SEMI-WEEKL

AND

“HIS 15 TRUE LIBEKTY WHEN FREE-BORN MEN—HAVING TO ADVISE THE PUBLIC—MAY SPEAK FREF.”—Mixror’s Euriripes.

veW BBRLBS.

fOUSE OF ASSEMBLY. Tvrspar, 12h March. STOPPAGE OF SUPPLIES. (Conunged from ovr last.)

Mir. Wuetax replied tothe Hon. Mr. Thornton. He was rejoiced to find that one, at least, of the minority ned courage enough to oppose the passage of the Reso- lution, As the discussion proceeded—he could not say debate, as that word implied difference of opinion—he felt no animatien at the prospect of triumph, since the enemy appeared too weak to offer battle. Now, how- ever, that the honorable gentlesman who represents the Government, had fairly entered the arena, he (Mr. W.) felt pleasure in coming forwatd to confront him. He should, indeed, give the honorable member from Mur- ray Harbour tredit for the caution and tact he displayed in his opposition to the Resolution. It might be sap- posed that when he rose to speak, a defence of the Government would be the chief object of his solicitude ; but he had very wisely left the Government to take’care éf itself, and Jaboured to vindicate himself, as an indi- vidwal member of the Council, from the objoquy which attached to the whole. The honorable gentleman has proclaimed his adhesion to the Responsible Government movement; bat what time has he chosen to do so? Having opposed it in the last and preceding Sessions, what value should be eet upon his support, now at the eleventh or twelfth hour, when the question can be set- tled independently both of him and his party. But, Sir, (continued Mr. W.) I value but slightly the preten- sions of any honorable member who will say he is ; favourable to the intfeduction of Responsible Govern- nent, and declare, at the same time, his determination +) vote against the Resolution now before the Commit- we, as the adoption of that Resolution appears to be the only alternative left to the advecates of responsibility. I arm aware it will involve consequences of very serious moment to the Colony; but for the part I am prepared totake in bringing about these consequences, I am ready to asstime my full share of the responsibility be-+ ‘ine my Constituents. It has not been with me the sub- ject of mefely an hour’s or a day’s consideration ; before the Session commenced, I believed that such a proceed- ag would be found necessary, for I understood the character of our Government too well to give it credit &@e that independence and regard for public opinion whieh would induce any other Administration to make 1 prompt and gracious concession to the wishes of the Veople’s Representatives. The honorable member from Murray Harbour cannot, forsooth, vote for the Resoln- tion because he is a member of the Government, and vecause that Resolution contemplates a step unprece- jented in the history of the Colony. If he isa meinber of the Govertment, he ought not to be: he would prove tue sincerity of the eentiments which he professed to

XaMiner,

INTELLIGENCER.

_ CHARLOTTETOWN, APRIL 10, 1850.

well-defined principles, questions relating to the admi- nietration of affairs wil! sometimes be adjusted without reference to any rule or prectice which may be found to exist in Britain.

But since the hon. member from Murray Harbour muet bring the question of precedents into the debate, I aek him, will he find in the history of this Colony or any other, an analogy—or precedent, if he prefers the word—for the course taken by the Govérnment oz this octasion?—When and where did the circumstance occur, that a vote of want of confidence was passed by a majority of 17 to 3, and the Council against whom such an unmistakeable condemnation was recorded, sti!! helé ‘their places? His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor declares, he has not power to change his Go- vernment—that a concession to the views of the As- sembly would be a direct contravention of Her Majesty’s instroctions. With all proper respect for the Queen’s Represntative, I beg to say that I think he js in error. The Despatch to which reference has been made by the hon. Member from Murray Harbour, in support of the position assumed by the Lientenant Goverior, coes not prohibit the introduction efthe new system of Go- vernment, and sanction hostility to the people. ‘The hon. member may imagine that he finds inthe Despatch of the 27th December last a justification of His Excel- lency’s policy ; and it is nodoubt a source o* satisfaction tc him and to his colléagues in the Government that some portion of that Despatch may be construed to warrant their unjustifiable retention of powér. But let the hon. member cast his eyes a little further down upon that Despatch, and he will plainly see that it is not the desire nor intention of Her Majesty’s Government to have the affairs of this colony administered in a manner contrary to the feelings and opinions of thé people. What does my Lord Grey mean when he repeats the declaration made to the Governor of Nova Scotia, if he were not disposed to sanction a change in the character of the administration whenever public opinion should _call for such change? Public opinion has called for it; but members of Government look awfully grand and say unto themselves—-we are, and shall be, above public opinion! Irrespective of the abstract claim which the Island possesses to a participation inthe advantages which must result to any colony from a faithful adoption of the responsible system, | contend it was the duty of the Governor to dismiss his Council, if they would not resign, and call new advisers around him, at the moment the House of Assembly declared it had no confidence in their administration of affairs. In this procedure His “xcellency would have been borne ont, not only by the Despatch of the 27th December, but by one of a muctfi older date, and since the hon, mémber from Murray Harbour appears unwilling to do anythihg—to move either to the right or to the left—without the direct sanction of a Despatch, I trust his apprehensions wil] be removed and his mind informed by an ekxtratt which I am now about to read from a Despatch transmitted to a former Governor of this Island by the present Prime Minister of England while acting as Secretary for the Colonies. “You will understand,” said Lord John Russell in 1839, “ and cause it to be generally known, that hereafter the teiure of Colonial officers, held during Her Majesty’s pleasure, will not be regarded as equiva- lent toa tenure during good behaviour; bit that such officera will be called upon to retire from the public service a3 often as ahy sufficient motives of public policy may suggest the expediency of Rat measure.” Why have not the hon. member from Murray Harbour and his célleagues in the Covernment, been calléd upon to retire

emertain with respect to Responsible Government, and

this Island, at least, [ am willing to admit; but how | many things are here done for which no precedent can be found? Must we of necessity pause befére adopting | any meagure, and ask—is there an example for this?) Tomake it necessary to find 4 precedent for every ehange clearly necessary for the well-being of the Co- iony, would be a most effectual way indeed to stop the | progress of all beneficial reform. Individuals who could | never think it right to advance without a precedent, |

seemed most absurdly to forget that there must hare | '

beeu a time when every record aow accounted a prece- |

‘from the Council? Is not a vote of a large majority of

his regard for the opinions of his constitaents, by ceas- |

ing to be a member of the Government when it was - suggest the expediency of that measure” ? If it be shown that it no longer possessed the confidence of the not, then it is difficult to say what is.

country :—that the Resolution was without precedent in |

the People’s Representatives a “sufficient motive” to

An attempt has been made to render the movement for Responsible Government an unpopular one, by re- presenting that its adoption would involve a pension list in addition to the burthens of the Colony, and the hon. member from Murray Harbour has complacently reter- red the Committee to that partof Lord Grey’s Despatch which alludes tothe subject of pensions. 1 think those who have charge of the public money should be the fittest persons to decide as to the manner of ite appro- priation; and I am quite satisfied that neither Lord Grey nor any other lord will succeed in convincing the House of Assembly, that pensions ought to be given to, or that they are deserved by, any of the present officials. For my part, f would not vote a shilling cf the public money towards a pension for any Officer in the Colony, | because there is not one who can estad)ish a claim to |

land, whose Government is conducted according to no |

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superior employment, or sacrificed any prospective ad- vantage, and because the country is too young and its

“Revenue too small to warrant the ruinous system of pro-

viding retiring allowances for gentlemen who have been patriotic enough to serve themselves while they served the Crown for a series of years. If. it be necessary, however, that we should be guided in’our deliberattons in reference to the question of pensions, by instructions contained in Despatches from the Colonial Office, # will be admitted, I presume, that the suggestions of 3 former Colonial ‘Secretary, who is now at the head of Her Majesty’s Government, ought to have as great an influence on the minds of this Committee as anything which has emanated from his successor. [In Lord John Russell’s Despatch of 1&389—often quoted in this House, and from which I have just now cited a passage—an opinion is expressed, that only those officers who re- ceived their appoititinents in England should be regarded as having claim vpon Government whenever they would be required to retire from the public service. “ It may not be unadvisable,” nis lordship observes, ‘‘to compén- sate any such Officers”—that is, “such as have left Great Britain for the express purpose of accepting the offices they at present fill,’ ‘tor their disappointment, even by pecuniary grants, when it may appear unjust to dispense with their Services without such an indemnity.” Ig there any one of the officials 60 circumstanced? No. A similar cry for pensions was raised in Nova Scotis previously to the introduction ofthe Responsible Sys- tem into the Government of that Province, but the only gentleman who was provided for when the change oc- curred was the late Provincial Secretary, who received that appointment in England, from which “ motives of public policy” dictated the expedieticy of his. remova!. Did Earl Grey, who was then as hotv, Secretary for the Colonies, complain of the conduct of the Legislature of Nova Scotia? Were the claims of the late office- holders made the subject of long cdrrespondence with Downing street?’ Did the Lieutenant Governor haggle with the House of Assembly as to the price this gentle- man or that ¢ than should have for relinquishing bw situation? No, Sir, the adj of this question was very properly ieft to the House of Assembly; and «it will be ultimately left to the House of Assembly of this Island too, though it may for a time be obstructed and annoyed by mal-official interference and secret intrigue. I do not believe the professed advocates for pensions can be sincere in urging this subject upon the attention of the Assembly. I regard the outcry that has beeu made about it only as a trick to deter the public from sanctioning the advocacy of Responsible Government. Every other subterfuge having failed, a pension list is now considered to be a good argument against the mea- sure, and as such it is used. We were first told that we were incompetent to be entrusted with the manage- ment of our own affairs—that we had no men of wealth and education to 4]l situations under Government, if the present holders of office were required to retire. Will any honorable member tell me what amount of wealth— what extent of erudition distinguished the present offi - cials on their accession to power? Even now, how fac superior are they in mental acquirements to many other individuals to be readily found inthe community? And as for their wealth, it cannot be.very abundant, else we should not be.sc often told,that if some of them, at least, ve deprived of their official employments, they will be immediately reduced to indigence and want. But how was the Government of the Island conducted before those good and eminent men came into the world? Was the country.in a state of barbarisin—were its inha- bitants poor and unenlightened savages till, in the fulj- ness of their compassion, in the plenitude of their wie- dom, those immaculate and incomparable gentlemen eame forward to guide the vessel of state? Alas, that the common lot of humanity will not permit us to hope for a realization of the extravagant Spanish compliment, —“ May they live for a thousand years, and their sha- dows never grow less!”—for when they shall depart for “that undiscovered country from whose bourne no tra- veller returns,” who will be found to “fill their vacant places,” and maintain the institutions, the liberty and the prosperity of the land? An honorable member from Prince County (Mr. Pofie) has called to our reco!- lection the rise and progress of the United States of America, and has very happily and forcibly shown thar it is not to aristocratic influence—nor great wealth— nor profound and extensive scholastic attainments, the people of those States are indebted for the establishment of a Government the happiest and the best that humau

genings hea ever planned. Their unrivalled progress in the arts and seiences—their vast accumulation of the

we oT an original and unprecedented act. Inthe | sich consideration --not one individnal connected with comforts and luxuries of |ife—their wide-spread influence uogistature of a smal! Colony like Prince Edward [3- the Government who. by taking oMce, relinquished any amongst the nations of the cirth—are all unmistareable

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