lled to return home. At the request of a
number of the inhabitants he carried with him to England a petition
complaining of certain abuses of power there. For this he was discarded
by the Ministry of the day. His appointment as Chief Justice was
cancelled, and another judge was sent out to West Africa in his stead.
The rest of his life was passed in obscurity and neglect, and when he
died his family were left without any provision for their future. Such
was the untoward fate of an honourable and high-minded man, whose only
fault was that he was too pure for the times in which he lived, and for
the people among whom his lot was cast.

Another early victim, whose life record seems to contradict the adage
that honesty is the best policy, was Surveyor-General Wyatt. There is no
need to go minutely into the particulars of his case. He was universally
recognized as a competent and honest official, insomuch that it was
currently said of him that he was too good for the masters whom he
served. But he ventured to interfere on behalf of one of the
subordinates in his office, who had been refused a stipend to which Mr.
Wyatt considered him entitled. Then, he presumed to oppose the Council
in respect of an irregular purchase of a large tract of land from the
Mississauga Indians. Finally, he went so far as to profess a high degree
of respect for the manly and independent conduct of Judge Thorpe. The
secret conclave speedily pronounced his doom. No one ventured to allege
any fault against him, yet he was deprived of his situation by the
Lieutenant-Governor, and a pliable tool was installed in his office.

Joseph Willcocks had a more bitter experience still. He was an Irishman,
of liberal education, and of much energy of character, whose influence
in official circles was wide enough to obtain for him the post of
Sheriff of the Home District. For several years no occasion for any
difference of opinion arose between him and his superiors. He was known
as a competent officer, who discharged his duties with great
consideration for the impecunious and unfortunate. But his frequent
official peregrinations through the Home District enabled him to see
with his own eyes the disastrous effects of the Clergy Reserves, of the
land-granting system, and of Family Compact domination generally; and on
several occasions he had sufficient courage to express his opinions
thereupon. Attempts were made to silence him, first by remonstrances,
and afterwar