Document Information

Date: 1862-08-21
By: Arthur Gordon
Citation: Despatch from Lieutenant Governor Arthur Gordon to the Duke of Newcastle (21 August 1862) in UK, HC, Return to an Address of the Honourable The House of Commons, dated 30 June 1864; for Copy of Correspondence between any of the North American Provinces and the Imperial Government, relating to their Application for Assistance in raising a Loan for an International Railway (1864).
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Fredericton, 21 August 1862.

My Lord Duke,

I HAVE the honour to enclose for your Grace’s information a copy of a Despatch from the Governor General of Canada, suggesting that a conference should take place at Quebec on the 1oth proximo, between members of the Canadian Government and those of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, with a view of entering into an arrangement for the completion of an Intercolonial Railway upon the basis suggested by the Imperial Government.

2. I have also the honour to enclose for your Grace’s information the copy of a Minute of my Executive Council in committee, recommending me to appoint three members of the Government as a delegation to attend the proposed conference, and also to authorise them to enter into arrangements with the delegates of the other Provinces, interested for the construction of an Intercolonial Railway, provided the liabilities to be incurred by New Brunswick for that purpose do not exceed 35,000 l. sterling per annum.

3. This Minute is signed by all the members of the Executive Council, with two exceptions. The Solicitor General, as your Grace will perceive, appends to the Minute a note assenting to the appointment of the delegation, but recording his opinion that the liabilities to be incurred by the Province should not exceed a capital sum of 3,000,000 1., whilst the Attorney General, in a separate Minute, of which I have also the honour to enclose a copy, records his dissent from the 20 policy of his colleagues, and reserves to himself such liberty of action as he may deem necessary.

I have further the honour to inform your Grace, that in compliance with the advice of my Council, I have nominated as delegates the Honourable the Provincial Secretary, the Honourable W. H. Steeves, and the Honourable P. Mitchell.

These gentlemen will leave Fredericton for Quebec in about a week’s time.

I have, &c.
(signed) Arthur H. Gordon.