60 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



them ÎTO}jfL a good deal of financial embarrassment, it would have eon- 

 signed them to perpetual and scarcely respectable mediocrity. The provi- 

 sions of the bill were very brief and simple. The charter of 1827 with 

 slight modification was to be restored to King's College, which was also 

 to retain the magnificent park of 168 acres and the new Iniildings. now 

 nearing completion. The land endowment and securities were to be 

 placed in the hands of a board of six trustees. The proceeds of the 

 endowment were then computed at £10,000 a year, and were to be di\dd- 

 ed, £3,000 a year to King's College, and £1,500 a year to each of the 

 other three. The balance was to he distributed to the grammar schools 

 to the extent of £2,500: all Ityond that was to be at the disposal of 

 Parliament for* general education. 



The proposal is chiefly notable for the strange diversity, and almost 

 confusion of feeling and motive which it awakened. Bishop Strachan 

 at first accepted it. King's College Council led by Dr. McCaul rejected 

 it. The ans^Acr of Eegiopolis was politic and non-committal. Queen's, 

 after various objections, accepted it, not as satisfactory but as better 

 than no settlement. Xo expression of the attitude of Victoria is on 

 record : but Dr. Eyerson and the " Christian Guardian " supported the 

 bill. ]\rr. Baldwin denounced it, and was supported by the Free Church 

 Presbyterians and other Lil)erals. Finally, Dr. Strachan withdrew his 

 assent and the bill never reached a second reading. 



Thus ended the various attempts at a compromise solution of the 

 university problem. The country was on the eve of a general election, 

 and this question and that of the Clergy Eeserves were among the impor- 

 tant issues of the contest. The result of the elections was the return of 

 the Liberals to power with Mr. Baldwin as leader. Lord Elgin being 

 Governor-General. The way was thus open for the triumph of the prin- 

 ciple of state control of the university and its complete secularization. 

 It is w^orthy of remark, as indicating the spirit of the time, that in the 

 ■same session there passed another liill which completely secularized the 

 public scliool system and abolished all aid to separate schools. This lat- 

 ter bill, ]\Ir. Bald\nn himself was wise enough to cancel: and in four 

 3'ears' time the university liill was also completely - changed. Xotwith- 

 standing this, the Act of 1849 finally established some most important 

 princi))les as well as originated some most important consequences; hence, 

 if we would understand the course of subsequent history, this bill must 

 be carefully considered. 



Into the complicated government of the proposed university, it is 

 not necessai-y to enter except to say that the executive control was vested 

 in a C.iput consisting of the President and deans of faculties and ne 

 .appointed member. The President and Caput governed the students, 



