, 1875-01-13
The Tidepde says -:

The Tideade says =
"The order of the Colonial Councils
meeting held this day comprised the dis
cussion Of q resolution proposed by the
9th Member for St. Thomas (l1r. W. G.
LAMB in the meeting held on the 9th Nov
ember 1874, and admitted by the Council,
to the effect that the Council should vote
its disapproval Of the expressions used by
His EXcellency the Governor during the
discussion of the Draft Of the new Coloni-
al Law, in regard to the procedure employ
Ell by the Committee appointed on the
Draft of the new Colonial Law,-which
procedure, as is we'll known to our read
ers, generally speaking, Is retlcent and
mysterious TO such d degree that it can on
ly serve the purpose of p%recluding all
amicable understanding before the matter
is treated in the Council-in which place
the issue and treatment is beforehand
determined according to the GOO pleasure
of the majority which rules at present.
Now it is o matter Of course that the
Governor, who is the Representative Of
His Maiesty's Government, cannot ac-
GGIjC bGLii q WIZ u IEklS0AC5 WutGlA NOu4A
completely impair the superior position
which he, by virtue of the express enact
ment Of the Colonial Law, and by the
circumstances Of the case, holds in rela-
tion to the Assembly, In the meeting
held this day, the Governor made express
mention of this, and at the same time he
proved that the expressions in question
were actually in complete accordance with
the existing circumstances. Instead of
doing what would certainly be the natu-
raI course-declaring at once a dissolution
of an Assembly which transcends beyond
its competency, and whose discussions are
conducted in q seditious spirit,-tho Gov
ernor went to the utmost extent Of con-
citation by representing to the Council
the propriety Of dropping the illegal pro-
position made by the 9th Member for st.
Thomas, but of course, without further
discussion. This proposal was, however,
not accepted by the Chairman, who on
the contrary, thought that he could make
use of his authority to close the meeting,
on the pretext that the liberty of speech
of the Council had been violated by the
condition that the Council should abstain
from further discussion on the subject.
Under these circumstances the Governor
had no choice but to make use of the pow
er vested in him by the Colonial Law Sec
ton 36,-to dissolve the present Colonial
Council. Thus the days of that Council
are now numbered, and we confidently ex-
press our hopes that in the elections which
will be called for, the electors will use
their best consideration and care in be-
slowing their suffrages in such a manner
that the new Council will consist of Mem
bers, who, with a close consciousness of
their responsibility to the Community, will
know how to bring back the discussion to
the road which leads towards the promo
ton of the intellectual interests of the
Community, a goal towards which the
Governor of these Islands as we'll as the
Home Government have during the lat
ter years given a mighty impulse,-an inn
pulse which up to the present moment, we
regret to say, has been frustrated by political
and irresponsible agitation. 1t is now the
duty of the electors to pronounce the YER
dict on this irresponsible agitation, which
enhances their responsibility"