Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Despatch to London
Seymour, Frederick to Cardwell, Edward 15 March 1865, CO 60:21, no. 6171, 168.
Abstract
Despatch to London.
Minutes (2), Enclosures (untranscribed) (1), Other documents (1).
Seymour references the portions of
Her Majesty’s Royal Instructionsregarding the responsibility of the Governor in framing standing orders for a legislative council and forwards a copy of the
Standing Orders for the Legislative Council of British Columbia.Elliot minutes that
Article 4 strikes [him] as very stringentbut notes that
this it must be remembered, is a Council.
No. 25
15th March 1865
Sir,
The eleventh clause of Her Majesty's Royal Instructions
"direct and require" me "to frame and propose" to the
Legislative Council "for their adoption such Standing Rules
and Orders as may be necessary to ensure punctuality of
attendance of the Membersof
of the said Council and to prevent
Meetings of the said Council being holden without convenient
notice to the several Members thereof, and to maintain order
and method in the despatch of business, and in the Conduct of
all debates in the said Council and to secure deliberation in
the passing of Laws. All which Rule and Order not being
repugnant" to my Commission and Instructions, or to any other
Instructions with which I may be honored by Her Majesty "shall
atall
all times be followed and observed, and shall be binding
upon the said Council" unless the same, or any of them shall
be disallowed by Her Majesty.
of the said Council and to prevent
Meetings of the said Council being holden without convenient
notice to the several Members thereof, and to maintain order
and method in the despatch of business, and in the Conduct of
all debates in the said Council and to secure deliberation in
the passing of Laws. All which Rule and Order not being
repugnant" to my Commission and Instructions, or to any other
Instructions with which I may be honored by Her Majesty "shall
atall
all times be followed and observed, and shall be binding
upon the said Council" unless the same, or any of them shall
be disallowed by Her Majesty.
2. I felt that very great power was given to me by
this Instruction and I trust that I have exercised it to
your satisfaction. I had to bear in mind that an elected
Assembly will in all probability ere long Legislate in this,
as in most of the Colonies, and therefore thatthe
the more
Independence I could give to the Council the more popular
would our present form of Government be, and the more advanced
the education of the people in the art of Self Government.
Any appearance of straining the vast power which the Governor
now possesses would, I felt, dispose the people to clamour
for representative Institutions for which the Colony is not
yet ripe. I am happy to say that the Standing Orders I
have the honor to enclose haveworked
worked extremely well and
that there is every prospect of the Session closing without
a single expression, even in the local press, of a wish for
a change in the Legislative Constitution.
the more
Independence I could give to the Council the more popular
would our present form of Government be, and the more advanced
the education of the people in the art of Self Government.
Any appearance of straining the vast power which the Governor
now possesses would, I felt, dispose the people to clamour
for representative Institutions for which the Colony is not
yet ripe. I am happy to say that the Standing Orders I
have the honor to enclose haveworked
worked extremely well and
that there is every prospect of the Session closing without
a single expression, even in the local press, of a wish for
a change in the Legislative Constitution.
3. The Standing Orders are mainly taken from those I
assisted in framing for the House of Assembly of British Honduras.
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Elliot
I am not sufficiently acquainted with the habits of Legislative Bodies to be able to form any very confident opinion as to their rules. I can only say that they appear to me to be free from objection.
I am not sufficiently acquainted with the habits of Legislative Bodies to be able to form any very confident opinion as to their rules. I can only say that they appear to me to be free from objection.
ABd
29 June
Article 4 strikes me as very stringent, and would
rather astonish the Members of our deliberative Bodies at
home. But this it must be remembered, is a Council.
I think we may say to the Governor that the rules appear
to have been
devised with pains, and do credit to the
consideration which must have been bestowed on the subject,
and that Mr Cardwell hopes that they may work to the
satisfaction of the Council and of the Public.
devised with pains, and do credit to the
consideration which must have been bestowed on the subject,
and that Mr Cardwell hopes that they may work to the
satisfaction of the Council and of the Public.
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
Printed copy of "Standing Orders of the Legislative Council of
British Columbia."
