New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-05-12
CANADA CLERGY RESERVES.

+ debate has Just taken place in Parliament on a
proposition ofthe Government TO grant to the Colonial
Legislature full authority to legislate upon the grants
originally made by tho Home Government for the en-
couragement Of the Protestant religion, and the man-
tenance of the Protestant clergy. This grant was
originally made in l776, and is known as the Clergy
Reserves Very little income was derived from them
up to the year lsl9 when claim to share 10 the re-
serves was put forward By the Presbyterians; the
clergy of the Church Of England having always claimed
an exclusive right therein. From that time to the
present the various denominations of Christians in the
province including the Roman Catholics, have at one
time and another claimed TO participate in their rev
enues and the reserves have thus been q perpetual
bone Of contention During the strife between the va
rious religious denominations, propositions have been
at different periods made secularize the giant by
opproprating them for educational purposes, for
public improvements
The existing Government propose to surrender
oil Jurisdiction of the Crown the reserves and leave
their disposition entirely to the Colonial Legislature.
The Duke Of Newcastle advocates this policy but with
out expressing any opinion in favor Of div6rtng them
from their original purpose. He evidently leans in favor
OF the proposition TO divide their revenues among the
various religious denominations The Bishop Of Exeter
and other dgntares OF the Cnurch oppose ne aueud-
ton of any port ion from the established Church. and
along with the Earl of Derby and other tories argue in
favor of vested rights" and exclusive privileges The
Government seemed however 70 have difficulty in
carrying the bill to second reading the Bishop Of Exc
ter not insisting upon adiyison IL appears likely
therefore that the decision If the question what
appropriation shall be made Of the fund.- viii be
ierred to the Canadian Legislature. We think it not
unlikely that this act ofthe home Government will lead
to some action among the dissenting denominations of
christians in the lower provinces where the Clergy
have hitherto always been regarded being the
exclusive property of the Episcopal Church The dis
seners will here find exceenprecedent to claim par
ticpatiOn therein at least 70 ask for decision upon
their claims by their own local Legislature. by way of
showing the spread OF republican ideas among the ruling
classes of the Old World we cannot orbear to cite the
following brief passage from the Duke Of Newcastles
Speech upon the subject in question:
As he had said before. he would not enter into the
question OF what the Canadian Parliament would do when
their LOrdshps restored % them that OF which he thought
they ought 10 have been deprive but their Lori
ships might look upon TINS ~ axiom-that there wa
better security against abuse Of power than resp0n
sibty and they could show that the Canadian Lsgsa
would be responsible In the administration Of hese
be believed their Lorships would be taking 10
only security which they had right take, and the best
security they could take against any undue o. improper
Of The power which they entrusted r. the coonists
Not In the Cambria received the wire, It
lat hour la, night fad the announcement TIA, the
bill m question has finally passed