The Sun.
London, England, 1836-05-17 00:00:00

respect to the Canadas, LW on account of the extent of thr
principle which it involves, because a Legislative Council is
the form of constitution which prevails in every Transat-
lantic possession, and none ever existed which had not beer
subject to the Act of the King ,in Council. But Lord
Glenelg himself states that " considerations ought indeed
to be weighty which should. induce a departure from a sys-
tem recommended by so long and successful a course of
historical precedent." I say then, Sir, that lam justi-
fied by that reason, by " historical precedent," in opposing
the desire of " a vital and fundamental change in
the government of our colonial possessions," but
if it were necessary to make a change, I very much doubt
whether it would not be better for the Government at once
to make up their mind to effect that change rather than
leave the question open to future discussion by the course
which they have taken on the present occasion.—( Hear.)
Lord J RUSSELL said with respect to the sentiments
expressed by his (Lord J. R.'s) Hon. Friend the Under
secretary for the Colonies, all he could say was that he was
ready to take upon himself any responsibility which might
result from those sentiments. For the opinions of the Hon.
Member for Bath the Government were in no wise respon-
sible, neither did they concur in those opinions ; and
as Ito the sentiments which the Honourable Gentleman
seemed to entertain, it was only necessary to say lie had no
reason for supposing that this question was under the
consideration of the Government or that they held out
hopes which they never meant to realize. Nothing which
fallen from his. (Lord J. Russell's) lion. Friend (Sir G.
Grey) could justify the speech of the Right Hon. Baronet
opposite. His (Lord J. Russell's) Hon. Friend stated at
the outset the situation in which they stood with regard
to this question. lie said that although inquiry was not
closed upon the subject, it would not be right of the Go-
vernment to do that which might be construed into a tacit
assent of the House of Commons before the Report of the
Commissioners had been received, or their unbiased decision
upon the result of their investigations had been come to.
The Right Hon. Baronet had stated to the House one or
two paragraphs of the instructions sent out to the Commis-
sioners by Lord Glenelg, and he (Lord J. Russell) would
read two or three other paragraphs from the same docu-
ment. The Right Hon. Baronet had read the 66th, and
afterwards the 69th, and he (Lord J. Russell) would now
read the intervening paragraphs
" But his Majesty cannot forget that it is the admitted
right of all his subjects to prefer to him, as King of these
realms, their petitions for the redresi of any real or supposed
grievances. His Majesty especially recognises this right in
those who are themselves called to the high office of repre-
senting a large and most important class of his people. The
acknowledgment of that right appears to the King to imply on
his own part the corresponding duty of investigating the
foundations of every such complaint. His Majesty, therefore,
will not absolutely close the avenue to inquiry, even on a ques-
tion respecting which he is bound to declare that he can for
the present perceive no reasonable ground of doubt. His
Majesty will not refuse to those who advocate such extensive
alterations an opportunity of proviag the existence of the
grievance to which so much prominency has been given."
It seemed to him, then, that the poople of the American
colonies had a distinct right to apply for a remedy for any
defects in the constitution of their Government to the
British Crown ; and when the question was raised as to
how the alterations could be best effected, was it not an
important point to consider how long those constitutions had
lasted, and what had been their general operation ? Now
it was said in the instructions that—
" His Majesty is not prepared to deny that a statute which
has been in effective operation for soliething less than forty-
three. years may be capable of improvement, or that the plan
upon which the Legislative Council is constituted may pos-
sibly in some particulars be usefully modified ; or that in the
course of those years some practical errors may have been
committed by the Council, against the repetition of which
adequate seeurity ought to be taken. Yet if these supposi-
tions should be completely verefied, it would yet remain to be
shown, by the most conclusive and circumstantial proof, that it
is necessary to advance to a change so vital as that which is
demanded by the House of Assembly."
Complaints then had been made that the Legislative
Council of these colonies was defective, and all that had
been done was to ask of Parliament to remedy those de-.1,
fects. It was quite true that it was the duty of the advi-
sers of the Crown to proceed with caution, and to do all
in their power rather to abate evils than to urge forward
the necessity for violent changes ; and that being the case
could they be expected to recommend that, after the Com-
missioners had been appointed to prosecute inquiry, a de-
cision should be come to before the opinion of these Com-
missioners he 4 been ascertained ? This was the amount of
the answer which his Hon. Friend had given to the motion
of the Welt Honourable the Member for Bath.—(Hear,
hear.) no did not think that he was called upon now to
give any opinion ; but he must say that if defects were
proved to exist it was important that some steps should be
taken to remedy those defects, but not before the matter
bad undergone grave and solemn deliberation, and the fullest
and most satisfactory proof on the subject had been given.
He must, however, be permitted to say that the Legislative
Count was complained of not only by the Legislative As-
sembly, but by other inhabitants of the colony of English
descent. In their petitions to that House those persons
said that the Legislative Council was a body which pos-
sessed neither the confidence nor the respect of the Cana-
dian people, Now, if the Legislative Council could be so
strengthened and improved by alterations as to entitle it to
the respect and regard of the inhabitants of Canada, would
it not be an advantage This was the whole length to
which he would go ; but, going that length, was it incon-
sistent to ask the House to postpone their judgment until
such time as the Report. of the Commissioners was re-
ceived ? He would merely say again, with regard to the
question, that his Majesty's (government bad no wish to
deal unfairly with the subject, or to deny the redress of
grievances wherever abuse was proved to exist.
The West India Judicature Bill went through a Com-
mittee.
The Ecclesiastical Leases Bill also went through a Com-
mittee.
MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS (SCOTLAND).
Mr. R. 'STEWART obtained leave to introduce a Bill
to provide for the better regulation of Municipal Corpora-
tions in Scotland.
LEITH HARBOUR DEBT.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER re-
ferred to an inquiry that had taken place last year, by
Commissioners, on the subject of the Leith Harbour debt.
The Right Hon. Gentleman having adverted to the cir-
cumstances in wt3icll that inquiry had originated, uroved
the appointment of a Select Committee to whom the Re-
port of the Commissioners should be referred, for the pur-
pose of considering the circumstances of the Leith Har-
bour Debt.
'Fire motion having been agreed to, the Committee was
named by the Right Hon. Gentleman,
Mr. GISBORNE presented a petition from Mr. Joplin,
stating that he had been engaged (as we understood) in the
that introduction of joint-steak banks into Ireland, and
praying that it minlit he referred to the Select Committee
now sitting, to inquire into the fact whether the suggestions
be had made to the Bank of England, in 182.5, had not been
of material service in putting an end to the panic that existed
at that period.
After a few words from Mr. CLAY,
Lord J. RUSSELL said that the petition ought to be
considered as one praying for compensation, and on that
ground would oppose its being referred to a Committee.
The motion to refer the petition to the Select Committee
was withdrawn.
The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of, and
the House adjourned at Twelve o'Clock.

Among the numerous projects started at Liverpool
is said to ho one for making ginger-bread, on hearing of whiel
a wag remarked that when it was in operation they would al
least have " Parliaments" of their own. _ _

The greater part of the pavement in Drury-lane,
which has long been in a very bad state, has been taken up,
and new pavement is to be laid down on an improved plan.
The lane for a considerable length has been excavated, and the
earth removed, preparatory to a foundation of broken granite
being made for the new pavement, so that this great thorough-
Ciro will no longer be in the wretched condition that it has
been, to the great inconvenience of carriages and passengers
who had to pass that way. . _ _

We learn from Ham, says the Journal du Com-
merce, that on Sunday evening, M. de Peyronnet had an at-
tack of illness with very alarming symptoms. M. de Chance-
lauze is still in the same state of moral and physical depres-
sion ; Prince Polignae has the gout in both legs, and a rheu-
matic affection in his arm, whiCh prevents him from writing,
and is also suffering from a chronic disease, which will require
an operation. M. Guernon de Renville, though suffering, is
the youngest of the prisoners, and, therefore, has supported his
long captivity with foss injury than the others.
Dr. Darwin, it is well known, was a great stam-
merer. A tactless guest broadly noticed the defect, remark-
i„i .if it is a pity, Dr. Darwin, - that you stutter so much."
~ No, Sir," rejoined the Doctor (doing ample justice to his
impediment as ho spoke), f' I consider it an advantage : it
teaches me to think before 1 speak,'4
DEATH.—Mr. Fernio, an engi-
recently met with an accident
neeNelsEndr, AinNillCwHriool.:
ofcupar,
on the Leven, when a revolving chain
which ,cast him his life. He was inspecting a part of the ma-
immediatelT endeavoured to
cQiilluiric,eiwtrifogskoitrhtensf Mn!'ilp ivt,
up
immediately
extricate it, which had the effect only of involving his !pit
arm. The water was Immediately let Oft 411 d the mill stop:
ped, hilt not before his arm was dreadfully mutilated, and his
breast and body were very much crushed. The arm
CI "to be amputated at the shoulder-joint, to which he
ett .days, but dilirium
--d he Frew
rea tiiy A4kpito,o ; fr, did well for some
and other bad syinpkW. Rgii6l.t i", . t .;' • rapidly worse,
and died on Monday evening.
1 VEgIiNDITY.—A sow between the Berkshirq anti
Sussqc.br.e.e.d, kebonging to J. Snowden, Esq., of Upcott,
near Bristol,•44l R,i, thFee litterp between the 14th March,
Mb, and the 101 l of the sAtinp ipoßth this ?Tv*t the astonish-
ing number 0f.64 pies,