MR. SEWELL'S MINUTE

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1757, 23 August 1862, Page 2

MR. SEWELL'S MINUTE

We are able to publish to-day a very important Minute by Mr. Sewell, relative to the negotiations which took place between the late Ministry and Mr, Domett, respecting the terms of the coalition which t!ie latter gentleman had proposed to them. This Minute is the one read to the House lust Wednesday, and lays entirely bare the motives which actuated Mr. Domett, Mr. Fox, and his colleagues. It is often times most important that the motives which lead to Action in public men should, be proclaimed from the bouse top, and an occasion like the present, where there is a danger of misconstruing them to the serious prejudice of those concerned, is a case in point.

The political enemies of Mr. Fox, exult over what they call two facts. (1.) That Mr. Fox was unable to obtain office ; and (2.) That he was deserted by bis colleagues. Now this Minute shows clearly that both these " facts " are utterly false. It shows that Mr. Domett was willing to take Mr. Fox into bis Ministry ; and that Mr. Fox's colleagues were never pre pared to join the Domett Ministry if Mr. Fox was to be "intentionally excluded." It was only on Mr. Fox finally declining to accept office under" Mr. Domett, that Messrs. Wood, Ward, and Sewell felt themselves individually at liberty to consider any proposition whatever from Mr. Domett. When, therefore, those gentlemen are accused of leaving Mr. Fox iv the lurch, there is not a particle of truth in the accusation. They stood by that gentleman until he wiote, "I release )ou from all obligations to adopt my view. You are all perfectly free to act for yourselves." But even then they did not rush after "place and pay;" they were loth to stand in tbe way of others, and hence Mr. Sewell writes to Mr. Bell " Domett will therefore form his Ministry without us," which Mr. Domett accordingly did — and it was only the accidental circumstance of his being utterly unable to fiud raen to fill up certain offices permanently, that the door for the return to their respective departments was open to them on Wednesday evening last. No shadow of a chaTge can therefore be truthfully brought I against Messrs. Ward, Wood, and Sewell, that they deserted Mr. Fox, or even evinced vacillation in ti.eir allegiance ; still less that they hare been actuated by pecuniary motives. We | have also Mr. Fox's assurance the other night, that Mr. Ward had informed him of on inten- , tion to accept office if again offered ; and that in no possible way since the breaking up of the Ministry, had any of them acted nnderuandedly, but that on the contrary, they had continued to act with the strictest openness and good faith toward each other in all they had proposed doing. Mr. Fox's letter to Mr. Sewell, of 4th August, shows equally clear that if Mr. Fqx chose to be Native Minister under Mr. Domett, he could have been so, and that without sacrificing 1 any material part of the Native policy be had bjmself introduced. Mr. Domett was willing to take Mr. Fox and his colleagues on the sole condition that Mr. Fox descended from the premiership and held office under him. ' But such a course would not. only have been most unparliamentary, but most humiliating both to Mr. Fox and his frieuds throughout the country. Had Mr. Fox and Mr. Domett both been out of office and a question of precedency bad separated them, they would have deserved censure for such conduct at such a crisis ; but while one was in office as premier and the other only a private member, Mr. Fox could not come to any other conclusion than be did, consistent with self respect. " My mind is mad c " up. I will not do it. Domett's conversion to " our views may be a reason why, if there be a " general desire in the House, he should be " taken into our Ministry. It is no reason for " re-constructing it, and puttiug him at the "head of it."

We ask a careful perusal of the Minute, below, explaining these things. It was priuteil for private circulation, but with the consent of Mr. Sewell, is now made public.

PRIVATE CIRCULAR. Wellington August 5, 1862.

Fon the purpose of avoiding, misconstruction as to the reasons which have induced me to decline joining the present Government under Mr. Domett, I make the following minute: —

The result of the division and the tenor of the debate in the House of Representatives upon Mr. Fox's resolution respecting Ministerial Responsibility clearly showed that it would be I hopeless to attempt to carry through the Assembly the measures deemed by Government essential to their Native policy. They accordingly tendered their resignations to his Excellency on Tuesday morning last. After sevelal ineffectual attempts to form a new Government, Mr. Domett undertook t» do so. On the following day Mr. Domett pioposed to me to join him. I understood from him that he desired that Mr. Fox, Mr. C. Ward, Mr. Wood, and myself fact, themembersof the old Government), should join him, he being at the head of the new Government. I told him I thought the question with Mr. Fox would be one of precedency. So far as I was individually concerned I had no personal objection to such a combination. I told him at the same time I thought that the question of precedency too insignificant to be mooted ; und that, it would be equally his fluty, as Mr. Fox's, to waive such a point, if it became an obstacle to the arrangement. I afterwards saw Mr. Dumett and Mr. Fox together. I said to them the same thing. I added, tint in my opinion the one who under ■preserit circumstances waived the question of precedency would stand highest in public estimation.

I understand, however, that neither Mr. Domett nor Mr. Fox would waive the joint, and so the negociation terminated.

I had no further communication with, any one formally on the subject of :i reconstruction of the Government till Friday last, when Mr. Crosb:e Ward infoimed me that a proposal had been made to him that he and I and Mr. Wood should join Mr. Domett without Mr. Fox. After a conference with Mr. Ward I reduced my views in writing iv the following Memorandum : —

" It has been proposed to Mi. C. Ward, Mr. " Wood, and myself, without Mr. Fox, to join 4 ' Mr. Domett's Government. This proposal I " have, for myself, declined. " I am, however, deeply impressed with the " necessity of settling the Government without •' delay on a fixed basis, so as at all events to " carry on and complete the work of the Session " without further interruption. The circum- " stances of the Colony require this. "I should have desired greatly that the.pre- " sent Government should have been permitted " to carry through and complete their proposed "measures of Native policy. All parties agree "that this must be done. The question of " reconstituting the Government should have " been, iv my opinion, postponed till- these "measures were settled. But the temper of "the House ot Representatives has been so " decidedly manifested theotlww way, that it is " useless to consider that view ofthe case.

*' Two points may be regarded as settled by " House of Representatives : —

" First. — That effect shall be given to Sir. " George Grey's Native policy.

" Secondly. — That the Government shall be " re-constructed.

" A new circumstance is that Sir. -George " Grey has committed to Mr. Domett the for- " illation of a new Government.

"Acceptingt bese conditions, it is, in my " opiniou, the duty of all public men, witlumt " regard to persuiml or party considerations, i to " unite in consty&ering for Sir George Grey tie " best Government which the case will admit. "The question is how to do this.

"]. It is above all things desirable, if possible, *' that we should preseut to the Natives the ap- " pearanceofan united Government representing " the whole miud of the Colouy, and not .party " or sectional divisions.

"2. In a secondary degree, it is importan "that the work begnn should rot have the " appearance to them of being deranged or nta- " tcrially changed by party divisions in the As- " sembly. -I may add, that I think it desirable " that as far as possible there would be not " material change in the agents engaged in it.

"3. The Usk of carrying the proposed mea"sures through the Assembly should as far as " possible, be left practically to those who have "prepared and are responsible for them. "If these propositions nre, as I believe them. " to be true, the position of a Government formed - ' ; of new elements, and in exclusion of Mr. Fox, •' would in my opinion be afiilse oue. It would " be one which the Natives would be certain to " regard with suspicion ; and of which, I am " equally coiivinced the Colony at large would " not approve. I mean by the term 'in exclusion "of Mr. Fox' a Government from which Mr. '■ Fox shall be intentionally excluded. If Mr. " Fox should decline on personal considerations " to join the Government, no responsibility wifl " rest ou those who succeed him .

'• I think, therefore, (measures being agreeiil "on, Mr. Domett would take a right course iiii 16 now distinctly and finally proposing to Mr. " Fox to take bis place iv the Government — Mf"'Domett beiug Colonial secretary, and Mr. Fox " Native Minister; and I am decidedly of " opinion that if such a proposal be made, it is " the duty of Mr. Fox and his friends 10 accede 'to it without allowing the question of prece- " deucy to be raised. Sir George Grey has " practically decided that point, and I am satis- " h'ed the Colony at large will, in the present 11 circumstances, demand from every one aequi- " cscence in that decision.

14 At the same time, for practical purposes, it " will be impossible that .the Native and other " measures prepared and matured by the old " Government (aud which are to be substantially "adopted by the new) can be properly iniroduc- " ed, explained, or defended, except by their " authors.

(i It would also be necessary for Mr. Fox, as '» Native Minister, to be in direct communication " with Sir George Grey upon all matters connected with his Department.

"Such, in my opinion, is the arrangement " demanded by the circumstances ofthe Colony "at the present oiisis ; and which oiu'ht now, "without any reference to past negotiations, to "be proposed to Mr. Fox in a uistinct form. I "am equally of opiuion that it is bis duty to " accede to it.

" If, on such a proposal being now distinctly " made, Mr. Fox should finally decline to join " the Government, it is, in my opinion, the duty "of all public men to unite in assisting Sir " George Grey by framing the best Government " which the circumstances will admit, and thiit " without delay, so as to allow the work of the " Session to proceed without interruption.

" If, Mr. Domett should refuse to accede to " such nn arrangement with Mr. Fox, 1 shall "consider it my" duty individually to decline " joining the Government under Mr. Domett; " At the same time I consider circumstances 'of. " the country are such that no impediment ought " to be thrown in the way of a new Government ;

" and, that the business of the Session should be " facilitated by all possible means without further " party struggles, to which I will, personally, be " no parly. ¥ 3 >< H. S." Mr. Ward and Mr. Wood concurred in these views. I left the Memorandum with Mr. Fox that he might consider aud consult his friends upon it. I read the Memorandum to Mr. Bell, and anthorised him to convey to Mr. DomMt an intimation from me of its contents ; and to inI form him that if Mr. Fox declined to join him, except as Premier, I (and I believed Mr. Ward and Mr. Wood also) would assist Mr. Domett in fojming his Government. Ou Sunday evening Mr. Bell read me a note from Mr. Domett declining to make any freshproposal to Mr. Fox. On Monday raoriiing I received the following note from Mr. Fox : —

" Wellington, 4th August* 1862.

"My deak SEWELJ f ,-f I intended, to ride out " to the Hmt.tliis morning: to consult Fitzbei* '.'.bert on the proposals made by T)omett through " you yesterday. But the more 1 think of the " matter the more I am satisfied, that it is a "case in which lam my % own best adviser, in •« which, in fact, I ought not to be; guided by " any other judgment than tny own. • "It appears that Domett/is now prepared to " adopt our relations to the Governor- to pursue " our policy — and-to carry through the House •' the measures we contemplated andhadpre '* pared. . . " Why then this "Ministerial crisis?. It can "be founded on none but mere personal consi- " derations, and those it is evident affecting my* '' self, and myself only. For he is -willing to take 11 us all as colleagues on the sole condition that I " descend from the Premiership and hold office "under him. ■ ' ■ ■ V r

" My mind is quite made up. I will not do it. "Boinett's conversion to our views may be a '« reason why if there be a general desire in the " House be should be taken into our Ministry. "It is no reason for re-constructing it and put- " ting him at the head of it. .'...'-. " Pray consider this as final. I have only " to add that, of course, I release you. and my "other colleagues from all obligations to adopt "my view. You are all perfectly free to act " for yourselves. : " Believe me, your's very sincerely, (Signed) " W iixiam Fox." I afterwards saw Mr. Fox with some of bis friends, but without coming. to any. decisive result, and us time did not allow the negotiation to be further prolonged I wrote the following note to Mr. Bell :■—•,. -. . Angust 4, 1862. "My dear Bell- — I find that it would be " impossible to give a decided answer to Domett "by tbe time fixed by him,* viz., two p.m. It " will therefore be right, and on the whole best " to let matters proceed without reference to any " negotiations with us. '••....,-. " Dotnett will therefore, ' form bis Ministry without us. •'..._ -- t '." Yours sincerely, (Signed) . "Henry Sewell." We believe Mr. Sewell has not yet joined the Ministry, but will do so in a few days after the passing of some Bills now before the Assembly.