To the Editor of the Edinburgh Weekly Journal

SIR–It will be remember by many of your Readers, that, in the spring of 1815, proclamations were widely circulated, inviting settlers to Canada.–Having myself occasion to visit this country, I was curious to know what had been the result, especially as I found at Quebec and Montreal very discordant accounts respecting it ; most people asserting that the scheme had failed of success, and that the settlers were in a state of great discomfort and discontent.–To ascertain the truth, I diverged from my route about 50 miles, and spent some days at Perth, situated on the waters of the Redeau, to which a considerable body of the people who accepted the invitation of the Government had been conducted.– Here it traced the reported discontent to some neglect in the general management, and some ill conceieved petty regulations, capriciously exercised towards people tenacious of their rights ; but in the main, universal satisfaction prevailed among the settlers, and a strong feeling of the good intentions of Government towards them. The opportunity being a good one of ascertaining the progress which a promiscious body of settlers make in a given time. I constructed the annexed table, and had each man’s signature attached, at once to prove to correctness of his statement, and satisfaction with his situation. Should you think this worthy of publication, you are welcome to publish it in your paper. It may draw attention of a most important subject–the colonization of this province with British subjects ; and it may afford satisfaction to many individuals who may not otherwise know the condition of their friends. The scheme which Government adopted in 1815 was expensive. The settlers had a free passage, rations and tools. Next year rations and tools were furnished to those who came out ; and this year multitudes of poor people have come to Canada, in expectation of being favoured in the same way, but are disappointed ; having nothing given them but land (100 acres each), which many of them from poverty are unable to occupy. Having made it my study, during three months residence here, to inquire into the nature of the country, and into every particular respecting settlement, I am convinced that very simple measures might be adopted, by which the redundant population of Britain could be conveyed by a regular flow into Canada, instead of being wasted, as it now is, to the great prejudice of British interest, over the whole of American ; and were such measures adopted, this province would, in a very few years, be quite equal to its defence in war against the United States –I am, Sir, yours, &c. Upper Canada, September 15. 1817 Robert Gourlay.

Statistical Table of the Scotch Settlement near Perth, Upper Canada, of the 1st Week of July 1817 Original Profession of Settlers. Wife. Sons. Daughters. From what County. From what Parish. Date of leaving home, 1815. Date of Embarkation, 1815. Date of Disembarkation, 1815. Date of taking possession, 1816. Dimensions in feet of House erected. No. of Acres of Land chopped. No. of acres of Land cleared. Number of Acres in Wheat. Number of Acres in other crops. No. of [?]s of Map Sugar made. No. of Cows. No. of Oxen. The undernamed Settlers have respectively signed a Declaration of ” Well satisfied.” Farm Bailiff. 1. 3. 3. Perth. Callendar. May 15. June 24. Sept 12. May 22. 18 by 20. 9. 4 1/2. 2. 2 1/3. 100. 2. 0. Peter M’Pherson. Son of the above. 0. 0. 0. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Aug. 10. …. . 4. 3. 2. 1. 0. 0. 1. William M’Pherson. Weaver. 1. 2. 4. Ditto. Ditto. June 21. Ditto. Ditto. May 22. 12 by 18 1/2. 10. 7. 4. 3. 102. 3. 1. James M’Laren. Dyer and Clothier. 1. 1. 4. Lanark. Carnwath. May 31. Ditto. Sept. 15. May 15. 26 by 21. 9. 8. 3 1/4. 4 1/2. 15. 2. 0. James Taylor. Shoemaker. 1. 3. 2. Moray. Rothes. April 20. Ditto. Sept. 12. May 1. 20 by 18. 13. 8. 4 1/2. 3 1/4. 25. 3. 0. John Simpson. Shipmaster. 1. 2. 1. Ayr. Kilbride. APril 27. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. 1 by 17. 7 1/2. 5. 4. 1. 0. 1. 0. James Miller. Weaver. 1. 3. 2. Lanark. Glasgow. June 24. Ditto. Sept. 15. May 12. 25 by 20. 6. 4 1/2. 2 1/2. 2. 35. 1. 0. Hugh M’Kay. Mason. 1. 1. 0. Forfar. Dundee. June 1. Ditto. Sept. 12. Ditto. 26 by 19. 9. 8 1/2. 4. 4 1/2. 20. 1. 1. William Spalding. Millwright. 0. 0. 0. Dittio. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. 12 by 10. 6. 6. 4. 2. 0. 0. 1. William Rutherford. Labourer. 0. 0. 0. Moray. Longbride. April 15. June 28. Sept. 15. May 15. Shed. 5 1/2. 5. 2 1/2. 2 1/3. 0. 0. 0. Alexander Simpson. Labourer. 0. 0. 0. Forfar. St Vigean’s. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. April 12. 10 by 15. 6. 5 1/2. 3. 2 1/2. 0. 0. 0. John Hay. Ship Carpenter. 0. 0. 0. Lanark. Glasgow. June 24. June 24. Ditto. Aug. 19. 29 by 22. 7. 6. 2. 3. 20. 0. 0. Archibald Morrison. Mason. 0. 0. 0. Dumfries. Dunscore. Ditto. June 27. Ditto. …. . . . . . . Thomas M’Lean. Schoolmaster. 1. 5. 3. Ditto. Hutton. May 26. Ditto. Ditto. June 7. 33 by 19. 7 1/2. 6 1/3. 3. 3. 50. 0. 0. John Holliday. Farmer. 1. 1. 4. Ayr. Kilbride. June 30. June 30. Ditto. April 17. 23 by 16. 9 1/2. 6 1/2. 2 1/2. 3. 25. 3. 1. Alexander M’Farlane. Whitesmith. 1. 1. 2. Edinburgh. New Grey Friars. May 19. June 24. Ditto. April 22. 22 by 14. 5. 4. 1 1/2. 1. 20. 1. 0. Ian M’Donald’s mark. Farmer. 0. 1. 6. Perth. Callendar. May 15. Ditto. Sept. 12. June 1. 24 by 21. 6. 5. 2 1/2. 2 1/2. 30. 1. 0. John Ferguson. Weaver. 1. 1. 1. Lanark. Glasgow. June 24. Ditto. Sept. 15. May 12. 21 by 18. 6 1/2. 4 1/2. 2. 2 1/2. 25. 1. 0 John Flood. Farmer. 1. 2. 4. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Sept. 15. May 20. 22 by 18. 8 1/2. 4 1/2. 3 1/2. 1. 15. 1. 0. William M’Gillevry. Labourer. 1. 3. 0. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Dito. Sept. 16. April 17. 18 by 16. 8. 5. 4. 2. 40. 0. 1. John Brash. Widow of W. Holderness. 0. 4. 2. York. Boobwith. April 9. Ditto. Sept. 15. May 20. 22 by 20. 7. 5 1/2. 4. 1 1/2. 20. 0. 0. Ann Holderness. Labourer. 0. 0. 0. Berwick. Coldenholme. June 26. July 3. Ditto. April 21. House burned. 7 1/3. 4 1/2. 4. 1. 0. 0. 0. John Miller. Shopkeeper. 1. 5. 1. Edinburgh. Canongate. April 15. June 22. Sept. 17. June 15. 16 by 16. 10 1/3. 7. 2. 2. 20. 1. 0. William Old. Clk. in property tax office. 1. 1. 0. Ditto. Corstorphine. June 13. June 24. Sept. 15. April 20. 18 by 13. 5 1/2. 3 1/2. 2 1/2. 1 1/3. 50. 1. 1. Francis Allan. Gardener. 1. 1. 0. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. 18 by 12. 6. 5 1/2. 3 1/2. 2. 12. 0. 0. Thomas Cuddie. Wool Stapler. 0. 0. 0. York. Wakefield. May 16. Ditto. Ditto. May 1. House building. 3. 1. 0. 1. 0. 0. 0. Joseph Holdsworth. Labourer. 0. 0. 0. Berwick. Cockburnspath. June 3. June 28. Ditto. April 17. 20 by 16. 8 1/3. 5 1/2. 3 1/2. 1/2. 0. 1. 1. John Allan. Farmer. 1. 1. 0. Fife. Dunfermline. May 8. Ditto. Ditto. April 28. House building. 6 1/2. 5. 3. 2. 0. 1. 0 James Drysdale. Carpenter. 1. 5. 3. Linlthgow. Livingston. June 27. July 1. Sept. 24. April 25. 27 by 18. 7. 6. 3. 2. 30. 2. 1. Alexander Kid. Carpenter. 1. 1. 0. Ross. Urquhart. April 15. June 24. Sept. 15. May 15. 28 by 18. 7 1/2. 6 1/2. 4. 2 1/2. 50. 2. 1/2. James Fraser. Weaver. 1. 2. 2. Dumbarton. Kirkitulloch. May 15. June 28. Ditto. Ditto. 22 by 18. 7 1/2. 3. 3 1/2. 20. 2. 2. John Ferrier. Weaver. 1. 3. 1. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. 6 1/2. 6. 3. 2 1/2. 20. 1. 1/2. Abraham Ferrier. Tailor. 1. 2. 2. Dumfries. Torthorwald. June 3. June 24. Ditto. April 18. 22 by 15. 4. 3 1/2. 1 1/2. 1 1/2. 45. 1. 0 Thomas Barber. Butcher. 1. 0. 2. Edinburgh. St Cuthbert’s.. April 20. July 11. October 20. May 20. 24 by 18. 4. 3 1/2. 1 1/2. 30. 1. 0. John Christy. Farmer. 1. 7. 1. Dumfries. Carlaverick. May 26. June 28. Sept 15. April 27. 26 by 18. 8 1/2. 8 1/2. 5. 1 1/2. 100. 0. 0. George Wilson. Farmer. 0. 1. 0. Ditto. Hutton. May 27.Ditto. Ditto. June 3. …. 4. 3 1/2. 1 1/2. 1/3. 30. 1. 0. John Christy. Widow of Robert Gibson. 0. 3. 2. Edinburgh. St Andrew’s. June 1. June 24. Sept. 24. June 1. Shed. 5. 4. 2. 1. 15. 0. 0. Jane Gibson. Drill Serjeant. 0. 0. 0. Inverness. Durenish. Ditto. June. Sep. July 31. Shed. 4 1/2. 2 1/2. 1. 1. 0. 0. 0. John M’Leod. Labourer. 1. 2. 2. Edinburgh. West Calder. June 16. June 25. Sept. 25. April 25. 21 by 18. 11. 8. 6. 2. 153. 3. 0. James Bruce. Blacksmith. 1. 2. 6. Stirling. Fintry. June 22. June 25. Ditto. June 23. 28 by 19. 8. 6 1/2. 2. 4 1/2. 120. 2. 2. John Ritchie. Son of the above. 0. 0. 0. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. …. 4. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. John Ritchie. Shoemaker. 1. 6. 4. Forfar. Dundee. April 15. June 27. Ditto. May 22. 24 by 20. 7. 6. 2 1/2. 2 1/2. 12. 0. 0. Thomas Borrie. House Darpenter. 0. 0. 0. Edinburgh. West Calder. June 16. June 25. Ditto. April 25. …. 3. 3. 0. 3. 0. 0. 4. Thomas Purdle. Farmer. 0. 0. 3. Fife. Kingassle. June 23. June 26. Oct 5. June 28. 32 by 20. 20. 17. 9. 8. 150. 2. 0. Andrew Donaldson. Son of ditto. 0. 0. 0. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. and another smaller house. Shares in the above. Thomas Donaldson. Ditto. 0. 0. 0. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. and another smaller house. Shares in the above. David Donaldson. Ditto. 0. 0. 0. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. and another smaller house. Shares in the above. Andw. Donaldson, jun. Ditto. 0. 0. 0. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. and another smaller house. Shares in the above. James Donaldson. Ditto. 0. 0. 0. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. and another smaller house. Shares in the above. John Donaldson

N. B. –Out of the whole number settled in this quarter only two have quitted their land. Five or six I did not see, being from home, or out of my route ; and one man only refused giving an account. Each settled has 100 acres of land. D. G. Those wives and sons to whom an asterisk (*) is prefixed, have been left at home.


Citation: Caledonian Mercury (Edinburgh, United Kingdom), 26 February 1818, available at the Scissors and Paste Database, http://www.scissorsandpaste.net/131.