among themselves. Some
were for abolition of the seigneurs' rights: some were for voluntary
arrangement with the aid of law. LaFontaine was averse from change,
and Papineau, who was himself a seigneur, held by the ancient usages.
The whole question was referred to a committee, but all attempts to
deal with it during the sessions of 1850 and 1851 came to nothing. Not
until 1854 was definite action taken. All feudal rights and duties,
whether bearing on _censitaire_ or seigneur, were abolished by law, and
a double court was appointed to inquire into the claims of all parties
and to secure compensation in equity for the loss of the seigneurs'
vested interests. It took five years of patient investigation, and
over ten million dollars, to get rid of this anomaly, but at last it
was accomplished to the benefit of the country. Says Bourinot, 'The
money was well spent in bringing about so thorough a revolution in so
peaceable and conclusive a manner.'

{142}

Both these questions gave rise to differences of opinion in the
Cabinet. The Clear Grits, or Radical wing, were in constant
opposition, simply because the progress of Reform was not rapid enough.
William Lyon Mackenzie, once more in parliament, rendered them
effective aid. In June 1851 he brought in a motion to abolish the
Court of Chancery, which had been reorganized by Baldwin only two years
before and seemed to be working fairly well. Although the motion was
defeated Baldwin realized that the leadership of the party was passing
from him and his friends, and he resigned from office at the end of the
month. One of the pleasing episodes in the history of Canadian
parliaments was Sir Allan MacNab's sincere expression of regret on the
retirement of his political opponent. There are few enough of such
amenities. In October of the same year LaFontaine also resigned,
sickened of political life. A letter of his to Baldwin, as early as
1845, lifts the veil. 'I sincerely hope,' he says, 'I will never be
placed in a situation to be obliged to take office again. The more I
see the more I feel disgusted. It seems as if duplicity, deceit, want
of sincerity, selfishness were virtues. It gives me a poor idea of
{143} human nature.' This is not the utterance of a cynic, but of an
honest man smarting from disillusion. His exit from public life was
final. He was made chief justice for Lower Canada and presided with
distinction over the sessions of the Seigneurial Cour