s of these Provinces which may be appointed to sit and
deliberate on matters of mutual interest to the colonies during the
present year." The Declaration was not submitted, as final judgment had
not been passed upon it by those who had it in charge. After a long and
busy session, the assemblage adjourned to meet in the same place on the
evening of Monday, the 31st.

It was matter of much regret among the Radical leaders that Dr. Rolph
had not up to this time taken any active part in their deliberations. He
was known to be in sympathy with the project of a movement in concert
with the Lower Canadians for the purpose of impressing the Imperial
Government with the necessity of changing their colonial policy. He had
become the trusted counsellor of all the leading Radicals, who looked up
to him as the one man in the Province who was capable of directing any
large or wise measure of Reform. But he had not identified himself with
them by actual cooeperation in their projects, and had attended none of
their secret meetings, although he was kept fully informed of all that
occurred thereat. The Radicals, recognizing how much would be gained by
securing the presence among them of Rolph and Bidwell, resolved to press
both those gentlemen into service. At the adjourned meeting on the
evening of the 31st, the movement made considerable progress. The
Declaration was formally adopted clause by clause. According to a
contemporary newspaper report,[280] it "called forth from the meeting
the most unequivocal marks of approbation." As already mentioned, one of
its clauses recommended the holding of a convention at Toronto. A
resolution was accordingly unanimously adopted appointing Rolph,
Bidwell, Dr. Morrison, James Lesslie and others as delegates to the
proposed convention. This, it was confidently believed, would have the
effect of identifying Rolph and Bidwell with the Radical cause, for it
was not thought that either of them would refuse to attend as delegates.
Other resolutions were adopted with a view to placing the party in a
state of efficient organization throughout the Province. The persons who
had previously appended their names to the Declaration[281] were
appointed "a permanent Committee of Vigilance, for this city and
liberties, and to carry into immediate and practical effect the
resolutions of this meeting for the effectual organization of the
Reformers of Upper Canada." John Elliott, a Toronto scrivener, who was
also Ass