valry, who composed the escort of some prisoners,
was waylaid by an overpowering assemblage of insurgents, who, receiving
them with a galling fire, put them to the rout, and rescued the
prisoners. Before the close of the last year many of the leaders of the
faction were in prison, and more of them, among whom was M. Papineau,
had withdrawn to a place of safety.

The insurrection in Lower Canada rendered it necessary for the British
government to appoint a species of dictatorial governor, one who should
possess the power of making temporary provision for the government of
Canada. It has been already seen that Lord Durham was selected for this
important mission, and that he had arrived in the province. Before,
however, relating the particulars of his government, it is necessary to
take a retrospective view of events in Upper Canada.

Sir Francis Head at this time was governor of the upper province of
Canada; and at the period when he arrived there a Mr. Lyon Mackenzie,
who had originally emigrated from Scotland, was a principal leader of
the "Reform," or malcontent party in the province. In the year 1832 Mr.
Mackenzie made his appearance in London, as the agent of his party;
and in that capacity he was received with every mark of respect. Mr.
Mackenzie, in fact, was so successful in his mission as to procure
the removal of the attorney and solicitor-generals from their posts, a
penalty which they paid for the part they had taken in joining in a
vote which had expelled their antagonist from the house of assembly. He
returned in triumph to Upper Canada; and, supported by the approval
of the English cabinet, succeeded in regaining a seat in the house
of assembly. At the ensuing election "the reformers" obtained a
large majority in that assembly; and the result was that a "grievance
committee" was appointed, which committee made a report that was
subsequently transmitted to England. It was to redress the grievances
therein stated that Sir Francis Head was despatched to Canada; and he
was hailed on his arrival there as a "tried reformer." His appearance
under such circumstances naturally excited the distrust of the
loyalists, who gave indications of their dissatisfaction. Sir Francis
Head, however, was nothing daunted at this demonstration; he had the
grievances of Upper Canada to redress, and he had the remedies; and
whether the Tories liked the medicine or not, he did not care a straw.
At the same time he soon gave an intim