y resources of the Maritime Provinces through the
confederation scheme. On the other hand confederation was opposed in the
province of New Brunswick by a number of men who could only be described
as adventurers, or discredited politicians, and who saw in this contest
a convenient way of restoring themselves to influence and power. There
were also among the opponents of the scheme some men who recognized in
its success the means of perpetuating British power on this continent,
and who, being annexationists, naturally looked with aversion upon it
for that reason. The vast majority of the people, however, had given the
matter but the slightest degree of attention, and their votes were cast
in accordance with prejudice hastily formed, which they had an
opportunity of reconsidering before another year and a half had elapsed.

{FEELING IN NEW BRUNSWICK}

It had been arranged at the convention that the first trial of the
scheme before the people should be made in New Brunswick, the
legislature of which was about expiring, and accordingly the appeal was
made to the people and the elections came on in the month of March,
1865. The enemies of confederation were very active in every part of the
province, and they left no stone unturned to defeat the measure. The
great cry upon which they based their opposition to the union with
Canada was that of taxation, and, as the voters of New Brunswick were
not inclined to favour any policy which involved high taxation, the
appeals made in this way had a powerful effect. All through the rural
constituencies the Opposition candidates told the electors that if they
united themselves with Canada direct taxation would be the immediate
result. They said that every cow, every horse, and every sheep which
they owned would be taxed, and that even their poultry would not escape
the grasp of the Canadian tax-gatherers. In the city of St. John, Mr.
Tilley and his colleague, Mr. Charles Watters, were opposed by Mr. J. V.
Troop and Mr. A. B. Wetmore. Mr. Troop was a wealthy ship-owner, whose
large means made him an acceptable addition to the strength of the
anti-confederate party, although previously he had taken no active part
in political affairs. Mr. Wetmore was a lawyer of standing in St. John,
who was considered to be one of the best _nisi prius_ advocates at the
bar, and who carried the methods of the bar largely into his politics.
In the course of time he became attorney-general of the province, a