Documents relating to the granting of
lands to Loyalists in the Province of Quebec (includes present day Quebec and
Ontario).
Transcriber:
Edward Kipp
January
2011
Source:
Library and Archives Canada
MG40 B8: Instructions to governors for
Quebec, Lower Canada and Upper Canada.
LAC mf H-2952. File 4. PP 38-45.
Additional Instructions to Lord
Dorchester concerning Oaths and Quakers. November 18, 1793.
[P. 1]
Extract
from His Majesty’s Instructions to Lord Dorchester 16th September
1791
Variations
on the Land Instructions Hugh Finlay
[P. 2]
George
R
[Seal]
Additional
Instruction to Our Right Trusty and Wellbeloved Guy, Lord Dorchester, Knight of
the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Our Captain General and Governor in
Chief, in and over Our Province of Lower Canada in America. Given at Our Court
at Saint James’s the Eighteenth day of November 1793. In the Thirty Fourth year
of Our Reign.
Whereas
Our Will and Pleasure has been signified in the 35th Article of Our
Instructions to you, as Our Captain General and Governor in Chief in and over
Our Province of Lower Canada, bearing date the 16th day of September
1791. That no Warrant for surveying Lands be granted by you or the Lieutenant
Governor, or
Persons
[P. 3]
Persons
administering the Government for the time being, unless the Person, or Persons
applying for the same, do, at the time of making such Application, besides
taking the usual Oaths Directed by Law, also make and subscribe the following
Declaration in your, or his Presence, or in the Presence of such Person or
Persons, as shall by you or him, be appointed for that purpose. Viz “I A.B. do
promise and declare that I will maintain and defend to the utmost of my Power,
the Authority of The King in His Parliament, as the Supreme Legislature of this
Province.”
And
whereas there has been laid before Us a Petition, presented in your Absence to
the Lieutenant Governor of Our said Province, in Canada, by certain of Our
Subjects of the People called Quakers; praying, that as they conscientiously
decline wearing and bearing Arms, and swearing in any base whatever, the Words,
“I Swear and Defend” in the above Oath, may be dispensed with, in regard to
Persons of their Society, applying for Grants of Lands; It is therefore Our
Will and Pleasure, notwithstanding the aforesaid Article in Our Instructions to
you as
aforesaid
[P. 4]
aforesaid,
that in the Case of Quakers applying for Grants of Lands, it shall be
sufficient, (if there be no other objection to making such Grants) that the
Quakers so applying, do make and sign a Declaration, acknowledging the
Authority of Us, Our Heirs and Successors, in Our Parliament of Great Britain,
as the Supreme Legislature of Our Province of Lower Canada; and declaring that
they will demean themselves as peaceable and loyal Subjects to Us, Our Heirs
and Successors accordingly.
GR
No comments:
Post a Comment