Passed under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom, constituting the Office of Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Island of Newfoundland and its Dependencies.
[Dated 28th March, 1876.]
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, GREETING:
Whereas We did, by certain Letters-Patent under the Great Seal of Our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster the sixth day of September, 1869, in the thirty-third year of Our reign, constitute and appoint Our trusty and well-beloved Colonel Stephen John Hill (now Sir Stephen John Hill, Knight Commander of Our Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George), Companion of Our Most Honourable Order of the Bath, to be, during Our pleasure, Our Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over Our Island of Newfoundland and its Dependencies.
And whereas We are desirous of making effectual and permanent provision for the office of Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over Our said Island of Newfoundland and its Dependencies without making new Letters-Patent on each demise of the said office:
Now know ye that We have revoked and determined, and by these presents do revoke and determine, the said recited Letters-Patent, and every clause, article, and thing therein contained:
And further know ye, that We, of Our special grace, certain knowledge, and mere notion, have thought fit to constitute, order, and declare and by these presents constitute, order, and declare, that there shall be a Governor and Commander-in-Chief (hereinafter called Our said Governor) in and over Our Island of Newfoundland, and the islands adjacent, and all the coast of Labrador from the entrance of Hudson's Straits to a line to be drawn due north and south, from Ance Sablon on the said coast to the fifty-second degree of north latitude, and all the islands adjacent to that part of the said coast of Labrador, and also of all forts and garrisons erected and established, or which shall be erected and established within or on the islands and coast aforesaid (which said islands and coast, together with the island of Newfoundland are hereinafter referred to as Our said Colony), and that the person who shall fill the said office of Governor shall be, from time to time, appointed by Commission under Our Sign-Manual and Signet.
And We do hereby authorize and command Our said Governor to do and execute in due manner all things that shall belong to his said command, and to the trust We have reposed in him, according to the several powers and authorities granted or appointed him by virtue of these present Letters-Patent, and of such Commission as may be issued to him under Our Sign-Manual and Signet, or by order in Our Privy Council, or by Us through one of Our principal Secretaries of State, and according to such laws and ordinances as are or shall hereafter be in force in Our said Colony.
II. And We do hereby declare Our pleasure to be that there shall be an Executive Council for Our said Colony, and that the said Colony shall consist of such persons as are now or may be at any time be declared by any law enacted by this Legislature of Our said Colony to be members of Our said Council, and of such other persons as Our said Governor shall, from time to time, in Our name and on Our behalf, but subject to any law as aforesaid, appoint under the Public Seal to be members of Our said Council.
III. And We do hereby declare Our pleasure to be that there shall be within Our said Colony a Legislative Council which shall consist of such members as at or immediately before the publication of these presents were members of Our said Council, and of such and so many other members as shall hereafter be from time to time nominated, and approved by Us under Our Sign-Manual and Signet, or provisionally appointed by Our said Governor until Our pleasure thereon shall be known:
Provided, nevertheless, and We do hereby declare Our pleasure to be, that the total number of the members of the said Legislative Council for the time being resident within Our said Colony shall not at any time, by such provisional appointments, be raised to a greater number in the whole than fifteen:
Provided also that every member of Our said Council shall hold his place therein during Our pleasure, and shall be removable by any instruction or warrant issued by Us under Our Sign-Manual and Signet, and with the advice of Our Privy Council.
IV. And We do authorize and empower Our said Governor, with the advice and consent of Our said Executive Council, by Writs issued in Our name, to summon and call together the General Assembly of Our said Colony, and also, from time to time, in the lawful and accustomed manner, to prorogue the Legislative Council and the House of Assembly of Our said Colony, and from time to time to dissolve the said House of Assembly.
V. And We do further authorize and empower Our said Governor, with the advice and consent of the said Legislative Council and Assembly of Our said Colony, to make laws for the public peace, welfare, and good government of Our said Colony.
VI. And We do further authorize and empower Our said Governor to keep and use the Public Seal of Our said Colony for sealing all things whatsoever that shall pass the said Public Seal.
VII. And We do further authorize and empower Our said Governor, in Our name and on Our behalf, to make and execute, under the said Seal, grants and dispositions of any lands which may be lawfully granted or disposed of by Us within Our said Colony.
VIII. And We do further authorize and empower Our said Governor to constitute and appoint in Our name and on Our behalf all such Judges, Commissioners, Justices of the Peace, and other necessary officers and ministers in Our said Colony as may be lawfully constituted or appointed by Us.
IX. And We do further authorize and empower Our said Governor, as he shall see occasion, in Our name and on Our behalf, when any crime has been committed within Our said Colony, or for which the offender may be tried therein, to grant a pardon to any accomplice, not being the actual perpetrator of such crime, who shall give such information and evidence as shall lead to the apprehension and conviction of the principal offender; and further, to grant to any offender convicted of any crime in any Court, or before any Judge, Justice, or Magistrate, within Our said Colony, a pardon, either free or subject to lawful conditions, for such period as Our said Governor may seem fit, and to remit any fines, penalties, or forfeitures which may become due and payable to Us.
Provided always that Our said Governor shall in no case make it a condition of any pardon or remission of sentence that the offender shall be banished from, or shall absent himself from Our said Colony.
X. And We do further authorize and empower Our said Governor, so far as We lawfully may, upon sufficient cause to him appearing, to remove from his office, or to suspend from the exercise of the same, any person exercising any such office or place within Our said Colony under or by virtue of any commission or warrant granted, or which may be granted, by Us or in Our name under Our authority.
XI. And We do hereby declare Our pleasure to be that, in the event of the death, incapacity, removal, or absence of Our said Governor out of Our said Colony, all and every the powers and authorities herein granted shall, until Our further pleasure is signified therein, be, and the same are hereby vested in such person as may be appointed by Us under Our Sign-Manual and Signet to be Our Lieutenant-Governor of Our said Colony, or if there be no such Lieutenant-Governor in Our said Colony, then such person or persons as may be appointed by Us under Our Sign-Manual and Signet to administer the Government of the same; and, in case there shall be no person or persons within Our said Colony so appointed by Us, then in the President for the time being of the Legislative Council of Our said Colony.
XII. And We do hereby require and command all Our Officers and Ministers, Civil and Military, and all other inhabitants of Our said Colony, to be obedient, aiding and assisting unto Our said Governor, or, in the event of his death, incapacity, or absence, to such person or persons as may from time to time, under the provisions of these Our Letters-Patent, administer the Government of Our said Colony.
XIII. And We do hereby reserve to Ourselves, Our heirs and successors, full power and authority from time to time to revoke, alter, or amend these Our Letters-Patent as to Us or them shall seem meet.
XIV. And Wed do further direct and enjoin that these Our Letters-Patent shall be read and proclaimed at such place or places as Our said Governor shall think fit within Our said Colony of Newfoundland.
In witness whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made patent. Witness Ourself at Westminster the 28th day of March, in the thirty-ninth year of Our reign.
(By warrant under the Queen's Sign-Manual.)
C. ROMILLY.