Page:Statement of facts relating to the trespass on the printing press in the possession of Mr. William Lyon Mackenzie, in June, 1826.djvu/24

 more its folly—of all that followed, the public are aware. Of course, Mr. Mackenzie, as a moment's reflection might have led us to expect, came back to the Province, delighted with his success. He had, at length, succeded in producing such an effect as I am satisfied he had been long contemplating. He had, on the one hand, a few inconsiderate individuals on whom he could wreak his vengeance, for an injury little more than imaginary—while on the other, he could make it answer the purpose of his politics, by affecting to believe, that the Government, or any person whom he chose to traduce, had been the contrivers of this hasty and thoughtless act. The loss, in point of fact, did not fall upon him; but, for all that, he now might assume the language of complaint, represent himself as persecuted, and, by my imprudence, and the imprudence of others asociated with me, he had a straight road before him for repairing his broken fortunes. We were all known, and were some of us responsible; and it was not long before an action brought against us by Mr. Mackenzie, in £2,000 damages, showed pretty plainly his conviction, that he had, at last, brought his Press and Types to good market—his creditors, it is well known, rejoiced with him, and they had reason.

In the mean time, and up to the moment of the trial, Mr. Mackenzie was to be seen, traversing every corner of the District, spreading the story of "his wrongs,"—his wrongs, indeed!! The wrongs of him who, in almost every Paper that he published with that Press, inflicted without provocation, without other possible motive than malice, envy, or hopes of gain, injuries to character and feelings which no money could repair.

He took his stand at the corners of the principal streets, leading into the Town, in order to catch the people of the Country as they passed, and to qualify them by his harangues—of a piece, no doubt, with the statements in his Paper—to discharge, coolly