ouring out oceans of words in the form of replies. The concluding
sentence of his reply to an address from certain electors of the Home
District is eminently characteristic of the man. Portions of the
already-mentioned letter from Papineau to Bidwell had seemed to point to
a possible invasion of the Province by inhabitants of the United States.
This idea was eagerly seized upon by Sir Francis, as indicative of
concerted action between the hypothetical invaders and the Upper
Canadian Radicals. "In the name of every regiment of militia in Upper
Canada," said he--"_Let them come if they dare!_"[236] Nothing but
actual perusal of his despatches will afford any accurate idea of his
blatant self-confidence at this time. It is quite evident that he
regarded the above-quoted reply as a master-stroke of vigorous
diplomacy. He drew special attention to it in a communication to Lord
Glenelg, in the course of which he made use of language which must have
almost stunned the conventional and decorous Colonial Secretary. "I am
aware," he wrote, "that the answer may be cavilled at in Downing Street,
for I know it is not exactly according to Hoyle. _Mais, man seigneur,
croyez-vous done qu'on fasse des revolutions avec de l'eau de
rose?_"[237] The tone of his despatches is from first to last
extraordinary. It would seem as if they ought to have told their own
miserable tale of superficiality and unfitness to the Colonial
Secretary. In announcing the probability of an early dissolution of the
Provincial Parliament, Sir Francis requests his Lordship to send him no
orders on the subject, but to allow him to work the matter in his own
way.[238] The Opposition are constantly referred to in such phrases as
"the republicans in the House of Assembly," and "the revolutionists of
Upper Canada."[239] His Lordship is warned that if the demands of the
Opposition be complied with in the matter of Executive responsibility,
"democracy, in the worst possible form, will prevail in our
colonies."[240] "In South America," he remarks, "truth and justice
carried me through difficulties even greater than those I have now to
contend with, and I have the firmest reliance they will again be
triumphant."[241] In another despatch[242] his Lordship is notified that
Robert Baldwin, who is referred to as an agent of "the revolutionary
party," is about to start for London. "It is stated," writes Sir
Francis, "that he goes there for the recovery of his health, but it is