In 1864, John A. Macdonald, along with George Brown, D’Arcy McGee and Alexander Galt, sailed to Charlottetown to convince the maritime colonies to join Confederation. On board was $13,000 worth of champagne to smooth negotiations. “Whether as a result of our eloquence or the goodness of our champagne,” wrote Brown, “the ice became completely broken…thereupon the union was completed and proclaimed.” However, there were still a few details to be worked out. The party moved to Halifax, Saint John, Fredericton, and finally, Quebec, where there was a dinner at Government House. A daughter of one of the delegates described the scene: “D’Arcy McGee took me to dinner and sat between Lady MacDonnell [wife of the Governor of Nova Scotia, Sir Richard MacDonnell] and I. Before dinner was half ove...