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Show 448 AC'rs RELATING Part III. that the proclamation publiihed in the third year of his majel'ty's reign, was inapplicable to the {late of the province. Is it pollible that parliament {hould have fate fix long years before it made this difco- very P The confufion which prevailed in the rel'c of the American continent was attributed by thofe who were belt informed, Set}, VlIl. TO THE COLONIES. 419 + " the fiate and circuznllarices of the coun- " try." To atone for this, I mull; call it culp- able negligence, we may with reafon expeft, that the regulation which {0 much time was taken to digeflt, was well adapt... ed to the Rate and circumfiances, and conducive to (2/! the interef'cs of the province. to the want of a parliamentary fettlement. Why was the fettlement of(hebec fo long \Ve have the more reafon to e):peft this, as here at leaf't parliament had it's hands at liberty. delayed? The laws and cultoms, the tem- No contending and per and manners, of the people, mufi fure- oppofite claims had it to adjult, no grants to [leer clear of, or revoke. ly have been learned by the miniflry in the courfe of five years, which preceded the exiflence of the laft parliament. It cannot then but appear fingular, that an act of this nature Ihould have been deferred to the very latter end of the laf't fellions of All the peculiar privileges which the inhabitants of Ohebec coulr l claim, were comprifcd in a fliort capitulation, and 3. {angle article of a treaty of peace. Let us fee now if the jufiice and policy of the aét are fuch, the parliament before us. It was furely an at}. of wanton cruelty to fufl‘er the province to groan for lix whole years under a form of government, " incorififient with their " commercial interefls, and inapplicable to as to atone for the aflonilhing tardinefs in palling it. \Vith regard to the extenlion of the Tnoundaries of the province, Ithin ; all the objeétions againfl it, have been fully and. ably anlivered by an author, who feems to " the Gg have |
