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Submitted by Garth Bulman - [email protected]

Affidavit of J.B. Palmer "The Loyal Electors"
Relative to a charge in prosecution before His Excellency in council
Reference: Acc.2849 Item 130 PEIPA

Prince Edward Island 16 May, 1811

Transcribed by: Garth Bulman 19 April, 2002

Prince Edward Island, Queen�s County

James Bardin Palmer of York Lodge in Prince Edward Island Esquire maketh oath that Deponent Having From Action research and practical experience observed that the real causes which retarded and obstructed the progress of this His Majesty's Colony in improvement, ??? the monopoly of Law of sundry speculating Proprietors had been sedulously endeavored to be kept sacred from the King's Ministers, to whom repeated Misrepresentations, false reports, and exaggerated account of the state of the Colony had been sent during several years before, for the purpose of disguising and covering the dormant inactivity of the proprietors in general , and the engrossing monopoly of a number of Bankrupt and other unprincipled Speculators in Land, and Deponent having also observed that the most iniquitous means were used by those characters last described or their Agents, in order to support an influence in this Colony, and which conduct, if continued, might ultimately estrange the affection and loyalty of the people from their Sovereign in as much as measures of His Majesty's Colonial Execution Minister, tending the Colonization and improvement of this Island, the true description and representation thereof, and the administration of justice therein, were checked and counterchecked by the artifice and machinations of a combined Cabal of those Speculators and their Agents, who declined to make any pecuniary contribution toward the improvement of the Colony threw all the Taxes and labor upon the active settler, and protected themselves by sinister means in the enjoyment of property illegally and unjustly acquired,. This Deponent conceiving that the House of Assembly was composed of men of disinterested integrity, those grievances would be speedily and constitutionally removed, it occurred to Deponent that by a number of reputable Settlers associating together and supporting proper Candidates at Elections a considerable degree of influence could be made in the House of Assembly, and which could be directed to the support of His Majesty's Government, restoring the confidence of the people and promoting the improvement of the Colony, and accordingly Deponent in the year one thousand eight hundred and six consulted with sundry persons at CharlotteTown, for which place he was then one of the Representatives in The Assembly, and The Society of Loyal Electors was established for the above purposes upon a plan, similar, as nearly as circumstances would permit, to that of a Loyal and well known Society in Dublin which has existed upwards of a Century and of which several respected and dignified persons are or were Members, such as the Right Honorable George Ogle The Right Honorable Dr. Dugivan, The Right Honorable John Foster, John Claudius Beresford Esquire, Jonah Barrington Esquire and a great number of Members of Parliament. This Deponent saith that the Society of Loyal Electors continued to meet in CharlotteTown from the time of their formation to the present, and have been of material service in promoting an active spirit of improvement and emulation among the inhabitants of this Colony, as also in promoting the Election of several persons are Members in the House of Assembly, who were deservingly possessed of public confidence, and whose Votes, as noted in the Journals of that House, will show that they have supported the measures of government whose interest and conduct were swayed by the Speculators Cabal before described. The solicitor General of this Island has been habitually accustomed to opposed Deponent, privately & publicly, for many years past, And Deponent has been professionally and otherwise compelled to proceed in suing at Law and in Equity W Stewarts family and connections, and in exposing coercions, artifices and schemes which they had carried on successfully in public affairs, before the arrival of Deponent in this Colony, and Deponent doth verily believe that said W. Stewart aim hath been unremitted The unsuccessful, in his endeavors to collect evidence lending to impeach the public character of Deponent, and of the bef observed between the different Estates of the Constitution Deponent has for that reason, and for that reason only, withdrawn himself from the before mentioned Society, whose principles are unimpeachable.

Sworn before me this 16th, day of May 1811 G. DesBarres J.P.

J.B. Palmer