hts in regard of the Clergy Reserve Question, has had a
remote or indirect tendency to promote Mr. Mackenzie's political
measures, we readily admit; but that we have ever supported a measure,
or given publicity to any documents from Mr. Mackenzie, or any other
political man in Canada, on any other grounds than this, we totally
deny.

Mr. Mackenzie's attack rests on four grounds: 1. That our language was
so explicit as to remove every doubt and hope of our encouraging a
"thick and thin" partizanship with him, or any man or set of men in
Canada; or, 2. That we did not speak in opprobrious, but rather
favourable terms, of His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor; or, 3. That
we expressed our approbation of the principles and colonial policy of
Lord Goderich (now Earl Ripon), and those who agree with him; or 4. That
we alluded to Mr. Hume in terms not sufficiently complimentary. If Mr.
Mackenzie's wishes are crossed and his wrath inflamed, because we have
not entered our protest against His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor,
we could not do so after we had learned the views of His Majesty's
Government, in a reply of His Excellency to an address of our Conference
about two years ago,[42] when every unfavourable impression had been
removed, and when good-will was expressed towards the Methodists as a
people; we have not so learned to forgive injuries--we have not so
learned to "honour and obey magistrates,"--we have not so learned our
duty as a minister, and as a Christian. We, as a religious body, and as
the organ of a religious body, have only to do with Sir John Colborne's
administration, as far as it concerns our character and rights as
British subjects; His Excellency's measures and administration in merely
secular matters lie within the peculiar province of the political
journalists and politicians of the day. If our offering a tribute of
grateful respect to Lord Goderich, who had declared in his despatches to
Canada his earnest desire to remove every bishop and priest from our
Legislature, to secure the right of petitioning the King to the meanest
subject in the realm, to extend the blessings of full religious liberty
and the advantages of education to every class of British subjects in
Canada, without distinction or partiality, and in every way to advance
the interests of the Province;--if honouring such men and such
principles be "hoisting the colours (as Mr. Mackenzie says), of a cruel,
vindictive, Tory priesthood,"