gelical Lutheran church, to which the public exercise of religion is solely reserved, nor even less seek to intermeddle in the town governments and burgerly officia, but in general to behave like quiet and peaceable burghers and inhabitants. In arising of disobedience we should, though reluctantly, see us in the necessity not only to sharpen the punishment for those that acted against our expectation, but also to revoke and cancel this our concession, ding to circumstances.

Given in our Assembly of the Senate etc. etc.

accor

N° XII.

Official Papers relating to the Roman Catholic Religion in Canada. Ordered, by the House of Commons, to be printed, an the 25th of May 1813.

§. 1.

Extract of a Letter from the Earl of Egremont to Governor Murray; dated Whitehall, 13th August 1763.

Though the king has, in the 4th article of the definitive treaty, agreed to grant the liberty of the catholic religion to the inhabitants of Canada; » and though his majesty is far from entertaining the most distant thoughts of restraining «his new Roman catholic subjects from professing the worship of thair religion according to the rites of the Romish church; » yet the condition expressed in the same article must always be remembered, viz: «as far as the laws of Great Britain permit; which laws prohibit absolutely all Popish hierarchy in any of the dominions belonging to the crown of Great Britain, and can only admit of a toleration of the exercise of that religion. This matter was clearly understood in the negociation of the definitive treaty. The French ministers proposed to insert

the words comme ci-devant, in order that the Romish religion should continue to be exercised in the same manner as under their government; and they did not give up the point till they were planly told that it would be deceiving them to admit those words, for the king had not the power to tolerate that religion in any other manner than « as far as the laws of Great Britain permit. » These laws must be your guide in any disputes that may arise on this subject; but at the same time that I point out to you the necessity of adhering to them, and of attending with the utmost vigilance to the behaviour of the priests, the king relies on your acting with all proper caution and prudence, in regard to a matter of so delicate a nature as this of religion; and that you will, as far as you can consistently with your duty in the execution of the laws and with the safety of the country, avoid every thing that can give the least unnecessary alarm or disgust to his majesty's new subjects.

§. 2.

Extract of a Letter from Lord Shelburne to Lieutenant Governor Carlton; dated Whitehall, 14 Nov. 1767.

It has been represented to His Majesty that the jesuits of Canada make large remittances to Italy, and that they imperceptibly diminish their effects for that purpose: you will therefore enquire into the truth of this report, and keep a watchful eye over them for the future. If the accounts we have received of their affairs be just, their annual rent amounts to near 4,000 l. and their effects and moveables are consequently estimated at more than 70,000 1. This account may be exaggerated; nevertheless, it is sufficient to prove that too much care cannot be taken that they do not embezzle an estate of which they enjoy only the lise-rent, and which must become, on their demise, a very considerable resource to the province, in case His Majesty should be pleased to cede it for that purpose.

As Pere Roucaud asserts the above state of the jesuits. affairs to be just, nay, to be moderately estimated, you may find him useful in investigating the truth of it. As this man is in the utmost want, and complains that he has' received no allowance from the jesuits since his being sent over here by General Murray, it is His Majestys commands that you require these fathers to allow him a reasonable annuity from their funds, and pay him up the arrears; and you will afterwards judge wheter it is fit that he should be retained in the province, or have leave to retire. His character is very dubious here; some representing him as a werthless, and others as an honest man. He is no doubt better known in the province of Quebec than here, and therefore you will judge what reception or degree of credits he merits. However, However, as he has abilities, has been employed both by General Murray and Lord Halifax, and has been found useful, he ought to receive some reward, and not be allowed to perish from indigence.

§. 3.

Extract of a Letter from Lieutenant Governor Cramahe to the Earl of Dartmouth; dated Quebec 22d June 1773.

It has ever been my opinion, J own, that the only sure and effectual method of gaining the affections of His Majesty's Canadian subjects to His royal person and government, was, to grant them all possible freedam and indulgence in the exercise of their religion, to which they are exceedingly attached; and that any restraint laid upon them in regard to this, would only retard, instead of advancing a change of their ideas respecting, religious matters. By degrees the old priests drop off, and a few years will furnish the province with a clergy entirely Canadian. This could not be effected without some person here exercising episcopal functions; and the allowance of a Coadjutor will prevent the bishop being obliged to cross the seas for consecration, and holding personal communication with those who may not

possess the most friendly dispositions for the British interests.

§. 4.

Extracts from Papers which were presented to The House, by Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, on the 25th day of February 1791.

Ordered by the House of Commons, to be printed 17th of May 1813 1. Sixth article of the Capitulation of Quebec, dated 18th September 1763.

6th. That the exercise of the catholic, apostolic and Roman religion, shall be preserved, and that safegards shall be granted to the houses of the clergy, and to the. monasteries, particularly to the bishop of Quebec, who, animated with zeal for religion, and clarity for the people of his diocese, defines to reside constantly in it, to exercise freely and with that decency which his character and the sacred mysteries of the catholic, apostolic and Roman religion require, his episcopal authority in the town of Quebec, whenever he shall think it proper, until the possession of Canada shall have been decided by a treaty between their Most Christian and Britannic Majesties. The free exercise of the Roman religion, safegards granted to all religious persons, as well as to the bishop, who shall be at liberty to come and exercise freely and with decency the functions of his office whenever he sholl think proper, until the possession of Canada shall have been decided between thein Britannic and Most Christian Majesties.

§. 3.

Extract from the 4th Article of the Definitive Treaty, concluded at Paris the 10th of February 1763.

His Britannic Majesty on his side, agrees to grant the liberty of the catholic religion to the inhabitants of Canada. He will consequently give the most precise and

most effectual orders, that his new Roman catholic subjects may profess the worship of their religion, according to the rites of the Romish church, as far as the laws of Great Britain permit.

The 29th, 30th, 31th, and 32d Paragraphs of His Majesty's Instructions for James Murray, Esq. Governor of the Province of Quebec, dated 7th December 1753.

29th. You are as soon as possible to summon the inhabitants to meet together, at such time or times, place or places, as you shall find most convenient, in order to take the oath of allegiance, and make and subscribe the declaration of abjuration mentioned in the aforesaid Act, passed in the first year of the reign of king George the First, «for the further Security of His Majesty's Person « and Government, and the Succession of the Crown in << the Heirs of the late Princess Sophia, being Protestants, «and for extinguishing the hopes of the pretended Prince « of Wales, and his open and secret Abettors; »> which oath shall be administered to them by such person or persons as you shall commissionate for that and purpose: in case any of the said French inhabitants shall refuse to take the said oath, und make and subscribe the declaration and abjuration as aforesaid, you are to cause them forthwith to depart out of our said government.

30th. And it is Our farther will and pleasure, that all such inhabitants professing the religion of the Romish church, do at all such meetings, or at such other time or times as you shall think proper, and in the manner you shall think least alarming and inconvenient to the said inhabitants, deliver in upon oath an exact account of all arms and ammunition of every sort in their actual possession, and so from time to time of what they shall receive into their possession as aforesaid.

31st. You are as soon as possible to transmit to Us by Our commissioners for trade and plantations, an exact and particular account of the nature and constitution of

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