30 October 1807

Account of expenditure of monies by John McMonagle for roads in Hants County.

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 14 number 44

30 October 1807

William Minn's account for extra printing for the Government.

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 14 number 45

31 October 1807

Michael Wallace's account for building the new Government House.

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 14 number 46

December 1807

Copy of letter from John Wentworth to Alexander Croke regarding contagious disease quarantine and the necessity of his orders to have a health officer inspect vessels from the West Indies and the United States.

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 14 number 47

17 December 1807

Petition of Robert McElhinny, road commissioner, asking for compensation for his services. "Your petitioner not having an opportunity of examining the Law made it the last Session of Assembly relative to the expenditure of Sums of money for the like purpose, did not as by that law he might, retain any sum of money in his hands for Commissions and actually laid out and expended the whole Sum of money granted for the purposes aforesaid." Signed.

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 14 number 48

3 December 1807

The petition of John Taylor and other proprietors of negro servants in the province. Petitioners were inhabitants of the revolted colonies. "That, when His Majesty’s authority began to be opposed in those Colonies, your petitions adhered to their allegiances, and received the Royal assurance of full protection to their persons and security to their properties; That, at that period, throughout all His Majestys Colonies (without any exception) a property in Negroes was maintained and acknowledged if not encouraged; And your petitioners know not of any public act since that time, whereby such sort of property has been declared untenable – On the contrary, the Royal Proclamations and the Acts of Parliament admitting and encouraging persons of Your petitioners political principles to remove out of the United States into this province, expressly authorise them to bring their Negro Slaves, - Your petitioners are far from pretending to advocate Slavery as a System – With the creation of that System they had nothing to do – The introduction of Negro Slaves into His Majestys Colonies was at a time long before your Petitioners were born – It was authorised by the controuling authority of Parliament, in which authority the Colonies had not by representation any share – But, when Your petitioners came to the age of discretion, they found that His Majestys Colonial subjects possessed the right of holding a property in Negroes upon the same grounds that they possessed the right of holding any other species of property, and conceived that right to be as strongly guarded by law as any other of their rights or privileges whatsoever – But, unfortunately for Your petitioners, owing to certain doubts now entertained by the Kings Courts of Law in this Province, such property is rendered wholly untenable by Your petitioners, whose Negro Servants are daily leaving their service and setting Your Petitioners at defiance. For, if it be no longer incumbent upon the Negro who claims his liberty within a Colony, to produce the Certificate of his emancipation; or to shew that he was born of free parents – or, at least to prove that at some former period of his life he exercised the rights of a free person, it is in vain that his possessor attempts to litigate with him – Negroes, universally thro the Colonies, passed like other chattels; sometimes by Bills of Sale, at other times by mere tradition. As in the case of other chattels, possession was a proof of property till the contrary was shewn – And Your petitioners are prepared to prove their property in the Negroes they possess against all adverse claimants – But, as Negroes are transitory, Your petitioners are not (nor from the nature of the thing is it possible they should be) prepared with a legal course of testimony, for deducing such negros Pedigree from an African Slave Ancestor, - Much less (as Colonists) are prepared, or (as they humble conceive) in reason called upon, to maintain the legality of a System which the Parliament of Great Britain has authorised, and the Parliament of The United Kingdoms doth still allow. Leaving all subtle reasoning to better heads, Your petitioners rely, and must rely, in this, as in many other cases, upon the long established usage in His Majestys Colonies, and must humble hope for the same rule and measure of justice here, as might, in their case, be hoped for by His Majesty free colonial subjects of any other of his transmarine dominions – Perhaps however, the peculiar circumstances of this Province, or perhaps the true interests of Humanity, may require in this Colony, the abolition of that particular species of property claimed by your petitioners, (these however are problems that your petitioners presume not to solve) But if so, it seems but reasonable and just, that you petitioners, and others under like circumstances with them, should bear only their proportional parts of the loss or expence attending such abolition – Upon the whole therefore, Your petitioners confiding in the chaste manly and deliberate wisdom of this House; and fully relying upon the justice integrity and honor of this Assembly, Most humble pray: That their Case may be taken under your Consideration, and that either such regulations may be made as in your wisdom shall be deemed expedient for securing Your petitioners property in their Negro Servants, - Or, that, if such property is to be sacrificed to the public good, Your petitioners may, from that public, receive their equitable compensation". 26 names signed. (See bill no. 56, for regulating negro servitude in the province, deferred).

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 14 number 49

9 December 1807

Draft of Journal of the House from the opening of the session to 9 December 1807.

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 14 number 50

7 December 1807

Petition of Evan Lewis, David Black, Isaac Tucker and Andrew Murdoch, debtors in the Halifax jail, stating that the £50 grant for their relief has been expended, and asking for further relief. Signed.

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 14 number 51

8 December 1807

Draft of address of the Assembly in answer to the Lt.-Governor’s address on opening the session.

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 14 number 52

9 December 1807

Reply of the Lieut.-Governor to the Assembly’s answer to his address on opening the session. Signed.

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 14 number 53

17 December 1807

Petition of William Blair, contractor for building a bridge over North River, Onslow, asking to be relieved from his contract because of the damage done to the structure by the elements. Signed.

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 14 number 54

11 December 1807

Resolution for granting 100 guineas for purchasing a piece of plate for Vice-Admiral Berkeley "as a testimonial of the respect and esteem of this Province." 2 copies. Division of House on the vote on Mr. Pool's motion regarding the Admiral and a draft of resolution expressing regret that Berkeley is leaving the province.

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 14 number 55

11 December 1807

Affidavit of John Crow, junior, regarding William Blair and damage done to the bridge over North River, Onslow.

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 14 number 56

12 December 2007

Report of the committee appointed to examine of public accounts.

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 14 number 57

14 December 1807

Petition of Robert King, asking the aid of the House to extend his improvements and keep a house for the accommodation of travelers and a certificate as to the truth of his petition.

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 14 number 58