§ Lord Howickmoved the Order of the Day for the committal of this Bill.
Mr. Goulburnwished, as the noble Lord had stated on a former evening, that he hoped to furnish the House with some 1001 information on the affairs of the colony to which this Bill referred, the Committee to be deferred until that information was before them.
§ Lord Howickhad no objection to give the House all the information he possessed, but as the Bill was merely intended to remove a technical defect, and enable his Majesty to assent to any bill passed by the Colonial Legislature, he saw no reason for consenting to the right hon. Gentleman's wish. He hoped the Bill would not be delayed.
Mr. Goulburndid not wish to throw any obstacle in the way of public business. It might be necessary to make some alteration in the Bill, but as that could be done when the report was brought up, he had no objection to the Bill going through the Committee, upon the understanding that he should see the Papers alluded to, before the Report was received.
Mr. Laboucherehad a Petition to present from the Legislature of Lower Canada, and in doing so, wished to call the attention of the House to that Province. He had not been able, from the public state of business to introduce this petition with the probability of obtaining that attention to which it was entitled. He was desirous of bringing under the consideration of the House and Government, the state to which that colony was reduced from a long course of misgovernment; and he therefore requested some day might he fixed for the third reading of the Bill when the present state of Canada might be brought before the House. The petition was voted unanimously by the House of Assembly of; Lower Canada, and was expressive of the feelings of the mass of the people both French and English. He felt deeply responsible that it should be fully attended to, and as the state of public business prevented it from being brought forward in the usual way, he trusted a day would be fixed for the third reading of this Bill, when the whole subject might be discussed.
§ Lord Howickconcurred with his hon. friend in thinking that the state of Canada ought to be fully discussed. He also agreed with him, that a petition unanimously agreed to by the Local Legislature was entitled to much attention; and he should be able to show, whenever that petition should be presented, that the complaints contained in it had not been overlooked. From the state of public business, however, he was reluctant to delay the 1002 Bill, fearing there might again occur some difficulty in passing it through the other House. The Assembly of Upper Canada had adopted a permanent financial arrangement on the faith of it, and as it merely gave his Majesty the power to assent to that arrangement, any objection to the Bill could be stated on the third reading.
Mr. Humedid not think there could be any objection to the Bill, which, if he understood its import, was to enable the Canadian Government to dispose of certain revenues under certain Acts, a sufficient sum being reserved for the Civil List. The Colonial Legislature had prepared a Bill on the subject, which only waited the King's assent. This was, therefore, a proper Bill. He had also a petition to present from Upper Canada, signed by 10,000 persons, and he was anxious to call attention to it, and he wished the two petitions might be presented on the same day, that one discussion might answer for both.
§ Committee on the Bill postponed.