r. Attorney-General had no faith in Buonaparte and was
but an indifferent Catholic, but the Crown only could select from a
Bishop's own Priesthood, and a Bishop, once acknowledged, would be the
head of a department. That said Mr. Plessis would be a departure from
the Romish doctrine of church discipline. To some extent it would, but
your clergy would be officers of the Crown, and you would obtain the
means of living in splendour, said the Attorney-General. Splendour,
said Mr. Plessis, is not suitable to the condition of a bishop;
ecclesiastical rank and a sufficient maintenance is all he needs. The
Attorney-General meant that a bishop should have the income of a
gentleman. Mr. Plessis meant the same thing, but it was a delicate
matter to pension a bishop, for relinquishing his right of nominating
to the cures, as the public would not hesitate to say he had sold his
church. Never mind, said the Attorney-General, if the matter is viewed
aright, you have none to relinquish. I do not know, replied Mr.
Plessis. Whatever is to be done must now be done, intimated the
Attorney-General. You speak truly, was the modest reply, something must
be done, and though we may differ in detail, I hope we shall not in the
outline.

Not very long after this conversation Bishop Denaud died. Now was the
time for Mr. Witsius Ryland to act or never. He did act most
energetically. He ear-wigged Mr. President Dunn, concerning his proper
line of conduct on the occasion. He attempted to dissuade Mr. Dunn from
a formal acknowledgement of Mr. Plessis, as Superintendent of the
Romish Church, till His Majesty's pleasure should be declared. He
thought an order should be immediately issued from home, prohibiting
the assumption, by a Roman Catholic prelate, of the title of Bishop of
Quebec. It occurred to him that a French emigrant bishop, if one could
be found, would be more easily managed than Mr. Plessis. But Mr.
Plessis was too much for Mr. Ryland, and found favor in the President's
sight. Mr. Dunn would not listen to the representations of his
secretary, and the wrath of his secretary was kindled. He wrote to Sir
Robert Milnes on the subject, and to "My dear Lord," the Right Reverend
Jacob Mountain, D.D. Not only was Mr. Dunn determined upon formally
recognizing the new Roman Catholic Bishop but he was determined to
suffer the Reverend Mr. Panet to take the oath as Coadjutor, without
either waiting for His Majesty's pleasure, or for any other sanction