“It is probable,” he says, “that at no period in the history of Canada were legal questions so much discussed among the mass of the population as in the first ten years of the English _régime_. This is not surprising when we consider that the question whether the English or the French law was in force in the Province was one of no little difficulty. It was contended with much plausibility that Murray’s Ordinances were of no legal validity because, under the King’s proclamation, legislative authority in the Province was to be exercised only by the governor with the consent of a council and assembly, and that no assembly had ever been summoned. This is not the place for a discussion of this subject. I prefer the view of those who maintain that the English law was introduced by the proclamation of 1763. The case of Campbell and Hall is sufficient authority for the proposition, that the King had the power without parliament to alter the law of Quebec. It seems to me that the natural construction of the proclamation itself is, that the King intended to introduce the English law there and then. Murray, as Masères says in his very convincing argument, ‘meant only to erect and constitute courts of judicature to administer a system of laws already in being, to wit, the laws of England.’ The whole affair was to a great extent a misunderstanding. The English government had no intention to force the English laws on an unwilling people. They understood that they were giving ‘Home Rule’ to the Province of Quebec, and expected that the Canadians would abrogate such parts of the English law as they did not consider suitable, and would re-enact the portions of the old French law which they desired to retain. They did not foresee that, owing to the impracticability of calling an assembly, the Province would be left without any authority competent to legislate.” It was, indeed, a time of great misunderstanding. NOTE GOVERNORS UNDER BRITISH RULE As it may be convenient henceforth to omit mention of the advent of successive governors, this list is appended for the purpose of reference. * (Gen. Jeffrey Amherst) 1760 * Gen. James Murray 1763 P. Aemilius Irving (President) 1766 * Gen. Sir Guy Carleton (Lieutenant Governor and Acting Governor General) 1766 H.G. Cramahé 1770 * Gen. Sir Guy Carleton 1774 * Gen. Frederick Haldimand 1778 Henry Hamilton (Lieutenant Governor) 1784 Henry Hope (Lieutenant Governor) 1785 * Lord Dorchester (Guy Carleton) 1786