North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1840-09-16

Todd Immediately absented himself from
the Province, until these harsh and injudi-
cious proceedings were laid aside. Far
from reaeelng credit upon the House,
they will always be considered as an ar
rogsnt iniraclion of the liberty Of speech
and Of the press Let US dismiss this
painful subject and continue the course Of
events.
Some misunderstanding took place be-
tween the President and The House Of AS
sembly, its members having thought pro-
per 10 renew their demand OF seven hun
dred and fifty pounds, for the translation
into French OF Halse!I's precedents. The
Presiden, refused, alIedging the same ex-
cuse as Sir Robert Shore Mines had given.
Besides this, the old President seemed TO
De offended at want Of proper etiquette
on the part OF the House who had present.
ed TO His Honor, a memorial together with
petition to the King, without having
previously communicated 10 him the con-
tents of that address. This session was
closed on the 10Th of April. Seven bills
which were all temporary received the
royal assent, and the Provincial Legisla-
tore was profogued after sitting of two
months, less one day.
On the 18th of November of the same
year, the prospectus of paper called "Le
Canadien,' was issued at Quebec. The
paper was 20 be published weekly, and
promised TO support the views OF the
House of Assembly in relation to financial
matters. The question of placing the
civil expenditure of the Province and the
entire controu Of the public money. at
the disposal Of the popular branch Of the
Legislature then began to be agitated
This just and constitutional claim was i'm
mediately characterised as sign OF rebel
lion, and was an undoubted proof Of the
evil disposition, towards the English gov
cINiilcHt, VI tHUsc inctiluciS WIZ duNoCd-
ted such pernicious principles. The Off
cials and the whole tribe depending upon
them for their daily bread, dreaded the
salutary influence and the constitutional
rights of the House of Assembly, OF voting
the annual salary of the public servants Of
the people ,and hence all their fierce oppos-
ition TO measure sanctioned by the Brit
ish constitution and also by common
justice. Such arguments are unanswerabie.
II those officials were really employed for
the benefit OF the people, it of right apper-
tanned to their representatives, to see those
individuals remunerated according to the
services they rendered to the public. If
on the contrary, they were exclusively the
servants of the Executive, (Which posi-
ton cannot be maintained according to
the principles laid down by the British
Constitution,) then it belonged to the
Crown to pay them with what it could
constitnlionally control and we maintain,
there are no such funds in the Province
Of Lower Canada, as we shall have oc-
casion to prove in due time. The posi-
ton then advocated by some of the liberal
members OF paying the civil expenditure OF
the Loca Government, and of controlling
the public monies was constitutional, and
in perfect accordance with the presidents
Of the English House Of Commons. Yet
it was cried down as rebellious, seditous
and highly reasonable and we shall see
that even some of the influential members
of the House, were thrown into dungeons
and press (the only liberal one in the
Province) was seized and destroyed by or
der of the Governor and his Executive
Council, whose members shrunk from the
responsibility of their iniquitous acts to the
House of Assembly. We now drop a
topic which, il rightly treated, would oc-
cupy 100 much of our time at present, and
will return to the proceedings OF the House
Of Assembly.
To be continued.
NORTH AMERICAN.