r
the purposes of education and internal improvement. Mr. Morris'
motion to strike out "internal improvement" was lost. In this year
a committee of the House of Commons reported against continuing the
reservation in mortmain of the clergy lands, as it imposed serious
obstacles to the improvement of the colony.

In 1829, two despatches on the clergy reserve question were sent to
the Colonial Secretary by Sir John Colborne. In one, dated 11th
April, Sir John says: If a more ardent zeal be not shown by the
Established Church, and a very different kind of minister than that
which is generally to be found in this Province sent out from
England, it is obvious that the members of the Established Church
will be inconsiderable, and that it will continue to lose ground.
The Methodists, apparently, exceed the number of the Churches of
England and Scotland.... If the Wesleyan Methodists in England
could be prevailed on to supply this Province with preachers, the
Methodists of this country would become, as a political body, of
less importance than they are at present.

In this year the House of Assembly passed a bill similar to that of
1828. It was rejected, as in the previous year, by the Legislative
Council. In 1830, the same proceedings were repeated with like
result.

In December, 1830 (see page 101), a monster petition was agreed to, and
afterwards signed by 10,000 persons and sent to England, praying that
steps be taken to leave the ministers of all denominations to be
supported by the people among whom they labour and the voluntary
contributions of benevolent Societies in Canada and Great Britain--to do
away with all political distinctions on account of religious faith--to
remove all ministers of religion from seats and places of political
power in the Provincial Government--to grant to the clergy of all
denominations the enjoyment of equal rights and privileges in everything
that appertains to them as British subjects and as ministers of the
Gospel, particularly the right of solemnizing matrimony--to modify the
charter of King's College, so as to exclude all sectarian tests and
preferences--and to appropriate the proceeds of the sale of the lands,
heretofore set apart for the support of a Protestant Clergy, to the
purposes of general education and various internal improvements.

Such was the comprehensive character of