CO885-(2-3) — Page 85

CONFIDENTIAL.

53

Dear Mr. Labouchere,

Board of Trade,

December 26, 1855.

YOU ask me for my opinion on the papers relating to the proposed Synodical action of the Episcopalian Church in Canada, Nova Scotia, and Australia. In all those Colonies I believe the Church of England is, as regards any support from the State, placed on exactly the same footing as other denominations of Christians. As she is deprived of any exclusive benefit from the State, it seems unjust that she should bear any peculiar restriction, and I therefore assume it to be self-evident that the Clergy and Laity of the Church ought to enjoy the power of meeting to regulate their own affairs and make rules by which the society shall be bound. The first question is, what are the obstacles to the exercise of a liberty so natural and so desirable! These are generally said to be the Acts of Submission. Supremacy, and Uniformity. In order that these Acts may fetter the discretion of the Colonial Church, they must be binding on the Colonies, and binding in such a way that the Colonial Legislature cannot repeal them. Now I do not believe that these Acts apply to the Colonies at all. Whatever be its legal rights, the Crown has never practically been the.. Heart of the Colonial Church. The Ecclesiastical

→ supremacy of the Crown is said to consist of three things: power of convening Clerical Assemblies, the deciding ecclesiastical causes by means of Courts Christian, and the appointment of Bishops. The first of these powers has never, that I know of, been exercised; the second has been solemnly declared not to be in force in the Colonies; and the third ha been exercised, as it seems to me, rather as yoning under the head of general patronage ihan

in consequence of any claim to Ecclesiastical Su- premacy. It seems to me that the prerogative of

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference-

FELT C.O.

885

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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