he people contented; and at such a time, if no
disturbing cause arise, moderate and reasonable men are likely to be
returned. At the same time the 'Clergy Reserve' question is
sufficiently before the public to insure our getting from the returns
to Parliament a pretty fair indication of what are the real sentiments
of the people upon it. I need not say that there can be no security
for the permanence of any arrangement which is not in tolerable
conformity with those sentiments.

* * * * *

_To the Earl Grey._

July 12,1851.

[Sidenote: Movement not prompted by Roman Catholics.]

As to the insinuation that the movement against the endowments of the
Church of England is prompted by the Romans, events will give the lie
to it ere long. The following facts, however, seem to be wholly
irreconcilable with this hypothesis. Before the Union of the Provinces
there were very few, if any, Roman Catholic members in the Upper
Canada Parliament; they were all-powerful in the Lower. Now it is
recorded in history, that the Upper Canadian Legislative Assembly kept
up year after year a series of assaults on the 'Clergy Reserves;' in
proof of which read the narrative part of the Address to Her Majesty
on the 'Clergy Reserves' from the Legislative Assembly last year. And
it is equally a fact that the Lower Canadian Legislative Assembly
never meddled with them, except I think once, when they were invited
to do so by the Government.

Some months later, in the beginning of 1852, Lord John Russell's
Administration was broken up, and Lord Grey handed over the seals of the
Colonial Office to Sir John Pakington. One of the first subjects on which
the new Secretary asked to be furnished with confidential information was
as to the state of public feeling in Canada upon the question of the future
disposal of the 'Clergy Reserves.' Lord Elgin replied as follows:

[Sidenote: Feeling in the Province;]

You require, if I rightly understand your letter, that I should state,
in the first place, whether I believe that the sentiments of the
community in reference to the subject-matter of this Address are
faithfully represented in the votes of the Assembly. I cannot answer
this question otherwise than affirmatively. Not that I am by any means
disposed to under-rate the importance of the petitions which may have