460 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
thoughts—I cannot reproduce. But of this be assured your.Friends will now hail 
with pleasure, any words which may reach them of your being happily Employed 
in England*’—and should you return to continue your lot among us—you will 
ever have the first place among your Countrymen. 
Our good friend Northup will write you the State of Public affairs here, as shewn 
by the Government over expenditures without sanction of law, equal a years reverue 
of ten years ago, is fearfull. Public men and the Party innings have been going it 
blind, except to any interests of their own— = 
Yours sincerely 
W. J. STAIRS 
London 
25 Saville Row 
March 29, 1867. 
Wm. J. Stairs, Esq. 
My dear Stairs 
Thanks for your letter by the last mail. I am not surprized at the indignation 
felt by our friends at the utter indifference shown in Parliament to our interests or 
our remonstrances. The fact is, they think here only of themselves, and having 
made up théir minds that the Provinces are a source of peril and expense to them— 
the prevailing idea is to set them adrift, to gradually withdraw British troops from 
them—to have no quarrel with the United States on account of them, and to leave 
them to defend themselves if they can, or to pass into the Union if they prefer that 
solution of their difficulties. Of course we are powerless to do any thing but to 
punish if we can the rascals who have sold the country. If our people can they should 
clear them out both of the local and general representation—place the Provincial 
affairs in the hands of honest men and send to Canada a body of men who will com- 
mand respect and give us some chance of fair play, leaving the future to the action 
of the general Legislature which, or I am much mistaken will soon be driven on by 
circumstances that cannot be controlled. 
Every nerve will no doubt be strained by the Delegates arid their friends to 
controll the elections and having in their hands ample means of intimidation, influence 
and corruption they may succeed. If they do not Nova Scotia may yet play,an 
important part in the future. If they do we can only fold our arms and attend to 
our private affairs. 
You will see in the Times of this morning the debate on the guarantee’ which 
was carried by a large majority. I did not go down to the House or take any interest 
in the question. I would have thrown over the Railroad to defeat Confederation 
but as the measure had to pass we might as well have the road. The whole debate 
is interesting and suggestive, and the article in the Times is even more so. They 
do not disguise that the policy is to organize the Confederation and then withdraw 
all the garrisons so that instead of our defence depending on our Consent to Confeder- 
ation, when once united we are to be left naked and without protection. Here they 
have great difficulty to recruit the Army, and everybody knows that if all the troops 
in England were sent to the Provinces they could be outnumbered five to one with 
slight effort by our neighbors. It is vain for us to look to this country for impos- 

137 Howe had some idea of entering public life in England, or accepting an office from the Crown, 
but felt that he could not desert his friends at such a critical juncture. See his reply to Stair’s letter 
in the Speeches, II, 508. 
188 Of the Intercolonial loan. 
