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We, your Mnjesty's loyal and dutiful aubjeots tlio uadersigned InhnbitaDt!) of your Majesty's Province of Lower Caoada, approncli the throne of our beloved bovereinrn witli sentimentit ot profound reverence, and gratitude for the many benclitH which we have enjoyed under the rei^n of tie Princes of your august House, of whose personal regard for the happiness of the subjects of the Crown in every part of the world, several amongst us still entertain n grateful remembrance, formed during the residence of your Majesty's illustrious father in this Province ; and it is with unabated conBdenco that we lesort to the protection of the Throne, at a time when we are threatened to be deprived of that Constitution of Government which your Royal Urandfather, of blessed memory, and his Parliament fouubsafed to grant to this Province, Your Majesty's Petitioners mwt humbly represent : — That in a Mesi,age from His Excellency the Governor Goneral on the subject of the Re-Union of the Provinces, trans- mitted to both Houses of the Legislature of Upper Canada, on the 7th of December last, it is stated that " so far as the feelings of " the Inhabitants of Lower Canada can bo there ascertained, the measure of the Re-Union meets with approbation." That we are not aware that any steps have been taken to ascertain the feelings of the Inhabitants of Lower Canada on the measure uf the said Re- Union, unlesi it be a reference which is reported to have beeu made by the Governor General, of certain propositions tc a meeting of the Special Council for tiio said Province, wi.ich meeting was called by Proclamation dated at Mon- treal, the 5th of November last, to mtet at that City on the 1 1th of the same month, and at which, from the nature and insufficiency of the notice, the distance of the residence of several of the memberii being nearly 300 miles from Montreal, and the difficulty of travelling at that particular season, W[,s attended by only about half of the members of the said Council. That the said Special Cou:icil has no representative character, in so far as the In'.iabitauts of Lower Canada arc concerned, hut that the members thereof are appointed by the Crown, during pleasure, and have only an existence for special purposes till the 1st of November, 18+0, under the Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, Ist Victoria, chapter 9th, and cannot in any way be considered as expressing the feelings or wishes of the Inhabitants of this Province on the measure in question. That in the said nic jsagc, it is further stated that your Majesty's advisers had refrained durib the last session of the Impe- rial Pailiament from pressing immediate legislation for the He' Union of the Provinces, not from any doubt as to the principle of the measure, or its necessity, but " solely from their desire to ascertain more fully the opinions of the Legislature of Upper Canada, " and to collect information from which the details might bo rendered more satisfactory to the people of both Provinces." That whatever events have marked the recent history of Lower Canada, and led to the suspension of the Constitution, ai stated in the said Message, similar events have occurred in Upper Canada, and the same ditUuultios have existed in the Legislature of both these Provinces, )t the same perinl The main ditrerence has resulted from the fact, that in Upper Canada an appeal was made by the authority of the Crown, in the year lb36, to the sense of the people of Upper Canada, on the then existing ditierencus betivcen the Imperial Government and the Representative Assembly ; \bitants of the said Province, who cheerfully discharged their duty to the Crown, for the defence of its Government, as established in the said Province by the said Act, when it was attacked by the United States of America in the years 181-3 and 1R13, so as to merit the thanks of their Gracious Sovereign ; and it is only within the last seven years, notwithstanding the dissensions which uro inseparable from free Government, that any complaints have been made a^jainst the said Constitution or proceedings had to obtain any alteration thereof, but on the contrary, a general desire had previously and repeatedly bi>en expressed in humble petitions to the Sovereign and Parliament to maintain the said Constitution, and transmit it unimpaiiod to posterity. That whatever may have been the dillicnltics which subsequently occurred in the Legislature, and the deplorable events ia the District of Montreal, tiio whole body of Your Majesty's subjects in this Province ought not to bo held responsible for them, or be exposed to lose that Constitution of (iuvcriiment wliirli was solemnly granted to them by Act of the British Parliament, and be exposed to the manifold dangers and diiliculiies vvliii.li have tooiVcquently rt>s:ilted from Constitutional changes. That the same spirit of justice which induced the British Parliament tore-establish by the Act Htli, Geo. III., chap. 83 commonly called the Qnchrc Act, the laus of C.inad.i, which had prevailed in the said Province from its earliest sett'cment, requir- ed a division thereof, that the niiijorily of the persons who had settled in the upper part of the Province, should enjoy a system of laws with which they were acquainted, and that now that the two Provinces have grown up, under the sanctiou of the Imperial Parliament, with diD'ercnt codes of laws, and are distinct in almost every thing that contributes to harmonious action in political societies endowed with Representative Assemblies, their re-uiiion could produce nothing but renewed dissension, confusion in the laws which regulate property, oppression and violence, the utter insecurity of person and property, and the total luterruptioa of public prosperity. That we have observed with profound grief the erroneous and injurious aspersions on the character of the inhabitants of this Province generally, contained in the " Report on the at)'.\irs In British North America, from the Karl of DiiRii.tM, Her .Majes- ty's High Commissioner, presented by tier M.ijesly's command, and ordered by the House of Commons to be printed on the 1 Ith of I'ebrnary, 1H3U," and more particularly, thnso parts of the said Report which represent the inhabitants sprung from different national origins, as animated by the unclulsilan spirit of irreconcilable hatred to each other, and irretrievable enmity to Her Majesty's Government, even to the exteut of a tniitornis co-operation with Your Majesty's enemies in any future attempts to invade this Province. Imputations so nufnunded, hiid before Your Majesty anil the British Parliament and nation, are utterly unaccountable to loyal subjects and honourable men in this Province, and are in no ways justilied by the misfortunes which have resulted from dissensions similar to those which have prevailed in almost every country, including the Home Dominions of tho Crown, and most of its colonial possessions. That we are fully persuaded, that the cx|i.'rii'nce of the past will serve as a beacon to warn all partiesof past errors, and that the Representative Assembly of Lower Canada ivill study to promote harmony amoni;st tho dill'erent branches of the Legislature and all classes of the people, make adequate |iioiUion fur tjie support of ('overnincnt and the Administration of Justice on tho principles of the Uri'ish Constitution, prrtvide lor any improvements which time and circumstances may have rendered necessary to aB'ord n fair and equitable reprcscutaticn to all classes of the inhabitants, and in every part of the Province; fur the application of any duties which the Imperial Parliament may think proper to impose o.i goods entering the St. Lawrence, to facilitate the opening of a Ship Navigation from the sea to the great lakes, aud for thu improvement of the Laws of the Province and the general advancement of its prosperity. That the terms on which it has been proposed in tho message before mentioned, to efTcrtt the said re-union, whereby a section of the country of only about half the populutiou and wraith of the Province to which it is to bo united, is to have one-half of tho Representation, and thereby possess tho power of taxing the great majority of the inliubltants without their consent, and applying the proceeds to a sectional portion of the Province, while a largo debt contracted and speat for the improvoment of Upper Canada, is to bo imposed on the inhabitants of Lower Canada, all'urj sulliclent evidence of the erroneous ii.formatior* and uncon- stitutional designs which have presided at the formation of the said plan, and are n sure indication of the evils which must inevitably result from the sanction thereof by tho Imperial Parliament. Your Mijesty's I'etitioners most hinnbly pray ; — That the Constitution established by the said Act, 31st Geo. HI. chap. 31, be maintained, and no alteration thereof be efTectod without the iokabitauts of this Province having had an opportuuity of being heard ou any Bill to bo iutroduced iuto Par- Itament for that purpose. And Your Majesty's Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray. Province of Lover Canada, .fannary, 1810. (Tbe Petitions to the House of Lords and the House of Comniun* are similar to tho Petition to,the (jueon, excepting the first piragiaph, aud the necessary alterations of style.) STATEMENT of U,e Signature. ,a .he Petition, of the Cui.en, of Q-f ««.•«»!"« J,^' ^^^ '■" "*'"'"" "' '""" '"' Upper Caimiin. uml for the mumteimnce ol lUc to.iatma.oi. ol 17JI. Nnmcs of tlio 'Coiiniies in the Dis- 4iict of Quebec. Names of iho Pnrislies iu c»uh County- Quebec, HlMOUiKI, ICamourasza, L'llLXT, BEU.CCKA!SE, Ciiy of CJuobco,. iicaiiport Cliarleflroiug, St. AuiliroiiL', Anciennc Lorotte, Sio. Foy, , Ste. Liice,. St. Germain, St. Fab^en, i St. Simon, > . Ttois-Pjstolos, 5 L'Islo Vertc, Kaltouna ^ ^ iliviero lilt Loup ; •'■'" St. Andre. iSt. Louis ilu Kouiouruskn, St. I'asohal tie tlo Riviiiio Ouelle Slu. Anne St. Rod |St. Jean,.. L'lilct Cap St. Ictnnce, } [ale aux Gruei, J St. Tliojua'. St. Pieno, Riviere du Sud, ' 1st. Frnn^ois, Itiviere du Sud. Bertliicr St. Vallier, St. Micliel St. Cliarle St. Geivuis, ) St. Lnzairo 5 SiaiKluii, Beaumont DonCRESTEB, BiAUCE, LoTBIIflCB, PoRT-NEtrr, MOWTMOBENCT, Obleaws, Sagueivav, Poilite I-ovy St. Jean, Clitisoslonio St. Nicol St. Henv: St. An'elin St. leiduie Ste. Clair, St. Mar;,'ueritr, Slfi .Maiie, St. I'inu(;ois, ) St. Geoi;;!!, ) St. Josop! Framplou St. Svlveitie,'^ . | 32 1 |St. Giles iSt. Autoino iSte. Ctoix 'Loll.iiueto, iSt. Je, 'Grondlue: iDescUaniliault ;Cap S:iMl6 IFouieiiils, Poinie-aux-Trcmblc?, St. Auzn^tin,) St. Catherine, 5 Anqe Gardien, Cliateau Riclu St. Anue, ) St. Feienle, ) St. Joachim St. Laurent, St. Jean, St.FrnniJoi ;St. Pierre |St. Famine 'Halo St. Paul Jsle-aujt-Ccu.ltcs,. Eboulenients Malbaio St. Agues, Total,.. DISTRICT OF THREE RIVERS. Nomes of tlie Counties ill tlio Dis' tticl of Three Uivcis. Nanus f the Pnri»he« in each « fi County. .9 e 'A ^\ > St. Mavbice, . CnAMrLAIN,. . Yamaska, — NiCOLBT TowncThigp liivers,. . .Vnninclclic, iUiviirclu Loui) iSt.Lio,. Slo. Alio ISl. StHielu?,.... |Stu. Giieviive,. Si. Fra^jois iChnmpun LoCap St. Frn^is, |}3» 845 739 332 ...I 701 271 31U 78 2r>!i 100 N'icolot Si. Grioiic, nccnncur,. . Gentill' St. Pie're,.. ■lUO 242 199 fill) 322 378 Tntnl.. 2455 1725 40U 1757 227 535 405 151 S >• 1"^ 2S0 ion 139 4 IS 2H2 267 1318 12 370 13 2B7 255 .. 40 135 85 .s n § H |i a 1 o H ■2i IS d 6337 1152 280 12,36 39Sfi IB 23 159 177 171 102 s a. "< y. '■'ji "S3 141 43 26 S5 08 66 609 818 66 3^0 668 568 230 560 229 284 43 191 101 334 62 76 166 67 132 76 640 108 214 81 297 408 1401 1846 1407 334 1349 4936 COMPARATIVE STATEMENT of tho Signature., to tlio Petition of the Inhabitant, of Quebec hi 1S28. with those tu the I'clitiaii oi 1S4U. 1828. 1840. , ^ , 57,->0 4454 County i! Qneboe, ,,.,, g.,^^ " Rin'O'isk'.- ■■.".■.".'.".'.'. 3323 4288 " Kuniouraska 2357 361B " L',f" :: 2812 3548 '• B'-il"lm''"' 213J 2770 .. Dorclicsiir ^^^^ 2843 " B'^'V'™; 1532 18SS " Lothiniere, jg^g 2002 Ponneur,.... ^^ y^Si •I Montmorency, ^^^^ g|^ " "''™" V.V.V.'.'.'.'.'.'.'. 1739 1889 " S.isiioiiuy, ^____ Total 25462 32691 6337 Sianars from Three Rivers 39023 Total number of namc« 39J28 of Proprietors 24.M • • of British names >^"' •< ofsignatures oq-br '< of certified rnaiks ■ •29a6B 1 ^ — At a Meeting of the jCommittee of PETITIONERS agal st the RE-UNION of the Provinces of Vpper and LowEit Canada, and for the restoration of the Constitution of this Province, as established by the Ac of the Britisli Parlia- ment, 31st Geo. lU. cap, 31, held at the h'^use of the Esquire, in the City of Quebec, the 14th April, 1840. lonblc. R. £. Caron, 'lis present: The Honble. J. NEILSON, in the Chair.\ Honorable R. E. Carok, 'i'" Messrs. J, W. Woolbby, L. FiSET, Wm. Marsdehi C. Deguise, P. HUOT, F. X. METHOTf p. Pelletier, ' Ed. Glackbm^yeb, F. X PaiiadI^ Messrs. V. Tett J. CHODNAUn, Jos. Lei are, Pcre, M. Boh T. fiAILJAIRaE. H. S. H OT, O. Lep: iEc F. X. ^ITHOT, Jos. G. 'OURANOEAU. Resolved, I. — That the CSmirman transmit by a special Messenger, the [Petitions of the Districts of Quebec and Three Rivers, to Her Majesty, to be delivered to Her Majesty'^ Principal Secretary of State for the Colonial Department, tp be laid at the foot of the Throne. ouse of Commons, to Mem- j 2. — That he do also, tram^it the Petitions to the House of Lordn and ti/p'H< bers of those Houses respectively, to be presented. t 3. — That the said Messefger be furnished with the Letter of T. W. C. Murdoch, Esquire, Ciiief Secretary to His Excellency toT Governor General, acknowledging the recei[)t of a certitied Copy of the Petition to Her Majesty, presorted to His Excellency on the part of this Committee. !3. — That the said Messenger be furnished with printed Copies of said Petitions, with a statement of the signatures and certified marks of the Petitioners in the different localities, distin