e in consequence of its denominational
character, and in 1854 an Act was passed empowering the
lieutenant-governor to appoint a commission to inquire into the state of
King's College, its management and utility, with a view to improving it.
The commissioners appointed were the Hon. John H. Gray, the Rev. Egerton
Ryerson, J. W. Dawson, the Hon. John S. Saunders and the Hon. James
Brown. The report, which was dated December 28th, 1854, was laid before
both branches of the legislature in 1855. In 1857 the college council
appointed a committee and prepared a draft of a bill which was laid
before the legislature. This, with a few slight alterations, was the
bill which was passed in 1859 for the establishment of the University of
New Brunswick, and in this bill were embodied the principal
recommendations of the commissioners appointed in 1854 to enquire into
the state of the college. This Act transferred to the University of New
Brunswick all the property of King's College and its endowment, and made
the university liable for the payment of the debts and the performance
of the contracts of King's College. It created a new governing body for
the college to be styled the senate, to be appointed by the governor in
council, and the president of the college was required to be a member of
that body and also to be a layman. It conferred upon the senate the
power of appointing the professors and other officers of the university,
except the president, and also the power of removing them from office,
subject to the approval of the governor in council. It also authorized
the senate to fix their salaries. It abolished the professorship of
theology and provided for the affiliation of other institutions with the
university, and also for a number of free scholars. This Act, which was
passed in April, 1859, was especially approved by Her Majesty in council
on January 25th, 1860. Thus a new era in the higher education of New
Brunswick was commenced, and a long step was taken towards making the
college more acceptable to the people of that province. Great hopes were
entertained at the time that this liberalizing of the constitution of
the college would lead to a large increase in the number of its
students, and a more general interest in its work, but, unfortunately,
as the sequel showed, these hopes were only partially realized.

During the spring of 1860 circumstances occurred which led to the
resignation of the postmaster-general, the Hon. C