Excerpt from Seigniorial Questions, Vol. 3: A Compilation Containing the Seigniorial Act, the Amendment to the Seigniorial Act, of 1855, the Questions Submitted by the Attorney General for Lower Canada, the Counter-Questions Submitted by Divers Seigniors, the Proceedings and Decisions of the Specia The Legislature of the Country, acceding at last to the pressure of public opinion, which for a long time past demanded the abolition of the feudal system, and the suppression of the Seigniorial rights in that part of Lower Canada which was still subject to that system, enacted, during the Session of 1854, a law which will be for ever memorable in our history. That law has effected, without any commotion or tumult, a reformation of the most vital importance, and has created in our institutions a remarkable change, which had become indispensable, and which could not have taken place elsewhere unless during a period of turmoil, revolution and anarchy, and even then it must have been brought about by violence, injustice, and spoliation. As might be expected, a change such as that, ordered under such circumstances, could not take place, unless upon a just basis, and in such a manner as to render full and entire justice to all the parties who would be affected by it, therefore our law of abolition of 1854 lays down the principle, that the suppression of the feudal rights and duties cannot take place, unless the Seignior be guaranteed a reasonable indemnity for all the lucrative rights which he held by law, and of which this enactment must deprive him. It also declares that in consequence of the immense advantages which the Province in general must derive from the abolition of these feudal rights and duties, and the establishment of a free tenure instead of the one under which property subject to it, had been held up to that time, it was expedient to assist the Censitaire to redeem those charges. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.