Governor for a copy of his instructions relative to the
application of the Jesuits' Estates Revenues for educational purposes;
but the Governor refused to comply with the Assembly's request, because
he had not been specially permitted to lay his instructions before the
Assembly. The business of the session was concluded, and Lord Dalhousie
went down in State to the Legislative Council Chamber, to prorogue the
parliament. In his closing speech he expressed the satisfaction with
which he had witnessed so much diligence and attention to the business
of the country. He was exceedingly well pleased to have had to give the
royal assent to the Acts passed to facilitate the administration of
justice, to encourage agriculture, to construct canals, to assist
trade, and to aid charitable and educational institutions. He thanked
the Assembly for the supplies. He regretted that offices for the
enregistration of property had not been established. He had transmitted
the addresses of both Houses on the subject of the union of the
provinces to the king. And he assured the Houses that he esteemed the
result of the session at once honorable to parliament and useful to the
country.

There was still much anxiety in the country about the contemplated
union. Messrs. Neilson and Papineau had not, however, been idle in
London. They had strongly pointed out to the imperial government the
probability of a relaxation of the energy and confidence of the people
of Lower Canada and of the bonds which so strongly attached them to the
mother country, if the union was consummated, and their representations
weighed with the government, for not long after the prorogation of the
Lower Canada parliament it was officially announced by Lord Dalhousie
that His Majesty's government had, for the present, determined to
relinquish the proposed measure for the legislative union of the
provinces.

The parliament of Upper Canada was opened on the 23rd of March.
Governor Maitland, in his opening address, spoke of the temporary
diminution of receipts from Quebec, as having interfered with the
prosperity of the province. He recommended the establishment of an
additional circuit and of a second assize. He probably addressed the
House for the last time, and he took the opportunity of remarking that
he had ever found them guided in their deliberations by a scrupulous
attention to the interests of the people as by a proper regard for the
honorable support of His Majesty's