Newfoundland, which situation had recently become vacant.[162] This
appointment was fully approved by the Earl of Ripon, under whose advice
he had been dismissed from the Attorney-Generalship of Upper
Canada,[163] but who had been induced to change his views after hearing
Mr. Boulton's explanations.

Mr. Boulton's triumph, however, was to be followed by a downfall more
humiliating than that which he had so narrowly escaped. He repaired to
Newfoundland in the autumn, and entered upon the performance of his
duties. He had not been long in his new position before he had aroused a
feeling of disgust and alarm on the part of a large proportion of the
public and the profession. He began by being arbitrary, tyrannical and
unjust. He proceeded from bad to worse, until it was found impossible to
permit him to retain his position.[164] There is no need to follow the
proceedings adopted against him. He was not finally got rid of until
1838, when he returned to Upper Canada, and once more entered political
life as member for Niagara. The Home Government turned a deaf ear to his
perpetual applications for employment, and would have nothing more to do
with him. Some years after the Union of the Provinces, finding that he
had nothing to hope for from the Conservative party, who refused to
elevate him to a judgeship, he abandoned them, and for some time acted
with Mr. Baldwin. It seems almost cruel to record the fact that he
supported Responsible Government and the Rebellion Losses Bill.

FOOTNOTES:

[148] _Ante_, p. 229.

[149] "When, in the year 1831, His Majesty was graciously pleased to
suggest a further provision for the Civil List, which the Colonial
Ministry required to be made either for seven years or for the life of
His Majesty, the terms of the proposition were not candidly submitted to
the Assembly, and notwithstanding the strenuous exertions of those who
desired to make no provision at variance with the spirit of our
constitution, the Executive influence in the Assembly succeeded in
carrying a measure for a permanent and extravagant supply, popularly
called 'the Everlasting Salary Bill,' while the liberal and gracious
terms proposed by His Majesty on the subject were concealed and known
only to those who, feeling themselves to be above responsibility,
consummated a measure which has spread universal dissatisfaction and
distrust. If this undue and impolitic concealment was practised from any
pretended apprehension that