ted boast of the Founder of the Province about the Upper Canadian
constitution being "the very image and transcript of that of Great
Britain"[131] seemed the hollowest mockery when viewed in the light of
events which had become a matter of frequent occurrence.

It was not only to the thumbs of political opponents that the Executive
screw was applied. When occasion arose it was applied with surprising
energy and vigour to the thumbs of those who had long been obedient
slaves of the Administration. Nothing more clearly shows the shameless
exercise of power on the part of the faction: nothing more clearly
proves the complete subordination of their tools, and the depths of
degradation to which public men could be made to stoop: than an episode
which occurred during the Parliamentary session of 1828. The persons
chiefly involved were the Hon. James Baby, who was himself
Inspector-General of Public Accounts and senior member of the Executive
Council, and ex-Chief Justice Powell. It has already been explained that
the first-named personage had for some time past ceased to carry any
great weight at the Council Board, where he had been to a considerable
extent superseded by his juniors.[132] His seniority was merely in point
of time, and his influence on the policy of the Government was as
insignificant as it possibly could be, consistently with the position
which he held. He keenly felt his having been, so to speak, thrust into
the background, and in several instances showed a disposition to assert
himself by acting independently. A similar feeling, but milder in
degree, animated the breast of the ex-Chief Justice, whose place as
principal lay adviser of the Lieutenant-Governor had long since been
taken by Attorney-General Robinson. During the session of 1823-4 he had
seen fit to protest against a School Bill passed by the Assembly, under
which Dr. Strachan was intended to and did actually derive a sinecure
salary of three hundred pounds a year. His protest, at his own urgent
request, was entered on the journal, where it seemed likely to remain a
perpetual memento of his independence and of the servility of his
colleagues. But this was by no means desired by the Lieutenant-Governor
and the Attorney-General. Pressure was brought to bear upon the
recalcitrant member, under the influence of which he was forced to
succumb. He consented that the protest should be erased from the
journal, and it was erased accordingly.[133] But a stil