is re-opening of the question was deprecated by Dr. Ryerson and
others. Early in January, 1844, Mr. Surveyor-General Parke sent to Dr.
Ryerson the copy of a letter written by Rev. Prof. Campbell, of Queen's
College, Kingston, in which Mr. Campbell sets up the claim of the Kirk
of Scotland, having a branch in Canada, as such, to a portion of the
Canadian clergy reserves. Mr. Parke says:--

The writer of the letter arrives at two other conclusions, which, I
think, are based on error, and calculated to interfere materially
with the rights of the other bodies of Protestant Christians:
namely, that the Kirk in Canada participate in the clergy reserves,
solely by the right it has as a branch of the Kirk in Scotland; and
that other bodies of Christians participate in them merely as an
act of favour. To the first of these conclusions I entirely object,
on the ground that the Act confers the reserves, purely and solely,
on Canada, and for the benefit of interests and persons, absolutely
within Canada. To the second conclusion or statement of the
Professor, that is, that other bodies participate as a matter of
favour, I object on every ground on which it is possible for equity
to place the subject. What! shall the unexampled toils, and
incessant labours of the early and later Methodists, and other
pioneers of the christianizing of Canada, have doled out to them,
as a matter of simple grace, and a body in Scotland, who never knew
nor participated in the labour of sowing the seeds of the Gospel
through the length and breadth of the land, claim as a matter of
absolute right, for one of its branches, a participation in lands,
purely Canadian in fact and law? This I can never assent to; it was
the question on which, as a Methodist, I first became a Canadian
politician, and it is the question on which I yet feel the keenest.
I desire to call your attention to the matter, and solicit a
correction from you of errors which, I think, are insidiously
calculated to mislead the public mind, and make uphill work in
combating other questions which may arise in unfortunate Canada,
bye-and-bye. Some of the Kirk folks would monopolize for
themselves, as far as they dare, and the Church of England too; but
the general community, who have borne the burden and heat of the
day--fought and won the battle--