Toronto, at which Dr. Baldwin and Mr. John
Galt,[111] with their wives, were appointed a Committee to watch over
the interests and insure the protection of Lady Mary and her family
during the absence of her lord; and Robert Baldwin was added to the
Committee as her Ladyship's solicitor.

Judge Willis took his departure from York on the 11th of July. As he
expected that he would very soon be able to procure from the Colonial
Office a reversal of his "amoval," and that he would be reinstated in
his judgeship, to the great discomfiture of the Lieutenant-Governor and
his satellites, he did not think it necessary that his family should
accompany him to England. The suitable disposal of the members of his
household was an embarrassing problem for him. In good sooth, he was in
a situation somewhat analogous to the man in the familiar old story, who
came to the bank of a wide stream, having in his possession a fox, a
goose, and a bag of corn. The application is easy. Mrs. Willis and Lady
Mary could by no means be left to keep house together unless the head of
the establishment was near at hand to keep the peace between them. The
relations between Lady Mary and Miss Willis, though far from amicable,
were somewhat less strained. Mr. Willis accordingly took with him his
mother only, leaving his wife, child and sister behind him; though it is
to be presumed that the above-mentioned Committee had a sinecure, so far
as any special attendance upon or protection over Lady Mary was
concerned.

A series of acrimonious despatches from the Lieutenant-Governor preceded
Mr. Willis across the Atlantic. For weeks--probably for months--before
the delivery of his unfortunate decision, the espionage system had been
put in full operation against him, and measures had been taken to watch
his personal habits and pastimes. There had been a firm determination to
effect his ruin,[112] and the strong suspicion that such was the case
had done much to array a majority of the inhabitants on his side. "It is
my duty to state to you in the most decided terms," wrote Sir Peregrine
Maitland to the Colonial Secretary, on the 6th of July, "that his [Mr.
Willis's] restitution to office, while it would be received by the most
portion of the population as a triumph over the Government which Mr.
Willis has ungratefully and wantonly insulted, would be most pernicious
to the peace of this colony, and an act of the most aggravating
injustice to those faithful servant