There are, by the preceding statement, three vacancies in the council, viz.: Richard Bulkeley, esquire, deceased, as before reported - Alexander Brymer, esquire, and Henry Duncan, esquire, who have left the country to reside in England,-whereto I have had the honor to recommend Andrew Belcher, William Forsyth, and Charles Mary Wentworth, esquires; and now beg leave to add Lawrence Hartshorne, esquire, a merchant, of great loyalty, integrity and consideration in this provincc-extensively interested in commerce and real property -who has formerly been a very useful and diligent member of the General Assembly. I have the honor to be, With the most profound deference, my lord, His Grace the Duke of Portland, K. G., One of H. M. principal secretaries of state. (5.) Return of the Number of the Inhabitants within the Wards, Suburbs and Farm Lots on the Peninsula of Halifax, Nova Scotia, distinguishing the Whites and the Blacks- the Number who have received the Small Pox since September, 1800, by inoculation and naturally, and who have died either way.Taken between 20th January and 2nd February, 1801 : Return of the number of the Inhabitants within the Wards, Suburbs and Farm Lots on the Peninsula of Hatifax, N. S., in the year : North Suburbs, 228 290 745 726 1471 246 326 572 13 31 44 31 13 44 Nth. BarrackWard 67 93 209 222 431 63 77 140 9 7 7 9 Pontac Ward Market-house do. 113 137 337 361 698 84 185 269 100 123 315 339 654 57 123 180 3 14 17 10 3 13 Governor's do. 69 90 210 224 434 50 60 110 Meeting-house do. 145 153 453 419 872 91 197 288 20 20 12 3 15 II II 9 I 10 22 22 155 20 164|12|150|1920|119|44|163 1000 1205 3140 3194 6334 758 1406 2164 42 150 192 119 44 163 012053140 CHAPTER XVIII. 1802. Two of the council died early in this year, viz., Charles Morris, 26 January, and Henry Newton, 29 January. Lieutenant governor Wentworth appointed Charles Morris to succeed his father as surveyor general of lands and register of the vice admiralty court; and George Thesiger, major of the R. N. S. regiment, to be collector of customs, in place of Mr. Newton. He also wrote to lord Hobart, secretary of state, to recommend doctor Croke, judge of vice admiralty, G. H. Monk, the judge, Charles Morris, and E. B. Brenton, the deputy judge advocate, to fill seats in H. M. council; and also recommended John Beckwith, (the controller general of army accounts), as a councillor qualified by 'birth, education and abilities.' I cannot avoid remarking the frequent recurrence of appointments and recommendations made by Sir John Wentworth of persons either connected with him by family ties or by the party sentiments he entertained. I doubt not that he acted in perfect honesty naming those in whose principles of uprightness and loyalty he could confide; nor do I believe he willingly passed over any man of marked mèrit or ability who concurred in his notions of government. But there was at this time an indolence about the colonial office, and provincial governors were left pretty much to their own discretion. Public officers, such as doctor Croke, messrs. Brenton, Beckwith, &c., might be well qualified as far as education and station went, but their almost total unacquaintance with the colony and its people. when made councillors, must have rendered them, practically, cyphers in the business brought before them. It will be found that this error pervaded the administration long after, several gentlemen being made councillors on account of their coming into the country to fill offices, civil and military, in the gift of Downing street. It is obvious that while the members of council filled the double occupation of legislation and executive administration, sitting in private seclusion in the exercise of both functions, and thus exercised an almost unlimited control of public affairs, they should at least have been persons connected with the country by long residence or birth, in order to ensure anything like a reasonable and just course of action. Otherwise they were liable to act wrong from want of information, and would be open to imposition in a thousand particulars. The assembly met 25 February, (8th general assembly, 3rd session.) Mr. Thomas Law. Dixson was sworn in as member for Amherst. The house, in its reply to the lieut: governor's speech, compliment him highly, referring to a report prevailing of his being removed. They attribute the prosperity of the country to his wise administration, and his unceasing exertions to promote its interests. They mention his perfect knowledge of the country, and the voice of their constituents in his favor. They express the "most ardent hope" for his continuance in the government, and conclude thus: "Should we be deprived of that blessing, we beg to offer our prayers that uninterrupted prosperity and happiness may attend you and your excellency's family, and that your excellency will be persuaded that wherever future events may place you, you will ever be accompanied by the gratitude and affectionate attachment of the commons of Nova Scotia." I March. A petition of Edmund Burke, vicar general of the diocese of Quebec, was presented by Mr. Pyke, and read, setting forth that the situation of the Roman catholic youth under his care, in many parts of the province, with respect to the means of obtaining the necessary information for the common purposes of life, is distressful in the extreme, and praying an act may be passed for incorporating the Roman catholic bishop of Quebec, and others, and their successors in office, to enable them to receive donations for the use of such schools |