The Premier.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4248, 12 August 1882, Page 2

The Premier.

By a Pbominent Opponent. Our Parliamentary correspondent telegraphs the text of Mr DeLautour's eulogy on the Premier:—l came to this House this session with many other hon. members who have been in Parliament before, determined that no act of mine or of theirs should preclude those gentlemen who see their way to support a Government who are as liberal in their expressed views as we are, I say no act of ours shall bar them from acting with us this session or next session, or as soon as possible in putting an end to incapacity in high places. Sir, an incapable Government is endeavoring to raise up a wall in this House between ! parties which does not exist. Up to the I elections, and since then we have been ' educated every day, and in every paper, [ and in every electoral utterance by members 'of the Government and their strong supporters to this—that there is no real distinction in politics at the present day ; that they are all liberal, and that they are as liberal as we are. Now, why do they shrink from the result of that education which we have accepted ? We believe in them; their supporters who came into this House believed in them, but we are both deceived. Their supporters and we ourselves see that they are not liberal. Bat there is an exception. The hon . gentleman at the head of the Government at the present time has the truest right to be called a Liberal of any man now in this House. Prior to 1860, he was formulating measures which jonly now, laggards - that we are, we have enacted into law. Who was it in this House, when liberal proposals were brought forward by Sir G. Grey, proposed even more liberal measures P Who but that honorable gentleman? Who was it last year, when a subordinate member of the Ministry, brought forward the most radical measures in regard to the tenure of property that were ever brought into the House of Parliament? It was the hon. gentleman. But now, while nominally the ruler of a Cabinet with dissension—with Ministers, if rumor is true, refusing to speak to each other—l say that this hon. gentleman, the Premier, ruling this country nominally, is retarded by the incapacity of his colleagues in this House of Representatives. Sir, if that hon. gentleman were in this House him self, as we have a right to expect he should be, influencing the House by supporting his colleagues by the power of his intellect, and his power of speech creating a real force of public opinion, many that are on this side of the House now would not be j oinirig in this vote at the present time. But he is not. He is an intellect standing aloof and apart from us, to whom we can lend no assistance. He is isolated, in a celestial sphere elsewhere, the utility of which many of us doubt, and he cannot there exercise such an influence on public opinion; while at the same time he is checked and hampered by incapacity at his heels. "