Document Information

Date: 1865-03-01
By: The Montreal Herald
Citation: “Confederation in Prince Edward’s Island”, The Montreal Herald (1 March, 1865)
Other formats: TBA

CONFEDERATION IN PRINCE EDWARD’S ISLAND. 

—The Prince Edward’s Islander, a journal which has been very favourable to the project of Confederation, comes to us with full reports of various meetings for discussing the proposed constitutional change. The first of these is an account of a debate in Charlottetown, under the auspices of the Literary Society of that place. All we have of this affair is a speech of about four columns, adverse to the scheme, which was delivered by the President of the Society, one Mr. David Laird. No other speeches are reported, nor does there appear to have been any vote taken for the purpose of testing the sense of the meeting. The next report is that of a meeting at Souris. After hearing speakers on both sides, resolutions were adopted by acclamation to the effect:—“That in the opinion of this meeting the terms embodied in the Resolutions adopted at the Quebec Conference on the basis of a proposed Confederation of the British North American Colonies are unjust and disadvantageous to this Island, and that no such Confederation will be acceptable to the electors of this district, unless a considerable alteration be made in the terms proposed; and that the representatives of this district be requested to resist any final legislative action on the question of Confederation, as laid down in the report of the Delegates until after a dissolution of the present House of Assembly, and a direct appeal to the people on the subject.” Immediately after the above, there follows the account of a meeting at Brown’s Creek, where, after hearing all that was to be said on either side, it was unanimously resolved, “That this meeting view the principles of Union laid down in the Report of the Quebec Conference as unjust and prejudicial to the best interests of this Island.” Next comes the report of an anti-Union meeting at Murray Harbour, where it was resolved:—“That in the opinion of this meeting a Union of the Lower Provinces with Canada, as agreed upon by the Quebec Conference, would be only injurious to P. E. Island.” Another anti-Union meeting took place at Murray Harbour Road, at which the leading resolution adopted was:—“That the meeting tender to the Hon. Edward Palmer their best thanks for opposing in his place as one of the Island delegates the contemplated (or contemptible) Union, on the terms of the Quebec Conference, and express their approval of his integrity and political independence, notwithstanding the golden prospects and the displeasure of the Canadians.” There is a touch of humour, however, in the next resolution passed for the benefit of the other Island delegate, who advocated the scheme, which makes it improper that it should be omitted. “That this meeting express their sincere gratitude to the Hon. Colonel Gray for being providentially instrumental in relieving them from proprietary oppression, and would most respectfully request their representatives not to hazard their popularity on the contemplated Union of the Provinces.” The most important expression of opinion on the subject, however, was that which was delivered at a large meeting held in the capital of the Island, called in legal form by the Mayor, and attended by all the local dignitaries. Mr. Haviland, one of the island delegates, spoke for the measure, and a letter to the same effect was read from another delegate, Mr. Whelan, who was not present. Mr. Coles and Mr. Palmer, also delegates, were heard on the other side, and several gentlemen took part in the debate in favour of or against the scheme. The meeting was twice adjourned, so that the discussion was continued for three days, and at the end of this, we must suppose, very close examination, the following resolution was carried by a large majority:— “That this meeting having heard a very full and able discussion on the question of the [proposed?] [confederation?] [of?] [the?] [British?] [North?] [American?] Provinces—though of opinion that a Union might be consummated on principles and terms adapted to this Colony,—dissimilar as it is to the neighbouring Provinces from its insular position, the entire interruption of its navigation during five months of the year, and other circumstances, such as the granting away of its lands in large tracts to non-residents by the Crown,—yet decidedly objects to the details of the scheme agreed upon by the Quebec Conference, especially to those in reference to finance and representation, as most injurious, unjust, and illiberal to a people so situated, and confidently relies that the said details will by no means receive the sanction of the legislature or Government of this Island.” Farther on we find the following paragraph showing that an attempt was made by Mr. Haviland to carry a meeting of his own constituents in favour of the measure; but that all he could do was to avoid an adverse vote; the feeling being unmistakeably against his policy:—“We learn that a large and influential meeting of the inhabitants of Georgetown took place in the Court House. The meeting was addressed, on behalf of Confederation, by the Hon. Mr. Haviland and the Colonial Secretary; and in opposition to Confederation, by the Hon. R. McAulay, Rev. Mr. Roach and others. Our informant states that no Resolutions were passed at the meeting. We are pleased to learn that, although a large majority of the inhabitants of Georgetown are opposed to Confederation, Mr. Haviland still ranks A 1 in the estimation of his Constituents.” After this we presume there can be little doubt of the failure of the scheme, so far as Prince Edward Island is concerned; for in this paper, favorable as it is to the project, among all the expressions of adverse opinion, there is not one on the other side.