pinion that the union of the British North American
provinces under one government is an object much to be desired. The
legislatures of Canada and Nova Scotia have formed the same judgment,
and you will now shortly be invited to express your concurrence with or
dissent from the view taken of this great question by those provinces."

The address in reply was moved by Mr. Kerr, of Northumberland, and
seconded by Mr. Beveridge of Victoria, and its consideration was made
the order of the day for the following Saturday. When it came up for
discussion the Hon. Albert J. Smith was not in his place, and Mr.
Botsford, one of his colleagues from Westmorland, endeavoured to have
the consideration of the matter postponed; but the House was in no
humour to await the convenience of any single member, and the address
was passed the same day by a vote of thirty to seven. Attorney-General
Fisher, immediately on the passage of the address, gave notice of the
following resolution, which was to be made the order of the day for
Monday, June 26th:--

"_Resolved_, That an humble address be presented to His Excellency, the
lieutenant-governor, praying that His Excellency be pleased to appoint
delegates to unite with delegates from the other provinces in arranging
with the imperial government for the union of British North America,
upon such terms as will secure the just rights and interests of New
Brunswick, accompanied with provision for the immediate construction of
the Intercolonial Railway; each province to have an equal voice in such
delegation, Upper and Lower Canada to be considered as separate
provinces."

Mr. Fisher moved the resolution in question in a very brief speech, and
was replied to by the Hon. Mr. Smith, who spoke at great length and
continued his speech on the following day. Mr. Smith took exception to
giving the delegates power to fix the destinies of the provinces
forever, without again submitting the scheme of union to the people. He
proceeded to discuss the Quebec scheme, and took exception to the
construction of the Upper House of the proposed legislature of the
confederation, declaring that each province should have an equal number
of representatives in it, as was the case in the United States. After
going over the ground pretty thoroughly and criticizing most of the
terms of the scheme of confederation, he moved an amendment, to the
effect that no Act or measure for a union with Canada take effect until
approved by