The House again went into committee
on the Despatches.
A discussion of a conversional character took place on the resolution submitted by
Hon. Mr. Howlan on Thursday night, and principally on that part of it which expressed
the opinion that the people of this Island were almost unanimously opposed to any
change in the constitution of the Colony.
Hon. Mr. HENDERSON said if the resolution before this hon. committee had elicited nothing new on the
question of confederation, the portion of it which affirmed that, " the people of
this colony were almost unanimous in their opposition " to that question, had given
the discussion a turn that demanded from him a few additional observations. Hon. members
who favored confederation, affirmed that not a few of the French population of the
colony were prepared to vote for union at the next general election. On this point
he was not in a position to say either yea or nay. But he could speak on behalf of
the district which he had the honor to represent. Although sickness prevented him
from visiting his constituents before the Legislature met, his previous knowledge
of them and of their sentiments on this
important subject together with what he had lately heard from many of them, would
justify him when he asserted in the strongest terms, that the confederates in the
Murray Harbor District were extremely few and far between. Though he had so often
condemned the extremely unjust and provoking means by which Nova Scotia had been forced
into the confederacy, without the consent of the people, and in spite of everything
they could do to prevent it, he must once more cull a few facts illustrative of the
feelings that lately pervaded many parts of it, and which were not extinct at the
present moment. In July 1867, he happened to be at New Glasgow the very day on which
the North American Act of confederation was proclaimed the law of the land. This was
certainly an extraordinary event in the history of North America and it evoked demonstrations
which were equally so. He carefully scanned every flag that floated in the breeze,
and could only see one in its proper position, while many were to be seen half mast
high, with a few black ones, and some stars and stripes ! On the first of July 1868,
he was at Halifax, and in company with an intelligent gentleman from Quebec, visited
the principal streets of the city. His companion was an ardent unionist, but one who
was determined to examine things for himself, and when he saw the more handful of
bunting that indicated the dwellings and establishments of the confederates, he looked
at him (Mr. H.) with a countenance that discovered no joy, and remarked, to the effect,
that if the strength of the unionists was to be estimated by their banners they were
but a very small force in the capital. It was well known that hte Nova Scotians had
been always distinguished fro profound loyalty ; and it was to that source, more than
to any other, that their present quietness was to be attributed. It was all very well
to lay due stress on the tone of private letters from Nova Scotia. He also had a few
intelligent correspondents, and many friends there, but was in possession of a copy
of a public Minute of Council from the Executive Government of that Province to the
Colonial Minister, relative to the vexed question on which he could lay much greater
stress than could be safely done on any thing of a private nature. That minute contained
flat contradictions of statements made by the colonial Minister in one of his despatches
to the
1870 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 261
Governor General, and set forth the
then state of things in Nova Scotia with unmistakable force, and should be accepted
as much more reliable than any private information on the same subject ; and our confederates
would do well to study it carefully.
Profess was reported, and the House adjourned for one hour.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
House in committee on the further consideration of Despatches.
On motion of
Hon. Mr. Howlan the Speaker took the chair, and the chairman reported the two following resolutions
agreed to :-
" 1. WHEREAS, The people of this Island value highly the powers and privileges which
as a Colony of the British Empire, they now exercise and enjoy.
"And Whereas, This Island having prospered under the Constitution granted by the Parent
Country, its inhabitants are exceedingly averse to any change in their political condition,
which would take the management of the affairs of the Colony out of their hands, and
place them under the control of a distant Government.
"And Whereas, This House believe that a Union of this Island with the Dominion of
Canada, as proposed in a Minute of the Privy Council of Canada, dated the 14th Decemer,
1869, would be inimical tot he best interests of the Colony - Thereed RESOLVED, That,
this House cannot entertain the said proposals of the Dominion Government, and consequently
approve of the general tenor of the reply of the Executive Government of this Island,
as ex0 pressed in their Minutes of Council, dated respectively the Seventh day of
January and the Fourth Day of February, 1870.
"2. WHEREAS, By a recent Despatch from Earl Granville, Her Majesty's Principal Secretary
of State for the Colonies, dated the 7th day of March, 1870, it is stated that, in
his opinion, the Government of Prince Edward Island will not act wisely if they allow
themselves to be diverted from their own real interests for the sake of keeping alive
a claim against the Imperial Government, which it is quite certain will never be acknowledged.
And Whereas, This House believe that the best interests of the Island will be promoted
by remaining its present form of Government under the Crown of Great Britain. And
Whereas, but the intimation given in the above Despatch, this Island is left in an
exceptional position, as compared with the Provinces of the Dominion in the matter
of Crown Lands and Territorial Revenues - Therefore RESOLVED, That we, the people's
Representatives, feel it to be our duty to oppose a Union with the Dominion of Canada,
and to express our opinion that the people of this Island, while loyal in their attachment
to the Crown and Government of Great Britain, are nevertheless almost unanimously
opposed to any change in the Constitution of the Colony."
262
PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 1870
Hon. Mr. Kelly stated that as he had
occupied the position of chairman during the debate on confederation, he had been
deprived of the privilege of giving expression to his opinion on this important
subkect ; and as every conceivable phase
of the question had been discussed already, any lengthened remarks now
would necessarily be a repetition of the
ideas expressed by hon members who
had previously spoken. He (Mr. K.)
was entirely opposed to confederation on any terms. It was his unalterable determination
to use his utmost exertions to keep our independent legislature, and he hoped it would
be a long time before we should be dependent on a legislature seven or eight hundred
miles from us, with only two or three members to represent us is it. If all the wealth
of Canada was offered to us, it would not cause him (Mr. K.) to change his mind on
the subject.
And the first of the two reported Resolutions being again read, and the question
being proposed.
The Hon. Mr. Haviland move in amendment [illegible], seconded by Mr. Brecken, that
all the words of the preamble, and all the words after that to the end of the question,
he left out and the following inserted in here [?]
"The best interests and future prosperity of
this Island will be promoted by a federal union with the Dominion of Canada, provided
the [?] union can be effected upon such just and [?] terms as may be approved of by the people at the polls.
And the question being put on the amendment, the House divided ; and the names being
called for, they were taken down as follows :
Yeas—Hon. Mr. Haviland, Messrs. Brecken, Green, Jenkins—4
Nays—Hons. Messrs. Howlan, Laird, Col. Secretary P. Sinclair, Callbeck, Kelly, Henderson,
Macaulay, Duncan ; Messrs. Kickham, MacNeill, Cameron, MacCormack, MacLean, Reilly,
MacMillan, Bell, Howat, Owen—19
So it passed in the negative.
The
Hon. Mr. MacCaulay then moved, in amendment to the said reported Resolution, seconded by Mr. Howat.
That all the words after "Wherea" to the end of the question, he left out, and the
following Â
"His Excellency, Sir John Young, Governor-
General of the British North American Provinces, in a Despatch to his Honor the Administrator
of the Government of this Colony, dated
at Ottawa, on the fourteenth day of December
last, proposed certain terms on which this Colony would be admitted into the Canadian
Union ; and
"Whereas, the union of this Colony with the
Canadian Confederation, on the proposed terms would be neither [illegible] nor just
to Prince Edward Island, as recommended by Earl Granville ; and as the inhabitants
of this Colony are [?] of disturbing their existing conection with Great Britain ; therefore, RESOLVED.
That this House on behalf of the Colony, refuse to become a part of the Dominion of
Canada."
And the question being put on the said amendment, the House divided ; and the names
being called for, they were taken down as follows :
Yeas—Hons. Messrs. Macaulay, Duncan, Henderson, Messrs. Howat, Owen—5
Nays—Hons. Messrs. Howlan, Col. Secretary Laird, Callbeck, Kelly, P. Sinclair, Haviland
; Messrs. MacLean, Bell, Cameron, MacMillan, Brecken, Green, Jenkins, MacCormack,
Kickham, MacNeill, Reilly—18
So it passed in the negative.
The question being then put shall the first Resolution, as reported from the Committee,
be agreed to?
The House again divided, and the names being called for, they were taken down as follows
:
Yeas-Hons. Messrs. Howlan, Laird Col. Secretary, P. Sinclar, Callbeck, Messrs. Cameron,
Kickham, MacMillan, MacNeill, MacCormack, MacLean, Reilly, Bell—18.
Nays—Hons. Messrs. Haviland, Henderson, Macaulay, Duncan, Kelly ; Messrs. Green, Owen,
Jenkins, Howat, Brecken—10
So it was carried int eh affirmative ; and
Resolved, accordingly.
And, the second of the said reported Resolutions being again read, and the question
being put therein, the House divided and the names being Called for, they were taken
down as follows :
Yeas—Hons, Messrs. Howland, Laird,
col. Secretary P. Sinclair, Callbeck, Kelly, Henderson, Macaulay, Duncan, Messrs.
Kickham, MacNeill, Cameron, MacCormack, McLean, Reilly, Macmillan, Bell, Owen, Howat—19
Nays—Hon Mr. Haviland ; Messrs.
Brecken, Jenkins, Green—4
So it was carried in the affirmative ; and
Resolved, accordingly.
The Bill relating to the transference of a
certain pasture let ; also the bill to ap
1870 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 263
propriate certain moneys therein mentioned, were read a third time and
passed
Mr. McNEILL presented the report of
the committee on the contingent expenses
of the session
The House then adjourned until
Monday next.
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