178 HISTORY or PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND.

an hour in its favor; but he was energetically opposed by Mr. David Laird and the Honorable Mr. Coles, who were regarded as two of the most able and prominent opponents of confederation. On the tenth of February, two large meetings were convened simultaneously. At one of these the Honor- able Thomas H. Haviland delivered a carefully prepared opening address of some hours’ duration, in which he earnestly advocated union, of which he had always been a consistent supporter. He was followed by the Honorable hIr. Coles, Mr. Archibald M cNeill, the Honorable George Beer, the Honor- able D. Davies, and the Honorable Frederick Brecken,—— the speeches of the two latter gentlemen being specially directed to an exposition of the deficiencies of the Quebec scheme as bearing on the interests of the island.* The other meeting was, at the outset, addressed by the Honor- able Edward Palmer, who, according to the opinion of the anti-confederates, proved conclusively that confederation could not result in permanent benefit to Prince Edward Island. He was followed in stirring addresses by the Hon- orable Kenneth Henderson, the Honorable Joseph Hensley, and the Honorable J. Longworth. At this meeting the following resolution was proposed by Mr. Charles Palmer, and unanimously adopted: “That in the opinion of this meeting, the terms of union contained in the report of the Quebec conference—especially those laid down in the clauses relating to representation and finance—are not such as would be either libe‘al or just to Prince Edward Island, and that it is highly inexpedient that said report be adopted by our legislature.”

The assembly was convened on the twenty-eighth of Feb- ruary, 1865, and on the twenty-fourth of March the colonial

* The Honorable Mr. Breekcn and the Honorable Mr. Davies were favor- able to union, on what they conceived equitable principles, but opposed to what was termed the Quebec Scheme.