Canadian Scenery, Volume 1 (of 2)Willis, Nathaniel Parker
History
Canadian Scenery, Volume 1 (of 2)
Willis, Nathaniel Parker
Canada -- Description and travel; Canada -- History
The commissioners, in March 1836, viewing this state of things, and
seeing no prospect of obtaining money to carry on the government,
without immediately yielding to every demand of the lower house,
considered it indispensable to obtain it without their consent. This,
they thought, would be best accomplished by parliament repealing the act
passed on the motion of Lord Goderich, by which funds to the amount of
£38,000 had been made over to the Assembly. This would, indeed, excite
bitter resentment; but, with the other reserved revenues, it would, at
least, enable the government to proceed without any grants from that
body. Lord Glenelg was not forward to act on this recommendation. He
wrote to the Earl of Gosford, expressing a hope, on grounds which do not
very distinctly appear, that the violent resolution complained of had
been induced by the partial and imperfect knowledge of the instructions,
and that a communication of the whole might lead to more favourable
views. He expressed a wish, therefore, that the provincial parliament
should be again called, and an opportunity afforded for retracting
before recourse was had to extreme measures. The meeting was accordingly
held on the 22d of September, 1838; but the majority soon presented an
address to the governor, denying that, according to the apprehension
expressed in his speech, they laboured under any kind of misconception;
they saw nothing to make them change their views, or prevent them from
insisting on the same demands, particularly that of the Elective
Council. They adverted in an indignant manner to certain pretended
authorities, as they termed the commission, and maintained that they
themselves were the legitimate and authorized organ of all classes of
inhabitants; that they had used their power in such a manner as ought to
have secured confidence; and to them, not to a few strangers, ought to
have been committed the fate of the country. They declared it their
imperative duty to adhere to the contents of their last address—“and to
them do we adhere.” They finally expressed a resolution not only to do
nothing more in regard to supply, but to adjourn their deliberations
altogether, unless government should commence the great work of justice
and reform, particularly in regard to the second branch of the
legislature.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account