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Date: 1866-07-16
By: Fenwick Williams
Citation: Despatch from Lieutenant-Governor Fenwick Williams to Right Hon. Secretary of State for the Colonies (16 July 1866) 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.22.

COPY of a DESPATCH from Lieut.-Governor Sir W. F. WILLIAMS, Bart., K.C.B., to the Right Hon. The Secretary of State for the Colonies.

(No.61.)

Halifax, Nova Scotia, July 16, 1866.
(Received July 28, 1866.)
(Answered No. 9. August […], 1866. p. 83.)

SIR,

I HAVE the honour herewith to transmit an address from certain of the inhabitants of the county of Lunenburg to Her Gracious Majesty the Queen.

I have, &c.

(Signed) W.F. WILLIAMS.

The Right Hon. The Secretary of State for the Colonies
&c. &c. &c. &c.

Enclosure in No. 22.

To the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR MAJESTY,

THE petition of the inhabitants of the county of Lunenburg, in Your Majesty’s Province of Nova Scotia, adopted unanimously at a public meeting held in Budgewater, Mahone […], and […] in said county.

Humbly showeth,

THAT this county was settled over a century ago, […] by natives of Germany, who with their descendants have been distinguished for unswerving loyalty to the British Crown, and her […] respect and esteem for Your Majesty’s Royal House, and it is the most […] desire of Your Majesty’s petitioners to have under the […] of the British flag and to maintain their allegiance as British subjects.

That this county has a population of over 20,000 and is rapidly increasing in wealth and prosperity: that its enrolled […] numbers eight regiments, with upwards of […] first-class men, and that the vessels and men engaged in the prosecution of the fisheries […] more than those of any other county the Province.

That the country is represented in the provincial Parliament by three members, and […] an election held in December last to supply a […] caused by the […] of one member resulted in the return of a candidates by a majority of over […] votes opposed to any union of the Provinces being passed upon by the Legislature without […] first hand […] by the people at the polls.

That the means which have been taken to secure a union of the Provinces without the electors having been first consulted have […] in the minds of Your Majesty’s petitioners great dissatisfaction and indignation, believing, as they do, that a question of such importance should be submitted for the decision of the people, as it will affect them and their descendants for all time.

We do most respectfully and earnestly pray that Your most Gracious Majesty will uphold for us those rights and privileges which under the system of responsible government graduated to this Province […] have so long enjoyed in peace and prosperity, and that before any union of these Provinces be carried Your most Gracious Majesty will cause the question to be submitted for the decision of the electors of Nova Scotia, a privilege which, though hitherto denied to them, has in the short space of 14 months been […] granted to their fellow-subjects in the adjoining Province of New Brunswick.

And your Majesty’s petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, &c.

On behalf of Electors,

MATHER B. DES BRISAY, Chairman of Meeting at Bridgewater.
JAMES STARBATT, Secretary.
EDWARD HECKMAN, Chairman of Meeting at Chester.
AMOS F. MORGAN, Secretary.
WILLIAM KEDY. Chairman of Meeting at Mahone Bay.
HENRY […], Secretary