SESSIONAL PAPER No. 18 No. 10.-ADDRESS BY DR. STRACHAN. (Archives, Series, Q., Vol. 381, p. 685.) May it please Your Excellency: On perusing the Address of the House of Assembly to His Majesty on the School lands and University of King's College, I find a material error in regard to the quantity. Twelve Townships were set apart in 1798 for the support of a University and Grammar Schools, which including the Crown and Clergy Reserves would give nearly the number of acres mentioned, but as these reserves were not included, but on the contrary deducted, the true appropriation made was 549,217 acres that is twelve Townships exclusive of the Common reservations and not 740,275 acres, as stated in the Address-or by not attending to various exchanges of portions of the first reservation for other lands the Assembly included both and this was probably the cause of the error, for the quantity appears to be quoted from a return from the Surveyor General's office dated 10th Dec., 1832, giving an account of such exchange. It is hastily assumed that the best portions of the original appropriation were exchanged or alienated for lands of inferior value; the reverse of this will be found to be the fact. His Majesty's Government was pleased to exchange 225,944 acres of Crown Reserves with which the University of King's College was endowed for an equal quantity of the original appropriation of School lands, but the portions thus exchanged were believed to be the least valuable of that appropriation. As respects the complaint that Grammar Schools have not been established and endowed from these lands, it is of importance to remark that the progress of the Colony was for many years so slow that one or two Grammar Schools owing to the low price of land would have absorbed the whole appropriation. The Legislature was therefore induced in 1807 to establish a Grammar School in every District with a Salary of £100 to each Master from the Provincial Revenue-purposing to extend the efficiency of such schools from the School lands, when they became valuable and to multiply their number as the settlements increased. To the complaint that the endowment of the University of King's College has engrossed too much of the original Appropriation it may be sufficient to answer, that it was from the very first contemplated to grant for the endowment of the University and for the endowment of Grammar Schools, but the endowment given to the University is actually much less than and consequently a larger portion is left for the endowment of Grammar Schools than was originally intended. The Grammar Schools now twelve in number have been and still are of great advantage to the Province, and the remaining lands with the money accruing from the portions sold are quite sufficient for their liberal endowment, nor does there seem any good reason, why this was not done during the last session, as the whole was placed at the disposal of the Legislature. With respect to any restoration of the lands, with which the University of King's College, and its appendage Upper Canada College are endowed, they are under patent and cannot be touched without calling in question every title in the Province nor is there the smallest necessity for doing so. Both Institutions are essential to the Education of the Youth of this great Colony, and should other Institutions be deemed requisite, it is right to believe, that His Majesty on being made aware of the same will be graciously pleased to grant proper endowment for such Institutious from the waste lands of the Crown. The complaint urged against the situation of the University is evidently made without consideration. It must have a locality somewhere and that the vicinity of the Capital is the most central and convenient for all the Inhabitants of the Province admits of demonstration and from the rapid mode of travelling by steam can be reached in a very short time at a trifling expense from the remotest parts of the Colony. In regard to the suggestion of the Assembly, that Upper Canada College may be incorporated with the University of King's College, it is pleasing to remark that it has 64 VICTORIA, A. 1901 already been done at your Excellency's desire. A Royal Grammar School or College such as Eton, Westminster, Winchester, or Rugby is a most proper and useful appendage to King's College to supply it with ripe Classical Scholars and to be a place to which young men from the other Grammar Schools in the Colony may go to perfect their classical course, and to be made fit to profit by the higher instruction to be furnished by the University. All this Upper Canada College is well calculated to accomplish, but the buildings erected for that institution, though quite convenient for itself, afford no more accommodation, than it requires, and consequently there is not one apartment to share for King's College. The Address is strangely inconsistent with the reports of the Education Committee of 1833 and 1834 and with the sentiments expressed by the Legislature in former years, nor is there any good reason for complaint much less for meddling with the endowments of the University of King's College Upper Canada for as it appears from the Duke of Portland's letter of November 1797, that His Majesty's Government would have readily met the wishes of the Legislature by further grants for the benefit of Education, had they been deemed necessary there is no reason to doubt, but that His Majesty's present Government is equally willing to comply with any reasonable prayer of the Legislature for further appropriations of land for the same purpose. Instead, therefore, of disturbing Institutions, already established, the true policy and the most satisfactory to all parties would be to allow them to proceed unmolested, and not only improve them, as their practical defects are discovered, but add similar Institutions, whenever the character or increase of the Population may require them. And how can the waste lands of the Crown be disposed of in so popular and useful a manner as in promoting · public instruction, and founding beneficial Establishments? All which is humbly submitted, JOHN STRACHAN, D.D., L.L.D., President of the University of King's College and Archdeacon of Toronto late York. His Excellency, Sir JOHN COLBORNE, K.C B., Toronto, 11th April, 1834. No. 11.-SIR JOHN COLBORNE TO MR. E. G. STANLEY. (Archives, Series, Q., Vol. 381 p. 664.) TORONTO, 26th April, 1834. SIR,-I have the honour to forward an Address to the King from the House of Assembly, praying that His Majesty will cause proceedings to be instituted, with a view of placing under the control of the Legislature the quantity of Land originally set apart for the support of the Free Grammar Schools and other Seminaries and of making an appropriation equal in value to the Lands that have been alienated by the Corporation of King's College or the Executive Government. I consider it necessary to observe, in transmitting this Address that the Legislative Council, and House of Assembly, in the year 1797, forwarded an Address to the King, praying that a portion of the Waste Lands of the Crown might be appropriated for the establishment and support of a Grammar School in each District and a College or University for the instruction of Youth in the different branches of liberal knowledge, that the Secretary of State for the Colonies in reply to the Address notified His Majesty's intention of directing the establishment of Grammar Schools in the Districts in which they were called for, and in due time Seminaries of a larger and more comprehensive nature, for the promotion of religious and moral Learning, and the study of the Arts and Sciences; and he directed that the Executive Council and Law Officers SESSIONAL PAPER No. 18 should be consulted on this subject that in consequence of these instructions, the Executive Government in 1798 recommended twelve Townships to be set apart, about 549,207 acres, exclusive of the Crown and Clergy Reserves. None of the Townships set apart for purposes of Education were alienated till the year 1823, when Lord Bathurst authorised a General Board of Education to be formed and a portion of them to be applied towards raising a fund for the establishment of Township Schools, under the management of the Board. In the year 1827, His Majesty's Government granted 225,944 Acres of Crown Reserves as an endowment for the University of King's College, and ordered, in lieu of this grant, an equal number of Acres to be transferred to the Crown from the School Townships. The Crown Reserves granted to the Corporation of King's College being mostly leased, and consisting of detached lots in old Townships, or in those which had been some time settled, were of great value. Had this endowment not taken place, they would probably have become the property of the Canada Company, in common with the rest of the Crown Reserves in the Surveyed Townships ceded also in 1827; but under any circumstance, they certainly would not have been exchanged for Land in School Townships. If therefore, the number of acres granted to the Corporation of King's College should be considered as improperly subtracted from the quantity of Land set apart in the year 1798, by the Executive Government, in pursuance of the instructions communicated in the Despatches of the Secretary of State, it is obvious that the value of the Crown Reserves which were ceded in 1827 by special favour for the establishment of a University can give no additional claim to the Provincial Legislature in respect to the value of the Land that it may now be deemed expedient to set apart for the purposes of education, in compliance with the wishes of the Assembly expressed in the accompanying Address. In the annexed report from Archdeacon Strachan, it is stated that for many years the price of land in the Colony was so low that even one or two Grammar Schools could not have been effectually supported without absorbing the whole of the appropriation authorised by His Magesty's Government, and on that account the Legislature was induced to grant £100 per annum for the establishment of a Grammar School in each District. There are about 240,000 Acres remaining out of the original grant of 549,217 Acres, which are placed by the direction of His Majesty's Government at the disposal of the Provincial Legislature. This number of Acres might be selected from the Townships in which the land is selling at the rate of 12s. 6d. per Acre, the average price of sales effected by the Commissioner of Crown Lands in settled Townships originally set apart, might be resumed by the Crown, and for every lot found to have been alienated in these Townships, the Commissioner of Crown Lands might be instructed to set apart one of equal value, to be placed under the control of any Board that may be nominated by the Legislature to superintend the management of School lands. Should these arrangements be approved of, and the suggestions of the Executive Council, contained in the accompanying report, acted on, and the quantity of Land reserved for the purposes of education increased as the Province may appear to require more extensive endowments for the support of Schools, every cause of complaint would probably be removed. The Charter of King's College has been brought under the consideration of the Assembly every Session during the last seven Years; but the provisions regarding its exclusive character will not, I fear, be modified by the Provincial Legislature. With reference to the representations in the accompanying Address, of the injustice of endowing the University with the greater part of the valuable school Lands, I have to remark that the Land reserved by the Crown in lieu of the leased Reserves ceded to King's College, was taken in remote Townships, and I am persuaded that if an able and active Commissioner was appointed to superintend the Land appropriated for the support of inferior Seminaries, the District Schools might be sufficiently endowed. 64 VICTORIA, A. 1901 It is generally considered of much importance to the Colony that the University should be in operation; and in order that no further delay or disappointment may be experienced as to the time of its opening many intelligent individuals are of opinion that another College should be established, and liberally endowed, for Dissenters; but I cannot concur with them in thinking that such a measure could be prudently adopted; and I am inclined to believe, that if their project were realized it would tend to increase the religious differences and distinctions which are so injurious to the interests of the Province. I cannot hope that any modification of the Charter of King's College can be effected but through the direct interposition of His Majesty's Government, by inviting the Chancellor and President of King's College to accept the modifications proposed by the College Council, in the report transmitted with my dispatch, No. 19, of the 2nd April, 1832, and such of those proposed by the Committee of the House of Assembly in their reports of the 21st November, and 13th December, 1832, as it may be deemed expedient to adopt; and recommending an Order in Council to be passed to confirm the modified Charter, accepted by the Chancellor and President. The extracts of the reports of the select Committee of the House of Assembly to which I have alluded are annexed. SIR, I have had under my consideration your dispatch No. 34 of the 26th of April last accompanied by an Address from the House of Assembly praying that either all the lands originally set apart in Upper Canada for the advancement of Education may be restored; or if that be impracticable with respect to lands granted to Individuals, that an equivalent appropriation may be made in lieu of the portion thus subtracted. In examining into the subject of this Address, I have found that it raised three questions 1st, whether the Estates reserved for purposes of Education have been improperly diminished; 2ndly, whether the part of them allotted to King's College has been disproportionate to the whole; 3rdly, whether such exchanges as have from time to time been effected of the original lands have been disadvantageous to the interests of the Endowment. The Assembly state that the whole reservation of School Lands amounted to 740,275 Acres, which they understood to have been appropriated as follows: |