6-7 EDWARD VII., A. 1907 4 Nov 1773 At Prenties's The following members of the Committee having met Vizt. Jenkin Williams Charles Grant William Grant John Lees Zachary Macaulay John Wells Thomas Walker And the following French Gentlemen having attended this meeting in consequence of the Invitation sent them viz. Monsieur Decheneaux Marcoux Monsr. Tonnancourt Perras Compte du prés Mr. William Grant was chosen Chairman of the Committee, and a Translation into French of the Petition intended to be presented to the Lieut Governor being read, The Opinion of the French Gentlemen present was required as to the measure under consideration and after some conversation on the Subject The Question being put— Whether they think it necessary (from what has been debated) to conveen their fellow Citizens. It was unanimously voted in the affirmative Mr. Decheneaux & Mr. Perras have undertaken to conveen the new Subjects at two o'Clock on Saturday next The Committee to meet on Monday next at Prenties's at six o'clock in the Evening The following Gentlemen met at Prenties's Mr. Williams Mr. Wm Grant Mr. Lees Mr. Fraser 8' Nov 1773. Mr. Walker It was resolved to write a Letter to Mr. Decheneaux to beg he would let the Committee know if the New Subjects had taken any measures in consequence of what was communicated to them at last meeting? and what these measures were. But Mr. Dechenaux being out of Town the Letter was sent to Mr. Perras who returned the Answer annexed. Resolved that a Letter be sent by the Committee to Francis Maseres Esq' inclosing the above Minutes with a Draft of the Petition. The Committee to meet when Summoned by the Secretary as the business will depend on the Letters to be received from Montreal. Copy of the letter wrote to Mr. Perras 8th Nov' 1773. Mons Les Messieurs du Committé assemblé chez Prenties vous prie d'avoir la bonté de les informer si les nouveaux sujets ont pris quelques mesures sur ce que vous a ete communiqué Jeudi dernier et si vous pouvez leurs faire part de Resolutions prises par vos concitoyens vous obligerez beaucoup ces Messieurs-On attend L'honneur de votre reponse par le porteur et J'ai l'honneur d'etre Mons Votre très humble Serviteur Follows Mr. Perra's answer signé MALCOLM FFRASER QUEBEC le 8-9bre 1773 MONSR. Le Depart precipitè de vaisseaux pour L'Europe ne m'a pas permis de repondre suivant mes desirs aux attentions de Messieurs du Committè, cependant j'ai vu quelques uns de mes citoyens qui ne me paroissent pas disposer a S'assembler comme SESSIONAL PAPER No. 18 quelques uns d'entre nous le voudroient. Le grand nombre l'emporte et le petit reduit a prendre patience J'ai l'honneur d'etre &c A true copy MALCOLM FFRASER LETTER OF THE COMMITTEE TO MASERES.1 QUEBEC 8th Nov 1773. SIR As you appear to have the true Interests of this Country at heart, We take the liberty to trouble you with the Draught of a Petition which the English Inbabitants of the Province have determined to present to the Governor & Council. It is now the general opinion of the people (French & English) that an Assembly would be of the utmost advantage to the Colony, tho' they cannot agree as to the Constitution of it. The British Inhabitants of whom we are appointed a Committee are of very moderate principles. They wish for an Assembly; as they know that to be the only sure means of conciliating the New Subjects to the British Government as well as of promoting the Interests of the Colony and securing to its Inhabitants the peaceable possession of their rights and propertys. They would not presume to dictate. How the Assembly is to be composed is a matter of the most serious consideration: They Submit that to the Wisdom of his Majesty's Councils. What they would, in the mean time, request you to do is to inform the Ministry and the Publick That a Petition is presented (for it will be so in a few days) to the Governor here to call an Assembly, And that if he does not grant their request they will immediately apply to His Majesty from whom they have the most sanguine hopes of a gracious Reception. They beg your Interest in promoting so laudable an Undertaking and hope you will excuse the liberty they have taken We are with Esteem Sir Herewith inclosed, I transmit to Your Lordship, Copies of two Petitions, signed by some of His Majesty's old Subjects residing here and at Montreal, presented me the 4th instant, and of my Answer to them dated the 11th. About six Weeks or two Months ago, a Mr. McCord, from the North of Ireland, who settled here soon after the Conquest, where he has picked up a very comfortable Livelihood by the retailing Business, in which he is a considerable Dealer, the Article of Spirituous Liquors especially, summoned the Principal Inhabitants of this Town, that are Protestants, to meet at a Tavern, where He proposed to them applying for a House of Assembly, and appointing a Committee of eleven to consider of the Method of making this Application, and to prepare and digest the Matter for them. 1 Canadian Archives, Q 10, p. 20-21. 2 Canadian Archives, Q 10, p. 22. 6-7 EDWARD VII, A. 1907 This Committee, of which Mr. McCord takes the lead, has had several meetings and fixed at last upon the Course they have now taken, of Petitioning the Lieutenant Governor in Council, and in case of a Refusal there, to Memorial His Majesty; The Committee having previously wrote to and engaged some of their Fellow Subjects at Montreal to second them in their Applications. Mr McCord endeavoured all this Summer, and again since the appointment of the Committee, to persuade the Canadians to join the old Subjects in petitioning for an Assembly, used every Argument he could think of for that Purpose, and carried the first Draft set on Foot for it to a Canadian Gentleman of this Town to translate into French; the Canadians suspecting their only View was to push them forward to ask, without really intending their Participation of the Privilege, declined joining them here or at Montreal, but in the agitation they were thrown into by all this Negotiation, as well as M' Maseres's Publications,' circulated here with great Industry, they thought themselves obliged to do something, tho' they could not well tell how, and this produced the Petitions already sent Home. It may not be amiss to observe, that there are not above five among the signers to the two Petitions, who can be properly stiled Freeholders, and the Value of four of these Freeholds is very inconsiderable. The Number of those possessing Houses in the Towns of Quebec and Montreal, or Farms in the Country, held of The King or some private Seigneur, upon paying a yearly Acknowledgment, is under thirty. any In my Answer" I carefully avoided entering into any Discussion upon the Subject of their Petition, or taking notice of the Irregularity of their conduct, to endeavour to preserve them in good Temper, and to prevent them presenting their Requests through other than the proper Channel, was the measure that appeared to me most eligible for the King's Service; I have therefore promised them, to forward to Your Lordship, the Memorial they intend presenting to His Majesty; when that is executed, and they are a little cooled, they will be more ready to attend to any Thing I may take Occasion to offer upon the Matter in private. The whole of this Transaction sufficiently evinces how necessary it is to give Power and Activity to the Government of this Province; the Canadians are tractable and submissive, but if Matters were to remain here much longer in the loose Way they are in at present, there is too much Reason to apprehend, that it might be attended with bad Effects; A Confirmation of their Laws of Property, and Rights of Inheritance, after which they most ardently sigh, would be most satisfactory to them all, and prove a very great Means of attaching the Canadians effectually to His Majesty's Royal Person and GovernmentI have the Honor to be with the greatest Respect My Lord! Earl of Dartmouth One of His Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State. Your Lordship's Most Obedient and H. T. CRAMAHÉ 1 Of these the first and last published, prior to this date, have already been given in this volume; see p.179, and p. 228. Of the several other papers dealing with the laws and constitution of the Province of Quebec published before this date, some were reproduced in later volumes, especially in An Account of the Proceedings " &c., others remained in their original form of issue, as the "Draught of an Act of Parliament for settling the Laws of the Province of Quebec," 1772. 2 See below, p.346. 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. 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 Quebec 16 December 1773. Endorsed :-Copy of the Quebec Petition presented 4th Dec 1773 In Lieut. Gov Cramahés (No. 11) of 13th December 1773. The Montreal Petition the same as the preceding--with the following Signatures1Montreal 29th Novem' 1773. Edward Chinn John Thompson Ja Dumoulin Alex Paterson Levy Solomons Edwd Wm Gray Thomas McMurray James Morrison Geo. Measam J. Maurez Thomas Walker Jun'. John Wharton Jacob Vander Heyden. I do Certify that the foregoing Petition is a true Copy of the Original filed in my Office. Quebec 16 December 1773. GEO. ALLSOPP D. C. C. Endorsed:-Copy of the Montreal Petition -presented 4th Decr. 1773. LT. GOVERNOR CRAMAHÉ'S 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 Inform ation, 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 11th Dec' 1773. (Signed) H. T. CRAMAHÉ 1 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. 2 This reply was framed and authorized by the Governor in Council, Dec. 11th, 1773. See Q 10,p.38. |