Bidspirit auction | The Provincial Statutes of Lower-Canada

The Provincial Statutes of Lower-Canada – Emancipation of Jews – Quebec, 1831-1832 – Rare First Edition, Never Before Auctioned - The Provincial Statutes of Lower-Canada / Les Statuts Provinciaux du Bas-Canada, vol. 14. Quebec: John Charlton Fisher & William Kemble, 1831-1832. English and French on facing pages. Official legal code of the Province of Lower Canada, published by the Legislative Council of Lower Canada under King William IV of the United Kingdom. The laws appearing in this book were passed in the first and second sessions of the Fourteenth Parliament. Section LVII of the Statutes (pp. 82-83 of second sequence), ultimately passed in late 1832, grants full equality of rights to all Jews residing in the province: ”An Act to declare persons professing the Jewish Religion entitled to all the rights and privileges of the other subjects of His Majesty in this Province”. This bill was proposed by parliamentarian Louis-Joseph Papineau (1786-1871) in 1831. A prime factor in the passing of the law was the involvement of Jewish politician Ezekiel Hart (1770-1843), making Canada one of the first countries in the British Empire to grant full political rights to its Jews. 303, 83, [304]-735, 742-787 pages, [8] leaves. 26 cm. Stains, including light dampstains. Creases. Marginal tears, including open tears, to a few leaves, mainly to beginning and end of volume (open tears, affecting text on pp. 597-600). Stamp on one title page. Boards of binding lacking. Wear, tears and defects to spine. Rare. To the best of our knowledge, this item has never before been offered for auction.