decide whether
an exclusive endowment of any class of clergymen was beyond the
competence of imperial or local law.

The passing of an act in New South Wales, granting stipends in
proportion to the adherents, from L100 to L200, and the prospect of a
similar act in Van Diemen's Land, led to urgent applications for
ministers by the heads of various churches. Bishop Broughton published a
strong appeal to the numerous unbeneficed clergymen in Great Britain, to
whom he represented these colonies as a field of great promise. He
stated that the obtaining ministers, "was a matter of life and death."

The son of the illustrious Coleridge exerted himself on behalf of the
church of England, and based his chief appeal on the inadequacy of the
penal laws at home; the misery endured by the poor; the numerous crimes
originated by the refinement of society; and the principle of
compensation, which bound the English people to supply in colonies not
less instruction than they must have furnished in gaols.[220]

A fund was contributed, though of no great amount; but the Society for
Promoting Christian Knowledge supplemented the colonial pay, which was
found inadequate to secure men of character and education. Compared with
the ground to be occupied, the church of Scotland was more successful in
candidates for this important sphere.

Dr. Lang lost no time in proceeding to Great Britain, and obtained a
numerous band of clergymen and schoolmasters, whose passage was defrayed
by the colonies.

The Rev. Thomas Dugal, and other ministers of the synod of Ulster,
expressed their willingness to undertake colonial charges. Lord Glenelg
enquired of Dr. M'Farlane, the convener of the general assembly's
committees, whether their appointment would be sanctioned by the church
of Scotland. To this he replied, that they might be "taken under charge
of presbyteries in connexion with their church, on their adhibiting the
subscription, and coming under the engagements required by their church,
but no longer."

The admission of the Roman catholic body to equal privileges, was
defended as a measure of policy. The national clergy appealed to a legal
recognition; but, until a recent period, the catholic worship had by
statesmen been both tolerated and abjured. The penal institutions
required catholic instructors, to teach a proportion of prisoners,
amounting to one-third of the whole. The appointment of the Rev. Dr.
Ullathorne as vicar-general, led to in