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32X

1st Session, 5th Parliament, 18 Victoria, 1854. 1

PETITION

Of W. L. Mackenzie, Esq., of To-
ronto, praying for the payment of cer-
tain amounts which he alleges are due
him by the Province.

( The Hon. Mr. Young.)

Orderedy hy the Legislative Assembly, to he
Printed^ i5th December, 1854.

QUEBEC :

PRINTED BY LOVELL AND LAMOURKUX

PETITION.

To iJie Honorable the Legislative Assembly of Canada^ in Provincial Parliament

Assembled:

THE HUMBLE PETITION OF WILLIAM LYON MACKENZIE, OF
TORONTO, PllINTER,
Shewetii : —

That Your Petitioner is a creditor of tlie Government for interest on hie. salary,
as Resident Welland Canal JJireetor, from the time wlien his claim was audited
and settled and acknowledged as due, till the time when it was paid.

That yoin- Petitioner rendered service to the late Province jf Upper Canada,
durinj^ eighteen months in England, for which he refused recompense then, and
desires none now.

That expenses were incurred, leaving a halance due of about £500 ; that the
Legislative Assembly appointed a Committee of its members to audit that claim, who
did so, by an unanimous vote. Mr. ThorI)urn, Indian Agent, a member of that
Committee, is, or was a few days since, at Quebec.

That the award, and interest thereon, are unpaid, and that your Petitioner laid
the ease before His Excellency, the Governor in Council, in a memorial, given in last
Nov. 27th, of which an official copy received from the Clerk of the Executive Coun-
cil, is in the following words, namely :

To His Excellency, James, Earl of Elgin and Kincardine, Governor Gena'al

of Canada, in Council.

THE HUMBLE PETITION OF WILLIAM LYON MACKENZIE, OF
TORONTO, EDITOR AND PRINTER,

Respectfully Sheweth : —

That your Petitioner, (then a member of the Legislature of Upper Canada*
for the County of Peel,) was legally a})pointed Government Director of the Wel-
land Canal, in 1835, and directed by Special Resolution, as reported by a Com-
mittee of the House, to perform the duties of an Acting Commissioner, for inves-
tigating its affairs, which duties were arduous, and occupied his whole time for
a twelvemonth.

That the other Commissioner, Mr. Thorburn, received ^4 per diem, when
occasionally on Canal business, but Peiitioner left his claim to the special audit
of a Committee of nine members, chosen next year, to examine Canal matters.
They awarded £250, which Petitioner applied for, but Government could not
pay, for the Annual Supply Bill had failed in Assembly.

The acccmnt thus passed upon, in 183G, was not pa.d till 185L Petitioner
considers that he was as justly entitled to interest, till paid, on an admitted claim
for the fulfilment of an olHcial duty, as if he had lield a debenture, past due, and
of which payment had been refused.

The following is a co2')y of a letter to Petitioner, correctly stating his case :

"Secretary's Office.

"Toronto, 6th March, 1851,
" Sir, — I am commanded by the Governor General to inform you that Hit
" Excellency in Council, has had under his consideration, your letter to me, dated

( 5>;

'' January last, with its enclosuros, renewing your claims to compensation, for
" si-rviecsas a Diroclor of llio Wellaml Canal Com|)aiiy, in the year IH^5.

" His Excellency finds that the House of Assembly of Upper Canada, by
•' whom you were appointed Director, named a Committee to invcstigaie your
*■' claim to payment, for the sirviees in (jueslion, and thai the said (Jonunitlee
*' vecommended that the sum of £:ir)0 should be j)aid to you therefor, but as no
" Supplies were granted duriiij; that Session, the reeonuuendation of the Coui-
"' initlee could not he carried into effect.

" His Excellency having considered your case, is of opinion, that as you
'•' were legally appointed a Direclor of the VVelland Company, by a vote of the
*' House of Assendjiy, and j)erformed the duties of your oilice, you are justly en-
titled to compensation lor the same, and he has accordingly been pleased to
direct, that the sum of i.250 be placed on the Estimates to be laid before Par-
liament, at the ensuing Session, as a compensation to you, for the services in
question.

" 1 lipve the honor to l)c. Sir,

" Your most obedient servant,

" J. LESLIE, Secretary.
"P. S. The Report of the Committee of the House of Assembly, which
*■' accompanied your letier, is herewith returned."

That, in 1832, Petitioner, then a ]Member of Assembly for York, Ontario and
Peel, agreed to go to London, as the Agent of a large portion of the people, to His
late Majesty's Government, left Canada with a ])art of his family, intending to be
absent but eight months, but having been recognised iii England, as duly (jiiali-
fied t(» represent the friends of certain reforms, and enablecl fully to explain the
positi' \T slate of atl'airs in this country, and having been specially reipiesled to
pro I '.is stay, and to make representations \o the Post Master General, ridative
tot!, '. anada Post Office, and to Mr. Poulelt Thompson for the Hoard of Trade,
and to the Secretaries of the Treasury, upon monetary affairs, and the Government
having agreed to considi'r the measure of a Colonial Pt)st Office, and sent for Mr.
Stayner, io London, when the first liill for that purpose was framed, Petitioner
prolonged his stay, for nearly eighteen juonths.

On Petitioner's return he received the thanks of the JNIayor of Quebec, and other
irifluenlial rcfortners, and at Montreal the same kind compliments were paid him by
Mr. Viger, Mayor of that City, Mr. Pa])incau, then Speaker of the Assembly, Mr.
Bourdiigcs, its doyen, and the liberal Members of the Assembly there, for having
acted steadily with Mr. D. B. Viger, while in London, for tlie common interest of
the two Canadas.

That, in 1832, your Petitioner carried to London the Petition of nearly eleven
thousand of the Freeholders of the several Counties in Canada West, to the House
of Commons, praying for a redress of grievances, which was presented by Mr.
Hume, who asked for a Committee of En(juiry, which was rendered unnecessary
through an offer of Lord Ilowick, (now Earl Grey,) on behalf of himself and Lord
Ripon, thoroughly to investigate all matters of complaint in Downing Street.

That your Petitioner was also the bearer of nearly fifty petitions to His Majes-
ty, King William IV, from all parts of Upper Canada, which, (including a number
of the Members of the Legislature,) were signed by 24,500 of the male adults of
that Province, part of which Petitions were presented by Lord Chancellor Brough-
am, and the remainder by the Colonial Minister ; at your Petitioner's first interview
witli whom he was accompanied by Mr. Hume, Mr. Viger (Agent for Lower Canada)
and Mr. Rycrson.

That Lords Ripon and Ilowick carefully considered Petitioner's statements :
discussed with him at the Colonial office the (questions embraced in the Petitions to

"g.

»<

ilioii, for

mada, by
jaie your
oiiiiiiitlce
but as no
the Coin-

at as you
)to of the
justly cn-
)lcas<'(l to
I'fore Par-
ervices in

}tary.

which

ntario and
)lf, to His
iling to be
lily (jiiali-
\|)laiii the
juet^ti'd to
d, ridative
of Trade,
)vt'niniei:t

It for Mr.

etilioner

and other
lid him by
iib'y, Mr.

)r having
interest of

ly eleven

le llonse

by IMr.

necessary

and Lord

let.

is Majes-

ii number

adnUs of

• Bronjih-

intervievr

Canada)

itements :
.'tiiions to

the Crown and House of Commons; and after much ('orresj)ondenec with Petitioner,
His Miijesty's (lovernmeni ai;reed to recommend to Sir John Colborne, in a long and
able despatch, certain ref)rms hereinafter enumerated in an address of tlianks to tlie
King, moved by Messrs. Hidwell and Perry, in Assembly, February Otii, \H-Vtl, ex-
pressing "sincere gratitude for the many valuable measures that His Majesty has
" been graciously pleased to recommend to the drovennncnt of this Piv/viuce, which
" are eminently calculated, if acted upon, to render His Majesty's loyal snbje( Is more
" contented and ha))py ; ".nd which are contained in the despatch of LordCioderich,
*' His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies, dated, Downing
*' Street, 8th November, TS32, and transmitted by Sir John Colborne to the Housf
" of Assembly on the 12tli(lay of January, 1833, viz :

1. " The passing of a bill for the amendment of the Election Laws.

2. *' The altera! ion of the Charter of Jving's College in such a manner as shall
" agree with the wishes of the people.

3. "The placing the town Members of the Assembly on the same footing
" in respect to wages as the County Ah-nibers ;

4. "The allowing all the Membei's of religious denominations who cannot
"conscientiously take an oath, the privilege of the Elective Franchise ;

f). " TIkj interdiction of the disposal of the Crown Lands to favorites, and
" rendering them the subject of public competition ;

6. " The repeal of the law which excluded British subjects from voting at
"Elections, and being elected, unlil the expiration of seven years alter the'r
" return from a residence in a foreign country ;

7. "The non-interference of all persons holding ollieial situations in the
" Province, at Elections;

8. "The strong recommendation of His Majesty for a universal difliision of
"Education, especially among the poorest and most destilute ;

9. " The desire expressed that the most ample and particular information
should be given to this House of the avails and disposition of the casual and
Territorial Revenue ;

JO. "The disposition expressed by His Majesty that the Ministers of Reli-
gion should resign their seats in the Cimncils, and that no undue preference should
be given to preachers of the Church of England ;

11. "The reducing the cost at Elections;

12. "The respect expressed for our constitutional rights;

13. " The passing of a Bill for the Independence of the Judges ;

14. "The passing of a Bill limiting the number of persons holding offices
to seats in the House of Assembly."

Petitioner has studiously avoided making any special reference to those per-
sonal matters of dKlerence in times gone by, which agitated the surface of society
in a remoti! and thinly-settled Colony, that were not essential to the explanation
of his claim.

The Legislative Assembly elected, on Petitioner's return, cordially approved
of his conduct while in England ; acted upon measures recommended by the
Crown, through his means; referred Lord Goderieh's despatch and Petitioner's
representations on which it was founded, to a special Committee on Grievances ;
adopted their report upon public affairs ; sent it to England where it was sub-
mitted to the King, and formed the basis of Lord Glenelg's instructions to Sir
Francis Head, as may be seen by reference to that stale pape-.

Your Petitioner gave eighteen monlhsof his time most wHliingly to the Country,
but as he was not sent originally by the Executive, funds had to be borrowed,
over and above a small subseriptiou which was not sufficient to pay the Editor
left at Toronto to attend to Petitioner's aflairs. For the repayment of those moneys

he was rcsponsiblo, and he uhimalcly had to meetlhe greater part. A very .-rinall
sum he is si ill owing.

In the ^'o^sion of 1835, about 2,000 of Petitioner's constiluenis pclitioncd the
Legislnture I'or a lecoinpense lor memorialist's serviees ; the House specially re-
ferred the niatler to a Couunitlee, viz: INlr. Tliorlnirn, ol" Lin(;oln, Mr. (iil);«on, of
York, Mr. Alway, of Oxford, Mr. Lount, of Simeoe, and Mr. Morrison, before
whoui I'etitioner appeared and refu.-^ed all compensation, only desiring that the
balance of his ex))enses should be met by the Government through the Suj)|)lie9.

Their report (see Appendix to the Journal, l!S35,)was unanimous. Kxiraets
follow: — " The Seleet Committee to whom was referred the I'etilion of John
*' Ilugill, Joseph Cawthra, Edward Wright, John Edward Tims, Joseph Sliepard,
" Joiin Leys, Daniel lirooUe, William Cawthra, Robert McKay, James iiunler,
*' John Montgomery, and others, Freeholders of the Home IJistriet ; the petition
" of Jeremiah Smith and others. Freeholders of tlie said District ; and the Peti-
" tionof William Keid, Senior, Israel Lundy, Murdoch Mcl.eod, Saumel Hughes,
*• (liieutenant) Williiirn Johnson, and others, Freeholders of East (iwillimbury
•' and Georgina, in said District, have, in obedience to the orders of \hv. House,
" inquired into the facts stated in the petitions, and beg leave ununimoudij \o
" report :"

" That the Freeholders of the Home District met in great numbers on the
" 19ih January, 1832, in this City, to consider of the besi means left them to prc-
*' serve their civil rights as British subjects; and it was agreed upon, that the
" only eoMstilutional course left them to pursue, was humbly to address His
" Majesty, and to crave the aid of the prerogative vested jn the Crown for the
•' proleclion of the people.

" That the Agent they appointed was also chosen by many of th(! other
" tov/ns, counties and places of the Province, to carry home addresses expressive
" of the attachment of the jieople to His Majesty's Government, and of their con-
" fidenee that such constitutional means as were in the power of the Crown, would
•' be used for the redress of the grievances of which they complained. These
" memorials wer(^ signed by twenty-four thousand five hundred of the male adult
" inhabitants of the Colony.

" That the Agent of these Petitioners took his departure for London with a
*' part of his family ; was absent from his home about eighteen months, upon a
" diliicult and expensive mission, in no way connected with liis priv.ite ail'airs,
" which were leli in the care of one of the Freeholders, a P^irmer from the Coun-
" try, who was unfortunately sick a great part of tiie time."

" That the yeomanry of the Home District appointed a standing committee
" to attend to their political affairs, which collected, by subscription, only £150,
" beyond the amount of their own expenses and disbursements, but d( pending,
" as we think they justly might, on the country whose best rights the electors were
" defending, and of whose petitions Mr. Mackenzie was the l)earer, th"y borrowed
•' on the individual responsibility of some of the members, £400 and upwards,
" from Joseph Cawthra, Esquire, Toronto, and Mr. Alexander Montgomery,
" Senior, of York Township, farmer, which smns, with the interest, now amount
*' to nearly £500, and are unpaid. Of these sums, a part was paid to Mr. Mac-
" kenzie when he left for Europe; £180 were transmitted to him in the charge
" of the Rev. Egerton liyerson, afterwards, and the remainder on his return, to
** enable him to licjuidatc debts he had unavoidably incurred in London, and on
" his way back."

*' Tliat Petitions, signed by many thousands of the inhabitants of Upj)er Canada,

" from Halton, Weutworth, Leeds, the District of Niagara, Middlesex, Oxford,

■" Lennox and Addington, Storinont, Glengarry, Grcnville, PVoutenae, Ilastiiigs,

'" the Ottawa, Durham, Prince Edward, Northumberland, Duudus, &c., were eu-

*" trusted to the Conunittee, and sent by or to its Agent."

very irinall

tiliuncd (ho
|)('cially re-
(iihxiii, of
son, be lore
nt^ tli;it the
(• Supplies.
Kxliacta
1)11 of John
)h kSlicpard,
u!H llmiler,
Ihc pctilion
1(1 lh(; I'eli-
icl llnghes,
williiiibury
lh(! House,
niinousljj to

)(;r9 on the
hctn to ])re-
on, that the
ddri'ss J I is
own for tlic

f the other
I expressive
)f tlicir eon-
)\vn, woidd
ed. These
mule udult

idon Avith a
ths, upon a
v;:te ailairs,
1 the Coun-

: committee
only £150,
d( j)ending,
eel or s were
y borrowed
d upwards,
ontgomery,
low amount
lo Ml'. Mac-
I the charge
s return, to
Jon, and on

)er Canada,
iex, Oxford,
c, Hastings,
, were eu-

" Your Coiiunittce do not consider that Mr. Mackenzie's good or had succcsi
*• as the a<:;(nt of the I'etitioncrs, who where at the time, peiiiaps, a miijorily of the
" wlioL- male adults in this I'rovinc ought to guide the House in its decision on
"the J'etitions for rcnnmeration ; although, if that had been the criteiiun, the
*' ineasiu'e of his success far exceeded the public cx])eetatiou."

" He was ailmiltcd lo many audiences of the >liMisters of the Crown, and suc-
" ccssive Secretaries of State for the Colonies received and listened to his opinions
" on iaiportaut matters of j)olicy and government, and avowedly acted upon many
*' of his views and suggestions.

" He has been enabled, through the House of Conmions and the consent of His
" Majesty's (.l(<vcrntnent, to jilace on the records of the Imperial Parliament, and
" to exjiose to the view of the Colonists and the nation, the secret revenues of the
*' ro>t (■iliec Department of the Canadas, and their misapplication ; the correspon-
*' deuce of Military Uovcrnors, traducing the people anil their representatives ; the
" operation of the Legislative Council in its continual rejection of measures of great
" and g'^neral utility prayed for by the jjcoplc.

*• He was admitted by the Secretary of State to the honor of examining the offi-
" cial records of the Coh)nial Office, the secret annual returns of the (jiovernmcnt
" of Upper Canada, of the liiiances of the Colony, the journal of the E.xecutive
" Council and other documents of importance to the Country.

" He was eiribled to bring the condition of the Post Office Dej)artment so cffi-
" cicntly before His Majesty's (Jovcrnment as to induce it to send tor the Postmas-
" ter General of these Colonics to I^ondon, and Parliament to pass a Bill declaring
" that the Colonists cf right ought to control that revenue.

" He was enabled to give much information on the subject of Upper Canada to
" members of the imperial Legislature, and thron;^^'.i the press to the JJritish pnb-
" lie ; and also to send some useful inlbrination (m public affairs to Upper Canada.

" He was also authorized to act on behalf of the two Committees, who had
*' transmitted by (Jeorge llyerson, Esipiire, the Petition of the several religious
" denominations in 1828, signed by 8008 persons, and in 18ijO by 14,000, against
" tiic IJev. Dr. Strachan's Chart, and a Church and State Union, and procured from
*' His Majesty's Ministers a recommendation to Dr. Straehan and Bishop ^Muedonell
" lo cpiil party politics and the Council Chamber, and attend to their duties in
" their congregations.

" Mr. Mackenzie appears to us to have done what he could on behalf of the
*' rights of the peo])le, and

" Your Committee recommend to the House to guarantee to Mr. Cawthra
" and Mr. Montgomery, the balances for which they respectively hold the notes
" of a luunber of the members of the Committee of the Freeholders."

In accordance with the House Committee's unanimous award, jGSOO would have
been placed in the Sn[)ply Bill in the spring of 183G, but as supplies were then re-
fusL'd to the Lieut. -Governor, owing to the dispute about "llesponsible Governn)cnt,"
Petitioner had to be responsible for the balance of his own very moderate bill of
expenses in Eiuopc.

As he was fully recognised by the British Government, and admitted to discuss,
not some ;poeial matter, but every public measure then before the Upper Canada
public — as the new Assembly, which met in 1835, sanctioned and endorsed his
political action, adopting his views as offered to be carried out by the Colonial Office —
as these views were embodied in the Seventh Report of the Committee on Grievances,
•nd approved by the House — as the Report was, by Lord Glenelg, made the basis

of the Royal instructions to Sir John Colborne's successor in the Administration

and as the House Committee recommended payment of £500, which the refusal of
Supplies prevented the then payment of.

Your Petitioner prays that it may please Your Excellency in Council to grant
to YourPelitionerJCoOO, being the balance of his actual expenses in 1832-33 as such

AiiCMit, and aho the iiitercst tliiit was dut; on Im Wcllaiul Canal claim ot' £>-2!J0 in
7^1')!, am )init:r^ to £100 and npwards.
And Vdur Politioiicr will ever prav.

'(Si-ncd,) WM. L. .MACKENZIE.

Quebec, Monday, November 27th, 1854.

That ii\st('ad of boini^ ])ai(l his claim Your IVtitloner received an acknowledg-
ment of tliL' receipt thereof us follows : —

SRcmKTAuv's Ori'icK,
Qi«'l>,'r,2[)//i Nor., lHr,-i.
Sir, — I have the honor to acknowledijc ihc receipt of yonr I'ltition, of the
27th instant, prayinj^ for the smn of JCoOO on acconnt of the expenses which,
you state, were incurred by you in proceeding' to EM;.!;Iand on the Ijiisinessconnccteil
with the alfiirs of the late Proviiec of L'ppcr Canada, in the years l.S,jJ iiiid IS.'i;] ;
— and also for the sum of JEIOO and upwards, beintr the interest on your claim
(alnady paid) of jC2-')() for services as a ('ommissioner to investigate the atfairs of the
Welland Ciuuil Company in the year 1885.

In re])ly, I a*i directed to informyou that the subject of your Petition will re-
ceive the consideration of the (lovcrnnient.

I iiave the honor to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient serva'it,

W. L. Mackenzie, Esq., E. A. MEREDITH,

&c Hic. Assist. Secretary.

That your Petitioner would liavc been paid in 1S3G, had not Supplies been
stop! as ii means to obtain redress of wrongs. 'Ilie petition to the Ass<Mni)ly of
Upi^er Canada under which Supplies W(!re thus refused — as the present Earl of
Derhy Iiad advised in a letter to llie late Hon. VV. VV. lialdwin — was entered on
the Journals, in these words, viz :

TO THE HONOURABLE THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY.

The huinhle Petition of the underxis^ned., Inhabitants of the Toiviiship of

Pickering^

Respectfully Sheweth :

" That it is with feelings of sorrow and regret that your Petitioners have wit-
" nessed the organized opposition offered by the Legislative Council, and by sue-
" ccssive Lieutenant Governors, to the noble and spirited efforts made in the last
" and ]>resent Sessions of the Legislature by Your Honorable House, " to maintain,
*' as well as to amend, the Laws and Institutions of the Country," in accordance
" with the advice of our revered Sovereign.

" That the people of Canada deserve kinder treatment than they have hitherto
" met with at the hand of the Agents of the British Government, 'fhey have
*' fought, suffered and bled to maintain its supremacy in this distant lan<l, they
" have nianitested their love for the constitution under the very worst of Colonial
*' Administrations, and have for many years been engaged in a peacefid struggle to
" oi)tain a ])ractical recognition of their rights as British subjects ; yet it appears
" that no confidence is placed in them.

" That the corrcsjiondencc between His Excellency Sir Francis Bond Head,
" and the members of the Executive Council that was chosen by him on his acces-
" sion to the government, has revealed to the pcoi)le, that it is His Excellency's
" determination not only to retain in his own hands the power delegated to him
" by his Sovereign, of dismissing the Executive Council, dissolving the Legislature,
" and appealing to tlie sense of the people, as often as he may think it expedient

" so to do, Iiiit nlso to be the only rospoiisiljlo Minister of tlio Colony ; lie dii'larca
" tiiiit nrillicr liie llcnse of Assiiiil)ly nor tlic pi'opic who elect its rneinliers imvc
*' llie ri^iil to e;ill liiiii to aceoiint fi>r liis piililie net-, wlictlier they he j£,'"i(l or evi! ;
" tlial fMieii ty lu re is in " an int'aiit i-iale ;" that he will he aiiswerahh' for his |)r()-
*' ceedinjis only in Holland; and that he considers it al)sohiteiy necessary that lie
" Khould have fnil iihertv lo act in evcrv cjise as lie may think l)e>t, areordiny; to
'' the eoiinnands of tlu- Kiiii^ and the Colonial Olliee, I'JOO miles dislanl, and
" where the wants and wishes of tiiis coniinnnity are hnt little known.

" 'I'hat His Excellency has declareil, llidt fn lln' opi'iii'ii nf l/ir In/.' Knrn/ieo
" Couiiril ill fwiiiir (ij a rrsjiDusilihi Local (fortrinneiit, and vsklmj Unit Ifn (ulricc if a
" CiiiDiril iiitss-s.si'il (if oiiri' iif llif raujiilrnri' of tin- S>urn ii/ii (mil t/ir jiiiipli'''s njii'isi /i/w
" iirrs slinii/d lie (iiUiirnUo in l/if aihiiiiiisfniliiDi of pulilir iijptirs he run iirrci siiJisnihr,
" (Jn l/if cdii/iin//, lie ilitl not fill hiiiisrlf Iiohik/ lo ronxiiU lite Mcrcidicc Conncil mi the
" affairs oj llie loiintri/.

" That while J lis Exeolleney has thns resolved to hold the powers entrnsted
*' to hitn hy his kSovereii;n, to rc(hice British snljecls to a stale of alject va.-saliii^o,
" and deny them the advantages of the Constitution and the forms which secnre
*' and maintain it, llie puhlic Imids mailr niliKihli: luj Ihrir iiuUislnj an: In imj suhl or
*' (jiri n iiiciiij lo fiinirilc.s, iiiut l/ir jirorcrds if tiiinl .sidrs c.fpi'iidi'd icillitHl Ihc indh'ii ilij
" (f luw ; litri/fi tiiims are (i)iiiii(dli/ raisrd in a vurii'li/ of forms from the projih; and <'.c-
" pi'ndfd ivilhonl fhrir consi'id, and fsrldom to iJiiir iiilrind(i(/i' ; dissension is h-i'pl up hy
^^ thi' ]) i/iiii'iil of p/niiniliir priislliooils out of Ihr jndi i" nrmnr ; thi; Clirijij liisirres
" ari' hi itifi alifiiided, and tin' proceeds sen! to J'Jiii/lonil instead of In iiuj applied to
" edn. idioiKil purposes ; the speidi/ and sfdisfitlori/ adni!ni'<lr(dion (f Jnslire, derlnreil
^^ hij His Mnjisl 11 ti III' '■'■ the first anil iniinf surfed di'li/ (f a sorrreiijn^^'' i^i in a i/r'nt
" ineasnre iiei/leiird^ inid the noinitialion if Jitslieesif the Peaee lift in the hoiu/s if irho-
" enr niaij h.ippe.i lo he the faroiirile eoiniirr <d tin' (jlofernmenl Iloiisefor the tluir In in;/.

'■'• Thai the pnlilie deht and int<resf thereon hasheen of late ip-ars i/reid yanijim nled. and
" tliid the finanrial comlilion of the Colmnj is hecomincf daili/ mnre and won- etnl>ai rass-
" ill;/ ; and that your llonorahle Ilonsc; deserves the <(ratiliule of tiic connlry for
" your unwearied inilnstry, in en(iuirini^ into, and endeavouring to remove abuses,
" ill passing usefid and salutary laws, and in addressing His Majesty, calling
" his iillcntion to suid praying fortho removal of those grievances from which the
" country has long and ineH'ectually sought relief. 2'hat the very yrent expense of
" each Liijidativc Session isrhiijly eaiised hy the Waul (f a Cordial co-operation with
*' ?/rt?/r Jfonornl/le IFinise, on the pari of sneeessire Lieutenant Governors, a/id hy the
^^ sysleniafie rjerlion^ hy the Leyislalire Connelly of those hills and ineasiires gem rally and
*' 7)wst earnestly desired fur the pnldie benefit. The experience of nearly half a century
*' pnal)]es us to declare our entire concurrence in the opinions you have expressed
" during the picsent session, "thai the Legislative Council, as "at present cons-
" tituled, has utterly failed, and never can be made lo ansv^'cr the ends for which
*' it w'i'S created." S'o li'reat are the ohjectiona ql' that honourable body to jn'oaiote
*' the public irelfare that even the bill of last sesn/on for the dent ruction of the Wolves
" which infest and injure many jiarts of the province, u-as not allowed to puss into
" a law.

"We beg to remind your Honourable Uoxific of the inclement season of the
" year at vdiich the late County Elections were held ; the many miles trave'led
" thrcuxh the worst of roads by the reformers to e/fect the return of lour members ;
" the sicrili((>s of a pecuniary and j)crsonal nature by some, and ihe micommon
" exerlions made by others of your constituents, who reasonably expected thereby
'' to secure cheap and honest government ; an impartial adminislralion olJnslice ;
" the education of iheir children, and the improvements of the roads and bridges,
" in all which they have been most lamentably disap|)ointcd, by means of our
" Lieut. Governors and tlieir Legislative Councils, lo whose ruinous proceedings
*' you have not hitherto oUcred that constitutional resistance the country had
" a right to expect.

" Under these circumstancos, wo humbly, yet earnestly enlrcat your llonor-
" table Himse, to ha.'^ten to address His Majesty for the removal of ad vi.-ers of the
" Crown in this Colony ; to request the attention of the Commons of the United
" Kingdom to the state of publie atl'airs •,aml to take the onlji ej/'eclual and conNlitit-
" tional step which is left i/ou to check arbitrari/ power, ami for viai.ntoinin<4 the r lights
^^ of your injured constituents bji irifhholdin<i' all suppties of the public moneii from a
^^ government which openlii declares its determinationto subvei't and nullifi/ those aiv-
" cient fundainentallairs and usan'cs so a<irecable tonature and reason, for the prO'
" tection of which the faith and honor of the British nation stand solemnly pledged to
" the colonists.

' Suceessive Houses of Assembly have declared that to your Honorable
" House it of right belongs to ehoose your own olfieers and confidential servants ;
" a, id it appears from the Despatch of Lord Glenelg of the I5lh Decenlber last,
" thai the King does not dissent from these views. We pray that this right may
" be 30 exercised that the records of your House and the petitions of the people
** may not be entrusted to those who are the avowed enemies of free institutions.

" And as a speedy return to your constituents may possibly be the result of
" your firmness in the defence of liberty, we pledge ourselves to stand by you at
" the hour of trial with our voices and iniluenee ; and in order that there maybe
" less cause given for controverted elections we pray you to hasten lo give eti'ect
" to a bill for the better regulation of the election laws, which are at pre.-enl de-
" fective in some very important features.

" We further pray yon, as the Great Council of the Province, to address the
" Lieutenant Governor, requesting him to remove, as being unworthy of triisl, the
" members of the Executive Council whose names have lately been gazetted, and
" to iippoiut, as His Councillors and |)riiicipal Oificers, persons possessing the eon-
" fidcncc of your Honorable House and of the Country.

(Signed,) " ROBEIIT BURNS," and others.

May it please your Honorable House to cause the claims justly due to your
Petitioner to be paid, and Petitioner will ever pray.

W. L. MACKENZIE.
Quebec, December 13, 1854.