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23^rd July 1776.

George the Third by the Grace of God

of Great Britain France and Ireland

King Defender of the Faith, and so

forth.

To our Trusty and welbeloved Adam Mabane, Thomas Dunn and John Claude Panet of our City of Quebec in our Province of Quebec in North America, Esquires, Greeting.

We reposing especial trust in your Loyalty, Integrity, Learning and Abilities, have thought fit to Constitute and Appoint and by these presents do Constitute and Appoint you the said Adam Mabane Thomas Dunn and John Claude Panet to be the Judges of a Court with Civil Jurisdiction within the District of Quebec in our Province of Quebec during pleasure only, hereby granting unto you or any two of you full power and Authority to take cognizance of and proceed in all civil causes and Complaints whatsoever and such civil causes and Complaints to hear and determine according to Law, with Power to sit and hold Courts for the Purposes aforesaid within the District aforesaid as often as occasion shall require, and to Correct and punish all Contemptuous Persons and Contemptuous absenters of themselves, and to promulge and interpose all manner of sentences and decrees and to put the same in Execution, together with all necessary Powers Jurisdictions and Authorities to put the same in Execution saving always the right of appealing to our Court of Appeals in our said Province, hereby committing unto you the said Adam Mabane Thomas Dunn and John Claude Panet our Power and Authority in and concerning the Premises, and we do further in our Name Command, and Firmly and Strictly charge all Justices, Justices of the Peace, Sheriffs, Marshalls, Keepers of all our Jails and Prisons, Bailiffs, Constables and all other our Officers and Ministers and faithful and liege Subjects in and throughout the said District of Quebec that in the Execution of this our Commission they be from time to time aiding and assisting, and yield obedience unto you in all things as is fitting under pain of the Law, and the Peril which will fall thereon.

Given at our Castle of Saint Lewis in our City of Quebec in our Province aforesaid, under the Great Seal of our said Province of Quebec, on the Twenty third day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand Seven hundred and Seventy Six and of our Reign the Sixteenth. Witness our Trusty and welbeloved Guy Carleton our Captain General and Governor in Chief in and over our said Province, Keeper of our Great Seal of our said Province, Vice Admiral of the same, &c^a &c^a &c^a General and Commander in Chief of our Forces in our said Province and the Frontiers thereof, &c.^a &c^a. &c^a.

(Signed) GUY CARLETON

By his Excellency's Command,

Counter Signed/ GEO: ALLSOPP

The foregoing Commission is a true Copy of the Original upon Record in the Office of Enrolments at Quebec.

GEO. ALLSOPP

[42]

Canadian Archives, Q 12, p. 124.In a letter to Germain dated Quebec, 10th August, 1776, Carleton explains "As neither the Season or Circumstances of the Province, at this time, admit of calling together the Legislative Council, and establishing the Courts of Justice by Ordinance I issued a Commission for that Purpose in the Districts of Montreal and Quebec, and in the same manner have established a Court of Appeals: Copies of these Commissions are herewith inclosed," see Q 12, p. 119. This and the following are the commissions referred to. They mark the resumption of civil government in the province. On August 14th, 1776, the members and chief officials of the Council, together with a number of leading citizens, were appointed the first Justices of the Peace since the passing of the Quebec Act and the proclamation of Martial Law. See Commissions, etc., vol. I, 1760-80.