se of disappointed local speculators,
the Home Government removed Governor Simcoe, the father of
constitutional, pure, and progressive government in Upper Canada.]

[Footnote 174: "In Upper as well as Lower Canada the first sixteen
years' experience of the new Constitution had been very encouraging. All
concerned in working it out during that period kept as clear as possible
from causes of discord. The consequence was that harmony and good
progress marked the early career of the province." (Miles' School
History of Canada, Part III., Chap. i., pp. 193, 194.)]

[Footnote 175: "Meanwhile the country had steadily prospered,
undisturbed in its forest isolation by the great European war, which was
deluging with blood a hundred battle fields and desolating thousands of
homes. By the year 1809, the population had increased to about 70,000.
Taxes were exceedingly light. The Customs revenue, derived principally
from the imports of groceries--for clothing was chiefly
home-spun--amounted to L7,000." (Withrow's History of Canada, Chap.
xxi., p. 296.)]

CHAPTER XLVII.

WAR BY THE UNITED STATES AGAINST GREAT BRITAIN, FROM 1812 TO
1815--INTRODUCTORY AND GENERAL REMARKS.

The war between Great Britain and the United States, from 1812 to 1815,
furnishes the strongest example of the present century, or of any age or
country, of the attachment of a people to their mother country, and of
their determination, at whatever sacrifice and against whatever
disparity, to maintain the national life of their connection with it.
The true spirit of _the Loyalists of America_ was never exhibited with
greater force and brilliancy than during the war of 1812-1815.

England was engaged in a death struggle for the independence of the
continental nations of Europe and the rights of mankind. At the darkest
hour of that eventful contest, when the continent was drenched with the
blood of nations, and the Tyrant had his feet upon their neck, and
England alone stood erect, taxing her resources to the utmost and
shedding her best blood for human freedom, the Democratic party in the
United States--the ever anti-British party--the pro-slavery party--the
party in the United States least subordinate to law and most inimical to
liberty--at such a crisis such a party declared war against Britain, and
forthwith invaded Canada, before the declaration of war was known in
England.

At that time the population of Lower Canada was 225,000 souls--200,000
of