New Brunswick Historical Tidbits

Where Is The Key?

By Mitch Biggar

In 1817 a dispute arose over the possession of the key o the room in which the House of Assembly met. Before the adjournment of the House in 1817 a resolution had passed stating that during a recess no person should have access to the Assembly Room except the Clerk.

A few days after the House had recessed, F. W. Odell obtained a key to the Assembly room from the caretaker and refused to give it up. Mr. Wetmore the Clerk at the time sent a copy of the resolution to Odell. Odell then replied to Wetmore stating that the President and the Council had given him permission to have the key.

Mr. Wetmore refused to accept this and then wrote a letter to the Speaker of the House. Mr. Botsford , the Speaker responded by saying that nothing could be done until the House met again. When the house did met again they passed a motion stating that the Clerk and only the Clerk could have posession of the key.

This page was designed by Irene Doyle September 1999