Colonial Despatches

I have much gratification in forwarding to Your Lordship printed copies of an Address to the Queen which has been passed unanimously by the Legislative Council of this Colony, praying that Her Majesty will be pleased, under the 146th Section of the British North America Act 1867, to admit British Columbia into theUnion Union, or Dominion of Canada on the basis of the terms and conditions offered to this Colony by the Government of the Dominion of Canada which are set forth in the Address. I forward this Despatch by the overland route via Olympia in Washington Territory, and as this mode of transmission is uncertain from the state of the Roads at this time of the year, I retain the original Address to be forwarded with Duplicate Despatches by the usual and more certain opportunity which will be afforded by the Mail Steamer nextmonth month direct to San Francisco.

2. Mr Trutch who was one of the Delegates sent to Canada last year for the purpose of negotiating arrangements for Union, will again proceed to Ottawa with a copy of this Document, by the Mail Steamer for San Francisco about the middle of February, for the purpose of affording all necessary information as to details of the proposed arrangements during the passage of a corresponding Address through the Canadian Parliament.

3. It will probably be usefulif if not necessary to Your Lordship's Department that some one from this Colony should be present to afford information upon some points during the preparation of the Order in Council, and Mr Trutch will go on to England for the purpose of supplying it, after the termination of his duties at Ottawa, which will probably not occupy more than a month; I presume that the Canadian Government will also appoint a Representative on their own behalf.