November 12, 1867
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Debate on the reply to the Speech from the Throne continued in the Commons yesterday with several members making their maiden speeches.
Edward Blake (Liberal, Durham West) was first to speak, spending much of his time discussing the coalition government and the strange-bedfellows it has created. The coalition triumph, Mr. Blake said, was a victory for John A. Macdonald and John A. Macdonald alone and, successful though he was, the political morality of the country had been upset. To that end he pointed to the fact that Hon. John S. Macdonald and Hon. E. B. Wood were sitting not he opposition benches in the Commons, despite having campaigned against the very men amongst whom they now sat. Blake’s comments suggest that Sandfield might not be the unanimous choice of opposition MPs to occupy the leadership.
In addition to Blake, several Nova Scotia MPs made their parliamentary debuts. Among them Stewart Campbell (Guysborough), seat mate of Joseph Howe, who said that he would use his opportunity in the Parliament to “endeavour to extract the benefit and extract the evils” of the Union. He regretted to have heard that Mr. Howe would continue to seek repeal of the Union.
Other Nova Scotia members, such as Alfred Savary (Digby) allowed that they said in Parliament unwillingly, forced into the position because the Imperial Government had been deceived by Dr. Charles Tupper as to the feelings of Nova Scotians regarding the Confederation project.
Meanwhile, the Privy Council approved a request from Nova Scotia’s Provincial Secretary for the release of an additional $15,000 in funds (1867-0126), required immediately by that province.