[Sidenote:  Riots.]

When I left the House of Parliament I was received with mingled cheers and hootings by a crowd by no means numerous which surrounded the entrance to the building.  A small knot of individuals, consisting, it has since been ascertained, of persons of a respectable class in society, pelted the carriage with missiles which they must have brought with them for the purpose.  Within an hour after this occurrence a notice, of which I enclose a copy, issued from one of the newspaper offices, calling a meeting in the open air.  At the meeting inflammatory speeches were made.  On a sudden, whether under the effect of momentary excitement, or in pursuance of a plan arranged beforehand, the mob proceeded to the House of Parliament, where the members were still sitting, and breaking the windows, set fire to the building and burned it to the ground.  By this wanton act public property of considerable value, including two excellent libraries, has been utterly destroyed.  Having achieved their object the crowd dispersed, apparently satisfied with what they had done.  The members were permitted to retire unmolested, and no resistance was offered to the military who appeared on the ground after a brief interval, to restore order, and aid in extinguishing the flames.  During the two following days a good deal of excitement prevailed in the streets, and some further acts of incendiarism were perpetrated.  Since then the military force has been increased, and the leaders of the disaffected party have shown a disposition to restrain their followers, and to direct their energies towards the more constitutional object of petitioning the Queen for my recall, and the disallowance of the obnoxious Bill.  The proceedings of the House of Assembly will also tend to awe the turbulent.  I trust, therefore, that the peace of the city will not be again disturbed.

The Ministry are blamed for not having made adequate provision against these disasters.  That they by no means expected that the hostility to the Rebellion Losses Bill would have displayed itself in the outrages which have been perpetrated during the last few days is certain.[3] Perhaps sufficient attention was not paid by them to the menaces of the Opposition press.  It must be admitted, however, that their position was one of considerable difficulty.  The civil force of Montreal—­a city containing about 50,000 inhabitants of different races, with secret societies and other agencies of mischief in constant activity—­consists of two policemen under the authority of the Government, and seventy appointed by the Corporation.  To oppose, therefore, effectual resistance to any considerable mob, recourse must be had in all cases either to the military or to a force of civilians enrolled for the occasion.  Grave objections, however, presented themselves in the present instance to the adoption of either of these courses until the disposition to tumult on the part of the populace unhappily