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THE WAAAY,

SATURDAY, MARCH dth, 1848. <_<. --—-- So neenienannaeaennpallpgnduemensnnemcany aioe ——————

RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMEN TP.

“Dersy. Biddy will ye mirry me? Bivvy. Yes, Derby, and thik ye too” [MARRIAGE MADE EASY.

The practicability of the Responsible Government System,.in every British Colony to which has been granted Constitutional Parliamentary Representation, ts pow no longer to be tre ited as a theoretical quesiion, or the possession and enjoyment of it to be regarded as a! speculative right: for it his uow been declared, we fee! ourselves fully authorized to su, by the [inperial Go- vecunent, that in every sach Colony, should immediately beadupted thu system of Parliuaentary Government which his long prevailed inthe Mother Country, and ewhich seems to be a necessiry part of Representative {ostitutions in a certain stige of thetr progress. At that stage his the Parliamentary lastiiation of Prince E lward: Island arrived; nd, if her present [Louse of Asseinbly be} trae to their trast, before the usu period of proroyation | shill hive arrived, Responsible Govern nent will be as! fairly established im tits Colony,as it is in the neighbour- ing Province of Nova Scotia. Earl Grey has etfeeruailly

THE EXAMINEN. : , P27

eens

on the other hand, those who are to have the general,it after all—much as it has been boggled at—no “her- direction of affurs exercise that function by virtue of calean task, but one whick they might accomplish, both their responsibility to the Lgislature, which implies their; with due regard to justice, and even liberality, on the being removable from office, and also that they should one hand, and aiuii consideration of the present limited be Me nbers either of the Assembly or the Legislative, but increasing resources of the Colony on the other,— Council.’ | fhis primary obstacle then once happily removed—as, if

5 + |the majority of the Assembly in reality desire it should, In the first place then,—to commence with the Exe-| jz speedily will be —what then will remain fur them to do?

: ‘ ae J 2 ’ ® . ~ . » > ; ecutive —the Government or Executive Council must be! Why nothing but to clear the decks, and make ready —ndt

formed of persons aoe principle with the majority for battle, but for the fall practical recognition of the prin-

of the House of Assembly —the People’s Representatives ¢jnles of Responsible or Parliamentary Government, by

and, at the siume,enjoying the contidence of Her Mayes-| »ecommending to His Excellency an immediate DISSO-

ty’s Representative ; and, moreover, some of the leaders | UTION OF THE PRESENT ASSEMBLY, and ‘ | ba . 4 Rae oss ’ |

of the Govern mbnt Cesrgas Seine men, in whose prin- 414, CALLING OF A NEW HOUSE without the ciples and character, the majority of the Assembly are) joact unnecessary delay,

disposed to contide,—must themselves have seats mn the) Ty Cate euieiaitiinde id :

Assembly ; thit therein they may propound, and defend, ~ _ a fee my ona be afforded to those there own measures. Earl Grey, in one paragraph of! oom oor ded’ . Prat nee oliices which ought this Despatch, states it to be his opinion that the Attor-| © e regarded as poutical, and the holders of which

a : ‘ > seats in ney General avd Provincial Secretary, with, perhaps,the CUsht to have t the Assembly, to offer themselves

Zolieitor: General, would be sufficient to constitute the |35 candidates for the representation of some of our con-

. ; : ae * oe “- ‘3 ° ° responsible advisers of the Governor, But, as the Execu- SUMencies 5 and, if chosen as their representatives, and

tive “are a body, upon wham the Government must be able ound to entertain the same yolitical sentiments as the

ty call at any or at all times for advice ;” and as it is in| inajority of the N BN A en On might, with perfect possible to expect that men of superior capacity wil | Property ean etc of His Sec etoca one act a9 devote themselves to the puife service, unless assured ‘© Fespons! ency, both in the

; | Cabi i ssembly ; care t i of an adequate reward ; the noble Secretary has observed, | ubinet, and the Assembly 5 care, at the same. time,

that * if only two or three of the principal offices are to| eing taken, by His Excellency, that the members of

be regarded as political, it may, very probably, be advis-

the Cabinet, having seats in the Legislative Council,shall

: te of Prince Edw oF “ill yor ; sntleme enjoying i jo- said to the peopie of Prince Edward Island, Will you ac-| syle to agsign salaries to two or three of the Executive. be gentlemen a6 joying the confidence of the majo cept Responsib'e Government? Let them, through there! ‘rity of the Assembly,

sal ‘Councillors, as such 3” or, as he hints, in another para-| . representatives, io initation of the willinguad delighted And thus would, at once, be completely established

‘graph of the same Despatch, the number of political os : Balj. pronptly ant positively reply, Yes, my Lord. and lata mivht be a litile Satie « should the venenne ol confirmed that systein of Responsible, Parliamentary,

and thank you too ; and, fortuwith, the bargain will be) of doing so be found to be not more than the Colonial or Self-Government, which has so long been the political

struck, and the question for ever settled.

Tne following extracts from Earl Grey's Responsible Government Desp itch —which, as we said in our number of the 19th alt, we thin’ fully elucidate the great prin- ciples of that system of Colonial Government which it recommends. and authorizes—we now tay before our readers. acco:npanied by a few observations of our own, intended tu point out the real changes which will be effected by the introduction of the Responsible Systein in this Colony.

‘Nov, there is scarcely any prt of the svatem of Govern nent in this country, which | consider of greater value than that which, thou rh not enforced by any writ- ten lav, but deriving is authority frou usege ant public opinion, mikes the tenure of the great majority of offices ia the public service to depend upon good behaviour.

‘Tne exception is in the case of those high public ser-

Revenue would conveniently bear.”—We have said, that some of the leaders of the Government must, under the working of the Responsible System, have seats in the Assem)ly; and this—although Earl Grey says that the inen who are to have the general direction of atfiire must be members,either of the Assembly or of the Legistative Council—we maintain ts absolutely necessary, because they must be men “taking a leading part in political life, and, above all, exercising tufluence over the Assembly;” because it is, catuin'y, “one of the first dues of Govermnent”—although the fact, in this and the other British North American Colonies, bas long been over- looked “to suggest improvements where they are wanted,” ind because the Administration should possess sufficient energy to be able to occupy the attention of the country npon real improvements, and lo lead the Legislature in

Vints, whom it is necessary io invest with such discre- the Colony. if, then, the leading men, amongst tho:

desideratum of the people; inasmuch as the affairs of the Colony would then be responsibly administered, by men “enjoying the confidence of the Legislature, and, more especially, of that Branch of the Legislature, which directly represents the people.”

We have admitted that the first great difficulty—at least in the opinion of the Imperial Government—which is to be overcome, with a view to the establishment of Responsible Government in this Colony; presents itself inthe shape of @ demand, on the part of the Mother Country, that we should provide for the payment of our awn Civil List: and we have stated it to be our opinion, that this obstacle should not be allowed to frustrate our endeevours and apnibilate our hopes, even should ‘there be discovered no other method of overcoming tt, ‘than what may be found in a compliance with the demand

ihe preparation and adoption of measures for the beneSt of] of the tiome Government. But we must not allow this e

our individual opinion,-—implying a beiief that by a pro-

tion as reilly to leave in their hinds the whole direction

who are to have the genera! direction of affairs, are to! vident distribution of the fortunately increasing revenue

of the policy of the Enpire in all its various . depirt-|he men above all exercising influence over the Assembly ;\of the Colony, we might be able to provide for the pay- ments. Such power must, with a Representative Go-| if they are to be men able to lead the Legislature in the| ent of our Civil List—to go forth to our readers without vernment, be subject to coastant control by Parliament | preparation and adoption of measures for the benefit of the anvexing to it our protest against the retention of the and is, therefore, ad ninistered only by such persons, as Colony —as, We presnine, it will not be denied they ought!) Crown Lands by the Imperial Government, in the event fron time to time, enjoy the confidence of Parliament 4*\ty be; will it not also be adinitied that the leading men of ourtaking upon us the burthen of our own Civil List.

wellas of the Crown. These Heads of Depsrtments, ae the Government onght, chiefly, to have seats in the! Letthe Imperial Government, we say on behalf of the

Ministers, together with their iaunediate subordinates, who are reqtired to represent or support them: in Par-| liament, are alinost inviriably Venbers, of one of other House, and hold their offices only as long as they enjoy the cenfidence of Parlituent.’

* Though it is not without some inconveniences, I re- gard this syste as possessing, upon the whole, very greit advant ges.’

‘In order to keep the Executive Government in har mony with the Leygisliture, it is doubtless neceserry

Representat've Branch, because therein avast, of necessity, people, restore to us what ought to bea Portion of our originate all measures for the general improvement of /eritimate means for the payment of our Civil List, and, the country and the opening up of ita resources, which | we will cheerfully provide for it. The Imperial Govern-

'—embodied in whet are termed Money Bills—would| went, whilst withholding from us a part of these

affect the pockets of the people. According, then, to the means, can have no right to call upon us for an leading principle of Responsible Government, thus act, for our performance of which, it would be nothin developed, and the admissions which must necessarily; more than reasonable in them to conclude, we shoul follow; we think it quite clear that the Attorney General require all the power which can be derived trom our ind the Colonial Secretary, at least, as the chief rerpon-| native resources of every kind. ‘The perpetration of an sible advisers of the Governor, should have seats in the |original wrong can never be admitted as a valid plea for

that the direction of the internal policy of the Colony! Asaeinbly; but thet, in the Legislative Council, the! the subsequent withhol¢ng ofan undeniable or admitted

should be entrusted to those who enjoy the confidence ofthe Provincial Parliament; bat it is of geeat moment Motto carry the practice of chinging Public Ov ficers further than is obsolutely necessiry for the attainment of thit end, lest the administration of public affiire should be derrnge!! by increising the bitterness of party spirit, and subjecting the whole machinery of Govero-

Cubinet ought to be represented by any other, or others |right. Nay, we go still further, and say, that, as, at the ofthe Executive Conactl, who, either as holding public | very commencement of British rule in this Island, the offices, or as salaried Execuiive Councillors, are to be) British Government, by its most impolitic wholesale ‘regavded as removable on losing the contidence of the! grants of immense tracts of lands therein, to a few indi- | Legisiasure. viduals, inflicted, upon its future British Colonists, an

Having so fir contemplated the change which would, be eff-eted in the compesition of the Executive Council

ment to perpetual change and uncertainty.’ * Ofthe present Me ners of your Council, the Attorney

aml the Assembly,—as respects the political char- acter of sone of their members—under the Responsible

General and Provincial Secretary. to whom she Solietor| System; let us—bearing fully in mind these important General should perl ips be added. appear to me sufficient! facts, that Responsible Government is not only “the well- to constitute the responsible advisers of the Governo-.| understood wisi of the people.as expressed by their repre- The holders of these offices should henceforth regerd | sentatives.” but that with freely-extended hand, it is held them as held on a politics! tenure; and, with a view to outto us. for our acceptance, notas a boon butasa right. thit end, the Provincial Secretiry should be preprred,| hy the [nperial Government—fally bearing, we say.

in the event of any chinge, to disconnect from his offlce| these facts in mind, let us enquire why this Colony that of the Clerkshup of the Council, which seems to be should be dooined any longer to sicken with hove defer-

on? thit should, on every account, be held on a more perinanent tenure.’

*[t is possible thit, in the event of any chinge being Ten lerel necessary by the course of events in the Pro. Vincial Parliament. the pirty succeeding to power might insist on incrersing the aauber of political offices hy

adding to the list of those to be so regarded. In case)

such a question sould arise, { must leave it to your dis- Cretioa, on a view of virious local and te:mporary cir- cu nstances, which | am at present unible to appreciate. to form your own decisioa with respect to any such de- mind.’

* You will observe thit in the preceding observations, Thave assu ned thit those only of the publie servants wh» are to be regirded as removable on losing the con- filence of the Levislature, are to be Members of the Executive Council.

‘These public servants who hold their offices perma- “Rently, mast, upon that very ground, be regarded as ‘*bordinate, and ought not to be Members of either ‘House of the Legislature, by which they would necess- @rily he more er less mixed up, in party struggles; and

red, and why it should not immediately be put into a condition to enjoy all the advantages which the pusses- sion of a truly British—a truly Responsible Governinent —-would undoubtedly confer upon it, and with the pros- pect of which it is now only tantalized and deceived. The first obstacle to the introduction of the Respon- sible Systein in ttns Colony, we all know, to be the want ofa Colonial Legislative provision forthe payment of our Civil List; for the Laperial Governinent have given us'to understand that, without such a legislative provision on our part, they will not consent that the Government Osficers, now deriving their Salaries from the Imperial Excheqner, should be dependent upon the popular voice in the Colony, for the tenure of their offices. This obstacle, we think, is very far from being insuper- able; and, were the present majority in the Assembly — loudly professing, as thev have lately dene, to desire the imenediate introduction of Responsible or Parliamentary Government into the Colony—earnnstly, as a proof of their sincerity, to set about the removal of this primary

almost irreparable evil, by perpetuating, so long as these grants are to be considered irrevocable, a most irritating and grievous iinpediment to the progress of general im- provement inthe Colony; it would amount tg no more than a gracious acknowledgment of the error into which the British Government originally fell with respect to this Island,—and could scarcely deserve to be considered as any thing further than an act of imperfect and tardy justice, were the present Imperial Government to en- yage for the payment of our Civil List by the Mother Country—even afier the establishment in the Colony of Responsible Government—if not in perpetuity, at least until we shall have so far progressed inthe highwey towards wealth and prosperity, that there con no longer remain any reason for considering our ultimate attain- ment and permanent possession of these grand objects of a people’s ambition, at all problematical.

THE MAILS.

On Monday last we were furnished by the arrival of the Mail with files of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Canada, Bermuda, and Uuited States Papers. The news which they supply is neither very important nor interesting.—In Nova Scotia, the new Liberal Administration has been completely formed: Messrs. Howe and Uniacke have addressed the Elec« tors of the County and Township of Halifax, desiring to be re-elected to their places in the Assembly which they had vacated by accepting offices of emolument under the Crown.—I{n the Legislature of New Bruns- wick, which is now in Session, the Responsible Govern- ment Despatch of Earl Grey was read, and a motion

obstaele, assisted as they would be—head, heart and jhand—by the minority; they would, we are certain, find

made to have its principles carried out in that Province, —From Newfoundland the Newspapers report the coa-

a