[Sidenote:  Rebellion of 1837.] [Sidenote:  Lord Durham’s Report.] [Sidenote:  Lord Sydenham.] [Sidenote:  Sir C. Bagot.] [Sidenote:  Lord Metcalfe.]

The rebellion of 1837 and 1838 had necessarily checked the progress of the colony towards self-government.  It has since been acknowledged that the demands which led to that rebellion were such as England would have gladly granted two or three hundred years before; and they were, in fact, subsequently conceded one after another, ’not from terror, but because, on seriously looking at the case, it was found that after all we had no possible interest in withholding them.’[1] But at the time it was necessary to put down the rebels by force, and to establish military government.  In 1838 Lord Durham was sent out as High Commissioner for the Adjustment of the Affairs of the Colony, and his celebrated ‘Report’ sowed the seeds of all the beneficial changes which followed.  So early as October 1839, when Poulett Thomson, afterwards Lord Sydenham, went out as Governor, Lord John Russell took the first step towards the introduction of ‘responsible government,’ by announcing that the principal offices of the colony ’would not be considered as being held by a tenure equivalent to one during good behaviour, but that the holders would be liable to be called upon to retire whenever, from motives of public policy or for other reasons, this should be found expedient.’[2] But the insurrection was then too recent to allow of constitutional government being established, at least in Lower Canada; and, after the Union in 1840, Lord Sydenham exercised, partly owing to his great ability, much more power than is usually enjoyed by constitutional governors.  He exercised it, however, in such a manner as to pave the way for a freer system, which was carried out to a great extent by his successor, Sir Charles Bagot; who, though bearing the reputation of an old-fashioned Tory, did not scruple to admit to his counsels persons who had been active in opposing the Crown during the recent rebellion; acting on ’the broad principle that the constitutional majority had the right to rule under the constitution.’[3] Towards the end of 1842, Sir C. Bagot found himself obliged by continued ill-health to resign; and he was succeeded by Lord Metcalfe—­a man, as has been before noticed, of singularly popular manners and conciliatory disposition, but whose views of government, formed in India and confirmed in Jamaica, little fitted him to deal at an advanced age with the novel questions presented by Canada at this crisis.  A quarrel arose between him and his Ministry on a question of patronage.  The ministers resigned, though supported by a large majority in the Assembly.  With great difficulty he formed a Conservative administration, and immediately dissolved his Parliament.  The new elections gave a small majority to the Conservatives, chiefly due, it was said, to the exertion of his personal influence; but the success was purchased at a ruinous