with no offence or irregularity which could disqualify him from sitting
and voting.[174] He produced the attested copy of the oath, and bade the
Sergeant-at-Arms interfere at his peril. The following is Mackenzie's
own account of what ensued; and, unlike most of his narratives, it is in
all substantial respects confirmed by several eye-witnesses. "He [the
Sergeant-at-Arms] said he must use force, and he did so in as gentle a
manner as was consistent with the act. Although his proceedings were
illegal, his whole conduct in carrying them into effect was marked by a
discretion wisely adopted in the excited state of the minds of the dense
audience by whom he was surrounded. I almost immediately returned to the
seat I had occupied, and while on my way was seized hold of by Colonel
Frazer, Collector of Customs at Brockville, and obliged to change my
route. Before I had got well seated, one of the members, I think Mr.
Boulton[175] moved that the Speaker take the chair. He did so, and I
addressed him, stating the insult I had received while in the
performance of my duty as a member. To this he made no reply, but said
that the Sergeant-at-Arms must know his duty. He then left the chair;
the Committee resumed, and I was a second time forced from my seat by
violent means. After a little reflection I decided to resume my seat;
was a third time forced from it by the Sergeant-at-Arms, and when the
Speaker had returned I was placed at the bar, charged by the
Sergeant-at-Arms with refusing to leave the House."[176] The
Sergeant-at-Arms then reported to the Speaker that he had taken into
custody William Lyon Mackenzie for disorderly conduct, and that he had
him in charge at the bar; whereupon it was moved by Mr. Samson, and
seconded by Mr. Vankoughnet, member for Stormont, that William Lyon
Mackenzie, having been brought to the bar of the House by the
Sergeant-at-Arms for disorderly conduct, be called upon to state what he
might have to say in his defence. To this motion Mr. Perry moved an
amendment to the effect that Mackenzie was under no legal
disqualifications, and had a right to sit and vote in the House. Then
followed a long debate which lasted nearly six hours,[177] and which
left the question at issue pretty nearly where it had been. Mr. Perry's
motion was lost by a vote of twenty-one to fifteen. A dense crowd
occupied the gallery until far into the night, but good order was
preserved, the only demonstration being a subdued hiss