vernor of Canada at a dangerous time, when Napoleon was at the
zenith of his power and when agents of this arch-enemy of England were
supposed to be active in Canada. Moreover, the blame for Craig's
action during this period must be partly borne by the 'Bureaucrats' who
surrounded him. There is no absolute proof, but there is at least a
presumption, that some of these men actually wished to precipitate a
disturbance, in order that the constitution of Lower Canada might be
suspended and a new order of things inaugurated.

Soon after Bedard's arrest his friends applied for a writ of habeas
corpus; but, owing to the opposition of Craig, this was refused. In
July two of Bedard's companions were released, on the ground of ill
health. They both, however, expressed regret at the tone which _Le
Canadien_ had adopted. In August the printer was discharged. Bedard
himself declined to accept his release until he had been brought to
trial and acquitted {19} of the charge preferred against him. Craig,
however, did not dare to bring him to trial, for no jury would have
convicted him. Ultimately, since Bedard refused to leave the prison,
he was ejected at the point of the bayonet. The situation was full of
humour. Bedard was an excellent mathematician, and was in the habit of
whiling away the hours of his imprisonment by solving mathematical
problems. When the guard came to turn him out, he was in the midst of
a geometrical problem. 'At least,' he begged, 'let me finish my
problem.' The request was granted; an hour later the problem was
solved, and Bedard was thrust forth from the jail.

Sir James Craig was a man of good heart and of the best intentions; but
his course throughout this episode was most unfortunate. Not only did
he fail to suppress the opposition to his government, but he did much
to embitter the relations between the two races. Craig himself seems
to have realized, even before he left Canada, that his policy had been
a mistake; for he is reported on good authority to have said 'that he
had been basely deceived, and that if it had been given to him to begin
his administration over again, he would have acted differently.' It is
{20} significant, too, that Craig's successor, Sir George Prevost,
completely reversed his policy. He laid himself out to conciliate the
French Canadians in every way possible; and he made amends to Bedard
for the injustice which he had suffered by restoring him to his rank in
the