John Graves Simcoe (1752-1806) was first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada from 1791 to 1796. Previously he was commander of the Queen's Rangers during the Revolutionary War. In Upper Canada he founded York (Toronto), built roads, and was instrumental in passing the Act Against Slavery of 1793. His long-term goal was the development of Upper Canada as a model community built on aristocratic and conservative principles, designed to demonstrate the superiority of those principles to the republicanism of the United States.His secretary was Edward Baker Littlehales (1764-1825) who kept a diary of his journey with Simcoe and others from Niagara to Detroit in the winter of 1793. He was with Simcoe on March 2 of that year when the party reached what Simcoe called "New London" on their return journey. His description of the site is the first description of the "Forks of the Thames." Littlehales went on to Ireland, first as Private Secretary to Lord Cornwallis (Lord Lieutenant of Ireland) 1798-1801, and, subsequently, as Under-Secretary of the Military Department, Dublin, from 1801 to 1819. This original manuscript proclamation, signed by Simcoe but written by Littlehales, is addressed to all persons "who adhered to the unity of the Empire and joined the Royal Standard in America before the treaty of Seperation in the year 1783." The treaty referred to is the Treaty of Paris that ended Britain's war with the new United States of America and recognised its independence. The treaty also set the boundary between Canada and the United States and set the details for fishing rights, property restoration, and the return of prisoners of war. That same year saw the first Loyalists, the "persons" in question, arrive in Canada.The proclamation states that land boards were to preserve a registry of the names of all Loyalists so their "posterity" might be discriminated from future settlers as proper objects for benefits and privileges. While this was the desire of Lord Dorchester, Governor General, it was not generally done. Simcoe therefore calls upon all such individuals to take an oath before the Magistrates and have their possession confirmed by deed.
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