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h 2 >John Strachan: The Holy Terror Many individuals appear to have honourable intentions but often their objectives are flawed. John Strachan lived through and influenced many key events of Canadian history. He was a highly esteemed teacher of wealthy Loyalist children, a pastoral leader during the War of 1812, a supporter of education, a member of the government, he played a prime role in the Rebellions of 1837 and he eventually rose to become the first Bishop of Toronto. John Strachan had a highly Loyalist view towards the governing of Upper Canada; he was especially faithful to the betterment of the Church of England. Strachan was in favour of a purely British Upper Canada or at least one run according to British standards. Although Strachan believed that the best way was the British way, many individuals in Upper Canada disagreed.
Strachan's attempts to monopolize all opportunities in favour of the British caused public uproar and debate. His controversial role in government was regarded by some as unnecessary and ungodly since he was a supposed man of God. His manipulation of events were protested but usually accepted; his skills of influencing were uncontested. John Strachan used his powerful status to negatively influence Upper Canadian society. John Strachan's harmful intentions are evident in his supporting of the monopolization of the clergy reserves, controlling of non-British immigration, lobbying strictly for Anglican education in schools, his manipulation of the government and his poor reputation amongst the public. John Strachan believed that the Anglican control of the clergy reserves was necessary in order to ensure a truly British Upper Canadian society.
For example, the Constitution Act 1791 stated that one-seventh of land in Upper Canada was to be reserved for the Protestant Clergy. In a letter to the Bishop of Quebec, Jacob Mountain, Strachan stated, The words Protestant Clergyrefer exclusively to the Clergy of the Church of England (Henderson b 86). Strachan refused to acknowledge other Christian denominations because he wanted to ensure the future of the Anglican Church and Anglican educational ideals. When the bishop came to visit in 1820, he established John Strachan as the chairman of the Clergy Corporation; he was made responsible to collect and manage all revenue made from the clergy reserves. For four years, Strachan was in charge of a vast amount of wealth until the Presbyterians launched protests declaring that they had a right to the land. Strachan proposed Hortons Bill, which would guarantee the Church of England all revenues made from the sale of clergy reserves.
The bill dealt only with the sale [of land] and did not define the term Protestant Clergy (Boorman 115). Strachan also wrote a pamphlet entitled Observations on the Provision Made for the Maintenance of a Protestant Clergy, in the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada; the document also included the controversial Ecclesiastical chart. The information in the pamphlet, namely the ecclesiastical chart was biased and ultimately in favour of presenting land to the Church of England because, it seemed to have a larger following. For instance, Strachan downsized the influence of the Methodists claiming, there are twenty to thirty Methodist congregations (Henderson b 45).
At the time, there were actually forty-two and the congregation was increasing. Furthermore, Strachan used the death of his comrade Bishop Mountain to incite Anti-American feelings against the Methodists. During Mountains eulogy, Strachan said, Uneducated itinerant preachers who, leaving their steady employment, betake themselves to preaching the Gospel from idleness or a zeal without knowledge; they are induced without any preparation to teach what they do not know can it be doubted that it is only through the Church and its institutions that a truly English character and feeling can be given to or preserved among the population of any foreign possession? (Flint 89 - 90) Strachan labelled the Methodist ministers as ignorant Americans who lectured about republican ideas and lacked moral values. The eulogy was meant to cause the embracing of the Church of England therefore increasing its influence and supporting its claims to the clergy reserves. Strachan left Upper Canada for a year and returned to find much antagonism. Egerton Ryerson a prominent Methodist leader counterattacked Strachan's claims in a York newspaper, John Strachan worries about republican principles instilled in minds of people by religious teachers of other denominations.
But they do not talk about politics as the Doctor does. They have something else to do-leave others to temporal affairs and give themselves to prayer and ministry of the word. (Flint 97) Ryerson refuted the Anti-American eulogy made by Strachan establishing that the majority of Methodist ministers were educated in British schools. Ryerson recognized that the attacks on the character of the Methodist Ministers were meant to divert people from following the Methodists. By embarrassing the Methodists, Strachan hoped to gain more followers of his own faith, consequently obtaining more rights to the clergy reserves. The aforementioned documents lead to increased public ridicule over Strachan's disputed position in Upper Canadian politics. John Strachan's determination to monopolize the clergy reserves was strictly power driven and subjective.
John Strachan suppressed the immigration of non British colonists to Upper Canada. Strachan wrote, It was deemed wise to check emigration from the United States for a time until the passions on both sides were a little cooled, and until a sort of foundation or nucleus could be formed of emigrants from the mother country (Henderson b 67). Strachan did not favour American settlement in Upper Canada. He felt that the only settlers should be British migrants because they had good character and lacked republican attitudes. After the war of 1812 when Americans began settling Upper Canada, new laws prevented Americans from obtaining grants of land until they had resided in the province for seven years" (Smith 214). Strachan used the Anti-American sentiments present in the colony to repel American settlers.
Moreover, many large-scale land developments were made. These land developers would buy thousands of hectares of land and sell it to the immigrants at inflated prices therefore earning a favourable profit. Colonel Thomas Talbot was an Irish immigrant and a well-known landowner; he settled land around Lake Erie. Strachan fired attacks at Talbot's settling agreements because his settlers, were placed on 200 -acre lots, given title to 50 acres and only when they fulfilled certain duties were given the remaining amount of land at the price of 12 shillings per acre (Flint 69). Strachan accused Talbot of cheating the immigrants out of their land and stealing their money. Ironically, when Strachan monopolized the clergy reserves and was accused of cheating the other Christian faiths he claimed the revenues were rightfully those of the Anglican Church.
Strachan despised the fact that non-British settlers were becoming rich and gaining status. In addition, Lord Selkirks proposal to settle the Red River was met with strong opposition. The land purchased was along a fur trade route used by the North West Company to trade with the Mtis natives. When Selkirk purchased the land, he forbade the North West Companys use of the route and as a result, the directors called upon their friend John Strachan to intervene. Strachan published letters stating that Lord Selkirks settlement was, calculated to divert the stream of emigration from the Canadas and to cover those who go to the Red River with disappointment and misery (Boorman 90). Strachan described Selkirks settlement as dismal and fruitless; he felt that the colonists in Selkirks Red River settlement would pledge allegiance to the Americans and not to Upper Canada and Britain.
Strachan eventually achieved his goal of sabotaging Lord Selkirks settlement dream in favour of his friends at the North West Company. In addition to interfering with the settlement efforts of others Strachan, under his brother published a book entitled A Visit to the Province of Upper Canada in 1819. In the book, he falsely describes Upper Canada only providing information about its good qualities such as cheap land. Strachan also commented that, At Cincinnati and in the state of Illinois many diseases prevail, scarcely known in this province (Henderson b 73).
In reality, Upper Canada had its fair share of sickness, but Strachan did not mention this fact so British settlers will be more inclined to migrate. John Strachan lied on many occasions to assure the emigration of British settlers to Upper Canada so he could create an elite society. Throughout his career John Strachan, sought Anglican influenced education. The Common School Act was introduced in 1816 and instituted a government supported school system, which allotted 6000 pounds a year funding; Strachan saw this as an opportunity to establish religious education. Initially, Strachan wanted these common schools under clerical control to counteract dangerous American tendencies (Smith 219). The school system envisioned by Strachan was one that was purely influenced by British ideals.
Teachers would be Anglican and would be hired by Strachan and students would be of the Anglican faith. The assembly opposed the idea but Strachan would not let his dream of clerical education die. Consequently, in 1826 he went to England to petition for a University even though many in the colony were not in favour of the idea. Strachan stayed in England for eighteen months and helped draw up a charter, which was signed by his friend Lord Bathurst the colonial secretary. On March 31, 1827, Strachan had achieved his goal and was permitted to establish Kings College; he was given a 1000 pounds yearly grant. The university would be run by Strachan and according to his principles.
When Strachan returned to Upper Canada and the news of his University Charter was known, William Lyon Mackenzie publisher of the Colonial advocate and future mayor of York protested against the University. Doctor Strachan procured a clause to be inserted in a former act of the provincial parliament authorizing an university to send a member to sit in the Assembly (Flint 100). Mackenzie knew Strachan's motives in trying to appoint one of his University members to the assembly. Mackenzie coined the term Family Compact to describe Strachan's bureau and recognized that its members would only serve to provide a mouthpiece for Strachan's opinions. Strachan attributed the public attacks to, jealousy of the opponents of the Government[because he] obtained all the objects for which [he] had gone home (Flint 102). Strachan believed himself to be impervious to the attacks made by his aggressors and set out to establish his University.
Unfortunately, Mackenzie persisted with attacking Strachan in his newspaper and eventually convinced the assembly that the Ecclesiastical chart made by Strachan resulted in the influencing of the unfair University Charter. The assembly challenged the government arguing that, its sectarian nature was not suited the charter and circumstances of the people of Upper Canada (Flint 103). As a result, the charter was altered and the religio...
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