But though Allan Dunlop possessed a mind eminently fair and judicial,
and, Reformer as he was, could dispassionately discuss the "burning
questions" of the time, there were abuses connected with the mode of
governing which he stoutly strove to remedy, and injustice done to
loyal settlers in the iniquitous land system that prevailed which
roused his indignation and called forth many a bitter phillipic in the
House. These trenchant attacks of the young land-surveyor were greatly
feared by the Executive, and were the cause of much trepidation and
uneasiness in the Legislative Council.
For a time Commodore Macleod, who had now returned to his accustomed
duties in the Upper House, took pleasure in replying to Dunlop's
attacks in the Lower Chamber; but the young Parliamentarian, though he
treated his opponent with courtly deference, had so effective a way of
demolishing the Commodore's arguments and of genially turning the
shafts of his invective upon his adversary, that he soon abandoned the
attempt to break a lance with his young and able antagonist. Dunlop's
temper was habitually sweet and always under command, and this gave
him a great advantage over his sometimes irascible opponents.
Pages:
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254