NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote
... us component of Kings College were abolished; the university was no longer exclusive and was subject to outer input. Furthermore, Mackenzie also publicly accused Strachan of educating in favour of class rule, We have been informed that in the most populous country township in the Home District there is not more than one school of ten scholars, although the number of persons between six and sixteen is 600! This is the best practical commentary upon Doctor Strachan's system of education for keeping the great mass of people in ignorance and educating and instructing a few sons of pensioners and placement to hold them in the chains of mental bondage. (Flint 112) Mackenzie identified Strachan's attempt to monopolize education as a scheme that would only benefit those of Anglican decent. John Strachan's persistence with establishing education was biased since he only wished to educate the children of prominent Anglicans. John Strachan manipulated the operations of the government in Upper Canada.
For instance, Strachan was a member of both the Legislative and Executive Councils. The Councils had jurisdiction over the Assembly and could abolish bills that they passed. From 1829 1830 alone the overwhelming majority of bills were turned down by the Legislative Council (Henderson a 56). Strachan's seat on the Executive Council was increasingly important because this council was in charge of the sale of land; he influenced the councils to grant the best lands to his friends. The wealthy landowners who usually sat on these councils could also manipulate elections in the Assembly; on three occasions, the Legislative Council pressured the Assembly and expelled Mackenzie. Strachan's seat on both councils allowed him to control the elected Assembly through himself and his friends.
Moreover, in 1818 when Sir Peregrine Maitland was made Lieutenant Governor Strachan saw the opportunity to gain definitive authority over Upper Canada. Maitland came from a military background and as a result Strachan became one of his valued advisors and through Maitland, he controlled Upper Canada. It is during this time that Strachan was made the president of the Board of the General Superintendence of Education, which gave him a foothold in directing the future education of the province. Strachan also made many concessions regarding clergy reserves during this time and was given sanction by Maitland to appeal for a University. Strachan controlled Maitland and as a result controlled the government. Additionally, Strachan also had many of his friends otherwise known as the Family Compact appointed to prestigious positions.
John Beverly Robinson benefited from Strachan's presence, their careers in Upper Canada had complemented one another. They had withstood the Americans during the war, guided the government, and faced the reformers Robinson the lawyer, judge, Chief Justice, and ever-loyal churchman (Flint 152). Robinson, a former pupil of Strachan held him to be his mentor and thus shared his opinions. John Strachan contaminated the government with people who held his opinions and therefore monopolized the government. John Strachan's political reputation was plagued by controversy. For example, Robert Gourlay a Radical landowner attacked Strachan's government and its influence over the elected assembly.
John Strachan was an incredibly narrow-minded individual; he did not value any other opinions besides his own. In the Niagara Spectator Gourlay wrote, Gentlemen, the constitution of this province is in danger, and all the blessings of the social compact are running waste. What is to be done? Do you expect anything from a new set of representatives?
Here again you will be deceived. It is not all the men, it is the system, which blasts every hope of good, and till the system is overturned, it is vain to expect anything of value from change of representatives or governors. (Flint 78) Gourlay recognized that the elected assembly did not represent the feelings of the public and felt that it should be abolished. He directed his attacks to Strachan because of his influential position in the government and his misrepresentation of immigration in the colony. This twisting of key information resulted in land grants in favour of Strachan's ideals causing in ridicule amongst the public. Gourlay rallied many followers who shared the same grievances as he did and they publicly protested against Strachan and the government. In consequence, Strachan convinced the government to use the Alien Act of 1804 to deport Gourlay because of his radical opinions.
Whenever Strachan felt any pressure, he rallied his friends in government to dispose of it. A previous attack made by Gourlay regarded Strachan's involvement with Lord Selkirks land sales, Gourlay wrote, Dr. Strachan is fair game before the publicly him never again intermeddle with the free commercial speculations of any individual; let him give up dabbling in politics and trifling with philosophy; let him resign his seat in council, where no priest should ever have a place; let him go into a penitentiary; let him stick to the alter where his utmost zeal and ability has scope and then we shall leave him to God and his conscience (Flint 76). Gourlay felt that Strachan's position in government was damaging Upper Canada; he publicly demanded that Strachan resign his seat on the Executive Council because a priest should only concern himself with God and the church.
It is also evident that Gourlay was disgusted with Strachan's political involvement and felt that God would condemn him for interfering with sectarian matters. As Strachan increased his political involvement, more questions about his intentions arose. Furthermore, Egerton Ryerson also pointed out the hypocrisy of Strachan's views. Strachan felt that the travelling Methodist priests were lazy and uneducated, but Ryerson pointed out, Those indolent covetous men who travel from twenty to three hundred miles and preach from twenty-five to forty times each month those who continue this labour year after year and are elevated with the enormous salary of twenty-five or fifty pounds per annum? These are the men who teach the gospel out of idleness O bigotry, thou parent of persecution!
O envy, thou god of injustice! Would to heaven ye were banished from the earth! (Flint 98) Ryerson condemned Strachan's view of idle Methodist priest. Compared to Anglican priests the Methodist ministers worked much harder and for considerably less than the 130 pounds annually that the Anglican ministers received. Moreover, during the Cholera outbreak of 1832 Strachan contributed aid to the poor settlers, William Lyon Mackenzie commented, Be assured that the splendid carriages of your judges and pensioners and governors and gentry will be followed by pauperism, poverty, vice and crime. It adds to the pleasures (mean and grovelling as they are) of such a man as Doctor Strachan to have a hundred poor miserable wretches humbly attending his soup kitchen begging for a morsel. Their poverty forms an agreeable and striking contrast with the coach, the palace, the liveried footman of their Doctor (Flint 116).
Mackenzie resented Strachan for having him expelled from the assembly three times in his career, he saw Strachan as an evil and manipulative individual. Mackenzie believed Strachan's generous deeds during the epidemic to be political interests and not because Strachan felt the need to help the poor. John Strachan's reputation suffered during his rise to prominence. John Strachan's corrupt objectives were 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. Throughout history, the question of whether John Strachan was a man of integrity or of dishonesty remains to be answered.
Whatever the answer may be, Strachan helped to push Canada out of its infancy towards establishing an identity. John Strachan's insistence of the Anglican Church controlling the clergy reserves was ultimately driven by hunger for power and sheer dislike of any opposition. Strachan had no right to falsify documents, which allowed the controlling of all revenues from these lands. If Strachan was really a man of God, he would acknowledge the other Protestant groups claims to the reserves because in the end they all follow the same god. Instead, Strachan chose to fabricate slander about the other groups thus reducing his reputation.
In addition, Strachan's approach to achieving a completely British influenced society was plagued by lies and misrepresentations. Strachan's interference with the settling of lands was incredibly low for a man in his position. The lies and sabotage produced by Strachan are clearly not principles for a loving and wholesome man of God. John Strachan also extended his prejudice views towards education. Strachan was in favour of a government run education system to educate all children, but only if they were of the proper class. The curriculum taught would be traditionally English in order to instil principles.
In essence, Strachan wanted these students to inherit Upper Canada and continue the British rule of government. The act of discriminating by class rule is highly unethical behaviour for a pastoral leader. Moreover, the fact that Strachan held many prestigious and powerful positions clearly illustrates his power hungry nature. Typically, church matters were entirely separate from the secular government; Strachan clearly could not handle this and as a result corrupted the government with his former pupils the Family Compact to express his views. Generally, pastors dedicate their lives to God and to instilling good morals in their communities; John Strachan's first devotion was to politics, then to God.
Strachan actually used his religious prestige to influence public opinions. In effect, Strachan's poor reputation reflected his poor character and morals. Strachan had many notable enemies who saw him for what he truly was, a widely outspoken bigoted individual. The actions of John Strachan during the early 1800 s lead to the majority of grievances amongst the population. Strachan played an integral role in The Rebellions of 1837; he assisted in providing the reasons to rebel. Strachan caused the population to stand up and fight the government, which eventually lead to the implementation of the idea of Responsible Government.
Although Strachan proved to be an egotistical close-minded individual, he was essential in moulding Canadian society.
John Toronto. Toronto: Clarke, Irwin & Company Limited, 1969. Flint, David. John Strachan, Pastor and Politician. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1971. Henderson, J.
L. H. a. John Strachan. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1969. Henderson, J.
L. H. b. John Strachan: Documents and Opinions.
Toronto: McLelland and Stewart Ltd, 1969. Smith, Donald B. Readings in Canadian History: Pre Confederation, 3 d ed. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1990.
Free research essays on topics related to: upper canada, twenty five, man of god, political involvement, university of toronto
Research essay sample on Man Of God University Of Toronto
