The collection consists of falls into two series: Papers and Diaries. The Papers primarily reflect Brown's political concerns and activities in Montreal between 1832 and 1838. They include excerpts from the Vindicator newspaper, notes, resolutions, memoranda and speeches, as well as letters to Brown concerning Florida politics and the United States' negotiations with Native peoples, 1841-1843. There are also business documents and letters; essays by Brown on the 1837-1838 Lower Canada Rebellion and the annexation of Canada; and a journal kept during an ocean voyage in 1838.

The Diaries consist of seven notebooks written in pencil, or perhaps more properly dictated, by Brown in 1887-1888. They were transcribed by F. J. Nobbs in 1987.

This collection reflects Henry S. Chapman's relationships with a number of important figures in Montreal's political and business history, between roughly 1833 and 1853, the period following Chapman's return to London. A significant amount of the material in this collection is related to the 1837-1838 Upper and Lower Canada Rebellions (especially in Montreal), as well as events occurring immediately after the uprisings.

Consists of copies of original material, chiefly correspondence, arranged roughly by date. The contents of letters (1835-1853) include business partnerships, political reform, and personal news. Significant correspondents include Louis-Joseph Papineau, Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine, Jacob Dewitt, François-Antoine Larocque (of Laroque and Bernard), Joseph Perreault, and Edmund Bailey O’Callaghan. There is also a partial manuscript on Canadian history and pages from a scrapbook, both dating from the 1830s.

These are letters from Selkirk to Miles MacDonnell, 1811-1813 and instructions concerning wages and contracts. Thirteen documents concern Lord Selkirk's conflict with the North West Company at the Red River Colony and Fort William.There is also a letter to Colonel Benjamin Walker, 1816.

The thirteen documents are depositions taken by Lord Selkirk concerning the conflict with the North West Company at the Red River Settlement in Manitoba and at Fort William. On 11 June 1815, representatives of the North West Company attacked and fired upon the colonists, and demanded the surrender of Governor MacDonell, who, to avoid the loss of blood, gave himself up voluntarily. He was taken to Montreal as a prisoner, and charges were laid against him by his enemies, but his case was not tried. These depositions concern this case.

Collection consists of minutes of a meeting of the Committee of Ladies for the Relief of French Immigrants, Ladies and Female Children, 7 June 1796, as well as papers concerning relief of French clergy and laity.

Collection contains letters, memorial, other documents dealing with the cultivation of hemp in Lower Canada, including those of Jesse J. P. Pennoyer.

The collection contains an account written by a Major Gilbert of the 1757 Rochefort expedition during the Seven Years' War. During this conflict, known as the Raid of Rochefort, British amphibious troops attempted unsuccessfully to capture the French port of Rochefort on the Atlantic coast.

Manuscript copy from shorthand notes of proceedings in the Court of Queen's Bench, 12 January, 1839 to 25 January, 1839, concerning an appeal for the release of 12 Canadians from a transportation sentence for taking part in the 1837 Rebellion.

Contains manuscript compilation relating to French Huguenots: "Recueil des actes de tous les Sinodes Nationnaux... au Royaume de France, 1559-1660." Includes an additional leaf dated 1711 at the end signed Etienne Merichaux.