prerogatives to do, and which his predecessors have done over and over again in the exercise of their Royal prerogative. It is a great prerogative to have the power of delegating so much authority.
"III. That the authority required is too extensive.
"Answer. It is less extensive, by far, than in any preceding case. So much of the charter consists of conditions, restrictions, and reservations, that it hardly deserves the name of a grant, unless, indeed, it be considered a grant to the Secretary of State as well as to the corporation. By the conditions, restrictions, and reservations of the grant, the Secretary of State for the time being would nominate the first commissioners; would have a veto on the nomination of successive commissioners; would have power to remove commissioners for neglect or misconduct, and to appoint others in their room; would have a veto upon the appointment of the chief servants of the corporation, upon all the laws made by the corporation for the colony, and even upon the instructions given by the corporation to their servants in the colony. He would, besides, receive copies of all the pecuniary accounts of the corporation, and of all the correspondence with the colony. He would, in short, have entire control over the corporation, except in the original appointment of their servants. Amongst the thousands of cases in which the British Government has delegated authority for a specific purpose by means of a grant from the Crown, there is, probably, not one in which the authority given was so much restricted, so much held in subservience to the supreme authority, as in the present instance.
"IV. The corporation would dispense patronage.
"Answer. Of course it would select the servants, paid with its money for conducting its affairs. Responsible for the fate of the colony, it would choose (subject to the Ministers' veto) the persons on whose conduct the fate of the expedition must depend.
