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appearance was not without a motive. He the only sect who would not provide for did hope, that as the object of his motion their own ministers? He could not agree would be to inquire into the sums of with the statement, the claim rather, that public money expended in a particular it was the duty of government to provide, way through the Society for the service of by taxing the people of England, for the the colonies, and involved a charge of maintenance of the church of England in extravagant expenditure, it would not be the colonies. It might be the duty of the opposed; but when he saw the noble ex- government to provide for the expenses of secretary for the colonies in his place, and the church establishment in the colosupported by that holy alliance behind nies; but if such a church establishhim, he concluded that his motion was to ment were required there, it ought be opposed. The petitioner stated, that to be provided for at the expense there were many abuses by missionaries, of the colonists themselves. The noble and that the funds furnished by the earl, indeed, and Dr. Philpott, might agree government were misapplied. He charged in taking this expense from our taxes ; the Society with being ignorant of the they might make common cause in their manner in which the money was disposed attack on the public purse; they might of; that there were great abuses in the say that it was the duty of the government expenditure in the colonies; and he stated to provide for the maintenance of the that he had received the offer of a con- members of the church of England in the siderable sum of money to induce him not colonies; but, supposing the United States to present his petition, and not to provoke of America still remained our colonies, a public discussion. Now, he objected would such a claim for them be made? strongly to the government transferring Such a supposition was most preposterous. the duty of providing for the expenses of He would allow the government to apply the church of England in the colonies to the resources of the colonies to support a the Society;

and he objected to it on these church there, if that were necessary; but grounds The population of our North he objected to its calling on this country American colonies were, most of them, to pay for it. Let the members of the Presbyterians, Baptists, Independents— church of England, he would say, provide any thing but members of the church of their own ministers. It was the duty of England. If the funds appropriated for government to burthen the people as little the support of the ministers of religion as possible with taxation, and it might be were disposed of by government, it would another duty to provide ministers for the in some cases, give a part of them to the colonies; but we sacrificed one of these religious ministers of the great body of the duties to the other. The Society had got people ; while, as long as those funds were a very good name.

It was the “Society disposed of by the Society, they would all for the Propagation of the Gospel;” and be appropriated to one sect—not to having got this good name, it seemed to supply the religious wants of the great be thought that the Society was invested body of the people, but to maintain in with the attribute of royalty, and could do opulence the ministers of the smallest no wrong. The Society seemed to him to sect. If the money were disposed of desire that, more than Papal power—that by the government, and not by the prostration of the will and understanding, Society, it would not be all exclusively which they had once been told best beappropriated to the church of England. can.e all Christians. No individual, it In the present disposal of the grant, no seemed, was to touch the ark of the respect whatever was shown to the wants Society's accounts, though it had public of the colonies; in which nine-tenths of money to dispose of. With its own funds the people were Presbyterians or Dis- the Society might do as it pleased; it senters of one kind or another. It was might provide ministers for the colonies if said, that if there were no public grants, it pleased, or the colonies might provide the church of England could not be main them for themselves; but what he obtained. But how was the Presbyterian jected to was, the appropriation of the church maintained? Why, the people public money, through the Society, for paid for their own ministers by subscrip- this purpose.

Such was not the manner, tion, by letting scats, or by some other however, in which the funds of the Society means. Was it not curious, that the were originally employed.

were originally employed. At the origin members of the church of England were of the Society they were employed in con

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tributing to provide missionaries for distant colony. The land belonging to the church parts of the country, where the people was not cultivated, and it interfered with were poor and wretched, and had not the the cultivation of other land; so that the means of providing themselves with reli- colony was injured, to provide for the ex. gious instruction. But now the Society penses of the church of England. Their paid missionaries 2001. a year who lived in lordships had been told, that the practice towns. It was not with such views that of the Society was, when a church was the Society was established. But now built, to make a grant, and perhaps their the Society paid missionaries who resided lordships supposed, that a church meant a in towns, the inhabitants of which did not building like some of the churches in require any, and were able and willing to Regent-street, or like some of Mr. Nash's provide ministers for themselves; but if churches; but he was informed that a they were to have ministers forced on them church in the colonies, under these cir--if these ministers were persons whom cumstances, meant only a mere log-house, they did not choose to hear-was it to be a few pieces of timber placed together, expected that they would contribute to sometimes with doors and windows, and support them? The first abuse of which sometimes without. He was informed he complained was, that the Society took that the practice was this:-As the Somoney raised by taxes in England to pay ciety always gave an income for a clergythe church establishment in the colonies. man when a church was built, some misThe next abuse was the manner in which sionary, or some person who wanted a this money was employed, in supporting living, went a few miles, twenty or thirty, pluralities, such as giving money to persons into the back settlements, where he found as missionaries, who held other situations a few scattered people and a few small or benefices—a rectory, for example--or houses, and he induced them to build a who enjoyed a place in a college, having log-house, and call it a church ; or they salary, and also other duties to attend to put their names to a piece of paper as subThe third abuse was, that there was no scribers to a church, with the understandperson who was responsible for the dis- ing that they were never to be called on posal of the funds supplied from our taxes. to pay for it; a wooden frame of rough He had heard, the other day, the right boards or trees was put together, informarev. prelate say, he was only an individual tion was sent to the Society that a church member of the Society who sometimes took was established in such a place, and that a the chair in the absence of his superior ; clergyman was wanted ; immediately the but he disclaimed all responsibility.--[The zealous missionary received his 2001. a bishop of London here said, that he took year, and an old missionary received 301. his full share of the responsibility, but not a year more to visit the new establishment more than any other trustee.] The charge now and then. This was the way, as he against the Society was, that money was understood, that new missionaries were granted by the Society, and no person wanted and provided for. The authority knew how it was disposed of. The money of the noble earl, the late Secretary for the was granted, and that very responsible Colonies, was very great; but it would person, Mr. Nobody, accounted for it. not, he hoped, satisfy the Finance ComThis was a case, he thought, for inquiry. mittee, and he doubted if it would satisfy Their lordships had also been informed, any reasonable man, that the Society that in the settlement of one of the colo- ought to receive so large a grant of the nies, onc-seventh of the land had been set public money. The Society even went apart for the church. It was of consider- in extravagance beyond the noble earl. able extent; but they were told that it was He said 2001. a year was sufficient, but now unavailing, and of no value. Was the Society gave 3001. a-year. He obit meant, he would ask, that the church jected to the government giving its aushould keep one-seventh of the land, and thority and money to this Society; he obthat we should also burthen ourselves with jected to the Society, that nobody knew maintaining the clergy? If it was neces- how the money was expended, or sary to provide otherwise for the church, responsible for it; and all these made up, we ought to take back the land. That he thought, a case of great abuse, which seventh was scattered through the country, required to be inquired into. He would and, as it was not cultivated, it impeded therefore move, "That a Committee be in a sensible degree, the progress of the appointed to inquire into the Expenditure

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of the public money granted to the Society ters. Proofs of this necessity were sent for the Propagation of the Gospel in his from the colonies to this country; and as Majesty's Colonies of North America.” the number of missionaries increased, their

Earl Bathurst said, he had formerly lordships would see that there was also an stated, that he conceived the allegations increase of that sum which the government of the petition did not justify the appoint- was called on to advance. Since that ment of a committee, and he had heard time there had been a continual increase nothing, in what had fallen from the of the population, which made a continual noble lord, to make him alter his opinion. increase of the expense necessary. In 1813 The noble lord had not rested his case the number of missionaries was between solely on the petition. The noble lord thirty and forty; now there were said, that the public money distributed by hundred and four. The noble lord seemed the Society was made over to the So- to suppose that this increase had been ciety by the government, in order to pro- made for the sake of patronage to the Sovide for the members of the church of ciety or to individuals; but this could not England. The noble lord objected to this be the case, for there was a great difficulty country being charged with the expense of in obtaining persons to fill the situation. maintaining the clergy of the church of The difficulty was to get any qualified England in the colonies; and he seemed person to accept the office, not to make a to think that this was a new principle, selection amongst many.

Even with a first introduced into practice in 1813, salary of 2001. a year, the Society found when he (lord Bathurst) was Secretary of it a very difficult task to procure proper State for the Colonies. But he must tell persons as missionaries. The noble lord the noble lord, so far was this from being said, it was the regulation of the Society

new principle, that ever since 1702 not to send out a missionary until a church grants have been uniformly made by the was ready; and that the churches in that government to the Society, for the minis-country were not likc the churches in this. ters of the church of England in the North But if it were necessary not to send out American colonies. Within the last six- missionaries until the churches of that teen years those grants had been consi- country were built with as much magnifiderably increased. In 1811, 1812, and cence as the churches here, he was afraid 1813, the grants had been 2,6001. a year. no missionary would ever be sent. The Subsequently to that time a great increase churches there were fit for the purposes of had been made ; but the arrangement was the people; and the great majority of this:--The government had agreed to pay them were not those mere log-huts which the to each missionary appointed by the So- noble lord had described ; and whoever ciety as much as the Society gave. The supposed they were such, committed a Society gave generally 701. to each mis- gross mistake. If the noble lord had desionary, and the government charged rived his information from the gentleman itself with an additional 701. In 1813, in whose petition he had presented, it would consequence of repeated representations shew their lordships, as he hoped more made from the colonies, it was found ne- fully to satisfy them presently, that no cessary to increase the allowance. This dependence whatever could be placed on necessity produced the difference of ex- his statements. It did not entirely depend pense; for the government found that, as on the Society to send out missionaries : two persons were wanted where one only application was also made by the populawas before requisite, it had to give 1407. tion of the colonies : and frequent appliwhen it only gave 701. before. It was cations had been made by the governors found also, that vacancies could not be of our colonies, who represented the urgent filled without difficulty; complaints were necessity of sending out a number of comat the same time made of the want of petent persons. With respect to Upper clergymen, and, therefore, it was de- Canada, the population of which had of termined to increase the salary to 2001. a late so much increased, he had received year. When this arrangement was made, representations from the lieutenant-gogovernment had to give 1001. instead of vernor, which proved the evils inflicted on 701. for each missionary. At the same the colonies by the want of missionaries. time, the increase of the population made He prayed earnestly, that some might be it necessary that there should be a great sent out, as the consequence of not having augmentation in the number of the minis- them was, that a number of adventurers from the United States had come into had encouraged pluralities; and had given, Canada, and made it their business to sup- as an instance, the case of a gentleman ply the place of ministers of the Gospel. who had been appointed a missionary at The lieutenant-governor was of opinion, Quebec, and who, not finding that place that policy required, that those who taught agree with his health, did not reside there, his majesty's subjects religion ought to be but went to live at Prince Edward's Island, subjects of his majesty, and not citizens of eight hundred miles distant. The peti the United States. He therefore saw tioner had said, that he had been removed no occasion whatever to believe that the from Prince Edward's Island in consequence expenditure of the Society or the number of the complaints he had made of the of missionaries had been unnecessarily in- above person's receiving his salary without creased since 1813. If their lordships doing any thing for it. This was not the considered the great increase of popula- fact; and he was removed in consequence tion which had taken place in the colonies of the serious differences which had existed since the peace, they would see that the between him and the inhabitants of the Society would not have discharged its duty island. The first reason of this difference had it not increased the number of mis- was characteristic of the man and of his sionaries. Their lordships had heard no general conduct. He had not been many complaints from the colonies against the weeks at Prince Edward's Island, when he Society; which was sufficient to make addressed a letter to the Society, reprethem think the allegations of the petition senting that there was a certain missionary not founded. But who was the petitioner? in the island who was, and had long been, He was himself a missionary, who had in the performance of all the duties of a been employed for five or six years, and clergyman, but who was not in priest's, had at length been removed, on the bishop but only in deacon's orders. He stated, of the diocese representing that he was of that he had for thirteen years taken upon so irritable a disposition, that his residence himself to officiate as a priest, and even to there could no longer be of advantage. administer the sacrament. It must have The Society had approved of the recom- been well known to the petitioner when he mendation and removed the petitioner; and made this representation, that severe pethis person, who had been a missionary nalties would lie against any man who between five and six years, and who had, acted in the manner stated of this individuring that period, been silent, now asked dual. As soon as the Society received their lordships to adopt a measure which this representation, they called upon the would instantly discharge one hundred clergyman in question for an explanation and four missionaries. His petition shewed of what had been alleged against him. that he was not fit to discharge the du- | The answer which the Society received was ties he had taken on himself. The noble perfectly satisfactory; for the clergyman earl read a letter which the petitioner had who had been so unjustly accused, sent to written to Mr. Huskisson in January 25, the Society his powers of ordination as a 1828, about six weeks ago. The letter priest, which was dated as far back as described the natives as treating the Eng- | 1774. The gentleman was at that time lish as aliens, bastards, and intruders, eighty years -of age.

As he had many denying them all privileges, persecuting friends in Prince Edward's Island, and was them, and ill-treating them in all sorts of highly esteemed, it was not to be imaways; stating also, that the persecutors of gined, that a person bringing so unfounded the English in the colony were sure to be a charge against this virtuous clergyman promoted; and concluding by saying, could escape censure. He did not

Hear, Old England, and be astonished !" mean to assert that Mr. Griffin, when This letter was such a proof of the temper he wrote that letter to the Society, was of the petitioner, that it would prevent, he aware of its untruth. He had heard as was sure, their lordships from placing con- mere report, that the clergyman fidence in any of his assertions. The let- against whom he thought proper to bring ter was indeed so damning a proof of the this serious charge was not in priest's orcharacter of the petitioner, that he ought, ders, and his propensity to believe whatperhaps, to apologize for saying one word ever he heard to the prejudice of any man, more on the subject. The noble lord had induced him to think himself warranted formerly stated, when he had spoken of in circulating the scandal, and in making the mismanagement of the Society, that it it a ground of applying to the Society upon

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the subject. No sooner was the petitioner forgotten him. He (lord B.) had not reout of this scrape, than he got into ano-ceived one word in favour of Dr. Stunzer, ther ; for it was impossible for him to re- from any person in this country, whilst he main quiet in any situation, or under any certainly did receive applications in favour circumstances. He went to another is- of other persons desirous of the appointland, and there got into a quarrel with the ment. Upon considering all the circumstanchurchwardens. He could not take upon ces of the case, he had submitted his name himself to say, whether a missionary had, to his majesty, who was pleased to direct or had not, a right to examine a church- that a patent should be made out, constitutwarden's accounts; but Mr. Griffin chose ing Dr. Stunzer, bishop of Nova Scotia. He to assume such a power, and to make his had not been bishop above a year, or a pretensions a source of discord. A short year and a half, when, unfortunately, a time after his arrival there he wrote a most most destructive fire broke out at Halifax. violent letter, charging a Mr. Ross with A fire in that part of the world was inhaving been a party in a riot, or in finitely more disastrous than in this, as the an outrage of a criminal nature. In merchants, and all acquainted with the consequence of this, an ex officio in- place, well knew that the Houses were formation was filed against him by the principally built of wood; and what greatly Attorney-general ; and, when the time increased the calamity in question was, its came for the complainant to make his happening in the midst of winter. As soon charges good, he found himself obliged to as accounts of the accident were received, withdraw them.—He would now call their the bishop repaired to the scene of danger; lordships' attention to a serious and sin- and by his advice, and his personal exergular charge, which that gentleman bad tions, he greatly contributed to extinguish preferred respecting the venerable bishop the fire. From his not having been acof Nova Scotia. He had represented that customed to manual labour, his great age, the bishop, a few months after his appoint and the severity of the exertions he made, ment to that see, had come over to this this venerable prelate was seized with a country, and was residing here, receiving severe fit of illness, which ended in a pathe revenues of his office, and without ralytic stroke. His medical advisers performing its duties. Let this case be strongly persuaded him to repair to this what it might, the Society for the Propaga- country, as the only possible means of tion of the Gospel had nothing to do with recovering his health. His friends equally it; they had no concern whatever in it, and persuaded him; and it was the wish of all if there were any thing improper in the those inhabitants who venerated his chaproceedings, he, (lord B.) and he alone, was racter, and were impressed with a due to blame. The gentleman to whom he refer- sense of his long and faithful discharge of red was Dr. Stunzer, and he had owed his his sacred functions. In the following elevation to the bishopric to causes totally year, Dr. Stunzer had represented to him independent of interest. This gentleman his desire to go back to Nova Scotia, but had been the rector of St. Paul's, the that his physicians had told him he might principal parish of Halifax, for thirty years expect fatal consequences from his return and upwards, and had given general to that climate. Similar reports were satisfaction to his parishioners. His in- made for another year, when he (lord Bategrity of life and amiable disposition bad thust) thought proper to have the case gained him the esteem and good-will of submitted to the late Dr. Baillie, with a every person. Upon the death of the desire that he should state, whether, in his preceding bishop, a representation came opinion, there was any chance of the to this country, signed by all the respect- bishop's recovering his health sufficiently able inhabitants, whatever their persua- to admit of his return to America. Dr. sions, stating that Dr. Stunzer had faith- Baillie, in reply, stated that, in fact, there fully served, for thirty years, as a clergy- was no chance. He reported that Dr. man in that country, and begging that Stunzer might possibly, by great care and government would recommend his appoint- attention, live some time longer in this ment to the vacant bishopric. It did so country; but as to his health being suffihappen that this gentleman had not what ciently restored to admit of his resuming was vulgarly called a patron in this his functions, it was utterly impossible. It country; or, if he had, he had either for- then became his (lord B's.) official duty to gotten the circumstance, or the patron had ) examine this gentleman himself, and to