cutive Council of Canada respecting the In conformity with the request con- I have, &c. The Lieutenant-Governors of Nova Copy of a Despatch from the Right Hon. Downing-street, October 14, 1864. I have the honour to acknowledge I approve of the course which your I have, &c. &c. New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Is land, and the Governor of Newfoundland, to send Representatives to confer with the Members of the Canadian Government on the feasibility of effecting a Union between the Colonies of British North America, and to my Despatches' of the 14th October (No. 151) and 2nd November (No. 165), in which I enclosed to you the answers received to that invitation, I have the honour to report that the several gentlemen named in the communications above referred to as Representatives of those Colonies respectively arrived at Quebec on Monday the 10th October, the day named for the assembling of the Conference. They immediately proceeded to the consideration of the important question, the discussion of which constituted the object of their meeting, having appointed Sir Etienne Taché, Prime Minister of Canada, as chairman to preside over their deliberations. Their sittings began on the 10th of October, and continued de die in diem until the 28th of the same month. I have now the honour to transmit the Resolutions agreed to by the Conference, for which I would ask the favourable con sideration of yourself and Her Majesty's Government. I may state that an extended intercourse with the Members of the Conference enables me to assure you that they were one and all actuated by the strongest feelings of loyalty to the Queen, the most earnest desire to maintain the connexion with England, and the wish to make the proposed Union work so as to strengthen that connexion by enabling the Provinces to take upon themselves more largely the responsibilities of a self-governing commu nity. I do not enter into any arguments to prove that a consolidation of these Provinces is desirable, if it can be effected on principles which will give guarantees for strength and durability. The advantages of a well-considered plan of Union, whether looked at from the point of administration, commerce, or defence, appear to me so obvious that it would be a waste of time to state them; and the fact that the most eminent public men of all the Provinces concur in desiring such a Union, appears to me to go a long way in superseding the necessity for any abstract arguments in its favour. The plan which has been adopted by the Conference you will observe is the Union 1 These two Despatches merely reported the names of some of the Delegates, and the expected time of their meeting. of all the Provinces on the Monarchical principle, under one Governor, to be appointed by the Crown, with Ministers responsible, as in England, to a Parliament consisting of two Houses, one to be nominated by the Crown, and the other elected by the people. To this Central Government and Legislature will be committed all the general business of the United Provinces, and its authority on all such subjects will be supreme, subject of course to the rights of the Crown and of the Imperial Parliament. For the purposes of local administration it is proposed to have in each Province an Executive Officer, to be appointed by the Governor, and removable by him for cause to be assigned, assisted by a Legislative Body, the constitution of which it is proposed to leave to the decision of the present Local Legislatures, subject to the approbation of the Imperial Government and Parliament. To these local bodies are to be entrusted the execution of certain specified duties of a local character, and they are to have no rights or authority beyond what is expressly delegated to them by the Act of Union. To the General Government it is proposed to reserve the right of disallowing Acts passed by the Local Legislatures. I think this will be found a fair general outline of the constitutional portion of the proposed scheme of Union, and I trust it will be found of such a nature as to merit the general approbation of Her Majesty's Government. I do not allude to the proposed financial arrangements between the different members of the proposed Union, as these relate to questions exclusively affecting the Provinces, and upon which I presume they may safely be allowed to adopt any course which they may themselves think conducive to their interests. In transmitting these Resolutions for your consideration, I venture to state my opinion that the desire for a consolidation of British North America has taken strong hold of the minds of the most earnest and thoughtful men in these Provinces, and I trust that, whether on the plan suggested by these Resolutions, or on some modification of it, a Union may be effected, which will satisfy the aspirations of so loyal and influential a portion of Her Majesty's subjects. Report of Resolutions adopted at a Conference of Delegates from the Provinces of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, and the Colonies of Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island, held at the City of Quebec, October 10, 1864, as the Basis of a proposed Confederation of those Provinces and Colonies. 1. The best interests and present and future prosperity of British North America will be promoted by a Federal Union under the Crown of Great Britain, provided such Union can be effected on principles just to the several Provinces. 2. In the Federation of the British North American Provinces, the system of government best adapted under existing circumstances to protect the diversified interests of the several Provinces, and secure efficiency, harmony, and permanency in the working of the Union, would be a General Government charged with matters of common interest to the whole country, and Local Governments for each of the Canadas and for the Provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, charged with the control of local matters in their respective sections, provision being made for the admission into the Union, on equitable terms, of Newfoundland, the North-west Territory, British Columbia, and Vancouver. 3. In framing a Constitution for the General Government, the Conference, with a view to the perpetuation of our connexion with the Mother Country, and to the promotion of the best interests of the people of these Provinces, desire to follow the model of the British Constitution, so far as our circumstances will permit. 4. The Executive Authority or Government shall be vested in the Sovereign of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and be administered according to the well-understood principles of the British Constitution by the Sovereign personally, or by the Representative of the Sovereign duly authorized. 5. The Sovereign, or Representative of the Sovereign, shall be Commander-inChief of the Land and Naval Militia Forces. 6. There shall be a General Legislature or Parliament for the Federated Provinces, composed of a Legislative Council and a House of Commons. 7. For the purpose of forming the Legislative Council, the Federated Provinces shall be considered as consisting of three divisions:-1st, Upper Canada; 2nd, Lower Canada; 3rd, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island; each division with an equal representation in the Legislative Council. 8. Upper Canada shall be represented in the Legislative Council by 24 members, Lower Canada by 24 members, and the three Maritime Provinces by 24 members, of which Nova Scotia shall have 10, New Brunswick 10, and Prince Edward Island 4 members. 9. The Colony of Newfoundland shall be entitled to enter the proposed Union, with a representation in the Legislative Council of 4 members. 10. The North-west Territory, British Columbia, and Vancouver shall be admitted into the Union, on such terms and conditions as the Parliament of the Federated Provinces shall deem equitable, and as shall receive the assent of Her Majesty; and in the case of the Province of British Columbia or Vancouver, as shall be agreed to by the Legislature of such Province. 11. The Members of the Legislative Council shall be appointed by the Crown under the Great Seal of the General Government, and shall hold office during life; if any Legislative Councillor shall, for two consecutive sessions of Parliament, fail to give his attendance in the said Council, his seat shall thereby become vacant. 12. The Members of the Legislative Council shall be British subjects by birth or naturalization, of the full age of thirty years, shall possess a continuous real property qualification of four thousand dollars over and above all incumbrances, and shall be and continue worth that sum over and above their debts and liabilities, but in the case of Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island the property may be either real or personal. 13. If any question shall arise as to the qualification of a Legislative Councillor, the same shall be determined by the Council. 14. The first selection of the Members of the Legislative Council shall be made, except as regards Prince Edward Island, from the Legislative Councils of the various Provinces, so far as a sufficient number be found qualified and willing to serve. Such Members shall be appointed by the Crown at the recommendation of the General Executive Government, upon the nomination of the respective Local Governments; and in such nomination due regard shall be had to the claims of the Members of the Legislative Council of the Opposition in each Province, so that all political parties may as nearly as possible be fairly repre sented. 15. The Speaker of the Legislative Council (unless otherwise provided by Parliament) shall be appointed by the Crown from among the Members of the Legislative Council, and shall hold office during pleasure, and shall only be entitled to a casting vote on an equality of votes. 16. Each of the 24 Legislative Coun cillors representing Lower Canada in the Legislative Council of the General Legislature shall be appointed to represent one of the 24 electoral divisions mentioned in Schedule A. of Chapter 1st of the Consolidated Statutes of Canada, and such Coun cillor shall reside or possess his qualification in the division he is appointed to represent. 17. The basis of Representation in the House of Commons shall be Population, as determined by the official census every ten years; and the number of Members at first shall be 194, distributed as follows: Upper Canada New Brunswick. Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island. 82 65 19 15 8 5 18. Until the official census of 1871 has been made up, there shall be no change in the number of Representatives from the several sections. 19. Immediately after the completion of the census of 1871, and immediately after every decennial census thereafter, the representation from each section in the House of Commons shall be re-adjusted on the basis of population. 20. For the purpose of such re-adjustments, Lower Canada shall always be assigned 65 Members, and each of the other sections shall at each re-adjustment receive, for the ten years then next succeeding, the number of members to which it will be entitled on the same ratio of representation to population as Lower Canada will enjoy according to the census last taken by having 65 members. 21. No reduction shall be made in the number of members returned by any sec tion, unless its population shall have decreased relatively to the population of the whole Union, to the extent of five per centum. 22. In computing at each decennial period the number of Members to which each section is entitled, no fractional parts shall be considered, unless when exceeding one-half the number entitling to a Member, in which case a Member shall be given for each such fractional part. 23. The Legislature of each Province shall divide such Province into the proper number of constituencies, and define the boundaries of each of them. 24. The Local Legislature of each Province may, from time to time, alter the electoral districts for the purposes of representation in the House of Commons, and distribute the Representatives to which the Province is entitled, in any manner such Legislature may think fit. 25. The number of Members may at any time be increased by the General Parliament, regard being had to the proportionate rights then existing. 26. Until provisions are made by the General Parliament, all the laws which at "the date of the Proclamation constituting the Union are in force in the Provinces respectively, relating to the qualification and disqualification of any person to be elected or to sit or vote as a Member of the Assembly in the said Provinces respectively and relating to the qualification or disqualification of voters, and to the oaths to be taken by voters, and to Returning Officers and their powers and duties, and relating to the proceedings at elections, and to the period during which such elections may be continued,and relating to the trial of Controverted Elections, and the proceedings incident thereto, and relating to the vacating of seats of Members, and the issuing and execution of new writs in case of any seat being vacated otherwise than by a dissolution,―shall respectively apply to elections of Members to serve in the House of Commons, for places situate in those Provinces respectively. 27. Every House of Commons shall continue for five years from the day of the return of the writs choosing the same, and no longer, subject, nevertheless, to be sooner prorogued or dissolved by the Governor. 28. There shall be a Session of the General Parliament once at least in every year, so that a period of twelve calendar months shall not intervene between the last sitting of the General Parliament in one Session and the first sitting thereof in the next Session. 29. The General Parliament shall have power to make Laws for the peace, welfare, and good Government of the Federated Provinces (saving the Sovereignty of England), and especially Laws respecting the following subjects: 1. The Public Debt and Property. merce. 3. The imposition or regulation of Duties of Customs on Imports and Exports, except on Exports of Timber, Logs, Masts, Spars, Deals, and Sawn Lumber, and of Coal and other Minerals. 4. The imposition and regulation of Excise Duties. 5. The raising of money by all or any other modes or systems of Taxation. 24. Interest. 25. Legal Tender. 26. Bankruptcy and Insolvency. 27. Patents of Invention and Discovery. 28. Copyrights. 29. Indians and Lands reserved for the Indians. 30. Naturalization and Aliens. 31. Marriage and Divorce. 32. The Criminal Law, excepting the Constitution of Courts of Criminal Jurisdiction, but including the Procedure in Criminal matters. 33. Rendering uniform all or any of the laws relative to property and civil rights in Upper Canada, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, and Prince Edward Island, and rendering uniform the procedure of all or any of the Courts in these Provinces; but any Statute for this purpose shall have no force or authority in any Province until sanctioned by the Legislature thereof. 34. The establishment of a General Court of Appeal for the Federated Provinces. 35. Immigration. 36. Agriculture. 37. And generally respecting all matters of a general character, not specially and exclusively reserved for the Local Governments and Legislatures. 30. The General Government and Parliament shall have all powers necessary or proper for performing the obligations of the Federated Provinces, as part of the British Empire, to Foreign countries, arising under Treaties between Great Britain and such countries. 31. The General Parliament may also, from time to time, establish additional Courts, and the General Government may appoint Judges and Officers thereof, when the same shall appear necessary or for the public advantage, in order to the due execution of the laws of Parliament. 32. All Courts, Judges, and Officers of the several Provinces shall aid, assist, and obey the General Government in the exercise of its rights and powers, and for such purposes shall be held to be Courts, Judges, and Officers of the General Government. 33. The General Government shall appoint and pay the Judges of the Superior Courts in each Province, and of the County Courts of Upper Canada, and Parliament shall fix their salaries. 34. Until the Consolidation of the Laws of Upper Canada, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and Prince Edward Island, the Judges of these Provinces appointed by the General Government shall be selected from their respective Bars. 35. The Judges of the Courts of Lower Canada shall be selected from the Bar of Lower Canada. 36. The Judges of the Court of Admiralty now receiving salaries shall be paid by the General Government. 37. The Judges of the Superior Courts shall hold their offices during good behaviour, and shall be removable only on the Address of both Houses of Parliament. Local Government. 38. For each of the Provinces there shall be an Executive Officer, styled the Lieutenant-Governor, who shall be appointed by the Governor-General in Council, under the Great Seal of the Federated Provinces, during pleasure: such pleasure not to be exercised before the expiration of the first five years, except for cause: such cause to be communicated in writing to the Lieutenant-Governor immediately after the exercise of the pleasure as aforesaid, and also by Messages to both Houses of Parliament, within the first week of the first Session afterwards. 39. The Lieutenant-Governor of each Province shall be paid by the General Government. 40. In undertaking to pay the salaries of the Lieutenant-Governors, the Confer ence does not desire to prejudice the claim of Prince Edward Island upon the Imperial Government for the amount now paid for the salary of the LieutenantGovernor thereof. 41. The Local Government and Legislature of each Province shall be constructed in such manner as the existing Legisla ture of such Province shall provide. 42. The Local Legislatures shall have power to alter or amend their Constitution from time to time. 43. The Local Legislatures shall have power to make Laws respecting the following subjects: 1. Direct Taxation and the imposition of Duties on the Export of Timber, Logs, Masts, Spars, Deals, and Sawn Lumber, and of Coals and other Minerals. 2. Borrowing Money on the credit of the Province. 3. The establishment and tenure of Local Offices, and the appointment and payment of Local Officers. 4. Agriculture. 5. Immigration. 6. Education; saving the rights and pri vileges which the Protestant or Catholic minority in both Canadas may possess as to their Denominational Schools, at the time when the Union goes into operation. 7. The sale and management of Public Lands, excepting Lands belonging to the General Government. 8. Sea Coast and Inland Fisheries. 9. The establishment, maintenance, and management of Penitentiaries, and of Public and Reformatory Prisons. 10. The establishment, maintenance, and management of Hospitals, Asylums, Charities, and Eleemosynary Insti tutions. 11. Municipal Institutions. 12. Shop, Saloon, Tavern, Auctioneer, and other Licences. 13. Local Works. 14. The Incorporation of private or local Companies, except such as relate to matters assigned to the General Par liament. 15. Property and civil rights, excepting those portions thereof assigned to the General Parliament. 16. Inflicting punishment by fine, penalties, imprisonment, or otherwise for the breach of laws passed in relation to any subject within their jurisdic tion. 17. The Administration of Justice, in |