the following session of Parliament but the abrupt ending
of the session prevented even its introduction. He went to Kingston
again in 1843, but he was frustrated by a similar cause. Against the
bill the Board emphatically protested. They declared it to be an attempt
to overthrow the plainly expressed intentions and directions of the
testator, and an action "as unexampled in the history of British
legislation as it is contrary to the first principles of law, justice
and reason." They stated further that "they have executed the
intentions of the testator diligently, faithfully and efficiently, so
far as they have not been obstructed in doing so by the acts of those
whose duty it was to have facilitated their proceedings." The bill was
not passed. It helped only to shatter whatever hopes may have existed
for the ending of the quarrel between the Governors and the Board as
then constituted. It made it plain that there was now no possibility of
an amicable agreement.

In the spring of 1843, the buildings were completed as far as the funds
available would permit. Because of lack of money, the Board did not feel
justified in making any outlay on the College grounds. Meanwhile,
however, they had increased the value of the estate by giving to the
City of Montreal the continuation lines of Dorchester and St. Catherine
Streets on condition that the additional fences required on opening
these streets should be erected at the expense of the city.

In June, 1843, it was decided to open the buildings for the reception of
students in the first week of the following September. To this the Board
and the Governors, strangely enough, agreed, but the agreement was only
momentary. The Board asked the Governors for an estimate of the amount
required for furniture for the buildings. The Governors refused to make
an estimate. They were unable, they said, to do so; they desired a
covering grant of L500 to buy what they needed. The Board suggested with
some touch of sarcasm that they should get "a carpenter or a tradesman"
to make an estimate if they could not make it themselves, but the
Governors again declined. The Board contended that they could not make
a grant unless they previously knew precisely the details of the
proposed expenditure; and the Governors answered that they would borrow
L500 if the Royal Institution would not give it to them. The Board then
asked for an accounting of the money "already received and expended by
the Principa