§ Mr. Whitbreadrepeated his inquiries respecting the civil governor of Upper Canada, who, he was informed, had been absent two years from his command, and yet received all the emoluments of it.
§ Mr. Goulburnsaid, he was happy to have an opportunity of answering the hon. member's question. Governor Gore had received leave of absence for three months previously to the breaking out of hostilities between this country and America. Immediately upon that event taking place, he expressed his wish to return; but if he had returned, he would, from the nature of his office, have had the command of the militia of Upper Canada. It was thought better, however, that the person who commanded the regular forces should also command the militia, and therefore it was intimated to governor Gore that his return to his government was not immediately required. The hon. member had been misinformed with respect to the emoluments; he only received one half.
§ Mr. Creeveyrose to ask a question re- 649 specting Mr. Le Marchant. He was informed, that he had been suspended, some time back, by lord Palmerston, the secretary at war, he (Mr. Le Marchant) being then paymaster of the foreign depôts. He wished to know what had occurred since to render him fit for the place he had recently been appointed to.
§ No answer was given.
§ Mr. Whitbreadprofessed himself not satisfied with the reply of the hon. member respecting governor Gore. He thought it was not a creditable account to give to the House; and if the nature of the office was such, that the civil governor of a colony was to be recalled, and placed upon half-pay, in the event of a war happening in such colony, he thought there ought to be some alteration made.
§ Mr. Goulburncontended, that it would be very hard upon governor Gore, if he had been required to abandon his post because government did not think it expedient that he should return to it at a particular crisis of political affairs there.
§ Mr. Whitbread.—Then, if the governor had been upon the spot at the time the war with America broke out, it would have been the duty of government to have recalled him, and given him half-pay?
§ Mr. Goulburn.—It certainly would not have been the duty of government to do so.
§ Mr. P. Mooreasked, whether governor Gore had not been recalled for misdemeanors?
§ Mr. Goulburn.—Certainly not.