66 APPENDIX TO CHAPTER XXII. (1.) Rockingham Club, On Saturday, the 18th instant. Dinner to be on the table at 4 o'clock. July 7. Lord Castlereagh wrote, 4 July, 1807, to Sir J. Wentworth, "that an allow- " ance, not exceeding £150 per annum, should be paid to the commissary of " "the bishop of Nova Scotia for travelling expences, certified to the lieutenant " governor by the bishop." [Sir John Wentworth to lord Castlereagh.] 18 August, 1807. Informs him of "the death of Mrs. Deborah Cottnam, on the last day of the " "year 1806, by which event her pension of £100 per annum, granted by Parlia- ” "ment in the annual Estimate for this province, has ceased." (2.) [N. S. Royal Gazette, tuesday, Jan'y. 19, 1808.] Married, Thursday evening, by the Rev. Dr. Stanser, Richard John Uniacke, attorney general, &c., to miss Eliza Newton, daughter of the late captain Newton, of H. M. 45th regt. EMBARGO ACT PASSED, WASHINGTON, DEC. 22, 1807. That an embargo be, and hereby is laid, on all ships and vessels in the ports and places within the jurisdiction of the United States, cleared or not cleared, bound to any foreign ports or places: and that no clearance be furnished to any ship or vessel bound to such foreign port or place, except vessels under the immediate directions of the President of the United States; and that the President be authorized to give such instructions to the officers of the Revenue, and of the Navy and Revenue Cutters of the United States, as shall appear best adapted for carrying the same into effect. Provided, that nothing herein contained shall be construed to prevent the departure of any foreign ship or vessel, either in ballast or with the goods, wares and merchandize on board of such foreign ship or vessel, when notified of this act. Sec. 2 requires vessels going with goods, &c., from one port to another in the United States, to give bonds to reland the goods in the United States. Armed ships of foreign powers not to be subject to this embargo. CHAPTER XXIII. On the 18 February, Benning Wentworth, secretary of the province, and brother of lady Wentworth, died, in the 53d year of his age. On the 19th, Sir John appointed and commissioned his own son, Charles Mary Wentworth, as secretary, and register of patents, deeds and records, and as the latter was in England, Mr. Michael Wallace to act as his deputy; and on the 2d March, the commission was read and signed in council. Sir John begs lord Castlereagh to confirm the appointment, as a favor to him in his advanced age and faithful' 'service of nearly forty-two years.' 26 March. The accounts of the armed schooner The Hunter' were now sent to England. The expences to 5 January, 1808, including purchase, outfit, victualling, wages, repairs and other disbursements, amounted to £2759 13 1d., Halifax currency, equal then to £2477 8s. 4d. sterling. (The rule at that time was to add II 1-9 per cent. to sterling sums to turn them into currency. That every £100 st.'g. was equivalent £111 2s. 2d. 6-9 c'y.) This vessel was in the service of the superintendant of Trade and Fisheries, (Mr. Leonard), whose salary was £200; and there was £600 remaining of the parliamentary grant of 1807 towards meeting the cost of the schooner. Besides cruising on the coast, she had carried governmental despatches to Bermuda in January-brought thence the December mail from England, and was about going to New Brunswick with money for the embodied militia of that province, and afterwards to be sent to the coasts to prevent illicit trade. Three regiments of militia were now embodied in Nova Scotia, and employed in actual service. It was proposed to have one troop of light horse, in number 35 officers and men, who should find their own horses. The artillery (militia) could at this time furnish 124 men, capable of assisting the regulars either in batteries or with field pieces. The town militia mounted guards in rotation, being only paid when on actual duty. The whole trained force reliable was 1800 men, and great harmony prevailed between them and H. M. regular troops. [Sir F. W's. letter of 26 March to lord Castlereagh.] The hon. John Halliburton resigned his seat in council, from extreme ill health, and died on monday, 11 July. On (monday) the 29 February, the despatches from England were received by the schooner Hunter. Among these was the opinion of the attorney and solicitor general of England, on the subject of Walker's seat, which entirely confirmed the privileges of the house of assembly. In this document they say: "Upon the materials before us, we cannot advise with-" holding a new writ for the election of a member for the " "county of Annapolis, in the room of Mr. Walker, whose seat has been declared vacant by a resolution of the house" "of assembly. We apprehend that the issuing of a new writ" "is a necessary consequence of a vacancy created by the " "resolution of the house, and we see no sufficient ground to "question the competency of the house to decide exclusively " "and without appeal on the validity of an election of one of" "the members." The opinion is signed V. Gibbs' and 'J. Plumer,' Lincoln's Inn, 7 July, 1807. This was laid before the council 2 March, 1808, present the lieutenant governor and messrs. Butler, Belcher, Wallace, E. B. Brenton, and Charles Hill. They advised writs to issue for Mr. Walker's seat, and also for that of Mr. Allen Chipman, for Sydney county. Sir John Wentworth's administration of the government of Nova Scotia now came to a close. Whether the prospect of a war with the United States led the ministry to the conclusion that it would be best to have a military man here as governor, so as to unite the command of the troops with the civil chief authority, particularly as Sir James Craig was sick - at this time; or whether they may have disapproved of some of Sir John's proceedings and opinions, or possibly thought he was now too old for the position he filled, it is out of our power to ascertain. Whatever may have brought about the change, lieutenant general Sir George Prevost, baronet. was made lieutenant governor of Nova Scotia, by a commission, dated 15 January, 1808, and arriving at Halifax the 7 April, notified Sir John Wentworth of his appointment. (The official letter of lord viscount Castlereagh on the subject was not received here until the 25 April, so the information of his being superseded was quite unexpected by Sir John. Sir George Prevost arrived at Halifax on thursday, 7 April, with the 7th, 8th, and 23d regiments of foot, each upwards of 1000 men strong. Brigadier general Houghton also accompanied him. As soon as the Penelope, ship of war, had anchored, major general Hunter, and Mr. M. Wallace, acting secretary, went on board to greet the new lieut. governor. At 6 o'clock he landed at the king's wharf, under a salute from fort George, and was escorted by the grenadiers of the 101st regiment to government house. On wednesday, 11 April, the 101st regiment began their march from Halifax to Annapolis. 13 April, the council met; present, lieutenant governor Sir John Wentworth, chief justice Blowers, doctor Croke, judge of vice admiralty, and messrs. Butler, Belcher, Wallace, E. B. Brenton and Charles Hill. The new commission was read. Sir George Prevost took the oaths, and signed the rolls. Sir John Wentworth placed him in the chair, and having congratulated him and thanked the council for past support, withdrew. 16 April the council addressed Sir J. W. in most respectful terms. The British government did not, in removing so old and faithful a servant, omit to display its generosity in providing for the comfort of his declining years. A pension was arranged for his benefit, to be met partly by the British exchequer and partly by the provincial funds. Sir George Prevost had been sent with troops to reinforce Bermuda and Nova Scotia. The ship of war Penelope, in which he embarked, had the transports under her convoy, one of which parted company three days after they left Spithead. They reached Bermuda 24 March, and left the 13th regiment there. The passage to Halifax was stormy, but all got safe into port. On 18 April, the council again met, and, by order of Sir George Prevost, the attorney general Richard John Uniacke was sworn in as a member of H. M. council. The militia was estimated at 9000 men, and it was decided to call the assembly together on the 19 May, to amend the militia laws. " In a letter from Sir George Prevost, 27 April, to E. Cooke, esq'r., under secretary of state, he says he found Sir John Wentworth wholly unprepared for his arrival. "In consequence, it was only a few days ago I assumed the civil" "administration, nor have I as yet taken possession of the "government house, an edifice out of all proportion to the " situation, and the cause of my predecessor's reduced circum- " "stances, notwithstanding the increase his income derived" "from his situation of surveyor of woods," He hopes he may have same salary as the lieutenant governor of Lower Canada. Mentions Mr. Uniacke's being a member of the council, and requests a mandamus for him "in conformity to the arrange-" "ment made respecting this event some years ago." The effective force of the militia in Nova Scotia, he considered would not exceed 3000 men,-in New Brunswick, 700, and Cape Breton and Prince Edward Island would perhaps together furnish 400. He says, 'hitherto the male population 'composed the militia. It was rather a levée en masse, of' 'which one-third only will be called out for training and' 'instruction.' He approves of Sir John Wentworth's mode of embodying the militia. He mentions sending 'a respect-' 'able and intelligent inhabitant of Halifax,' (this was Mr. John Howe), 'first to Boston, then to Washington, Norfolk and' 'New York.' It would seem the object was to get information as to any warlike preparations in the United States. He recommends Mr. George, who had accompanied him as his private secretary, to be secretary and registrar of the province. As to the defences of the province, he says: Ruin and' 'desolation is the characteristic feature, and endless expence' 'must attend them, unless they are constructed in a more' 'permanent manner, and are more concentrated.' |