THE DEBATE ON THE AGENT GENERAL.

Evening Star, Issue 3304, 22 September 1873, Page 3

THE DEBATE ON THE AGENT GENERAL.

The following is what succeeded the delivery of Mr Reeves’s speech, and which we now hear of for the first time :

Mr Webster said that Mr Reeves’s speech had, to all appearance, been made with the consent and concert of the Premier. Mr Reeves would give the statement the most unqualified contradiction. (Rear, hear.) Mr Webster could only say that it looked very like it.—(Laughter.) Mr Reeves would say that that was a most ungracious remark. The Speaker thought the bon. member would see that it was not a remark which he ought to make. Mr Yokel said that if Mr Webster had listened to his speech he would have seen that it was entirely in deprecation of such a speech as that made by Mr Reeves. Mr Webster’s remarks evidently flowed from a desire to distort. The Speaker thought Mr Yogel should not attribute such a motive.

Mr Webster said members would remember the story of the Irishwoman who said, “ You may call me a thief, and yon may call me a liar, and anything else you phase, barrin’ sayin’ that there’s any greonin the white of my eye '.’’—(Laughter.) It seemed to him that Mr Vogel’s expressions with regard to Dr Feathorston afforded a parallel to this. Mr Bunny did not concur with Mr Webster that Mr Reeves’s speech looked as if it had been made by concert. Mr Stafford said the Prime Minister stated that the speech of Mr Reeves had not been made by concert with the Government, and he for one fully believed him. Mr Vogel would make a personal explanation. The accusation made by Mr Webster was a dishonoring one both to himself and Mr Beeves, and was entirely unfounded. The hon. member might laugh, but other members might feel that it was an improper accusation. —(Hear, hear.) He was very far indeed from having encouraged the delivery of such a speech as that of Mr Reeves. He had done his best outside the House to deprecate it. Mr Ormond would bear him out in this statement. Mr Sheehan said he would, on the first convenient occasion, place a plain issue before the House by moving a resolution to the effect that the conduct of immigration by the Agent-General had been unsatisfactory, and that, in the opinion of the House, it was desirable that it should be placed in other hands.