ack which was made on the existing order of things
was with regard to the fees charged on land grants. These fees went to
the various officials, including the governor, and it was shown that on
a lot of land not exceeding three hundred acres, the enormous sum of
forty-seven dollars was charged as fees, while on a lot of one thousand
acres to ten grantees, the fees amounted to about two hundred dollars.
The reader will be able to understand from these figures how it was that
the officials of the government were able to live in such princely
style. This evil was remedied by permission being obtained from the
colonial secretary to include a large number of grantees in one grant.

{THE MARRIAGE QUESTION}

Another grievance which was attacked long before Mr. Wilmot entered
public life was the law which related to the performance of the marriage
ceremony. At that time the only clerical persons authorized to solemnize
marriages were the clergymen of the Church of England, ministers of the
Kirk of Scotland, Quakers, and priests of the Roman Catholic Church.
This was felt to be an intolerable grievance, because it prevented
Methodists, Baptists and all Presbyterians except those connected with
the Church of Scotland from being married by their own ministers. In
1821 a bill was passed in the House of Assembly authorizing all
ministers of the Gospel to solemnize marriages. This was rejected by the
council, a fate which befell many subsequent bills of the same kind. For
several years the House of Assembly continued to pass the Dissenters'
Marriage Bill, and the council as steadily rejected it. Finally, in
1831, the House of Assembly concluded that nothing would serve to bring
about the reform asked for but a petition to the king, and accordingly a
petition was prepared in which the facts were set forth and His Majesty
was asked to give instructions to the administrator of the government to
recommend the legislature to pass a bill extending the privilege of
solemnizing marriages to all regularly ordained clergymen of dissenting
congregations in New Brunswick. In 1832, a bill was passed by both
Houses carrying out these views. It contained a suspending clause,
however, which prevented it from going into operation until approved by
His Majesty. It was thought that this would settle the question, but in
1834 a despatch was received from His Majesty's secretary of state for
the colonies in which it was announced that the royal assent ha