ous intent and to endeavor to alienate the minds of His Majesty's
subjects, and directing the officers appointed to enforce the act lately
passed by the Legislature for the better security of the province
against all seditious attempts to be vigilant in the discharge of their
duties. Joseph Edwards of Niagara, Samuel Street of Willoughby, Thomas
Dickson of Queenston, William Crooks of Grimsby and Samuel Hutt of
Ancaster were among the persons commissioned to execute this law.

On the 17th of April, a boy at Queenston fired a shot across the river
which happily did no injury. He was promptly arrested and committed for
trial, and two resident magistrates, James Kirby and Robert Grant,
tendered an apology to the inhabitants of Lewiston for his offence. Five
days later General Brock reported that a body of three hundred men in
plain clothes had been seen patrolling the American side of the river.
On the 25th, it was announced that 170 citizens of Buffalo, had
volunteered for military service. A proclamation by President Madison
calling out one hundred thousand was published about the same time, and
the Governor of New York was required to send 500 men to the Niagara
which he hastened to do, being a warm advocate of the war.

Meanwhile the flank companies of militia regiments of the counties of
Lincoln, Norfolk and York were embodied by General Brock, and drilled
six times a month. They numbered about 700 young men belonging to "the
best class of settlers." By the recent Militia Act, they were required
to arm and clothe themselves, and as many of them had far to travel,
Brock begged that they should at least receive an allowance for rations.

The Governor General suggested that the Government of the United States
entertained hopes that something might happen to provoke a quarrel
between its soldiers and the British troops on that frontier, and
desired him to take every precaution to prevent any such pretext for
hostilities.

Early in May, Brock made a rapid tour of inspection along the Niagara,
thence to the Mohawk village on the Grand river, returning to York by
way of Ancaster. He reported that the people generally seemed well
disposed and that the flank companies had mustered in full strength.

By the 17th of June six hundred American militia were stationed along
the river, and a complaint was made by three reputable inhabitants of
Fort Erie that their sentries were in the habit of wantonly firing
across the stream. O