§ MR. WHALLEYsaid, he wished to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, with reference to the intelligence that Colonel John Scott had been put to death by Riel, the rebel leader in the Red River Settlement, Whether any steps have been taken to vindicate the authority of the Imperial Government, and for the protection of the loyal inhabitants, beyond such as were communicated to the House by the Right honourable Gentleman on the 22nd March; and, with reference to the following observations of Sir Philip Wodehouse, the Governor of Cape Colony, in a speech to the Assembly:—
In North America we have unmistakeable indications of the rapid establishment of a powerful independent State. In Australia it is probable that the several settlements, with their great wealth and homogeneous population, will see their way to similar conditions. In New Zealand the severance is being accomplished under very painful circumstances:"—whether the Government propose to take any steps to correct the mischievous impressions such language conveys, and thus remove a cause of uneasiness in the minds of Her Majesty's loyal subjects in the Colonies?
§ MR. MONSELLSir, I am sorry to say that the news that reached this country some days ago of Mr. Scott having been put to death has been confirmed by a letter received yesterday from the Governor General of Canada; but having regard to the difficulty of access to the Red River Settlement during eight months of the year, I cannot see what steps Her Majesty's Government can take for the protection of the loyal inhabitants more efficient than those I informed the House two or three days ago were under their consideration. As to the second Question, with regard to Sir Philip Wodehouse's speech, with great respect for the hon. Gentleman, I think it had bettor have been reserved for the discussion fixed for immediately after 1432 the Recess on the relations between this country and her Colonies. It is not possible to answer it satisfactorily in a few words. If the hon. Gentleman will refer to the paragraph of Sir Philip Wodehouse's speech immediately preceding the one he has quoted in his question, he will find that Sir Philip Wodehouse has always been a consistent opponent of responsible government for the Colonies. He asserts that responsible government is opposed to the existence of a Colony as a dependency, and colouring his view by his own pre-conceived notions, he gave the description of several of our Colonies which the hon. Gentleman has quoted. The views of Her Majesty's Government, and, I believe, of this House, and of almost every colonist, are diametrically opposed to the views of Sir Philip Wodehouse. We believe that large communities sprung from our race never can be prosperous and never can be contented unless under responsible government; in other words, with the full enjoyment of liberty. We know that just in proportion to the completeness with which this system has been introduced in our Colonies has their attachment and devotion to the mother country been strengthened and developed. Lord Granville has expressed to Sir Philip Wodehouse the dissent of Her Majesty's Government from the views he has expressed, and I am not aware that any further steps need at present be taken in the matter.