made in 1778 by James Monk, Attorney General at
Quebec, to the Governor, Sir Guy Carleton, (afterwards Lord
Dorchester) gives a sufficiently full account of an occurrence the
subject of much controversy and correspondence showing the
significance of slavery at that time. The Attorney General examined
the several papers, making a case of complaint, by Joseph Despin of
St. Francois Merchant a trader against Major de Barner Commanding a
Regiment of Light Infantry Chasseurs of Brunswick Troops. Despin
complained to Brigadier General Ehrenkrook, Commander of the Brunswick
Troops at Trois Rivieres, that Major de Barner by his orders or
otherwise at Midnight of the first of the previous June, occasioned
forcibly to be taken from said Despin a Negro-woman slave, Despin's
property and suffered her to be carried out of the province. He
therefore prayed Brigadier General Ehrenkrook, that Major de Barner
might either return to him the said slave with damages or pay to
Despin the value thereof.

Upon this complaint an inquiry was made. In the course of this inquiry
Joseph Despin did not support his complaint and charge with those
legal proofs which could entitle him to recover from Major de Earner
thereupon; "or induce a Court of Justice to consider Major de Barner
as having either given any others for the taking of, or even had any
knowledge touching the intended escape of the Slave." The complaint of
Despin was then deemed very justly dismissed.

Upon the dismission of this complaint Major de Barner requested of the
Governor satisfaction and punishment upon the accuser, and a notary,
one Robin, who prepared notarial acts, in an unbecoming affrontive
manner. This request was made under three heads: first, that Despin
might be exemplarily punished, not merely for a false dishonoring
accusation of Major de Barner, a commanding officer and injurious to
his whole battalion, but punishment for the personal insults to Major
de Barner and his character; second, that Despin might pay the
expenses of preparing and making out writings; and third, that the
said Robin, the notary, may be equally punished for using expressions
in his acts hurtful and indecent to persons of honor and character.

The Attorney General asserted that there is reason to conclude from
the several testimonies appearing in the case, that Despin had lost
his slave by means of some soldiers belonging to the Battalion of
Chasseurs which Major de Barner Commanded, _thoug