The Sun.
London, England, 1853-08-05 00:00:00

and his hope that it would be re-introduced at an early portant colonies of British Guiana, Trinidad, and Jamaica'
period of next session. Guiana and Trinidad have listened to the advice of the
The ordersfor the second reading was the discharged. Government at home, and much of the evils which they
TRANSPORTATION BILL.
Lord PALMERSTON intimated that he would take the
'suffered has been redressed, so far as the export of sugar
committee on this bill on Tuesday next, at 12 o'clock. and the state of industry are concerned. This fact
NEW BILLS. is shown by official statements of the export of sugar
Mr. HUME said he was astonished to observe on the from British Guiana and Trinidad in the years 1840
paper notice of six bills to be introduced that evening by and 1852. From Guiana in 1840 were exported 579,000
the Secretary of the Board of Control, one of them re- cwt. of sugar, and in 1852, 838,000 cwt. There were ex-
isting to the important subject of transportation. The ported from 'Trinidad, in 1840, 245,000 cwt., and in 1852,
house ought to have explained why those measures had 483,000 cwt. ; the exports from these two colonies together
been delayed till so late a period of the session ? being in 1840 824,000 cwt., and in 1852, 1,321,000 cwt.,
Lord PALMERSTON said that one of the bills referred being"an increase of 497,000 cwt., or considerably more
to was intended to remedy a defect which existed in regard than 50 per cent. on the whole exports in 1840. (Hear,)
to marriages in the church of the Holy Trinity at Hulme. But in looking to Jamaica a very different result is found.
He did not imagine it would meet with any opposition. The exports of sugar from Jamaica in 1840 were 517,000
The bill which had been particularly adverted to by the cwt., and in 1852 they were 511,000 cwt. (Hear, hear.)
hon. member for Montrose was for the purpose of empower- There is a similar difference with regard to immigrants.
It has been the policy of this country.
ing her Majesty's Attorney-General to transfer female con-
victs to the House of Correction at Brixton. in compliance with
the desire of its colonies, that there should be a number of
THE OFFICE OF SPEAKER. immigrants imported, in order to supply the want of
Sir It. H. INGLIS, in rising to call the attention of the labour Occasioned by the abolition of differential duties.
house to the report of the select committee on the ()Mee of \ they:, lwfienred
,jliaott)d4iiiiißritish Guiana.t from 1840 to, 18u2.
and in Trinidad 24,000,
Speaker, said that, adopting the suggestion of his right leaking 73,000 inimigrantfiannthose two colonies, while in
hon. friend and colleague the Chancellor of the Exchequer, .1 aillaien, the whole for the twelve years has been only
he would not trouble the house with a long speech. Ile 11,000. (Hear', hear.) Here, sir, therefore, is a very ob-
was the more induced to follow that course because, ' P difference. between the state of these colonies, there
being no difi erence whatever in regard to the imperial
having repeatedly brought the subject incidentally before legislation respecting them. (Hear, hear.) If slavery was
the house—having introduced it somewhat more formally abolished in Jamaica, so likewise it was in Guiana and Tri-
on the 17th of November last, on which occasion lie re- nidad. If foreign sugar was admitted in competition with
colonial suear in the cese of Jamai
ccived considerable encouragement from the right hon gen- ca so likewise was it in
the case of Guiana and Trinidad. But there
tleman who then led the house, as well as from the noble
1 cumstances connected with the constitutionamor some
Jamaicac i r -
lord the member for the city of London—having, in cense' i which have at all times been a source of difficulty, but
quence of such encouragement, obtained in February last which, in these later years, have been a source of very
great embarrassment, finally ending in that total stoppage
the appointment of a select committee without a divi-
of the legislature to which I have called the attention of
sion—and that committee having unanimously adopted
the house. I have already stated that Ido not mea to
the report which had already been presented to the enter into the progress of that dispute, or to say that the
house —he was in a condition to call attention to Council was right or that the Assembly was wrong, or
subject upon which as yet there had been little or questiononthetbrliceular
aide or tiii3yat
treereAsdsoenniebr tohne go.
no difference of opinion. Nor had he heard of any ob- '7llthe
vothere.r But there are certain—l may not call them laws
which
to the report of the committee, except one, in
or provisions of the constitution of Jamaica, so much
which individually he concurred—namely, that it did not
as established practices in the constitution of that island
go far enough in providing a remedy which all admitted to which have operated very injuriously to the colony.
needed. When he found, however, that the committee Now we have had to consider in respect to various colonies
could not unanimously and cordially concur in that larger the want of any representative institutions, such as we
measure, which alone would have completely satisfied him, think, •
justly think, will benefit cur colonies, as
but were still • •
well as benefit the mother country. But in Jamaica, what
great proportion of existing evils, he was not disposed to
we have had of is,
ask the house to do more than sanction the -of the to complain not the absence of represen-
report
committee. His own opinion was that the best plan would
which are not consistent with the wel-
be to place in the chair, in the event of their being at tutions to purposes .
time
unhappily deprived of the services of the Speaker, fare of our colonial empire. We all know that in this
according to the practice of this house, no vote of
some one to discharge all the legal functions of that country,
money is
office ; but the committee had judged otherwise, and had made unless upon the proposal of some Minister
agreed to recommend the house to piece in the chair a gen- of the Crown, and that the Crown has in fact the initiative
tleman who might discharge all its duties within the house, in all grants of money,
and all grants of money are made to
not exercise any of the other functions belonging to the Crown. An officer is appointed by the Crown tosuper-
but
grant, subject to the control,
the office of Speaker. When he considered, on the one intend the expenditure of this _
this
hand, how thankful they ought to be for the long-con-
tinuedcensure,
departed presence among them of the right hon. gentleman maica these wholesome rules
who now so worthily filled that office—(cheers)—and felt, only have the House of Assembly the power of raising the
on the other, that the tax upon his time and strength supplies,
supplies and the appropriation of those
te. but they
might be carried to an injurious extent, he was sure the have for a long period of time taken smsder
f mire.netwsn man-
house would agree in the opinion that something should agement all these money and regular di
This
now be done to prevent so great a calamity. (Hear, hear.) practice has led to very great abuses. It has led, fthink,
In the course of the last month the house had sat twenty- to very lavish expenditure at particular
times,
to grants
two days, and had been 228 hours in session, giving an of money which were far in excess. of
of the means the co-
average of more than ten hours to each day of public ser- bony, and. at other times to a desire of economy not con-
vice. On sixteen of these days the Speaker had taken the sistent with justice, after the expectations
that had been
chair at twelve o'clock, as well as at the evening meeting
errorheldo to various parties. And this leads me to another
of the house, and he had sat upon several occasions for
there that is, that while
which has been
. committed, and. _ -
more than fourteen hours at a time. In short, it might behas been.
laws in Jamaica providing for the perma
safely stated that the attendance given by the Speaker to
. nence of certain offices, these offices have only been main-
tained by votes from year to year. The consequence has been
his public duty was such as very few other human beings,
that persons have acceted high judicial and oter offices on
and certainly very few members of the house, could give. the faith of those acts ofthe 1- • Jamaica
(Hear, hear.) He moved " That whenever the ho use shall
expectations have been disappointed by votes of money fall-
informed of the unavoidable absence of Mr. Speaker, the
ing short of those just xpPectatio - and not • g such
Chairman of Ways and Means do take the chair for that
salaries as have been promised by Tose
permanentgi acts. I
day only ; and, in the event of Mr. Speaker's absence con- do not wish to enter into the merits of these votes. It is
tinning for more than one day, do, if the house shall think
natural for the Assembly having the control of these matters
fit and shall so order it, take the chair in like manner on
to claim a right of action in regard to them, but no servants
any subsequent day during such absence." of the Crown can be expected to accept these things, and
Lord J. RUSSELL, in seconding the motion,
_said he afterwards submit to have their salaries either taken
would not make this a personal question, becaused he be- away or reduced very considerably. Latterly a point
lieved there was only one opinion in the house as to the upon which great dispute has arisen was a proposal of
value of the services of the Speaker (cheers); but con- taking away 25 per cent. from the salaries of these officers.
sidering it as a general question affecting the performance Such being the state of affairs it was, of course, a question
what
of the functions of the house, he thought they would be should be the course taken by her Majesty's Go-
blind to the consequences of the very great labour imposed vernment •
with respect to this condition of the island of
upon the occupant of the chair if they did not adopt the considering it I must beg to ask the
Jamaica, and in so
recommendation contained in the report of the select com-the house to an extract from a message of
mittee. It was of the utmost importance that, in case of attention of
ofJamaica,
Sir
Charles
Grey,
which
the absence of the Speaker, supposing the business of the the late Governor.l,d
house to be of great and urgent interest, they should be points out the evi ,an suggests the remedies which he at
them. Charles
the time thought would tend to remove Sir
able to proceed without delay, and should not have merely G
to address the clerks, but some person who should be able r says,.
"With therospects which are before us, it is,
perhaps,of little present use to say what might be done
to preside over their deliberations. The opinion of the 1)
select committee, in which he entirely concurred, was i
y a single-minded . .
the frequent
.
sland - but as all this ruinous distraction, by the frequent
that they should only carry the remedy as far as it was recurrence' of which Ja • has been, throughout its een,
an-
absolutely necessary, and should avoid any measure which unhappilynals,so distinguished,Inale
appears to me to be the
would at all fetter the discretion and choice of the house direct and na idaole rsult f som perversions of the
in case of a vacancy in the office of Speaker. They were model institutionseve
of England, so I e
believe that the main
anxious that the house should not, by any previous resolu- and immediatemschiefwoul be remedied at once, bv re.
tion or decision, be at all committed to any particular can- venting in those few particulars to English rules, arid by
didate for the office, -but should choose that person who, the Hon. House of Assembly being contented withs, power
at the time, should appear best qualified to fulfil the im- as perfectly analagous to that of the British House of Corn-
portant functions which belonged to the Speaker of that mons as it might be possible to make it, which, after all,
house. He thought the committee had been successful in perhaps, would be found to be as great a power for every
their proposal. They proposed that only for one day good purpose as that which it possesses at present, or even
should any person assume the chair in the absence of the supposes itself to possess. Therefore, whensoever, and in
' Speaker—that afterwards it should be entirely in the whatsoever manner opportunity and leisure may
choice of the house whom they should place there—and or created, Irecommend that your attention should be given
that the person whom they should appoint to supply this —first, to a regulation of the civil and ecclesiastical estab-
temporary vacancy, should be one who, as Chairman of lishments, by reductions which shall either be prospective,
Ways and Means, had already an official and recognised or shall be made upon the basis of a fair and moderate
position iu the house, 'and who, upon the return of the compensation for existing interests ; secondly, to the pro-
Speaker, or upon the election of a new Speaker, would vision of a permanent fund for the payment of the reduced
fall back upon his former situation. (Hear, hear.) He establishments ; thirdly to the enabling of the Gover-
had great pleasure in seconding the motion of the hon.
baronet, and trusted it would meet with the concurrence be found
nor, for the time being, to employ ministerial officers,
holding seats in the Assembly, to bring forward Go-
of the house. (Hear, hear.) vernment measures in that house." These are the re-
Mr. BRIGHT agreed with the noble lord that it was not commendations of the late Governor of Jamaica. (Hear-
desirable to carry the remedy further than was necessary ; hear.) Sonic years ago there was a question in Ja-
but he was not sure that the committee iu the present maims, which I think was brought before the Assem-
instance were not doing so ;at least, although he had been bly, whether or not the institutions of that colony should
iu the house about ten years, he had not known any occa- not be assimilated to those of Canada. The Secretary of
sion—certainly not more than one—in which the house State for the Colonies declared hie readiness to adopt that
had not been able to sit in consequence of the absence of proposal, and at the same time pointed out the difference
the Speaker. That might have been a hardship to the between the institutions of Canada and those of Jamaica ;
right hon. gentleman, however, and so far might be cited for in Canada there is a permanent provision by means of
as an argument iu favour of a change. But his object in is civil list, passed into au act of the provincial Parliament,
rising was for the purpose of saying that, if the Chairman by which certain officers are permanently provided for;
of Ways and Means was to have a new dignity, it would and there is also the rule that grants to the Crown are to
be desirable to have him appointed in a different manner be initiated and proposed by officers of the Crown. That
from that which had hitherto prevailed. When Mr. change, however, was not adopted. Her Majesty's Go-
Bouverie was appointed to the office, very few members of vernment now propose to act generally upon the basis of
the house knew anything about him, and he was nominated this proposal. They do not propose what has been con-
by the noble lord the member for the city of London with- templated by some persons—to suspend the representative
out previous notice, and in an inaudible tone of voice. He constitution of Jamaica. It is urged, I know, that the
of
the
spoke thus freely, not out of any discourtesy towards the Assembly being elected by only 3M° persons out
hon. member for Kilmarnock, whose intimate acquain- 400,000, the population of Jamaica, is a very incomplete
ti-
tance with the forms of the house they all knew, and who, representation, and ought not to be considered as cons
if he were to be again appointed, would have his cordial tuting a representation of the people of the island of
support, but because he desired to call attention to the Jamaica. But, setting asidethatcon wish to do is,sjeeration, at least
subject now, in connection with the report of the select for the present time, what the Government
A embly and the Council to
committee upon the office of Speaker. if possible, to induce the
ss
as a basis for harmonions
Mr. DISRAELI was convinced, having been a member agree to terms which may serve
hear.) What we propose,
of the select committee, that the propositions now before action for the future.
(, that there should be a
the house were the best they could have been adopted, and therefore, is, in the first place,
for those offices for which it
combination of
per-
he thought he might say that almost every . maneut act containing grants
salary should be given ; I mean, of
circumstances which could occur respecting the subject of is fit that a permanent,
•OttiS which should be of a permanent
them were considered by the committee before they arrivedt. course, judiciald . offices,
n the next place, it is proposed that in
at their adoption. The resolutions provided for a con tin- character ; au ,IJamaica, as
in
gency which they all since • rely hoped would not happen in the Assembly of
their own experience. (Hear, hear.) It did not seem to no grant should be made except upon
theproposal of some
him that the objection of the lion. member for Manchester person representing the Crown, and that the Crown
was a valid one. He was not aware that it was at all should have persons speaking the sense of the Crown, and
unknown to any party or any gentleman in the house representing it in that Assembly, as the house is well
that Mr. Bouverie would be proposed as Chairman of aware is the case in Canada, by means of what is called
Ways and Means. It had always been the practice, when responsible Government, namely, by confiding the offices
that office was vacant, to propose to fill it up on the of the Crown to persons having the confidence of the ma-
occasion of the first committee of supply. When he ha '1 jority its the Assembly. It may not be possible or
the honour of a seat on the Treasury benches it was his wise to adopt precisely similar provisions in Jamaica,
duty to propose a gentleman as Chairmam of Ways awl but at the same time we are of opinion that there
Means, and on that occasion he followed the usual rule, should be some persons under the Crown who should
The noble lord was perfectly acquainted with his intention, make propproposals of grants of money to the Assembly, and
and, indeed, approved of the name he brought forward, as that the officers of the Crown should be the persons re-
he, in turn, had the happiness to do when the noble lord, u • .
the expenditure of that money. It is a source
at a subsequent period, nominated the hon. member for 13'onsible for
of the greatest
abuse that members of the
Kilmarnock. of Assem-
House _ .
bly should themselves expend the money, and this_system
Mr. HUME approved of the resolutions, and hoped the produces evils. (Hear, hear.) These are the three things
house would seriously consider what improvement could be that we propose, namely, that there should be a perm'.
made in the mode of conducting public business. He could neat revenue for those offices which are placed on a per.
not think it was decent that members of that house should maneut footing, that the initiative grants of money should
be returning to their houses at two or three o'clock in the always be with the representatives of the Crown, and that
morning, after an absence of twelve or fourteen hours; and certain members
'' bers of the House ofAssembly, or persons
he trusted that, whoever might have the arrangement sf properly entitled, should be the
persons responsible for the
business next session, they would not have midnight sittings expenditure of the public money. On the other hand,
entailed upon them. If he were spared till next session, however, we propose to endeavour to place the finances of
he should certainly, though he stood alone, set his face Jamaica on sound
a more footing than they are on
f • at
present. There is, for instance, a public debt in Jaanaica,
against proceeding with business after twelve o'clock.
besides the debt due to this, amounting to no less than
resolutions, J. PAKINGTON said he did not rise to oppose the _
500,0001. and for which au interest of •x
resolutions, in which he heartily concurred, but to submit per cent. is on
an average paid. We propose that thesl-
- the noble lord opposite whether it would not be desirable,lmperial Parlia-
ment, on the proposition of '
at the commencement of next session, to renew that cons- . the Government, should give
e which sat three or a guarantee for the payment of the interest due for that
mittee upon the forms of the house
some of whose recommendations .
were debt, while at the same time
a sinking fund should be
four years ago, and
adopted with great advantage to the business of the house? provided. These two provisions, the one of a guarantee and
He could not help thinking that the
house had outgrown the other of a sinking fund, would enable the Assembly very
they
come when ought togreatly to reduce the •
its forms, and that the time hadd interest of that debt, and probably
state of things,
endeavour to find a remedy for the present
forwardat at 3!; per cent, they would secure that 500,000/. But
in which important business wan
e brought
_el a time there remains another sum which it is propose& to gua-
when a large proportion of_ets fle
ai fidu titia and able rantee. The difficulties which have occurred. in Jamaica
members of the house hadl ftte , n when those who have very much arisen of late years on the subject of cer-
remained, whether in or out of office, were discharging their tarn salaries of official persons. It is contended that the
duty at a great sacrifice of personal inconvenience, and at Assembly, as the tax bills cease every year, are entitled in
some risk to their health.
that the business of the house should be so conducted as meat they may think fit for the reduction of salaries. It is
not to deter competent men from seeking the confidence of contended, on the other hand, by the Council, that it would
constituencies. He did not wish to pledge himself to any be a breach of faith to the persons accepting permanent
particular scheme of improvement in the forms of the offices, in the belief that permanent salaries would be
house, or to go along with the hon. member for Surrey in allowed to them, to make very large reductions. Now
all the observations he made the other night, or in recoils- it ars to us that the quarrel might be settled by
mending a morning sitting, but he saw no reason why the proposition that in the case of those officers
a ..
house should not meet in the second weekof January, in- the holders should
which it is proposed to reduce
stead of the first week of February. receive a guarantee amounting to half a year's salary,
The motion was then agreed to. so that those persons might not be deprived of the prospect
THE ISLAND OF JAMAICA. which bad been held out to them. In order to do this it
rtain
would be necessary that the Assembly should grant a seems
Lord J. RUSSELL : I said that I would this evening sum for that purpose, and we do not think that that Ruin
state the intentions of the Government with regard to the should be calculated at less than 50,000/. It je.2.ll;naiemug
colony of Jamaica. lam not going to enter into a history therefore, that a loan to a further amount of 50,0uut
by this house.
550,000 t. altogether, should be guaranteed
of the progress of that dissension which has occurred be- with this whole
There is is another means in connection
've a fair chance
tween the Assembly and the Council of Jamaica. All that ject Which is equally necessary in order to house is well
I wish to refer to is the fact that the Assembly have passed of success to the proposed experimenwt-
hen the right hon.
bills for the provision of the revenue, and that those bills aware that Sir C. Grey had already,
was in miles, dis.,
which were absolutely necessary for carrying on the public gentleman opposite (Sirsj(Soverner of Jamaica during the
charged the functions o
re held. ne, has cl. -
service, appeared to the Council to be so objectionable that . i for which these offices a .• la
full pence
the Council refused their concurrence. The Governor in charged those duties with
year, to prevent those faults and
Council was obliged to suspend the meetings of the Assem- able, up to the
presentesai a exist in the constitution of
b] and and the whole state of legislation in the island of errors whie
from libinhgavprodnctive of tbe manifest consequences
Jamaica remains in suspense. Now, iu considering guy' 1 !'
'iiiii-hiiccii Nve see they have now resulted in. My noble friend
with to the West Indian colonies, we
question . respect the Duke of Newcastle, now Secretary of State for the
iu
Co-
must no doubt always bear in mind that within the last louies, e
onsidering among the persons holding official
in the colonies who there was who might be best
twenty years two very great changes have taken place sittetionesi,
i t , from his kege, and experience,a.nd talent,
changes which were designed to be permanent iu their clue . I
eicith the greatest succ assw to dbring the differeet parts of the
meter, and which were enforced by the Imperial Legisla-
, Legislature of Jam
Jamaica into harmony, and restore the con-
tain. The first of these was the abolition of slavery, and stitution of the island to a sound state, has been of opinion
'pi that Sir H. Barkly, who has for several years been Geyer-
the other was the admission into this conntry of foreign
r• nor of the colony of British Guiana, and who certainly had
sugar on an equal footing with our own colonial
anti coin-
great difficulties to deal with when lie first went there,
These two great changes led to so much objection an
- ,_ so would be the best person to be appointed as Governor of
on the part of the colonies, they led likewise were P Jamaica. He has accordingly recommended to her Majesty
plaint
much loss to the colonies, that although .
I think they were to appoint Sir H. Barkly to this important office, and the
l ture
that the Legis a Government is of opinion that there could be no person
founded upon sound principles, and
tis advisable, in better qualified for the purpose. A question naturallyarisas
did well to adopt them, I do not think i
f the Assemblies with respect to the salary of the governor, and it would be
any case where discontent prevails in any 0
extr e the most unfortunate if the salary of the governor should fin--
el' the West Indian islands, to push to any
With respect fish cause for dispute immediately on the occasion of the
rights of the Government. (Hear, hear,)appointment of a new governor. On the ether hand,it would
to this last change, however,
I beg leave to point out be a very great misfortune if the office of Governor of JA.
,
tweets the three most itt• i maicawere by a reduction of salary made of less its.
the difference that there is be