The Express.
London, England, 1849-06-20 00:00:00

been paid,
that
tnlit
whadas
militia were never engaged with the rebels in Upper C ea&
although the noble and learned lord bad talked le
den'
achievements of Sir Alen McNab as tattles oNa
to Vittoria, Silures-4s, or Waterloo. (Laughter) -ree
plain Ler, he believed, was, that Bar Alan Mai' -
had never been actually engaged. But this trig
Sir Alan's reply on the °teethes alluded to, yen
Alan said that "he could not understand why the honeral
member could not bring forwarl his motion until th
had been read a third time. He (Sir A. l'el`Nsbe had
heard
must
stalyllfturnebehel:
ebnaithibes
alai s heard i<
with the greatest eissiatiefactiun." Now he (Earl °ra)
realty' site im-
possible that all the sums paid could have teen in liquid,,
Lion of notes of band. It was rather important es
he should here mention a circumstance he heel m„
vicuely omitted. When the act of 1545 erovidedfß
-
the fnyment of compensation to Upper ennee bp
alienating certain taxed that had previouly been pal
to the consolidated fund, it was objected to by the
par-
ties who had opposed the Let lately passed, that the bjsst
would be ut just until the same course was taken with regard
to Lower Canada. They disapproved of compeesation '
either case, but thought Out, it given in one, it should alai
be given in the other. Consequently an address was uaani,
erously voted to the Governor-General, praying for inquiry,
with a view to compensating the lower province. Ttat in-
quiry took place, and was managed by a cemecislion
pointed on the advice of the very gentlemen wit
objected to the present act, and their lordships were probse4
aware that, although eo much was now said about die
exclusion et rebels at the time when a classification woe ee,
quilted for their instruction, the ar ewer received to rho,
plication from Lord Cathcart, acting on the advice of Rs I
executive council, was that they were to take the p
in the courts of law as their guides. (Hear, hear.)4
in the present year a bill was submitted to the united pane. ,
moot for the purpose of granting compensation to hews
Clement, on precisely the same principle that hail has
adopted in the case of the upper province. Various amen 4
ments were moved in the course of the discussion tilt
ensued ; but on the bringing up of the report men
of them were negatived, seer were any of any la. '
portance adopted. It had been stated from the es
by the authors of the measure that it was me
their object to give compensation for losses sustained be
the rebels, and an amendment wee introduced excluding
persons who bad been convicted by. court martial, eon eis
thole who had submitted to her Majesty's pleasure ate bas
sent to Bermuda. The noble arid learned lord hoe heft
very n the manner in which this amendment nee
drawn up, as being calculated to defeat itaown pare se. The
noble and learned lord had said tint in several emuegeatea
it would be an absurdity. There might have Nat
persons who had submitted and not teen sae
to Bermuda, and the noble and learned lord hag
gone on supposing cages in which the act might have bee
evaded. No doubt, it such cases existed. (Hear, hear.) Bum
he (Earl Grey) was pretty certain that there were only sue
persons en the list who, having submitted themselves to lee
Queen's mercy, were sent to B.rmuda. So that those wile
n theirgeer great
ahr Yoi muds as:4;i th
bad confessed their guilt could not by this act obtain
rentation. Bat, Luddite that, the noble and learned lad
looked u
objected to the words in the preamble, esbnli
Ise
those words, the cases for compensation are stied,
hadw wanton
defendedo n beinga
ndo of
cieirneapenedrsotne upon
:we cases
ooafs
Queen's troops were at once excluded from comprnutiel.
(Hear, hear.) But they were toad that they taught ti hap
gone further, and the noble and learned lord bed tied that
Mr. Wilson's amendment was improperly rejected. Nov le
(Earl Grey) thought it exceedingl, inconvenient that then
lordships should attempt to die uss the details of
a bill which had passed the colonial legislates.
The noble and learned lord next complained of a
very large addition which was made to tee emcees of
those who were of French descent in the legislative easel
He tell in his hand a statement which their leek*
would find to bo correct if they investigated tie
mater. This statement coetsined the fact, dm
of the 46 members who composed the mod,
31 were of English origin, and 13 of French. In Canada
the Freres!' population greatly exceeded the English popes
tion in both provigges; and, notwithstanding th.t, tie
French repremetatille in the Assembly were eometbieg
than halt tee number of the Eneltsh. Ten statement Met
was a sufficient answer to any argument that them
was an abuse in this matter. Ile would eel ape
the it lordships to reject this resolution, and thereby rem
to affirm the opinion that teat house was called apes te
interfere with the Canadian legislature. What was its opt.
ninn of the people in Canada esti u nod nt allowed party
feeling to run away with them on this subject? Mays(
them raid that they did not like the act, but at the a me ties
they sail they wcuel not opeose tke government. Re
could prove that that was the view of many p roes is
Collide. He held in his band a letter from a evalemea is
Canada [we understood the name to be Pettus], *hell sg.
peared in one of the Geebec newspapers, and in e tech the
wit et stated that no one more than himself rterstted the
pasting of the Indemnity Act, but did nut hesitate to say
that had Lis Excellency refused his sanction to the bill, ha
would have acted uncoestitutionally, and would hue
brought their present system of legislate into contempt
The question now was not whether the bill was right et
wrong, but whether it was wise or politic to eactorsge tle
minority of the parliament of Canada to appeal to the crown
to tit aside the decision of the majority.
Lord LYNDHURST said that he would claim the
is-
duie. nee f Llatla IvlllStlpS Willie he Siicircuoti allele. He
had wet been in the habit of addressing their lordships fora
considerable period, for reasons which were penonal to hiss
self, and which were probally known to their loedship;
but, consieerieg the offices which he had held during the hat
few years, he felt himself imperatively called ce te
express his opinion on this subject, sod to state
his entire disapprobation of the measure to which the
resolution of hie noble and learned friend related With
respect to the noble lord (Elgin), who acted as goesreer of
Canada, he must say. that he believed him to b: a met
honourable and conscientious man, and that nobody meld
possibly regret mere strongly than be did the seta of
and intemperance to which he had been subjt end. h Ins
nut his inteution to go into the question of uspars'ble goe
vemment, which was so much discussed by his nulls gad
learned friend near bins, and by the noble earl opposite, to
inquire what was its nature, and how it could be applied te
colonel legislation, but he would say, that unless tee effen
of comfit utional government was that it established se min
and independent state in tee shape of a colony, there wen
cases iu which the government and parliament of nit
country were called upon to interfere for the sake al
the honour and dinsity of the crown. (Hear, bear.) The
question is this case turned upon the construction of se act '
.1 parliament. The grooms on which the Indemnity Ili lea
objected to was, that it rewarded retools, and that the tore;
loyal, enterprising, and active people of Canada, who son'
bced so much of tneir property and blood on the cm/snare
leered to, were to be taxed for compensation forth:ea pew
who were concerned in the rebellion which they sacceinsi
in crushing. He saw no objection to the manner in die
the noble earl (Grey) stated the case. It appear, d chats
amnesty in moth( r case had been passed, teed it wee thceek
fit that some of those who had Nene gaged in rebellion might
be employed iu the service of the crown ; but he knee
of no instance in which they were afterwards rewarled
received compensation for any losses which tiny gni •he ban
sustair el. Having made these two or three prelim leery it
Alan Ar
marks, heN ab. must saThye noble a word
earl in favourhod ender/ of
cured the emen'uto shoe
ct of 3e
that Sir Alen MNab was not eutitled to any thanks for di
exertions which he bad made in the suppression ci the reed.
lion. Sir Alan ld•Nab had performed very great nevem
And the rebels disappeared when they saw slim at the
bead of his troops. It was true there was eo contest. The
moment the troops under Sir A. M'Nab appeared the rebus
decamped, and left the ti :Id to the loyalists. Sir A Meith
received the distinct thanks of the governor-green! ef
Canada, Lord Seaton, for the activity, exertion, and sire?
which he displayed on several occasion', and he attain:ft
received the thick' of the crown, and obtained ths
title which he at present possesses as a testimony of
la
valuable services. He thought that he lei net been
justly treated by the noble earl. The question forting tear
lordships appeared to him to resolve itself in'o a very Lyrae
compass. le. depended upon the construction of so Set of
parliament. The indemnity lit applied to all the penes
who were engaged in the rebellion, except those she Well
mentioned in the proviso. What, then, was the applicitiea
of the act? There were two cr three last nee to slew
that the effect of it was to reward and compensate the pen
eons who were actively engaged in the rebellion. Mr. Pr
pineau was one; he was riot tried and condemned; but be
absconded, and went to the United States, and Irene that
he afterwards passed to France, and did not return till aft*
the Queen's pardon was granted. Taking advantage that
part n, he returned for the first time to Canada, and it is
now clear that he who was one of the most prominent leaders
of the rebellion, will be entitled to compensation, as he diden
come vs iv hie the proviso of the bill, ter any losses that he eas
have sustained in consequence of the rebellion. el
I was a direct insult to common sense to say that ha
was entitled to claim compensation. Coesopecisua
from whomr From the public purse of
this
c. untn•
—No, but from the taxation of the persona who I v
helf,
exertions, energy, and vigour Co euccessfully succeCkda
crashing this rebellion. Wee the re a person in that Man
who would sanction such an act ? He would sumo se
analegous case nearer home. There was a rebellion islet
land last year. The leaders were tried, convicted, ma
sentenced, and were to be transported. Let them mje
pose that her Majesty in a few years would beam:
duced to pant them a pardon, and that they
return to Ireland, and that one of them by ow
very great change in circumstances got into the
government cf this country, and proposed to tax tie peaPle
of this country to compeosnte his associates ft r the late
which they sustained in consequence of the rehelion W
he and a tingle individual to support him ? Yet this we
the tee In the meter which wss now before doter Liedtke"
The leader of the government brought in this bill for ehae
purrs. of compensating and rewarding those who were!!
emendates in a criminal enterprise. That much be woo;
my with respect to hi. Pimineau. It was
that Mr. Lafontaine was not engaged in this
hellion. The noble earl was wholly misinformed wiz
respect to that; the statement he made was whe'q
incorrect, and there were persons in that house who se,e,7,
on the spot, and knew every matter connected with tole
affair, and who would be able to prove it. The rell
ab!!
took place in 1837 and 1838; and Mr. Lafontaine, (mini tir.
danger of his remaining in Canada, left and mere over
le
this country, to avoid his apprehension. He heart that
there was a warrant here for hie apprehension. andnae,
immediately left this country. The noble In
said that Mr. Lafontaine challenged inquiry;
."1
he never returned till the pardon was grantee.S
!,
no inquiry could be instituted. It was imPeeen:
to conceal the fact that the bill provided compeassuennt
for rebels, and for, perhaps, the imprisonea.eeel
permits for rebellious:acts. Th. se were the grounds
ew°"'s;
indaCed him to take part in the debate upon the