North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1841-03-17
Original.
HISTORY OF LOWER CANADA.
(cosTIsuED.)

(coNTIsuED.)
The Provincial Parliament was called
together al very unusual period. II was
anticipated, as soon as i. was known thai;
the Governor was converting The Legisla-
ture, that some very important transactions
were to take place. Bot when the mem
befs were called into the presence OF Lord
Gosford, His Lordship mereIy wanted TO
inform them, that they were laboring IN
der a gross misunderstanding, when they
voted but six months supplies, and that he
would allow them TO examine the insiruc-
IONS of the Ministers 10 the Royal Com
missioners and hoped that they would then
retfact and vote the necessary amount for
the expenditures Of the local government
The answer of the House, was firm and
decisive, yet very respectful. They spoke
boldly Of the introduction of the elective
principle into the composition Of the Up
per branch Of the Legislature, aud declared
that they wonld persist in their demand
for a recall OF the charter, granted to the
British American Land Company, without
the consent oil the Colonists. They dhi
not pledge themselves Ia vote the monies
asked for by His ExceIlency, but said that
they would first consult the promised doc
umen's. A bin was introduced into the
H5us', similar To that 0f the preceding
session, altering The mode Of nominating
tie Legislative Council, and also, bill to
appoint Provincial agent. Both Of these
bills were passed by the House, but were
10, carried up TO the Legislative Council,
only being introduced pro Jorma. The
promised Instructions were laid before the
Hone by The Governor, and as the mem
bers had no reason to believe, that they
had misunderstood them, during the session
ol the preceding winter, they remained
film in their decision aud in an address 10
LORD Gosiord, they soiemnly declared, that
their oeinions remained uRalersd, that a
remedy Of the heavy and nnumerablc grie-
vsnces under which the Province was then
.aberng, ought to precede the grant Of
Soppies and that il was utterly impossl-
bic for the members Of that House again to
resume their labors, ~inasmuch as they
would be rendered fruitless by that same
body, which, in the last session, had annt-
hiiated the most popular measures OF the
country. This as a matter OF course end
Ell all further proceedings, and this session
which began on the aaad Of September
was closed on the 4th of October following.
Discouraged by the bold intrepidity with
which the members Of the House oil As
semhiy, were disposed TO defend and up
hold the invaded and trsmpled rights 0!
,Aeir constituents, Letd Gosiord, with his
two co-adjuiors, began to make report as
Commissioners, to the Colonia. Minister,
10 h. submitted to the King. We shall
not herediscusS the merit Of this insig
cant aud nonsehsical document, which was
oay remarkable, for the disconnected aud
specious arguments advanced against the
demands OF the House Of Assembly. Ere
quen,ly the three Commissioners could moi
sgFes OF the best modes OF depressing The
Canadians, and on such points OF variance
made separate reports. On the whole,
even By their political friends both in Can
ala and in England, it was pronounced q
very weak and puerie production, waolly
unworthy Of statesmen who made any pre-
tensions to liberal principles. On this re-
port, aud with the sad conviction that the
House OF Assembly could not be SoUghi,
Embed, nor e9aTsd into an scquicscence 70