We have no wish to become the apologists for the fanatical band of men denominated Fenians, as the Freeman seems to be; we have no intention of shutting our eyes to their well known treasonable projects, as the editor of the Freeman does; and we never attempted to gloss over their designs and represent them as “a body of Irish Catholics in Toronto who had armed to defend themselves and their Churches,” as the editor of the Freeman did. For the Freeman to say that the Fenians in Canada are “Irish Catholics,” without a word of condemnation, of their designs, is a foul slander on the whole body of Irish Catholics, that is ill-deserved, and which we are sure very many of them will indignantly resent. – News.

Here is another batch of falsehoods.

The FREEMAN has never either [apologised] for the Fenians, or thought it necessary to say anything of them pro or con.

We never represented them as a body of Irish Catholics in Toronto, &c. The Hibernian Society of that city, whose members made the armed display in the streets on the night of Nov. 5th, and formed guards on their churches, deny that they are Fenians, and we never saw the slightest evidence to show that they are.

There may be Fenian “circles” in Canada. We know nothing about them beyond what newspaper reports, many of which are very absurd, say of them.