The Sun.
London, England, 1844-01-03 00:00:00

of the case, its omission seems intended to mislead
the public into the notion that what is stated is that
which was the substantive matter of difference and
final severance between the Executive Council
and the Governor-General. The former, Mr.
LAFONTAINE observes, had lately understood
his Excellency to have taken a widely dif-
ferent view of their position and responsibilities
" from that under which they accepted office, and
through which they have been enabled to conduct the
Parliamentary business of the Government, sustained
by a large majority of the popular branch of the
Legislature." Were we to try this significant allusion
by that construction which our English modes of
thinking would justify,—and figure to ourselves the
analogy of a constitutional Sovereign and a Privy
Council, in place of that Sovereign's representative
and an Executive Council ; what should we think of
this unblushing proclamation by the immediate
advisers of the Supreme Power, of their actually bar-
gaining for Parliamentary support on this kind of
reciprocating basis ? The Executive Council,
however, would not have cared, had these I
differences of opinion between them and the Go-
vernor-General been merely theoretical ; but they had
led to official appointments and proposals for such,
of which they were not informed until the opportu-
nity for their offering advice upon them had gone by ;
and one Bill, introduced into Parliament with his
Excellency's knowledge and consent, he had reserved
for the expression of her MAJESTY'S pleasure thereon,
without previously apprising the Council of such
being his intention. Mr. LAFONTAINE then adds, that
the want of that cordiality between the Council and
the Governor-General, which his Excellency has
frankly acknowledged to have observed, "together
with an antagonism between them," extended not
only to acts on which there were apparent grounds
for difference of public opinion, " but to all measures
of Government involving political principles."
This is a large and fair outline of all in Mr. LA-•
FONTAINE'S letter which it is necessary for the reader
to have, fully and fairly, before his mind, in order to
form his own judgment upon the merits of the case.
In his reply the Governor-General states, that he
observes with regret, in the explanation which M.
LAFONTAINE, and the other Members of Council,
propose to offer in their places in Parliament, a total
omission of the circumstances which he regards as
forming the real grounds of their resignation.
We %NM endeavour very briefly to abstract the nar-
rative which his Excellency thus gives of events as
they had occurred. He states that at the Govern-
ment House, on the previous Friday, Messrs. LAFON-
TAINE and BALDWIN, after some preliminary cemarks,
"had demanded of the Governor-General that he should
agree to make no appointment, and no offer of an
appointment, without previously taking the advice of
the Council ; that the lists of candidates should in
every instance be laid before the Council ; that they
should recommend any others at discretion ; and that
the Governor-Genera], in deciding after taking their
advice, should not make any appointment prejudicial
to their influence." Is it possible to gainsay the con-
struction which Sir CHARLES puts on this outrageous
proposition ? "In other words, that the patronage of
the Crown should be surrendered to the Council for
the purchase of Parliamentary support ; for, if the
demand did not mean that, it meant nothing, as it
cannot be imagined that the mere form of taking
advice, without regarding it, was the process con-

templated."
The Governor-General replied that he would not
make any such stipulation ; and could not degrade
the character of his office nor violate his duty by
such a surrender of the prereqative of the Crown.
Ile appealed to the number of appointments al-
ready made by him on their recommendation ; to his
own constant objection to the exclusive distribution
of patronage with party views, and his maintenance
of the principle that office should, in all cases, be
given to the best qualified; reserving the right of
appointing at his own discretion, where no such pre-
eminence was to be found among the candidates.
Understanding from the two gentlemen that their con-
tinuance in office depended on his final decision with
regard to their demand, he agreed that at the Council
of next day the subject should be fully discussed.
lie accordingly met the Council (on Saturday) fully
expecting the parties would resign, as he could not
recede from the resolution he had formed. But three
or more distinct proposithais were then made to him,
over and over again, in different terms, but (he add,)
"always aiming at the same purpose, which, in his
opinion, if accomplished, would have been a virtual
surrender, into the hands of the Council, of the pre-
rogative of the Crown ; and, on his uniformly reply-
ing to these proposhions in the negative, his refusal
was each time followed by ' then we must resign,'
or words to that purport, from one or more of the
Council."

Ilis Excellency expresses his astonishment at find-
ing, after so many discussions of the demand on which
the resignation was understood to be tendered,
that it was now ascribed to an alleged differ-
ence of opinion on the theory of responsible govern-
ment. The Governor-General refers to his having
Protested in the course of those former discussions
against the notion, that he was practically adverse to
the working of the system of responsible government
which had been established, and which he had hitherto
pursued without deviation. Ile declares that he sub-
scribes entirely to the resolution of the L-gis-
tive Assembly of September 1841 (quote', by Mr.
LAFONTAINE), holding any other system but that
which recognises responsibility to the people imprac-
ticable in that province. But while is satisfied
that all government exists solely for the people, he
remarks that if, by "responsible government," the
gentlemen of the late Council mean that the
Council is to be supreme, and the authority
of the Governor a nullity, they he cannot
agree with them ; and must declare his dissent
from that perversion of the acknowledged principle.
As to the " Secret Societies Bill " reserved by him
for the consideration of her MAJESTY'S Government,
the justification of his Excellency is full and tri-
umphant ; and what is more, it is eminently constiiu
tional:—

" If there is any part of the functions of the Government
in which he is more than in any o.i.er bound to exercise
an independent judgment, it must be in giving the Royal
assent to Acts of Parliament. With regard to this duty
he has special instructions from her Majesty to reserve
every Act of an unusual or extraordintry character.
Undoubtedly the Secret Societies Bill answers that de-
scription, being unexampled in British legislation."
The Governor's reply closes with this impressive
passage :
-

"In conclusion, the Governor-General protests
against the explanation which those gentlemen propose
to offer to Parliament, as omitting entirely the actual and
prominent circumstances which led to their resignation, and
as conveying to Parliament a misapprehension of his sen-
timents and intentions, which has no foundation in any
part of his conduct, unless his refusal to make a virtual
surrender of the prerogative of the Crown to the Coun-
cil, for party purposes, and his anxiety to do justice to
those who were injured by the arrangements attending
the Union, can be regarded as warranting a representa-
tion which is calculated to injure him. without just cause,
in the opinion of the Parliament and the people, on whose
confidence he places his sole reliance for the successful
administration of the Government."
As sincere friends to all classes in Canada, and
heartily approving of the discontinuance of the para-
mount party policy, we grieve to find ;he French
Canadians (for we must find a d6ignation for the
section represented by M. LAFONTAINE) doing all in
their power to justify the sinister predictions of
the bitter opponents of colonial amelioration in this
country. They are, as those opponents declared they
would do, visibly attempting, by such unreasonable
and absurd pretensions, to undermine British au-
thority and monarchical representation in their noble
territory. For our parts, we shall at all times exert
our best efforts to resist the practical development of
their mischievous theories, which are fast tending to
an avowed demand for the institution of a Republic,
whilst we can boast a Governor-General every way
so calculated worthily to represent the dignity and
to maintain the rights of a B. Sovereign.

Paris papers of Sunday, and Madrid papers of the
25th ult., were received at a late hour, having been
retarded by the badness of the roads and the boisterous
weather in the Channel. The Paris intelligence they
bring is not important. The Spanish Commissioners
deputed by the Government to invite Queen CHRIS-
TINA to Madrid having accomplished their mission,
took leave of jeer MAJESTY on Saturday. The answer
is all that can be desired by the party who ap-
plied. It expresses the pleasure she felt on
receiving the invitation sent by Queen ISA-
BELLA and her Ministers to return to Madrid