t they were stoutly resisted by the college
authorities and their friends. They put forward the plea that the
legislature had no right to alter a royal charter, that to do so was an
interference with the royal prerogative, and that the direst consequence
would ensue if the constitution of the college was changed. According to
their view, a royal charter once granted, the king himself, even with
the assistance of both branches of the legislature, could not amend it.
The college authorities also denied that they were under the control of
the legislature in any way, or responsible to it for their management of
the institution, although they were living on money voted by the
legislature for its support.

{ADDRESS TO THE QUEEN}

Wilmot's bill passed the House of Assembly, but was defeated in the
legislative council. A similar bill was introduced by him in 1840, but
postponed in consequence of a communication from the college council
which seemed to show an inclination to yield something to the demands of
the public. But a fatal objection to these modifications being accepted
was the insistence of the college council that the bishop of the
diocese, or in his absence the archdeacon, should be a member of that
body. Representatives of the Presbyterians, Methodists and Baptists
pointed out in a memorial to the lieutenant-governor that the exclusive
character of the council would still remain, as that body would be
composed wholly of members of the Church of England. Lord John Russell,
the colonial secretary, to whom the matter had been referred, suggested
that the college should surrender its charter and that a new one should
be prepared embracing the proposed changes, but the college council took
no steps to carry these suggestions into effect. This being the case, at
Wilmot's instance the House of Assembly proposed an address to the queen
setting forth the facts of the case and asking Her Majesty to assent to
a bill, a draft of which was enclosed, which the House of Assembly was
prepared to pass.

At the session of 1842 Wilmot again introduced the King's College Bill,
and it was passed by the House, but again rejected by the legislative
council. Early in the session of 1843, the lieutenant-governor
communicated to the House by message two despatches from Downing Street
on the subject of the college. One of these was from Lord John Russell,
and the other from his successor, Lord Stanley. Lord John laid down the
doctrine that