The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 1868.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 187, 6 March 1868, Page 2

The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 1868.

Tiieue seems to be little or no doubt as to the issue of the struggle which has now been going on for several years in Victoria, between the Ministry and the majority of the Legislative Assembly on the hand, and the majority of the Legislative Council or Upper House on the other. According to the latest accounts received from Melbourne the M'Culloch Ministry would be in a stronger position than ever, as nearly all the elections that had then taken place had terminated in their favor. The struggle between the two houses commenced during the period when Sir Henry Barkly, the most able and politic Governor that Victoria ever possessed, was in office, and arose originally out of a slight difference of opinion between the Governor and Mr O'Shanassy, the then Premier, and this O'Shanassy vendetta, if it may be so called, has continued ever since, as is shown by the fact that the principal opponents of the M'Culloch Ministry were either members of, or staunch supporters of the O'Shanassy Government of 1861ISG3. Sir Heury Barkly left Victoria somewhere about September, 1863, leaving the M'Culloch Ministry in office, with the struggle going on as to the power of the Lower House to " tack" the Appropriation Bill to another Act, —the Ministry and the Lower House were supported by the Governor, while the action was virulently opposed by the minority in the one and the majority in the other house as unconstitutional. Such was the state of things when Sir Charles Darling, a well-meaning, but not quite so politic a Governor as Sir Henry, arrived. The new Governor was supposed to have been furnished with special instructions from the Home Office to curb the power of the Lower House and the Ministry. In the then condition of parties this would have been a dangerous experiment, and one that would have been likely to have resulted in an embroilmentof the Home and Colonial Governments. Whether Sir Charles was furnished with any instructions, implied or otherwise, never appeared, and Sir Charles soon found himself supporting the M'Culloch Ministry, and the majority of the Lower House against the attempted tyranny of the O'Shannassy supporters and the Upper House. For over two years and a-half was the struggle continued, till at last in April, 1866, lie was recalled by Mr Card well, the then Secretary for the Colonies, and he left foj Sydney in' May of the

s:ime year. The occasion of his departure being made the occasion an ovation such as had never before been seen in Melbourne. The horses were taken from his carriage by the populaccyind drawn nearly the whole distance from Melbourne to Sandridge Pier, and on his arrival in Sydney, a grand demonstration also awaited him. From these manifestations there could be no doubt as to the popularity of the course adopted by the Governor and the M Culloch Ministry, though it wis opposed by every means that the Opposition, aided by the Melbourne Argus, could bring to bear against it. The occasion of his recall led to a grant of £20,000 being voted by the Lower House to Lady Darling, as some compensation for the loss she and her family had sustained by her husband being deprived of office. If Sir Charles had acted otherwise, we cannot see how he could have carried on the Government, as it would have been impossible for him to have formed a Ministry that would have had a chance of standinp,-forty-eight hours. The battle on the Darling Grant had begun before Sir Charles' successor, Sir John H. T. Manners-Sutton, arrived. The Lower House claimed the exclusive right to grant all supplies and the matter was over and over again argued most ably and ingeniously by the mainstay of the M'Culloch ministry, Mr. Higinbotham, the Attorney- General, who is described by the London Times as being one of the most remarkable men of the present time. The advent of Sir John Manners-Sutton was hailed with greater shouts of joy than they had welcomed that of his predecessor. Sir John was supposed to be a Conservative, be was connected with the conservative families of Manners and Sutton, and therefore he must, as a matter of course, be opposed f o the proceedings of the M'Culloch Ministry and the Lower House. It was argued that as he was a member of the aristocracy or upper class of England, he must necessarily support the Upper House, or as they chose to call themselves "the gentlemen," or " aristocracy " of Victoria. Never did they make a greater mistake, for Sir John has supported not only the Ministry but even the obnoxious Darling Grant, and from that time till now has this faction-fight been going on, as the Opposition have thrown every obstacle, no matter how disreputable, in the way of carrying on the Government, till at last Sir John Manners-Sutton dissolved the House at the request of the Ministry, and from all appearances they are now rendered stronger than ever. The question naturally arises, how much longer will this obstructive, irresponsible Upper House, be allowed to continue its clamorrous opposition. We say irresponsible, because they are elected for a term, and till that term is expired neither Governor, Ministry, nor people can do anything with them, and as they are the nominees of but a few, and those few belonging chiefly to the squatter-class, who are opposed to all improvements or innovations it will be seen what harm they are likely to do. It is time that this state of things is altered, and the people be allowed to represent themselves by means of their representatives. Already three Governors have been tried who have failed to give satisfaction to this body of malcontents, while the Governors and the Ministry have always been popular from the commencement. It is not often that we see the Ministry and the Governor supported so continuously in their actions as we have seen in Victoria, and therefore it is time that the Opposition should be compelled to give way.