INTELLIGENCE FROM CANADA—DISCUSSION ON THE SUBJECT—ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE.
The settlement of the civil list left ministers at liberty to move the immediate adjournment of the house. Before they separated, however, news arrived of a revolt in Canada. On the 22nd of December, Lord John Russell rose to move the order of the day, for the house to resolve itself into a committee of supply, and at the same time took occasion to state that, although no measures could be taken by the house with regard to Canada, he nevertheless did not consider himself justified, in the actual condition of that province, to move the adjournment of the house beyond the 16th of January. The present state of affairs was this: the assembly having been convened to consider the resolutions passed in parliament, had been adjourned on their refusal to entertain the supplies, or to proceed to business. Despatches, subsequently received from Lord Gosford, showed that the intention was not to seek redress by means of that assembly, but to extort it by violence from her majesty’s government. In this state of things Lord Gosford had tendered his resignation, which had been accepted, and the administration of affairs entrusted to Sir John Colborne, in whose judgment and abilities government felt the highest confidence. They had declared to that officer that, though they were reluctant to resort to means of extreme severity, yet, nevertheless, if he found it necessary to proclaim martial law in the province, they would take upon themselves the responsibility. Accounts of open disturbance had been recently received; and there was reason to believe that a collision had taken place between her majesty’s troops and persons in arms for treasonable purposes. He thought that government had done their duty in the measures they had taken. On the morrow he purposed to produce such details from Lord Gosford’s despatches as might be communicated without injury to the public service, and would call upon parliament, in January, for such measures as the exigency of the case might demand. Mr. Leader applauded the resort of the Canadians to arms, and derided as desperate every effort of the government to put them down; their cause was considered a common one by all our North American colonies. Sir William Molesworth and Messrs. Grote and Warburton all expressed their sympathy for the Canadian insurgents, and augured their success. A discussion ensued, in which the Radical leaders denounced the mother country in terms as strong as any employed by the leaders of the Canadian insurgents. Mr. Warburton advocated the separation of the colony from the empire. Mr. Gladstone maintained a just view of the dispute between the colony and the mother country, but so mystified his arguments by useless subtleties and verbosity, that the speech failed to produce an effect corresponding to its substantial merits. Mr. Leader boldly expressed his complacency in the dismemberment of the empire, and the speech of the hon. member was denounced by Mr. George F. Young as disloyal. Sir George Grey made a sensible speech, expository of the true condition of Canadian affairs. Mr. Maclean exposed and denounced the conduct of Mr. Papineau, the leader of the French Canadian insurgent party. Lord John Russell delivered a speech sound and statesman-like, which completely “carried the house with the government.” As usual when ministers were at issue with their Radical supporters, the Conservative party took no prominent share in the debate. On the following day both houses of parliament adjourned to the 16th of January.