WPP" II lN ^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 4% ^ 1.0 1.1 vtlU !!! Hi 5 la 120 |22 6" ^ >^ Hiotographic Sdmoes Carporation ^il WHT MAIM S7HIT ¥fft$YH,N.V MSW CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/iCIVIH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microraproductions / Institut Canadian da microraproductions historlquas Tachnical and Bibliographic Notaa/Notas tachniquaa at bibliographiquas Th to Tha instituta haa attamptad to obtain tha baat original copy civailabia for filming. Faaturaa of thia copy which may ba bibliographicaliy uniqua, which may ahar any of tha imagaa in tha raproduction. or which may aignificantly changa tha uaual mathod of filming, ara ehackad balow. nColourad covara/ Couvartura da coulaur I — 1 Covara damagad/ D D D D D Couvartura andommag^a Covara raatorad and/or laminatad/ Couvartura raataur^a at/ou pallicuMa I — I Covar titia miaaing/ La titra da couvartura manqua Colourad mapa/ Cartaa giographiquaa an coulaur Colourad ink (i.a. othar than blua or black)/ Encra da coulaur (i.a. autra qua bkiua ou noira) I — I Colourad plataa and/or illustrationa/ D Planchaa at/ou illuatrationa an coulaur Bound with othar matarial/ Rali4 avac d'autraa documanta Tight binding may cauaa ahadowa or diatortion along intarior margin/ La f liura aarrAa paut cauaar da I'ombra ou da la diatortion la long da la marga intMaura Blank laavaa addad during raatoration may appaar within tha taxt. Whanavar poaaibia, thaaa hava baan omittad from filming/ 11 aa paut qua cartainaa pagaa blanchaa ajoutiaa iora d'una raatauration apparaiaaant dana la taxta, maia. loraqua cala Atait poaaibia. caa pagaa n'ont paa At* f limAaa. Additional commanta:/ Commantairaa supplAmantairaa: L'Institut a microfilm* la maillaur axamplaira qu'il lui a it* poaaibia da aa procurar. Las details da cat axamplaira qui sont paut-Atra uniquat du point da vua bibliographiqua. qui pauvant modifiar una imaga raproduita. ou qui pauvant axigar una modification dana la mAthoda normaia da filmaga aont indiqute ci-daasoua. D D D a D D D n Colourad pagaa/ Pagaa da coulaur Pagaa damagad/ Pagaa andommagAaa Pagaa raatorad and/or laminatad/ Pagaa rastaurias at/ou palliculAas Pagaa discoloured, stainad or foxad/ Pagas dteolorAas. tachatias ou piquAas Pagaa datachad/ Pagas dAtachAas Showthrough/ Tranaparanca Quality of print variaa/ Qualit* in^gala da I'imprassion Includas supplamantary matarial/ Comprand du matirial supplAmantaira Only adition avaiiabia/ Saula Mition disponibia Pagas wholly or partially obscurad by errata slips, tissues, etc.. have been refilmed to enaura tha bast possible image/ Lea pagaa totalement ou pertiellement obscurcies par un feuiilet d'errata. una pelure, etc.. ont M filmies A nouveau da fapon A obtanir la mailleure image possible. Th of fill Or ba thi aio ott fin aio or Th( ahi TIM wh Ma difff an^ ban rigl raq mai Thia item is filmed at tha reduction ratio checked below/ Ca document eat film* »u taux da rMuction indiqu* ci-dessoua. 10X 14X 18X 22X 2SX 30X J 12X ItX aox 24X 28X 32X The copy filmed here he* been reproduced thenkt to the generoalty of: Ubrery of the Public Archives of Cenede L'exempleire fllmA f ut reprodult grice i le g4n4rosltA de: Le blbliothique det Archives publlques du Cenede The Imeges eppeering here ere the best quelity '^u9»\b\9 considering the condition end legibility of the origlnei copy end In keeping with the filming contrect speclflcetlons. Origlnei copies in printed peper covers ere filmed beginning with the front cover end ending on the lest pege with e printed or lliustreted impres- sion, or the beck cover when eppropriete. All other origlnei copies ere filmed beginning on the first pege with e printed or lliustreted impres- sion, end ending on the lest pege with e printed or lliustreted impression. The lest recorded freme on eech microfiche shell contein the symbol ^•^^ (meening "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol ▼ (meening "END"), whichever eppiles. Les imeges suK/entes ont M reprodultes evec le plus grend soin, compte tenu de le condition et de le nettetA de l'exempleire film*, e. sn conformity evec les conditions du contret de filmege. Les exempleires origlneux dont Ee couverture en pepier est imprimte sent fllmte en eommenpent per le premier plet et en terminent soit per le dernlAre pege qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustrstion, soit per le second plet, selon le ces. Tous les outres exempleires origlneux sent fiimis en commenpent per is premMre pege qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'lllustretion et en terminent per le dernMre pege qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suhrents sppereltro sur le dernlAre imege de cheque microfiche, selon le ces: le symbols -^* signlfie "A SUIVRE", le symbols Y signlfis "FIN". Meps. pistes, cherts, etc., mey be filmed at different reduction retios. Those too lerce to be entirely Included in one exposure ere filmed beginning In the upper left hand corner, left to right end top to bottom, es meny fremes es rsquired. The following diegrems illustrete the method: Les certes, pienches, tebleeux, etc., peuvent Atre filmfe A des teux de rMuctlon diffirents. Lorsque le document est trop grend pour Atre reprodult en un seul clich4, 11 eet f ilm* A pertir de i'engle supArieur geuche, de geuche A droite. et de heut en bee, en prenent le nombre d'Imeges nAcesseire. Les diagremmes sulvsnts illustrent le mMhode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 'im^-- fmmmmm^m O' REPRESENTATION OlTTUa LEGISLATIVE UNION OrTHB PROVINCES OF UPPER AND LOWER CANADA, ■TTHC ■^ CONSTITUTIOlf AL AMOCIATIOIf OrTHB CITY OF MONTREAL. ^1 \ ' \' .-«S" •i • * »E • / '' ^ fH . , J. '* * t\ ■it'-^^. \'i ■>'Vi .i 't' ' ' ... ■'./•.' CIRCULAR dtf :'j.:y-? u3l\''' THE LEGISLATIVE UNION OF THE PROVIJ^Cllg, &c. ' f fr.:ii Thb CoiiBtitutional AMM>ciation of the tity of MontAial) b^ kMt to request your asBistanoe and eappottf ih Antfaennoe of tfke hb- gislatiTe Union of the Provinces rfUj^r and Lower CaMda ) h measure, which und^ all the aecumulated ^vili of the preMflt pcv litical state <^Low«r Canada, is conbeived to be the tml^r i^nied^ by which these evils can be overcome, &e proi|ierity^ of the Flo>' vinces secured, and their ultimate connexion with the Pttieht State preserved* By the Treaty of Peace in the year 1763, Canada^ ecm^tiei^d by the British armsj was ceded in full sovereignty and iri^t to His Britannic Majesty, by His most Christian Majesty, and tiie Freneh inhabitants who chose to remain in the couiitry, became subjects of Gkeat Britain, and were secured in the enjoyment of their pro- petty and possessions, and the free exercise of their leligion. By the Royal Proclamation of the 7th October, 1763, th6 ceded TerritcMry was erected into a Provincial Government, deho<' minated the Government of Quebec, and a Goverhw and Couneit were appointed by Letters Patent, for the administration of the affairs d'the Colony, who continued to disehai^e this dtity tiMit the year 1774. In that year the Act of th^ 14th Geo. III. c. 83, : ■ REPRESENTATION ON THE la vvas passed, by which extensive privileges were conferred upon the French Canadians — the free enjoyment of their ancient laws, and the full exercise of their religion, as they both existed previous to the conquest of the Province, were secured to them ; the intro- duction of the criminal law of England preserved them from the arbitrary oppressions to which they had been subjected under their former Government, and their eligibility to seats in the Provincial Council, thereby constituted for the affairs of the Province of Que- bec, communicated to them the exercise of very important rights as British subjects. In the year 1790, the Act of the 31st Geo. TIL c. 31, was passed, by which still more extensive benefits and advantages, and the most valuable political privileges were conferred upon the French Canadians. By this Act, the Province of Quebec was divided into two separate Provinces ; a Constitution in all essential particulars mmilar to that of the Parent State was granted to both ; and His Majesty, with the advice and consent of a Legislative Council, constituted by his Royal appointment, and a representa- tive Assembly, elected by the Colonists themselves, were empow- ered to make laws, for the peace, welfare, and good government ofthe Provinu<^. ,■: ._v' ;«■■? .C/^/i-' ■ ..'■■■i -;: -• ;>-•;»-, To render this privilege applicable to the existing state of the Colony, no real or pecuniary qualification was required for a seat, either in the Council or Assembly, whilst that of the electors was established at so low an amount, as almost to extend the electoral privilege to a system of universal suffrage. From the collection of the Crown duties, levied in the Pro- vince in virtue of the Act of the 14tii Geo. IIL c. 88, provision was made for defraying the expenses of the administration of jus- tice, and the support of the civil Government, thereby securing the independence of the Judiciary, and the necessary support of the Executive Government. In addition to these repeated benefac- tions, the Imperial Government, induced by the strongest desire of promoting the prosperity of the Colony, subsequenfly passed the LfiGISLATIVE UNION. Imperial Act of the Ist and 2d Will. IV. c. 23, by which the ap- plication of the Crown duties above mentioned was unreservedly and without qualification placed at the disposal, and intrusted to the control and discretion of the Provincial Legislature. Thus by the operation of these Acts, the French Canadians attained a degree of liberty entirely unknown to them under the Government of France, they were admitted to a participation in all the rights of British subjects, secured in the full exercise of their religion, protected in their persons by the most perfect sys- tem of criminal law, guaranteed in the enjoyment of their ancient and accustomed Civil Jurisprudence, intrusted with the authority of making and consenting to their own laws, for the peace, welfare and good government of the Province, and finally, protected from the imposition of taxes by the Parent State. It might have been reasonably expected, that benefits so mul- tiplied and concessions so munificent, would have led to a gradual approximation of the French Canadians, in disposition and cha- racter, to their fellow subjects of British origin, until at last eveiy sensible diflerence between them should have entirely ceased, and the Colonists of both races have been united into one people, ani- mated with a sincere and ardent attachment to the Constitution thus liberally bestowed upon them. '>• • ^ ^ . It must also be observed, that the proclamation of the 7th October, 1763, urged the subjects of His Majesty's Kingdoms and of the then Cdonies in America, to avail themselves, with all con- venient speed, of the great benefits and advantages to accrue to their commerce, manufactures and navigation, from the extensive and valuable acquisitions in America, secured to the British Crown by the Treaty of Peace above mentioned ; invited them to become settlers in the newly acquired Province ; and exhorted them to con- fide in the Royal protection, for their enjoyment of the benefit of the laws of the Realm of England. Impelled by this powerful attraction, and trnsling to the faith of the Royal i^edge, British capitalists and British emigrants have REPRESENTATION ON THE establiihed Uiemielves in the Province, and tlie number uf the (ir..,. .,.i.«o. <^; Nor can it be concealed, that the existing dissimilarity between the two Provinces, in their laws, institutions, and customs, as well us in their general feeling of attachment to the Parent State, must, if not prevented by their Legislative union, lead to consequences, alike disastrous with dioee anticipated as likely to affect the inha- bitants of the two races in Lower Canada. .,,, ; m i ^ ;ft>a»ji m ' ^ The geographical ntuation of the two Provinces, and the rela- tions which have been established between them by nature, afford but one outlet to the sea, and one channel of communication with the Mother Country; that outlet is in the possession of Lower Canada, and all the revenue arising from the foreign trade of the Provinces, is collected and retained by her, subject to a quadren- nial division by Arbitrators, indifferently appointed by the Execu- tive Government of each Province. It must be admitted, that this is tiie best system of apportionment which could be devised under present circumstances ; but it must be allowed at tiie same tune, that perfect satisfaction to both Provinces cannot be permanently secured, because Upper Canada must, at an early period, claim a more c" ■ ^' ' Another serious source of interprovincial irritation and (fisa- greement, arises fnnn the indiffisrence manifested by the French Canadians in general, to the progressive prosperity and settlement of Lower Canada, and especially from the disinclination cm the part of the Assembly of Lower Canada, to co-operate with the Le- gidature of the Uf^per Province, in the magnificent iminrovement* now in progress, at the expense of the latter, in the great channel 6f communication common to both, which, if completed throu^ their contemplated extent, must produce the greatest commerciat advantages to both Provinces. The enlai*ged views of the inhabitants of Upper Canada have bd(tty extended beyond their own time into distant yearsj and beyond their own frontiers into the rich and productive newsettte- ments of the w^tern portion of the American Union ; but the great ondertakings and increased facilities of ccmimunication, now in progress, as well as these in contemplation in Upper Canada, fot the attraction of the trade of those fertile countries so rapidly growing into importance, vnH not only be rendered imperfect in their usefulness, but their anticipated advantages will become absolutely unavailing, from tiie -^^^nt of a conesponding spirit in Lower Canada, t6 assist their advaneemcMl. B i:l^^: 10 REPRESENTATION ON THK li r y It must be freely a(lmitted,that the adoption of any measure by Lower Canada, tending to throw obstacles in the way of the settle- ment and improvement of her Sister Province, must aflFord further occasion to interprovincial irritation ; and no Act of a Legislative character could have better answered its intended purpose, than the Lower Canada Passenger Act, the 6th Wil, IV. c. 13, which, under the speciously humane pretence, of creating a fund to defray the expense of medical assistance for sick emigrants, and of enabling indigent persons of that description to proceed to their place of destination, is a concealed Capitation Tax, by which not only emigration to Upper Canada from the United Kingdom is impeded, but even the inhabitant of that Province, returning to his home by the St. Lawrence, is liable to be taxed by an odious impost. This taxation, in so far as it regards the inhabitants of Upper Canada, is at variance with the spirit of the Canada Trade Act, and the constitutional rights of His Majesty's subjects residing in that Province. By the same Imperial Act, it is declared that " the division of the Province of Quebec, into the two Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, was intended for the common benefit of His Majesty's subjects residing within both of the newly constituted Provinces, and not in any manner to obstruct the intercourse, or prejudice the trade to be carried on, by the inhabitants of any part of the late Province of Quebec, with Great Britain or with other countries," and that " it was expedient, that the productions of the Province of Upper Canada, should be permitted to be exported without being made subject, by any Act of the Province of Lower Canada either directly or indirectly, to duties or impositions on their arrival in that Province, or in passing through the waters thereof," wherefore it was therein enacted, that << all boats and otiier craft belonging to His Majesty's subjects, coming from the Province of Upper Canada, into the Province of Lower Canada, not laden with the productions of any foreign country, should be allowed freely to pass into and through the said Province of Lower LEGISLATIVE UNION. 11 Canada, and should not be subject to any rate, tax, duty or imposi- tion, notwithstanding any law of Lower Canada to the contrary." Nevertheless, in contravention of the Imperial Act, the Legisla- ture of Lower Canada by the Provincial Statute, 6th Will. IV, c. 24<, has endeavoured to obstruct that interprovincial fi-eedom of intercourse, by requiring " all boats and craft to enter and report at the port of Coteau du Lac, or at any other port or ports to be established in Lower Canada," and though this Statute is inoper- ative from the difficulties attending its enforcement, it is not the less unconstitutional, and at variance with the spirit of the Canada Trade Act. It is conceived tliat the necessity of a Provincial Union has been demonstrated, not only from the separate views and dissimi- lar institutions, laws and feelings of the two Provinees, but also from the causes of collision existing between them, arising from the unwarrantable interference of Lower Canada, with the chartered rights and privileges of her Sister Province, by obstruct- ing the freedom of interprovincial intercourse between them ; by impeding the settlement of Upper Canada, from the imposition of taxes upon emigrants from the Mother Country arriving at the only sea-ports of the Provinces; by depriving Upper Canada of her fair proportion of revenue, for her consumption of dutiable goods im- ported into the Lower Province ; by checking the growing pros- perity of Upper Canada, from a culpable disinclination or an abso- lute refusal to assist in the improvements in progress in that Pro- vince, for increasing their mutual wealth and resources, and for facilitating their intercourse with each other and with the neigh- bouring Grovemment; and from the unconstitutional assump- tion of a Legislative authority by Lower Canada over Up- per Canada, in making laws affecting the well being and inde- pendence o'' the latter, in absolute violation of the rights and privileges g'.iaranteed to her by the Constitutional Act as well as by the Canada Trade Act ; and it is conceived that the more than questionable policy of delaying a measure of such vital importance, 12 REPRESENTATION ON THE miuit be Bendered manifest, by ihe impoMiUlity of applying » remedy at some distant period, after the Provinces, and especiaUy Ui^ier Canada, shall have much further advanced in numerical populatiMi and jealous independence, and when the present pre^ judices and irritations shall have become exa!4)erated, into fierce dissension and hosdle conflict between them. Urgent as is the necessity of a Provincial Union, the best founded apprehensions are entertained, that v^thout the adoption of a determinate and final legislation upon this important subject, the same causes of interprovincial collision and hostility, which now exist, will remain, and of course be more deeply felt by Upper Canada, as her hitherto rapid settlement, encouraged by her more liberal institutions and her better state of law, progressively ad- vance ; these latent causes of hostility will break forth at no distant p^od, when the sound policy of that final measure shall have been made evident, and the practicability of its being carried into efifect, shall have been rendered almost hopeless. It is for this reason conceived, that an equality in the number of Represen- tatives to the Joint or United Assembly, is of chief importance, to render the proposed Union effectual, whereby separate habits and prsjudices will be overcome, national antipathies gradually remov- ed| and the interests of the Provinces cherished and supported. Nor is this equality of Provincial representation either unjust or inequitable, when it is considered, that the Provinces are Go> vemments independent of each other ; that the disparity between their aggregate p<^ulations, by nc mesns great at present, is being reduced with so much cdbrity, that a few years will entirely r^ move that inequality ; and, as regards Upper Canada in particular, that the general intelligence of her population is immeasureaUy flupcrior to that of the numerical majority in Lower Canada, and that she already possesses the greater proportion of the trade of the Provinces, a proportion, which will continue to augment even be- yond its present amount, from die wants and habite of her inha- bitaats, tn^ their extremely rapid incretie oi numbers. LCGISLATIVC UNtOlf. 13 The actual population of the two Provinces, and their rate of increaae, will be leen from the following details, which have been compiled from authentic eourcea: — i> •:»\,Ki Talbnlar Vl«w of the Popnlalion of both Provincea, «u4 it* rate of Increase* Rate qf Inereaae in tit* General Population qf Lover Canada, from 1760 to 183S, inelutive. In 1760, the population of the undivided Province was 6B00O 1784, ' " USOOO-Increase, 48O0O 1825, " ' ■ - . . - 1831 , " of Lower Canada, by a ) jRnnnn corrected Cenras, say \ ^^^ , the population of Lower Canada, by> eiioi? Cenius of this year, was $ oi i»i/ 1836, the population of Lower Canada, sup* ) cMn/an posed to be ( ouuvw Increase in 6 years, from 1825 to 1831, of Lower Canada. • * • " 6 " 1831 to 1836, " OeneiJil rate from 1825 to 1836, of Lower Canada, 11 years, Average increase " 1760 to 1784, " " " 1784 to 1826, " , " " 1825 to 1831, " •• " " 183110 1836, " " per annum « '• 337000 61917 " 89061 13t per cent' 17« " 33i " 2000 8219^ 10154 17816 From 1760 to 1836, the population has doubfed itself 3| times in Lower Canada. Taking the corrected Census returns in 1825, and those of 1831, and the generally supposed population in December, 1836, the poptdation of Lower Canada would ap- pear to double itself in twenty-nine years neariy. RaU qf Incrtaet in tfu General Population of Upper Canada, from the year 1824 to 1836, inclusive. Inl824 149301 1826 156886--Increasek 7B15 1826 164703 1827 175128 1828 186345 1829 196704 ISSO 211569 1831 234681 1832 260994 1 833 296870 1B34 320736 1835 346165 1636 375000 Averase increase from 1824 to 18S8, p The Provincial representation of Lower Canada is at present ninety Members, of whom about one-eighth, or eleven in number, represent the wants of the inhabitants of British origin, a minority, whose opinions pass as unheeded, as their presence in the Provin- cial Assembly is undesired by the Representative majority of French origin. The census of 1831 estimated the whole Provincial popula- tion at 511,917, and stated the number of Roman Catholics to be 403,472, leaving, therefore, 108,445 to be Protestants, none of whom could be of French origin. Of the Catholics, it is reasonably estimated, that 50,000 are of British origin, and the statement must therefore be satisfactory, that in 1831 the total number of inhabitants of British origin was 158,000, whilst that of French origin was 353,000. Assuming, therefore, that the increase from 1831 to 1836 has raised the aggregate number to 600,000, the difference will be 89,081 ; but it is notorious that the fixed population of the Pro- vince not only suffered great mortality from Asiatic cholera, in the years 1832 and 1834, but that during that period, and especially during the past two years, it has been much reduced by the emigra- tion of French Canadian youth to tlie territories of the United States, whilst it is equally well known from authentic sources, that in the period of five years abovementioned, 195,000 emigrants have arrived at Quebec from the Mother Country, of whom it is calculated that 35,000 have settled in Lower Canada ; the natural increase of the whole Provincial population would thus only be 54,081, which divided between the two races, in the proportion of 158 to 353, would augment the number of inhabitants of French origi" to neariy 390,000 souls, and those of British origin, to near- ly 175,000, to which being added the amount of settlers by emigra- tion, say 35,000, the total number of the latter would be 210,000, a.id the aggregate proportion of the two races therefore is as 210,000 to 390,000, in round numbers. A cursory examination of the preceding calculation shows, that not only is the increase of the inhabitants of British origin in ' t< RCPRBSENTATION ON THE Lower Canada extremely rapid, but that it is in a very much great- er proportion than that of the inhabitants of French oripn. From the preceding details of the proportionate peculation of the two races, and the disproportionate number of Bepresentativee elected by French Canadian majorities, the urgent necessity of a new division of Counties in Lower Canada will be made manifest. This has been prepared, and is submitted as containing as fair an adjustment of this grievance as the state of the Province will admit ; it has been compiled upon a careful calculation of territory and po- pulation, and has left the Counties, containing inhabitants of French origin, undisturbed, excapt where absolute necessity required the change. Explanatory statements, together with a map exhibiting the existing County divisions which have given occasion to so much complaint, as well as the proposed new divisions, will be found in the Appendix. According to the principles adopted in the laws of both Pro- vinces regulating the number of Representatives by a certain amount of population, which it is not proposed to alter, some of the pro- posed new Counties do not at present possess a sufficient popula- tion to return two Representatives each, but from the strong ten- dency of emigration towards tliem, it is believed that at the time when the Le^lative Union shall be carried into effect, and a cor- rect census taken of the County peculation, an object which must of necessity form one of the provisions of any Union Bill, they all, with the exception of three or four, which will still continue en- titled to only one Representative, will have come within the provi- sions of the lawentitiing them to two Representatives each. It must also be observed that the general trade of the Pro- vince is carried on almost exclusively by the Cdonists of British origin. The French Canadian inhabitants have never had much share in it, and the general indisposition evinced by them to com- mercial pursuits, has almost become an anti-commercial spirit. The inhabitants of British origin have always formed, and v^ .11 continue to form the commercial part of the society, and possessing the gnperiority of commercial wealth, enterprise and inten^gsik'^, LEGISLATIVE UNION. 17 must always command a superiority iu this respect. Some French Canadian institutions of a commercial character, have been lately formed, but their extent does not impugn the general principle above stated; these exceptions go to establish the correctness of the observation) which ru .y be further confirmed by reference to the following statement of the amounts of stock in the public un- dertakings of the District of Montreal, held by the inhabitants of the two races :— CAPITAt. BHABBS. BRITISH. FRSNCH. 1. Stock ofthe Bank of £250,000 200,000 60,000 70,000 65,000 40,200 33,190 25,000 20,000 15,000 60,000 T present >:i!uo. II II cost paid 5,000 8,000 1,000 80 48 710 1,172 1,000 1,000 • • • • £247,400 192,805 49,150 70,000 61,615 38,608 32,482 25,000 19,500 13,576 60,000 £2,600 7,200 850 3,385 1,682 708 600 1,925 £18,960 2. Do. of City Bank.. 3. Do. of Champlain & St. Lawrence Rail- road Company •••• 4. Do. Montreal Water Works 5. Do. of St. Lawrence Steamboat Comp'y. 6. Do.Montreal Steam Tow Boat Company 7. Do. Ottawa and Ri- deau Forwarding 8. Do. St. Lawrence Steamboat and Mail Coach Company... 9. Do. Montreal Gas ^or](g 10. Do. St. Ann Market 11. Do. of other Steam Boats and capital in- vested in the For- warding establish- ments on the Saint Lawrence, above A. belowMontreal* ••. £818,890 £819,940 FRENCH CANADIAN IN- BT1T0TI0N8. 1. Stock of Mutual In- surance Company.. 2. Do. Danque dfu Peu- pie— People's Bank 40,000 80,000 suppo- sed. 16,281 30,000 23,719 60,000 £938,890 £866,221 £92,669 18 REPRESENTATtON ON THE This tmlispmition manifested to commercial pursuits, by tlie inhabitants of French origin, materially alfects the inter-Pro- vincial trade, injures the general trade of the Provinces with Great Britain and Ireland, and will force much of the British shipping employed in it to other shores. The evil effects are even at pre- sent being exhibited in Upper Canada, where a desire has been manifested to obtain other channels of communication than the St. Lawrence, for the supply of the necessities, and the disposal of the surplus produce of that Province ; and unless prevented by an early adoption of the proposed Legislative Union, the sea-ports of the United States, aivd especially New York, will become the great marts of the trade of Upper Canada j indeed an application to the Glovernment of the United States was lately made by a number of individuals engaged in commerce in that Province, praying that goods for Upper Canada might be landed at New York free of duty. It is likewise suggested, that the expediency of establishing a Quorum for the United Legislature, is also evident, from the ex- perience of the past Sessions of the Assembly of Lower Canada, in v^ich the Quorum is forty-five out of ninety Membera : so large a number has been found to be utterly incompatible with, as it is al- together unnecessary for, the faithful discharge of tlie public duty intrusted to this branch of the Legislature. It was established to meet the views of certain influential leaders of the Assembly, and has frequently been employed for party purposes, the well-timed and concerted departure of a few Members having entirely put a stop to all legislation, however necessary or desirable. To obviate occurrences of a similar nature in the joint Assembly, it becomes imperatively necessary to make a provision in the Union Bill, by which such a Quorum will be established as may enable the Unit- ed Legislature freely to accomplish the objects of its Constitution. Anoliier requirement essentially necessary to be provided by the Union Bill, is a proper qualification for the Members of the United Assembly : the wisdom of the provision has been foreseen ^;.v;^ij*;:;.-sy*'*'^W'*««ft3''^ ■^■^itm^^s^^'i'-'i^i^iis^^^ - LEGISLATIVE UNION. 19 lite, by ter-Pro- Great Ishipping at pre- a» been In the St. |posal of d by an ports of the great m to the imber of ing that free of ablishing I the ex- inada, in o large a 3 it is al- bKc duty lished to biy, and ill-timed ly put a obviate )ecomes Bill, by le Unit- titution. rovided 8 of the Jieseen in Upper Canada, virhose Representatives are required to be pos- sessed of a certain amount of freehold estate j whereas the want of such a provision in Lower Canada, has been the fruitful source of much of the evil and injury inflicted upon the Province, by the theoretical and unfounded pretensions of the popular branch of her Ldgfislatiure. The interests of both Proviaces having been thus secured by an et^ual representation from each, it is of absolute necessity that the political rights of the inhabitants of British origin in Lower Canada should be likewise secured : on the one hand, their great and increasing numl>ers, their commercial enterjirize and persever- ance, their untiring efforts to ensure the prosperity and improve- ment of the Province, their ardent feelings of attachment to the Mother Country, their hearty desire to continue the Provincial connexion with the Parent State, and their sincere disposition to preserve the essentials of the present Constitution of the Provinces, whilst on the other hand, the unwearied endeavours of the French Canadians to destroy that Constitution and separate that connex- ion, to neutralize those feelings of attachment and impede those eflbrts of improvement, to abate that commercial spirit and prevent that increase of British population, and finally, effectually to anni- hilate the political rights of the inhabitants of British origin, call /oudly for the jiroteclion of this portion of His Majesty's loyal Colonists, who claim as British subjects an equal share of politi- cal privileges with their brethren of French origin. The Legislative Union of the Provinces therefore, coupled with an equality of representation from each, with anew County di- vision in Lower Canada, by which the inhabitants of British origin may obtain a fair proportion in the Provincial representation, nrul with the establishment of a proper quorum for the United Assembly, and a sufficient qualification for its Members, appears to be the only measure by which the continued peace,welfare and good government of the Provinces can W insured, their connexion with tlie Parent State preserved, and a di8meml>ermenl of 'he Empire prevented. ! i. 80 REPRESENTATION, &.C. We Uierefore most resiieclfuUy request your co-opcralion and assistance in forwarding the measure which we have the honour of submitting for your support and approval. MoMTBEAL, March 23 1837. APPENDIX. DivUion of tho Province off lioivor Canada Into CountlvN for tito Election of nieniberB to tlio Houite of AHNenibly. District of Montreal. EjO III ill Squuri'Mil'» 1. The County of Ottawa shall coniain thp Sei)!riiory of La Petite Nation, the Township of Lochaber and its ausmentation or Gure, the Townships of Buckingham, Derry, ond Ripon, and the territory in the rear thereof, to the nortli- wost line of tho County of Kilkenny, but not including Portland and its roar, besides waste lands 2. The County of Hull shall contain the Town- ships of Tcmpleton, Hull, Enrdley, Portland, Wakefield, Wnshcr, and the territory in the rear extending to tho north-west line of the County of Kilkenny, besides waste lands 3. The County of Clakenoon shall contain the Townships of Onelow, Bri8tul,Clarendon,Litch field, Manstield, Hiiddcrsfield, and the territory in the rear, to the north-west line of the County of Kilkenny, and on tho north-west und along the north bankof the River Ottawa to tho boun- dary of the Province, besides waste Innds-.' • The waste lands in the C. 2G. 27. 28, 29. The County of Lotdiniibk shall bo bounded on the N. K. by the 8. W. boundary line of the Seianiory of St. Croix, on the ». R. by th« Townships of Nelson and Somerset, on the south-west by the Townships of Blandford and Mnddinsion, on the wesi by the River Becan- LMur, and on the N. W' by the River St. Law- rence ; which County so bounded cotnrirines tlio Seigniories of Lotbiniere, St. Jepn D'Es choi'ldnH, nnd their augmehtniions, Si. Pierre Its Hceaueis, Oentiliy, Cournoyer, that port of tlio Seiuniory of Becancour east of the Ucenncour River, and all the tract of coun- try included within the said limits The County of Drummond shall contain the Tdwnships of Upton, Granthom, Wickham Durhoni, Acton, Wcndover, Simpson ant Kingsoy The County of Blandford shall contain the Townships nf Aston, Horton, Bulstrode, Stan fold, Wiirwick, Arthaba^'ka, Maddington and ninndford The County of Sherbrookk shall contain the Townxhip of Melbourne, Bromptun, Orford, Ascot, Sioke and Wesibury The County of Enfield shall contain the Townships ot Shipton, Tingwiek, Chester, Windsor, Wotton, Ham and its augmentation, and Wolfstown and its augmentations The County of Middlesex shall contain the lownships of Dudswell, Weedon, Qarthby, Bury, Lingwick, Stratford, Whitton, Adslock, Hampden and Marston The County of Worcester shall contain the Townships of Eaton, Newport, Dition. Ches- ham, that part of Clinton westof Arnold River, Stanhope, Clifton, Auckland, Emberton, Croy- don, Hereford and Drayton The Town of Shbrbrooke— two Members. The Town of Thrbs Rivkbb— two Members, as now represented. District of Quebec, 30. The County of Megantic shall contain the Townships of Somerset, Nelson, Halifax,Inver- ncss, Leeds, Ireland and its augmentation, v i also that tract of country adjoining theieio, bounded on theN>E> by the Couny ofBeauce, and on the north by the County of Dorchester, which said tract comprises the Seigniory of St. Giles, and part of St. Croix, and all the tract of country included within the said limits '• AHtrfiii'iifil ff'uitf l-iiiidi 453 827 767 588 808 1041 828 892 % v.. t 24 APPENDt2L. District of Quebec^ {contxnued.) 31. 32. 1'he County of Devon shall .contain the Townships of Thetford, Broughton, Coliaine, 1 rins, Winslow, Ou' ,, Shelney, Gayhurst ' Dorset and The County of Dobchbster aholl be bounded on the N'W. by the River St. Lawrence, on the N.E. by the County of Bellechasse,on the S. E. by the County of Beauce, on the south by a boundary line to be drawn from the north west ani^le of the Seigniory of St< Giles to the north-east angle of the Township of Nelson, and on the S. '■> by the N- E- boundary of the Seignioi'yof fiotbiniere ; whichCounty so bound ed shall comprise iho Seigniories of Lauzon, Tilly or St. Antoincj GBspi'.Desplaines, Bonse cours and St. Croix, and part of their aug- mentntions, and all the tract of country in eluded within the said limits The County of Bbaucs shall contain the Seigniories of Jolietie, Saint Etienne, Saint Mary, Saint Joseph, Yaudr The County of I/Islet, ae it now is The County of Eahodrabka, as it now is- • • • The Cotinty of Rimodski, as it now is 39. The County of Pohtnbup, as it now is 40. The County of Quedbc, as it now is City of Qcebec— Upper Town, "i —two Members f a» now re- City of QtuEBBc— Lowor Town, I presented. — two Members * The County of AfoNTMOBSsci shall contain the present Countv of Montmorenci, 7469, and also the Island and present County of Orleans 69. The County of Sagptjnay, ca it now is 33 34 Exh.Ht in l^ttare MUe* 41 42 District of Gaspe. 43. The County of Bonavbntubb, as it now is — 44. The County of Gaspe as it now is, 3188, with the Magdaien Islands, 93 799 474 807 7539 72700 4103 3281 jtttertaineti ffaiteLandt K 1478 .... 1775 1202 3044 2608 4320 3891 8840 7554 8640 8068 14240 13780 68'.'0 72123 ¥ •**k % fii Note- The Counties having boundaries on Ri-v-ers and Lakes, shall in- clude all the Islands nearest thereto, and in whole or in part fronting the seme, unless otherwise expressly stated. Montreal, March 23, 1837. m I 1202 2G08 3891 7554 8068 13780 68'iO 72123 IshaK in- Iting the wmm W|Pa««PMi"PI"P«"«IIMI«"MMPM*imp^^v •^'^^^^^'"'"''flplpipiiii ift*fn K- fi