of very many of your Majesty's subjects are rendered insecure
and precarious. We humbly conceive that this Bill, if passed into a law,
will be contrary not only with the compact entered into with the various
settlers of the Reformed religion, who were invited into the said
province under the sacred promise of enjoying the benefit of the laws of
your realm of England, but likewise repugnant to your Royal Proclamation
of the 7th of October, 1763, for the speedy settlement of the said new
government. * * That the whole legislative power of the province is
vested in persons to be wholly appointed by your Majesty, and removable
at your pleasure, which we apprehend to be repugnant to the leading
principles of this free Constitution, by which alone your Majesty now
holds, or legally can hold, the Imperial Crown of these realms."

In the House of Commons the Bill was strongly opposed by Messrs. Fox,
Burke, Townsend and others, chiefly on the ground of its
unconstitutionality, and every effort was made to amend it, but without
success. The Bill was finally passed by a vote of 56 to 20.

In the House of Lords, the Bill was vehemently opposed by the Earl of
Chatham, who protested against it "as a most cruel, oppressive, and
odious measure, tearing up justice and every good principle by the
roots," and "destructive of that liberty which ought to be the
groundwork of every constitution." The Bill, however, passed the Lords
by a vote of 26 to 7, and received the royal assent on the prorogation
of Parliament, the 22nd of June, the King stating in regard to it that
"it was founded on the clearest principles of justice and humanity, and
would, he doubted not, have the best effect in quieting the minds and
promoting the happiness of his Canadian subjects."

The feeling against the Act was intense both in England and the
colonies, regarding it as a type of Imperial legislation for the
colonies. "The strongest excitement prevailed in England for some months
after the passing of the Act; and the papers were filled with little
else than letters and remarks upon it." The British Loyalist settlers in
Canada were indignant, and meetings were held in Quebec and Montreal, at
which strong resolutions were passed, and petitions unanimously signed
to the King, Lords and Commons, praying for the repeal of the Act, and
forwarded to England.

"On the 17th of May, 1775, Lord Camden moved in the House of Lords for
the repeal of the Act, but the motion