, in conjunction with Dr. Morrison, was chiefly
responsible for the existence of the Report. "I thought," writes Sir
Francis,[220] "that of course he would be too happy to discuss with me
the contents of his own book, but his mind seemed to nauseate its
subjects even more than Mr. Bidwell's. Afraid to look me in the face, he
sat, with his feet not reaching the ground, and with his countenance
averted from me, at an angle of about seventy degrees; while, with the
eccentricity, the volubility, and indeed the appearance of a madman, the
tiny creature raved about grievances here and grievances there, which
the Committee, he said, had not ventured to enumerate." This was a
revelation to the Lieutenant-Governor, and set him thinking. He
attempted to discuss the merits of the Report with various persons, but
encountered what was to him an inexplicable reluctance to talk about it.
All were ready to discuss the grievances themselves, but no leading
Reformer was disposed to admit the Report into the discussion. The
reason of this was doubtless because the Report had been chiefly
fathered by Mackenzie, and they were unwilling to accept him as their
mouthpiece. As for Mackenzie's own disinclination to enter into a
discussion of the matter, it probably arose from a feeling that it would
be unwise for him to tie himself down to a particular record, beyond
which he would not be permitted to travel. Sir Francis, writing three
years afterwards, declares that "the light of truth" at once burst upon
his mind, and that he perceived that the Grievance Report was a mere
pretext for Rebellion.[221] It is quite clear that he perceived nothing
of the kind, and that "the light of truth" was a mere after-thought with
him. It is impossible for one in his sober senses to see what does not
exist, and at this time there was no purpose of rebellion in the heart
of anyone with whom the Lieutenant-Governor came in contact--not even in
the heart of Mackenzie himself, who might easily have been conciliated
by wisdom and prudence. Had Sir Francis been half as clever and astute
as he professed to believe himself to be--nay, had he even been fairly
honest and truthful, and possessed of the most ordinary good
sense--there would probably have been no such thing as an Upper Canadian
Rebellion.

He had not been a fortnight in the country when suggestions began to be
made to him from various quarters as to the membership of the Executive
Council. That body, for t