PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 885
1PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
8
rities and also (but much more rarely), by prescrib-
ing measures for their adoption.
The selection of Governors is, in my opinion, the most important part of the duty of the Home Government, since it is principally upon the ability or the reverse of the Governor employed, that the Colonial Administration success or failure of a depends.
It will I think hardly be denied, that if we are to have Colonies at all, the choice of Governors must be retained by the Crown, since, unless the Crown had the choice of persons placed at the head of the Executive Government of the Colonies, I do not see
how it would be possible that it should exercise any real authority or controul.
But the amount of power entrusted to the Gover- nors of Colonies differs widely in different cases. In some the Governor must virtually be entrusted with both the executive and legislative power, only limited by an appeal to the Home Government. In others, as in Canada and Jamaica, a Representative Assembly may have not only the chief power of legislation, but also virtually a large share of execu- tive authority. Between these two extremes there are intermediate degrees of more or less power exer- cised by the Governors of different Colonies.
It is obvious that the greater or less controu! which ought to be exercised by the Home Govern- ment over the Governors of Colonies must very much depend upon the greater or less amount of power with which they are invested. Where the Gover- nors are unchecked by Representative Assemblies it is the duty of the Secretary of State, as the organ of the Home Government, to maintain a vigilant superintendence over their proceedings; and though he ought as I think to abstain from any vexatious interference in the details of their administration, and to support and maintain their authority so long as they appear to deserve his confidence, and to advise their recall when they cease to do so, he is yet bound to attend to complaints which may be preferred against their measures, and to prescribe for their guidance the general line of policy to be pur- sued. One of the main objects of that policy ought always to be gradually to prepare the colonists for
}
9
taking a larger share in the administration of their own affairs.
In
On the other hand, in those Colonies in which Representative institutions exist, and especially in those which have a large and civilized population, exceedingly little interference on the part of the Government at home seems to be required. these Colonies (of which Canada is the chief), very little should, I think, be attempted by the Home Government beyond advising the Colonial autho- rities, and checking any ill-considered and hasty measures which they may be inclined to adopt. Practically, I believe the influence which can thus be exercised through a judicious Government is very considerable, and that it is of great service to the Colonies. In the strife of parties it is a check upon violence, that there should be an impartial authority ready to support against oppression any which may for the moment be unduly depressed,
But while I conceive that in the Colonies which have Representative institutions, and especially in those having a population fitted by its numbers and progressive civilization for the full development of this system of Government, the interference of the Home Government ought to be confined within very narrow limits, I can by no means concur with those* who maintain that there ought to be certain classes of laws passed in the Colonies which the Crown should not have power to disallow. I believe it would be utterly impossible to define beforehand, how laws affecting Imperial interests should be distinguished from those relating to purely local interests, in such a manner as to provide by law, without the certainty of future dispute, that as to the one class the Crown should retain, and as to the other should surrender, its ancient prerogative of disallowance. It is a curious fact, as illustrating the difficulty of making this distinction, that the Government during the last session was vehemently attacked for not having advised the Queen to dis- allow the Rebellion Losses Act, which had been passed by the Canadian Legislature, it being argued by Mr. Gladstone and others, that this was an Act affecting Imperial interests, while to the Govern-
See Mr. Godley's recent letter to Mr. Gladstone.
D
Γ
Page 190Page 191