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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 57

Sir Charles Tupper:*

Sir Charles Tupper:*

I cannot express sufficiently the regret that I feel at having been compelled by imperative official duty to be absent at the opening of this most interesting meeting, and the more because I was most anxious to hear the remarks of our distinguished Chairman, whose name, I need not tell you, is a household word throughout the British Colonics—(hear, hear)—and whose opinions are known to be so entirely in favour of the perpetuation of the colonial connection with the Empire as to command a degree of confidence and respect that could not be exceeded by any other name. (Hear, hear.) No gentleman in this assembly witnesses with greater satisfaction and pride than I do a meeting like the present, embracing gentlemen occupying leading and distinguished positions in both the great parties of this country, brought together upon a common platform—a platform calculated to carry out the best interests, not only of these British islands, but of the colonial portion of the Empire as well. (Cheers.) No person can witness with greater pleasure than I do the growing feeling that is exhibited in this country among the statesmen of all parties in regard to this most important and vital question. I do not believe it possible to discover, in all the great questions that occupy the attention of the statesmen of page 43 this country, a question in which these British is [unclear: image not readable] the great colonial dependencies of these islands [unclear: a] and deeply interested than the consideration [unclear: image not readable] means by which the tie that now binds them together may be drawn still closer and perpetuated indefinitely. (Hear, hear.) So far I am entirely in accord with the views and the sentiments which have brought this conference together, and although I had not the good fortune to hear the explanations in regard to this first resolution offered by the Chairman or the right hon. mover of this resolution, I may be permitted to say that, in the light of the statements and explanations given by the distinguished nobleman who has just taken his seat, I can find very little to take exception to. (Hear, hear.) But in justice to my own views and opinions I may be permitted briefly to point out the grounds on which I ventured, before the meeting assembled, to suggest to the Chairman the desirability of a slight alteration of the wording of the resolution declaring that "the political relations between Great Britain and her Colonies must inevitably lead to ultimate federation or disintegration." I am not prepared to agree in the declaration of that abstract opinion in an unqualified manner. (Hear, hear.) I will briefly state why.

The great Colony, the great British Dependency with which I am more intimately connected—the Dominion of Canada—has recently undergone a radical change in her constitution. Seventeen years ago, at the instance of all parties in the country, the Imperial Parliament was approached with a proposition to enable us to unite the various isolated provinces of British North America under one Government. We obtained the hearty co-operation of the Crown and the Imperial Parliament, and a new constitution was given, under which one Federal Government was formed, extending from the little island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence—Prince Edward's Island—to Vancouver Island in the Pacific. It would be impossible, I believe, for the most sanguine promoter of that great constitutional change page 44 to have anticipated the admirable results that have followed. The noble lord referred in fitting terms to the enthusiastic loyalty to the Crown and the devoted attachment to British institutions which pervade the Colonial Empire, and I have no hesitation in saying it would be impossible for any constitutional change to increase that sentiment of loyalty to the Crown or that love of British institutions which animates Canada from end to end. The same may be said, no doubt, of the great provinces of Australasia. Those who have been watching the progress of Canada for the last seventeen years know that, under the influence of that great change, her progress during that time will bear favourable comparison with the progress of any portion of the great Republic to our south, rapid as has been its growth. If, therefore, a degree of progress has been made that is almost unexampled—seeing the improved credit and development of the country, such that we have had the means of grappling with vast public works of an imperial character; and knowing, as I know, the marked growth and development of devotion to the Crown and British institutions—if, I say, under our constitution this is what has taken place, I. can hardly subscribe to the proposition that these relations must be changed in order to prevent disintegration. So smooth have been the relations between the Dominion and the Imperial Governments, so little friction has there been, that we have never come to them without meeting with a hearty and zealous response to all. Our efforts for the development of the country. Under these circumstances, while I hail with delight anything which will more completely bind the two countries together, I feel some difficulty in declaring that those relations must be changed if we are not to separate from the Crown. (Hear, hear.)

The noble lord proposed, and I think the proposition an admirable one, that a royal commission should be issued—for what purpose? For the purpose of accomplishing federation? No; but for the purpose of ascertaining page 45 whether federation is practicable. If it is necessary to inquire into the practicability of a federal connection between the mother country and her Colonies, it is, surely, too soon to say that federation is necessary to prevent disintegration, and I should not be doing justice to myself if, holding such strong opinions, I failed to express them. (Hear, hear.) It has been said, you cannot hope to devise a cut-and-dried scheme of federal organisation, but while it remains a controverted question whether you can devise such a scheme, I am unwilling to subscribe to the abstract proposition contained in the resolution. I go most heartily with the language and sentiments of gentlemen present in desiring to draw closer the tie which binds us to the mother country, and I should be greatly pleased if any slight modification of this resolution could be adopted, so as not to put us in the position of declaring to the world that the connection can only be maintained by a federal union, but that we do not know whether a federal union is practicable. The principle of perpetuating the connection between the Colonies and the Empire we have all at heart. It deserves our most zealous co-operation, and will be accepted, I believe, by the great dependency with which I have the honour to be connected. (Cheers.)

* High Commissioner for the Dominion of Canada, and formerly Premier of Nova Scotia, has held several important offices in the Dominion Cabinet.