ld be occasioned in
England by the abandonment of a scheme by which Canadian colonies
should cease to be a source of embarrassment, and become a source of
strength. The question of confederation was intimately connected with
the question of defence, and that was a question of the most imminent
necessity. The provincial government had been in continued
correspondence with the home government as to defence "against every
hostile pressure, from whatever source it may come."

A lively debate ensued. John Sandfield Macdonald said that the defeat
of the New Brunswick government meant the defeat of the larger scheme
of confederation, unless it was intended that the people should be
bribed into acquiescence or bullied into submission. "The Hon. Mr.
Tilley and his followers are routed, horse and foot, by the honest
people of the province, scouted by those whose interests he had
betrayed, and whose behests he had neglected; and I think his fate
ought to be a warning to those who adopted this scheme without
authority, and who ask the House to ratify it _en bloc_, without
seeking to obtain the sanction of the people." Later on he charged the
ministers with the intention of manufacturing an entirely new bill,
obtaining the sanction of the British government, and forcing it on
the Canadian people, as was done in 1840.

This charge was hotly resented by Brown, and it drew from John A.
Macdonald a more explicit statement of the intentions of the
government. They would, if the legislature adopted the confederation
resolutions, proceed to England, inform the imperial government of
what had passed in Canada and New Brunswick, and take counsel with
that government as to the affairs of Canada, especially in regard to
defence and the reciprocity treaty. The legislature would then be
called together again forthwith, the report of the conferences in
England submitted, and the business relating to confederation
completed.

On the following day Macdonald made another announcement, referring to
a debate in the House of Lords on February 20th, which he regarded as
of the utmost importance. A report made by a Colonel Jervois on the
defences of Canada had been published, and the publication, exposing
the extreme weakness of Canada, was regarded as an official
indiscretion. It asserted that under the arrangements then existing
British and Canadian forces together could not defend the colony. Lord
Lyveden brought the question up in the House of Lo