an offence against society should escape without any greater
penalty than had thus far been exacted from them. Mr. Mackenzie himself
seems to have been desirous of proceeding to extremities, although the
amount which he had recovered was far more than compensation for any
loss he had sustained, whether direct or incidental. But the brains of
his professional advisers were cooler than his own, and saved him from
the consequences of his want of judgment. Mr. Bidwell dissuaded him from
taking any steps which might seem to be dictated by a feeling of
revenge. It was represented to him that he was a decided gainer by the
raid, not only in pocket but in popularity. The public sympathy had been
with him from first to last. A policy of war to the knife on his part
would certainly cool, and in some cases altogether alienate that
sympathy. The jury's liberal verdict bad placed him "in funds," and he
was thus in a position to resume the publication of the _Advocate_
under favourable circumstances. The transaction had distinctly
increased his prestige in the rural constituencies, and he might
reasonably hope to be a successful candidate for Parliament when a
suitable vacancy should occur. Such being the position of affairs, he
was strongly advised to let well alone. Contrary to his habit, he proved
amenable to advice, and refrained from a criminal prosecution.

The issue fully justified the advice of Mr. Mackenzie's counsellors.
Several of the newspapers in the Province commended his forbearance, and
contrasted his conduct with that of his enemies. But, it was asked, what
was the Attorney-General about? How was it that he, who never failed to
stretch his authority to the utmost when a Reformer rendered himself
amenable to the law--how was it that he permitted such an outrage as
this to pass without notice? Surely it was his duty to officially
proceed against the wrong-doers. But the Attorney-General was deaf to
all such remonstrances, and did not concern himself with the matter
further than to maintain the most cordial relations with the persons
implicated. How far his conduct in this respect was consistent will
hereafter appear. Colonel Fitz Gibbon was rewarded for his zeal in a bad
cause by receiving the appointment of Clerk to the Legislative Assembly,
and the additional income thus afforded him left him neither better off
nor worse than before.

The participators in perhaps the grossest outrage ever committed in the
Provincial