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Date: 1866-02-19
By: Anthony Musgrave
Citation: Despatch from Lieutenant Governor Anthony Musgrave to Viscount Monck (19 February 1866). “RETURN To an Address of the Honorable the Legislative Assembly, of the 12th June, 1866, asking for Correspondence relative to the Union of the North American Provinces” in Sessional Papers (1866).
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GOVERNMENT HOUSE, NEWFOUNDLAND,
19th February, 1866.

MY LORD,—I have the honor to forward to your Lordship a copy of a Speech with which, on the 30th January, I opened the annual session of the Legislature of this Colony, and the Addresses of the Council and Assembly in reply.

I have, &c.

(Signed) A. MUSGRAVE.

His Excellency the Right Honorable
Viscount Monck, Governor General of Canada.

EXTRACT.

“The proposed Union of the British Provinces in North America continues to engage the anxious solicitude and friendly interest of Her Majesty’s Government. Des-patches from the Secretary of State upon this subject will be laid before you. Believing, as I do, that the abstract advantages of Union, upon general principles, must be so obvious as to be almost necessarily acknowledged, it would appear that any question which may be raised can only affect the terms upon which it may be possible equitably to accomplish such a Union as would be desira-ble. I am satisfied that Her Majesty’s Imperial Govern-ment, as well as the Governments of the other Provinces, will receive and consider with courteous attention, any proposals that you may think fit to offer on this subject. That the completion of the Union between the other Provinces is certain, and will only be a matter of time and arrangement, most thoughtful persons are convinced. It may become an affair of vital consequence to this com-munity not to fall into an isolated position, in the final settlement, which cannot fail to exercise the greatest influence on the future of all the British possessions in North America.”