Page 159 - Transcriptions d'actes notariés - Tome 20 - 1682-1686

Canadians had first heard of the dispute, ihey were generally on ihe
ilmerican side, but by the influence of the Clergy and Nobleese, ~vho had
Been continually preaehing and persuading them against the Americans,
the Canadiails rvere now broiight to the point of uncertainty a5 to w!iich
sidc io follow. The report of the Committee continues:
"Tlidr Papers prinied Iiy ilie Tories at New York have beeu rcad to
theni (tlic Canadians) bu lie I'rieais, arsurinp them thar riur De-igii waa
id deyiri~e lhem ol ihrir Religion nr seIl a6 their Possessions. Thal
ihe Lelrcrs WC have atldress'd tn ilitm Iiave niadc liitle Impression, the
coinmon People hrin~ grnerally uiinble IO rcad, and ihe Priests and
Gcnl~ wlio read iliem ici ulhers, trlJain theni in surh a 4laniier as besi
anssers tlicir purpose nl Iirrjudicing the Pcorilc apainst us. Thnl he
thcrcIorc tliinkc it aciuld hr a greai Scnicc if some Fersons froiii ~he
Conprcss wrrl: seni 10 Canada, LO explain viia wee lu the People ~here ihe
Kaiurr ol nur Dispuir witli Eiiglaiid, which they dn iiot well understand,
and to saiisly ihe Geurty nud LIergy that xç have iio Intcntinn a~ainst
thcir Infriresis, hui meau IO put Canada in full Pussession of Liberty.
desiring only thrir Frieudsliip aiirl Union nilh us as pood Nriphbours
aiid Brcrhrcn. Thal the Clergy and Gentry millhi, lie ihinks, hy this
niems he hrouphl over, and sould be folloe'd Iiy nll Canada. Aud
uiiless somc ~11~11 51~ilcure i3 takcn, Iic is ol Cipiuion our Affairs thcrc
will nicct wilh contiuuerl Difficiilry and OIistrur iion." (3 1
?he report concludes wiih a mention of the jealousy felt in Canada 01-er
the iseuing of paper money by the American Colonies.
The coiisideration of the repcirt !vas taken up by the Coiiyresç the
following day, Fehruary 15. As ii result it was resolved tliat n committee
of thrce. two of whom must tir membrrs of the Congrcss. should be
appointed to proeeed to Canada, there to pnrsne such instructions as
the Conpress should direct.'" The members chosen were Doctcir
Benjamiu Franklin and Mr. Samucl Chase. The third delcgatc was XIr.
Charles Carroll of Carrollton. The latter. it rvas resolved, should be
rgueired to prevail on Mr. Johii Carroll to accrimpan y the committee
to Cauada, to assist them in such inatters as they should thiuk usefnl.
Provision rvas made for de lraying an y expense iiivolved in the

Ori klaïch Il, the Cfingress liegari to consider the instriietion~ for
the commissioriers goin:: 10 Canada; debate or1 these contirined for a
few days.c5J The orders wcte for ihc eommittee to set out as soon as
ossible. They must represent to tlie Canadians ~hai the atms of the
fJiiiied Culoiiies hsd been earried iiito Cauada iur the purpoae of irustrat-
ing the desjgns of the British against ~he common IiLerties of Amerieans
aiid Canadiaris. Further the Canadiaris were to be assnred of the npright-
tiess O[ the Colonies' intentions iciwards them, ihc object beirig that the

(2) 16id, p. 119. The report is in ~hr rtiting of Beujamin Franklin (Pspers
of ~hc Contirieiilal Çongress, Ho. 22, [oliri 211). The geiillemaii frum Canada
scems in hdve beeu Prudeiit 1s Jeuncwe accompauied by a John Llaui~rniond
ifrom ~upirs of po+ports in the saine koliirne, folio 213 und 215).
13) Ibid., p. 151.
(4) Ihid., p. 152.
'5) Ibid., p. 215.