tionally, continuously, and almost unanimously expressed
through their representatives and otherwise, on a subject which
concerns their highest and best interests, and which, as the
history of Great Britain amply shows, has always more deeply
interested British subjects than any other. Sir, on the unspeakably
important subjects of religion and education our constitutional
right of legislation has, by the arbitrary exercise and influence
of Executive power, been made a mockery, and our constitutional
liberties a deception; and it is to the influence over the public
mind of the high religious feelings and principles of those classes
of the population who have been so shamefully calumniated by the
Episcopal clergy and their party scribes, that the inhabitants of
Upper Canada are not doing in 1838, what Englishmen did do in 1688,
when their feelings were outraged and their constitutional
liberties infringed, and the privileges of Parliament trampled
upon, in order to force upon the nation a system of religious
domination which the great majority of the people did not desire.

As the session of the Legislature of 1839 approached, a vigorous effort
was made by _The Church_ newspaper (the clerical organ), and the
_Patriot_ (the lay organ) of the church party to influence public
opinion in favour of a re-investment of the clergy reserves in the Crown
(for the reasons given on page 225.)

It was well known that Dr. Ryerson had strenuously opposed any
reference of the questions to the British Parliament as a pusillanimous,
and yet an interested, party abnegation of Canadian rights. He,
therefore, prepared and circulated extensively a petition to the House
of Assembly on this and kindred subjects. This proceeding called forth a
counter petition, urging the Legislature to recognize the principle of
an established church, etc. Dr. Ryerson, therefore, lost no time in
inserting in the _Guardian_ of 24th October, a stirring appeal, in which
he urged the Methodist ministers and members throughout the country to
sign the petition which he had prepared without delay. He insisted upon
the abolition of the rectories surreptitiously established by Sir John
Colborne, on the ground that, although authorized by the Act of 1791,
yet that their establishment was not in harmony with the terms of the
despatch of Lord Ripon, dated November 8th, 1832, which stated that--