Page:Life of William Shelburne (vol 2).djvu/476

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440
WILLIAM, EARL OF SHELBURNE

mouth of the river Saint Lawrence, by the West end of the Island of Anticosty, terminates at the aforesaid river Saint John.

Secondly. The Government of East Florida.

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Thirdly. The Government of West Florida.

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Fourthly. The Government of Grenada.

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And to the end that the open and free Fishery of our subjects may be extended to, and carried on upon the coast of Labrador, and the adjacent Islands, we have thought fit, with the advice of our said Privy Council, to put all that coast, from the River Saint John to Hudson's Streights, together with the Islands of Anticosty and Madeleine, and all smaller islands lying upon the said coast under the care and inspection of our Governor of Newfoundland.

We have also, with the advice of our Privy Council, thought fit to annex the Islands of Saint John and Cape Breton, or Isle Royale, with the lesser Islands adjacent thereto, to our Government of Nova Scotia.

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And whereas it will greatly attribute to the speedy settling our said new Governments that our loving subjects should be informed of our Paternal care for the security of the liberty and properties of those who are, and shall become inhabitants thereof; we have thought fit to publish and declare by this our Proclamation, that we have, in the Letters Patent under our Great Seal of Great Britain, by which the said Governments are constituted, given express power and direction to our Governors of our said colonies respectively, that so soon as the state and circumstance of the said colonies will admit thereof, they shall with the advice and consent of the Members of our Council, summon and call general assemblies within the said Governments respectively in such manner and form as is used and directed in those colonies and provinces in America, which are under our immediate government: and we have also given power to the said Governors, with the consent of our said Councils and the Representatives of the people, so to be summoned as aforesaid, to make, constitute, and ordain Laws, Statutes, and Ordinances for the public peace, welfare and good government of our said colonies, and of the people and inhabitants thereof, as near as may be agreeable to the Laws of England, and under such regulations and restrictions as are used in other colonies; and in the meantime, and until such assemblies can be called as aforesaid, all persons inhabiting in or resorting to our said colonies may confide in our royal protection for the enjoyment of the benefit of the Laws of our Realm of England; for