by his Executive
Council of five; so that the Government of Upper Canada was practically
an oligarchy, irresponsible alike to Governor and people, each member
receiving L100 per annum as Councillor, besides the lands he was able to
obtain. Yet the Government, upon the whole, was satisfactory to the
country, and commanded for many years the support of its elected
representatives.

When General Hunter first met the Parliament in Toronto, the 2nd of
June, 1800, the growth of Upper Canada having been rapid, its population
now numbered upwards of 50,000. This year, 1800, the Legislature passed
an Act prohibiting the sale of spirituous liquors to the Indians. In
1802, the Legislature of Upper Canada, as had that of Lower Canada,
passed an Act appropriating L750 to encourage the growth of hemp, in
order to render England independent of Russia in the supply of hemp for
cordage for the navy, as was being rapidly the case in the supply of
timber to build ships. As obstructions on the St. Lawrence rendered
communication more difficult between Upper and Lower Canada than with
Albany and New York, articles of commerce from Europe could be more
readily brought in by that route than by the St. Lawrence; a
considerable trade sprang up with the United States, which rendered
necessary the establishment of custom-houses on the frontiers.
Accordingly, ports of entry were established at Cornwall, Brockville,
Kingston, Toronto, Niagara, Queenston, Fort Erie, Turkey Point,
Amherstburg, and Sandwich, the duties being the same on American as on
English goods. The Governor was authorized to appoint collectors, at
salaries not exceeding L100 currency per annum, except when the amount
of duties collected at a port was less than L100, in which case the
collector was allowed one-half of the amount collected in lieu of
salary.

In 1807 Parliament made provision for eight masters of grammar schools,
one for each district, and at a salary of L100 currency ($400) for each
master.

In the meantime emigration continued large. Many of the emigrants were
from the United States. The troubles of '98 in Ireland were followed by
a large Irish emigration to Canada; there were also a considerable
number of Scotch and a few English emigrants; but the larger number of
emigrants were from Ireland and the United States.[174]

The Legislature continued from session to session to pass Bills for the
various improvements of the country; after doing which its members