a firm basis. There was indeed
one other difficulty, the interference of the colonial office and the
influence of the governor, who had been accustomed to govern the
province largely by means of despatches. This influence was one which
could only be got rid of by degrees, for the wise men of Downing Street
always thought they knew much better what colonists required than did
the colonists themselves. The colonial secretary undertook to dictate to
the province as to the kind of tariff it should pass, and to refuse
assent to the passage of bills by the legislature giving a preference
to any particular county or granting bounties to fishermen or others
engaged in any special calling. It was felt to be a hardship that the
province was not permitted to give encouragement to any industry which
it desired to assist, and so strong was this feeling that at the session
of 1850, immediately after the receipt of a despatch from Earl Grey
disallowing the bill of the previous session granting bounties for the
cultivation of hemp, a bill was introduced and carried by an
overwhelming majority in the assembly appropriating three thousand
pounds for bounties to fishermen. This bill was rejected by the council,
so that the colonial secretary was spared the difficulty which would
have been involved in being defied by the New Brunswick legislature. It
was also felt to be a great hardship that, at a time when the colonies
were being deprived of the preferential tariff they had so long enjoyed
in the English markets, they should be debarred from entering into
commercial arrangements with foreign nations. A series of strongly
worded resolutions on this subject was moved by Mr. David Wark, and was
well supported, although not carried. The language used by many of the
speakers during the debate showed that the loyal feelings which had
always distinguished the people of the province were being subjected to
a severe strain by the policy of the British government. These
interferences with provincial rights continued for many years after
Wilmot had retired from public life, and therefore it is unnecessary to
refer to them further.

{THE PORTLAND CONVENTION}

Wilmot had but few opportunities during his active career as a public
man of displaying his abilities outside of his native province. His fame
as an orator was therefore mainly a local one, and the Portland Railway
Convention of 1850 was the first occasion on which he was recognized as
one of