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Newfoundland Legislative Assembly, 19 February 1869, Newfoundland Debates over Confederation with Canada.

2 THE NEWFOUNDLANDER
FRIDAY, Feb. 19
The House met at 11 o'clock, A. M.
At 12 Âş'clock the SPEAKER and the whole House proceeded to Government House, and presented to his Excellengy the address in reply to his opening speech, and being returned,
The SPEAKER informed the House that while at
3 THE NEWFOUNDLANDER.
atendance on his Excellency the Governor, at Government House, he had presented to his Excellency the address of thanks, to which his Excellency the made the following reply:—
Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of the Honorable House of Assembly.
I receive your Address with much gratification. I am glad to be assured of approval of the course taken the Government, with regard to the Proclamation noyifying that Government relief would in future be confined to destitue widows and orphans and the sick and infirm poor. I am satisfied that strict adherence to this course is essential to the future well, being of the whole community. It is the interest, no less then the duty, of all those who can render any aid to the more necessitous of their fellow citizens, by doing so to assist the Government in their effort to rid the Colony of the vicious system which has hitherto paralyzed all healthy energy, and so greatly promoted imprudence among large numbers of its population.
Her Majesty's Government will learn with saisfaction that you are prepared to take action on the question of Union with the Dominion of Canada; and I have no doubt that pou will be able to settle such terms of arrangement for this purpose as will be acceptable to the Government of the Dominion, while materially conducive to the interests of this Colony. In this case the good sense of the constituencies can scarcely permit them to withold their approval of such an arrangement: and its ratification by Her Majesty may confidently be anticipated.
Mr. HYATT asked and obtained leave of absence for the remainder of the session.
The Hon. ATTORNEY GENERAL then said he was sure that all had heard with deep regret the melancholy intelligence which had just been received, of the death of the Hon. JAMES CORMACK. All who knew him respected him. He had been a long time engaged in the business of the colony, and perhaps no where would his loss be more deeply felt than in the locality where he had so long resided. He had for many years occupied a high public position as a Legislative Councillor, and his strict attention to his duties had me with the approbation of all. He (hon. A.G.) was sure that this House would testify its respect and sympathy for his [?], by adjourning until Monday next. He therefore moved that the House do now adjourn, out of respect to the memory of the Hon. James Cormack, M. L. C., of whose death news has iust been received, and in token of the high esteem in which the deceased gentleman was held, and ot the sympathy felt by this House with his widow and family.
Mr. GLEN begged to second the mition. The late hon. Mr. Cormack was a worthy gentleman, one whose loss we must all deeply deplore, and it was but right that we should thus recognise his merits, and pay a tribute of respect to his memory.
The Hon. RECIEVER GENERAL was indeed pleased to see this disposition on the part of the House to respect the memory of a gentleman who had been alike an honor to his native and his adopted country, in every relation of life in which he had been placed. He had been an honorable merchant, and had done much service to the people ot the locality in which he had so long resided, and carried on a large commercial business. Commercially his worth was well known, and he diffused comfort and happiness amongst all about him, by whom he would now be deeply missed. In his political sphere he had discharged his duty creditably to himself. He (hon. R. G.) was now himself fast approaching the "sere and yellow leaf," and thus he the more deeply felt the deprivation which the country had sustained, is the loss of a public man and a good citizen, while he privately mourned the loss of a valued and attached friend.
Mr. HOGSETT fully participated in the feelings of hon. gentlemen. The death of such a man as the hon. James Cormack was a loss which the community at large felt.
Mr. PINSENT might, under ordinary circumstances, not have given voal expression to feelings which might be as well evidenced by silence, particularly after the apt manner in which hon. gentlemen who had preceded him referred to the deceased gentleman. But he had peculiar reasons for not allowing the occasion to pass without express reference on his part to one, the recollection of whom had been associated with his earliest years, for whom he had ever possessed a warm friendship and regard, and who, besides the associations of private life, had been for some years a brother member in the co-ordinate branch of the Legislature, the Legislative Council. He (Mr. P.) could therefore speak of the deceased non-gentleman, in both his public and private relations of life, from intimate experience. He discharged both most worthily, and his genial disposition, urbane mauners, and liberal mind, had made him endeared and respected by all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance. For these reasons he (Mr. P.) could not do otherwise than give open expression to his sympathy, with the hon. gentleman's family, and public tribute to the memory of the deceased.
The House then adjourned until Monday at 3 o'clock.

Source:

The Newfoundlander, 1864-1869. Digitized by Google Books

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Selection of input documents and completion of metadata: Isabelle Carré-Hudson.

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