Artist: Gerry Squires
Portrait Hung: 22 April 2008

Election and Approbation of the Speaker (29 January 1834, Journal)

"The Members then returned to the Assembly Room, and having taken their seats, Mr. Martin addressing himself to the Clerk, and seconded by Mr. Carter, moved that Thomas Bennett, Esquire, Member for the District of Fogo, be chosen as Speaker. Mr. Pack, also addressing himself to the Clerk, and seconded by Mr. Peter Brown, moved that William Carson, Esquire, MD, Member for the District of St. John's, be chosen as Speaker.

Whereupon, Mr. Carson addressing the Clerk, directed him to note that he Mr Carson, excepted to Mr. Hoyles, Member for Fortune Bay, voting in the election of a Speaker, as being disqualified by virtue of the Act of the Imperial Parliament, 6 Anne, cap. 17 ; also, that he excepted to Mr. Cozens, Member for Conception Bay, voting in the election of a Speaker, as being disqualified by virtue of the Act of the Imperial Parliament, 52 Geo. 3d, cap. 144. Also, that he excepted to Mr. Kough, Member for St. John's, voting in the election of a Speaker, as being disqualified by virtue of the Act of the Imperial Parliament, 22d Geo. 3, cap. 45. Mr. Peter Brown also directed the Clerk to note, that he excepted to Mr. Martin, Member for St. Mary's Bay, voting in the election of a Speaker, not being sufficiently qualified as a Householder ; which exceptions were minuted by the Clerk accordingly.

And the choice of the House having fallen on the said Thomas Bennett, he was taken out of his place and conducted to and placed in the chair by Mr. Hoyles and, thereupon, Mr. Speaker Elect addressed the Members as follows:

Gentlemen, I beg to offer you my most sincere thanks for the honor you have conferred upon me by placing me in the highest elective situation in this Colony; and I assure you it shall be my unceasing duty to merit the confidence you have reposed in me, by a strict attention to the many duties of the important Office with which you have been pleased to invest me. I shall most anxiously guard the privileges of the House on all occasions, and I trust, by your assistance and support, those privileges will be at all times exercised, consistent with the prerogatives of the Crown, and the rights of the other Branches of the Legislature.”

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1^st General Assembly, 3^rd Session (29 January 1834).