The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 1874.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 25, 29 January 1874, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 1874.

Mil Guikmstess last-night made an able and lengthy speech in introducing his Responsible Government resolution, but as the Council allowed it to go to a division without debating the question, we have not deemed it necessary to re-; port it. The result of the division clearly showed that in the opinion of the Council it was not desirable to introduce responsible government into the Nelson legislature. Although the absence of any debate was partly accidental, it was perhaps just as well that the resolution was so summarily disposed of, as it is not likely that votes would have been lost or secured either by one side or the other by any speeches that might have been made, the members having, no doubt, made up their minds on so important a question before they entered the Chamber. The fate that befell Mr Ivess' resolution wns scarcely "anticipated, it being generally thought that the division would have been a close one, but this was probably prevented by the action taken by the members of the Executive, who declared their intention of resigning in a body if the motion were agreed to. We congratulate the Government on their spirited conduct, and believe it will have a good effect throughout the province Bince it showed most clearly that they had full confidence in the policy they had propounded and in their own ability to carry it to a successful issue. Confidence begets confidence, and the events of lofit night will go far to strengthen the hands of the Executive with the people of the province. It is evident that the policy proposed by the Superintendent has been fully and carefully thought out by the members of the Government, and that they are determined not to attempt to proceed with it in the event of opposition to any of its more important details being successful. Rightly or wrongly, they have determined that a full and strong Executive is essential to success and to this decision they expressed their inteution of adhering, It may have seemed to some a small matter on which to make a stand, but it was explained by the Provincial Secretary that it was considered important by the Executive from the bearing it had on the policy they had introduced, and we think that the manly stand made last night was a hopeful sign for the province since it was indicative of the prevalence of a unity of feeling among the members of the Government on all important points, and, as we said before, of the existence of self - confidence, without which no man or body of men can ever hope to successfully carry out any bold scheme such as that now before the Council.