North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1840-10-14

:" a08AEt h@m AA1A sRst00~
ed BY his predecessors. He had studied
the foibles Of human nature, and knew
well that nothing can better subdue OPP
i position in men than naIlcry and the ap-
parent show Of enufe confidence 10 them.
Such was the course he adopted, and 80
far did he succeed, that very soon nearly
tad slads Of opposition IN the local admin
istration disappeared. There was but one
voice from one end OF the Province 10 the
other, and that was one continual burst Of
praise for the new Governor who had
proved himself an angel of peace after The
reign Of terror under Sir James Henry
Craig.
4 The Legislature was called together On
the alst Of Feb. 1912. The new Gov
ernor made speech highly compliments
~ to the members, and asked for the re-
new Oh Of the aA.ien BILL and that for the
better preservation OF His Maiesty's gov
eminent in the Province. Although these
two acts and more particularly the last one
had been the means in the hands Of the
tvrant Craig to commit the most unlastifi
able attacks npon the liberty Of the press
and upon the personal freedom Of the
| Canadians, yet the House had been so
much entrapped by the fattery bestowed
upon them, that in their answer TO the
Governors speech they promised to pass
these acts. s's.
The Legislative Council again took the
lead and passed the Alien Bill" in all its
hdeous form but il Is with pleasure that we
have 10 record that the Honse very judi
ciouslv introduced such amendments 10
the bill as to impose upon the Governor al
the Province, who would dare 10 make any
abuse of the powers conferred on him by
this act, a heavy responsibility which was
not previously the case. The farorstc
bill Of the Colonial government, viz; that,
| for,he better preservation Of His Maiesty's
government in the Province found its des-
erved death in this session, the leglsla-
tive Council having refused to assent 10
those amendments which the House of
Assembly thought proper to make 10 the
1 bill. Thus one monstrous act, which was
an evident encroachment upon the life,
liberty and honor of the Canadian people
disappeared this wear lrou, the Statute
book Of Lower Canada, to which il never
was sught but a deep and damning stain.
During this session, bin 10 regulate the
contested elections. as also bill to regu-
late the Provincial Militia placing all the
male population over 16 years of age at
the disposal of the Executive. government.
were both passed and received the Royal
sanction. The propriety Of indemniying
the members OF the House OF Assembly
was again broached in this session, but no
decision was taken upon this subject.
After session Of mich arduous labor
the Legislature wac prorogued on the l9th
! or Nav. Twenty two bills became law,
and the Governor made closing speech in
which he avished the highest encomiums
on the Loyalty and fidelity Of the members
of the House II Assembly, who had so
literally provided the means for support
ing His Majesiy's government IN case of
war with the United States.
The Storm between Great Britain and
the United States which had been gather
ing for long while past, broke out at
last on the 18th OF June 1912, when the
American Congress passed Bill declar-
ing war agains, England for her unjnstifi-
able pretensions and her inhuman attacks
upon the life and liberty Of American citi-
zens. On the next day Mr.. Madison The
! President Of the American Union issued
his proclamation making il known 10 all
The world that Great Britain and the
United States were no longer on an ami-
cable footing, but we're on the contrary in
open hostiliiies.
The Governor of Lower Canada had
already prepared himself for such calanni-
tous event. On the leah of April he had
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