134 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



raised the lid and taking out a pinch, shook his fingers about six inches 

 from his nose as if to hide the smile that evidently played on his count- 

 enance. 



But he continued, it was not until very recently that those intruders 

 openly declared themselves. It was not until they formed a d — d cold 

 water society here, at which they met night after night in secret con- 

 clave to concoct measures for the subversion of our institutions, that I 

 was aware of the prevalence of such principles. This well organized 

 band first commenced the study of their tactics at IMalahide where they 

 had the greatest strength and where they had the advantage of the 

 military pkill of a Yankee deserter for a drill serjeant, aided by a tall 

 strippling, the son of a U. E. Loyalist, whom they transformed into a 

 flag stafi'. (Immense cheers and laughter.) Here the old Schoharrie 

 line for a while drove a pretty considerable trade. (Continued laughter.) 

 They next tried their strength in Yarmouth, where, aided by a few 

 Hickory Quakers, they succeded in organizing a committee of vigilance 

 whose duty I suppose was to sound " the conchshell of sedition in every 

 valley and on every hill, and where aided by certain characters who 

 making a cloak of religion to cover their seditions purposes, and who 

 secretly lent tliem the light of their countenance, they prospered to the 

 present time. It is not a little surprising that in a country like this, 

 in a country enjoying the noble laws and the noblest constitution on 

 earth, in a country preserved to us by the most powerful, the most vir- 

 tuous, and the most glorious nation on earth. Men can be found to 

 prostrate the sacred name of religion and make it subservient to pur- 

 poses so base and so treacherous. What do the people want? to put Sir 

 John Colborne out of the Province ? What has Sir John Colborne done 

 to merit their displeasure? Has not the country prospered under his 

 administration to an extent before unprecedented Has he ever turned 

 an inattentive ear to the complaint of the humblest man in the Pro- 

 vince? There exists not I believe, a man more fitted to represent his 

 patriotic sovereign in this colony. Active, enquiring and vigilent: easy 

 of access: bland in his manners, and possessing great decision of char- 

 acter he is peculiarly fitted to govern a free and generous people. Here 

 the Col. was interrupted by the chattering of some persons whose words 

 we could not distinctly hear — he paused for a moment and playfully 

 tapping his snuff box and again shaking his fingers before his face — he 

 said, I am an old man, gentlemen, but tough. 



'After speaking for about half an hour, he said, Mr. Ermatinger ^ 

 will read to you an address which if you approve you will sign and by 



1 Edward Ermatinger, author of the Life of Colonel Talbot, died 1876, 

 father of Judge C. O. Ermatinger. 



