Che Cram

Nev.

A WEEKLY JOURNAL OF POLITICS, LITERATURE AND NEWS.

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2 } J aki a8 ila iil ea ec ee = ee Fee — gDWARD WHELAN] Chis is tee Liberty, when Freeborn Men, having to advise the Public, man speak free——eurries. [EDITOR ann P ——— P A f 7 >» ryyryv age Vou. V. one CHARLOTTETOWN, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND, MONDAY, MAY 19, 1856. ) MOON'S PHASES.— MAY, 1856. | important change in the constitution of the Colony. There in concert with the Governor or his advisers, or in connection | but that it was introduced in consequence of the inerease of Now Moon 4th day, 10h. 3m, morning. 8. F. | Were no petitions in favor of it; yet it passed, and I believe | with any intention, if such does exist, to dissolve the House | population rendering necessary an increase of representatives. First Quarter ae day, 4h. 6m. evening. S. F. | the people are thoroughly satisfied with it, Thad the honor | before its legal expiration. Indeed, I shall be willing to| Why should the privileges of the people be limited now that “hee ae i es tgp ee evening. S. E. | of first introducing that measure, and did so independently of /insert a clause in the Bill, which I trust will be brought | we had Responsible Government ? was rter 26th day, @h. 54m. morning. — E. the Government, because I did not then, nor do I yet consider | in, to the effect, that the Bill shall not go into operation} Hon. Mr. MOONKEKY, on referring to the Journals of for-.

ec et

Ssses== that the Government should initiate every important question. |

Colonial Legislature, An objection has been made that the question under considera-

= }tion has not been made the subject of a Government ELDAR | tba dire.’ Dal if that hed ben Gone, 1 hate ns Goube tie HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY. old ery would be raised by those who make the objection, Sarumpay, March 29 that the majority are bound to be subservient to the Govern-

Ad, stk ave ment, and must vote for the measure, so that in either case

ROUTINE BUSINESS. the minority would be sure to have aa excuse for opposing

Mr. Cooper presented a petition from certain inhabitants | it. Lf the principle were once established, that the Govern- of King’s County, praying for an investigation into the con-|™menut—and the Government only—should bring forward ditions of the original grants of Township lands. Mr. Laird | portant questions like this, then I should be out of place presented a similar petition from inhabitants of Queen’s| i” making the motion [ do; but until that doctrine—which County, and both were referred to a Committee of the whole | [ think is néver likely to find favour in any free representative House for Thursday next, Assefnbly—becomes the rule amongst us, I must consider the The Bill relating to the Charlottetown Ferry was read a| course I have taken to be quite correct and legitimate. A second time—committed to the House in Committee, and | ‘ar greater change was effected in the constitution of this agreed to therein with some amendments. Ordered to be| Colony than that which I now propose, not only without the engresea. concurrence of the Government, but in spite of its powerful The Bill in farther amendment of the Act to incorporate | influence and long continued opposition. I would ask the the Minister and Trustees of St. James's Church, Charlotte- | geutlemen who profess to be so anxious that the Government town, was read a second time, submitted te the whole House | Should take a lead in this measure, if they think we should in Committee, and agreed to therein, without amendment,— | ever have had Responsible Government, if we had waited for to be engrossed. | the administration of the day to carry it through the Legis- The Hon. Col, Seeretary presented to the House certain |lature? (Hear hear.) With respect to an increase in the papers relating to the Light Houses at St. Paul’s and Seattarie, | mwmber of our representatives, I must say that since. the which were referred to Committee of Supply. change in our constitution, L have regarded such a measure The House then in Committee and resumed the further con-| 28 highly necessary. During the past year I have several sideration of the Revenue Bill, to which several amendments! times brought it to the notice of some of my friends in the were made; the Bill was read through, agreed to, and ordered Government, and urged them to bring it before the House ; to be engrossed. The House then adjourned for an hour, | but until the present time they did not see the necessity for Having met in the aftecuoon— | it. pie anceen of our proceedings this Session has, however, itil thee bee uel) le soncnil _.... {convinced the most sceptical of my political friends that an INCREASE eet ae aaa AND AMEND-—| increase of members and a revision of the electoral districts nan PF ee has become highly necessary. Parties have become so nearly

ion. Mr. WHELAN moved the following resolution :— | balanced, that it is difficult to proceed with any business

“ Resolved, that the House do now resolve itself’ into a Vom-| should there be any members absent from either side of’ the mitte of the whole, to consider the expediency of revising | House. Indeed questiuns affecting the policy of the Govern- the Election Law, with the view of altering and equalizing | ment could not be discussed without a full House, for the the subdivision of the electoral districts, and iucreasing the | minority would be always in attendance to meet such questions, uumber of members by adding two to eaeh County.” | in the hope of defeating the Government, while the majority The subject of this resolution, he said, had been under} would postpone or not commence the discussion until their the notice of the House for some time, and postponed in| eutire force should be assembled. The expense to be incur- consequence of there not being a full house. It was desirable | red by an increased number of members, will no doubt be

that it should be now disposed of, as several members were |

again about leaving for the country.

Mr. CLARK seconded the resolution.

mr. COOPER objected on the ground that the opinions of the people should have beea manifested by petitions before such a measure was introduced.

Hoa. Mr. LONGW ORTH thought that before going into Committee, some reasons fur the mivasure should be assigned. A measure altering the constitution so materially should be introduced as a Government one. Was the hon. member who brought it in, a mere cat’s-paw of the Government? He suspected that the Government bad received an intimation fron Home, that the Assembly would be dissolved unless

they put their house in order; and, therefore, the hon. |

member who was closely linked with the Government, had

been selected to introduce the Bill to serve the interests of |

his party. It was a mere political dolge.

Hon. COLONIAL SECRETARY denied the statements of the Hon. Mr. Longworth. The proposition did not origi- nate with the Government ; iu fact, whea he first heard of it, he was opposed to it; but he would support it as tending to mnerease the liberties of the people, by giving them an increased namber of members.

Mr. DOUSE.—As there were no applications for the measure, he supposed some hint had been given from the Colonial Office. He had only heard of it that morning. Twenty-four members were quite sufficient. It was not likely he would take his seat in a new House; but while here, would oppose such an uncalled for change iu the con- stitution.

Hon. COLONIAL TREASURER would support the resolution to give the people a larger number of representatives than the present, which was insufficient. The people of Prince County would net dbject to the measure. trict he represented comprised no less than 14 Townships. ‘The delays experienced for want.of a quorum with the present members, formed a very strong argument in favour of it.

Hon. Mr. WH ELAN.—Mr. Speaker, I did not intend to enter upon the discussion of this question before the House

The dis- |

insisted upon asa very strong argument against the measure ; but I think it is an argument worthy of little or no considera- tion, in comparison to the advantoges.it will confer. It is most unquestionably a great extension of the popular privileges, and is indeed as much entitled to the support of one political party as to that of another; for under an enlarged and improved representation Liberals and Conservatives would have equal chances. In the new subdivision of the districts, which 1 shall propose, there will be—-with some few exceptions

inhabitants to.every electoral district ; and another prineiple which shall be kept steadily in view, will be, to give about the same cxtent of territory to each district—not, as at present, fourteen townships to one ; eight to another, all thickly | settled ; four or five to another, and soon; while the new dis-

them will be in a direct line, one close upon the other, and not running in different directions, as is at present the case. ‘The opposite party say they stand well with the country,

that cannot possibly be avoided—nearly the same number of

tricts ean be so arranged that the several townships constituting

‘and that public opinion is against this side of the House. If

‘that be the case they can have no reasonable objection this House. IPf the assertion regarding their great popularity ‘is based upon truth, then the chances are all in their favour ‘and against us. The strongest opposition to this measure, I ‘have no doubt. will come from the gentlemen who represent the Towns. Now, there is no intention to interfcre with the ‘representation of the Towns and Royalties, at least not with ‘two of them. No one will dispute the right of Charlotte- town to return two members. -Georgetown is entitled to similar representation ; it is a place of growing importance |—rapidly extending its population and its commercial trans- ‘actions, But such is not the case with Princetown. The | Royalty, indeed, has been long since settled ; but the Town is nowhere. I am not aware that the place called the Town has any inhabitants at all; for many years it had only one, and that one removed from his solitary location. The Royalty is, in fact, the place that has the representation, and not the ‘Town; and yet we find, according to the last Census, that

to giving additional force to the popular element in|

until the House shall legally expire. This is not the time or place to discuss the details of the measure, but I may be permitted to observe, that nothwitkstanding the addition of six members to the present number (which is the increase I am prepared to propose), { think we should adhere to the present rule of the House, that twelve members and the Speaker shall constitute a quorum, in order to facilitate the transaction of the public business. In a House of thirty members twelve would be decidedly a minority ; and it may be objected that it would be giving the minority too much power to permit them to proceed with the perfurmance of the public business ; but for that we have a precedent in the practice of the House of Commons, where out of about six hundred members forty-five constitute a quorum, Another advantage connected with the proposed change would be, that country members would often bave an op- portunity of visiting their families, without detriment to the public service. It is now eighteen years since there was a change in the constitution of the House of Assembly. Pre- vious to that time there were only eighteen members, Eighteen years ago it was considered that the Colony had sufficiently far advanced to justify the addition of six members in the lower branch of the Legislature. Are we to remain as we were eighteen years ago? Must the growth of our instita- tions siop, while the country at large progresses? What was the state of the Colony when our predecessors enlarged the popular representation? Its population is now more than one-third larger than it was then; whilst the number of electors under our present law has cousiderably more than doubled. Under the old representative system, the franchise was restricted to property holders, whose number was small,in a country where, e'ghtcen yeirs ago, there were comparatively few freeholders, and very many tenants with- out the legal quzlification to vote; now every individual twenty-one years of age may exercise the franchise; and it is therefore not too much to say that the number of electors has considerably more than doubled. The revenue of the country is now nearly £50,000; eighteen years ago it was little over £10,000; and if we could afford the expense of a House of Assembly of eighteen members then, we can surely better afford the expense of a House of thirty mem- bers now. Keeping all those considerations in view, L fully believe that the measure 1 am about to propose is eminently called for; aud L shail now conclude by moving, that the House do resolve itself into a Committee of the whole, to take into consideration the necessity of revising and amend- ing the Election Laws, with a view to a more equal subdi- vision of the districts, and an addition to the number of re- preseutatives,

Hon. Mr. LORD would have preferred that the Govern- ment should have introduced this measure, to prove their strength. It would have been carried by a sweeping major- ity. Ile was satisfied that the majority of the electors in the country would support the Government in carrying such a measure. His opinion had not beea canvassed on the question, of which the first intimation he received was the notice in the order book. Had he been asked if he would support the Government ina Dill of this nature, he would readily have answered in the affirmative. He wished that the Government had introduced it, but now that it was be- fore them, were they to be debarred from voting for it be-

necessary, and believing it to be so, he was not afraid to face his constituents and discuss it with them. One reason

Louse as others containing 1500 or 1600. He supported was independent of the Government, and would oppose them if he thought them actuated by improper motives.

boast of his independence. who talked so much independence. He would tell him, however, that he (Mr. H.) would never consent to alter the constitution in the manner proposed. It was a matter of vital interest to the country, and it was the duty of the Government to introduce a measure of this nature if they deemed it was required. The English Reform Dill was not introduced into the British House of Commons by a private member. ‘The Government of the day assumed the responsibility, as the Executive Government of the Island

should in this ease. The true reason for the Bill was the

went into Committee; but as hon. members scem inclined to|the whole place has only ninety-five persons capable of ex-| closeness of recent divisions. That inference was justified

oppose going into Committee, and are desirous to know my

reasons for introducing the question, 1 shall at once state

them as briefly as I possibly can. The hon. member for the

first district of King’s County (Mr. Cooper) was the first to

ae symptoms of alarm at the introduction of the measure. t

ercising the elective franchise.

‘of the electoral districts in the Island have as many as four-

teen hundred and fifteen hundred electors, is it not absurd

_to give ninety-five voters the same extent of representation as

we give fifteen hundred? I therefore propose to make Prince-

is not for me to say that his interests will be especially town and Royalty a more respectable constituency by adding

and injuriously affected by it, but it is quite probable he may , Lot 18 to it.

apprehend that, if carried into effect, there will be an end to his ambitious schemes. He reminds us, of what we all very well know, that the country has sent ne petitions in favour ofan increase of the representation. Truc, butis it necessary that, before legislating upon any subject, we should wait for the reception of petitions? He asks if any despatches have been received from the Imperial Goverpment, recom- mending the adoption of the measure [ am about to propose ? I can safely say that I have heard of no such despatches, and 1 believe the Colonial Secretary has told us there are none. I can never subscribe to the doctrine, that, before legislating upon any important question, we should wait to receive petitions from cur Constituents or despatches from the Homeauthorities. I have always entertained the opinion —and [ think I shall never abandou it—that when a member is sent here, he does not appear in the character of a delegate, to carry out a certain code of instructions ; but rather to act in accordance with the dictates of his own conscience and judgment, and to pursue that policy best calculated to promote the interests not of his own constituents only, but those of the whole Island at large. It is right that a member should

(Hear.) Iam glad the hon. members on the | other side approve of the proposition. I do not know whether the exclamation of “hear” came from the hon. ‘member who represents Princetown and Royalty, but Ihave

‘no doubt that he is well pleased to learn that I wish to give |

him a constituency of over two hundred electors instead of ninety-five.

respectable constituency. Not the least important object to be gained by the change is a general and more equal subdi- vision of the electoral districts, so that population and

of representation. Ly referring to the map of the Island, it will be seen that the district which the Hon. Col. Treasurer represents, comprises nearly one-fuurth of the Island, in- cluding fourteen townships. Then look to the first and second districts of Queen’s County—they are not only enormously large as regards their area, but the population of each is more than that of any other two districts in the Is- land ; besides, they have not been divided off with any regard

consult with his constitueats on public questions, as I fre- quently take an opportunity of doing, and endeavour to’ ascertain their opinions, and if possible reconcile them to his. wn, should there be any disagreement ; but [ do not con- |

ceive it to be any part of the duty of'a member to sacrifice | far better subdivision of’ the districts, especially since it will not oppose be necessary to make two districts of what is now called the contrary, h It has been hinted that this change should be reduced to the former eighteen.

in the election law is to be brought forward as the prelimi- the Bill as being premature,

is OWn conscientious convictions to suit the views of any class of men. Now, Sir, I could easily point to some of the most important measures that ever passed the Legislature of this Colony, on behalf of which there was no popular demon-

stration at the time of their introduction. Let us take the | course, dissolve the House wheuever he sees the necessity to’ Haviland, bad stated that it was a Government measure ;_ Pill for increasing the elective franchise. That involved an doso; but I utterly deny that this measure is mooted by me but the introducer had expressly declared that it was not;

County.

to their topographical position, for in order to get to one dis- |

There are about 120 electors on Lot 18, these | added to Princetown and Royalty would make it a tolerably | they might deem conducive to the welfare of the people, especially such as involyed such important changes as the

territory may have their legitimate influence in the scale people.

Now, considering that some|by the fact that it had not been canvassed in the diflerent

public prints, nor were there any petitions on the table to shew that it was desired by the people. When it was stated that it should have been introduced as a Government «measure, the mover in this question suggested that the country would never have had Responsible Government had the people waited for the Government of the day to introduce it. But there was no force in the remark, for the constitu- tion of the day was totally different from that in existence now. ‘The Government at that time was responsible only to the Imperial authorities, now they held office at the pleasure of the people; and it was consequently their bounden duty to assume the responsibility of introducing measures which

one under consideration. ‘The Hon. Col. Secretary said that he would support the Bill, as increasing the liberties of the That might be the actual motive which induced him to support it, but if so, why had the Bill which he (Mr. H.) had introduced to render the Legislative Council respon- sible to the people, received the strenuous opposition of the Hon. Col. Secretary ?

Hon. Mr. MONTGOMERY would wish to know why a measure of this imporfance was introduced at this late period

of the Session. . He had never beard it mooted till a day or

people called for it. As far as the principle was concerned

trict you have to run across the other. The same objection it might be unobjectionable, but there was certainly not time will, in some measure, apply to two of the districts of King’s sufficient to adjust the details. e ' ' ‘ : It must be owned that there is not here that great to Princetown and Royalty, he could state that 170 votes the people’s, and he should like to see an expression of their

cause there were no petitions in favor of it? The Bill was} the Government.

tor the Bill was to be found in the faet, that one district con-| found their position was hecoming critical. taining only 97 voters, sent as many representatives to the| sence of any reasons shewing that any necessity for the Bill

As allusion had been made | required.

mer years, could not find many Goverament measures intro- duced by the leader of the present opposition when he had power. Eyen the measure to exclude from the House al! officers save the Attorney General and Provincial Secretary, was not introduced as a Government measure, though it in- volved greater change in the constitution than the one under discussion. As to Princetown, he remembered the time when some twenty-four voters seut two members to the House. No wonder the representative of that place should be annoyed at the proposed change. He would have no objection to sup- port the Bill as a Government measure,

Hon. COL. SECRETARY.—At the time of the English Reform Bill, alluded to by the hon, member (Mr, Haviland), Karl Grey was in opposition. Ile was sent for and instruct- ed to form a ministry ; he did so, and carried the Bill. As to this not being a Government measure, did the hon. mem- ber mean that members of Government were bound to oppose every measure they themselves did not introduce? He had only heard of the intention to introduce the Bill on Good Friday. The census returns shewed that the change was but an act of justice to the people. As to the stress laid by the hon. member on the change in the constitution, his own Bill for making the Legislative Council elective involved a greater change. If the present Bill was necessary, now wos the proper time to pass it, because if they waited till the last Session of the House, they might be charged with motives of political intrigue, At present the Government were sus- ‘tained in the louse. If any differences did exist amony their supporters they were merely on points of minor importance —not sufficient to disunite a party. They all know how often the public business was stopped for want of a quorum, and it was unjust that there should be such a difference in districts. They should be assimilated with as. much refer- ence as possible to population.

Mr. COOPER considered the people as the body and the Government as the head. It was necessary to strengthen the body, but not the head. He was afraid the latter was becoming too big for the former. The additional expense would be considerable. He considered the measure introduced with a view to prevent the proper settlement of the land question. Mr. Pope had told him. that in the last arrange- ment of the electoral districts it had been necessary to cut out one to suit him, The division in the Bill appeared to him to have been made with the view of placing certain dis- tricts under particular influences. In some, the influence of the rent roll might preponderate. If the question had been referred to the people—if the hen. member, Mr. Whelan, had confined his action to a motion that the Bill be printed for general infurmation, he would not, perhaps, oppose it. If, as had been stated, the Bill were really desired by the people, there could be no objection to their opinions being before us. r

Hon. Mr. PALMER was reminded of the old distich —

** Treason never peospers: what's the reason ? Why, when it prospers none dare call it treason.’’ So it was with the Government measures; when they fail they are not Government measures. As to the disclaimers of this being a Government measure, be considered them al] bunkum. It was a Government measure, no matter who in- troduced it; it oviginated with the Government, and was introduced by an officer who owed his place and position to Jt had not been asked for by the people. The true history of it was, the Government, in seeret con- clave, had coneocted this Bill to save themselves when they From the ab-

exists, it was only fair to suppose that the true motives for

the measure regardless of what the opposition might say. He/| introducing the Bill were covert, aud that there were none

other. Let the Bil once pass the House, and then would be witnessed the mockery of sending it to the Legislative

Mr. HAVILAND was amused to hear the hon. member | Council, where not cve1 two could be found to say it should There was no one in the House! not become law.

It was melancholy to consider the corrup- tion of that body, where any measure against the oflice- holders would not find a seconder. Was there any doubt as to what course that body would adopt when the fiat had gone forth from this House? They would follow the course pur- sued here, as the shadow follows the substance. The prin- cipal reason alleged for the Bill is the increase of the population of the Island; but on comparison with other coun- tries, there will be found no grounds to justify this measure on the fact of population baving increased, The hon. member here read a variety of statistics of proportion of representation to population in Great Britain and Sreland, as well as in the United States and North American Colonies, to shew that the representatives had much larger constituen- cies in those countries than herve. The Reporter could not take down the numerous figures. The hon. member then | proceeded to state that if the number of members of the House were increased, a proportionate augmentation should be made to those of the Legislative Council ; however, as at present constituted, it mattered little whether it consisted of 12, 24 or 48 members, the business could be done just as well by one. The Clerk could read a Bill to him, and let him be styled the Legislative Council, The additional ex- pense of the increased number of members would be a serious burden, unasked for by the people, and merely imposed to serve party interests. It was rather an Lrish way to test ‘the sense of the people oa the Bill after it had passed. It ‘had been properly suggested that it should lie over till the _people’s opinion had been taken on it. The question had ‘never been mooted. The Hon. Col. Secretary had stated ‘that he had first heard of the Bill on Good Friday; truly ‘an appropriate day for bad deeds. He thought that the House should not go further in this matter than to give | notice for next Session, or 9s the hon. member, M r. Cooper, ‘had suggested, let the Bill be printed, and the public opinion elicited by next Session, Ie supposed the Government had ‘given the best reasons they could for passing the Bill, but

two since. It was time enough to introduce it when the they certainly had given no reason for pressing the matter any further this Session.

Mr. LAIRD was not convineed that the Bill was

If it was not a Government measure, it must be

: ; ; : ss anit : os i +t wishe 2 Wi hings they cannot get. If inequality with regard to population which is observable in were polled there at the last election. The House had yet wishes. The people wish many t gs tI on wa two scellan but it will be quite easy to make a ‘two years to run; if the people were in favor of it he would it were not a Government measure, yet it bad been brought

Murray Harbor district.

nary toa dissolution of the House. The Governor can, of |

He would oppose |

Hon. Mr. WIGHTMAN said that the hon. member, Mr. |

i

it; but he had not heard one advocate it; on the in by the hon. member, Mr. Whelan, who was tryiug to shilt e had listened to the wish that their numbers his district to the swamps about the W orrel

estate to secure his re-election. He would not support the measure as he

had heard no good reason for it. :

M ; CLARIS said, that as to the honoral#e member hav ng heard no good reason for the Bill, no doubt it was difficult to get reason into his head. The Lill was intended to remove