Conference of Charlottetown

The Conférence of Charlottetown was a conference with Charlottetown (Island-of-Prince-Edouard) for the representatives of the colonies of the British North America to discuss of the Canadian Confédération. The conference proceeded 1 {{er}} with the September 7th 1864.

The conference, such as in an original manner planned, was to be a meeting between the representatives of the maritime colonies only: the Nova Scotia, the New Brunswick and the Island-of-Prince-Edouard. Newfoundland tardily asks for (on August 18th) the permission of take part in it, but it is too late and it does not remain enough of time to organize a delegation. The Great Britain encouraged a Maritime Union of these colonies, in the hope which they would become less dependant on the Crown, economically and politically, and that they would provide more an economic and military great power in the area in the context of the American Civil war. However, another colony, the Province of Canada (today the Ontario and the Quebec) had wind of the conference and required to take part in the discussion of a possible union of which it could form part.

At the same period, a circus was established in Charlottetown, which interested much more the majority of the population. There was nobody working with the port when the Canadian delegates arrived on the boat-steamer S Victoria , then the representative of the Island-of-Prince-Edouard William Henry Pope had to only deal with the reception, in particular to row in boat to go accueiller the new arrivals. The Canadian delegates had to pass all their nights on board the S Victoria since the circus and the delegates of Maritime had monopolized all lodgings downtown.

The conference

The conference begins the Thursday the 1st er September with a banquet for all the delegates. Festivals and banquets in fact are held each night after the end of the discussions of the day (except for Sunday September 4th; they do not meet this day). The representatives of the Province of Canada dominate the conference, eclipsing the concerns of the maritime colonies and revealing the bases of a union which would be most beneficial for them. Four the first five days (except Sunday) are occupied describing the Canadian position; the representatives of Maritime discuss of their own plans only the 6 and September 7th. The Canadian delegate George Brown spends two days to be discussed of the details of the constitution suggested, which would see Canada remaining within the British Empire, but which excluerait the problems which had led to the American Civil war, which always makes rage at the time with the the United States.

The maritime colonies are convinced that a widened union including the Province of Canada would be also beneficial for them, and that this union could be established in a few years, rather than in an indefinite future as that had been envisaged in an original manner. The conference concludes Wednesday September 7th, but the representatives are of agreement to meet again the next month with Quebec (see Conférence of Quebec). A ball is also held the September 8th, after which the delegates turn over on their premises.

Delegates

New Brunswick

Nova Scotia

Island-of-Prince-Edouard

  • George Adhesives
  • John Hamilton Gray
  • Edward Micrometer caliper
  • Andrew Archibald Macdonald
  • William Henry Pope

Province of Canada

External bonds

  • the Conference of Charlottetown, the 1 {{er}} at September 9th, 1864

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