New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-12-22


be tbe most important in ts consequences ever iev'
cred before this tribunal and eoiJnre yon ~ Iudge
me by TIE principles OF English law, and 70 leave al
unshactled press asa tga'y 70 your children. lou
and mrth-oh do not desert IT il this III day OF fral
Ii for a mOmeLt j could fancy that your verdit
would stain me rlth crime, cTamp ny resources py
hnes snd cast my body into PIE on even then "ouIa
eudeayor to seek elsewhere for consolation and sup
Dor Even then / would no. desert my principles,
nor abandon the path that the generous impulses oi
youth ted and which my rper in1gment sanctions
end approves. ] would toll on, and hope tor better
timesti the principles Of British liberty and British
Law had become generally dfnsed, and had
freed their way into the hearts OF my colntIynen
In the meantime you'd end 4v0r to guard thar IN
tereste-tO protect their liberties; and While Provl-
dence ept me health ard strength the independence
Of the press should never he violated IN my HANDS.
Nor is there living thing beneath my roof that would
not aid in this struggle the vie VINO sits oy my
freside the children who play around my hearth the
orphan boys in my Office, whom it is ny pride and
pleasure 10 instruct from Gay 10 day III the obh sons
they TO tier profession and the country would
suffer the press 70 be wounded through my slde
We wOnld wear the ooarsest raimert; We HUph es,
the poo rest fOod and crawl Of night Into the veriest
howell in the land 10 rect weary limbs. bat cheeru al
and undaunted hearts and there obbpg Justices should
feel that frugal and unite family could Withstand
their persecution fly their power and maintain the
freedom Of the pyess. Yes gentlemen, come what
will while hive, ova-Scotia shall have The blessing
Of an open and unshaekled press. Bot you vii not
to such straits these; you VIII stlu nome
10 the boron Of my family, with my conduct sanctioned
and approved; your verdict will Ingratt upon our soil
those Invaluable principles that are our best secarty
and defeDse.
This speech opened the way to the Legislature.
At The next election he was returned for the Me-
tropohtan county which he representation fourteen
years. There his course was marked by the same
brilliant daring. His first fight was for free altar.
At that time the Church OF England claimed to be
the Established Church, although four-fifths of the
population refused her creed. Certain old statutes
favored the pretension, and the Epscopalians filed
nearly every Office of honor aud emO.ument. Howes
first act was 10 move resolution that that House,
representing the whole province peopled BY vsri-
Ous denominations should recognize no religious
distinction, but was bound 70 extend not Only equal
Justice tu. equal courte'y to ALL" Under this
broad banner, to which he adhered through good
and evil report, victory was won, and religious
equality established in every part of British
America With Mr.. HOwe's entrance into egisla-
tive life in 1887, commenced that battle for respOn-
tibie government, which ended only few years
since, when Newfoundland, the last of the group
to grasp the boon, established her Constitution.
Nothing could be ADLER or wiser than Howes
conduct of this great cause. Bold aud energetic
yet prudent and wary, he kept his people well in
hand, never allowing them, as in Canada, to break
into rebellion
"RebeloJs secrets, never TO rebel"
but holding over them the fear and beating finally
cliques, cOmpacts, Governors and Secretaries Of
State with legal and constitutional weapons
Through such a storm of opposition and oblOquy as
would have appalled, a man of less nerve, and
overwhelmed one of fewer resources he pressed for
twelve years his demand for responsible govern
ment. At times, as under Lord Genelg's admins
tration of the Colonial Department, certain claims
were cOncededan certain principles acknowledged,
Tor which lie .o"te-asS, lot up 1s2o all respOn-
sibility of the Executive Council to any power but
the Governor was repudiated as impracticable and
absurd In 1889 only were the principles Of
responsible government fully yielded by Lord John
Russell in dispatches dated October, 1889, elected
by two letters of Howe in September previous, in
which the old system was shown up in all its
deformity, and the perfect applicability to colonial
life and requirements of the new principles con-
tended for most ingeniously illustrated But even
when yielded by Imperial authorities, the Colonial
Governor refused to apply them. Sir Colin Camp
bell the then Governor, read all his dispatches
backward, refused to part with his Council or
recognize responsible government. Howe remon-
strated. reasoned, warned, but in vain. The old
soldier had served for years under Wellington,
and stoutly resisted.
Seen through the telescope of habit still,
States seemed a camp, and all the world drill
Howe determined to achieve Constitution,
took in this juncture the bold step of moving for
his recall, and after spirited debate carried his
resolution. The Governors party attempted to
get up loyal excitement, but they were laughed
down, and the country backed its leader. POwett
Thompson, afterwsrd Lord Sydenham, was sent to
the country, and on his report the Council was
broken up and the Governor recalled. new Cab
met was formed, into which Mr.. Howe and several
of his friends were admitted and, for the first time
in the history of the provinces, men avOwed and
assumed the responsibilities of Cabinet Ministers.
In 1S4l, Mr.. Howe was nominated to the Speakers
chair the duties of which he discharged with an
ability which found unanimous and enthusiastic
acknowledgment in the records of the House.
The Coalition Cabinet of which Mr.. Howe was
member, lasted until 1913, and though entertain
ing on many points as Coalition Governments
must, strong differences of opinion, apparently did
much good. In that year, Sir Charles, afterward
Lord Metcalfe, quarreled with and dismissed
Baldwin and Lafontaine in Canada. Whether act
inc in concert or not is not known. but Lord
Falkland contrived to quarrel with Mr. Howe,
and ultimately to divide bis Cabinet. While Mr..
Howe was absent in the country, he dissolved
friendly House that had sustained his Government,