330 A HISTORY OF THE COLONY OF VICTORIA 



and forgotten for a generation before Australia was able to realise 

 the apparently simple conditions he had set before them. During 

 that long period many efforts were made to revive interest in 

 the question, sometimes by really capable men. But the inertia 

 of the mass of mediocrity, and the prevalent type of politician 

 that measured every suggestion of progress by its effect on the 

 Treasurer's budget, were generally sufficient to turn the current 

 of their aspirations awry. 



In March, 1857, an important association in London, represent- 

 ing all the leading mercantile interests in the Colonies, addressed 

 a memorial to the Secretary of State, with a draft " Bill to empower 

 the Legislatures of the Australian Colonies to form a Federal 

 Assembly ". It was a very simple piece of proposed legislation 

 hardly worth disinterring, except for the fact that it so early re- 

 cognised those jealousies which have since been such a ridiculous 

 feature in respect to the place where the Federal Parliament should 

 sit. To avoid the anticipated contention it was suggested that it 

 should be " perambulatory," and, in mitigation of the same jealousy, 

 the number of members was proposed at four from each colony 

 irrespective of area or population. Mr. Labouchere, who was then 

 Colonial Secretary, was chillingly unresponsive. While promising 

 to send copies of the memorial and draft Bill to the Governors of 

 the several Colonies, and to give his consideration to any suggestions 

 received in reply, he did not disguise the fact that his own mind was 

 made up. He could not believe that the Colonies would entrust 

 such large powers to an Assembly so constituted, or consent to be 

 bound by laws imposing taxation, as in tariff arrangements. Even if 

 they gave a consent at first, he felt sure it would eventually lead to 

 discontent and dissension. Therefore, he would not take the respon- 

 sibility of introducing the Bill, unless his advice from the Colonies 

 convinced him that there was a reasonable prospect of its working 

 satisfactorily. 



While this correspondence was in progress Mr. Charles Gavan 

 Duffy took up the cause in Victoria, and early in 1857 he proposed 

 in the Legislative Assembly the appointment of a Select Committee 

 to consider the necessity of Federation and the best means of bring- 

 ing it about. He got an excellent committee, including O'Shanassy, 





