but they give many reasons, which appear to have in a great measure satisfied their Upper Canada colleagues, for insisting on Quebec as the first point to be made.  Now I have great objection to going to Quebec at present.  I fear it would be considered, both here and in England, as an admission that the Government is under French- Canadian influence, and that it cannot maintain itself in Upper Canada.  I, therefore, concluded in favour of a few days more being given in order to see whether or not the movement now in progress in Montreal may be so directed as to render it possible to retain the seat of Government there.

This hope was disappointed, and he was obliged to admit the necessity of removal.  On September 3 he wrote again:—­

    We have had, since I last wrote, a week of unusual tranquillity....
    but I regret to say that I discover as yet nothing to warrant the
    belief that the seat of Government can properly remain at Montreal.

The existence of a perfect understanding between the more outrageous and the more respectable fractions of the Tory party in the town, is rendered even more manifest by the readiness with which the former, through their organs, have yielded to the latter when they preached moderation in good earnest.  Additional proof is thus furnished of the extent to which the blame of the disgraceful transactions of the past four months falls on all.  All attempts, and several have been made, to induce the Conservatives to unite in an address, inviting me to return to the town, have failed; which is the more significant, because it is well known that the removal of the seat of Government is under consideration, and that I have deprecated the abandonment of Montreal.

The existence of a party, animated by such sentiments, powerful in numbers and organisation, and in the station of some who more or less openly join it—­owning a qualified allegiance to the constitution of the province—­professing to regard the Parliament and the Government as nuisances to be tolerated within certain limits only—­raising itself whenever the fancy seizes it, or the crisis in its judgment demands it, into an ’imperium in imperio,’—­renders it, I fear, extremely doubtful whether the functions of Legislation or of Government can be carried on to advantage in this city.  ’Show vigour and put it down,’ say some.  You may and must put down those who resist the law when overt acts are committed.  But the party is unfortunately a national as well as a political one; after each defeat it resumes its attitude of defiance; and, whenever it comes into collision with the authorities, there is the risk of a frightful race feud being provoked.  All these dangers are vastly increased by Montreal’s being the seat of Government.

There were other arguments also of no little force.  He was assured that some Members had declared that nothing would induce them to come again to Montreal;