founded upon misapprehension and falsehood, must go with a
run. I confess I long to see these ambitious party-men unmasked.

CHAPTER XLI.

1844.

Sir Charles Metcalfe Defended against his Councillors

On the 27th May, 1844, Dr. Ryerson issued the first part of his
memorable Defence of Sir Charles Metcalfe, not only against the attacks
of his late Councillors, but also against those of the all-powerful
League which had been formed against him on the 24th March, under the
auspices of the Toronto Reform Association. The Manifesto of that famous
League was dated on the 16th May. Its issue at once decided Dr. Ryerson
to enter the lists in defence of Sir Charles, and the prefatory note to
his rejoinder was written on the 27th May. From the introductory portion
of it I make the following extract:--

Rev. Egerton Ryerson ... proposes ... to prove [from the] testimony
of his late Advisers ... that His Excellency is entitled to the
verdict of the country on every count of the indictment got up
against him.

Sir Charles Metcalfe may say to the people of Canada, as
Themistocles said to the Athenians who were incensed against him,
"Strike, but hear me!"

... If Leonidas,[123] with three hundred Spartans, could throw
themselves into the Thermopylae of death for the salvation of their
country, it would ill become one humble Canadian to hesitate at any
sacrifice, or shrink from any responsibility, or even danger, in
order to prevent his own countrymen from rushing into a vortex,
which, he is most certainly persuaded, will involve many of them in
calamities more serious than those which followed the events of
1837.

The following account of this memorable controversy was written by Dr.
Ryerson himself. It has been slightly abridged and a few explanatory
notes added:--

After much consideration, but without consulting any human being, I
determined to enter the arena of public discussion to set forth and
vindicate the true principles of responsible government, and to defend
Sir Charles Metcalfe, as I had before defended Mr. Bidwell, from the
unjust attacks made upon him; and I published an introductory paper
avowing my purpose. My friends generally and the country at large were
against me. My elder brother, John, a life-long Conservative, on first
meeting me after the publication of that introductory paper, said,
"Egerton, you have ruined yourse