Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

gislative assembly should redeem its pledge and make a suitable and permanent provision for the judicial establishment; stipulating at the same time, that, after the condition had been complied with, the whole of the revenues should be given over to the authority of the provincial assembly.

He moved an amendment for the appointment of a select committee, to inquire and report whether the grievances complained of, in 1828, by certain inhabitants of Lower Canada had been redressed; and also whether the recommendation of a committee of that house, to which the question of these grievances was referred, had been complied with on the part of the government; also to inquire into other grievances now set forth in the resolutions of the house of assembly in lower Canada, and report thereupon to the house.

[ocr errors]

Mr. O'Connell said, that the object of government was to thwart the Catholic clergymen of Canada, and to throw obstacles in the way of their building chapels. He recommended that the motion should be withdrawn, and the amendment allowed to be carried, so as to throw upon government the responsibility of appointing the committee. Mr. Hume having contrasted what he called the tyranny exercised over the colony by the present government with the leniency of the measures adopted by lord Goderich, and lord Howick having expressed a hope that the committee about to be appointed would succeed in effecting an amicable adjustment of the differences prevailing in Lower Canada, Mr. Roebuck withdrew his motion, and the committee was appointed.

On the 4th of August Mr.

Hume presented a petition from the county of Quebec, in Lower Canada, in support of the resolutions of the assembly of the province, setting forth ninety-two distinct grounds of complaint in reference to the government of the colonies, and signed by 18,083 individuals. He assured the house that so long as the present system of misrule was allowed to continue in the colonies, the inhabitants would not be satisfied until the management of their affairs was entrusted to their own hands.

Mr. Spring Rice, who was now colonial secretary, admitted that much irritation and excitement prevailed in certain parts of Lower Canada, and he was anxious, by removing any just ground of complaint, to reconcile the contending parties. Reciprocal good feeling ought to exist between the mother country and the colonies, and entertaining this opinion he regretted the more the publication, in the newspapers, of a letter, purporting to have been written by the member who had just presented the petition, in which the government of Great Britain was denounced as a "baneful domination," and containing sentiments which could not fail to minister to the angry passions of the malcontents. Mr. Hume

[blocks in formation]

attempted to defend his letter. He said, that he did not consider it necessary to state to the house its nature and origin, as he was quite prepared to defend the sentiments which it contained. He admitted the language to be some what strong, but then it was most justly applied. The obnoxious

possess, and they sacrifice the greatest of public principles in gratifying a paltry and mean revenge against you.

"Your triumphant election on the 16th, and ejection from the assembly on the 17th, must hasten that crisis which is fast approaching in the affairs of the Canadas, and which will terminate in independence and freedom from the baneful domination of the mother country, and the tyrannical conduct of a small and despicable faction in the colony.

"I regret to think that the proceedings of Mr. Stanley, which manifest as little knowledge of mankind as they prove his ignorance of the spirit and liberal feelings of the present generation, encourage your enemies to persevere in the course they have taken. But I confidently trust that the high-minded people of Canada will not, in these days, be overawed or cheated of their rights and liberties by such men.

Your cause is their cause-your defeat would be their subjugation. Go on, therefore, I beseech you, and success-glorious suc cess-must inevitably crown your joint

efforts.

"Mr. Stanley must be taught that the follies and wickedness of Mr. Pitt's government, in the commencement of the French revolution, cannot be repeated now, either at home or abroad, without results very different from that which then took place. The proceedings between 1772 and 1782 in America ought not to be forgotten, and to the honour of the Americans, and for the interest of the civilised world, let their

conduct and the result be ever in view.

"I remain, yours sincerely,
"JOSEPH HUME.
"P.S. The people in Lower Canada
are taking the means of forcing their
affairs on the government, and will I
hope succeed.

To W. L. M'Kenzie, Esq., M.P.,
York, Upper Canada."

expression alluded to had been
employed by him in reference to
the measures of Mr. Stanley, and
not to the domination of Great
over the colonies. No
Britain
sooner had that gentleman entered
into office, than he began to undo all
that had been so judiciously and
so beneficially accomplished by
lord Goderich. Meetings had
taken place in every district of
both provinces to reprobate the
measures of Mr. Stanley. Under
all the circumstances, he considered
that he had given very wholesome
advice to the individual to whom
the letter was addressed. He
would say to Canada what he had
said to Ireland-" if you cannot
obtain redress of great and acknow-
ledged grievances, the resistance
becomes a virtue, though the diffi-
culty is, where to draw the line."
-Mr. Rice remarked that a mem-
ber of parliament enjoying perfect
security in Bryanston-square was
not at all in a situation to recom-
mend measures of resistance to a
distant colony; and read an ad-
dress numerously signed by the
most respectable inhabitants of
Upper Canada, deprecating the
sentiments contained in the peti-
tion which had been presented,
and expressing the most perfect
satisfaction with the British go-

vernment.

On the 5th of June, Mr. Robinson called the attention of the house to the existing treaty between Great Britain and France, relative to the right of fishing claimed by the latter, on parts of the coast of Newfoundland, to the exclusion of British subjects; and at the same time proposed that instructions should be forwarded to the governor of that island to protect the British fishermen in all their just rights. By the

treaty concluded between this country and France at the peace of Utrecht, and continued down till the peace of 1814, the right of fishing on a part of the coast of Newfoundland was granted to France. This, however, was not an exclusive right. Latterly a misunderstanding had arisen as to the respective rights of the two countries. The answer returned by government to an application from the chamber of commerce of Newfoundland, in 1830, in regard to the construction of the treaty, was, that it did not know what rights were possessed under the treaties referred to. In this state of things a vessel was fitted out for the express purpose of proceeding to that part of the coast occupied by the French, and insisting on a right of fishing there. On his arrival, the commander of the vessel was informed by the French, that they claimed the exclusive right of fishing on that part of the coast. He immediately laid before the authorities a protest, for the purpose of preserving the of preserving the rights of British subjects. He was ultimately, however, on the appearance of a French man_ofwar, compelled to leave the coast. He thought, therefore, that government ought to take some steps to have the rights of British subjects, in reference to this matter, clearly defined. So far from any treaties giving an exclusive right to the French, they were expressly forbidden to make any settlement in that quarter for the purpose of trading. He moved, therefore, for an address to his majesty, to direct the law officers of the crown, to define the rights possessed by British subjects in Newfoundland, and that instructions be sent out to the governor to

maintain and protect those rights.

Mr. Poulett Thomson hoped, that the motion would be withdrawn, as the object in view might be better attained in another way. It was not advisable that the opinion of the law officers of the crown should be taken, in consequence of an address from that house; for, in such circumstances it would be necessary that government should adopt measures for the purpose of enforcing its decision. From any consideration which he had been able to give the subject, he had come to a very different conclusion from that of the hon. gentleman. Important interests were certainly involved in this claim, but he saw many difficulties in the way of its being established. All preceding treaties had been abrogated by the treaty of Paris, the right interpretation of which had long been a subject of dispute among members, even of the same government. He could assure the house, however, that the attention of government would be immediately directed to the subject; and he, therefore, hoped that the motion would be withdrawn.

Mr. Robinson was disposed to give way on this occasion, on the express understanding that the matter should be immediately taken up by government, as it was of importance, and affected the honour of the British flag;-and, after a few remarks from Mr. Baring, who regretted the indifference displayed by government to the fisheries of the empire, the motion was withdrawn.

Mr. Charles Grant announced, on the 4th of August, that the report of the committee on the subject of our communication with

India had been laid on the table of the house. There were two routes under consideration, the one communicating with Bombay by the Red Sea, and the other by the Euphrates and Persian Gulf. With respect to the former of these routes, the committee stated, that experiments made for five successive seasons had completely established the practicability of that line of communication during eight months of the year. It was not so certain, however, that the communication could be effected during the four months of the monsoons. It was proposed that the expense of establishing this mode of communication should be divided between England and India. There appeared no physical obstacle to the route by the Euphrates and the Persian Gulph during eight months of the year. The estimated expense of the undertaking amounted to 20,000l., to be defrayed by the British government. The passage by the Red Sea would not be available between the months of June and September inclusive; and

the line of the Euphrates would not be open between November and February. By the alternate use of these two routes a steam communication could be maintained with India during the whole year. A closer and more advantageous connection could thus be formed between England and her Indian territories. The course proposed to be adopted would give greater security to our Indian empire, and it was sound policy to avail ourselves of all modes of access to it with a view to the commercial prosperity of both countries.

Mr. Buckingham could see no possible objection to our facilitating the communication between the two empires; and Mr. Hume hoped that this was only a prelude to the assistance which India had a right to expect at our hands. He had no expectation of success by the Euphrates. The passage,

however, by the Red Sea would, he thought, be found practicable, and satisfactory.

The vote was agreed to.

CHAP. X.

Prorogation of Parliament-Speech from the Throne-State of the Ministry-Irish Agitators Affray at Rathcormack-Conduct of the Catholic Priests-Conduct of Lord Brougham-Dissolution of Lord Melbourne's Ministry-The King applies to the Duke of Wellington -Sir Robert Peel appointed Prime Minister-Formation of his Ministry-Dissolution of Parliament-The Act Abolishing Slavery carried into effect-Operations against the Rajah of Coorg in the East Indies.

N the 15th of August, his

ment, and addressed to them the fllow in g speech :

"My Lords and Gentlemen, "The numerous and important questions which have, in the present as in the two preceding years, been submitted to your consider ation, have imposed upon you the necessity of extraordinary exertions; and it is with a deep sense of the care and labour which you have bestowed upon the public business that I at length close this protracted session, and release you from your attendance.

"I continue to receive from all foreign powers assurances of their friendly disposition. The negotiations, on account of which the conferences in London upon the affairs of the low countries were suspended, have not yet been brought to a close; and I have still to lament the continued postponement of a final settlement between Holland and Belgium. On the other hand, I have derived the most sincere and lively satisfaction from the termination of the civil war, which had so long distracted the kingdom of Portugal; and I

[blocks in formation]

and Portugal induced me to conclude with the king of the French, the queen regent of Spain, and the regent of Portugal, and which has already been laid before you, contributed materially to produce this happy result. Events have since occurred in Spain to disappoint for a time the hopes of tran quillity in that country, which the pacification of Portugal had inspired. To these events, so important to Great Britain, I shall give my most serious attention, in concert with France, and with the other powers who are parties to the treaty of the 22nd of April ; and the good understanding which prevails between me and my allies, encourages me to expect that our united endeavours will be attended with success. The peace of Turkey remains undisturbed; and I trust that no event will happen in that quarter to interrupt the tranquillity of Europe.

"I have not failed to observe with approbation, that you have directed your attention to those domestic questions which more immediately affect the general wel

« AnteriorContinuar »