The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-06-19

Tn0 Cahanon clergy Reserves.
Probably there Is no question that is calculated to
exercise more decided influence upon the future
condition of Canada than the disposal Of the clergy
reserves, which, by act Of the British Parliament
have recently been placed at the disposal Of the
Legislature of the Province; and hence we conceive
that brief sketch Of the history Of this grant, and
the circumstances in which it originated, will be &C.
ceptabe to those of readers who feel an interest
in the affairs Of colony with which the United
States are daily becoming more intimately related,
and may remove much Of the misconcepton in which
the subject is involved; the difficulties in relation to
which, we fear will be found to have been increased,
rather than disspated by the adoption in this in
stance of the principle, although sound in itself,
that the colonsts having had self government con.
ceded to them, ought to manage their own affairs.
The object of the French monarchs, when found
ing colonial empire In America, was not so much
the promotion and extension Of trade and commerce
as the introduction of the Christian religion, as es-
tabshed in France, to effect which, extensive grants
Of land were made, and owing to which-aided by
individual endowments and purchase religious
community was established, that was recognized,
at the time of the conquest Of Canada by the British,
and which has since been treated with the utmost
federation.
This acknowledgment Of the Roman Catholic reli-
gon in Canada. together with the payment of tithes
and dues to the clergy Of that denomination, and
the magnificent provision made by men Of wealth for
its support, naturally produced . corresponding
action on the part of the British government for the
maintenance Of Protestant clergy, by the reserva-
ton in the constitutional act Of 79l by which Canada
was separated into two provinces Of one-seventh.of
Tho 1apd for
what is termed the clergy reserves
That this reservation was originally intended for
the clergy of the Church Of England, there cannot
be doubt and in the Clergy Reserve bill Of 1871,
as at first introduced into Parliament, it intend
ed expressly for the support Of Protestant clergy,
in lieu of tahes." The words in italics, however
were struck out at the instance of the Bishops; but
in September Of that year, Mr.. Dundas, then Colo
NAL Secretary, addressed the following letter to Lord
Dorchester governing Canada which, as it exhibits
very clearly the tenure by which lands were held,
and the views Of the government of that day, and
as it has never before been published, we shall sub
join =
As there does not appear at presentsays Mr. Dundas
clergy either in Upper Lower Canada the collie ton
of thes has under the act of the present year been
TO continue but your Lordshp will understand
that it is not wished to continue this burden longer than
Is necessary for the competent provision Of the clergy
IL the ., aos Unable 70 he pay
Lordship's accommodation in providing sufficient fund
for clearing the reserved lands and for building parsonage
houses the several which be endowed
under the of the last session Of Parliament and at
the time provide intermediate fund for the
maintenance of the clergy during the period that will be
required for the purpose of clearing the reserved
lands the obligation Of the payment of t.thes may then
iect TO your Loroshp that by making it understood
smorg the propetors Of these lands they may perceive
the means which are IN their power to relieve themselves
from o burthen which is naturally irks0me to them.
Under this construction Of the act Of l79l, the
clergy of the Church Of England enjoyed the entire
revenue arising from the reserves, until the claim
Of the Church of Scotland to participation sub
santiated by the first legal authorities in England
By the terms Of the original grant, however, it was
provided that the appropriation Of the reserves might
be altered at any future PERIOD by the Colonial Lee
gislature which being unable to agree upon any sa-
tisac0ry scale Of DIVISION the entire subject SUBJ
mtted to the British Parliament, and an act was
passed in 1910, distributing the proceeds of the re-
serves among the different religious denominations
Of the Province, the Church Of England having the
largest proportion, that of Scotland the next, and
the Free Church, Wesleyans and Baptsts being pro
vided for according to their numbers respectively,
which at the time was considered final and salts
factory adjustment OF the question.
But the Free Church and Independents, who are
from principle opposed to receiving State support,
refused to accept their proportion and have since
continued to agitate the Province insisting that the
reserves should be diverted from their original object
end be expended for the diffusion of education. AT
length, about three years since, the subject was
taken up by the Legislature, and address was III
tmately sent to England which has led to the pass
ing of an act Of Parliament, as has already been
stated authorizing the Canadian Legislature TO deal
with the reserves as it may deem advisable.
Theaddress upon which this act is predcated could
not have been passed without the sanction Of the
Canadian government, nor without the support Of
the French members Of the House Of Assembly,
whose object does not appear to be so much the
cnlariZation Of the the exercise of the
right to deal with what they consider is the property
of the province, but who already begun to perceive
that the same right may be exercised by British
majority in the Legislature, when they shall be suf-
ficiently united, with reference to lands granted
originally by the King Of France for the support Of
the Roman Catholic Church in the province, by
which its present ascendancy in Lower Canada will
be destroyed, has been already broadly intimated
by the Duke Of Newcastle and Mr. Z. Peel, during
debate recently in tho Imperial Parliament
That these lands do not belong to what, by
political misnomer, is called the people, will, we
presume, be admitted, after a moments considera-
ton Of the manner in which the surrender of the
territory of the crown was effected. Until very re-
Gently, the ungranted lands of the North American
colonies we're held by the government of the mother
country, founded upon their acquisition by conquest;
and from the revenue derived from this source the
principal public officers were paid. Some ten or
twelve years since, however, it was proposed to
surrender these upon condition that the Legislatures
Of the different provinces would defray the ex-
penses Of the civil government and after consider.
able chaifering as to the amount to be paid this
was agreed teach colony consenting to pay GER
tain and fixed sum annually and the lands Of the
crown were accordingly conceded.
At this time, as was well known in Canada, a con.