Examiner -- 1864-12-05 -- Page 02

' Jon Cire,

Jotun

Pparlotieto wn, ds,

CORRES PVPODENC EE.

OUR COMMON SCHOOLS,
Ma. Eprror : — Pursuant to promise, |
proceed to give you some information ree-
pecting the present condition of the majority
of ewe common sehools, in order, U posible,
te relieve the minds of many of your readers,
whe in all probability bave formed their
Opinions without having given the matter
mature consideration, of the exceedingly er-
roneous impressive that our educational
affairs are in a wery favearable and floarish.
ing state. Lawing che Kepurt of the Vesitors
of Schools before me, L shall avail myself of
the privilege of dedacing therefrom such
statistical information as will be aeeessary to
corroborate my ststemeats. [ may observe,
by the way, that this hagely voluminous and
paper-wasting report must have occupied
much more time and attention in ite com-
pilacion Gea its loms-windod and industrious
nuthecs fhawe giwem te Che visitation wad
examination ef @ublic schoole. Uf we take
the elaberate tabulac statistics, amd the amar
ingly verbose and Gresome remarks whech
wre contained am the domgthy capert, as a
eriterion of the present esate of ear odaca-
Gromal moatters, we will Be eadeoed te believe
Viet ear patito echo ds ate on we etosedingly
prosperous and ‘hajpy coméiten, and that
education is progresing with amazing rapi-
dity throughout this fortenate little colony.
The most cursory ohseryatien, however, can-
met desl to reveal, te aay intelligent reader,
pase a ank €agdecity which have been
practised by the wy visitors in making out
their returos. We may perhaps, with pro-
Priety, exeept the brief statements of Mr.
Arbuckte, be, poor tatn, owing to his ** de-
vlinimg goers” and ** protracted indisposi-
Siew,” teviag been rendered unfit to sgy or
de mech in regard to the matter. Me.
Prockerticid has, however, more than made
‘ap for the brevity and incompleteness of his
‘~aperannaated confrere’s report; ang has
‘een infinitely more verbose in his valuable
remarks and suggestions upon edycation. |t
muat be amusing to the eareful reader te
vbserve how indetatiggble the cautious yisi-
tor is in his attempts w pateh up hia returns,
by expressing his * general satisfaction,”
ete., in regard to the eflicieney of the taach-
ers and the improvement of the pypils. Rat,
rn spite of -his futile effurts to conceal the

ja ides ef Wie exureme richiess ol the luculra
) Liou.
ve properly eyjoyed aud duly appreciated, Phe
puuipous, sclivomeistied manner ot the writer, lips
eVieoul vverweening comce|, logether will tis
SUDIe UnooUseHrusuess Gl error, Cumbine tu
make his lhequent Wiuuders {PPeRRlbiy comical,

Lue vpetiog Worgs vt ins leter—> education
| is Lite leuduaseou of clyilizadion —are a promising
vegiiiiny lov & CommuUniCAleR Intended tur tue
| Teerealion, delectatiou and cachinalion Gt tps
jembrye ualien. |] He ey peokalious yt Lie Fun-loviiy
reader UNS Paised uso aet disappointed when,
j aldose shippiug ave¢ ball uw dozen oF so of nino
vlduders, his ylauoe as arresivd by the tollow dig
seulcnce; “4 lew Sears tee oot cars were
deajened by Lue jeyous ery vt wu k ree Mducation,
Owl low Uuaginew 4k was to be al the same tine
jour besiuy aad our bane.’ dn tis seytence,
[Sbewk was a dx, are yiveu Us Lo less than tyrve
| Jeoes al asetul Knowledge, of which the present
jetta, dec vue, candy Conutesses iujself to
{ee seou hitherty protouudly ignorant, Ist,

i
;

that aeue other purt ol the human trayye js sub-
deed de the iuticuaty of deatiess besides the ears ;
{ zed, that there exists sowewhere jy eregtion an
‘ auiwal called a Pree Education, capable of ulter-
wg Joyous eres ; and Srd, Ugh a) sujal or a
ery cau be at the same lime our Wlessing and vur
bane. | aust contess | would like to ask a
“trend” a few questjoys gbout the cry of this
newly discuyered creatyre. Does it resemble
the bray of a jackgss, ur the shout of a goriila, v1
is its sound anything Like what a combination of
these two yujses Would be! ‘Then, again, we
would like ty be honeured with the coupany ot

the Majr Splitting Debating Society, in order to
diseyss with hiw, ip eur usual acute aud friendly
mayer, the question~—"* Can anything be at the
seme time a * teem: and a bane!” We cau as-
sure him thai we are a very patient, polite, and
intelligent set of young men, although the names
of three schowl-teachers are on the roll. He
might yot fiud aweng us warriors werthy of his
steel, but We ara—tue schoolnasters excepted—
aware of our deficiencies and anxious to be en-
lightened. But to returu to our aubject. Lathe very
next sentence “ A Friend of Kducation”' shows
that he is wot aware that there is any difforence
vt meaning between the phrases “ the tault of a
system, and a system at fault,” for he writes—
“ It was free in every sense of the word, and here
i# Where the syateus was at fault." Where it was
that this creature of doubttul gender, which our
* Friend” calls Free Education, was at fault,
} and what it was that perplexed it, be has not
| condescended to tell us. Why the word “system”
| was thrust into the above sentence, | aw at a lose

“A Friend of Education” at the next meeting of

rtartling fact, he tacitly admits that oyr| te comprehend. Perhaps “A Friend" knows
public schools are, in general, plunged into) himself what he weans; but L can assure him
& wretehed condition. His figures show that | that “ comprehension wanders lost’ in the con-
the average attendance of children is far be-| test to find out whether it is a system of agricul-
low what is required by the lawa relating to | ture or the human system he wakes allusion to.
Education ; and his remarks give unmistake- Here follows the astounding assertion that edu-
sble evidence of the dissgtisfagtion of both | tv". Made too free, became an object of little
teachers and parents, grisipg from the pre- mae” Pa Bara pen A erie na poh ye

: i P heat } uJ aucabe st become in order to be ar
Ca tam stuises ee tf ttt together vatueless; for if great freeness disuinishes
iad rs aed en i ’ ' 7 the value of education, atill greater and greater

K mpartia! and dispassionate RC- | freeness will so depreciate it that it will, by-and-
count of the various sshools which they | by, be worth just nothing at all. But if, as our
examined during their afficial visitation, we |“ Friend” himself says, education is the founda-
would be alarmed a6 the unexpected intelli-| Gon of civilization, [ submit, that whether

apes and startling revelations that would
ye contained in their rotyrns

I shall now give a brief exposition of the
more extensive and injurjoug evils at present
existing in almost aif
$n domg so. { do not intend to exonerate |
schoulmasters from gli the charges that may
he brought against them; but simply to
ehow that the primary cause of these evila is
the reprehensible laws relating to education |
which are now in turee. The greatest, and |
probably the most comman, evil existung|
wmong vur public schouls is the serious oe-|
eurrence of fierce disturbances and disrup- |
tions amongss the inhalutants of the greater
number of the sghoal districts. These in-
jurious and incessant contentions are occa-|
sioned by the difficulties experienced in ob- |
taining the services of » useful and efficient |
teacher, and by the determined indispoe:tion
oa the part af the people to make up the de-

; Whom he is se erushingly severe upon, 1 would |

aur common schools. |

facw?!

lettered or free, it must always be a thing ot
very great value. Ji “A Friend of Education”
Were one of those ignorami of schoolmasters |

charitably couclude that he did wet mean to say
that the treeness of edveation lesseucd ils worth;
but as be is a learned gentleman, a profound
classic acholar, lam torced w believe that he
meaue exactly whal he saye—neither mare ner
fess. Que classic triewd also says that it “is a fact
that whatever is difficult of aceess i always
valued more highly than what we obtain with
little or no exertion.” This fact, &e Shame,
shame, where was your classic lore, O Fried of
Education, when you penned those sentences !
De you not know that * fact” is derived fram
Do you net know that a fact i one thing
and truth another, and that a schular would be
a8 likely to mistake the one for the other as a
farmer would be to call hia cows hersea, or his
horses cows!) My dear fellow, if sou have ac-
quired a swattering of Latia, for gooduess sake
make some use of your knowledge. Lat I must

ficiency in the Government allowance to) hurry va. Leaving wiany towpting Utbits, I light
teachers. | am far from intimating thar) #peu the following exceedingly euigwatical sen-

there are no industrious and praise-worthy tewee. “If education has became more general,
teachers in the community. Un the con-|
trary, i¢ must in al! truth be admitted that)
there are many cmisent | y useful and success- |
jul members of the prolession, who are zeal- |
ous and persevering im their endeavours to,
** wach te Yuling sdead tow to shoot? ht)
must, however, with equal propriety, be
conceded that the dificuity of obtaining a
trusty and competent teacher is by no
means of @ trivial or unimportant natare. I
have already shown that aearly all of the
moore useful and efficient teachers — those who

the energy and talents that will enable
them to fill offices much more pleasant and
remunerative than selool-teaching — have
jefe the woprofitable and disagreeable pro-
fession ; and it is this circumstance which |
aceasions the difficulties in getting good
teacherr, Now, to use the sentiments ex-

ly those who are at present support-
jag schools, aad with whom L have coaversed
upon this tapic, before the inhabitants of a
district would engage a useless, inefficient
teacher, and make up towards his support
filteen or twenty pounds, they would lock
the dears ot theic schoolhouses, and endeavor
te educate their children thomseives! Here,
then, is the primary canse of those serious
distacbances smongst the people to which L
have alluded; and which produce such as
derogatory and disastrous effect upon our
colonel education.

Arising, a8 matters of consequence, from
these extensive disruptions, there are innu-
merable circumstances tending to the inevi-
table disorganization and ultumate overthrow
ef eer common schools. Uf these circam-
stances, the most important, perhaps, is the
exceeding smaliness uf tho average daily at-
temdance of scholars. By the Keport of the
Bekeoi Visitors, it appears that the average
neater of pupils sttunding commen schools
is dar short of the required number. The
ecueming visitors, in attempting to palliate
this great fact, ladicrously attribute the ab-
somes af the children to ‘‘ gathering in the
hacvest.”’ or ‘* whooping cough,’ or some
ether fanciful circumstance. It is quite
vlwieas, however, that harvesting does not
cantinue ail the year round, nor does the
whooping cough exist in every locality, al-
theugh the visitors are stupid enough tu cite
these as the ruling causes of inattendance in
ali echouls and at all seasons. The absurdity
of these huge prevarications is only paralleled

the seale is lowered.”” What possible connection
can there be between “ the scale” and education | |
What seale does he allude to !—the scale ot
prices or the musical eeale? [must countess
myself at fault. ‘There is not the remotest allu-
sion ty a seale of soy kind in the previous part of
the ltter, aid te drag it ii here ia, to éay the
least of it, very unkind. I must again remind the
reader that 1 am criticising the production of a
schuiar, and am net at liberty to form any con-|
jeetuces us to what he may wean. ‘The wext sen-|
teuee it a gem in ita way. Here itis. ** Pree
education, a8 we have it, has built schools iu all
parts of the Island ; so far its work is praisewor-
thy ; but it has thrown broadcast over the country
a swarm of teachers the majority of whom are us
unqualitied tor educating the youth as they would
be ior guiding the affairs of the British vation.”
Eureka! This Free Education must be of the
beaver species, fer not vuly dees it utter joyous
eries, but it builds houses, aud school-houxes too.
What an wteresting and enlightened creature it
must be. The Freachman, Chailler, ia thrown
completely in the shade by this discovery of * A
Friend of Education.” ‘That throwing a swarm
broadcast over the country must have been a
wondertul feat. 1 would like tu know how it was
deve. Aad then this youth, whom the majovity
of thia ewarm thrown broadcast are unqualified
tw teach, must be a wouderful fellow—a real pro-
digy of stupidity or of cleverness. Has he been
tuund so horribly thick-headed that the majority
of the swarm, by their united and continuvus ef-
foria, could not drive even the “ eleweutary
branches” iuto his iron-beund skull! or waa he
so wonderfully clover that not only the elements
ot kaowledge but ita higher branches came to him

come. It is very difficult, trom a tew extracts) out; byt ot the same time, whether the whole were fact, we are only tolerate d hy the
SE ee eee eee ld DY WE PUny Critictam, lo yive your readers eneried into etfget, or nothing, or ouly a part, be /of che necesaary eyils of suciety.

wight assure them, both for hjmaglf and on the

iit must be ken as a Whole, Warder to PHF at his fellow -Cloverners, that they miuht rely |

, Wpon finding jn them every dispositpop iv pespet
ithem by every means that Jay jn their power
They, the Governors, would sepk to vive the fullest
j development tg whatever was proposed, and to
further, as far as lay jy their powgr, the jnterests
land happiness of those over whem, far a time,
| they had beep appointed to preside.”

| ‘That extract represents Sir Richard McDon-
nell as speaking in his awn name and that of the
other Lieutenant Gevernars of the Maritime
Provinces, and expresajng theie intention, whe-
ther the whole or any part of the propositions of
the Delegaies were carried juto effect, te assist
them ; and again—‘ that they would seek to give
the tullest development to whatever was propos-
ed.” The quotation uust be taken from a very
inperfect report of the speee), a3 in the tall re-
port of the apeech, given ia tie Montreal Gazette
ol the jist Oetober, Sir Michard is represented
as recaupmending great caution in dealing with
the proposals of the Delegaivs, as appears by the
tullowing extract:

“At the same time, he might, without breaking
through what wight be deemed necessary caution
and reserve, express the hope, that whatever pro
po they might make would be duly weighed

”v the commuauhgly at large, ly whom, pr potut ol
fuct, they mast Hypally report thejr proceedings.
(Laud cheering.) The moment was a very critical
one, and in view of it the syzvestions of the dele
ites, however framed, guyht uot to be accepted
without great consideration. The whole fature ot
Canada and the Maritime Peovjaces would be seri
ously affected by the decision which the community
at large und the differeat legislatures night sinke
upou these peapasuls.”” (Applause }

Again, Sir Richard very clearly expresses his
views cs ta the necessity of sinple arrangements
being made on 8 basis of mutual eontidence :

© Gathering from the semi-official announcements
which had, from time to time, been allowed to
appear, they had been seeking some plan of action
designed to give increased strength in matters of
defence, increased economy in conducting the toa
chinery of government, and increased facilitier for
carrying ont mercantile arrangements. He, there
fore, hoped they would find some simple as well as
effective meaus to carry out those objects which we
all had in common; aud that we would find it pos
sible to build up such an unieu as we would all like
to see — hot by endless guarantees against mutual
agyression and distrust, but one in whieh the foun
dations might be laid on mutual eontidence. (Loud
cheers.) Lf the inhabitants of the British Proycesin
of America had in themselves the staff to enable
them to becouse a great people in a vreat and pros
perous union, they could on y become so by being
willing to make mutaal sacrifices for the benefit of
one another, and by reposing in one another mutual
confidence. (Cheera.) If you began to distrust one
another iu the voverument of these colonics, where
is ittoend? Were they to have guarantees in the
local government for the protection of the English
in Lower Canada, and yuarantees in the general
congress for the French iu the Confederate legisla
ture, er were they to be bound together by feelings
of mutual respect and coutidence ! He did say this
that he coved and believed there was that yood
fuith—suilicient good faith and mutual confidence
| amongst them all to enable them to take a simple
and effective mode of action which would give
them strength and economy and good government
forall.’ (Lond cheers )

Finally, so far was Sir Richard MaeDonne!!
from committing himself or any other of H. M.'s
Representatives to any special line of action in
reference to the proposals of the Delegates,
which at that time were unknown, that in the
portion of his apeech, which it way intended to
give in the extract in the Morning Chronicle, we
find him represented, inthe Montreal Gaze@te, ax
saying :—

“It might or might not be the ease that the
views or proposuls which the delevates wonld oer
would be carried out; bat, whether all they pro
posed be effected, or only a portion was finally ap
proved, he might say that the Delegates could rely
om tindiny every disposition on bis part to co-ope
rate with them—to assist them by all the means its

whatever project Her Majesty's Government, in its
wisdom might approve of, when submitted to them
by the Colonial Leyislatares.”’

This indeed amounts to ne more than a pledge
te carry out energetically any plan approved by
Her Majesty’s Government—a_ determiuation,
which needed scarcely to be formally announced
by Her Majesty's Representative, but which per-
hapa contained as much as one holding that po-
sition could safely guarantee.

Che Examiner.

Charlottetown, December 5, 1864.

_THE CALEDONIAN CLUB, |

PUBLIC DINNER ON ST. ANDREW'S DAY.

FIRST PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF THE UNION
QUESTION IN CHARLOTTETOWN,

We have inserted in another coluzn, from the
Islander, a brief notice of the Public Dinner in
honour of Si. Andrew's Day, given by the Cale-
dyuian Club of this place. The Club is in its
infancy, and the attendance was small. But
that was owing wore to the bad state of the tra-
velliag, which prevented country members from
coming te town than even to the infancy of the
Club. The Dinner was, however, very well
served up, and the feeling throughout the evening
was that of uamixed pleasure and gratification.
What gave very great importance to the gather-
ing was, that some members of the Club and
their guests took occasion to discuss the question
of Federal Union in the course of their responses
to some of the toasts. The Hon. Col. Gray, whe
is President of the Club, did this at great length,
and very effectively. His speech, indeed, opened
up the whole question of Union, and evidently

as by wtuition | Bat when | look iato this crush-
ing sentence, this literary bomt-shell, so barba-|
rously cast inte the middle ot the defeuceless |
“gwarm,” 1 find that se far from being filled
with gunpowder, crusty uaila, wusket-ball, aud)
such like th dealing materials, it coutains au. |
gar and spice and all things nice, that it is, in|
fact, no beowb-shell at all, but a package ot
sweeties, to which, with a kind of grim bumour,
the sender has given the appearance of that dead-
ly projectile. He says that the teachers are aa
unqualified to teach the youth as they would be
to guide the affairs of the British Nation. Audl
must say that he is right. I have no doubt that
if our school teachers had the proper training,
and if they moved in the right sphere, they would
be just as well qualified to teach “A Friend of
Education's” youth, or any other youth as they
would be te guide the affairs of the British Nation. |
Or pechape he wishes us to understand that our |

made a grest impression. Maleolm MeLeod,
Esqr., one of our most talented young Barristers,
who seems destined to oceupy a prominent place
in his profession, first entered on the discussion
of the Union question, and made a masterly ad-
voeacy of it. Hon. Mr. Haviland, jun., followed
in the same line, and was more than usually elo-
quent and impressive. The speeches were re-
ported by Mr. Archibald MeNeill; aad their
importance demands that we should-give them
insertion, even at the risk of leaving other inte-
resting reading aside for the present. We shall
give the speeches in the order in which they were
delivered. ‘The first toast (the 5th), in honour
of the Army and Navy, was that which called

7 > |
his power Ly viving the fullest development to

teachers are new in their present circumstances | forth a speech. The Hon. Mr. Coles, who holds
qualified to guide the atfsirs but if they were placed in other Pe: valry, was invited to respond to this toast, and

Mm as one
A glance
at the ancient and modern history of law-
yers, however, ought to convince the mast
sceptical that they have always been found
| the champions of liberty, and that they have
| always advocated the cause of the people
jugaynst tyrants and the undue pressure of
the power of the Vrown. In the days ol
Philip of Macedon the voice ot Demosthenes
was heard jn Afhens warning the i
uguinst the machinations ot the wily Philip
to overturn their liberties. Lo the Forum of
ancient Rome the eloquence of Cicero was
poured forth in denouncing the oppressions
vf the Commonwealth, and in defending the
injured and oppressed eyen when the sol-
diers of Pompey surrounded the Forum to
overawe and intimidate him. Jn England,
we bave had a Coke who drew up the Potition
of Rights in one of the Parliaments of Charles
the First. ‘The greatand immortal Hampden,
to whom we are indebted for the constitution-
ul rights and privileges we now enjoy, was 4
member of the legal profession. Lord Somers,
who defended the seven Bishops in the days
of the tyrant James the Secund, and who
draited that great charter of our hberties,
“ The Bill of Rights,’’ was a lawyer. Byt
to come down to more modern times, [ must
not furget to mention the greatest advocate
who ever pleaded in Westminster Hall,
Erskine, the man who defended Mardy for
High Treason in the panic-stricken days ol
the first French Revolution, when, if it had
not been for his successful eloquence, the
liberties of British subjects would have been
crushed and annihilated by the power of the
Crown. And in closing, allew me to name
another great lawyer,Herry Lers Brougham,
who has pleaded the cause of the people in
Courts of Justice and in both llouses of Par-
liament for more than half a century, and is
still alive, and at present doing honor to the
celebrated French advocate, Berryer, who
bas also been the defender of the injured and
oppressed in France for nearly balf a century,
under all forms of Guyernments, Kings, ?re-
sidents and Emperors. In this Island, law-
yers heretofore have had a narrow sphere
and a contracted platform to exhibit their
talents and their learning; but I hope that
before many years have run their course
all the Courts of British America will
be open to the lawyers of this my native
Colony. Before | resume my seat, a8 we
are celebrating the Festival of St. Andrew, |

Ciub that two of the most able Judges that
ever adorned the British Bench were Scoteh-
men, namely, Lord Chief Justice Mansticld
and Lord Chief Justice Campbell. Eng-
land's greatest advocate, Erskine, was also a
native of Scotland. Since the union of
Sevtland with England she has produced
more great men as historians, men ot science,
soldiers, poets, and in other important walks
of life, than any other eountry, in propor-
tion to her populaton. How us this problem
tu be solved? Un bebalf of the lawyers | now
return you my sincere thanks, and L believe
that so long as we have the present gentle-
}men upon the Bench our rights and liberties
will be safe, and the course of justice will
continue to run free and unsullied,

The twelfth toast — “ Prince Edward Island,

Maleolm MeLeed, Esqr., wae called to respond,

and spoke as fullows :—
MR. MeLEOD'S SPEECH.

He said — He regretted that some one of the
| publie men whom he saw around the board was
| net called upon, for then justice might be dene to
our Island Home—more expecially, said be,
because he would now be prevented trem paying
a tribute as requested (by the Committee) to the
memory of Kuras, Seatt, Abererombie and
| Clyde. Tut thie being the first time in his lite
| that he was called upon to perform a public duty
jor his native country, he would vot refuse his
services, however humble. He said he telt ne
little difficulty in speaking, before sueh public
wen, and Islanders toe, as he saw around him,
on the all important subject to which allusion
had already been made. He would, however,
remind them that, aere for acre, PLE. Island is
able te feed aa many souls as any other spet in)
British North America. Its people are as virtuous |
aad hompitg can be tuund auywhere. We
should not forgePits claims at our festive beard,
ner neglect its Mterests at a time like this, when
such grave politieal changes as these that new
absorb public attention are proposed. Ele alluded
te the chersbhed fondness of the Members of the
Caledonia Club for the land of their fathers,
and in many eases their own wative land, Seotiaud,
Yet, said he, as time passes, although the senti-
ment is perpetuated among the peaple of Scottish
descent abroad, the genuine love of country that
distinguishes their forefathers becomes weaker
every generation. Se itis also with the descend-
ants of Britains pf other extractions. Different
nesociatious, foreign intercourse each day
diminish the reverence of the American bern tor
Old England, Green Erin, and Boume Scotland.
As the mind becomes estranged from the mother
country, it becomes a most ineportant enquiry :
What other country have you to present tor eur
attachwent?) Ne people was ever great without
a love of country. Colouists have arrived at that
embarrassing stage of progress in which they are
ata joss whether they shall appear divorced as
patriotic Euglishmen, Lrshinen, aud Scotechmen,
or united in a common devotion to the laud they
inhabit. ‘They have all reason to be proud of the
land of their forefathers, yet they have no voice
in its Legislation or Government. ‘They control,
it is true, the country they now inhabit, but that
country is not recognized as a power among the
family of nations, Henee, on the score of pa-
trietis, colonists ave between two minds—the
consequence is that they have pot a very strong
attachment for any country. The progress of
events will probably very seen selve the doubt.
The inhabitants of British North America, he
hoped, would soon be able te point to one Com-
monwealth, to which they need not be ashamed to
devote individual allegiance, ‘This stage wll not
be arrived at without much opposition. In the
presence of so many Seotchmen he would remind
them, that there was a period in the histery of
Seotiand which presents many peints of resemb-
lance to the preseut position of this Island. If
mean, said he, the Union with England.
Scotland stood in many respects in the same rela-
tion to England that we i to the neighbouring
Colonies. She was the stwnaller Power, and the
less populated country, The arguments against
the Union were wonderfully alike, those which
are used with us every day. ‘ We are poor and
cannot sustain such heavy taxes as Kuygland—the
voice of our small gumber of Represeutatives will
be drowned im the Hoaxe of Commons—our 15
Peers cannot check the designs of oar enemies in

must remind the members of the Caledunia| |

our Country '— having been duly honoured, |
i

hy the opinion that ‘che raising uf @ portion
of the teachers’ salaries will ensure a more
regular attendance, and excite greater inte-
rest among the parents."’ This gigantic
idea must have occasioned! peculiar paintul-
ness in making its exit from tie pregnant
beaia of its distinguished author ; and it is
hoped that he experiences sweet relief, after
having beeu sately delivered of the monstrous
abortion. Instead, sr, of exciting greater

relerest among the parents, it has been in-|

finitely more successful in producing 4
yreater discount among them, and an un-
flinching determination oo their part to re-
rent and oppose these excecdingly unfair and
anjest measures. They uiready keenly feel
the stupendews imporition thet has been
pensions apen them ; they feel that they
ure doubly taxed 40 support a system ab-
eurdly called ** free educition,”’ and they
opine that it is aknost time to pitch the
bumbugging thing. '
These circumstances arc abardaatlg fruit-
Cul de inducing a wultiplicrty of utaae evils

under some deteriorating fluence or other, they
would be as auqualified tu du su as they wow are
te teach this mythical youth of his.

Another specimen of * A Friend of Education's”
style and I have dene. “If they” (farmers), be

says, “happen te visit their Legislative Assem-|
| blew, they well Gud tke most able and clever men |
net farmers, bat lawyers and educated men; and
they will ask the reason why? De they net know
that it is for waut of @ higher education?’ Why
do farmers see the most able and clever men in
ltheir Legislative Assemblies net farmers, but
lawyers and educated men? For want of a higher
education, anewers “A Friend of Education.”
| Poor farmers! You are to be pitied. When “A
Friend ” visits these Asser Sslies, his “ higher edn-
cation” enables him to find the able aud clever
linen net lawyers aad educated men, but farmers,
1L presume. This friewd applies the epithet
“taway” te our ploughbeys, aud talks about be-
ginning fife with a “ competence.”

Let it aet be thought that I have commented
on all the bhaaders contained ia a Friend of Edu-
leation’s letter. There are dozens left that I have |

neither time nor daclination te netice. lideed, I
would not have trowbled you with this letter were |
I sot anxious te show teachers aud pareuts that)

for arbea the people are not wnanteaded sa a auan or a bey may have seme little knowledge

easrying «ut educational

vious resale de that the whole thmg wild Ge! waite ar to understand his mether tougae,
avgleeted aad forsaken. The majority «4;

our commen sebevis give evidence ef this
fact. ‘fhe teachers of almost all the scheals
with which ( am aegeainted have newly dhe
wame complaints to aide, win: that

trustees never visit or exacine the schoels -
thet there are scarcely ang books or other
necessaries, that the schoolheuses are in a

wery delapidated condition and that the a

tendance of echuluem us exe edingly irregaber

tlaving ere | aempiel too much time
and space, d etull hareeaw to a close, with
the ioteatian «of considering the subject
somewhat Guethor ie a selseguent and cun-

cluding stede-
Wours respeetheby,
Noy. Voth, 1664. A THEACAMDR
*“ViINOIr AMOR LUDL”

Me. Fovror:—“ Johnay diosh” could mat de

Ktier-than te tranaierithedetioref a ~Peinud of| Feomithe Hulifax Morning Chrouicle, Nov. 30.

Education” —Latia quetation aad all — trom th

nw
" ot }

meneures, the ofa tea datin and Greek, without beaag able either to

The
| ignecamcee! English grammar and of the plainest
‘rules af Eaglich composition displayed by “A)
| Frieud of Education” is unazing. He doeat not |
| eadenatand the moaning of seme of the mest!
comma English words. Yet he, lorseoth, pre-
sumes te adeine us as to what sort of education we
wheal giweamue children. Lf he is a studeaut of the
Prince of Wakes’ College, ax | shrewdly suspect
hum to be, the Peafessers of that lustitaten have
small reas be ke proud ot their pup. TL admit
i fewdy that “A Paiead of Education” tas much
| amen cmmedt eae aleitity; but waking every al-
lowanee tae fis acastat paris, lis inwerance of
| Koglish reflects great diseeodit ou tits teachers,
whoever they may be, Ateall cever de in these
days, and in this countny, tomegleet Milton for
Homer, or to pretend to appreciate Virgil when
we have no taste for Shakspeare. My parting
advice te “A Friend of Education” is to read
| English, to read the beat English, evewit he should
' be fovea to negleet his Latin and Greek for a
bine. SOMEBODY,

ber ”

Au article in the Morniag Chronicleat the 24th
N ron Unies of the Veavnees,”” was

Pratcaiant of the 2th tastan’ te the«
his Cattle Bdbeor

up at
be able to scrape logether

At contione a greater Aue | headed with what purpe
ber of better Ges cul aor comical blunders | a apesnh.obSin Richard Graves Maluuuaill at the
than tee ateronsid Jdhony—in dusteiins © piaker | Mouseral dleyetner, an tolkaws > —

sensu sd trifles"” though he be — will)
eaconsiders @ for a iwelvementh to) views proposat by the ddeleyuies wouldibe carried

Wis tebe a gquoetavion from

“dt agit OF mivht wat ba the ease that the

did so iw-thetullowing terms :—
MR. COLES’S SPEECH,

He thanked the company for the enthusias-
tic manner in which the toast justdrank was
received. The honourable gentleman allud-
od to the different military enactments of
this Island. He said that, in his opinion,
the old Militia Companies of former days
compared favourably with the Volanteer
Movement of the present time. He alluded
to the sale of the Barrack Square, aud hoped
that when the money realized would be ap-
propriated to the promotion of our military
department, the Militia would sot be forgot-
ten. We were frequently told, said he, that
the Colonies must prepare for self defence.
lie was, however, of opinion that if we at any
time required help from the Mother Country
it would be given. ‘The strong arm of Great
Britain wag our defence,and as long as we
continued our present relation to the purent
land, that defence would always be our pro-
fection.

The next toast which brought forth a speech
was the Fighth: “ Mrs. Dundas and the Ladies
of P. EB. Island”) WILLIAM MeGILL, Esqr.,
was called upon to respond to it, and expressed
himself in a most felicitous style, eulogising, as
might be expected trom so gallant a gentleman,
the beauty and virtues of the Prince Edward Is-
land ladies, and paying a just tribute of respeet
to the amiable lady of the Lieut. Governor.

The Clergy of P. BE. Island having been honour-
ably mentioned in the next toast, the succeeding
oue was—" The Bench and Baty” in reference to
which the Hon. Mr. Haviland was called upon to
respond, and did so as follows :—

HON. T. HEATH HAVILAND'S SPEECH,

Mr. Chairman, | am sorry that the At-

torney General, or sume other prominent were not only admired af the time, but are to this
member of the profession, is not present to)

respond to the toast of ** The Bench and the
Bar ;"' bat observing that Mr. McLeod and

myself are the only luwyers here, and that, as Danean and Dandonald,

Mr. MeLood is expected to respond to another
touxt during the evening, it would ill become
me to refuse the Brief, and to remain silent
upon this occasion. The profession to whieh
IL have the honor of belonging is, ax you are
aware, looked apaa with very little loge or
sympathy by awany of the commauity. Io

the House of Lords, The English Parliament will
tax us beyond onr means, and the revenue will be
expended in England. Positions of honor and
emolument will be monepolized by the selfish
English,” &e. We hear, said he, the very sume
arguments made use of now. Belhaven anu
Fletcher urged these objeetious with so mach show
of reason that it was nob surprising that they ter-
ified their countrymen against the Union, But
we, said he, have great reasow to be astonished to
hear kindred arguments reproduced atter they have
been so long falsified by the logic of events. The
antipathies of the two nations were notorious
The English and Scoteh hated each other. I then,
said he, the arguments referred to proved uufound
ed, sach fallacies should not surely deter us from
forming a Union with people towards whom we
entertain the utmost good will, and whose progress
and prosperity are identical with our own. One
of the arguments used by Englishmen opposed to
the Union was, that the South would be overrun
by the Northern hive of poverty-stricken Scots.
‘Prue, said he, the Northern hive did go South and
made their mark. How Col. Haviland has already
referred to some of the yreat meu thavscotlind
has produced—and it is worthy of remark that all
these great men xrose since the Union ;—with the
exception of Wallace and Brace, there ure few
Scotchmen who devoted their talents to parety
Seotch atfairs, who have left a lasting name. But
after the Uuiow a wider field was opened, and
Scotchmen preeminently distinguished themselves
That this was the direet etfoct of the Union would
appear by looking at the cureer of these men. He
then spoke of the brothers Huuter, who prosecated
their profeand researches in Physiologyeand An-
atomy inthe South—of Mansfield, who improved, if,
indeed, it way not be said that he formed the Com-
wercial Law of Great Britain—the eloquence of
Wedderburn found scope as an English statesiman—
Campbell as an Euglixh Lawyer found his way
from his fathers house to the Woolsack —
Adam Smith, whose writings, it had been
said, have done wore for maukind than all the
writers and legislators together, he wrote with
| more immediate eve to the extensive com.
merce in which the Uniou enabled his country-
men to participate. Brougham forsook the Bar of
his mative country to achiewe in Kugland a repa-
tation Which has seldom been equalled. It was in
the United Parliament that Herner won his great
and good name, and that Macintosh delivered
seine of his addresses on the Law of Nations, whieh |

day referred lo as authority on international Law.
it wus in the Army of the United Kingdom that
Moore, Abererombie and Lord Clyde earned their
| fame; and we tind in the United Navy such names
He would tire their

}
i

™

}
tat, then, hope that what the Parent Sehooie of

Seothuid, and the w ider field opened by the Uuion,
have dove for the pe ople of that coyntry, will be
j conferred npoy the people of this Island by our
leyutem of Mree Edueqtion, and ay alljance with «
lmore wealthy and exiensive Country. Ju Canada
we find she MeDonalds, the McDouyalle, the
Galts, gad the Browns, leading men of that country
Theiraets.us public men, are discussed in the British
PRavliagent, and commented on by the British Press
The revenne measyres which they may recom
mend excite hope or abu in Shetlicld, Manchester,
and Glasgow. Inthe Convention lately held in
the Colonies, the most important ever hajd in
british Ameriza,a native of P. Island wats
found worthy to preside over the deliberations of
l that distinguished body. A native of P. EK. Tstand
| was alae faund to have originated the most elec
ltive scheme of public instruction ln any of the
Colonies. We lure seen the proceedings of oar
small Parliament presided over by a native, with
an acguajntlanece with Parinunentary Law und
usage, und a knowledge of coustitutional learning,
that in larger countries would lead to hayor and
independence, and in England would be rooarded
by a Peerage. The recent Convention uf Quebec
was watched by members of the press fromm ! the
Mather Country, and all the Provinces ot Irjtish
North Ameriea; but, said he, it has not yet been
deyied that the taost brilliant deseriptions we have
had of the proceedings of this Convention, aud the
fetes viven the Delegates, were the prodyetions at
jhe pet of one of our own publiemen. Byt, said he,
jt matters little what may be the mental calibre of
our publie men- who ever heard of a growl or
smile from the Times newspaper because of the
public nets ef financial matters et our peaple, how
ever commendable or absurd; they excite nejther
pleasure hor alarm abroad, because the country
is too small to attract attention, and it wi

always remain so while we are isolated. —
Lhe opportunity is now presented to us to cast off
oar paltry individuality as a Colony, and beconye 4
part of a country that in a few years will rank
among the great powers of the world. W ill the
disproved argumeuts and exploded theories that
were urged to prevent our forefathers from effect
ing a Union with England induce us te forega the
advantages of a similar union with our great and
powerful neighbors? If so, the lesson tanght by
that part of the history of Great Britain has been
in vain preserved for oar guidance and instruction.
He said he would not presume upon the patience of
the Clab to answer even one objection ; and, said
he there has been but one objection, in his opinion,
offered worthy of mneh thoaght—that was relative
to the state of the Colowial finances. his, of all
others, is a subject npon which wellaveaning men
may reason falsely, and one ~ which political
economy has searcely yet enabled its greatest pro
fessors to reason soundly ; and yet we have among
us wen who pretend to tell us bow a Union will
affect us 20 years henee. The man who can do
this mast have not only a perfect knowledge of our
present sources of wealth, but au equally accurate
foresight into the capacity of the sea, the earth,
and the enterprise of man to develope the resources
of British North America for the next 20 years.
The mind equal to sueh a task is yet unborn, Far
sufer for us to be guided by the experience of the
mist than strive a the things of the future
The period of British history to which he had ah
ready alluded might texeh us the folly of directing
our present conduct by speculations concerning the
future. The Scotch said that taxes would increase,
and the country would be ruined. ‘Trne, taxes did
increase, but the country is not rnined yet, for the
Union brought them wealth. We are poor, said
they, and cannot pay as high taxes as Boghand
True, but theiralliauce with rich England and par
ticipation in her commerce made Scotland rieb wtso
The people of a small poor country, if enterprising
and intelligent, have everything to gain by a Cision
with a large and wealthy country, When the
stmallness of revenne is compared with the debt of
Canada, the almost unlimited means of wealth of
that great Colouy should not be forgotten. Harp
ing Ou the debt of Cannda without also considering
her unbounded resources, was like Biddy refusing
the wealthy hand of her master becanse his debits
exceeded her scanty earnings; or like a bachelor
who would not marry a wealthy wife because his
household expenses would be inereased after the
union. If the marriage iu beth cuses would bring
debts and expenses, it would also provide the
| wherewith to pay them. It is left to the option of
the [sland to accept or reject a similar atiiance, and,
said he, 1 for one say, accept the Union.

The fourteenth toast, in compliment to Miss
Dunean and the other ladies who presented the
Club with a beautiful Silk Banner, elicited the
following remarks from Dr. Sutherland :-—

DR, SUTHERLAND’S SPEECH,

The learned Doctor, in a very becoming
manner, spoke of the praise due to Miss Dan-
can and the other ladies referred to — ‘rhe
Caledonian Club owed them a debt of grati-
tude, and he hoped they would be long re-
membered for their kindness and generosity.
He spoke of the organization of the Club, the
laudable objects it had in view, ite unequalled
success since its formation, the broad basis of
its principles ; and the keeping up of our na-
tionality was highly commendable. Ie said
he always rejoiced at the success of kindred
institutions, such, for instance, as the Irish
Society and St. George’s Society, fe alind=
ed to similar celebrations on St. Andrew's
day, in his native land, Sevtland, in Cana-
da, and also in the United States of America.
When in New York, a few years ago, he was
astonished at the enthusiasm with which the
day was honored in that large city. Le felt
it good to be among Scotehmen even im that
foreign land. An oration was delivered on
the occasion by the Rev. Dr. Thompson, a
gentlewan of no ordinary ability. He ex-
pressed a desire to hear orations before this
Ulub—suy on the subjectot Scotland's Nation-
ality, or any other subject approved of by
the Committee. Ile concluded his remarks by
expressing a hope on some future day to see
the handsume Banner now before him, proad-
ly floating in the breeze amidst the ‘ ga-
thering’’ of the Clans under the auspices of
the Caledonian Club.

The toust to the “ Office Bearers and Members
of the Irish Society,” and also the toast of ‘* The
Press” —having then been drank — Mr. Whelan
was called to respond to both.

MR. WHELAN‘'S SPEECH.

He said, that with regard to the Irish Society,
he had been a member of auch an institution,
which was identical in its aime aad objects with
the Caledonia Club, before he came to this
country, aud while in his boyhood. Such societies
were links to bind us all in one universal brother-
hood; and although they indicated the eemmon
lot ot humanity—uamely, the sad vicissitudes of
Fortune and the appeals of Poverty—they were,
nevertheless, evidences of a Christian and chari-
table spirit in the country which fostered them ;
and shewed that whatever diflerences there were
amongst us in purely secular o¢ political affairs,
in works of benevolence there was none. He
felt satisfied that the Benevolent Lrish Seciety
would teel grateful for the honour conferred by
the teast; atid as that Society restricted not its
charities to emigrants from that distant land
whose name it bore, but was always ready to as-
sist the distressed sons and daughters of every
nationality, he had no doubt that the honourable
mention made of it at the Caledonia Club would
stiuulate the generous lmMpulses of the Lrish So- |
ciety, and prompt them always to keep their hands
open as day to melting charity, without stopping
tu enquire from what elime, what country, or the
professers of what creed the appeal should come.
With regard to the other toast—that of the Press
—he thought that his triend Mr. Ross, being the
junior member of the fraternity, should have been
called upon tu respond to it. As he was honour-
ed, however, with the attention of the audience
by being required to respond to the previous toast,
he would, before sitting down, make a few remarks
about the Press. The very circumstance of making
that institution the subject of a standing toast on
nearly every public festive occasion, shewed what
great importance was attached to it by free and
intelligent communities. The Bar, Clergy, Judi-
elary and Parliament, are iustitutions of whose
claims to our’ reverence and respect we are tre-
quently reminded; but these institutions could
wot be maintained in their integrity and entirety
—so far as anything human can be se maiutained
—unlets a tee press, echoing a free and healthy
public opinion, wat®hed over them and directed
their movements + approving and encouraging
them whea right, and cautioning and checking
them when in error, It would be tolly for him to
deny that the press somvetines committed
grievous errors itself. It would not be a human
institution if the case was different. There is no
such thing as perfection in any walk or profession ;
and if the couductors of the press claimed eredit
tur perfection, their usefulness would be dimiuish-
ed by their becoming objects of ridicule. All that
he claimed ter the Press was, that if it sometines
went wrong, it eftener went right, and that it was
more of a blessiug than au evil to society. Mr
Whelan then alluded to the present condition of
the press in the United States, which, he regret-
ted to see, in many instances, was put under the
heel of a military despotism. ‘To be sure, he said,
that in many places, in that unhappy country,
the press still gave out the thrilliug toues of a
tree and iadependeut people ; but if the Generals
iu all the Miltary Departments hated the voice of
freedom as seme of them did, and were as unseru-

-| than were ever yet conferred upon any section of

~

blige pind would be kept duly informed regard- | time, not only the a
Hog its peoaeedings, aad be was sure that there) North Ties Odea eo Of the Briti

would be less prejudjee agninat the scheme of Britain. | ia » buty of ait

‘ ‘ . wall A é : . wonld rather have } Greg
lontederation than now prevajls. ny country | ag] ids 0 crenn eh @ b

living in the enjoyment of free jnstitutions will not Givibeke to ica - jection to q : med
\patiently allow its public men to change or press My own opinions

T from
Me -

=
~

lalter these institutions im any Way without ifs! oP, gentleman who may diffe
knowledge. ‘The press ia the ouly medinu through | rh every respect for all who mav
which the people gan he pyade ae uninted with | mat while I accord to them perfect ihe...
the acts of our publie men; aod i the press ix ponly desire the right of a Citinon te .
kept closed to the acts of pubjje men, the latter | my own, and in a0 doing. | woulg °x Pty
will gertainly he looked gpoy with suspicion) Mr. Vioe Premdent and Gentl “sk of
aud distrust. He was in favoyr of openng the | regard any observations | make + Bot
doors of the Canterence Rewms, jn the Lower) from your President, or from ®
Provinces gud in Canada, to the conductors of! at this moment occupy & seat ty
the press; and if that had been dane, there would tive, but only as emanation 1M the Beg,”
be greater chances of success attending the men- citizen among you £ from 4 Bain,
sure of Contederation — those who tavoured ot re Ri or :
would have less work now to do in conciliating n approaching this question I fing)
public feeling in its behalf; and it was well placed in a somewhat novel PXSition ¢.™
the objections | have heard agai » for yy

known that the measure cou'd not be carried tion
unless the majority of the peaple approved of it. | 8° utterly untenable, and bear 0 little
the question, that, as 8 gontlem, on

—Mr. Whelan then alluded to the bright pros
to me a few days ago, it is hhapg
negative. Let me, however, tad a

pects which Confederation offeged for extinguish

my sectioaal and international prejudices, by

means of whieh the uscfulness of such institutions | objections. First, a gentlem

as the Caledonia Chib and the Benevolent. Irish tend asserts that Bate on from Sac it the

Society was seriously impaired. Let the people complain they are ground down,

in every section of the Colonial empire be united and therefore he argues that Pei ‘Oxatio,, .

in their political reiations, as well as we are here land in the Union will suitor invert
Finding out, doubtless, that he ee.

against himself, as |

in our secial ones, and we cannot tail to command
greater respect abroad, and be prouder of each .
other’s good qualities at home. Englishmen, will show by
Irishmen, and Seetchmen have a common inheri-| he flies off at a tangent and exchange ty.
tance in every attribute of greatness which the| Prince Edward Island remeraber the au
Old Country pessesses—free institutions,more free | Cape Breton.’’ — The second obj “

forward and exclaims, ** Union will be

us; we will have to pay enormous

build expensiye fortifications jq ¢ »

look at Quebee and all it has eet.” Me
third gravely asks, ** What do we get?
we get ag moch a8 we give?” — 4 ;

one w

g

:

ry

ifr

the globe—a history adorned by the moat illustrious Pay
names and the mest brilliant achevements im
arts, in science, and in arms—and a literature in
reference to which Englishmen, Irishmen and
Scotchmen, stand side by side, challenging the
admiration of the Universe, and silently proclaim-

ing by their works that the gratitude of the uni- remarks, **Oh! Prince Edward wij ever
verse is theirs by right ferever and forever, | S4ve manulactories; we have no coal
While the nationalities of the Old Conntry, repre And another, ** If we poor people Want
sented to some sinall extent at that Banquetting | a road or a bridge, how can the Break Pay.

Board, were rivals in the higher and nobler walks
of hfe, let us hope that they will always be rivals,
too, in the humbler ones, where the epirit of
Charity appeals to their sympathies; and as the
response to such appeals must always con-
verge to one common centre—the relief of suffering
humanity—let us all hope that the nationalities
will converge, too, and blend in harmonious action
when such a purpose is in view, 80 a8 to resemble

“«____The rainbow s light,

Whose various tints nnite;

Aird form inbeaven’s sight,

Que arch of pence.”

liament in Canada know our want?”

Mr. Vice President, the taxation in U
Canada is not laid on the people by the (
yernment. ‘The taxation is dane local
assessment. The people tax trom
municipal boards, one district may ley ip
thousand pounds for improvements,
the adjoining district dees not pay Ny of
thing. We all know what a count
Canada has become; they have '
their noble neighbors; they area 4)
people; and although the minority maygry.

ble, yet they are happy and p:
yond a paratiel. Now, to shew hw = »
gument goes against the ebgeetor, iz dot

clear to us all that if the farmers of
Canada, with a population of one anda
nrillions, are already heavily taxed
Municipal Boards, they are nos likely,
sustain any Government which will
general tax, and which is the only tax whe),
the Maritime Provinces, including this},

land, could ever come under. As to
Breton, Lhaye made enquiries ame
well informed on all regarding it. }

refer you to an irtelligent and trustworthy
authority with whom | lately spoke on ths

The next and last toast on the list was that of
“ Our Guests,” to which the Henorables Measrs.
Coles and Haviland responded as follows :—

Hon. Mr. COLES. He alleded to the
rapid growth of the Caledunia Chub;
its gathering on Government grounds hast
summer was the largest and most respeetable
he had ever witnessed in the place, and was
eonducted on principles highly creditable to
ali concerned. He said that he regretted to
see 60 lew of the trends of the Clals present at
the St. Andrew's Dinner. Ile expressed the
hope that a St. George's Society would yet
be formed here. Institutions of this nature, he

suid, were calculated to promote harmony
and good will among the different Nation-
alities which they represented.

disposed to surrender the fmancial affairs of
the country wholly to other hands without
an equivalent. ‘Tree, said he, | supported
the first resolution of the Conference at
Charlottetown, whieh states that the Union

justice be done to a) wee. In the fram-
ing of the Constitution, however, he regret-

opinion, to P. E. Island. Bat, said he, Iam
open to conviction on this sebjeet, though |
do not at present see my way ele and
therefore cannot give the scheme my support.

HON. T. HEATH HAVILAND. — As an-
other of the guests at this entertainment, 1 treat
1 shall be pardoned in elaiming the privilege of

The Monor-
able gentteman then spoke of the Union | -
question, and said that he for one was not) least analogy

of the Provinces would be derivable, provided

ted to say that justice was not done, in his

point, the Rev. A. McLean, of Eldon, fp
will prove to you that Cape Breton bay
reason to lament being the fourth pan of
Nova Seotin, Bat ideny shat there is the
between the tao canes, Cape
Breton wnited to Nora Seotia without 5
separate Governor or Legislature, and Pringg
Edward Island united im a Federal Union,
retaining her Governor and both Mouses of
Parliament.
‘To the seeond obpetion I would saz,“ My
friend, } fear you are off your bake wheo
ou di the se of military defence.’

t | turn to my honorable and learned friend
on my left (Mr. Haviland) and argue sith
him the ay yee merits of Coke or
Blackstone ; if | attempt to shew that the
‘+ First bnstitute’’ of the former is inferior w
the ** Lawyer's Parewell to his Muse” of the
latter, I think be would deem me somewhat
presumptuous. Suredy, then, om the other
hand, I may be aliowed to form an opin

making a few remarks in consequence of the
Hon. Mr. Coles having spoken upou the question
of the Confederation of the Provinces in bis re-

i

on a subject which has been to my
bonsehold word all my life. Every op,

sponse to the last tuast. I duly appreciate the
compliment conferred upon me, by being guvited
az a guest to this the first publie dinner of the
| Caledonia Club, and by a singular coinettence
this is the first occasion that the public men of
this Colony have addressed an audienee upon the
all ab8orbing topie of Confederation, ~ 1 will now
give my views upon the subject in as few words
as possible, for fear you myht be under the im-
pression that [ aw on the fence like Mr. Coles, and
have not made up my mind how to act in this
great crisis of our Colonial History. I believe my
political oppenents will give me credit for having
supported all the important public questions
which i considered would advanee the stereats
of the country, irrespective of party feelings.—
Free Education and Free Trade, although intre-
duced inte the House of Assembly by a Govern-
ment to which | was opposed, were advocated
by me through every stage. The Confederation
of the British North American Colonies is the
greatest and most important question that has
ever agitated the Colonial mind. We wust make
up our minds to form a part of the Confedera-
tion, or vemair: outside in the cold shade, a petty
and isvlated Colony until we are swallowed up
by the United States of America.

The Union of Seotland with England, se elo-
quently alluded te by Mr. McLeod, in his very
able address this evening, was,as he alleged, an
analogous case to ours; and L[ believe we would
reap as great benefits by a Contederate Union
with our sister Colonies as Scotland did from the
union with England. Then we should have free
trade amongst ourselves, from Sarnia to the
shores of Newfoundland. Neo Custom House
duties would be collected on goods imported from
any of our sister Colonies, or exported from this
island te them, ‘Then we should vet export our
wool and sheepskins, ummanufactured, to the
United States and other places, and be obliged
to buy them back again when converted inte
cloths, earpets, and other woollen fabries ; for we
should have Cloth and other Factores springing
up in all directions within the boundaries of the
Confederacy, and our farmers would be enabled
to supply themselves with the products of their
Factories free of all duties. Even now, in Spite
of hostile tariffs and duties, we have in our midst
two Steam Tanneries, and a Boot and Shoe
Factory. Abolish Custom Houses Duties, when
goods are interchanged between the British
Colonies, and the names of the various Factories
would be legion. At present, 1 admit that the
voice of public opinion in this Colony is against
this vital question ; but [ beliewe in ay conscience
when it is fairly put and explained to the people,
they will see the benefits and advantages to be
derived from a Union. The schoolmaster, thank
God, is abroad; knowledge is spreading; men
are reading aud thinking, and before long the
clouds of ignorance and prejudice wall disappear,
and the people of this Island will come to the
conclusion that if they wish to advance their
inutual interests—if they wish to protect and
preserve their glorious rights and privileges which
we have inherited from our fathers, and which
we hope to hand down unimpaired to our ehild-
rens’ children, they will raise their voices in
favor of joming the Confederacy of British
America, which will number four millions of
Iree people, who, with the proteeting influences
of that tune honored flag which now waves over
us, will be enabled to bid defiance to any foreign
power that might attempt te crush our liberties,
and deprive us of our nationality.

.

The Monorable PATRICK WALKER, First
Vice President of the Club, then rose, and in a
few happy remarks, proposed the health of the
Honorable Colonel Gray, whose zeal in promotiing
the objects ef the Society, he felt assured, reeeived
the admiration, and would continue to enlist on
his behalf the gratitude of every member of it.
The Hon, Mr. Walker's toast having been drunk
and applauded to the echo, the Hun. Col. Gray
rose and spoke as follows :—

THE GREAT FEDERATION QUESTION,
Mr. Vice President and Gentlemen:

1 assure you it is with the utmost gratifi-
eation I thank you, not only fur the honor
you have conferred upon me, but for the
handsome terms in which you, Mr. Vice
President, have coupled my name in propos-
ing it. Whatever litcle service it has been
in my power to render to the Club since its
formation, has been more than repaid to me;

lous in suppreasing if, such a thing as a tree press
would be unknown to the United States. Phat
the press has been vielently put dowa by farce of |
arms, in many instances, is unquestionable; and |
that circumstance shews that there is noe security
tor free discussion in the country referred to. |
When the press violates the law — when Society
ix rendered insecure by its attacks ea all const-
tuted authority, the tribunals of the law should

1

patience, he said, were he to attempt to name the
many Scotsmen who owed their snceess and repr.
} tation directly te the Uuion of their country with |
Knylana. We find them, he suid, at the Bar, in
the Houve of Cauimous, as Peers, leaders in British

‘
|

bring it to correction in the same way as any |
private individual would be brought. Mr. Whelan |
‘hen referred at considerable jength to the Lnter-
colonial Convention at Quebee. He said that he
thought it Was a great mistnke on the part of the |

and wher | consider the amount of respecta-

| bility and intelligence which its members

represent—when | reflect upon the distin-
guished post you have conferred upon me, it
is an assurance that the individual who sae-
rificed much which most inen would prize,
to return to his native land to cast his lot
among hie own people for good or for evil,
would not at this moment be elevated to the
seat of your President, if you did not, one
and all, believe in your hearts that he is one
who will never fur any tamptation in the
power of man to bestow, break his stern re-

Coumerein) enterprize. directing the affairs of the, public men, by whose influence the Conferediée jsolve to be true to the country and people

nation at home asd. abroad; and as private indi. |
| viduals prosecuting laahy callings frou which , bat |
| fur the Uuiou, they would be debavred. May we |

wasconvened, to decide on having its deliberations |
kept secret: Had the Press, suid’ he, been ‘ad. |
uutted to the discussions af the Conlerence, the

so dear tohim. | have been asked by sume
of oar members to suy a few words on the all
engrossing subject which agitates at this

ought to know that the scienee of Military
and Naval Defence has changed 80 much;
the last ten years. that if those old veterans, ¢
| Coborn and Vauban, with such naval heros
us Nelson, Duncan and Jervis, weredo risefrom _
their graves, they would indeed beastomehed,
—although if old Benbow could re-appear, &
shrewdly suspect he would find somesup-
porters amoung us in this Islam The
Defences for the Provinces will mk gm-
sist of expensive fortifications of masonry
as of old. Where would such fortifications
be under the fire of a few three hundred
pound Armstrong guns? You ask whatde-
fences will be needed, should that hoar of
trial arrive, and our elder brother prove an-
kind? Come with me and siew that stapen-
dous work of art, and a nation’s gratitude,
which strikes the eye on entering the harbour
of Boston, and ask what was accomplished
on the ground over which it rears ite coloseall
head in one short summer's mght by raw
militiamen, by the brave but wholly inex-
perienced young men. the sons ofthe country;
and which took an army of Britain's sterness
veterans, the greater part of the next day,
with a loss of half their number, to disposs-
ess them of. Or let us turn to Fredericksburg.
where the other day a few thousands st od
the shock of one of the largest and finest
armies the world has ever seen, and scattered
them to the winds. Let me say, then,
the defences for the Provinces will not
be expensive fortifications,—the pickaxe
and the shovel, in the hands of the brave
sons of the soil, with stout hearts and steady
arms, will be the defences we need, if
Britain is to aid us with her fleeis and her
armies. If you wish aathority for what I
say, read the Report of the Inspector Generab
of Fortifications, War Office, London, who
has been for the last two years in America,
by order of Her Majesty's Ministers, to re-
port upon our defences. So much for the
ery of being taxed to build expensive furtifi-
cations.
‘o the third vbjector I would eay, if we
are to regard univn in @ literal pounds,
sbillings, and pence view, 1 confess i do not
wish to argue the point. What would he
say if he came to me and asked me to join in
building a large Hotel at Stanhope, w hold
the crowds who, a8 soon as we are one people,
would come flocking in upon usfor a summer
residence ; und I replied, **Oh, yes: I'll
subscribe a thousand pounds. Now shew me
how much 1am to receive.” Mr Vice Pre-
sident, I look to the future; | look to our
children, I look at those little ones now
pleading to our hearts—how many fathers
among us are slaving and striving to scrape
together a few pounds to leave their children.
Far better, ten times more profitable, to
bequeath them the bright inheritance of a
great, a rising country. Lock at our young
men ; look ata Thompson, a Shaw, a Nichol-
son, who have just won the race surpassing
the whole of the youth of all Britich Amer-
ca. Lf they now had this field, the first offices
in the State would be theirs! And what
chance have they now? What has any of
ns to look to in our narrowed and prostrate
condition? Bat if we come to the pounds,
shillings and pence, | will shew you what
we can get. Here are my figures—let any
gentleman ask and i will shew them — let
him see are they true.—llere, you will find,
L take the very liberal expenditure of 1863 ;
I give a sum equal to fifty thousands pounds
per annum “out of which the Local Govern-
ment pays thirty six thoasand, the General
Government fourteen. a the same suut
which sufficed our wants in 1863 will do for
us till the next decade. We then have the
sum of £18,999, or say nineteen thousand
pounds, which, at five per cent, Tepresents &
sum of three hundred and eighty thousand
pounds, at the sole disposal of the Local
Government of this Island. My honorable
friend on my right (Mr. Coles) complains
that a sum was not given by the Conference
|to Prinee Edward Island, to bay out the
| claims of the Proprietors. Wheo | the
| question to the Prime Minister and Finance
Minister of Canada, what was their reply ’
“ What would the people of the arog *
and other Provinces say if they were fo “4
taxed to give a special grant to Adame
Edward Isiand for two hundred thousan
pounds? Why, you have already got rr
the liberality of the Convention es ~
will pay for your ie over,
ean you expect or desire.

mg Mr. Vice President and Ganienes.
the Government of the day can take =
three hundred and eighty thousand pose =
and buy up the Janda, and bring 1 yea
grunts co cultivate them; oF #8y —, wid
out, another six thousand a year

}

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