Voices of the People

Nova Scotia House of Assembly Petitions and Correspondence

17 January 1809

Reply of the House to the written paper received from the Council giving their reasons for not approving of the appropriation bill. With regard to the bill for imposing an additional duty on liquors, the House states "that the House of Assembly consider themselves to be the constitutional judges as well of the Articles of which a duty may be laid with least inconvenience to their Constituents, as of the amount of that duty, and whether or not it shall be made to operate retrospectively, and that if a difference of sentiment should unfortunately happen in this respect, between His Majestys Council and the House, the opinion of the latter, in a money bill, should prevail." (Identical with the final message, Journal p. 99)

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 16 number 16