[5:  Since this chapter was in type, the Dominion government have found it necessary to dismiss Mr. McInnes from the lieutenant-governorship of British Columbia, on the ground—­as set forth in an order-in-council —­that “his official conduct had been subversive of the principles of responsible government,” and that his “usefulness was gone.”  While Mr. McInnes acted as head of the executive at Victoria, the political affairs of the province became chaotic.  He dismissed ministries in the most summary manner.  When the people were at last appealed to at a general election by Mr. Martin, his latest adviser, he was defeated by an overwhelming majority, and the Ottawa government came to the conclusion—­to quote the order-in-council—­“that the action of the lieutenant-governor in dismissing his ministers has not been approved by the people of British Columbia,” and it was evident, “that the government of the province cannot be successfully carried on in the manner contemplated by the constitution under the administration of the present incumbent of the office.”  Consequently, Mr. McInnes was removed from office, and the Dominion government appointed in his place Sir Henri Joly de Lotbiniere, who has had large experience in public affairs, and is noted for his amiability and discretion.]

A very important controversy involving old issues arose in 1888 in connection with an act passed by the Mercier government of Quebec for the settlement of the Jesuits’ estates, which, so long ago as 1800, had fallen into the hands of the British government, on the death of the last surviving member of the order in Canada, and had been, after some delay, applied to the promotion of public instruction in the province of Quebec.  The bishops of the Roman Catholic Church always contended that the estates should have been vested in them “as the ordinaries of the various dioceses in which this property was situated.”  After confederation, the estates became the property of the government of Quebec and were entirely at the disposal of the legislature.  The Jesuits in the meantime had become incorporated in the province, and made, as well as the bishops, a claim to the estates.  Eventually, to settle the difficulty and strengthen himself with the ecclesiastics of the province, Mr. Mercier astutely passed a bill through the legislature, authorising the payment of $400,000 as compensation to the Jesuits in lieu of all the lands held by them prior to the conquest and subsequently confiscated by the crown.  It was expressly set forth in the preamble of the act—­and it was this proposition which offended the extreme Protestants—­that the amount of compensation was to remain as a special deposit until the Pope had made known his wishes respecting the distribution.  Some time later the Pope divided the money among the Jesuits, the archbishops and bishops of the province, and Laval University.  The whole matter came before the Dominion house of commons in 1888, when a resolution was proposed to the effect