In the absence of an "Act of Incorporation," the shareholders no doubt incurred unlimited liability to the depositors and share-holders; but application was made to Parliament for a charter, and an "Act of Incorporation," extending the existence of the bank to 1831, was passed in 1819. This Act received the Royal assent of George IV. on the 16th September, 1822. At the expiration of the term, the charter was renewed, and extended to the 1st August, 1836; and, by a subsequent Act, to the same date in 1837. That year constitutional government was suspended in consequence of the disturbed state of the Province; and all the powers and privileges of the bank expired by the effluxion of the time limited by the Act of Incorporation. The directors were at a loss what course to pursue under the circumstances. They thought seriously of winding up the bank. In 1838 the government of the country was vested in Sir John Colborne, as Administrator, and a special council held in the city of Montreal. The same year, the Habeas Corpus Act was suspended, and an ordinance was passed authorizing the incorporated, chartered, and other banks in the Province to suspend the redemption of their notes in specie till the 1st of June, 1839—limiting the circulation of each bank to the amount of its capital stock actually paid up. It was further enacted that all specie then held by the bank should be retained, and should not be sold, excepting to Her Majesty’s Government. Political disturbances having been quelled, trade revived, and all thought of winding up the bank was abandoned. To supply the absence of silver, the bank, in addition to its ordinary issue, issued notes of 15d., or 30 sous, and 2s. 6d., or 3 francs; and the several banks struck off a copper currency for the convenience of the public. The suspension of specie payments lasted three years. In the absence of Parliamentary authority for the existence of the bank, the directors we readvised to apply for a royal charter, and Captain Freer, the cashier, was deputed to proceed to England, for the purpose of communicating with the Home Government on the subject. Captain Freer was well received by the authorities, and every assistance was rendered to him in furtherance of the object of his mission. A royal charter was granted with authority to apply to Parliament for a renewal as soon as constitutional government should be restored; at the same time the authorized capital of the bank was increased to £100,000.