there must be no alloy or foreign metal in their political coinage, but it must be clear Grit.  Its platform embraced many of the cardinal principles of the original Reform or Liberal party, but it also advocated such radical changes as the application of the elective principle to all classes of officials (including the governor-general), universal suffrage, vote by ballot, biennial parliaments, the abolition of the courts of chancery and common pleas, free trade and direct taxation.

The Toronto Globe, which was for a short time the principal exponent of ministerial views, declared that many of the doctrines enunciated by the Clear Grits “embody the whole difference between a republican form of government and the limited monarchy of Great Britain.” The Globe was edited by George Brown, a Scotsman by birth, who came with his father in his youth to the western province and entered into journalism, in which he attained eventually signal success by his great intellectual force and tenacity of purpose.  His support of the LaFontaine-Baldwin ministry gradually dropped from a moderate enthusiasm to a positive coolness, from its failure to carry out the principles urged by The Globe—­especially the secularization of the clergy reserves.  Then he commenced to raise the cry of French domination and to attack the religion and special institutions of French Canada with such virulence that at last he became “a governmental impossibility,” so far as the influence of that province was concerned.  He supported the Clear Grits in the end, and became their recognized leader when they gathered to themselves all the discontented and radical elements of the Liberal party which had for some years been gradually splitting into fragments.  The power of the Clear Grits was first shown in 1851, when William Lyon Mackenzie succeeded in obtaining a majority of Reformers in support of his motion for the abolition of the court of chancery, and forced the retirement of Baldwin, whose conservatism had gradually brought him into antagonism with the extremists of his old party.

Although relatively small in numbers in 1851, the Clear Grits had the ability to do much mischief, and Hincks at once recognized the expediency of making concessions to their leaders before they demoralized or ruined the Liberal party in the west.  Accordingly, he invited Dr. Rolph and Malcolm Cameron to take positions in the new ministry.  They consented on condition that the secularization of the clergy reserves would be a part of the ministerial policy.  Hincks then presented the following names to the governor-general: 

Upper Canada.—­Hon. F. Hincks, inspector-general; Hon. W.B.  Richards, attorney-general of Upper Canada; Hon. Malcolm Cameron, president of the executive council; Hon. John Rolph, commissioner of crown lands; Hon. James Morris, postmaster-general.

Lower Canada.—­Hon. A.N.  Morin, provincial secretary, Hon. L.P.  Drummond, attorney-general of Lower Canada; Hon. John Young, commissioner of public works; Hon. R.E.  Caron, president of legislative council; Hon. E.P.  Tache, receiver-general.