[bourixot I BUILDERS OF NOVA SCOTIA 23 



Chief Justice Belcher — the first chief functionary of the supreme court 

 appointed in ISTova Scotia — and he was sustained by the opinion of the 

 English law officers, who called attention to the governor's commission, 

 which limited the council's powers. The result of this decision was the 

 establishment of a representative assembly, which met for the first time 

 at Halifax on the 2nd October in 1758. ' 



Governor Lawrence had the honour of opening the first legislative 

 assembly of Nova Scotia in 1758, but the records of those times also show 

 that he had been opposed to the introduction of a i:)opular assembly on 

 account of the small population of the province (not more than four thou- 

 sand souls probably), and his conviction that " heats, animosities and 

 dissensions" would be created among the few inhabitants " at a time when 

 the enemy is at our doors, and the whole should join together as one man 

 for their mutual safety and defence." These words were written by the 

 governor during the progress of the Seven Years' War, when a great 

 conflict was being fought between England and France for the supremacy 

 in North America. No doubt, as a soldier, he preferred the practically 

 supreme control he possessed in the administration of provincial affairs 

 by means of a council nominated by the crown and little influenced by 

 the merchants and the people generally. Even on the eve of the first 

 meeting of the assembly he wrote to the Lords of Trade, who adminis- 

 tered colonial affairs at those times, that he hoped he would not find 

 among the newly-elected representatives a disposition " to embarrass or 

 obstruct his majesty's service" or " to dispute the royal prerogative," and 

 he added that he feared " that too many of the members chosen are such 

 as have not been the most remarkable for promoting unity or obedience 

 to his majesty's government here, or indeed have the most natural attach- 

 ment to the pi'ovince." In his first speech to the legislature he reminded 

 the members of the fleets and armies sent out from time to time for their 

 protection from " a most merciless foe," and expressed the hope that they 

 would "promote the real welfare and prosperity of the crown or, in other 

 words, the real welfare and prosperity of the people." One Eobert 

 Sanderson, of whom we know nothing, was chosen as the first Speaker, 

 but he held his office for only one session, and was succeeded by William 

 Nesbitt, who presided over the House for many years. The first sittings 

 of the legislature were held in the court house, and subsequently in the 

 old grammar school at the corner of Harrington and Sackville streets, for 

 very many years one of the historic memorials of the Halifax of the 

 eighteenth century. It was removed eventually to a building on the 

 Market Square, on the spot where the Dominion public building now 

 stands, and here it remained until 1820, when the present parliament 

 house was completed for its reception. 



1 See Appendix G for copy of the order-in-council.establishing a House of Assem- 

 bly in Nova Scotia and a report of the proceedings at the first sitting, with names 

 of the first representatives. 



