both
direct and incidental. It not only tended to stop the march of progress,
but it created a degree of sectarian animosity and hatred little
calculated to inspire respect for Christianity in the breasts of the
secular portion of the community, and it disturbed the public
tranquillity for nearly two generations.

By the thirty-sixth section of the Act of 1791, power was given to
reserve out of all future grants of land in Upper and Lower Canada, as
well as in respect of all past grants, an allotment for the support of
"a Protestant Clergy." It was provided that this allotment should be
"equal in value to the seventh part of the lands so granted." By the
thirty-seventh section, the rents, profits and emoluments arising from
the lands so appropriated were to be applicable solely to the
maintenance and support of a Protestant Clergy. By subsequent sections
provision was made for the erection and endowment by the
Lieutenant-Governor, under instructions from the Crown, of parsonages or
rectories, one or more in every township or parish, according to the
establishment of the Church of England, and for the presentation of
incumbents, subject to the bishop's right of institution. By section
forty-two it was enacted that no Provincial statute varying or repealing
these provisions should receive the royal assent until thirty days after
it had been laid before both Houses of Parliament in Great Britain.
These famous enactments were destined to produce more discord and
heartburning than all the other clauses of the Constitutional Act
combined. They were destined to make the Church of England more
cordially detested in this Province by persons without the pale of her
communion than she has ever been in any other part of the world. They
were destined to set one Legislative faction against another in such
fierce array that the public business frequently had to be suspended.
They were destined to divide the Provincial population into two hostile
camps, each filled with envy, malice and all uncharitableness towards
the other. They were destined to be the key-note of general elections,
and to shape the policy of successive Administrations. They were
destined to be the chief factor in bringing about a Rebellion which for
a time seriously disturbed the industries of the Province; which filled
the Provincial jails with suffering prisoners; which consigned a number
of persons to a premature and ignominous death; which brought sorrow
and ru