, 1876-10-28

question a crisis had arisen. Honorable
Members know as we'll as he did, that in that
great question ii is not US who have carried
His Excellency with US, but His Excellenoy
who has carried US with him that if it had
not been for the qualities which, he, the Chair.
man, had already named, His ExceIlenoy's
endurance and energy, that question would
surely have been dropped. His Excellenoy
has had no smooth path to travel in that
question. 1t was in such q crisis, the severest
of all, that in December last year the wish
manifested itself, that His Exoellenoy should
be asked il he would as Q last effort go to
Copenhagen and there try what his personal
presence and influence could effect for Us and for
tbe-Or rather his--plans for cur future exis-
teuce and when the Council in its meeting
the goth Decemb0r last year solicited him to
do 90, be readily undertook the charge and
proceeded o fortnight after to Europe. How
a~nxiously we packet after packet watched bis
efforts, is fresh il cur memory, and His Excel
lency will easily understand it.. We know too
that in Copenhagen the Governors task was not
an easy one either, that only his great interest
for aud his confidence in the future Of St.
Croix, could have rendered 1t possible for him 10
enlist the interest of others aud even their CONF
denoe. The results he (the Chairman would not
at this moment dwell upon, if from no other
reason, because honorable Members must be
anxious to hear what His Excellency has to
say,-and in substance they are known to US all.
Whatever they might be it would be with
gratitude that W. wish His Excellency back.
bat he believed those results are such that We
could also do so cheerfully Witt all our
heart we would wish His Excellrnoy well
come back.
The Governor: Tho Council had welcomed
him. in such a ~fattering manner, that 1t was
difficult to him even to accept Of the welcome
at all events he felt it impossible to respond
in the way he should like, after the ex pressions
from the honorable Chairman. he could how.
ever accept whst the honorable Chairman had
said about his (the Governor's) having taken
the case of St. Croix in earnest; but at the
same time he could not forget that he>bad met
Nth great support, and that kind f support
which is the best for q person in his position,
when engaged in carrying out any measure;
he had met with support not only from indivi-
dual gentlemen but also from the part Of
planters az a body, in the different meetings
he had had with them on the matter but he
bad especially on this occasion to express his
thanks fDr the support be had had from the
Colonial Council every time he had met with
the Council, not only in the particular case OF
Central Factories, but In all others where he
had dealt with the Council and he hoped
hereafter to meet together in the same pleasant
manner. He would alsO express his appEeCia-
ton of the Councils response to his invitation,
to meet him to-day, although no had nothing
particular to say, as most of what be could say
was already known but he would not visit st.
Croix without seeing the Council after his return
from Europe.-As far as regards the matter
which chiefly occupies our minds at present, VIE.
the establishment of one or more Central Facto"
ries here, he would beg to call attention TO the
fact, that when he was here lastly. the iuten-
ton was at the time that the Central Factory
project should comprise not only the East
ern part Of the Island to Kingshill, but also the
Western to Frederiksted Mr.. Hagemann's
plan for that purpose required a capital OF q
millions KrOnes, of which 9 1 millions we're to Do
raised by subscription of shares, and Q millions
by a loan from the Statetreasury. The Coun-
Gil gave evidence Of its readiness to support
the matter. firstly by voting the guarantee OF
interest, which proved to be necessary to OBJ"
tain the loan from the Statetreasury, and SEQ
ondly in passing the Ordinance by which the
Labour Regulations will be abolished within 3
years after the erection Of the Central Factory.
This readiness on the part Of the Council
which is, of course, an expression of the gener.
al opinion of the population of the Island. acted
very favourably at home, for 1t proved to
everybody connected with the matter that peo-
pie here were in earnest to see the plan for
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