The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-31 00:00:00

Noble Lord the Member for London, in bringing for-
ward the Canada Union Bill, had distinctly promised
them a responsible Executive Government. To carry
out that promise, the Government ought to be responsi-
ble to the majority of the House of Assembly. They
should give them a Government responsible in the sense
in which the word was understood as applied to the
Government at home. By doing so, they would take
away from the people all desire for a change of Govern-
ment, and all temptations to acts of violence ; but;
unless they did so, he saw no safeguard against rebellion.
Mr. ROEBUCK explained.
Sir ROBERT P 1 Ere said that his Noble Friend had
stated so fully and so distinctly the general views which
the Government entertained with respect to the late un-
fortunate disputes in Canada, that it was impossible for him,
as far as the Government was concerned, to add anything
to that statement, in every word of which he concurred.
But out of satisfaction to his own feelings, he could not
allow that debate to close without expressing his senti-
ments as to the manner in which a most meritorious
public officer had discharged his duty under circum-
stances of great difficulty.—(Cheers.) The Government
of this country had given the greatest practical proof in
their power of the spirit in which they wished to see the
affairs of Canada administered, by the selection which
they had made of Sir Charles Metcalfe as Governor Ge-
neral.—(Cheers.) Not a single member of the present
Government had been personally acquainted with Sir
Charles Metcalfe. He doubted if any one of them had
seen him before the important Government of Canada
had been offered to him. The Government and Sir
Charles had not been connected by political ties. Sir C.
Metcalfe had no personal claim upon them, but they had
disregarded all political claims in their desire to make an
appointment which shou'd prove to the people of Canada
the spirit in which it was desired that the Government of
that province should be administered. They had selected
an officer who had distinguished himself in the service
of the East India Company, and who subsequently, in
the administration of affairs in Jamaica, had achieved a
triumph by his moderation and his firmness.--(C:ieers.)
When they looked at the general tenor of his conduct—
when they considered the view which he had taken of
the cases of all those who had been concerned in the late
rebellion—that the uniform tenor of his conduct had been
to bring about reconciliation ; the desire which he had
expressed to bury in oblivion all that had happened ; and
his complete indulgence, so far as was compatible with
justice, to all those who had been engaged in the rebel-
lion, he was surprised that a more favourable construc-
tion had not been placed upon the conduct of Sir Cherie!
Metcalfe.—(Cheers.) It appeared to him that Sir C.
Metcalfe was completely right in what he had done, and
he was entitled to the entire confidence and the fullest
support of the home Government. As to the proposal
that he should bind himself always to ac'; by'the recom-
mendation of the Executive Council,whether that proposal
were conveyed in writing, or whether it were intended
as a tacit understanding, he would, if lie had acceded
to it, have subjected himself to humiliation. It was the
first principle of the British Constitution that the Sove-
reign should be guided by the advice of the Minister of
the Crown. But it would be quite a different thing
if the Sovereign were to be compelled always
to adopt that advice, or to contract an obli-
gation with a Minister under all circumstances to
ask his advice ; any Sovereign who should contract such
an obligation would become the slave of the Minister, and
not his master.—(Cheers.) But waving that question.
he would contend that there was not any analogy what-
ever, between the position of a Government and an Exe-
cutive Council in a colony, and that of the Sovereign and
a Minister in this country. He thought that a Governor
of Canada would be most unwise who did not minister to
all local matters, and consult the feelings and opinions
of the people, in his appointments ; and he (Sir R. Peel)
must say that, with respect to all those questions of pa-
tronage, he thought the Governments both of England
and Canada ought not to use their patronage excepting
for the benefit of the people. He thought the Executive
Council and the Governor were perfectly distinct. He
thriught it was to the interest of the governed that the
Governor should refuse to place himself entirely under
the control of the Executive Council. He thought
it was impossible to govern the Canadians on the
same principles upon which this country was governed,
The larger the country and the more extended the po-
pulation, the more easy the Government could be car-
ried on ; but in small communities he was not quite cer-
tain that the Government could exist in party there. It
was possible that there might be a Government con-
nected with a most intolerant party. Let them take the
case of the French party being in a minority, and the op
posing party in a majority, in that case he (Sir P. Peel)
was not quite certain that the Governor ought to adopt
the recommendation of the ruling power in Canada. He
thought that the Governor would have a perfect right to
say that the appointment which had been recommended
was one that would be offensive to a considerable party,
although that party should be in the minority, therefore
he should not make the appointment. He thought
that in that case the Governor would be
perfectly justified in refusing to adopt the advice of the
Executive Council. The Governor was bound to admi-
nister the affairs of the country with impartiality and
justice to all ; and, therefore, Sir C. Metcalfe was bound
not to enter into the engagement which was required of
him. But although he had defended Sir C. Metcalfe, it
must not be supposed that there was any disposition on
the part of the Government to withhold from the Cana-
dians the fulfilment of every engagement which had been
made to them. He believed that the utility of the con-
nexion with Canada must depend upon its being main-
tained in perfect.: good will.—(Hear, hear.) It would
only be a source of evil unless it could be continued with
the good will and kind affections of the majority of the
people of the country—(Hear, hear)—and it would be
better that the connexion should be discontinued than
that it should be maintained by force. He trusted that
nothing had occurred in the course of this night's debate
which was calculated to dispel the unanimous desire that
had been manifested to support that able and distin-
guished man who, under the pressure of severe suffer-
ing, was now attempting to discharge what be
felt to be his paramount duty to his coun-
try; and he hoped that nothing had passed
that night which would induce the people of Canada to
show any feeling of ill temper with respect to the Go-
vernment of Sir Charles Metcalfe, for he believed that it
was the firm determination of Sir Charles Metcalfe, and
he was sure it was the anxious wish of the Government
at home, that 'the government of Canada should be
conducted in a fair and impartial spirit, and that they
would seek fur no power or patronage except such
as was for the good of the people of Canada, and
which would enable them, when the time arrived, to
maintain the connexion between the two countries, if
it ever should be found necessary to maintain that con-
nection by force. An impression appeared to prevail in
the House that a vast majority a the people of Canada
were adverse to the government of Sir Charles Met-
calfe. Now this he (Sir Robert Peel) very much
doubted, for as far they could collect pub-
lie opinion from the addresses which had been
presented to Sir Charles Metcalfe, it would appear that
he had shown that temper, that discretion, that judg-
ment, and that firmness, which Would ultimately result
in conciliating the good will of the majority of the people
of Canada. He (Sir R. Peel) held in his hand ninety-
three addresses which were presented to Sir Charles
Metcalfe, even at the commencement of this unfortunate
dissension, and ninety of those addresses were in favour
of his policy, whilst only three were against it. He
trusted it would still be seen by, the people of Canada
that it would be most difficult for the Government to find
a successor to Sir Charles Metcalfe, who should be more
competent to administer the affairs of that country,
or one who would conduct the government of that
country in a manner more calculated to maintain the
union between Canada and this country, or one who
would more desire to uphold the interests and conduct
the government in such a manner as to increase their
prosperity and confirm the connection between the two
countries. .

The report of the Committee of Supply was brought
up and agreed to.
The Charitable Loan Societies (Ireland) Bill was
read a third time.

The New South Wales Bill was read a third time.
The Customs Duties (Is!e of Mau) Bill was read a
second time, and ordered to be committed that day three
weeks.