The Express.
London, England, 1851-02-25 00:00:00

THE CLERGY RESERVES IN CANADA.

Mete the Doily Nem.)
THE abandonment of the clergy reserves in Canada!
to the absolute disposal of the provincial legislatige,4
is a wise act on the part of the Sezretary of State
for the Colonies—a wiser act than his lordship seems
to be aware of. In Lord GREY'S despatch on this
subject, which we published yesterday, and also in
the despatch of Lord ELGIN to which it is an answer,
regret is expressed that the subject should have
again been brought under discussion. This regret
arises from the mistaken notion that the discussion
of a grievance is more to be deprecated than the
grievance itself. The renewal of the discussion of
the clergy reserves in the Canadian legislature, is a
proof that the grievance is still felt, and that discus-
sion will not be allowed to cease until it is removed.
Lord GREY may rest assured that the concession he
has advised her "MAJESTY to make was indispensable
to a continued good understanding between the
mother country and the colony, and may therefore
dismiss any regret he feels in making it.
It is true that the clergy reserves in Canada have
ceased, since the imperial act 3 & 4 Vic., cap. 78 was
passed, to present the same obstacles to the develop-
meat of the resources of the colony and the tranqui-
lity of the public mind as formerly. Originully they
were as great a nuisance as could well be imagined.
In addition to the strife they stirred up in conse-
quence of their being viewed as an endowment of a
church from which the majority of the population
dissented, they absolutely prevented the progress of
settlement. Large blocks of land were granted to
the established church, which it had neither the will
nor the ability to turn to profitable account. 'Thom
blocks were so interspersed among the lands open to
general settlement, that they effectually. prevented
the opening up of the necessary communications by
good roads between the settled districts. The la-
mentably slow progress made by Canada, as compared
with the United States, previous to the government
of Lord DURHAM, was more owing to the clergy
reserve! than to any other of the abuses that pre-
veiled Si. the colony.
This evil has to a great extent been remedied
since tl4 passing of the Act 3 & 4 Viet., cap. 78.
Under that act the clergy reserves have been thrown
open to sale and settlement, provision being made foe
the distribution of the proceeds among the clergy of
the established churches of England and Scotland.
Since the time that it was passed, settlement in
Canada has made rapid progress. On the borders
we have reason to believe that Canada still (in ap-
pearance. at lewd). lags behind the States; but. in the
interior, we have the most unsuspected testimony
that thecae of the former country is quite equal
to that o the latter.

But the distribution of the funds from the salo
of the clergy reserves has continued to be a
fertile source of irritation and discontent in Canada.
Of 723,332 souls which the last census gives us the
population of Upper Canada, only 239,661 arc even
nominally connected with the churches of England
and Scotland. Of 678490, the population of Lower
' Canada, according to the last census, only 70,229 pro-
' fess to belong to these communions. Of a popula-
tion of nearly a million and a half, little more than
one-fifth is allowed to derive even apparent advan-
tage from the mule of lands held in trust for the bene.
fit of the whole community.

We confess that in ordinary circumstances wo
question both the wisdom and the justice of placing
the waste lands of a colony at the disposal of the
local legislature. Either by conquest or discovery.
these territories have been acquired at the expense of
the mother country, and vested in the crown for tho
benefit of the aggregate community of the whole'
empire. Lands granted in private; property are,
and ought to be, nt the absolute disposal of the
colonists ; but waste lands are common
property, to which the inhabitants of Hamp-
shire have an equal title with the colonists.
We would, therefore, prefer seeing the administra-
tion of colonial waste lands entrusted to the central
government of the empire, as it is in the United
States. But it is now too late to discuss this with
regard to the present question. The clergy reserve
excepted, all the ungrnntcd lands in the colony have
been placed at the disposal of the local legislature.
The exception is made, not fur the interest of the
whole community, but for the (supposed) benefit of
two churches (or rather of their clergy). '!'ho wisdom
or justice of this preference is a question which con-
cerns the Canadians alone. The inhabitants of the
rest of the empire have no interest in it, no right to
a voice in its decision. The waste lands of tho
colony haying been given up to the local legislature
the clergy reserves ought clearly to follow the desti-
nation of the rest.

The only consideration that could warrant a mo-
ment's pause before assenting to this conclusion re-
lates to the rights of living individuals. We believe
that the claims of those who arc now in eoyment
of incomes derived from the funds realised by the
sale of the lands in question might safely have been
left to the sense of justice of the Canadian legisla-
ture. But the House of Assembly, in their address
to the Crown on the subject, have wisely precluded
any doubt or hesitation on this score by pledging
themselves to the continuance of these ine,omm tot
We lives of the parties by whom they are received. I
Far: tlitEV*3 etch is, however, of MOTO COMO-
quence,on account of the reasan it assigns for the
abandonment of the clergy reserves to the free dis-
pusal of the local legislature, than even on account
of the effect it will have in assuaging local asperities
and removing an impediment to a continued good
understanding between the colony and the mother
country. " The question," says the noble Secretary of
State for the Colonies " is one so exclusively aftbeting
the people of Canada, that its decision ought not to be
withdrawn from the provincial legislature, to which
it properly belongs, to regulate all matters concern-
ing the domestic interests of the province." "It has
therefore appeared," continues the noble lord, " to
her Majesty s government, that it would be im-
possible for them, consistently with the principles on
which they have always held that the government
of Canada ought to be conducted, to advise her
Majesty to refuse to comply with the prayer of the
Address of the House of Assembly.' This is a
sound and excellent principle, and of much wider
application than to Canadian affairs merely. It is to
be hoped that her Majesty's government hold that
the government of all our colonies ought to be con-
ducted on the principle which they take to regulate
their conduct towards Canada. It is to be hoped
that it will not be lost sight of when the representa-
tions of the South African colonists respecting their
projected constitution come under consideratiint Its
observance with regard to Canada is simple Justice
and sound policy; its neglect in relation to other
colonies would be oppressive, and the extreme of
political folly.

BENEVOLENT INSTITUTIC N OT JOURNEYMEN TAl-
LOlM—Yesterday the annual meeting of the members of
this institution took place at the Freemaaone' Tavern—Mr.
Edeney in the chair. The report stated that more than
1,1001. had been distributed in pensions during the year,
and there had been a considerable acquisition of new sub-
scribers. The amount of capital now pommeled by the insti-
tution was 14,7741. 18s. 10d.,0f which 14,0931. 31. Id. belonged
to the permanent fund, leaving a balance in favour of the re-
lief fund amounting to 6811. 16e. 9il. Three additional
pensioners were that day to be elected, making the total
number 63. Since the foundation of the institution 112 had
been placed on its funds. The asylum was in a moot satis-
factory condition, and the board fully expected that in July
next they should be in a position to recommend a further
election of pensioners. The receipts for the past year were
3,3331. 17s. Bd. After the adoption of the report a resolu-
tion was passed to the effect that a petition be prevented to
the Queen praying that her Majesty would grant to the in-
stitution a charter of incorporation. The meeting then as-
partied.

-
CLIARING CROSS BRIDGE COMPANY.—ThC bill of
this company whereby it is proposed to raise a further sum of
40,0001. to pay off carious sums of money is declared to have
complied with the standing orders. The bill recites that
the company have raised under their acts 80,000/. and bor-
rowed 21,000!. which have been applied to the purposes of
the undertaking, and that the additional capital is to be
raised by the creation of preference shares.
COAL DUTIES OP LONDON AND WESTMINSTER.—
The bill to amend the present acts of parliament relating
to the vend and delivery of coal' in London and Westmin-
ster and certain parts of the adjacent counties, and to allow
a drawback upon coals conveyed beyond a certain limit, and
which has passed the committee on standing orders, provide'
that a certificate of the quality sad quantity of sea-borne
coals is to be given and registered tithe coal market on the
arrival of every ship, and there is to be a penalty of 10IN. en
persons opposing the weighing of wale. Railway companies
are to be allowed the duty on 600 tons of coal, used by,
engines within twenty miles of London district and there is
to be a drawback per ton on sea-borne coal taken beyond
thirty miles of the general post office by shim canal, or
inland navigation. Monthly returns en to be made to the
coal market committee.