HISTORICAL SKETCH. 455 



of the finances of the colony highly satisfactory. When he 

 retired he left a replenished chest — a fortunate circumstance, since 

 the colony had to pass, during the government of his successor, 

 Lord Harris, through a most serious crisis. Sir Henry, a staunch 

 Protestant, was the first Governor, since the capitulation, who 

 declined the title of Patron of the Catholic Church, and scrupled 

 to perform the duties that title imposed ; and yet, as Governor, 

 he was simply discharging a perfunctory obligation. 



The Bishop courteously acquiesced in the scrupulosity of the 

 Governor, but had not on this occasion the full approval of the 

 Catholics. 



This act of Sir Henry McLeod was as a preliminary step to 

 a more serious move. 



Religious equality virtually existed in the colony. The 

 Ecclesiastical Ordinance of 1844 should be regarded as an in- 

 fringement of that equality. 



It was proclaimed in February of the following year, and 

 purported to be " for the better regulation of the duties of the 

 united Church of England and Ireland in the colony, and for 

 insuring the more effectual performance of the same. - " The 

 island was divided into parishes, and rectories were constituted. 

 To this there could not be any objection ; but the amount of the 

 different salaries was fixed by law. Salaries were also voted for 

 clerks and sextons ; glebe lands were attached to each rectory. 

 The rectory house of Trinity Church was to be kept in repair at 

 the public expense. It was further declared that "on the 

 passing of the Ordinance all laws, ordinances, and canons ecclesi- 

 astical, which were then used and enforced in England, should 

 be accepted, esteemed, and taken to be in full force and virtue 

 within the island/'' This was establishing the supremacy of the 

 Church of England in Trinidad. This Ordinance was strongly 

 opposed by the Catholics, though they were well aware of the 

 existence of the letters patent granted by her Majesty on the 

 21st day of August, 1843. The Ecclesiastical Ordinance created 

 jealousy and an uneasy feeling in the colony, and had for its 

 effect the perpetuation of existing differences. It remained in 

 force till the year 1870. 



Sir Henry McLeod had for his successor Lord Harris. He 

 administered the colony from April, 1846, to March, 1854, a 

 most critical period in the history of Trinidad. I do not hesitate 



