of
England. He addressed the landowners of Upper Canada for information.
He sent circulars to the people, but unfortunately made allusion to the
able resolutions brought forward at the close of the last session of
the provincial parliament. He brought the matter before the parliament
itself, but that body having been suddenly prorogued, by Governor Gore,
the idea of a convention suggested itself to Mr. Gourlay. The Executive
of Upper Canada took alarm. The desire, for a knowledge of the
condition, circumstances, and requirements of the townships and
districts, was in connection with some radical schemes for upsetting
British authority in the Canadas. Mr. Guthrie was misrepresented and,
with the view of creating a general panic, he was arrested.
Nevertheless, deputies were chosen and a convention was held at York.
In this convention the political restraints to which the colonists were
liable were fully discussed. There was undoubted mismanagement on the
part of the executive government, and Gourlay advised a petition to the
Prince Regent, soliciting the appointment of a commission from England
to make enquiries. Such a proposal could not fail to give offence.
Gourlay was arrested and carried before the most virulent of his
political enemies. He was tried and twice acquitted, but the _London
Courier_, of the 8th of July, 1818, arrived, in which he was alluded
to as "one of the worthies, who had _escaped_ after the
disgraceful proceedings of Spa-fields." That was enough. Mr. Gourlay
was brought before a magistrate, Mr. Dickson, M.P. "Do you know Mr.
Cobbett?" asked the magistrate. "Yes," answered the culprit. "Do you
know Mr. Hunt?" "Yes." "Were you at Spa-fields?" "Yes." "Were you ever
in Ireland?" "Yes." "Were you lately in the Lower Province?" "Yes."
"Were you lately in the United States?" "Yes." "Was it you that wrote
the article in the _Spectator_, headed "Gagged, gagged by jingo?""
"It was." "Then," said Mr. Dickson to his fellow magistrates, "it is my
opinion that Mr. Gourlay is a man of desperate fortune, and would stick
at nothing to raise insurrection in the province." He was committed to
gaol charged with treasonable practices! There was then, indeed, no
real liberty in the province, and Mr. Gourlay had made use of words
which only could be used safely in England. The magistracy were
completely in the hands of the Executive Council, and a considerable
number of both Houses were inclined to do whatever they were o