The Sun.
London, England, 1838-01-26 00:00:00

lages, it appeared, had been utterly destrojed ; and even
churches and house s, filled with human beings, had been burned
to the ground. It was not by such means that the Canad'an
People were to be conciliated. He had every confidence in
the Noble Lord who was to be :sent out as a mediator to
Canada : but he feared that if Lord Durham were to be fet-
•e-ed by the instructions issued to him from the Colonial
Office his mission must prove a complete failure.
Mr. REDINGTON could not concur in the arguments
used with respect to separation, and he trusted that the Ca-
nadian people would neither be foolish enough nor so disloyal
is to follow the advice of those who held such doctrines, and
promulgated them. Concurring in the opinion that the revolt
was without justification, he felt it his duty to support the
present measure.—( Hear.)
The SPEAKER asked if the Honourable Member meant
to divide ?

M. REDINGTON replied that ho did not.
General EVANS said that it was well known that Mr.
Roebuck had acted not only as the agent of the Canadians,

but that that Learned Gentleman had also taken the trouble

to agitate the electors whom he (General Evans) represented
on the subject. This agitation had been going on for some
time, but although the Learned Gentleman might have suc-
ceeded in getting a small portion of the electors to concur with
him in his views, it was his (General Evans's) duty to state to
that House that the great mass of the constituency of West-
.ninster were strongly opposed to the line of conduct which
the Learned Gentleman had pursued.—( Hear, hear.) Ile
thought it right to make this statement, lest the Canadian
People should suppose that the sentiments expressed at the
meetings which had taken place were those of the electors of
Westminster generally, and to prevent them being influenced
by al impression so erroneous.—( Hear, hear, hear.) He,
with the Right Hon. Gentleman, the Member for Coven-
try, was led to believe that nine-tenths of the parties who had
engaged in the revolt were influenced by the encouragement
which their ambitious and violent leaders had received from

Hon. Alernb.?rs of that House.—( Cheers.) He, for one,
would venture to express his hope that that House would give
their unanimous sanction to the present measure—that it
should pass with one voice—in order that the misled Cana-
dians might be convinced that. they had no right to expect
popular support from this country in their ill-judged at-
tempt to throw off the Constitution which had been imparted
ti them. He could .issure them that any such attempt would
be hopeless.—( Hear, hear.) It had been said that the people
of the United States participated in the feelings of the rebels
ia Canada, but he mult declare that this was perfectly errone-
ous. Although North America was under tne rule of a de-
mocratic Government, although the Government of that
cluntry was subject to popular influence, still they had not
seen the slightest symptom on the part of that Government of
anything like Quixotic democracy in favour of the Canadian
rebels.—( Hear, hear.) They were a calculating people, and,
therefore, not likely to engage in any contest where they could
not hope for profit as well as success.—( Hear, hear.) With-
out money he could tell them war could not be carried on—

(A laugh)—and he should like to know 'where Mr. Papineau,
or any other of the rebel leaders, could find money to ray
volunteers. This was a point on which he cool I speak prat!.
tically.—( A laugh.) 'fhe Honourable Member for Wol-
verhampton had found fault with the Honourable Member
fir Lincoln fcr having talked of " philosophical Radi-
cals." He could see nothing offensive in the designa-
tion, and he believed that many of the Radicals im,gined
themselves to be philoso[h n.s Indeed, they had given proofs
in the course of this debate that they did, for many of them
had pursued a line of argument in which the vulgar and unini-
tiated were totally unable to follow them —( Laughter.) It
had been said that the speech of Mr. Roebuck had been but
feebly answered. He thought that the Learned Gentleman

had answered his own speech in some parts, while in others it

. .
had been completly refuted by other lion. Gentlemen ; and,
as to the remainder, that was totally unworthy of observation.
He (Colonel Evans) thought there were ample grounds for
this Bill, and that some such measure would be reasonable,
even if no revolt had taken place. It might be very conveni-
ent o.t the part of Mr. Roebuck to deny all connection with
the revolt in Canada, but, as far as regarded the revolution in

Spain, it was well known that in that case he gave his support
to the side opposed to the popular opinion. In one or two
parts of his speech, the Learned Gentleman applauded the
conduct of the House of Assembly as " wise and prudent,"
and said that they had " won all their demands from succes-
sive Governments." If this were so, why had they not con-
tinued the same course, and, instead of resorting to a revolt,
endeavoured to win what further they required by legal and
Constitutional means ?—( Hear, hear.) But what sail the
Hon. Member for Leeds? He said that, although money was
the only object of the Government, they had granted ail the
financial demands of the Canadians, but not
,until 1836. Why,
they were now in 1838. The revolt took place in 1837 ; and
if all the demands of the Canadians Were granted in 1836,
surely this was a fact decisive against not only the revolt, but
those who supported it. So far from exhibiting either wisdom
or prudence, the House of Assembly had evinced the very
opposite character; for, not content with demanding redress,
they had actually vs 'rtcd to something like a decla:atiol of
war against all peace and order. This it was that just'fied the
present measure.
X.. WA KL E Y said that, as the friend of peace in Canada
he had heard with delight the soft and lamb-like tones of the
warrior of Spin. ( A laugh.) He wee one of the pus ms
represented by the Hon. and Gallant Gmtleman, and, there-
fore, as an elector of Westminster, he felt i, necessary to make
a few remarks in consequence of what had fallea from bi.r.
In the first place, representing-, as he did, a large portion of
the metropolis, he must deny that the conduct pur-
sued by the Radi a' Memb:rs of that lieu ;f: in this affair h id
given any dissatisfaction whatever to the inhabitants of the
metropolis. He denied that the Radicals had advised or de-
sired that the Canadians should proceed to extremities or
open revolt. On the contrary, the Radicals well knew that
there was but one circumstance which justified revolt, and that
was the certainty of success.—(oh, oh, and laughter.) Ho
was glad the Tories laughed at this statement, and his fe tr
was that they were chuckling after the blaod that would be
spilled in Canada. It eas impassible that this country could hold
dominion over men's minds against their will, and the time
would come when the Canadians would take the power into
their own hands, and redress themselves. What was it that
had induced them to pass the Reform Bill ? Why net moral
force, but the fear of the muscle and bone of the pe )ple whom
they had excited. Had the people gone doxn on their knees
to entreat Refot m, what would they have got from that House ?
Why, simply nothing. He very well remembered that when
the agitation in favour of the Reform Bill commenced
some years ago, the Gallant General then took a very distin-
guished part in that question. He very well remembered a
speech which at that time the Gallant General delivered at
the Crown and Anchor Tavern, in which he said that he had
just left Kent, where an hundred thousand men were ready
to mired] to London the moment it became necessary, and the
Gallant General said that he himself would be prepared to
draw the sword for the purpose of maintaining the rights and
liberties of his countrymen. That was then the declaration
made by the Gallant General. He had since been exercising
his powers in the cause of liberty in Spain, and he did not
deny that the Gallant General knew what it was to carry
on war without money, or rather, he should say, that
he knew the precise time when to discontinue carrying
on war without money. He denied, in the strongest
manner, what the Gallant General had said with respect to the
feeling out of doors. The feeling out of doors was in strong
condemnation of the course pursued by successive Govern-
ments with respect to Canada, and out of which the present
state of that Colony had arisen. Wh. n he heard the Right
Hon. Baronet opposite complain of the Bill, and of the man-
ner in which it had been produced by his Majesty's Govern-
ment, he (Mr. Wakley) did hope that he was bidding for the
support of the Radical party in that House. He regretted
to say that in that expectation he ( Mr. Wakley) had been dis-
appointed. The Right Hon. Baronet was anxious only to
expunge that part of the Bill which the Radicals looked upon
with favour, and which pledged the Ministry, at a future time,
to restore to Canada a Constitutional Government. He re-
gretted that the Noble Lord the Secretary for the Home De-
partment seemed to have softened down in his purpose since
the introduction of the Bill, for he had stated that he would
not relax any part of the Bill ; and yet, in consequence of what
had since occurred, he expressed a willingness to take a dif-
ferent course. This showed a weakness and vacillation on the
part of her Majesty's Government, and that they had not made
up their minds steadily to the. course that ought to be pursued.
Should the Noble Lord yield to the recommendations of the
Right lion. Baronet, it would bring obloquy upon his Govern-
ment. It would show a vacillation and unsteadiness which the
people would not long endure, and the speedy secession of the
present Government from office wou'd be the result.--( Hear.)
Mr. BO RT HWIC K tendered his thanks to the Right
Hon. Baronet the Member for Tamworth that on the present
occasion he had pursued the manly course that always distin-
guished him, and had thrown expediency overboard, and taken
a course solely based on principle. The Bill before the House
was not a Bill for the permanent Government of Canada. It
was introduced to allow the House time to legislate perma-
nently for Canada. The opposition given to it deserved the
character given by Mr. Burke to a similar course pursued with
respect to a Bill for the conciliation of America. Mr. Burke
had said, with respect to the opposition given to that Bill, it
was likely the conduct of froward children, who, when they
did not get all they liked, would take nothing at all. He
would not detain the House. His purpose was to appeal to
the Right Hon. Baronet, who that night had earned for him-
self so goodly a laurel, whether he would permit her Majesty's
Ministers to escape from the condition in which they were
placed? Without his aid they would not be able to carry on
the Government. By the course the Right lion. Baronet
had taken they were reduced to the necessity of keeping
their places at his dictation, and governing the country as his
instrument, and under his direction.—( Hear ) The country
would now see in whom confidence was to be ilaced.
Mr. D. CA Is L AGH AN did not think that there was a
case sufficient to justify a suspension of the Constitution. An
attempt was made to draw a comparison between Ireland and
Canada, but there was this difference, that, whilst successive
Administrations had refused to acknowledge the grievances of
Irelard, those of Canada had not only been acknowledged,
but tottealpts had been made to redress them. He must vote
against the present measere for that purpose.
Lord DUNGANNON thought it right that the country
should know that the present Government were not able to
carry on their measures without falling back upon the support
of the Right lion. Baronet.—( Hear.) The Hon. Member
fa Finsbury had made a most extraordinary declaration—
that a revolt was justifiable provided only it was successful.
There were times when no man would have dared to avow
such a doctrine in that House. If the present Government
were to continue in office, to whom were they to look
for support? They would owe that support altogether to the
Right Hon. Baronet and those who, with him, acted on prin-
ciple, and not party spirit. The present Government had to
thank themselves for the difficulties in which they were at
present placed. There never was a Government in a more