Guide 3 to NSW State Archives relating to Responsible Government - OCR - Flipbook - Page 72
A Guide to New South Wa/es State Archives relating to Responsible Government
CSIL 53/11354
CSIL 53/11354 comprises a copy of a petition of certain colonists
of New South Wales praying that Her Majesty would withhold her
assent from the Bill for granting a Constitution to New South
Wales, and an annexure which may be a copy of the letter from
the Chairman of the New South Wales Constitution Committee
referred to in the Secretary of State's responding despatch. "That
the present Legislative Council does not, and cannot, as now
constituted, represent the voice of the people of New South Wales,
and that it is therefore incompetent to frame a Constitution which
will be satisfactory to the people of this important section of your
Majesty's dominion" was one of the major sentiments behind the
opposition to the Constitution Bill.
CGS 905,
CSIL 53/11354
in [4/3218]
The petition was sent to the Secretary of State in Governor's
Despatch No. 140 of 10 November 1853 and was responded to by
the Secretary of State in Despatch No. 7 of 8 August 1855.
That from the unconstitutional character of the local Legislature of the
period and the predominance of the pastoral interest in its Councils, and
Electoral Act was passed by the Legislative Council of this Colony in the
year one thousand eight hundred and fifty one under the alleged authority
of the Imperial Act, which not only completely frustrated the beneficial
intentions of good government which it was meant to ensure them, but
was entirely at variance with the acknowledged principles of the British
Constitution, and wantonly trampled upon the political rights of the
principal portion of the population.
extract from petition of the inhabitants of the City of Sydney, 30 October
1854, which shows their dissatisfaction with the Legislative Council,
enclosure to CSIL 54/11134 with M78/B
1855 Despatches
Bundle [4/3304.2] contains the following M78/B comprises papers relating to petitions against the
Constitution Bill. Topnumbered as M78/B is Secretary of State
Despatch No. 6 of 2 May 1855. This acknowledges receipt of the
Governor's despatch 30 December 1854 (No.176), in which was
transmitted a copy of a letter from the Chairman of a meeting of
the citizens of Sydney held on 30 October together with a petition
praying that the "task of framing a constitution for the Australian
Colonies generally, and for New South Wales in particular, may be
devolved either on the Imperial Parliament in accordance with the
principles pointed out in the Petition, or on a Constituent assembly
to be constituted under the authority of Parliament". Lord John
Russell also acknowledges similar petitions from inhabitants of
Newcastle, and the Districts of Windsor, Richmond and the
Hawkesbury, all of which have been laid before the Queen.
CGS 905,
[4/3304.2]
M78/8
Also included are the original letter from Jacob Montefiore, as
Chairman presiding over a meeting, transmitting the petition of
more than 5,000 citizens of Sydney as well as a copy of the
petition, and printed "Further papers relative to the alterations in
the Constitutions of the Australian Colonies", presented to both
Houses of the British Parliament on 20 April 1855, which contain
copies of the petitions from the inhabitants of Sydney, of the City
of Newcastle, and of the Districts of Windsor, Richmond and the
Hawkesbury.
State Records Authority of New South Wales
71
