THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [Skpt. i, 1S04. 
Capt. J. Keith Jolly being Chairman. Mr. Pitts sue* 
ceeded theSecretary on his going home in 185.5; but 
"Sandy Brown" returned to the office in 1858 
and held it until he was elected Chairman in lSbl 
when Capt. (noiv Lt.-Col.) Henry Byrde succeeded 
to the Secretaryship. Finally Mr. Brown came in as 
Secretary for a few mouths before his death in 1876, 
just before Mr. A. Philip took up the duties which 
he has so faithfully discharged ever since. Prom 
1854 rill 1870, however, it may be said that, "Sandy 
Brown" — whether as Secretary, Chairman or 
ordinary member, — took a most active interest in 
the worK of the Association and largely contri- 
buted to its usefulness. ' No one could write a 
more scathing letter or make a more telling 
speech. He was a splendid debater, owing to his 
absolute freedom from any thought of self on any 
public question : ready forcible words expressed 
clear directness of thought. No one could be mure 
absolutely trusted on any question affecting the 
general interests of the public or planting commu- 
nity; though, latterly at least, few were less reliable 
in respect of personal planting business. The tune 
or song generally associated with the Secretary at 
the old Association dinners — " Sandy is aye at the 
mill " — shews how great an institution he had 
become in reference to the representative body ; 
and the following (in 1858) may be taken as 
typical of his briefer speeches, though by no 
means his best ; — 
RESOLUTION III. 
Proposed by A. Brown Esq. 
Seconded by W. Cohen, Esq. 
" That constituted as the Legislat ive Council at present 
is, the good that can be done by unofficial members, 
unable as they are to originate motions, and too weak 
to carry measures, is not commensurate with the res- 
ponsibility they incur, nor compatible with the position 
which the representatives of powerful interests ought 
to occupy. For these, reasons this Association, while 
fully acknowledging the Governor's courtesy in offer- 
ing us the election of a Planting member in lieu of 
Mr, Wall, is unable to find a member willing to devote 
his time to the duties of the office." 
Mil. Brown" in proposing the 3rd Resolution said : — 
Sir, I have waited, to see if any member would pro- 
pose a member to this honorable distinction, No one 
appearing, does not however alter my intention of 
proposing the resolution I am about to lay before you. 
And in doing so I wish distinctly to disclaim any 
personal hostile feeling to his Excellency the Governor, 
or those who rule in the Legislative Council, nor do 
I wish to say anything disrespectful of either. It is 
the system I condemn, when I tell you that the Legisla- 
tive Council is a farce. It is a farce as a representative 
institution. It is the same now as it was 25 years ago — ■ 
not having kept pace which the improvement of the times 
or the wants of the country. No un-official member 
can introduce a measure. All must come through the 
Executive, while the official members being as 9 to 6 
can always carry every measure. We might just as 
well send an Egyptian mummy to represent us at the 
Council board, as the best man we could select, and we 
are not wanting in men. I see a score around me who 
are sufficiently qualified for tie position, did they con- 
sider either honor or dignity belonged to it. Some of 
my friends here seem to think that it contains both, yet 
they won't allow themselves to be put in nomination. 
I regret indeed that it has come to this pass, that those 
who consider the distinction honorable, and the privilege 
Valuable, will not consent to be elected, I do not hope 
at thin time to carry the resolution; but I wish it put 
on record to shew thai there is a growing filling against 
the inadequacy of the representation (Cheers), I shall 
not therefore Longer occupy your tiiuv, but will con- 
clude by reading the resolution. 
And furlher op, 
Mli. Bitowx said:— If wc do not standout against the 
Council when we have a chance it will never be reformed. 
The cases quoted by Mr. Forsyth of reforming our 
own, body by remaining in and rcfiirmiug the Council by 
going in are not analagous : for while we have the po« er 
to reform our Association where defective, the consti- 
tution of the Council can only be literal by the hnperi.d 
Parliament. He (Mr. Drown) intended to press his notion 
whatever its result ami he would continue to urge it on 
every occasion when the subject came before the Associa- 
tion till some suitable change were mole in the con- 
stitution of the Legislative Council. It was not that 
official members were always compe lled to vote with the 
Government — as the last speaker has said voting had 
been thrown open on the passing of the Railway Bill 
He admitted it, and w ished the Council had followed 
the advice of the only official member who availed him- 
self of the privilege." Hut it wag highly objectionable 
that the power of granting this optiou should rest w ith 
the Governor — and here again it was the system he con- 
demned — not acts done upon that system. The Goi-eru- 
ment had not a more loyal subject than himself (Mr B.) 
Another fault he hal to find was that the Governor 
presided at the sittings of the Council. This was not 
customary elsewhere. Iu our great type of representa- 
tive institutions, the House of Commons, the Uuccu did 
not preside— nor the French Emperor in the Cbamlier of 
Deputies. The one selected a Speaker and the other a 
President from their own body. (Hear, hear;. 
Another correspondent— a Kandy resident- 
offers the follow ing reminiscences of Mr. Brown's 
public career : — 
"I recollect when Mr. T., tier was CI airman of the 
Planters' Association that he (Mr. T.)and Mr. Brown 
came under the censure of bir Henry Ward's elo- 
quence. It was. I believe, at the banquet in 
commemoration of the opening of the Katugastota 
bridge, when the Governor attacked both these 
worthier »nd the Obserrcr for some keen criticism of 
the ac s of Sir Henry. He declared he 'did not 
care a tig for any temporary unpopularity ' and ac- 
cused R. B. Tytler of "duality of mind.' Of course 
they came out with long letters, and there was a 
strong leader in the Observer. Sir Henry was a despot 
in his way, and having been in Parliament and in the 
-Ministry was rather fond of crossing t words with 
public men. 
" The next occasion on which Mr. Brown distinguished 
himself was when the F.-I.-N. Society came into 
collision with Sir Henry Ward. The Rev. S. Hobbs 
wa9 requested by the Committee of tbe F.-I.-N. -S. {I 
think Mr. Hobbs wa< Secretary) to write a letter to 
Goverument about its nieddliug with the Society's 
affairs. Dr. Peries who was in charge of the hospital 
was a great favourite with the public, and a letter from 
the Governor bad been regarded as beating hard on 
the worhy medico. Mr. Hobbs' letter was a d t fe jce vt 
the Society and also of the Doc or and couched iu 
strong language, — unparliamentary, some said — and 
that the padrd went beyond his brief in making a 
personal attack on the Governor. This was too mucn. 
The Colonial Secretary's letter drew attention to this 
fact, and at the next meeting, a special one, Mr. 
Riaybrook-, Gov.rnment Agent as cx-officio, took the 
chai-. There was a big gathering at this meeting 
and feeling ran high. Mr. Brown, R. B. Tytler and 
others strongly supported Mr. Hobbs, Mr. Gavin and 
K. D. & Co. kept away, and I can quite remember 
Mr. Brown in the couise of a stirring speech closing 
his remarks with " truth must and will prevail amid 
the wreck of matter and the crash of worlds,"and 
bringing down his fist as he finished on the table so 
as to make the Chairman and cithers of us jump 1 " 
