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Titn meeting of last night nt Geelong
was one of the most. remarkable politi
cal demonstrations that have ever been
held in tho colony, whether regard bo
had to tho vast number of persona
present, or the unanimity and enthu-
siasm of the proceedings, tor than this Inst
nothing could be more marked. Every
reference to the obstructive nttitudo of
the Legislative Council, the reckless
manner in which they had injured the
members of the civil sorvico by the
rejection of tho Appropriation Bill,
the recounting by the Chief Secre
tary of the various stages of the
hostility with which ho had been met,
and his announcement of the future in
tentions of the Government, met with so
emphatic a response that it was a pity
tho members of tho Council wero not
present that they might have had an
opportunity of understanding, - by per
sonal experience, the evident and ex
asperated tone of the public mind. The
Chief Secretary's speech deserved the
hearty applause with which it was re
ceived ; its statement was clear, and its
tone moderate and firm. As an im
peachment of the Council — on indict
ment—it was dnanswerable. Mr. Berry
showed how from the time the
Government entered office it waB
met with the resolute hostility
of tho Upper Chamber. He pointed
out how the Assembly had been so
zealous in tho discharge of its duties
that within three weeks it had passed
the Railway Bill providing for the con
struction of nine now lines; nnd how
the Council, careless of the publio neces
sities with regard to this measure, and
the endeavor of the Assembly to expe
dite its passage, rotained it for
two months, with an evident inten
tion of obstructing the Government and
the Assembly, and then struck out two
of the schedules, although having no
constitutional right to amond what
was iu effect a money bill. Mr.
Berry's contrast between the action
of the Council nnd that of tho Govern
ment was vory effective; how for the
sake of the country the Ministry sent
up in a separate measure tho seven lines
the Council had agreed to, determined
to regard, not their own dignity, but the
welfare of the country. The subsequent
sending up of separate bills for the
Goulburn Valley line and that to con
nect the Gippsland line with Melbourne,
nnd their rejection by the Council, was,
he pointed out, but another proof of
the determination of the Council to lose
no opportunity of thwarting the Govern
ment, and baffle its attempts to give
effect to the will of tho Assembly. He
noticed how the Land Tax Bill had
been passed precisely as the Govern
ment had designed it when previously in
office ; and it will be remembered how,
when in jeopardy, its success was ensured
by the Assembly being adjourned when
theCouncil, delay ingtlie measure, showed
a disposition to trifle with it. And who
doubts but tli-it, if the Government had
not held out this threat, had not had
recourse to this coercion, tho measure
would have been lost J He alluded to
tho fuct that it was tho policy of this
measure, as iudicated by resolution
when lie was last in office, that
led to his defeat, and the re
fusal by the then Acting-Governor
of a dissolution. If anything
would mark how strong is Btill
public opinion with regard to that action
of Sir William Stawell, that ptoof was
supplied by the loud cheers that res
ponded to tho reference to this attompt
to keep a Conservative Government in
offico. When Mr. Berry stated lust
night that the land Tax Bill was
passod with a distinct avowal that tho
Upper Charabrr would fight to tho
death on the question of payment of
members, he recalled a threat which tho
country lmd not forgotten, and the at
tempt to give effect to which is
the ennae of the present political
turmoil, tho dolay in the progress of
public business, and the withholding of
supplies, from which tho colony now
suffers. Proceeding from point to point,
Mr. Berry detailed the progressive
stages of resistance shown by tho Coun
cil to tho every notion of the Govern
ment, the every voto of tho Assombly ;
tho rejection of the bill for tho oroctiun
of uu exhibition building, for no other
reason whatever but tho assumption by
the Council of its superior wisdom ; and
the rejection also of tho measure pro
viding for tho defenco of tho colony on
the plea that its free-gift proamblo was
in derogution of the privileges of tho
House. It lias been pointed out how
hollow was this pretence, since a similar
bill, having a similar preamble, had
been passed by tho House of Lords,
and tho cheers from tho meet
ing showed how thoroughly it
appreciated the natiire of the
pretence ; indeed, throughout, it
marked by its loud cheers its assent to
the charges, made by the head ot tho
Government. -With regard to this nnd
other bills that had been either rejected
or emasculated by the Council, Mr.
Berry insisted on that which is the con
tention which has always existed be
tween tho two chambers, the sole
right of tho Assembly to control
the expenditure of the public moneys.
A move damaging summary of
tho series of nggressivo acts by
which the Council has attempted to
usurp all power nnd impose its will
upon the country could scarcely have
been made. It lias been said that the
constituencies are not favorable to pay
ment of members — that is the flimsy
excuse which tho Council has attempted
to shield itself behind; but when the
Chief Secretary pointed out liow most
unconstitutionally the Council had
endeavored to olioit tho intentions
of the Government on the sub
ject, and, failing in eliciting these,
had endeavored to coerce the Go
vernor into refusing to send down a-
message for the amount to be placed on
the estimates, the storm of cheers
showed that tho thousands of persons
present recognised how vital is the
maintenance of this principle for tho
protection of the interests of tho Liberal
party. Not the least effective point
made by Mr. Bony was his allusion to
tho fact that, accepting Mr. Kerferd's
suggestion tlint tho Council would pass
the principle in a separate measure, the
Government, anxious to be conciliatory
and to prevent a deadlock, conceded the
point, only to find that its intentions were
met with stolid resistance and defeated,
despite tho ndvico given tho Coun
cil by' its foremost supporter in
tho press to accept the compro
mise. Of all the remarks of tho
speaker, however, none elicited moro
enthusiasm than his reference to tho
stonewall episode in the previous Par
liament, and the sturdy fight mado by
tho phalanx of twenty to uphold tho
rights of the people. Mr. Berry, no
doubt, hit tho right nail on tho head
when he remarked that tho opposition
to payment of members wns the outcome
of a general election that had plncod
in the Assembly sixty members, pledged
to redeem the past, and fight out at nil
risks tho points in issue between tho
two Houses. The country lms probably
overlooked a fnct that was well nl-
ltidod to last night : that in twelve
years the Council lias had tho temerity
to reject four Appropriation Bills— a
monstrous abuse of power, and never
heard of in any otlior country. It would
bo impossible to follow all tho points of
Mr. Berry's speech, for, cogont and
concise, it bristled with thorn. Ho
touched on tho opposition he laid
encountered from tho p dpit nnd ft
section of the press, and with marked
success showed that the Council had
virtually dismissed the civil servants by
not furnishing tho means for paying
them, successfully contrasting tho con
duct of tho Government, whose aim in
making the reductions wns to effect
economy, und to keep sufficient funds
in hand to last out thn duration of thn
quarrel between the two Me, uses, and
whoso intention it was to reinstate any
officers whoso services it. would bo
necessary to retain. But, significant
fnct, Mr. Merry, protesting the <is-
termination of the flovereiri'-n1.
not to yield an inch, avewe
that ho could not say when t <> ilnfu:
lock would come to an end. And wbas
he added is true, that the Council cau'
yet relraco its steps by passing ths A p-
pt-opriation Bill, which was only laid
.aside. Passing from Air. Berry's re
ference to tho pnst, we may
turn to that which the country
most desired to know — the intentions
of the Government. These are definite.
The memorandum sent home to the
Secretary for tho Colonies points how
for many years payments were made on
the votes of the Assombly, thnt ninny
eminent barristers held it to be legal,
and' that it was the intention of the
Government to follow that course unless
prevented. As iregards the reform
of the Council, the Chief Secretary
mado tho distinct announcement,
cheered from overy part of tho hall,
that if it could not he effected other
wise, an appeal would be made to the
Imperial Government to alter tho con
stitution. What the country now
knows is the policy of the Go
vernment — n Government which was
said to know not whither it was
going. It is impossible for us in one
article to do justice to a speech of such
great length, nnd so crowded with facts,
but we have given a summary that
will at least enable our readers to
understand both its importance and its
merits.
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