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Trurspay, 27th March. AFTERNOON SITTING.

s0U8SE IN COMMITTEE ON ADDRESS IN ANSWER TO HiS EXCELLENCY’S SPLECH.

Dr. Janpevs in the Chair.

Mr. Cones, in rising to propose an amendment to the draft Address, reported by the Lion. Sot. Genera, commenced, hy saying, that that Address was very far trom being in accordance with his own views, 2nd that it was also as littie, he believed, in accordance with the views of the majority of the House; nay, more, he could not persuade himself to believe that His Excellency expected that what he seemed from the tenor of his speech to require, would be agreed to, or conceded by the House. The hon. member having ead his proposed amendment, said he be- leved jt contained the sentiments of the mojority with respect to the question to which their attention had been called by His Excellency’s Speech. The hon. member then briefly reviewed the negoti- ation tor the introduction of Responsible Government, between the late Lieutenant Governor and certain leading members of the Legislature, pledged to the support of the Responsible cause. He said, that Sir Donald Campbell, after having acqui- esced in the justness of the principles on which, as a foundation, the organic change sought to be effected in the Gov- ernment was based, and after having fully admitted the propriety of all the arrange- inents proposed to be made, preparatory to the mtroduction of the Responsible system—lad offered three seats only in the Executive Council to the Responsible

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tiemen filling them, as opposed by a ma- ' jority in the Council, twice their number, would have been powerless to give effect io any expression of their principles as members of that body. They had very tly treated the offer with contempt, as

) Gong less than a contemptible mock- ' Jn consequence, therefore, of the j,eutenant Governor's refusal to recon- struct his Council, so as to admit of an effective expression of public opinion therein, the public business was not pro-

sressed with in the tlouse, and the Le-|

zislature was prorogued. The second @ssion of the Legislature was opened by a speech fram His Excellency, delivered ina most uncoucteous manner. To this speech, however, the House replied in an Address, in which, whilst manifesting not the slightest disposition to compromise the rights and privileges with which they were invested, as representatives of the people, they forget not the respect due to the position occupied by the Lieutenant Governor, as the representative of the «lueen. They then consistently set about tue immediate prosecution of the mea- sures of which the well being of the Col- ony demanded the completion, without delay; and the Revenue Bill having been completed and passed through the upper and Jower House, the necessary intima- tion of the fact was made to His Excel- lency, and when the House went to the Council Chamber, that the Bill might re- creve His Excellency’s assent, he compro- mised the dignity of his station by de- scending toa trick, and suddenly pro- rogued the Legislature without having wiven the slightest previous intimation of his desion to the House, although the Sneuker had, in an audience a few min- utes before, informed him that the Mouse wonld be ready for prorogation on the following day. Well,said the hon.member did he recollect the smirking and largh-

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ing with which certain hon. gentlemen minifested their satisfaction at, an@ con- currence in, the insalt levelled by His Excellency at the Representatives of the peple. These honorable gentlemen still cortinued to manifest the same feeling touards the people and their representa- tives; andthe people knowing this, was it tc be wondered at that they should de- mard that these individuals should be di- vestd of 2 power, which they exercised soley for their own aggrandizement, and the obstruction of every needfu} measure of rdorm ; and of which, in their fancied secuity, they even dared to avail them- selves, to advise and countenance unex- ampkd insult to the Representatives of the wople. it was, centinned the hon menper, rather to be recretted that His Exceiency Sir Alexander had made so direc a reference in his speech to the cours pursved by the House in their contert with the late Governor Sir Don- ald Campbell, for thé establishment of Respmsibje Government, and Sir Don- uid’s censure of their proceedings. The subject, however, having been introduced in His Excellency’s speech, it behoved the House to advert to it in their Address in ansver to His Excellency. This was accordingly done in the amendment which be had submitted ; but whilst the subject was therein referred to in such a manrerus Clearly to indicate the conf- dence of the House in the propriety of their forner proceedings, with respect to the great question still at issue, the ex- pression ef their sentiments was, as it ought tole, most respectfully conveyed to His fxcellency. The House were bound to ustify themselves in the eyes of His Exellency, who had, as yet, seen litle mon, he believed, than an ex parte statementof the facts involved in the con- bye show “hin that their having hadrecourse to extreme measures, was purdyin self defence and in the maintendnce of the just rights of the peo- ple’s Representatives, «nd owing to arbi- trary and uaconstitutional resistance, on the part of Sir JJonald Campbell, to the lawful wishes of the people constitutional- ly urged upon him and his govern- ment by the House of Assembly.— It was their duty to shew His Excellen- cy, Sir Alexander, that they were still de- termined to occupy the high but constitu- tional groun¢ which they had assumed, so long as their occupation of it should be demanded by a just regard to the wishes of the people whose representa- tives they were. It was their duty firmly, as respected themselves, but most res- pectfully, as regarded His lxcellency, to shew him that they were not afraid of being again returned to their several con- stituencies; for that they now felt them- selves to be doubly fortified and sustained by public opinion, being fully convinced by recent manifestations thereof, that very many respectable and influential individuals inthe community who were formerly rather opposed to the responsi- ble moversent than otherwise, how con- vinced, rather, he was inclined to believe by the arbitrary and unconstitutional re- sistance made to it by the geverament and government officiais, linked with the pet- ty minority—the representavives of their interests—in the House, than by any direct endeavours to proselytize them by the Jeading advocates of the system ; and such individuals in varions sections of the country, had avowed their intention to sustain, to the ntmost extent of their in- fluence, the majority ofthe House in their constitutional endeavors to obtain the es- tablishment of Responsibie Government in the Colany. His Excellency, in his Speech. hassaid that the people of Prince Edward Island were as much entitled, as the other provinces, to the ac-

.

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CHARLOTTETOWN, APRIL 14, 1851.

ALITA TK LAR TD RAE OAL A OE CI

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knowdedgement of the Colonial Minister, “that it was not desirable to carry on the Government of any of the British Provin- ces of North America, in opposition to the opinion of the inhabitants”; and al- though, in announcing to the Legislature that he was prepared to introduce Res- ponsivie Government into the Colony, and to surrender the disposal of Her Ma- jesty’s Crown Revenues, he had also sta- ted, that these concessions were to be inade on certain conditions, the House could not be justified in supposing, after so full an admission from His Excellen- cy, thatthe Government of the Colony should be carried on in such a manner as do secure the ceneral concurrence of the people, that these conditions could be of such a nature, as to compe! his Excellency to assume a hostile position towards the people. He was very Happy to find that there was no longer an unjustifiable dis- tinction to be made, by the Imperial Gov- ernment, between Countries or Colonies on the score of population, but that to the few as we}] as to the many, there was to be extended a full practical recognition of their rights as subjects of the British impire, He rejoiced to find that the peo- ple of this Colony were no longer to be treated aliens by the rulers of the mother country ; and that, at length, the stienma, that they were not possessed of materials for carrying successfully into practice the system of Responsible Government, was completely wiped off and obliterated.— Yes, whatever might be the conditions coupled with the profiered concessions— even, although they might be suchas for a short time to delay the complete estab- lishment of the Responsible system—the admission, by Earl Grey, that the peo- ple of this Colony are entitled to as fulla measure of self-government as any of the sister Provinces, ig a signe! victory ; and, as such, he hailed it with the most lively satisfaction, The enemies of the system and the people, exulting in their short- lived triumph, derived from the obstrue- tive proceedings of Sir Donald Campbell with reference to the measure, had as well through the columns of their hired periodical, as by every other means in their power, endeavoured to bring the

{ majority of the House into contempt in

the estimation of the people, by ascribing the Joss of the measure to the incapaci- ty and ignorance displayed by them in the course oftheir negociations for its introduction. But what now appeared to be the fact? Why evidently this—that in consequence of the unyielding, uncom- promising firmness, displayed by the ma- jority of the House, in seeking and claim- ing the introduction of Responsible Gov- ernment, not as an act of mere grace, but as @ positive rigit, it has been conceded as anacknowledged right. With refer- ence to the conditions to be conjoined with the concession, they were not to be afraid that theywould prove an insuperable obstacle in the way of their attainment of the desired reform in the Government. When submitted to the House, the House would give them due consideration. If they proved to be such as the House could comply with, without any dereliction of duty or abandonment of pubitc principle, they would no doubt be acquiesced in. If on the contrary, they should be found such asthe House could not entertain, consistently with a due regard to the public interests, the House would at once in a Straight forward and candid spirit de- clare that they could not give them effect. It would become the House to act at once without reserve, and plainly and unegui- vocally to tell his Excellency that they desired such a re-construction of his Council as would ensure harmonious un- derstanding and action between that body and the majority of the Assem>ly. Thug,

etn aaleiiiaaeantd anssaiian

Vol. 2: No. 1.

SS

said the hon. member, we find ourselves not only in as good a position as we oc- cupied at the commencemect of onr ne- gociations with Sir Donald Cainpbell, but im one much beiter, for we have now the express sanction and authority of the Colonial Secretary on our side; and so far is the country from having been over- taken by the decay, loss, ruin, and beg- gary which were predicted, as the conse quences of the stand made, and the cours? pureued,by the majority,m the first and se- cond sessions uf this Honse.thet our roads were never better,and our bridges instead of being impassable, are ina state of com- plete repair; notwithstanding the absence ef any appropriation, by the Levislature, for roads and bridges.it has been found that there was sufficient pudlic spirit among the people to induce their acquiescence in the necessity which prevented the usual pro- vision fer that service, and where road repairs were found to be absolutely neces- sary they were made by the people at their own expense; and large contracts had been freely taken and executed by in- dividuals, imful! relience upon the good faith of the Assembly, to provide for their payment in a futere Session. He was also happy to percieve that the debt of the Colony has not been so smali for the last fifteen or twenty years as it is at present. It was owing to’ the stand made by the majority that the public ex- penditure had been-so materially dimin- ished ; and with that uniform economy which was to be hoped for under the op- eration of the responsible system, he hoped that befere the lapse of many years the Public Debt, which now was reduced to only 25000 or £6000 besring interest, would be completely cancelled. In the early part of the winter, so great was the

er raised against individual members

some “of the -obstructives in ~“Char- lottetown, that when poor persons applied to them, it was no unusual thing for a Ja- dy or gentleman to say, “ Oh we have got no money ; the majority in the House of Assembly withheld the grant usually voted for the relief of the poor; and if you want relief, you must seek it at the hands of Coles and Lord.” However, notwith- standing all the abuse which had been showered upon the majority, by some of their opponents, it was now very clear that the country, instead of having been in- jured by what had been termed the obsti- nacy and infatuation of the majority, were likely, even Ina pecuniary point of view, to be materially benefitted by it ; and he was happy to say that he believed there were none amongst the poor whose neces- sities had not been relieved. With res- pect to the omissions of the last Session to which their attention had been direct- ed by His Excellency, in connection with the expression of a hope that they would take an early opportunity to remedy them —there could be no doubt entertained, touching the perfect willingness of the House to proceed to the due considera- tion of aj] matters, whether affecting the local interests of the Colony, or the gen- eral interests of the North American Colonies, circumstances compelled them to postpone, in the two rrevious Sessions of the House, so soon as the obstacles should be removed which had caused sueh postponement. Having made these ree marks, he would now move the adoption of what he had submitted in lieu of the draft Address reported by the Solicitor General; hoping that, should his pro- posed amendment meet with the concur- rence of the Committee, His Excellency would not perceive in it any reflection up- on anyobservation contained in his speech. His Excellency had been here fora short time only ; and he has not yet had an op- portunity to investigate and ascertain the true position and intentions of either par-

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