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The
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great question of Confederation when first brought before the people was not understood,
but after a little while they carefully considered it and understood it thoroughly.
Perhaps it were just as well that it was not hurried on too rapidly, and that there
was given for fully considering it. It is now altogther out of place to spend the
people's money is discussing such an important measure as the construction of a railroad,
without bringing it before the people for their decision.
Confederation was at that time the order of the day, and the people passed a strong
resolution against it. If they had broken the law we would be in Confederation to-day.
The people knew that if they broke the law there would, in all probability, be numbers
of them shot down. One of the most innocent men on the Princetown Road was hand-cuffed
and brought to jail, but no charge whatever could be brought against him. Mr. Edmund
Crabb having come out to his own gate, was taken for a spy, pushed into a wagon, and
taken off to prison, for no cause whatever. I merely make these statements to show
that the actions of the Government of that day were calculated to irritate the people
to that degree. Some of the members of the Government are members of the Opposition
with saying they are not honest in carrying out the railway scheme. I want to show
that the people have reason to be suspicious of the present Government in all their
public actions, and that confederation may be connected with the very matter now before
the Committee. It is true the Government are solemnly pledged against Confederation
for the present term; but if we get deeply involved by adding a million of money to
our present debt, we shall all be compelled to pump to to keep the ship of state from
sinking; and though we are pledged against Confedera
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tion, my hon. friend from Bedeque (Mr.
Howat), would be the first to square away the yards to keep the ship afloat, if necessary.
It matters come to that pass I think we should be compelled to put into the Dominion
as the only means of saving the ship. The hon. member for Charlottetown asked us twelve
months ago whether the sun would not rise and the grass grow if we entered the Dominion.
I say yes; the sun would rise and the grass would grow, but our people would become
the slaves of the Dominion, this Island would become the down-trodden Poland of America,
and a mere appendage of Canada and burdened with a heavy debt. In forcing the construction
of a railroad upon the country, and involving it in such a heavy debt, the Legislature
would be going beyond all bounds. I would be sorry indeed to do anything which I would
be afraid to bring before the people at the polls, which would involve the Colony
to such extreme done extent in proportion to our revenue. This is one of the mos important
measures, and involving the largest amount of money ever brought before the Legislature
of this Island. The House has spoken a great deal of time in discussing this, but
it appears the Government have no renounced the idea of carrying the measure. Hon.
members can do as they think proper; but, for my party I would be sorry to lend my
vote to a measure which would involve the country to such an extent that it would
never recover from the effects of it. I would not disgrace the memory of those who
helped in clear away the forces by supporting a measure which might be the means of
the loss of our constitution.
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PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 279
[
Mr. CAMERON]
We hear a great deal said about
Confederation in connection with this question; it has been stated that the construction
of a railroad would be a step towards it, and that it would infallibly lend to it.
Now, I fail to see any connection whatever between the two questions. If this Colony
stands in danger of going into Confederation, it is owing to the views entertained
by the majority of the people, not on account of the undertaking of a great public
work. If the construction of a railway would entail a very heavy debt upon the Colony,
there would be less inducement for the Canadians to make any effort to get us into
 Confederation.
MR. REILLY would, in reference to what
had fallen from hon. members, first reply to what the hon. member of Cavendish (Mr.
McNeill), had said, who in his observations seemed to regard the railway project as
a scheme to draw the Island into Confederation. From such a view he (Mr. R.), dissented. Nor did he see what ground the hon. member had for arriving at such a conclusion.
He (Mr. R.) never had but one idea on that question. Nor did he believe the Dominion
Government felt dispos
1871 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 281
ed to come down to them with any new propositions. Nor if they were to consent to
unite with the Dominion of Canada would they gain thereby. The Canadian Government
never intended to give anything to this Island for which they were not to receive
more than an equivalent in return. Yet the hon. member appeared to imagine that if
this Colony ran itself in debt, the Canadians would, if they united with them, pay
the debt of this Colony, and out of pure compassion relieve this Colony out of its
difficulties. He thought there could not possibly be a greater delusion. Would a union
with the Dominion under any circumstances produce such a result? It was absurd to
suppose anything of the kind. The argument, therefore, of the hon. member, would not
go for anything, for it contained an assertion which could not be proved, inasmuch
as it  was opposed to reason and common sense.
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It have also been assorted
that those newspapers under the influence of the Government were employed to bring
about Confederation. To that he could but say he thought if such was the care they
were fearfully neglecting their duty for he read them all, but failed to notice a
single article in ous of them in favor of a union of this Colony with the Dominion
of Canada.
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PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 283
[
Hon. D. DAVIES]
On a former occasion, the hon.
member for Cavendish (Mr. McNeil) attested to what he (hon. D. D.) had said
about bringing the troops to the Colony.
In doing so the hon. member had endeavored to show that the object at that time of
the Government was to bring about a state
of affairs in the country which might be
used as a pretext for placing the Island into
Confederation with the Dominion of Canada.
In reply to such assertions, he would content
himself by simply asserting that they were
not correct.
In so for as
he (Hon. D. D.) was personally concerned
he never had but one idea respecting Confederation, and that was that this Colony
was too small and unimportant a country to
be allowed to remain out of Confederation
with the Dominion. But he had no wish
or desire to do anything to bring about such
a result, before the people were prepared and
willing for the change.
