§ Mr. Roebucksaid, that as he believed, the hon. Baronet (Sir G. Grey) had not made up his mind on the subject of the production of the instructions given to Lord Gosford, and the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the grievances complained of in Lower Canada, he was willing to postpone his Motion for the present.
§ Sir G. Greyhad fully made up his mind on the subject, and was prepared to state his views to the House in a few words. Means had been taken to settle the differences subsisting between this country and Canada, and he trusted with every prospect of success. But great inconvenience might result from the production of those instructions while the Commissioners were still engaged in an investigation of the alleged grievances of Canada, and inquiring into their reality and extent. On this ground alone he objected to the Motion. He was happy to say, that a great deal had already been done to allay the differences between this country and Canada.
§ Mr. Roebucksaid, as he had the same object in, view as his Majesty's Government, to conciliate all parties, and as he did not wish to interfere with existing negotiations, he should not press his Motion; but he hoped the House would allow him to say a word or two with regard to the present state of Canada. The hon. Baronet said, that the Assembly had done much, as far as they had yet gone, to allay the differences between Canada and the Government. He was 390 glad to hear that. He understood, that the Governor, by his bearing and conduct towards the House of Assembly, had done much to allay those differences. He believed that Lord Gosford, in his capacity of Governor-general, had, as far as possible, done every thing in his power to conciliate the people of Lower Canada, and reconcile them to the Government of this country; and he understood that the means which had enabled the noble Lord to do this were in no slight degree attributable to the hon. and learned Member for Dublin. With that hon. and learned Member he had had no communication, but as the learned Gentleman was so often spoken of as wishing to create confusion, he was happy to be able to say, that in this case the learned Member's name and recommendation had been the harbinger of peace, and had done much to maintain the connexion subsisting between this country and Canada. He knew that the good word of the hon. and learned Gentleman did prepare the agitated minds of the people of Lower Canada (for the hon. and learned Member possessed a great moral influence there, as well as among his own countrymen) to receive with great confidence all the advances of Lord Gosford, and he was happy that the noble Lord, acting in the spirit of his Majesty's Government, had done all in his power to conciliate the people. He was sorry that by doing so Lord Gosford had incurred the virulent abuse of a party opposed to the people. By the exercise of a little common courtesy, and by displaying a wish to conciliate the people, the noble Lord had raised up in the minds of a party calling itself constitutional and English, the greatest possible enmity, but he anticipated Mr. Speaker's objection to this course of observation, and would not proceed. He could not avoid expressing his approbation of the Governor-general in acting in the spirit of the instructions of the Government, and he trusted the noble Lord's exertions would be crowned with success. In conclusion, he begged leave to withdraw his Motion,