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Date: 1866-05-09
By: George Dundas
Citation: Despatch from Lieutenant Governor George Dundas to Right Hon. Edward Cardwell (11 May 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. 6.

Copy of a DESPATCH from Lieut.-Governor DUNDAS to the Right Hon, EDWARD CARDWELL, M.P.

(No. 44.)

Government House, May 11, 1866.
(Received June 4, 1866.)
(Answered, No. 21, June 9, 1866, page 137.)

SIR,

I HAVE the honour to transmit herewith Addresses to Her Majesty the Queen which have been adopted by the Legislature Council and by the House of Assembly of this Island.

The prayers of these Addresses are that Her Majesty will be pleased to withhold Her sanction from any measure intended to effect a Union of this Island with Canada and the other British North American Provinces.

In accordance with your instructions, I laid the correspondence contained in your Despatch, No. 35,* of 24th June 1865, before the Legislature during its late session. At the same time I expressed, by message to both branches, the views of Her Majesty’s Government on this matter.

The Legislative Council thereupon unanimously agreed to resolutions (of which I enclose copies) condemnatory of any scheme of Union. I enclose copies of […] Address of that body to myself requesting me to forward their Address to Her Majesty.

In the House of Assembly the President of the Executive Council proposed similar resolutions, to which an amendment was moved by Mr. Whelan to the effect, that the Confederation of the British North American Provinces, while in conformity with Her Majesty’s desire, would be conducive to their welfare. That a scheme of Union might be so framed as not to involve the sacrifice of any material interests of this Province, but that the people should have an opportunity of expressing their option at the polls before a vote of the Legislature was passed in favour of Confederation.

This amendment was lost on a division, and the original resolution carried by 21 to 7. Copy of the resolution and of the amendment are enclosed.

The Addresses to Her Majesty which I enclose (and of which I transmit printed copies), were founded on the resolutions passed in each branch of the Legislature.

I have, &c.
(Signed.) GEORGE DUNDAS,
Lieut.-Governor.

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

Enclosure 1 in No. 6.

TO THE QUEEN’S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.

Most Gracious Sovereign,

WE, Your Majesty’s loyal and faithful subjects, the Legislative Council of Prince Edward Island, having had under our consideration a copy of a Despatch from the Right Honourable Edward Cardwell. Your Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State for the Colonial Department, addressed to his Excellency George Dundas, Esq., Lieutenant-Governor of this Island, bearing date the 24th day of June last, accompanied by a copy of a correspondence between the Colonial Minister and his Excellency the Right Honourable Viscount Monck, Governor-General of Canada, on the affairs of British North America, including the subject of the proposed Union of the British North American Colonies, in which Despatch his Excellency Lieutenant-Governor Dundas is directed by the said Colonial Minister to communicate the said correspondence to the Legislature of this Island at its then next session, and at the same time to express the strong and deliberate option of Her majesty’s Government that it is an object much to be desired that all the British North American Colonies should agree to unite in one government, and having given the said documents that patient and respectful consideration to which all communications emanating from so exalted a source, and having reference to a subject of vital importance to all maritime Colonies and Provinces, are entitled, we humbly beg leave to approach Your Majesty’s Throne for the purpose of conveying to Your Majesty the result of our renewed deliberations upon the great question again brought under out notice by Your Majesty’s Colonial Minster.

First. We reset our inability to discover in correspondence above alluded to any sufficient reason to induce us to depart from or modify the spirit of the joint address to Your Majesty unanimously adopted by the Legislative Council of this Island on the 3rd day of April 1866, and subsequently transmitted by his Excellency Governor Dundas to Your Majesty’s Colonial Minister for the purpose of being laid at the foot of the Throne.

Secondly. We do not deem it inconsistent with the most devoted and loyal attachment to Your Majesty’s person and Government to declare our firm conviction that in deliberating upon a question seriously affecting the liberty, happiness, and prosperity of the inhabitants of this Colony, we ought to be guided mainly by “the well understood wishes of the people” whom we represent, even should their wishes unfortunately conflict, as in the present instance, with the declared “policy” of your Majesty’s Government for the time being, the inhabitants of this Colony being in our option, fully competent to decide upon so vital a question as the constitution of the country in which their lot has been east, and the means best adapted to promote and perpetuate the stability and prosperity of that country.

Thirdly. Present with advantages to the Province of Canada as the proposed Union may appear, and fraught with corresponding benefits as such Union may be, under certain modifications of the “Quebec scheme.” to one or more of the Maritime Provinces, we regret our inability to suggest any modification of that “scheme” which could with safety be adapted to the peculiar position and circumstances of this Island, and which would at the same time prove acceptable to the people of Canada.

Fourthly.—To make suitable provision for the vast public works now contemplated by the Government of Canada, the tariff of the Provinces, if united as proposed, must necessarily be greatly augmented, and the burdens of the people proportionally increased. That this Colony, if included in the proposed Union, would be subject to that tariff is certain, but that its people would participate in an equal ratio with the other Provinces in the benefits anticipated as the result of this excessive taxation is by no means probable, believing as we do that, although the trade, commerce, and manufactures of the continental Provinces would be greatly stimulated by new and extended railways, new and improved canals, the opening and working of valuable mines, the trade, commerce, and manufactures of this Island would not to any appreciable extent be beneficially affected thereby.

Fifthly. Since the year 1851, when Your Majesty was most graciously pleased to concede to the people this Colony the rights and privileges of self-government, Prince Edward Island has made and is still making steady advances in population and material prosperity, and its inhabitants are now perfectly satisfied with the free and liberal constitution under which it is their happiness to live, the member of those are willing to incur the risks and dangers inseparable from a Union with the larger and more Provinces of British North America being, in our opinion, extremely insignificant and unimportant.

Sixthly. We are not insensible to the obligation resting upon this Colony to contribute its fair share towards defraying the expense of resisting foreign invasion or aggression, and have cheerfully sanctioned the placing of the entire resources of the Colony at the disposal of the Government for the attainment of this desirable object.

Seventhly. We rely with the utmost confidence on the wisdom and justice of Your Majesty in the present crisis, believing as we do that the necessities of Canada and the importunities of its Government will not be deemed by Your Majesty of sufficient importance to warrant a change in the constitution and form of government of this Colony opposed to the wishes and hostile to the feelings of its inhabitants, a change which, it is generally believed, must prove subversive of our liberties and highly determinedly to our best interests.

May it therefore please Your Majesty graciously to withhold Your Royal sanction from any measure calculated to deprive Prince Edward Island of the constitution which it now happily enjoys, and more especially from any measure intended to effect a Union of Prince Edward Island with Canada and the other Provinces of British America.

DONALD MONTGOMERY, President.

Legislative Council, May 10, 1866.

Enclosure 2 in No. 6.

TO THE QUEEN’S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.

May it please Your Majesty,

WE Your Majesty’s dutiful and loyal subjects, the House of Assembly of Prince Edward Island, having had under consideration the message of his Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor, communicating a Despatch dated the 24th day of June last, from the Right Honourable Edward Cardwell, Secretary of State for Colonial Department, upon the subject of a Federation of the British North American Provinces, beg leave approach Your Majesty for the purpose of expressing our respectful but deliberate opinion that any Union of the British North American Colonies which would embrace Prince Edward Island, upon the terms and principles set forth in resolutions of the Conference of Quebec, held on the 10th October 1861, would not only be unjust to the inhabitants of this Colony, but prove disastrous to their dearest and most enclosed rights and interests as a free people enjoying the blessings of a priceless constitution guaranteed to them by the Imperial Government of Great Britain.

That considering, the isolated, peculiar, and exceptional position of Prince Edward Island, as contrasted with the other British North American Provinces and Colonies, this House deems it to be its duty, as the constitutional representative of the people of Prince Edward Island, to re-affirm the decision so clearly and unequivocally declared by this House in the resolutions passed by it in its last session, upon the subject of a Union of the British North American Colonies, and afterwords communicated by the joint address of the Legislative Council and House of Assembly of this Colony to Her Majesty’s Imperial Government ; and further, that even if a Union of the continental Provinces of British North America would have the effect of strengthening and binding more closely together these Provinces and advancing their material and commercial interests, this House cannot admit that a Federal Union of the North American Provinces and Colonies which would include Prince Edward Island, could ever be accomplished upon terms that would prove advantageous to the interests and well-being of the people of this Island, cut off and separated as it is, and must even remain, from the neighbouring Provinces by an immovable barrier of ice for many months in the year ; and this House deems it to be its sacred and imperative duty to declare its conviction that any Federal Union of the North American Colonies that would embrace this Island, would be as hostile to the […] and wishes, as if we do be opposed to the best and most vital interests of its people.

We beg further respectfully to state that while this House cannot assent to a Federal union of this Island with the other Colonies, they recognize it to be the duty of this Colony to contribute from its local revenues towards its defence in fair and just proportion to its means.
We do, therefore, most humbly pray that Your Majesty will be graciously pleased not to give Your Royal sanction to any Act or measure founded upon the basis of the report of the Quebec Conference, or otherwise that would have the effect of uniting Prince Edward Island in a Federal Union with Canada, or any other of Your Majesty’s Provinces in America.

R. MACAULAY,
Speaker.

House of Assembly, May 10, 1866.

Enclosure 3 in No. 6.

RESOLUTIONS of LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL of PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND (1866), against CONFEDERATION of BRITISH NORTH AMERICAN PROVINCES.

Whereas the Legislative Council have had under their consideration a copy of a Despatch from the Right honourable Edward Cardwell, Her Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State for the Colonial Department, addressed to his Excellency George Dundas, Esquire, Lieutenant-Governor of this Island, and hearing date the twenty-fourth day of June last, accompanied by a copy of a correspondence between the Colonial Minister and Viscount Monck, Governor-General of Canada, on the affairs of British North America, including the subject of the proposed Union of the British North American Colonies, in which Despatch his Excellency Governor Dundas is directed by the said Colonial Minister to communicate the said correspondence to the Legislature of this Island at its then next meeting, and at the same time to express the strong and deliberate opinion of Her Majesty’s Government that it is an object much to be desired that all the British North American Colonies should agree to unite in one Government ; and this Legislative Council having given the said documents that patient consideration to which all communications emanating from so exalted a source, and having reference to a subject of vital importance to all the Maritime Colonies, are entitled: Be it therefore.

Resolved, That this Legislative Council regrets its inability to discover in the said correspondence any sufficient reason to induce it to depart from our modify the spirit of the resolution unanimously adopted by this House on the 3rd day of April 1865, and of the joint address to Her Majesty, also adopted by this House on the same day, on the subject of Confederation.

Resolved, That this Legislative Council does not deem it inconsistent with loyal attachment to Her most Gracious Majesty’s Person and Government to declare its firm conviction that, in deliberating upon a question seriously affecting the liberty, happiness, and prosperity of the inhabitants of this Colony, this House ought to be guided mainly by “the well understood wishes of the people” whom it represents, even should these, unfortunately, conflict with the declared “policy” of the noblemen and gentlemen composing Her Majesty’s Government for the time being—the inhabitants of this Colony being, in the opinion of this Legislative Council, fully competent to decide upon so vital a question as the constitution of the country in which their lot has been cast, and the means best adapted to promote and perpetuate the prosperity and stability of that country.

Resolved, That pregnant as the proposed Union appears to be with advantages to the Province of Canada, and fraught, as it may be, under certain modifications, with corresponding benefits to one or more of the Maritime provinces, this Legislative Council can suggest no modification of the “Quebec scheme” which could with safety be adapted to the peculiar position and circumstances of this Colony, and which would, at the same time, be acceptable to the people of Canada.

Resolved, That to make suitable provision for the cast public works now contemplated by the Government of Canada, the tariff of the united Provinces must necessarily be greatly augmented and the burdens of the people proportionality increased: that this Colony, if included in the proposed Union, would be subject to that tariff, is certain, but that its people would participate in an equal ration with the other Maritime Provinces, in the benefits resulting from the excessive taxation that would thus be imposed upon them, is by no means probable, — believing, as we do, that although the trade, commerce, and manufactures of the continental Provinces would be greatly stimulated by new and extended railways, new and improved canals, the opening and working of valuable mines, the made, commerce, and manufactures of this Island would not, to any appreciable extent, be beneficially affected thereby.

Resolved, That since the year 1851, when Her Majesty was most graciously pleased to concede to the people of this Colony the rights privileges of self-government, Prince Edward Island has made, and is still making, steady advances in population and material prosperity, and its inhabitants are now perfectly satisfied with the free and liberal constitution under which it is their happiness to live, the number of those who are willing to incur the risks and dangers inseparable from a Union with the larger and more powerful Provinces of British North America being, in the onion of this Legislative Council, extremely insignificant and unimportant.

Resolved, That this House is not insensible to the obligation which […] upon this Colony to contribute its fair share towards defraying the expense of resisting foreign invasion or aggression; and this Legislative Council is most anxious that a liberal provision should be made during the present session, both as respects men and means, for the purposes of defence, and will cheerfully sanction the placing of the entire resources of the Colony at the disposal of the Government for the attainment of so desirable an object.

Resolved, That this Legislative Council relies with the utmost condense on the wisdom and just of Her most Gracious Majesty in the present crisis, believing, as it does, that the necessities of Canada and the importunities of its government will not be deemed by Her Majesty of sufficient importance to warrant a change in the constitution and form of government of this Colony opposed to the wishes and hostile to the feelings of its inhabitants : a change which, it is believed, must prove subversive of their liberties and highly determined to their best interests.

Resolved, That the consideration of the carious other subjects embraced in the Despatches and other documents referred to this Committee, and not heretofore disposed of by the legislative proceedings of this session, be deferred until the next session of the Legislature.

Resolved, That an humble address based on the foregoing resolutions be prepared and forwarded to Her Majesty the Queen, praying at at Her Majesty mat be graciously pleased to withhold Her sanction from any measure calculated to deprive Prince Edward Island of the constitution which it now happily enjoys, and more especially from my measure intended to effect a Union of Prince Edward Island with Canada and the other Provinces of British North America.

Enclosure 4 in No. 6.

To his Excellency GEORGE DUNDAS, Esq., Lieutenant-Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over Her Majesty’s Island Prince Edward, and the territories thereunto belonging, Chancellor, Vice-Admiral, and Ordinary fo the same, &c., &c., &c.

May it please your Excellency:

The Legislative Council having unanimously passed an Address to Her Majesty the Queen, expressive of their opinion on the subject of the proposed Union of the British North American Colonies, have respectfully to request that your Excellency will be pleased to cause the same to be laid at the foot of the Throne.

The Legislative Council at the same time beg leave to express to your Excellency their earnest hope that the opinion of the Legislative Council, as conveyed to Her Majesty in the said Address, may be deemed conclusive on the part of those whom they represent in this Island, in case any further action may be taken by Her Majesty’s Government in reference to the question of Confederation, and that your Excellency may have no further cause of appeal to the Legislature of this Colony, or deem it necessary to take any further action on the part of this Colony respecting the further consideration of a question on which both branches of its Legislative have, for the second time, passed such a solemn and conclusive opinion.

Enclosure 5 in No. 6.

RESOLUTIONS on the SUBJECT of a FEDERAL UNION of the BRITISH NORTH AMERICAN PROVINCES.

These Resolutions will be found printed at page 136.