Colonial Intelligence.
The Times, 1824-04-16T00:00:00

This day, at th'fee o5dct.k .his Eacef.n6'c the GEovprner lrt Cbhtf came down in Stae to the Lsgilsative Council Cham'oer, and,benas seated on the tbrone, the Gentletiin Usher'of' the Black Rod': w sent to command the presence of tlbe aszt"i(by; wihich being corne up, his Excelleney was pleasedp give theRoyal ausent to the sr* veral bills. His Execelleny then .a ised' both Elouses in the following speech. " Gentlemcan of the Le.islaotive. Council,, Gentlemen of th Heon of Aissemily, " 1 am now to close a Session of the Parliament the retult of which, I am much afraid, will prove to be of little puMlic advan. tage; at the same time, your long and laborious.attendance is en. titled to mv best thanks; but before I prorogue tbi5 Parliament, I think it'important to the country, that I should here, as hi5rs t- jesty's represeniative, express my sentiments upon the genemal re. sult of your proceedings, during the several sessions in which I have nmetyou. I declare thosesentiments in an-earnest desire to attract the serious attention of every member of this Parliament, of every man who values the prosperity of Canada; and I trust I know tow well the principles of the British Constitution to express myself in: any jnanner inconsistent with that respect whici one branch-of the Legislature owes to another, or with those rights and privilges which belong to eaCh respectively. "..A claimr has been' made to an un'imited .rigbt in one branch of- the legislature to appropriate the whole revenue Gf the p.tqvince; ac- cording to its pleasesre, including not only that part of it heraofore- granted to his il[ajesty, and which is ap*epriated by acts ef'the. provincial Parliament to specific purposes, god subject to sueh digi- tribution rs the King mnay see fit, bt-t evefi that portion alto of the revenue which is raiseld by the authority of the lmperial Parlismeat, appropsiated to defray the expenses of the ad' inistratiolx of justi-e,. and of his MIajesty's civil government in this province, and directed by an act passed in the British Parliament long before the esta. blishment of the present constitution in this provine'e to be -so ap..- plied, under the authority of the Lords Commissioners of his-itla. jesty's Treasury: this clain made by one, has been formally' denied by the other twvo branches of the provincial Parliament; neAratlia.. lesc it has beeR persisted in, and recourse has been had to the unr-. usaal proceeding of withholding the supplies:, except upon conditions, wbich would amount, to an acknowledgment of its constitutional validity. I - - ; " This subject has occupied every session from the first to the last, and is now transmitted to those which shaU roUolw. It hns caused incalculable mischief to the province; and now leaves it to struggle under difficulties, while everv inhabitant of it must see that the- en- couraging aid of the legislature is alone wanting to arouse powerful exertion, and draw forth those resources which, without that aid, must it, a great measure lie dormant and useless within its reach2 But, gentlemen, I gee with infinite satisfaction, that notwithstand- ing these unfavonr4ble circumstances, lCanada is powerfuUy advanc- ing in improvement, and that the differences which continue to dis- turb its legislature have not interrupted in the smallest degree that. general contentment wlhich the people enjoy under the paternal care and protection of His Mfajesty. In former years3 when the supplies necessary for the support of His Majesty'sGovernment and the honoar of the Crown in this Pro- vince, were not granted, I averted the unhappy consequences which niust have'resulted fr*m a strict adherence to the letter of the law,. and I trust thatrmy conduct on the occasion will be justified and ap- proved where alone I am responsible; but as my atdvice has been: unavailing to prevent this result atfthe present period, I shall inter- fere no firtlier. Adhering now to the letter of the law, I shall guide the measures of the Executive GovermnenkL by that rule, ind ac-. cording to my best judlgment; lamenting that the public must feel those oonsequences-which have so long impdnded over it, and which I can no longer avert. - " Gentlemen *of I/ne Legislali;c Collncil, " I feel myself called upon to acknowleelge the calm, firm, andc dignifi. d chaiacter' of your deliberations and conduct in the discus- sion of the public business; and I take it upon me in a sense of duty to thank-you in His Majesty'v name for the support you have uni- oirmily given to the measures I have from time to time recommend_ ed to you for the good of the province. " 1 fervently pray that the wisdopn of your proceedings may make a just impression upon the loyal inhabitants of the province, and lead titem to that temperate.and conciliating disposition, which is always best calculated to give energy to public spirit, to promote public harmony,and ensure public happiness: these are the great advantages which result fros a wise 'ekercise of the powers ant pri- vileres of ParliamenL". COLONI.4L INTELLIGE'C-. CQUEBEGq,ii 9. lEtAISIA&TlJN'I(EOUNCIb