The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-08-28

pose Of such claim, without the control Of the
Congregations, and IL they alors Of all denomina-
items, were permitted to marry, by virtue Of their
Office, should we not think this some approach to-
ward an established church Aud H. in addition
To the position 30 held, we saw the Bishop Of one
Of these CHURCHES appointed by aforeign power,
and himself Of grasping ambitious and unscru-
pulous character, bent on the acquisition Of wealth
and power, should we not feel justified in claim
ing equal privileges for all honest worshippers,
or the repeal Of those 80 exclusively enjoyed
But you would hardly be willing to grant me
space, Mr.. Editor, to discuss the question Of the
Clergy Reserves.
1t is Of the Rectories, the opposition to which,
according TO your correspondent, originates only
in the "most arrogant prejudice" that | wish TO
speak What are these Rectories tt ey are fifty
seven grants OF land mf de by Sir John Colbourne
and three Of his councillors about sixteen years
ago, to Rectors Of the Church Of England. These
rectors may cultivate or rent their rectories and
control them for their own good, as parsons do
the glebe in England. In certain cases. the Gov
ernment have even consented to a sale They can
be held by the ministers Of no other church, and
are in no respect controlled by the laity Of that
And what objection, beside arrogant prejudice
is there to their existence2
When Sir John Colbourne and his three coun-
cillors instituted these rectories the Government
Of Canada was not responsible, but the Home
Government wrote word to the Government that
his grant was illegal, aud the House Of Assembly
petitioned with all their strength against IT, The
first objection Of the People then is that they
were obtained by fraud. Is it a great deal to
ask that as one by one they are left vacant they
should be restored 70 the Province The Gov
ernor assumed a prerogative TO which be had no
| right when he granted them. The dissatisfaction
which ensued was one great cause Of the Rebellion
Of 1887 and the present Government went into
office pledged to abolish the Reserves and Recto-
ries but they have not been able to accomplish it,.
! Had they been legislsting for Upper Canada
| alone no doubt they would have succeeded but
the Lower Canadian members could not help
seeing that If the Bishop Of the Church Of Eng
land trembled in Toronto, II would not he long
before the Bishop of Rome must quake at Quebec,
and they succeeded in cripplng the Government.
The disappointment Of the people will show itself
at the next hastings and shake this Province to
| its centre. The Rectories are daily becoming
more valuable, they are nominally in the present
alton Of the Governor, but actually it is said in
that Of the Bishop, the inscriptions man alud.
ed to before
Your correspondent says these rectors inter-
| fere with no other denomination But the other
denominations believe that these foe lands be-
long to Canada and therefore to them and they
think that while the possession Of them pouTs
! Nealtn anu power INTO the handS or portion OF
the Church OF England's clergy, neither the lsity
of that nor any other church can grow into 8
more liberal and enlightened faith aud tary ~
4 1sE" KAT the narrey aPd instructive Influence Of
I Bu6n cIesgS Ue felt, II has - -. -.l-,
throughout the civil, ecclesiastical and education
al institutions Of the two Csnadas
You will perhaps wonder, Mr. Editor, that |
desire TO justify this people bat il seems 10 me
that Canada and the States ought for many rea-
sons, TO understand each others movements Each
has great mission to fulfil and while America
is the land of the slave, may Canada continue to
be the land Of the fugitive may each sustain the
other in every righteous and popular demand
and may the class now claiming equal rights and
free air meet with sound advice and forbearing
counsel, but never again with scOrnful taunts
from an American press. Had it not been for
the forbesranoe of England, the Canadian Decla-
ration might have been printed before this but
the British Crown learned lesson from a certain
Yankee tea party, and knows better than to lose
another Province in the same way
CIV H. D.