A Proclamation.
Whereas it has been found expedient to raise and embody a Militia within this City to co-operate with, & to assist His Majesty's Troops in this Garrison in the Preservation of the City, and of the Persons & Property of his Majesty's good and faithful Subjects resident therein against certain rebellious Persons who have invaded this Province, a Number of whom have lately appeared in Arms before the Walls of this Town; and whereas Information has been given me that some Persons resident here Contumaciously refused to enroll their Names in the Militia Lists, and to take up Arms in Conjunction with their Fellow Citizens for the Purpose aforesaid, and that others who had enrolled their Names and had for some Time carried Arms in the Defence and Preservation of the City have lately laid them down; and also that some Persons are busy in endeavouring to draw away & alienate the affection of his Majesty's good & faithful Subjects of this City from his Majesty's Person and Government ー For these Reasons and in Order to rid the Town of all useless disloyal, & treacherous Persons, I have tho't fit to issue this Proclamation ー And I do hereby strictly order and enjoin all and every Person and Persons whatsoever liable to serve in the Militia, and residing at Quebec, who have refused or declined to enroll their Names in the Militia Lists, and to take up Arms in Conjunction with his Majesty's good Subjects of this City, and also still refuse or decline so to do, as well as those who having once taken up Arms have afterwards laid them down and will not take them up again, to quit the Town in four Days from the Date hereof, together with their Wives & Children, and to withdraw themselves out of the Limits of the District of Quebec before the first Day of Decr next, under Pain of being treated as Rebels or Spies, if thereafter they shall be found within the said Limits.
And In as much as the Persons, who in Obedience to this Proclamation are to quit this Town & District, may have bought up a considerable Quantity of the Provisions brought in for the Subsistence of the Inhabitants of the Town; and it would be imprudent to suffer those Provisions to be carried out, more especially as the Country abounds with the Necessaries of Life, I do hereby further order & en join all and every such Person & Persons to deliver in forthwith to the Honble George Alsop Esqr Commissary a true Inventory or List of their Provisions and Stores in Order that they may be fairly & justly valued and the full Price paid to their respective Proprietors before their Departure.
Given under my Hand & Seal of Arms at the Castle of St Lewis in the City of Quebec this 22d Day of Novr 1775 in the 16th Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the third by the Grace of God &c.
By his Excellency's Command H. T. Cramahé.
