Year: 1869

EOhO"io6 80 PSSH ~" SSAo5
circulated in Victoria:


To his E1ceuency the President of


the United States Of America


Your memorialists beg leave most
respectfully to represent that we are
residents Of the Colony of British
Columbia, many of US British sub
jects, and all deeply interested in the
welfare and progress of our adopted
country.


That those that are British subjects
are penetrated with the most pro-
found feelings of loyalty and devo-
tion to Her Majesty and Her Msjes-
tvs Government, and that all enters
tain for Her feelings of the greatest
respect, as well as attachment to the
country.


That while we thus indulge such
feelings, we are constrained by the
duty we owe to ourselves and famils
les, in view of the contemplated
severance of the political ties which
unite this Colony to the "Mother
Country" to seek for such political
and commercial affinity and connec|
tion as will insure the immediate and
continued prosperity and well being
of this our adopted home.


That this Colony is now suffering
great depression, owing to scarcity
Of population, and other causes too
numerous to mention.


That they view with feelings of
alarm the avowed intention of Her
Majesty's Government to Confeder'
ate this Colony with the Dominion of
Canada, as they believe such meas
ure can only tend to still further
depression and ultimate injury; for
the following reasons, viz:


That Confederation cannot give US
protection against internal enemies
or foreign foes, owing to the distance
Of this Colony from Ottawa.


That it cannot open to US market
for the produce of our lands, our
forests, our mines, or our waters.


That it cannot bring US population
(our greatest need, as the Dominion
itself is suffering from lack of it.


That cur connection with the Do
minion can satisfy no sentiment Of
loyalty or devotion.


That her commercial and indus.
trial interests are opposed to ours.


That the tariff of the Dominion
will be the ruin of our farmers aud
the commerce of our chief cities.


That we are instiga.ed by every
sentiment of lOyaltyto Her Majesty,
by our attachment to the laws and
institutions, Of Great Britain, and
our deep interests in the prosperity
of our adopted country, to express
our opposition to a severance from
England and a confederation with
Canada. We admit the Dominion
may be aggrandized by confederation
but we can see no benefit, either
present or future, which can accure
to US therefrom.


That VIC desire a market for cur
coal, our lumber and our fish, aud
this the Dominion seeks for the same
produce of her own soil, she can take
nothing from US and supply US moths
ing in return.


That confederating this Colony
with Canada may relieve the Mother
Country from the trouble hnd ex-
penso Of fostering and protecting
this isolated distant Colony. but it
cannot free us from our long endur,
ing depression, owing to the lack of
population as aforesaid, and the cons
tinued want of home markets for our
produce.


The only remedy for the evils
which beset us, we believe to be 10 a
close union with the adjoining States
and Territories, we are already bound
10 them by unity of object and in>
terest, nearly all our commercial re>
latlons are with them /; they furnish
the chief markets we have for tie
products of our mines, lands, and
waters they supply the Colony with
most OF the necessaries of life; they
furnish us with the only means Of
communication with the outer world -,
and we are even dependent upon
them for the means of learning the
events in the mother country or the
Dominion of Canada.


For these reasons we earnestly de.
sire the acquisition of the Colony by
the United States.


1t would insure us regular mails
and communication with the adioiu>
ing States and Territories and
through them with the world at
large.


1t would lessen the expense of
government, by giving us repre-
sentative institutions, and immediate
control Of our domestic concerns,
besides giving no protection against
foreign enemies. And with all these
we should still be united to a people
OF our own kindred, religion and
tongue, and a people who, for all
time, must intimately affect us in all
our relations, for veal or woe.


That in view of these facts. we
respectfully request that your Ex-
cellenoy will cause this memorial to
be laid before the Government of
the United States, and that in any
negotiations which may be pending
or undertaken between your Gov.
enrment and tha. OF Her Most Ora.