Document Information

Date: 1865-04-01
By: Montreal Witness
Citation: “No Title”, Montreal Witness (1 April, 1865)
Other formats: TBA

— The prospect of a Confederation of the British American Provinces is “played out.” The union of the leading men of both the great political parties, it was thought, would carry the majority of the voters of each Province for the scheme; but the opposition to it has been growing stronger every day. First Prince Edward’s Island refused to come into the Confederacy; next New Brunswick rejected the proposition. As the latter separates Nova Scotia from the Canadas, Nova Scotia cannot think of entering the Confederacy if New Brunswick stays out. Lastly, Newfoundland, which at first thought well of the proposition, has backed out. This leaves only Upper and Lower Canada, and they are already united. We cannot understand the object of the Canadian Parliament in recommending the adoption of the Quebec confederation scheme, as it did last week by a vote of ninety-one to thirty-three, and sending a member to England to confer with the Home Government in regard to the execution of the plan, because the refusal of the Maritime Provinces to enter the new Union necessarily defeats it. On the Pacific side of the British dominions the Union is progressing somewhat more rapidly, and the House of Assembly of Vancouver Island has passed resolutions in favor of being united with British Columbia.—Chicago Tribune.

[The reason for Canada urging Confederation the more earnestly because the Lower Provinces back out is clear enough to the people of Canada. Without this continued effort there would be no apparent excuse for the continuance of the present coalition.—ED. WIZ.]