them, and the evidence on which I make my
statement.

First as regards myself. The proposed measure being intended to secure a
continued payment of grants already made out of the Casual and
Territorial Revenue, and the Clergy Reserve Fund, to the parties
receiving them, I submitted to Lord Sydenham that, as the three
principal denominations (Church of England, Church of Scotland, and
Roman Catholics) received large aid out of one or both of these funds,
it was clear that unless some assistance was granted to the Wesleyan
Methodist Church before the passing of the Clergy Reserve Bill, and
transferred with other charges by the provisions of the Bill, we would
be effectually excluded from obtaining any aid for a series of years. I
submitted to Lord Sydenham an application, which I had been directed to
make, in behalf of the Upper Canada Academy--now Victoria College. His
Lordship acceded to the justice of my views, but replied that aid was
given to us also in the form of an annual grant. I replied, and sought
to impress upon his Lordship, that the grant referred to by him had not
been made to the Canadian Conference, and did not operate to its
advantage, but to the sole advantage of the Wesleyan Missionary Society
in England; and, at his request, I prepared a statement of the case in
writing. It will be seen by the date of my letter that these
communications took place January 2nd, 1840. It is perfectly clear,
therefore, that up to that time there could have transpired between Lord
Sydenham and myself, nothing relative to the transfer of the grant.

On the same day, Rev. Messrs. Stinson and Richey (agents of the Wesleyan
Committee) had an interview with Lord Sydenham. They told him that the
union between the English and Canadian Conferences was not likely to
continue; and prayed (in their memorial, written the day after) "that
the sum intended for the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Canada, should be
given to the Wesleyan Methodists, who are now, and who may be hereafter,
connected with the British Wesleyan Conference." I believe Lord
Sydenham's laconic reply was, that he had to do with religious bodies in
Canada, not in England.

It will be seen that the communication of Messrs. Stinson and Richey, as
well as mine, served to impress Lord Sydenham that there was not an
identity of interests between the English and Canadian Conferences, as
he had supposed, and, as His Lordship said, Her Majesty's Government
also supposed.