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“THIS IS TRUE LIBERTY, WHEN FREEBORN MEN—HAVING TO ADVISE THE PUBLIC, MAY SPEAK FREE.” —EvuripIpEs.

2 Se a ae — _ = Vor. L.] CHARLOTTETOWN, P. E. ISLAND, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1848. [No. 30. a SN OTS Ae | A eh A OR ASAD A OER MR A) ETOAC NORE REN cease EON TED

HOUSZ OF ASSBUSEY.

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Frivay, Fesruary 4,

The House again went into Committee on PRIVILEGES AND ELECTIONS.

The Speaker. 1 hope no attempt will be made to delay the question; for I am ashamed that it has already been allowed to occupy so much of our time and atten- tion; but yet I shall not be surprised if the opposite party try to spin out the debate till we get a bulletin of the state of Mrs. Fraser’s health.

Mr. Rae, I think common courtesy towards one ano- ther ought to be observed amongst us. It is now only just past eleven, and only the fourth day of the Session; and, it may bes.il, that three days only have been taken up by the question, asthe first day is usually spent in routine business, There is evidently toe great a desire, on the other side, to precipitate the question. Ifthe hon. Mr. Coles be refused an opportunity of ad- dressing the Committee, in his place, insupport of his claim, the refusal will reflect any thing but credit upon the House.

Mr. T’horaton thought that, of all persons, Mr. Coles ought to be in his place.

Mr. Mooney. { want to know where that place is ; for, sometimes, it is to be inside—sometimes outside; and, at others, it is contende] he has no place atall. I con- sider the proceedings of the House as very extraordinary. We have chosen no Clerk; neither have we replied to His Excellency’s Speech. It would seem that the ob- ject of the other side is to drive Mr. Coles out of the

House, or to have him put into the custody of the Ser-| this is the first time the question has been taken up; but,

geant at Arms; and, meanwhile, they subject hin to the most undeserved abuse.

Mr. Palmer. I have never before witnessed so much|f Such of its members as inay, hereafter, be appointed

trifling by a House of Assembly, as has taken place here

within the last four days. ‘The proceedings of Jast year object to the measure. Great dissatisfaction has been

were very different from those attending the present en- quiry; for, [ consider, the whole of this question may be placed in the compass of a nut-shell.

Mr. Thornton. I cannot allow Mr. Mooney’s remarks to go furth to the public without a reply. He has in- duiged in personalities, and said that our object was only te throw out the hon. G. Coles. He ought not to attri-

sent. With one exception, all the members thereof are

to all former usage and custom.

want of knowledge in his opponents; he should, there- fore, when making a display of his own Jearning, be very

so very old, that every one may not be acquainted with

them. With respect to what he has just said respecting |

Cardinal Wolsey, | beg Jeave to say, that he has mis- stated the matter; for that individual, on the occasion alluded to, walked about the House, and might have sat down, had he so pleased ; al! the inconvenience to which he was subjected was his not being allowed to converse with the members.

Mr. J. Longworth submitted a resolution to the effect, that Mr. Coles’s being allowed to remain in the House during the debate, should not form a precedent; which was put and carried without a division.

After several members on both sides, had offered a few additional remarks, the cry of “Question” became general. Mr. Raethen submitted a string of resolutions as amendments; but they were all lost, and the original motion was finally carried in the House by a majority of 10 to 9, as reported in our last number.

On motion of Mr. Palmer, the House went into a Com- mittee of the whole,on ,

PAY TO LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS. The hon. member said: I am willing to admit that

if we can bring about a better state of things in the Council, by providing for the expenses, whilst in session,

to it from remote parts of the Island, I think no one will

felt, and, no doubt,wili continue to be felt, so long as the Councii shal! continue to be constituted as it is at pre-

resident in or near to Charlottetown; and it would be absurd to suppose that they can be as good judges of the wants of the people in distant parts of the Island, as they who dwell amongst them. But it is difficult to find per-

Bar; and I, for one, will not sit still and see it perpetrat-| ed with impunity. The permission would be contrary

Mr. Rae. The Jearned Doctor often talks about the

careful to state facts, even though his quotations may be)

bute improper motives. sons, residing in the couutry, willing to give up their Mr. Rue. Irregularities, on the part of some members, "Ne, to abandon their domestic comforts, and bear their

‘they can be as good judges of the state and requiremente sla

of distant parts of the Island, as they who are on the spot, and mix more with the people. Some may, at first sight, incline to oppose the measure on account of the expense it may entail; but that, in comparison with the good result that may be fairly anticipated, is as a feather in the balance, Supposing we take our own pay as the ‘scale, and take six as the average from the Counties, it will amount te £180 only; and from this trifile ten times its value of good would arise. As I have said be- fore, I doubt whether such a measure would be sanction- ed at Home, especially as it would be a partial one. However, I cannot see a reason why all should be paid; and I even believe there are some gentlemen in the Council who would scornthe idea of pay ; but there may be others who, like ourselves, cannot afford the expense, and who would be very glad to see the measure approv- ed by the Home Government; and of this Iam quite certain, the accomplishment of the measure would gra- dually bring about most happy results for the country,

Mr. H. Macdonald had always been of opinion that, for the good of the country at large, such a measure was positively necessary. F'or the want of such a provision as that contemplated by the resolution, it was well known that highly respectable and intelligent individuals in distant parts of the Island, to whom, at different times, seats inthe Legislative Council had been offered, had decined to serve their country therein, merely because they could not, ont of their own private means, afford to defray the expenses consequent.upon a residence in Town during the legislative Sessions.

Mr. Rae said that, as the resolution would,no doubt, in consequence of late decisions in the House, be supported by amajority, it would be idle and useless to oppose it by argument. He would, therefore, rest satisfied with then declaring it to be his intention, to resist the passage of the measure which it contemplated, in all its stages, The Speaker. I must, Sir, express my. surprise at thie unusual mode of opposition on the partof.the hon member, (Mr. Rae) who must be perfectly .aware that now is the proper time for him to speak. I am aware that the question has been unexpected]

brought before us; but I have always thought some suc

provision would be highly erpedient. As the Council is, and has been constituted, the interests of Charlotte- town and its localities have been represented therein, almost to the exclusion of thoes. of distant parts .of the

are allowed to pass unnoticed; but, let them proceed |©¥" expenses into the bargain, merely for the honor of) {s}ond; and this is evident from the fact that there is

from others, and they are commented upon with the|3¢4t8 in the Council. Members who are on the spot greatest severity. If hon. members are sincerely desir-|¢@#not expect remuneration; and, besides, there are

ous to preserve order and regularity, let them look, with|S®°™€ among them whose wealth and independence

an equally jealous eye, to both sides of the House.

Several members, in succession, maintained that Mr. Coles ought to be allowed an opportunity to address the Committee ; but, immediately on that gentleman’s mak- ing his appearance in the body ofthe House, Dr. Conroy rose azd said, that, if Mr. Coles meant to address the Committee, he could not be allowed to do so, except from the outside of the Bar. Mr. Coles, soon afier, left the House.

Dr. Conroy disclaimed being actuated by any other motive than a sense of his duty; and quoted a great many authorities, to prove that, while) the seat of a member was under consideration, he should not remain in the House. Were we, in this case, Sir, said the learned Doctor, to decide otherwise, we should, by so doing, establish a bad precedent. I shall vote against Mr. Coles’s remaining within the Bar, for my name shall never be found in a division against the rights of the Corer at ironical “ Hear! hear!” from Mr. Mooney.)

opular froth rules and guides many ; but I value it not. Some of our boastful champions of liberty speak not the

‘sentiments of their hearts; they merely give utterance ‘to such sentiments as they think most li

ely to secure popniar applause.

r. Rae rose, and said, the remarks of the hon. mem- ber were very indecent.—Dr. Conroy, If the cap fits you may wear it.—Mr. Rue again rose, but was called to order by Mr. Palmer.—Dr. Conroy resumed. The Writ was made returnable to serve a party purpose; but they who set the trap, were, themselves, caught therein. Had Mr. Mcvallium been returned, he would have taken his seat. If any one denies this, I will say no more but that he has as much right to be sitting here as Mr. Coles. The excuse that Mr. Coles sits here under the former indenture, is not a valid one. Whether there was a ne- cessity for his going back to his constituents or not, his doing so made his former indenture immediately be- come like so much waste paper. Why then does the’ hon. gentlemen persist? If he refer to history, he will| find no less a person than Cardnal Wolsey had to retire

~ from the House, outside the bar, while his case was

pending. I care not, Sir, what motives may be attribut-

~ed to me, but I contend it would be an infringement “Open our rights to allow Mr, Coles to remain inside the

would, perhaps, not allow them to accept it, were we to provide it for them. I would, therefore, confine it to those living 15 or 20 miles from town. It is a fact gener- ally known, that the attempt to fill up vacancies by appointments of individuals from the Country, has sig-

only cne member in that body, from the country. In reference to a doubt expressed by an hon. member (Mr. Thornton), as to whether or not such a measure would receive the sanction of the Home Government, I would observe that I cc not think it would meet with any real objectiow in that quarter. Indeed, I consider myself justified in the ex pression of this opinion, from the cone sideration of the fact, that the want of such a provision

nally failed. It is, also, equally well known that there

as the resolution before us coniemplates, has completel

is no lack of intelligence or ability in the country. But.| gefeated the intentions of the Home Government wit

declined; parties honestly declaring that they could not afford to accept them. The present is a favourable time to moot the question, no vacancy now existing, or being likely to exist for some time to come; so that there can be nothing invidious in now bringing forward this ques- tion. But, I confess that, when vacancies occur here- after, I should Jike the Administrator of the Government to have it in his power to fill them up by appointments from any part of the Island; as the passing of this reso- lution into a law would enable him to do. At present, there is only one member in the Council who would come within the scope of my motion; and there may not be more for years to come: the passing of it, therefore, will not, at present, subject the Colony to any additional burden. But, Sir, I venture to predict, that whenever the time shall arrive, that under the operation of the measure, gentlemen from different parts of the country shall be found occupying seats in the Legislative Coun- cil, the satisfaction that will be given to the public by

the consequent trifling increase of public expenditure. I am not aware that any opposition will be offered to this resolution. I have not heard that any is intended. [ will not, therefore, at present, attempt to say any thing fur- ther in support of it; but, at once, submit it to the consideration of the Committee.

ment. I feel, continued the hon. member, no difficulty

lative Council, reside in or near to Charlottetown; and, talented as they may be, it is not resonable to suppose

Mr. Thornton fully agreed with the principle on which. a the resolution was based, but had his doubts whether such an improvement, the establishing of the provision the Home Government would sanction the change; for,| now in contemplation, would gradually accomplish. The he believed, a similar attempt, made in a neighbouring) qualification required offers no particular impediment Province, had not been sanctioned by the Home Govern-| There are men in the country who, though, perhaps, in

when the attempt has been made, the offers have bee | respect to the composition of the Legislative Council.

Some years ago, at the time ofthe separation of the Councils, a Despatch from the Colonial Office was re- ceived by the thea Lieutenant Governor, directing him to fill up vacancies, as they should occur, in the Legis- lative Council, by the appeintment thereto of gentlemen from the different eections or divisions of the Island, so that the interests of the inhabitants of every settlement and locality thereof, might be as well and fairly repre- sented in the Upper, as in the Lower House. A few gentlemen from the country were, accordingly, a short time after, called to the Legislative Council; but, on ac- count of the expense consequent upon their living im Town during « legislative session, they resigned thet seats ; and thus the intentions of the Home Government for the good of the Colony by g liberal alteration in the composition of the Legislative Council, were completely frustrated. The measure contemplated by the resolu- tion now under consideration, is, [ am satisfied, one that would be highly pleasing to the people; and one, to

the change, will greatly outweigh the consideration of which, on account of the good to the remoie sections of

the Island, that would result from its establishment, Her Majesty, I am persuaded, would not refuse to confirm. I do not wish to alter the present construction of the Legislative Council; but, I contend, that, as vacancies hereafter occur, they should be filled up by men possess- ing a greater degree of local information than charac- terizes the gentlemen now composing thet body ; and

comparatively humble stations,are capable of forming as

in coming to a conclusion as to the policy of the ques- sound a judgment, as any now inthe Council. Being tion, for nearly all the gentlemen constituting the Legis-| convinced

the principle, if brought into ration, will be of great advantage to the Colony, I my warm support,

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