Document Information

Date: 1864-03-03
By: Province of Canada (Parliament)
Citation: Province of Canada, Parliament, Scrapbook Debates, 8th Parl, 2nd Sess, 1864 at 67-68.
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LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

THURSDAY, 3rd March, 1864

 The Speaker took the Chair at three o’clock, and read letters from the petitioners against the sitting members for Quebec Centre [Isidore Thibaudeau] and Laprarie [Alfred Pinsonneault], withdrawing their contestations.

Antoine-Aimé Dorion [Hochelaga, Attorney- General East] enquired of the hon. member for Montreal East [George-Étienne Cartier], whether it was likely that the Hon. J.H. Cameron, Chairman of the Joliette Election Committee, would be here to-morrow. It was for the convenience of the Committee that he asked this question of the hon. member for Montreal East [George-Étienne Cartier].

John Simpson [Niagara] said he had received a letter from the Hon. J.H. Cameron yesterday, stating that he was better, and that he expected to be in Quebec in a few days.

William McGiverin [Lincoln] suggested that the Committee, under these circumstances, should be allowed to adjourn.

Luther Holton [Chateauguay, Minister of Finance]—That would not be according to law.

Antoine-Aimé Dorion [Hochelaga, Attorney- General East]—It would be impossible to have an adjournment except on the resolution of the Committee, and the Committee could not meet in the absence of their Chairman, the Hon. J.H. Cameron.

On a motion to that effect, the House adjourned for five minutes, in order to allow the Committee on the Vercheres election to adjourn until the 14^th day of March.

The Speaker having again taken the chair.

George-Étienne Cartier [Montreal East] enquired at what time the Address in reply to the Speech from the Throne would be presented to His Excellency [Viscount Monck].

Antoine-Aimé Dorion [Hochelaga, Attorney- General East]—His Excellency [Viscount Monck] is not now in town, but he will be here to-morrow,

• (p. 68 in the primary document)

when it is proposed to present the Address of the Upper House at half-past three, and the Address of the Lower House at four o’clock.

George-Étienne Cartier [Montreal East]—It is the British practice for the House to transact no business until after the address has been presented. To carry out that practice, and in deference to the constitutional usage, I think the House should now adjourn.

Antoine-Aimé Dorion [Hochelaga, Attorney- General East]—We are always ready to consult the wishes of the House, and we think it would be better to adjourn to-day, the more especially as we have been sitting pretty late the last few nights, while but little progress has been made.

Some Hon. Members—Hear, hear, from the Opposition benches.

The House then adjourned at a quarter to four o’clock.