. He is referred to by Dr. Scadding in _Toronto of
Old_, p. 51, as "a man of fine culture, spoken of affectionately by
those who knew him." A picture of him in his decline is presented on
page 130 of the same work.

[53] For a full account of these infamous proceedings, the reader is
referred to _The Upper Canada Guardian_ of February 6th and March 18th,
1808, quoted by Gourlay in his _Statistical Account_, Vol. 2, pp.
655-662.

[54] See an extract from the minutes of the proceedings in the Assembly,
10th March, 1810, quoted by Gourlay, Vol. 2, pp. 328, 329. See also
Gourlay's remarks thereon, Vol. 2, pp. 334, 335.

[55] There is reason to believe that the discontent begotten of the
abuse of power in Canada was one of the inducements to this attempt on
the part of the United States, the Government of which was led to
believe that Canadians generally would welcome any relief from the yoke
which the Compact had placed upon their necks.

[56] _History of Canada_, p. 243.

CHAPTER IV.

FATHERS OF REFORM.

The history of Upper Canada, from the time of Mr. Gourlay's banishment,
in 1819, down to the actual outbreak of rebellion, is largely made up of
a succession of abuses on the part of the Executive, and of more or less
passive endurance on the part of the great body of the people. As has
been intimated, the Gourlay prosecutions and their attendant
circumstances aroused much popular indignation, and led to the formation
of an organized Opposition. During the session of 1820 the "Gagging
Bill," as it was called, which had been introduced and carried through
the Assembly under the auspices of Mr. Jonas Jones[57] two years before,
was repealed,[58] and the holding of conventions was no longer
prohibited by law. It is a fact worth mentioning that Attorney-General
Robinson was the only member who recorded his vote against the repealing
statute, whereas at the time of the enactment of the original repressive
law in 1818 only one vote had been given against it. Such a change of
opinion among the members of the Assembly within so brief a space of
time is in itself significant of the progress of liberal views among the
people generally.

The vote on this repealing statute was somewhat of a surprise to the
authorities. It was evident that Reform sentiment was growing, and that
many persons who had never been classed as Reformers were weary of the
long reign of tyranny. It was not the policy of the Compact, however, t