retary at that time was Lord Glenelg, a statesman whose
character has been drawn by Sir Henry Taylor, who was then a clerk in
the colonial office. "Amiable and excellent as he was," says Taylor, "a
more incompetent man could not have been found to fill an office
requiring activity and ready judgment. A dart flung at him by Lord
Brougham in 1838 points to his notorious defect as a minister called
upon to deal with a crisis. The then crisis was that of the Canadian
Rebellion." "It is indeed," said Lord Brougham, "a most alarming and
frightful state of things, and I am sure must have given my noble friend
many a sleepless day." It was probably because of Lord Glenelg's habit
of procrastination that the delegates had to remain in London for four
months before they were able to bring their business to a conclusion.
They arrived there about the middle of June, and it was well on in
October before they were able to leave. The result of their work was
that an arrangement was made satisfactory both to the British government
and to the delegates representing the House of Assembly, by which the
casual and territorial revenues were to be transferred to the province,
in consideration of the legislature undertaking to provide for a civil
list of L14,500 currency annually, for the payment of certain salaries
chargeable to that fund. A draft of a Civil List Bill was prepared and
agreed to by the lords of the treasury, and the understanding was that
this bill should be passed by the legislature, and receive the assent of
the lieutenant-governor, when it would immediately become operative.

{CIVIL GOVERNMENT BILL}

The first clause of this bill transferred the proceeds of the
territorial and casual revenues, and of all woods, mines and royalties
which had been collected and were then in hand, or which should
thereafter be collected, to the provincial treasurer, who was authorized
to receive them for the use of the province, while the Act remained in
force. The second clause charged the revenues with the payment of
L14,500 for a civil list. The third clause enacted that all the surplus
over and above the sum of L14,500 currency, should remain in the
treasury of the province until appropriated or disposed of by an Act or
Acts of the general assembly. The fourth clause gave the
lieutenant-governor, with the advice of his executive council, power to
expend such sums as they might deem necessary for the prudent
management, protection and col