South African might the Englishman who should be prepared to strengthen
his political position by an alliance with the native peoples; although
events were to prove that, when other elements of self-interest
dictated a different course, they were not unwilling to co-operate in
the interests of disorder with the French. In ecclesiastical affairs,
they supported the establishment of an Anglican Church in Canada, and
insulted religion never found more eloquent defenders than did the
Clergy Reserve establishment at the hands of Sir Allan MacNab, the
Conservative leader, and his allies. But events and their own factious
excesses had broken their power. They had allowed nothing for the
possibilities of political education, in a land where the poorest had
infinite chances of gaining independence. They scorned democracy at a
time when nothing else in politics had a stable future; and the country
naturally distrusted constitutional logicians whose conclusions
invariably landed them in the sole possession of emoluments and place.
Sydenham's quick eye foresaw the coming rout, and it was his opinion,
before the Assembly of 1841 came to make matters certain, that moderate
men would overturn the {63} sway of old Toryism, and that the wild
heads under MacNab would stultify themselves by their foolish
conduct.[62]

In Upper Canada, the Conservative and Family Compact group had to face
a vigorous Reforming opposition. It is well, however, after 1838, to
discriminate between any remnants of the old Mackenzie school, and the
men under whom Canada was to secure unrestricted self-government. The
truth is that the situation up to 1837 had been too abnormal to permit
the constitutional radicals to show themselves in their true character.
Mackenzie himself, in the rather abject letter with which he sought
reinstatement in 1848, admitted the falsity of his old position: "Had I
seen things in 1837 as I do in 1848, I would have shuddered at the very
idea of revolt, no matter what our wrongs might have been. I ought, as
a Scotsman, to have stood by the government in America to the last;
exerted any energy I possessed to make it better, more just, more
perfect; left it for a time, if too oppressive, but never tried, as I
did, to put it down."[63] Mackenzie's ideal, discovered {64} by him
too late to be very useful, was actually that of the Reforming
Loyalists who refused to indulge in treason in 1837, but who determined
to secure their end