Bidspirit auction | (CANADA). Journals of the House

(CANADA). Journals of the House of Assembly of Lower Canada. Separate title pages in French and English. Each page in two columns (French and English). pp. 495 + index. Ex-library. Lightly browned. Contemporary boards, rebacked. Tall folio. Quebec, Neilson & Cowan, 1834.  This tall folio volume represents the legislative activities of House of Assembly of Lower Canada from the 7th of January to the 18th of March, 1834, the fourth year of the reign of King William IV. Includes much relating to the equality of rights for the Jews of Canada (see pp. 229, 240, 250, 263, 271, 384).  Of particular importance: “An Act to declare persons professing the Jewish Religion entitled to all rights and privileges of the other subjects of His Majesty in this Province.” This amended a law previously requiring all civil office holders to swear ”on the faith as a Christian.”  The Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada was the lower house of the bicameral structure of the provincial government in Lower Canada until 1838. The lower house consisted of elected legislative councilors who created bills to be passed up to the Legislative Council of Lower Canada, whose members were appointed by the governor-general. The Province of Lower Canada (province du Bas-Canada) was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence (1791–1841).  Prior to anywhere else in the British Empire, Canada granted full equivalency of political rights to Jews settled there.