§ Mr. Plantahaving moved a new Writ for Perthshire, in the room of Sir George Murray, who had accepted the office of Secretary of State for the Colonies, in the room of Mr. Huskisson,
Mr. Hume said,—I am aware, Sir, that, strictly speaking, this House has no right to interfere with the king in the appointment of the officers to whom he wishes, to intrust the direction of his government. But I think that, in the present state of the country, as well as of our colonies, this House, and the country at large, have a right to expect some guarantee, that an efficient officer will be appointed to the very important situation of Colonial Secretary. The right hon. gentleman who lately filled that office, was commencing a system of kindness and conciliation, which was calculated to produce union and peace in our colonies; and, if a different system be now adopted, both will be banished, and discord and disunion will prevail in their stead. For my own part, I anticipate a change of our colonial policy; and I dread it the more at the period like the present, when our internal state requires that every practicable reduction should be made both at home and abroad. No man can look at the present state of the 905 Canadas without perceiving, that a recurrence to the system so recently and so justly complained of, must be productive of the most disastrous consequences.—Sir, I cannot view, without alarm and distrust, the appointment of a gallant officer, however great his military skill, to an office so purely civil. I think such an appointment likely to be attended with the most alarming consequences: but, in saying this, I mean not to impugn the high military character of that gallant officer. I believe that, during the war, we never had a more able and efficient Quarter-master-general, or one who was more obedient to the commands which he received. But I cannot view his appointment without jealousy, when I recollect, that I heard him in this House declare, that our troops preferred the flogging system to the substitution of other punishment. If the gallant officer means to act upon that principle of coercion in his new appointment, which was adopted by lord Bathurst, in preference to the conciliatory course pursued by Mr. Huskisson, and so favourably received, I must say that we shall have to deplore the results. I must repeat, that it is the duty of this House, to object to the appointment of a military man under such circumstances, no matter how high his rank, or how exalted his military fame. It should be our care to render our colonies as available as possible; but this we can only do by the adoption of a government over them, which shall be looked upon, and felt, to be purely of a civil character.
Colonel Lindsay.—Sir, I find it impossible to listen to the observations made by the hon. member, without feeling desirous to say a few words in answer to the observations he has made upon the appointment of my gallant friend. And first, I will ask, whether it follows, that, because a man has borne arms, he is therefore unfit to hold a civil appointment? Is a man, because he has been brought up in the school of honour, the less fit to devote himself to the service of his country in a civil capacity. Under all the circumstances, I consider the observations of the hon. member, to say the least of them, a little premature and uncalled-for. As to the gallant officer; I know no man more competent to fill the situation. He had been long stationed as a military officer abroad; and had an opportunity of making himself acquainted with our colonies; and 906 particularly in the Canadas: for he was specially deputed to that colony by government, for the purpose of making a report upon its internal institutions and regulations.
§ Sir George Warrender.—Sir, I can bear testimony to the high character and military talents of my gallant friend. He has, upon every occasion, discharged his military duties in a manner alike honourable to himself and advantageous to the country. But I cannot help expressing my dismay, at witnessing the frequency with which, administrations have, in succession, been broken up, by private dissentions and internal quarrels. I should look upon these changes with distrust at any period, but they are peculiarly to be dreaded when coupled with the state of the country, our foreign relations, and our colonial possessions. There are great public questions shortly to be agitated, as well in this as in the other House of Parliament, which must depend mainly upon the character and principles of the cabinet; and I hold it to be a heavy responsibility on the part of those who create disunion and distrust, where union and co-operation ought to prevail. Such a course of proceeding must of necessity create a want of confidence in this House and in the country, and without confidence, it is impossible that public business can proceed. I feel bound to acknowledge the eminent services rendered to this country by the noble duke at the head of his majesty's councils, in his military character; but I entertain apprehensions of the continuance of his civil career. I trust in God, that the military glory which he has achieved may not be eclipsed by the misfortunes of his civil appointment.
Sir A. Hope.—Sir, I am surprised at the objections urged against the appointment of military men to civil offices. The House has now before it the manner in which civil appointments have been discharged, and from that specimen it can judge of the general fitness of military men for such appointments. Sir, I maintain that, generally speaking, they have been the most competent persons to hold them. If we maintain, that a military education disqualifies a man for a civil appointment, then we have a right to say that it disqualifies him for a seat in this House; nay, for the possession of every right of a free citizen. Not far back, every gentleman thought it dishonourable 907 not to have borne arms in defence of his country; and this being the case, that profession cannot be looked upon as depriving a gentleman of his rights as a citizen. Sir George Murray highly distinguished himself as Adjutant-general in the West-Indies, and also in the Canadas, at a most trying moment.
Mr. Hobhouse—Sir, if all I have heard be correct, I think the appointment of the gallant officer in question as good as any that it is in his majesty's power to make. But I do hope and trust, we shall soon have an assurance, that the administration is permanently settled; for I think it would be better that we should act upon a system in some degree defective than that our whole policy should be in a state of continual change. All who have witnessed what has taken place in this country within the last twelve or thirteen months, must see the necessity of coming to some fixed determination with respect to the administration. Within the short period to which I have alluded, we have had no less than four Colonial Secretaries, not to allude to the other equally numerous changes of place. Under these circumstances, how can we hope for any perfect system of colonial legislation.—Sir, when we look around us, we must feel convinced, that if we are not to have one set of individuals, we ought at least to act upon one fixed and determinate system. In some of our colonies it has, for some time, been unknown who was Colonial Secretary. We scarcely sent them out the name of one individual, than they were informed that that individual had been displaced. Under such a system of change, how can any efficient colonial measure be expected? For myself, I am ready to give my humble support to any ministry formed on sound, constitutional principles, without caring from what party, or set of men, they may be chosen.
§ The motion was agreed to.