292 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [VOL. II. 



longer. As usual the antagonists of the act of emancipation dwelt 

 upon the cost and difficulty of obtaining free labour. 



A minute in the proceedings of the Executive Council shows that on 

 occasions the slave-owners did not hesitate to defy and thwart the law 

 in the most insolent manner. "On the 21st March, 1793, Peter Martin, 

 a negro in the service of Col. Butler, attended for the purpose of in- 

 forming the Council of the outrage perpetrated on Chloe Cooley, a negro 

 girl in his service by one Fromand (Vrooman?) of Queenston by binding 

 her and delivering her to certain persons unknown, against her will. 

 The evidence of William Grisley or Crisley was taken, that she was tied, 

 and delivered as above stated, and that he saw a negro at a distance also 

 tied, and he had heard that many other people mean to do the same by 

 their negroes ; and it was resolved that it is necessary to take measures 

 to prevent breaches of the peace and the Attorney-General was instructed 

 to prosecute Fromand." 



A scarcely less important measure, passed at this session, was the 

 first municipal act. The Governor had by this time convinced himself 

 that to place the nomination of township officers entirely in the hands 

 of the magistrates as he had at first been inclined to do, would be ex- 

 tremely unpopular and the great mass of the Loyalists were decidedly 

 of the opinion that these officers and particularly the collectors of rates 

 would be more readily obeyed if they were elected by the ratepayers, 

 and an act was passed accordingly under which clerk, assessor, collector, 

 wardens &c., were all to be elected annually at a town-meeting held for 

 the purpose. 



The bill for imposing a duty on spirits in transit through the province 

 was again passed by the Assembly and defeated with much difificuUy in 

 the other house, as its advocates hoped that it would provide a fund for 

 all purposes and leave a sufficient balance in the Treasury for the pay- 

 ment of members' wages. It was then agreed that a system of district 

 assessments should be adopted for all local improvements, b\' levying 

 a rate upon all real and personal property, and as a majority of members 

 still insisted upon securing salaries, a special rate was imposed on each 

 riding for this purpose. Although the sessional allowance was fixed at 

 only two dollars a day, this act caused considerable dissatisfaction among 

 their constituents. At the close of the session the Provincial Treasury 

 was empty and the Assembly was in consequence obliged to pass a 

 resolution asking the Governor for a loan to pay salaries and contingent 

 expenses to be repaid at the next session and the sum of ;^i9i 5s. was 

 accordingly advanced by him. The British Parliament had already voted 

 £6^00 to meet all other expenses of the civil government of the province. 



