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L^islature du Quebec
Quebec

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Legislature du Quebec
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ii.

FROM THE

THRl RIVIRS " INttUIRlR,"

Saturday 14, and Tuesday 17th April, 1855.

«MM.^»^^t^ #^^S^^MM

PERMANENCY OF THE SEAT OF
GOVERNMENT.

Petitions are now distributed throughout the coun-
try for signatures, requesting his Excellency to ex-
ercise the prerogative of the Crown, and select some
permanent place for the annual assembling of Parlia-
ment.

We have been frequently told that the system of
itinerant Parliaments has effected much good for the
country. This has been so often and so energetically
reiterated, that the public gave it a kind of passive
credence, without questioning its clainl to belief.
The assertion was regarded as a sort of axiom challen-
ging our assent by its self-evident truth. This im-
pression has evaporated, and the people are now ex-
amining the reasons, if any, that sustain the assertion.
The plaiTsible, indeed the only one, is, that these pe-
riodical migrations of Parliament have made both
sections of the Province better acquainted ; that they
have thus discovered each others good points, and
learned mutually to prize and adopt what is laudable
in each. Now this is a very pleasant picture, exhibit-
ed for public contemplation; but we deny, and with-
out any restriction on the denial, tiiat the people of
both sections of Canada have mutually learned more
of each other, from the shuttlecock system of Govern-
ment. Any experience gained this way was confined
to the Hon. Gentlemen who compose the Legislature.
We are not aware of any public effort made by them
to disseminate their new and enlarged impressions.

ostentatiously trumpetted to the public as the results
of a system worked out by the doctrine of exchange.
The advocates of a stroUing Government should poLt
to some tangible good, conferred by it on the com-
munity^ What prejudice peculiar to either section
ot the Provmce, has been removed or ameliorated ?
What political tenet has been abandoned ? What
vunous doctrine in legislation has been abjured ?
What constitutional fallacy has been exploded?
INone Our legislation is as distinctive in its charac-
ter and as sectional as ever, and until we see our
l^arhament legislating for Canada, as a unity, we must
refuse credence to the benefits that the self-love or
self-deception of some would lead us to believe ac-
crued from the present system. The Members of
Parliament who travelled periodically to exchange
courtesies in a character semi-official and semi-social,~
a kmd of mongrel Legislative deputation,-.may have
had the angularities of their ideas and opinions, and
perhaps prejudices, rounded ofl^'by the friction of con-
tact ; but we have yet to learn that this very desira-
ble " consummation " could not have been achieved
in a permanent residence, as well as in a shifting habi-
tation. Admit there has been a cultivation of " broth-
erly love " (which, by the way, if the debates of the
present session be an index, we may reasonably
doubt) at what an enormous cost to the public is it at-
tamed. If any mutual knowledge has been gained
by the people of both sections, (and we believe there
has,) It is not through the system of alternate Par-
haments. Other and more powerful agencies have
effectively achieved what this system was, and is, im-
potent to perform. Had the Government never left
Montreal,— and its flight from that city was rank re-
venge, moral and physical cowardice,— this mutual
knowledge and appreciation wguld not have been im-
peded. Had the Government in its flight nestled it-
self in " a lodge in some wilderness," beyond the
verge of civilization, we would still recognize each
other, and increased esteem would be produced by
the recognition. It is downright egotism for our
Legislators ro assume for a moment, that social in-

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telligcnco and social esteem must be filtered through
them before they reach the people. The Commerce
of Canada will bring her children into contact, with-
out the intervention of Legislative Assemblies. It is
this that has effected what is credited to the alter-
nate system, and that will unite in a bond of common
interests, the inhabitants of the colony. It is worse
than idle,-it is most culpa.ble,-to talk of a separa-
tion of the sections of the Province. It is only a
petty, silly, superficial party threat, to subserve the
views of a political chque. Were the shred of parch-
ment or paper that represents the connection, destroy-
ed to-niorrow, the East and West would not only re-
main united, but the Union would be more consolida-
ted. The common welfare points that way, and le-
gislative acts are impotent to retard, obstruct, or dis-
solve a Union, based on such a principle. We have
been so plentifully stuffed witli the political humbug
of "separation" that we nauseate the very word.
If the Ministry proposed such a measure now, the
people would coerce them to its rejection. The Un-
ion that expediency put on paper ; and which was
merely the result of circumstances ; has been conhr-
med, cemented, and rendered permanent by the ne-
cessity for mutual co-operation, to secure mutual ad-
vantages ; and this our rulers can neither weaken nor
dissolve. We want Upper Canada and she wants
us ; the sooner therefore the bubble of separation is
exploded, the more creditable will it be for the vera-
city and intelligence of public men. " Separation "
is one of the popular delusions, nurtured and matured
by political ingenuity. It has, however, been so long
exposed to the public gaze, presented in so many at-
titudes, thai its novelty has disappeared, and the ap-
petite for monstrosities satiated.

If our Legislators are guided by public opinion, as
they profess to be, can they see nothing indicative in
the indifference the people manifest to the selection of
a locality for the Government. We only ask for a
permanent place, and not have the archives of the
Province periodically endangered by flood and fire.
We also wish to be relieved from the enormous,

and very unjustifiable expense of periodical migra-
tion. An opinion is becoming prevalent that the pre-
sence of the Government is a very doubtful good.
Certainly Montreal is quite indifferent. Her experi-
ence does not make her anxious for the return of the
Parliament. Quebec withholds her invitation. Ot-
tawa gives a kind of half-welcome. Kingston is si-
lent, and Hamilton indifferent. The course most in
accordance with reason and public feeling is, that
Grovernment select some locality, and stay there.

Our devil timidly suggests that members of the
House of Assembly should tack an additional P. to
their names; M. P. P. P. would then read, Member
of the Provincial Pendulum Parliament.' He says
the idea was suggested by the boyish pastime of
swinging, in which, at each revolution he shouted,
" here we go up, there we go down.".— Poor little
devil, he stumbled on a plain truth, viz., that some
men never get beyond the intellectual standard of
boys. So innocent is our little imp that he thinks
the " top and marbles" a logical complement of the
pendulum.

(From the Three Rivers Inquirer of April Yl.)

A portion of the Upper Canada Press aflTnct to be
mightily surprised at the independent position assumed
by the Legislative Council, in relation to the perma-
nent seat of Government. It is asked with a theatri-
cal start of surprise what has the Legislative Council
to do with the business 1 why interfere with the
decision of the Legislative Assembly ? There is a
feigned alarm lest both Houses be brought into col-
lision, and a delicate anxiety lest his Excellency be
placed in an " awkward position." The act of the
Legislative Council is stigmatized " an extraordinary
step," — a trespass on the preserves of the House of
Assembly. It is sneeringly asserted that the opinion
of the Legislative Council was neither asked nor re-
quired in the matter, — that it is a body " effete and
will soon be defunct.' This, and much more of silly
verbiage is now exuding from some of the Upper
Canada Press. The motive for all this pretty effu-
sion is transparent. If Toronto suck the paps of
Government for the next four years, afterwards
some of her neighbouring cities may have a similar
indulgence, and at length, the Legislative Dairy be
permanently pastured in Western Canada.

We do not blame them for preferring themselves
to others ; they would be more than patriots, if they
did not; and no one supposes them to be self-sacrificing
saints ; but we ask them not to put themselves forward
as the advocates of a system of reckless plunder, nor
tax the Province to pander to their selfish crotchets.
Every candid and reasonable ai-gument tells in favor
of an immediate extinction of the gigantic improvi-
dence of a migratory Legislature ; and any argument
that is good to terminate this system of Parliamentary
emigration, at the end of four years, is still stronger
in favour of prompt extinction. It is fresh in ihe
memory of our readers how the mania for retrench-
ment seized on the public. The howl in the Upper
Province was so loud and long, that a Committee was

appointed to make imjuisition, as an appeasing ob-
lation to the popular demand. This Committee en-
tered on the repulsive business of discovering the
exact minimum of bread and butter that ought to sus-
tain life. The public then imagined that the subordi-
nate clerks of the Legislature could "dine on a
sunbeam and sup on the grilled wing of a blue-bottle
fly." Even the first minister of the Crown in Canada
was doled out a pittance, not enough to supply the
necessary hospitalities of his position ; and so fur was
the expensive economy pushed, that peculation was
made, more than temptation, almost a necessity. The
demon of retrenchment was at length appeased by
the diminished incomes of the Clerks, and the pinched
sustenance of their families ; and it is only this session
that our rulers have plucked up moral courage to
make some indemnification for the popular injustice.
Yet now, when it is necessary to subserve a local
purpose, the retrenchment theory is abandoned as a
thing " stale and unprofitable," repudiated as a barren
investment, unproductive of political capital. Where
is the consistency of the men, who, a few years
since, shouted with such energy, as if the salvation of
the colony depended on the strength of their lungs,
for the reduction of salaries to the starving point; and
now vociferously justify the profligate expenditure of
thousands. We ai-e inevitably forced to conclude
that intense selfishness involving the most reprehensi-
ble contradiction, opposes the immediate selection of
a permanent seat of Government.

The Hamilton Sjicctator asks, "What has the
Legislative Council to do in the business," We an-
swer, just as much as the Legislative Assembly. Is
the Council not recognized as a constitution- ' compo-
nent of the Legislature ? Do we accept measures at
the hands of the popular branch, as law, without the
concurrence of the Upper House % The Legislative
Council possess the right to originate any measures
(money ones excepted) that the other branch has.
And this right is secured by usage, constitutional law,
and in virtue of their nomination by the Crown.
They are the veriest cowards, the most unfaithful of

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public stewards, if ihey shrin.. ''om the exercise of
a right, they hold in trust for the public welfaie. By
their position they are partially removed from the in-
fluence of popular clamor, and will not servilely lend
the ear to the whispered insinuation of the oily pa-
triot, or the noisy demand of the demagogue. This,
which is their peculiar excellence, constitutes the
*• head and /rent" of their oftence. Heretofore the
Legislative Council has been scoffed at, twitted, and
held up to public censure, because it did not originate
measures ; and now when it proposes one of immense
advantage to every man in Canada, their conduct is
reprobated by denying their light to independent le-
gislative action. There is conjured a dreamy dread
of collision between both Houses, a visionary and un-
real phantom to be created by the absence of unanim-
ity. There is no more danger of collision, on this
question, from the present Legislative Council than
there will be from the imbecile abortion by which it
is to be succeeded. We had a recent " collision "
on the Seigniorial Tenure Act and what was the re-
sult ? The House of Assembly swallowed wholesale,
the expurgations and amendments of the UpperHouse.
The House of Assembly displayed no fastidiousness
in accepting the corrections in their Bill. Like rea-
sonable men they admitted their fallibility, and dis-
played a very commendable docility in adopting a
corrected copy of their Act. If both branches assume
a dogged hostility and deem it a point of honor to
admit no recession, then a collision may be reo-arded
as injurious to the legislative character of both bran-
ches ; but while there exists a mutual readiness to en-
tertain and examine calmly the measures of each oth-
er, with the view, ultimately, of reaching a just decis-
ion, collisions, so far from being objects of dread, are
positive advantages.

It is further flippantly said, " The opinion of the
Upper House was neither asked nor required in the
matter." But did the country ask^^he opinion of the
Lower House, as to the claim oi" Toronto to the seat
of Government ? The opinion was gratuitously vol-
unteered ; and if the Legislative Council, in the ex-

erciee of their duty, cli8j)lay some anxiety for thu care-
ful adminiBtration of the public revenue, are they to
be sneerinfrly told " they are a body effete and will
goon be defunct." But if they are " effete " who
contributed most largely to render thern such 1 The
ultra loyal Upper Canadians. The Legislative Council
committed a grave error in yielding their concurrence
to the Rebellion Losses Bill; they stumbled then,
and have yet scarcely recovered their former attitude.
Who lent them the parting kick in their fall ? the loyal
'par excellence of Western Canada. They were revil-
ed, snubbed, scoffed, scorned, maligned, buffeted, and
slandered, for doing precisely what the popular re-
presentatives had performed. The popular branch
originated and cai-ried the Rebellion Losses Bill, and
the public with the fickleness of a weather-cock,
sought protection from the Legislativ Council against
their own representatives ; and because it was with
held, the "Sovereign people " vented their displea-
sure in coarse abuse. There is some excuse for the
Legislative Councillors for this serious error. The
Lower House was arrayed against them, counte-
nanced by a very plastic Governor. This, though no
justification, is a palliative pica; but now when about to
make some expiation for the former offence, they are
greeted with a growl of scorn. Truly the vilest sin-
ners make the most earnest saints. If there were one
doctrine, more than another, the peculiar idol of con-
servative worship, it was that of constitutional re-
straint on the extravagance of the popular branch ;
yet so impatient are these very conservatives to
launch us on the muddy and turbulent wave of de-
mocracy, that they cannot patiently wait for a devel-
opement of the New Legislative Council Bill, but
vilify the present Council and question its constitu-
tional right to exercise its undoubted privileges.

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