treason. Constitutional Government, even in the mother-land, was not
yet fully attained; and, in a distant dependency, it was not to be
expected that the prerogative of the Crown, or the rights and
privileges of its nominee, an irresponsible Executive, were to be made
subordinate to the will of the people. "Take care what you are about
in Canada," were the irate words William IV. hurled at his ministers,
some few years after the period of which we are writing. "By--!" added
this constitutional monarch, "I will never consent to alienate the
Crown Lands nor to make the Council elective."

With such outbursts of royal petulance and old-time kingcraft, and
similar ebullitions from Downing Street, exhorting the Upper Canadian
Administration to hold tight the reins of government, the reforming
spirit of the period had a hard time of it in entering on its many
years conflict with an arrogant and bureaucratic Executive. Of many of
the members of the ruling faction of the time it may not become us now
to speak harshly, for most of them were men of education and
refinement, and in their day did good service to the State. If, in the
exercise of their office, they lacked consideration at times for the
less favoured of their fellow-colonists, they had the instincts and
bearing of gentlemen, save, it may be, when, in conclave, occasion
drove them to a violent and contemptuous opposition to the will of the
people. But men--most of all politicians--naturally defend the
privileges which, they enjoy; and the exceptional circumstances of the
country seemed at the time to give to the holders of office a
prescriptive right to their position and emoluments.

At the period of which we are writing, there was much need of wise
moderation on the side of the governed as well as on that of the
governing class. But of moderation there was little; and the nature of