| Background: |
John George Lambton, later to become Baron Durham in 1828 and Viscount Lambton and Earl of Durham in 1833, was the son of a wealthy Northumberland County family with roots that went back to the 12th century. The family was connected with most of the great English families and distantly related to the royal family. John Lambton was educated at Eton, held a commission for a time as a coronet in the 10th Hussars, and was a member of the House of Commons from 1813 until 1828 when he was elevated to the House of Lords. The family's wealth came from coal mines located on their lands. Through this connection with industry and the mercantile community, Lambton developed many relationships with both the rising middle class and the local workers, an unusual situation for a member of such a well-to-do family. In politics he has been described as a moderate reformer, and it is not surprising that when his father-in-law, Lord Grey, came to power at the head of a Whig government in 1830, Durham was appointed to chair a committee to prepare a bill on parliamentary reform. As a result, he played a vital role in drafting the Reform Bill of 1832. In 1835, he was appointed ambassador to Russia, but was recalled in 1837 by the prime minister, Lord Melbourne, and appointed Governor-in-Chief of the British North American Colonies and High Commissioner. Rebellion had broken out in both Upper and Lower Canada, and Durham's mission was to prepare a report on the situation. On 29 May 1838, he arrived in Lower Canada and after a brief but intense period of activity, he returned to England on 1 November 1838. His Report, submitted to the British Government on 4 February 1839, is frequently referred to as the Durham Report, but with the much longer official title, Report on the Affairs of British North America... The two main recommendations contained in the Report were: the Union of Upper and Lower Canada, which came about in 1841; and the reorganization of the system of colonial government, which led, eventually, to the the implementation of responsible government in 1848. Lord Durham's health had always been delicate, and on 28 July 1840 he died at his home at Cowes, Isle of Wight, England. |
| Contents: |
The Durham Report : Appendix B : Public Lands and Emigration, is an account of the manner in which Crown lands were disposed of within Lower Canada, Upper Canada, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, with suggestions for improvements. The Appendix is comprised of two sections : (1) Report; (2) Minutes of Evidence Taken Before Assistant Commissioners of Crown Lands and Emigration. Each section is arranged by Colony. In the Report section, Lord Durham comments on the following: practices that have been pursued in the disposal of public lands; a description of the results that have been produced; suggested measures to remedy certain situations; and a plan for the future disposal of land remaining in government hands. The Minutes of Evidence section contains a detailed record of interviews between the Assistant Commissioners and the individuals who appeared before the Commission. These included both local and provincial government officials, clergymen, educators, and numerous other individuals. Each statement was numbered, and in composing the Appendix B Report, Lord Durham drew upon the information contained in these Minutes and also provided references in the margins to the appropriate numbered comment in the Minutes of Evidence. Many statistical tables have been included within the descriptions of individual colonies. A few examples include: statistics of population, roads, climate, revenue, strength of the militia, and the number of whites and the number of people of colour in New Brunswick; a list of the large proprietors of township land in Lower Canada; various returns of the number of acres surveyed and the number of acres granted in Lower Canada, arranged by year; and many other interesting and revealing facts relating to each colony. |
