42 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
the river on the ice with sleighs containing the household goods of a 
man who had deserted to the enemy nearly a year earlier.! 
The situation with respect to internal disaffection had become so 
very acute and serious that in his speech on opening the session of the 
Legislature (17th February, 1814), Sir Gordon Drummond used the 
following language :— 
“Tt has been more a subject of regret than surprise to have found 
two members of the legislative body in the ranks of the enemy. This 
disgrace could not have been had their malignant influence in the last 
session failed to reject the call of the Executive Government for a 
suitable modification of the Habeas Corpus Act. I rely upon the good 
sense of the two houses so to strengthen the hands of Government as 
to obviate all apprehensions of a recurrence of a similar reproach. 
“A due regard to the interests of the loyal subjects requires that 
means should be adopted to punish such traitors as adhere to the 
enemy by the confiscation of their estates. It may often happen, as 
in the instance of the two representatives of the people, that they 
may withdraw from the process necessary for legal conviction. To 
obviate this an Act of Attainder by the legislature may subvene to the 
usual process of outlawry. 
“In submitting such a measure it is my duty to apprise you of 
the gracious desire of His Royal Highness, the Prince Regent, that all 
such forfeitures shall be applied to the relief of the sufferers by the war 
in this province.” ? 
Of the two members of the Legislative Assembly referred to as hav- 
ing deserted to the enemy, one was Joseph Willcocks, representing the 
first riding of the County of Lincoln, and the other was Abraham 
Markle, the member for the west riding of York and the townships of 
Aneaster and Saltfleet. Benajah Mallory, who had represented Nor- 
folk, Oxford and Middlesex from 1804 to 1808, and Oxford and Middle- 
sex from 1808 until 1812, and owned a considerable tract of land in the 
township of Burford, had also joined the enemy, and was rewarded by 
a commission as major in the corps of Canadian Volunteers commanded 
by Willcocks, in which Markle became a captain. 
Resolutions for the expulsion of Willocks and Markle were passed 
without debate or opposition. 
The Legislature no longer hesitated to take prompt and energetic 
measures. Acts were passed to enable the government to arrest and 
detain for a limited time all persons suspected of a treasonable adherence 
to the enemy and for the more impartial and effectual trial and punish- 

! Pearson to St. Col. Foster Feb. 7, 1814, Can. Arch. Sundries U.C. 1814. 
2 Drummond, Speech on opening the third session of the Sixth Provincial 
Parliament at York on February 15, 1814. 
