§ MR. HERRIESbegged to ask a question of Her Majesty's Government, arising 1190 out of the questions put and answers made on the subject on the preceding day. He would take the liberty of asking whether or not Her Majesty's Government were in possession of the proceedings in the Committee of the whole House of the Legislative Assembly of Canada preliminary to the introduction of what was called the Indemnity Act?—and whether, as part of these proceedings, two Motions were made for the purpose of excepting from compensation all persons guilty of aiding or abetting in the progress of the rebellion?—and if it were true these two Motions were rejected in the Committee by a majority, of which the law officers of the Crown and the public officers of the Government of Canada formed a part?
§ SIR G. GREYregretted to say that his hon. Friend the Under Secretary for the Colonies was prevented by indisposition from being in his place in the House, so that he (Sir G. Grey) could not, perhaps, speak on the subject with the accurate information he would desire; but he was certain of this fact, that no official communication had been addressed to the Colonial Office by the Earl of Elgin on the subject, and the only information they had was derived from the newspapers, which, in common with the rest of the world, they had received. A private letter had been received by his noble Friend at the head of the Colonial Office, but no official information had as yet reached him. He supposed that such information would be postponed until the usual period of making such communications; that was, when the measure had ultimately received the sanction of the colonial legislature.