The Story of the Upper Canadian Rebellion, Volume 1Dent, John Charles
History
The Story of the Upper Canadian Rebellion, Volume 1
Dent, John Charles
Canada -- History -- Rebellion, 1837-1838; Ontario -- Politics and government
By this Bill provision was made for the salaries of the
Lieutenant-Governor, the three Judges of the Court of King's Bench, the
Attorney-General, the Solicitor-General, five Executive Councillors, and
the Clerk of the Executive Council. Reformers were strenuously opposed
to the measure, which they regarded as another blow at the
constitutional rights of the Assembly. It of course had the effect of
rendering the Executive more independent of the Assembly, and more
indifferent to its opposition, than ever. Hagerman and Boulton, whose
official salaries were thereby provided for, were conspicuous above all
other persons in the House in defending this measure, and in browbeating
those who ventured to raise their voices against it. The Reform members
found Attorney-General Boulton an infliction specially hard to bear. His
predecessor, Mr. Robinson, had been a sufficiently galling yoke, but his
abilities had made him respected, and he had seldom attempted to play
the bully. In cases where no important party interests were at stake he
had generally been amenable to reason, and had not gone out of his way
to needlessly exacerbate the feelings of those who disagreed with him.
Now, a different order of things prevailed. Boulton was simply
unendurable. His capacity was barely such as to enable him to discharge
his official functions, and what he lacked in ability he made up for in
bluster. He had an abominable temper, and a haughty, overbearing manner.
He was always committing blunders which he refused to acknowledge, and
he roared and bullied his way through one complication after another
in a fashion which disgusted even those with whom he acted. During the
discussion on the Salary Bill he shrieked and raved himself hoarse in
denouncing what he called the "factious insolence" of the Opposition. Of
his own factious insolence he seems to have been altogether oblivious.
The Bill was passed, but he was not destined to a long enjoyment of the
provision thereby made for the Attorney-General.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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