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SEMI-WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER.

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CHARLOTTETOWN, JUNE 12, 185

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HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY. ~ Korsoax, 30th April.

A4OUSE IN COMMITTEE GN THE STATS OF THE COUONY.

Mr. ¥x0 said the honorable member.who:had just sat

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down had spun the House a,very long yara, which,.in-

his (Mr, Yeo’s) pinion, had been much more tiresome than profitable. d | the | 1

had laboured threugh it in vain. His chief object, he (Mr. Yeo) thought, had been to prove that his Excel- lency was an arbitrary Governor. He (Mr. Y.) would

Indeed ke thoeght the hon. member

admit that his Excellency might have a very bad temper

—he would not say that he had not—but, although his temper might not be geod, it did not follow that he was a bad Governor.’ Indeed, so far was he from being a

bad Governor, that all of which he could be accused |

was his having disappointed the selfish expectations of the Snatchers, His Excellency, however, in his (Mr. ¥’s.) opinion, had shown a rather blameable willingness to gratify them. He had gome so far as to offer them three seats in ‘the Executive Council; but that would not satisfy them. They.wanted to have all in their possession and at their command—the money chest and every office of emolument in the colony ; and because his Excellency had refused to comply with their extra- vagent and selfish demands, they turned round upon him, and in their vexation and spite, represented him as atyrant. The country, through their bad and improvi- dent legislation, was burthened with a public debt of about £30,000, and not satisfied with the mischief alrgady done, they were madly bent upona course which would still further increase the pecuniary embarrassinents of the colony. The fact was that they cared not what evils they brought upon the country, provided they could only elevate and benefit themselves.. Their only object was to dig nests for themselves—to put out the present officials, that they might get in themselves. He had known the country as long as most offthe members, and he was bold to maintatn that there were no better men to.be foend in it than they were agzinst whom the ma- jority were raising so great an outcry. The colony might get Governor after Governor, but,no Governor or eny change would please ‘the Snatchers,’ unless they could have everything at their own disposal. If they were permitted to go on, they would keep the country in a constant state of agitation, until, in the end, they brought about the annexation of this Island, like that of Cape Breton, to Nova Scotia. ;

Mr. Cones, in answer to Mr. Yeo’s assertion that “the Snatchers,” as he styled them, had burthened the country with aheavy public debt, replied that it was not the Liberals, but the Tories who fad brought financial embarrassment upon. the cquntry by a course of impro- vident legislation.

Mr. Monraomenr was of opinion that the facts of the case gave a decided contradiction to the assertion contained in the resolution. ‘The resolution charged

his Excellency with “continued determination to oppose the wishes of the flouse for the reconstruction of his Executive Council:” but the truth of the matter was, as kis Excellency had stated in his speech, that he had no power at present to reconstruct his Council. His Ex- cellency’s speech, in which he had positively declared that he kad no such pewer, would be seen by jis Royal Mistress, or, which was the same thing, by his Master, the Secretary for the Colonies; and could it be supposed for a moment, even were it to be granted that Sir Donald felt disposed to substitute his own inclina- tions for the directions of the Imperial Government, that he would venture to make such a declaration were itnot true. If they wished strictly to state the truth in the resolution, they would say, “In consequence of the continued determination of his Excellency Sir Donald Campbell to oppose the wishes of the House, in the re- construction of his Executive Council, until he shall be authorized to do so by instructions from the Home Go- vernment.” No doubt if time should be afforded for due deliberation concerning the question by the Home Government, such authority would be received by his Excelleacy ; and, certainly, it would be both premature and unjust to impeach his Excellency’s character, as a Governor, because he had not done, or would not do, that—however much it might be desired by the House —which his instructions from the Imperial] Government gave him no power todo. Since the honorable member for Queen’s County (Mr. Coles) had made something like an appeal to fim (Mr. M.) as High Sheriff, fora confirmation of what he had stated concerning his [Ex- cellency’s alleved interference with the Grand Jury, it was right that he should reply te,it. He believed that nimpression had been-made epon hie Excellency’s

mind—a very erroneous one however—perhaps.in con-

sequence, in @ great measure, of what the deserter him-

| self, in the case in question, had said in his own excul-

pation or in palliation of his offence, that the Island tarmers were, fer their own benefit, in the habit of en- couraging or enticing soldiers.to desert; aad, therefore, his Excellency had been anxious concerning the result of the investigation by the Grand Jury, touching a cer- tain desertion, hoping that the issue might be such as to render deseftions more*difficult, and, consequently, less frequent in. future. ‘Phe issue of the enquiry by the Grand Jury, however, proving contrary to his Excel- lency’s expectation, I ca upon him at. his office,

cerning desertions and the offence with which the farmer had been charged, his Excellency asked me for a list of the Grand Jury, which I gave him accordingly ; and that was all that passed.

Mr. Speaker moved to strike out the words “ econ- tinued determination” and “to oppose,” and to insert in place thereof, ‘repeated refusal” and “to accede ;” grounding his arguments for the alteration upon the fact that his Excellency had deliberately, most deliberately, in his speech at closing the session on the 26th March, declared that he had no authority to concede to this colony the system of Responsible Government. Had Eark Grey given the Governor power so to do, much more had he directed him so to do, he would not have refused ; at least the House could not reasonable pre- sume he would. Gentlemen refer to Despatches: un- fortunately those documents are written, if not in an evasive, yet ina diplomatic style—admitting of differ- ent interpretations.

Mr. Cores, Mr. Wuenan, Mr. Craxx, and Mr. Mooney, severally spoke against the amendment pro- posed bv the honorable Speaker ; Mr. Whelan alleging that he (the hon. Speaxer) was apt to mystify, but that, in mystification and sophistry, he had now eclipsed his former essays in that line; Mr. Coles partly concurring in, and partly dissenting from, the propriety of the amendinent; Mr. Clark stating that he did not think it would be proper to allow the hon. Speaker to amend the motion of another member, when the amendment would not alter the meaning or express it better; and Mr. Mooney saying that the hon. Speaker had now shown himself ia his true colours: he had never spoken in his (Mr. M’s.) hearing, so clearly and forcibly at any former time; and that it was very plain he was against Re- sponsible Government: having got the Speakership, he saw no prospect of anything better for himself from any change it could effect, and, therefore, he would oppose it.

Mr. Speaker replied that, in regard to Responsible Government, he entertained and expressed the same opinions which, in 1817 and 1848, he had expressed in the House, and which, in 1849, he had expressed at different public meetings. As for mystification and, sophistry, it might do well enough to impute those to him in.a newspaper paragraph, but not one member around the House believed he was attempting sucha procedure, or that he spoke otherwise than he thought. {Here Mr. Whelan said he had not meant to impute either insiacerity or improper motives to the kon. Speak- er.) Mr. Speaker replied, that he who mystified, and used sophistry, attempted by verbiage to confound and con- fuse others, and to get them to believe what he himself did not believe—a line of conduct which, as a member, he had never followed. As for Mr. Mooney’s wish to have had the same benefit of education which he (the hon. Speaker) ‘had enjoyed, and to have ar academic title attached'to his name, these and similar observa- tions were, at least, unnecessary. If he (the honorable Speaker) knew other languages besides that'in which the House transacted business, he had never used them there. He had never subjected himself to an accusa- tion of pedantry, and, therefore,should on that score be unmolested. As for censuring the Governor about tampering ‘with Juries : if' he did so, he was very, very wrong.’ As forhis blaming the people of this colony as to desertion, he might be excused: he might, by busy people, be led to suspect that such was the case ; and, in some few instances, it might be so, but not in ceneral. Men would not question too closely the man who entered their houses and claimed their hospitality: there were the duties of forbearance on the guest, and equally on the man whose roof<ree sheltered him, But, would they know who,were the real encouragers, of desertion? They were the Mwisters, who, enlisting men in the prime of youth, sent them hither and thither over the world; and after seven, eight, or nine years of service, dismissed them’in Ireland, in a country efilieted

with pestilence, famine, civil bros, and everything dis- agreeable. Was it.in human nature that soldiers. ui)

—HAVING ‘TQ ADVISE THE PUBLIC—MAY SPEAK FREE.”—Mintos’s Bortewes.

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agreeably to his wish, and after some conversation con- ,

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0. a9 Vol. 1: No. 38.

America, in this cclony, were they could by labour get ds, per day;.so nigh the States, where they could get os. per day, that they would not desert, rather than after two or thrée years be disbanded in a country, afflicted as Ireland was and is; where, when disbanded. as nust put lip with sixpence, or, at most.a shilling a ay: ‘, Mr. Pore remarked that, if his Excellency had con- cluded that he had. not authority to reconstruct his |} Council under existing circumstances, his conclusion could be based upon nothing but an error in judgment. A reference to what took place in Nova Scotia where, under similar circumstances, before the establishment of Responsible Government; in that Province, the Go- vernor called a new Executive Council, was sufficient to show that, had Sir Donald Campbell chosen to pur- stie the same course here, he would neither have ex- | ceeded the powers with which he js invested by his commission or instructions, nor have rendered himself liable to the censure of Earl Grey for. assumption of any unusual responsibility, What was asserted in the resolution was fully sustained by the evidence of facts, and it said no more than what had been preyiously said, and sustained as the truth, by the House. In refusing to.comply with the wishes of the House for the recon- struction of his Council, his Excellency was acting in a most unwarrantable manner. {t bad been very indts- triously spread abroad, by the enemies of Responsible Government,—in order no doubt, to protect, if possible, his Exéellency front the censuré and condemnation of the people,,on account of his resistance’fo the popular demand fora reconstruction “of his’ Government upon Liberal principles—that, on behalf of the liberal party in the House, the immediate introduction of Responsi- ble Government had been insisted upon, ‘The truth, however, was that nothing more than a reconstruction of his council had been requested ‘of his Excellency ; and so far was the immediate adoption of Responsible Government from having been required of him, that no attempt whatever had been made, by the liberal party, to induce him to make a single change with respect to official appointments. So strong, however, was the re- luctance of Sir Donald Campbell to smooth the way for the introduction of Responsible Government into the colony, that he had informed the House that, even although they had agreed to grant him his sine qua non of £600 a year for retiring. pensions to the Coloniai Secretary, the Treasurer, and the Attorney General, he would not then have taken the necessary step for the desired change in the Government—a reconstruction of his council—without further instrictions touching the matter from the Secretary for the Colonies. The.ques- tion forced upon the consideration of the House was, could they, consistently with a proper discharge of their duties to their constituents, lend their legislative aid to support a Government which wus determined to rule, if possibie, in defiance both of the people and the people’s representatives; and the answer which the majority of the House was prepared to give was, he believed, that they would not consent that either his Excellency or his’ Government should continue to ride rough-shod over the people, and trample upon their liberties; and to this they were also, he trusted, determined to adhere in practice, in utter disregard of any false impuUtations of disloyalty which their opponents—unable to oppose them with the legitimate arguments of truth and reason —inight, in their despair, seek to throw upon them. Such imputations, they felt assured, would never attach to them, for their resistence to the exercise of arbitrary power by any servant of the Crown. or by any body of men forming an administration under him; so long as they continued to manifest tree regard for their Sove- reign and firm attachment. to the British Constitution. In that regard, and in that attachment, consisted what he (Mr. Pope) esteemed as true and rational loyalty ; but, in passive obedience to. or active compliance with, the: measures and proceedings of men in authority. which had their origin in the mere arrogance of power, the incitements of spleen, or the dictates of prejudice. were to be recognized nothing but the tame comp!iance, and the humble submission of men unworthy to inherit the blessings of freedom. It could not, with truth, be + said that his Excellency was partial in his condact or behaviour. for, if his words und actions were narrowly observed, it would be found that, in his endeavors to establish arbitrary rule in his’ own person, he rerarded neither the feelings, place;nor character of any one. The resentment manifested» by his. Excellency towards the Grand Jury whe had—contrary to his wish—failed to find a true Bill against the man who, in pursuance of his instructions, had’ been charged before them with encouraging of assisttmg a soldier to desert, wag yct confined merely to his censure of the Grand Jury or to

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