(RAYMOND] A RADICAL AND A LOYALIST 99 



of the City of St. John, was chosen as the other. This will disappoint some of my 

 friends who hoped that George Leonard, Esq., and Capt. Stanton Hazard would have 

 obtained the election. But 'twas impossible. They were unknown here and we 

 who recommended them were but strangers. 'Tis therefore no wonder we did not 

 succeed against an artful man who had an influence and knew how to use it." 



In St. John the government candidates were strong in the dis- 

 trict of the "Upper Cove," and the opposition were just as strong in 

 the "Lower Cove," and as the election progressed the hostility be- 

 tween the two parties became intense. On the evening of the third 

 day a tremendous riot took place at the Mallard House, on the corner 

 of King and Germain Street, in which windows were smashed by the 

 "Lower Cove" party, who were the attacking faction. A number 

 were injured on both sides, brickbats being freely used, and eventually 

 it was found necessary to call out the troops in garrison at Fort Howe 

 to support the civil authority. Several arrests were made, one of the 

 "Lower Cove" candidates being among the number. At the subse- 

 quent trial some of the rioters were punished by fine and imprison- 

 ment. 



At the conclusion of the voting the opposition candidates had 

 seemingly a considerable majority, but a scrutiny was demanded and 

 Sheriff Oliver returned Messrs. Bliss, Billopp, Chipman, Pagan, 

 Hazard and McGeorge as elected, while the "Lower Cove" candidates, 

 Dickinson, Lightfoot, Grim, Bonsai! , Boggs and Reid were declared 

 defeated. An appeal was afterwards made to the House of Assembly, 

 which sustained the Sheriff's return. It is not necessary to enter 

 into the merits of the controversy. Hardy, although a reformer, 

 was not a bitter partizan, and seems to have shown his sagacity in 

 keeping out of the turmoil of the first St. John election. As a member 

 of the legislature his services were important. He was painstaking and 

 industrious in Committee work and his eloquence and ability in debate 

 soon obtained for him a leading place. The first House of Assembly 

 lasted seven years. 



At the second general election, in 1793, Hardy and his party 

 were triumphantly returned. In St. John he won a signal victory 

 over his old antagonist Ward Chipman. The story is told in Chip- 

 man's letter to his former law student, Jonathan Sewell of Quebec, 

 to whom he writes on the 23rd of February, 1793, in the following 

 terms : 



"My dear Jonathan, Here I am once more, to my great mortification, a legis- 

 lator. The Governor wished very much I should be in the House again. I offered 

 myself in the City, but the 'Lower Covers,' headed by Hardy, were uppermost, and 

 I was distanced by him. I put up in York Co, but too late, the bulk of the voters 

 were engaged. A party was sent off without my knowledge to Miramichi, where I 



