^. -'■fr^. M V^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 K|itt m S Kt 110 I.I ■♦ c/: Sdencjes CarparatJon a.^ 4^ tS WtST MAM STmT WnniR,N.V. I4SM (714)17X4503 '^ <^'' ** v\ CIHM Microfiche Series (Monograplis) iCIMH Collection de microfiches (monographies) Canadian Instituta for Historical IMicroraproductiona / Inttitut Canadian da microraproductiona hiatoriquas Tachnical ind Bibliographic Notes / NoMs techniqutt et bibliographiquM tot The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. Coloured covers/ Couverture de couleur a I I Covers damaged/ Couverture endommagte Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaur^ et/ou pelliculie D □ Cover title missing/ Le n titre de couverture manque Coloured maps/ Cartes gicgraphiques en couleur Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) Coloured pL^tes and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur Bound with other material/ Relii avftc d'autres documents Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La reliure serrte peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distorsion le long de la marge interieure D D Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajouttes lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais, lorsque cela etait possible, ces pages n'ont pas M film^s. Additional comments:/ Commentaires supplementaires: L'Institut a microfilm* le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a M possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-4tre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite. ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la mithode normale de f ilmage sont indiqufc ci-des3ous. □ Coloured pages/ Pages de couleur □ Pages damaged/ Pages endommagies □ Pages restored and/or laminated/ Pages restauries et/ou pelliculies Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ Pages dteolories, tachetto ou piquees □ Pages detached/ Pages ditachies 0Showthrough/ Transparence □ Quality of print varies/ Qualite inAgale de I'impression □ Continuous pagination/ Pagination continue □ Includes index(es)/ Comprend un (des) index Title on header taken from:/ Le titre de I'en-tCte provient: po«i of tl film Orifl bogi tbo tiOA othg first •ion or ill Tho •hail TIN', wtiie Mapi diffo •fitin bogii right roqui motti □ Title page of issue Page de titre de la □ Caption of issue/ Titre de depart de la □ Masthead/ Gene livraison livraison Generique (periodiques) de la ivraison This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est filme au taux de rMuction indiqui ci-dc ...js. 10X UX 18X ax J 12X 16X 20X 26 X 30X 24 X 28 X D 32 X Th« copy filmed h«r« has bMn raprodluead thanks to th« ganarosity of: Library of tht National Archivtt of Canada Tha Imafiaa appearing hara ara ttia boat quality posaibia eonaidaring tfia condition and iagibility of tha original copy and In Icaaping with tha filming contract apacificationa. Original copiaa in printed paper eovere are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the laat page with a printed or illuatratad Impree- sion, or the beck cover when eppropriate. All other original copiea are filmed beginning on the first pege with e printed or illuatratad Imprae- slon. end ending on the laat page with e printed or llluetreted Impreasion. Tha laat recorded frame on eech microfiche ahall contain the symbol «^> (meening "CON- TIN'JED'I. or the aymbol ▼ (meening "END"), whichever appliea. Mapa. plates, cherta. etc., mey be "Imed et different reduction retlos. Those too large to be entirely Included in one expoaure are filmed beginning in the upper left hend corner, left to right end top to bonom, ea many framea aa required. The following diegrema iiluatrate the method: L'exempiaire filmi fut raproduit gricr A la g6n«rosit* da: La bibliothAqua dtt Archival nationalat du Canada Las imagea sulvantas ont 4ti raproduitas avac le plus grand soin, compta tanu da la condition at da la nattet* da I'axempleire film*, at tn conformit* avec lea conditions du contrat da filmage. Lee exempleirea origlnaux dent la couvartura an papier eat lmprim«a sent filmte w commandant par la premier plet et an tarminant soit par la darnlAre pege qui eomporte une emprainta d'Imprasslon ou d'lllustration. soit par la sacond plat, salon le cas. Tous las autras exemplairas origlnaux sent fiimAe 9n eommanpent par la pramlAre pege qui eomporte une emprainta d'imprassion ou d'lllustration at •n terminant par la darnlAre pege qui compor*e une telle emprelnte. Un des symboles suivants spparaltra sur la darnlAre image de cheque microfiche, salon la caa: la symbols — ^ signifie "A SUIVRE". le symbols ▼ signifie "FIN". Les cartea, planches, tableaux, etc.. pauvent Atra fllmAs A dee taux de rAductlon diff Arants. Lorsqua la document est trop grend pour Atre reproduit en un seul clichA. 11 est fllmA A pertir de I'angia supArieur gauche, de geuche A droita. et de haut en bas. an prenent le nombre d'imeges nAcessaira. Las diagremmes suivants lliustrant la mAthode. 1 2 3 32 X 1 2 3 4 5 6 f^ i^ .1 I- .'■Mi>«i,'J 'jr "If ■ '■■ t » ft. ''t . ONTARIO LEGISLATURE MEMBERS' INDEMNITY. ^ I <^> ■ » HYPOCRISY OP THE OPPOSITION I h! Partjr MlsreprmeDtatlon. The Opposition press have, for the past three years, penisteBtJ-^ endearonred, by misrepresentations and otherwise, to make party capital out of the increased indem- nity granted to Members in the first Session of the Legislative term which is now ex- piring ; and the unscrupulous efforts of newspaper writers and pamphleteers in this direction were seconded in the late Session of the Legislature by the very Opposition members who had with others been instrumental in obtaining the in- creased indemnity. The following true statement of the facts, priepared for the information of the electors of ali parties, will effectually dis- pose of any misrepresentations or miscon- ceptions likely to have been created by the extraordinary course pursued by the Opposition in the House, or their allies elsewhere. WHY THE INDEMNITT WA8 RAISED. The increase in the indemnity to 9800 was made on the application of members of both political parties. It was aoqiiiesoid in by the Qovemment because they were ultimately induced to coincide in the^^^unr f strongly urged upon them from bc4h si^ip ] of the House, that snoh an inorc-ib was • just and proper. i Oonfiereiices «■(! Gorrcipondeace. Before the matter was brought be. fore Ministers, conferences and oo l it — pondence had taken place amongst meoi- bers.on both sides of the House. Of the letters which passed two have been ' made public. One of them was from Mr< i Meredith, the presentleader of the Opposi- t tion, to Dr. Clarke, tiie member for North i Norfolk, and was, by permission of the writer, read by Dr. Clarke in thr couim of ih« rMMni debate on th« Addrew, when the indemnity qacetion wm under die- eveeion. Mr. Mereaitt, II.P p to Dr. ciwke, ToaowTO, Jan'y 29, 1876. Ht Dxar Sir, With regard to the proposed inoreaie ' Si iSl 2S!i^" indemnity, my own idea ie that #600 is a sufficieut sum. But I AaHMdaireto $tatul in the way of the rr5?S««^^V^ consider it necessary. HOA?EVFU ^? CIRCUMSTANCE^ «wl^^^, '^°"^*^ *^« proposition whether acted on or not, be made use of outside of the House for political pu?- poses. Mr. Lauder take* the. ameiiew of tHe matter as I have expressed. Yours truly, W. E. MSBBDITH. Kot Qalte consistent. Although in this letter Mr. Meredith intimates that in his opinion $000 " was •«fficient,"in a speech he made on the 8ib Februaiy, 1877, Mr. Meredith said fSOO ^«« not an undue indemnity." But •ny one reading the letter will .ee that what Mr. Meredith meant by it was that he was willing to pocket the money if others would take the responsibility of ••king for it. ' Mr. Monk, M.P.P., to Br. Clarke, M.F.P. Another Opposition member, Mr.Monk, lf.P.P. for Carlton, wrote, expressing hii own, his then leader's, and others of his fnends views and intentions as follows : J^MIATIVB AS8EMBi,y, Toronto, 29th January, 1876. My Dba» CiAKiB, With refarence to the *' round robin " I bfg to say that Messrs. Deacon, Merrick, ^If ^"^^u' ^^"u"."^**'^ Mr. Cameron last s .^-jcsi;, oixu uc saia, as fat' as ZJ** f?«"ed, he did not w«iit an in- erewe of indemnity, but he had no ob- jeotion to an increase being made ; that he would not use it as a chaise aiainst the Oovemment or its supporten in or out of the House, and tlSt wTwwS liberty to say so for him. V^ Yours truly, O. W. MOKK. Depatations to Hlnlsters. A document was signed by most of the members of the House, irrespective of party, requesting the Government to plaoe the proposed increase in the Estimates, and deputations, constituted of members of both parties, waited on Ministeit to induce them to comply with the appUo*. tion. It is now no matter of Becre<7 tluit the subject was fully discussed in pri- vate session, and the urgency of lead- ing Opposition members, and their very pronounced expressions in favour of the increase on that occasion, have been fully admitted by those gentlemen themselves. ficasons Urged. In urging the Government to consent, it was represented that the sessional in- demnity of members of the House of Commons had been raised from $600 to $1,000 only two years previously at the instance of Sir John A. Macdonald, then First Minister of Canada, and that the step had met with universal concurrenoe. It was shown that the average length of the sessions at Toronto and Ottrwa had for some years been substantia Uy equal ; that the duties performed by a legislator at Toronto were quite as onerous as those discharged by one at Ottawa ; that the Legislation was, of its kind,not less import- ant ; that the expenses at both places were about the same ; that the membera of both Legislatures were selected from the same classes of the community ; and that the extra-legislative work of a local member was often more arduous than that of a member of the House of Commons. It was also well known that the remuner- ation, direct or indirect, of some of the representatives in the American States' Legislatures, whose duties are simikr to those of members of the Ontario Assembly, ■upportan in ot that w« wwvftt truly, O. W. MowK. [Inliten. 1 by most of tli* irrespeetir* of emment to place I the EitimatM, ted ol members on Miniateni to ith the applioa. r of 8ecre<7 that scussed in pri- genoy of lead- and their yery ^ favour of the have been fully ten themselves Bd. ^ II enttu consent, be sessional in- the House of I from $600 to )viously at the [acdonald, then and that the 1 concurrence, rage len^P^tH of idOttr.flra had ^nti^Iiy equal ; >y a legislator erous as those awa; that the kot less import- it both places the members selected from imunity ; and >rk of a local arduous than e of Commons, tho remuner- some of the irican States' ire similar to rio Assembly, wasoondderably higher than Ontario local members received. In New York the in- demnity was $1,500 por session, and is now $1,200. In Pennsylvania it is $1,000 per session, with stindry additional allow- anopa to swe'.l that amount. In Illi- nois, in 1878, each representative received $],168, and in other States a nominally low rate of indemnity is enhanced by incidental emoluments which are wholly unknown in Ontario. fair Compensation In the Public Interest. It was further urged that in the public interest, the principle of granting to the representatives of the people an allowance that may be supposed fairly to compensate them fortheir services, loss of time and ex- penses incurred in connection with their position, is recognised in most cauntries, and especially in all young countries where parliamentary institutions exist. It was also pointed out, that the duties of a representative and the sacrifices of time and money it entails, are not by any means confined to attendance while the Legislature is in session. It was shown that elections, however legitimately con- ducted, cannot be carried on without loss, and that the proper supervision of the Voters' Lists was a serious item of ex- pense, to which a member often had to subscribe liberally. Moreover, it was said that a member has to contribute to public objects aflfeeting his constituency to an extent to which, as a private individual, he would not be liable ; that he is ex- pected to respond to calls upon his atten- tion, at all times and at his own charges, when the House is not sitting ; that if a merchant, he must leave his businicds in the care of others, often at serious pecuniary loss ; if a lawyer, his business is seriously diminished, from clients in his absence transferring their confidence to others ; if a physician, his practice falls off permanently, in. con- sequence of patients whose cases admit of no delay, calling*^ in another pihicti* tioner ; or perhaps, in either case, he has to take a pratner, and thus submit to sharing with a substitute a considerable portion of his income. . While it was con- ceded that some members might benefit pecuniarily by their position, it was pressed upon the Government as an indis- putable fact, that the indemnity, even at $800, would fall far short of the actual loss sustained in the case of others through a connection with public life. The same indemnity must however be paid to all ; and it was suggested that, m $1000 had been recognised and acqui- esced in by the whole Dominion as a fair average allowance at Ottawa, so the people would take the same view of a similar allowance to members at Toronto, and that the sum named was s? just and reasonable as to be free from ainy poMible objection. The GoTernment Consent. The arguments ui^ged on the Govern- ment ultimately induced the Ministers to accede to the request to the extent o proposing an additional sum of $200 for each member, making the allowance $800. Thai, sum was less by $200 than this al- lowance to the members at Ottawa, and, assuming, as everybody appeared to do, that $1,000 was a reasonable allowance for the members Of the Commons, it seemed easier to maintain that $800 was too little for the members of the Assembly thaa to insist that it was too much. Aoeord- ingly, on Feb. 3, 1876, a supplementary estimate was brought down containing the following item : "Indemnity to mem- bers— increase, $17,600" being $200 for each member. The Increased Indemnity DIseassrd. The Toronto Globe, the Totonio Ma(U and other newspapers had articles against the increase, and some reference was made to these editorials when the item in the Estiniates was before the llnns^. Wfcat tie l«(e U«dcr of the Oppoiltton TMM LlADia OF THB OPPOSITION, liaid-- wW^?"*^* ^* M».^*' *» consequence of Jfif J^Sl.'PP***'*'^ ^".*^* public preas on tb« Hone had acted perfectly right in thjt ttintter j that he believed the mlm S.?*i xj Government were not siilH- di^ t!^*^',''" *^'»o""«d with closed of Si. "?i*"'y •PProved ot the course of hon genUwnen in that respect. He had laid, with reference to the fndeninity -Hundred rfo/for* u;a« not more thnn on ade- S. w S '®«*r'* *° *J»8 matter, though ^lf^5^n "^ ^1 ^" -peaking for him •eif and no one ehie. Wfcat the present leader of the Opposl. tlon said. Though he had made no remark in ESf T ^ .*'*" ."»"" when H had been discussed with closed doors he Eiyrt^ **V^? f'''"^ *^« Government SfiiJr- ^«/«lt that the sauries paid i3£n?iT of the Government were not *d6qaa4e to their important duties, and to the important positions thev were «fclUd upon to fill. With regard, all I ^ m^ ^1 li^i ^* "*'°°8^y *«J* that ^ Wliat Mr. Scott said. wSj-p'SoHor"'' ''"**''=" '°" flad been of opinion before he became rf ?S*'m?'*^^T"*^'^* thesalaiies of the Ministers of the Crown in On- ^]!l^"^\'S!**^"**®*''*he position. ^*J«SW«l prepared to j«,<»/^ UttttMi in that House were not entitled to £!.^\u'^'® ** indemnity as mem- ber, of the |Hoai^ oj i;<«m'ons. The J^5r* ^"^ ^ important here to the Pn,/ v^noe of Ontario as the work of th« ; House of Commons was, and it wal equally onerous to members. - What the Liberal ConserTatlre Almaiae- man said. Mr Crexohton, OpposmoN Mkmb^ ' FOR North Orby, * Was of opinion that the amoimt for- merly paid to members of the Executive was too small, and that the increase was not by any means too large. What Dr. Boulter said. l^H Boulter, Opposition Mkubbe for North Hastinos, «»«"»«b Said they bad at last struck a subject ou which they could all agree. He be- heved this was a move in the tight direo> tion, amf ojie which he believed die eountrv would sustain. vv»tw^ What the late Uepnty Leader of the Opposition said. Hon. Wm. McDodoai.1,, then Dkputt Jjbader of the Opposition, I ti,?^''®^?*^ *^® ??"»»<^» honest opinion of I the country would concur in the propriety of an adequate compensation for thepuln he service. The general principle he had always contended for as a public man and a journalist was that, if they wanted to preserve honesty in the management of public affairs, those who were chosen to public stations should be reasonably well paid. They Jiad only to look across the borders to Republicanism in the form in which It had developed there. PabUo men, kept down by the force of pubUe opinion to a miserable pittance, raanafled to indemnify themselves in some wiHTfor the services for which the public should have paid them ungrudgingly. The result was that m the end the public had to pay a great deal more in consequence of that state of things than if a fair amount had been allowed in the first pbce for the . performance of the public duty. He was satisfied that the figures placed in the ILstimates would not adequately reward gentlemen in the position of Members of the Executive, capable of performing the duties of their position Looking at the eXOense nf living in thie rti*-^ -I -A .It. . rewards of persons of similar attainments and devotion to duty, and at the labour and responsibility of their office, theiala- nes to be paid were very small onea. are to Um Pro<' > work of th^ >, and it wm r». itlreAliijuiM. n » amount for' the Executive > increase was tald. ION MKMBIK ick a atibjeot irree. He be> e tiaht direo- 'd uie country •der of tke HKM DjBPUTT Bt opinion of the propriety iforthepnl)- loiple he had blic man and y wanted to na(;ement of 'e chosen to lonably well k across the the form in are. Pablic Be of public 3e, managed >me Way for iblio should > Thereanlt '' had to pay ace of that amount had ace for the . jr. He was teed in the ely reward iembers of onning the ung at the I _i *«- - i (utu m uie attainments the labour », thesala* mail ones. * * * Ha was prepared to defend his own aoiioB in this nartionlar on its own merits, as an act of ^stice ; and if M$ eon- riihuntt did net th%nk txoo or thrte montha •/ hi$ sawtcM vers worth Eight Hundred doflart,i1uymu$t/lnd $ome on$ else to work fir tn0m» What Mr. Uader lald. Mb. Laudb&, Opposition Mbu bir fob Eabt Qbkt, Oonoitrred in the views of other speak- ers. What Mr. Broder said. Mr. Broder said, that the people in the country, as a rule, had no idea of the onerous duties that Members of the Exe- cutive had to perform. He approved of the increase in the indemnity, as a mem- ber in this Province was worth as much as one in Quebec. The foregoing quotations are taken from the Parliamentary report of the Toronto Globe of Feb. 7, 1876. The report in the Toronto Mail is substantially the same. In the Mail the Hon. M. 0. Oameron is reported as saying further, he considered it his duty to state, that he himself had suggested the increase of Ministers' salaries. OOVERKMENT PROPOSES TO REDUOE THE INDEMNITY. The policy of increasing the indemnity, however, having during the recess been eriticised unfavourably by the press of both parties* some hostile feeling had been ex- cited in the country, and Mr. Cameron in the next session (1877), from his place in the House, notified the Gov- ernment that one member of the Oppo- sition had intimated to him an inten- tion of moving for a return to $600 in ease such a motion were not made by any- body else. The Qovernmont therefore d^rmined to give the members of the Logislature an opportunity of expressing 1^ a vote their free and unbiassed opi ' m as to whether the indemnity should be con- tinued at Eight Hundred dollars or re- duced tu SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS, its former amoiint. That no party advantage might b» gained by either side, and Ukak every one might vote without the leaal re- straint, the reduction was moved by Mr. Crooks in Committee of Supply, where ao names are taken, and it is underslood that no political consequences follow upon a division. In introducing this motion, Mr. Oro^ks made a> speech which further divested the motion of all party signiftcanoe. The Motion Lost. The motion being put, and the TEAS an— Government Svppobtebs 21 Opposition. i 17 Total 88 IfiictlM DeflDatedby Oppoiltlon TotM It will be seen by thU — <1). THAT IP THB OPPOSITION HAD SO DB8IRRD, THEY COULD H AVB CARRIED THB RESOLUTION : and («). THAT IT WAS BY OPPOSI- TION VOTES THE EIGHT HUN- BRED DOLLARS WAS SUSTAINED. Thi roLLownro were the Opposition MiMBUM who, as reported by The Mail, YOTBD TO BBTAIM THB BlQHT HUWDBBD DOXXABS >— ^(tme. Conatituencff. ■AKIB, Ruwell. MUn West Toronto. BOULTBR North Haatinijs. BWDBB^ Uundas. £®M South Lanark. OOirm East Kent 5,«^0?W. North Renfrew. FLBSHBR, Cardwell. ®»A»aB Lennox. ffBBW. Preacott. f^^< Eaat Simcoe. "»0. West Simcoe. JUODOUOALL, South Simcoe. SOTYK North Lanark. JSSSI^' East Peterbpro'. S^^^' South I^eda. •OOTT, West Peterboro*. I Opposition Speeches. ( Nop did those Opposition members who i voted to reduce the indemnity to Six J Hundred dollars do sq from any change J or pretended change of opinion as to +.he for the reduction, as with- out any broach of faith they had a night to do ; a still larger number of liberal members (including the Ministera) voted in the same way, as tlioy had alright to do. I But p«rty oapitol wm not tha obj«ut at ilut Mm* of membcn on cither tide of the Honie. All frankly uwumed their share of the reeponeibility. It was reserved for the Opposition under a new leadership to adopt a different and most discreditable oourse. VoRdemnlng thoir own Vrlends. The increase is spoken of by sup- porters of the Opposition who are not members of the House, as " the indemnity grab," or "the salary grftb;" and ignor- ant or nnsorupulous writers have, in the interest of their party and its representa- tives, pretended to denounce th-j inoreue as "plunder," to consider it as "shame- ful, " and as " obtainetl scandalously ;"— dishonestly concealing the fact, that ibut for the active part taken by their own leaders and friends in promoting the in- orease, the proposal to increase the indem- nity, whether reasonable or not, would never for one moment have been entertain- ed ; that their leaders and friends were from the first promoters and defenders of the so- called "grab;" that they received the so-called "plunder ;" and that they were guilty of the so-called "shameful" and "scandalous" conduct which is denounced. The writers in question have not hitherto had a word to say against an increase of double the amount by Sir John A. Mac- donald and his Qovemment, to the mem- bers at Ottawa, though tho time of those persons is no more valuable, nor are their expenses greater, than the time and ex- penses of members of the Local Legisla- ture. The Indemnity Question Raised. In tho Session of 1879, during the first day's debate on the answer to the Lieut- Governor's speech, and before any other Imiiiness hnd haen entered unon^ Mr. Bethune, member for Stormont and tk supporter of the Government, expressed an opinion in favour of reducing the sessional indemnity of members. It was already known that a pretty general feeling existed among Ck>Tenim«i enp* porter* in the House in the seme (V'^te* tion, and H waa antidpeted on both ridee, that Minister* would themaelve* prapoae a reduction. In that case neither party eonld, oni of what had occurred, make poliiieel eapital with electors to whom the inoreoM tv)u objectionable. If Minister* propoeed tike reduction, it was Minister* who alao had the responsibility of the increase ; the re* ductiun, like the increase, would have the equal support of both side* of the Houae ; and every member of the Oppoeition, like every supporter of the GovenuMat, would have to defend his action in the matter on it* own merit*, a* between hia' self personally and hi* oon*titaent* ; ix- actly as wa* the intention and nndir* ■tending when member* on both ildee united in pereuading the GovenunenI th^ the inoreaae waa proper, thai it would be approved by the people, and shonld be made. Dlihononrable Ttctlct.' But in thi* last session of the perli*- mentary term, it occurred to some of the Opposition leader* that the Oppoaition might manage, however diihonourably, to make out of the increase some party oapital at the expense of the Government and it* supporteirs, although they knew that, bnt for their own advocacy of the inoreeaei the increase would not have taken plaee ; al- though it had been solemnly dedsred that "under no eiroumstanoes" ahonid it *^be made Vtse of for political purpoee*,;" and althongh,foT three *e**ion*, the Oppontton members had themaelve* been pooketing the money. Amendment to the Addreai. The way this piece of Oppoeition dis- honesty was to be aoeompliahed waa thil. The first busines* of the msion i* the Answer of the House to the Lienieinant Governors' speech. '* This anawer i* hy parliamentary usage an echo of the speeeh itself, unless an amendment is moved a« t dinei iAal of pwij itrtngth, or with ilM Ttow of dofMiing the OoTernmmt of th« day ftt ih* •srliMt potaible moment after tk« CM«mbUag of the Legiilature. iMepiforthMM pturpoeee, modern custom it oppoaed to the practice of moving amendnanta to tha Addseia. The rule it thua stated ia Mr. Todd's book on Par- liamentarj Qorernmant (a book of ac- knowladgad aoonracgr and of authority with aU partiaa), pp. S86, S96 : "It has now become a well-established nile to regard the speeoh from the throne, and the address in reply thereto, as redprocal acts of oourteiy between the urown and the Houses of Parliament, and the address itself aa the unanimous and wtpeotful expression of the deference with which the House should receive the first oommimieation 6 B»id of it being that it implied in n underhand fashion a eensnre nobody ■nd to propose openly and directly. Mr. Ptrkblll at <*Catspaw.» , So Mr. Parkhill, the innocent and Mwly elected member for Simcoe, was put jip to act as ''catspaw," and to move, leoonded by Mr. Grange, member for Cienaox, an amendment to Messrs. Lau- ler and Scott's amendment, as follows ; j " That all the words in the Amend- l|liMnt after ' while ' be struck out and the following substituted therefc r : ''rejoicing trith Your Honour in the development of ;U1 enterprises tending tb the advance- nent of the agricultural interests of ,\Dwtario, we are of opinion that the ad- i ministration of the affairs of the Pro- IJlrinoe should be conducted with then ' ' jitmost economy consistent with efficiency, i'llmd that in view of the general depression JBxisting in the Province, the expenses of Lejl^ative and Civil 'Government should be reduced, especially as regards the sala- iiries of Ministers AND THE INDEM- ' NITY TO MEMBERS OP THIS HOUSE.'" ij, A Glomsy Trick. [ir -The trick was too clumsy to deceive 'liittbody. What such a motion meant, iipf it meant anything, was that the Gov- ' Ibr&ment were censurable for not having Itocounced such a policy in the Speech Ijfrom the Throne It was a miserable '•party device for "cornering" the Govern- ment II and their supporters by making them appear to those unfamiliar with Parliamentary ust^e to be voting against retrenchment when they were only oppos- ing a liypocritical and undeserved vote of I censure. ^^' Obeap Capital. ] Had this disgraceful move sltcceeded, ^ what would'^have happened 1 That the Srsalftties and indemnities would oonse- t;; quently have been reduced ? Not at all ! 3 What then 1 Why, that if the Govern- ment had been defeated, and Mr. Mere- I dith and five of his friends had taken the places of Mr. Mow»t and hie eoUeag^lil, they might have put what oonitraetioii they pleased upon a meroly abstcact resolution like that moved, and hvf pocketed their full salaries and indcp- nities for another four years ; or dM the present Government might have had to go to the country, falsely repxe" sented to be insisting upon retainiDg tb* indemnity at its higher figure. So henoar, consistency, good faith, promises, and all fairness were thrown aside and forgotten in this wretched effort to make a little false political capital. VDblaibing lEfflrontery. The vote onMr. ParkiuU's amendment was taken on the 21st January, 1879, wnen Messrs. BOULTER. DBAGOM, SCOTT, laaoDiTH, and oiuBXaBtcnf, . '< ■'■'■ whose opinions on the Indemnity quest!^ have been given, as well aS: Messrs. BRODBR, CO PB, OOUTTS, FLB8HBB, OBAMOE, KBAH. JJOTSQ, MOSTTN, and PBEBTOir, who had voted against the proposal of the Government to reduce the indemnity from 9800 to $600 in 1877, l^evrj one of them the unbUuihing effrontery to vote, along with the whole of their party in the House, without waiting to see the Estimates for ih» year, TO^ OEN^ SURE THE GOVERNMENT FOR NQIJ! REDUCING THE INDEMNITY. Th© following Opposition meml?«rs, w ai'di* tion to those whose names aW a}KXV« given ) Joined in. this disCrcvtitsvie prp- ceeding, though, like the other members above named, they had been p««^iei **> the increase which they iwere now dis- honestly endeavonring to make caj^tal out of, agaioxt their poUtioal opponents.. 11 OtnatUmtncif. Dnffnin. »,.. Ckmth OntMrio. OALTDIf .' Rrontonto. MMODOVtULL, ....North Middlesex. WUOCfWMM, Weit Wellington. MIElI Ol, Leedi and Orenville. HlQillK, CArleton. UeBABINMnr. South Norfolk. TOOMY , East Middlesex. WBITI, North Essex. WICU; South Essex. WmU. West Uastiogs. larljr DlscoTcrj of^TheClOTeii Foot.*' Bnt, of the whole eroird, not one stands in ao nneuTiftble a position as Mr. W. R. Meredith,' the newly elected leader of the Opposition. Mr. IlLoxeC had been ehoeen leader on the meeting of the House. His attainment of that position was received with approbation by the press of his party. But Mr. Meredith, it was evident, could stoop as low as any one to gain a political end, and would eat his own professions readily enough, in order to steal a march, if he could, on his political opponents. Ameadment Defeated. ' The amendment was, of course, voted voted down. THE INDEMNITY REDUCED. It remains only to add, that when the Estimates wore brought down by the (Gov- ernment, they provided, as had been ex- pected aud as they had always intended, for a reduction of the indemnity from $800 to 9600, its former amount. This was doue in accordance with public sentiment, and with the general desire of the Ministerial side of the House. The Government and their 8ui>porters claimed no party credit for the reduction; but it is manifest, on the other hand, from the facts which have been stated, that the attempt of the Opposition to make party capital out of the transaction was a fraud on the intelligence of the people. The reduction took place accordingly, a pro- ceeding which probably caused genuine disai»iK>intment to the baffled schemers, who fancied the electors oi Ontario were to be deluded by a transparent sham.