46 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 1872
[Hon. Attorney General — ]
They (Messrs. Howlan and
McDonald) said they represented the largest
religious body in the colony. and thought
that some consideration should he given to
their request. It was agreed that the question should he put on the shelf while those
who favored Confederation would do the
same, and no membur of the Government on
either side, had in the smallest iota, since,
violated that not. There was a meeting
held immediately, or soon after, when about
sixteen or seventeen were present and when
they went in they were discussing what the
policy of the Government should be. When
the question of Confederation was sank also.
He (Mr. B.) had been returned to opppose that question for four years, or that if
in the meantime the matter should come before them that no action should be taken
until the matter was sent to the people at the polls. Some gentleman suggested that
it should be put in writing to which he (Atty. General) said "certainly." when Dr.
Robertson said "put in the School Question too."
54 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 1872
Hon. Attorney General said that if his
honor the Speaker attempted to reprimand the prisoner at the Bar, without giving him
a hearing, the consequences might be serious. He (Mr. B.) had distinctly stated, last
evening, that the house had no power to arrest Mr. Carlton, and that if they attmepted
to do so, they would place themselves on dangerous ground. Mr Carlton was not bound
to obey the summons of the House, for they had no jurisdiction over him; if the House
had no power to issue a warrant in this case, they had no power to issue a summons
either. He Mr. B: would ask his honor the Speaker in the of British justice not to
reprimant that, as the House had no jurisdiction over him. To carry out the wishes
of the Opposition in this matter, as expressed in their resolution, was like knocking
a man down, and then kicking him for falling. If the motion submitted by the Opposition
be carried over we may be told that we are not able to conduct the affairs of the
country, and the loss of our constitution may possibly be the result. He (Mr. B.)
would be sorry to see our Island taken into Confederation because its Legislature
did not administer justice in such a case as the one now before the House. But we
should remember that it was a little ship-money
1872 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 55
which cost Charles I. his head, and that it is
quite possible that this bribe-money may cause the loss of our constitution.
1872 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 69
[Hon. Attorney General — ]
But to-night he had to part
politicts company with his old associate
and former political friend, and hoped his
new found friends would not object to his
strong views on Confederation.
Hon. D Davies had been, and was still,
in favor of the policy of Colonial Union, and
saw no reason yet why Confederation was
not desirable. He knew it was the imperial policy and thought we should not op—
pose it, and thought in the Railway matter
they had evidence of how the country
might be legislated into the Dominion in
the same way. The same thing could be
done; for if the Legislature could pass the
Railway Bill without an appeal to the people, it could do the other in the same
way.
Hon. Mr. Howlan thought the hon. member should recollect that there was a distinct
understanding that such should not
be done.
Hon. D. Davies though then, and was still
of the same opinion, that they might be legislated, as a colony, into the Dominion
of Canada in the same way. And the thought if necessary that we should go into Confederation.
The Dominion Government would pay for the Railroad and place the Land question of
this Island in the same position as that of the Dominion. They knew how it was in
Ireland, and the same might be their case too. He believed generous terms would be
submitted, and that it would be the duty and for the interest of the colony to accept
them. He fully reiprocated the friendly of the learned Attorney General. THey had
been personal friends from their boyhood, but it so happened that they took different
views of the matter, which caused them to diverge politically, the one from the other.
This individual participated in: