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Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island, 1 April 1869, Prince Edward Island Confederation with Canada.

PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 157
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THURSDAY, April 1.
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Afternoon Session.
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Mr. Cameron in the Chair.
Hon. LEADER OF THE GOVERNMENT.--
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PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 158
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I do not, therefore, purpose asking this hon. Committee to make any further provision than what will meet the Salary, and beg therefore, to submit- the following Resolution:—
Resolved, That a Salary, annually to be paid, to the Lieut. Governor or other Administrator of the Government of this Island, after the present Lieut. Governor shall relinquish his office, be provided and fixed at ÂŁ1,400 sterling, equal to ÂŁ2,100 of current money of Prince Edward Island. I may say that my opinion was quite conclusive as to the uselessness of appealing to the Home Government again, and that it was prudent and wise not to go Home again with another memorial on the subject. The despatch to-day read, shows conclusively that the decision of the Home authorities is fixed, and that they have assumed that we will soon be placed into Confederation. I think that no man of influence could be got in the Imperial Parliament to undertake the successful prosecution of our demand. I am not so terribly afraid of Confederation, as to suppose but that we could get along even if we were placed in the union; but this is not the wish of the people of this Colony, and our duty is to prevent it if we can, and give no cause for having it forced upon us contrary to our wishes.
Hon. LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION.—
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I cannot, therefore, give the Government my applause for what they have done in this matter. It appears as if they wished to frighten hon. members into voting for the Resolution, by pursuading them that if it was not agreed to, we would be immediately pitchforked into the Dominion. Whereas my learned friend the hon. member for Charlottetown and myself argued, that we could only be placed in by both Branches of the Legislature passing a Bill for that purpose and sending it home for the sanction of the Home Government ; and now, we have that Despatch and it fortifies the arguments that we used. In the reply which the Government received, the Home Government refuses to guarantee a loan to enable them to purchase out the Estates of the remaining proprietors, and the Imperial Minister says: "Having regard to the evident uncertainty, whether the Colony of Prince Edward Island will or will not soon unite itself to the Dominion of Canada," obviously showing that it is not the intention of the Imperial authorities, to do anything in the movement in any other way than that indicated by the hon. member for Charlottetown and myself. The Despatch is plain; go into Confederation, and you will have your reward.
Hon. Mr. LAIRD.—It appears to me, that the learned Leader of the Opposition sees more in the Despatch than any one else; at all events, it appears to me, that if the hon. member would read it over carefully, that he will find that the views which have been expressed on this side of the House, are substantially such as those which have so far been used by those hon. members who supported the resolution. A general election may show that a change, with respect to Confederation, has taken place in the views of the people on that question, but I have no reason to suppose that it has, and I believe that who ever our successors may be, they will be, like ourselves, charged to vote against anything, and everything, which might lead us into a Union with Canada. It is clear though, that in the opinion of the authorities at Home, they look upon Confederation as a settled fact, that it is to take place at no distant day, and if the Salary of the Lieutenant Governor had not been provided, what better argument would they require to place us into the Dominion, than our refusal to comply with the demand ; and I have little doubt but they will yet endeavor to find some means for driving us into a union with the New Dominion.
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Mr. BRECKEN.—
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PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 159
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I think it fully bears out the arguments used by the Opposition ; for instead of using any threats towards us, it is quite clear from the whole of the Despatch, that it will be left to the decision of the people of this Island whether they " will or will not" unite with the Dominion of Canada. I must say that I think the hon. Leader of the Government did not act fairly in withholding this Despatch so long. Why allow us to come to a conclusion in the matter when there was information in his possession which should have been laid upon the table of this House ? In the Despatch which the Government sent Home, the Imperial guarantee is asked for raising a loan on our Debentures and if this is conceded, the Government say they will make provision for the payment of the Governor's Salary. No Imperial guarantee has been given ; and even before they knew it would not, they ask this hon. Committee to provide for it. Although we do stand here as a small minority, I tell them that this despatch does not breathe a single threat or contain any statements to justify the Government in the arguments which they have used here on this question. This Despatch does not fortify the position they have taken. The whole tenor of it is, that they will not interfere with any of our affairs,—in plain English, will do nothing for us, while we remain out of the Union. The last House passed some strongly worded no-terms resolutions ; this House have also virtually acted upon them. Now, the Home Government obviously hold out a bait. They do not say if you not do so and so, we will take up this question you have submitted for our consideration; but tell us if we do not, we must settle our Land Question and all others as we can best do so ourselves ; and if we now refuse, it is not beyond the range of possibility for them to use means to put us into the Union. The whole tenor of the Despatch fortifies the views of the Leader of the Opposition and myself on this question.
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Mr. REILLY.—I look upon this minute of Council as another very strong remonstrance on the part of the Government, against the gross injustice of the demand for the payment of the Lieut. Governor's salary by this Colony ; and I am decidedly of the opinion that the Government did right in asking some consideration from the Home Government, on account of the great injustice done to us in the disposal of our lands. The answer shows that they look to our connection with Canada as an event which is soon to take place.
Mr. McNEILL.—I think I said, yesterday or the day before, that, if we want to go into confederation, we have but to accept the $200,000 bribe which had been offered to us ; and in this Despatch we are clearly and plainly told that if we want our land question settled, we have to go into confederation. This Island would never have objected to the payment of the salary of the Lieut. Governor, if we had been placed in the same position as the other Colonies were. This Despatch plainly proves that when the demand was made, in 1865, when confederation was the order of the day, that it was with a view to our being placed in the Dominion.
Hon. Mr. DAVIES.—The memorial which was read here to-day, to which this despatch is a reply, shows very plainly the sincere and ardent desire of the Government to do all they can to settle the land question, and that they have left no stone unturned in their endeavor to induce the Home Government to consent to what is but just and reasonable in the matter. But, sir, I really now do not see that there is any way in which to carry out the great wish of the people for the settlement of the land question, as the proprietors will not accept what we can offer them. With reference to the whole tenor of Lord Granville's reply, it at least shows quite plainly that the British Government do not care much for us ; that they have cast off all protection ; and, in effect, have said, that we can go and find protection where we can. I only wish the Despatch was more explicit and out-spoken on this point ; then we would know the extent of our freedom. As to the offer, seemingly, or plainly, implied, to go into confederation, it is similar to the one made to Newfoundland, which was, in effect, that if they went into the Union, Her Majesty's Government believed that Reciprocity would soon follow. Such a statement is in the speech of the Lieut. Governor of that Colony, at the opening of the Legislature ; and, sir, you know that there was never a poorer prospect of obtaining Reciprocity than there is at present. We know that the feeling between the United States and Great Britain just now is not such as warrants us to expect that a renewal of reciprocal trade relations with these Colonies is likely to be soon realized. I see it stated in press that the feeling in the United States is, that no pecuniary recompense which Great Britain could offer to the PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 160 United States Government, on account of the Alabama claims, would compensate them for the evil they received from them during the last war. That, but for Great Britain, the war would have been closed two years earlier than it was ; and they say further, that, while this was going on, the Government of England was expressing great sympathy for them, and yet, at the same time, was allowing their ships to go and destroy her commerce ; and, therefore, I think that the encouragement held out to Newfoundland had no foundation in fact. We all know where the treaty making power lies, and the prospect of its being soon renewed with Canada is now apparently out of the question, so that the union of Newfoundland with the Dominion will only have the effect of making that country poorer, as their taxes will immediately increase, without affording any means for improving their trade ; and such would also be the effect upon this Colony. The obvious policy of the Dominion is to impose a tax upon our products and exact large duties. The duty on oat-meal, last year, was fifteen per cent. As to Confederation, I am not for going into it on any terms which they may or can offer ; for it is not in their power to offer terms to us that it would be any advantage for us to accept. I only regret that the Home Government did not tell us more plainly what we might do ; but I think they have very nearly told us to go where we please, and had they but said so in plainer terms the answer would be more satisfactory.
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Hon. Mr. HENDERSON.—It does appear from the whole tenor of this Despatch as if there is an inclination to put the screws on this Colony, unless we conform to the present policy of the British Government. I said a few days ago that I believed the British nation, at heart, was right, and that the great bulk of her people meant that justice, and that only, should be extended to the Colonies ; but, between red-tape-ism, on the one hand, and the leviathian crust, on the other, in the present Government, with the so-called wholesale reform now pressing upon the Govern ment, upon which the party in power will, in their dealing with it, have to stand or fall, so that the view I took of it a few days ago agrees with what we have since learned. If any claims in way of saving the Imperial finances is made upon us, it must be responded to by us in the manner in which we are directed to do so ; but if we present our grievance and ask to be allowed to pass such measures as we know would assist us in redressing them, we are told to go into Confederation. We have always called Great Britain the Mother Country, but I think we may now call her the step-mother, and a very harsh one at that. I am a British subject, and I believe a loyal one, and think British justice should consist in extending equal justice to all her subjects ; and justice to myself and those who sent me here demand that I say this much. There is also an additional matter to be considered, and one which ought not to be overlooked. This Colony asked for Reciprocity ; this is an Imperial measure, and one that can only be entered into by independent powers ; but the idea that we should use a privilege which belongs to every British subject as his inalienable right—the right of petition for what we knew would be to our advantage—gave offence, and for so doing we were snubbed at once. We have, sir, held our shoulder against pressure for the last five years from those who wished us to go into Confederation, and now I consider it no more than justice to our own people, since the Imperial authorities are bearing so harshly upon us, that we should see to our own interests ; and if the Imperial Government send a gentleman here to represent Her Majesty, I consider that the allowance should be according to our circumstances, and, therefore, consider that £1,000 is as much as we can afford to give, and if his Imperial masters think the amount too small, they can add to it as much as they please.
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PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 161
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Mr. G. SINCLAIR.—The Despatch only the more firmly fortifies the views expressed, that if we wish to keep out of the Dominion of Canada, we have promptly to comply with this demand ; for we are clearly given to understand that it is owning to the uncertainty of our remaining out of the Union, that the authorities in Great Britain decline to discuss our grievances, or enter into their consideration, yet there is no doubt but that the British Government would be loath to force us into the Union, unless we give them some reason ; and my opinion is that if we do not comply with this request, they may compel us by the force of circumstances to do so. I do not think we should offer a lower salary than that proposed in the Resolution. This Island is differently situated from the other Provinces, as they have their Lieut. Governors appointed by the Dominion Government, whereas ours will receive his appointment, like that of the Governor of the Dominion, directly from the Imperial Government. We are aware that the Dominion Government endeavored to have the salary of their Governor lowered, but they could not, and in the attempt were met with a stern refusal.
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Source:

The Parliamentary Reporter of Debates and Proceedings of the House of Assembly. Charlottetown: Edward Reilly, Queen's Printer, 1869. Microfilm copies provided by the Prince Edward Island Libraries and Archives.

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