Assembly that the treaty of peace was officially
announced to the House. The Assembly granted eight days' pay to the
officers of the militia, after the time already noticed as determined
upon for the disbandment of the provincial corps; an annuity of six
pounds was provided for such rank and file as had been rendered
incapable of earning a living; a gratuity was made to the widow and the
orphan; and it was recommended that grants of land should be made by
His Royal Highness, the Prince Regent, to such militiamen as had served
in defence of the province during the war. And more, the House,
entertaining the highest veneration and respect for the character of
His Excellency, Sir George Prevost, whose administration, under
circumstances of peculiar novelty and difficulty, stood highly
distinguished for energy, wisdom and ability, and who had rescued the
province from the danger of subjugation to her implacable foe,
unanimously granted and gave a service of plate not exceeding L5,000
sterling value, to His Excellency, in testimony of the country's sense
of distinguished talents, wisdom, and ability. Sir George Prevost felt
strongly the high compliment which had been paid to him as a civil
ruler. And he deserved it. Surrounded as he was by the selfishness of
officials, the sycophants of the colonial office, and the scandalizers
of himself and the country, and tormented by the suspicions of the
Assembly, which were the result of such sycophancy and scandal, Sir
George pursued a most straightforward and honorable course as a
Governor-in-Chief, expressed his gratitude, and would transmit the
address to the Prince Regent, to be governed by His commands. The
Regent approved of the donation and was rejoiced that Sir George had
deserved it; but the Legislative Council would not assent to the
bill![27] The House afterwards resolved that on the opening of the next
session of parliament it would take into consideration the expediency
of granting a pecuniary compensation to the Honorable Jean Antoine
Panet, for his long and meritorious services as Speaker; and an Act was
passed granting L500 to the Surveyor General, Joseph Bouchette,
Esquire, to assist him in publishing his geographical and topographical
maps of Upper and Lower Canada. At the prorogation, Mr. Speaker
Papineau intimated to the Governor that the House had bestowed their
most serious attention on the recommendations submitted to them. A
great part of the expenses occasione