sed to the Council for its
interference with the rights of the Legislative Council. Mr. Richardson
even repeated the substance of his observations in the debate which had
given offence, in still stronger language. He had little to fear, and
he knew that the Assembly had taken a position which they could not
sustain. He held no office under the Crown. He was a legislator and
Executive Councillor, but not a placeman. Indeed the Assembly were
becoming ashamed of themselves. Instead of attacking the Council in
return for the attack made upon them, they had taken it for granted
that their proceedings were not liable to be commented upon at all.
They pretended to represent public opinion and yet would not tolerate
the expression of any opinion adverse to themselves. But public opinion
prevailed. They were compelled to edge out of their difficulty by
representing in a resolution that it was the incontestable right of the
Assembly to prevent any breach of their privileges, by every
constitutional means in their power. So the matter rested.

A message came to the Assembly from the Governor. It had reference to
certain grievances submitted by the Assembly to the King. The Governor
had been commanded to inform the Assembly that the Lieutenant-Governor
had been ordered to repair to Quebec, and to reside in the province
during his tenure of office; that a Lieutenant-Governor for Gaspe was
necessary and should be provided for; that the successor to the
Provincial Secretary should be a resident officer, but that the present
absent incumbent was not to be dispossessed without adequate
compensation; and that the present agent of the province, in the
colonial office, had not been guilty of misconduct, and the office of
agent which he held was not to be abolished. The message was anything
but satisfactory, and the Assembly grumbled audibly.

Another message was sent to the Assembly informing the House that the
Governor intended to apply the territorial and casual revenues, fines,
rents, and profits, which were reserved to the French King, at the
conquest, and belonged to the King of Great Britain on the surrender of
the country, the monies raised by statutes of the imperial parliament,
and the sum of L5,000 sterling raised by the provincial statute 35th
George the Third, chapter 9, towards the support of the civil
government and the administration of justice. And he called upon the
Assembly, as they had refused the civil list, to defray