from gradually rendering a large portion of the population, by
their influence and instructions, hostile to our institutions,
civil and religious, than by increasing the number of the
Established Clergy.

Who then [Dr. Ryerson asked] was the author of contention? Who was the
aggressor? Who provoked hostilities? The slanders in the Chart were
published in Canada, and in England, by Dr. Strachan before a single
effort was made by a member of any denomination to counteract his
hostile measures, or a single word was said on the subject.

* * * * *

_Nov. 19th, 1834._--In connection with this subject I insert here the
following reply (containing several historical facts) to a singularly
pretentious letter which Dr. Ryerson had inserted in the _Guardian_ of
this date, denouncing the opposition of a certain "sect called
Methodists" to the claims of the Church of England as an established
church in the Colony. The reply was inserted in order to afford
strangers and new settlers in Upper Canada correct information on the
subject, and to disprove the statement of the writer of the letter, Dr.
Ryerson mentioned the following facts:--

The pretensions of the Episcopal clergy began to be disputed by the
clergy of the Church of Scotland as soon as it was known that the former
had got themselves erected into a corporation. This was, I believe, in
1820.[34] The subject was brought before the House of Assembly in 1824,
and the House in 1824, '25, '26, '27, passed resolutions remonstrating
against the exclusive claims of the Episcopal clergy. From 1822 to 1827
several pamphlets were published on both sides of the question, and much
was said in the House of Assembly; but during this period not one word
was written by any minister or member of the Methodist Church, nor did
the Methodists take any part in it, though their ministers were not even
allowed to solemnize matrimony--a privilege then enjoyed by Calvinistic
ministers--and though individual ministers had been most maliciously and
cruelly persecuted, under the sanction of judicial authority.... But in
the statements drawn up for the Imperial Government by the Episcopal
clergy during the years mentioned, the extirpation of the Methodists was
made one principal ground of appeal by the Episcopal clergy for the
exclusive countenance and patronage of His Majesty's Government. Some of
these documents at length came before the Canadian public