No. 37, Legislative

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Your Grace's Despatch
"Separate" of the 15th of June last, in which is communicated to me
Your Grace's decision respecting the form of Government to be adopted
in British Columbia and Vancouver Island.

2. I will not fail, to lay before the community the decided opinion
expressed by Your Grace in favor of a union of the Colonies under one
Government, an opinion coming with the weight of so wide an
experience in the workings of Colonial institutions, as to be almost
conclusive on the subject and I will take care to caution them
against any course of legislation, at all likely to impede such a
result.

3. The knowledge of Your Grace's views on a subject so intimately
connected with the prosperity and well being of the Colonies will
have great weight with the public, which is not generally averse to
the union of the Colonies. The anti-union party in British Columbia
is confined to the residents of New Westminster; the rest of the
community are I believe wholly indifferent about the matter.

4. The feeling against the fusion of the Governments is much more
general in Vancouvers Island, and is founded on a prevalent idea that
the measure, if carried into effect, would inevitably lead to the
subversion of the Free Port System, and to the ultimate
impoverishment of the Colony.

5. In these circumstances I think Your Grace's plan of leaving the
Colonies as they now are, under separate Governments, will be more
acceptable to the public at large, than union under any form.

6. I beg in conclusion to observe that I will take an early
opportunity of bringing before the Legislature Your Grace's
proposition respecting the transfer of the Colonial Revenue, and the
terms on which you are prepared to place its management in their
hands.