ches of the Provincial Legislature, it was intimated that His
Majesty would cheerfully resume the consideration of the charter,
provided the assent of both Houses to his doing so could be obtained,
but that, as the subject had been committed to the local Legislature, he
could not withdraw it from their cognizance at the instance of one
branch only. The system of auditing the public accounts had been
complained of as being insufficient for ensuring the proper application
of the revenue. As a remedy, the establishment of a Board of Audit, the
regulation of which should be secured by well-considered legislation,
had been suggested. In this suggestion the Colonial Secretary expressed
his concurrence, and he transmitted various documents explanatory of the
system of auditing the public accounts of the Kingdom. The Assembly
having expressed its belief that the Legislative Council would not
assent to any efficient legislation on the subject, the
Lieutenant-Governor was empowered, in case of that belief being
realized, to constitute a provisional Board of Audit. To remedy another
evil which had been complained of--the withholding of public accounts
from the Assembly--it was proposed that a statute should be passed
providing the time and manner of making periodical returns, and naming
the officers who should render them to the Legislature. Then followed
brief instructions to be observed by the Lieutenant-Governor in his
intercourse with the Assembly. "You will always," wrote his Lordship,
"receive the addresses of the Assembly with the most studious attention
and courtesy. As far as may be consistent with your duty to the King,
you will accede to their wishes cheerfully and frankly. Should that duty
ever compel you to differ from their opinion, or to decline compliance
with their desires, you will explain in the most direct, and of course
in the most conciliatory terms, the ground of your conduct." His
Excellency was instructed to adopt Lord Goderich's despatch to Sir John
Colborne of the 8th of November, 1832,[213] as a rule for the guidance
of his conduct. He was directed to select Justices of the Peace without
reference to political considerations. In the Grievance Committee's
Report, as well as in the Address from the Assembly to the King, great
stress had been laid on the mode of appointing members of the
Legislative Council. It had been represented that that body had utterly
failed to answer the ends for which it had been cr