Summerside Journal -- 1867-05-02 -- Page 2

ab.

this Colony would be inclided in & ernest,
ft as deh ARTO wal, that they believed the
Legistatare of this island to bo a
and our constituents not a fret peoph

Mr. Brecken.—Mr. Chairman, 1 agres
with the hon. member for Bellast, Unat it
was not at all probable that the Hoax
Giovernmeat would take away the Cousti-
tution of the Coloay without our eonsent,
Dut the Govermucat did net know what
instructions Nis Uxcelioney might, almost
atany moment, receive. He might have
been instructed by the Secretary vltthe
State tor the Colonics to d the

fares,

dissolve
Uovse, and, test the opinion of Lae country
on the question of Contederation, Suppose
that be had received instructions a week
«wv two alter the Election was over, avould
not the country hayethought that the Gov-
ernment of the day liad been too hasty in
makmg an appeal to the people? Tam just
as prepared as the hon. member to stud
¥ for the rights of the Colony; but con-
sidering our insignificance, | cannot admit
that we are so indepeudent of the Mother
Country, as he has asserted. The object
etthe late Government, he also stated,
seemed to be to bring discredit, or a stigma
upon the Colony, ‘This was caused, he
siys, by their s

‘Yenant Union disturbances, are no
doubt loeked upon by him, asa very trifling
wfnir, Ie did not condescend to intorm
us whether he was a member of that or-
ganization or not; but £ know, Sir, that
When a procession of that body paraded
the streets ot Charlottetown, they halted
epposite the hon. gentleman's business es-
tablishment, and gave him an ovation.
die appeared at the door before them, and
received the honor with a: Couytenance
radiant with the smiles of* patriotism. I
xm not going to detain this hon. committee
at present to discuss the point whether the
nature of the disturbances which arose, out
ot the great Tenant League wgitation, were
such a3 to justify the late Government in
sending for troops, I will me y that
ifthe hon. member for Beltast sincerely
believes that their action in the matter was
intended, or calculated to bring the‘Colony
into disgrace, he ought, now, since he is a
member of the Government, to have intro- |
duced a paragraph into His Excelleney’s
speech to carry out the objects of this
‘Tenant. Association which he coutenanced
and: supported. A. little pepper in the
Speech would have been an improvement,
I was not at the hon? members elbow dur-
ing his election campaign, but Ihave been
intormed that the League had not a little
to do with his presence here. IL, then, Sir,
he owes his seat i this House'to that or-
ganization, why has he not something in
this Address ou the subject, even suppos-
ing he could not procure a place for it in
the speech from the Throne? I fear, Sir,
that having ridden into this Mouse on that
political horse, he has turned him away,
never more to be heard of, until the next
Hlection day comes round. I can only
compare his conduct to a man who has
undertaken a long journey on foot, and
finding himself fatigued, and almost des-
pairing of reaching his destination, he
imcets With a horse which he coaxes with
a little provender, leaps on his back, rides
to the end of his journey, und then turns
him adrift. So isthe hon. member with
that organization ; he gave it a few politi-
eul oats, and -encouraged it to help him
along, but having served his purpose, he
has now quietly torgotten its claims. He
may declaim about the troops and the acts
ofthe late Government, but now, after
having become one ot His Excellency's
sworn advisers, he will discover that he
must pursue the same policy in maintain-
ing law and order, as was adopted by the
ons tive part, It is rumored that
the British trdops are te be withdrawn trom
the other Provinces alter they are confed-
erated. If so, those which are here ~ will
also be called away. Showld the hon.
mmember'for Beltast, thdm-ascertain that law
ad order cannot be fnaiitafned in this
Colony, except at the Roint of the buyon-
et, he, L think, will conclude that we are
not so independent as he at present imag-
ines,

Ion. Mr, Duxcay.—The subject of the
League. having been brought forward by
the hon. meinber tor Belfast (Mr. Davies)
one of the nembers of the Government, iy
is, Mr. Chairman, no harm for the opposi-
tion to méntion it, The conduct ot my
hon. colleague in regard to the Tenant
tussociation. has been, L think, somewhat
strange. In fact he has merely used that
body as a means of, getting into power,
even in his canvass before the late Elee-
tion, he regulated his speeches in regard
to the Land Question and the rights of the
‘Tenantry very much by the character of
the people vhom he happened to be ad-
alressing. Ile should not, I think, have
alluded to this question, and I wonder he
has done so, But, Sir, returning to the
paragraph under discussion, why did not
the present Government, if they desired to
call the Legislature at an earlier petiod,
avait a few weeks belore appointing their
principal officers from the members on the

floor of the House? Could not some of

these appointments have been postponed
until the [Louse had risen, and thereby ne
delay be occasioned? But the Address
throughout follows the policy of the late
Governinent— that policy which at the late
lection the present Government found so
much fault with, but which now they ap-
pear ready to carry out. I, for my part,
Mr. Chairman, see nothing objectionable
in this paragraph, but am surprised at my
hon. colleague's allusions to the ‘Tenant
League. Itis plain that he has merely
used that organization as a means of get-
ting into the Government, and that he will
now have no further use for ‘the tenantry
until he again calla upon them at another
Election. s
Hon, Mr. Davivs.—I wish, Mr. Chair-
man, #0 make a few remarks regarding
the detence of the hon. member for Char-
Jottetown, with respect to the action of the
Jate Government in (delaying the General
Elections, ‘The observations which have
tallen from that gentleman would lead us
to believe that had certain news come from
England regarding Contederation, the
Ifouse would never have been called,
‘Lhis is but a poor defence of the action of
the Government, and is equal’ to saying
that its members were willing to sell their
country and prove traitors to the trust r
posed in then). And is not the party ena
vying ont the same policy still? JIave not
the Opposition chosen the hon. and learned
inember for Georgetown, a red hgt Union-
ist, as their paler thus showmg their
leanings to the Confederation SdReme ?
With regard to what my colleague (Mr.
Dunean) has said of my connestion with
the Tenant League, I may tell him that I
am not now jn the House through the in-
fluence of that body, though many of its
members voted tor me, Jtis true that, L
at first supported the Tenants in their de-
mands, but I had afterwerds cause to
disapprove of many of their’ acts, The
hon. member's. rambling allusions tq my

vanyass and eleotjon jn Bel have not
1 chested
ut failed

it
very nuch weight. Ho clegfly.
to carry all Beltast before hig, b
in the attempt, —~
Mr. Baecken.—In the explanation which
guve.of the probable cause of the delay
in issuing tho Writ for the General Elec-

suding for the troops. The |

pores

ett emt ate

tion, T morciy stated that, iu inv opinion,
that delay Was ocensioned hy a desire on

the part of the late Goverament to post
pone the late Tilections until something
more al tite was known on the subject of
Confederation, they would flest have had
to saimnit it te the Legislature; and 1
theretore do Not see that they were in a

position te act as traitors, even were they
so inclined. Much, Mr, Chairman, he
been said tout the OQpposition’s having
chosen the hon, member for Georgetowa, |
(Mr, Haviland) who isa Confederate, as/
their leader, but I cannet think it consist-
ent in the hon. member for Belfast to con-
demn for doing so when the party of which
he is a member offered the highest honor
in this House which they could confer up-
on the same Confederate gentleman, name-
| ly, the Speaker's Chair, “And has not the
Government of which he is a member
appointed a genleman who is a strong
Confederate to the most lucrative office in
ir gift? That gentlenin has since lost
Sleetion, and Lam-sorry that such is
the case. The Queen's Printer has aways
been a credit te the House, and I would
j not have the slightest objection to seeiag
| him now on the floor, for IT have always |
| respected him, strongly though he has de-)
At:

jnounced the policy of the Conse
I consider that the Liberal par
if such a party exists—acted rightly in ap-
pointing Mr. Whelan; I merely object to
the inconsistency of hon. members who
made that appointment, now finding fault
with the Opposition for selecting their
ablest and most experienced member as
Leader, even though he be a Confederate.

Ion. -Mr. Davirs.—The hon, member
who has just spoken considers that I can-
not, with any degree of consistency, ap-
prove of Mr. Whelan’s appointment as
Queen's Printer, and yetscondemn the
Opposition for choosing the hon. member
for Georgetown (AML. flaviland) as their
Leader, | It is well known that Mr. Whe-
lanchad strong claims upon ‘the Liberal
party. He ran his Election, was returned,
and then applied for the Printership; but,
before that oflice was given him, he re-
nounced his former opinions upon Confed-
eration, aad promised to oppose the
measure in the House; if again elected.
It appears, however, that on his returning
to his constituents, they were not satisfied
with his promise, and rejected him; and,
Tam proud, asa politician, they did so,
though I myself believe that, had Mr.
Whelan been agin returned, he would
have opposed Contederation, But the
case is diltere..t in regard to Mr, Haviland,
‘The Opposition ye chosen him = un-
pledged, and he will still support Confed-
eration,

Turspay, April 2:
IIon. Attorney General, trom the Com-
mittee on expiring Laws, presented the
first report of said Comiittee, and moved
that it be made the order of the day to-
morrow,
Hon. Mr. Iaviland, leader of the Oppo-
sition, said that in the report just read, he
observed one law had expired named in
the repart, the immediate consideration of
which was necessary, Le would there-
fore move that the louse do now go into
Committee on the report.

Ifon, Attorney General supported the
motion, Mr, George Sinclair in the chair,

The House in Committee reported the
following Resolution, agreed to, namely:

That it is expedient to revive, continue,
and amend the law relating to the limits
and rales of Jails in this Island.

A Committee was then appointed to
bring in a Bill in accordance therewith,

On motion of Mr. Brecken, Mr. John
Yeo obtained leave of absence for a week.

‘The House in Committee of the whole
resumed the consideration of the Address
in answer to His Excellency’s Speech. ‘The
parggraph relating to the purchase of
Proprietary lands was read, x :

Ifon, Attorney General moved the adop-
tion of that cluuse,and expressed his desire
to see the leaschold system entirely abol-
ished, Ile was fivorable to the obtaining
of a loan as a means for providing funds
for the payment of lands, and was of the
opinion that the Cunard Estate, purchased
by the late Government, might have been
secured under the 4 ean of a Loan
Bill, on terms more hivorable to the ten-
antry, and Jess damaging to the interests
of the Colony, than those adopted relative
to that purpose.

Ion, Leader of thg Opposition did not

intend to move an¥ amendment to the
paragraph undes consideration, with which
he found no fault. Hle contended, how-
ever, that the Conseryative party had
evinced v great desire to enlranchise tie
people of this Colony as ever the Liberal
party did, The Land Purchase Act was
never made a party measure, as could be
seen on reference to the records of that
IIouse. ‘The Fifteen y * Purchase Bill,
much as it had been condemned, conferred
incalculable benefits on many of the ten-
antry whose arrears of rents Was remitted
by its provisions—rents tlt to his kno¥
ledge could have been collggted, especially
from many of the tenantry on the Cunard
and Monjgomery Estates, were by the
proyisions of that Dili canodiled, He ree
reviewed the opinious of the hon, Attor-
ney General regarding a loxn, and differ-
ed with him (the Atty. Gen.) on that ques-
tion, THe alluded to the extension of the
priyeleges of the Land Purchase Bill by the
late Government, and the purchase of the
Cunard Estates under its provisions, effeet-
ed without any material sacritiee—in proo-
of which he quoted the credit of the Col-
ony. ‘True, he said, commercial embarass-
ments were felt, but that was not attribu-
table to the purchase of Proprietary lauds,
but the result ot over-trading,
Hon. Mr. MeAulay supported the views
of the hon, Mr, Haviland, and was also of
opinion that money could not be obtained
in England for the purpgses in qnesti
on terins that could prove any other than
disastrous (o the interests of the Colony.

Hon, Mr. Dunewn suid the ‘Treasurer's
Books up to the 1st of this month, would
show the favorable position in which the
Finaicial affairs of the Colony was left by
the lite Government, considering the heavy
drain on its resources by the Purchase of
the Cunard and other Estates. | Ile expect-
ed to hear that the Land Question would
now be finally settled by the Tenant
Leagues but it would appear that the great
object of those who pretended so much
synipathy with that moyement was to get
into the Ilouse of Assembly, and now that
their ambition was gratified, he was in-
clined to believe but little mention would
be made of that organization, ;

Hon. Mr. Howlan, ,in replying to the
hon, Leader of the Opposition, alluded to
the sentiments published in the Jslander,
the organ of the Conservatives, in 1843,
expressive of the opposition of that party
to the prineiples of the Land Purchase Act,
and read extracts from that paper condem-
natory of the actions of tho Liberal party
who introduced that measure, LHe spoke
of the crippled state of the trade of the
country as the result of the mode adopted
for payment of the Cunard E tate — the
purchase of which, he was given to believe,
would fall at least ten thousand pounds

) Parchase Act was the most practical and effi-

ot Address in answer to His) Exeellency’s'
speech,
chase of Proprietary lands continued the sub-
ject of debate.

Mr. Brecken.«The depression of trade was
felt to vome extent previously to the purchase
ef the Conard Bytates, and no doult the with
drawal of so large @ eae ae that purchase
mvolved trom the ordinary chanttels, tehded
to increase that depression, Ta loan Tor the
payment of Proprietary lands could be oltain-
ed on reagonable terms, he could see ne oF
jection to the measure. 4

Mr. McNeill reptied to the rentathe of the
hon. Mr. Duncan, touching the motives al-/
leged to the friends ef the Tenany Leggue |
movement, Had that hon, member, he said, |
fairly investigated the motives which actuated |
the supporters of that organization, he would
have arrived at very different convlasions.

Hon, Mr. Laird said that the soil of, any
Colony shonld be its capital ; that was not the
case with this Island; it was, therefore, _but
right that funds should be obtained to relieve
ts financial difficulties. >

Mr. Peter Sinclair observed that he had
listened with much-interest to the debate on
that paragraph in the Address under consider-
etion. It was very evident that the Land

cicut means ever adopted for the settlement
of the land question, and: the present: leader
of the Government was entitled to the credit
of introducing that measure. He concurred
with the remarks of the Hon, Attorney Gen-
eral regarding the obstructions to the Banks
as the result of withdrawing the circulating
medium to pay for purchased estates. He
commented on the great advantages of bank-
ing accommodations’ to farmers, who gave
joint notes, and getting discount, were enabled
to purel) their flour and other sypplies at a
saving of 25 per cent. He'repadidved the al-
lusions of the Hon, Mr. Dufcan in reference
to the ‘l'enant League, and favored the bor-
rowing of money on terins as proposed on the
loan principle, by which relief of financial
difficulties might be effected,

House adjourned, Fs

AFTERNOON SESSION.

House in Committee resumed consideration

‘The paragraph touching the pur-

Hon. Mr. Davies addressed ‘the Corimittee
for upwards of ove hour, during whidh dic re*
viewed the principles enunciated by thie several
ast, as wellas present, political parties of the
Colony in relation to the settlement df the
Land Question,
which he pursued when he first had the- honor
of a seat in the House of Asgembly.° He was
at that time fully convinced that the !E&cheat
party had the good of the country at’ Heart,
and he was free to confess that he’ gnvé them
his support. He spoke of: tie furfeituré of
original grants, which were but likes Icases,
giving lands subject’ to certain ‘conditions
which were pever fulfilled.’ He touched upon
the introduction of Responstble Governihent,
the conditions on which that system wag ceded,
the adoption of the Land Purchase: Bilk the
Land Commission, and Fifteen Years’! Pur:
chase Bill, and contrasted the actions of the
Liveral party with those of the Proprietary
party, and contended that the former had
always evinced a greater desire for the ex-
tinction of the leasehold system than did the
Conseryitives, who, he said, had always been
allied to the Proprietary factions’ He trad al-
ways entertained the belicf that a Count for the }
investigation of titles cout be estiblished,
and be had fought hard for that principle; but
finding that the people, who had been from
time to time deceived; would not support him
in his efforts, he was induced to relinguish
the advocacy of that measure. The ‘Tenant
League organization, though ridi‘uled by
some hon, members, was composed of the
stamina of Queen's County; but when he
found that officers of the liw were obstructed,
he published a letter in the organ of ‘that asso-
ciation denouncing the course which he re-
gretted they adopted. He spoke also of the
Financial embarrassment of the Coluay) and
advocated a loan as the best remedy for, the
relief of the crisis likely to result from the
draining of the resources of the country to
meet payments of instalments due for the
purchise of Proprietary lands,

Mr. Brecken followed the hon, Mr. Davies,
reviewing the whole of his address. He (Mr,
Brecken) referred to the denunciations of the
Liberal party against Escheat and a Court of
Enquiry, in past sessions of that Assembly,
when such schemes were termed. jy - tire
leaders of that party as delusive and: visionary.
Why, said he, should those questions, which,
on the admission of the hon. Mr. Davies
himself, were rejected by the people, be now
resuscitated. Ile contended for the impartial
manner in which the Land Commission was
constituted, and showed that the failure of
that measure was not the fault of the Con-
servative Government. ‘Lhe ‘Penant League,
from the first, started with the openly avowed
intention of resisting the law, and, as such,
received the patronige and support ot the
hon. Mr. Davies, now a member of the Gov-
ernment. Ile (Mr. Brecken) then spoke of
the illegal actions of that Leagne, leading to
the neccssity of bringing troops to the Island
to subdue it, He expressed his regpet: that
financial difliculties p) ed, for the removal
of which he would ghidly assist, by, landing
his support to any feasible remedy that might
be suggested. i

Mr. George Sinclair said, that comparing
the different actions, and reviewing the past
policy of parties, would’ not prove satisti
tory to the people. He had listened. with
great attention to the opinions expressed on
both sides touching the present embarrassed
state of the trade of the country, and believed
it to be the duty of the Government to provide
means to meet emergencies.

Mr. Howat agreed with the remarks of the
list speaker, (Mr, G. 5.) and hoped some
definite plan would shortly be submitted, Je
wished to make one remark touching the!
necessity of a measure by which the princi-
ples of the Land Parchase Bill might be ex-
tended to all classes of tenants. It would be
more equitable in its operations if its provis-
ions were more general and compulsory.

Mr. Prowse said, when hon. members on
the Government side of the House courted
opposition, it was but reasonable to expect a
reply. When the political conduct oft both
parties for the past 16 years was compared,
he would ask who did most for the rebut ot
the tenantry? ‘The purchase’ the Worrell
Estate, compared with that di the’ Belfast
property, was, he said, sufficier to show the
efficient mauner in which the Conservatives
transieted the public business. In proof of
the impartial manner in which the Land Com-
mission was conducted, he® instairead the fact
that the present hon. Attorney General (Mr.
Hensley ( was employed the Mtorney,

Ifon, Leader of the Opposition said he had
taken ample notes of the debate, but would
reserve them for another occasion. He could
not, however, but remark that the speech of
the hon Mr. Davies had reminded him of the
field days in the Sessions of 1855 and 1856,
when the then, and also now, leader ot the
Government, of which the (hon, Mr. D.) is a
member, denounced, as visionary, the \Vill o'
the Wisp policy of the Escheat party. He
expected, when the hon. member (Mr. D.)
Prose in his place, thit some new platform
would be propounded pen but, instead of
that, he observed that it Was a telicarsal of his
past politienl career which that’ hon. inember
had reproduced, t cal

The paragraph of the Address under debate
was then unanimously adupted. 6

‘The next paragraph, relative to the question
of Education, was then read, when, 6m motidti
that it be adopted, 4 nr

The hon. Leader of the Opposition gaid ‘that
surely the acting leader of the, Government
‘(hon. Mr. Hensley) might at least-foreshadow
the policy of the Government on that impor
tant question, Ile was, howeyer, willing to
wait till the hon; Col, Secretary (Mr. -Coles)
took his seat, which he presumed, was the
cause of deferring any debate theregn for the
present, ¢

Hon. Mr. Hensley, in reply, observed that

short of being a self-paying transaction,

TIONS LUV ILATIC, PreTrererson, pn. | have

the thole subject effectiug the educational

to reserve for a future oceasion any! been

adopted,
marks,

SUMMERSIDE JOURNAL, THURSDAY, MAY 2, 1867.

interests ofthe people would be subnoitted, |
with the view of adapting measures for ite nd- |
vancement. Tt Was not, however, Wecersary
at the present stage of the proceedings of the
House, and Gepeviatiy in the absence of the
hen, leader of the Government, to enter inte
any debate on the qaestion,

Mr. Brecken presumed the poliey of the
Government would be te pay School Teach-
ete’s salaties entirely from the Treasury. lie
wae willing to lend his assistance to any mea-

) sure tending to advance the interests of Edu.)
eation .

Mr. McLennan would not offer any factions |
opposition to that or any other question which}
the anajority might submit for the general
benefit of all classes, Mad the Conservative
party been returned to: power, Urey contem-

plated to: pay the Teachers their tall salary
from the Treasury; and he was of opinion
that that desirable change could be effected

vithout increased taxation, as the revenue,

w
with judicious management could afford it,

The Gth and 7th clauses were read and
The Sth clause elicited some re-

‘The remaining portions of the address were

read and adopted after which the whole ad-
dress as reported from the Committee was
agreed to without amendment,

The address was then carried, ordered to!
be engrossed, and a Committee appointed to |
wait on His Excellency to know when he,
would be pleased to receive the same,

House adjourned,

Wepyespay, April 24.

At the hour appointed, the House waited)
on His Excellency with the Address, and, on
their return, his honor the Speaker reported
the reply, which is as follows ;—

Mr Speaker and Gentlemen of the House of
Assembly :

I thank you for your Address. You may

rely on my hearty co-operation in your en-
deavors to promote the welfiure and prosperity
of this Island,

Hon, Mr. Howlan presented the report of

the Medical Superintendent of the Lunatic

Asylum for the past year.
Ordered to be laid on the table.
Hon. Attorney General, from the Committee

on expiring laws, submitted a Bill to continue
the law relating tothe rules and limits of Jails
in this Island. :

Received and read. Read a second time,

Ile spoke of the? vourse| and submitted to a Committee of the whole
House.

Mr. G, Sinclair in the chair.
Aftér a good deal of discussion, the Bill was

replrted agreed to and ordered to be engros-
sed.

Hon. Attorney General Jresented the Pub-

lic Accounts, as Classified by the Auditors, for

the year ending January 3lgt, 1867.
Ordered that said Accounts be referred to

the: xpéeial Committee appointed to examine

and report thereon,
~ Hon, Attorney General submitted the Blue
3ouk,for the year ending 1865, Also several
Banks Returns for the past year,

On motion of the lon. Mr, Davies, a supply
was granted to Her Majesty.

lon, Attorney General delivered a message
fron Llis xeellency, transmitting Correspon-
dence and Despatches relating to the purchase
of the Estate of the late Sir Samuel Cunard,
the issue of Fishing Licenses, expenses in
connection with Troops, and Despatches on
the subject of the Union of the British North
American Provinces,

‘The Bill relating to the rules and limits of
Jails was then read a third time and passed.

Jlouse adjourned,

tunspay, April 25,

Ilouse in Committee on the report of the
Coinmittee on expiring Laws. Mr. George
Sinchur in the chair.

Several resolutions were reported agreed to,
and progress was reported . ;

Hon. Attorney General presented to the
ifouse the estimates of the Expenditure of the
Government for the current year, which was
read and laid on the table.

‘The House then went into Committee of

Supply,
‘Lhe tollowing are some of the items of ex-

penditure for the current year, yiz .—

KRouds and Bridges, £5,000 0 0

Special Grants tor Roads and
Bridges,

Special Grant for Macadamizing
part of Main Post Roads

4,000 0 0

within Chariottetown and

Royalty, , 25000
Ditto tor Georgetown & Summer-

side, 20000

Hon, Attorncy General presented a Bill to
diminish the delay and expense of proceedings
in the Court of Chancery in this Island,

Received and read, and ordered to be read
a second time to-morrow. ‘

House adjourned,

AFTERNOON SESSION.

Hon. Attorney Guneral delivered a message
from His Excelleney the Lieutenant Govern-
or, transmitting a copy of the Report of the
luspecting Field Officer of Militia for the past
year, which, with an accompanying extract of
Military estimates for the current year, was
ordered to be laid on the table.

‘Lhe House then went into Committee of
Supply. Mr. Bell in the chair.

On motion of-the Hon, Attorney General, a
resolution granting and placing at the disposal
of the Government the sum of £5,000 for
Roads and Bridges, was, after some remarks
trom the hon, leader of the Opposition, replied
to by the hon, Attorney General, agreed to.

lion, Leader of the Opposition in the course
of his remarks on the above grant, said that
the paragraph in His Excellency’s Speech
touching the construction and management of
Highways would lead to the belief that some
new principle was to be’ adopted relative to
that branca of the public service.

Ifon, Attorney General, in reply, said that:

the intention of the Government was to obtain
reliable information as alluded to in His Ex-
celleney's Speech, preparatory to any future
Leyislutive enactments relative to the subject
of road-making, with the view of arriving at a
better system than yet odtained in this Col-
ony.

A resolution granting the sum of £2,500 for
the Military expenditure of the Colony tor
the current year, was submitted by the Hon.
Attorney General, A shortalebate took place
on this resolution, atter which it was agreed
to.

The Resolution granting £600 to encourage
Steam Communication with Souris, George-
town and Murray Harbor, was then read,

‘The subject of Steam Communication was
then fully debated, and the desire generally
expressed was, that the day was not far dis-
tant when Steamers would ply to many of the
harbors of this Island hitherto destitute of such
facilities.

Hon. Mr. Duncan said the sum was too
limited for the services required.

Hon. Attorney Genersl suid that the hon.
member (Mr, Duncan) moved last session fur
a less grant for the same object.

Mr. Howatt directed the attention of the
Coumittve to the fact that a whart was about
to be built at Crapaud, in order that the
Steamer on the route between Charlottetown
and Shediac might call at that place weekly.
With the hope that a grant would, shortly be
obtuined to encourage that connection, he
would vote for the resolution now before the
Committee.

After some debate on the question generally
the said’ Resolution, granting £600 for the
purpose aforesaid, was agreed to..

A Resolution granting the usual salaries
and allowances provided by Statute, was also
agreed to. '

JLouse adjournod .

Sarenpay, April 27.
Hon. Mr. Davies presented the petition of
Jotin Vampton, and others, relating to chang-
ing tho time for tle running at large of Rais.
Ordered that said petition be referred to
Committee to report thereon. t ;
According to order, six reaolations, agreed

proved rere: . ‘i

to in Committee of BSapply perterday,
theh reported and #weveraily agreed to

The Bilt to diminish the delay and exXpence
of proceedings in the Court of Chancery In
this Island, was read, and committed to 4
Committee of the whole House.
lion. Mr, Calbeck in the chair,
After some explanatory remarks from the
Hon, Attorney General, touching the nature
of the BIN, it was reported agreed to.
House adjourned.

A. MeNrius, Reporter.

Summerside Journal.

” THGASDAY, MAY 2, 1867.

a No notice can be taken of anonymous
communications. We must know the names
and addresses of our correspondents as a gua-
ranty of their good faith. We cannot under-
take to returncommunications thatare not used

ENGLISH NEWS.

Tur English Ministry have had rather
an anxious time of it avout their Tory
Reform Bill. The Liberals very naturally
dislike to see Lord Derby outdo them in
liberality. Lord Derby himself and his
party have undertaken the business of
Reform, not because they had any liking
for it, but because they saw very clearly
that if they did not introduce and carry
a Reform Bill, they would not be permit-
ted to hold the reins of Government.
The work was very disagreeable certain-
ly, but since it must be done they might
as well set about doing it, as to permit
their rivals to strengthen their cause by
passing a measure which has been de-
manded by the nation ina manner that
showed yery plainly that refusal meant
revolution. ‘The task is a difficult one to
perform. How Lord Derby and Mr.
D'Isracli ara going to please, first the
Tories, to whom they belong, next the
Adullamites or discontented Liberals,
and lastly the millions of the unenfran-
chised, is very hard to tell, However,
Englishmen know better than any other
nation in the world what the word ‘ com-
promise’ means. If every party and every
section of every party in England insisted
upon carrying out its views, and would
not bate a single inch to any other party,
then matters there would very speedily
come to a dead-lock. But the strong
common sense and the political education
of English statesmen have taught
them the necessity of forbearance and
conciliation. By the consent, and eyen
the assistance of his political opponents,
the Chancellor of the Exchequer has been
enabled to get his Bill safely through the
two first stages of its existence, and we
think that by the exercise of the same
virtues by all parties, he may be able to
carry it through the remaining stages.
The Bill certainly does not give the Ra-
dicals all they want—which is manhood
suffrage—but it will add more than half
million of voters to the very limited con-
stituency of Great Britain, which is, in
our opinion, a very great stride towards
the attainment of their desires. Whether
the English people will be happier or
more prosperous for this concession of
political power to the masses, is a ques-
tion for the answer to which many per-
sons look forward with anxious expec-7
tation. -

Matters look somewhat threatening in
Spain. It appears that the * Tornado’ is
not the only British vessel with which
jthe Spaniards have been taking unwar-
rantable liberties. They have scized
a vessel called the * Queen Victoria,’ on
the high seas, pretending to think her a
smuggler, and have detained her for up-
wards of atwelvemonth. Lord Stanley,
the Minister for Foreign affairs, has de-
manded some explanation time and again,
jand has received shuffling unsatisfactory
answers. He has, at last, had some very
plain talk with the Spanish Government,
which talk it seems has brought the
Spaniards to their senses. When a Bri-
tish Minister writes the following lan-
guage toa Forcign Power, he means to
follow it up by acts equally significant:—
“ Her Majesty's Government must at once
insist on the immediate restoration of the
ship and cargo or their full value and a
proper pecuniary idemnity to her captain
and crew, accompanied by an expression
of regret addressed to Her Majesty's Go-
vernment, for the outrage committed on
the British flag.” This demand admits
of but one answer. The Spaniards must
either comply or fight. It strikes us that
they will not fight just now. We hear
very little about the ‘Tornado.’ The
Spaniards evidently consider that they
were justified in seizing that vessel, and
it seems to us that the British authori-
ties are not very sure but what they were
partly right. It is not likely that there
will be a war between Spain and England
about either of these vessels, threatening
as matters appear just now.

The Emperor of the French, in true
old fashioned Imperial style, is now treat-
ing for the purchase of a city and _terri-
tory with a population gf two hundred
thousand souls. The beNer of this pro-
perty is Holland, and the price is said to
be a hundred million of frances, or up-
wards of four millions of pounds sterling.
There are, however, two or three parties
who think that they ought to have a word
or two to say in the matter. ‘There are
first the two hundred thousand poor souls
whom it is proposed to sell like so many
sheep. These very naturally take excep-
tion at being disposed of in this very
summary and undignified manner. If
they are going to change rulers they not
very unreasonably consider that they
ought to have some choice in the matter.
They, poor people, have no doubt their
likes and their dislikes, their partialities
and their prejudices, and perhap® like
ourselves in this much more insignificant
little place as regards population, they
entertain some modest ideas of their own
importance, and have cherished a few
notions about the rightsof man. Ifthey
fecl themselves ill used in being thus
bought and sold like so many irrational
creatures, we can hardly blame them. If
the case were our Own, we would be apt
to make a little noise about it, and if we
had a strong and friendly neighbor, it is
not at all unlikely that we would invoke
his aid to prevent what we would no doubt
consider so foul an injustice being done
us. Such a neighbor Luxemburg has.

en i . . a 7
were |One too who is not only a neighbor, but
ja nour

relation, and who has for some
time been her strong protector. Prussia
is that friend, relation and protector, and
if Louis Napoleon completes his purchase
and takes possession of hie little estate,
without having to strike some pretty hard
blows, we are a good deal mistaken.
Hoth Prussia and France continue arming
and survey one another with suspicious
and unfriendly glances. There is'seme
talk about Austria taking part in the
coming fray side by side with . Prussia.
This is not very likely, Italy, too, it
seems is furbishing her arms, and Weanu-
facturing more. ‘The millenium appears
farther off by a great deal to-day than it
did twenty years ago. Then we flattered
ourselves that men were becoming too
wise to fight-—that weapons of war would
in a hundred years or so be found no
where but in the museums of antiquaries,
and that the trade of man-killing would
take its place beside other obsolete arts ;
but alas for our fine visions. Here in
the nineteenth century, with all our im-
provements in science and art, in spite
of our much yaunted progress, we have
not sense cnough to keep ourselves from
cutting our neighbour's throats, though
in doing so we do irreparable injury to
ourselves. Are men growing wiser or
better? We fear not.

BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.

Tite deserving poor of this country are
placed in a very peculiar, and ina very
miserable predicament. There is no per-
manent public provision made for the re-
lief of necessitous persons in either ‘Town
or Country. Almost their sole resource
is private charity, It is true that an an-
nual grant is made to some of the poor
by the Legislature, but the pittance given
in cach case is so small that it does not
afford any material aid to the comparati-
vely few individuals named, and it gives
no assistance whatever to numbers of un-
fortunate needy persons—men, women
and children whom it is the duty of the
public to provide for. A stranger would
pronounce us a peculiarly fortunate or a
peculiarly unfeeling people when he came
to know that in this Island we have not
a single poor house, orphan asylum or
other institution, affording shelter and
sustenance to the homeless and the indi-
gent. Are we so very fortunate as a
community as not to have in any con-
siderable number people who are so poor
as not to be able to supply themselves
by their unaided exertions, with neces-
sary food and clothing? Or are there
many whose chicf means of support is
the charity of the pious and the beneyo-
lent? We belicye that real unavoidable
want is a rare thing in this Island. Most
of those who are so very poor as not to be
able to procure for themselves and_ their
families the necessaries of life, are either
vicious or indolent, or, to speak more
correctly, are both vicious and indolent.
Though this is true in the main, still there
are,in these hard times particularly,quite
a number of persons: who, by no fault of
their own, find themselves placed in such
adeplorably destitute condition that it
is the duty of those whom God has bless-
ed with a sufficiency of the good things
of this life to make provision for.

Besides, the truly charitable man does
not enquire to. closely into the errors
and vices that have brought the unfortu-
nate perishing and starving ercature into
the state in which he finds him. He
relieves the sufferer's wants and leaves it
to others to j idge and punish him. But
the vicious man generally drags a num-
ber of helpless unoffending beings into
the misery and suffering that itis but right.
perhaps that he himself should endure.
And who is so sternly virtuous as to refuse
rolief to the most pitiable of human crea-
tures, merely because it is their great
misfortune to be connected with one who
is too wicked and too indolent to labour
for their support? It is the bounden
duty of every Christian man and woman
to relieve want wherever he knows it to
exist. We believe that it is best loth
for the poor themselves, and for the
community, that their necessities should
be supplied oat of a public fund to which
all are compelled to contribute according
to their means. But where this fund is
not provided there is the greater necessity
for people in their private capacity to
make efforts and sacrifices in order to-keep
their fellow mortals from suffering ‘from
hunger and nakedness. We are much
gratified to find that this principle has
been recognized by the ladies of Summer-
sido. They have formed themselves into
a society to receive. the contributions of
the charitable and to dispense aid to the
most necessitous and deserving poor,
irrespective of their religious beliet, “The
Bye-Laws of this society are now being
printed. They being rather long for in-
sertion in detail, it will be sufficient for
all practical purposes to state that its
funds are derived from three sources.

A fee of one shilling and three pence
payable by members on admission. A
subscription of at least three shillings per
quarter on the part of gentleman who ac-
quire thereby certain privileges. Con-
tributious in money, materials for clothing,
provisions, ete,, solicited in the place by «
committee of ladies. :

The object of the society is to afford re-
lief as fur as its means permit, to any de-
serving poor persons or fumilies in’ Sum-
mersive -or its immediate vicinity, irres-
pective of religious persuasion.

Applied for aid is to be made known
through some member who will have it
considered as soon as possible.

Meetings of the lady members are held
on each alternate Wednesday, at Waugh's
Ifall, trom two to five o’clock in the after-
noon for the purpose of cutting out or
making up of clothing for the poor.

The kind-hearted projectors and support-
ers of this society deserve té succeed. in
their pious undertaking. The work is a
truly noble one, and one which ‘true
Christians of every ereed will decny it a
privilege to further to the utmost, extent
of their means, Much good has already
been done through the instrumentali yots
the Ladies’ Bendvolent Sodlety, and 6
believe and hope that it will be the means
of doing still more in the future,

The Bye-Laws will in a short time be on
sie at Bertram’s Book Store, forthe use,

of the members and the public,