uencies--notably so in Lennox and
Addington--they held the balance of power, and their secession from the
Reform cause decided the fortunes of the candidates.[253] A few remained
unaffected by Mr. Ryerson's lucubrations, and some even went so far as
to denounce his conduct and reply to his arguments, but these were too
few in number to affect the general result. Some of the successful
candidates were compelled to pledge themselves in advance to the
Methodists and other Nonconformists to take immediate steps for the
settlement of the Clergy Reserves question, but the pledges were
neglected or forgotten during the turbulent epoch which ensued.

It will thus be seen that, as is clearly pointed out in the Report of
Lord Durham,[254] the contest which had been commenced on the question
of a responsible Executive Council had afterwards been adroitly turned
by the official party, and had been decided on very different grounds.
The question of a responsible Executive, as well as the question of the
Clergy Reserves, had for the time sunk out of public notice. All other
matters had given way to a resolve to return candidates who would "rally
round the throne." The triumph of the Government went far beyond what
several members of it had ventured to anticipate. On the 8th of July,
Sir Francis was able to report to Lord Glenelg that "the
Constitutionists"--by which name he designated the official party and
all who supported them--had a majority of twenty-five,[255] whereas in
the preceding Assembly they had been in a minority of eleven. In the
same despatch he availed himself of the opportunity to malign Mr.
Bidwell, whom he characterized as the "twin or Siamese companion of Mr.
Speaker Papineau." He descanted upon the powerful reaction which had
been brought about, and exultingly informed his Lordship that of the
four candidates who had contested the constituency of Lennox and
Addington Mr. Bidwell had polled the fewest votes.

The Colonial Minister must have been sore puzzled to know what to make
of this gushing and galloping Lieutenant-Governor, who was so evidently
devoid of the peculiar qualifications supposed to be requisite for one
in his station, and who framed his official despatches upon the model of
a sensation novel. Here was a man who had been selected for an elevated
and honourable post because be had been supposed to be an adept in the
science of politics, but who, as it now turned out, was utterly
unacquainted with