55. The Right Reverend Father in God, Edmund, then Lord Bishop of London, having presented a petition to his Majesty King George the First, humbly beseeching him to send instructions to the governors of all the several colonies and plantations in America, that they cause all laws already made against blasphemy, profaneness, adultery, fornication, polygamy, incest, profanation of the Lord's day, swearing and drunkenness in their respective governments to be rigorously executed, and We, thinking it highly just that all persons who shall offend in any of the particulars aforesaid should be prosecuted and punished for their said offences, it is therefore Our will and pleasure that you take due care for the punishment of the afore-mentioned vices, and that you earnestly recommend that effectual laws be passed for the restraint and punishment of all such of the afore-mentioned vices against which no laws are as yet provided. And also you are to use your endeavors to render the laws in being more effectual, by providing for the punishment of the afore-mentioned vices, by presentment upon oath to be made to the temporal courts by the church-wardens of the several parishes, at proper times of the year to be appointed for that purpose; and for the further discouragement of vice and encouragement of virtue and good living, you are not to admit any persons to public trusts or employments in the Island under your government whose ill fame and conversation may occasion scandal. 56. It is Our further will and pleasure that you recommend to the Legislature to enter upon proper methods for the erecting and maintaining schools in order to the training up of youth to reading, and to a necessary knowledge of the principles of religion. You are not, however, to give your consent to any Act respecting religion without a clause suspending its operation until Our pleasure shall have been signified thereupon, unless a draft thereof shall have been previously transmitted by you for Our consideration and approval. 57. And We do further direct that in all matters arising within your government connected with the education of youth in the principles of the Christian religion according to the doctrine of the said United Church of England, or connected with the prevention of vice and profaneness, or the conversion of negroes and other slaves, or connected with the worship of Almighty God, or the promotion of religion and virtue, you be advising with the Bishop for the time being of the said diocese of Nova Scotia, and be aiding him in the execution of all such designs and undertakings as may be recommended by the said Bishop for the promotion of any of the objects before mentioned, so far as such designs and undertakings may be consistent with the law and with your said commission, and these Our instructions. 58. You are to transmit to Us, through one of Our principal Secretaries of State, regular monthly returns of the militia of Our said island whenever and so long as the same shall be embodied, with a particular state of their arms and accoutrements; and for the due preservation and security of which you are to establish such regulations as you shall judge to be most effectual for that purpose. 59. You shall not upon any occasion whatsoever establish or put in execution any articles of war, or other law martial, upon any of Our subjects, inhabitants of Our said Island, without the advice and consent of Our Council. 60. And in case of any distress of any other of Our plantations, you shall, upon application of the respective Governors thereof unto you, assist them with what aid the condition and safety of Our Island under your government can spare. 61. You shall, from time to time, give unto Us, through one of Our principal Secretaries of State, an account of the wants and defects of the Island under your government, what are the chief products thereof, what improvements have been lately made, and what further improvements you conceive may be made, or advantages gained by trade, and in what way We may contribute thereunto. 62. If any thing shall happen which may be of advantage or security to Our Island under your government, which is not herein or by Our commission provided for, We do hereby allow you, with the advice and consent of Our Council, to take orders for the present therein, giving unto Us, through one of Our principal Secretaries of State, speedy notice thereof, that so you may receive Our ratification, if We shall approve the same: Provided always, that you do not, under color of any power or authority hereby given to you, commence or declare war without Our knowledge and particular commands therein first obtained leave for so doing from Us, under Our sign manual and signet, or by Our order in Our Privy Council. 63. And whereas we have thought fit, by Our commission, to direct that in case of your death or absence, and there be at that time no person within Our said Island, commissioned or appointed by Us to be Lieutenant Governor, or specially appointed by Us to administer the government within Our said Island, that the Councillor whose name is first placed in Our instructions to you, (unless it shall therein be otherwise signified), and who shall be, at the time of your absence, residing within Our said Island, and who shall take the oaths appointed to be taken by you or the Commander-in-Chief of Our said Island, shall take upon him the administration of the government, and execute Our said commission and instructions and the several powers and authorities therein contained, in the manner therein directed. It is, nevertheless, Our express will and pleasure that in such case the Councillor so administering the government shall forbear to pass any Act or Acts but what are immediately necessary for the peace and welfare of the said Island, without Our particular order for that purpose; and that he shall not take upon him to dissolve the Assembly then in being, or to remove or suspend any of the members of Our Council, nor any judges, justices of the peace, or other officer, civil or military, without the advice and consent of at least seven of the Council, nor even then without good and sufficient reason for the same, which the said President is to transmit, signed by himself and the respective Council, to Us, through one of Our principal Secretaries of State. 64. And whereas We are willing to provide in the best manner for the support of the government of Our said Island, by setting apart sufficient allowances to such as shall be Our Governor or Commander-in-Chief, residing for the time being within the same, Our will and pleasure is, that when it shall happen that you shall be absent from Our said Island, one full moiety of the salary, and of all perquisites and emoluments whatsoever, which would otherwise become due unto you, shall, during the time of your absence, be paid and satisfied unto such Lieutenant Governor or President of the Council for the time being, which We do hereby order and allot unto him for his maintenance, and for the better support of the dignity of Our govern ment. 65. And you are upon all occasions to send to Us, through one of Our principal Secretaries of State, a particular account of all your proceedings, and of the condition of affairs within your government. WILLIAM, R. ROYAL PROCLAMATION ESTABLISHING REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT1 July 26, 1832 WILLIAM the Fourth, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, &c. To all to whom these presents shall come, greeting: WHEREAS by Our letters patent under the great seal of Our United Kingdom aforesaid, bearing date at Westminster, the 2d of March 1832, in the second year of Our reign, We have given and granted to Our trusty and well-beloved Sir Thomas John Cochrane, Knight, Our Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Our Island of Newfoundland, full power and authority to summon and call a General Assembly of the freeholders and householders within Our said Island; it is therefore Our pleasure, and We do hereby declare and make known to all Our loving subjects within the same, that for the purpose of the election of the members of the said Assembly, the said Island shall be divided into nine districts, to be called respectively The district of St. John. The district of Conception Bay. The district of Bonavista. The district of Trinity Bay. The district of Ferryland. 1 Commons Papers, 1831-32, vol. 32, No. 704, p. 14. |