A number of the most pronounced Radicals resolved
to make a strong representation of election and other abuses to the
British House of Commons, and to that end sent Dr. Charles Duncombe to
England. Dr. Duncombe had been re-elected for Oxford, but had had to
contend against similar influences to those which had been employed in
other constituencies, and was thus able to speak of the partisan conduct
of the Lieutenant-Governor's emissaries from personal observation. He
prepared a statement of the case against Sir Francis, which was laid
before the House of Commons by Mr. Hume. The Colonial Secretary
despatched a copy of it to Sir Francis for explanations. It is unlikely
that Dr. Duncombe's mission would have been a successful one under any
circumstances, but he made the mistake of protesting too much. The
greater part of the indictment could easily have been substantiated
before any impartial tribunal, but it also contained charges which,
whether true or not, the prosecutor was unable to prove. As mentioned on
a former page[260], the matter was referred to a Committee of the
Provincial Assembly, by whom the Lieutenant-Governor was completely
exonerated. A further reference to the matter will be made in connection
with the proceedings of the following session.

The Lieutenant-Governor was meanwhile engaged in a voluminous
correspondence with the Colonial Secretary. The subjects dealt with
therein were many and various. Perhaps the most important of all was
the Lower Canadian Commission of Inquiry. The Commissioners had made a
report in which they had recommended the concession of Responsible
Government, and other much-needed Reforms. As previously mentioned, Sir
Francis had no sympathy with these views, and distinctly repudiated the
policy thus recommended. The idea of a responsible Executive was utterly
repugnant to him. He erelong perceived that the Imperial Government
would sooner or later yield to the imperative demand made on behalf of
the different British North American colonies, but he determined to
fight against it as long as opposition was possible, and his despatches
teem with what he doubtless regarded as arguments on the negative side.
He predicted the most serious results if the policy of the Commissioners
was adopted. The language of the Ninety-two resolutions of the Lower
Canada Assembly he pronounced to be not only insulting to the British
Government, but traitorous. He proposed various measures for
establ