[cRuIKSHANK] A STUDY OF DISAFFECTION IN UPPER CANADA 27 
enough but wanted money and further said that there were many 
leading men in the country would furnish money and further said that 
if the said Backhouse did not join him, he, Backhouse, would be a 
ruined man. JONATHAN WILLIAMS, 
Foreman.’’* 
Two well known men of the name of Backhouse were then residents 
of the County of Norfolk, one of them, John Backhouse, being a justice 
of the peace and a captain in the first regiment of militia and the other, 
Thomas Backhouse, being an ensign in the same corps. 
On October 29, Major-General Sheaffe having become administrator 
of the civil affairs of the province in consequence of Brock’s death, 
informed the Executive Council that there were a number of persons 
in the province, some of whom were actually under arrest, who had 
refused to take the oath of allegiance as required by the 45th clause of 
the Act passed on the 5th of August, 1812, pleading in justification that 
they were citizens of and owed allegiance to the United States, who had 
desired permission to return to their own country. The advice of the 
council was required whether it was advisable to deport these persons 
as alien enemies. It was recommended that ten of them who were 
natives of the United States should be permitted to leave the province, 
but that two British subjects who had emigrated from Ireland less than 
two years before and had actually been residents of Upper Canada for 
more than twelve months should be prosecuted under the 14th clause 
of the Act. 
Brigade Major Evans in a private letter stated that nearly three 
hundred prisoners charged with sedition and treasonable practices were 
confined in the jail and a blockhouse at Niagara when that place was 
bombarded on October 13, and those buildings were set on fire and 
destroyed by the enemy’s shot.? 
Early in November, boards were appointed to assemble at Niagara, 
York and Kingston for the purpose of examining all persons reporting 
themselves as subjects of the United States and as such claiming ex- 
emption from military service and thereby becoming liable to be sent 
out of the province. When satisfied of the truth of their statements 
these boards were empowered to issue passports to enable them to cross 
the frontier at such places and in such manner as seemed most expedient. 
If it became apparent that very serious injury might accrue to “such 
persons being settled and having families in the country who have not 
received lands from the Crown or taken the oath of allegiance,” they 

1 Original in Osgoode Hall, Toronto. 
2 Evans to —————,, October 15, 1812. 
