4:36 CANADIAN LOCAL HISTORY: 



contemporary account of tliat incident in the Niagara Constellation, the name is phonetically 

 spelt De Hayne, (aad in this form we copied it in our section xsvii.) In the above quoted MS. 

 the name appears as de Haine. 



In our progress northward we now traverse ground which, as having been the scene of a 

 skirmish and some bloodshed during the troubles of 1837, has become locally historic. The 

 events alluded to have been described from different points of view at suflEtoient length in books 

 within reach of every one. We throw over them here the mantle of charitj', simply glancing at 

 them and passing on. Upper Canada, in miniature and in the space of half a century, curiously 

 passed through conditions and processes, p)hysiea] and social, Vi'hich old countries on a large 

 scale and in the course of long ages, passed through. Upper Canada had, in little, its primseval 

 and barbaric but heroic era, its mediseval and high-prerogative era, and then, after a revolutionary 

 period of a few weeks, its modern, defeudalized, democratic era. Without doubt the introduction 

 here in 1792 of an "exact transcript" of the contemporary constitution of the mother country, as 

 was the boast at the time, involved the introduction here also of some of the spirit which animated 

 the official administrators of that constitution in the mother country itself at the period — the time 

 of the Third George. AVe certainly find from an early date, as we have already heard, a succession 

 of intelligent, observant men, either casual visitors to the country, or else intending settlers 

 and actual settlers, openly expressing dissatisfaction at some of the things which they noted, 

 experienced or learned, in respect of the management of Canadian public affairs. These persons 

 for the most part were themselves perhaps only recently become alive to thje changes which 

 were inevitable in the governmental principles of the mother countrj" ; and so were peculiarly 

 sensitive, and even, it may be, petulant in regard to such matters. But, however well-meaning 

 and advanced in political wisdom they may have been, they nevertheless, as we have before 

 intimated, exhibited narrowness of view themselves, and some ignorance of mankind, in 

 expecting to find in a remote colonial out-station of the empire a state of things better than 

 that which at the moment existed at the heart of the empire; and in imagining that strictures 

 on their part, especially when acrimonious, would, under the circumstances, be amiably and 

 submissively received by the local authorities. The early rulers of Canada, Upper and Lower, 

 along with the members of their little courts, were not to be lightly censured. They were but 

 copying the example of their royal Chief and his circle at Kew, Windsor, or St. James'. Of the 

 Third George Thackeray says : "He did his best; he worked according to his liglits ; what 

 virtue he knew he tried to practice; what knowledge he could master he strove to acquire." 

 And so did they. The same fixity of idea in regard to the inherent dignity and power of the 

 Crown that characterized him characterized them, together with a lilce sterling uprightness 

 which commanded respect even when a line of action was adopted that seemed to tend, and 

 did in reality tend, to popular discontent. All men, however, now acquiesce in the final issue. 

 The social turmoil which for a series of years agitated Canada, from whatever cause arising ; 

 the explosion which at length took place, by whatever instrumentality brought on, cleared the 

 political atmosphere of the country, and hastened the good time of general content and pros- 

 perity which Canadians of the present day are enjoying. After all, the explosion was not a 

 very tremendous one. Both sides, after tbe event, have been tempted to exaggerate the 

 circumstances of it a little, for effect. 



The recollections which come back to us as we proceed on our way, are for the most part of 

 a date anterior to those associated with 1837 ; although some of the latter date will of course 

 occasionally recur. 



The great conspicuous way-side inn, usually called Montgomery's, was, at the time of its 

 destruction by the Government forces in 1837, in the occupation of a landlord named Lingfoot. 

 The house of Montgomery, from whom the inn took its name, he having been a former occupant, 

 was on a farm owned by himself, beautifully situated on rising ground to the left, subsequently 

 the property and place of abode of Mr. James Lesslie, of whom already (in section xvi). Mr. 

 Montgomery had once had a hotel in York, named "The Bird in Hand," on Yonge Street, a 

 little to the north of Elliott's. We have this inn named in an advertisement to be seen in the 

 Canadian Freeman of April 17, 1828, having reference to the "Farmer's Store Company." "A 

 general meeting of the Farmer's Storehouse Company," says the advertisement, "will beheld 

 on the 22nd of March next, at 10 o'clock a.m., at John Montgomery's tavern, on Yonge Street, 

 'The Bird in Hand.' The farmers are hereby also informed that the Storehouse is properly 

 repaired for the accommodation of storage, and that every possible attention shall be paid to 



