State minute books of the Executive Council, 1775-1791 [textual record]
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State minute books of the Executive Council, 1775-1791 [textual record]
Hierarchical level:SeriesContext of this record:Series includes:21 lower level description(s)View lower level description(s) -
Finding aid (Paper) The CAB RG 1 Shelf List (see RG 1, E1 section) is a typed volume-level description which provides volume titles and inclusive dates and corresponding microfilm reel numbers. The Shelf List also correlates the current volume number (assigned by the National Archives) to the letter designation (D, E, F, G, H and I) assigned to each volume by the records creators. CAB RG1 Shelf List (90: Open) -
Record information State minute books of the Executive Council, 1775-1791 [textual record]
Date:1776-1791.Reference:R10808-6-3-E, RG1-E1Type of material:Textual materialFound in:Archives / Collections and FondsItem ID number:204493Date(s):1776-1791.Place of creation:Québec (Province)Extent:1.721 m of textual records; 1.193 m transcripts.Language of material:EnglishScope and content:Series consists of minute books of the Executive Council (i.e., the Legislative Council acting in its executive capacity) concerning state business during the period 1776-1791. While the records in this series are ostensibly the "state" minute books (as distinct from the "land" minute books), meaning the record of the proceedings of the executive council in matters considered to be of state concern rather than land matters, in fact, for the years 1776-1787 (until the formal separation of the "land" and "state" aspects of the Executive Council's work, as represented in the creation of separate land minute books in 1787), these minute books contain documentation of both the Executive Council's state-related business and its land-related business.
The procedures by which the Executive Council carried out its executive work were, in some respects, not unlike those of the pre-1775 Council. Submissions were placed before the Executive Council and proceedings were recorded in minute books by the Clerk of Council and his assistants who also maintained the various papers and reports presented before Council in support of business transacted. Much of the detailed work (e.g., the auditing of Provincial public accounts) was assigned to committees whose members reported to the Executive Council and whose deliberations and recommendations were entered into the minutes. Decisions were given effect through orders-in-council.
From a procedural and records-keeping perspective, the Executive Council meeting of 17 February 1787 is important as it marks the point at which that body began to document its minutes of "land" business in a manner distinct from that reserved for its minutes of "state" matters. From this date forward, two sets of minutes were kept. The immediate explanation for this innovation is not found in the minutes themselves. Neither are the actual procedures by which the Executive Council approached its two parallel streams of work explained. The evidence does not suggest that the Council met in separate meetings for its "land" and "state" work but, rather, that two separate agendas were presented at each meeting at which there were both land and state matters to be discussed. The proceedings and decisions were then recorded in different minute books. While there are occasional duplicate entries in both sets of minutes, that is the exception and so in order to get a full picture of the proceedings of the Executive Council for the period after February 1787 it is necessary to consult both sets of minutes.
Moreover, the line of distinction between "land" and "state" issues was not always clearly maintained in the two sets of minutes. Matters relating to particular land grants, leases and associated topics are documented in the land minute books. Land-related issues of a broad or policy nature, on the other hand, were generally considered to be "state" matters and are found documented in the "state" minute books. As a result, one finds records of land-granting policy, of the acquisition and distribution of Indian lands, of military reserves (Ordnance lands transferred to civil control), and similar topics documented in the state minute books.
The series includes both original minutes (vols. 28 and 111-115) and transcripts (vols. 13-27). The latter are certified typed copies of the originals, prepared by Library and Archives Canada in the period prior to the microfilming of the originals, in order to avoid damage to the originals from frequent use. Although they are copies, these transcripts have been accorded the status of records in their own right within this series and assigned permanent volume numbers accordingly. The transcripts include marginal notations of the corresponding page or folio numbers for the original text. Most volumes contain a rough index or table of contents. The subject entries in such indexes reflect contemporary concepts and follow no standard.Additional information:Preferred citation note:Suggestions on proper citation style for the records in this series are provided in the CAB RG 1 Shelf List (see RG 1, E1 section).Availability of other formats note:Microfilmed copies of vols. 28 and 111-115 (i.e., the originals in this series only, not the transcripts) are available on reels C-86 to C-90. Microfilming was completed in 1951. For lists correlating volume numbers with microfilm reel numbers, see the finding aid cited elsewhere within this descriptive entry.
Users of the microfilm should note that the records are not identified on the reels according to the current volume numbers (vols. 28 and 111-115). Rather, they are identified by the letter designations assigned to each bound volume by the records creators (i.e., D, E, F, G, H and I) and by the dates of the material covered in each volume. To avoid confusion when using the microfilm, users should pay close attention to the descriptions provided in the finding aid.Series title note:The date in the series title refers to the period during which the Executive Council existed, and not to the inclusive dates of the records in the series.Related material:Contemporary copies of Council minutes may be found as enclosures to despatches from the Governor to the Colonial Office. They are found in the series CO 42, Canada, formerly British North America, Original Correspondence (MG11-CO42), in the Colonial Office fonds or in the Duplicate Despatches fonds (MG40-A2). The following series, all found elsewhere within this fonds, include material related to the state functions of the Council during the period 1775-1791: State and Land Submissions and Reports to the Councils of the Province of Quebec series; Submissions to and Reports of the Councils of the Province of Quebec relating to the Audit of Provincial Public Accounts series; Judicial Records of the Councils of the Province of Quebec series; and Records of the Councils of the Province of Quebec relating to Highways, Roads and Bridges series., For the minutes relating to land matters see the Land Minute Books of the Executive Council(1775-1791) of the Province of Quebec series, described elsewhere within this fonds.Source:PrivateFormer archival reference no.:RG1-E1 -
Ordering and viewing options Conditions of access:Textual records[Consultation Open]Volume [RG1 E 1][Consultation Open]13--28;[Consultation Open]111--115;[Consultation Open]Microfilm reel C-86--C-90[Consultation Open]Terms of use:In order to protect the fragile originals, many records in this series have been microfilmed and the originals withdrawn from circulation. The microfilm must be used for consultation and copying rather than the originals.You can order materials in advance to be ready for you when you visit. You will need a user card to do this.
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