Excerpt from Speech Delivered in the Legislative Assembly, by Christopher Dunkin, Esq., Member for Brome, During the Debate on the Subject of the Confederation of the British North American Provinces

Every one who has yet Spoken in this debate has begun with some expression of his feeling of embarrassment. For my own part, I Should be glad if I could begin in some other way, but I confess that I cannot. For I certainly never did rise to address this House, or any other public body, under a feeling of such oppressive embarrassment as I experience at this moment. It IS impossible for me, occu pying the position in which I now stand, not to feel that I am opposed to powerful odds, and that there 1s a sort of foregone conclu sion, bere, a against the views I desire to impress upon the House. It is impossible for me not to feel that the considerations to which I have to ask the attention of the House, are so many and so complex, that no sort of justice can possibly be done them within the limits of my capacity to Speak, or of yours to listen. The interests at stake, too, are so large - se much larger than ever were at stake in any question which has yet been brought under the notice of this H ouse, and the ditficulties arising out of the question are so formidable, owing in no small mea sure to what I must call the many reticences with which this scheme has been laid before us, and the ambiguities of expression which everywhere characterize it, as to tax seriously the courage of those who may attempt to discuss it. I feel, besides, that I am entirely cut off from that description of remark which most of all tends to make one's speech pleasant to listen to for I can not prophecy smooth things, or dilate on the marvels of progress to result from Con federation in the future. There is a charac ter of hurry, too, impressed on the whole style of this debate everybody feels so impatient, that one can scarcely hope to express his views fully, as he would wish and ought, on this vast scheme. I have even.

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