rueful admiral in after years. After some
preliminary talk, the members of the conference adjourned to Quebec,
and there gradually wrought out the resolutions which are at the basis
of the British North America Act. They then returned to their homes,
to endeavour to secure the adoption of these resolutions by the
legislatures and people of their several provinces.

{137}

In Nova Scotia rumours of dissatisfaction were soon heard. The
merchant aristocracy of Halifax at once saw that free trade between the
provinces, an essential part of the projected plan, would destroy their
monopoly of the provincial market. They were wealthy and influential,
and an opposition soon was formed, including members of both political
parties. Their prospects of success hinged largely on the attitude of
Howe.

At first it seemed as though for Joe Howe there could be but one side.
It was taken for granted that he, who had spoken so many eloquent
words, all pointing to the magnificent future of British North America,
all tending to inspire its youth with love of country as something far
higher than mere provincialism, would now be among the advocates of
federation, and the wise and loving critic of the scheme to be
submitted to the legislatures. Though his ideal had ever looked beyond
to a wider Imperial federation, he had at his best always regarded
Canadian federation as a necessary preparation for it. In the
troublous times of 1849, when the Montreal merchants shouted for
Annexation, he had urged Confederation as a nobler remedy. It had been
the incentive to his work for the {138} inter-colonial railway. In
1861 he had moved in the legislature a resolution in its favour. As
late as August 1864, on the visit to Halifax of some Canadian
delegates, he had been convivially eloquent in favour of union. While
all this in no way committed him to the details of the Quebec plan, it
went far to binding him to its principle. Yet it soon began to be
rumoured that he was talking against it, and in January 1865 a series
of letters on 'The Botheration Scheme' appeared in the _Morning
Chronicle_, in which none could fail to recognize the hand of the
veteran.

What were his objections to the plan? He sets them out in a letter to
Lord John Russell in January 1865.

1. The Maritime Provinces, and especially his beloved Nova Scotia, are
being swamped. A little later he wrote to another friend: 'I have no
invincible objection to become an