The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-07-16


discussion on the Canada Constitution bill the in
terest which attended the celebrated debate In she
H0use Of Commons on tine Quebec act OF l79l. Mr..
Bun he, It will bc remembered, took OCCASION during
most animated phillppics against the French Revo-
luton and the doctrines propagnted by iss admir-
ers, while Mr.. Fox. more true to the traditions OF
his party, maintained with equal vehemence an op-
great subject o. the day, the friendship which had
FOR years subsisted between those em nent states
men was abruptly and finally broken Of.
The real point at issue, then as now, was whether
members electes by the people, or, rs was proposed
by the Government Of the day, Of nominees APP
pointed By the Crown But there Is one important
difference between the question Of 1871, and that
were trying, for the first time, an experiment the
success Of which might, under The circumstances,
DO mot unreasonably anticipated; while Lord Derby
persists in adherence to the plan which they adopt
ed after experience has shown that 1t 10 unsuited to
the condition Of the province and Of its p0pul
very considerable majority Of the House OF
Lords has, however, decided adversely to his
view, and, refusing to ignore the lessons Of his
tory, supports the COVER nment in giving the colo
nists PEI mission to decide Ut der due restrictions
on the form Of their d0Eestic institutions. II the
discussion Of yesterday evening should lead to q
adyerted. the quarrel must take place between those
who, like the exPremier, would retain our depend
<ncies by coercion, and those who, with Lord Ellen
boz ougb, look upon total separation as the great
object 70 which our legislation should be directed;
but as the last named noble lord has not judged il
expedient TO repeat the theory which he enunciated
fortnight sgO, are spared the necessity Of con-
trasting bis opinions with those on which the oppo
sition to the ministerial measure has been tested.
Lord Derby's objections, when closely analysed,
will be seen TO possess exceedingly little importance.
1t may, no doubt, be perfectly true that in l840
Englhh statesmen were disposed to give the old sys
tenn further trial. and it may have been hoped
hot "a mi IN nff hn ~ M IN
its working more successfully than had been the
case in previous years. Nor, perhaps, would 1t
have been prudent to eRdanger the success Of an
experiment which was generally admitted to in
changes, which, In the then state Of the colony
might have proved injurious rather than beneficial.
In the fourteen years, however, which have since
passed, q great deal has been accomplished, and
great deal has been learned by all who have not
been unwilling to be Taught.
Lord DERBY refers to the time when he accepted
Office Colonial Secretary under Sir Robert Peel's
administration; and he might, perhaps have recol
then elapsed since the passing Of the Union Act,
I" Responsible Government" odiOus as the phrase
may be, had been SO firmly established in Canad
as to compel his acquiescence in the results to
which 1t led, adverse az they were to his personal
predictions. Confidence, though partial or tenn
pOrary, when once given to people, cannot be
withdrawn and even the most reckless leader
of Opposition would scarcely venture at the pre-
which, in earlier times, the affairs Of the Crown
colonies were administered. Between q retr0graae
and progressive course there ia practicable
dunn; and if our distant dependencies were really
Derby most unjustly attributes to them, the surest
way of bringing them to sounder Judgment would
be the demonstration afforded by the Imperial
Legislature OF the extent 10 which liberty and
the crown, ore compatible under the constitution
Of our country. At no. previous period of our his
tory have the loyalty and affection Of the Canadian
population to the sovereign been SO sincere and
so firmly rooted as they are at this moment and
the only question is whether, by permitting them
TO reform institutions obviously detective we shall
establish an additional claim upon their gratitude
and affection. Lord Derby decides in the negatives
but tho Ministers have wisely taken the opposite
view, and the House Of Lords has sanctioned their
judgment.
i will be seen that large proportion OF the OBJ
jecuons urged yesterday evening directed, not
against the bill now In ,ts progress through Parlia-
r1ent, but against the enactment proposed by the
Canadian Assembly. There ia, however, no ground
for supposing that all the provisions of the measure
which last year received the appreciation Of the As
sembly will ever become the law OF the colony; and
Ct the stated by the Duke Of Newcastle,
in his able speech on the second reading Of the pre-.
sent BILL as having induced him TO propose an ena-
bling act, instead of adopting at once the scheme
before lin, was the disturbances of leaving the
question open to the further ard more mature
consider alton OF the provincial Legislature Should
an objectionable plan ultimately pass the Lower
House, 1t will, OF course, be open to the Upper
Chamber to amend or to reject il; and in assuming
that the only course which could be taken would be
TO overpower its judgment by the addition of fresh
members, Lord Derby, in fact proaounces the
strongest censure on its present cons situton. If
the Council should appear to be in the right, and
the Assembly in the wrong, the former win, of
course, receive the support of the home govern
ment exactly as 1t would in . contest on any other
question in which the same judgmen. should be form
ed as to the merits Of the two hostile chambers. We
cannot but think that Lord Harrowby overlooked
this important and adequate check npon i'll con-
sidered legislation, and that--entertaining, as he
does, an opinion favorable to the principal change
desired by the cclonists-hc might with more con-
sistepcy have recorded his vote In favor of the 60
vernia a measure.
The y. - Of Newcastle offered most successful
reply to tn. objections of the preceding speakers,
and rested the defence of the bill on the best and
safest grornd-the failure Of the system which has
hitherto existed and the earnest desire of the pro-
vince for Institutions more likely to prove condu-
Give to its welfare. The task Of demonstrating The
utter absence Of analogy between the British
House Of Peers and the nominee Council of Canada
was not difficult one, nor had Lord Derby himself
ventured to suggest parallel. The truth appears
to be that the full grown oak cannot be trans
planted" We have encouraged our colonies to
make an experiment in this direction, but the re-
suits have no. as yet been encouraging, and It is
time that the attempt should be abandoned.
Attachment TO the crown, and to all institutions
which are in their nature suitable to dependencies
wholly differing IN their social and political relations
from the mother country, may best be secured by
the REIMBURSEMENT of iljudged attempts to main
tain carcatuc resemblance Of the peculiarties Of
our own constitution. II, efore the present bin
should lead, as 1t probably will, TO the substitution
Of an elective for a nominee chamber we shall not
regret the result and confident that our course has
been the wsest and the best we shall cordially con-
cur in the anticipation EXPIRE ssed by the Duke of
Newcastle, that it win form ian additional link IL
an additional link be wanting, in the chain Of con-
nection which indissolubly binds that important
and magnificent colony TO The parent State OF
England"
Condition ~ The F1rst Ward.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW YORK HERALD.
The cholera il in the First wari. No accommo-
dalton for the poor who may be attacked with this
dread disease has been provided, but place in