ed
rightly. But there was to be a day of retribution. The late members of
the late House of Assembly were not idle. Nor was the _Canadien_
silent. Every means that prudence could dictate, and malevolence
suggest, were resorted to, with a view to the re-election of the
dismissed representatives. The "friends" of the government suggested
that there were plans of insurrection and rebellion. It was insinuated
that the French Minister at Washington, had supplied the seditious in
Canada with money. It was even broadly stated that the plenipotentiary's
correspondence had been intercepted by the agents of the government.
And that which was not said is more difficult of conjecture than that
which was said.

The revenue was this year L70,356, and the expenditure L49,347
sterling; 635 vessels, consisting of 138,057 tons, had arrived from
sea; and 26 vessels had been built and cleared at the port.

At this time there were five papers in Lower Canada. The _Quebec
Gazette_, the _Quebec Mercury_, _Le Canadien_, the _Montreal Gazette_,
and the _Courant_. The three former were published in Quebec, the other
two in Montreal. The _Gazettes_ were organs of the government, the
_Mercury_ and _Courant_ were "namby-pamby," and the _Canadien_ was as
the voice of _le peuple_.

The elections were, in the month of March, again about to take place,
and the government conceived the magnificent idea of carrying a
printing office by assault. When everything was prepared, then was the
time to act. Headed by a magistrate, a party of soldiers rushed up the
stairs leading to the _Canadien_ printing office. The proprietor
received them with a low bow, and much annoyance was felt that no
opposition was offered. The premises were searched. Some manuscripts
were found, and, "under the sanction of the Executive," the whole
press, and the whole papers of every description, were forcibly seized,
and conveyed as booty to the vaults of the Court House. In this action
one prisoner was made. The printer was seized, and "after examination,"
was committed to prison. And, as if an insurrection were expected, the
guards at the gates were strengthened, and patrols sent in every
direction. The public looked amazed, as well it might. The _Mercury_
did not know whether most to admire the tyrannical spirit or the
consummate vanity of the Canadians, and of No. 15, of the _Canadien_,
which contended that the Canadians had rights. As a striking proof of
Canadian tyranny, th