eir Speaker. His Excellency the Governor did not much relish the
choice. He did not, however, refuse to confirm Mr. Panet as Speaker of
the Assembly. It was thought that he would be refused confirmation. But
when he appeared at the Bar, with the House at his heels, and supported
by the Mace, the Honorable the Speaker of the Legislative Council was
only commanded to tell Mr. Panet, that having filled the Chair of
Speaker, during four successive Parliaments, it was not on the score of
insufficiency that he would admit an excuse on Mr. Panet's part, nor
form objections on his own part. He had no reason to doubt the
discretion and moderation of the present House of Assembly, and as he
was, at all times, desirous of meeting their wishes, so he would be
particularly unwilling not to do so, on an occasion, in which they were
themselves principally interested. He, therefore, allowed and confirmed
Mr. Panet to be Speaker. His Excellency, though somewhat ironical in
his mode of confirmation, acted liberally and prudently. In His
Excellency's speech from the throne, allusion was made to the
unfavourable posture of affairs with America; to the revolution in
Spain and to the generous assistance afforded that country by Great
Britain; again to the emigration of the Royal Family of Portugal to
Brazil; to Wellington's victory at Vimeira, by which Portugal had been
rescued from the French; he cautioned the members of the Legislature
against jealousies among themselves, or of the government, which could
have no other object in view than the general welfare; and alluded to
the non-intercourse and embargo policy of the United States, which, so
far, had operated favourably for the Canadian trade, particularly in
the article of lumber, which, owing to the exclusion of British
shipping from the Baltic, had become a staple export. The House was not
pleased at the hints about jealousies, nor very much pleased with His
Excellency's remarks in confirming their Speaker. The reply was not
quite an echo of the speech. It was more. It was a quiet remonstrance
against governmental insinuation. On proceeding to business, the
propriety of expelling the judges was again discussed. A motion to
expel them was even made, but it was negatived. Some even who were
averse to the judges having seats in the Assembly were not prepared to
go the length of expelling them from the House. All that was wanted was
that, in future, judges should be ineligible for seats in