The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-09-13

TgT-Papineaw.
Mr.. EDITOR -
The cry for responsible government in these
colonies at this moment SO very general, is the old
watchword Of the revolulioniss OF 1887. The
party OF Baldwin, Hincks, Lafontaine and Sulli-
van, mean no more by it than return to their old
Offices, and the attainment of the patronage Of the
government, by making it responsible TO parlia-
mentary majoriues in the Assembly here. OF
course, they would fill every office and place of
trust with their friends, and to certain extent, be
guided by the advice OF their supporters in the le-
gislature. But their object is essentially different
from that OF the men of 1887, az the following
facts will show -
Under the old constitutions, granted to the ca
nadians by Pitt, Fox, Burke, and their colleagues,
Immediately after you adopted the federal system
Of 1883. the Canadas were, in fact, couple of re-
publics, with no very efficient means for upholding
the kingiy power. Many years elapsed, II Is true,
before the people became sufficiently aware OF their
prlvieges-and the moment tney began 10 enforce
economy, by insisting on the abolition OF plurali-
ties, offices held by one individual, TO which no
duties were attached, or OF which the duties could
not be properly performed by the lncumbent-the
moment they threatened to withhold supplies until
men In whom they had no confidence were re-
moved from places OF power, they were made SEN
slble that the colonial office and It's agents the
and enforce absolute obedience to their mandates.
The crown seized the land revenue firs and after
wards paid the civil s or salaries Of It's officers,
out OF the revenue raised by duties imposed under
English statutes, without regard to the peoples re-
representatives., their votes or their remonsTances.
In those days, the representation In the two colo
NAL legislatures was q reality, and accorded with
public sentiment unless In 80 lar as Lord Dahouse
in Lower Canada, and Sir F. b. Head and his sue.
cessors in Upper Canada, tempered with the cleo
tons, alter the manner explained In the report OF
Lord Durham.
Duke OF Wellington, Lords Stanley and Russell,
Sir Robert Peel and their colleagues, in 1889 40,
under which the Canadas were united, without
their consent, as one government, the old battle
cry Of responsible government'-thatl 10, respen-
slbllity TO the House Of Assembly OF the Canadas,
became a delusl0n, the TICK OF a cabal, who
sought to rule the Canadas, independent both Of
England, its Queen, and the Canadian people.
Your proximlty.to Cdnada-y our extensive COM
merclal relations both with Canada and England
the tact that Legislature ID to meet SOON here, Cat
Montrea,) and That the struggle Is between the
kesponslbles, under Laiontalne, and the Loyalsls,
under Viger these reasons incline me 10 be-
lleve that q clear statement OF the position occu-
pied by parties cannot tai to interest the numerous
readers OF your truly Interesting journal.
| have said that " responsible government" in
Canada, under It's present constitutions mere de-
fusion. Why is this!
L. Not one man in one thousand OF the popula-
ton is eligible tor the Office OF member OF the le-
glslature.
q Towns and counties containing less than one
quarter OF the whole people OF Canada, send
clear majority OF the House OF Assembly.
8. Tie governor tor the time being selects whom
be peases as Judges OF election. these Judges are
thus selected Tor their political bias views One
trial, under the new constitution, made lew
years ago, left imprinted ON mems minds the re-
cord oil more violence, crime, bloodshed and strife,
than has been known al all your federal elections
since 1879.
H. OF the places which send representatives none
but freeholdeIs IN the counties, and these with per-
sons paying $45 rent III towns, can vote The
great majority OF the people have no suffrage at
all.
s. When the Legislature meets, it cannot even
introduce or pass bill to mend a road or build a
sch0Ol-hOuBe, nor Tor any purpose, except the Gov
ernor recommend the measure
g. The British Parliament fixes the tariff Of du-
ties on imports into Canada al It's pie asure- all that
the ColonialAssembly may do,ls 10 make some al
terations with the consent OF the British ministry.
4 The constitution, voted in London, makes
permanent appropriation out of the Canadian re-
venue OF many thousands OF pounds annu ally, Tor
the payment OF the Canadian governors, Judges,
and large number OF the provincial funcuonafles,
who are Inus placed entirely beyond the control vi
Canadian Legislation. Another large sum Is applied
10 uphold certain clergy OF particular religious
sects. A thlrd Appropriation saddles on Lower
Canada, which owed nothing. at least two-thirds
of Ihe debt OF Upper Canada, which owed five
millions Of dollars In 1889.
8 The public revenue raised from the waste
lands Is not under legislative control-that which
the coIonlsts obtain by local taxation, recommend
ed by The crown, they may appropriate, as advised
by the executive But it is clear, that il the sta
tute of England did not direct that the Canada le-
gislature should assemble at least once in twelve
months, parliament could be dispensed with. II
is powerless 1t may meet to-day to fulfil the
law, and be prorogued tomorrow with little IN
convenience In England, the bil!sto pay the army
and navy, and the mutiny bill, are passed annually
The government is, therefore, dependent on those
who supply the two houses OF Parliament with
members. In Canada, the military Is independent
Of the civil power-the representative body sha-
dow unless it were to pass or approve OF injurious
measures. with the apparent sanction OF majority
of the people.
9 Lower Canada, with double the population Of
Upper Canada, has only an equal number OF repre-
sentatives in the Union Parliament.
TO- The Senate OF Canada, called here " the Le-
gisative Council" is not elective neiiheris It arls
tocratic II consists OF any number OF men the
governor may choose to select-who receive no
pay-may hold any Office and sit during their
lives. This body may originate laws, and can We
to or amend those Which pass ;ns hy ,yhSh
Stanley can get rid Of the odium attached to The
royal refusal OF popular MEASURE II Is stopped IN
the Council selected by his agent
Ill Almost every office in Canada Is Ia the
hands OF the British ministry, directly, or through
their agent the colonial governor. Canada IS, and
while il remains a province, must be ruled with
strict reference British interests. The response
BILE government men WISH 10 RUE IL With IcIcIcuCc
only TO the interests of the accidental majority in
the House OF Assembly, appointed bya mere frac-
ton Of the people; said majority and the WIRE pIi.
lers they enlist, to have the dispensatlon OF the
royal patronage, and the nominations to tat Offices;
the governor being their prophet, and their min
isry" the chosen few whom the nominees OF per-
haps hftieth Of the people, restricted in their
choice TO one out of thousand, may appoint.
compact is desired, by which some twelve
members of such an assembly as have described
wouId render colonial government apparently popu-
lar nv attaining other asscmblymeL to join them
in voting one way, their adherents getting their
share of the loaves and fishes, in addition to their
wages, and majority vote being held to mean a
vote Of cubic appreciation, although the consti'n-
tion has provided species OF machinery through
which no such result can be ascertalned.
Responsible government" Lafontaine fashion,
then-means faction or fraction OF the public,
holding the patronage of the to suit the pur