Page:Letter from L. J. Papineau and J. Neilson, Esqs., Addressed to His Majesty's Under Secretary of State on the Subject of the Proposed Union of the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada.djvu/71

 your Petitioners, could never apprehend if your Honourable House be only apprized of the true state of the Colony.

Thirdly, Because the project, as appears by those public prints, contemplates the transformation of the House of Assembly into a mixed Chamber of Executive Councillors, and of the people's representatives; a violation of British principle, alarming and distressful to us in the highest degree.

Because t his project would give an invidious, and, in our minds, an unconstitutional control to us over the equal rights of our fellow-subjects in Lower Canada; whose rights being as dear to them, as our rights are to us, we should grieve to see impaired against their wished and consent.

Because, by this project is proposed the removal of our Legislation with the bounds of the Province, which must, in effect, deprive us of the benefits of a Legislature altogether, in the present state of the Province, as few representatives could be found able to afford the time and expense of attending their duty at such a distance, of consequence, candidates would be few, and our elective choice would be injuriously abridged; at such a distance, we should be wholly estranged from our representatives, and they from us; no interchange of sentiment to any useful extent; little communication of our wants or wishes. - Petition would be almost impracticable, inquiry impossible; no documents within reach, no records for reference; questions asked, but no once to give an answer; the executive officers at York, and the legislature at Quebec. - All must end in confusion, disgust, and fatigue. Need we add as further causes of alarm, the extension of Parliament to quinquennial, the extension of qualifications of our representatives, measures solely calculated to abridge our right, and add to the means of executive influence, of which, Petitioners can assure your Honourable House there is no deficiency in this Province.

All which is, with great deference, humbly submitted, and Petitioners, as duty bound, will ever pray.

York, Upper Canada.

10th October, 1822.

=== Petition of the county