I 
I 
370 TRAVELS THROUGH LOW&R CANADA : 
is little hope of seeing any alteration of this na¬ 
ture take place. At the same time that the 
French laws were suffered by the Quebec bill 
to exist, in order to conciliate the affections of 
the French inhabitants, who were attached to 
them, the criminal law of England was esta¬ 
blished throughout every part of the country ; 
and this was one of the happiest circum- 
stances/’ as the Abbe Raynal observes,that 
“ Canada could experience ; as deliberate, ra~ 
tional, public trials took place of the impc- 
netrable mysterious transactions of a cruel 
inquisition; and as a tribunal, that had 
theretofore been dreadful and sanguinary,was 
filled with humane judges, more disposed to 
^ acknowledge innocence than to suppose cri- 
minality.” 
The governor, the lieutenant-governor, or 
the person administering the government, the 
members of the executive council, the chief 
justice of the province, and the judges of the 
court of king’s bench, or any five of them, form 
a court of appeal, the judges however except¬ 
ed of that district from whence the appeal is 
made. From the decision of this court an ap¬ 
peal may be had in certain cases to the King in 
council. 
Every religion is tolerated, in the fullest ex¬ 
tent of the w ord, in both provinces; and no 
disqualifications are imposed on any persons dm 
