execute his part in recovering it from the utterly inefficient and
discreditable condition in which it now lies, I am brought to the
unavoidable conclusion not only that his appointment ought not to be
confirmed, but that every delay in the disallowance of it opens a door
to some new mischief within the Institution; more particularly as the
powers committed to the body of Governors, in something more than their
mere ordinary exercise, are, from peculiarity of circumstances, in a
manner left in his hands. The long continued ill health and infirmity of
the Chief Justice of Montreal, the consequent seclusion in which he
lives, and the fact of his not having either the sort of interest in the
Institution or the opportunities of familiarly knowing the relations
subsisting between Dr. Bethune and other parties concerned which he
would naturally have if he were of the Protestant religion, appear, I
may venture to say it, to justify the conclusion that the proceedings of
the Governors resident at Montreal are to be regarded as little or
nothing more than the decisions and acts of the individual filling the
office of Principal, at the same time that they have in several
instances involved a result of which I can hardly be persuaded that two
Governors were sufficient to dispose. These proceedings have been
recently crowned by the summary dismissal, without a hearing, of the
Vice-Principal and Professor of Classical Literature, under
circumstances with which Your Excellency, as I am informed, has recently
been made acquainted. I feel that I am now called upon to state to Your
Excellency both as the Head of the Body of Governors, whenever you may
see fit to take part in their proceedings, and also as the Head of the
Government, that till Dr. Bethune shall cease to occupy a place at the
Board of Governors I must abstain from attending it, persuaded as I am
that I cannot do so either with the hope of advantage to the public or
with comfort to myself.

"With reference to the question intimated above, respecting the
competency of two Governors to dispose of some matters such as have
actually been disposed of by that number only, Your Excellency is aware
that the number to whom the wisdom of Government had originally within
their particular province confided the interests of the College was
seven, and comprised the highest functionaries of Upper and Lower
Canada: and I conceive it to be necessary for those interests, not to
say for the