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LETTER FROM HON. JOSEPH HOWE.

'o the Electors of the County of Hants :

TKiiLow Countrymen,— During tbe last
lection the mos^. important question presented
your consideration involved the propriety
tbe value of the financial compromise ar-
iiliged by Mr. McLelan and myself '^iih tbe
.. Clever nment of Canada. Objections were taken
^16 the amount as insufficient and unfair,—
ttl^he mode, as personal and presumptuous,—
tfiltbe abandonment of the ilepeal agitation on
4|l) part of those who accepted it, which tbe
elilnpromise involved, and to my acceptance of
wiilDat in the Cabinet; as inconsistent and irre-
OOtlcilable with my action from 1866 to 18G9.
c ft is not my intention to revive the contro-
vjrilsies by which the County was convulsed, or
Wtwrite anything offensive to those who, at
[tl||( time, honestly differed with me in opin-
vitiip. But I desire to review tba objections then
an in a spirit of moderation by the light oi
three years' experience.
7he sums recovered by that compromise
Iftounted, in round numbers, to SI, 186,75(5 of
}ital, and an annual payment of 9^2,698 for
next ten years. These were heavy sums,
|)tkd the question we liave to ask ouruelves is,
ere they just and fair? That they wwe quite
I liberal as public opinion in tbe other Pro-
loes would sanction at tbe time is proT'ed by
idifficulty of carrying them throucrh Parlia-
jient, of which I shall have something to say
lljr and bf e. The best proof that they were all
lat Nova Bcotia could fairly claim, is to be
|>und in the fact that, Jurtna: the past three
^ears, neither the Government nor the people
?of this Province have demanded that a dollar
i^e added to the Debt or to the annual subsidy
ostablisbed by that compromise; nor have any
'of the gentlemen who have gone to Ottawa in
tb« interest of those who opposed me in 1869«
ventured to file an account or to make a de-
mand that ooold shake tbe foundations of the
settlements made in that year. Certain mat-
ters of account, which it did nut include, were
promptly adjusted by the Finance Department;

and the expenditure on the new Provincial
Building, that, for reasons which I shall pre-
sently explain, could not be dealt with by Mr.
Bose, has since been settled by arbitration, and
the money paid.

But there are other evidences to prove that
Mr. McLelan and myself were not very un-
skilful negotiators. Though the political Op-
position have ceased to ring the changes in
Parliament upon tbe Nora Scotia Compromise,
it has formed one count of the indictment pre-
ferred against the Qovernment, in almost everj^
busting and platform speech uitered in Ontario
during tbe past three years; while New Brur^-
wink has been convulsed by an agitation for
' ' better terras," largely baaed on what it is as-
sumed were the too liberal concessions made
to Nova Scotia in8l8G9.

A great doal has been said and written about
the amount subsequently clnimed and received
on account of tbe n<3W Provincial Building, and
1 have been blamed for not having had th it sum
included in the compromise. I have hitherto
taken no part in this discussion. My chiff rea-
son was that I had no desire to embarraav those
who irlgut or fpitcht uotbeable to establish any
t'.'.i: claim which I had beea unable to adjust.
The time baa come, however, when a few ex-
planations touching this matter, are due to my-
self and to you.

McLelan and I went from Portland to Ot-
tawa on Mr. Kose'a assurance that he would
fulfill the pledge, conveyed in Sir John Mac-
donald's letter to me, and deal, in an enlarged
and liberal spirit, with the whole question of
Finance. When we reached the seat of Gov-
ernment we were asked to state our case. This
we did under seven different headtt, including
" Public Buildings." When that paper wu«
submitted and considered, -Mr Bose frankly
stated, that if he dealt with the subject in de-
tail, as ;ve had assnmei^ he would, questions
would probably be raised by the other Provin-
ces, under some of the different heads , which

would cortamly lead to protracted debates, and
might possibly endanger the passage of the
tOfiaiBure through Parliament. He therefore
proposed to cover the whole ground of claim by
an increase of the debt and of the subsidy. To
this we consented, provided we could agree as
to the amount. When the sums were named,
included in a minute, and tendered to us with
the sanction of the Privy Council, we both
thought them so liberal, so near an approxi-
mation to any amount that we could fairly es-
tablish, that we closed the controversy with-
out hesitation.

Now, you will perceive, that having accept-
ed these two round sums, as a fair equivalent
for all we had asked, I could not, as a gentle-
man, even if no pledge had been extorted in
Parliament, go behind that agreement, or de-
mand a dollar more. Even if we were getting
$80,000 too little, that would only be the twenty
fifth part of what we had at stake. The prac-
tical questions which I bad to consider at the
moment were: Can we get any mere now?
Will it be wise to risk the loss of 82.000,000 by
hazardous delays and further chafifering, about
» sum so comparatively insignificant? We
decided to take the two millions, and I think
we were ris;ht. Now, if I was in honor bound
by this agreement from the moment it was
signed, how mnch more was I restrained by
what subsequently took place in Parliament?
The measure, as you are aware, met with stout
resistance. The political opposition, led by
McKenzie and Blake, combined against it to a
man, and, on the earlier divisions, they were
reinforced from various quarters. While its
fate was somewhat doubtful, a member put
this Question—" Suppose we pass this mea-
sure, what security have we that Mr Howe will
not come back next year and demand a further
sum?" T immediately rose in my place and
answered "My word of honor; if the House
sanctions this agreement I will never ask for
another dollar." With this pledge, solemnly
given to the House of Commons, how could I,
even if no resolution had passed, violate my
word, and take part iu a renewed agitation,
either about the cost of the Province Building,
or ^f anything else. But no ; Blake was not
content to rely upon the mere word of a com-
parative stranger who was a political opponent.
He offered a resolution, which the Government,
to secure their measure, were compellbd to ac-
cept, and which passed by a nearly unanimous
vote. Here it is : Mr. Blake moved to add the
following as section Dt

" Tta* grants ana prorisions mad* by this Act and
th« Brltiib North America Act. :80T, sbnU be in full
•t' ftl) damands ou C<uuula b/ Nova ttcotla." WUicli
was adopteU.

This Resolution bound not only me but
every uember of the Government not to exceed
the amounts there and then included in the
Bill to which Parliament was giving its sanc-
tion. I was bound by my word of honor, no
less than by BUke's Besolution, and this was
my answer to everybody who urged me to take
paru in the agitation about the Provincial
Buildinsr, down to the moment when the ques-
tion was finally closed.

Why the Grit Opposition who, '.a 1869 wonld
have deprived Nova Scotia of her iust claim to
Two Million of Dollars, wore, in 1871 so anxi -
ous to give her more money , I will not stop to
enqure, whatever I may suspect I know noth-
ing. But this I do know, that the moment
their Opposition was withdrawn, and Mr.
Blake's resolution nullified, the Government
submitted the questions arising out of the ex-
penditure on the new Building to arbitration
and paid the amount awarded without delay.

Of course neither the Local Governmeat,
Mr. Jones, nor any other indepeident mem-
ber of Parliament was bound by any piedge
given by me, nor by Mr. Blake's Besolution.
They were free to act in any direction, or by
any agencies they could influence, and, to the
extent that they did exert themselves to
secure the additional sum, th3y are entitled to
credit But this I may say— that, 1. the Bill
had been defeated in 1S69— if Blake and Mc-
Kenzie and their followers could have stopped
the payment of the Two Millions in that year,
we should have had but u slim chance of re-
covering a dollar on account of the Provincial
Building.

Two other questions were mnch discuss-
ed during the former contest in Hants :
Should the Dominion members go that winter
to Ottawa? Was I justified in accepting a
seat in the Cabinet ? Both questions may noir
I think, be fairly answered in the a£3rmative
The compromise measure, when it came to be
more widely discussed and better understood,
ultimately secured a majority from all the Pro-
vinces ; but, in its earlier stages, it was some-
times in great Jeopardy, and, if my memory
serves me, on one division was only saved by a
majority of eight Now where would it have
been if not sustained by my own aud the votes
of my twelve colleagues ? And would it not
have been wrecked had the Nova Scotia mem-
bers remained at home, and had we lacked the
support of the eleven who voted with us on that
occasion ? Had I refused to enter the Cabinet
and aid in passing the measure, it is more than
doubtful whether, in the face of an opDOsitioii
go formidable, the Cabiuat could have earrieJ

only me but
it not to exceed
Deluded in the
(ivins its sane-
'd of honor, no
J, and this was
rged me tu take
the Provincial

when the ques-

0, in 1869 would
ler just claim to
n 1871 80 anxi -

will not atop to
5t I know no th-
at the moment
rawn, and Mr.
tie Government

out of the ex-
ig to arbitration

without delay.
A Qovernmeat,
lepeident mem-

by any piedga
ke's Resolution,
direction, or by
ice, and, to the

themselves to
y are entitled to
that, ',. the Bill
f Blake and Mc-
ildhave stopped
Dus in that year,
Lim chance of re-
if the Provincial

9 much discnss-
test in HantB :
rs go that wintei

in accepting a
lestiona may now
I the a£Jrmative
en it came to be
etter understood,

from all the Pro-
{es, it was some*
, if my Taemory
a only saved by a
ne would it have
iwn and the votes
\.nd would it not
[ova Scotia mem-
lad we lacked tho
ed with us on that
enter the Cabinet
re, it is more than
se of an oppositioa
)uld have ««rri«d

it ; And one thing is certain, that, had the Nova
Scotia members remained at home, and refused
to assist them, they never would have made
the attempt. Fortunately wiser counsels pre"
vailed. The necessity for direct taxation was
averted— a sum sufficient to enable us to pro-
vide for all our public services was secured,
and now, at the end of three years, whatevr I
may hr j suffered from the estrangement of
old friends, I have the satisfaction to know that
the peace of the country has never been dis-
turbed for an hour, nor has the course of pros-
perity on which Nova Scotia had entered be-
fore Confederation, been interrupted, for the
want of those pecuniary resources so essential
to the easy working of her institutions, and to
the development of her industry.

On one other branch of this subject I desire
to make a brief explanation. It has been said,
and the statement has been often repeated, that
I took credit to myself tor obtaining th(»e fi-
nancial concessions, and ignored the assistance
and services of those who Lad assisted me in
conducting the Anti-Confederate agitation.—
This is not true, and no such foolish boast can
be found in any thing that I have e^er said or
written. I have alwayj acknowledged the
services of those who first called attention to
the financial unfairness of the Quebec resolu-
tions, and of those who were associated with
me in the subsequent movements against the
passage of the British America Act, and in
pressing on the Home Government a formal
demand for its repeal ; and I say now that eve-
ry man who wrote a line, made a speech, or
exerted himself in any way, on our side in that
protracted struggle, though he failed, as I fail-
ed, to accomplish the higher objects aimed at,
eontributed to create the state of feeling which
mscie n financial compromise possible in 1869.
All that I have ever claimed for Mr. McLelan
and myself was this that wh<)n Bepeal was
hopeless, and the financial pear was ripe, we
plucked at all hazards, while others declared
it was forbidden fruit— that we availed our-
selves of that

" tide in the affairs of men
Wlilcli, aken at the flood, leads on to fortune.
Omitted, ne'er le'.urns."

And brought our ship into port with a valua-
ble freight on boards in^itead of lingering till the
ebb, and leaving^ her to be nipt or driven out to
sea.

Perhaps you will noc think it time lost if I
ask your attbution to one or two other matters,in
relation to which I trust 1 shall be able to show
(bat my presence in Ottawa ha& been of some
advantage to the Proyinco. Before Confedera-
tion all the patronage of the Public Depart-

ments was dispensed by tha Provincial Govern-
ment, who naturally, m its dJstnbation, con-
sulted the members of both branches by whom
they were sustained. The Confederation Act
transferred to the Dominion a valuable portion
of this patronage. All the appointments in the
Customs, the Inland Bevenue, the Post Office,
and on the Ball./ay, were to be made from Ot-
tawa, and we were naturally jealous and suspi-
cious as to the future working of a system so
widely difierent from our own. When I went
to Ottawa I found my old friend, Mr. Kenny,
fighting the Heads of Departments single hand-
ed. He was not sorry to be|re-ioforced, and
we at once claimed that no appointment should
be made in Nova Scotia without our being con-
sulted ; and we agreed that, before offering
advice, we would endeavor to ascertain the
opinions of our supporters in the House. —
When Dr. Tup per took Mr. Kenny's place he
loyally co-operated in carrying out this policy,
and now, at the end of three years, I am happy
to be able to assure you that upwards of sJxty
Nova Scotians have been appointed to valuable
places under Government, or promoted in the
Departments to which they were attached ;
and that, in every instance, your Bepresenta-
tives in the Privy Council have been'conflulted,
and where it could be done with any propriety
and convenience, the opinions and wishes of
our friends in the two branches have been first
ascertained. This, then, as regards patronage
is a very near approach to our eld system, and
if carried cut in good faith, as I have no doubt
it will be, must obviate many of the diffibulties
which we all anticipated would arise in the
practical working of the Confederation. In
the Civil Service at Ottawa Nova Scotii has
not yet got any thing like her fair share of the
appointmentsi to which she is entitled, But
nearly all the places had been filled up before
I went there. A good many young men have
been provided for during the last three years,
and it vMl be the duty of whoever hereafter
may represent the interests of Nova Scotia at
the capital, to see that her people are not pass-
ed over when vacancies occur.

There is another question of some importance
upon which our three years experience is calcu-
lated to throw some light. When a repeal of tba
British AmericaAct was proved to be unattain-i
able, from the formidable combination of both
parties in England, and from the decisive action
of the two Houses of Parliament, did I exercise
a sound judgment in determining to strengthen
Sir John Macdonald's Government, and trust
to its sense of justice and honorable co-opera-
tion; or should I have thrown myself into the

ftrtns of Mr. McKenzie, and have trniited to
the tender mercies of the Grits of Ontario? On
pablic and personal grounds I was reluctant to
do the latter- With scarcely an exception the
Ontario Opposition were Confederatea to a
man. They had supported Brown and the
coalition which carried the measure. They
stood prepared to maintain it. During the ses-
sion of 1867 they turned a deaf ear to our fiery
denunciations, and hardly a man of them had
the courage to admit that Nova Scotia bad been
unfairly treated. To Huntington and Dorion
from the Province of Quebec, I shall ever feel
grateful for sympathy openly expressed, and
from one or two members from the Upper Pro-
vinces I received, for "anld lang syne," some
personal courtesies which it is pleasant to re-
member. But the great body of the OnUrio
Opposition, with their leaders at their head,
stood aloof from us. They did not take us into
their counsels. McKenzie took it for granted
that we had no alternative but to fall in behind
him. He had no sympathy to waste, no reme-
dy to propose. Almost all our Nova Scotia
members felt and resented this treatment On
personal grounds, theiefore, I had no desire to
join his party.

But, when I had to deal with your interests
there could be no question as to the line of ac-
tion to be pursued. A large majority of the
members of the Cabinet were old acquaintances
or persons^l friends, with whom it would be
pleasant to act if I could, and with whom I
might reasonably expect to have influence from
the start . My personal feelings would have de-
cided the question had the public advantages
been evenly balanced. But tUey were not
Your interests lay all on one side. Nova Sco-
tia had suffered enough. Why should I lead
her into hopeles opposition, and leave her, per-
haps for the next ten years, without influence,
patronage, or any reasonable chance of provi-
sion for her public works. Had I done this
I should have been an idiot. But I had stu-
died Nova Scotia's interests too long, and led
and guided her too often, to make such an

•greglOtlB fblunder. The moment the convic-
tion was forced upon me that she must remain
in the Oonfederaoy, I determined that, if she
could not get out, she should count for some-
thing within it. And she has counted for some
thing. With her financial grievances redress-
ed, and her people freed from the danger of
direct taxation— with her two representatives
in the Cabinet, and her nineteen able men
(presently to be twenty one) on the floor of the
House, Nova Scotia has occupied, for the last
three years, and must continue to occupy a fine
position, which may be improved or weakened

just in proportion to the mental calibre of the
men she selects to represent her. I am well

aware that many old friends blamed me for
" accepting the situation," as the phase went,
but now that everybody has accepted it, I trust
it will be perceived, that in changing front, I
only anticipated the inevitable in time to pre-
pare for it, and that the new formation, when it
came, was the onlj one by which the interests
of Nova Scotia could have been protected.

It is not my intention to weary you with a
general defence of the action and measures of
the Government. I should have liked very much,
had my health permitted, to have explained
these to you upon the hustings. But as I am de-
prived of that pleasure, I must refer you to the
very able speeches recently made by the Pre-
mier and the Finance Minister in Ontario,
which, I presume, will be republished in the
Provincial papers. Between you and me, the
personal and political relations have been long
so intimate and so kindly, that I am very anxi-
ous to preserve your good opinion, and in offer-
ing the few pfarsonal explanations which this
letter contains, I trust you willAacquit me of
any other motive than a desire to olear up some
grounds of controversy in which it is natural
that you should take an interest.

Believe me,
Yours truly,

JULV 22, 1873.

JOSEPH HOWE.

lent the cohtio-

ihe must remain

ned that, ifMhe

count for 8om*>

counterl for Bome

eTances redress*

1 the danger of

I repreaentatires

iteeu able men

1 the floor of the

)ied, for the last

to occupy a fine

red or weakened

1 calibre of the
er. I am well

blamed me for

the phase went,

:epted it, I trust

iianging front, I

in time to pre*
:mation, when it
ch the interests
I protected.
Bary you with a
md measures of
liked very much,
have explained

But as I am de-
refer you to the
ade by the Pre-
iter in Ontario,
iblished in the
ou and me, the
have been long
I am very anxi-
on, and in offer-
)ions which this
14acquit me of
to clear up some
ioh it is natural
It.

:PH HOWE.