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CANADA.

No. 3.

No. 3.

Copy of a DESPATCH from Governor Sir EDMUND HEAD to Lord

(No. 26.) MY LORD,

JOHN RUSSELL.

Government House, Quebec, March 31, 1855. (Received April 23, 1855.)

I HAVE the honour to inclose a humble Address to Her Most Gracious Majesty, praying for the repeal of such English statutes as impede the meeting of the clergy and laity of the Church of England in synod, for the purpose of framing rules and canons, and further praying that as the funds for the support of the Colonial bishoprics will no longer be derived from England, the choice of the bishops may be left to the clergy and laity of each diocese.

This Address was adopted in the Legislative Council of Canada with- out a dissentient voice, and in the Legislative Assembly it was carried by a majority of seventy to thirty.

I would further direct your Lordship's attention to the two motions in amendment of the Address set forth in the votes. The first of these was moved by Mr. William Lyon Mackenzie, and was negatived with a minority of three only in its favour.

The second moved by Mr. Brown, was in like manner rejected by a large majority.

My own opinion in this matter of the free synodical action sought for on the part of the Church of England, is briefly this:

So long as any connection, or supposed connection, between Church and State could be assumed to exist in the Colony, such action of the Church in synods or meetings, for the purpose of framing canons and ordinances, was likely to lead to constant misunderstanding with the Colonial Legislature. It is unnecessary now to dwell on other difficulties which might have arisen, for the connection between Church and State is expressly declared to be extinct in Canada, by the recital prefixed to the 3rd clause of the "Glergy Reserves Act," assented to by my predecessor (a copy of which Act is enclosed for facility of reference). Under these circum- stances, therefore, I do not see how restrictions on the Chyrch of England which do not apply to other bodies, can be defended in argument.

On the subject of the appointment of bishops within the diocese or in the Colony itself, I can hardly express any decided opinion. I think that it will not be easy to obtain from the people of the Colony the contributions necessary to endow the new dioceses required, unless some such power of nomination be conceded by the Crown. The saving of the rights of the Colonial Legislature which terminates the Address, appears to me sufficient to obviate all fear of jealousy on the part of the temporal authorities; indeed the absence of such jealousy is sufficiently shown by the divisions already referred to as appearing in the votes.

I have therefore only to request that your Lordship will be pleased to lay this joint Address af the foot of the Throne, and 1 have, &c.

EDMUND HEAD,

The Right Hon. Lord John Russell.

(Signed)

&c.

&c.

&c.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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ETC.O.

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