the legislature or the people of the province.

{A PLAN FOR CONFEDERATION}

The Hon. Mr. Tilley replied to the leader of the Opposition in one of
the most effective speeches that he ever delivered in the legislature.
He first took up Mr. Smith's allusion to the constitutional question,
and, with immense power and solemnity, he charged that any want of
constitutional action which existed was due to Mr. Smith and his
colleagues. He stated that the governor's sympathies were with the late
government, and that he had endeavoured to aid and not to injure them.
Mr. Smith had alluded to the Hon. Joseph Howe, who was then an opponent
of confederation, in terms of praise, and Mr. Tilley, in reply, read
from Mr. Howe's speech, made in 1861, a magnificent paragraph on the
union of British America. Mr. Tilley stated that the government would
take the Quebec scheme for a basis, and would seek concessions to meet
the views of those who found objection to parts of it. He mentioned the
various counties of the province to show that they were either expressly
or potentially favourable to the Quebec scheme. He was convinced that
even his friend, the ex-attorney-general and member for Westmorland, was
hardly against union. He asked, "Was there one anti-unionist on the
floor of the House? Where was Mr. Anglin? Mr. Needham? Mr. Hill and all
the rest of the anti-unionists? They were all swept away and unionists
had taken their places, and when the arrangements for union were carried
out, the feeling in its favour would be deeper and deeper." Mr. Tilley
showed the great advantages which would accrue to New Brunswick
eventually in consequence of confederation. He combated the statement
made by Mr. Smith that after confederation the provincial legislature
would become a mere farce, showing that of all the Acts passed during
the previous two years there were only seven which would have come under
the control of the general legislature. Mr. Tilley closed by dwelling on
the impression of power which union would have on the minds of those
abroad who were plotting our ruin. The speech was listened to with the
utmost attention by the members of the legislature and by a very large
audience which completely filled the galleries, and it was generally
considered to have been one of his greatest efforts.

{SMITH'S AMENDMENT}

The resolution was finally carried by a vote of thirty to eight, only
two members, both of whom would have voted for the resolut