[CRUIKSHANK] A STUDY OF DISAFFECTION IN UPPER CANADA 23 
A day later he said in a letter to the Adjutant-General:— 
“My situation is most critical, not from anything the enemy can 
do but from the disposition of the people—the population, believe me ,— 
is essentially bad—a full belief possesses them all that the Province 
must inevitably succumb—this prepossession is fatal to every exertion. 
Legislators, magistrates, militia officers, all have imbibed the idea, 
and are so sluggish and indifferent in their respective offices that the 
artful and active scoundrel is allowed to parade the country without 
interruption and commit all imaginable mischief. They are so alarmed 
of offending that they rather encouarge than repress disorders and 
other improper acts. I really believe it is with some cause that they 
dread the vengeance of the democratic party, they are such a set of 
unrelenting villains.’’! 
Finally on the 3rd of August the Executive Council was convened 
and Brock informed the members that all his expectations of support 
from the Legislative Assembly had been disappointed as that body had 
consumed eight days in debating a single partisan measure, the repeal 
of the School Bill, and in passing an act for the disclosure of treasonable 
practices before a magistrate should have power to commit without 
bail, and requested their advice whether it would be expedient for him 
to prorogue the Legislature at once and proclaim martial law. 
In his written summary of the situation he stated:— 
“That the enemy had invaded and taken post in the Western 
District, was multiplying daily his preparations to invade in others; 
that the militia in a perfect state of insubordination had withdrawn 
from the ranks in active service, had refused to march when legally 
commanded to reinforce a detachment of the regular force for the relief 
of Amherstburg, had insulted their officers and some not immediately 
embodied had manifested in many instances a treasonable spirit of 
neutrality or disaffection. 
“That the Indians on the Grand River, tampered with by disaf- 
fected whites, had withdrawn from their voluntary services and declared 
for a neutrality which in respect to them was equally inadmissable 
as with the King’s other subjects. 
“That in the Western and London Districts several persons had 
negotiated with the enemy’s commander, hailing his arrival and pledg- 
ing support.’’? 
As he subsequently remarked in a letter to his brothers, he felt that 
“the state of the province admitted of nothing but desperate measures.” 

1 Brock to Baynes, July 29, 1812. Can. Arch. C 676, p. 239. 
? Proceedings of Council, August 3 and 4, 1812. Can. Arch. Q 118, p. 187. 
