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SESSIONAL PAPER No. 18

PETITION TO LT. GOVERNOR FOR AN ASSEMBLY.1

To the Honourable Hector Theophilus Cramahé, Esquire, His Majesty's Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief of the Province of Quebec, in Council.

The Petition of the Subscribers his Majesty's Antient Subjects the Freeholders, Merchants, Traders, and other Inhabitants of the said Province.

Humbly Sheweth,.

That Whereas his Most Excellent Majesty by his Royal Proclamation bearing date at St. James's the Seventh day of October 1763 (out of his Paternal Care for the Security of the Liberty and propertys of those who then were, or should thereafter become Inhabitants of the four several Governments therein mentioned) Did publish and declare, that he had, in his Letters Patent, under his Great Seal of Great Britain, by which the said Governments were constituted; been graciously pleased to give express power and Direction to his Governors, that so soon as the State and Circumstances of those Governments would admit thereof: They should with the Advice and Consent of the Members of his Councils, Summon and Call General Assemblys within the said Governments, And that he had been graciously pleased to give power to his said Governors with the consent of his said Councils and the Representatives of the People to make, constitute, and Ordain, Laws, Statutes & Ordinances for the publick peace, welfare and good Government of those Provinces and of the People and Inhabitants thereof. And Whereas his most Excellent Majesty in pursuance of his said Royal Proclamation, by his Letters Patent to his Governors has been graciously pleased to give and grant unto them full power and Authority with the Advice and Consent of his said Councils, under the Circumstances aforesaid, to call General Assemblys of the Freeholders and Planters within their respective Governments. And Also Whereas your Petitioners (who have well considered the present state and Condition of this Province) do humbly conceive That a General Assembly of the People would very much Contribute to its peace, Welfare and good Government as well as to the Improvement of its Agriculture and the Extension of its Trade and Navigation; They do therefore most humbly pray your Honor (with the Advice and Consent of His Majesty's Council) to Summon and call a General Assembly of the Freeholders and Planters within Your Government in such Manner as you in your discretion shall judge most proper.

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I do certify that the foregoing Petition is a true copy of the Original filed in my Office.

1 Canadian Archives, Q 10, p.26. Given also in An Account of the Proceedings" &c., p.11.

6-7 EDWARD VII., A. 1907

Gruenee 16 December
1773.

Grea Allsopp. D.C.C.

Estored -Copy of the Worbe Petitiis presented 4a Dec 1773 In Lieut. Gor Gramate Na 11 413 December 177A

The Montreal Petition the same as the preceding with the following SignaturesMetreat N. vec 17.

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I do Certify that the foregoing Petition is a true Copy of the Original filed in my Ofe. Quebec 16 December 1473.

GEO. ALLSOPP D. C. C.

Endorsed:-Copy of the Montreal Petition -presented 4 Deer. 1773.
In Lient. Gov' Cramahes No 11, of 13 December 1773.

LT. GOVERNOR CRAMAHES REPLY.

Gentlemen

The Subject of your Petition is a Matter of too much Importance, for His Majesty's Council here to advise, or me to determine, upon, at a Time, that, from the best Information, the Affairs of this Province are likely to become an Object of Public Regulation: The Petitions and my Answer shall be transmitted by the first Opportunity to His Majesty's Secretary of State.

Quebec 11 Dec 1773.

(Signed)

H. T. CRAMAHÉ

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In Maseres "An Account of the Proceedings" &c., no mention is made of there being two petitions, and no distinction is made between the Montreal and Quebec lists of names, which are mingled together in a common list. The date of presentation is given as Dec. 3rd, whereas in Allsopp's certified copy it is given as the 4th.

4 This reply was framel and authorizel by the Governor in Council. Dec. 11th, 1773.

See Q10, p.38.

SESSIONAL PAPER No. 18

PETITION TO THE KING.

TO THE KINGS MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.1

The humble Petition of the Subscribers your Majesty's antient Subjects, Freeholders, Merchants and Planters in the Province of Quebec in North America.

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Most humbly.

Sheweth.

That Whereas your Majesty by your royal Proclamation bearing Date at St. James's the seventh Day of October One thousand seven Hundred and Sixty Three was most graciously pleased to publish and declare "That out of your Majesty's paternal Care "for the Security of the Liberty and Properties of those who then were or should "thereafter become Inhabitants of the four several Governments therein mentioned (of "which this your Majesty's Province was denominated to be one) Your Majesty had in "the Letters Patent by which the said Governments were constituted given express "power and Direction to your Governors, That so soon as the State and Circumstances "of those Governments would admit of it, they should with the Advice of the Members "of your Majesty's Councils, summon and call General Assemblies within the sai d "Governments respectively, in such Manner and Form as is used and directed in those "Colonies and Provinces in America which are under Your Majesty's immediate Gov"ernment. And also that your Majesty had been graciously pleased to give Power to your said Governors with the Consent of your Majesty's said Councils and the Repre"sentatives of the People, so to be summoned as aforesaid, to make, constitute, and 'ordain Laws, Statutes and Ordinances, for the peace, Welfare, and good Government "of your Majesty's said Colonies, and of the People and Inhabitants thereof, as near "as might be agreeable to the Laws of England, and under such Regulations and "Restrictions as are used in other Colonies.' "And Whereas it has graciously pleased Your Majesty in the Letters Patent of Commission to your Captain General and Governor in Chief, (and in Case of his Death, or during his Absence, in the Letters Patent of Commission to your Majesty's Lieutenant Governor) of this Province, to give and grant unto him full power and Authority, with the Advice and Consent of your Majesty's Council, so soon as the Situation and Circumstances of this Province would admit of it, and when and as often as Need should require, to summon and call general Assemblies of the Freeholders, and Planters within this Government, in such Manner as he in his Discretion should judge most proper." And Whereas Your Petitioners, whose Properties real and personal in this Province are become very considerable, having well. considered its present State and Circumstances, and humbly conceiving them to be such as to admit the summoning and calling a general Assembly of the Freeholders, and Planters Did on the Third Day of December Instant present their humble Petition to the Honourable Hector Theophilus Cramahé Esquire your Majesty's Lieutenant Governor and now Commander in Chief, stating as above and humbly praying that he would be pleased, with the Advice and Consent of your Majesty's Council, to summon and call a general Assembly of the Freeholders and Planters within this Government, in such Manner and as he in his Discretion should judge most proper; And your Majesty's said

1 The Lt. Governor having, as anticipated, declined to grant the petition for an Assembly, the Committees of Quebec and Montreal prepared their petition to the King, as given here. Canadian Archives, Q 10, p. 46. In the letter of Cramahé to Dartmouth, Jan. 19th, 1774, which accompanies this petition, he says that he suspects they have sent a duplicate of it to Maseres. Q 10, p.43. The Committees evidently had some doubts as to their petitions to the King reaching their destination if presented through the official channels only, for, as Cramahé had suspected, they sent copies of these to Maseres, then in London, to be presented through the Colonial Secretary. They had also written to their mercantile associates in London to solicit their assistance in presenting their case before the proper authorities. This correspondence is given in Maseres "An Account of the Proceedings " &c., p.29.

2 As may be observed by comparing this passage with the letter of the Proclamation, (See p.120, last paragraph.) this is not the exact wording of the portion quoted, but simply a paraphrase of it.

See the section of the Commission to Governor Murray, authorizing the establishment of an Assembly, p.128.

6-7 EDWARD VII., A. 1907

Lieutenant (-overner on the Eleventh Day of December Instant after having taken the aut Petron inte as Consideration, was pleased to inform your Petitioners, "That the ** Sigbeer or tuler saad Petition was a Matter of too much Importance for your Majesty's → Council here to arise, or for him your said Lieutenant Governor to determine upon, • at a Time, that, from the best Information, the Affairs of this Province are likely to Deer of punde Regulation; but that he would transmit the said Petition 2eae irst pportunity to your Majesty's Secretary of State."1

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Your Petroners being fil y ecavinced from their Residence in the Province, and fer E. teretes in the Affairs of it, that a general Assembly would very much conorite Industry, Agriculture and Commerce and (as they mana Hammeny and good Understanding between your Majesty's new and old Saupocate your Majesty, to take the Premisses into your royal Ant to floset your Majesty's Governor, or Commander in Chief to call Assen 17 in stee. Manner, and of such Constitution and Form as to your п voue Sam Wisdom, stal, seen best adapted to secure its' Peace Welfare

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Finni nem is in Duty bound shall ever Pray &c.2

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Endorsed.—In Lieut. Gov Cramahes (No. 13) of 19th Jany. 1774.

Montreal Petition the same as that of Quebec-with the following signatures—

Montreal 10 January 1.74

Dan Robertson
John Wharton
Pumas

Samuel Morrison
George Singleton
Alex Paterson
Cha Paterson

1946 above p 346.

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In Matos An Account of the Proceedings" &c., pp.20-24, the petition is given as only from Antral dated Jan. 10th, though the list of names attached contains both the Quebec and Montreal Flowhere, (see p 27) it is stated that there were two petitions.

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To the Right Honble the Earl of Dartmouth one of his Majesty's principal Secretarys

of State.1

The Memorial of the Freeholders, Merchants Planters and others his Majesty's antient and loyal Subjects now in the District of Quebec in the Province of Quebec in North America.

Humbly Sheweth.

That after the Capitulation of Canada and the definitive Treaty of Peace by which this Province was ceded to Great Britain his Majesty was graciously pleased by his royal Proclamation of the 7th October 1763. to give express power & direction to his Governors of the four several Provinces therein mentioned, (whereof this Province is one) with the advice and Consent of the Members of his Councils, to summon and call general Assembly's, for making constituting and ordaining Laws Statutes and Ordinances for the public peace, Wellfare and good Government thereof as near as might be agreeable to the Laws of England And also was graciously pleased to declare and promise, That in the mean time and untill such Assemblys could be called all Persons inhabiting in or resorting to the said Colonies should have the enjoyment and benefit of the Laws of England.2

That your Memorialists thus encouraged, having settled themselves, purchased Lands, planted and improved them, and engaged deeply in Commerce in this Province, and humbly conceiving it at this Time seasonable & expedient to supplicate his Majesty

1 Canadian Archives, Q 10, p.56. This memorial is not given in Maseres' "An Account of the Proceedings" &c. The briefer one from Montreal which follows this is given however. Nevertheless these memorials were evidently presented through Maseres, since they are not endorsed, as are the petitions to the King, as received through Cramahé. Moreover, in his letter to Dartmouth of Feb. 3rd., 1774 Cramahé indicates that they were not forwarded through him, since they were not communicated to him. See Q 10,p.53.

2 See p.120, last paragraph.

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