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Date: 1865-02-10
By: Nova Scotia (House of Assembly)
Citation: Nova Scotia, House of Assembly, Debates and Proceedings, 23rd Parl, 2nd Sess, 1865 at 4-5.
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DEBATES AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY OF NOVA SCOTIA. 1865.

FRIDAY, February 10.

ANSWER TO THE ADDRESS.

• (p. 4)

The House met at three o’clock.

The Answer to the Address was taken up, and read clause by clause.

Mr. Locke said, in reference to the clause touching upon the Union of the Colonies, that it did not commit any one on the question. Every one was, of course, left perfectly free to deal with it as his judgment should dictate, when all the papers connected with it were before the House. He thought it necessary to say this in order that the country might understand the position of gentlemen.

Mr. Archibald (who was only heard with the greatest difficulty) said that the proper time, of course, for discussing the question referred to, would be when all the papers were before the House. All the House was asked to do at present was to promise that every question should receive their deliberate consideration when it came in due form before them. In looking over the Speech, he found that the only measure promised, was one connected with Education. He would take this opportunity of calling attention to the fact that he had last session foretold some of the difficulties, that would probably arise from some features of the bill, to which he objected at the time. He had particularly urged the appointment of a Council of Public Instruction which was not composed of the members of the Executive. Council. He had also said that, at all events, if the Government were not willing to go as far as he wished, they should place at the head of the Council of Public Instruction the Lieutenant Governor, as his presence would give to the country the guarantee that mere party considerations would not always prevail. He now begged the Government to consider carefully in any amendments to the bill they might introduce, the propriety of avoiding even the semblance of suspicion that party influences prevailed in Educational matters. He congratulated the country on the encouraging statements made in the speech,—that our revenue was very large, and all our branches of industry prosperous to an unparalleled extent. Every gentleman, whatever his political prejudices, would learn this fact with the deepest satisfaction.

Mr. Stewart Campbell said that he perfectly concurred with those gentlemen who had spoken of this Answer to the Address as being entirely non-committal in its character. Notwithstanding he held very strong opinions on the subject of the Union of the Colonies, he felt that he had no difficulty whatever in giving his concurrence to the Answer. He emphatically stated that he wished it to be at once understood that he did not endorse the action of the Government in sending a delegation to Quebec. The house had put upon its journals last session a resolution authorizing the Government to appoint delegates in reference to a Union of the Maritime Provinces. Authority, however, had been granted from some quarter to those delegates to go beyond the mission entrusted to them by the Legislature. Therefore, although he concurred in the answer to the address, he wished to guard himself from having it sup posed that he at all endorsed the act of the Government in sending a delegation to Quebec.

The answer to the address then passed nem eon.

The Provincial Secretary stated that His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor would be ready to receive the answer on Monday next at half-past one. It was therefore agreed that the whole house should present the answer at that hour.