SIR HENRY VERE HUNTLEY, KNIGHT, Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief in and over Her Majesty's Island Prince Edward, and the Territories thereunto belonging, Chancellor, Vice Admiral and Ordinary of the same, &c. &c. &c. H. V. HUNTLEY, Lieuteuant Governor. W A PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS the General Assembly of this Island stands prorogued until Wednesday, the Twentieth day of October instant: I have thought fit, further to prorogue the said General Assembly, and the same is hereby prorogued until Wednesday, the Twenty-second day of December next, of which all persons concerned are required to take notice and govern themselves accordingly. Given under my Hand and the Great Seal of this Island, at Charlottetown, this Nineteenth day of God save the Queen. T. H. HAVILAND, Secretary. BY HIS EXCELLENCY SIR DONALD CAMPBELL, Baronet, Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief in and over Her Majesty's Island Prince Edward, and the Territories thereunto belonging, Chancellor, Vice Admiral and Ordinary of the same &c. &c. DONALD CAMPBELL, Lieutenant Governor. W A PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS the General Assembly of this Island stands prorogued until Wednesday, the Twentysecond day of December instant : I have thought fit, further to prorogue the said General Assembly, and the same is hereby prorogued until Thursday, the Twentieth day of January next, of which all persons concerned are required to take notice and govern themselves accordingly. Given under my Hand and the Great Seal of this Island at Charlottetown, this Twentieth day of God save the Queen. BY HIS EXCELLENCY SIR DONALD CAMPBELL, Baronet. Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief in and over Her Majetsy's Island Prince Edward, and the Territories thereunto belonging, Chancellor, Vice Admiral, and Ordinary of the same, &c. &c. &c. DONALD CAMPBELL, Lieutenant Governor. W A PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS the General Assembly of this Island stands prorogued until Thursday the Twentieth day of January instant : I have thought fit, by and with the advice and consent of Her Majesty's Executive Council, further to prorogue the said General Assembly, and the same is hereby prorogued until Tuesday, the First day of February next, then to meet for the DESPATCH OF BUSINESS of which all persons concerned are required to take notice and govern themselves accordingly. Given under my hand and the Great Seal of the said Island at Charlottetown, this Seventh day of God save the Queen. OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL O F PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. THE TUESDAY, February 1, 1848. HE General Assembly having been by Proclamation, prorogued to this day, the Legislative Council met. The President acquainted the House that Sir Henry Vere Huntley, late Lieutenant Governor of this Island, had provisionally appointed George Birnie, Esquire, by Warrant bearing date the Ninth day of November, 1847, a Member of this House, who desires to be admitted. Ordered, That Mr. Macdonald and Mr. Hensley be a Committee to attend Mr. Birnie, and see him qualified. Mr. Macdonald, from the Committee appointed to attend Mr. Birnie, and see him qualified, reported, that they had according to order, attended Mr. Birnie, who took the oaths in presence of the Lieutenant Governor. The Honorable Mr. Birnie was then introduced between Mr. Macdonald and Mr. Hensley, and took his seat. The House adjourned during pleasure. After some time, the House formed. His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor having come to the Council Chamber, and being seated, the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod received His Excellency's commands to desire the attendance of the House of Assembly, immediately in the Council Chamber. The House of Assembly, with their Speaker, having attended accordingly, His Excellency was pleased to open the Session with the following Speech : Mr. President, and Honorable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council; Mr. Speaker, and Gentlemen of the House of Assembly ; Our Gracious Sovereign having been pleased to appoint me to the Government of this Island, I have much satisfaction in meeting you in your Legislative capacity at this early period after my arrival, and I avail myself of the first opportunity of communicating to you my earnest desire to administer the Government upon those just and impartial principles, which, whilst they will give me a claim to public confidence, will enable me, with your assistance, to contribute to the happiness and prosperity of this interesting and thriving Colony. It devolves upon me now to submit for your considération several matters of much importance to the present and future welfare of the Colony. Among the most pressing of these, is the state of the Island Currency, a wholesome reform of which is urgently required. To assist your deliberations in effecting this desirable object, I shall direct to be laid before you the views entertained by Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies, both as to the cause of the present state of the Currency and its proposed remedy. To these views I must claim your serious and earnest attention. The future management of the Post Office in the British North American Provinces will also occupy a prominent position in your deliberations, Her Majesty's Post Master General being prepared to surrender to the Provincial Authorities the controul of this department, so soon as by concert between the several Legislatures, arrangements shall be matured for securing the advantages of an efficient and uniform system-the several communications upon this important question, together with the able Report of the Commissioners appointed by the Provinces of Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, shall be laid before you. The unfortunate sickness and distress which prevailed among the Emigrants from Ireland last year, has induced Her Majesty's Government to propose to the several Provincial Legislatures the enactment of a law to afford additional security against the recurrence of similar misfortunes. The views of Her Majesty's Government as communicated to the Right Honorable the Earl of Elgin, will be submitted for mation and guidance. your infor A revision of the Laws regulating Elections, is also a matter well deserving your attention, and I would recommend for your consideration, whether a law upon the same principle as that which was lately passed in the Province of Nova Scotia, and which is also in force in the Province of New Brunswick, might not be adopted with advantage in this Colony. I will communicate to you, by Message, such other matters, affecting the general interests of the Island, as it may be deemed necessary to bring under your consideration during the Session. It will be gratifying to you to learn the prosperous state of the Revenue for the past year. Although burdened with an unforeseen and extraordinary expenditure, exceeding £3000, in providing Seed Grain for the necessitous settlers at the commencement of the season, and in supporting the sick and destitute Emigrants, it will still be found to exhibit a considerable surplus, beyond the charges of the year. Encouraging as this favorable state of the Revenue appears, I must press upon you the necessity of exercising the strictest economy in its disposition, by a systematic perseverance in which we may hope to relieve the Colony from its existing liabilities. Mr. Speaker, and Gentlemen of the House of Assembly ; I shall order the Public Accounts to be submitted to you without delay; the classification which has been made by the Auditors, as suggested by the House of Assembly in the last Session, will prove a saving of time and labor, by affording facilities for their examination. The Estimates for the Supplies for the current year will also be laid before you, and I have every confidence that you will grant the necessary provision for the Public Service As the Act for levying an Assessment on all Lands in the Island, will shortly expire, it will be for you to consider, whether, in the present circumstances of the Island, it will not be advisable to continue this Act, or even to raise a larger proportion of the Colonial Revenue from this source, so as to enable you to reduce other Duties, with a view to the encouragement of the trade of the Colony. I would however suggest for your consideration, whether it will be expedient to continue the distinction between improved and unimproved Lands. Mr. President, and Honorable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council; Being sensibly impressed with the conviction that our co-operation is essential to the advancement of the Public interests, I invite you to an unreserved communication upon all occasions, and you may rely upon my ready concurrence, in such measures as are calculated to develope the resources of the Colony, and to promote the peace, good order and welfare of the people. The Speech being ended, and the House of Assembly having withdrawn, His Excellency was pleased to retire. Prayers were then read. The President reported His Excellency's Speech, which being read by the ClerkResolved, That an humble Address be presented to His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor, to return the thanks of this House, for his Speech delivered this day. Ordered, That Mr. Solicitor General, Mr. Young and Mr. Hensley be a Committee pursuant to the above Resolution. On motion, Ordered, That Mr. Young, Mr. Swabey and Mr. Birnie be a Committee to revise the Journals of this House each day, and that it be an instruction to the Committee to require that a Printed copy be laid on the table daily. On motion, Ordered, that Mr. Solicitor General and Mr. Holl be a Committee to examine into and report upon such Laws as are near expiring. On motion, Ordered, that One hundred copies of the Journals of this House be furnished by the Printer. On motion, Resolved, that the Thirty-seventh Standing Order of this House, be inserted Three times in each of the Newspapers published in Charlottetown, for the information of the public. Adjourned until To-morrow at One o'clock. 00000000000000 WEDNESDAY, February 2, 1848. The Council met, pursuant to adjournment. PRESENT: The Honorable Mr. Attorney General, President. The Hon. Mr. Macdonald, The Hon. Mr. Irving, Mr. Rice, Mr. Young, from the Committee appointed to prepare an Address in answer to His Excellency's Speech, reported a Draft thereof, which he read in his place. Ordered, That the Report be received, and the said Draft was again read by the Clerk, and it was ordered that the House be forthwith put into a Committee of the whole, to take the same into consideration. The House was adjourned during pleasure, and put into a Committee on the said Address.After some time the House was resumed, and Mr. Young reported that the Committee had gone through the Address, and that they had agreed to the same with several amendments. On motion, Ordered, that the Report of the Committee be received. The said Address being read a Second time, was agreed to by the House. Ordered, That the said Address be engrossed. Resolved, That Mr. Henry Douglas Morpeth, be appointed Reporter to this House. Adjourned until To-morrow at Two o'clock. |