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sectarian. This absence of predominant religious teach- 

 ing killed the project, as it did, fifty years later, the 

 Royal Institution for the promotion of education, 

 founded in 1801. The charter, intended as a guarantee 

 to both Protestants and Eoman Catholics, met with 

 determined opposition from Bishop Hubert, whilst his 

 coadjutator, the fiery Bishop of Capse, Monseigneur 

 Bailly, sided against him. (Smith's History of Canada.) 

 In 1801, Sir K. S. Milne s, in his opening address to 

 Parliament, invited the House of Assembly to enact a 

 law appropriating some portion of the public domain to 

 the support of public instruction, the act was entitled : 

 An Act to establish free schools and to promote edu- 

 cation. A Corporation was created under this law, 

 styled the " Royal Institution, for the promotion of 

 knowledge." It was to be under the Governor-General's 

 exclusive control. His Excellency was charged with 

 the preparation of its constitution and by-laws, naming 

 of teachers, etc. In 1803, sixteen townships were set 

 aside and also a further grant of 40,000 acres of land, 

 the proceeds of which to be divided between two semi- 

 naries, to be erected, one at Quebec, the other, at Mon- 

 treal. The whole matter, however, remained in abeyance, 

 owing to troublous times, and the war of 1812, 1814, 

 1818. On the 8th October, of that year, the Royal 

 Institution was regularly organized by letters patent. 

 The Anglican Bishop was named President. It was 

 decided to place the schools under the surveillance of 

 the clergymen of each locality and in places where there 

 existed persons of different persuasions, the pastor of 

 each persuasion was held to look after the welfare of 

 the children belonging to his church. In 1834, it be- 

 came apparent that, as a school system, the Koyal Insti- 

 tution was a failure ; there were but 23 schools in opera- 

 tion, 398 pupils were admitted free of charge and 690 

 paid three shillings and four pence per month for 

 schooling to the teacher, who also received a small 

 stipend from Government. During a period of 40 



