OUR‘ ISLAND STORY 71

the Statement, in one of your former letters, that you are deeply impressed with the importance of Confederation, and prepared ,5: . z to advocate the immediate entry of the Island into the Domi- ‘ l nion upon just terms, is sufﬁcient; andI shall be glad, if you will i» proceed to form a Government, and submit to me the names of v; ' 3' —your proposed colleagues with as little delay as possible. ‘

Believe me, , "y '.1

WILLIAM ROBINSON

Mr. Pope and his supporters at once formed an Administra- l ‘ tion; and the Legislature was convened on the 22nd of April, h 1873. In the course of his speech at the'opening of the Legis- l"? lature the Lieutenant Governor said: “Papers relative to the ' proposed union of Prince Edward Island with the 'Dominion of . ' ,

Canada will belforthwith laid before you. Having dissolved the H. late House of Assembly in order that this important question { ‘11 l

l l Yours faithfully, q i. t i

_might be submitted to the people at'the polls, I now invite you to bestow upon it your careful and anxious consideration, express- ing to you the earnest hope of the Imperial Government that _ Prince Edward Island will not lose the opportunity of Union with , .3; her’sister provinces.” - I

The question of the union of Prince Edward Island with the ' " Dominion of Canada was accordingly submitted to the Legis- ' _ .9 it lature.. It was Warmly discussed by the House of Assembly in . '8 Committee of the whole House. _On the 2nd day of May, 1875, l the committee brought in a report. In it, the House expressed I the opinion that the terms and conditions arrived at by the dele- gation of which 'Messrs. Haythorne and Laird were members, “do not secure to this Colonya sum sufficient to defray the ordi- nary and indispensable requirements of its local Government, and are by no means equivalent to the revenue, prevalent and prospective, which it would be called upon to surrender to the Dominion.” It was further stated that the strong objections hitherto entertained by the people of this Island to Confederation ' having been much modiﬁed, and the present House of Assembly,