The Making of The Australian Commonwealth Wise, B R Bernard Ringrose (1858-1916) A digital text sponsored by New South Wales Centenary of Federation Committee University of Sydney Library Sydney 2001 http://setis.library.usyd.edu.au/fed/ © Copyright University of Sydney Library. The texts and Images are not to be used for commercial purposes without permission Source Text: Prepared from the print edition published by Longmans, Green, and Co. New York, Bombay, and Calcutta 1913 First Published: 1913 342.94/7 Australian Etexts 1890-1909 prose nonfiction federation 2001 Creagh Cole Coordinator Final Checking and Parsing The Making of The Australian Commonwealth by New York, Bombay, and Calcutta Longmans, Green, and Co. 1913 Preface THIS is not a histoire documentée of the movement towards Australian Federation,–(that should be the work of an Australian University),–nor another study of the constitution, nor a memoir; but the record by an eye-witness of the making of the Commonwealth during the critical period from 1889 to 1900, which aims at giving to a later generation a more vivid picture of that time, and making intelligible the policy and passions of the contending parties, the personalities of the rival leaders, and the ebb and flow of popular sentiment which was the decisive factor in the great event. It is a story, which is worth the telling, of a time when high ideals inspired men to effort, and may repeat itself sooner than we think in a struggle for the closer Union of the British peoples. If the names of the actors be unfamiliar to English readers, let it be remembered that Galt, George Brown, Tupper, and John A. Macdonald were little known in England twelve years after the formation of the Dominion of Canada; and, that all, who do work for the Empire, have a place in its history, whether they inhabit London, Ottawa, or Sydney. And, if the narrative appear to Australians to move too much in New South Wales, they, also, need to be reminded that this was the pivotal Colony of the Australian group, and that in no other was there any serious contest. B. R. WISE. SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, Jan. 15, 1913. Contents CHAP. PAGE I. THE TENTERFIELD SPEECH ..... 1 1. Sir Henry Parkes' Courage .... 2 2. His Appeal to the People .... 5 3. Significance of the Speech 8 II. HESITATION AND MISGIVING ..... 10 1. Sir Henry Parkes' Proposals .... 10 2. Mr. Gillies' Opposition ..... 14 3. Mistrust of Sir Henry Parkes–The Federal Council ....... 17 4. The Premiers' Replies..... 21 5. A Moment of Depression–Lord Carrington's Services....... 23 6. The Opposition Weakening .... 26 7. A Diplomatic Bridge..... 28 III. ELEMENTS OF DISCORD ...... 30 1. The State of Parties in New South Wales .. 31 2. Adhesion of Mr. Barton ..... 33 3. Free Trade and Union ..... 35 IV. ELEMENTS OF DISCORD (continued) .... 40 1. The National Sentiment .... 40 2. The Colonial Sentiment–Sir John Robertson ......... 43 3. Objections to the Federal form of Government 46 V. THE MELBOURNE CONFERENCE ..... 48 1. ‘The Crimson Thread of Kinship runs through us All’ ...... 49 2. Preliminary Discussion ..... 53 3. Sir Henry Parkes' Opening Speech ... 55 4. Sir Samuel Griffith's Caution .... 59 5. Mr. Playford and Sir Henry Parkes ... 63 6. Mr. Deakin as Peace-maker .... 68 7. Mr. A. Inglis Clark's Enthusiasm for the United States ....... 74 8. Other Speeches ...... 78 9. Mr. J. M. Macrossan advocates the larger Union 83 10. Sir Henry Parkes' Reply .... 89 VI. THE MELBOURNE CONFERENCE AND PUBLIC OPINION–A GREAT STEP IN ADVANCE .... 95 1. The Points of Difference .... 96 2. The Results of the Conference–Sir John Robertson's Alarm ..... 97 3. A Literary Effort–The Australian Federalist 100 VII. CONSTITUTING THE CONVENTION–PARLIAMENT AND PUBLIC OPINION ...... 103 1. A Selection of Delegates–A Spice of Mischief–Mr. Dibbs and Federation–Mr. Ewing's Speech ...... 104 2. Accident to Sir Henry Parkes–Serious Consequences to the Federal Movement . 107 3. Mr. Reid's Position in Politics–His Friendly Professions and Hostile Criticism ... 108 4. The Debate in the Legislative Council–‘Prudent Federalists’ .... 114 VIII. THE CONVENTION OF 1891-–ITS REPRESENTATIVE CHARACTER ...... 116 1. ‘One People, One Destiny’ .... 117 2. Sir Henry Parkes' Resolutions–A Compromise–His Own Larger Views ... 118 3. Sir Henry Parkes' Speech–The Federal Spirit 120 4. The Debate–Equal State Representation–Responsible Government–The Final Revise . 122 5. The Compromise of 1891 .... 126 6. Responsible Government .... 128 7. Finance ....... 130 8. An Error in Tactics–Affronting the Parliaments 132 IX. PARLIAMENT AND THE CONVENTION BILL ... 137 1. Hostile Tactics–Mr. Reid's speech: ‘The Teetotaller and the Five Drunkards’ .. 138 2. Mr. Reid's Amendment Lost .... 146 3. Sir Henry Parkes' Mistake–Appendix to Chapter ....... 147 X. CLOSE OF THE FIRST EPOCH ..... 152 1. The General Election .... 153 2. Proceedings in Parliament .... 156 3. Mr. Barton and Protection .... 157 4. Sir Henry Parkes' Difficulties .... 160 5. Defeat of the Government .... 161 6. Sir Henry Parkes' Forecast .... 162 XI MR. BARTON THE LEADER ..... 165 1. He joins Mr. Dibbs–Reasons for this Step . 166 2. Temper of the Opposition .... 170 3. Election of Mr. Reid as Leader of the Opposition 172 XII. A LULL ......... 176 1. Sir Henry Parkes Proposes an Elective Convention 176 2. Mr. Reid's Recantation .... 178 3. Mr. Barton fulfils his Pledge .... 179 XIII. ‘SCUFFLING ON THE STEPS OF THE TEMPLE’ .. 185 1. The Federal League ..... 186 2. Free Traders Hold Aloof .... 189 3. Work of the League ..... 191 XIV. THE POPULAR MOVEMENT ..... 193 1. The Corowa Conference–Dr. Quick's Proposal 193 2. Sir George Dibbs' Proposal for Unification . 196 3. Propaganda Work ...... 198 XV. ‘DRAWING OLD PARKES’ TEETH' .... 200 1. Parliamentary Man[oelig]uvres–Mr. Reid becomes a Federalist–His Confession–Sir Henry Parkes' 201 Motion ....... 2. The Premiers' Conference of 1895–The Enabling Bills ........ 205 3. Their Purpose Questioned .... 206 4. Mr. Reid and Free Trade–The Attempted Coalition ....... 208 5. The General Election of 1895–The ‘cry’ of Upper House Reform ..... 212 6. Defeat and Death of Sir Henry Parkes .. 215 XVI. THE CHOICE OF DELEGATES ..... 217 1. Indifference of Provincialists .... 218 2. The Candidates ...... 219 3. Cardinal Moran and Federation ... 221 4. The Signs of Advance–The Two Schools of Thought–Some Candidates' Addresses . 223 5. Protests by Free Traders 227 XVII. THE CONVENTION OF 1897–8 ..... 229 1. Changes in Personnel ..... 229 2. The Doubtful Issue ..... 232 3. A Critical Division ..... 234 4. Some Personal Notes ...... 236 5. The Next Step ...... 238 XVIII. THE MATTERS IN CONTROVERSY .... 239 1. Equal Representation ..... 239 2. Deadlocks and the Powers of the Senate .. 242 3. Finance ....... 248 4. The Rivers Question ..... 256 5. Minor Issues ....... 258 6. Summary ....... 259 XIX. ‘YES-NO’–A CONVERSATION IN THE CHAMBER .. 262 1. Mr. Reid's Exposition of the Bill ... 263 2. How his Speech was Received–A Possible Explanation ....... 270 3. Mr. Reid's two other Campaign Speeches .. 273 4. Mr. J. H. Want–The Daily Telegraph–The Bulletin–The Sydney Morning Herald .. 275 XX. THE THIRD OF JUNE ...... 279 1. The Dinner at the Empire Hotel–The Great Disappointment ...... 279 2. The Exultation of the ‘Antis’–Appendix: The Voting ....... 281 XXI. ‘TRIMMING THE SAILS’ ...... 284 1. Mr. Reid Seeks Another Conference–Refusal of the Premiers ..... 285 2. An Ambiguous Course ..... 287 3. Meeting of Parliament–New Proposals .. 289 XXII. THE CRITICAL ELECTION OF 1898 .... 293 1. The Rival Policies: Negotiation or Insistence–The Proposed Amendments–Mistrust of Mr. Reid ....... 294 2. The Controversy as to Leadership–Old Charges Revived ..... 298 3. Mr. Barton's Answer–Mr. Reid as a Speaker–His happy Sallies–Letter from Mr. Deakin 302 XXIII. THE SECOND REFERENDUM ..... 307 1. Mr. Reid's Federal Resolutions–An Opposition Amendment–Its Academic Justification–A Second 308 Motion of Censure–The Success of the Federalists 2. Mr. Reid Revives the Fiscal Question–Mr. Barton's Motion of Censure ... 314 3. Conference of Premiers at Melbourne–Amendments agreed upon .... 315 4. The Amendments in Parliament–Mr. Reid's Vigorous Action ..... 317 5. Arguments upon the Second Referendum–Mr. Reid's Recantations and Confessions–The 319 Constitution Carried .... XXIV. NEMESIS ......... 324 1. Federalist Support of Mr. Reid ... 324 2. The State of Parties–Mr. Lyne becomes Leader of the Opposition–Significance of the Change–Lord 325 Hopetoun's Error of Judgment ....... 3. Defeat of the Ministry–Parliamentary Tactics 327 4. Mr. Reid and Federation .... 328 5. End of the Struggle ..... 330 APPENDICES I. THE STRUGGLE IN VICTORIA ...... 333 II. THE STRUGGLE IN TASMANIA ..... 349 INDEX ......... 359 THE MAKING OF THE AUSTRALIAN COMMONWEALTH CHAPTER I THE TENTERFIELD SPEECH DURING the second and third quarters of the year 1889 there was a very remarkable lull in the politics of the Australian Colonies. The New South Wales Parliament had settled down, after a general election, to a discussion of a ‘non-contentious’ Land Bill, which occupied a Session of thirteen months; while in Victoria a coalition Government was enjoying the first fumes of an intoxicating land-boom. In every Colony, indeed, the political field was clear of the old party issues, and the tide of public opinion at the dead ebb. To Sir Henry Parkes, the Prime Minister of New South Wales, such a time seemed favourable to the consideration of constitutional problems; and the narrative opens with his unavailing efforts to bring the other Premiers to his way of thinking. New South Wales and Queensland, perched upon the Dividing Range, which runs along the coast from Carpentaria to Cape Howe. From its altitude it seems to overlook Australia; and, by reason of its situation, it is comparatively free from provincial prejudice.