8 January 1808

Letter from the Secretary of the province to the Speaker, Lewis M. Wilkins, in answer to the request that a new writ be issued to elect a representative for Sydney County. "His Excellency requires that He should be informed by what means a vacancy has arisen, that He may be able to judge if under the circumstances of the Case he may consider the Seat as legally vacated." Until he hears from the Home Government he cannot issue a new writ for the township of Annapolis.

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 15 number 9

8 January 1808

Nine resolutions for granting sums for various provincial services. Agreed to by the Council.

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 15 number 10

9 January 1808

Petition of John Leggett of Country Harbour, asking for compensation for salvaging part of cargo of brandy and wine from which the province realized is a good sum of duties. Certificate of Excise Officer attached..

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 15 number 11

11 January 1808

Reply of the Lt.-Governor to Assembly’s address refusing to augment the Treasurer’s salary.

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 15 number 12

11 January 1808

Report of committee on John Hall’s petition, recommending £25 compensation.

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 15 number 13

11 January 1808

Report of the committee of the House on John Leggett’s petition, recommending that £18. 1. 3. be granted him for salvaging part of the brandy and wine cargo. (Draft)

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 15 number 14

11 January 1808

Report of committee on petition of William Blair whose contract they recommend to be renewed, and Robert McElhinney, whose petition they would dismiss.

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 15 number 15

12 January 1808

Seventy-four resolutions of the House for votes for road services.

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 15 number 16

12 January 1808

Draft of resolutions of the House for votes for the service of roads and bridges.

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 15 number 17

12 January 1808

Seventy-four resolutions of the House for votes for road services.

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 15 number 18

14 January 1808

Draft of the address of the House to the Assembly in reply to the Secretary’s letter of 8th January concerning the Annapolis and Sydney County elections. They express "their alarm at the disclosure of principles and expressions of claims in the Secretary’s letter, which tend directly to the subversion of one of the best established rights and privileges of the House, on the maintenance of which the Independence and even the Existence of this Branch of the Legislature depend." House declare "by the principles of the Constitution, the general Law of Parliament, and the uniform and hitherto undisputed practice of the House of Assembly of this province since its first formation the privilege of judging and deciding the rights of Electors and Elected and on all questions relating to Elections, was and is solely and exclusively vested in the House of Assembly, without appeal or reference to the ulterior judgement of any authority whatsoever." They demand a writ for Sydney County. "in the name and behalf of the people of Nova Scotia, with all due respect, but with that freedom which becomes this Assembly when claiming their undoubted rights." With regard to the Annapolis township writ "the Assembly lament that your Excellency should have been induced by any advice whatever to adopt a measure by which the Freeholders of that Township have been so long deprived of their right of representation, more especially as the advice proceeded from those who, in another capacity have made repeated attempts to invade the privileges of the Assembly"…they await with confidence the determination of the Home Government on the subject. (Also in Vol. 287, no. 166). (See Assembly Journal, pp. 63, 64)

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 15 number 19

16 January 1808

Draft of report of the committee of the House on the subject of a lighthouse for Brian Island. (Compare with the finished report. Assembly Journals, p. 65)

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 15 number 20

18 January 1808

Resolution of the House regarding the resolutions sent down by the Council for their concurrence. Part of this included in Assembly Journal, p. 67. (Draft)

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 15 number 21

18 January 1808

Draft of report of the committee on roads and bridges.

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 15 number 22

18 January 1808

Draft of report on conference with Council, giving message from the Council, explaining why Council have sent down copies instead of originals of the Assembly’s resolutions… "this mode is rendered necessary on the part of the Council by the practice of the House of so connecting long Strings of different Resolutions together that the Originals cannot be sent down without great risk of mistake, where part only are Agreed to part be for further Consideration and part are disagreed to. But if the Assembly will send each several Resolution to the Council by itself it would be severally Considered. And the original sent down if the House wished it."

Reference: Nova Scotia House of Assembly Nova Scotia Archives RG 5 Series A volume 15 number 23