25G PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN IX.STITL'TE. 



^' time all colonists could confide in the royal protection for tlie enjoy- 

 " ment of the benefits of the laws 'f the realm of England." 



This Proclamation with the care of Canada was entrusted to Sir 

 Guy Carleton, and Canada was, during eleven years, governed much 

 as it had been in the preceding three years. It was government 

 very like what obtained in the North-West Territories before any 

 I'epresentation was accorded to them. It is needless to say that the 

 inhabitants, after waiting until their patience was exhausted, com- 

 plained and then petitioned for relief from the intolerable state of 

 things. The information that reached London was of two very 

 diffei'ent complexions. 



There was on the one hand a demand that the British law.s and 

 institutions should be declared to be in force in the country. This 

 though coming from a minority trifling in [joint of numbers was still 

 put forward with great energy and with many advantages on its 

 .side. 



On the other hand the ancient inhabitants i-equired a continuance 

 of the laws and institutions under which they had flourished for over 

 a century. They numbered 70,000, as against less than 500, of the 

 recent additions to the Province. The ministry in England then 

 passed an Act of government favorable to the ancient subjects, but 

 unfortunately obnoxious to the minority. This was the Quebec Act 

 — a very important charter of government. 



The Quebec Act was pa.ssed to define the boundaries of the newly 

 acquired territory, and to put beyond doubt the character of the laws 

 in force as well as to determine certain domestic matters within the 

 Treaty of cession. It must be concluded now that it was no easy 

 matter to establish laws that would suit the old and new subjects of 

 the King. 



There was one Englishman to every two hundred Frenclnneu. The 

 view taken by the English statesmen favored the re-intioduction of 

 the old French law in civil matters, leaving the criminal law of 

 England the rule in such cases. The boundaries of the Province 

 were then enlarged as appears by the map, and it would seem 

 that the English had in view the taking in of a French settle- 

 ment near the junction of the Ohio and the Mississippi. The Old 



