through their fears. If anything was to be effected by means of a
demonstration, the number of persons taking part in it must be
sufficiently numerous to overawe, and if necessary to coerce, the
Government.

Some weeks appear to have elapsed before any scheme was definitely fixed
upon and approved by all the nine or ten persons concerned, who thus
took upon themselves the responsibility of directing the future course
of our colonial polity. The understanding arrived at was that the time
of holding the proposed convention in Toronto would also be the
appropriate time for making the proposed demonstration. The convention
would afford a reasonable pretext for the assembling of great numbers of
Reformers at the capital. It will be remembered that no definite time
had been fixed upon for the holding of the convention. It was now
settled that it should be held early in the spring of the year 1838.
When the gathering should be complete, it was proposed to wait upon the
Government, as the barons waited on King John at Runnymede, and wring
from them their assent to a constitution founded upon the propositions
embodied in the Declaration. It was agreed that if this assent should be
obtained, Sir Francis Head was, at any rate temporarily, to be left
undisturbed in his position of Lieutenant-Governor, but that the
Executive Council should be altogether remodelled, and that Rolph,
Bidwell and Mackenzie should have seats therein. The Government was to
be carried on upon the principle of Executive responsibility to the
Assembly. This re-adjustment was to be followed by a general election,
after which the future of the colony would be in the hands of the
Assembly.

But how if the Government would not be coerced? What was to be done if
they refused to be dictated to? In that case there was only one course
open. The Lieutenant-Governor and his Council were to be seized with
_as_ little violence as possible. A Provisional Government was to be
formed with Dr. Rolph at its head, provided that that gentleman could be
induced to accept the position. It was not believed that the carrying
out of this project would necessarily involve any sacrifice of life, for
the force at the disposal of the Provisional Government would be such as
to render any opposition futile. Moreover, the bulk of the population of
the capital were known to be favourable to Reform principles, and it was
believed that they would readily take part in the movement if they sa