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Date: 1849-08-04
By: The Globe
Citation: “Mr. Gamble, A Child of the Sun!” The Globe (4 August 1849).
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MR. GAMBLE, A CHILD OF THE SUN!

Can any one explain to us the meaning of the following consecutive passages in Mr. Gamble’s speech? What is he—a Responsible Government man—an Elective Governorman—an independent Republican—an Annexationist—or all four? We trust the Tory electors of the First Riding of York will be able to make out the mystery among them.

Mr. Gamble said—

“          “          When he listened, as he had that day, to the various attempts which had been made by the present administration to perpetuate French domination and the power of their party, he could hardly give them credence—Hear hear.—Some of the parties he had known from his youth, and he could not have believed that they would prove such traitors to the interests of their country—he could not have believed that they would have endeavoured to inflict on us the chains of French domination by the violation of every principle most conducive to British liberty.—Cheers—But he was now led to the conclusion that these very measures were intended for the purpose of forcing us into connexion with the neighbouring Republic—Great cheering.

Here he tries to insinuate Republican tendencies against the Reformers as a high crime, and prates about British liberty.

“          “          “          “          “          He did advocate an elective Legislative Council; and his reason for doing so was that he believed that with an elective Legislative Council and an elective Governor, or a Governor elected for life by the Crown of Great Britain, &c.

Here he goes for elective Governors and Councillors.

“          “          “          “          Finding that the idea of an elective Legislative Council was [illegible] by the majority of the Convention, the question he asked himself was what next can we do? and he thought if we could obtain an independent government for Canada, granted by Great Britain, that it would be the most congenial to his feelings.

Here he goes for Canadian independence.

“          “          But there was another course which they might pursue, which he would allude to, shortly, but he would allude to it because his opinions differed from those of other gentlemen. That course—and it would be a denier resort—was to become a part of the United States.—Hear, hear. If they could only lay aside their British feelings he felt satisfied that our interests would be greatly improved by such a step;

And here he goes the whole Yankee ticket—down, downer, downest.

But every deep has a deeper—that last was only “if they could lay aside their British feeling”—before he gave in Mr. Gamble gave “the children” the information that they must come to it soon, nolens volens:—

He thought it very probable that before many years there would be some great political conversion in the United States, and then some of the States would be desirous of coming into a [illegible] with us and forming one great body. This, [illegible] geographical position of the country pointed out would be our ultimate fate.—Cheers.

What can the man mean?