hought
proper, and given to the Church for other uses. He merely suggested
that without wishing to impose it. He would conclude with one
reflection: Let his Protestant fellow-countrymen remember they
would never find opposition to their just rights from Roman
Catholics and French Canadians. The latter had repeatedly passed
Acts in Lower Canada to give equal rights to those who were called
dissenters, and Jews, which were rejected by members of the Church
of England in the Council, and it was worthy of remark that, at a
moment when in England a pretended aggression had given occasion
for persecution, the Church of England here had to rely upon
Catholics to protect it against the aggression of other Protestant
sects.

I shall now make a few observations on the Bishop's statements
respecting government grants to the Church of Rome, and the endowments
of that Church in Lower Canada. The Bishop, framing his statements with
a view to the Protestant feeling of England, inveighs in general terms
against the Government on account of its alleged patronage of the Church
of Rome; makes exaggerated statements on one side, and omits all
references to facts on the other side which would enable the Protestants
of England, to whom he appeals, to understand the part which he has
himself taken in favour of grants to the Church of Rome, the manner in
which those grants are paid at the present time, and the alliance which
he has long endeavoured, and would still wish to form with that Church
in respect to endowments. The Bishop says:--

In Upper Canada, the Roman Catholic clergy do not, at present,
exceed seventy in number, and the provision for their support is
very slender. It depends chiefly on their customary dues, and the
contributions of their respective flocks; unless, indeed, they
receive assistance from the French portion of the Province, where
the resources of the Romish Church are abundant.

Now, while the Bishop presents an overdrawn and startling picture of the
emoluments of the Church of Rome in Lower Canada, he omits all
statements of public grants and payments to the clergy of that church in
Upper Canada. The Bishop must know, that in addition to their "customary
dues, and the voluntary contributions of their flocks," the clergy of
the Church of Rome receive L1,666 per annum, and that that sum is paid
out of the clergy reserve fund u