The Sun.
London, England, 1835-03-10 00:00:00

will not now be considered as an invariable rule of
- the House, or be quoted against me hereafter as a precedent,
should I find it my duty to refuse to adopt a similar course.
For the present, however, I shall waive the objections I have
to enter upon the consideration of petitions at this hour of the
night.
Mr. ROEBUCK expressed his thanks to the Right Hon.
Baronet for the course he took, and then proceeded to ex-
plain to the House the statements contained in the petition
he had to present. It was a petition, he said, from certain
Therern was
members of the Legislative Council, and the House of As-
sembly of Lower Canada, complaining of certain grievances.
no proportion between the number of Catholics
and Protestants in Canada, and the same stone-blind
System seemed to he adopted there, which prevailed
Ireland, for the purpose of maintaining a Church
Establishment which was not agreeable to the whole mass.
There were thirteen millions of republicans near them ready,
thethe first opportunity, to overturn that system, and to act
part which was acted by the United States. He did
not wish to see such a result, but it must inevitably
accrue if the present system was persisted in. After alluding
to the acts of the late Government in reference to the judicial
authorities of Canada, he implored the sympathy of the House
In behalf of the vast body of people for whom he was
Speaking, The conduct of the judicial authorities was as
disagreeable to the people of the Canadas as that of a certain
Lord was to Ireland. The Hon. Member quoted from a
speech of Burke a passage, in which the orator argued that
the mother country should always construct the govern-
°lent of her colonies according to the particular temper
and character of the people. That had not been done
in reference to Canada, and he therefore called for a re-modi-
fication of the Government of the Canadas, or the fate of those
would be the same as that of the United States.—( Hear. )
The Honourable Member here entered into a number
of details respecting the conduct of Lord Alymer and
of, the public authorities in Canada, of whom he com-
Pained in very strong terms, but he spoke in so
Mandible a voice that it was only possible to
near occasionally a few words he said. The Hon. Member
was understood to complain of the appointment of a Mr. Gale,
whom the present Government had taken the first opportunity
°F recommending to Lard Aylmer (Governor of Canada) as a
al
fi,tso and proper person to be a magistrate. The Hon. Member was
understood to accuse Lord A. of incapacity for the govern-
raent of Canada, and of having been about to challenge in a duel
the Ex-Attorney-General of Canada. And all
this conduct
!tnci misgovernment had taken place in a colony border-
..4lg on the United States, and which of all others rcquir-
V..Le to be governed with the greatest prudence and ability.
ttll considered that when official persons came before
hat House and made statements, they ought first to
ascertain the accuracy of them, because it was impossible
ti't; what faith might be put in them. The next corn-
anit he had to make was there had been no quarantine regula-
Th°llo Made when they were required. Application had been
Wut Ittlwhie to the Governor to make some alterations in Montreal,
ch were not attended to. He regretted that the Go-
-11-ertior should have forgotten his King and his country, in
:P a case as this, for which he ought immediately to have been
home and dismissed from the government of the colony.
1,/,'Le secretary of the Colonies ought not to have allowed the
blvule Lord one moment longer to have retained the com-
bo 1.4 Another complaint which he had to make was (which
b,, should do the more boldly, seeing an Hon. Gentleman
;4° was connected with the Company in his place),
~gainst the Land Company of Canada. who attempted to inter-
'ee with the internal regulations of Canada. He would caution
i,,Y.,emigrant in supposing that he would obtain a title to any
`4 in Canada, because when they got out there the ould
it very difficult to obtain a title.—( Hear, hear.) In
w`-apada there was no law of promigeniture, a circumstance
,°1 h led to the greatest confusion, as this thing was disposed
iet to this son, and that to another, all of which had led to dis-
ns among families themselves, as well as that they had ex-
attniued and been made party questions by the neighbourhood
,arae.
, a He should conclude by one observation respecting
0,0- vo parties which formed that settlement. Certain per-
nlna had chosen to say that the English were the only legni-
rate proprietors of the soil, whilst the French were to be re-
ded as a set of illiterate republican fellows. It would be
hoe„wt, howevtr, at the next election, that the interests of
,:pn parties would be merged into one great principle ; but
"" we from the statement to which he had alluded being cor-
et, he could state for himself that out of a legislative assem-
jbly2f 87 members, there were not more than ten or twelve
Pesing the English party. He would tell the Hon.
tuber that nothing could have been more unfortunate than
47.M4 English party stepping in with contrary measures, at a
'e that it was supposed the people of England were about
to
).„.eht do justice to their brethren of Canada. There never was
before this House a juster ground of complaint than
talievances of which the people of Canada complained,
tOr one that would, if not ultimately relieved, be more dange-
as to the constitution of that country. He did hope and
ithout reference to party feeling or party spirit, that
*Lie Gov( rnment- would be led to approach this great ques-
tr with calmness and impartiality, that they would consider
Veat interests connected with their determination, that
,_tee Ives to be maintained, and that that could only be pre-
doing away with that detestable faction—the legis-
kite co until.
The
Iletition was then brought up.
wanid 8,-• RICE rose and said that he trusted the House
eadulge him while he offered some explanation
traas,LePa-ct to the share which he had taken in those
ton •-'-doni,, and while he made some reply to the observe-
litlm eg th e Honourable Member who had just sat down.
anhject was one which might not be deemed very
assro,,ltaet by some Honourable Members, but he could
the thos aof them who, perhaps, had not attended to
Portent of the details of the subject that one more im-
con2:3, to, tie real interests of the country—whether they
eorn-„,,lueted. it with reference to its relations to Canada in a
fora -aerei,a
b or general point of view—was never brought be-
lion Iliouse..—( Hear, hear.) In the concluding observe-
fully the speaker who had just sat down, he at least
leastt
approiteet. That observation was that the House should
rit;ach that question, involving not merely the pros-
ritrsh °I, Lower Canada, but the connexions between
~and •th-• Forth America and that country with calmness
i°l* ; that was all he (Mr. S. Rice) asked
tie ea r, hear, he only wished that the Hon.
al.a
,„„s"lan who gave that good advice would have shown that
Prod 1e inciple actuated him, and that he would have ap-
taste-ed ti ,at subject as he (Mr. S. Rice) intended to do,
'fate °f it idulging in imputations and personalities upon pri-
oafY *-u4ract Cr. He must say that the Hon. Gentleman, not
upon 111 re ference:to that debate, but upon former debates
iatr°dPlat alubject' by the' tone of asperity which he had
aadka,„°7llced his speeches (he, Mr. Rice spoke with a full
.1;1",•ze oi! the facts), had done more to, create difficulties,
taj,„,ad darow n more difficulties in the way of an amicable
i;wle at, thati all the efforts he could ever make would do
haep.;wit b. For was it to go abroad that a British Senator
gota it as his opinion that if the people of Canada did
All they asked for they were entitled and advised to
ak
frota
tti,ae se violent measure' s which severed the United States
Ileces:a British Crown?—( Cheers from both sides.) Was it
khen4ts7 to appeal to the fears of the House of Commons,
;howl
_,"e lion. Gentleman knew perfectly well, from his
ialtia.e`Te of its history, that he did enough by appealing to
laasaci* I:"."( Great cheering.) He wished the case to be dis-
-44.0 ,n the spirit of calmness and temper.—( Hear.) Far was,
say that Canada had not much to complain of.
tNey h eAem) That did not not stand on his admission alone ;
of alite;_t,l it upon their records ; they had it in the despatches
the ,14;`);°vernors ; they had it in the admission of almost all
easle-L•a'sters of the country. E 5, did not mean to decide the
ars?, words, but to go into facts, and he would take a
ar 1),-,t his duty compelled him to. He would not go so
tinte7-a as the lion. Gentleman, but Nvould only go from the
the Canadiar, affairs were brought most fairly before
18k :use—the appointment of the Canada Committee in
r, •ICheers.) It was not for him to, decide whether the
left to°l_ Canada of that day would not have been much better
taitte,.l•ll,e Government of the day than sent to that C?rn-
all exams ,nt't he would say that no Committee ever went• into
;al aria tion with a better spirit, or more determined to
e ° the • bottom any abuses that were brought before them.
datiolltnlosa that could be expected was that the recommen-
be
ellax of the It Committee should be carried into effect, and
l'ethaZatlingly regretted that they had not. Information,
xappi was ‘lefective, but up to 1830 no pains were taken to
tia*ttl," defic,'ency. The Hon. Gentleman, the Member
a° was mistaken as to the cause of the severance
1,748.1,-- was
had all‘ided. A Committee was appointed last
t'eefith' eaTioituswea,sanatigeeed that the evidence should be laid
for the
br7inegt .f..‘or the purpose of raising a charge,
down his own private copy of that
i;eiritaitteei
were
rthe purpose -'f raising a charge. On that
the names. of 3,1 r.
iior•i,9o4.lburn Roebuck, Mr. E. Lewis,
Mr. Denison,Mr. Lord Sandon, Lord
er• Labouchere, Mr. F. Ba."ing,
Ittt,. • Bulwer, &c. During the Sir H. Hardinge,
10 '" there had been a division, and yei.-t:
as j... 1 n before the Committee, there was only one case. in
ongore.s,s of the inve!.,
+withstanding the
thethriagiiltatement and the expressed and implied
OM Member which the House had just 11,.*ard againstaccusations of
laan7Le Colonial Secretary and the Committee on
that occa-
debtie (Mr. Rice and the Hon. Member (Mr.
kali_ on theame side —( Cheers.) Nay, more, the H0n..,,
bje,r was a party to the drawing up of the report, and tn
sar Inn vvhich he now took was an objection in a great mea-
te to hiskr own act. --(Hear )
ke Pa.piterOEß LICK said the gentleman had better wait till
the
.s were regularly produced. He (Mr. Roebuck) d. e held having the passage referred to. It was true n
Who tidedraw up the report, but then he was not the person
passage.—( Laughter. )
that RICE did not know whether the House would receive
lot„_
,Planation as a satisfactory one. If the- Gentleman be-
,ilgiaento the majority who drew up the report, and who
Itia, surely ed the addition of that passage and the amendment,
toil, f..,,,_ in common fairness he should be considered a party
tlieres•""eers- ) The report of the Committee declared that
atkost as evinced on the part of the Colonial Department the
to carry into effect the report and the recom-
.llo,, e.ticn, of the Committee of 1898 for the object of pr0%'1.17
%'1.17 the ,'nterest of the colonies, pending the investigation.
irn ir°M a tlispoeition being evinced by the Colonial Office
impede tattarthe inquiry, or mar its objects, there was, on the
elacpaY, not a single letter. public or private, which could
fore te the real bearings of t.l/4e case, that was not laid be-
thethe Committee. There w,75 nothing left undone by
Davie overnment. Every fact, great and small, within the
:liee,tstr,t;tlf.oltlhe Colonial Department to submit was submitted to
Gentleman Cheers.) After this could the Hot?
I+, eatan with any show of decency or justice maintain his
?--( Hear, bear.) But this was not all.' The re-
atig'eed to by the Committee was adopted not on the exa-
,Sittt I°a of the witnesses of the Colonial Office, but of the
'0 Ott tees on the other side.--( Renewed cheers.) It was agreed
the Showing of the complaining parties. He would next