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immediate is strongly impressed on the Minds of some of the best Friends of Government.

I am well aware the chief Object to be depended upon to encrease the Influence of the Crown, will be by means of the Waste Lands; and in that point of view the delay that has taken place in the Land Business is greatly to be regretted and it becomes an Object of peculiar importance to Government that no further delay may occur to prevent the clearing and settling of the immense Tracts that are now in the hands of the Crown undisposed of, as their being granted in free and common Soccage will in time (if judiciously granted) form in this Province a Body of People of the Protesant Religion that will naturally feel themselves more immediately connected with the english Government; but as this cannot be expected to have any immediate Effect, I am inclined to think that in the mean time much may be done first through the catholic Priests, and secondly by means of the Militia.

The present Catholic Bishop' is extremely well disposed to Government; he is allowed by His Majesty Two Hundred Pounds per annum as Superintendent of the Romish Church; in addition to which he receives from Government a Rent of £150 per annum for the use of the Bishop's Palace at Quebec which is occupied by Public Offices; He has lately applied to me for an encrease of this Rent, signifying at the same time that his Income is very inadequate to his Situation and the Calls which are made upon it, which I have reason to believe is a just Statement. This Application offers an occasion of attaching the Canadian Bishop more particularly to Government, if by such an encrease of his appointments as His Majesty shall graciously be pleased to allow his Situation was made easy, at the same time requiring of him a strict attention to that part of His Majesty's Instructions to the Governor which I have before mentioned.

This I am of opinion would tend very much to increase that Consideration which the Priests themselves ought to feel, and to encourage in their Parishioners for the Executive Government, at the same time that it would ensure the cooperation of the Canadian Bishop: But in order to carry this point particular care must be taken to chuse a proper moment, and if the Bishop should be found decidedly averse to make the Sacrifice required of him, it ought perhaps to be defered till the Peace.

The Priests have a 26th of all the Grain, which may be valued at Twenty Five, or Twenty Six Thousand Pounds a year, which alone must make their Influence very considerable, and especially as the Religious Bodies are in possesison of nearly One Fourth of all the Seignorial Rights granted before the Conquest (excepting those of the Jesuits Estates latterly taken into the possession of the Crown) as will appear by the Inclosure.

With regard to the Militia it will be more difficult to give Your Grace a clear and distinct Idea of the Mode in which I am inclined to think use may be made of this Body to support the Interests of Government throughout the Province, and to disseminate Principles of loyalty amongst the Canadians in opposition to that spirit of democracy which has lately gained so much ground in many Parts of the World, but fortunately has not at present made any material progress in Canada.

The Population of Lower Canada is computed as about One Hundred and Sixty Thousand Souls, Nine Tenths of whom reside in the Parishes before described, distinct from the Towns, and from these are drawn the Canadian Militia which amount to 37,904 between the ages of 16 and 60. In the Parishes here aluded to, there are 292 Captains of Militia who are chosen from among the most respectable of the Canadian Habitants (the Etat Major amounting to 16 being in general chosen from among the Seigneurs) and here it is necessary to inform your Grace how far under the dominion of France the Body of the People were regulated in all public Matters by the Officers of Militia; the Captains of Militia being the Persons

Bishop Denaut. The Bishop's palace was used by the Legislative Council for its meetings till 1838.

For a similar scheme in 1810, see No. LXXIII, p. 266. Milnes' suggestion doubtless owed its origin to H. W. Ryland (see note on No. LXVIII).

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employed to issue and enforce the public ordinances and the Corvées, and who through the Authority thus delegated to them by Government pos sessed considerable Influence in their respective Parishes.

Although under His Majesty's Government these Powers have in a great Measure been withdrawn, especially since the establishment of the new Constitution, there still remains in the minds of the Canadians a certain Consequence attached to the Character of Captain of Militia; and as I have before observed to your Grace, it is still customary on all public occasions to employ this useful Class of People to perform many Services for Government which they have hitherto done without other reward than merely that arising in their own Minds from the Honor and respectability of the Appointment; but this though sufficient to render it desirable is, as they feel, by no means an equal return for the considerable Portion of their time so employed: If then by means of an honorary and pecuniary reward, or by any Plan that may be approved of by the Executive Council, this Class of the Canadians could be brought to consider themselves as the immediate Officers of the Crown, and peculiarly attached to the Interest of Government, there is no doubt that such an Influence from the Circumstance of being equally diffused over the whole Province would effectually tend to keep alive among the great Body of the People that Spirit of Zeal and Loyalty for monarchical Government which I believe to be natural to the Canadians, but which for the want of an intermediate Class to whom they can look up, and from their having no immediate Connexion with the Executive Power is in danger of becoming extinct.

That Loyalty is a lively principle in the Breasts of the Canadians I have no doubt, if I may judge from the expressions of satisfaction which are shown by all Ranks whenever the Representative of His Majesty only passes through the Country: this I myself experienced (though at that time personally unknown) in the Tour I lately made through the Province. There are several other Means besides those I have already stated by which I am convinced, a proper Bias may be maintained in the Minds of the Canadians, so as I should hope would secure the Province against any internal Commotion or Disaffection, the Details of which I shall reserve until I shall receive your Grace's Sanction to trouble you further on this head, particularly as in order to give your Grace a complete Idea of this Subject and the extent of my Plan it will be necessary to solicit your attention while I lay before you a Sketch of the relative Expences of the Civil Department of Lower Canada, and the Military Expenditure of the Canadas, by which it will appear how little Proportion exists in the Expences of those Departments, and what a considerable saving may hereafter accrue to Government if according to the Plan proposed, and by a more liberal allotment to the Civil Expenditure such an Influence could be attained over the Minds of the Canadians as might in the course of time not only secure the Province from any interior Commotion or disaffection, but likewise insure the cooperation of the Inhabitants in the Defence of the Province against the Attempts of a foreign Enemy without the aid of such a considerable military Establishment as the Mother Country has hitherto maintained in this part of His Majesty's Dominions.

The Deficiency of the Revenue, upon an average of the last Five years of the Civil Expenditure, amounts as will appear in the Paper I have the honor to transmit, to £12,000 per annum, and the yearly Military expenses of the two Canadas, according to the best Information I can collect, to about £260,000. This Expence would in the case of any Tumult or Insurrection in the Country, or of a War with the neighbouring States, most probably be doubled its present amount; and this Consideration alone shews how infinitely important it is to the Mother Country that your Grace should be made acquainted, while there is yet time, with every means by which the Influence of the Crown may be encreased, and the hands of the Executive Power strengthened. But there is another Consideration of perhaps greater importance than any above mentioned; could such an Influence be obtained throughout the Province by means of the Priests and the Captains of Militia as I have ventured to look forward to, that Influence

when fully established might also be employed so as at all times to ensure a Majority in favor of Government in the House of Assembly, and to secure the election in that House of such Men as from their Education and Knowledge of Business are most likely to see the real Interests of the Province in their true light, and not to be deluded by the falacious Arguments of any popular Špeaker from giving their entire Support to the Executive Government. The defect of such an Influence over the Elections lessens the respectability of that Assembly in a very great degree, and particularly as from the absolute Want which has so long existed of the Means of Education and the inability of the Canadians to support the Expence that would attend sending their Sons to the Mother Country for that purpose, there are at present scarcely any rising Men, and but few Men of talents among the Canadian Gentry.

From this and other Causes the Business of the House of Assembly is transacted with so little System or regularity that the oldest Members are some times unable to form a judgment of what is likely to be the result of their deliberations on the most common Subjects.

While a due preponderance on the side of Government is so manifestly wanting in the Assembly it is considered by the Well wishers of Government as a fortunate Circumstance that the Revenue is not at present equal to the Expenditure, & your Grace will immediately see the necssity on this account of preserving, in appearance at least, that disposition in a greater or less degree, as there is reason to apprehend that in case the Province could be induced to Tax itself in a degree equal to the Calls of the Executive Government, the Right of regulation and control over the whole would probably be aspired to by the Assembly, which could not fail of producing the most injurious Consequences to the Colonial Government, rendering it from that moment dependent on the Will of a popular Assembly.

The Burthen which is at present thrown upon the Mother Country will be fully compensated for whenever the Sums that shall arise from the Sale of the Waste Lands begin to come in, and particularly if (as appears by the Dispatch of the 13th of July 1797 to Gen. Prescott to have been in contemplation) it should be determined to appropriate the Monies arising from those Sales to the purchase of Stock in the English Funds, and the Interest of this Stock to go in aid of the Civil Expenditures of the Province in such manner as the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury may direct.

The Quantity of Land which from first to last will have have been at the disposal of Government is computed at about 150 Townships equal to Ten Million of Acres which have actually been applied for, including as is supposed the principal part of the ungranted Lands in Lower Canada that are deemed convenient for settlement and fit for cultivation.

Of the above about 35 Townships only are in contemplation to be granted on the original Terms proposed in the year 1792 consequently 115 Townships will remain for the future disposition of the Crown exclusive of the Church and Crown Reserves consisting of Two Sevenths set a part in the Townships already granted.

The Wealth, Power and Influence that must accrue to the Mother Country when those Lands become settled is an object of self evident magnitude, and must in time make a full return for whatever will be found necessary in the mean while to support and secure so valuable a Colony.

I flatter myself there can be no doubt that the liberality_ with which His Majesty has lately been pleased to provide the Means of Education in the Province will go a great way to secure the affection and loyalty of the rising Generation who would otherwise be in danger of imbibing Principles inimical to His Majesty's mild and paternal Government by the necessity which has hitherto existed of their being sent to the neighbouring States for education. The respectable footing upon which the Protestant Church is about to be put in Quebec will likewise tend to encrease that Consideration which ought to prevail for the Established Church.

When I began this Despatch I did not foresee the length into which I have been inevitably drawn, but I trust I shall stand excused in the

opinion of your Grace by the motives that have actuated me in this research, and I may truly say I have no other view than a full and consciencious discharge of all the Duties that belong to the Situation which His Majesty has been pleased to entrust to me. I have the Honor to be My Lord,

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The matters stated in Your Letter to me separate and secret of the 1st November1 are so highly important to the King's Canadian Government that I shall make them the subject of the separate Dispatch.

The prevalence of the popular influence in Lower Canada seems to be attributed by you to three principal causes, viz.-first, the separate and unconnected Interests of the Seigneurs and the Habitans, by which the latter are become totally independent of the former, and are not likely to be influenced by them in any respect-secondly—the Independence of the whole body of the Roman Catholick Clergy, who are accountable to no other authority than that of their own Bishop; and thirdly-the necessity there has been of disembodying the Canadian Militia, in consequence of that Country's having been conquered by His Majesty's Arms, and the inexpediency of their being called out under the present circumstances.

As the separate and unconnected situation of the Seigneurs and Habitans arises from the Established Laws and Usages of the Province in regard to the property held in these two descriptions of Persons, it is an evil certainly to be regretted, but I fear it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to remedy; and as the Canadian Gentlemen can derive no influence from the Landed possessions, it must necessarily be left to the particuiar exertions, ability and ambition of the Individual Seigneurs to emerge from their present State of insignificance-all that can be done in this respect, is to hold out motives for execution, and to give all possible encouragement in those instances where any disposition of the kind is found to exist-but before I proceed further I can not help expressing to you my surprise that the establishment of the Canadian Battalion in Lower Canada, the principal object of which was to draw the Canadian Gentlemen from their Indolent and inactive habits and to attach them to the King's service, should have met with no greater success-had any eagerness been manifested in completing this Battalion, it might have been judged advisable to form a second and third of the same sort in case the spirit and inclination of the King's Canadian Subjects appeared to call for it.

With respect to the Roman Catholick Clergy being totally independent of the Governor, I must first observe that I am not aware of the causes that have led to a disregard of that part of the King's Instructions, which require "That no person whatever is to have Holy Orders conferred upon him or to have the care of Souls, without Licence first had and obtained from the Governor." The resumption and exercise of that power by the Governor and the producing such a Licence requisite for admission to Holy Orders, I hold not only to be of the first importance, but so indispensably necessary, that I must call upon you to endeavour to effect it by every possible means which prudence can suggest-you will therefore

1 No. LXV.

readily conclude that I must see with pleasure your proposal for encreasing the Allowance to the Catholic Bishop adopted almost to any extent, if it can prove the means of restoring to the King's Representative in Canada that power and controul which are essentially necessary to his authority, and which is expressly laid down by the 44th Article of your Instructions above alluded to.

The third and last cause of the preponderance of the popular influence, viz., the situation of the Canadian Government with regard to its Militia appears to me to carry with it, its own Remedy; inasmuch as the Establishment itself is capable of being converted into an Instrument of considerable Weight and authority in the hands of the Executive Power, provided the measure I have to suggest should meet the opinions and sentiments of the Canadians themselves-according to your statement what seems to be wanting is to put the Militia upon such a footing that its being called out shall be so much for the Interest and advantage of those that compose it as to render it favorable to the measure. With this view I have examined your Militia Acts of May 1794 and May 1796, and the particular in which they strike me as being defective is that they contain no Provision for the Annual Meeting of the Militia or even any part of it, except for two days in the year for the purpose of being mustered; what I would propose therefore is (in case of its meeting with the approbation of the Legislature) that a certain proportion of the Militia to be chosen by Ballot should be called out to be exercised for 3 weeks or a month in each year during which time the Officers and men who shall be called out should be allowed the same pay and subsistence as His Majesty's Regular Troops. It would of course be provided that the men who should be chosen by Ballot in any one year, should not be ballotted for again until the residue of the militia should have been called out; by which means all the Officers and men would take their regular tour of duty & partake of the advantages arising from their being called out.

The adoption of this part of our Militia Law (with such variations as local circumstances may call for) will necessarily require that another part of it should be adopted, viz., the permanent pay of an Adjutant to each Regiment and of a certain number of non-commissioned officers, fifes, Drums as in the militia of this Kingdom.

In amending the Canadian Militia Bill in the manner I have suggested, Provision might also be made for such other Appointments as would be necessary during the time of the annual exercise of that portion of the Militia which may be called out. What the number and description of those appointments should be, must depend upon the number of militia men to be called out and must therefore be regulated on the spot.

You will understand that I am only stating the outline of such amendments to your Militia Laws, as I conceive to be most likely to secure the objects you have in view, and to create and establish that interest and connection which should subsist between the Militia and the Executive Authority of the Province.

Should you be of opinion that these amendments will meet with the concurrence of the Legislature, the sooner they are digested and put into proper form with the Assistance of the Executive Council and the Law Officers of the Crown, the better; and you will as immediately as possible transmit to me an Estimate of the additional expence which will be created by them, in forming which Estimate I am confident you will take care to keep it as Low as the object to be attained by the adoption of the proposed amendments will allow of.

These leading points relative to the Roman Catholick Clergy and the Militia being carried, every future step which is made in the settlement of the Province must, by making Grants of the Waste Lands of the Crown to Protestants upon the conditions, and subject to the Regulations now finally established and acted upon in the Land Granting Department neces sarily tend to lessen the degree of popular influence which is at present possessed by that description of His Majesty's Canadian subjects which constitutes so great a proportion of the inhabitants of the Province at large.

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