North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1840-10-07

. consequently they neglected 10 perform
a duty, which in honor they were
bound TO discharge towards their country
at large,and more particularly towards the
constituency tina, had elected this noble
victim, then deprived of his liberty by the
most arbitrary and by the foulest injustice
ever committed by Colonial Governor.
But what 10 more shameful and more dis
graceful to that House of Assembly, ID
the fact that when,an enquiry was propos-
ed by some memberssinto the conduct oil
those seven gentlemen who had disregard
ed the mandate of the House in not cal.
ling upon Governor. iCraig with the adj
dress Tor Mr.. Bedard's immediate liberia.
ton, motion was instantly brought for
ward 10 pass TO The order Of The day,!
The House went further. Reader would
you believe il? They passed the bill for
the better preservation of His .Majestu's
Government an The Propince tha. very
same arbitrary and ill-digested law under
which. Mr.. Bedard and Others had been
imprlsoned.!! II is really astonishing TO
see how men will shift from one position
TO aaolhrr-from opposition 10 implicit
and iniudicious obedience When among
those whom posterity will ever have a
right to brand for their connection
with this pusillanimous tranaction.
we find the names of Messrs. Us. Bour.
dages, l.. j. Papineau and ID. b. Vioer
may we not justly say that il is complete
folly to expect that the most devoted pa.
trIots will always remain steadfast Men
cannot divest themselves of their weak
ness, and at one time or at another thew
will show that nirmity inherent to the
human mind. The Legislative Coupci,
saw the House so we'll disposed to re-.
strict personal freedom and the liberty of
the press,that they reciprocated the comp-
ment of the House, in originating in their
body and passing the Alien Bill" which
was favorably received liz the lower
branch.
The Bill FOR disabling and disqualirying
the Judges from sitting and voting in the
Commons of Lower Canada, was at last
passed by both branches Of the Legislature
and those members whose pure motives in
advocating this constitutional measure.
had been scrutinized and ascribed 10 trea
sonable purposes, had the satisfaction OF
seeing this same measure adopted by the
Colonial government.
On the llth of Feb, Mr.. d. B. Vicer
had obtained leave to bring in bin to
grant to Mr.. John Nelson of Montreal
the exclusive right and privilege of run
ming one or more Steamboats, on the ST. |
Lawrence River between the Cities OF
Quebec and Montreal. This measure
was carried through the House by ma
jority Of l5to q; but fortunately it found
ats quietus in the Legislative Council
We are proud to be able to record this
manly regard Of that body for public com
petition. Indeed we have always been
opposed to exclusive rights and privileges,
and we ask those who are acquainted with
the prosperous state of Steam Navigation
at the present time on, he ST. Lawrencel
river, where it would be now, had not the
Legislative Council interfered so very pro-
perly between the private scrambing
after fortune and the public welfare.
And the same praise is due 10 the
House Assembly, when in the next ses-
sion the Legislative Council, which had
been cajoled TO pass the act which they
had SO wisely refused to pass in the pre-
vious one Offered this measure 10 the House
for its concurrence the members of this
latter body refused to grant the same ex-
elusive privileges which they had so
embodied in the form of a
law in favor Of private individual. and at
the expense of the public good.
On the 2Ist OF March 1911, this first
session Of the seventh Provincial Psrlia.
ment, was ended-fourteen acts received
the Governors assent and two were re-