Despatch from Lieutenant Governor Arthur Gordon to Right Hon. Edward Cardwell (6 March 1865)
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Date: 1865-03-06
By: Arthur Gordon
Citation: Despatch from Lieutenant Governor Arthur Gordon to Right Hon. Edward Cardwell (6 March 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. 5.
COPY of a DESPATCH from Lieut.-Governor the Hon. ARTHUR GORDON to the Right Hon. EDWARD CARDWELL, M.P.
(No.24.)
Fredericton, N.B., March 6, 1865.
(Received March 21, 1865.)
(Answered No.65, April 1, 1865, page 117.)
SIR,
AS it is possible that this Despatch may reach you via Portland sooner than would be the case were it sent by the next ordinary Halifax mail, i think it right to avail myself of the opportunity to inform you that the proposed Confederation of the British North American Provinces has met with a most decided rejection in New Brunswick.
2. All those elections in which the question of Confederation was likely to outweigh considerations of a purely personal and local character have now taken place, and in each instance have resulted in the defeat of every one of the candidates favourable to Confederation.
3. Mr. Tilley, the leader of the Government, the Solicitor-General, the Postmaster-General, Mr. Fisher, and Mr. Gray, Delegates to Quebec, have all lost their seats.
4. The Government is practically overthrown, and the scheme of Union virtually defeated.
5. I was aware that the public sentiment of the Province was opposed to Confederation, but I was by no means prepared for such a result as that which I now have the honour to report to you.
6. The causes which have led to this decided expression of opinion i will explain at length when writing by the next Halifax mail.
7. The members of the House of Assembly elected up to this time may be classed as follows :–
| For Confederation. | Against It. | Doubtful. |
| 3 | 16 | 3 |
8. There are still 19 members to be returned, but, with the exception of the counties of Charlotte and Northumberland, all the important elections are now over.
I have, &c.
(Signed) ARTHUR H. GORDON.
The Right Hon. Edward Cardwell, M.P.,
&c. &c. &c.