116 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
Memorial, and Major Halton’s letter, communicating your Excellency’s 
decision in Council to that person—Nothing could in my humble opinion 
be more judicious and (necessarily) explicit, than the determination 
therein contained—as had Mr. Watson not have been checked in the 
manner he had been, the extravagance of his projects would shortly 
have produced serious cause of complaint from such as might unwarily 
submit to his impositions and also create a discontent amongst a certain 
description of persons, who fancy that from their former services or 
other pretentions they may be more entitled to the benevolence of Gov- 
ernment, than a stranger. For instance on my way home from York 
last winter Mr. Richd. Hatt remarked in my presence, “ that he would 
apply for 20 or 30 miles of road to settle as he felt from his situation 
that he had a better claim to the aid of Government than that Watson 
and that he could with little difficulty find a sufficient number in the Pro- 
vince willing to pay him 100 Dolrs on each lot.” I of course corrected 
him, as there were several persons present, particularly a merchant 
from MtReal, adding that none would be accepted of by Government 
as the followers of Mr. W. but such as actually came from Lower Can- 
ada—Your Excellency directs my attention to the two cases of Jacobus 
Shenich and Leonard Westbrooke—from what I can learn Watson, a 
few days previous to his last journey to York went to the above persons 
(whom he had himself placed on lots in Westminster) and declared to 
them that he would turn them off and put some of his Lower Canada 
people on the lots they occupied, unless they each of them gave their 
bond for the payment of his demand of the difference between the 
established fees and 100 Dollars which they accordingly complied with, 
with this proviso, that they shd. obtain the grant of their land thro’ 
his recommendation, and altho’ I cannot but censure Shenich & West- 
brooke for involving themselves with Watson, as they were perfectly 
sensible that they were not of the description for whom the Land in 
Westminster was appropriated—yet any indulgence and protection which 
your Excellency may be disposed to extend them, would afford me real 
pleasure, as I consider them to be honest and industrious men—and if 
vour Excellency will take the trouble to examine Mr. Watson’s survey 
of Westminster you will perceive that it includes three Concessions from 
the River Thames, whereas if I properly comprehend the intentions of 
Governt. towards Mr. W. he is confined to the two Concessions, butting . 
upon The Road and I believe that Shenich and Westbrooke are both of 
them settled in the third Conn. consequently it will admit of the con- 
sideration of yr. Exy. the Council, whether Watson followers are to 
extend to the 3d Conn. or not. 

