BURPEE] HOWE AND THE ANTI-CONFEDERATION LEAGUE 453 
London, 
25 Saville Row, 
Feb. 2, 1867. 
Wm. J. Stairs, Esq. 
My dear Stairs 
On the Saturday night, after the last mail for Halifax left, the case which I in- 
formed you we were preparing was sent to Earl Carnarvon. He was ill at the time, 
and two Cabinet Councils were held during the following week which he did not 
attend. On the 29th His Lordship sent me a note in which he informed me that 
“feeling the importance of it, and of the subject to which it referred’’ he had ‘‘given 
it his careful consideration and brought it under the attention of his Colleagues 
individually.”” He thought it ‘‘only fair to say, that, after weighing the arguments 
against the measure, and ‘‘especially those in our very able paper’’ he was ‘‘not shaken 
in his conviction of the advantages to be obtained by a union of the Provinces.” 
Upon the main point, that the Government have decided to take down the Dele- 
gates Bill to Parliament this is decisive. 
On the point of reference to the people the note is silent. As I had to send a fair 
copy of our paper today, I took the opportunity to express a hope that that might 
be left open. It is now of course the only one we care about. ‘A touch of nature 
makes the whole world kin,” and a case of injustice or oppression, thrilling through 
the House of Commons, sometimes upsets all calculations and combinations. This 
is our only chance. If I could get to the Bar of either House I would be very hopeful. 
We cannot tell whether or not this can be done, and until the men get together we 
can as little know what friends we are likely to have. You will perceive that until 
informed that the measure was to be brought down we could say nothing definite to 
the Members we talked to, and until the avowal is made that the people are not to 
be consulted we have no grievance. The debates will soon give us definite informa- 
tion upon all these points. In the meantime our Case is being printed,!8 for private 
circulation among leading Members, which we hope to have done on Monday before 
the debate on the Address begins. 
You will receive with this a copy of our Remonstrance, and we trust the people 
of Nova Scotia will not disapprove of the earnestness and even boldness with which 
we have expressed their sentiments and advocated their interests. They must bear 
in mind that this is no ordinary struggle, but a revolution with which we are threat- 
ened. If you think it expedient to do so, you can publish the paper at once, as it 
can make no difference here as it must go down to Parliament with the other papers 
soon. 
Annand thought of going out by this Boat, but as we learned that the others all 
intended to remain, we concluded to detain him till the next. He will consult and 
cooperate with us while he stays, and then will return to aid our friends if any thing 
is to be done, to share their disappointment if there is not. McDonald and I will 
watch the proceedings and supply friendly Members with arguments till there is no 
further hope, and then, conscious that we have all done our best, leave the issues in 
the hand of Providence. 
Mac has been busy during the past fortnight. Lloyds Weekly published a 
month ago an Article against Confederation. Tupper rushed into print in reply and 
got served out by the Editor, who availed himself of the information sent him in a 
letter from Mac (published today) and a private letter from Annand to handle the 
Dr in good style. Not satisfied the Doctor broke out in the Star, but Mac was down 


118 See Bibliography No. 72. 
