. David Syme, the father of protection in Australia. ppointed Government; and the people were grow-ing out of hand. The Council now began to getalarmed. It hastily assembled and sent word toMcCulloch that it was prepared to meet the Assemblyin conference with a view to the arrangement of thematters in dispute. The Government consented, and after a shortprorogation the Tariff Bill was once more passedthrough all stages in the Assembly and for a fourthtime was transmitted to the Council. The twoHouses then met in conference on the 13th of Apriland in a few hours came to an agreement. TheGovernme
. David Syme, the father of protection in Australia. ppointed Government; and the people were grow-ing out of hand. The Council now began to getalarmed. It hastily assembled and sent word toMcCulloch that it was prepared to meet the Assemblyin conference with a view to the arrangement of thematters in dispute. The Government consented, and after a shortprorogation the Tariff Bill was once more passedthrough all stages in the Assembly and for a fourthtime was transmitted to the Council. The twoHouses then met in conference on the 13th of Apriland in a few hours came to an agreement. TheGovernment abandoned its claim to make the Billretrospective and amended the preamble to themeasure. The Council gave way on all otherimportant issues, thus confessing the injustice of itsprotracted resistance to the peoples will. Protec-tion became the law of the land. But the Councilthough defeated was still a power for evil, and,looking around for a scapegoat, chose to wreakits vengeance on the Governor. Sir Charles Darling, throughout the struggle, had. THE CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUE 147 followed the advice of his responsible had not taken sides at any time ; indeed, he hadlaboured to preserve the strictest impartiality inhis actions and decisions ; but, conceiving it to behis duty under the Constitution not to thwart thecounsels of his advisers, he had not interposed hisauthority to counter their policy ; and his attitudehad, therefore, contributed to the victory of theAssembly. The Council, as a consequence, detestedhim and, the crisis over, joined forces with theMonopolists to bring about his ruin. Already,indeed, it had sent several petitions to the Crownprotesting against his demeanour and praying forhis recall. They now sent others making variousunfounded accusations against his probity. When the answers to these petitions reached theColony, it became evident that the Colonial Secre-tary had, on an ex parte statement, judged andcondemned the Governor, without permittin
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