to believe that, if the inquiry
had been proceeded with, Mackenzie would have made good his boast, and
that a disgraceful exposure of Executive corruption would have been
made.

One of the significant measures of the session was an Act to prevent the
dissolution of the Provincial Parliament upon the demise of the Crown.
The desire of the Executive for such an enactment arose in this manner.
During the brief election campaign of the preceding summer the most
tempting promises had been made to the electors on behalf of the
Government. This had been done with the full knowledge and consent--nay,
probably at the instigation--of the members of the Government
themselves. The fulfilment of some of the promises would have been
feasible enough. Others had been as absurdly impossible of fulfilment as
were Jack Cade's pledges that seven halfpenny loaves should be sold for
a penny, and that the three-hooped pot should have ten hoops. The
Government now realized that their performances were far from being
commensurate with the promises so lavishly made. In the event of a new
election taking place within the next few months it would be easy for
the Reformers to make out a strong case, and it would be hard for the
Government party to reply thereto with effect. It seemed not improbable
that a new election might erelong become necessary, for King William the
Fourth was more than three score and ten years old, and was known to be
in a state of health which rendered it unlikely that he would live much
longer. Now, his death, in the ordinary course of things, would bring
about a dissolution and a general election, and this was the contingency
against which it was thought desirable to guard. A measure was
accordingly passed whereby it was enacted "That the Parliament of this
Province shall not in any case be deemed to be determined or dissolved
by the death or demise of His Majesty, his heirs or successors; nor
shall any session of the Parliament of this Province be deemed to be
determined, or the proceedings therein pending in any manner abated,
interrupted or affected by the demise of His Majesty, his heirs or
successors; but notwithstanding such death or demise the Parliament of
this Province shall continue, and, if sitting, shall proceed to act
until dissolved or prorogued in the usual manner, or until the legal
expiration of the term of such Parliament." The Reformers fought this
Bill inch by inch on its way through the Assembly, but