[BURPEE] HOWE AND THE ANTI-CONFEDERATION LEAGUE 443 
baskets of Champagne—one that Confederation will not be carried—another that, 
if it should be carried, in a Year after we shall elect our own President and send our 
Minister to Washington—and two that, in less than five Years after this new Nation- 
ality is set up, the frontier will be rubbed out, and British America will be incorporated 
with the Republic. I hope Sincerely that I may win the first but, if not, Iam sure 
to win the other two.®° 
But assuming the Policy of Confederation to be sound surely I cannot be mis- 
taken in this that the measure ought to be perfect, in all its parts, before any ministry 
should be asked to sanction it, or present it to the Imperial Parliament. 
If the Quebec Scheme be modified, the Parliament of Canada must accept the 
modifications, and, as up to this moment, not one of the Maritime Provinces has 
arranged the local Institutions under which they are to live, when those they have 
are swept away, is it too much to ask that this work shall be done and that the Scheme 
shall be presented perfect in all its details, before there is any attempt at Imperial 
Legislation. But, besides, why should there be haste? When, by law, the people 
of Canada and Nova Scotia will, next summer, have an opportunity to pronounce 
their opinions, would it not be a most unprecedented and extraordinary thing for the 
Imperial Parliament to deny them this privilege, and would not such an arbitrary 
act engender bitter feelings of resentment, and go far to accumulate obstacles to the 
working even of a good measure. You do not sanction a Railway or Turnpike with- 
out an investigation by Committee. Would You overthrow the Institutions and 
transfer the Revenues of four great Provinces without exhausting the ordinary means 
of investigation, which you consider indispensible to the security of inferior interests. 
The whole subject of Colonial policy and defence should be referred to a mixed 
Commission of Military and Naval officers and Civilians. A report, founded on 
evidence, carefully collected by such a commission, would be of great authority and 
high Value, and I think, My Lord, that you will, upon reflection, so far modify your 
opinions as to recommend this dignified and safe course.*! 
Believe me, my dear Lord Normanby, 
Sincerely Yours, 
JOSEPH HOWE. 
London, 
25 Saville Row, 
Nov. 23, 1866. 
Wm. J. Stairs, Esq. 
My dear Stairs, 
I have been for sometime satisfied that something confidentially communicated 
to you was known to the Delegates here, and that the knowledge had been used against 
us. I was very much surprized to learn, in conversation with Mr. Garvie® that 
copies of my letters had been allowed to go out of your possession. I trust this will 
not occur again. You have no idea of the delicacy and secrecy required in conduct- 
ing such operations as we are engaged in, and how much mischief may be done by the 
slightest imprudence. I have thought it due to you all that you should be kept 
regularly informed of the progress of affairs but I must make my reports very brief 
and general unless assured that they will be confined to the smallest number of persons 
and never go out of your hands. 
80 There is no record as to who got the champagne. It certainly was not Howe. 
81 Howe’s object in this suggestion of a Commission was obviously to shelve the Confederation 
scheme for at least a couple of years. See his letter to Stairs of November 9th. 
82 William Garvie. He was in London on private business. 
