threw out dense volumes of smoke, borne by the breeze towards the dark mountain, dimly visible in the background of the magnificent though painful spectacle. When the morning sun arose, the firecharred and still smoking ruins of the Parliament House were all that remained of a vast amount of public property, equal in value, it was estimated, to the sum about to be expended under the Rebellion Losses Bill.

Having thus wreaked their vengeance in this quarter, a part of the mob conveyed the mace to Donegani's hotel, where it was finally deposited, after some quarrelling among themselves, in the room occupied by Sir Allan M'Nab. The Pilot office, where the ministerial paper was printed, was also visited by the mob, and the windows demolished, when the work of destruction terminated for the night.

Next day, the Commander-in-Chief, Sir Benjamin D'Urban, came into the city from his country-seat, and made arrangements for the suppression of further riot. Several arrests were made of parties accused of inciting the mob to violence. The latter threatend to rescue them, and insulted and beat several Reform members, who were so unfortunate as to come in their way. The mob next beset the old Government House, where the members of the ministry had assembled in council, but were forced back by the bayonets of the military.

After nightfall the mob received large accessions to their number, and presently a numerous body moved towards the St Antoine suburb, where they completely wrecked the dwelling of the Premier, Mr Lafontaine, and burned down his stables. The windows of Messrs Baldwin's and Cameron's boarding-houses were next broken. Dr Wolfred Nelson's house shared the same fate, as well as the houses of Messrs Hincks, Holmes, and Charles Wilson. Objections being made next day to the military doing police duty, a body of French and Irish constables were sworn in, and the rumour that these were being armed and drilled at the Bonsecours Market, threatened for a while to produce a fresh riot.

The arrival of a deputation from Quebec (the inhabitants of which had a keen eye to the removal of the seat of Government to their own city) to offer protection to the Governor-General, renewed the excitement, and loud threats were made of violence to its members. But during the day they prudently remained in the French suburb, and entered the city in the evening without exciting observation. The loyal inhabitants of Montreal now held a public meeting, and circulated an address, signed by two hundred respectable names,

inviting the citizens to co-operate in the preservation of peace and order, which had a tranquillising effect.

But a new source of public uneasiness speedily arose. During the 28th, the Assembly had agreed upon an address to the GovernorGeneral in connexion with the recent riots, and it was arranged that he should receive it at the Government House, instead of at Moncklands. Escorted by a troop of volunteer dragoons, and accompanied by several of his suite, Lord Elgin, accordingly, drove into the city on the 30th. He was greeted with showers of stones in the Haymarket, and in Great St James and Notre Dame Streets, and with difficulty preserved his face from being injured. When he entered the Government House, he took a two pound stone with him, which he had picked up in his carriage, as evidence of the most unusual and sorrowful treatment her Majesty's representative had received. Captain Weatheral, a magistrate, read the Riot Act, and ordered the infantry on guard to charge. But the crowd had no ill feeling towards the military, and cheered them as they ran out of their way. They waited patiently, expecting the re-appearance of the GovernorGeneral, in order to renew their assault upon him. But instead of turning round up Notre Dame Street, he doubled on the mob, and passed rapidly along in the direction of Sherbrooke Street. Cabs, caleches, and everything that would run, were at once launched in pursuit, and crossing his route, the Governor-General's carriage was bitterly assailed in the main street of the St Lawrence suburbs. The good and rapid driving of his postillions, enabled him to clear the desperate mob, but not until the head of his brother, Colonel Bruce, had been cut, injuries inflicted on the chief of police, Colonel Ermatinger, and on Captain Jones, commanding the escort, and every panel of the carriage driven in. It was the old war of races putting itself into a new shape, and British feeling was now venting its indignation in this riotous fashion for the imaginary triumph of the rebellious foe that had been so thoroughly crushed eleven years before. Nor did the excitement terminate with the assault on the Governor General. A deputation from Toronto was made the occasion of a ministerial dinner, at Tetu's hotel, when the cheering of toasts was met by groans from the mob outside. Presently, missiles were thrown, pistol shots fired, men wounded, and the arrival of a strong body of military alone prevented a serious loss of life. Next day, Lafontaine's house was again attacked, but this time a volley of musketry compelled the mob to retreat; not, however, till one man had been killed. At the inquest, an attempt was made to fire the hotel where it was being held, and to do violence to Mr Lafontaine

during the confusion, but he was saved by a party of the 71st Highlanders.

The riots, which had so rapidly followed in succession, and the insecurity of life and property at Montreal, induced the Legislature to determine on the removal of the seat of Government to Toronto for the next two years, and for the subsequent four years to Quebec. Thus, Montreal was most deservedly punished for the insane folly of its mob, instigated by a portion of its press; and at present there is very little prospect of a Canadian Parliament ever again being convened in a city which, from its natural advantages, should be the capital of the State. The remainder of the session was held in a building temporarily fitted up for the purpose, and on the 30th of May a most eventful sitting, during which a large number of measures were passed, was closed by the Deputy-Governor, Lieutenant-General Rowan.

The disgraceful riots in Montreal, and the personal insults to which he had been subjected, led Lord Elgin to tender his resignation to the Home Government. But the Queen and her ministers promptly expressed their entire approval of his conduct, and urgently requested his retention of the position he filled.* Their course in

this respect was approved and ratified by the Lords and Commons of Great Britain, and by whom the Rebellion Losses Bill was sustained. Sir Robert Peel's ministry, also, subsequently signified their approbation of his conduct, and continued Lord Elgin as Governor-General, and who received additional consolation in his most trying position from the large number of sympathetic addresses which were presented to him.

The action of the British ministry and Parliament placed those who opposed the Rebellion Losses Bill completely at fault, and immensely strengthened the hands of the Reform party. The feeble cry for annexation, speedily raised, had the same tendency. In these occurrences the Conservative party of this country received a blow, both in Canada and in England, from which, up to the present time, it has not recovered. But under a constitutional form of government one party cannot retain power for a very lengthened period; and some public question may yet possibly restore its forfeited popularity, and place it again in the ascendant.

The occurrences connected with the Rebellion Losses Bill were the great Canadian events of 1849. Parliament did not again

* See Despatch from Secretary of the Colonies, 18th May 1849.

+ Written in 1855. For several years since, the Conservative party has been in power, and the Union Act of 1867 has fully restored its prestige.

assemble during the year, and towards its close the country was rapidly recovering from the injurious results of the violent political ordeal it had undergone. Much bitter feeling it is true remained. Magistrates were dismissed for undue opposition to Government, some rioting occurred at public meetings got up to vote addresses to Lord Elgin, and a Conservative League was organised to give a systematic opposition to ministers. Yet, as the new year approached, time was gently laying its Lethean finger on political asperities, and the sound common sense of the Canadian people, so practical in their disposition, was gradually reconciling them to the new epoch which had evidently opened on their country.

CHAPTER XXIV.

THE GOVERNMENT OF THE EARL OF ELGIN,-continued.

TH

HE final step having been taken for the settlement of the long quarrel of races, in passing the "Indemnity Bill," the ministry applied themselves to develop the resources of the country. An agent was despatched to Washington to "press Reciprocity," or 1850. the free interchange of agricultural and other products between Canada and the United States, on the notice of the American authorities, and measures were also taken to establish our credit on a broader basis in the London Stock Exchange. Mr Hincks's exertions in the latter direction met with considerable success, and Canadian securities began to be quoted in the English market. The Montreal riots as yet, however, prevented the extensive investment of foreign capital in these securities.

The Legislature assembled at Toronto on the 14th of May. The opening speech presented no very remarkable features; exciting political topics were wisely avoided, and a prudent desire to let the past be forgotten was apparent. During the progress of the session, Mr Papineau again renewed his advocacy of an elective Legislative Council; while a disposition was shown by members to succumb to the cry of retrenchment in the public expenditure, now raised outside of the House. The agitation on the Clergy Reserves question was again revived, and a strong inclination shown to set Lord Sydenham's settlement of the matter aside, and to devote the Reserves to secular purposes. Mr Lafontaine, Mr Baldwin, and others of the older Reformers, opposed the revival of this agitation, and maintained that things ought to be left as they were. But the press

of their party, led on by the Globe, the Examiner, and other able journals, persisted in their discussion of the question. This state of things speedily produced a split among Reformers, and a new party arose into influence, which had already been denominated, in