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

fsefn takFpgNCea y atAts RfNH@*"s"' - 49,
Of ihislirs and other weeds
poxioaa TO agriculture, but unfortunately
,his srryiecabic measure found 90 unna,'
oral death in ihe'nstural grave Of al good
projects (ihe Legislative Couneil) h's
arbitrary conduct on the part Of that
branch OF the Colonial Legislature, was
highly felt by the entire Canadian com
maaity.
The next measure Of Importance was
,l,e establishment Of a turnpike road De-
tween Laehine and the City Of Montreal.
We have already had occasion 10 give our
opinion on the pretended benefits derived
from any impost upon public travelling,
One thousand pounds were also voted Tor
the Improvement Of The navigation over
III. rapids between tina, village and Mont
ttral, and an &C, was passed to prevent
incompetent persons from acting as
guides or pilots TO pass RATS through those
rapids.
The committee spponted Tor the cree
ton of district jails for Quebec aud Mont
real, reported on the 9th February series
of resolutions in favor Of His Excellency's
recommendation. A sum of nine thousand
mounds was recommended and subsequent
~ voted and the committee reported that
new duties should be imposed upon the
following articles, which duties were ac-
cordingly imposed by the Provincial Act
commonly called the 45th Geo. III. chap
5,h. They were as follows: Hyson tea
pence per pound-Souchong, black and
green, teas pence pound. Bohea tea
q pence pound. On strong liquors and
wines $ pence per gallon on molasses
and syrups pence per gallon.
The report of the committee and the
bill framed on this report, were strenuous
~ opposed, more particularly by the men,
bers representing the city of Montreal
who were in favor Of the plan set forth in
the presentment OF the grand jury OF Mont
real. Of which we have already spoken.
We shall see that this business was pro-
ductive of very disagreeable consequences,
and in our humble opinion very discredita-
Bile 10 those members of the House of AS
sembly, who because the public conduct
and proceedings Of body TO which they
belonged, had been censured by certain
few, thought proper TO have recourse TO
certain privileges of that body so as to in
hict punishment on the heads of those,
who, in daring to censurs the acts OF the
Legislature, were only discharglng duty
TO their conscience, however erroneous
their ideas on the Legislative enactments
in question, might have been.
Bnt we shall follow events as they have
occurred, and in due time we shall have
occasion TO return to that dark spot in Can
adam Legislation, when men were tyran-
nzed over by public body because they
dared TO express their disapprobation of its
acts. The House of Assembly, in order to
render Justice to those members who did
not understand The English language, or
dered The translation into French of the
four volumes of Hasselps Preeedenis in
the House of 0nmmons IN England, for
which purpose, the sum Of ESQ was vot-
ed. 10 the list Of its contingent expenses
the House included the sum of twenty
Eve pounds for indexes TO the Lex Parlta-
.nenfaria, and recommended Mr.. Desbar-
rats their French translator to his Excel
lency, who had wrought indussriously TO
obtain correct translation OF the above
indexes. But the Governor declined ad-
v.ncing the money asked for remuneration
OF Mr.. Desbarrsts, alledging for his ex-
euse that these demands were contrary to
the dispositions Of the act SD George the
Sd, which provided for the payments oil
the contingent, expenses of the Provincial
Legislature.
Among those private bills which were
that year passed, there was one whose ul-
innate end was the public welfare, and
which, like many other attempts in new