40 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



vinces to admit of their defining the terms on which such a union 

 would be advantageous to the local interests of British Columbia."^ 

 To one acquainted with Governor Seymour's procrastinating habits 

 the amendment betrays his hand; it might readily be interpreted as 

 deferring Confederation for a decade at least. And now Confeder- 

 ation, which in the preceding session had been unanimously approved 

 could only muster four votes. Its supporters were all popular mem- 

 bers. Three of the opponents were also popular members; but two of 

 them were from Vancouver Island, where the annexation feeling and 

 the Hudson's Bay Company's influence were very powerful; the 

 official members presented a solid phalanx in opposition. 



The Hon. John Robson, who was one of the four confederation- 

 ists, spoke out, editorially, saying that the officials (in which term the 

 Governor was included) opposed Confederation as it would end their 

 positions and that they were acting in their own interests and not 

 in those of the colony. Confederation, he told them, would come 

 despite official obstruction and then, woe betide those who had 

 delayed it. He continued: "Even viewed from the low ground of self 

 interest it would obviously be the wisdom, as it would be the true 

 policy, of the present incumbents from the Governor downwards to 

 assist, instead of obstruct, the extension of Confederation to the 

 Pacifi:c. We would respectfully recommend the Governor and his 

 officials to read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest the first nine verses 

 of the sixteenth chapter of the Gospel according to St. Luke."^ 



The cry of the people, which had heretofore been stifled by their 

 respect for the Governor and by certain local questions, was now 

 heard, complaining of the conduct of the Legislative Council, as his 

 mouthpiece, and demanding that, in accordance with his own Paris 

 letter, a larger element of representation be included in that body. 

 DeCosmos, a week after the rejection of his Confederation Address, 

 gave utterance to this feeling in a resolution asking that the Governor 

 be requested to take steps to reconstitute the Council on the basis 

 of two-thirds popular and one-third official members.^ 



In his speech at the close of the session the Governor mentioned 

 the result of the Confederation debate: "I notice that while adhering 

 to your vote of last year in favour of Confederation with Canada, 

 you are of opinion that it is not necessary to take any further steps in 

 the matter. I think your resolution a wise one. The question is by 

 no means slumbering; but the difficulties of the project are seen 



1 Confederation Papers, p. 13. 



* British Columbian, April 29, 1868. 



» Id., May 2, 1868. 



