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V 
 
MR. GllAY'S 
 
 CLOSINO SPEECH 
 
 ON THE 
 
 VOTE OF im OF COSFIDEI^CE. 
 
 DELIVERED IN THE 
 
 N. 
 
 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, 
 
 At Fredericton, 
 
 ON THE 
 
 29th of February, 1856. 
 
 Taken from the " Head Quartebs." 
 
 PRINTED BY BARNES AND COMPANY, 
 PRINCE WILLIAM STREET, 
 
 »T. JOHN, N. B. 
 
MR. GRAY'S CLOSIIVG SPEECH. 
 
 Mk. Gray, on rising to close the debate, said, he regretted he could not 
 continue to afford to the House the amusement they derived from the speech 
 of the hon. member for Victoria (Mr. Tibbits). lie must req^uest their serious 
 attention to the question before them: it was one of importance. The de- 
 bate had lasted many days, and the country was expecting a decision. He 
 desired that his reasons for moving the amendment should go forth to the 
 country ; and, if possible, that the division should be taken that evening. 
 If ho asked from the House more time than he usmvlly occupied, he trusted 
 they would indulge him. He had to follow the arguments of many days, re- 
 view the reasonings of many members, and meet all those varied objections 
 which ingenuity, prompted by pride or interest, could suggest. He was sur- 
 prised at the course pui'sucd by the (Tovernment and their supporters. It 
 might well have been assumed that a Government claiming to derive its 
 power from the people, arrogating to themselves the commencement of a 
 new system, and resting their rights to office solely upon the ground that they 
 had tlio confidence of the people, would have boldly met the questions that 
 had been raised, and justified their position by showing an honorable dis- 
 charge of duty ; but, on the contrary, his motion had been met with " This 
 is not the proper time. It is merely an effort of the old Government to get 
 back to power. The effect of sustaining this amendment is to reverse the 
 judgment that had been made in October 1854:, by this House, and put back 
 e.xactly the same men Jis a body, and a Government which was then denoun- 
 ced as unworthy of confidence." An invidious distinction had been made 
 between the late Attorney General and himself, as the mover of the amend- 
 ment, and all the petty means that could create jealousy or dissension had 
 been resorted to. In answer, he would ask did hon. members ever hear it 
 admitted by any Government when was the proper time to put them on their 
 trial 'i AVas ic ever known that it was convenient ? Was such a step not 
 always out of time ? If you raised the question on the answer to the Adaress, 
 they say, " You try us without waiting for our measures." If you try them 
 on their measures, they say " You are obstructing the business ot the country : 
 why don't you bring up a direct vote of want of confidence?" He remem- 
 bered that in the early part of the session of 1851, when a vote of want of 
 confidence in the then Government was moved, it was found not convenient 
 because the leader of the Government — the Attorney General — was absent 
 to run his County. At the close of the session, when a similar vote was 
 moved, it was fouhd not convenient because he had been returned, and that 
 should be conclusive. In the short session of October 1851, it was alleged 
 as not the time to try the Government, because as they had been in office so 
 long, it was plain they had the confidence of the country ; and now it ig 
 urged that it is not the time to try the present Government because they 
 have not been in office long enough. He thought a direct vote was the fair 
 and proper mode, and this the proper time, when they contemplated em- 
 barkmg in works of great magnitude and importance. The charges brought 
 against the Government were plain and specific. Tliey were charged with 
 incapacity in managing the finances of the country, with inefliciency in pre- 
 paring the estimates and controlling the expenditure, with non agreemaut a« 
 
to any general line of policy, with inconsistency as a Oovcrntncnt in agreeing 
 upon general measures, and neutralizing such measures l)y individunlly bring- 
 ing in bills of a directly contrary cluiractcr, and by the violation of the prin- 
 ciples they had always advocated, in appointments and otherwise. Iheso 
 cliarges were plain, and should have been plainly met; but instead of so 
 doing, the Attorney General (Mr. Fisher) who had followed him, had immc- 
 diatelv raised the cry about the old Government, and lie and liis 8upi)orters 
 lijid piu-sued throughout their speeches a series of attacks upon tlie conduct 
 of that Government, rather than any defence of the present. He was sur- 
 p ised at this, as it was entirely unwarranted by any remarks that he had 
 mide ; but what justification to the present Government could it be that the 
 old one had acted so badly. Tlie question was not between the old Govern- 
 ment and the present, but between tlie present and the country. Tlie old 
 Government claimed no right to oftico, and acted in no concert. They had 
 afquiescedin the decision of tlie House, had resigMcd, and there was an end 
 of it. But there was a degree of arrogance in the present incumbents claiming 
 tlio sole right to themselves, and attempting to brand others with the mark of 
 exclusion. No man had any right to office : it was open to all who choose 
 to serve the people faithfully, and in whose integrity and talents the people 
 cl.'joso to place confidence. Theirs was the right — theirs the power to ap- 
 point and sustain. "With reference to himself he did not, as tlie mover of 
 the amendment, should it prove successful, claim any office : he claimed no 
 leadership — he recognised no leadership. In any new formation, those who 
 v'oted for the amendment could all equally claim to be leaders. IJe had said 
 the Government must bo held accountable for the expenditures so far ex- 
 ceeding the estimates — an excess of over £30,000. This they justified by 
 tiirowing the blame upon the House, by asserting that the Road Committee 
 had, notwithstanding the estimate made by the Provincial Secretary, re- 
 jiorted in favor of £20 or £25,000 more than the sum he had named. Now 
 it so happened that two of the members of the Government — the Attorney 
 G( neral nimself one — had been on that very committee, and acquiescea. 
 True the Attorney General says, "He raised his voice against it ; but when 
 lie found there was, notwithstanding, to be a general scramble, be thought 
 he might as well scramble for his County too ; and the other hon. member 
 of the Government (Mr. Smith) says, " We could'nt control the House : we 
 could not dictate to the House." True ; the Government could not dictate 
 to the House, but they could control it. The Government during the last 
 se?iion had had unexampled power in the House. The House had passed a 
 E*. solution : — 
 
 " On motion of Mr. Harding — Whereas by Reaolution of this House passed on the 25th day 
 of April, 1864, it was cosidered 'absolutely necessary that a clear and distinct Account, em- 
 brncing the whole Income and Expenditure for each year from all sources and for all purposes, 
 should be made up, shewing the balance of each Account in fnvor of or against the Province, 
 anil tliat a correct Statement of the Liabilities of the Province, and an Estimate of what may 
 be necessary for the Public Service, and the probable receipts of Public Revenue, should annu- 
 nll y be lai<l before the House, and that it was the duty of the GoTernment to cause all such 
 A':< ounts, Statements, and Estimates, to be prepared for the proper Officer, and have the same 
 ini ! before the House;' And whereas the Government have laid before the House, Estimates 
 of Expenditures required for the current year, based upcn the present Tariff, which expires on 
 Itii' tirstday of May next; therefore 
 
 " Renolvea, That the Government should submit to this House such a Revenue Bill as, in their 
 opinion, will best meet the requirements of the Province." 
 
 By that resolution they had virtually denuded themselves of the power to 
 esp'nd beyond the estimate. The Government accepted the power, and 
 brought in the bill. Of what avail would it be to request the Government to 
 prepare an estimate, and to bring in a bill to raise the revenue to meet that 
 estimate, if the House intended to treat it with indifference? True, therefore, it 
 might be that while the Government could not dictate to the House, they 
 
freeing 
 )ring- 
 
 le prin- 
 1 hcso 
 
 d of 80 
 
 imnic- 
 >portcr.s 
 conduct 
 iViis 811 r- 
 lic liad 
 that tlio 
 5ovorn- 
 The old 
 ley had 
 an end 
 aiming 
 
 could control it. Had lliey Airnply stood togetlier na a Government, and said 
 " Yon placed U8 it\ power ; yon recpiested ns to nanio the amounts the country 
 could afl'ord to spend during liie ennuing year : we have done so. hy going 
 to such an excess you will embarrass lis; wo cannot manage the aft'aii-s; it 
 will entail financial troul)le and <litticulty on the country : we must resign." 
 Such was theconHdonce the House had in the Government at that time, tluit 
 rather than bring about such a result they wouhl have restrained themselves, 
 lint what reason had the House for so doing? No such language was ad- 
 dressed to them. On the contrary, they found the iricmbers of tlie (lovern- 
 mcnt, notwithstanding they luul unitedly agreed upon an estimate, individu- 
 ally setting that estimate at naught, and scrambling for all they could get; 
 and the very Provincial Secretary himself, although the Uoad Committee had 
 granted .t'2.5,000 beyond hU means, at the close of the session and when tlio 
 benches were half empty, going in for another .^15000 to the Grand Falls rail- 
 way, and other equally extravagant grants. Toshowthat he had not assigned 
 the Government a greater inlluence in the House than they really possessed 
 he would refer to the dilferent divisions which had taken place last winter 
 on important (piestions, shewing that the majority of the members had voted 
 against principles which they knew and at the time admitted to be sound, 
 rather than end)arrass the Government. When the Election Bill was under 
 discussion, which was brought in as a Government measure, and which based 
 the right to vote upon the mere fact of the party having been assessed with- 
 out requiring any payment of the rate, an amendment was moved requiring 
 that the party so assessed should have paid his rates. [Mr. Gray here turned 
 to the Journals of 1855, p. 155, and read amendment and division.] 
 
 "It was llien moved — To insert after tlie words * amountiiip^ together to £ , or £ , 
 
 anniiat income,' tlie words ' and slinll liiive paid tlio taxes to assessed for the previous year ;' 
 
 " Upon tiiis tlie Committee nf^ain divided ns follows :-- yeas ; Meisr». Street, Montjfoinery, 
 Sutton, Grny, Gilbert, Wilmot, Kerr — 7. Nays: Hon. Messrs. Speaker, Fisher, Brown, llitehie, 
 Tilley, Smith, Johnson : and Messrs. liotfford, I'artelow, M'Clelan, Steadman, Purdy. Stevens, 
 Uice, Landry. Harding;, M'Nanghton, End, Hay ward, Tojlor, Lunt, Feriis, Hatheway, Gilbert, 
 M'Phelim, Tibbits, M'Adnm, Gillmor, Cutler, Coiinell— 30." 
 
 Now there was no doubt the House were in favor of requiring the rate to 
 be paid ; the country at large were in favor of giving the franchise to the 
 rate payer ; those who shared the burdens of the State should enjoy the 
 francnise; but it was absurd to suppose that the country ever meant that 
 the mere putting a man upon an assessment list, without requiring the pay- 
 ment, was to give that j)rivllege. Common sense was against it ; out it was 
 a Government measure, and the House by an overwhelming majority sus- 
 tained it. The same might be said with reference to the establishment of 
 the Audit Office. It had been year after year contended and admitted that 
 there ought to be a member of the Government in the House to explain and 
 take charge of the financial department. That was a principle in connexion 
 with Departmental Government, such as the present Attorney General had 
 alwpys contended for ; yet look at the division : 
 
 " A proper and efficient audit we deem essential to the public interests, and we learn with 
 pleasure tiiat arrangements are in progress to give greater efficiency to that Department. 
 
 " Yeat : Messrs. Cutler, Wilmot, Gioy — 3. Nays: Hon. Messrs. Fisher, Ritchie, Smith, John- 
 son, Tilley, Brown, and Messrs. Botsford, Kerr, Partelow, M'Phelim, Steadman, M'Naughton, 
 End, Sutton, Street, Hay ward, Lunt, Ferris, Conuell, Ryan, Tibbits, M'Leod, Hatheway, Mao- 
 pherson, Gilbert, Boyd, Gillmor, M' Adam— 28." 
 
 Again, when the bill for establishing the Board of "Works, also a Govern- 
 ment measure, was under discussion, an amendment was moved to prevent 
 the Legislature being filled with the subordinates of that department. This 
 was a principle recognised and admitted by every man as essential to pre- 
 serve the independence and purity of the House : for the public could have 
 no protection if the House was to be filled with mere creatures of the Go- 
 
\«'i'riment, uiul lliu l>ill ought to luivu fiiibruocMl u clausu to tliut otl'ect; yet 
 look ut tliu iliviijioii ; 
 
 " Yi-at : Mettrit, Oriiy, .Slr«ot, StuitJiiinii, Korr, lln) wniil, WiliiMit, KiikI'i'i. I'urdy, Culler — I). 
 
 "Xayi: lloii. Mlm^i'-i. S|ieuk>ti', FisIkt, Tilli'), Itiiiwii, Siiiilli, •luliii«oii, Uitoliie, and Muhhi-!*. 
 Kiil^lui'il, I'uriulow, LauJry, Mai'|ilior!<i>ii, Kiue, liui-ilin);, M'Naii({liton, Kiid, Taylor, Muiitgu- 
 iiiery, llulliuWHy, 'I'iliKiu, SiiUoii, Iluyil, M'Ailuiii, (iillinor, M'Tliolim, l'Vni» — 2.1:'." 
 
 Tlu! siipporlfis (»i' tlie (fovoriiineiit i)crcL'iving tlio incoMHirttciicy, oxcuHod 
 themselves by isayiiit; thut they '• Did not wuiit to eiiihiirniss the Uoverii- 
 iiKMit. Thut the Willie object eould he uhtiiiiied l>y ii bill then before the 
 lloii.se, which htul been introduced by the hoii, member tor Kent (Mr. Cut- 
 ler.)" liut it WHS to l)e observed that that wii a bill brouj^ht in by an inde- 
 pendent member — u bill over which the Cioveniment conseiinently would 
 Jiave no control ; a bill which had been brought in v three or I'our sessions 
 before consecutively by the same lion, nu-mber, aii>i whicli h.ul always died 
 from ne<^lect and indifference after it had been introduced ; and as if indica- 
 tive of what would be its fate (u-en then, the lion, mover himself of that bill 
 voted tor the amendment. Now it was absurd to say that when the (iovern- 
 nient had u nuijority so confiding m to vote for them in this way, that they 
 (the Uovernment) could not have controlled tiie extravagance of the House. 
 They must bo held responsible by the country, and they alone arc answer- 
 able for the financial embarrassment in whieli we are involvetl. The At- 
 torney General and the Provincial Secretary had both commented upon his 
 referring to this subject: both particularly contending that no man should 
 decry his own country ; that it was wrong to say the Pioviiuie was in a state 
 of pecuniury embarrassment, because it woidd injure our credit abroad. In 
 reply, he would beg to tell those hon. gentlemen that the credit of the country 
 wius not dependent upon their numagemeut or mismaiiiigement. Inconve- 
 nience might be sustained, or derangement follow from the course they 
 pursued, but under any circumstances it would be but temi)orary. The 
 credit of this country was based upon its boundless forests, its broad rivers, 
 its exhaustles3 nnirshes, its rich minerals, and the untiring energy and in- 
 dustry of its lumberers, its mechanics, its meichants, its fanners. No Go- 
 vernment could permanently retard — it might for a time discredit — the Pro- 
 vince. But ought we not wiien about to embark in expensive undertakings, 
 first thoroughly to examine our fimmcial position. Were we to conceal from 
 ourselves tne truth, or stay our hands in the iiKpiiry l)ecause it might bo 
 unpleasant? Was it honest ? Woidti we leave a soi-e unprobed, and permit 
 the body to corrupt and die, rather than to expose and heal it i It did'nt 
 admit of a question. It was the duty of the Legislature before it sanctioned 
 the borrowing of one dollar thoroughly to examine the monied position of 
 the Province, and whatever the truth might be, let that truth be known. We 
 could easily remedy what was wrong : the Province had resources and means 
 enough, but we could never acquire character or credit if we commenced 
 with deception. He felt that he was perfectly justified in the i-emarks he 
 had made, and the attention he had called to' this subject ; upon which he 
 should more fully remark hereafter when he came to the figures and state- 
 ments of the Provincial Secretary. 
 
 The Attorney General had spoken much of his railway policy, dilated 
 upon its comprehensive character, and seemed to claim to himself the credit, 
 as it were, of originating railway movement in this Province — had spoken 
 contemptuously of all that had previously been done. Had asked " whence 
 his (Mr. Gray's) new born zeal for Canatla," and had asserted that lie would 
 show that no step had ever been taken by the Government of which he (Mr. 
 G.) had been a member, to carry out a road to that Province, or in any way 
 regard the interests of the valley of the St. John. As the Attorney General 
 liad somewhat departed from the ordiuary line of debate, and made remarks 
 
fleet; yet 
 
 f, Cutler— U. 
 
 mill MuHitrs. 
 
 ur, Muiitgu- 
 
 ', excuwod 
 ) (n)vern- 
 >ctbrc tlio 
 (Mr. Cnt- 
 y an indo- 
 tly Would 
 V sossioMs* 
 Aiiy.s died 
 it' iiidieu- 
 ftluit bill 
 J (u)verii- 
 thiit they 
 le House. 
 an 8 wo r- 
 
 The At. 
 
 upon his 
 III shoidd 
 in a statu 
 road. In 
 L! country 
 Incunve- 
 rse they 
 ry. The 
 id rivers, 
 ' and in- 
 
 No Go- 
 -tho Pro- 
 rtakinjjrs, 
 [jeal troui 
 ai^ht bo 
 d permit 
 It did'ut 
 nctioned 
 )sition of 
 wu. Wo 
 d means 
 imenced 
 narks ho 
 I'hich he 
 lid state- 
 
 , dilated 
 
 credit, 
 
 1 spoken 
 ' whence 
 le M'oukl 
 he (Mr. 
 any way 
 General 
 remarks 
 
 of a charnctor j»erHonai to himself, he must reijuost the attention of the IFouso 
 for a few tii<»iiu'i1ts to llie career of the Attoriu^y General on that Hubjeet. 
 In 1S4J) there was much excitement in llie Province, and stroujir eti'orts were 
 made toeommence the construction of this very lino from Shediac to St. John. 
 Legislative aid was solicited. The Attorney (leneral was at that time in 
 the House, and a member of tho then Government. The j^resent .ludgo 
 WilmotjWho was then Attorney General, and a member for the same (^>nnty, 
 with that enlightened spirit which nuidi! him the ornament of the House, 
 and now sheds lustre on the bench to which he has been elevated, warndy 
 seconded th'j etlbrt, but the present Attorney (tenernl not only ojipriHcd it, 
 but even voted in the negative upon the abstract propf»sition of the pro- 
 ])riety of introducing railways into the Province at nil. In fact, the present 
 Attornoy (Jeneral instead of being Provincial is perhaps tho most local 
 member of any in the House. (Tho hon.mendier here read from the Jour- 
 nals of 1849, the following resolution, moved when tho Ilotise was in com- 
 mittee on tho subject of railways : — 
 
 "Resolved, As 11)0 opinion of thin Comiiiit.toe, tliat t)io present, condition of l.liiii Province 
 requires inimedinte Action to l)e tnken by l)io Legislntiire for the introduction of enpilnl, to 
 be exnendiul on sonic great public work, and that the most eligible work fur such expendilure 
 woulu bo a rnilway." 
 
 With the (livision thereon, shewing the present Attorney (rcneral, so late 
 as 1849, voting against tho princi])lo of the introduction of railways into this 
 Province. 1 At that time ho (Mr. ( Jray) was actively engaged in using every 
 effort towards that object, but the Attorney General opposed it in the most 
 violent maimer, and denounced this very road from Shediac to St. John, 
 which is now so much tho object of his considerate attention, as a " gigantic 
 humbug," a "gross imposition," "a fraud," " an absurdity." This was but 
 si.v: or seven years ago. [Tho hon. gentleman hero read from the report of 
 the speech of tho Attorney General on tho resolution above referreci to, as 
 reported in tho Re))ovtcr newspaper of Fredericton, remarking that it was 
 a paper peculiarly favorable to the Attorney General, and looked upon 
 throughout tho Province as tho exponent of his views, and those of his party.] 
 lie did not "■''o how if tlio Attoniey Genwal entertained such views, it was 
 
 f)OB8iblo for th.* hon. member for Westmorland, and the Solicitor General, 
 lis colleague in the Government, to act in connection with him. The hon. 
 member was tho following year rejected by his constituents, and remained 
 in obscurity during tho next four years. During that time the Government 
 of which ho (Mr. Gray) was a member, used every exertion to carry out 
 these great works. On the decision by Lord Grey that his offer made to 
 Mr. Howe, of Imperial aid towards the construction of the road from Halifax, 
 through New Brunswick, to Canada, was not intended to embrace the Euro- 
 pean and North American Railway, an arrangement was immediately made 
 by the then Governments of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Canada, to 
 build tho road through the valley of the St. John ; by which arrangement 
 New Brunswick secured advantages of a most important character. Not 
 only was it proposed that the Imperial guarantee should be given, by which 
 the money could bo raised at 3 or 3i per cent., but by the terms of the ar- 
 rangement upwards of 127 miles of the road built in New Brunswick would 
 have been built by Canada and Nova Scotia, and have become the property 
 of New Brunswick on completion. The necessary Legislative enactments 
 were passed, and Mr. Chandler went as a delegate to England. When, 
 therefore, the Attorney General says that no steps had ever been before 
 taken to carrv out a road to Canada, the assertion is only excusable upon 
 the ground tnat he was ignorant, because he supposed that nothing could 
 be done without him. What then occun-ed ? (3n Mr. Chandler and Mr. 
 Ilincks' arrival in England, tho Imperial Government declined giving the 
 
8 
 
 gunrantco. What did ^fr. Clmndlor then do ? ITo did not, Bays flio Vttor- 
 iu!y (JiMiorul, sliew aiiv Hi'lf-roliaiico. llo did not j^o into tlio I'lnuliNli mar- 
 ket and see if ho ooultl hi'11 our bonds. IIo had no authority to (u» so; hut 
 lio imniediatyjy tnado a conditional a^ricinynt with tho lirni of Messix. 
 I'eto, JUetts »S: Ih-UHsoy, for the const rue I ion of tins very road, which was 
 Btib8e(iucntly coidirnied hy tlio Lofjishitnre, and InioHt unaniinoiwly ap- 
 j)roved of hy tlic i>eoj)lo ot tho Pro\ ince. Tliat the work haw not binco been 
 more succesHfidly carried on was not his fault, or tho fault of tho (govern- 
 ment, hut of circumstances over which no ]>arty luul any control. Kven 
 under the altered circinnstances which have arisen since tho contract, thero 
 would ho no difhculty in thattinn carryinpf out tho contract and completing 
 tho road. Their works are found in almost every country in Kurope, and 
 their luime, position, and character are \m(|iiestiiMu'd, and he was much sur- 
 prised to hear tho Provincial Secretary speak of them in disparapfinj; terms, 
 and as of doubtful means. [Provincial Secretary — Tho lion, fjentlenuvn is 
 mistaken ; I never made any such remark, nor did I intend that anythinc 1 
 said should bear such a construction.) Ilo (Mr. (i.) was ^lad to hear tliat 
 statement, lie had been of that impression, but as the Pro\ iucial Secretary 
 so unequivocally denied any such intention, it was f[uito suilicieut. He pro 
 cceded to remark that tho ability of tho iirm to complete tho work was 
 undoubted, yet tho change that had occin*red, owinij to tho war and other 
 causes, was such, that it wjis but reasonable some moddication of the arranffc- 
 inent shoald bo made. The company had not had its stock taken up totiie 
 extent that had been ho])ed or expected; but there was one thing affecting 
 the character of its bonds, which to his knowledge had not struck any of 
 the parties to the contract at the time it was made. By the arrangement, the 
 contractors were to be paid in Provincial debentures and Company's bonds, 
 both of which were to be floated in tho market for tho purpose of raising 
 funds. Tlio Provincial debentures, by tho law authorising their issue, 
 operated as a primary mortgage upon tho railway property. "Die Company's 
 bonds would therefore be but a secondary security, and of but little avail 
 for purposes of payment. It was woree than useless to talk of proceeding 
 with the machinery of a Company so situated — a shadow — a mere name — • 
 the sooner it was put an end to and an-angoments made directly with the 
 Government the better. He was as much interested as any one else, both 
 as a stockholder and otlierwise, but it was a farce allowing things to remain 
 as they were. With reference to tho Government managing these roads, Tie 
 had expressed himself already in 1852, and was of the same opinion still. 
 [Tho hon. gentleman here quoted from a speech made by him in the debate 
 in 1852, as follows:—] 
 
 "In considering whether the Government should undertake this work, he would start with 
 laying down a position wiiich he deemed incontrorertible, viz., that when the geographical 
 features of a country were such' that the Great Trunk lines of road passing through it would 
 admit of no competition, then and in such case they should be Government workd. Otherwise, 
 if given to a private company, they would become monopolies forever. If such a company 
 were induced to spend a large sum of money in tlie undertaking, they would go into it as a 
 mere commercial speculation : they would establish and regulate all the tolls and fares, and 
 the greater dividends they received the more valuable would be their stock. The geographi- 
 cal position of this country is such, that no competing line can be built; the exigencies of the 
 country would require a competing line or a reduction of the tolls on the line established ; but 
 the company would not do that; but if a competing line conld be put in operation, they 
 would have to do it; self interest would induce them then to reduce their tolls; otherwise 
 they would set everybody at defiance and maintain their monopoly. On the route from the 
 Bend of Petitcodiao to St. John, there never could be a competing line ; that fact 'was estab- 
 lished by all the engineers who had surveyed it. True, it bad been asserted that Government 
 should not undertake such works ; but he differed from that opinion. All the turnpike roads 
 in England were Government works ; railroads would be to us what turnpike roads are in 
 England ; tolls were paid on all those roads, and those tolls paid the expenses of keeping the 
 roads in repair ; therefore, the principle that Government should not undertake railroads was 
 not correct, because the same principle was carried out in ooDstructing other roade, on which 
 
 ^ 
 
i; 
 
 tlio Vttor- 
 rVinh inur- 
 o ho; hut 
 of Arcssi-H. 
 vhit'li \\m 
 lously up- 
 slnt'o hetn 
 u Govern- 
 ol. Kvoii 
 met, tlioro 
 oinpletinfj 
 iiopo, aiul 
 liuicli Bur- 
 ring tuniis, 
 iitleinnii is 
 iinytliiiiff 1 
 > hear tnut 
 1 Secrctury 
 IIq pro 
 "svork wns 
 and other 
 ic arranffc- 
 1 up to tlio 
 5 an'ecting 
 ick any of 
 omont, tlie 
 ly's honds, 
 of raising 
 leir issue, 
 Company's 
 ittle avail 
 >roceeding 
 [•e name — ■ 
 r with the 
 else, both 
 to remain 
 roads, lie 
 inion still, 
 the debate 
 
 Id start with 
 
 geographical 
 
 igh it would 
 
 Otherwise, 
 
 a company 
 
 into it as a 
 
 id fares, and 
 
 le geographi- 
 
 encies of the 
 
 blishod ; bub 
 
 iratioD, they 
 
 otherwise 
 
 ate frcm the 
 
 was estab- 
 
 GoTernment 
 
 rnpike roads 
 
 oads are ia 
 
 keeping the 
 
 ■ailroads was 
 
 ]s, on which 
 
 
 tolls are phsrged. There wcrr pleiily of enpitnl!*ts in K'tij^Istid, rend^ to v.ndorluke those 
 wurks, at the time that niilruflds woro firxt oomtiieiioed lliure; at that tiiiin ihoy were a more 
 experiment, mid tliL> results wuro iiiiknowt) ; Ihcrffore the Oovtrnnieiit lot llieiii to private 
 onterpriie; and r.ftcr tlicy had hoen mo iiiidcrtnktin nixl were found to bo protitablo, it ■ na 
 considcrud that it would bo unfair to take tliuni out of the hands of the privnto coinponii-N. 
 Hut experience ha* taught a Irtion ; and now, in every Knilroad Avt passed in l^iijland, tliero 
 is inserted a provision, that whenever the road siinll pay more than a certain amount of profit, 
 the Oovernmcnt shall have n right '.(< tiike it into their own hands or reduce the tollH, There 
 was another priiicij)le also ho woiiM lay down; tlint wherever a local trattio already exiatud, 
 its improvement might safety be left to private companies; but wherever it was desiiablu to 
 create new currents of trat'U', (Jovernuient must take tlie lead. At the time when the r.iilrond 
 from Manchester to Liverpool was commenced, there was already a great existing traftio ou 
 tlie route, both by the ordinary road and by canal; Ihereforo the vnilroud was njorcly an 
 improvement of the existiiii,' <ni(!ic. On the contrary, when that great work, tiio YWio. Canal, 
 was undertaken by the Htatr t>f Kow Voik, there was no trnilio between hsko laio and tl"* 
 City of iNow Vork ; there were no cities ou tlio route; the object of tiiat work was to cronty 
 a new current of trafllo ; therefore the Htate Govo.rnmont took it up and carried it out. 'i'liut 
 was the principle in such cases. The Great Western Railroad of Massachusetts has been 
 malul^' supported and carried out by the State funds of Massachusetts; and ISew York auil 
 riiilailelpliia had invested large amounts in the same way. All the great lines of railway iti 
 Kngland admitted of competition : the geogrnpl io<tl condition of the country admitted of ii ; 
 but even if it were otherwise, (here was sufticient weallh there to carry out such works by 
 private enterprise, irrespootivo of any obstacles." 
 
 This brought him to another question. lie had understood that an otfur 
 had been made by Messrs. I'cto iSc Co. to Mr. ]{itchie, when in England lant 
 Jime, which offer was communica];ed to the Government immetliately on 
 Mr. Ilitchie's return in July, to go on at once with the works, increasing 
 their own stock 15 per cent., and giving the Government the control, and 
 only asking the Government for a similar advance and loan for any balance 
 that nn'ght be nccc^8ar3^ [Provincial Secretary — The hon. gentleman is 
 mistaken. Tlio proposition involved 75 per cent, further payment by the 
 Government. J Tlie papers were not before the House, and he could not 
 therefore sjicak positively. It was his intention to move for them, as soon as 
 according to parliamentary practice, it could be done, but ho had heard the 
 otter represented as he had stated, and ho believed that it would yet turn 
 out with reference to this road that there had been foul treachery towards 
 the Province. [Mr. Smith — Foul treachery 1] Yes, foul treachery. He 
 (Mr. G.) believed it would yet be found out that this road might have been 
 proceeded with — that it haa been sacrificed, and that the Government were 
 much to blame. Having thus shewn to the House what little claim the 
 Attorney General had to any credit for the railway movement of the day, 
 and that, in fact, so far from assisting it, he had oppose i it ; and how unjust 
 was the attempt he had made to place himself (Mr. G.) and those acting 
 with him in a false position, he would proceed to another position assumed 
 by the Attorney General ; a position utterly inconsistent with all sound con- 
 stitutional theorv, and directly opposed to ail sound parliamentary practice. 
 In the remarks ne had made on moving the amendnient, he had stated thai. 
 the course pursued by the Government on the Prohibitory Liquor Bill was 
 wholly unjustifiable; that as a body they had come down to the House, 
 introduced a Kevenue Bill, which authorised the importation of spirituous, 
 liquors — passed that bill for four years — had framed an estimate of expen 
 dituro, to meet which they relied principally upon the income resulting 
 from that bill, and after obtaining the sanction and support of the House 
 had allowed oneof the individualmembers of the Government to bring in 
 immediately afterwards a bill to render illegal the importation of the verv 
 article which they had just before sustained, -ind to clestroy the source o'" 
 one-fifth of the revenue which they had decl^; ed was necessary for the exi 
 gences and wants of the Province. And it -.as not the less striking proof 
 of inconsistency, that the Provincial Secretary (to whose office under the 
 present state of the government of the country, attached the duty of managing 
 the finances) was the introducer and expounder of both bills ; the one 
 
10 
 
 If! 
 
 directly fatal to the policy of the otlier. Tliis charge the members of the 
 Government met by asserting that that bill was brougiit in by the Provin- 
 cial Secretary in his individual capacity, and not as a member of the Go- 
 vernment, and that consequently tney were not in any way responsible for 
 its consequences ; and the Attorney General says — " Have I no volition of 
 my own « because I am a member of the Government am I not to have the 
 right of bringing in a bill in my individual capacity ?" l^ow, he was pre- 
 pared to meet the Attorney General on this pomt at oree. In such a case, 
 and in such a manner, he had no right to have a volition of his own. Just 
 as a member of society foregoes some of his natural privileges for th'^ main- 
 tenance and preservation of society, so a member of a Government must 
 forego some of his privileges and rights as an individual member for the 
 preservation or mamtenance of the Government of which he was a member, 
 and he is not justified individually in pursuing a course as a member of the 
 House directly at variance with nis course and policy as a member of the 
 Government. It is at his own option to remain or not to remain in a Go- 
 vernment ; and if he believes it essential for the welfare of the Province, or 
 the cause of humanity, to introduce a measure which is at variance with the 
 
 general policy of the Government of which he is a member, he must make 
 is selection of one or the other, but in a constitutional point of view he 
 could not support both. To illustrate the absurdity of such a position, sup- 
 pose a Kevenue Bill brought in, based, *say, for the sake of argument, on 
 five items. Tliere are five members of the Government in the House : as a 
 Government they have agreed upon this bill, introduced and carried it ; and 
 the expenses of the country are to be met by it. Shortly after, the Provin- 
 cial Secretary, in his individual capacity, dislikes one item, brings in and 
 carries a bill to put an end to tliat. Tlie Surveyor General dislikes another 
 item, and does the same, and so on with the remaining three. Item by item 
 the five are gone — where is the Kevenue Bill ? The conjoint action of the 
 Government destroyed by the same men in their individual capacity. Such 
 a position to be asserted by the leader of a Government as constitutional, 
 was absurd. It would not be tolerated for one moment in any country 
 where parliamentary practice was understood, and would be ridiculed where- 
 ever it was heard of. He would like to see such a course adopted by any 
 minister in England or in Canada. He desired the House to understand 
 that his remarks were not as to the propriety or impropriety of the Prohibi- 
 tory Bill. That was not the question before them. With reference to that 
 bill itself, when introduced at the last session he had voted against it as 
 unconstitutional in policy and ineflfective to accomplish its proposed object, 
 and be should be prepared, whenever the question for its repeal came up, 
 and the House went in committee on the bill for that purpose to express his 
 views plainly and unequivocally. It was not then before tliem, and it was 
 therefore unnecessary. He had called attention to it simply as shewing the 
 inconsistent course pursued by the Government, and the reckless manner in 
 which measures were introduced, destroying so large a portion of the revenue 
 without making any other provision or substitution, and more particularly 
 at this moment to expose the fallacy of the justification and position assumed 
 by the Attorney General. The Attorney General arrogated to himself iu> 
 immense amount of constitutional knowledge, and was vaunted by himselc' 
 and his supporters, as the embodiment and perfection of all that could bo 
 known on that subject. He had endeavoured to disparage the remarks he 
 (Mr. G.) had made by every possible means, and had termed him a "politi- 
 cal infant." [Attorney General — I only said so as contrasting you witn Mr. 
 Chandler.] The Attorney General had repeated it more than once, and had 
 remarked that if he (Mr. Graj) succeedea in his motion, and were called 
 upon to form a Government, it wcmld be marked by imbecility. The dis- 
 
11 
 
 tinction bad been well dr-awn, in tbo course of tbe debate, between a states- 
 man and a politician, and to the latter the Attorney General might well lay 
 claim, if trickery and mana3uvre constituted proficiency ; but to the former 
 he had no right. He much questioned whether the Attorney General pos- 
 sessed much constitutional knowledge. It would most probably be found, 
 if thoroughly examined, that what he really did possess was somewhat like 
 patent medicines, composed for the most part of worthless materials, and 
 only acquiring a reputation by puflSng. 
 
 The Attorney General's defence of the appointment of Mr. Bliss to the 
 magistracy at Kent was equally untenable. He alleged that it was neces- 
 sary to app6int men who would maintain the " supremacy of the law," 
 — admittea. But is it essential to the maintenance of the supremacy of the 
 law that partizans should be appointed ? Was it necessary, to enforce the 
 Prohibitory Law, that membera of a league, animated by a determination 
 to carry it out, in the language of one of their speakers, " even at the point 
 of the oayonet," should be appointed to the bench ? Then why were not 
 the other five who were appointed at the same time not also taken from the 
 league ? or was it to be assumed that they would not maintain the supremacy 
 of the law because they were not? He contended that in the administra- 
 tion of justice there should be no partizanship — that every man, whatever 
 were his views and opinions, or even his practices, had a right to be tried 
 before a fair and impartial tribunal ; that it was an essential element of jus- 
 tice that the judge who presided should not be so warped by prejudice, or 
 governed by a determination to accomplish a particular end, that he would 
 force and strain the law to attain that end ; nay, more, it was essential for 
 the moral effect to be produced by any judgment, that the party delivering 
 it should be considered as above suspicion ; and even if acting rightly, that 
 could not be the case in an instance such as the present. But that spirit of 
 impartiality was doubly necessary in the administration of a law which took 
 away many of the most cherished rights and privileges which had been looked 
 upon as the bulwarks of freedom ; which pre-supposed guiit instead of inno- 
 cence ; which took away the trial by jury, and the rights of property, and 
 placed the person and character of the citizen at the disposal of a magistrate, 
 whose judgment, though w arped by prejudice and stained by passion, would 
 be followed with the horrora of the felon's cell, or the infamy ofthe Peniten- 
 tiary. If partiality was to be considered by the Government as essential 
 for maintaining the supremacy of the law, he was satisfied it would not be 
 responded to by the people. 
 
 Equally untenable was his defence of the appointment of Mr. Burtis to 
 the Common Clerkship at SaintJTohn. That was clearly a violation of the 
 principles of local self-governtgpt. An opportunity had then been afforded 
 the Government to give proofof their attachment to those principles which 
 they had always advocated. Surely the Common Council of the City of 
 St. John was competent to say who ought to be its Common Clerk. But 
 that principle was entirely set aside, that the Government might exercise 
 its patronage to reward a friend. Appointments of this nature were unim- 
 portant in a Provincial point of view, but they showed that adherence to 
 principles by the Government was a matter of convenience. It was not 
 necessary to follow the other hon members of the Government in reply. 
 They had but reiterated the arguments and positions of the hon. Attorney 
 General, and in anawering him they were equally answered ; but one thing 
 had struck him with surprise — the extraordinary lamentations and whining 
 they had made over the attacks upon them and their measures in the pubhc 
 press. Why, one would suppose no Government had ever been attacked 
 before, or that, perhaps, the press ought to be silent because they were in 
 office. He had remembered well that when the old Government were ijj 
 
12 
 
 11 
 
 l-i 
 
 power, they were assailed day after day by the papers which then supported 
 those very gentlemen now in the Government with a degree of virulence 
 and misrepresentation to wliich the attacks upon them are mere trifles. 
 There was no amount of corruption too bad, no extent of extravagance too 
 great, no charge with which they were not assailed ; but he did not remem- 
 ber ever to have heard any \vhining or crying about it in that House. Pub- 
 lic men were public property, and must expect to be assailed ; and they 
 nmst rely upon their mtegrity of conduct and character rendering such slan- 
 ders harmless. But it was wrong in the lion, membere of the'Government 
 looking only at one side of the picture ; while they were attacked on one 
 side, they more than compensated themselves by the flattery and adulation 
 they paid each other when they spoke. The lion. Surveyor General didn't 
 think " that such another Provincial Secretary could anywhere be found ; 
 certainly not in the Province." The J*rovincial Secretary looked upon the 
 Surveyor General as " exactly fitted for his office;" and that it was a dispen- 
 sation of Providence, that out of kindness to the country, had put the right 
 man in the right place. (Laughter.) While both agreed that the Attorney 
 General far surpassed in his constitutional knowledge, and his legal attain- 
 ments, any man that could bo found elsewhere. The other hon. members 
 of the Government all responded in the same strain to each other, and surely 
 this was a fair offset to all the abuse they got from the public. But it wasn t 
 fair to say the press always abused them; He held in his hand a copy of 
 the Hcpot'te)', trom which he would then read. [The hon. gentleman read 
 among others, the following passages :] 
 
 "Supposing the Attorney General bad taken a seat on the bench, when lately placed legiti- 
 mately within his reach, where would 'our railway prospects be for the next ten or dozen 
 of year* f" 
 
 " Here is one great result of the change of Government, which was regarded as such a 
 calamity by some parties in this city. Where would our interests have boen, had the old 
 Government retained power, and hud the present Attorney General not been placed in his 
 present position," 
 
 [The reading of these extracts was followed with much laughter.] 
 Surely now it wasn't right to say they were always abused. "Well could 
 he understand the depth and feeling of that soliloquy which the hon. mem- 
 ber for "Westmorland (Mr. Smith) uttered, when lie read those sentences, 
 and thought Qf the dreadful position of his country. " Yes," said he, " where 
 would be our railroads ? Or what avail the financial talents of the Provincial 
 Secretary ? "Where the walking powers of the Surveyor General ? "Where 
 Liie vast conceptions and great experience of the Chief Commissioner of 
 Public Works ? Where the deep knowledge and enlightened views of the 
 Solicitor General? Where* my own impulsive energies and determined 
 spirit of progress ? Where are all these gr&^ elements of wealth ? 
 
 Yes, where are they, and wNn art thou 
 
 M3' oountry ? On thy voiceless shore 
 The heroic lay is tuneless now ; 
 
 The heroic harp is heard no more. 
 And shall thy lyre so long divine. 
 Degenerate into hands like mine ? 
 
 Alas ! alas ! poor Fisher's benched." [Roars of laughter.] 
 
 There was out one other remark he would make at present with reference 
 to the Attorney General's assertions and consistency. He had expressed his 
 strong denunciation of the withholding of the bye-road grants on a former 
 • occasion of financial difficulty. When Mr. Partelow, in tlie face of a coming 
 election in 1850, had done so in order to sustain the pubhc credit, and the 
 Attorney General had said " He would be the last rnan to assent to the 
 withdrawing of such grants from the rural districts, where the poor people 
 looked for and must have such appropriations, whatever be the financial 
 state of the Province," — would any one believe, on hearing this statement, 
 
13 
 
 ippprted 
 virulence 
 
 trifles, 
 ance too 
 t remem- 
 e. Pub- 
 xnd they 
 uch slan- 
 ^crnnient 
 
 1 on one 
 idnlation 
 al didn't 
 e found ; 
 upon the 
 a dispen- 
 the riglit 
 A-ttorney 
 il attain- 
 members 
 nd surely 
 it wasn t 
 I copy of 
 nan read 
 
 Etoed legiti- 
 la or dozen 
 
 as such s 
 lad tli6 old 
 aoed in his 
 
 all could 
 >n. mem- 
 sntences, 
 , " where 
 rovincial 
 Where 
 jiouer of 
 vs of the 
 ;ennined 
 
 eference 
 essed his 
 a former 
 I coming 
 and the 
 it to the 
 people 
 financial 
 atement, 
 
 that tlie Attorney General was in 1850 a member of the vQry Government 
 which did this act, and actually acquiesced in and directed it at the time ? 
 So much for his consistency and adherence to facts. 
 
 He (Mr. Gray) w^ould now turn his attention to tlie Provincial Secretary ; 
 but as that hon. gentleman had not been personal in his remarks that he 
 could recall, he would merely follow him in his line of argument. 
 
 Hon. Provincial Secretary — I made no personal remarks. 
 
 He had been mistaken in assuming there was any conoArt in the amend- 
 ment moved by him (Mr. Grav) to the motion of th^ion. member for 
 Northumberland (Mr. Street) for the appointment of the road committee. 
 There was no imderstanding, and the amendment was moved simply as 
 believing that the duties of the lload Committee had now devolved on the 
 Board of Works. The Provincial Secretary had attempted to justify the 
 appointment of Mr. Partelow to the Auditor Generalsliip, and claimed 
 credit for magnanimity in so doing. He believed it was in order to secure 
 his knowledge of business, and acquaintance with the public accounts. 
 
 Hon. Provincial Secretary — No, no ; it was not. 
 
 Mr. Gray believed it was necessary further in consequence of arrangements 
 made at the short session in October 1854, without which the Government 
 of that day would not have been turned out. In the debates at that time, 
 it had been boldly stated that, in order to the carrying of that vote of want 
 of confidence provision had been m'ade for Mr. Partelow, which was boldly 
 and strenuously denied by the members of the present Government and 
 those who were then acting with them ; but now it appeared that such really 
 was the case. The member for York (Mr. Hatheway) had stated in his 
 speech the other day, with reference to the carrying out of that vote of want 
 of confidence, that " arrangements was made that Surveyor General Wilmot 
 and Partelow should be provided for." 
 
 Mr. Hatheway — ^The hon. member is mistaken ; I did not say so. 
 
 Mr. Gray — I am not mistaken ; I took down your language. It struck 
 me at once as an admission of a fact which was gener^ly believed, but 
 which had been denied. 
 
 Mr. Hatheway again endeavoured to give some other explanation, when 
 Mr. M'Phelim and Mr. Connell both rose, and quoting from memoranda 
 made by them of Mr. Hatheway's speech, said those were nearly if not his 
 very words. 
 
 Mr. Gray resumed — He was glad that he had been confirmed by the 
 members from Kent and Carleton. He had no desire to misquote or mis- 
 represent the language of any hon. member ; but certainly that was the 
 statement made by the raember^M: York ; and it was to be regretted if he 
 did not know the meaning WMKonveyed, that he should be so lavish in 
 the use of them. No one regr^fed Mr. Partelow being provided for. After 
 five and twenty years' public service, few would begrudge a retirement fi*ee 
 from the turmoil and anxieties of political life. But the Government were 
 entitled to no credit for magnanimity for merely carrying out an arrange- 
 ment without which they could not have obtained their present place and 
 power. The Provincial Secretary has not in any way explained the omission 
 of the Government to provide for the interest on the railway debentures in 
 Baring's hands in March last. That they were issued b^ the previous Go- 
 vernment is no justification. That Government, after being displaced, cer- 
 tainly could not provide for the payment. The interest is a constantly 
 recurring liability, and the omission by the Government to provide for its 
 payment, must materially damage the Provincial credit. His attempt at 
 explaining away his (Mr. Gray's) assertion as to the present financial position 
 of the Province was a gross deception. He (Mr. Gray) had spoken as of the 
 present time. The Secretary had given his explanation as only up to the 
 
14 
 
 dose of the fiscal year, three months before ; \m nsscrtioji of fumis then in 
 hand and balances dne was no answer. Since tliat time those funds and 
 balances had been completely exhansted. A large portion of the income of 
 the present year h"^. been used for purposes of the past year. He admits 
 that at the close of the present year there must be an increase of the debt of 
 £74,000 ; and taking an estimate based upon the expenditure of the last 
 year, and the income of the last, less the liquor duties, it will be found that 
 after making p^^sion for payment required by existing laws, there will 
 only be £24,06Pto meet bye roads, special grants, bridges, and all 
 the other necessities and contingencies of 1856. [The hon. gentleman here 
 went into a long and elaborate calculation, slievving that the expenditures of 
 the present year, 1856, taking 1855 as a criterion, wonld be about £151,000, 
 to which must be added the £74,000 of increased debt admitted by the 
 Provincial Secretary— exclusive of Savings' Bank and liailway Debentures 
 — that would be dne at the close of 1856, making a total of £225,000 ; to 
 meet which, assuming the revenue to be as productive for the present year 
 as it was for the past, not by any moans likely (exclusive of the liquor duties), 
 there would be £88,824, leaving an excess of expenditure over income for the 
 vear 1856 of £130,176. Of the £88,824, £63,910 is already appropriated 
 Dy law. The Journals of 1855, and the appendixes with the returns and 
 estimates, were referred to and explained in support of these conclusions.] 
 
 Mr. Gray continued — It would be useless, with these facts before them, 
 and with but £24,000 or £25,C00 to meet the necessities and emergencies of 
 the country, to say that there had not been gross mismanagement, or that 
 great distress would not be felt in the country. The membera of the Govern- 
 ment talked about railwavs, but they had agreed upon no scheme — all was 
 disunion. They might influence difterent members by one motive or another, 
 or might even sustain themselves on a division, but the confidence of the 
 House or the country was not with them. .They had threatened a dissolu- 
 tion. The Provincial Secretary, and the hon member for Westmorland (Mr. 
 Smith), and the Attorney General himself, had each referred to it, r nd it had 
 had a marked eflfect with some of the members of the House ; but ne would 
 tell them a dissolution was not in their power. In a constitutional point of 
 view it was the sole prerogative of the Governor. He could appeal from his 
 Council at any time to the people. It was not their privilege but his. 
 
 Mr. Smith — I did not say we would dissolve, but that the Council would 
 give that advice to the Governor, and he would be bound to take it. 
 
 Mr. Gray denied that in such a case the Governor was bound to act upon 
 it. The very fact that a vote of want of confidence in the ministry was passed 
 by the House, was prima ^aoie a reason \dMr their advice should not oe fol- 
 lowed. The question of dissolution arisinnpun such a cause constituted the 
 exception to the rule that in local matters the Governor must take the advice 
 of his Council. In theory the two branches were summoned by the Crown 
 to advise ; but the power of dissolution remains the sole prerogative of the 
 Crown. If the Government were defeated on any great measure, and 
 advised a dissolution, the Governor would unquestionably act upon it, for it 
 might really be that the people would approve of that measure, while the 
 House did not, and the House consequently would not be fairly representing 
 the people ; but a vote of want of confidence Avas simply personal, and the 
 Governor might change his advisers, without resorting to a dissolution. 
 When, therefore, the members of the Government threatened a dissolution ; 
 they were threatening what they could not enforce, and securing support by 
 the assumption of a power which did not belong to them. But nowever 
 much they might use the threat to influence the timid, or confirm the doubt- 
 ful, a dissolution was in reality the last thing they themselves desired. They 
 dare not themselves go back to the people — the state of the Province, its 
 
15 
 
 » then in 
 iinds and 
 income of 
 [e admits 
 le debt of 
 f the last 
 ound that 
 there will 
 
 and all 
 man here 
 iditurcs of 
 £161,000, 
 ;d by the 
 ebentures 
 5,000 ; to 
 isent year 
 or duties), 
 me for the 
 >ropriated 
 turns and 
 lusions.] 
 'ore fhem, 
 gencies of 
 t, or that 
 le Goverh- 
 — all was 
 >r another, 
 ice of the 
 a dissolu- 
 •land (Mr. 
 !ndit had 
 ; ne would 
 1 point of 
 il from his 
 his. 
 
 icil would 
 it. 
 
 » act upon 
 7as passed 
 not oe fol- 
 ;ituted the 
 the advice 
 he Crown 
 ive of the 
 sure, and 
 <u it, for it 
 while the 
 )re8enting 
 , and the 
 issolution. 
 ssolution ; 
 upport by 
 
 nowever 
 the doubt- 
 ed. Tliey 
 )vince, its 
 
 financial embarrassments, its injured credit, would rise up in judgment 
 against them. Take the very statement he had exhibited, the very account 
 to which he had referred, and no assemblage of the people could be found 
 in this Province who would not condemn tliem. Sow it broadcast on the 
 rich meadows of Westmorland, and a crop of public indignation would spring 
 from the luxuriant soil, which no supporter of the Government could with- 
 stand. Sound it through the vales of Kent, and the low moaning surge upon 
 the shores of Gloucester would echo it back in mournful cadence on the ear. 
 Proclaim it on the hills of Restigouche, it would be heard along the tribu- 
 taries of the Madawaska, and float through the valley of the St. John, and 
 every wave in the Bay of Fundy, from the Cumberland Basin to the St. 
 Croix, that bents upon our shores, would sound the requiem of their rest. 
 A dissolution is the last thing the Government would desire. It would be 
 the annihilation of their political existence. If any of them did return to 
 the house, they would bo but fragments, which would prove the extent of 
 the wreck and the severity of the storm ; and it shewed how little reliance 
 they themselves felt coulcl be placed on their own conduct and management 
 of public affairs as a justiiication, when they were conripelled to resort to such 
 deception to prevent the amendment beinnj carried. In reference to the hon. 
 member for the county of Westmorland (Mr. Smith), and the Solicitor Gene- 
 ral, there was but little that need be said. All the members of the Govern-; 
 ment had pursued pretty much the same line of argument, and the answer 
 to one was therefore the answer to all. Tlie hon. member for Westmorland 
 had made a powerful speech, and had, he thought, influenced one vote that 
 might have been considered doubtful ; but the Solicitor General seemed to 
 entertain the idea that he was the sole embodiment of liberalism in the Pro- 
 vince. He had found great fault with the member for the City of St. John 
 (Mr. Harding), because he did not happ^ to be on tlie same side as himself. 
 He could not therefore be liberal ; no nron could bo liberal if he differed 
 with him. He (Mr. Gray) apprehended true liberalism would be judged of 
 more correctly as exhibited m a man's conduct and measures, than m his 
 eternally arrogating to himself the credit of the name without the practice 
 of the virtue. The member for the City of St. John was fully able to justify 
 the course he had taken, and no doubt felt that he was best promoting the 
 interests of his country, and the cause of true liberalism, when he left the 
 Sohcitor General 
 
 "Like the last rose of summer, nil blooming alone.** 
 
 He was wrong, however, in saying that all the members of the Government 
 had pursued exactly the same line of argument. The Surveyor General (Mr. 
 Brown) had struck out into an entirely new line. He had soothed the 
 wounded feelings of his colleagues to an extraordinary dem-ee. He had 
 flattered them as no man had ever flattered them before. He had poured 
 forth in graphic style, the speech of Anthony over the dead body of Caesar, 
 and pointed to the rent the envious Casca made ; but who ever dreamed 
 that the hon. Surveyor General was the gay Lothario of the House (great 
 laughterl and was as familiar with the pages of Don Juan as with the musty 
 rolls of tne Crown Land Oflfice. 
 
 Surveyor General — ^I never said I didn't read Don Juan. I dare say 
 you do too. 
 
 Mr. Gray — No doubt of it, and many a good thing in it ; but nobody ever 
 suspected you. Ah I who wouldn't be a Surveyor General, to wander about 
 this Province in the glorious month of June, and find a Donna Julia in every 
 cottage, and an Aurora Raby by every brook ! Sly old gentleman. Long 
 may he so enjoy himself. [Great laughter.] But, continued the hon. gen- 
 tleman, it was necessary to be serious ; it was time the debate was brought 
 to a close, and the division taken. That division might be affected and the 
 
 I ' 
 
I 
 
 16 
 
 Government gnstatned by means of the influcncos and causes to which ho 
 had ah^eadv referred. A vote might be secured in that House, but that vote 
 would not be in accordance with me opinion of the country. He felt justi- 
 fied, as evidence of this, in referring to the result of the election which was 
 just closed in the County of Yorjc, where the Government candidate (Mr. 
 xTeedham], its avowed supporter, who based his claim to be returned by tlie 
 County or York principally on that ground — had been defeated by an over- 
 whelming m^'onty by Mr. Allen ; and that, notwithstanding the Attorney 
 General had vanntingly stated in his place in this House, that no man could 
 be returned in this County opposed to the Government. That result was 
 but the muttering of the commg storm which was gathering, and would bo 
 heard from every part of the Province, low and deep, swelling in volume, 
 and in a short time becoming irresistible in force — tried, found wanting, 
 and condemned — their doom had gone forth ; and though this House might 
 sustain them, the people woiUd not. 
 
 Hie hon. gentleman concluded his remarks, by referring in strong lan- 
 guage to the principles and loyalty of the early settlers of this country — of 
 the diflSculties they encountered, and the inlieritance they left, and claiming 
 for those who had since come, and who were now peophng this Province, 
 and making it the home of themselves and their children, an equally deep 
 and abiding interest it its future welfare and prosperity. 
 
 «4,< 
 
 i 
 
which he 
 t that vote 
 I felt justi- 
 tvhich was 
 idate (Mr. 
 led by tlie 
 >y an over- 
 I Attorney 
 man could 
 result was 
 
 would be 
 n volume, 
 
 wanting, 
 >U8e might 
 
 trong lan- 
 )untry — of 
 d claiming 
 Province, 
 Lially deep