MU. MORTON’S REPLY 
344 
And this asseveration is made, not for the sake merely of con- 
tradicting the calumny, but I am prepared with indisputable 
evidence to prove the verity of my assertions, and am ready and 
willing to do so whenever called upon. 
I could have selected another mode of combatting the impu- 
tations cast upon my character; and have asked if the statement 
bears not with it its own refutation? Would it for a moment 
be believed by thinking persons? What! were not the members 
of the Society as “ independent and as high spirited” in 1831 as 
they have been said to be in 1836? or, were they so basely sub- 
servient that they sanctioned that in me which is opposed to all 
order and justice ? I firmly believe, if I had acted as I have 
been represented to have done, my friends, even my very best, 
and that to a man, w'ould have turned against me ; and they 
would have done so justly. Allow ing, however, that by trickery, 
and the confusion created, I had been able to get over one even- 
ing, and a scrutiny was thus prevented from taking place, could 
not the question have been mooted at another? Was there not 
one friend of Mr. Vines who could have held up his hand against 
the confirmation of the acts of the preceding evening? Not one 
who could have asked for a fresh ballot? Not one who could 
have entered his protest against such proceedings? These 
questions I leave to be answered. And to what I have said on 
this head I will only add, that it was not my intention, even up 
to the evening on which I was elected librarian (and many of the 
students were informed of this, or my majority would have been 
larger), to have accepted the office, although I had been earnestly 
solicited to do so for the two preceding years, until Mr. Vines 
thought fit to insinuate that 1 had improperly disposed of the 
Society’s funds. I was then filled with indignation, and who 
would not? and being so, I accepted the librarianship, defying 
Mr. Vines to a proof. I failed, however, in obtaining this : but as 
since that time no repetition of the insinuation has been openly 
made, I suppose he has been convinced of his error; if not, my 
accounts are now in the hands of a party which it. would seem 
is not very favourably disposed towards me; and I with perfect 
confidence refer to the books, and, indeed, court both in this and 
in all other circumstances connected with my offices, during the 
time I held them , the f idlest and the freest investigation. 
Thus have I answered that which, to a person unacquainted 
with the facts, might appear both dishonest and dishonourable 
on my part. An adherence to truth has been maintained, as the 
best means of refutation ; and I only ask those to whom the cir- 
cular letter has been addressed to “ look on that picture and on 
this.” 
