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History

These petitions, with very few exceptions, have been drawn up in the several towns and villages of the Pro- vince of Quebec, and the signatures show that the petitioners were in almost all cases of French origin.

The number of petitions received amount to two hundred and fifty-two (252), bearing fifty-eight thousand five hundred and sixty-eight signa- tures (58,568).

I observe that several of the signatures are in the same handwriting, but I have reason to believe that they have been in most, if not in all cases, appended by the priest or other person engaged in preparing the petition, at the desire of those whose names they bear.

The course pursued by Lord Dufferin in thus acting without the advice of his Ministers, and thereby relieving them from all responsi- bility, did not pass unchallenged.

Sir John Macdonald expressed the difficulty in a line when he said : " If this be proper, a man may be hung in Canada without any one being responsible for it ; " but Sir John never pressed any objection to His Excellencys action.