“17G HISTORY OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND.

thousand pounds it spent for the government last year. ’ Thus it had not come as a pauper, but was honestly prepared to do something

all in its power—to organize, here in America, a constitutional monarchy, which should be able “to spread those institutions in which there was the soul of liberty.”

The delegates proceeded afterwards to Ottawa and T0- ronto, where similar festive gatherings took place. But business was not neglected, as appears from the report sub- ;—-sequently published, which embodied the conclusions at which the delegates had arrived as the basis of the proposed . confederation.

The report- sets out with the declaration that the best interests and present and future prosperity of British North America would be promoted by a federal union, under the bCrown of Great Britain, provided such union could be . efi’eeted on principles just to the several provinces. In the federation of the British North American provinces, the . system of government. best adapted under existing circum- A-rstances to protect the diversified interests of the several , provinces, and secure efficiency, harmony, and permanency -’ in the working of the union, would be a general government Y charged with matters of common interest to the whole coun- - try, and local governments for each of the Canadas, and for , the provinces of Nova Seotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, charged with the control of local matters in ~their respective sections,-——pr0vision being made for the admission into the union, on equitable terms, of Newfound- ‘1and, the North ‘Vest Territory, British Columbia, and Vancouver. In framing a constitution for the general gov- ernment, the conference, with a View to the perpetuation of the connection with the mother country, and to the promo- ;tion of the best interests of the people of these provinces,