sent for the mayor (a French Liberal) and told him that they considered it unbecoming that he should give the room for such a purpose.  He accordingly withdrew his permission, stating that he had not been before apprised of the precise nature of the assembly.  After receiving this check, the leaders of the movement fixed on an open space near the centre of the town for their gathering.

It took place last night, and proved a complete failure.  Not a single individual of importance among the Irish Repeal party was present.  Some hundreds of persons attended, but were speedily dispersed by a timely thunder shower.  O’Connor was violent enough; but I have not yet ascertained that he said anything which would form good material for an indictment.  I am of opinion, however, that proceedings of this description on the part of a citizen of another country are not to be tolerated; and, although there is an indisposition in certain quarters to drive things to an extremity, I think I shall succeed in having him arrested unless he takes himself off speedily.

[Sidenote:  The British question.]

But the French question and the Irish question were simple and unimportant as compared with those which were raised by the state of feeling recently created in a large and influential portion of the British population, partly by political events, partly by commercial causes.

[Sidenote:  The Family Compact.]

The political party, which was now in opposition—­the old Tory Loyalists, who from their long monopoly of office and official influence had acquired the title of the ’Family Compact’—­were filled with wrath at seeing rebels—­for as such they considered the French leaders—­now taken into the confidence of the Governor as Ministers of the Crown.  At the same time many of the individuals who composed that party were smarting under a sense of injury and injustice inflicted upon them by the Home Government, and by that party in the Home Government by whose policy their own ascendency in the colony had, as they considered, been undermined.  Nor was it possible to deny that there was some ground for their complaints.  By the Canada Corn Act of 1843 not only the wheat of Canada, but also its flour, which might be made from American wheat, had been admitted into England at a nominal duty.  The premium thus offered for the grinding of American wheat for the British market, caused a great amount of capital to be invested in mills and other appliances of the flour trade.  ’But almost before these arrangements were fully completed, and the newly built mills fairly at work, the [Free-Trade] Act of 1846 swept away the advantage conferred upon Canada in respect to the corn-trade with this country, and thus brought upon the province a frightful amount of loss to individuals, and a great derangement of the Colonial finances.’[10] Lord Elgin felt deeply for the sufferers, and often pressed their case on the attention of the Secretary of State.