Document Information

Date: 1864-12-23
By: Richard Graves Macdonnell
Citation: Despatch from Richard Graves Macdonnell to Right. Hon. Edward Cardwell (23 December 1864) 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.2.

COPY of a DESPATCH from Lient.-Governor Sir R. G. MACDONNELL, C.B., to the Right Hon.Edward Carwell, M.P.

(No.44.)

Government House, Halifax, Nova Scotia,

December 23, 1864.

(Received Jan. 3, 1865.)

SIR,

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge receipt of your Despatch transmitting the reply of Her Majesty’s Government to Lord Monck (Canada, No. 93,*) containing a general statement of the views of Her Majesty’s Government on the important subject of the proposed Federation of the British American Colonies.

It appeared to me that it was advisable to give immediate publicity to those views of Her Majesty’s Government, and accordingly I direct a Gazette Extraordinary to be issued last night containing that Despatch. I enclose some copies of the Gazette for your information.

Independent of the obvious duty of giving information of that kind early to Her Majesty’s subjects in this Province, i felt that it was due to many highly respectable and loyal gentlemen holding a distinguished position in this community, and who view with suspicion the retention of local Parliaments as more likely hereafter practically to lead to disunion than to strength, to give them an opportunity of acquainting themselves with the sentiments entertained by Her Majesty’s Ministers before committing themselves to any decided line of action.

3. I Therefore hope the course which I have adopted will meet your approval.

I have, &c.

(Signed) RICHARD GRAVES MACDONNELL,
Lieut.-Governor.

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