->. 
 
 
 IMAGE EVALUATION 
 TEST TARGET (MT-3) 
 
 k(0 
 
 
 /. 
 
 
 1.0 
 
 I.I 
 
 11.25 
 
 !f IIIIIM ■2-5 
 
 ^ ^ lllllio 
 
 2.2 
 
 1.8 
 
 \A. IIIIII.6 
 
 Pnotogmphic 
 
 Sciences 
 Corporation 
 
 23 WEST MAIN STREET 
 
 WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 
 
 (716) 872-4503 
 
 •1>^ 
 
 \ 
 
 iV 
 
 \\ 
 
 
 iv 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
\^!«. 
 
 A,*^ 
 
 ^0 
 
 % 
 
 ifl 
 
 t 
 
 \ 
 
 * "^O 
 
 % 
 
 CIHM 
 Microfiche 
 Series 
 (Monographs) 
 
 ICMH 
 
 Collection de 
 microfiches 
 (monographies) 
 
 Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques 
 
Technical and Bibliographic Notes / Notes techniques et bibliographiques 
 
 The 
 to tt 
 
 The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original 
 copy available for filming. Features of this copy which 
 may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any 
 of the images in the reproduction, or which may 
 significantly change the usual method of filming, are 
 checked below. 
 
 E 
 
 n 
 
 Coloured covers/ 
 Couverture de couleur 
 
 Covers damaged/ 
 Couverture endommagee 
 
 Covers restored and/or laminated/ 
 Couverture restauree et/ou pellicul6e 
 
 □ Cover title 
 Le titre de 
 
 missing/ 
 couver^re manque 
 
 n 
 n 
 
 n 
 
 D 
 
 Coloured maps/ 
 
 Caites g^ographiques en couleur 
 
 Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ 
 Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) 
 
 Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ 
 Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur 
 
 Bound with other material/ 
 Relie avec d'autres documents 
 
 Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion 
 along interior margin/ 
 La reliure serree peut causer de I'ombre ou de la 
 distorsion le long de la marge interieure 
 
 Blank leaves added during restoration may appear 
 within the text. Whenever possible, these have 
 been omitted from filming/ 
 II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajouties 
 lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, 
 mais, lorsque cela etait possible, ces pages n'ont 
 pas ete filmees. 
 
 Additional comments:/ 
 Commentaires supplementaires: 
 
 This Item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ 
 
 Ce document est filme au taux de reduction indique ci dessous. 
 
 iflA 
 
 18X 
 
 T 
 
 L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il 
 lui a eti possible de se procurer. Les details de cet 
 exemplaire qui sont peut-6tre uniques du point de vue 
 bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image 
 reproduite. ou qui peuvent exiger une modification 
 dans la methode normale de filmage sont indiques 
 ci-dessous. 
 
 □ Coloured pages/ 
 Pages de couleur 
 
 □ Pages damaged/ 
 Pages endommagees 
 
 □ Pages restored and/or laminated/ 
 Pages restaurees et/ou pellicul^es 
 
 Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ 
 Pages decolorees, tachetees ou piquees 
 
 □ Pages detached/ 
 Pages detachees 
 
 The 
 poti 
 
 of n 
 
 film! 
 
 Orig 
 begi 
 the I 
 sion^ 
 othe 
 first 
 •ion, 
 or ill 
 
 0?: 
 
 Showthrough/ 
 ransparence 
 
 □ Quality of print varies/ 
 Qualite inegale de I'impression 
 
 □ Continuous pagination/ 
 Pagination continue 
 
 □ Includes index(es)/ 
 Comprend un (des) index 
 
 Title on header taken from:/ 
 Le titre de l'en-t£te provient: 
 
 □ Title page of issue/ 
 Page de titre de la livraison 
 
 □ Caption of issue/ 
 Titre de depart q«. la livraison 
 
 □ Masthead/ 
 Generique (periodiques) de la livraison 
 
 The I 
 shell 
 TINL 
 whic 
 
 Mepi 
 diffe 
 •ntin 
 begii 
 right 
 requi 
 meth 
 
 22X 
 
 26 X 
 
 30X 
 
 12X 
 
 16X 
 
 20X 
 
 24 X 
 
 28X 
 
 32 X 
 
The copy filmad hare hat baan raproducad thanks 
 to tha ganarosity of: 
 
 Library of the National 
 Archives of Canada 
 
 L'axamplaira filmi fut raproduit grdca 6 la 
 gAn*rosit6 da: 
 
 La bibliothdque de$ Archives 
 nationales du Canada 
 
 Tha images appearing hare are the best quality 
 possible considering the condition and legibility 
 of the original copy and in keeping with the 
 filming contract spacificationa. 
 
 Original copiaa in printed paper covers are filmed 
 beginning with the front cover and ending on 
 the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- 
 sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All 
 other original copiea are filmed beginning on tha 
 first page with a printed or illustrated imprea- 
 sion, and ending on the last page with a printed 
 or illuatrated impreaaion. 
 
 Tha last recorded frame on each microfiche 
 shall contain tha symbol — ^ (meaning "CON- 
 TINUED"), or tha symbol V (meaning "END"), 
 whichever applies. 
 
 Les imagae suivantes ont ixi reproduites avec la 
 plus grand soin. compte tenu da la condition et 
 de la nettetA de I' exemplaire filmA, at en 
 conformity avec les conditions du contrat de 
 filmage. 
 
 Las exemplairas originsux dont la couverture en 
 papier est imprim«e sont filmis en commengant 
 par la premier plat et en terminant soit par la 
 darniire page qui comporte une empreinte 
 d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second 
 plat, aaion le cas. Tous les autres exemplairas 
 originaux sont filmAs an commandant par la 
 pramiAre page qui comporte une empreinte 
 d'impreasion ou crillustration at en terminant par 
 la darniire page c|ui comporte une telle 
 empreinte. 
 
 Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la 
 darniire image de cheque microfiche, selon le 
 cas: le symbole «^> signifie "A SUIVRE", le 
 symbols V signifie "FIN". 
 
 Mapa, plataa. charts, etc., may be filmed at 
 different reduction ratios. Those too large to be 
 entirely included in one expoaura are filmed 
 beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to 
 right and top to bottom, as many frames as 
 required. The following diagrams illustrate the 
 method: 
 
 Lea cartes, plenches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre 
 filmAs A des taux da rMuction diffdrents. 
 Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre 
 raproduit en un seul cliche, il est film^ A partir 
 de Tangle sup^rieur gauche, de gauche A droite, 
 et de haut en baa, an pranant le nombre 
 d'images nAcessaire. Las diagrammas suivants 
 illustrent la mithode. 
 
 12 3 
 
 
 
 3:x 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
i 
 
 /tU^I ^^-^I 
 
 ('.■- 
 
 
 O I^ I 3iTI O IsT ,i? r 
 
 fe^ 
 
 OP 
 
 THE HONORABLE MR. JUSTICE CARON, 
 
 AND 
 
 JUMMENT OF THE SUPEKIOK COURT 
 
 ON 
 
 THE VALIDITY OP THE 
 
 3De XjEKIZ^ OP^A^TJEI^T. 
 
 w^ 
 
1*1 !i^°"al Archives Archives nalionales 
 ■ ■ a Canada ou Canada 
 
OPINION OF THE HONORABLE MR. JUSTICE CARON. 
 
 H EO IN A, 
 
 vs. 
 
 DAME A. \l. V. DK LKIiY r/ „l. 
 
 Oil the L'-lrd ^cphMubcr, IT-i'l, the Uovovnor at tlio tinn' being' of this Provinr« 
 iiiul tlic lul.'mliuit grautMl to Pierns Ri<.'aiicl dc Vaudrenil and his roprosentatives a 
 sciu-niory ol' the extent of Ihrcc le:iQ-ii,.s iVontaiiv by two leagues in depth on ))oth 
 sides ofthe t'hiiiidi^iv rivev, on this condition among otiievs, " of giving notice to Ills 
 " \Iajesty, or to Us and Our Suecessors, of the mines and minerals, should any he 
 " discovere<l within the said limits." 
 
 On the same day the G-overnor and Intendaut liManted to Joseph Fleury de La 
 Gorgendieie a seiuiiiory of the same extent on both sides of the Chaiidiere river, and 
 on the same condiiions as abovi'. 
 
 These two concessions were subsequently coniirmed by the King of France. 
 
 In virtue of an authentic deed dated llth xMar.h. 177-2, Joseph (!. C, de Lerv 
 and Danv Louise Marlel de Broiiaa'es. his wile, became propri.'tors of the said 
 ^eigniory conceded to La (;->rgeudiere. 
 
 Oil the 1:!th July, IS41, Her Majesty, by Her Lett.Ms Patent, recognised Marie 
 Josephte Pra>er, widow of tli.- said Honorable C. E. ('iiau.sseums de Lery, Charles 
 Joseph ( 'ha us.segro.s de Lery and Alexandre K'ene ('liaus.seuTos de Lery, as proprie- 
 tors of tlie liciand seigniory call.'d Kiaaud, situated in New lieauce, in the parish of 
 Si. Fran^'oi^. 
 
 In 184(i the de Lery family i)resented a petition to the aovernment of Canada 
 in which it was alleged that tlie petitioners, Charles de L,.ry and the other members' 
 of hi- family were undivided proprietors, and in possession as seinniors of the lief or 
 M'igniory called Rio-au,l-\au(livuil, (thai is to say of tli,. seit-'uiory h,-t above men- 
 tioned ) 
 
 it was therein alleuvcj. nioreovr, ihat in obedience to the conditions of the said 
 conces.f m, the petitioner declare! to the (iov.Tiior ihal theiv was reason to believe 
 lliat -old mines exisled in several parts of the said seio'uiory, but that he was then 
 unable t.. furnish any particulars as to the nature, extent anil value of the mineral. 
 
 Tlie pelitioners consequently asked for the de Lery family and their representa- 
 tives, by preference, the lioyal permission to open and' work the said mines on jiay- 
 ina- to Her Majesty th(> tenth due to her a-cording to the law of the country. 
 
I 
 
 o 
 
 f 'r . poriocl or .0 yea... c^I w!:.^':';;^. tir^' '"-'' '^-" '"'^ <'■• I-T nunilv. 
 
 lhcCaii:uIu(Jol(U'oiii|M„v Liinit.-.I w). i , • 
 d..cl»„..l „„i', ■ ■ '"'°""''' '"•""»' '"'■ ""« f-ino,. ..I„, ,„.. „,„ ,„„„„ ,,„., 
 
 -4^™«:=;;:x:;=:;r,:!:^ * ^..^ ., 
 
 The ivnlv to th.. II,. 't «i • .'"''' ^^« .'?o''' "»'i<'s in their s.^io-iiiorv 
 
 " ')• of Kig«„i.v»,„i„.,;ii * ■' ■"" ""■""■"" '""' ""■I"-""- "ftiu. fi,.r.,„, «-i,l;;;: 
 
 l!»t, s,iy» ,l„, All„r„,.y.(;',„,.,l ,1, 'T ," '"""■' '" """ '»'«'"v. ' 
 
 ;.»-^".. («■» ..,.,.i.,.,,, i„„,,i,, b t *: w ;rc i;;;f7,,''^'''- " ""• -»■"-. 
 
 bcvn^..,,.,, ,„,,,,,,,,,, „„„^ ,;,^, ■;:';,_,^;;-;>'« '-«-,...,,„ w.,i,.h „„„ 
 
 .i.o -:°?^;.::^.'rtsr;,:;ri,;:::.:™;:,r": ;;; "- ttt " ^"'■- '-" 
 
 M..t c„,„„i„ II,., ,i„,„ ,„ ,1,^, ,„ ' ■^l ' ' ' ""'■"« .1 l.y ,!,„ Kl,,,. „f |..,,,„„„ ,,. , 
 
 '•""-ir. l.y ,.u.i.„, „„. „,.,„„;„;,; : ■;; ;;-^';.' »;; -""y ,,...,„., „,, ,„„, ,„ 
 
 l"itor,s.patontof l«thSept.mb,T IS-ir i.. V! *'"" ^ '"^■'»'-'^^ ''a.inot alfoct ih,. 
 
 890749 
 
8 
 
 act, iidmiK.'il that their title of cuiwvsBiou did not bestow on thiMii any ri<rht to the 
 jrold mines. For this reason they reljr on the letter8-i)ateut alone in stippJrt ol' their 
 rin'hts. 
 
 It is important to observe also that the Seigniorial Court did not d.vide that the 
 owiKTshii) of i-old mines, or rather the ri^vht to dispose ol them, was not in the frown, 
 as this (lu.'stion was not submitted to ii. It is also known that the .Statute .onstitutins' 
 that court gave it jurisdiction only in smh case. The derision of that court has there- 
 lore no bearinii' on the present action. 
 
 The allci?ation of the plaintitlthat the seisniory of Riiraud-Vaudrenii. as oriuin- 
 ally conceded, .oniprised the i)arish of St. .lo.seph, not that of St. Francois, Beauce, is 
 .striclly correct; but then' was a subsequent ex.liano-e between the two seigniors, 
 sin.e which lime the seio-niory of St. Francois has alwavs ))een known und'i'r the 
 name of K'iuand-Vaudreuil. The admi.ssions liled, as well as the. r.'gister of the pro- 
 perly, establish the identity of territory and leave no doubt on this i)oint. They read 
 as follows : 
 
 • The Seigniory h'igaud-Vaudreuil has always been known and designated l)y 
 " this name since the deed of Exchange of the ;-)th Januarv, 1747, between Pierre 
 '• Kigau.l de Vaudreuil and Joseph Fleury de I.adorg.'ndiere, and is situtated in and 
 •' comprises within its bounds all the parish of St. Francois, Beau.'c, and is the same 
 '■ as that mentioned in the plea of the defendant. tli.> DeLery Company, as having 
 '• been conceded to the said Sieur Fleury de J.alWgendiere on the :>;jrd September, 
 " 17.-JU, andth.> said IJame Marie Jo.sepht.; Fraser, Charles and Alexandre DeLery 
 " wer(> at lime of the i.ssui! ol the said Letter.s-Patent, sole and exclusive i)roprietors 
 " of the .said lief and .seigniory." 
 
 It must not be forgotten that th.- seigniors d' L^ry have been since the seignio- 
 rial commutation absolute proprietors of all un -oneeded lands in th-' seigniory, as 
 admitted in lilxhibit A. 1 of tlie de L -ry Gold Miniim' Co. 
 
 With regard to the informalities in the issue of the . Uers-Pateut of 18th Sept- 
 ember, 184(1, alleged by the plaintili; I do not .s,.e that an\ hini;- e.ssential had been 
 omitted "in this regard. 
 
 TiH> evid.'uce of the Crown agents named under the Mining Act, and their olii- 
 cial reports establish that the information which the defendants were bound to fur- 
 nish had l)ei'n always regularly supi>lied. 
 
 Tile de L-ry family have not paid the royalty often per cent, because they have 
 not tlieiiisrlvcs worked the miiu's ; nor were they bound to do .so until they hadvvork- 
 ed the mines and treated the ore in smelting furnaces :—th(> conditions in this respect 
 of the letters-patent ol l.sth September, !«4(i, being as follows : 
 
 '• And also upon .ondilion of well and truly paying, in each and every year, from 
 " /he time ofmdiiofr /he said ofe:<, for the lirst time in working furnaces, unto our Re- 
 " reiver Genera/'' 
 
 As is evident, the above condition disposes peremptorily ol this argument, all 
 tli(> more that h has not been proved that any quantity whatever of gold ore has ever 
 been smelted in working lurnaces in this seigniory. 
 
, ""; f' ";;"'■'"- """n-, tl.al .,n tho loil, May. Is.i.;, „„ Onl...- in Council 
 
 eha.mv,! h. n.yulty, on ,«n,litio,. thai tl... d. Lory Conipanv should oh.ain a .se.llc- 
 
 "'.;m u.Hun hvoy...,rsorth..dili;.n.n,r.s .xisling hHw.oM th. rensitaires and pro- 
 
 |..a-lo,s c.onc,.nuu..- m.ninu- visfhts, and (hal iflhrs. dilli..uhi,.s wnv not s.ttlod with- 
 
 m ■' -"--I.I.- tune ,h,. d. L,., (Jo|,l Minin. Con.i.any should ahan.bn it. dai.n 
 
 h .old on ..onc,.dod land. This . .nl,.,. in Coun-ii ^vas pas..! on p.,ition m„do 
 
 h h dc I..,.y Gold Muun,('o,np:,ny, in vi.tu.or a resolution of.ha. Con.pauv in 
 
 h,. bllow.ng ,..rn.s : - | ha, th. oili,,.,. ol ,h., Con.pauy an- h.r.hv >vqu,..s,od I nntko 
 
 alor.aalapph,.anon ,o th. Canadian (iov.mn.M., lor «. ahrol.,nou „l >/.■ ro,„ln, 
 
 "^"'•" "1 ,h,Mlo l.„.ry pabMil ; or a. U'.stjor u re>/nr/ion ofU,. .,n,. (n.nl.,, ,,n mU 
 
 to ,w,-hall ol om' /H-r mitr And th. p.tition.-rs ronrlml.d as lollows • 
 
 '• To sun. up tl... who!,, oas,. th.n, w.> r.sp.ctrully ask Ihat ih. Gov.-ru,u..n. shall 
 
 l.m.n.Mlu. royalty uam.d in said patent, or at l.as, r.du.v (h. amount to ono 
 
 ml ol,,u., pe,c,.n.um; and iu return we are willing to waive all .onditious ol' 
 
 «a.dp.lent which we, n.o-hloiherwise set up as a defence au.vinst the .olhv.ion 
 
 ol any royalty whatever. All ol' whirl, is respectfully std.mitt.'d " 
 
 \yh.le ,t ,s true that Mr. Alexandre <!,. |..ry concurred in the al.ovo petition he 
 cauno be held respon.sil,le lor uu^r. than is contained therein, and the only .hiu- 
 sought lor n. th:. petition is a redu tion of royalty from ten per e.nt to oue-half p.'r 
 
 l]y his concunvnce iu this reque.st, Mr. Aiexatulro de Lery clearly did not hind 
 himsoll to secure a settlement of any dilli.ulties that might exist Let ween tho ..«./- 
 /«*m and th.> owners of the o.old, either l>y amicable settlement or bv obtaitun- a 
 decision ol the Courts. ■ "•- •• 
 
 Besides, this order iu Council cannot alfect the defendants de L .ry. since the 
 de Lery (.old Mining Co. only is mentioned therein, and it is simply provided that 
 If (hat Company dcs not settle with the cen^itain, and owners of o-uld on private 
 lauds, 11, that case the said Company shall abandon its pretensions (,; the ownership 
 ol trie gold. ' 
 
 I ivally fail to see on what grounds the de Lery family should thereby be com- 
 p.led to effect .settlement of these dilficulties. or why the Patent obtained bv them 
 in lh4b should be annuHed, because the de Lery (iold Mining Company had not eon- 
 iormed to the provi.sioiis of this Order in Council. 
 
 The de L -ry (Iold Minin- Co. even are not bound bv the Order iu Council as 
 lams con...rns the obligation „,■ ,.,,,11,,. ,,),„ the owne,; of 1 n.d and rensilaire. 
 seeing that the resolutions on whi.h the petition of ii,e Con,panv is founded contain' 
 no provision in this re.speet but as the lelters-patent of this Company are no, in 
 (juerstnm m the pivs..nt suit, this obje.tion n,vd n,)t 1).' held as .M-rious 
 
 It is also important to observe that the only proprietors in the l'a,-ish of ><, 
 Francois in the Seignory of Uigaud-Vaudreuil who appear to have contested the 
 rights of the defendants during the long period which ..lap.sed betw..,>u the obhin 
 ment of the letters-patent by the de Lery familv in 18-Hi ami the pres,,,t action that 
 IS to say, nearly forty years, are Messrs .John O'Fanell and V/iiliam Venner\vho 
 
p.T 
 
 et'Ulcd their Nuit and iirkiio\vli>da:.'a the vulidiiv ollhe IfltoM-piitent in uu authentic 
 dct'd. (lilxhibit K ol' riaiiilill',) 
 
 Duriin-' all tiiis liiuf no other porson iirot.'Nt.'d ii«?aiiist tlic ri-rhts lymntcd to the 
 cli'lendants. 
 
 An to th« pretension that the Governor ol Canada, i.ord Cathcarl, had not the 
 power, either in virtue of his ('ominissinn or ultiu' Statutes of the IVovin.e of Canada, 
 to grant lihvsr lellers-pateiK, it lias .learly no Ibuiidalion. Th.' (Jovernor represented 
 the Queen of Enirland in this eountry and poss.wd Her powers at least as far as 
 concerned th.' administration of the public lands. The Statut.'s, 80 (leorije III, cap 
 3, aulhorizinirhim i„ o;nMit letters-patent for unenltivaled Crown lands or other puhjic 
 lands, why should he not have had the power to bestow merely the riirht to work 
 •••old mines, if this privilege really belonjfed to Her Majesty. 
 
 I do not consider the objection raised to the powers of the Qovernor in this 
 respect is at all important. lint the right whi.h the Crown rlaimed in dispos- 
 nig of the gold mines in favor of the de Lery laraily bv Ih.' lolters-patent of 18th 
 September, l.spj. presents the -ravest diiliculty to I.,, determined in the presi-at .'ase. 
 
 The .solution of this qu "St ion, as I conceive, depeiuls altogether on a more im- 
 portant and rt»ally the only important one which presents itself in the present action, 
 that is to say in what consisted the preroy-ative of the Kings of France, in France as 
 well as in this country, at the tiuu- of its ce.ssion to England, in reference to .--old 
 mines. It will be readily admitted that if the Kings of France, at the time ot'the 
 cession of this country, possessed the privilege of being able to grant rights of the 
 nature of those contained in the letters-i)atent of 18th S.-ptemb( r, 184(Cthen, as a 
 necessary consequ.'i.ce the Queen of lingland might grant the same privileges to the 
 Seigniors de Lery. 
 
 I come then, as I have just said to the gordian kno of the present case. 
 
 This (|uestion of the authority of the Kings of Franc.>, as to the granting of ri-hts 
 to work gold mines, is a vast subje.t, embracing the greater part of the judicial 
 history of France from the earliest period of the l-rench monarchy down to tiie 
 great revolution of !TSft. 
 
 Fidlv to ai)preln,.i..I all tU-j legislation on this subject during this lon^ period in 
 France, it is perhap-s not unimportant to state what has been the legislation in this 
 respct sinci' the beginning of the Roman law. 
 
 In Koine, under the republic and the iirst emperors, the ownei of the surface was 
 owner alike of the mines in the soil beneath. There, the produ(^ts of the mines were 
 .onsidered in the same light as fruits. Later, there was no longer anv question as to 
 the right v..st,.d 111 the proprietor of the soil to the mines which existed in his i,io- 
 perty ; it was replaced by a right in favor of the State. 
 
 •• The Emperor, " says M. Chevalier " claimed for himself, in his quality as head 
 " of the State, a right superior to that of the owner of the surface,' and what fallows 
 " makes this clear ; the Emperor in fact was not satisfied with establishing a tax fjr 
 - the benelit of the treasury ; he claimed also the power of determining the fights of 
 " the surfaei- proi)riet()r, over the products of the mine, when its working had been 
 •• intrusti>d to a third partv." 
 
(i 
 
 " Let lis read ill I'i'Kiiid lo I lii- ilir :li(l ( oiisridii ioiKil' tlh'.l ustiiii.iii Co.l,. n'lidfivd liy 
 '• (iriiliaii, Viili'iiiiiiiaii ami Tln'oilo^iiis, iiiul luldr.vH.sfd U> Klonis, |>iv|rci ol ih • piii'tii- 
 ' liiiiii: tliiil lliusf wild work iniiicH siiimi,. jn (h,. i>r<)i>i'ity oriinollii.r j) tm)!! nIimII !..> 
 " !)()iiiid to pny lo llic i'X(lu'<iU.T oiii-inii li orihc prc/cd.-i wliicli Hu-y obtain IVoiii llic 
 " iKJii '^ l>y tii.'ir iiidiis:ry, uiiotlioi' ii>iiili to liir owiu-i' ol' ili ■ |Mv.|),'rty in whioli ili,. 
 •' h:iid mill- is loiiiid, ;ni<l (lie oIIi.t .ivJii-l •iillix slndl Ih'Iomu- to ilx.s.' who woik i\u- 
 " mine' 
 
 .Niv.'iilii.lcNS Mrrliii, in his(inrsiioii>ollaw, iiotw iilisiiiiidiiiu- tli'' ti xi ol tli,' cod.'. 
 I'liiiiiis lii.ii tiic ouiii'isliip oT pri\iil' indiv iduiiis in mim-s was un(|iii>Ntiona'l.lc in 
 KoiUi' iiiidiT the limpiTuis. 
 
 " It, is truly liiinfiital)li' (sayw again M. ( 'lic\ alici'i lo xm- .--nrli an a>-.,.riion IVoni 
 •• ill'' pen orMiM-lin. and in fact, is thi'ii' any admission o|' tli,. iic.!,t „|' d,,, sini'ii •.« 
 •■ piopn..t..r to tlu> miiii'.s ? Wlicii the Slat.' not only l.'vio a lax, 1ml claims llic power 
 '• ol'drtcrmiiiiny tlu' shaiv ol'iln' landowner liimscU." 
 
 " We do not think >o, hut. uccordiim- lo ns, there i.s on ihe .ontinry a promnlua 
 " tion of the Royal |nrroiialive." 
 
 This opinion is aiso shared hy jtomui, Kdoiiard JJalIoz, 2nd vol., j). 2, " .Vrcoidin-' 
 " 10 l.'oiiiaii law in iis hist londilioii, says the hitter iiiithor, this tax on mims has the 
 " decided stamp ol' indicating;' the Royal prerogative." 
 
 "Aci ordiiin' to Ilcron dc Villclo>,se on mincrul weultli. vol. i, p. il, the Royal pre- 
 
 ■ ro-ativc over mines implieis the riuht which the Slate, represented l»y thi' Sovcr- 
 
 •• oig'ii ruler, reserves to ilsell' oldisposiii'j- ol' that projjerty uiidcr^Touiid as puhlic 
 
 •• property, independeiii ol' the private ownership of the soil which con.'.'al.'s il, and 
 
 •■ to di.sposc of it I'.ir the i>reatest hcnelil of ihe lomiuunity." 
 
 •' Dcnisarl says thai ihe word it-^nl in its o-eneial sia'iiiiication mc.nis wIkiI hrlon^-a 
 ■■ /(( lln' h'ii/i^ ill mine of his n-oun/." 
 
 ■ M. .Miiiiici'on, in his mining- annals, vol. Ill, i>. d:;,",, .sums up th.; Royal prer. >:;•:;• 
 " tivc under ihese three privileges conferred hy it on I'riiices : 
 
 ■■1st. < >f dl•lernlinin^• ihe allolincnt of ihis iinderu'round property, or i;i oilier 
 •• words, of giantiiig llie piivilege of woikiim^ ii to such per.soiis ,',s can hesi d -velop 
 " its value." 
 
 '• lind. (»f supenntendinii' the workiims ill their relation t(( piihli .irdei', i,i ihe 
 
 ■' prcseivaliim of the soil and the .safely of the miners." 
 
 " :iid. <.)f collect inu' a rcrlain tax on the products of ihe workinu'." 
 
 This doctrine, as I shall shew, is .shared hy the most part of ihe aiitiiors who 
 
 hinc written on ilii,j suhject. and is aureeahle lo natural law. 
 
 ■ The need of metals, (says Jtomat on Public l.aw, vol. 1, chap. XXll, book II. 
 '■ sec. -X No. Ill,) not only for . oinage and in the manufacture of arms and artillery, bui 
 '• lor innumerable other needs and couveiiienees, ol which many concern the piibli<> 
 '• interest, reiider.s these products (('. e. gold and silver) and tho.se of other metal., so 
 ' u.sefid and iieces.sary in a State that it is public jioliey that the soveieiun should 
 •• possess over mines and their products a right indeiivndenl of I hat of Ike owners of Ihe 
 " iiluces tuherelheij are foum' ; and from another //oint il mat/ he said IhnI Iheir ri'^hl in 
 
' 
 
 
 " ih oi-inin ,r,(s limih-d /,. //,.■ ./sr ,,1 llinr rslufrn ./,V mrinsx, /,/««//«:-■ „„,l likr simifar 
 •' HsrH, H»</ I'nil Hir/r hlh* ,ti,l ,ml im,,l,, „ ri:./,, ,„ „uirs whidi wvr,' u,nhsr„rrm/. ,i>u/ 
 " i>i/>w/n/ hfi H„inrr IW lh>- iwhiir sn'ture, lm„t Ih,- m-vA wlnrl, n Stole mai, turn- of the 
 '• mi lals, 1,1,1 „lhn- i"'<iil"ii i"'>'liiih,il llnminvs. Thus the Iuwh linvi- rPiruliilr.l (h,. 
 " M.sc of lit.' miiir.s, Mild wl.il,. l,,,vi,m' |„ (h,. ..win-rs of llir luws whnt Jvnicl juM, 
 " liiivi' iilsd iisisi<i;in'(l a riLsliI to thi' SoviTciyii tlicruiii." 
 
 As miiy I..' MM'ii, (he u|>jiiioii of Doiiiut, shared moii-ovi'i' l,y llenrion d.' I'aiisoy 
 ill \i\s ImiliM- 0,1 iinlirhl iiHllinrihi in Fninre, d,. iT,, is ronnd,..! .,|i ili.. ii.s,.|nlnrss ol' 
 
 lllilli'N In NO 'ifty 
 
 ^ Oil ivl..r.'nco to tlio Hth vol ol' Mr. Is:iml.cii',s (•,.|l,.,ii,.M olOld Finirh hiws, pai-v 
 • I8(J, \\v viid lis I'dllows: 
 
 •• Miiii hy luiiunii Inw Imcohmh ..wncr only ol tli;,l which li,. puts m cnlliviition. 
 " ..lid nius.'s I.) I)rai' Iniit : ih,- .uid.Ti.i„ui,d pi-perly m.iy th.' re lore In- hi>l.l sepan.;,' 
 " lion, thai .,lihe siirluor." This is also the vi>\v whirli a distin-nishrd w.il,..' on 
 I'lil.ii, liiw, M. Coiiitc, rmniciatrs ill his Irmlisr on /,fo/„r/,i/. 
 
 M. l»ii|)oiii, ill ills piu.ii.Ml iiviiiisi. (Ill iiiiuiiiM. law, vol, I. p, 2, expicsscs the 
 Hnme i.l.'a in other trm* : '■ Thus, says he, uii,.|her in Iho oiioin.l oecupuncy ollhe 
 ■• hi.ul, whieh was the h.isis ol' h.iid'd prop,.|ly. or in the tniiisa.lions and tra-isfers 
 •• which rullowcd. the possi'ssion of th« mines has hoeii, in lad and by mUuiui law, 
 ".li>ii.icl IVom lii.'.iwneishipol ihr siiila. e, and has ik.I n.ressarily Ibllowed th.' 
 '• latter. Th,' very nalniv of mines yet undi>,oveivd has led n,s to eslahiish that liy 
 '• nalurai law the ownership ol' mines does not iiecc-snily follow the surface; if vve 
 " now consider ihe naUuv ol' niiiies dis over-d ami wrouiihl, ii will he easy ta prove, 
 " thai in th.' int.'ivsl of ..|li, i.'iit workir.-of tlu'se miii.'s, ami .■ons..(iu..nllv in th.' 
 " -em'ral iiit.'ivsl. it is j,, fact liltin-' thai l!ie own.'rship of niirnvs should he separat,. 
 •■ IV.nii lliat ,if Ihe soil." 
 
 Alt.r ciiiiiM' th.' opinion of M.'riin. who s.'.'ks lo prove th,. n-hls .,f the propri,'- 
 torsof ihelaml. t,,ih.' mim's, Mr. Richard, in his tivallse ,,ii Mininn' Le-is!atioii,a.lds : 
 
 '• Nev.'ilh.'less w.' shoul.l liml diin.uity in c.)iil..sline' th.' ..piiii f thejearm.d juris- 
 
 " cnsl.ll. wlujs.. nam.' is an authority on .'Very suhjen, above all wh.'ii his opinion 
 " s.'cms lav.irable I., the fr.'e workinu-..!' an imni'iis, indiisirv, il, on ihe on.' haml, 
 •■ w.Toiild not invoke th.' not l.ss weiyhly a.ilh.,rily of antiioi> .,1 n'pute. and of 
 ■• l.uisiali,.ii il..eif; and, if on th" olii.'r hand, ih.' rjuesiion of fr,.,. workiim' did not 
 •• se..|ii lo u.s al)s.>liiiely dislinci from the manl of the properly to this or ihe .,lh 'r. 
 '■ il is, im.nov.'r, a truth as uiivaiyinu' as trite thai th.' n'!.i..ii' uiid.'rirr.mnd, wh-re 
 '• n..n.'ia! w.'alth i> fonii.'d, obeys natural l.ws e.-seiitially dill.'ivnt i'r.un those rnliii- 
 " Ihe .-surface, where v.'o-..ial.le wealth is li'eiierat.'d." 
 
 Mr. Dulou.', in his Pair/ira/ Trni/iH,' on Miniiifr Law. .'xpr.'ss.-s the sain,, oi.inioii. 
 ■• Mm.'s," h.'say.s, ■forma in-operty distin.t from the soil which .-..vers them, 
 '• ami this pr.)i)erty can become part of the privat' estab' onlv in virtu., of an a.l .,f 
 '• the S.,veivii.n, who ah.n.' has ihe ri-'hl of disposin- of it in th.' nam.' of th,' com- 
 '■ ni..nweallh. This doclrin,', allhou-h cmibated l)y son..' jurisconsults whom the 
 '• ex.lusive study ol civil law has caused t.. di.strust ih.. most L'-itimate necessities ol' 
 
8 
 
 '• ,h(' iml)lic- intori'st. has hwii tau!>-lit l>y tin- most distina'uislu'd wiitors on jniMic^ 
 •' law" 
 
 In till' lir.st rank may ix' named Mivahi'aii, M. DoL"1)i'cqni>. Mathitm, Dnt'onr, 
 Dnpont, Dallo/, Fi'iriercs, Chevalier, Biot, Bury, <le Fooz, M. de Fres(|Uet, and some 
 otlievs, whose oiiiiiion I shall lite 
 
 It is evident th;it the ideii that the ownership of the mines was alien to hiu' who 
 owned the land eould only prevail alter many dillicultie.s, l)(>cau.se, snys the .sami> 
 author. " it clashed violently with the heliet's hased on those civil laws which relate 
 " to the ownership of the soil. It e(mld only ho established by aid of those distinc- 
 " ticiis which are at once the aecompanimeiit and siun of an advanced civilisation. 
 " In the ediets, ordinances and decrees which followed on the snhje. t of mines, if the 
 " owners of the surface are not reu-arded as masters of the mines, sin e the Kinn' dis- 
 " ])0ses of them, they are ordinarily uranted a toll on the product in the form of 
 " indemnity." 
 
 1 iind preeiselv the same doctrine in the work of M. de Fooz, entitled F/ifi</iinicnfaf 
 pofn/s of Mining Le<irisl(ilion. " It has been admitted." ht> says, " anmiiii neaily all 
 " nations that mines of this nature form part of the State di-mesne, that they are 
 "ranked among the resources of the commonwealth; that the charge shoidd l)e 
 " intrusted to the sovereign authority to exercise supreme control over their e;ctrae- 
 " tiou. In this consists the system ot royal preroa'ative over mines ; it is that most in 
 " harmonv with the nature of Ihinirx, which is most easily reconciled with thi> sjrencral 
 " p:inciples of law, and which the public advantau'(> approves." 
 
 From the nature of mines it is evident they uray not be mixed up with surfae(> 
 property which may be endlessly divided, whereas the division of a mine may have 
 the eti'eel of destroyina' it. Moreover, mines have nothing in common w'ith the con- 
 liguration of the land, and the huvs which iiovern their working have no relation to 
 those which allect thi^ surface. 
 
 " Considered individually, mines" (says .Tousselin in his Trea/ise on serrilnr/rs of 
 /juhlir ntilitii) " have a conformation of their own, a form of existence adapt(>d to 
 " themselves, and in no way dependant on the state of the sixrface." 
 
 " It is sulhcient" (says Comte Girardin in his report) "to see the vein containing 
 ' the mineral ( xtendinn' for a considerable distanc(> in the depth of the earth, to prove 
 " tlial it is not in its nature divisible, and that it includes in its uncertain and variable 
 '• course properties endlessly divided amona the surface proprietors. Who. amonu' 
 " them, is entitli>d to be owner of the mineral vein '( " 
 
 There is no parallelism between the conditions that give value to the surface, 
 and those that render a mine valuable. Men have increased the value of the land by 
 buildinu- and cultivation, but this labour could bestow no valiu" on a thiiui then 
 nndiscovored. The original occupier of the land consequently cantiot pretend 
 to have enjoyed (he possession of a thing at the time not known to exist. 
 
 See in wha* terms M. Reo'uault d'Fpercy. judge advocate in 17!ll, exju-esses 
 himself ; 
 

 " Till! soiu'ct' ol' nil piiipi'ity spviniis in iho boffinnint)!' lioni a division or from 
 " labour constantly hi'slowod by tin' lirst occupier I'or an nbjoct without any opposi- 
 '• tion. This propintv so a ijuircd hccaini' traiisrcrabl'- only l)y the protection ol' the 
 " conununity : hence private individuals jiossess nothinu' but by law, and all their 
 •' rights being the ri'sult ol' its ])rotec(ion. thi'v can enjoy nothinu- but in such 
 " manner as suits tin' comnumity." 
 
 M. DeLeb('i(]ue, pau'e 11, makes the roUowing renuuU on this subject: " lu 
 " going back lo the origin ol' jiroperty, and in seeking the law ol' nature, independant 
 •' of every other (H)nsideration, we see that in the system which appears the most 
 '' roasonal)le, it ii dovelopment ol' value, in a word, usefulness which has created 
 " property, and ihat ihus in vterving to this origin, mines . onld not be subject to the 
 '■ ownership ol'lhe soil.'' 
 
 Thence is the oriiiiii ol' the ]>rerogative which lirst prevailed in tlie last days of 
 Rome, and afti'rwards u'enerally imoug all modern nation-^, and especially among 
 those of the north ol' Euro [: as to the French monarchy, the princijial ordinance, 
 which I'or more than a centuiy constituted the common law of the rountry in mining 
 matt.'rs, was that of ::Oth May, Ul-'i. ol Charles VI. 
 
 ■' There is in truth," says Richard, " some element of perplexity : the text seems 
 " to admit the right of the proprietors of the land ; lo (hnse In whom the. mid things, 
 '• shall be or belong', liut at the same time it converts this right to an indeui-.ity : to 
 " satiafy ; and he gives to the iliscoreref of the mine the riaht of working and of 
 " owntfship : lo sell l,> those who shall work and smelt ; and it lixes as a coiulition of 
 '■ this grant of [)r()i)i'rty the i)aynient of the royal (ax. 
 
 " And could the King thus grant, on condition of dues or S'lvic" •• i>, the pro- 
 ■' p 'rty in the laud, if h ■ did not consider himself as proprietor ? Me does not even 
 '• grant a |)r,'ler enc ■ to the land owner: ■' it is, all niiiiersor otiirrs . . evrri/where, Sfr." 
 
 Later th^' famous Ordinanee of Louis XT of Montil-li-s-tours. cstaljlishes the pro- 
 rouative in tin explicit manner, as does also the Ordinance of 141S. 
 
 Mr lii ■liaid, I iiinnientinij- on the principal provisions of the' lirst of tliese. cou- 
 cluiles as follows : 
 
 ■' We s '(■ that in this Ordinance tie' Royal jireiou-ative is as absolutely recognized 
 " as in lint of Ml:!, and that the exereis" of it is move explicitly dcteiiniiu'd. If any 
 " rights were admitted as beloiiginii' to the owne:'s of the land, it ceitiiinly was not a 
 '■ riuht ol pr.ipertv in the mines, as the riuht of properly was then and is still to-day 
 " underst )od : one would not dream of dealing with owners in ri i'ereme to their 
 '■ property, as Kinu' Louis Xl dealt with land owners in rcLiard of mines situate under 
 " their soil." 
 
 llen;i II. by hi- Oidinaiiee of :l(hh September, lots, gives de Roberval an exclu- 
 sive privilege to work tlu' mines thnmghout the whole Kingdom. "The terms of 
 •• this Or<linanee, " says Mr. Richard again, "deserve notice as giving formal expres- 
 •• sioM to the elaim which nptothat timi' had scarcely shown its; If sa\e in its results." 
 
 • And where in any place op.'iiings, vacant lauds behmginu' to us, and water 
 " neiessary for the purjiose may be lound, we ha\e allowed and do allow him to take 
 
10 
 
 " ill llic pliu'(>s iuljoiuiiiu- which shiill to him .seem suiti>l)i(' lo tlic imipdsc, holii i;iiiils 
 '• ('Stales 1111(1 ii'vi'iims, oil p.iyiiii"' a rciisoiiahh' \nn-i- to tlic owikm's ; or tlio ilauiiiy'o 
 " vvhicli shall have bcM^ii orcasioiiccl lo tluMii, willi i-i'gdid lo the I'dhii- of llir s<iiil. lanih 
 ''ixilfi. (inil not of Ike mines Iherein.' 
 
 This leaves no luvthi'V ivasoii to doubt Ihc I'onnul assi.'vtiou of llv pcD^iilivc 
 and ihal Iho dwium' oi' the siivlarc had not ihc pinprrty in the minerals. 
 
 In the Ordiiianec ol'lOih C). toher, l.').r_'. ol' which I hav(> just spoken, H(Miri II 
 coiiiirmed the privilege ^iTanled by the Ordinance oT l'>48, and allowed Siour de li"- 
 herval lo lake lands and make roads everywhere, on previously payin'4- ./o/' Ihe siir- 
 fare of llie Und in a reasonable manner, as the case might require ; and Ilia' lite said land 
 owner ronid alle<j;e nn claim to the mines nor ask olher ndimntai<;e than mmjjensalionfor the 
 siirlace ollhe li'ids or iueonvenienei>s thereon whence the mines were extracted. 
 
 Should there yet exist any doubts as Id the nature of thj rights claimed at this 
 period by the Kings oi' Fran -e ov(-^r gold and silver mines, the following provisions 
 of the Hdict of Kith Sejnember, l.')o7, ought entir(>ly lO(li,ssipale them ; " "We will and 
 " intend," it is there said, ■■ that all mines, retained and held in po.ssession by any per- 
 '• son whatsoever wilhoat privHege. leave and formal jiennission from Us, shall be taken 
 " and seized and placed in Our hands by the said Sieur de Roberval, who shall there 
 '■ cause them to b ■ wrought and the ore smelted and rehned according to the autlio- 
 " vitv which we have u'ranled lo him. he paying by himself or hi.s deputies the miners 
 •' and laborers therein reasoiial)ly, and the said miners we m(>an and will not to work 
 " nor lal)0ur under any other authority than that of the said Roberval." 
 
 Several privileges of the same nature were granted to Mr. de St. .lulien. the i!th 
 July 151)1 and loll;!. 
 
 Henri III on 21st October, 1574. conlirmed the transfer by the same iSt. Julieii to 
 Antoine Vidal. On the '.Hh lJ(>eember, 1551. Henri II had granted letters-patent to 
 the Sienr Gouire lo seek fm- and open all kinds of mines in the Kinu-dom, an Ordi- 
 nance of the utmost importance in the present suit, b.'cause it helps to explain thai of 
 Juiie ItlOl, is the Kdict of Henri IV. of Rimeii, January 1507. l!y this Ordinance 
 which I have found citi'd 1)y only one of ihe many authors whom I have examined 
 in the study of this case. H(>nri IV expressly conlirms the Edicts of his predecessors, 
 including therein that of Charles VI. He conlirms the in-ivileges and olliceofihe 
 (Iraiid Master of the mines, and mentions the grants made to the seiuneurs de Rober- 
 val and de St. Jiilien. 
 
 " He stat(>s" says Mr. Lame Fleury, in his '■ Lef^islaiion on Mines, only lo repel 
 '• them, the (ionliuual claims of the seigneurs to tax of one lenth. of which he claims 
 " exclusive po-si'ssion and [layiiKMit by all, mainlain.. in their favour the right to (me 
 ' fortieth, and limits ns before the indemnity due to the land owner to the value of 
 " thi! surface, established by special ollicers of mines." 
 
 This last Edict of 1597 limits again, as wo see, the indemnity due to the owner 
 i\\\\\o\in\i\ tothe value of the snrfaee onh/, and that is precisely what Henri II had 
 proclaim(id mnirly half a century before in his Ordinance of 1558. In this Ordinance 
 Henri IV declares that the proprietor has no right to the mines which may be found 
 
11 
 
 (llh 
 
 i 
 
 oil hii lauil ; so tluit fov nearly threr ct'iitmics aiiteii'dcnt to this Ordiiuinco the Kinq^s 
 of Fraiioi' had always us;'d the pr.Tou'alivt! either to bestow on iniufis ir,>iierally the 
 riu'hl of workiiu' tli ■ iniii ■-, or els.' to u'Miit cxclHsivc priviii>u'os. 
 
 I thinU I hivi' shown hy the Ordiiiaiii- 's and h-uislativi' Acts which I have cited 
 that the Kiii'^N of Kraiic • li id iuvariibly excnis ■(! ahs )Uit(' authority in t^rantiii^ the 
 right to work the iniin'S, osp.'iially thosi' of <>old and silver, at their own u'ood plca- 
 nure, and had even forbidden the proprietors of the land to work thein without their 
 special permission. 
 
 All the authors whom 1 have quoted hold the same views, and Troplonq', in his 
 '•Review of Letrislatioii and .lurispnideiice," ISth vol., p. 14»), sums up as follows the 
 diil'erenl phases tliroiu;h which this system was (Established in France: 
 
 He says: " Under the feudal system the mineral demesne passed into the hands 
 " of the seii^iu'urs, (hnds of the manor.) Then when the centralisation of power had 
 •' j>'radually shaken or (^Itli'iHl these Imai soveri'ignties. mines ])assed from the 
 " seigniorial and became part of the jjoyal demesne. The jmsseasion thereof by the pro- 
 •' /irietor of /he suij'dce was oh/ I'/f rale/I and rcnde.red of no arro/int. i/ie/dinic lo the prevail- 
 " tnu: jiiib/ii: interes/." 
 
 1 shall now endeavour, before speaking oj' the other Ordinances of the Fn^nch 
 Kings, to .state the extent of their legislative powers, with regard to mines. These 
 powers were absolute, especially in matters of administration, and had, in their 
 relation to legislation, only two olista 'Ics to encounter in their develoi)meiit, that is to 
 say, the States (ieneral and the I'arliaincnts. 
 
 Under tMiarles \\{ the Itoyal power was streiiy'theiied. and latei' Louis XT com- 
 pleted the instiuetion of the feudal authority, aijainst whose iiiHuen"e the legislative 
 authority of the Kinus had no loiiiii'r to contend, and I'raii ■(• really became^ an 
 absolute monarchy, ft is true that tlie Ordinances issued l)y th ■ Kiiiu' became obli- 
 gatory only after publi 'ation and rcuistration in the several Parliaments ; but it is 
 dear on the other hand by the declaration of the States (ieneral (1314-1:356) that the 
 concurrence of the three Estates was only necessary for the settlement of the subsidies 
 (iinpots) and for mesnrcs rclatimr to thi^ general administration of the kingdom, and 
 moreover, loin the Hith century the iiicreasinii- Royal power used every means to i'ree 
 itself from these n'straints. 
 
 The Ordinances moved by the Chanci'llor oi' the Hospital and l)y Richelieu 
 destroyed lu^arly all the politirai lil)erties which had existed in France from the 
 middle ages, — Tin' Ordinance of Moiiliiis (February. I'liitI) dealt the lirst blow ; its 
 Hist arti -le deci'i'es thul "The Ordinances made by Us since our accssion to the 
 " throne .... shall be kept and observed in our rarliamcnts, (Irand (\>uncil, 
 '• Chamber of .-\c(onnts and others, in our Courts and Halls of Ju'-tice, and by all our 
 " subjects, notwithstandiiiii' remonstrances niadi> or reservt^d against any of the 
 " articles thereof, notwithstaudinu' also that our Edi<'ts and Ordinances may not have 
 •' been jurblished in any of the said Courts." 
 
 Nearly a century later Cardinal Richelieu forbade the Covxrts of Justice and the 
 I'arliaincnts to take cognisance ol' alliiirs ol' Stat(> and of administration. In this 
 
12 
 
 The fiirliaiilriil.'' rcirrnL-c AT 1 ,, 
 
 - ,,. P to,s.>. ,.,,,, ,, „.,, ,, ,^,,^ ; '^ 1 'lament was n,.v.-,.,)H.l..s „...«. 
 
 ^-"- Wo not always d.spl ^ li^^!: '^^-'V'^'^; ''- ahsol,.,. H,on,n.H r 
 
 ^^'*"""':"'' '^■^ f """i^- r hav. shown .i'''..'™"'"''"' ''■'"' P-'^'i''^^-^ fl-v 
 -co^-..d ia thH..i.,ati„n of^,,.„o" .4'r^^^^^^^ ^"""'^-l <"' -tun,! Jaw, and 
 
 fHit ,t ,s p,vt.Mi,l,,l that •,rti,.l,,J-^ '""""'"' ''^"-'"""^'''•". 
 
 '^'"-vs : .. Who,..,, ha. ,h,! ;;.,.; :;,;j^^ ^ ;' ^-^- "/• /•''-. Which .ads as 
 ••'"7 ^«'a,o n,av- possess what is .b \ 7 "•""""^>'"- ^'■.■-l.'-han.s,-..., f 
 
 '' "'"St bo noticed that th- Inst v 'l-L'stion 
 
 ''"'\-7'-.-".i>-:uuoc:;,:;;\ ' :: 3;;.r;;^:-:- ""•'>a,.i.dat..s in ,...„ 
 
 - i'-i.Hoto,.s ior .nines whi.-h .ua S , ll'h i " "" ^^''' --"-'-'*- <> ^ 
 <'-"'J" done to the suria.e of the soil "■" '""'"■'''>■ '^'-" I"' 'i-nn.d ,,. ,].,. 
 
 ; - '.. i- eoun,...ntaWes on tho a.tiCe oH L ( ^IZrVp"'' """""""•• '^"■■■- 
 
 1 l'"so woni,s, shnuld hnht above and helou, th. v "'"• '''^"■" '•"'-^'' ""n'Vs ■ 
 
 : ;•! '- -;bioHs, ,0 draw tl.en,,Vo n^ j :,::.': '"", '" '^'''^'' "^ "^'^""^ 
 ., :;"\">'ho .I.^priva.ion of all oth;,- ^2^^ To '""""''' ''"" "'"''''^ '-''"'^' '« 
 
 : ^'''''•'- ^x. --.. at Pans tho <i,h r n ^ ■:;;■';";, :? ''^^ '^'•'»— «f' Kin. 
 
 •^"-. ^«0., and that of Louis XIH of h tt M ,:' "^i ^^' "'' "^ -'^'^ of 
 
I lanst n'iiiavl< lu'ii^ lliai, not \villis!iiii(liiiii' tlu' pn'ti'iisioii.s to the coiitiaiy, I do 
 iiui tliiiil< thill this nidiuain'c ol' ItiOl, ;iii(l th;it ot 1(J04 coiiiinnin<>- it, oIII'iIihI any 
 iihanu'i' in the coinnion lnw r.'latinu' to mines, as it I'xi.stcd pirviously in Fiance. 
 
 It is easy to .satisiy one self tiial Henvi IV liad no intention oj lenounrin^' anv 
 ol' tlio prei'ou'diives already possessed by the C'lowu in this )esp(>"l. It snlfiet's, on this 
 ht>ail, to read the preainl)le ol' this Ordinance, and also the lirsl article ol' which the 
 iollowinii' are the piincipal piovisions : 
 
 " We have called the attention of our Couuell to the decdarations of the King's our 
 •' predecessors, even those of Franei.s I, Henri II, Francis II and (,'harli'S IX, our well 
 '• beloved lords, l'ath(M'-in-law, l)rothers and others, conlirnied in our Court of I'arlia- 
 ■' uii'iil, in our Chaniher of Accounts an<l Court of our Subsidies at I'aris, and<dse\vhere 
 " as neiossary, on the subji'et of the mines and minerals of this kinudom, the country 
 
 " and I'-rritori 's under our sw.iy We h'lve conlirmeil aw/ ajijjrored, and b// these 
 
 •■ /iresf./its ilo r.oiijirm and ujiinove the saiil I'dicls <in<l vrdinanccti in e.rerij /luinf, in their 
 '■ form and tenor, to follow them in reuard to our said riijht to be paid fully and freely 
 '' in all the said mines." 
 
 I'othier takes this Ordimincc as his authority for saying that tlie mines belontr to 
 the proprietor of the soil. It is clear that if this great jurisconsult had examined the 
 ordinances of Henri II, of 1048, and ItJth Septeinber, l.joT, and that of Henri IV of 
 1")0T, in which the Kinu's of h'rauce di-'clare iu clear and precise terms that the pro- 
 prietor of the soil has riuht to compensation only for the damages done to the surface 
 of the S'lil, he would not have expressed that opinion. 
 
 It is tru(> that Heiiii IV in his Ordimmces of HiOl and 1G04 made new reaula- 
 tions for the workinii' of the mines, but by what right can it be concluded from that, 
 that he renounced the right so often exercised by his predecessors, and proclaimed ))y 
 himself in his Ordinance of lo!*?, as well as in his Ordinance of ItlOl, in which he 
 begins by conlinning the ( )rdinances and lildicts of the Kings, his predecessors. Now, 
 these former ordinances could only l)e those of which I have spoken above, and espe- 
 cially those of 154«, of 10th October, lo52, and, lastly, that of January, 1507, which 
 uniformly limited the comiiensation due to *he i)roprietoi' ol the soil to the extent of 
 the danuige occasioned to the surface. 
 
 In speaking of these Edicts of ItJOl and ltl(t4, Mr. Delebecque adds that they 
 establish most ch'arly the existence of the Koyal jMerogative over mines in France. 
 The King grants a monopoly to a grand master of mines, and the authority to work 
 them < iin only cniamite from him. If it appears that the landowners have some 
 times a prefer. Mitial right, we never lind their right recognised to exact compensation 
 as owni'rs of the mines. 
 
 Mr. Di'molombe. vol. !•, No. ti47, while jjretending that under the old French law 
 the mines generally belonged to the proprietors of the soil, adds, a little furth(>r on, 
 that to separate property in mines from the ownership of Ihe soil, it is necessary, that 
 the concession shall have be(>ii nuide according to the conditions prescribed l)y law. 
 This is precisely what the Kinus of France had always done up to the French 
 revolution : Thus in the month of July. 170'), the Kina' makes a further grant to 
 
14 
 
 '"^ll'lll' (Ic \'ol;llvii'. iirdi,, ... 11 1 -1 
 
 '"'''■^'"<-'"n|..oth,.,..,ssioM. ~ " ''-'■^'^""""''■'^""'^■t".HiM,.swas,Ha,l,. 
 
 ■' 1» iMa.Kv,- says M.a||,i,.u. in 1„\ Mi„i„„. c i 
 "--• '-n -llH.r v,.,.v l..nnal ,„• v.. ,■ . ' '"''■■ ' "!' '" "'" ^''^' ''■^-'^"-" ''-I 
 
 " '"■ ;h" Kin,, Th,.n. „.. laws J ! . ^h v'ir''V'r'' "'''' ''>• "'" ^^--i' 
 
 •■ "■'<! -»in,-„o ol„ai,.,.,l (h. su- <v.ssiv,. „,,, , ' '"'?"' <l*'«'>.^-,ns ; ,,,v,lif, lav,,,,, 
 
 " ="'^* ""• '■""■^"""-" ass,.,uMv M-h ,; '"•"'"'/"" "'■ ""■ -"- — -io,.s, 
 
 -""1- n.i.,s.,r„.,. ,.„,,,„,„,,.. ,„./; :' ' ;/:7 '" '—ti-spo,.,i.„,uii<,. 
 
 was mvanahlv l„.|.l, hdoiv ] r»] ,1,.., „, ■ , <'-ov..ro,-s. Nev,.,..h..l,..s,s, i, 
 
 "'•'■"- Ivoyahl,.....i„.- •■ ''■"'"''''""■•"^'"^''>"-too„,.Ki,.,s,asa,.a,,.aua,,. 
 
 '•^"' ""ly l^^'lln!^ .!i th!^ Kinf "^ ''"* ''"''"'"' -"'•' '""»'" '^"•«"^' '1^- P.-op.>,.(y wl.i.h 
 Tlii.s ri-l.t <.!• K'ova! ni'I-ro-vatiw h., ■ .,1 „ i 
 
 ' :^ -'::;::" :i;:t:::;:;;;;;:r ,t,;;!.::Tr"v- -'-•■■• -.- -v,. ... 
 
 Bill, ai thiscpoh (ITl':.') sav- AI Ch „• r 
 ; ';OuisXV pul.Hs,...., ,,, oM„.aH;.,; kn-tn .";,;:;,?;'" t!"'''" ""•■'^''''■••-^>'-'-l : 
 '• ""• almoin.,, n.ax-i.us ol' M.nn II J , i'. '^ ^^"' "' ^^•''''■'' J^. .-.tun.,..! ,o 
 
 " That is ,h. ,„,is,.,ij. wi.i,.,; . :: , •;; :;'-^7" '; 'h;--"-- •"■ ^'^ -.•';-, 
 
 t->H..s oron.. ,e,isla.io,. „p ,« ,1„ ,.,....:' ^.^ on"'"' '"■'"•°"'"^" ^^'^ -•">• 
 Alloui'leo-islaiion,-' ,sav.s R....n.,nli in.' """*"• 
 ' cla.i„,ft.o™,h,.H,.s, dy,.astVo .u ,. , r?"'- '']■ '''' ''™>^^''""»^ ^...,..1.1.-, 
 
 " Io"g'i.Hr to ,ho Royal ,,o,„ai„.- ' '" '" ""'' """^' >"l'.vsent.s ,„i„,s a.. ),:.. 
 
 ; 
 
 1 
 
l") 
 
 •A u.'n"Vi\l i)iiii.ii)li', s.iys M. liury, i> lound in most nl' 111.' ,i(lmiiiis!iiilioiis iiiuli'i' 
 •• llii' old Im'.'Ii h inniiiii'i hy; uiiiU's iin' not <^ivt'n up to tin- lriM> niid I'xclusivi' dis- 
 •' pos.d ol' I 111' owners ol' till' surl'aci' : they fini oidy he \vii)ii'4'lit hy in'i'iTiission ol' tho 
 
 • Kinii, of lilt' rinictionaiiis w lio rcpicsnii liiui. and Ih-'ir workini? is suIjjitI to 
 
 • iidniini.sti'ati\(.' survi'ilianci' more or jess oriiiiiiisi'd. iis also In a imhlic tax." 
 
 Ii i- hcyiiud iloulit. Iioni till,' nmucrous antliorilirs whom I lia\i' I'ilrd. lliai tlir 
 K'oyal riaht. thai is to say, tln' riulii ol' lln' rrincc t<> '^ranl the privilt'uc of woikiiiu 
 till' mini'.- to till' most compi'lcnt, to siipi'rintcnd tln'ir wofkiuM', and linally to ri'ri'ivr 
 a trnili, has at all tim.'s i'xi--l('(l nndi'r ihi' old l^'rench monarhy, and whati'vci- dil- 
 liciil|\ uiiuht exist in drlinin;;' the nalnr.' ol' tin- riuhts (»!' tli' suil'aiii' owner in uojd 
 mines ln'i'ore the eession of this country to I'^ngiaiid, it is evi(h'nt that tlie Kiii£^ ol 
 iMame uould have had llie power lo allow the authors of the de Lei'v I'amilv title to 
 work the u'olil mines throiiuh the cxtenl ol' their seigniorv. 
 
 The Ivinu' ol' Franc", in graiitini>' this seiiiiiiory, had don(^ so only on the cxpicss 
 eondiiion whiih 1 have already mentioned, that the seignior should <iive notice to his 
 Majesty ol'ihe mines which mii^ht siil)se(|ueMlly he diseo\ered. 
 
 This eondiiion e.m nn'an noihinu' else ihan a r"ser\'e ol' ilie mines in the Kin!>''s 
 i'avour. 
 
 The seignior, willi a clause ol' ihi-- iiatuie in his title ol' conees-ion, had no riqht 
 t'> work the mines, as h(> was hound to give notice to the King iho niomeiil he ascer- 
 tained the (jxisleneo ol'auy mine within the limits of his s 'igiiiory. 
 
 The KiuLi', in conccdin'^- lauds with the reserve, consetiuently remained owner 
 ol' the miu's, or at loiisl relaiiied in e\i'ry case the sole liLrhl to allow their being 
 wrought. As a nectvssary «onse(jueiiee, ih ' reserve of the mines math' hy the seignior 
 in his deed ol eoucession to his reiiaitiiires could havo no eU'eet. 
 
 This is what the Seigniorial Court (h'ciiied. and that decision has evident Iv no 
 l>e;iring on the ])reseut suit. 
 
 We see l)v the letters-pateiii 1)1' tic Kings ol' iMaiu; ', registered at (Juehee, on the 
 lith Novemlier, 17:21, that a lai'i;'e niinil) 'r ol' Seignioi-ial gi'ants conlaininu' the reserva- 
 tion of ihe mines in pi'ocisely the same terms, was conlirnied. 
 
 liy rel'erring to vol. 1 of documents relating to the seigniorial tenure, it is easy 
 to cunvinc ■ onesell' that the reser\e oi' mines is always I'ound in the titl(\s of grants of 
 seigniories hy the King, except, perhaps, wdien he judg'd lit to u'rani this rie-httothe 
 seig dors, iis ocurs in the titles of the grants of some seigniories It is needless to 
 add that the niine> did h 'long to the Kinus of I'^rance, as seveial "rants math' hy them 
 leave no douht ill iliis resp.'ii. I shall cite two insiances: lirst, in Ainil. Iti27, the 
 Kinu: urantctl to the Company of the Cents Assoeies the whole of New France, with 
 the Inni/s. niiiirs. !kc., aiitl in 1(!J8 the same company rcturnetl n\\ to the Crt)wn. 
 Anolhei- I'a t in siippoit nl' my opinion, ami one, I think', of extreme imporlani;e in 
 tnis case, is ihe grant made in .June, KiTT by the Kiny of I'rance to Jean Baptiste 
 d ' Launy ties Uriii'auiliercs. iiy this grant M. tie Lagny tdjtainetl thi> i)rivilegi> f)f 
 opening any mines which mighi he I'ound in this country ami working them for 
 his own prolit for the space of 20 years. If the Kinii' <^i' France , -011111 make this 
 
It) 
 
 Snmlui.houn.,.o„r(Un,h,. pr..,,.,,,!..,! n-his of ,h,. own . , 
 ;^o.g..on,.sh,.vin,.al.l,,,nim,. I,...,, o.^,.; l , ^ ":'■' "' "'" >"•'- -. -v.Mnl 
 
 '"■^ ".ak-in.. . ,n,n, of .1.,. «,.„... JnZ 1^ ' r '"•""^' ' -''' '--■ l.-w..,.,,.,! 
 
 " -^ '- •>-' --V ..hj„.. ;u ; 'j:: ;;'';■■'■ ""• ---" <•'• ■"- ..„„„.„. 
 
 '*>''.sion .|,,n, i,, ]r,--j i, „„„, 
 '" '"'t of a(liuinis(,;,tioM „ii,l Mn( tl,„ 
 
 I'osick.s, b. ohs.n-.Hl fl.Ml a., a,t of (hf, ,„tu, 
 <'X('rois(> of leaishiliv ,. |,„u-,.i- 
 
 '•••■'■"instM.Hvs, aiul i„ ovrv rosn.Hi;; , li'' l!l'i i^'"~ "' '''"'"" '"'1'"^"'' '" 
 
 ol'this, 
 It (1()( 
 
 ■ ";™::;r:;,z:'i:::,:;;,;;,Mr'""">' --^ -' '"•■ ■•- »»-^ 
 
 "- '" '"""■*' ol NO great impoitiiicc 
 
 UK 
 
 I 
 a( 
 
 -nt or Canada. i„ ls„i .l U I" L^t I! tV^M '^ "!'"'■"• "^ ^'^^ '•'--'• ^^e Gov.n.- 
 ftod Jbr th,. h,t.Mvst oV all "'" ^"'•'"-■" l>i'opn.tors, bu, „, Iniv'. 
 
 '-...'mm.!;;::;:;:; ^z T: ;:;;":;:;r ^^-;- 1^^ - '-^'"-.->- -^...^ -. 
 
 O^^M-un-ousul,. or this ..ounfvv co ,- ,, n "''"'''^ '.^"" ''''"'''''' '-"< --"«• 
 
 iH(tM,s.pat..Ht. inj, cont,.bu(,.d by ,bo,r opinion to ,h,. issn,' ol.h.s. 
 
 Anoih,.,- fact not without; important, is th'it or..,, tl,; . 
 out any .omplaint b.ino. m,,de <,n tho ,.,10/ v ^' -'T '""'" ^^^"^^-^"^^ ^^i"- 
 
 and Vennor, havin,- b.^n settled „ ■ . ", "' ' ""' "' ^^^^^ <''l''vnvll 
 
 «lnnd what interest the plain iff can b ;. /■ "'""""'' '"^^ '' '^ <'""'^"" '" "'"l">- 
 
 '>ynnMvou-n itself ^,!;;:;;!'^^^^^^^ 
 
 I iliiiil.- fill. 1 1 , ~ . 
 
 Itl 
 
 gi'anted 
 
 """• '■"""■"•' »■■«■ "-'"■'■™»i-™- or .h,. ,«„„„•« ,, , „„ 
 
•J 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 17 
 
 JUDGMENT OF THE SUPERIOR COURT, 
 
 CANADA, ) 
 
 PitoviNci; > <y QuKitKc. IN THE S U I' E R I ( ) U C ( ) T W T . 
 
 ; District of Quebec. ) 
 
 The 22iul diiy of.hiuc, one thousand ciiiht hniulrod and oiiihty-threc 
 
 I ' R i', s E \ T : 
 
 TlIK HoNnUAlU.E MR, .TlI,-<TI('K CV\I!()X, 
 
 THE HONORABLE l.OUIS ONESIME LORANQER. 
 Atlornei/ Crencnil t>/ this Prorina'. for ami on Ijehalf iif Our Sarerciu^n Lmli/ the Queen. 
 
 I'LMNTIFl'' ; 
 
 THE DkLERY (iOLD MINIXCi COMPANY, a body politic and corporate 
 constitutt'd niidor the pDxisions ol'an Acl of'ilio I'arlianii'nt of the Province 
 of Canada, pa.sscd in the twcnty-sevonth and twenly-cii^hth yearns ol' Our 
 Reign, intitulod "An Act to authorize the granting of Charters of Incorpo- 
 ration to Manui'acturing, Mining and other Companies," having its principal 
 place of business in the City of Qucl)ec ; The Canada Gold Company (limited), 
 a body politic and corporate, duly incorporated under the pmvi.sions of the 
 Companie.s' Acts of 18(i2 and ISt!:! as a limited company, registered in Loudon, 
 having its jiriiicipal place of business in the Parish of St. Francois, in the 
 District of Beauce ; Dame Catherine Charlotte I'^iiza Couillard, widow of the 
 late H()nnral)le Alexandre Rene Chaussegros dc Eery : Dame Catherine 
 Louise Josephte Chausseii'ros de Lery, wife sepai'ated as to property l)y mar- 
 riage contract of Wichard Alieyn, liscjuire, Advo alt^. and the said Richard 
 Alleyn, mis en cause, for the purpose of authr)rizinu' and assisting his said 
 wife; Corinne ^larie iilli/ia Chavrssegros de Lery, Spinster ; (reorge Auiiuste 
 l''raser Chausseuros de Lery. Louis Charles Alexandre Chaussi'gros dc Lery, 
 all of the City of Quebec ; and William Henri Brouage Chaussegros de Lery, 
 of the Parish of St. P'ranpois. in the District of Beauce, 
 
 Dkfi^miaxts. 
 
 The Honorable Joseph Alfred Mousseau substituted to the said Honorable Louis 
 Onesirae Loranger, proseeutiuir for and on behalf of Our Sovereign Lady the Queen. 
 
 4 
 
''''"' <''"ir( l„n-ii,o. „x. 
 
 fs 
 
 ' ;'. 'i';^;i.;:;::;;;::;„;!';,';; ';"- ...r„r, ,, „„,„ 
 
 ",:,!:';:;■;:;::; -™ ' "™';i.:';;:;::;.::;::,:;'::7 -- -■ -^ „. 
 
 --is:":;;:;:;;;:;:;:--'- 
 
 r:;--,;:::;;r;-::-w;-;;;:;-::::;-;..^.:^^.^ 
 '"i- ^..": ::;:;;::;:';: '"t '- ■' '•'■- 1™" :, ;:! ;""■ >■ - 
 
 "■'"""""» m .,„ , U, , , '"■'' "' ">->«-h.: ,l,„ ,1, ■ 
 
 ;,'■"' "■«.>■ w Z::7z:'T'7 '"'•' -'>■ ■■■■'■■■■''■'" 'i''.;;'',;;-: '~ '"■■"■■ 
 
 ">"»-).tih<.n. \v,.n .,. n '"'"'"'••^''''^•'""n-ol K>i„,,„M- , ''"^"nn,,,.,,, 
 
 ,., ^-f. -wn,. ha, .tt ::;;:;;::''-' '-^^'-- "•"'"'"- 
 
 '''•"'"■'- 'h.' Kinus of l-Vanc. J I '""" "' ""'« ■•-^"'"•T (o ,1.,. r,, 
 
 '^■■"ii:;,^;:;;r;; ■-"■-■ ■^'"'■'"- -- -^■."~..^- 
 
 '■''"'*:;:i;;;,;::;;r"i'--'"''^ """" """™ - - 
 
 .i.,.A,,,.„,,.,;;;;: :;;;;- "nh.u,*,,*,,,,„^^ ,,„ , 
 
 ::;;""■ - '■'^'' - "-'-'-:r:^;;;':;;;';;r ^^^^^^^ 
 
'"• 'I'llll/icKio,, 
 ''•I'I'kI.X nil If,,, 
 
 "''hi' luiiics „j' 
 '"'niiis.., ,1^ },,, 
 
 imaiiN ,,| ,„i,s. 
 <>""'r l>iv(!j()i,.s 
 I'll! not (u tho 
 " iiudiorily (o 
 "I'litioiis ,.(,1,. 
 
 'i'' iriis.r,.p|.,,. 
 'HI il is (Ih-IV- 
 ''<'ViTlllii|.l|( 
 Hi'Illiat tlloy 
 
 "•''" 'nadoas 
 
 .vnoi' (;,.,.. I, 
 '"n iiiiniiiy 
 '" fjn.'sfioii 
 
 liiiiitioiiN (,|- 
 
 ' 1101 I,,,,, I, 
 
 i'Jn;iti(.ii „/• 
 
 ''"'"'lldillKs