in Canadian history."[265] It was delivered on the 30th of
January, 1837. It dealt in most trenchant fashion with the various
abuses which had been practised during the elections. The serio-comic
tone which pervaded a great part of it evoked roars of laughter, while
its more earnest passages aroused the most conflicting feelings in the
minds of the auditors. True oratory is never altogether fruitless, and
it would seem as if this powerful speech must have given the spur to
feelings which, sooner or later, were bound to produce specific results.
So far, however, as any immediate effects upon the action of the House
were concerned, it might as well have remained unuttered. The report was
adopted by a vote of more than two-thirds of the members present, and
the Lieutenant-Governor stood officially exonerated from blame.

Among other matters presented for the consideration of the Assembly was
a petition from Mr. Mackenzie. Ever since the election, he had publicly
announced his determination to petition against the return in the Second
Riding of York. He was prevented by illness from filing his memorial
within the prescribed period, and an extension of time was obtained on
his behalf. He got together a great mass of evidence, some portions of
which the Government would certainly have found it hard to answer to the
public satisfaction. He was jubilant, and openly boasted that he would
expose such a mass of corruption as would make the country stare aghast.
He was however so intent on collecting evidence and on discounting his
contemplated triumph over his enemies that he failed to enter into the
necessary recognizance until the allotted period for doing so had
elapsed. The statute governing the case required that the petitioner
should enter into recognizance within fourteen days from the
presentation of the petition. In this case the petition was presented on
the 20th of December, 1836, so that the fourteen days expired on the 3rd
of January, 1837. "If at the expiration of the said fourteen days"--so
ran the statute--"such recognizance shall not have been entered into,
the Speaker shall report the same to the House, and the order for
taking such petition into consideration shall thereupon be discharged;
unless, upon matter specially stated and verified to the satisfaction of
the House, the House shall see cause to enlarge the time for entering
into such recognizance." Accordingly, on the opening of the House on
Wednesday, the