San Andreas independent., 1858-09-11
Tbt ynOtpenOtnt,
SATURDAY. SEPTEMBER IL, 1853.
From the San Francisco Herald.
Sir Henry Bulwer Lytton's Speech

summersaults,) the new British Colonial
Secretary, has been making speech in
the British House of Commons upon the
line of policy which the Ministry, of
which he is member, has resolved to
recommend in relation to New Caledonia.
In this speech the Secretary stated posi-
lively that, f" as regards Vancouver Island
and the more extensive country OF New
Caledonia, it is not intended over these
colonies to renew to the Hudson Bay
Company the license of exclusive trade
which expires next year." and added,
"the servants of the Company will then
have in these two colonies no privileges
apart from the rest of her Majesty's SUBJ
jects." But what is the kind of Gov
ernment Sir Henry proposes to establish
in place Of the present administrative
monopoly? The Crown. "What there
fore we propose to do, says the Secreta-
ry, " is to empower the Crown, for the
limited period of five years" to make
laws for the district by orders in Council,
and to establish legislature such legis-
lature to be, in the first instance, the
Governor alone, but with power to the
Crown, by itself or through the Governor,
to establish nominative Council and a
representative Assembly" Under such
a form of government, the British Pacific
Colonies will no doubt attain to gigan-
tic growth just think of it. To au-
thorize the Grown to make laws for people
residing on the northern shores of the
Pacific, and months distant from the seat
of the law making power. Let us sup
pose that the nominative Council, and the
representative Assembly, and the auto
cratic Governor should come to the unan
imous conclusion that the interests of the
colony would be promoted by the passage
of particular law. Under the form of
government proposed, what course will
the nominative Council, and the repre-
sentative Assembly, and the Governor
have to pursue to accomplish that object
Draft the law and send it to England
How long will they have to wait for final
action upon their position? The Privy
Council is not an energetic body. 1t has
never done anything to entitle it to dis
tinction. Red tape holds undisputed
sway there. 1t is the chief "circumlocu-
ton" office Years might elapse before
their action upon matters of vital lmpor-
tance to the new colony could be secured.
Under these circumstances it is safe to
conclude that if there be any truth in the
maxim that those who care the least
governed are best governed" the colo
nists of New Caledonia will be the hap
piest people on the globe. But what has
induced the new Colonial Secretary to
propose the establishment of such an
anomalous form of government in the
British Pacific possessions? He gives
his reasons in his speech. He says, 81
think that most gentlemen willagree that
it would not be fair to the grand princi-
pies of free institutions to risk at once
the experiment of self-government among
settlers so wild and miscellaneous, and in
a form of society so crude" Further on
he also says, " IF the machinery we pro-
pose is simple, it is because the society is
rude" Does Sir Henry Bulwer Lytton
suppose that the men who have emigrated
to the North are half savages, clad in
skins, hirsute, ferocious and untamable ?
There is not man who has left Califor-
mia for the new gold regions who does not
know more about free institutions and
self-government than Sir Henry Lytton
Bulaoer. They were for the most part
born and reared under republican form
of government. Theyupderstand practi
ally the working of free, institutions,
onJ l,rou, ,,,oro obo,t All on, tho, Al n VI, \ olo
British Cabinet. The idea that it would
not be fair to the grand principles>of free
institutions to risk the experiment of free
government among American miners can
be regarded in no other light but as the
very subliniity of absurdity, if not igno
rance. In support of his peculiar views
the Secretary astutely remarks that New
Caledonia "is not like the Colonies which
have gone forth from the British isles,
and of which something is known of the
character of the colonists,' and that the
object was to establish temporary law and
order among motley inundation of inn
migrant diggers, of whose autecedents we
are wholly Ignorant" This statement
may be literally correct 1t may be that
In the case of the early settlement of
Australia and elsewhere the British gov
ernment had perfect knowledge not
only of the character but the antecedents
of the colonists, for an examination of
the books of the Old Bailey might be
regarded as authority upon these points.
We submit, however, that as but few of
those who have emigrated to New Gale
donia from this State could by any posi-
bility have arrived at that distinction, no
unjust discrimination should be made
With these remarks we submit the Colo
nial Secretary's plan of government, con-
densed from his own speech, and have no
hesitation in saying that the perpetuation
of the rule of the. Hudson Bay Company
would be far preferable. 1t is as follows :
What, therefore, propose to do is, to
empower the Crown for the limited period OF
FIVE wears to make laws for the district by Or
ders in Council, and to establish Legislature,
such Legislature to be, in the first instance
the Governor alone; but with power to the
Grown, by itself or through the Governor, to