press through you to the slave population, that solicitous as his majesty always is for their welfare, any criminal endeavours on their parts, to wrest from their masters advantages to which they have no legal claim, can have no other effect than to draw down upon them the severest punishment. For myself, I can assure you, that no personal exertion shall be wanting on my part, to extend to you, at all times, in the most prompt and rigorous manner, that protection which it is the duty of my office to afford. On your part, I trust that, forgetting all minor differences which may have occurred between you, you will unite cordially in one common feel ling, of the permanent obligation of preserving the peace and tranquillity of the country. "I now," said his excellency, "dissolve this general assembly, and it is hereby dissolved accordingly." Proclamation for suppressing the BY THE KING—A PROCLAMATION. Whereas it hath been represented to us, that divers of our subjects, resident in our island of Jamaica, have associated themselves together into certain voluntary societies, under the name of Colonial Church Unions, or other similar designations, and that public meetings of such societies have been holden in different parts of our said island, on which occasions resolutions have been entered into, for the forcible removal from our said island, of divers teachers and ministers of religion dissenting from the doctrine or discipline of the established Church of England and Ireland: And whereas it hath been further Z z represented to us, that the several resolutions aforesaid, have been printed and dispersed throughout the said island, to the great disquiet and alarm, not only of such religious teachers, as aforesaid, and of their several congregations, but of all other peaceable and well disposed inhabitants of our said island: And whereas, such proceedings as aforesaid are contrary to law, and tend to the imminent danger of the public peace in our said island: Now, therefore, we do hereby declare and make known to all whom it may concern, that we are purposed and firmly resolved, in the exercise of our lawful authority, to maintain within our said island the principles of religious toleration, and to protect and defend all our subjects and others resident there, in the public worship of Almighty God, according to their own consciences, although such worship may not be conducted according to the doctrines or discipline of the Church of England and Ireland aforesaid, so long as such persons shall conform and be obedient to the laws. And we do hereby admonish all persons resident within our said island, that if any attempts shall be made to carry into effect any such resolutions as aforesaid, for the forcible removal from our said island of any such teachers and ministers as aforesaid; or if any such society, or any other persons within our said island, shall republish any such illegal resolutions as aforesaid, that then, and in every such case, we will enforce against all persons presuming to offend, all such pains and penalties as they may incur by such their offences; and we do hereby strictly warn and admonish our subjects, and all others resident within the said island, that they do abstain from associating themselves with every society formed, or which may be formed for any such illegal purpose as aforesaid, as they will answer the contrary to us, at their peril. And we do especially and strictly command all judges, custodes, justices of the peace, and all our officers, civil and military, in our said island, that they not only abstain from associating themselves with any such society as aforesaid, but that, according to their several charges and trusts, they do, to the utmost of their respective abilities, and according to their several trusts, give full effect to the law, for the maintenance of toleration in matters of religion, and do co-operate in bringing to justice all persons who may offend in the premises. And we do further admonish all our faithful subjects in our said island, who may feel themselves aggrieved by any such illegal proceedings as aforesaid, that they do abstain from the adoption of any violent or illegal measures for obtaining redress in the premises, as they shall answer the same at their peril; it being our firm purpose and resolution to use the power in us vested by the law, in such a manner as may secure effectual protection to all our subjects, within our said island, in the peaceable and orderly discharge of their several lawful callings, and in the enjoyment of all the rights, privileges, and franchises to them, or any of them, belonging. Given at our Court at St. James, this third day of December, one thousand eight hundred and thirtytwo, and in the third year of our reign. LOWER CANADA. Speech of his Excellency, the Go. vernor-in-Chief, on opening the session of the Legislature, Nov. 15, 1832. Gentlemen of the Legislative Council, Gentlemen of the House of Assembly: I have called you together at the period precisely corresponding with that of your last year's meeting, being still under the impression that it is the best suited to the convenience of the majority of the members of the two houses of the provincial parliament. It is, besides, peculiarly desira. ble that the present session should commence at an early period, in order to afford sufficient time for bring ing to maturity such measures as were in progress at the close of the last session, and for taking up the consideration of such other measures as the growing wealth and prosperity of the province may suggest. The period having arrived for effecting a new adjustment of the proportion to be paid to Upper Canada, of certain duties levied in this province, the commissioners nominated on the part of the two provinces respectively, under the provisions of the Act 3d Geo. IV. Chap. 119, have recently met and entered largely into the consideration of that subject; and although the discussion which ensued there. upon was conducted with no less cordiality and good feeling, than with ability and diligence on both sides, I am concerned in having to announce to you, that the commissioners have separated without coming to any decision upon the important question intrusted to their management; and having, moreover, differed in regard to the appointment conjointly, of a third commissioner, or arbitrator, it becomes necessary, according to the provisions of the above mentioned act, (section) to refer the matter to his majesty's government, for the purpose of obtaining the appointment of an arbitrator under the royal sign manual. The subject of the currency has been brought under your notice upon more than one occasion during the last few years; but no practical measure having resulted from the consideration of it, I think it necessary to advert to it again; not so much with a view to the adoption of any general and comprehensive system, as to suggest the expediency of providing for the wants of the public, by the creation of a metallic currency of inferior value, to replace the silver coins, and copper, now in circulation, the intrinsic value of which, (especially of the latter,) is notoriously much below its current value. Of the temporary acts of the legislature which are about to expire, I desire to call your particular attention to the following, namely: 1st-An act relating to the fisheries in the county of Gaspe, repealed in part by the 1st of William the IV., chapter 22-which expires on the first of May, 1833. 2dly. An act to establish registry offices in the counties of Drummond, Sherbrook, Stanstead, Shefford, and Missiskoui, amended, and extended by 1st of William IV. chap. 3-second section further extended by 2d Willian IV. chap. 7– duration till the 1st of May, 1833. And 3dly.-An act to establish boards of health within this province, and to enforce an effectual system of quarantine, which expires on the 1st of May, 1833. I think it necessary here to refer to that part of my speech to you at the opening of the last session, which relates to the townships. The increasing importance of that interesting portion of the province-the habits of its population-and their wishes connected with the advancement of their own peculiar interests, are subjects which well deserve the attention of the legislature. By the enactment of laws calculated to meet the diversified wants of a mixed population, like that of Lower Canada, the general prosperity of the country will be advanced, and the peace and countenance of all classes of his majesty's subjects in the province, established upon a solid and lasting basis. The foregoing remark embraces a truth so obvious, that it may perhaps be thought superfluous to introduce it on the present occasion; but my mind is so deeply impressed with a sense of the importance (I might perhaps add the necessity) of effecting a strict and cordial union of interests and public feeling throughout the province, that I cannot abstain from seizing upon every opportunity which presents itself for promoting the success of an object of such paramount interest; an object, which, (as it appears to me,) it is no less the duty, than it is manifestly the true interest of every inhabitant of Lower Canada, to assist in promoting to the utmost of his ability, and in preference to every other consideration. Gentlemen of the House of Assembly: The supply bill voted during the last session, which, in consequence of particular circumstances, with which you are already acquainted, and in conformity with the instructions received by me from his majesty's government, was reserved for the signification of his majesty's pleasure, has subsequently received the royal sanction. Upon this subject it will be my duty to make an early communication to you by a special message. The appropriation of last session, for giving effect to the provisions of the act to establish boards of health within this province, and to enforce an effectual system of quarantine, although liberal in its amount, has nevertheless proved inadequate to it. But the excess has not been so considerable as there was reason to apprehend from the prevalence of Asiatic cholera morbus in most parts of the province, which rendered necessary the creation of boards of health with their corresponding establishments, in addition to the expensive establishment at Gross Isle. I trust that the excess above alluded to will be provided for, with the same liberality which prompted the original grant. I avail myself of this opportunity to suggest the expediency of making provisions for the possible necessity for incurring further expense on the same account during the current year. The accounts of the general expenditure of the province during the past year, are in a forward state of preparation, and will, I trust, be in readiness to be laid before you at the period prescribed by legislative regulations. Should any delay take place in rendering these accounts, it is to be ascribed to the great labour necessary in preparing the voluminous and detailed statements required from the executive branch of the legislature of all its disburse. ments of public money. An estimate of the expenses of the civil government for the ensuing year, framed according to the instructions of his majesty's govern ment, will, in like manner, be laid before you. Gentlemen of the Legislative Council, Gentlemen of the House of Assembly: The apprehension evinced by the legislature during the last session, by the passing the act to establish boards of health within this province, and to enforce an effectual system of quarantine, have been but too fatally realized; and the frightful disease, the introduction of which it was the principal object of that act to prevent, has visited the colony with a degree of violence, of which there are few examples on record, in other parts of the world. Happily that disease is now considered to have ceased to prevail epidemically in the province; but in the event of its re-appearance, it may be presumed that the experience acquired during its late visita. tion will, (if those establishments are to be maintained,) enable the seve. ral boards of health to improve on the regulations adopted by them. I should be guilty of injustice towards individuals composing, and connected with those establishments, especially the gentlemen of the medical profession, were I to pass over in silence the meritorious services performed by them, in the discharge of an arduous, important, and (in many instances) an invidious duty. The nature of that duty being altogether new in this country, the performance of it was attended with many difficulties in the commencement-these have been gradually overcome through the united ef. forts of zeal and experience; and I trust that the services to which I now allude, will be duly appreciated by the public, for whose benefit they were undertaken. The gratuitous assistance rendered to the poorer classes of society by the medical faculty throughout the province, is also entitled to warm commendation. Before I take leave of this subjuct, and close the present address, I must not omit to offer the tribute of praise due in a quarter, which I approach with sentiments of the most profound respect :-You will, I am sure, have anticipated me when I add, that I here allude to the meritorious exertions of the clergy in general, during that awful visitation with which it has pleased Divine Providence to afflict this land. In that season of terror and dismay, when even to approach the dwellings of those who were suffering under the influence of the prevailing disease required with many persons an effort of the mind; the ministers of religion went courageously forth, and entered the abodes of disease and death, were there to be found, day after day and night after night, bending over some devoted victim of the fatal malady; and, whilst inhal. ing the tainted breath that issued from his distempered frame, pouring words of comfort and consolation in his ear, and preparing his soul for its passage into another state of existence. Such exalted instances of self devotion are far, very far, beyond the reach of any praise that I have the power to bestow; and I will therefore only add, that by their conduct during the late pevalence of disease in the province, the clergy in general, have acquired new claims upon the love, the gratitude, the veneration, and the confidence of the people committed to their spirit. ual care. Address to the King by the Legislative Council, on the state of the province. Quebec, Tuesday, April 2, 1833. TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY. Most Gracious Sovereign We, your majesty's dutiful and loyal subjects, the Legislative Council of Lower Canada, in provincial parliament assembled, having had under our serious consideration, the dangerous and unconstitutional proceedings, adopted by the assembly, are impelled by a sense of duty to your majesty, and your majesty's Canadian people, humbly to approach your majesty's throne, with a representation of the alarming posture of the affairs of this province, and our earnest supplication for immediate and effectual relief. From the enviable state of peace and prosperity, to which we had attained under the constitution, bestowed upon us by your majesty's royal father, and the imperial parliament, we are approaching to a state of anarchy and confusion-unceasing attempts are made to destroy the confidence which has hitherto subsisted between the subjects of your majesty of different origin and language-the interests of agriculture and commerce, and the wants of the people, are neglected for the advancement of the cabals of party-your majesty's representative is falsely charged with partiality and injustice in the exercise of the powers confided to him— your majesty's officers, both civil and military, are deliberately libelled, as a combined faction, actuated by interest alone, to struggle for the support of a corrupt government, adverse to the rights and wishes of the people-and thus unmerited |