the
question in dispute, and that the Executive Council, in amoving him from
office, had not acted in excess of their authority. Under such
circumstances his return to Upper Canada was of course out of the
question; but as his conduct was attributed to error of judgment rather
than to any serious dereliction from duty, he received an appointment to
a judgeship in the South American colony of Demerara.

From all the circumstances, then, it is clear that Judge Willis, though
he was in some sense a victim of Executive intolerance in Upper Canada,
was himself largely to blame for his downfall, to which he contributed
by his want of caution and calm good sense. But many of the
circumstances detailed in the present chapter were unknown to the bulk
of the Canadian people, by whom he was regarded as a martyr to his
upright and liberal principles. His amoval produced a wider excitement
than any event since Gourlay's time. It tended greatly to embitter
public opinion, and was unquestionably a strong factor in producing the
discontent which ultimately found expression in open rebellion. For this
reason it has been thought desirable to go somewhat minutely into
details which are in themselves fraught with instruction, and as to
which the people of Canada, even at the present day, are very
inadequately informed.

[Sidenote: 1829.]

Mr. Willis felt his defeat very keenly, more especially as he had
confidently looked forward to a successful termination of his appeal. At
his instigation the subject was brought before the attention of the
House of Commons by Lord Milton, on Tuesday, the 11th day of May,
1830.[115] Sir George's Murray's explanation, which involved a narrative
of the circumstances in detail, proved satisfactory to the House, and
the matter was allowed to drop. But the amoved Judge was fated to have
greater reasons still for deploring that he had ever taken up his abode
in Canada, as his residence there led to the rupture of his family ties
and the total wreck of his domestic happiness. It will be remembered
that Lady Mary and her child, together with Miss Willis, had remained at
York. Upon learning the decision of the Privy Council in his case, Mr.
Willis wrote to his wife and sister, requesting them to dispose of his
house there, and to return home as speedily as possible. During the long
interval which had elapsed since the ex-Judge's departure for England,
the two ladies had been left to amuse themselves as best th