s and shipping, and for the improvement of the navigation of the
River St. Lawrence between Montreal and the sea. By this Act the
Trinity Houses were established, the abolition of which has lately
engaged the serious attention of the Hon. William Hamilton Merritt. The
fourth Parliament, like its predecessors, possessed within itself, some
men of enterprize, energy, and independence. However willing it might
have been to treat the Governor with respectful consideration, there
was no disposition in it to become a mere tool in the hands of those
who took upon themselves to guide His Excellency. They conceived that
they had the power of appropriating the revenue, of voting the
supplies, and of paying their own officers such salaries as they
pleased. The French Translator to the Assembly having applied for an
increase of salary, it occurred to the Assembly that the translator,
Mr. P. E. Desbarats, was a very efficient officer and worthy man, and
that it was within their province to pay him such a sum as they
estimated his services to be worth. But they did not arbitrarily do
that which it seemed to them they might have done. With extreme
courtesy, they addressed the Governor, begging that His Excellency
would make such addition to the salary of this officer as to His
Excellency might seem fit. So far, however, from complying with a very
reasonable request, Sir Robert regretted the absence of some
observances, the nature of which was never ascertained, and felt
compelled to resist a precedent which might lead to injurious
consequences. The Assembly were staggered. With very considerable
reason they were offended at the Executive, who pretended to the right
of money grants in the Assembly. The House went into committee, by a
majority of one, and were about to consider His Excellency's
considerate message, when the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod
appearing at the Bar, commanded the attendance of the Commons at the
Bar of the Upper House, where His Excellency, somewhat bombastically
prorogued the Parliament. About to return to England, he was perfectly
indifferent to the censure of the Commons of Canada. He cared nothing
for the effect of a _coup d'etat_. He never dreamed of the possibility
of a misunderstanding between a Governor and his Legislature. It was
the first of the kind that he had known, and it was a duty which he
owed to his sovereign to nip it in the bud. Sir Robert, Mr. Christie
says, was not a popular Governor. Ha