eads of the church were men of knowledge, honor, and learning, who had
had opportunities of knowing him, and they ought to be looked to for
advice and information. The leaders of faction and the demagogues of a
party associated not with him, and could not know him. Why should he be
an oppressor? Was it to serve the King, the whole tenor of whose life
had been honorable and virtuous? Was it for himself that he should
practice oppression? For what should he be an oppressor? Ambition could
not prompt him, with a life ebbing slowly to a close, under the
pressure of a disease acquired in the service of his country. He only
looked forward to pass the remaining period of his life in the comfort
of retirement, among his friends. He remained in Canada simply in
obedience to the commands of his King. What power could he desire? For
what wealth would he be an oppressor? Those who knew him, knew that he
had never regarded wealth, and then, he could not enjoy it. He cared
not for the value of the country laid at his feet. He would prefer to
power and wealth a single instance of having contributed to the
happiness and prosperity of the people whom he had been sent to govern.
He warned all to be on their guard against the artful suggestions of
wicked and designing men. He begged that all would use their best
endeavours to prevent the evil effects of incendiary and traitorous
doings. And he strictly charged and commanded all magistrates, captains
of militia, peace officers, and others, of His Majesty's good subjects
to bring to punishment such as circulated false news, tending, in any
manner, to inflame the public mind and to disturb the public peace and
tranquillity.

Could anything have been more pitiable than such a proclamation? The
existence of a conspiracy on the part of some disaffected persons to
overthrow the King's government was made to appear with the view of
covering a mistake. The proclamation was the apology for the illegal
seizure of a press and types used in the publication of a newspaper, in
which nothing seditious or treasonable had in reality been published.
It was true that the _Canadien_ upheld the Assembly and criticised the
conduct of the Executive, with great severity. It was true that the
_Canadien_ complained of the tyranny of "_les Anglais_." It was true
that the _Canadien_ strenuously supported the idea of the expenses of
the civil list being defrayed by the province and not by the Imperial
government. And