I was much pleased to find, by your letter of the 22d ultimo,
you had taken precautions to prevent any act occurring within
your control that should afford the government of the United
States a legitimate pretext to add to the clamour artfully
raised by it against England.

The circumstance which happened to the guard stationed
opposite to Queenstown, arrived here much exaggerated. Your
account of it silenced the idle reports in circulation.

I agree with you in deploring the limitation, until the end of
the ensuing session, in the operation of the militia act for
Upper Canada; but as in the event of hostilities it might not
be possible to convene the legislature, then the bill would in
all probability continue in force during the war, provided you
were not induced to make an exertion for a more perfect law.

Colonel Baynes having informed me he had an opportunity of
communicating with you more expeditiously than by post, I
desired him to make you acquainted with the peaceful
intelligence I had just received from Mr. Foster; but although
it comes with a good deal of reservation, still it warrants me
in recommending the most rigid economy in carrying on the
king's service, and in avoiding all expense that has not
become absolutely necessary, as it is with the utmost
difficulty money can be raised for the ordinary service.

I am apprehensive that I cannot look forward to the pleasure
of seeing you before the end of August, as my presence in the
province is become indispensably necessary during the first
operation of the new militia law.

Many thanks for the particulars of the transaction which led
to the censure passed by the house of assembly on Chief
Justice Scott.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 43: He died at Mount Vernon, on the 14th December, 1799, in
the sixty-eighth year of his age, leaving a widow but no issue.]

[Footnote 44: Pictorial History of England.]

[Footnote 45: This and a few of the subsequent letters from Colonel
Baynes are partly in cipher of figures, but of course we have not the
key.]

[Footnote 46: The present Lieut.-General Ellice, colonel of the 24th
regiment of foot. He is the officer mentioned at page 97, but was deputy
adjutant-general in Canada, and not inspecting field officer of militia
as we supposed.]

[Footnote 47: The late Major-General Heriot, C.B., then Captain