1	               September 1993
     2	
     3	                       Policy of Leniency
     4	            British-French Relations in Quebec, 1761
     5	
     6	                    ..............edited by Marijan Salopek
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     8	                   ===========================
     9	
    10	Letter from Charles Wyndham, Earl of Egremont and Secretary of
    11	State, to Jeffery Amherst, British Commander-in-Chief in North
    12	America, 12 December 1761.
    13	
    14	
    15	     His Majesty observes, with Pleasure, the laudable Gentleness
    16	and Mildness, with which you offer his Royal Protection
    17	indiscriminately to all his Subjects, recommending it
    18	particularly to the Troops, to live in good harmony and
    19	brotherhood with the Canadians, and as Nothing can be more
    20	essential to His Majesty's Service, than to retain as many of the
    21	French subjects, as may be, and to prevent their leaving their
    22	homes to repair such Colonies, as shall remain in the possession
    23	of the French, when those, which are now His Majesty's by
    24	Conquest, shall be confirmed to him at the Peace, it is the
    25	King's pleasure that you should earnestly enforce, to the several
    26	Governors above mentioned, the conciliating part of the
    27	Instructions, which you have given, and that you Recommend it
    28	strongly to them to employ the most vigilant attention, and take
    29	the most effectual care that the French Inhabitants (who, as you
    30	very properly observe, being equally His Majesty's subjects are
    31	consequently Equally entitled to his Protection) be humanely and
    32	kindly treated, and that they do enjoy the full Benefit of that
    33	Indulgent and Benign Government, which already characterizes His
    34	Majesty's auspicious Reign, and constitutes the peculiar
    35	happiness of all, who are Subjects to the British Empire; and you
    36	will direct the said Governors, to give the strictest orders to
    37	prevent Soldiers, Mariners, and others His Majesty's Subjects,
    38	from insulting or reviling any of the French Inhabitants, now
    39	their fellow Subjects, either by ungenerous insinuation of that
    40	Inferiority, which the fate of War has decided, or by harsh and
    41	provoking observations on their language, dress, Manners,
    42	Customs, or Country, or by uncharitable Reflections on the Errors
    43	of that mistaken Religion, which they unhappily profess;  and as
    44	there is yet no regular Civil Government Established in any of
    45	the said Conquered Countries, it is the King's Pleasure that the
    46	several Governors do properly exert that Authority, under which
    47	they at present act, to punish such persons, as shall disregard
    48	His Majesty's orders in a Matter so Essential to his Interests;
    49	and you will direct that His Majesty's Intentions in this behalf,
    50	be forthwith made know to all those, whom it may Concern, to the
    51	End that the King's British Subjects may not, thru Ignorance,
    52	disobey his orders, and that his French Subjects may feel and
    53	Relish the full Extent of His Majesty's Royal Protection.
    54	
    55	Source:  Public Archives of Canada, Series B, Vol 37, pp. 10-12.