SESSIONAL PAPER No. 18 x sic x sic veüille bien y avoir reférence. Nous Esperons que Votre Excellence n'aura aucun égard à ces demandes de Chambre d'Assemblée; de Chartre d'Incorporation, dont le But est a peu près le même; d'un Eregâtrement des Contrâts, de Gréniers et marchés publics pour les Grains &; d'un Commerce avec Vermont; de ces Innovations pour les douaïres, Hypothéque, &; ces points étant assés clairement expliqués dans notre Loix : le tout ne tendant qu'a la Sapper, et nous paroissant contraire et prejudiciable à l'avantage de la province. Que toutes autres Articles de ces demandes qui ne regardent pas le Commerce seul méritent un Désaveu de notre part, comme opposés au bien, aux interêts aux droits, et aux privileges les plus sacrés des divers etats qui composent cette Province, Et à qui sans daigner les consulter, on veut imposer des Loix dont eux seuls sentiront tout le poid. X Nous osons nous flatter que Votre Seigneurie voudra bien faire valoir notre opposition par tout où besoin sera; Qu'elle voudra bien l'appuier de son Credit: ses connoissances dans la province des sujets qui L'habitent la rendent plus capable que tout autre de faire, avec cette integrité et cette impartialité, qui en tout tems, ont characterisé Votre Excellence, un raport fidel et Exact des Vrais sentimens de notre nation; et de pointer cette distinction que l'on doit mettre entre la futilités des démandes, * et les droits réels des opposans. Et c'est avec la confiance la plus sincere que nous attendons encore aux marques de cette protection bienfaisante si souvent reiterée à notre Égård; qui fait, que sous un Gouvernement cheri, Le Plus Auguste des Rois est adoré, et ne peut qu'augmenter notre amour en se faisant répresenter parmi ses loyaux Sujets Canadiens par Votre Seigneurie, pour la prosperité de laquelle nous ne cesserons de prier. Montreal le 3me Fevrier 1787. N. B. The Address was signed by 283 persons. J. WILLIAMS C. C. (Translation of the foregoing Petition.) To His Excellency The Right Honorable Guy Lord Dorchester, Captain General and Governor in Chief of the Colonies of Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, and the dependencies thereof, Vice Admiral of the same; General and Commander in Chief of all His Majesty's Forces in said Colonies, and the Island of Newfoundland & &© &©. May it please Your Excellency At a period, the Epoch of Your Lordships arrival, when it might be expected that all His Majesty's subjects, indiscriminately, would felicitate each other upon account of so Happy an event: At a period, when we conceived we should mutually rejoice at the blessings of an indulgent Government: At a period, when we thought that Disturbances had ceased, and His Majesty's Antient Subjects had retracted from a System, which upon a general opposition on the part of His Majesty's faithful subjects the Canadians they should have considered as inadmissable into a Country, where the opponents in Consideration of Rights, in point of number, of Wealth and of property preponderate: It is with the greatest astonishment We hear of the new requisitions of His Majesty's Ancient Subjects; having a tendency to nothing short of a subversion of the fundamental Laws which Govern His Majesty's new subjects, to an Annihilation of them, and by that means of their Estates. This Commotion would appear alarming indeed, if His Majesty's faithful Canadian Subjects were not fully persuaded that His Majesty looks down upon his 6-7 EDWARD VII., A. 1907 Canadian people with the most benignant Eye. When His Majesty, by your Lordship's intervention, sees at the foot of his sacred Throne, the General and Specific opposition made by His Majesty's Canadian Subjects to the Unjust and strange demands of His Antient Subjects; when our most Gracious Sovereign is informed that the whole of a People who have never discontinued their fidelity to him, are uniting together to Implore His Justice and his Equity for continuing to them their common Law; a Law whereupon are founded their Estates, their Fortunes, and their Property; a Law, which the right of Nations assures to them; which the Capitulation has promised to them; which a Proclamation has Solemnly ratified; and which an Act of His Majesty's August Parliament passed in the fourteenth Year of His benign reign has affirmed and warranted to us; When His Most Gracious Majesty condescends to cast an Eye upon this extensive Country, inhabited by a people, desirous of preserving it to him, and then compares the number of persons who are so faithfully attached to him, their Estates and Possessions (whereof the fundamental principles are attempted to be subverted) with the fewness of antient subjects, and their so little Property; Have we not to hope that our Most Gracious Sovereign will further strengthen, and render still more durable the constitutional and Municipal Laws of his faithfull & Loyal Subjects of Canada? We request Your Lordship's Attention to the two Addresses heretofore sent to be presented at the foot of His Majestys sacred throne, Whereof we have the Honour to transmit Copies to you; to consider them as the unanimous and immutable wish of this Nation and by your Noble Interposition, that our Most Gracious Sovereign will deign to refer to them. We hope Your Excellency will disregard those Demands of a House of Assembly, a Charter of Incorporation (whereof the design tends nearly to the same end) a Registry of Deeds, store houses, Public Markets for Corn, &; of a Commerce with Vermont, of Innovations with regard to Dower, Hypothecations &; These points are clearly enough explained in our own Law: all which only tends to strike at the foundation of it, and appearing to us repugnant and hurtful to the Interests of the province. Every other Article of those Demands which does not relate to Commerce alone, merits a disavowal on our part, as being contrary to the Welfare, the Interests, the Rights and Priviledges (the most sacred) of the different Estates whereof this Province is composed; and for whom, without condescending to consult them, Laws are to be imposed, the burthen of which will fall on them only. We presume to flatter ourselves that Your Lordship will improve our opposition wherever it shall be found necessary; that you will support it with all your Influence. Your Knowledge of the People of this province, enables Your Lordship, preferably to all others, to draw up a faithful and exact Report (with that integrity and impartiality which have, at all times Characterised Your Excellency) of the true Sentiments of our Nation; and to point out that distinction which ought to be observed between the futility of the demand, and the real Rights of the Opponents. It is with the sincerest Confidence, we again look up for instances of that beneficient protection so often reiterated in our behalf, which occasions, that, under an admirable Government, the most August of Kings is adored; and it cannot fail of enhancing our love for him, in permitting himself to be represented among his Loyal subjects of Canada, in the Person of Your Lordship; for whose Happiness we shall not cease to pray Montreal 3rd February 1787. The Address was signed by 283 Persons. 1 Canadian Archives, Q 27-1, p. 440. J WILLIAMS C. C. SESSIONAL PAPER No. 18 LETTER, ADDRESSED TO THE MAGISTRATES OF QUEBEC, FROM THE COMMITTEE Gentlemen Quebec 13th November 1786. His Excellency Lord Dorchester in Council having been pleased to appoint us to be a Committee to take into consideration and to report to His Lordship (preparatory to the meeting of the Legislative Council, which will be on the fifteenth day of January next) the state of the Police of the Province with such improvements as may be necessary to make therein. We have therefore to request your sentiments with all convenient Speed, on objects so interesting to the Province at large, and to Quebec in particular, LETTER FROM THE MAGISTRATES OF QUEBEC TO THE COMMITTEE OF FOREGOING LETTER.1 x sic Gentlemen Quebec 20th December 1786. In compliance with your request to the Magistrates signified in your Letter of the 15th Ulto, We now lay before you what has occured unto us as requisite for the improvement of the Police, establishing good order, and promoting the general good of the community. 1st That an Extension of the Jurisdiction of Justices of the Peace, in certain instances, would render that Office of greater public utility Viz-By impowering them To convict on their own view persons offending against the Royal Ordinance, and against the Regulations of the Police of the City of Quebec, and these Regulations to extend to the Banlieu or precincts of the City. To determine in a summary way all Disputes between Habitant and Habitant, concerning Fences, Ditches, Water done. 1 Canadian Archives, Q 27-1, p. 441. x sic. x sic. 6-7 EDWARD VII., A. 1907 To settle in a summary way small Debts not exceeding Forty shillings value. To confine all Beggars asking Alms, or Vagrants Idly strolling without a To visit all Protestant Schools once every three Months. 2-That a House of Correction, a Work House and an Alms-House, be provided in the City of Quebec. 3-That every Parish be obliged to maintain its own Poor, and that a Person or Persons in each Parish be authorized and impowered to remove interloping Paupers to the Parish where they were, either born or had last gained a Settlement, so that no Parish may be burdened with more than its own Poor. 4-That no Parish Priest, Curate, or other Person, give Licence to any poor person to ask Alms without the limits of their own Parish. 5-That so much of the present Ordinance1 respecting the Covering of 6-That the pretended Ancient Usage in Canada, called the Abandon, 12-That some fund be established, or Money appropriated for the payment 13 That a substantial Prison be provided for the District of Quebec, and to contain a sufficient number of Apartments to keep Prisoners separate from each other. 1 Referring to the Ordinance of 17 Geo. III., cap. 13, "For preventing accidents by fire." 2 Referring to the Ordinance of Louis XV. of 26th April, 1745: "Ordonnance du Roi, portant entr' autres choses défenses aux habitans de bâtir sur les terres, à moins qu'elles ne soient d'un arpent et demi de front sur trente à quarante de profondeur." See Edits, Ordonnances Royaux, Déclarations et Arrêts du Conseil d'Etat du Roi Concernant Le Canada. Quebec, 1854: Vol. I., p. 585. SESSIONAL PAPER No. 18 14-That Provision be made for the safe Custody of Criminals, Vagabonds, Rogues, Vagrants & in Parishes distant from the Capital, and the Public Prison for the District. 15-That an Act be passed by the Legislature respecting Bastard Children; and Apprentices; better adapted to the circumstances of this Province than are the acts of Parliament now in use 16-That no Person be allowed to practise Physic or Surgery within this Province without producing Testimony of his having been regularly educated in these Professions and without being duly licens'd by authority 17-That the Fees of these Physicians and Surgeons who may be authorised to practice be regulated by the Legislature; The high charges of the Physicans (it is asserted) have deterred many persons-more especially the poor Inhabitants in, the Country from applying for relief, even in cases of necessity, whereby it is very probable many lives are annually lost. 18-That the Inhabitants of Quebec be impowered to provide means for paving and Lighting the Streets of the City 19-That public Schools for educating youth be established throughout the Province. These Articles are very respectfully submitted to your Judicious consideration by ; Gentlemen your most obedient most humble Servants LETTER, ADDRESSED TO THE MERCHANTS AT THREE RIVERS, FROM THE COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL FOR COMMERCE AND POLICE.1 QUEBEC 13th November 1786. Letter similar to the one addressed to the Magistrates of Quebec, with same Signatures at page 440.2 Addressed to Tonnancour Esq' Aaron Hart. Samuel Sills Bellefeuille Esq La framboise & Malcolm Fraser Three Rivers 1 Canadian Archives, Q 27-1, p. 447. 2 Page 440 in Q 27-1; p. 630 in this volume. |