William Lyon Mackenzie
The true power behind the illusion of liberty
"... the republican forms of the governments of these United States serve as a mantle to conceal from the people the aristocratic machinery which, as in England more openly, moves the vessel of the state."
From the BEACON 1:17 14 March 1840 published and edited by Gilbert Vale Headline: Mackenzie Learning by Experience. To the People of Upper Canada!
William Lyon Mackenzie (March 12, 1795 – August 28, 1861) was an extraordinary character. Canadians know him well, but few Americans are familiar with his story. Did you know, for example, that there were at least two major attempts in the early 1800s to invade Canada and take it for the United States ? Mackenzie was representative for York County in the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada and aligned himself with reform and reformers. He led the rebels in the Upper Canada Rebellion. After its defeat, he fled to the United States and rallied American support for the unsuccessful invasion of Upper Canada as part of the Patriot War. Mackenzie wrote the above quote after spending some time exiled in the United States. Consider, if you will, that it was written c.1840. If you are curious to know more about this flinty Scotsman, just do a search and you’ll find all kinds of material on Mackenzie, the Patriot War, the Upper Canada Rebellion, and the Caroline Affair. See photo below and a poster below that offering the - at that time - substantial £1000 reward for his head.
I always thought we should have invaded Canada on the sly.It could have been easily conquered. A country of the same language, culture, right north of us with lots of resources, and a people of a generally less aggressive nature than us Americans. It might have taken the Canadian something like six months before they realized have been annexed (lo)).