Council for the Affairs of the Province of Quebec
Encyclopedia
The Council for the Affairs of the Province of Quebec, more commonly called the Legislative Council of Quebec, was an advisory body constituted by section XII of the Quebec Act
of 1774. Together with the representative of the Crown (the Governor
, Lieutenant-Governor or the temporary Administrator of the province), it acted, between 1774 and 1791, as the legislature
of the old Province of Quebec.
(the abjuration
of the Catholic faith) and made them take an alternative oath of allegiance
to the British Crown:
Because of this special oath they were required to vow, Canadian Catholics, who formed the immense majority of the population in the province, were permitted to take a more direct part to the legislation of their native country. In practise however, Catholic Legislative Councillors remained a minority in the Council from its creation in 1774 to its abolition in 1791.
Lord Dartmouth
instructed Governor General Guy Carleton
to call in these individuals to fill in the Council:
Some of these members had been sitting on the first Council of Quebec constituted by Governor General James Murray in 1764 to advise on all matters of State. About 12 years later, in May 1787, the Council's composition was:
With the adoption of the Constitutional Act
of 1791, the sections of the Quebec Act dealing with the Council, its composition and powers, were repealed. However, most of the members then sitting on the Council were called into the new Legislative Council of Lower Canada
created by the said act.
Quebec Act
The Quebec Act of 1774 was an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain setting procedures of governance in the Province of Quebec...
of 1774. Together with the representative of the Crown (the Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
, Lieutenant-Governor or the temporary Administrator of the province), it acted, between 1774 and 1791, as the legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
of the old Province of Quebec.
Powers
The Council had the "Power and Authority to make Ordinances for the Peace, Welfare, and good Government, of the said Province, with the Consent of his Majesty's Governor, or, in his Absence, of the Lieutenant-governor, or Commander in Chief for the Time being.", excepting the power to "lay any Taxes or Duties within the said Province, such Rates and Taxes only excepted as the Inhabitants of any Town or District within the said Province may be authorized by the said Council to assess, levy, and apply, within the said Town or District. for the Purpose of making Roads, erecting and repairing publick Buildings, or for any other Purpose respecting the local Convenience and economy of such Town or District."Eligibility
Section VII of the Quebec Act opened the door of all provincial offices to Roman Catholic subjects. The section exempted Catholics from taking the Test OathEnglish post-Reformation oaths
The English Protestant Reformation was imposed by the English Crown, and submission to its essential points was exacted by the State with post-Reformation oaths...
(the abjuration
Abjuration
Abjuration is the solemn repudiation, abandonment, or renunciation by or upon oath, often the renunciation of citizenship or some other right or privilege. .-Abjuration of the realm:...
of the Catholic faith) and made them take an alternative oath of allegiance
Oath of allegiance
An oath of allegiance is an oath whereby a subject or citizen acknowledges a duty of allegiance and swears loyalty to monarch or country. In republics, modern oaths specify allegiance to the country's constitution. For example, officials in the United States, a republic, take an oath of office that...
to the British Crown:
Because of this special oath they were required to vow, Canadian Catholics, who formed the immense majority of the population in the province, were permitted to take a more direct part to the legislation of their native country. In practise however, Catholic Legislative Councillors remained a minority in the Council from its creation in 1774 to its abolition in 1791.
Composition
Councillors numbered between at least seventeen and no more than twenty-three. In 1775, Colonial SecretarySecretary of State for the Colonies
The Secretary of State for the Colonies or Colonial Secretary was the British Cabinet minister in charge of managing the United Kingdom's various colonial dependencies....
Lord Dartmouth
William Legge, 2nd Earl of Dartmouth
William Legge 2nd Earl of Dartmouth PC, FRS , styled as Viscount Lewisham from 1732 to 1750, was a British statesman who is most remembered for his part in the government before and during the American Revolution....
instructed Governor General Guy Carleton
Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester
Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester, KB , known between 1776 and 1786 as Sir Guy Carleton, was an Irish-British soldier and administrator...
to call in these individuals to fill in the Council:
- Hector Theophilus de CramahéHector Theophilus de CramahéHector Theophilus de Cramahé , born Théophile Hector Chateigner de Cramahé, was Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of Quebec, and titular Lieutenant Governor of Detroit....
, Lieutenant Governor - Hugh Finlay http://www.biographi.ca/EN/ShowBio.asp?BioId=36524
- Thomas Dunn
- James Cuthbert http://www.biographi.ca/EN/ShowBio.asp?BioId=35956
- Colin Drummond
- Francis LevesqueFrançois LévesqueFrançois Lévesque was a French-born merchant and political figure in Quebec. He served as a member of the Legislative and Executive Councils....
http://www.biographi.ca/EN/ShowBio.asp?BioId=36155 - Edward Harrison http://www.biographi.ca/EN/ShowBio.asp?BioId=36058
- John Collins http://www.biographi.ca/EN/ShowBio.asp?BioId=35938
- Adam MabaneAdam MabaneAdam Mabane was a physician, judge and political figure in the early Province of Quebec.He was born in Scotland around 1734. He was a surgeon's assistant in the British army led by Amherst and came to Quebec in 1760. Mabane served at the military hospital in the town of Quebec and also set up in...
- Gaspard-Joseph Chaussegros de LéryGaspard-Joseph Chaussegros de LéryGaspard-Joseph Chaussegros de Léry was a seigneur, military engineer and political figure in Lower Canada...
- Paul-Roch de Saint-Ours http://faculty.marianopolis.edu/c.belanger/QuebecHistory/encyclopedia/PierreRochdeSaint-Ours.html
- Pécaudy de Contrecœur http://www.biographi.ca/EN/ShowBio.asp?BioId=36253
- George Waters AllsoppGeorge Waters AllsoppGeorge Waters Allsopp was a seigneur, businessman and political figure in Lower Canada.He was born in 1769, probably at Quebec City, the son of George Allsopp, and studied at Eton College near London. He returned to Quebec in 1785 and trained in his father's business which was based in Quebec City...
- Charles-François Tarieu de La NaudièreCharles-François Tarieu de La NaudièreCharles-François Tarieu de La Naudière was an officer in the colonial regular troops and seigneur in Lower Canada. He was the father of Charles-Gaspard Tarieu de Lanaudière who became a political figure in Lower Canada....
http://www.biographi.ca/EN/ShowBio.asp?BioId=36304 - La Corne Saint-Luc http://www.biographi.ca/EN/ShowBio.asp?BioId=36126
- Alexander JohnstoneAlexander JohnstoneAlexander Johnstone may refer to:*Sandy Johnstone, British air marshal*Alex Johnstone , Scottish Conservative & Unionist politician-See also:*Alexander Johnston *Alexander Johnson...
- Conrad GugyConrad GugyThe Hon. Conrad Gugy J.P., M.P. , was secretary to Sir Frederick Haldimand in Lower Canada, a seigneur and political figure.-Early life:...
- François-Marie Picoté de BelestreFrançois-Marie Picoté de BelestreFrançois-Marie Picoté, sieur de Belestre II was a colonial soldier for both New France and Great Britain....
- Charles-Régis Des Bergères de Rigauville
- John Fraser
Some of these members had been sitting on the first Council of Quebec constituted by Governor General James Murray in 1764 to advise on all matters of State. About 12 years later, in May 1787, the Council's composition was:
- Hector Theophilus de Cramahé,
- William SmithWilliam Smith (chief justice)William Smith was a lawyer, historian, speaker, loyalist, and eventually Chief Justice of the Province of New York from 1763 to 1782 and Chief Justice of the Province of Quebec, later Lower Canada, from 1786 until his death...
, - Edward Harrison,
- Adam Mabane,
- Gaspard-Joseph Chaussegros de Léry,
- John Fraser,
- William GrantWilliam Grant (seigneur)William Grant was a Scottish-born businessman, seigneur and political figure in Lower Canada.He was born at Blairfindy, Scotland in 1744, the son of William Grant, the local laird. In 1759, he was hired by a relative, Robert Grant, who was supplying the Royal Navy at Quebec and sent there as an...
, - François BabyFrançois Baby (businessman)François Baby was a Canadian businessman, militia officer, and politician.François Baby was born in Montreal to Raymond Baby and Thérèse Le Compte Dupré. He came from a family of fur traders. His father was a fur trader who had been sufficiently successful before his death, four years after...
, - Samuel Johannes Holland http://www.biographi.ca/EN/ShowBio.asp?BioId=36586,
- René-Amable Boucher de BouchervilleRené-Amable Boucher de BouchervilleRené-Amable Boucher de Boucherville was a seigneur, soldier and political figure in Lower Canada.He was born at Fort Frontenac , the son of Pierre Boucher de Boucherville, in 1735. He joined the colonial army of New France and served during the Seven Years' War...
, - Hugh Finlay,
- John Collins,
- George PownallGeorge PownallSir George Pownall was an English politician in Lower Canada.Born in Lincolnshire, England, Pownall was appointed secretary and registrar of the province of Quebec in 1775...
http://www.biographi.ca/EN/ShowBio.asp?BioId=37204, - François-Marie Picoté de Belestre,
- Henry CaldwellHenry CaldwellLt.-Col. Henry Caldwell, was a Canadian army and militia officer, a successful businessman and a member of the Legislative Council of Lower Canada....
http://www.biographi.ca/EN/ShowBio.asp?BioId=36425, - Paul-Roch de Saint-Ours,
- Joseph-Dominique-Emmanuel Le Moyne de Longueuil http://www.biographi.ca/EN/ShowBio.asp?BioId=36627,
- John Johnson,
- Jean-Baptiste Le Comte Dupré http://www.biographi.ca/EN/ShowBio.asp?BioId=36625
With the adoption of the Constitutional Act
Constitutional Act of 1791
The Constitutional Act of 1791, formally The Clergy Endowments Act, 1791 , is an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain...
of 1791, the sections of the Quebec Act dealing with the Council, its composition and powers, were repealed. However, most of the members then sitting on the Council were called into the new Legislative Council of Lower Canada
Legislative Council of Lower Canada
The Legislative Council of Lower Canada was the upper house of the bicameral structure of provincial government in Lower Canada until 1838. The upper house consisted of appointed councillors who voted on bills passed up by the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada. The legislative council was...
created by the said act.