Document Information

Date: 1864-10-12
By: Edward Whelan, The Examiner (Charlottetown), Quebec Conference
Citation: Edward Whelan, “The Inter-Colonial Conference in Canada,”The Examiner (24 October 1864).
Other formats: Click here to view the original document (PDF) HERE.
Note: Any endnotes come from our recent publication, Charles Dumais, The Quebec Resolutions: Including Several Never-Published Preliminary Drafts by George Brown and John A. Macdonald, and a Collection of all Previously-Published Primary Documents Relating to the Conference (CCF, 2021).

THE INTER-COLONIAL CONFERENCE IN CANADA

No. 2

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 12, 1864.

The Convention met at 11 o’clock—all the members being present—Messrs. Carter, of Newfoundland, and Mr. Whelan, of Prince Edward Island, briefly addressed the Conference, accounting for their absence at the taking of the vote yesterday, in favour of a general Confederation. Both those Delegates gave their adhesion to the principle, and wished to be considered as having voted for it. A record was made on the Minutes to that effect.

The forenoon was occupied in discussing, or rather adverting to, a mere skeleton outline of the Federal constitution, which the Attorney General for Canada West briefly indicated. It was agreed that the Canadian Government would submit their views tomorrow in the form of resolutions, and the Conference adjourned early to enable them to prepare them. The Delegates from the Lower Provinces had then a long discussion amongst themselves as to the amount of representation in the Federal Parliament which each Province was entitled to from its area, trade and population. But the discussion was informal, and no conclusion was arrived at.