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Mr:. l>[?iriHT lias given notice of tho following r;>s<)lutioii. wliicli will !)(> submitted to tlic House of Coinmoiis on .Aloiulay night next : — That this House is informed by petition prosontod on tlu; loth day of JMay lust, signed by thirty-six ot the tliirly-eight nienibeis of the House of Assembly of Nova fScotia, and by sixteen of the nineteen members eleeted by that colony to servo in the Parliament at Ottawa, that great dissatisfaction exists with regard to an act piiss'd last session, entitled "An aet for the Union ot Canaua, Nova Scotia, and New lirunswick," and that an address be presented to her JMajesty the QiKM'n praving that her Majesty will be pleased to appoint a eornmis- •sion or commissioners to proceed to Nova Scotia lor the purpose of examining? into the causes of the alleged discontent, with a view to their consideration and removal. In view of the discussion which may take ])huaM)n this iiiotioH, it may be well to call attention to the following speech recently delivered by the lion. Charles Tnpper in the Dominion P;iilia- ment on the question of confeileration geiR'rally and specially in I'eply to the lion. ,Ioseph Howe, who bad just nuuie an anti- confederation speech : — Mr. Speaker— No member of this House can regret more sincerely than myself that my hon. friend who has just sat down occupies a position which prevents his great talents from being made available for the advancement of tho common interest of tho British North American provinces, now united under one dominion. All wlio have listened to the eloquent appeal just made to this House must feel how valuable would be tho aid which the hon. member could give in pro- moting the union and consolidation of our common country at this important era in its history. I, sir, have from the first hour of my public life been an ardent advocite of the union of British North America under one Government. Whothor considered in relation to the position and progress of the whole confederation or in roforonco to the province of Nova Scotia, to which I belong, I have never doubted the advantage of union. Separated as those provinces wore, with diverse currencies and hostile tariffs, it was impossible that our com- merce should ever attain the position that union would open up. Tho old province of Canada, notwithstanding its immense territory and great natural resources, could never attain an important position •while for five months in the year it was cut off from access to the ocean and compelled to communicate with the parent ptato through a foreign country. The maritime provinces below, comparatively small and insignificant, could never hope to occup)' a position of influence or importance except in connection with their larger sister, Canada. The past history of that province has exhibited the most striking evidence on that point. My hon. friend who has just addressed you denounced on the floor of our own Parliament the lieciprocity Treaty between British America and the United States, on the ground that while it disposed of our most important commercial interests and ceded aw;iy the in- valuable fisheries of Nova Scotia, the Government of that province had not even the opportunity aflbrded them of expressing an opinion on a matter so vitally affecting their interests during tho negotiation that treaty. We have seen the credit of our bonds in the London •trket impaired by a struggle for power in the Legislature of Canada, t/here we had neither voice nor influence. If, therefore, wo were in our state of isolation powerless to protect our most material interests, which were disposed of without our being able to ofl'or an opinion theroon, I ask my hon. friend if he does not think it was desirable that the views and feelings of our province should be presented in the Parliament of a United British America ? No man can look at the geographical position of Nova Scotia with- out feeling that Providence intended that we should form the great highway of communication between not only the sister colonies be- hind us, but also a large portion of tho western states and the Euro- pean world. Yet my hon. friend knows that after ne had laboured with great ability for a quarter of a century to accomplish the con- struction of an Intercolonial Railway every efibrt had failed, as it had become perfectly apparent that that great work could only be ac- complished by the union of tho two Canadas and Nova Scotia and New Brunswick under one Government. Not only has this great boon been secured for our province, but by the construction of the Western extension, from St. John to Bangor, already in progress, Nova Scotia must soon become the direct line of communication between London and New York. It is impossible to examine the geological characteristics of Nova Scotia without seeing that Providence has given us all the elements of a great manufacturing industry. To say nothing of our valuable gold ruiuos as a moans of attracting population, a groat portion of our provinco is enriched wilh vast deposits of iron, coal, and limostono, the minerals which have made England the emporium of manufactures for the world. Yet with all this mineral wealth it was obvious that, ■without a union which would throw down tho barriers to our manu- facturing industry aad open up commercial intercourse with our fellow colonists, wo must Ijo cuiitent largely to forego tho great material ad- vantages which nature had bestowtid. Union has now given us a po})uliition of i.UOO.OOO instead of 400,000. My hon. friend has spoken elofiuently of tho great importance of immigration as tho true source of advancement for a country like oura, but it must bo apparent to all that United liritisli North Amorica will bo in a position to attract population, capital, and skill to a far greater extent tliau would be possible were wo separate and isolated communi- ties. lie has also described in glowing but not extravagant terms tho immtmse value of the lisheries of Nova Scotia, yet I ask him if United British America is unequal to tho task of protecting that valuable public domain, how isolation was likely to accompli«h such an object? As regards tho extension of our commerce, it is well known that tho ablest politicians in all these colonies exhausted their best efforts in a vain attempt to extend commercial intercourse between the different provinces. They failed b .cause freo trade involved the principle of union undci' one Gorernment, which alone could secure a common tariff. If ■wo wish to estimate wliat free trade with each other will do for us, we have only to look at its elTects in other countries. When tho thirteen American states obtained their ind-pendenco their territory was no greater than ours — they had a smaller trade, revenue, and population than British Amorica has to-day. Their first act was to strike down the iiostilo tariffs which separated the provinces, and open their coun- ti'y to unrestricted commercial intercourse from Maine to ]\lexico. Tho result was that their comraerco developed with tho utmost rapidity, until they soon became one of the most important commercial coun- tries in the world. Interprovincial union is no untried experiment. Contrast the con- dition of the two Canadas before and after the union. When separated by hostile tariffs and legislating against each other, tho trade, revenue, and credit of both Canadas were paralysed ; but from the date of the union all was changed and the country expanded with the most re- markable rapidity, until it obtained its present advanced position. I have referred to the efiect of union upon tho progress and material interests of British America, but I admit frankly that there was one question that far transcended even those interests in importance, and that was the question of defence. The abrogation of tho Keciprocity Treaty, notwithstanding the evidence which existed to show that it had been more beneficial to the United States than ourselves, indicated a wish to obstruct our trade with a view to induce a desire in these pro- vinces for a political connection with that country. The Fenian raids upon the provinces also led to tho belief that material aid might be I'ound in l^ritisli Amorica by thoso who dosirod to ch!inc:n our aIlop;i. anco to th(! ('rowii. To iiisurc tho most udvantfip;f»ous conim(!rcial intereoiirso with our Amorio;m nfMijfhbourH find protootioti from tho hfirassint? annoytinfo and rxi)on(liturn connectod witli tliom^id d(;siuth school. Tho nioasuro providing for tho support of schools by direct and compul- sory taxation, so obnoxious to all younj? countrii's, was sullii iont of itself to drivti any party from powor and would havo swept us asido it tho union had nuvor boon heard of. Tho (iovfrnmont W(U'o chirufod by thoir Oi)pononts with hiving sacri flood tho interests of the finhor- men to a (Janadian p )licy to issuo fishing liconsog, and th »s > who hivo lioard my h'm. friend to-night can form some idea of tho otfoct of hi.s perambul iting the country with tiorco denunciations of that kind, and with our having taxoil the bread of tho poor man in the int'Tosts of Canada, because wo bidicved it impolitic to free their (lour (v >m tint duty imposed by tho repeal of tho Reciprocity Treaty. Tho facts, however, remained that tho fishing grounds of Nova Scotia wt^ro oc- cupind by tho fishermen of the United St' t(!S on paymjiit of an insig- nificant charge, and a duty existed on American flour. This House can also imagine the consternation and dread excited in the bade set- tlamonts of the country by tho vivid and heartrending pictures drawn by my hon. friend of tho youth and manhood of the countrv being taken from their homes to protect the interminable lino ot the Canadian fron- tier. While tiio people wi re told on the ono hand that th sy must resort to direct taxation to austaintho local survices of the countrv, Mi-. If )wi! had evorvwhiTo assorted the statf.'raent made to-night — tnat the first effect of confederation would bo to increase the indinict taxation of the country oO per cent. It would bo no doubt gratifying to tho House to know that the financial position of Nova Scotia was no good, but the Finance Minister, who has to find the money, wouM sliow tho House that, so far, tho Dominion had not made much out ot' that province. Tho truth was, that to complete the public w )rks on her own responsibility she would havo boon obliged to largely reduce the expenditures for the leading services or increase her tariff to at least lo per cent. Then, it must not bo forgotten that tho recent election was run under a franchise created by the Government of my hon. friend and which came into operation for tho first time at the last election. In .addition to all this, tho Government was obliged just hnfore the disso- lution to bring in a new Representation Bill, in order to adapt tho local Constitution to the new state of things under tho union. Wo were thus compelled to reduce largely tho representation of several counties, an act in itself extremely repulsive to tho electors. The popular cry also was raised that tho union, irrespective of its merits, had been forced on the people in an arbitrary and unconstitutional manner. I need not in this House, I am sure, defend the mode in which the a Tinion Act was carried by tho Itnporial Parliamont, based upon tho action of larjifo miijoritios in tho Logislaturos of all tho provincoa afTected by that act. Pitt and Pool, and all tlio moat oininont statoa- mon of Kn^fland, havo in tho rao8t uninistakoablo torms assurtod the light of Parliamont to doal with any question, constitutional orothor- wiso, which in tlioir jud^^mont tho good of tho country demanded. My hon. friend himself and all the loadin"? public men in Nova Scotia had from time to time recorded their opinions in favour of the colonies being united prooisoly in tho mode adopti^d in this instance. Yet unionists and anti-unionists alike wore called upon to denounce that mode as an invasion of their rights and punish those wlio carried the measure. Notwithstanding all those advantages in going to tho polls, the House will bo surprised to learn that my hon. friend (Mr. IIowo) and his eupporters failed to induce one-half of tho oloctors of tho province to go to tho polls and record their votes in their favour ! I have made tho following calculation up with all tho caroin my power and will bo glad to submit my fij^res to tho scrutiny of my hon. friend. Tho unionists contested all but three counties in tho province. In those throo I have given tho unionists ono-third an I two-thirds to the other side. There are about 48,000 voters in the province. Of those about 10,000 did not go to the polls, and of the remainder about 1/5,000 voted for the union candidates and 22,o0i) fop their op- ponents, giving them a majority of about 7,oOO votes in all. But, sir, I am not prepared to admit that a majority of the electors have pronounced against the union or in favour of its repeal. Nay, moro, sir, I am propjired to show the llouso that my hon. friend him- self, and many of his leading supporters, went to the country pledged to give this union a fair trial. My hon. friend (Mr. II.), at a largo meeting at IMason Hall at Halifax previous to the elections, said: — " Let us hope that they (tho Canadians) will act justly. If they do, wo should aid them to work the new system fairly ;" and subsequently referring to the pledge then given the hon. gentleman, in a letter ad- dressed to tho people of Canada on the 18th of Juno last, over his own signature, said— "I, having expressed my determination to bow to the paramount authority ofParliamontandtry the experiment, am not likely to be deterred by necessary forms," «&c. Mr. Power, one of the mem- bers elected to represent the metropolitan constituency of Halifax in this Parliament, gave the following pledge to the electors in presence of his leader and his colleague (Mr. Jones), who also represents the county of Halifax : — *' I will not detain you longer, but will conclude by saying that if you elect Mr. Jones and myself to the Dominion Parliament, the interests of Nova Scotia will not suffer at our hands. We are charged with intending to countenance factious opposition. No such thing. We have certainly given the scheme a conscientious and con- sistent opposition, but aro now disjtosed, if we go to Ottawa and find it to work even moderately well, to let it have a fair trial." The hon. member for Guysboro', who led the opposition to union in the Nova Scotia Legislature at the last session on tho ground that it had not been submitted to the electors, and who ably advocated those views, 9 took a RuhHftquont occasion to say on tho floor of thn IIouso that now that tho Imporial Act had becomo tho law of thoal, was defeated at the polls. I ask my hon. friond who has blamed tho unionists so severely for actini? without the question havinpf been fairly submitted to tho pnoplo, how he can, in tho presence of facts like those, uso tho power he obtainod for the pur- pose of ondeavourinj^ to destroy and break down tliis union before giving it that fair trial to which ho stands plrdujcd baforo tlie pnople P Can my hon. friend expect that tho Itupurial I'arliami'nt who p issed this act with a piitition against it signed according to iMr. Annund's declaration by "about 40,000 petitioners," break faith with this great confodoration at tho instance of roprospntatives who only succipili'd in polling about lialf that number of electors, and upon the pledge that they would givo this measure a " fair trial l-*" No man is in a worse position to urge objections to tho mode in which this measure was passed than the hon. member who lias just addressed the House, as it is wiill known that ho spont years in advo- cating a systi^ra of responsible government by which the alfairs of tho country should bo controlled according to tho wishes of the majority of tho people's representatives. What guarantee cfin my hon. friend givo the Imperial (lovernmont that the same reaction will not take place in Nova Scotia that was witnessed in Now iJiunswick, where ono year an ovtirwhelming majority of tho cltsctors d'-dired against the union and tho next a still larger majority polled their votes in favour of it ? I am not without hope, Mr. Speaker, that my hon. friend will yet reconsider his position on this question, and assume the samo statesmanlike and patriotic position which the former opponents of union representing New Brunswick liavo taken. I read wirh great pleasure tho manly declaration made by my hon friend (Mr. An;,'lin) at Montreal tho other night, a declaration tlitt did honour to the head and the heart of that gentleman — that although he had been conscien- tiously opposed to the union, ho was now prepared to giv9 his aid to ■work it out in tho manner best calculated to promote the good of our common country. Sir, I would rojoico to see my hon. friend from Nova Scotia in the same way to assume a position that would enable the country to avail itself of the groat ability ho possesses. He says that the Government could not givo him or those who act with him anything that he could honourably accept. It would, of course, be impossible for any Government to strengthen the hands of those who declare their intention to break down tho constitution of the country "whenever they obtain the power. But my hon. friend must see that his position renders it equally impossible for him to aid a constitutional opposition in the responsible and important Parliamentary functions they are called upon to discharge, as nothing would necessarily para- lyse an opposition so completely as being associated with parties hoa- tile to the constitution of the country and anxious to destroy it. 10 Under these circiimstancos, I put it serioualy to my hon. friond \vhether the oblif^ations which ho has assumed by talcini^ a seat in this Parliament do not bind him, at all events, to give tha' fair trial to the existini? institutions of the country, which the elnctors of Nova Scotia had a right to expect from his declarations previous to the elec- tions ? I make those ohscrvationg from no apprehension that the union of those provinces can in thn slightest degree be end ingered by anj*" course which th^' hon. member, or those who sustain liim, may take, but in order to avert the evils to our common countrv, and especially to my own province, likely to result from this mischievous agitation for repeal. Although this confederation is entirely safe from the assaults of all, [ cannot be indiflerent to the injury that may boinflictel upon UH among those who do not understand Ihe question by such speeches as that delivered by the hon. member for Hants to-night. This avowed hostility to the union will encourage those who are anxious for our downfill, and the declaration by a member of this House that wo arc weak and defenceless will invite aggression. No statement could bo more untounded or injurious than the asser- tion that the mother-country wishes to get rid of us. It is true that neither in tho Lords nor Commons of England, whose action on thi:, question has been so severely criticised by my hon. friead, was any attempt made to change tho measure as arranged between the repre- sentatives of these provinces and tho British Government, but it is well known that no colonial question ever received more respectful attention at tho hands of the statesmen, of tho Parliament, and tho press of England than wns bestowed upon this question of confedera- tion from the time that it was first brought under their notice until its final consummation. The effect of a settled and permanent con- dition of public affairs upon capital is well known, and while 7 feel confident that this agitation will be utterly bootless of any result, it will, in the meantime, largely prevent the introduction, especially in Nova Scotia, of the population^ capital, and skill that would otherwise immediately flow in to develope the resources and enrich that section of tho union. I appeal to my hon. friond whether it is patriotic to inflict such injury upon his country ? Having made these explanations, I feel it would not be right at this late hour to trespass on the indulgence of the House, or I would read a few elegant extracts from the vigorous pen and eloquent tongue of my hon. friend to show how much moro able and eloquent he was when advocating the union of thcso provinces than since he has adopted the unworthy policj'" of endeavouring to belittle and depreci- ate his own country (loud cries of *' Go on.") I will now briefly notice a few of tho criticisms which my hon. friend ofifered this evening. Ho complains that the salary assigned to the Governor-General is 10,000^ sterling. I think if we contrast the salary formerly given to that high officer before the great step "which the union of the maritime provinces has given, to the former colony of 11 4 Canada, the amount will not bo found disproportionato. It must bo remembered that thia officer is the connecting-link with the Crown and tho representative of her IMnjosty in this important part of tho empire, and that wo could hardly expect to obtain tho aorvicos of tho leading? statesmen of England at any smaller amount My hon. friend complains of tho number of departments in tho Government. It was no doubt necessary, in making provision for tho proper reprosontation of the different sections of tho confederation, to have the thirteen de- partments, but I would suggest respectfully to the Hon. I\Iinistcr of Justice whether, in the present peculiar position of Nora 8cotia, tho able and indefatigable Minister of State for Canada might not be eliarged with tho additional duty of tho Secretary ot Statn for the Provinces. ^ The vacancy created by tho resignation of the Hon. Mi- nister of Finance might in the same way lead to tho consolidation of that department with those of the able and experiencful Ministers of Customs and Exe^"'- . I am well assured that her Majesty's Clovorn- ment will give thrso que.-,Lions the most careful consideration, well knowing that nothing will give greater conlidcmen to the country than a judicious economy in the administration of public aifairs. My hon. friend now represents our position as utterly defenceless and treats with ridicule the proposal to arm tho militia, yet Ik; ought not to forget tho following passage of his speech in our Legislature, 80 long ago as 18o4 : — " How often have wo heard that our republican neighbours were going to overrun tho provinces. They have attempted it once or twice, but have always been beaten out, and I do not hesitate to say th;it tho British Americans, over whom the old fl ig flies, are able to defend every inch of their territory, even though her Majesty's troops were withdrav/n. " Taking our population at two millions and a half (it is nov/ nearer four millions), every fifth person should bo able to draw a trigger, giving 500,000 men capable of bearing arms. Such a force would be powerless as an invading army, but in defence of these provinces in- vincible by any force that could be sent from abroad." The opinions of the hon. member would also appear to have under- gone material change since 1863, when in moving a voto of thanks at Halifax to the Hon. Mr. McGee for his eloquent advocacy of a union of the colonies, ho thus urged its great importance on the ground of defence : — "Ho thought a union should not bo delayed till we had drifted into diflficulties. How short-sighted were the English statesm^m of old who lost them tho thirteen states, when the difficulty could have been arranged in "» month, the horrors of the revolutionary war prevented, and all our ra^ ^ living at peace and harmony at present without the bickering and animosity which prevail in their midst. Talk of tho fall of Quebec being a source of sorrow to the inhabitants of this pro- vince. It would bo more. If the St. Lawrence were in tho hands of our enemies, we should be compelled to beg permission to tear down 13 the British flag. What he wished for Nova Scotia was, that she may be the frontage of a mighty colony, upon which it may be truly Baid the sun never sets. No man can look upon Halifax and its environs, its harbour, its citadel, and say it was made for this province alone. " The United States have drifted into a civil war ; and w may drift into a tight place from which it may be difficult to extricate ourselves. The States may assail us ; but if we had a railway by ■which troops could be sent from Quebec or other military stations to the threatened point, we would be saved." I trust, sir, that now that we have the moral strength arising from the union of these provinces and the assurance of support in any emergency from the Imperial Government, it will not be found neces- eary to burden our people with any oppressive taxation for defence ; but my hon. friend should remember that when he was opposing this union of the colonies, he presented a counter scheme for the defence of this country, under which all British America would bo compelled to pay into the Imperial Treasury for the support of the army and navy of England. This enormous taxation, far exceeding anything that we can be called upon here to contribute, was to be disbursed, under my hon. friend's scheme, by a Parliament in which Nova Scotia ■was to have two representatives and Canada four or five. My hon. friend, who has inspired such dread in the back settlements of Nova Scotia that the young men would be draughted to protect the helpless people of Ontario and Quebec, proposed to the British Government that in addition to this heavy t'^x^tion we should contribute our quota of the array required in any v: which Great Britain might be engaged. In complaining of the mode it. *vLicL :.he union measure passed the House of Commons, it was stated t^at the Commons was influenced by an inaccurate statement made by an hon. member of that body. As this refers to Mr. Watkin's remark that confederation was made an issue at the polls at the last election, I am glad to have the op- portunity to make an explanation. When Mr. Bright asserted that this question of union had not been before the people in Nova Scotia, Mr. Watkin left his seat and came over to the part of the House where I was sitting near the Hon. Mr. Gait, who remembers well the cir- cumstances. Mr. Watkin said — " Dr. Tupper, I wish to speak to you," and I went with him some distance to the side of the room. He then said — " What is your answer to Mr. Bright's statement that this question has never been before the people ?" I said the answer is this — In 1861 Mr. Howe, when leader of the Government, moved a resolution in favour of the union of the provinces which passed the Assembly unanimously. That previously to the last general election I had publicly advocated such a union as has now been, agreed upon and that I was brought into power and this measure had been carried by a large majority of the -present Parliament. Mr. Watkin, knowing that this question was now one of controvei^^iy, supposed that it had been made an issue atihe polls, as would undoubtedly have beer the ^^ 115 case only that we were all unanimous upon the question at that time. I turned to Mr. Gait during Mr. Watkin's speech aud remarked how diflBcult it was to make parties understand when they were not familiar with the history of a question. Had I wished to mislead Mr. Watkin I would not have dared to do so, as I had placed in his hands a pub- lished history of the whole question in Nova Scotia. This House will, I am sure, exonerate Mr. Watkin from any intentional misrepresenta- tion. My hon. friend takes particular exception to that portion of the speech which indicates a desire for western extension. This is the more remarkable in connection with the great importance which ho attaches, and justly, to immigration as the great means of rendering the country strong and prosperous. With 60,000 square miles of fertile soil in the Red River and Saskatchewan country to invito the immi- grant and increase our population, this question of western extension becomes one of the greatest importance ; but I will give you the forci- ble and eloquent observations of my hon. friend upon this subject as much more conclusive and instructing than anything I can afford : — " The Hudson's Bay territory includes 250,000 miles. Throwing aside the more bleak and inhospitable regions, we have a magnificent country between Canada and the Pacific, out of which five or six noble provinces may be formed larger than any we have and presenting to the hand of industry, and to the eye of speculation, every variety of soil, climate, and resource. With such a territory as this to overrun, organise, and improve, think you that we shall stop even at the west- ern bounds of Canada ? or even at the shore c " .he Pacific ? Van- couver Island, with its vast coal measures, lies beyond. The beautiful islands of the Pacific and the growing commerce of the ocean are beyond. Populous China and the rich East are beyond ; and the saih of our children's children will reflect as familiarly the sunbeams of tho south as thoy now brave the angry tempest of tho north. The maritime provinces which I now address are but the Atlantic frontage of this boundless and prolific region — tho wharves upon which its business will be transacted and beside which its rich argosies are to lie. Nova Scotia is one cf these. Will you, then, put your hands unitedly, with order, intelligence, and energy, to this great work P Refuse, and you are recreant to every principle which lies at the base of your country's prosperity and advancement; refuse, and tho Deity's handwriting upon land and sea is to you unintelligible language ; refuse, and Nova Scotia, instead of occupying the foreground as she now does, should have been thrown back at least behind tho Rocky Mountains. God has planted j'Onr country in the front of this bound- less region ; see that you comprehend its destiny and resources — see that you discharge, with energy and elevation of soul, the duties which devolve upon you in virtue of your position." Allow Tie in conclusion, Mr. Speaker, to thank the House for tho kind and attentive hearing given to the discursive observations I have been able on the moment to offer in reply to tho speech of my hon. friend. 14 WAS CONFEDEILVTION A SURPIIJSK IN NOVA SCOTIA? ft is difficult to reconcile the assertions made by the delegates from Nova Scotia, that this measure Avas cariied without due in- vestigation, with tl\e following statement made at a repeal meet- ing at Halifax, in January last, hy Mr. K. M. M'Donald, one of the leading members of the anti-union party in the Dominion Parliament : — It is hardly necessary or appropriate now to revi(;vv at length the events of the past three years, but I cannot help remarking here that Nova Hcotians o^ve to themselves, to a great extent, the dogradation of their present position. You brought on yourselves in part those diffi- culties which have arisen because too many of you were willing to believe a lie— to give credit to the men who, however they had once been trusted, should never have been trusted so entirely that their opinions should override your judgments and that you should refuse to investigate for yourselves. Had you three years ago, when the delegates returned from Quebec and stood here to expound and elabo- rate their scheme, resolved to think and act for yourselves, without acceptinp: the mpasure merely because Archibald or Tuppcr said so, Nova Scotia might have been saved from the degradation in which she is placed to-day. . ....... lam not sui'prised, thenifore, that the delegates who formed the scheme should have presumed so far on the credulity of the people whom they misrepresented— that the Parliament of Great Britain should be led away and deceived by men who were able to deceive their own bosom friends. When the delegates said that the union was going to elevate No^a Scotia, cheapen our Government, and give our public men, our merchants, and our fishermen larger spheres of action and induced the people of Halifax, without inquiry, to believe their state- ments for the time being, it is no wonder they were able to deceive the British Parliament as thev did. \ 15 IS THE TARIFF OF CANADA rilOTECTIVEV , We find the following remarks in the very able speech delivered by the Hon. J. Howe at the Detroit Convention in 18(j5, and as Canada since that time lias made a great reduction in her tariff, we cannot understand the statement that con- federation has imposed a protective tariff on Nova Scotia for the benefit of Canadian manufactures :— Let me ask your attention to another matter which requirea to be explained. Mr. Seymour, of New York, who made an excellent speech in favour of the resolution, took exception to the high tariff of Canada. Now, in the provinces our people are naturally anxious to improve their internal communications and bring them up to a level ■with other portions of the continent. Yielding to the pressure, the Government of Canada has expended large suras in the construction of railroads and canals ; and let me say that for every pound expended this western country has, either directly or indirectly, derived some benefit. But the money being expended, of course the interest has to be j)aid, and that this might be done changes have been made in the tariff from time to time. But you have been compelled (o raise your tariff"; and although I have not the two to compare, I assume that yours is much higher than that of Canada. Of this we do not com- plain. Why should you ? Both countries must maintain their credit and pay their ol)ligHtions. The necessities of Canada from these large expenditures compelled her to raise hr-r import duty. And, after all, Canada cannot levy a tax upon your manufactui es that she does not also lay on those of Britain, so thatyua may be easy on that point. We are no more fond of taxa- tion than you are, and there is no more popular cry for a man to get up in our Leijislatures than that of reducing taxation. Has not Canada always been in advance of her means in trying to improve the course of navigation ? I know that a large portion of her debt has been expended in these canal improvements to accommodate the great West, and I know there is no question at this time \vhi(!h engrosses tho attention of Canadians more ihan how they can best extend these highways of commerce. f