Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1838-10-19

George, Earl of Durham, Viscount Lamb
ten, DC &c. Knight Grand Cross of the
most Hon. Military Order of the Bath,
one OF her Majes,y's most Hon. Prvy
Council, and Governor General, Wee
Admiral and Captain General of all her
MAJ s'y's provinces within and adjacent
u the continent of North America, &c.
&C. &c.
A PROCLAMATION.
conformity with one of its provi
NJ SONS, | have this day proclaimed
lheAct and Victoria, Chap. ne, and
entitled, IAN Act for indemnlfying those
w,o have issued or acted under certain
parts OF certain Ordinance made under
" color of an Act passed in the present
" session OF Parliament, entitled An net to
" make temporary provision for the Gov
"ernmeut Of Lower Canada"
l have also to notify the disallowauce by
her Majehy Of the Ordinance Cd Victoria,
chap. |, entitled "An Ordinance to pro
i" vide for the security Of the province of
".Lower Canada"
| cannot perform these official duties,
without at the same time informing you,
the people OF British America, of the course
which the measures Of the imperial govern
ment and legislature make it incumbent
on me TO pursue. The mystery which has
hitherto too often during the progress of
the most important affairs, concealed from
the people of these colonies, the intentions,
the motives, and the very actions of their
rulers, appears to me to have been one of
the main causes of the numerous errors Of
the government, and the general dissatis-
faction Of the people. Undesirable at any
time, such concealment on the part of one
entrusted with the supreme authority in
the present crisis Of your affairs, would be
most culpahle and pernicious. With q
people from whom have had so many and
such gratifying proofs of warm confdine
attachment, can have no reserve. And
my implicit reliance on your loyalty and
good sense will justify me in making YOU
acquainted with what i! most imports YOU
to know.
1t Is The more necessary for me thus tc
oct. because. when | first entered upor
this Government, explained TO you in Q
proclamation, issued Immediately on m,
arrival on these shores, the nature Of The
powers vested in me. and The principles or
which 1t wss my intention to exercise
them. Now, therefore, that am about tc
return to England, feel it my bounder
duty 10 state to you, as fully and as frank
~, the reasons which have induced me tC
lay down powers rendered inadequate lc
the carrying into effect those or any Other
PRINCIPLES of government.
l dld not accept the government oil
British North America without duly con
sider'ng the nature Of the task which i'm
posed on myself, or the sufficlency of my
means of performing it. When Parliamen,
concentrated all legislative and executive
power in Lower Canada, in the same
hands, it established an authority, which
in the strlctest sense of the word was des
po'ic. This authority her Majesty was
gracousy pleased to delegate to me.
did not shrink from assuming the awful re.
spooslblIty OF power, thus freed from cor
slltutlonal restraints, in the hope, that by
exercising it with justice, with midness,
and with vigor, ! might secure the happi-
ness of all classes of the people, and facli
tate the speedy and permanent restoration
of their liberties. But never was weak
enough to imagine that the forms bv which
mems rights are wisely guarded in tina,
country where freedom has been onges,
enjoyed, best understood, and most prudent
y exercised, could be scrupulousIv observ.
ed 10 society almost entirely dsorganzed
by misruIe and dlssensiOn. | conceived /,
to be one of the CHEF advantages of nv 20.
sition, that | was enabled to pursue the
great ends of substantial Justice and SOUND
policy, free and unfet'ered. Nor did
ever dream OF applying the theory or prac
tlce Of the British constitution to counlr,
whose constitution was suspended, -whert
all representative government was annih
lated, and the people deprived of all con
troll over their own affairs, where the or
binary guarantees Of personal rights hat
been in allegiance during long sublecliol
10 Martial Law, and a continued suspen
sion of the Habeus Corpus. -where ther,
neither did exist, nor had for a long tim
existed, any confidence in the lmpartia
administration of justice in any poltica
case.
~ ohu o'ltIulu'e IIlc III III
arduous task, had great and worthy Oh
ects in view. My ann was to elevate tn
province of Lower Canada to a thorounhl
British character, to link its people to tn
sovereignty of Britain, by making them a
par,lclpa'ors in those high privileges, con
duclve at once to freedom and order whic
have long been the glory of Engishmen
| hoped to confer on an united people
more extensive enjoyment of free and 70
sponslble government, and to merge tn
petty jeaIousles Of a small community, an
the odlous animosi,ies of origin in the high
er feelings of a no5lcr and more compre
henslve nationality.
TO give effect to these purposes, it wa
necessary that my powers of government
should be as strong us they were extensive
that | should be known to have th
means of acting as well as judging for my
self, without perpetual control by dis,on
authorities. 1t were well, indeed, if sue