"What I desire from you especially today is your support in a plan I have been considering for moderating the exit of goods to Canada. The volume reached in recent weeks passes all reason. If permitted to continue 'twill exhaust our supplies. It plays directly into the hands of——"
But he was not suffered to continue.
"Free trading!" shouted a group.
"Stick by the law, governor!" warned one.
"The law is the law!" cried a third.
The prosperous-looking merchant in the front row stood up and made himself heard by pounding his stick on the floor.
"Do I understand your Excellency to mean that you would alter the instructions received from the Lords of Trade?" he asked.
"My plan is rather to amend the carrying out of the law by certain restrictions until I can forward representations on the situation to their lordships," replied Master Burnet steadily.
"But as one of my brethren has just remarked, the law is the law.
"The trouble here, sirs, is that there is no law," declared the governor. "We have the suspension of the law, and in the interim there is no provision for a substitute statute."