New-York daily tribune., 1858-12-17

insisted was that the same principle Of executive
responsibility as prevailed In England shogld be
adopted here He bent all he efforts 70 ge,tiug the
governmental machine in proper order. believing
that al uccd,ul practical reforms would follow As
a matter Of course. if this were done. The elec
iions of l-24 first returned majority in constant
opposition 10 the Government; and the same
snOmsous condition OF things was continued after
the elections of l-2r. Mr.. Baldwin went in, m
lc29, not at general election but on the occasion
Of single vacancy in the representation of York.
now Toronto. And in that very Year, The House
Of Assembly, IN answering the Speech by
which the Lieutenant. Governor opcned the ses
sion, siiirmed the principle of Executive respon-
sbllity 10 the representatives. of the people.
In l-l0 the Executive, dissolying the House,
succeeded in securing = majority. which they
retained during the full term of that ParlIs-
ment, which lasted four years. The election Of
lc:a, however, sain turned the scale. In lc56,
for eight, out Of the preceding twelve years. the
Government had been n a perpetual minority IN
the popular branch OF the Legislature. Ii was IN
eyitable under these circumstances that some
champion of responsible government should arise.
Ii Mr Baldwin had never lived, IN. principle would
not have wanted an advocate. In l-.i6, Mr..
Baldwin went to England TO urge on tue I'M
perial Government this change in the prin-
cipe of the Canadian Government. Bat Lord
trlf0elg VINO Was tlcn tolouhl Minister, Noutd
not admit him 70 an audience; be was not permit
ted TO enter the sacred precincts OF DownIog street
50 he wrote letters 10 Lord Geuelg from hts hotel
in Trafalgar square, and the letters were far
treated as official that they were laid before Para
ment, aud found their way into the columns of The
London Times. Sir John Coborne, IN opposition 70
whose administration Mr.. Baldwin first went iato
Parliament, advised the Imperial Government 10
appoint him Legislative Councillor; but Sir Fran
hon ln..t he h.Ia
al antpathy to him, and wrote 10 Lord Geneg not
10 carry into effect the recommendation of Sir
John COlborne In lS.6, NJ. Baldwin accepted
office under Sir Francis Bond Head, in connection
with Rolph Bidwell, Dunn Msrkland aud Wells;
but the Governor was not disposed to treat them rs
a irresponsible Cabinets and denying them tne pow
ers which appertaln 10 responsible ministers, they
resigned almost soon as appointed. The quar-
rel turned entirely upon the principles on which
the Government ought To be- conducted; the Minis
tiers contending that the Constitutional act OF l79l
intended 10 establish responsible Government,
and Sir Francis denying IT. In $50, Mr..
Baldwin became Solicitor General; accepting office
under reasonably well-grounded confidence that
the Government would BE- carried on upon the prn-
ciples ot responsible government. In September,
lsi2, he became Attorney Gen, raj for Upper Can
ada, Mr.. La Fontaine occupying the corresponding
office in Lower Canada. This Office he continued
to hold till the 2-th of November, ic5l, when the
rupture with Sir Charles Metcalfe took place. Be-
tween the days of Bond Head and that time, re-
sponsible government had been practically recog
nized, as well as formally declared the rule of polit
ical action. Sir Charles Metcalte attempted
Il reaction, aud declared that he would con
suit his advisers on all adequate /" occa-
sons;" of which he was himself, of course, to be-
the Judge. On the resignation of the La Fontalne-
Baldw " Cabinet, he ruled the country for Dlne
months with single Mnster-Domlnlck Dsly-
who acted as Secretary. The elections of 1871,
carried by Misrepresentation and fraud, gave the
Governor General small majority, which corrup-
ton soon made sufficient for all purposes. On the
resignation of this Government, IN February,
las, in consequence of vote of non-conhdenee,
the La Fontaine- Baldwin party came back to
yower. Mr. Baldwin remained IN office TILL July,
I85l, when he resigned upon motion of Mr.
Mackenzie declaring the Court of Chancery unde-
srabe as a separate tribunal.
Having done much to secure the establishment
of responsible government Mr.. Baldwin applied
himself o the creation of municipal system which
should confer upon the people, in their several
localities, the right to regulate their own local
affairs. In this field his success was all that could
have been expected. Several important legislative
measures he assisted to carry. lie was man
whose integrity was wholly above suspicion, whose
honor was never called in question, and who will
be looked upon by posterity as great-for the
times-and good man.