of the country, and not keep the assembly waiting two or three
weeks for the motion of the government, as has been the case this
session. Honourable members will recollect that there is a constituency
behind them to whom they are accountable; but they may resolve and
re-resolve as they please. There is a spirit of inquiry abroad among the
people, a political intelligence, which was not to be found a few years
since when my honourable friend denounced responsible government as all
nonsense! What was the case when responsible government was first talked
of in this province? Who descended from their lofty eminence to warn the
people to beware of these new doctrines? The old official Family Compact
party--they who entrenched themselves behind the prerogative of the
Crown in 1836, came down to the people and said, 'We who have done so
much for you--we who have watched over and guarded you, beware of that
dreadful monster, responsible government.' These are the people who call
themselves Conservatives. What, I would ask, did they conserve?
Everything but the good of the country; and, had the Conservatism of
1836 been carried out, an insulted people would ere this have risen in
their majesty and would have shaken off the yoke of bondage under which
they had been labouring.

{RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT}

{THE PEOPLE SUPREME}

"It has been said by honourable members of the government that there is
no distinction between Liberals and Conservatives. If this is the case,
why did they object to have me and two others take seats in the council
because we were Liberals? Here is a question which I would like my
honourable friends to answer. The Conservatives do not wish to see any
power in the hands of the people. [Interjection from Mr. End--'Not too
much.'] The honourable member from Gloucester, Mr. End, has receded from
his principles wonderfully; his speech yesterday was certainly a most
extraordinary one. He said to the government in a most supplicating tone
of voice, 'Give me fair play--give me the appointment of all the
bye-road commissioners, magistrates, sheriffs, and so on, in Gloucester,
and I will support you; that is all I want.' I will take care not to be
misunderstood in these matters, I will not allow any man to be the
exponent of my political principles. I believe departmental government
to be inseparable from our institutions, but will oppose the immediate
introduction of the whole system; I will bring it in step by ste