THE COLLEGE OPENED
The Principal who guided McGill College in its infancy and for six years
after its opening, was the Rev. George Jehosophat Mountain. He was
appointed to the Principalship in 1824, while the University was a name
only. The family from which he was descended had won distinction in
education and in the church, and it was fortunate that the young College
should be cradled under the care of a guardian of his learning, his
traditions and his breadth of vision. His father, the Rev. Jacob
Mountain, was given livings by the younger Pitt in Lincolnshire and
Huntingdonshire in England, and later a prebend's stall in Lincoln
Cathedral. When a diocese was created in Canada his name was at once
suggested, because of his success at home, and in 1793 he came to Canada
to become the first Anglican Bishop of Quebec. He subsequently acted as
Principal of the Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning and
as such he had an active part in the educational affairs of the
Province. His son, George, was born in England in 1789 and when he
arrived in Canada with his parents he was but four years old. He
therefore justly regarded himself as a Canadian. He received his early
education in Quebec and continued his studies in England, where he took
his B.A. degree at Trinity College, Cambridge. He then returned to
Canada and assisted his father as Secretary until he was ordained in
1816, at a time when the establishment of McGill College and the methods
of fulfilling James McGill's desire were under discussion. In 1817 he
became Rector of Quebec, and in 1821 Archdeacon of Lower Canada. When in
1824 the Board of the Royal Institution found that it was necessary, in
order to secure the McGill bequest, to appoint Professors to the
proposed College they selected Archdeacon Mountain as Honorary Professor
of Divinity and Principal of McGill College. But he gave no lectures and
received little or no remuneration for his work. His duty seems to have
been mainly to preserve the forms which the terms of the will required.
He laid the foundation for the creation of the Faculty of Arts, and
while he believed that instruction should be given in a manner
consistent with the English National Establishment, he desired that the
University should be open to students of all creeds with equal
privileges and that Professorships should be tenable by graduates of the
Scotch Universities. He retained the Principalship until 1835, when he
retired, to return for a time to England. It is unnecessary here to
follow in detail his subsequent career. In 1836 he was made coadjutor of
Dr. James Stewart, Bishop of Quebec and became thereby Bishop of
Montreal, the consecration ceremony being performed at Lambeth. After
his retirement from the Principalship he continued, as we shall see, to
devote much time and attention to the affairs of the growing University
as a Governor, and he lived to see the College of which he was the first
guardian advance to growth and usefulness even far beyond his dreams.
During his last years he occupied the Anglican See of Quebec, where he
died in 1863.
[Illustration: _Rev. George Jehosophat Mountain_ 1789-1863
_First Principal of McGill University_ 1829-1835]
The ceremony which marked the official opening of McGill University was
held on Wednesday afternoon, June 24th, 1829. It had been advertised in
the press for some time, and in addition special invitations were sent
out to many citizens interested in educational advancement. It was
therefore attended by what the contemporary press called a gathering of
"numerous and respectable individuals." Because of the historical
importance of this meeting, the report of it, which appeared in the
_Montreal Gazette_ in the issue of Monday, June 29, and which is similar
in its details to the Governors' minutes of the meeting, is here given
in full:
"In consequence of a notification having been published--that this
College would be opened, and that formal possession of the estate of
Burnside, upon which it was established, would take place on Wednesday,
a very numerous assemblage of the inhabitants of this City were present
at what we consider to be one of the most important and interesting
ceremonies lately witnessed in this part of the Province. Though there
was none of the gaudy appearance and display characteristic of religious
or Masonic Processions, yet to the mind of the philosopher and friend of
education, the simple and appropriate ceremony, an account of which we
are about to lay before our readers, presented more charms than if
decked out with all the pageantry of chivalry and romance.
"A large room in the house which has been for some time existing on the
estate having been fitted up, it was soon after one o'clock filled by
the numerous and respectable individuals who had assembled to witness
the ceremony. Among the company we noticed several officers of the
government, the principal members of the Bar, the lecturers at the
Montreal Medical Institution and several gentlemen, more or less
connected with the proposed College.
"The Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of the Diocese, attended by the Rev.
G. J. Mountain, D.D.; the Rev. J. L. Mills, D.D.; the Rev. B. B.
Stevens, A.M.; the Rev. A. Norman; and the Rev. A. F. Atkinson of
Montreal; the Rev. James Reid of St. Armand; the Rev. W. Abbott of St.
Andrews; the Rev. J. Abbott of Yamaska; the Rev. I. Braithwaite, A.B.,
of Chambly, and the Rev. H. Esson, and E. Black of the Kirk of Scotland
in Montreal having entered the Hall, the business of the day was soon
after proceeded upon.
"The Royal Charter incorporating the Governors and Professors of the
University being placed on the table, His Lordship the Bishop of Quebec
rose and addressed the assembled body. He stated that in consequence of
the absence of His Excellency the Administrator of the Government, who
was one of the Governors of the corporation of McGill College, it became
incumbent on him to make a few remarks on the present occasion. He
would, however, first state that he was commissioned by His Excellency
to express his regret that in consequence of the very late arrival of
the April and May mails he was unable to leave Quebec in time to assist
at the ceremony of promulgating the charter which had been conferred on
the College. His Excellency in his letter was pleased to add that he
would not fail to use all his exertions to promote the Institution.
Having fulfilled this duty, the Lord Bishop begged to observe that the
bequest which had been made in favour of this College by the late Hon.
James McGill consisted of the valuable estate of Burnside, comprising
the building in which they were then assembled, and the garden and
grounds adjoining, together with the sum of £10,000, in furtherance of
his benevolent intention. This liberal bequest was made in 1811 (two
years previous to the death of Mr. McGill), in trust to a corporation
called the Royal Institution which was contemplated by an act passed in
1801. This Institution was to transfer the bequest, when a College, in
pursuance of his views, was established and bearing his name. To this
most benevolent legacy, he could not help referring as characteristic of
its liberal donor, with whom he had the honour of an acquaintance, and
as furnishing an example which he hoped to see more frequently followed
in the Province. The late Mr. McGill, who had assumed a very
considerable fortune within the country, did not, like many others,
leave the Province and spend his money in some other part of the globe,
but having no direct heirs, he had left a very handsome legacy for the
laudable purpose of commencing a University in a country where such an
establishment was very desirable. The Institution was to bear the name
of its excellent founder, and he firmly hoped that it might prove a
blessing to many generations yet to come, that it might tend to
immortalise his name, and be the best monument that could be erected to
his memory. The Royal Institution was incorporated in 1818 and through
their instrumentality, this College was in pursuance of the will of Mr.
McGill incorporated in 1821 by a charter which would be read to them.
Under that charter the Governors of the College were the Governor and
Lieutenant-Governor of Lower Canada, the Lieutenant-Governor of Upper
Canada, the Chief Justices of Montreal and Upper Canada, the Bishop of
Quebec and the Principal of the College. It would be needless for him to
refer to the detentions and obstacles which had hitherto prevented the
College from going into operation; it was known that they arose from the
residuary legatee under the will of Mr. McGill disputing the legality of
the bequest, and carrying his opposition through all the Courts of the
Province, till His Majesty in his Privy Council had finally given the
decision in favour of the Institution, whose duty it had become to
prosecute for the recovery of the bequest. The suit in relation to the
money bequeathed to the College was still before the Council, but he was
happy to say that that unfortunate dispute would soon be terminated as
it was understood the residuary legatee intended to withdraw all further
opposition. It was the intention of the Royal Institution to transfer to
the Governors of the College the property of Burnside, and on the part
of the Governors, he was authorised to say that they were willing to
accept of it. A majority of them were either now present or consenting,
for he was charged with the consent of the Governor of this, and the
Lieutenant-Governor of the adjoining Province, both of whom had
expressed a desire to attend on the present occasion, and it was known
that there was now no Chief Justice in Upper Canada. On the part of the
majority, he accepted from the Royal Institution the Charter which the
Secretary of that body would now read.
"The Rev. Dr. Mills, Secretary to the Royal Institution for the
Advancement of Learning, then read at length the Charter of the College.
"The Lord Bishop then again rose and said that he was authorised on the
part of the Governors of the new College to state it to be their
intention as far as it was in their power to carry into effect the
liberal intentions of the late Mr. McGill. It was not a work in which
they themselves were solely interested, but it was an institution which
concerned every inhabitant of the Province, and under such feelings the
Governors were determined that no obstacles should deter them from
following up and prosecuting the views of the testator. He deemed it
unnecessary for him to exhort them upon the advantages of education, as
he was sure they were all of opinion that a moral and religious
education on Christian principles, and a scientific course of studies on
a true philosophical system were what it was their bounden duty to
promote. The Governors in assuming the Charter hoped that their
exertions would meet with the co-operation of every individual within
the Province.
"The Venerable Archdeacon Mountain then rose, and stated that as the
individual named to fill the honourable office of Principal of the new
College, it became his duty now to say a few words. He could not but
express his sense of his own unworthiness for such a distinguished
office, and he firmly hoped that he would be succeeded by a long line of
eminent and learned principals. He had it in charge for his colleagues
to state their anxiety to put the College into immediate operation, and
he might urge as a proof of their wish that they had not been idle in
this respect. With the assistance of the Honourable Mr. Cochrane then
present, they had been engaged in preparing and modelling a constitution
and rules for the government of the Institution. Although it was not
necessary to detail at present their precise nature, yet he could take
upon himself to state that they were liberal in every sense of the word,
imposing no test upon Professors or Students. In thus applying the term
liberal he wished it distinctly to be understood that he was not
conveying the charge of illiberality against those noble and venerable
Institutions of the Mother Country, in which a test was properly exacted
of conformity to the National Religion, but there were local
circumstances which required local adaptation; and according both to the
terms of the will and the provisions of the Royal Charter, all offices
whatever in McGill College were left freely open either to Protestants
or Roman Catholics, and Students of all denominations would be permitted
to attend. He deemed it necessary for him to explain how the present
Professors happened all to be members of the Church of England. When
found necessary to name Professors in virtue of the Charter of the
College, his late father, then Bishop of the Diocese, had submitted
several names to His Excellency the Earl of Dalhousie for these offices,
among which those of the Rev. Archdeacon Strachan and the Rev. Dr.
Harkness, having been proposed as eligible, either one or the other, to
the same Professorship, His Excellency, whether swayed by a feeling of
delicacy and desire to avoid the appearance of partiality, on account of
his being himself a member of the Church of Scotland, or from whatever
cause, decided in favour of the former gentleman. This circumstance was
mentioned in proof that the original as well as the present intention of
the Governors was in all respects to shew due respect to the intentions
of the will of Mr. McGill and the terms of the Charter. It had been
deemed necessary for the present to declare that the Professors should
be graduates of some British University, but that a preference should
hereafter be shown to those who had graduated within its walls. The
Governors would feel it to be their duty under all discouraging
obstacles to push on the great undertaking, and never to cease in their
exertions for its prosperity. They hoped they would meet with general
support and they trusted with confidence that they would be assisted by
all, when the very liberal terms of the will and Charter were
considered. It would be necessary for them to make a strong and powerful
appeal to the Mother Country, and they also expected great pecuniary
assistance from those resident near the establishment, and more directly
interested in its prosperity. They would as soon as possible establish a
system of collegiate education, and there was a predisposition to
engraft upon the College the well-known and respectable Medical
Institution now in existence in the city. The door of the building was
at length open, and it was the duty of all to proceed with vigour. They
might at first complain of a great want of means for such an
Institution, for it required much to place it on a respectable footing,
but while they thus looked forward with confidence, they should not be
unmindful that the Province was highly indebted to the very liberal
disposition of Mr. McGill, who had set such a praiseworthy example to
his fellow-citizens, whose duty it now became generally to aid his work
and follow up his munificent views. The Archdeacon concluded his address
by expressing his conviction that all who were present felt alike the
dependence of every human undertaking for its success upon the blessing
of Divine Providence, and would therefore be unanimously ready to join
in the religious services with which it was proposed to conclude the
business of the day; and in which he accordingly proceeded.
"The 8th chapter of Proverbs, which had been selected as appropriate to
the occasion, was first read; after which the following verses selected
from different Psalms were repeated in the way of alternation, the
responsive part being sustained by the other Clergy of the Church of
England who were present.
"'The Lord hath been mindful of us and shall bless us: even he shall
bless the house of Israel; he shall bless the house of Aaron.
"'He shall bless them that fear the Lord both small and great.
"'The Lord shall increase you more and more, both you and your children.
"'All the whole Heavens are the Lord's: the earth hath he given to the
children of men.
"'The lot is fallen unto me in a fair ground: yea, I have a goodly
heritage.
"'Lord, thou art become gracious unto thy land: thou sendest a gracious
rain upon thine inheritance, and refreshedst it when it was weary.
"'O pray for the peace of Jerusalem,--they shall prosper that love thee.
"'Peace be within thy walls, and plenteousness within thy palaces.
"'For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will wish thee prosperity.
"'Yea, because of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek to do thee
good.
"'Except the Lord build the house; their labour is but lost that build
it.
"'Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give the praise;
for thy loving mercy and for thy truth's sake.
"'Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
"'As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without
end. Amen.'
"The Archdeacon then proceeded with the following prayers:
"'O blessed and eternal God, who by wisdom hast founded the earth and by
understanding hast stretched out the Heavens--Father of Light and Author
of every good and perfect gift, from whom we receive all that we have,
and all that we are made capable of performing--upon whose pleasure both
we, and our works, and all creation depend--look down from the
habitation of thy holiness and glory, and favour the undertaking which
is here before us; let thy blessing rest upon it; let the cloud and
pillar of thy presence go with us; establish the work of our hands upon
us, yea, the work of our hands establish thou it. Our hope is in Thee
and thou art able to do for us, in things temporal as well as spiritual,
exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or think. Raise us
means, we beseech thee, to provide for the wants of this Institution:
dispose the hearts of men and order the course of events favourably
towards it: shed down the spirit of wisdom and of patient continuance
upon those who plant and those who water, and do thou give the increase
from on high. Sanctify all the instruction which shall hereafter be
given and all the studies which shall be pursued in this Institution,
and render them subservient to thy glory and the good of mankind. Grant
that all the stores of knowledge and science, which shall be here opened
to the minds of youth, may form them to the greater love of thy holy
name, and lead them to magnify thee in thy wonderful works. O righteous
Father, who hast hid the highest of all knowledge from the wise and
prudent of this world, and revealed it unto babes, grant that none may
be here spoiled, through philosophy and vain deceit, nor lifted up in
hearts through the opposition of science falsely so called, but give
them grace to cast down imaginations and every high thing which exalteth
itself against the knowledge of God, and to bring into captivity every
thought to the obedience of Christ. Yet, O Lord, while they are
subjected to this gentle and blessed yoke, enrich this Institution, we
pray thee, with ample streams of all sound learning and science; and as
we are taught in thy holy word that the Lawgiver of thy ancient people
was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and the blessed apostle
St. Paul, profited above his equals, as well in the studies of his time
and people, as in the learned lore of the ancients at large--and as thou
didst miraculously supply to the first planters of our holy faith that
knowledge which, under thy blessing, must now be acquired by labour and
length of time--grant that all beneficence and industry may be exerted
in the endowment and enlargement, the furtherance and prosperity of this
Institution; grant that the grain of seed which is here sown may
become, in process of time, a great and goodly tree; that Science and
Literature may spring up and flourish upon this dedicated spot, and bear
fruit a hundredfold.
"'With these our prayers, O Father of Heaven and Earth, we offer up our
humble thanksgiving for all thy mercies manifested to us, and especially
for that thou didst put it into the heart of thy servant, the Founder of
this Institution, to provide, out of the means which thou hadst given
him, for so needful a work. And, alike in thanksgiving or prayer, we
approach thy Throne in the prevailing name and through the powerful
mediation of Jesus Christ, whose own holy words also we couple still
with our imperfect address.' The Archdeacon here repeated the Lord's
Prayer.
"Then followed the Prayer for the Church Militant, from the Liturgy,
with some adaptations to render it immediately applicable to the local
authorities and to the occasion of the day. The assembly was dismissed
by a blessing pronounced by the Bishop.
"Before closing this subject, we deem it but justice to the Venerable
Archdeacon Strachan, to state, that to that Reverend gentleman the
Province is greatly indebted for McGill College, as to his suggestions
on this subject, his friend and relative the late Mr. McGill lent a
ready and willing ear, and was induced to frame the bequest, which is
now about to be employed according to the intentions of its donor. To
that gentleman, we understand, is also due the very liberal arrangement
which was announced by the Principal, with regard to the total absence
of any tests for the admission of Professors or Students...."
When the ceremony of formally opening the College and establishing the
Faculty of Arts, "as a place of liberal education," was ended and the
gathering dispersed, the Governors of the College met in the late
afternoon for the transaction of business. They received the Lecturers
of the Montreal Medical Institution, who formally placed before them the
plans for "engrafting upon the College the well-known and respectable
Medical Institution" as already indicated in the report above. The
scheme was acceptable to the Governors and the Montreal Medical
Institution became part of McGill University. The Governors' Minutes of
the meeting contains the following entry:
"The public business having been closed, the Governors of the
Corporation held an interview with the members of the Montreal Medical
Institution, who had been requested to attend the meeting for that
purpose. During this interview it was resolved by the Governors of the
Corporation that the members of the Montreal Medical Institution (Dr.
Caldwell, Dr. Stephenson, Dr. Robertson, Dr. Holmes) be engrafted upon
the College as its Medical Faculty, it being understood and agreed upon
by and between the said contracting parties that until the powers of the
Charter would be altered, one of their number only should be a
university professor and the others lecturers; that they should
immediately enter upon the duties of their offices. All of which
arrangements were agreed to."
[Illustration: _Andrew Fernando Holmes, M.D., LL.D._ 1798-1850]
The Montreal Medical Institution owed its origin to the Medical Staff of
the Montreal General Hospital, which was opened to patients in May,
1822. At that time there were no opportunities in Canada for the
obtaining of medical education. Realising the existing and urgent need
for such training, certain members of the Hospital Staff gave courses of
lectures to students during the winter of 1822-1823. Later, a memorial
was forwarded to the Lieutenant-Governor setting forth the necessity for
the foundation of a permanent school of medical education, and outlining
plans for the establishment and incorporation of the proposed Medical
Institution. The reply to this memorial stated that an endeavour would
be made to give assistance to a Medical School, and as a result the
Montreal Medical Institution was organised. It was opened in October,
1824. Efforts were then made to secure its incorporation, and in 1826 a
Charter was drawn up and forwarded through the Lieutenant-Governor to
the Solicitor-General for opinion or approval. A delay of several months
followed, and it was not until 1828 that a reply was received. The reply
was not favourable to the Institution. The Charter was refused for the
reasons that the School was not connected with any Seminary of Learning,
and that it had no foundation or endowment. No degrees could therefore
be conferred and the Institution had no standing in law. Meanwhile the
Privy Council had given judgment in favour of the Royal Institution in
the first Desrivières suit in connection with the Burnside Estate, as
already recorded, and it was clear that a similar judgment in the second
suit in connection with the endowment fund was but a question of time.
The establishment of McGill College was assured, and arrangements for
its opening had already been announced. It naturally occurred to those
interested in the Medical Institution that their problems of University
connection and of endowment referred to by the Solicitor-General could
be solved by "engrafting" the Institution on the proposed McGill
College. They accordingly forwarded a memorial to the Government,
suggesting that the Lecturers in the Institution be appointed
"professors of the University to be established at Burnside near the
city." The Government referred the suggestion to the Board of the Royal
Institution to whom formal application was then made by the Medical
body. A committee of the Board was appointed to consider the question.
The Medical Institution pressed for a decision, and on February 16,
1829, the Secretary wrote to Dr. Holmes, of the Hospital Staff, stating,
"The Committee to whom was referred the communication from the Montreal
Medical Institution have not, I am sorry to say, yet made their report;
but I trust the business will be proceeded in very shortly, and I shall
not fail to inform you of the result without delay. Of this be assured
that there is every desire on the part of the Board to meet the wishes
of the Institution as far as it may be found practicable to do so."
The Board had in 1824 appointed Dr. Fargues of Quebec Professor of
Medicine, but he expressed his willingness to resign in order to leave
the Board free to negotiate with the Medical Institution. On April 10th,
1829, the decision of the Board was conveyed to Dr. Holmes, in the
following letter:
"Referring to a former communication upon the subject, I lose no time in
transmitting to you the following Extract from the Report of a
Committee of the Royal Institution, to whom it was referred to consider
what measures it may be necessary for the Board to take, on having now
obtained possession of the Estate of Burnside.
"The Medical Institution at Montreal, connected at present with the
Montreal Hospital, having solicited the aid and protection of the Royal
Institution, and expressed a desire to become a branch of McGill
College, it is conceived that the gentlemen of that Institution might be
willing (in consideration of being so associated with a legally
constituted establishment) to execute gratuitously the duties of one or
more Professorships in the College, connected with the Faculty of
Medicine. The Professorships being limited to _four_, it is obvious that
there can be only _one_ Medical Professor, and I am happy to inform you
that Dr. Fargues, having been solicited to resign, has consented to do
so with the utmost readiness, and it is accordingly open to the
gentlemen of the Montreal Medical Institution to recommend for the
consideration of the Governors of the College any one of their members,
being a graduate in Medicine, as his successor."
As a result of this decision the Governors of the College agreed to
appoint one of the Lecturers in the Montreal Medical Institution to the
Professorship of Medicine vacated by the resignation of Dr. Fargues.
Meanwhile there was a misunderstanding between the Governors and the
Board over the number of Professors already appointed in 1824. The
Charter provided for a Principal and four Professors; the Governors made
these appointments, but also made the Principal Honorary Professor of
Divinity. The Board contended that five Professorships had thus been
created and filled, contrary to the provisions of the Charter. On April
22nd, 1829, Dr. Stephenson wrote to the Board on behalf of the Medical
Institution urging that the number of Professorships in the College be
increased to enable all the Medical Lecturers to be attached to McGill
College. The Secretary replied on May 19th, 1829, as follows:
"Your letter of the 22nd ult., was duly submitted by me to the Board of
the Royal Institution, and I am directed to inform you in reply, that
the Board having carefully considered the subject, are of opinion that,
as the matter actually stands at present, it is not in their power to
procure an augmentation of the number of professorships. They conceive,
however, that the Medical Professor of the University might deliver
Lectures in one particular branch of the Science, and that the other
Departments might be conducted by gentlemen, who should be named
Lecturers in the College, as is the case with respect to the different
branches of Learning and Science, which are taught in the Colleges of
the Universities at home. The words of the Charter are evidently
restrictive. The College shall 'consist of a Principal and four
Professors,' and in this view of the subject the Board are supported by
high legal authority. This limitation, for which it is difficult to
assign an adequate reason, is much to be regretted. The Governors of the
College have committed an oversight in some way or other. It had not
escaped the previous notice of the Board. The Bishop, the Archdeacon and
myself intend visiting Montreal next month, when we shall have an
opportunity of discussing the subject at full length. I have only now
to add that we all of us, both as a body and as individuals, feel
interested in the success of the Montreal Medical Institution, and that
we shall be most happy if it can be in any way promoted by a connection
with McGill College."
After the College was formally opened it was necessary for the Governors
and the Board of the Royal Institution to wait for the final decision of
the courts on the possession of the endowment fund, which was still held
by the Desrivières heirs. No money was available for salaries; no
building on the estate was suitable for classes. It was therefore
considered impossible, for the present at least, to undertake actual
teaching in the College. But meanwhile the Montreal Medical Institution
had received from the Royal Institution the "aid and protection" it
required, and it continued to carry on its work and to give instruction
to students as before, but with a definite connection with the
University as one of its Faculties. Pending the securing of the
endowment fund which would make possible the putting in operation of the
College proper, as provided for in the will, the Governors of the
College therefore decided to appoint, temporarily, and without
remuneration, the lecturers in the newly formed Medical Faculty to the
four professorships at their disposal, in order that degrees in at least
one department of the University could be conferred. To make this
possible the Professors who had already been appointed in the Faculty of
Arts, and whose duties could not yet begin, willingly consented to
resign. But before degrees could be granted it was necessary, under the
terms of the Charter, to draw up statutes for the government of the
University, such statutes to receive the approval of the Crown. The
Statutes, Rules and Ordinances for the Medical Faculty were agreed upon
by the Governors; and were submitted to the Colonial Office by Lord
Aylmer on March 8th, 1832. The Royal approval was forwarded to the
Lieutenant-Governor of the Province in a despatch dated May 2nd, 1832,
together with the confirmation of the appointment of William Caldwell,
John Stephenson, Andrew F. Holmes and William Robertson of the Medical
School to the four University professorships, "without specifying at
present the precise nature of each Professorship." They received no
remuneration from the College. Later, Dr. Stephenson acted for a brief
period as supervisor of the Burnside Estate.
The Home Government's knowledge of the exact circumstances and terms and
even the making of the Montreal Medical Institution into a Faculty of
McGill seems afterwards to have been somewhat hazy. On August 20th,
1834, the Colonial Office wrote to Lord Aylmer, the Lieutenant-Governor,
saying, "It would appear from Sir James Kempt's Despatches of 1830, that
it was contemplated to incorporate with the College an association of
Medical Practitioners but that difficulties arose as to the selection of
the Governors ... but I do not gather from your despatch whether the
incorporation of this association is still desired." He asked for a
report on the question--a question that had been decided five years
before. It was pointed out in reply that the Montreal Medical
Institution no longer existed independent of the College and that the
several Lecturers in that school now occupied all the four
Professorships provided for by the Charter. There was misunderstanding,
too, as we shall see, between the Governors of the College and the Royal
Institution with reference to the temporary or the permanent nature of
the above appointments, three of which the latter Board had never
ratified, and of which they were apparently not informed. For several
years the tradition of a distinct Institution, as it had already been
known, continued. The Medical Faculty carried on its work more or less
independently of the College, although it was incorporated with it and
was legally a part of it, but because of tradition it was not always
regarded as an integral part of the University. It was looked upon as a
well established teaching body now linked up with the new College. The
Rules and Ordinances of the University did not apply to the Medical
Faculty, and for several years after the actual erection and opening of
the College buildings the students of the Medical School were not
included in the statement of enrolment annually sent to the Home
Government by the Visitor to the University.
On the 24th of May of 1833, four years after the opening of the College,
the first University degree awarded was conferred in the Faculty of
Medicine on William Logie. On May 7th, 1833, Dr. J. Stephenson,
Secretary of the Medical School, wrote to Principal Mountain with
reference to the conferring of this degree:
"I am directed by the Medical Faculty of the University to inform you
that Mr. William Logie of Montreal, after having produced to the
Secretary of the Faculty credentials entitling him, was examined, as the
Statutes, Rules and Ordinances of the College direct, touching his
Classical knowledge and then got a general examination on all the
branches of Medical and Surgical Science. The Medical Faculty found him
well qualified to practise Medicine and Surgery and accordingly have
announced to him that they will forward his name to the Governors to
obtain the Degree of Doctor of Medicine and Surgery.
"In consequence I am directed by the Faculty to address you on the
following points:
"1st. That we will, with your approbation, have our Gowns made as that
of a Bachelor of Laws except the Cowl.
"2nd. That we will have the Theses printed by Mr. Armour of Montreal.
"3rd. The Faculty desire to know how the degree will be conferred on the
24th of May and the tenor of said Degree that they might be getting it
ready."
Under the rules of that time, it was necessary for a student proceeding
to a degree to defend before the members of Faculty a Thesis on some
previously approved topic. The Thesis was printed at the expense of the
student. The rules provided, too, that "the student be required to
attend the Hospital during the time required by the Statutes, and to
receive clinical instruction from the Professors at the bedside of the
patients." The legal power of the University to confer degrees on the
graduates of the Medical Faculty was questioned by rival authorities,
and was later tested in the courts, but the legality of the degree and
the privilege of the holder to practise Medicine in the Province was
upheld.
The Governors now decided that an effort should be made to begin actual
teaching in the liberal Arts and Sciences as called for in the will of
the founder. They determined to appoint professors and to conduct
classes, temporarily, in Burnside House. At a meeting of the Governors
held on the 4th of January, 1834, at which were present Lord Aylmer,
Governor in Chief, The Lord Bishop of Quebec, and the Principal of the
College, it was decided to ask that the Charter be amended, and that the
Governing Board of the College be changed to consist henceforth of the
following: The Governor in Chief, the Lieutenant-Governor or person
administering the Government; the Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada;
the Lord Bishop of the Diocese; the Chief Justice of Montreal; the Chief
Justice of Upper Canada; the Speaker of the two Houses of the Provincial
Parliament of Lower Canada; the Senior Executive Councillor residing in
Montreal; the Archdeacon of Quebec; the Solicitor-General; the Principal
of the College; the Rector of Montreal; together with four other
Governors to be named by the Governor in Chief, the Lieutenant-Governor
or the person administering the Government under a power to be
introduced into the Charter to that effect. Efforts were made afterwards
to have the Minister of the Church of Scotland added to this list,
ex-officio, but it was pointed out in reply that he was "not conceived
to have any perpetual capacity in law and thence cannot be an ex-officio
Governor." It was decided also that His Excellency be requested to
recommend to His Majesty's Government that power should be given in the
amended Charter to the Governors of the College to establish additional
professorships from time to time, at their discretion, according to the
exigencies of the University and the means at their command.
It was further resolved that in the meantime until endowments for
Professorships were available from the McGill bequest, "gentlemen
resident in Montreal qualified to give lectures should be appointed on
the same footing as the four Professors in the Medical Faculty and that
they should receive fees from their students ... with the duty annexed
of delivering occasional lectures, fees being paid by those who will
attend them according to a regulated scale, there being at present no
means of endowing Professorships with salaries." Professors were
recommended for the following subjects: Classical Literature and
History; Natural Philosophy and Mathematics; and Hebrew and Oriental
Languages--all to be appointed on the same footing as provided for by
the foregoing resolution. At this meeting, too, a recommendation was
made that a Vice-Principal should be appointed--or that one of the
Professors be empowered to act as Vice-Principal--because of the
frequent absence of the Principal on other duties. Later, the Chair of
Natural Philosophy was separated from that of Mathematics. As a result
of the Governors' decision an amended Charter was drawn up for
submission to the authorities, providing, among other things, for an
increased number of Professorships. It was prepared by the Professors of
the Medical Faculty, but it was greatly altered by the Governors at a
meeting called to consider it. The Colonial Office to whom it was
forwarded would not approve of it, and even the consideration of it was
very long delayed. The question was debated until January, 1837, when
the Colonial Office declared that it was impossible further to discuss
it.
In April, 1834, the occupation of the House and Premises of Burnside as
a "Classical School" was approved. But it was to be conducted by the
Professors in their private capacity and no provision was made for their
maintenance, and the occupation of the premises was to be subject to the
conditions imposed by the Governors and the Royal Institution acting
conjointly.
The Principal, Archdeacon Mountain, now expressed his desire to retire
from office. Other duties were calling for his attention. Indeed, at
intervals for several weeks in succession he had been obliged to take
little part in the management of the University, for his presence as
Archdeacon of Lower Canada was required in many places. Frequently, too,
it was necessary for him to be absent from the Province for a
considerable length of time. He felt, also, that he had been appointed
Principal mainly for the purpose of putting the College in operation and
that his work was now done. The Governors then decided to offer the
Principalship to the Rev. S. T. Wood of Three Rivers, and if he declined
to accept it, to offer it to the Rev. Thomas Littlehales of Christ
Church College, Oxford. But neither of these men would agree to occupy
the proffered post; indeed, the former entirely ignored the Governors'
letter. Archdeacon Mountain was induced to remain some months longer, or
until a competent successor could be found. The Professorship of
Classical Literature was offered to the Rev. James Ramsay, a graduate of
Trinity College, Dublin; that of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy to
Mr. Alex. Skakel of King's College, Aberdeen; and that of Hebrew and
Oriental Languages to the Rev. E. Black, of the University of Edinburgh.
Difficulties resulting from the Charter prevented these appointments
from being actually made at that time. Because of irritating delays,
the somewhat hopeless situation brought about by the refusal of the Home
Government to permit the increase of Professorships, and numerous other
differences of opinion, trouble was now growing between the Governors
and the Crown. At a meeting of the former held on November 14, 1834, at
which were present Lord Aylmer, Governor in Chief, the Chief Justice and
the Principal, the Governor was asked to bring to the notice of the
Secretary of State "the great inconvenience which it is feared may
result from the necessity of referring to His Majesty's Home Government,
as required by the Charter, every appointment of a Professor or even of
a Principal." This was the beginning of a bitter and prolonged
controversy which did not end until 1846, and which involved the College
in perhaps the gravest difficulty and uncertainty of its history.
Meanwhile, the case against the Desrivières heirs, James McGill
Desrivières, Henri Desrivières, Francis Desrivières, and Alex McKenzie,
had proceeded. Every effort was made to have the suit settled. On
December 21, 1833, the Governors authorised the Medical Professors to
join them in a Memorial on the subject to the Home Government. The Board
of the Royal Institution persistently urged haste, but delay followed
delay. At last, on February 7th, 1835, the Order in Council deciding the
case in favour of the Board was issued, but it was not forwarded until
the 21st of May. But notwithstanding the decision of the Privy Council
the heirs of James McGill were slow to accede to the demands of the
Royal Institution. On March 8th, 1836, the Secretary of the Board wrote
"as to Burnside we are extremely perplexed by the pertinacity of the
heirs in resisting and threatening further resistance to the payment of
any money on account of the debt due to the Royal Institution unless
terms are granted them ... which ... members of the Board think that we
could not accept without rendering ourselves personally liable if any
further loss should accrue thereby to the College. I should be strongly
disposed to try and borrow money to begin with, if I knew what tangible
security we could offer." A further delay resulted, and even after the
suit was settled the executors of the will hesitated to transfer the
money to the Board or the Governors until the Home Government fulfilled
certain promises which they understood to have been made. It was not
until October, 1837, that the case was brought to final conclusion. As a
result of delays, negligence, and unsatisfactory communications, the
Governors appointed a special agent in London to conduct their business,
with the frank comment, "If documents are sent through the Public
Offices to Great Britain by way of the Colonial Office, there will be no
end to the delay."
In July, 1835, two months after judgment was given in favour of the
Board, Principal Mountain retired from office in order to proceed to
England. Now that the possession of the endowment fund was assured he
believed that the College would soon be without difficulties and that
its infant days of helplessness had passed. The Principalship was
offered to the Rev. S. J. Lockhart, M.A. (Oxford), Chaplain and
Secretary to the Bishop of Quebec. He seems to have accepted the post,
but he never assumed the duties of his office. A meeting of Governors
was held in Quebec on November 18, 1835, attended by Lord Gosford, who
had meanwhile become Governor in Chief of Lower Canada, the Lord Bishop
of Quebec, and the Chief Justice of Montreal. It was there resolved
"that the Rev. John Bethune, Rector of Christ Church, Montreal, be
appointed Principal of the College _pro tempore_; and that it be
conveyed to him that his appointment shall not interfere with any future
appointment which the Governors of the College may see fit to make." The
office of Principal was accepted by Mr. Bethune on November 24th, 1835,
in the following letter:
"I cordially accept the appointment which the Governors of McGill
College have done me the honour to confer on me, of Principal of the
Institution _pro tempore_, under the explanation given to me by the
Chief Justice of Montreal of the following passage in your Lordship's
communication 'that the appointment shall not interfere with any future
appointment that the Governors of the College may see fit to make,'
viz., that if the funds of McGill College should at any future period
enable the Governors to offer the Principal a sufficient emolument to
secure his exclusive services to the Institution the present nomination
shall not interfere with any such future appointment--but that the
present nomination is not to be cancelled to make room for any future
_pro tempore_ appointment."
During the six years that had passed since the formal opening of the
College definite progress had been made. But apart from the activity of
the Medical School, which did not owe its origin to the University and
had merely changed its name, the progress was connected only with laying
plans for the future and with securing adequate resources and a
definite habitation. The Governors were harassed by litigation and by
not a little uncertainty; they were dismayed at times by the evident
lack of sympathy and the discouraging indifference of officials of the
Home Government. But they did not cease to hope, and they did not dream
of abandoning their educational scheme. They would struggle on to the
fulfilment of the founder's vision. It was the task of the newly
appointed acting-Principal to carry out these plans and to take up the
administration of the University in one of the most difficult and
critical periods of its existence. The years that followed were to be
troubled years of poverty, anxiety and controversy, not unmixed with
bitterness, during which, at times, extinction and oblivion threatened
the University's life.