es, and of the fact that the
Provincial Parliament had been requested by the Imperial Government to
legislate on the subject. Previous Colonial Secretaries, Lord Goderich
among the number, had given what might fairly be construed as pledges on
the part of the Imperial Government that no steps would be taken with
respect to the disposal of any part of the Reserves, unless in accord
with the views of a majority of the Upper Canadian people. Yet Sir John
allowed himself to be persuaded into creating and endowing forty-four
rectories[207] with more that 17,000 acres of land, giving an average of
about 386 acres to each. These were put in possession of clergymen, who
were thus enabled to acquire such a personal vested and possessory
interest in the lands as, it was believed, would enable them to make
good their titles thereto in a court of law.

This most reprehensible "clerical land grab" was made on the 15th of
January, eight days before the arrival of Sir John Colborne's successor,
and while Sir Francis was actually _en route_ for Toronto. It was thus
one of Sir John's last official acts. It is said that he was with
difficulty brought to accede to the advice of his Council on the
subject. He at all events seemed to feel that his creation of the
rectories was an extraordinary act, and he took care to say nothing
about the matter to the Imperial Government, who did not discover the
facts until Sir Francis Head had been for some time in office. That the
creation and endowment of the rectories were the means of greatly
intensifying the general discontent throughout the Province, and that
they were thus factors in bringing about the Rebellion, is beyond
question; though to say, as has been said by Mackenzie and others, that
they were the _prime_ factors, is to talk nonsense. The sequel of the
story may as well be briefly outlined here. The Executive Council kept
the matter secret as long as they could, but it was of such a nature
that its early disclosure was inevitable. The transaction became public
property in the course of the spring, soon after the close of the
session of Parliament. No sooner did it become known than the public
indignation began to manifest itself in lurid speeches and newspaper
articles. Meetings were held to denounce Sir John Colborne and those who
had prompted him to this high-handed iniquity. The Wesleyan Methodist
Conference and the Synod of the Church of Scotland in Upper Canada, if
agreeing on no o