15 



timber, especially on those situated along the 

 borders of the rivers; these trespasses, it is 

 well known, are chiefly committed by natives 

 of the United States. It cannot be doubted 

 but that a remedy might be very easily applied 

 to this evil. 



In forming the plan of government for 

 Canada, the general principles of the English 

 constitution were introduced wherever it was 

 practicable : in the upper province no im- 

 pediments to this course of proceeding were 

 met with ; but in the lower one some small 

 deviations from them were found necessary, in 

 order to reconcile it to the genius of a people 

 so long accustomed to a different regime. The 

 civil department is administered by a governor, 

 who is generally a military officer and com- 

 mander of the forces, a lieutenant governor, 

 an executive council, a legislative council, and 

 a house of assembly, or the representatives of 

 the people. The governor and lieutenant go- 

 vernor naturally exercise their authority under 

 the royal commission. The members of the 

 executive council, amounting to seventeen, 

 derive their appointments from the king, and 

 this body exercises a direction over the con- 

 cerns of the province, nearly similar to that of 

 the privy council in the affairs of England. 

 The legislative council, by the act of the con- 



