444 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
The situation has not much changed since last mail, certainly not for the worse. 
Annand’s Pamphlet has rubbed out Tupper’s case, and mine on the Organization 
of the Empire is attracting a good deal of attention. You will find in the Pall Mall 
Gazette®, which circulates much among the higher classes and all over London, 
a very handsome notice of it, while my old friend the Hampshire Independent which 
goes all over the Southern Counties gives us a brave lift in a series of articles. 
You will find in the Examiner two Capital letters from Montreal and in Public 
Opinion of to-day a rather pointed article copied from the Montreal Herald.* 
You will see in the papers notices of the dinner given to Mr. Verdon** of Victoria. 
Before leaving he wrote to me to say that he entirely approved of my views. He had 
been staying some days with Earl Carnarvon. In the Times, Telegraph and other 
leading papers, though the Pamphlet has not been directly referred to it is evident 
that they have suddenly awakened to a convinction that something more than 
Confederation is wanted. 
Of Mr. Hamilton’s Pamphlet® I shall probably take no notice, as I presume he 
has been sufficiently answered by Annand. 
The Memorial from Lower Canadaf is spiritted, able and will do good. You 
will find the substance of it in the Daily News and other papers. 
One of the objects I had in view in the second Pamphlet was to show that some- 
thing broader and more National than Confederation was wanted—to thus draw 
attention off to the greater subject, and if possible to get the whole question of Colo- 
nial policy and defence referred to a Commission of Military and Naval Officers and 
Civilians, or to a Parliamentary Committee. It has been suggested through two 
or three highly influential quarters that this would be the best solution of the diffi- 
culties. 
Believe me, 
Yours Very truly, 
JOSEPH HOWE. 
25 Saville Row, 
London, December 8, 1866. 
Wm. J. Stairs, Esq. 
My dear Stairs, 
Mr. McDonald® arrived by the last boat, and joined us on Saturday night. 
He has taken a room in this house so we are all together which gives greater facilities 
for work and consultation than we should have if scattered about the town. Garvie 
has been with us until a few days ago, but has taken a lodging nearer to Lincoln’s 
Inn, and to the lectures he has to attend. 
The Delegates whose wives are here have taken a house in Oxford Terrace, and 
live I believe, together—the rest remain at the Alexandra. The Canadians have 


83 Founded in 1865. Independent Liberal. Edited by Frederick Greenwood. One of its early 
contributors was Anthony Trollope. r 
84 Established 1811. Edited by Edward Goff Penny in 1866. The following year Penny pub- 
lished a pamphlet against Confederation. See Bibliography No. 73. 
84a Referred to in his letter of Nov. 9 as the Receiver General of Victoria. 
85 See Bibliography No. 56. 
86 See Bibliography No. 53. The opponents of Confederation in Canada East were also making 
themselves heard in the Canadian Legislature. Dorion, in his speech on March 6, 1865, pointed out that 
‘“‘petitions with more than twenty thousand signatures attached to them have already been presented 
to this House against the scheme of confederation.’’ Boyd, Cartier, 246. 
87 Hugh McDonald. He had followed Howe and Annand to London. 
