Deserters beyond certain Bounds: but these arrangements will be at best, merely palliatives, and the settlements making in the vicinity of the King's post must be productive of such hostilities as the Officer agreeably to his Instructions cannot but consider as force, and repell by force, unless some speedy arrangement shall take place, either by the King's Troops being withdrawn from the Posts in consequence of a general Treaty, or that during the suspence of the negociation, the Government of New York shall exert its power to restrain the lawless proceedings of its frontier Subjects. I cannot but wish that some arrangement on this subject might be made between Your Excellency & the Government of the United States; any trifling complaints if such have arisen on our parts, (but which I have neither heard of or believe), may be easily remedied and guarded against, as the post is purely Military, and as such is the object of national consideration, but by no means ought to become subject to Insults from any Individual which may lead to the most serious consequences. I had the pleasure of receiving your letter by Colonel Ogden who has proceeded to Quebec. Lieut. Brewerton (the bearer of this dispatch) is the son of a late Provincial Colonel, to whose family the Council of this Province have granted the customary Lands. The Young man seems well behaved, & means to settle in Upper Canada. I have the honor to be with great regard Your Excellency's, &c. J. G. SIMCOE. His Excellency George Hammond, &c. Endorsed:-In Lord Dorchester's to Mr. Dundas No. 2 of the 25 Octr. 1793. Sir, FROM C. T. A. SCHOEDDE TO FRANCIS LE MAISTRE. FORT ONTARIO, 9th Septr. 1793. By very late advice from New York, I am informed that a Mr. Mezières, for some time Secretary to Genet, is now on his way to Canada, and as it is said with a view of fomenting divisions amongst the Canadians. He travels under a fictitious name, which I have not learned. I would not presume to trouble Head Quarters but thro' the ordered Channel, but want of opportunity to acquaint His Excellency Lieut. Governor Simcoe in time, encourages me to take a liberty, which originates in a wish for the publick service. I have the honor to be, &c. Capt. Le Maistre. M.S. Fir: FROM G. LAMOTHE TO JOSEPH CHEW. MICHILIMACKINAC, the 15th Sept. 1793. I have the honour to Inclose you the Requisition for the year 1794, it would be very necessary that the articles therein mentioned should be advanced early enough in the spring on the communication as to be in this post time enough for the presents made in the spring, as there remains not enough in the store for the numbers of nations which is to come in, and which have been asked by the nabouring Indians of this Post, Especially the Sious, Chipaway & Fox, which is at war-for to make a treaty of peace together. If it was possible to send by the first canoes, Tobacco & Vermillion, Two articles absolutely necessary and which is wanting in the store. There is no extraordinary news, only the return of the Ottawas & Chipeways, which is arrived from the Counsell held at the Miamies river, the first having lost four men amongst which was Two Chiefs, which causes a great mourning amongst the nation. On the 24th Sept, I will address you the return of what remains in the store. Capt. Chew-. No 17. Sir, FROM J. G. SIMCOE TO HENRY DUNDAS. YORK (LATE TORONTO) UPPER CANADA, I do myself the honor of transmitting to you the plan for the arrangement of future Townships in this Province which the Executive Council have directed to be carried into execution as it seems to them to be properly calculated to enforce the Provisions for the reserves of the Church and the Crown agreeably to the late Act of Parliament. I beg to observe that the exceptions to this General Plan are principally in the Grants of the Townships settled previously to the Establishment of the Government of Upper Canada, and in which only such parts as had not been granted or that may become forfeited, can be secured and reserved for the purposes of the Act. In order to lessen the Expences of Survey, the Council adopted the Plan No. 2 for a certain range of Townships which had been previously surveyed on the Borders of Lake Ontario, and which plan equally as the general one allots the due reservations. Another exception it was thought proper to make on the Military communications: as it is intended that they shall be carried on, in as strait a line as possible. It was determined that such a line should divide the several Townships, and for the speedy settlement of the Country, and the future maintenance of the Road that no person should be allowed a Lot thereon, who was not bona fide a settler, and that the Reserves which would have fallen in this line agreeably to the general plan, should be distributed among the rear concessions. The great importance that it appears to the Council to promote the erection of Towns has also occasioned them to deviate from the general plan to assist the settlement at Toronto, or York. It was thought expedient to reserve the whole of the Broken Fronts for Garrison purposes as well as to prevent the scattering of the Inhabitants in such situations as their Fancy or Interest might induce them, which would ever prevent that compactness in a Town, which it seems proper to establish; two or three of the front concessions are therefore granted in this Township, and the reserves will be made in the back lands, which in reality are far more valuable for agricultural purposes; but reserves to great extent are made near this Harbour, of Timber, which must in time become valuable, as it is proposed to furnish from hence, all the materials that may be wanted for the Service of the Crown in the fortresses on the Lakes, and which at present are purchased from the Merchants at a very exorbitant Price. The reserves in Lower Canada being made in large Masses has occasioned some Persons to petition that the same system might be followed in this Province, but it did not seem expedient to the Council to make any alteration in the Plan they had maturely adopted. I have the honor to be with the greatest Respect, Sir, The Rt. Honble Henry Dundas, one of His Your most Obedient and J. GRAVES SIMCOE. Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, &c., &c., &c. Endorsed: York (late Toronto) Upper Canada. 16 Sept. 1793. Lt. Govr. Simcoe. R. 23d Decr. No. 17. (Two Inclosures) Sir, FROM E. B. LITTLEHALES TO C. T. A. SCHOEDDE. Confidential YORK, Sepr. 16, 1793. I have laid before His Excy. Lt. Govr. Simcoe your letter of 15 Augt., which is transmitted to the Commander in Chief. The Lieut. Governor desires me to say that much is trusted to your discretion in your very critical command. It appears to him at this distance rather to be advisable not to pursue any deserters into the settled country. Every demonstration should be made to convince the soldiers that some plan has been agreed upon which will render the escape of any of those who should be so base as to desert impracticable in future. Perhaps an arrangement may be made with some principal people, by which it might be their interest to be serviceable to the Garrison. If so of course you will avail yourself of any measure that may promote the King's service and lessen that odium which the possession of Fort Ontario is likely to excite among the people whom it cuts off from all access to the Lake. The cultivating an intercourse of mutual civility, good understanding and rendering any trivial ser vices to the inhabitants in the vicinity of your Post not incompatible with your duty, may also be attended with very happy consequences. Lieut. Schoedde, I have the honor to be, &c., E. B. LITTLEHALES. 60th Regt., Commanding Fort Ontario. Sir, FROM J. G. SIMCOE TO HENRY DUNDAS. YORK (late Toronto) UPPER CANADA, 16 Septemr., 1793. I do myself the honor of transmitting to you a Copy of the Acts passed in the last session by the Legislature of this Province together with such information of the temper and inclination of the two Houses as I have been able to obtain, it does not appear that there is any disposition in either to oppose the measures of Government by system, and considering that Government has no objects in view but what are evidently connected with the welfare and prosperity of the Province, it would be injurious to suspect Men of common understanding of any such unworthy motives, the measures that have been brought forward by Government are of a tendency so manifestly useful that no opposition has been made to the principle of any of them, the only debates that have taken place have been upon detached clauses. The general cry of Persons of all conditions for the passing the Marriage Bill was such, that I could no longer withhold under the pretence of consulting any opinions at home, having already availed myself of that excuse for delay; There are very few Members of the Church of England in either house and the disposition of the house of Assembly is to make Matrimony a much less solemn or guarded contract than good Policy will Justify. They returned the Bill with a rider giving power to Ministers of every sect and denomination, (of which in this Country there are not a few), to solemnize Matrimony. And it was only on a compromise that they were prevailed upon to withdraw it, from the apprehensions of some persons in the Upper House of losing what they were likely to obtain by the present Bill, and a promise of support to a Bill of any latitude that might be brought in next Session which Mr. Hamilton is to introduce. The greatest resistance was to the Slave Bill, many plausible Arguments of the dearness of Labour and the difficulty of obtaining Servants to cultivate Lands were brought forward. Some possessed of Negroes knowing that it was very questionable whether any subsisting Law did Authorize Slavery, and having purchased several taken in War by the Indians at small prices wished to reject the Bill entirely, others were desirous to supply themselves by allowing the importation for two years. The matter was finally settled by undertaking to secure the property already obtained upon condition that an immediate stop should be put to the importation and that slavery should be gradually abolished. A Bill for the choice of Parish & Town Officers by the election of the inhabitants had been proposed at the first meeting of the Legislature, but was deferred under the Idea that Town Meetings should not be too much encouraged. To give the nomination altogether to the Magistrates was found to be a distasteful measure many well affected settlers were convinced that Fence Viewers, Pound keepers, and other Petty Officers to regulate matters of local Policy would be more willingly obeyed if named by the House keepers-and especially that the Collector of the rates should be a person chosen by themselves that if default was made, they could not arraign the Magistrates. It was therefore thought advisable not to withhold such a gratification to which they had been accustomed, it being in itself, not unreasonable, and only to take place one day in the year. A Bill was again brought forward to lay a duty upon Spirits imported, which passed the house of Assembly and was lost in the Legislative Council, it was brought forward for a two-fold purpose; or rather by two classes of persons, who proposed to obtain different ends by the same means. One class wished to provide a fund to be disposed of for various objects, the other apprehensive of a tax on Land were ready to obtain a fund by any other means. It was resisted in the Upper House under a firm persuasion that the Legislature of Lower Canada must have recourse to the same Article as the most fitting and productive subject of Taxation in their next session, that Upper Canada might then adopt the same, and go on with equal step, and by that means come to some arrangement to avoid the expence of a twofold collection of duties; with this view their example has been followed in laying the same duty on Wines as they imposed last session, and a Bill has passed to enable the Governor to appoint three persons for the purpose of treating with the same number from the lower province respecting such regulations as may regard the collection of duties and payment of drawbacks or concern the commerce of the two Provinces, that may be thought mutually advantageous. It was the inclination of many members in the Lower House and of some in the Upper, by a duty of six pence per Gallon on Spirits to have raised a fund to be applied to all purposes whatever, and thereby to render any other kind of rate, duty, or impost unnecessary. This fund was to supply the Province with all Gaols, Bridges and all works of a public nature to satisfy all county charges and leave a sufficientcy for wages for the members; with this view therefore the measure was brought forward a second time-but upon being convinced that the progress of each District in matters of public utility and improvement must be in proportion to the Wealth and number of its inhabitants, and there was a great disparity in the state of advancement in the several districts it was agreed to adopt the plan of district Assessments by a rate upon all real and personal property, and some Members of the Lower House insisting upon the payment of Wages it was thought most equitable that they should be paid by the several Constituents of those who chose to demand them by a particular rate upon the plan of the district Assessment. This project has already created some disgust, and will probably lead to offers of unrewarded Service from the Candidates at the next election. The House has complimented the Executive Magistrate with the Nomination of Returning Officers for a period of seven years-no adverse party seems hitherto to have formed itself. But as sooner or later it seems to be the natural result of all political institutions, if I were to indulge in a Spirit of Conjecture, I should be induced to think it may sooner take place in the Upper than in the Lower House, altho' many of the Members are pleased to express a strong attachment to Government. As there is a vacant seat in the Legislative Council I should presume to name Captain Shaw who has already been honored by His Majesty with an appointment to the Executive Council as a character of approved Loyalty and unquestionable Attachment to His Majesty's Government and a proper person to fill it. |