belfast and
Murray Harbor had ran their election upon Confederation pure and simple, without dragging
in the School Question, only one would have been returned out of fear of them, and
that if the canvass for the whole Island had been conducted on the same principle,
there would not have been a corporal's guard left of the late government party in
the present House. The Hon. Col. Gray lost his election through strips of paper circulated
by the Editor of the
Patriot, containing statements to show hon. gentleman was unsound on the School Question,
which if he had had an opportunity to refute, would have proved available and he would
have been returned at the hand of the poll, while Messrs. Laird and Davies would have
been returned to the bosom of their families. When he (Mr. McD.) ran his election,
he believed that the new government coming into power could lay down a platform and
carry out a financial arrangement that would be satisfactory to the country so far
as our public debt was concerned, and he believed so still, but he now found it was
another matter to restore the credit of the Colony abroad so as to prevent our debentures
from selling at a heavy discount. Confederation on fair terms he now found was fast
becoming a necessity, but before giving his voite in favor of it, he would consult
his constituents.
Mr. P. SINCLAIR said that if the government were in earnest in reference to Confederation, the proposed
amendment was required in order to express the sentiments of the House on this important
question. There was no use in trifling with the matter; if that was their policy,
let them come out boldly and say so in the Address. The policy of the late government
was Confederation and he believed it was also the policy of the present government.
As to resorting the credit of the country, he thought that would not be a difficult
matter to deal with as the payment of the $25,000 borrowed from a New Brunswick Bank
would settle that question. If the Colony could not settle that small Bill, its credit
was not worth much, and the sooner it enters Confederation the better. The
[?] government in preparing to meet the interest on the debentures, due on the first
of July next, showed their anxiety to maintain the credit of the Colony. If the present
government intend to carry out Confederation, they will easily obtain money enough
to meet the present de
48 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 1873
mands upon them. He would support the amendment.
Hon. Mr. HOWLAN said that there was no man do dangerous to deal with as a double dealer, such as
the hon. member for New London had shown himself to be. That hon. member stated what
he himself did not believe to be correct, when he said that nothing more was necessary
to maintain the credit of the Colony than to pay the $25,000 now nearly due in New
Brunswick. Where are the warrants issued by the late government to meet their demands
? They are still afloat and must be paid as they become due. The late government had
caused a statement of the revenue and expenditure of the Colony to be published in
January last, which they themselves knew to be false. They knew that $16,000 or $17,000
were now afloat in Warrants of which no mention was made in that statement, but which
the Colony is bound to pay. How did the late government provide for the payment of
the interest due on the debentures on the first of July next ? They borrowed the money
from the Maritime Bank of St. John, N. B., and sent it off to London where it will
remain idle several months before it becomes due, although the Colony is now paying
7 1/2 per cent interest on that money. Oh, what financiers. Why did they go to Ottawa
? Because they could not manage the financial affairs of the Colony any longer, and
did not know how. Where was all their vast mercantile experience then ? The letter
written by the hon. member for New London to the Editor of the
Progress explains all : " Dash away, levy taxation, run the government while it will." They
spent on the Board of Works alone during the present year, over $60,000 which, with
the $25,000 borrowed, must be paid. He defied them to deny these facts. The Delegates
started off for Ottawa with a
bundle of figures which had been put
into their hands and of which they knew as much as they did about common honesty and
decency. The truth would, some day, come out that those figures were never made by
those Delegates, and that they did not understand them after they were put into their
hands. The hon. member for Murray Harbor had taken pains to abuse the Catholics, although
their money went into the Treasury to the extent of nearly one-half the Revenue of
the Colony, and although their money had paid for that hon. member's education three
days out of every week. That hon. member could not now say anything harsh enough or
abusive enough about them, simply because they were Catholics and had views of their
own in reference to the School Question. Another practice of which that hon. member
was guilty, was to attack in the most ungentlemanly and abusive manner on the floor
of the House any person against whom he entertained ill-will, and who was not in a
position to defend himself. He (Mr. Howlan) had never attacked a gentleman outside
the Bar of that House, because it was unmanly and unfair to attack those who were
not in a position to reply. Last year the members of the Coalition Government were,
at a large number of political meetings, held in different parts of the country, accused
by their political opponents of fraud in connexion with letting and carrying out the
Railway Contract ; and prominent among those who made those charges were the hon.
member for Belfast and the hon. E. Palmer. He (Mr. H.) then said to the hon. Leader
of the present Government " Unless you bring the first of those men who makes a criminal
charge against the Coalition government, before the Supreme Court at its next sitting,
I will wash my hands clear of you." So the next time the present hon. member for Murray
Harbor made a similar charge he was asked whether he really preferred
1873 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 49
a criminal charge against the Coalition government. What was his answer ? " Oh," said
he, " I make these charges politically." Hon. members might differ in politics and
still practice the amenities and civilities of life ; but it is pretty hard when one
is called a rogue, a thief, and a liar, at political assemblies, &c., to treat those
who act in this manner, as at other times. What was the first speech the hon. member
for Murray Harbor delivered in this House ? It was a tirade of abuse against gentlemen
outside the Bar who were not in a position to reply to him.
Mr. L. H. DAVIES did not think the remarks of the hon. member for Alberton worth replying to ; but
that hon. member had made one statement in reference to him which he would not allow
to pass uncontradicted. He would not allow that hon. member to state that he (Mr.
D.) was educated partly at the expense of the Catholics and had now turned round and
abused them. This statement no foundation in fact. He had ever, at any time, made
any statement calculated to offend or insult his Roman Catholic fellow-countrymen,
or to show disrespect for their religion. He would have been among the basest of characters
had he done so. He had supported a political party, the majority of whom were Roman
Catholics, from the first day he had taken any interest in politics, had fought side
by side with them for civil and religious liberty, and was always of opinion that
no political distinctions should be thrown between Catholics and Protestants, and
that they should enjoy equal privileges. He would give both Catholics and Protestants
equal privileges, but would never consent to give one side an inch more than the other.
He was glad to see that the hon. member for Cardigan (Mr. McD.) had come doen from
his Anti-Confederate position. During his late canvass, that hon. member expressed
the opinion
that Confederation was a mere political bugbear and a mere political dodge of the
late government to retain office and power, and promised when the House met, to lay
down a scheme by which it might be avoided. He had no doubt that when that scheme
was submitted it would be such as would become that hon. member. He did not believe
the hon. member would make a statement which he did not believe to be true ; but when
he told the people of Cardigan that he could carry on the government without going
into Confederation, he did not understand our position as a Colony. He congratulated
the hon. member on his extraordinary change of base. The hon. senior member for Cardigan
would not give any pledge to oppose Confederation ; but the hon. junior member rushed
where the hon. senior member feared to treat, and firmly pledged himself. He (Mr.
D. ) then told the hon. junior member, that he would not be many days on the floor
of the House before making a recantation, and he now found he was right, for the hon.
member now accepts the situation. Let him now try to run his election against Mr.
Scrimgeour and he will find a different state of affairs. They accused Mr. Scrimgeour
of fitting himslf out with gold spectacles, gold pens and pencils, &c.
Messrs. McDonald and Owen here both denied the truth of this statement, and stated
that they had never, at any time, made such a charge against Mr. Scrimgeour.
Mr. OWEN said that the hon. member for Murray Harbor had endeavored to make considerable political
capital during the canvass in the Cardigan district, of certain words used by Mr.
George Owen, that certain things looked very suspicious, but he (Mr. O.) had never,
during the whole canvass, insinuated anything of the kind against Mr. Scrimgeour.
The hon. member had also made great capital
50 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 1873
out of the School Question, and used it at several public meetings against him, and
had it not been that the people knew his principles and had full confidence in him,
he would not have received a single Protestant vote in the whole district. But the
people reposed full confidence in him, and the consequence was that he received a
very large Protestant and Catholic support. He had been always opposed to Confederation,
and opposed it at the commencement of the canvass, because it was impossible for him
to ascertain the true state of matters, and how the financial affairs of the country
really stood. He had endeavored to find access to the Public Accounts, but found that
it could not be had. When he saw that Confederation would prove to be a great advantage
to the people of this Colony, he would go for it, but not before.
The question on the amendment was then put and lost, and the paragraph agreed to.
On motion the Speaker took the Chair.
Hon. B. Davies and Messrs. D. Laird and L. H. Davies severally moved the amendments
which had been submitted by them in Committee. Those amendments were separately put
by the Speaker, and lost by a division of 10 ayes to 14 noes.
On motion, the report of the Committee was now received, read and ordered to be engrossed.
The same Committee who prepared the Address were appointed to wait upon His Honor
to ascertain when he would be pleased to receive the same.
House adjourned till ten o'clock to-day.
I.O.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
At four o'clock the House waited on His Honor the Lieutenant Governor with the Address,
and on their return, his honor the Speaker reported and read the following reply:
Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of the House of Assembly:
I am satisfied that you will approach the question of the proposed union of Prince
Edward Island with the Dominion of Canada, in a manner consistent with its grave importance,
and I think you for the promise that the wishes of the Imperial Government in the
matter will receive your most serious consideration.
This individual participated in:
