.«HASZA'RD.'S GAZETTE, MARCH 15.

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY. Tnunsnsv, February 28.

DEBATE ON Mn. HAVlLAND’S MOTION ' . THE PRODUCTION OF SIR GEOBG I DESPATCH. _ t _Mr.'HAVILAND, agreeably to notice, would ask the Members of the Governnietit to submit to the House the whole of the Despatch from the Right Honorable Sir Geor Gr , dated the 17th November last, communicating tip intc ligencs of the ‘Royal Assent having been withheld from

as Rent non Tax em and ‘the Tenants’ Compensation Bill. . °

Hon.‘ COL. SECRETARY said, that the Governmcnti considered that thcgohad submitted all of the Despatch which no conducive to t object of layin «before the House tire reasons which had inﬂuenced tho mperial Government in refusing the Royal aliowaiice to the Bills in question. _ . _

Mr. HAVILAND would, in that case, move for a Cotil- mittee to prepare an Address to His Excellcncythe Lieut. Governor, requesting that His Excellency would be pleased to furnish’the House with a copy of the entire Dcspatch.

I-Ion. Mr. WHELAN.-—What object is to be gained by the Imction ?

"Mr. lIA'VILAND.—*-The natural inference to be deduced from the fact of an extract only having been sent down is, that there is something in the Despateh which the Govern- ment dc not desire to have made public.

Hon. Mr. PALMER was but lately aware that the motion would be made, and while he would vote for it, he did not think it right to give a silent vote, as he could imagine no good reason for withholding ariy portion of a public Despatch, on which an important discussion would probably ariim. Such being the case, it was but right that the country should be put in possession of the whole contents of the Despatch. That House and the Country could not fairly deliberate on documents. extracts of which had only been submitted to them. ithout hazarding any opinion as to the probable nature of the portions withheld, he could apprehend no reason why the Government should refuse to lay before them any part of a public Dcspntch. nce it would have been considered by certain parties highly objectionable to submit

arts, instead of the whole of it Dcspatcli. Often had he

card on the doors of the House expressions of the hope that ‘the day would come when there would be no more keeping back of Despatches. lie had listened to strong observations as to the improper treatment of the House by such a course, as they had a right to be furnished with all documents of a public nature affecting their proceedings. Great merit was claimed by his supporters for the late Lieut. Governor, on account that he had stated that he would hold no communi- cation with the Colonial Oﬂice by the mode of private or secret Despatchos—that the communications between Sir Alexander Bannerman and the then Colonial Secretary were to be open and above board. Those sentiments were hailed by his supporters with great approval. Now, however , when we are under a system of Responsible Government, the Government brings down a more extract, which, for all we may know to the contrary, may be the smallest and least important part of the document, and the country might receive more instruction from the part which has been with- held than from that which has been transmitted. He had not come here for the purpose of supporting the resolution, personally he had nothing to gain by the motion, if it was carried; but he wished to see the actions of members of the Government to some extent consistent with their professions. The House had been told that they must not suppose the Lieutenant Governor's speech would shadow forth any Go- vernment measures to be introduced to the I-louso—that the fewer Government measures introduced into the speech the better. So that it was considered the best way to let the measures of Government ﬁnd their way here as they beat could. It may be perfectly consistent with such a policy to send us mere extracts of Dclpatchcs, and if this system is allowed to continue to the end of the session, Responsible Government is merely a dream. Such being the case, in order to ascertain what are really the principles which the Government mean to adopt towards the House, he would vote for the motion.

Hon. COL. SECRETARY. — Mr. Speaker, the hon. member for Charlottetown should at least concede to others the privile e of changing their opinions which he claims for himself. t is not very long since he was in the habit of 0 posi applications to have documents submitted to the IIouse,ngbut to night he has assumed that the minority have ﬁg right to have anything they choose to ask for brought down. A strange doctrine indeed! Sir, the Government is

ible to the majority, not to the minority of this House; to the 'ino'ority only are they responsible for the production or'vijitlihc ding of any communications. There is nothing in this opposition to the present motion inconsistent with Imperial practice. ,As to the Dcspatch in question, the House are in possession of all that is applicable to the refusal of the royal accent, and consequently all that is requisite to enable them to form an opinion of the conduct of the Imperial

' Government in disallowing the Bills. It may be that the

late Lieut. Governor had declared that he would hold no communication with the Colonial Oﬂice by secret despatches, but there may frequently occur cases in which the public interest: would materially sutfer by the communication of tches. We see that reason assigned constantly by meinhera oi‘ the Government in the British House of Com- nons, for rcftsdng to accede to motions for the production of ‘ ’. With respect to the allusion of the hon. ineinhcrag to- H remark in my hon. friend's (Mr. Wlielan) speech, in moving-

the Addams, that it was not_.neeesssry to indicate proposed Government measures, I can only say that the Queen's Speech at the opening of Parliament only mentioned two.

F01}, The minority had gathered their forces to-night, knowin tgmcy-s that some of the majority would be absent, yet they would

tind that the Government would not submit to their dictation, and would not produce more of the Dcspatch than they considered requisite.

Hon. Mr. Wl1ELAN.— I feel compelled, Mr. Speaker, to resist the motion of the hon. member for Georgetown, because there is every reason to believe that it is based on motives actions hostility to the Government. Feeling convinced thatthe Government has communicated all of the Dcspatcli which it concerned us to be made acquainted with,tbe motion ~ is unnecessary; were the case otlici-wise, I doubt not that His Excellency would have given us the whole Despatch. It may be convenient for the hon. member and his supporters in this House to t_iiunt'mc with having changed-ray opiniais. I can tell those gentlemen that my opinions are unchanggd: I am indeed surprised to hear it announced that I have changed my opinions, ‘because the time was when _I niayhavet

‘enlarged _on the evil of withholding entire Dcsp.-itclics aud-

carcfully avoiding the ciiunciation of any Government mea- 8lH‘§S- Sir. they who make that charge shouldknow better» Is it necemary to announce in the Speech from the throne every measure which the Government may contemplate introducing? If the Opposition answer in the affirmative, I tell them that they take a view of the duties of Govern- ment which is not held in Great Britain or any of the Colonies, and which has no more connection with Responsible or any other system of Government that I am aware ofthan have with the man in the moon. If the min'orit.y say that it is the duty of the Government to produce any documents. they may call for, they may claim the right to have every line of every Despatcli submitted to them. Why, Sir, under such a system the power of the minority would be unchecked, and the Government would becomes more nullity. I feel. Mr. Speaker, great pleasure in resisting the motion, because I believe, as I slid before, that it arises from factions motives; and the minority, thinking some reliection on members of the

‘Government may be contained in the Des atch, hope to

gratify private feelings by creating the impression throughout the country that such is the fact.

lion. Mr. MON'l'G()MI'}l{Y.-—'I‘hc Dcspntch, ilIr.Spcaker, is public, and the reasons alleged in it are. no doubt, based upon public grounds. It should therefore, Sir, in my opinion, be laid before the House. I hope it will be. llon. members have a right to move for ti Committee to prepare an Address to His ltxcellency, praying that he will be pleased to furnish us with the whole document. Such a course has been frequently adopted, and I for one can see nothing improper in it.

Mr. COOPER.-—Mr. Speaker, on looking over the Speech of His Excellency the Lieut. Governor, I was led to believe

us garbled extracts. .Why do they not submit the whole of the Despiitch? .Why are we to have a more extract? I do not deny the right of the Government to withhcldany

‘part or the whole of _a private Deapntch; hut, Sir. I consider

th:it_ under Responsible Government a public Despatcb is

public property. Is it withheld for the purpose of smother-

ing up sonietlnu objectionable to the Government?

Hon. COL. E ARY.--No.

Hon. Mr. LONGWORTH.—-It must he so. Four or live . years ago the hon. member, Hon. Mr. Whelan, would not j ‘have argued as he has done to-night. There is no longer it ' House of Assembly. -At present whatever is decided on in“ the Jllxocutivc Council,~is agreed to- in the House. -Thu’-. Governor and his Council may do as they like. They are as. despotic as the Czar of Russia. It is indeed cxtraotdinary ﬁlm!-.yIe should not, ct tin; wh_ole of the Despatch. , , rt , ~A‘_lf- ; HA.V‘I‘I4;_h‘fl).g—-. r. Speaker, labouripg as I aim , under a severe _cold_, I_ cannot treat this question as.fully as I otherwise would, pr as ifs iinportiinoc deserves; but I must" express my surprise that sudh‘ arguments shbiild have been" made use of to defeat the n'iotion,. 'under'Besponeible Govern- ni,ont—-a'systemtwhiclr wits to operate aiinbreakwater between- the people and Her Majesty's -GOV8l‘llll|clll.; No doubt the V (itoverqment may rely on the fact tliat they have u inajority, , but the side that is uppermost to-day may be down’ to-moi-ro,w.'_ and the majority have no right _to ritlc rough-shod over the minority. ' ‘What is the prc‘suir'iption' from the opposition of‘ the Government party in this_Housc_ to the motion for ti’ Committee to prepare an Address? Why not allow the A refusal to come from the Lieut. Governor‘ hiui.«.cll'? I trust, ‘ Sir, that there will befound suﬁicicnt good sense in the House to sink all party feeling on aqucstioii of this nature, and to_ make common cause-in asking for that \\'lllt§l we are entitled to receive. . .

lion. Mr. MOONEY thought there were before the House‘ all the documents required. ' here‘ was no trace in the‘ Journals to show that when the Opposition were in power they yielded to the minority of the day. 'l here was no desire on the part of the Government to withhold any information of use to the House. As far as he was pt-r.-'onally concerned. he thought there was enough to show the uiiticr-cui'i'ciit which was at work against the people of the Colony.

Mr. DOUSE referred to the statements of the Hon. Col.’ Secretary merely to shew how lgnl.-Yttlli. that gentleman was of the mode of doing business at the Colonial Oﬂicc. There: every public Dcspatch is printed in full. and is considered public property. No member, desirous of doing his duty to his coutitry, can refuse his su tport to the motion. He spoke thus plainly in order that his scntiinents and those of his colleague's on this uestion might go forth to their constituents.

llon. Mr. Wll ‘LAN.-—Mr. Speaker, it is my intention to vote against the motion if it shall be pressed to a division. We have been told that we should comply with the detnands of the minority. Most puissant initiority ! This question

that entire Dcspntches, not mere garbled extracts, would be laid before the House. The reference to the practice of the British Government is of no weight here. The Government of Great Britain has intimate and most important relations with other countries, and the state of those relations may often render the production of public documents not only prejudicial to the public interests, but destructive of interna- tional negotiations, affecting the peace of the world. Here we have nothing of the kind, and I repeat that we should not be content with garbled passages.

Mr. DOUSE. — Mr. Speaker. I have listened to the remarks of the hon. member (Hon. Mr. Whclan), and I have yet to learn why a public Despatcli should be withheld from this House. I can tell that hon. member that I can ﬁnd my way to Downing Street, and there not only see the Dcspatch. but actually ﬁnd it printed. I should be wanting in my duty, Sir, as a reprt-scntativc of the people, if I did not vote for the production of a public paper.

Hon. COL. TREASURER. — Mr. Speaker, I have fre- quently heard of the inﬂuence of the proprietors, but have never seen so plain a declaration of it as now. Lord Palmerston is connected with them. If the hon. member, Mr. Douse, has so much influence at Downin Street as to obtain copies of Despatches to the Colonial vernors, let him exert it. It may be that some of the understrappcrs at the Colonial Oﬂico have given copies of Despatchcs to parties. If such is the case, if the Colonial Governments are to treated on that principle, it is high time it should be known. The Governor has sent down all of the Despatch which it was necessary for the House to have before them.

Hon. COL. SECRETARY.--Mr. Speaker, it may be as well to test the inﬂuence of the proprietors on this question.

is to be made a trial of strength between the Government and its opponents. This is a legitimate inference from the unusual numbers of the minority in their places to-night. They ask for the Despatch, not because they want it, not that they believe the portion not communicated would be of the slightest service to them, but solely that they may endeavour to wrest the reins of power frotn the present ‘Government. The hon. member who had moved the resolu- tion hnd complained of suffering from it cold. In that com- plaint, I sympathise with him, but his malady had not prevented his dilating on the liberties of the people and dcprecating the notion of party feeling. Sir, did that hon. member sink party feeling himself? Did not his very motion tend to provoke a discussion which would naturally give rise to party feeling? I conceive it to be an essential principle of Govcininent, that the Lieut. Governor and his Council are the sole judges of what should be cotninunicated to this House, to which the Council are responsible for the exercise of a proper discretion. If, Sir, I were as uncon- nected with the Government as any other member of this House, I would, on this question, support the course pursued by the Government in withholding what they deemed it unnecmsary to communicate. The hon. member has de- olaimcd about his anti his party's regard for the liberties of the people, but the votes recorded on many pages of the Journals will aﬁbrd ‘conclusive indications of the different opinions and views of the party at present in power and of their opponents. I have no fear but that justice will he done to my conduct in voting as I shall, when I know that the object of the motion is not to obtain information, but to take advantage of this opportunity to place the Governmentia a false position, in the absence of some of its supporters, while

It may be that such men as the hon. member, Mr. Douse, may have inﬂuence with some of the underlings at the Colonial Oﬁce, and that he might go there and say, “show me the Despatches about the doings of those rascals in Prince Edward Island.” The present may be it good time to try their strcn th. But, Sir, even if the motion be carried, I will not a vice His Excellency to send down the Decpatch, if he deems he has given the House suﬁcicnt information in the extracts submitted. Why, Sir, the Members of, the Executive Council have no right to demand that the icut. Governor should lay before them every documentt e may receive from the Colonial Olﬁce. Such a claim would be a practical tyranny on the Lieutenant Governor. I consider the motion an improper one, and I can never acknowledge the right of the House to demand that every Des toll be submitted to them. on. Mr. LONGWOR'I‘H.—Mr. Speaker, I considorj that the Government are guilty of tyranny in only giving

the opposition arc in fplllo fppthjgéinwd.)

Politics, however they make the intellect active sa- gacious, and inventive, within a certain sphere, gene- rally extinguish its thirst for universal truth, aralyze sentiment and imagination, corrupt the aimp icity of the mind, destroy that conﬁdence in human virtue which lies at the foundation of philanthropy and gene- rous sacriﬁces, and end in cold and prudent selﬁshness.

mung. KlS8lNG, IN ALL irs VARIETIES.-—BllSS, buss, to kiss again; pliiribiis, to kiss i ut to sex; sillybiis, the hand insteadpllst 9 $9 derbuss, to kiss the wrong -pe\[§OQ; 3,5310- all the persons in the room; qielgh §@ bash dark; buss the boiici;,:to?ltj_ss@i'g!:° 64$‘ ‘’ " .2 or 9 “Os

(3: ok

s‘_ Q I‘

-9 \u \