The Sun.
London, England, 1842-02-18 00:00:00

NOVA SCOTIA.

We 'have received the Halifax Morning Post of
the 20th of January, from which we copy the fol-
lowing:—
OPENING OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION,
THURSDAY, JAN. 20.
At two o'clock, this day, his Excellency Lord Viscount
Falkland, attended by his Aide-de-Camp, Liettt.-Colonel
Cunard, and Captain M'Nab. and the Officers of the
Staff of the Army, proceeded to the Council Chamber to
open the Session of the Legislature.
His Excellency having entered, and being seated on
the Throne, and commanded the attendance of the House
of Assembly, delivered the following speech to both
branches of the Legislature :
" Mr. President, and Honourable Gentlemen of the
Legislative Council,
" Mr. Speaker, and Gentlemen of the House of Assembly,
" I rejoice at the recurrence of that season of the year
at which I am entitled to benefit by your advice and
assistance in the conduct of public affairs ;
.and to avail
myself of the legislative experience and local knowledge
possessed by so many among you. I have endeavoured,
as far as possible, to meet your understjod wishes in
regard to the time of convening you in general assembly.
"It is my gratifying duty to announce to you the
birth of a male heir to the Throne ; you will, I am sure,
share in the joy felt by all subjects of our gracious
Sovereign at an event so calculated to promote the do-
mestic happiness of her Majesty, and to assure the
future prosperity of the empire.
" Although a slight decrease has taken place in the
revenue, I am glad to be able to state, that no diminution
has occurred of sufficient amount to affect the scale of
the public expenditure, and that all provincial engage-
ments, up to this period, have been punctually discharged.
" The fisheries have been as productive as in former
years, the continued success of this branch of industry
being in a great degree attributed to the vessels manned
and fitted out with a view to its protection.
" We have to be thankful for a most abundant harvest.
There is reason to believe that the heavy expense incurred
by the province, and the efforts lately made by the legis,
lature, with a view to the encouragement of agriculture,
and the introduction of a more scientific system of culti-
vation, will be attended with much future benefit.
" All matters recommended to the consideration of
the executive by the legislature during the last session
have met with due attention, and the correspondence
relating to these subjects will forthwith be communi-
cated to you.
" Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of the House of
Assembly,
. _ _

" The accounts to the 31st of December are prepared,
and shall be laid before you without delay. I trust that,
on investigation, it will appear that the provincial funds
have been neither prodigally nor injudiciously expended,
and I confidently rely on your liberality to provide the
requisite supplies for the current year.
" Mr. President and Hon. Gentlemen of the Legis-
lative Council,
" Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of the House of Assembly,
The defective state of the law as respects debtor and
creditor, rendering it in many cases inoperative, and in
others unjust to both alike, has suggested to the Go-
vernment the necessity of a provision by which the rights
of each may be clearly defined and secured. The evident
need of some enactment of this nature seems to be ge-
nerally admitted, and the main principles on which such
an act ought to be founded to be as generally conceded ;
every anxiety therefore has been felt by myself, and those
to whose aid and-advice I have had recourse, to frame a
statute on the subject, that any difficulties heretofore ex-
perienced in the arrangement of the details of a bankrupt
law should be overcome ; I hope you will find this to
have been accomplished in the proposition which will be
submitted to you, and that the commercial part of the
community will no longer suffer under the want of this
indispensable protection.
" The Crown officers have been engaged in a careful
revision of the criminal law, and are prepared to propose
for adoption such further amendments as are yet regpi-
site to assimilate the provincial code to that of the mo-
ther country.
" The Legislature having already entered on the con-
sideration of the existing law of probate, and of the
mode in which the distribution of the estates of de-
ceased persons should be regulated the attention of
the Government has been drawn to the subject, and a
Bill, founded on a measure, which has been partially
approved of by the House Assembly, will be subjected
to your deliberation.
" Any step which you shall consider as having a ten-
dency to ameliorate the condition of the Indian popula-
tion of Nova Scotia, will, I am convinced, meet with
your ready concurrence; and,' in asking your co-opera-
tion to this end, I feel no doubt that a bill, which will
shortly be presented to you, and which has been framed
with a view to this object, will meet with a favourable
reception.

"Several other measures of great importance, as es-
sentially effecting the internal administration of the pro-
vince will be offered for your approval.
"In endeavouring by every means in my power to
ascertain what practical improvements are most wanted,
and in urging those improvements on' the legisla-
ture, I have but done my duty to the Queen
and to the colony. Your task remains to be
performed : from you, the country will expect a
scrutinising and candid examination of the mea-
sures propounded, and the provincial Government, aware
that it is as much your duty as it is your right to weigh
all propositions bearing on the public interests, while it
offers for your consideration, plans deemed, after mature
deliberation, to be of such a nature that your adoption
of them would lead to the best results, frankly invites
investigation, and courts your assistance as well to dis-
cover and reject that which is inexpedient, as to perfect,
and bring into operation whatever shall appear likely
to contribute to the general welfare."
After his Excellency retired, Mr. Morton moved that
an address should be presented to his Excellency in
answer to the speech, and read a draft thereof. •
The Hon. Mr. M`Nab seconded the motion, and after
a few observations, the address proposed was adopted.

THE SEVENTY-SECOND, or DUKE
OF ALBANY'S OWN HIGHLANDERS.
Authentic Copy of Field-Marshal the Duke of Welling-
ton's Address, in the Quadrangle of Windsor Castle,
on the Presentation of Colours to the 72d Highlanders,
on the 26th of January, 1842.
Colonel Arbuthnot, and you, Gentlemen, Officers, and
you, Non-Commissioned Officers and Soldiers of the 72d
Highland Regiment—I have attended here this day. in
compliance with the wishes of your Commanding-officer,
and by permission of her Majesty. to present to you your
new colours. These colours have been consecrated by
one of the highest dignitaries of our Church, and are pre-
sented to you in the presence of her Majesty, and of her
' Illustrious and Royal Guest the Ring of Prussia, of Prince
Albert, and a number of most distinguished personages.
They are composed of the colours of the three nations,
and bear the cipher of her Majesty, and I have no doubt,
from your previous
themy under every
urpresent high
cstiarctuemofstdainscceip,linto h discipline,
thatte you will guard
utmost of your power. These
colours you are henceforth to consider as your head-
quarters, and in every circumstance, in all times of pri-
vation and of distress, you will look to them as your
rallying point ; and I would again remind you that their
presentation is witnessed by the Monarch of one of the
most powerful nations in Europe_a nation which boasts
of an army which has heretofore been a pattern for all
modern troops—and which has done so much towards
contributing to the general pacification of Europe.
And I am proud to show so fine a regiment
to his Majesty the King of Prussia. I have
long known the 72d Highland Regiment : half
a century has now nearly elapsed since I had
the pleasure of serving in the same army with them in
the plains of Hindostan ; since that period they have
been engaged in the conquest of some of the most valu-
able colonies of the British Crown.; and, latterly, in per-
forming most distinguished services at the Cape of
Good hope. Fourteen years out of the last sixteen
they have spent on foreign service, and with only
eighteen months at home for their reformation and their
re-disciplining, appear in their present high state of re-
gularity and order. The best part of a long life has
been spent by me in the barracks, camps, and canton-
ments, and it has been my duty, as well as my inclina-
tion, always to study how best to promote the health
and discipline of the troops ; and I have always found it
only to be done by paying the strictest regard to re-
gularity and good order, and the greatest attention to
the orders of their officers. I address myself now particu-
larly to the older soldiers; and wish them to understand
that their strict attention to their discipline and respect
to their superiors will often have the best effect on
the younger soldiers, and it is, therefore, their
duty to set a good example to their juniors by so doing,
and by these means alone can they expect to command
the respect and regard of the community amongst whom
I have made it nadcnodnuna
tnibiTiltlast
rejoiced
respect and
thett 01l e
inquire7a2rde e inhpala)il,roetyi particularly, and
which
been stationed, to
regard, wherever they have
and good order so justly
their high state of discipline
I am sure, always recol-
lect
entitles them. You will, commanded d- e d
el
ss,,h underieh yoea 111
having been are now given into your charge of the
conse-
crated by one of the highest dignitarieswho now looks
Church,
in the presence of her Majesty,
the circumstances under which. these colours
viitor ; and I give downthem
upon you, and of her Roy
home or abroad, and hi all
circumstances, whether at
into your charge, confidentatlhaot
them and protect them
privations, you will rally round
to the utmost of your power-
COLONEL ARBILJT.-
T would be presumptuous in me,
MY LORD DUKE—A u NOT'S REPLY.
t h ate
addressai
if I were to make any replY t •
but I cannot avoid stating that
Grace has delivered to us,
it is impossible for me, and indeed I.emay add out of the
power of any one, to express, bow deeply 1., my officers,
non-commissioned officers, and wen, t I
having
the high honour
which has been conferred on us, by had our co-
greatest soldier the world
co-
lours presented to us by the
has ever seen, and thatin the presence of our Sovereign,
his Majesty the King of Prussia, and Field-Marshal his
lioyal Highness Prince Albert.

ongi ntqhueirwehoolfe thioereceololencttohr.e,
plan for reducing.. the bridge-toll.
L'ThAampes7atyndofle4d4gninagvvies,"
much
acsolyleocatocrana.n"swered
A-BRIDGING A TOL
being at work on one side of the
other, hit upon an ingeniouson the
They deputed one o their
into two sections, and one
how much weight a man was allowed to carry, and whether
The;
. ,
took
k hims
Carryor t
waohtfa
ta
his
youlwoandredh:woaasnsed a
andllow e2g.
any
bridge, they divided the party
carried two through the gate, more to the merriment of tho
lookers on, than to the amusement or profit of the collector.
WITCHCRAPT.—King James's reason in his
".Thernonology," why there are or were twenty women given to
witchcraft for one man. is curious. "The reason is easy," as this
sagacious monarch thinks. "for, as that sex is trailer than man is,
so is it easier to be entrapped in these gross snares of the Divell,
as was over well' proved to be true by the serpents deceiving of
Eve at the beginning, which mikes him the homelier with that
sex soave...*
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