AIM'KNDIX A XXXIIl 



T.ere comparatively safe, owing to the fact that Great Britain held the 

 command of the sea. The universal loyalit;t feeling of the people was 

 also a great security. (Quebec, that impregnable stronghold, gave us 

 a firm grasp nj)on the eastern portion of Lower Canada, while the 

 staunch loyalty of our French Canadian fellow countrymen, under the 

 enthusiastic leadership of their clergy, made that province with its 

 much larger population, more secure. 



The point of danger, the turning point of the whole war, was 

 Upper Canada. It was situated nearer to the main population and re- 

 sources of the United States; it was much more open to attack, and it 

 had a scattered population of about 70,000, of whom only 11,000 were' 

 able-bodied men, capable of bearing arms. The neighbourhood of the 

 St. Lawrence, and the other districts I have mentioned as having been 

 settled by U. E. Loyalists, could only supply a portion of these 11,000 

 available men. A considerable number were new comers from the 

 States, either lukewarm or actively hostile. 



General Brock was at the head of affairs, not only commanding 

 the British forces, 1,500 strong, but he was the civil Lt.-Governor as 

 well. He saw at once the danger. Indeed he had foreseen it years 

 before it came. He tried to get the militia effectively organized, which 

 he had to do practically without money, depending mainly upon the 

 loyal spirit of the people. The disloyal were a great trial and danger 

 to him. The politicians in the LTnited States counted absolutely upon 

 the disaffection of many of the inhabitants of Upper Canada. The 

 United States Secretary of State for War, Dr. Eustis, said, "We can 

 take the Canadas without soldiers; we have only to send officers into 

 the provinces, and the people, disaffected towards their own Govern- 

 ment, will rally around our standard." Emissaries from the LTnited 

 States had for years been insidiousily encouraging disaffection and 

 spreading doubt and hesitation among the people. The reports of these 

 men, and newspaper articles based upon them, which were published 

 in the neighbouring republic, prove to what an extent disloyalty had 

 taken hold among these later settlers. 



The worst and most dangerousi feature of all, however, was the dis- 

 affection that was shown in the Parliament of the Province by many 

 of the members. The opposition, led by Willcocks, Mallory and JMarcle, 

 was absolutely treasonable in its action, and the three leaders shortly 

 after, at the outbreak of the war, deserted to the enemy. Both Will- 

 coks and Mallory afterwards fought against Canada in the enemy's 

 ranks. 



The House of Assemljly was so nearly divided that General Brock 

 could get nothing done. He appealed to the militia of York (Toronto), 



Proe. 1904. .3. 



