The British reader, for whom this work is chiefly intended, must not confound the terms Conservative

Being 22 Counties returning 2 Members each; returning 1 each, and 2 of four Ridings returning 8, with one City Member, and 6 for boroughs or towns.

And as it may afford some insight to the characteristics of the Counties and Towns to give an abstract of the supposed politics and religious sentiments of the Members who composed the Provincial Parliament previous to the Rebellion, I shall do so by extracting from the most ultra-party newspapers of that day, on each side, a précis,— and the reader may consult the map of Upper Canada for the rest:

and Radical, with the meaning of those party designations at home. Radical, in Canada, in it broadest sense is Revolutionary, and Conservative means anything but Tory, as many of the Conservatives in Upper Canada are not High Church and Statesmen, even of those who are excellent members of the Church of England.

Total for counties and ridings, 55; for cities or towns, 7.

* Those marked thus are sons of U. E. Loyalists, born in the U. S., and came with their parents to seek shelter in Upper Canada, when young.

+ Those marked are sons of British people, and came to Upper Canada with their parents when very young.

It is curious to sum up this carefully. Members, there were 28 Canadians, by

Out of the total number of which may be generally

The Conservatives, or in other words, those who desired to retain the connection with Britain, were themselves split into two factions. The old families, if people of about sixty years' standing, or since 1784, may be so styled, were, with some exceptions, for British supremacy, under their own control; the others were

understood, persons born in the country, but whose parents were loyalists from the U. S. when the Revolution took place there.

It must be observed that those set down as Methodists were usually supposed to belong chiefly to sects of that body at variance in doctrine with the Wesleyans, and principally under American teachers, as were most of the Presbyterian Dissenters from the Kirk of Scotland, excepting of course the Free Kirk. The Radicals of the Church of England were also chiefly persons from the United States; and it is but fair to both parties to state this, as well as that the Roman Catholics were a very loyal race in Upper Canada; whilst amongst those styled Radicals there were very many who only desired a thorough reform of their grievances, and who had no desire for revolution. It is singular to find the single peace-making Quaker arraying himself on the agitating side of the question.

26 of the Canadians were of the Church of England.

for British supremacy, and the high road to Fame's Temple, perfectly macadamized for all men of British extraction to travel over, with only the toll of talent and exertion to pay. Both were loyal, and both were true as steel; but their collision, unless checked by the influx of British capital and knowledge, may hereafter cause difficulty. The Reformers were as much divided, being loyal to a man, excepting those who were mere knights of the post, seeking disunion for their own selfish ends, and others for purposes already explained, combined with a not unnatural lurking desire to see their adopted country independent; a desire which they have, however, expressed somewhat before dame Nature's good nursing has enabled them to compass their ends for that country's good, as money, the sine qua non of existence in such a state, must be wanting if Britain no longer rocks the cradle or sends human help to prepare the child's food.

But, as the French say, revenons à nos moutons, let us get on with our story; and now the reader may take a glance at the sixty-two members who composed the Parliament, which was sitting after the Rebellion broke out, those marked thus y, had, it is supposed, still a Radical tinge, and some did not take their places.*

* HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, UPPER CANADA.

Having thus given a view of the state of parties, we shall return to Sir Francis, who was accused of using Government influence in the elections, which knocked Bidwell, Mackenzie, Peter Perry, &c., on the head, these hitherto popular leaders having been thrown out by large majorities.

Constant Radical meetings were now held, and Dr. Duncombe was sent to England to prove that Sir Francis had been acting improperly. This man, who afterwards figured as a sorry runaway leader, was an

Of these 13, some were tried for rebellious practices, and some absconded, so that probably 10 may have been the number, and of these a few stated they were merely Reformers.