1830  23 Dec  Halifax  

1248. Nathaniel W. White to his brother Cornelius. He has promises from Forman and Huntington that they will insist upon nominating George Johnston as main road commissioner. Comments on the Uniacke and Wilkins election cases. "Think of Ritchie having applied for the Atty-Gen. ship! Nay, more, that there is a fair chance of his getting it!! It is said that Sir Perry has warmly recommended him. What will happen next?...The Council have wisely assented to the Revenue Bill notwithstanding the obnoxious item was meanly inserted in the same shape." Re Blanchard: "He is certainly a feverish agitator but has a clear head which will prevent his running wild into ultra-liberalism. He will always be in opposition to the powes that be, but has too much talent to let him go beyond the constitutional barrier & risque his [constituency?] On the whole the present House is superior to the last, particularly if the two Gentleman Barristers are successful. In truth & without prejudice if you deduct the Profession you leave a balance of ignorance, vulgarity & littleness personified. The wary first Commoner has used all his tact in keeping them from breaking out into open war & has done it successfully which is of importance to him just now, as in case of a hubbub he is aware that he will have the blame & knows the consequence. Judge Halliburton too in the other House has yielded for the sake of [?], as his hope of the Chief's seat has prompted, for you must know that he & the Speaker are neck & neck in the race for it. Each has been trying slyly to throw the other out of the saddle & thus tranquility has come out of it. Thus it is that the real springs to action are always hidden from the public eye." Debate on Roche's bill to reduce lawyers' fees and reform the practice of law. "This measure has been proposed regularly by the same Honble gentlemen for the last three sessions & been thrown out without discussion, as the lawyers always retired & left the field. This time however he has found a supporter & an able one too in Blanchard who has been ringing the changes upon this popular subject so loudly as to call up the whole strength of the Bar in the House...He is certainly right, but should yield upon so important a subject to the proposition that a Commission of Inquiry be formed by which the whole subject may be thoroughly investigated & thus prevent the evils which may arise from rash & hasty legislation upon so complicated a subject as the code of Jurisprudence. He has all the hardihood & obstinacy of my friend the Doctor, whose disciple he is..." Holograph.

White Family Nova Scotia Archives MG 1 Vol. 955 No. 1248