Colonial Despatches

Referring to my Despatch No 18, of 21st February I have now the honor to report that the Legislative Council have passed the Resolutions which were submitted to them on the subject of Union with the Dominion of Canada. Theyhave have however suggested some modifications in the proposed terms, and added supplementary recommendations upon certain points which they regard as requiring consideration in respect of the peculiar circumstances of this Colony.

2. I enclose printed Copies of these amendments and Resolutions, and of the Reports of Debates upon the subject which may be interesting to Your Lordship.

3. I have succeeded in avoiding the introduction of proposals touching "Responsible Government" or the establishment of a Free Port. Most of the amendments to the original Resolutions submitted by the Council are immaterial. Some would present no real difficulty to the Canadian Government, and I believe that none of them would be insisted upon here if they should be found to constitutethe the only obstacles to agreement upon Union. The opinions expressed in the Supplementary Resolutions on the subject of the Excise Laws and the operation of the Canadian Tariff if applied to this Colony are of more importance and are worthy of some consideration. But I do not regard some exceptional provisions in these respects as impossible if they should be decided upon as proper in thespecial special circumstances of the case; for instance, the present Tariff or some other to be settled by the local Government not being lower than the Canadian scale, might be allowed to prevail for a certain number of years after Union, or until effective communication should be opened between British Columbia and the other parts of the Dominion by Coach Road or Railway.

4. This matter ofcommunication communication is the "crux" of the Scheme. If a Railway could be promised scarcely any other question would be allowed to be a difficulty. Without the certainty of overland communication through British territory within some reasonable time, I am not confident that even if all other stipulations were conceded, the Community will decide upon Union. The noisiest of the Canadianadvocates advocates of Confederation who have been promoting it for their own end, the attainment of office under "Responsible Government," have led the people to believe that the construction of the Railroad is a certain matter of course, and the disappointment and reaction will be proportionately great if this is found not to be the case. For my own part, if there is no ground for expecting thecompletion completion of that communication at least by Coach Road within a few years, I should doubt the prudence of Canada in nominally attaching British Columbia to the Dominion when practically no two Communities could be more entirely divided.

5. I have no doubt however of the propriety of now bringing the question to an issue. It has hithertobeen been generally very little understood, but it has been used as an engine for local political purposes. It is a source of irritation and unrest in the Community at present, and this agitation will be kept up until we definitively ascertain what the Canadian Government will agree to, and what they cannot accomplish.

6. I have taken the necessary preliminary stepsfor for this purpose. I now propose to send a delegation to Ottawa to present the proposals which are made by this Government, to discuss them, and explain the grounds upon which I and my advisers have proceeded. In this manner it will be most easily ascertained how far the expectations of this Colony can be fulfilled, and when the report of the delegation has been receivedthe the Community will be able to decide upon what will then have been settled as practicable terms.

7. The gentlemen I have selected for this service are Mr Trutch, the Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works, and Mr Helmcken, and Mr Carrall, the two unofficial members of the Executive Council. I have much confidence in Mr Trutch's ability and discretion. Mr Helmcken has greatinfluence influence in the Community. He is far from being an ardent Confederate; but practically the question, with him is one of terms, and it will be very desirable that he should have a voice in the discussion of them. Mr Carrall is a Canadian and a zealous advocate of Union, but I believe he is disinterested and not one of those who desire it only as a meansto to obtain political place and power. He is familiar with the wants and views of the people of the Upper Country and he will be able to render service in explaining these to the Canadian Government.

8. With respect to the expediency of "Responsible Government" for the administration of local affairs in the event of Union with Canada, I believe opinion to be very muchdivided divided; but the party which presses for the introduction is energetic and persistent, and I doubt that determined opposition would be offered for any length of time after Confederation. But in any case the modified Consititution which I have recommended to Your Lordship in my Despatch No 20, of the 23rd February would in my opinion be necessary as an intermediate form fromwhich which further progress could be made if finally determined upon by the local government in concert with that of Canada.