EXTRACTS FROM SPEECHES

MADE IN THE

HOUSE OF COMMONS DURING THE PASSAGE OF THE BILL.

SOLICITOR GENERAL WEDDERBURN-I do not think in the abstract or theory, the highest degree of liberty ought to be granted to a country, situated as Canada is not the highest degree of political liberty.

The next clause was read, enabling His Majesty's Canadian subjects to hold and enjoy their property and possessions, together with all customs and usages relative thereto, and all other civil rights, etc.; and that, in matters of controversy, relative to property and civil rights, resort should be had to the laws of Canada for the decision.

Mr. Edmund Burke.-The question under this clause is whether we shall take away all the law of England, at six months or twelve months hence. I declare myself incapable of arguing the question. I have neither strength of body nor energy of mind to proceed at this late hour.

He spoke warmly against going on with the debate, and left the House. Lord John Cavendish spoke to the same effect, and also went out. Mr. Cavendish spoke to the same purpose, but would not go out.

Mr. Thomas Townshend.-The gentlemen opposite, who are now sitting in sullen silence, as soon as they have obtained a kind of licence to proceed, by the absence of those honourable members who oppose them, will go further than people who talk upon the subject. I should be glad to know how far we are to go. I believe we have no instance upon

the journals of the House of business being treated in this manner. And why? Because the administration have been idle-have neglected their duty, and been guilty of criminal negligence. Looking at the volume of reports upon the table, I ask-where is Lord Palmerston? Where are the members of the Board of Trade? Why have they gone from their opinions? Gentlemen who have signed their names to a report should tell us why they now have differed from that report. Is this all to be passed over in sullen silence, and no answer to be given to any objection ?

A

Colonel Barre.-I do not rise to express any warmth. bill of greater magnitude never came before the House in such a shape as this bill. It passed the House of Lords without a single evidence in its favour. When it was sent down here we obtained some evidence, but other documents were refused. The noble lord himself, with every appear ance of candour, in the first stages, called for assistance in discussing. Sir, we have discussed till we are tired. Will anybody deny that the noble lord has not had help, even from those who, only as members of this House, were required to give it him? The request made by my honorable friend is a very proper one. If other gentlemen cannot draw an answer, I cannot draw one. I can only say, it would have been more in character to declare that you shall pass this bill as the Lords have sent it, and not have any discussion upon it: that would have been the more manly conduct.

Mr. Charles Fox.-It is indeed indecent conduct; as it appeared to me, the other night, when ministers refused to call for General Murray. What was then said? "No precipitation is used in the passing of this bill; as much time is given to it as to any other." Whoever made this assertion has frankly broke his word, and will be as much respected as a man ought to be, who makes a promise and does not keep it. What single attempt has been made on our

part to delay this bill?

Has the same debate been gone

over twice? They have not hinted that there has been any delay. Upon what ground does the bill now stand? Two or three clauses have been gone through. Are the rest not as material? Yes; but they should not be taken up at twelve o'clock at night. The boundary was settled in the House of Commons, without having anything fixed by those whose duty it was to have that boundary fixed. Was no boundary necessary, in their opinion, that they came unprepared?

Lord North.-As to the boundary, I, for one, was very well satisfied with it, as it stood in the bill. Several gentlemen, speaking for particular provinces, entreated that other boundaries might be taken; and there was that attention paid to their doubts, that, provided they would settle a good boundary, the friends of the bill were willing to give way; in my opinion, the first boundary ought to have satisfied everybody. As for the cause before us, I am very much mistaken if it has not been fairly debated already; but I do not in the least object to have it debated again. I would submit it to any honourable gentleman, whether, after we have sat so long upon it,-after the clause has been so fairly debated-is it so very violent, so very precipitate, to proceed with it before the committee rises to-night. I am for proceeding at least through this clause before the committee breaks us.

The committee having gone on with the clauses, to the end of the criminal law clause, Lord North said, if any gentleman wished to adjourn, he had no objection. The Chairman was going on, but Mr. Charles Fox got up and desired the committee might adjourn, which it accordingly did. Lord North said to him, are we not very candid? I said, I generally was for adjourning at twelve o'clock.

WEDNESDAY, June 8.

The House having resolved itself into a committee of the

whole House on the bill,

Mr. Edmund Burke said:-I should, Sir, have proposed some amendments to the bill last night, if my ideas had not been thought ridiculous, by the conduct of the committee, in proceeding with a most material part of the bill at twelve o'clock, when the natural constitutions of gentlemen were perfectly exhausted. When this bill was brought down to us, the general voice of almost every one who supported it was, that it was a very imperfect measure as it stood, and that, agreeably to the universal practice, it would be open to any amendment. Unfortunately, I was utterly unacquainted with the bill. I took it up with a determination to come here, not only with my mind unprejudiced, but with a determination to avoid everything that had any shadow of passion in it; and I appeal to the candour, the direct justice, of parliament, whether the clause fixing a boundary to such an extent of territory, or the clauses settling the laws and religion of such a province, could be well debated, upon the numberless momentous questions that arose, in less time that we have given to them. The privilege allowed in committees of the House of speaking more than once, is a privilege founded upon An argument upon the principle of a measure may be dispatched in the House at one speaking, as well as a thousand; but in the committee, where matters of detail are gone into, it is necessary to speak more than once. The noble lord, therefore, has no right to say that we have in. terposed any delay. The first part of the bill took us up two days-in my opinion, a very short time to spend upon such a subject. Fixing the geography was the work of one day; fixing the religion of another. These and other delays, if they can be called delays, were absolutely necessary. The committee ought to take care that no delays but necessary ones should be allowed in this business-but the necessary delay arising from a detail. Now, Sir, if an entertainment should be given ten miles from London, and we were to adjourn over this day and thereby make the busi

reason.