266 
ADDRESS TO THE VETERINARY PROFESSION. 
names were inserted in that document as petitioners for the grant- 
ing of a Charter of Incorporation. 
But, from avowals which these parties have since made, they 
looked on the successful result of an application to her Majesty 
as a point not by any means likely of attainment, or they would 
not have allowed their names to be so placed : to their great sur- 
prise and dismay, the prayer of the petitioners was granted, and 
the power of regulating the affairs of the body corporate was vested 
in the hands of the body itself. 
Now commenced the series of attacks which have since become 
so painfully well known. Do not let us deceive ourselves on this 
point. On the 8th March 1844, the Charter became a veritable 
legal document, and I have letters in my possession, dated in the 
following month of April, stating, in plain terms, the onslaught 
that was to be commenced, and, in part, who were to be the parties 
to do it. It is not requisite that I should give a more minute 
detail ; sufficient is it, that the result has proved but too correctly 
the avowal. 
Petitions have been sent in to the Government, insinuations, 
aspersions of individual character, false charges of fraud and decep- 
tion, which have since been obliged to be withdrawn even with humi- 
liation by the parties who promulgated them, have been made ; 
boastings of superiority have been loudly bruited in every direction, 
and with all this the Government and the public have been at- 
tempted to be cajoled. 
For more than two years this was borne with, thinking that 
something like open, manly honesty would ensue upon calm reflec- 
tion ; but the more there was forborne, the greater the clamour ; 
until, at last, measures beyond those merely defensive were, from 
necessity, obliged to be resorted to. So soon as this was done, 
affairs took a different aspect ; and what had been so long talked of 
evaporated in smoke, and the clamour which had so long been rife 
turned into sullen silence. 
During this contest of clamorous threats on the one part and 
forbearance on the other, every attempt that was consistent with 
manly prudence was resorted to, to bring about a better feeling on 
the part of the opposition : points that were deemed obnoxious 
were offered to be conceded, good fellowship was tendered ; but in 
vain. Kindness and courtesy were met by personal abuse, scur- 
rility, and threats ; and thus those who might have had all rea- 
sonable objects by acting with the common courtesy of society, 
have met the fate of the dog in the manger. 
In reviewing this simple detail of facts, it must be apparent that 
those who have acted so once will again so act, give them but the 
power ; and it is useless to attempt conciliation with those who 
