p a road to the Eastern Townships, which would
afford a direct land communication between Quebec and Boston.
Commencing at St. Giles, on the south shore of the St. Lawrence, that
road to the township of Shipton, which still bears the name of Governor
Craig, was completed by a detachment of troops.
On the 10th of December, Parliament again met. The House of Assembly
re-elected Mr. Panet to the Speakership, and the Governor approved of
his election. In his speech from the throne, Governor Craig had never
doubted the loyalty and zeal of the parliaments which had met since he
had assumed the administration of affairs. He was confident that they
were animated by the best intentions to promote the interests of the
King's government and the welfare of the people. He looked for such a
disposition in the tenor of their deliberations. He called their
attention to the temporary Act for the better preservation of His
Majesty's government, and for establishing regulations respecting
aliens or certain subjects of His Majesty, who had resided in France.
No change had taken place in the state of public affairs, that would
warrant a departure from those precautions which made the Act
necessary. He did not mean that it should be supposed that he meant to
divide the interests of His Majesty's government from the interests of
the public, for they were inseparable. But the preservation of His
Majesty's government was the safety of the province, and its security
was the only safeguard to the public tranquillity. He therefore
recommended those considerations together with the Act making temporary
provision for the regulation of trade between Canada and the United
States to their first and immediate consideration. He entreated them to
believe that he should have great satisfaction in cultivating that
harmony and good understanding which must be so conducive to the
prosperity and happiness of the colony, and that he should most readily
and cheerfully concur, in every measure, which they might propose,
tending to promote those important objects. And he further intimated
that the rule of his conduct was to discharge his duty to his
sovereign, by a constant attention to the welfare of his subjects, who
were committed to his charge, and these objects he felt to be promoted
by a strict adherence to the laws and principles of the constitution,
and by maintaining in their just balance the rights and privileges of
every branch of the legislature. Sir
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