224 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



Island until 1864 when it took a more definite form by the legislatures 

 of all three provinces passing resolutions providing for a conference 

 of delegates to discuss the question so far as those provinces were 

 concerned. Meanwhile there had been a feeling of unrei^t in Upper 

 and Lower Canada, and the years immediately preceding confedera- 

 tion witnessed many a ministerial crisis, and at times, the very peace 

 of the country seemed to be threatened. All the colonies had before 

 them the object lesson of the great republic to the south; a federal 

 government legislating upon all matters affecting the commonwealth 

 as a whole, with the state legislatures caring for the needs of the in- 

 dividual states. Even the dark clouds of the civil war had not obscured 

 the advantages incident to such a union as existed across the border. 

 A great many forces both from within and from without were leading 

 the several provinces towards the same goal. Great Britain and the 

 United States were on the verge of war, and an invasion from the south 

 would have found us in an almost helpless position to ofifer any serious 

 resistance. The interprovincial trade was not organized upon a busi- 

 ness basis and the imminent danger of the threatened denunciation 

 of the reciprocity treaty and the abrogation of the bonding privilege 

 by the Republic to the south threatened to bring on a financial crisis. 

 There was no united eff'ort to improve transportation facilities by land 

 or water. The lack of uniform laws was a drawback to the expansion 

 of trade, and in some measure, to the administration of justice. As 

 each province felt more keenly the effect of these disadvantages it 

 was drawn more closely towards its neighbours and they were the more 

 disposed to seek a common remedy. 



In Canada the vexed question of representation by population 

 had begun to assume a serious aspect and our public men of all shades 

 of politics were prepared to welcome any scheme that would relieve 

 the critical situation. 



It thus happened that when the representatives from the Mari- 

 time provinces were convened at Charlottetown in September, 1864, 

 to discuss the question of confederation, Canada seized upon the oppor- 

 tunity and despatched eight delegates to seek admission to their 

 deliberations and to discuss the question of a greater confederation, 

 to include Upper and Lower Canada as well. They were cordially 

 received by their brethren down by the sea, and so successful was their 

 mission, that it culminated in the historic meeting at Quebec on the 

 10th of October of the same year, when the delegates, with a few 

 notable additions to their number, reassembled and, behind closed 

 doors, formulated the plan of confederation which was subsequently 

 embodied in the British North America Act which came into force on 

 July 1st, 1867. 



