rican colonies.[17]

The governor carried out his instructions with the zeal of a convert,
showed the despatch to the head of his government, set about
converting him also, and believed he had been partly successful. The
substance of the despatch was inserted in the speech from the throne,
when the legislature met on March 8th, 1866. The legislative council
adopted an address asking for imperial legislation to unite the
British North American colonies. The governor, without waiting for the
action of the assembly, made a reply to the council, expressing
pleasure at their address, and declaring that he would transmit it to
the secretary of state for the colonies. Thereupon the Smith ministry
resigned, contending that they ought to have been consulted about the
reply, that the council, not having been elected by the people, had no
authority to ask the imperial parliament to pass a measure which the
people of New Brunswick had expressly rejected at the polls. A protest
in similar terms might have been made in the legislative assembly, but
the opportunity was not given. A government favourable to
confederation was formed under Peter Mitchell, with Tilley as his
chief lieutenant, and the legislature was dissolved.

A threatened Fenian invasion helped to turn the tide of public
opinion, and the confederate ministry was returned with a large
majority. That result, however desirable, did not sanctify the means
taken to bring about a verdict for confederation, which could hardly
have been more arbitrary.

FOOTNOTES:

[16] Hansard, House of Lords, February 20th, 1865. See also a long and
important debate in the British House of Commons, March 13th, 1865.

[17] Journals Canada, 1865, 2nd Session, pp. 8-15.

CHAPTER XIX

BROWN LEAVES THE COALITION

The series of events which gradually drew Mr. Brown out of the
coalition began with the death of Sir Etienne P. Tache on July 30th,
1865. By his age, his long experience, and a certain mild benignity of
disposition, Tache was admirably fitted to be the dean of the
coalition and the arbiter between its elements. He had served in
Reform and Conservative governments, but without incurring the
reproach of overweening love of office. With his departure that of
Brown became only a matter of time. To work with Macdonald as an equal
was a sufficiently disagreeable duty; to work under him, considering
the personal relations of the two men, would have been humiliating.
Putting as