22 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



Archibald was also long connected with the comnioreial interests of Cape 

 Breton and was one of the first memboi-s called to the ui>per house of the 

 parliament of Canada. Judge Archibald of the superior court of the 

 province of Quebec is another able descendant of one of the four brothers, 

 whose coming to Colchester about one hundred and forty years ago was 

 so auspicious an event for Nova Scotia. 



Senators McKeen and Miller can also trace their descent from the 

 same settlers. The Allisons, whose names are so honourably connected 

 with the foundation and development of the prosperous educational in- 

 stitution of a high class at Sackville— one of whose descendants is now 

 the able president of the university — also came from the north of Ireland 

 and settled in Horton and Newport. 



It will be seen from the oflScial return of the census of 1767 that it 

 gives less than a thousand people as "English,"' but this enumeration 

 appears to bo in a measure delusive. The return, no doubt, refers only 

 to those persons who had come direct from England since the foundation 

 of Halifax, but as a matter of fact a large proportion of t he people called 

 "Americans" — nearly seven thousand — were of pure English origin, like 

 the majority of the people of the old colonies of New England. 



V. Early Government of the Province. — Until the foundation of Hali- 

 fax the government of Nova Scotia was vested solely in a governor who 

 had command of the garrison stationed at Annapolis. In 1719 a com- 

 mission was issued to Governor Phillips, who was authorized to appoint 

 a council of not less than twelve persons. This council had advisory and 

 judicial functions, but its legislative authority was of a ver}' limited scope. 

 Their acts did not extend beyond temporary regulations relative to trade 

 in grain in the Bay of Eundy, or else local enactments touching the 

 people of the village of Annapolis. The Acadians had the right to choose 

 deputies to act as arbitrators in small matters of controversy between 

 themselves, and an apjieal was allowed to the governor-iii-council, who 

 sat for this purpo.se three times a year. The Acadians are ilescribed by 

 some writers as extremely litigious, but their disputes aj)pear to have 

 been generally decided among themselves, especially by reference to the 

 priests, and it was rarely that they resorted to their English masters. 

 This provisional system of government lasted until 174it, when Halifax 

 became the seat of the new administration of public affaiis. The gover- 

 nor had a right to appoint a council of twelve persons and to summon 

 a general assembly "according to the usage of the rest of our colonies 

 and plantations in America." He was, " with the advice and consent" 

 of the council and assembly " to make, constitute and ordain laws" for the 

 good government of the province. During nine years the governor-in- 

 council carried on the government without an assembly, and passed a 

 number of ordinances, some of which im])0scd duties on trade for the 

 purpose of raising revenue. The legality of their acts was questioned by 



See supra p. 19. 



