while Mr. William
B. Robinson, member for Simcoe, and brother of the Chief Justice, was
speaking. Much rancour was exhibited by some of the Tory speakers,
several of whom approved their loyalty by inveighing loudly against the
Lieutenant-Governor for permitting the Clerk of the Executive Council to
administer the oath to Mackenzie. Allan MacNab declared his intention to
vote for committing Mackenzie to the common jail. Casting his eyes up to
the gallery, he scowled at the occupants, to whom he referred as a band
of ruffians who had come there to intimidate the House. The
Lieutenant-Governor, he said, had interfered very improperly, and in a
manner no way creditable to himself. He had acted like the Vicar of
Bray, and might yet find, like that individual, that by taking both
sides of a question he might fall through between. Mr. Samson, member
for Hastings, spoke to a similar purport, declaring himself to be in
favour of sending Mackenzie to jail without a hearing, and referring to
the Lieutenant-Governor in terms of strong censure. "His Excellency,"
remarked Mr. Samson, "knew perfectly well that Mr. Mackenzie had been
expelled by us, and for him to allow the oath to be administered under
such circumstances was a most unwarrantable proceeding. He had no right
whatever to interfere. I do say he acted a most improper part, and I do
not know but this House ought to take it up." When Mackenzie attempted
to speak at the bar, William Hamilton Merritt, member for Haldimand,
rose in much anger, and exclaimed: "Drown his voice. He ought to be put
out of the House, and two men stationed continually at the door to keep
him out." Absalom Shade, of Galt, member for Halton, was of the same
opinion. The speech of the member for Simcoe, which evoked the hiss from
the gallery as already mentioned, was perhaps the most violent of all.
He advocated that Mackenzie should be punished and consigned to jail
without being allowed to utter "one single word" in defence of his
outrageous proceedings. "Mackenzie," said he, "would never have dared to
show himself in this House again if he had not had his Excellency's
sanction for doing so in his pocket. His Excellency's conduct, I
maintain, has been utterly unjustifiable. Indeed, I could not have
believed it possible that his Excellency should have thought of taking
such a step without consulting the Speaker of this House. He had no
right whatever to do so, and now that he is told that we do not
reco