Armstrong, William Ketchum and W. L. Mackenzie.

[282] At a meeting held in the township of Caledon, however, during the
second week in August, a very outspoken resolution was discussed. After
setting out with some general principles as to the duties of kings,
governors and subjects, it ran as follows:--"If the redress of our
wrongs can be otherwise obtained, the people of Upper Canada have not a
just cause to use force. But the highest obligation of a citizen being
to preserve the community, and every other political duty being derived
from, and subordinate to it, every citizen is bound to defend his
country against its enemies, both foreign and domestic. When a
government is engaged in systematically oppressing a people, and
destroying their securities against future oppression, it commits the
same species of wrong to them which warrants an appeal to force against
a foreign enemy. The history of England and of this continent is not
wanting in examples by which the rulers and the ruled may see that,
although the people have been often willing to endure bad government
with patience, there are legal and constitutional limits to that
endurance. The glorious revolutions obstinately persisting in
withholding from their subjects adequate security for good government,
although obviously necessary for the permanence of that blessing, that
they are placing themselves in a state of hostility against the
governed; and that to prolong a state of irresponsibility and
insecurity, such as existed in England during the reign of James II.,
and as now exists in Lower Canada, is a dangerous act of aggression
against a people. A magistrate who degenerates into a systematic
oppressor, and shuts the gates of justice on the public, thereby
restores them to their original right of defending themselves, for he
withholds the protection of the law, and so forfeits his claim to
enforce their obedience by the authority of law."--For the text of this
resolution I am indebted to Mr. Lindsey. See his _Life of Mackenzie_,
vol. ii., p. 27, note.

[283] Mr. Lindsey places the number at two hundred. See _Life of
Mackenzie_, vol. ii., p. 32. I have not been able to find any trace of
more than 117. Mackenzie seems to have been present at fully half of
these.

[284] _Ante_, p. 256.

[285] _Ante_, p. 362.

[286] _The Emigrant_, p. 157.

[287] John Elliott, in his testimony on Dr. Morrison's trial, places the
date in October; and I have evidence in m