England,
through New Brunswick, by way of the River St. John. He received
several valedictory addresses speaking of him in the highest terms,
from the French Canadian population, but the British who were annoyed
about Plattsburgh stood aloof, while the office holders secretly
rejoiced that his rule had terminated. Lieut.-General Sir Gordon
Drummond succeeded Sir George Prevost in the government of Lower
Canada, the Lieutenant-Governorship of Upper Canada being again in the
hands of His Excellency, Francis Gore, Esquire. General Drummond
convened the parliament of Upper Canada on the 15th of February, 1814.
The first Act of that parliament was one to repeal part of the laws in
force for raising and training the militia. All the male inhabitants of
the province, from 16 to 60 years of age, were liable to militia duty,
but no person over 50 years of age was to be called out except on
occasions of emergency. The militia were not to be ordered out of the
province unless for the assistance of Lower Canada, when actually
invaded, or in a state of insurrection, or except in pursuit of an
enemy who had invaded the province, or for the destruction of any
vessel either built or building, or for the destruction of any depot or
magazine, formed or forming, or for the attack of any enemy invading
the province, or for the attack of any fortress in the course of
erection or already erected, to cover such invasion of the province.
Justices of the Peace were authorised to impress carriages and horses;
twenty shillings a day to be paid for every carriage with two horses,
or oxen with a driver; fifteen shillings to be paid for every carriage
and two horses or oxen; and for every horse employed singly, seven
shillings and six pence was to be paid a day, on a certificate from the
officer employing them, to the Collector of Customs, and received by
the Receiver General of the province. A penalty was imposed on persons
using traitorous or disrespectful words against His Majesty or against
any member of the royal family, or for behaving with contempt or
disrespect to the Governor while on duty. Death was to be the
punishment for exciting to sedition or mutiny; and either death or such
other punishment as a Court Martial might award, was the punishment to
be awarded for being present at any meeting without endeavoring to
suppress it, or give information, or for deserting to the enemy. And
Quakers, Menonists, and Tunkers, were to pay L10 for their