[howay] governor IMUSGRAVE AND CONFEDERATION 29 



took care to include a clause suspending its operation until the Queen 

 in Council had assented to the union. In trasnmitting the Act to 

 the Colonial Office Musgrave made it plain that he doubted its 

 wisdom, but had, perforce, yielded to the strong popular feeling. 

 "I still believe," he writes, "that the system of Responsible Govern- 

 ment is in advance of the development of the colony, and that the 

 existing Legislative Constitution would be sufficient for all local 

 purposes after the union if it were allowed to work without factious 

 opposition." ^^ 



In proroguing the House Musgrave mentioned the satisfaction 

 with which the Imperial Government had learned of the completion 

 of the negotiations and expressed his confident anticipation of the 

 early proclamation of the union. After some philosophical remarks 

 upon the imperfections of all human inventions he reminded them 

 that they might reflect wnth pride that to them had been confided 

 the privilege of deciding upon the most important questions which had 

 up to that time arisen, or were likely to rise for years to come, in the 

 history of the Colony; to them belonged the honour of extending the 

 limits of the British American Confederation to the shores of the 

 Pacific, and of cementing the foundations of a great and prosperous 

 state, whose future promised to be enlightened and progressive. 



In conclusion he spoke of his pride in participating in the great 

 work, and indicated that his official connection with the Colony 

 must, as a result, soon be severed. "Whatever be my future for- 

 tune," he added, feelingly, "I shall carry away with me from British 

 Columbia, and I hope you will retain, a pleasant recollection of good 

 feeling and mutual assistance in accomplishing the work which we 

 undertook to perform." ^^ 



Governor Musgrave had done his work well and quickly. The 

 Imperial Order-in-Council, dated 6th May, 1871, fixed 20th July, 

 1871, as the date of the entry of British Columbia into the union; 

 five days later Anthony Musgrave bade farewell to the new Province, 

 and from the deck of H.M.S. Sparroivhawk saw the western shores of 

 the Dominion sink below the horizon. 



