Document Information

Date: 1865-05-22
By: Arthur Gordon
Citation: Despatch from Lieutenant Governor Arthur Gordon to Right Hon. Edward Cardwell (22 May 1865) in UK, Parliament, Correspondence respecting the Proposed Union of the British North American Provinces (London: George Edward Eyre and William Spottiswoode, 1867).
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No. 11.

COPY of a DESPATCH from Lieut.-Governor the Hon. ARTHUR GORDON to the Right Hon. EDWARD CARDWELL, M.P.

Government House, Fredericton, N.B., May 22, 1865.

(No. 45.)

(Received June 5, 1865.)

SIR,

IN accordance with their request, I have the honour to transmit to you the enclosed Memorandum of my Executive Council with reference to the scheme for the Confederation of the British North American Provinces.

I have, &c.

(Signed) ARTHUR GORDON.

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

Enclosure in No. 11

To his Excellency the Hon. ARTHUR HAMILTON GORDON, C.M.G., Lieutenant-Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Province of New Brunswick, &c. &c. &c.

OUR attention has been recently attracted by a statement in the London “times” newspaper, to the effect that the Confederation scheme of the British North American Provinces is progressing favourably. We entertain no doubt that your Excellency’s reports to the Colonial Office have placed Mr. Cardwell in possession of the real state of the public mind on that subject ; but as we are anxious that no doubt should exist in the minds of the English Government as to the present state of this question, we would request your Excellency at once to inform the Secretary of State for the Colonies how entirely the scheme has been rejected by the people of this Province ; and that we have strong reasons to believe, and do believe, that, with the exception of a party in Halifax, the Legislature and people of Nova Scotia are, if possible, more opposed to the project than those of this Province.

The House of Assembly in Prince Edward Island, your Excellency is aware, has rejected it almost unanimously ; and the House of Assembly of Newfoundland resolved to postpone the consideration of it until after their next election ; and we venture the opinion that Canada is the only Province in British North America favourable to the scheme.

Respectfully submitted.

(Signed) A. J. SMITH.
ROBT. D. WILMOT.
GEORGE L. HATHEWAY.
T. W. ANGLIN.
RICHARD HUTCHISON
A.H. GILLMOR, SEN.
JOHN C. ALLEN.
W. H. ODELL.
BLISS BOTSFORD.