Document Information

Date: 1866-06-06
By: Fenwick Williams
Citation: Despatch from Lieutenant-Governor Fenwick Williams to Right Hon. Edward Cardwell (6 June 1866), No. 43 in UK, Parliament, Correspondence respecting the Proposed Union of the British North American Provinces (London: George Edward Eyre and William Spottiswoode, 1867).
Other formats: Click here to view the original document (PDF).

No.15.

COPY of a DESPATCH from Lieut.-Governor Sir W. F. WILLIAMS, Bart., K.C.B., to the Right Hon.Edward Cardwell, M.P.

(No.43.)

Halifax, Nova Scotia, June 6, 1866.
(Received June 18, 1866.)
(Answered No. 40. June 21, 1866. p. 82.)

SIR,

I HAVE the honour herewith to transmit a copy of the proceedings of a meeting held at Yarmouth, together with an Address to Her Gracious Majesty adopted at that meeting.

I have, &c.

(Signed) W.F. WILLIAMS.

The Right Hon. Edward Cardwell. M.P.
&c. &c. &c.

Enclosure No. 1 in No. 15.

At a public meeting held at the Court-house in Yarmouth, on the 19th day of May 1866, Nathan Moses chairman, George Killam secretary.

Hon Joseph Howe was introduced to the meeting, and commenced with an elephant eulogy on the character of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, as a child, a wife, and mother, a queen and a widow, at the conclusion of which the audience gave three hearty cheers for Her Majesty Queen Victoria.

Mr. Howe then addressed the meeting for over two hours, on the question of Confederation with Canada, at the close of which it was moved by Dr. Joseph B. Bond. seconded by Nathan Weston, and Thomas Killam, Esq., M.P.P., that the following address, prepared by a committee appointed for that purpose, at a public meeting held in this place tn the 24th April 1866, be adopted by this meeting: —

To the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty.

The petition of the inhabitants of the county of Yarmouth humbly showeth —

That the county of Yarmouth contains about 16,000 inhabitants, five regiments of militia, and owns about 100,000 tons of shipping hearing the flag of England.

That the people of this county have discharged all the duties of loyal British subjects, have sent members to the Provincial Parliament for about a century, and under Your Majesty’s beneficent rule are prosperous and content.

That they view with great distrust attempts recently made to annex them to the Province of Canada, with which they have no natural connexion, and very little trade.

That a scheme of Confederation arranged at Quebec in […], without the consent of the constituencies of the Province, who have never either before or since that time been consulted on the subject, would be an invasion of their rights, and would, if sanctioned by Your Majesty’s Government, create wide-spread dissatisfaction in this loyal and happy Province.

That since the said Quebec scheme was made public a township election has taken place in this county, when both the opposing candidates pledged themselves strongly against any scheme of Confederation with Canada.

The prayer of the people of Varmouth, therefore, is that no change in the institution of this country may be made until it shall have been submitted to the people at the polls, and that Your Majesty will sacredly guard the rights which we have so long loyally exercised and enjoyed.

The meeting was then addressed by Thomas Killam, Esq., R. L Weatherbee, J. C. Troop, and Hervey Cann, Esq. against Confederation, and by Samuel Flint. Esq., in favour.

On the question being taken, the address was adopted unanimously.

Moved by […] F. Baker; seconded by Hervey Cann, Esq.

That the thanks of this meeting be given to the Hon. Joseph Howe, for the noble and patriotic stand he has taken in behalf of the constitution of his native Province, and the liberties of his countrymen.

Passed unanimously.

Moved by John R. Ryerson. Esq., seconded by William Rogers, Esq. —

That the committee who prepared the address adopted this day, Thomas Killam, Esq., M.P.P., Hon. […] Brown, M.L.C., Dr. Joseph B. Bond, and George Killam, be a committee to forward the address to Her Majesty the Queen through his Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor.

Passed unanimously.

Moved by William H. Moody, Esq : seconded by Dr. B.V. Harley–

That the thanks of the meeting be given to Nathan Moses, Esq., the chairman.

Carried unanimously

NATHAN MOSES. Chairman.
GEORGE KILLAM, Secretary

Dated at Yarmouth, ,this 19th day of May, A.D. 1866.

Enclosure 2 in No. 15

To the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty.

The petition of the inhabitants of the county of Yarmouth humbly showeth —

THAT the county of Yarmouth contains about 16,000 inhabitants, five regiments of militia, and owns about 100,000 tons of shipping bearing that flag of England.

That the people of this county have discharged all the duties of loyal British subjects, have sent members to the Provincial Parliament for about a century, and under Your Majesty’s beneficent rule are prosperous and content.

That they view with great distrust attempts recently made to annex them to the Province of Canada, with which they have no natural connexion, and very little trade.

That a scheme of Confederation arranged at Quebec in […], without the consent of the constituencies of the Province, who have never either before or since that time been consulted on the subject, would be an invasion of their rights, and would, if sanctioned by Your Majesty’s Government, create wide-spread dissatisfaction in this loyal and happy Province.

That since the said Quebec scheme was made public a township elections has taken place in this county, when both the opposing candidates pledged themselves strongly against any scheme of Confederation with Canada.

The prayer of the people of Yarmouth, therefore, is that no change in the institution of this country may be made until it shall have been submitted to the people at the polls, and that Your Majesty will sacredly guard the rights which we have so long loyally exercised and enjoyed.

NATHAN MOSES, Chairman.
GEORGE KILLAM, Secretary.

Dated at Yarmouth, this 19th day of May, A.D. 1866.