to tell you
that I have given orders to all your officers, that in case any
further signs of mutiny should appear among you, they are not to think
of confining the ringleaders, but to put them to death instantly; and,
what is still more, I have given orders to the officers commanding the
batteries, to burn the _Latona_ with red-hot shot, in case you drive
me ... to that extremity. I know in this case the officers must perish
with you; but there is not one of them but is ready to sacrifice
himself for the good of his country.... And now go to church, and pray
God to inspire you with such sentiments as may acquire you the respect
and love of your countrymen in this world and eternal happiness in the
next."

This speech, which was rescued from oblivion by the industry of Mr
Pedley, came clearly from a man of energy and resolution. In fact,
Governor Waldegrave proved himself to possess unusual resource and
vigour. He was the creator of the Newfoundland system of poor relief,
and he busied himself actively in the interests of religion. On the
latter subject it is pleasant to note a spirit of growing breadth in
the island. In particular, the loyal labours of the Roman Catholic
Bishop O'Donnell opened up a new era of tolerance for his followers.
To this Bishop was due the discovery, in 1802, of a plot among the
locally enlisted Royal Newfoundland Regiment, to loot St. John's and
then fly to the United States. The ringleaders were executed, and the
mutinous regiment was replaced by one from Halifax.

The war with France was for the time being terminated by the Peace of
Amiens (1802), whereby the conquered territory was to be restored--so
that St. Pierre and Miguelon were returned to France; and her fishing
rights were renewed on the same basis as was laid down in the Treaty
of Utrecht.

In 1802, by which time the population of the island amounted to about
twenty thousand persons, Governor Gambier (1802-1803), who was in
advance of his age in his views on government, as well as on the
education of the settlers, and the civilization of the Beothics,
proposed to Lord Hobart the establishment of a legislative power in
Newfoundland, similar to that which has been found necessary to the
prosperity and good government of other parts of the British
dominions. The suggestion was treated as premature, and probably was
so in fact. That it should have been made at all shows how far we have
travelled from the swaddling clothes of monop