The Sun.
London, England, 1849-06-05 00:00:00

canals, of weights and measures, end generally the en-
actment of levee—(Ekar, hear.) It was net proposed to
alter the existing civil list. This Assembly Mould, wish
few exceptiens, have the power to alter in tenure this
list, except the salaries of the governor and judges. This
was a greater po..ver than at present existed in New
South Wales. They could have the power of altering,
and reducing, and atnending, and the Governor would
have the power of temporarily altering the law in certain
emergencies. Another great point was as to the appli
cation of certain sums for the due and proper perform-
ance of public worship. The House was aware that at
present 30,0001: annually was granted for this purpose.
and th:s Bill proposed (as we understood the lion. Gen-
tleman) that 28,0001. of that sum sheutd be appropriated
to New South Wales, and the remainder to be retained
for the other conlonies. Considering, however, the great
increase of population, the power was reserved to the
colonial Legislature, at some future time, to revise the
whole vote for this purpose, to which there would be
no objection. With respect to religious instruction
in the colonies, it was intended to appropriate the
grants altogether, irrespective of sectarian views.
Another proposition of the Act was to give the local Le-
gislature the control and appropriation of the local
funds, under certain restrictions, end requiring in ex
teem° cases the sanction of the Imperial Parliament.
Another great object of the Bill, and one to which he
begged to call the attention of the House, was to intro-
duce equality between the colonies; that was, he meant
that there should be the same equality between Yan
Diemen's Land and New South Wales as between
county and county in Enstland; so that he hoped in that
respect the House would find all practical difficulties had
been overcome, and inasmuch as the proposed Constitu-
tion would provide ample play both to the local and ge-
neral opinion of the colonies, it was not too much to ex-
pect that in future the Government of these colotties
would be satisfactory to all parties. He confined himself'
at the psesent time to this brief description of the lead
ing provisions of the Bill, because the papers laid upon
the table of the House would give every Member fuller
information on the subject; and he hoped that a calm
consideration of these papers would induce them to
support the views of the Government on this subject.
He was- fully aware that it was desired by many
persons to give new constitutions to these different
colonies, but he had always felt that it was neces
sary that these constitutions should be given in ac
cordance with the fetlings of the colonists themselves,
and the peculiar circumstances in which each was placed.
By the Bill he now brought forward the colonies had
full power to alter their own constitution, as to the ex-
perience of its working might suggest. In the course of
a day or two, when Hon. Members had had time to con-
sider the provisions of the Bill, he should be prepared to
meet any objections that might then suggest themselves;
and in the mean time he thought it would be better to
,postpone any discussion until that was the case.
Mr. GLADSTONE observed that he was friendly to
the general objects and provisions of the Bill, but be was
doubtful as to the effect of certain clauses, as to the fran-
chise, and the constitution of the Legislative Assemblies.
Certain changes had been enacted by law, but had never
come into operation, and had, therefore, been obnoxious.
With respect to the double Legislative Chambers, he
thought that the experience of the United States of Ame-
rica was against single Chambers, and the experience in
our own colonies, though very scanty, was of the same
character. In the papers before the House, Sir W. Deni-
son, the Governor of one of these colonies, reported de-
cidedly in favour of two Chambers; and Sir Charles
Fitzroy was equally in favour of a double Chamber ac-
cording to his statement. As far as New South Wales
was concerned, the general sentiment was in its favour.
The Bill now introduced proposed to give to all the
colonies the power of appointing single Chambers, and
the option of appointing a second. But his great anxiety
was upon the question of the federal system. In that
respect again reference must be made to the United
.States, and he confessed that, as far as the principle was
concerned, he should look with great hope to its adop-
tion; but though it had been ably advocated on a late
occasion by the Hon. and Learned Member for Sheffield,
the question had yet not been satisfactorily solved to his
mind. In the United States local were distinct from
political powers, and he could not see hew in the pro-
posed new federal Colonial Government these were pro-
vided for. As far as his present impressions went, im
pressions strengthened by what had lately occurred in
France. he was decidedly in favour of a double Cham-
ber of Legislation. The Right Hon. Gentleman, after
suggesting various other objections which presented
themselve to his mind, concluded by expressing his de-
termination to give the Bill his best consideration in its
future stages.
Mr. V. SMITH also expressed his gratification that
the Government had brought forward a measure of this
character. The question of federal Government and of
two Legislative Chambers, to which the Right lion.
Gentleman had called attention, were questions of great
difficulty and well worthy the attention of the House.
There were, however, many points upon which he felt
some doubts, but at that stage of the Bill he would not
detain the House by expressing his views at any length.
Mr. MACGREGOR said that as his constituents took a
great interest in the question he claimed permission to
make a few observations on the statement of the Hen
Gentleman the Under-Secretary for the Colonies. He
regarded the proposed measure of the Government as
one of the most liberal that had barn brought forward
with regard to the colonies, and he was well pleased to
find that they were at lene;th about having conceded In
them the power of administering their own affairs.
Mr. E. DENISON admitted the great importance of
the question, and added his testimony to that of the
Right Hon. Gentleman opposite (\lr. Gladstone), as re-
garded the extreme importance attached in the United
States of America to the double system of representa-
tion. With respect to the subj,hct of the Colonial Court
Fund and the price of lends, he wi.hed to know whether
the matter would be left in the bands of the local Legis-
lature, or whether it was intended that it should be deti
nitely settled by that Ilouse, Did the Hon. Gentleman
contemplate that the question should be discussed by the
local Legislature of each colony, or by a federative
assembly?
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said there was an Act of the
Imperial Parliament in force which regulated the prier
of land, and which it was not in the power of the local
Legislature to alter. Whether that power should be
continued or not is another question. lie had heard the
speech of the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite with the
greatest interest. He thought it far better not to ex
press a decided opinion at present on the suggestions
made by the Right Hon. Gentleman, but to leave the
entire question to he discussed when the Bill was under
consideration. With regard to that point which the
Right Hon. Gentleman laid particular stress on, namely,
whether there should be an Assembly, or a Council and
Assembly, according to the form of the older colonies,
he thought the Mght Hon. Gentleman had hardly at-
tached sufficient weight to the objections of New South
Wales to the plan of a Council and Assembly. Ile
thought if they could form such a body as the Senate
of the United States that it could net fail to be of value,
and he considered the good working of the United
States was mainly owing to the particular form of the
Assembly. Bat it was said that the value of such n
Senate should depend on the elements of which it was
composed, and he thought that statement was quite
fairly made. When they found eminent men, remark-
able for their talents, of weight and consideration in
society, meeting in the Senate, they formed a great au-
thority. Those who objected to such a form of assem-
bly in the colonies said that there were no materials out
of which to form a council, and if there were not
those materials to form an independent body, then they
should have more nominees of the Crown and
men holding office. In Lower Canada, when a
body was found to interpose an authority be-
tween the Assembly and the Executive, it proved
of very little value. Those were the principal points en
which in New South Wales itself there appeared a great
balance of opinion. It was only his wish that the ques-
tion should be considered, giving duo weight to the
opinions of those who, from their local knowledge and
experience were entitled to every consideration.
After a few words of explanation from Mr. E.
DENISON,
Captain HARMS deprecated the idea of interfering
at present with the government of the Australian colo-
nies. He thought it would have been much wiser on the
part of the Government to have remained quiet some
time longer, before they proposed any change.
Leave was then given to bring in the Bill, and it was
subsequently laid on the table.
Sir %V. SOMERVILLE obtained leave and brought
in the following Bills, which were severally read a first
time:—" Bill to abolish the gaol of Newgate, in the
county of the city of Dublin, and provide compensation
for the officers thereof, and to enable the grand jury of
the county of the said city to increase the salaries of the
chaplains of certain other gaols thereof, and to re-assess
on the county of the said city certain arrears of the
Grand Jury cess."—" Bill to make temporary provision
relating to the collection of county cess in Ireland, and
to
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the Captains and Officers commanding her Majesty's
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ships and vessels for the conveyance of public and pri-
vate treasure, with the total amount received daring the
same period by the Treasurer of Greenwich Hospital,
as the proportion of such freight money for the use of
that institution, pursuant to the proclamation dated the
12th day of July, 1819."
The other orders were then disposed of, and the
House adjourned at a Quarter to Twelve o'clock.
a

REVIEW or THE 213 LIFE GUARDS IN WINDSOR
PARK.—This fine regiment, which is at present
lsta-
tioned at Windsor, was reviewed yesterdayinWinderier
Park, by Colonel the Marquis of Londonderry, I.G.
The troops came on the ground at half-past two
at which hour a large number of spectators in elegant
equipages, as well as many horsemen and pedestrians.
were present. The Noble Marquis arrived on the ground
at three u'eloA, and was received by the ofrucers of tlit
regiment. The troopi, which mus'er,cl nearly 300, and
were accomp ,nied by their ban then went through Ott
usual evolutions of parade and, d
field movernenti with
great precision, after which the Noble Marquis expreised
hii st=&s.!Taetion at the tine condition of the men to
the field officer, Colonel li'Doiraq, and compliment,d
the stalls generally on the soldierly appearance of the
regiment. The Marchioness of Londonderry, Vis-
countess Seaham, and Viscountess Neville we re am
en..
the ladies of distinction on the ground, and after the
review they honoured the officers with their company
I at
a dejeiiner given at the cavalry barracks, Spittal. n
the evening the officers gave a ball to a select party of
residents in the neighbourhood.
VEIL MAJESTY'S SUMMER CRUISE."" 1t IS fail the
services of the Royal yacht Victoria and All v. ill
be brought into requisition some time toward; the latter
cud of July, sawn it is confidently asserted tha` ler
Majesty, Prince Albert, and the Royal children, Rill
I proceed in her to Scotland.