Lord North moved, that the propositions contained in the Address, Petition, and Memorial, of the Council and House of Assembly of the Province of Nova-Scotia, of granting to his Majesty, in perpetuity, a duty of poundage, ad valorem, upon all the commodities imported into the said Province, not being of the produce of the British Dominions in Europe and America, (Bay Salt excepted,) the said duty to be under the disposition of Parliament, is fit to be accepted; and that the amount of said duty shall be eight Pounds per cent. upon all such commodities; which was agreed to.

Mr. Speaker then resumed the chair, and Mr. Mackworth reported from the Committee, that they had made a progress in the matter to them referred, and that he was directed by the Committee to move that they may have leave to sit again.

Resolved, That this House will, on Friday morning next, resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House, to consider further of the said Letter and Paper.

Monday, November 20, 1775.

Ordered, That the Order of the Day, for the House to resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the Letter, &c., be now read.

And the said Order being read accordingly,

Resolved, That this House will, upon Thursday morning next, resolve itself into the said Committee.

Ordered, That the Agent for his Majesty’s Colony of Nova-Scotia do attend the said Committee upon Thursday morning next.

Ordered, That there be laid before this House an account of the amount of all sums of Money disbursed, and other expenses incurred, by the publick, for or on account of the Province of Nova-Scotia, since September, 1747, to September, 1775, inclusive, distinguishing each year.

Ordered, That there be laid before this House an account of the expense of the Revenue Establishment in Nova-Scotia, from September, 1763, to September, 1773.

Ordered, That there be laid before this House an account of the gross and net produce of all Duties laid by act of Parliament on all foreign goods imported into Nova-Scotia, from September, 1763, to September, 1773, inclusive, distinguishing the produce of each duty and each year.

Ordered, That there be laid before this House an account of the duty commonly called the Enumerated Duty, paid on goods exported to Nova-Scotia from any Colony or Plantation in America, from September, 1763, to September, 1773, inclusive.

Ordered, That there be laid before this House an account of the quantity and value of the Wine and Fruits exported from Great Britain to Nova-Scotia, from September, 1763, to September, 1773, inclusive, distinguishing each year.

Thursday, November 23, 1775.

The House resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider further of the Letter communicated to this House by Mr. Speaker, upon the 26th day of October last, dated Halifax, Nova-Scotia, July 4, 1775, and signed “William Nesbitt, Speaker,” together with a Paper enclosed therein, intituled “The Address, Petition, and Memorial, of the Representatives of the Freeholders of the Province of Nova-Scotia, in General Assembly.”

And the Speaker being about to leave the chair, Mr. Burke objected to it, as did Mr. Dempster and Mr. Fox. They contended that the Petition had been brought into the House late at night, and that the authenticity of the signatures of the petitioners, styling themselves the Speaker and Assembly of the Province, had not been proved. They insisted that Mr. Cumberland, the Agent for Nova-Scotia, should be called in and examined while the Speaker was in the chair. This was opposed by Lord North, Sir Gilbert Elliot, &c.; and it was agreed to go into the Committee.

Mr. Cumberland was called in. He was asked if he knew anything of the Petition before the Committee. He said he knew nothing of it. He was shown the signature of the Speaker of the Assembly of Nova-Scotia, and asked if he knew it. He replied he knew the gentleman’s handwriting, having received several letters from him; but did not know he was Speaker of the Assembly till he was now informed of it. He then withdrew.

Resolutions were then submitted by Lord North, which were agreed to.

Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Mackworth reported from the Committee, that they had examined the Agent for his Majesty’s Colony of Nova-Scotia, and had come to several Resolutions, which they had directed him to report when the House will please to receive the same.

Ordered, That the Report be received upon Wednesday morning next.

Wednesday, November 29, 1775.

Ordered, That Sir Grey Cooper do make the Report from the Committee of the whole House, to whom it was referred to consider of the Letter communicated to this House by Mr. Speaker, upon the 26th day of October last, dated Halifax, Nova-Scotia, July 4, 1775, and signed “William Nesbitt, Speaker,” together with a Paper enclosed therein, intituled “The Address, Petition, and Memorial, of the Representatives of the Freeholders of the Province of Nova-Scotia, in General Assembly.”

Sir Grey Cooper accordingly reported from the said Committee the Resolutions which the Committee had directed to be reported to the House, which he read in his place, and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk’s table, where the same were read, and are as followeth, viz:

Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee that the proposition contained in the Address, Petition, and Memorial, of the House of Assembly of the Province of Nova-Scotia, of granting to his Majesty, in perpetuity, a duty of poundage, ad valorem, upon all commodities imported into the Province of Nova-Scotia, not being the produce of the British dominions in Europe and America, (Bay Salt excepted,) the said duty to be disposed of by Parliament, is fit to be accepted, and that the amount of the said duty should be eight Pounds per centum upon all such commodities.

Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee that when and as soon as an Act or Acts shall have been passed by the General Assembly of the said Province of Nova-Scotia, conformable to the foregoing resolution, and his Majesty shall have given his Royal approbation to such Act or Acts, all and every duty, tax, and assessment, hath been imposed and levied within the said Province, by any Act or Acts of Parliament now in force, ought to cease and be discontinued; and that for so long as the Act or Acts of Assembly for granting to his Majesty the said Poundage duty shall continue in force, no other or further duties, taxes, or assessments, ought to be imposed or levied by Act of Parliament, within the said Province, except such duties only as it may be expedient to continue to levy or to impose for the regulation of commerce; the net produce of the duties last mentioned to be carried to the account of the said Province.

Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee that it will be advisable to admit a direct importation into the Province of Nova-Scotia, by his Majesty’s subjects, in ships and vessels qualified by law, of all Wines, Oranges, Lemons, Currants, and Raisins, the growth and produce of any foreign country whatsoever: provided such Wines, Oranges, Lemons, Currants, and Raisins, be imported directly from the place of their growth and produce; and provided, also, that the said commodities be not imported into any other port or place within the said Province, except the Port of Halifax.

And motion was made, and the question being put, that the further consideration of the said Report be adjourned till Wednesday morning next, it passed in the negative.

The first Resolution of the Committee being read a second time, an amendment was proposed to be made thereto, by inserting after the word “America,” these words: “although the same be exported upon certificate from Great Britain.”

And the question being put, that those words be there inserted, it passed in the negative.

Another amendment was proposed to be made to the said Resolution, by inserting after the word “America,” these words: “certificate goods exported from Great Britain to Nova-Scotia, not being included.”

And the question being put, that those words be there inserted, it passed in the negative.