n emanating from his professional
colleague, and when he had been placed in possession of the latter's
views he was able to contemplate a rising of the people with much
greater complacency than before. The idea gradually took form and shape
in his mind. At Mackenzie's urgent request he gave him a letter
introducing Jesse Lloyd to Dr. E. B. O'Callaghan, of Montreal, who was
editor of a Radical newspaper, and known to be favourable to
insurrection. Lloyd was about to start from his home in the township of
King on one of his expeditions to the Lower Province, to confer with the
leaders of the insurrectionary movements there. This was sometime during
the third week in October.

Dr. Morrison, having thus put his hand to the plough, regarded himself
as in a measure pledged to support the cause of the people, if they were
really bent on subverting the Government. One day about a fortnight
later he received an urgent message from Dr. Rolph to call at the
latter's house on Lot (Queen) Street. Upon repairing thither he found
Rolph and Mackenzie in conference with Lloyd, who _had_ just returned
from the Lower Province with a letter to Mackenzie from Thomas Storrow
Brown, one of the directors of the insurrectionary movement there. The
letter seemed, on the surface, to be a mere business communication, but
its phraseology had a secret meaning understood by Mackenzie, who
expounded it to the others. Lloyd supplemented the letter by certain
verbal communications. It appeared that the Lower Canadians were
prepared to act, but they wished the Upper Canadian Radicals to make the
first move, so as to divert attention from their proceedings. This would
involve grave consequences, and could not be resolved upon all in a
moment. After some consideration, it was agreed that Rolph, Morrison and
Mackenzie should meet at Morrison's house on Newgate (Adelaide) Street
that same evening to take serious counsel together. The meeting was held
as agreed upon. Rolph and Morrison pointed out to Mackenzie the
momentous consequences which would flow from acting on the suggestion
from Lower Canada. They expressed some doubt as to whether the people
were really sufficiently desirous of a change to risk their liberties
and lives in a rebellion, and they pointed out the disastrous
consequences of failure. Mackenzie, however, who possessed much better
opportunities for judging as to the bent of popular opinion among the
Radicals, would hardly listen to such re