Page 132 - La Généalogie retrouver ses ancêtres

APPENDICE XTiI
Council Chamber Quebec
Thurday 28th March 1796
At a meeting of a Committec of the whole Council
Present : The Chief Justice, The Lord Bishop. Messrs Dunn, Baby.
DeBonne. Lees, Young.
Read a letter from Lieut. Governor LeMaistre to His Excellency
Lord Dorchester, datcd 9th October 1795 of which the following is
an extract :

Quebec. 9th October 1795
My Lord (Dorchester)
Soon after my arriva1 at Hamilton in Chaleurs Bay, the inhabitants
iiientioned in the cnclosed list represented to me they were under the
greatest apprehensions of being obliged to quit the lands they had for
many years past occupied and part thereof cleared. at a great labor and
expense, the same being claimed by Messrs Finlay. Holland and Collins,
founding pretensions upon grants obtained from government. These
tracts it is true are of no Great entent but they certainly are the very
best in the whole ~arish and it were to be wished that they could be
engaged to relinguish them to the Crown by which means with your
Lordship's approbation, the settlers in question might be put in full
and undisturbed possession which act of benevolcnce would not only
quiet tlieir minds and make them Happy but add vigor to that industry
which has greatly been checked by the uncertainty who should ultimately
reap the fruits of it
1 have enquired into their characters and find none of them ob-
jectionable being deemed good and loyal subjects.
Whilst 1 am on the subject of land, permit me. my Lord. to occupy
a moment more of your time. During my visitation, 1 became acquainted
with a prevailling custom of selling grants, which 1 cannot but think
very prejudicial to the settlements and must greatly retard thcir establish-
ment. A person gets a portion of ground from Governrnent, cuts down
a few trees. becomes indolent and finding himself averse to further im-
provement grows uneasy and king of a roving disposition, seils it for
a gallon of rum. for a few bushels of potatoes, and for some triffling
compensation These sales bcing thouth great hargains are purchased
with avidity and often by those who are unable to clear sufficiently what
they themselves already possess. so that these lands must cvidently remain
in the samc uncultivated state on which they were first granted. Had
the Crown on contrary the disposal of them again other applicants might
be found of a more laborious and sedantary turn whose residence and
industry would prove advantageous to population and to agriculture.
1 have the honor to be with the greatest respect, Your Lordship's
most obedient and humble servent.
Frank LeMaistrc.

Ordcred, that the Clerk of the Council do communicate the sub-
stance of said lctter to Messrs Finlay. Holland and the Hepresentatives