The Express.
London, England, 1849-04-17 00:00:00

The Ur. gentleman had stated that
we possessed 43 coheir
of which nineteen bed representative institutions, tied
which the principle of such institutions had b en concede
and 16 to which it might be held that representative nude
Lions were not yet applicable. Thu bon. gentleman's stateme
was calculated to make them despised, and at there w
much truth in it. The hon. gentleman had shown that Lye
were many Antares attaching to the said state of Ott OA
miss which made it impressible in all cases to carry out
presentative institutions. He said that if you had adm
nest race, having long held a position of superiority*,
another portion of the community, largerin numbers
waster in the elements of social power, then the work 'oft
presentation must be difficult. 'That might be true of C
West Indies, and he agreed with the hon. gelid"
that the interference of the central goveroses
might be necessary in such ewes, while it might be si
pulsed with in the Cale of colonies of the rams re
and prepared for self-gnvernment. The hon. gentleman
quoted the ems of military colonies which could not anpp
themselves, and also that of colooiee which were self -Nip
ing but when the people were not of sufficient tandem
intelligence to enable them to form representative instil
Lions and responsible government. H. agreed with the it
gentleman that in the ease of military posts, the item
interests must sometimes be the paramount considered
He agreed also that when you had a colony that ,
not support itself it was hardly to be expected that
should have a legislation merely for the purr se of oak
applications to the imperil l treasury. He well
that fres institutions stv,uld be accompanied by e
support, the more so as the hope of free institutions It
make the colonists willing to forego the opportunity of j
ping into the imperial pure. (Hear, hear.) But when
came to the lest class, which were self supporting, and wh
had no dominant class, then he was rather slow to nig
stead why any restraint should be imposed on coknial
vernment. Take, for instance, Newfoundland or Pei
Edward's Island, and he was doubtful whether
hon. gentleman's principle would apply is at
case. He did not see that a very large pp
tion was necessary for the working of fres institutions
I for the fullest exercise of the functions of respe,
government. (Hear, hear.). The hon. geotletnan said I
out of our forty-three colonies only three bad MOM
governments, and that there was great difficulty in in
during the principle. He admitted that there was g
difficulty, but that raised the question of whether it
true or a fallacy that it was necessary to rear a Molly •
a certain magnitude before you gave it free icatitatioas.
was the policy of the present day, but the Colonial-al
only showed the fallacy with parliament and the people.
bad understood the hon. gentleman to say that many of
colonies were not fit for free institutions.

Mr. HAWES—That depends upon population &am
other ehtnnostenors.

Mr. GLADSTONE.—He did not understand why
niter, especially when of Anglo-Saxon rate, sad ready to
their own way, should not have free institutions, Meek'
number of the population was large or small. He held
this was a large question, because it was one of thou el
principles which had an expanded range, and would,
opinion, if acted upon long since, have prevented mu
the difficulty in which we now found ourselves. Be
confess, although unwilling ti refer incidentally to
ten which could not then be fully discoed,
'he deeply deplored the course which bad
fo.lowed with reference to Vancouver's Island.(
hear.) This wee • case in which there was no
neat race, no military post, but you had thee
fairest possible field for founding a truly free n
(Hear, hear.) That opportunity had been wantonly
Aced, but that question would be more fully gone ink
future opportunity. (Neer, hear.) But he hoped
would be able to disembarrass themselves from the fall
notion that a colony must be fostered by. Dawning
They must dismiss that notion, and also the idea
colony must contain four or five thousand people be
obtained free institutions. It wee in that
that our old colonial policy was diatirgukhed
the new. In New England, after en espenence of
or thirty years, we established local government, at
time too when there were only • few hundred people
country. In some of the old American colonies e
governor was elective. He did not mean to sap'
should adopt the whole of the old system, but he
that by that system, the colony, in less than one gen,
had the power of governing itself. Hiving made II
nerd remarks, be should not further detain the hot
should conclude by expressiog Lis belief that only by
such as he had indicated could they hope to place
Mee on a secure and permanent footing. (Hear.)
Mr. MANGLES disclaimed any hostility to the m
at the head of the colonial department. He thought
one point the noble lord was worthy of Cl comma
and that was in his recent colonial appointments.
pointments of Lord Elgin, Mr. Bonham Mr. Bat
G. Anderson, and Sir C. Grey, could not be attribute
party motive. With respect to Ceylon, he must
from all he had heard he believed Lard Torriegtre
man of talent and energy. His belief was t
faults of the Colonial-office lay not in the
that department, but in the inherent vices of the
Looking at the extent of the colonies, their num
tance, and the variety of circumstances by which t
influenced, it would be Impossible for any Celonial
even were he gifted with all the qualifications of a
rattle Crichton, to govern them in such a mincer
meet the approbation of all pleat s. It struck him,
that much of the difficulty would be removed by tie
went of a council composed of retired governors se
experience in colonial affair., to advise the Colo
en all matters relating to the government of cur
This system was, is effect, pursued in regard to Ind
saw no reason why it should not be extended, rat
Landis, to our colonies generally. There might be
responsibility of the Grown as there was now with
India through the medium of the Board of Con
was aware the noble lord objected to this plan, bell,
the true system of governing our cclonies was to le
to manage their own affairs. In that he (MeMengl,
with the noble lord, but he could not see how
management was inconsistent with the action of But
ell as he proposed, or that the the largest
freedom was incompatible with giving to the St
State—that ever-shifting officer, whose tenure of off
exceeded two years—the benefit of such a council.
not understand why so much time had been lost in
of Good Hope, New Zealand, and some other cc
carrying out the system which the noble lord at the
the Colonial-office admitted to be the beat, and in ,
to them the benefit of selegovernment. In New Z
found that • gentleman of eminence as a barrisk
signed the office of Attorney-General to which he
appointed by Governor Grey, who had, much to
selected for the official appointments at his disponi
honourable and efficient men in the colony, be
government would give no pledge that it was it
carry out liberal institutions. He had in•ended to I
observations as to the administration of affairs inCe
seeing the general turn the debate had taken, he
further trouble the house.
Mr. HUME thought the house was placed in
position when they where told by the hon. Coder•
ior the Colonies, and the right hon. the late Sec
the Colonies, that no good could come of loyalty.
rest hi. advocacy of the motion on what had falls!
hon. gentleman who bad just spoken. That ho
man had praised those to whose lot it had
administer our colonial affairs—he had
generally the choice of governors and colonial CS
t• had gone further, and asked how was it that ,
able, talented men—men not selected for their relit
or political connexioe with,
the minister, the slates
aeredit to the country.
Mr. MANGLES took the same view on that sub
boo. friend (Mr. Hume).
Mr. HUME was sorry the debate had not tune,what the motion purported to be, viz., the appoint
"select committee to inquire into the political an
relations between Great Britain and her depen
and this was the important part of it
a view to reduce the charges on the British Tee
ft enlarge the functions of the colonial kg
They had gone off entirely from this question.
Under-Secretary (Mr. Hawes) had put a bold in
matter, and had declared that the colonial sputa me
administered, was an honour to England. ("Ile
laugh.) If so, he knew of nothing that could be
(Hear, hear.) the knew nothing more disiten
fraught with just and well-grounded complaint
of those who were subject to it, or attended wilt
necessary expense, then that aystem so eulogised I
gentleman. (Hear, hear.) For his pert, he ti
hon, gentleman (Mr. Scott) for Mincing the el
ward, and he hoped he would persevere in talky
of the house upon it. (Hear.) It, as had bee
subject was too extensive—if the questions were
rotas for a committee, appoint • commission—(tee
but if they were to stand still from day
from year to year, they would, in ten years tial
same state a. they were now in the fourth n
noble lora (Grey) declared that it was the right
men to carry with them, wheresoever they went,
of British institutions. The proposition now b
ward would come moot appropriately to extend
as he had proposed when the committee on the t
Ceylon and Demerara, was moved by the boo.
Inverness, to the colonial system generally,
policy by which our colonies were governed.
bitted that self-government was the true o=4l
be easy, by means of such a committee
lion, to ascertain why it was not adopted
and how to remove the difficulties wbie,
twin colonies presented themselves against its
They had been told by the right hon. gember
Peel) on a former occasion that two-thirds of
military exemanditure was required for our coloaie
it so ? This was a question he desired to see F 4
there be self-government in all our colonies, an,
called upon to maintain its own establishment,
fray its own expenditure, without calledg upon
country, and there would no longer be any qua
the Colonial-office. If there was no patronse
evoked, and no money to be disposed of be t
office, the chief source of difference would I
No doubt some of the appointments
the Colonial Secretary were good, en
bound to join in the praise which had been bee
G Anderson, whose fitness for the office he I
lected for all must acknowledge ; but that did
multitude of sins which had been going on for
how many years. The colonies ought to he con
politically a benefit to the mother country.
neither, of what use were they ? And if the aye
were such as to prevent them being commerce
or politically advintagems why should the peep]
be hardened withtheheavichargeformaintainite
occasion was there for a large military force in et
time of peace ? Why should 30,000 or 40,000
up here for the purpose of relieving the troops
the various colonies for no purpose whatever'