pata “nasties anna rotten ce nacht nai eae
“ANNEXA.IONISTS AT FAULT. a.
Mr Eprror,

Sarcnpay, March 13th.

On motion of the Hon. Auy. General,
the liouse went iuto Committee of the
whole, to take into consideration the
question of establishing a Board of Works.

Mr, Bellin the Chair,

Hon, Attorney General (Leader of the
Gov't) submitted a Resolution to the effect
that it is expedient to pass an Act provid-
ing for the appointment of a Board of
| Works to supervise and take charge of the |
'Pablie Buildings, Roads, Bridg:
| Wharves of the Island. dd Board to
‘consist of Five Members, of which the Col.
Secretary and Commissioner of Pablic
| Lands shall, ex eficio, be mombers, and the
Colonial Secretary to be Chairman of the
said Board,

‘The necessity of a better system of road
imaking was tien remarked on generally,

Will you oblige by publishing the enclosed |
editoriai of the J/alifax Reporter aud Viues, |
on the letter of Mr. Elias Llarket Derby, re-
printed by Mr. Kirwin in his last issue. Mr. |
Derby’s superficial and truly American at-
tempt to coax the Dominion under the
yridivon flag, is pretty severely criticised by
tue loyal Reporter, urraa tor old England,
and down wiih all traitors!

Yours truly,

March 22,1869. NO AN
Elias Derby's Letter on U. 8, Matters.

Elias Harket Derby, a dweller in the Great |
Republic, is evidently no great writer, Ina
loiter written to the Moraing Caroutede, and
published by it Ktins arket Derby hus given
ample evidence of his‘inability to do more)
than to ** string words together.” * * * *

Let us axamine the asserted fiets he pre-
sents to the people of the Maritime Provinces.
‘These are—

Ist.—The governmental expenditure of the | &
United States will be 85 per head of the popu-
lation. principally to the ne ty af securing the

2nd.—The tariff will soon be reduced even services of chicient perintendynts of
below that of Canada. jroads for the Counties and the appoiiit-
The policy of the States is to extend nent of a Board, as non-political in its
le, with the view of

ATION,

| Llouse. Lhat an improvemert was loudly
led for no one seemed to deny. The
ussion on the subject was confine:

srd.-
_free trade over the whole Continent, ant to complexion aS poss
the provinces a share in the carrying trade of} conducting that important branch of the
the whole continent, }publie service unrestrained by political
bias. It was contemplated by the Resolu-

4th.—The antagonism of England has
rendered all the eflurts of Elias Harket Derby, iitions submitted, that the members of the

in He direction of Reciprocity Treaty, | jyo.vd of Works be three geutlemcn, one
WOT OY es ltromeaech County, who, with the Land

The opponents of a Reciprocity
in Convention and in Congre
would favor the admission of the Provinces
into the Union, * in place of their products,”

These five propositions embody all Mr.
Flias Market has said in a column anda half.

| Commissioner and Col. Secretary, would
'comprise a Board of Five Members, and
‘that snid Board would have under them
{three Superintendents of Public Works,
jone from cach County, whose duty it
‘The first statement is about the expenditure | vot pee era a ae AUS
of the government—that is about the amount | tO ther offices, to the oad tt its meetings
of taxation necessary to provide the govern- | which they (the superintendents) would
ment with money sufficient to meet all de- | be expected to attend, The necessity ot
mands made upon it, Mr. D. states this will | selecting for the offices of superint »dents:
be $5 per head at some future date. |mien of seicntific skill and of practical ex-

Mr. Derby deals with the future (> a very! perience, Was strongly enforced in the
large extent. With that, we have nothing to} course of the debate, aud also, the desira-
do; and it would be yery unsufe to meddle) bility of making such appointments non-
with thefuture. It will have its own burdens, | political and not subject to dismissals with
we may rest assured. It is with the present’ every change of Government, Competence
and the past that wise men deal—not with Gould ouly be acquired by a course of
eventualities—which may or may not happens | training tnd experience; it would be,

3;

and | Hon, Atty.General presented the follow-

‘by hou, members on both sides of the |

i; it

United States, intimating the necess iy
observing great caution on the part of the
Legislature of this Colony, in taking apy
action in that niatter. |

Ordered that eaid papers and despatches
be laid on the table.

House adjourned.

‘Veespay, March 16.

Tho Bill to increase the amount. of de-
posits in the Savings’ Bank, and also the
Bill to amend the Laws relating to Patents,
wee severally read a third time and pass-
e

ing Bills, all ot which were received and
read a first time, viz :-—

A Bill to amend the Militia Law, |

A Bill tu extend the Juil Limits at St. |
Eleanor’s,

A Bill to provide for the establishment
of a Board ot Works. In introducing said
Bills he (Ulon. Atty, Gen.) observed that
as the coutemplated changes in the Militia
| Law had already been betore the Louse in
Committee,and i the Resolution relating
toa Board of Works, in contormity with
which the said Lill was introduced, it
i} would be uimecessary for him at thatstage
jof the proceedings to enter into any further
fexplauatien, or repeat what he had pre-
Viously said touching the questions involy-
cd in the said Bills,

position) asked the Tlon, Atty. General!
(Leader ot the Goy’t) it the Royal insteuce |
tions had been received since the appoint |
ment of Sir John Young as Governor)
General of the New Douiinion and this
Island,

House adjourned.

Wepyespay, March 17,

House in Committce on the Board ol
Works. When the clause relating to the
appointnent olf members of the Board came |
up, several hon, ny mbers spoke in favor)
of having the Col, Secretary and the Land |
Commissioner as members of the Board,

‘The remaining clauses of the Bill elicited
very little debate. Some Members were
in favor of abolishing Statute Labor xalto-
gether, and let all pay Commutation
Money. We will never have good roads
until this is done,

lon. Atty. General presented to the

|

Cy pai de HAE thoy wuLe=Weinery urtaome | erelores latal to the Bedt interests of the
time in the future, the expenditure of the | Colony, Neri ave Sen One x oO that
States, will be d, is a question | important branch oft le public service on
foreign to the subject. Whatis it now? Is mere political grounds, a :
the debt actually decreasing? ‘These are the | The Resolution as submitted was adopt-
questions worth asking; and to these Mr. ed. :
Derby vouchsafes no reply. We will do it) Progress reported.
for him.

In Harvey's year book, a work quoted with
admiration by Mr. Annand daring his cany as |
in Cumberland, we find that the amount of

Ilouse adjourned.

Monpay, March 16,
Tlouse in Committee resumed considera-
tion of Board of Public Works.

Ifouse the estimates of the expenditure of
‘the Government for the current year,

| Mon, Atty, General submitted a Bill to
provide for the carrying out of Capital
Punishment within Prisons,

Reecived and read a first time,

Me (Ion, Atty. Gen.) explained the
object of the Dill as pointed out in the
Despatch before the House on that subject,

ony of the practice in kngland of bw

public debt, per head, is for—
Great Britain,
United States,

Mr. Bell in the Chair.
Ion, Attorney General submitted a se-

executions conducted iuside the
When the despatch alluded to was rece

ive

Hon, Mr. Haviland (Leader of the Op-)

recommending the adoption in this Col-|

British America,
Again, we find that the annual intere
charges on public debt, per head, a
follows :—
United States, $4.26
British America, - 1,12
Tf we look at the ordinary expenditure per
head we find that it is as follows —
United States, $10.50
British America, 8.75

cond resolution, to the efeet that the mem ed from the Colonial Ofice last autumn,
bers of the Board be allowed £20 per an-| he rejoiced that at that time this communi-
fnum each, and six pence per mile forty was happily free from those enormous
jtraveling expenses, subject to deduction ‘crimes which lead to capital punishment.
for hou-uttendanee; and puis to the | Since then, however, an unfortunate oc-
jebect that the acceptance of the position of | currence of that kind took place. He re-
ja member of the Board of Works shall not) ferred to the Dowey ease, and said that

vacate tae seat of a member of the Legis-
lature; and a Fourth Resolution to the el-
fect that the salaries of the Superintendants
of Public Works be as follows :—

Ir. Commissioner Wells tells us that the es : ne
connate taxation per head is, for the Queen's County Supt., #100 070
United § S440 gold.| King’s do, do. 120 0 0
Canada (Quebee & Ontario) 3.56 Prince UG doi, 120 0 0
New Brunswick, B.2t including traveling expenses.
Nova Scotia. 8.10 Alter a few remarks, relating principally

Gut there is not all the difference by a long
way. ‘The taxation for state purposes is enor-
mous, bringing up on an average the taxation
in the States fur federal and state purposes to
the large sum of $29 per head, If we joined
the States as Mr. Derby seems to advise. we
must bear the whole cost of our State debt,
in addition to the federal taxation put by a
United States officil at $1146 per head.
VYhat State debt is over nine millions and
svould constitute an additional charge of about
$2 per head to be raised by direct taxation or
over $600,000 per year.

Mr, Derby overlooks this fact that we have
only the Dominion debt—a debt formed by
clubbing all the provincial debts together,—
while the States have two debis—a federal
debt towards which we would have to pay at
the rate of $11.46 per head anda State debt)
tor each of the States besides. Under An-

nexation we should have to provide for our
Sa- |

own province debt, just as Maine or }
chusetts has, and bear a portion of the federa
debt. * Will you walk into my parlor, said
the spider to the fly.”

Then as to the decrease in the debt of the
United States;—we presume that will be

to the details of the measure contemplated,
the question of concurrence was put on
said Resolutions, und agreed to by the
Louse; and the following Committee ap-
pointed to bring in a bill in accordance
therewith, viz., Llons. Atty, General, Laird,
Kelly.

On motion of Hon. Atty, General, the
House went inte Committee on the Militia
Law.

Mr. G. Sinclair ia the Chair,

The Mon. Atty, General submitted a
Resolution to the efleet that the whole of
the regular and Sedentary Militia, until
arms Would be furnished to them, would
be formed into a Reserve to be called out

/for-an annual muster only, in such manner

and at such times as the Comumander-in-
chief might direct,

znd, Lhat each Captain of the Militia
referred to in foregoing Resolution, receive
aa annual allowance of e Pounds, in
lieu of all charges for contingent expenses.

3rd, ‘Lhatthe Volunteer Militia entitled
to Government allowance shall consist of
nine Cofpanies, not to exceed fiity men

pretty much as it has been inthe past. What
does the past say? In September, 1s it
reached its highest point, $2,757 659,571. |
On December, 1867, it reached its lowest |
point,—two lillions four hundred and ninety-

one millions, five hundred and four thousand, |
four hun dred and fifty. Then it took a rise, |
and steadily, month by month, went up, till,

in September Ist, 1803, it was two billion five

hundred and thirty-five million six hundred

and fourteen thousand three hundred anc |
thirteen,—Evidently, thercfore, it fluctuates.
month by month. But, take it year by year,
and what do we find?) Why, that in Novem-

feach, ‘The formation of Volunteer Com-
inievs nol recciving such aid not to be
prevented,

After a few remarks from several hon,
members. the said resolutions were seyer-
ally adopted and reported agreed to,

Ordered, that LLous. Atty.General, Low.
in and Laird be a Comittee to bring in
a bill in conformity with the loregoing re-
solutions,

The Bill to increase the amount of de-

| posits in the Savings Bauk was committed

ber, 1863, the federal debt of the United to a Conimitice of the whole, aud reported
States was THIRTY-FIVE MILLIONS SIX HUNDRED gered to. ‘
AND TWENTY-FIVE THOL Db, ONE HUNDRED | Muy Kickbam remarked that a branch of

AND TWO DOLLARS MORE TUAN IT WAS NOY.,
14567;—an increase that certiinly tells more
against the suprosition that the debt will de- |
crease than Mr. Derby’s vaticinitions about |
the future do in favor of such a supposition,
But we have dwelt too long upon this point.
Onr people are too well informed on the sub-
ject to be led away by Mr. Derby's imagin- |
ings about the future, however glowing they |
may be.
Mr. D. tells us, sceondly. thatthe tarifwill
soon be decreased below thateyen of Canada, |
But, as he bases his prophecy upon the de-)
crease of the debt, his as ertions belongs to
t class against which Scripture warns us, |
** Beware of old wives’ fables.” We would)
sooner see it than hear tell of it, The third)
statement about the coasting trade may be as |
aunmuarily disposed of ‘The cousting trade
is’ut worth enjoying. Mr, Derby will have
to ov. rcome the statemenf made by the New
York Sun, that the decline of shipping in the
States is fully as much due to the fact, that
the coasting trade was overdone, as to any
other cause.—Proof; that over two hundred |
vessels of the diminished marine of the States |
are laid up, for want of employment. If the!
coasting trade is already over-supplied, as the |
Sun asserts, the addition of our marine won't
tend to mitigate the evil. His fourth state-|
ment about the antagonism of England and a}
Reciprocity Treaty is simply absurd, Did |
Iingland make any objections to the former
‘Treaty ? Did'nt she, on the contrary, ratify it?
Was it England that moved in the Repe:
No: but the States. There’s a very short and
decisive way to evidence England's antago-)
nism? Let Congress pass resolutions in favor |
of Reciprocity, and then we shall soon see)
where antagonism is, As everybody knows,
she would at once ratify the aetion of the Con-
gress, if we advised it. |
‘The opponents, he tells @, fifthly, of a
Reciprocity Treaty in Congress, would favor
our admission in place of our products. But!
then we don't favor that project, and if a Re- |
ciprociy is notto be obtained unless we fore- |
go the privileges of low taxition we now enjoy, |
then Reciprocity may go, till the legislators |
of the United States are convinced that while
we favor reviprocale trade relations with them,
we do not believe them so necessary that we
would be willing to pay more for them than

|

9

‘town, he could see no x

jthe Wharv

the Savings Bauk might be opened at
Kings County. ‘Phe Custom House officer
to receive deposits and forward same to
the Colonial Lreasurer, As that institu-
tion had prospered so well at Churlotte-
on why braneh-
es should not be opened at the other
Counties,

Ilon. Atty. General in reply said that the
subject of Branch Savings Banks was un-
dev consideration, aud would be entertain-
ed in due time,

Mr. McMillan presented a petition from
divers inhabitants of Lrince County, pray-
ing that the law relating to the inhabitants
of that County be amended so that prison-
ers on said limits might enjoy the use of
the public wharves oi Summerside, as are
4 Charlottetown and George-
town, by prisuners on the juil lignits of the
other counties.

Said petition was then referred to a
Special Committee to report thereon, Mr,
MeMillan, Hon, Atty. General, and Mr,
Breeken to compose said Committec.

Ilon, Attorney General presented to the
House the Colonial Treasurer's Accounts
for the past financial year, also accounts of
the Stock Fara: Comuittce tor the year
1868.

lion, Mr, Laird presented a petition of
Tnhabitunts of Prince County, praying tor
the establishinent of ofieus tor the Keyistry
ol Deeds and for the Probate of Wills, and
abranch of the Savings’ Bank. Also, a
Petition of Inhabitants of Summerside,
praying for av amendinent of the Election
Law, forthe purpose of establishing au
additional Polling Division in the Fitth
District of Vrince Connty, Said polling
Division to be at Summerside.

Ordered that said Petitions be referred
to Committee of the whole House to-mor-
row.

The Bill to amend the Patent Law was
ported agreed to,
lon, Atty, General, by command, pre-

re

‘sented a message from His Honor the Ad-
| sninistrator,

transmitting papers on the
subject of earrying out ot capital punish-

the Bill did not apply to that case.

| Mr. Brecken said that he hoped the bill
would be made to apply to the paintul
case in question, Ile spoke of the d2-
grading tendency of public executions.
He was of opinion that justice would be
vindicated by extending the prerogative
of the Crown in the case of the unfortunate
Dowey. Butit the sentence must be put
in force, letit, inthe name of humanity,
be done as pointed out in the bill jast in-
troduced,

Ilon. Mr. MeAulay spoke of the demor-
alizing effects of capital punishment,
which he contended did not fant to the
prevention of crime, but had a witherin
influence on the best feelings of humanity,
Ile witnessed the exccution of the notori-
ous Burke, in his native country in earls
life, and could testify that the tendency ol
public executions was not the lessening of
rime, but, on the coulrary, the demorali-
on of the people.

Tlon. Mr, Haviland expressed the hope
that the bill would long continue a dead
letter on the Stutute Book of the Colony,
Ie congratulated his native country on
the luct that such painful cases us the one
now pending were of rare occurrence, Le
he ped the bill would be so amended as to
include the case in question. Ie cone
jred with the sentiments expressed by his
hon, colleague, Mr. NeAulay, touching
the pernicious effects of public executions,
Ile saw no reason why the Royal Preroga-
tive should not be exercised in the untor-
tunate Dowey case, Great doubt existed
in his mind on the point, as to whether
Dowey comii(ted murder wilfully, He
referred to the fact as proven in Court,
that Dowey told the girl, MeQuuarrie, to
stand back that Cullen might: pa
without observing them. ‘That fact w
ed heavily with him, and Jed him to believe
that no preconceived malice nor animus
existed in the breast of Dowey against the
unfortunate Cullen, Ue feit conyineed
that the verdict on a similar case in Eng-
land would be mansliugnter, aud not wil-
ful murder, Ife (lon, Mr. Haviland) then
cited ae b point, of recentoccurrence,
jin the mother country, ip proof of his ar-
jguinent, The execution, he said, of the
junfortunate stranger, Dowey, on the
ground of making him a seapegoat or
warning for future criminals, would be
highly reprehensible, and not productive
of good to society,

ITouse in Committee on the Bill to ex-
tend the limits of St. Eleanor’s Jail,

Afler some remarks from Hon. Mr,
Laird, Mr. Howatt, and Mr, Davies, in fa-
vor of extending the privile, i
to Jow water mark, on the ground that
parties on the limits might at times procure
employment about the wharves and shores
of said: limits, the bill was amended to
meet the views of hon. members, alter
which the bill was reported agreed to,

Ilion, Atty. General gave notice that to-
morrow the House would go into Commit.
tee on the question of Supply,

Hfon. Mr. MeAnlay then addressed the
House, touching the questien of initiating
Supply, and contended that the course
pursued by the Hon, Leader of the Gov-
ernment did not carry out the principles of
the imperial Government.

The Resolution of the Hon. Atty. Gen.
was, however, put by His Hotior the
| Speaker.

House adjourned,

Tuunspay, March 18,

IIon, ane General presented the
Report of the Medical Superintendent of
the Lunatic Asylum, which was laid on
the table.

Ilon, Atty. Gen, also submitted the Pub-
lie Accounts for the past year, which were
laid on the table, °
House in Committee on the Bill relating
to the office of Sheriff,

Mr, Cameron in the chair,

lion, Atty, Gen. explained that the ob-
ject of the bill was to plice the power of
appointing the Sheriff in the hands of the
Master of the Rolls, in case of the absence
or incapacity of the Chief Justice, or in

NS

LURSDA

25, 1869.

Y, MARCH

Jlouse in Commitice on the Militia Bill,
Hon. Mr, Haviland’said that as long as
we were an integr:
Limpire, and protected by the flag of Old
ind, it was our duty to keep up a
military force, however small, :
After some further remarks, the Bill was
reported agreed to, with amendments,
House adjourned,

Firpay. March 19.

Hon, Atty. General, by message from
Nis Honor the Administrator, tr smitted
a despatch from Earl Granville, in reply to
the joint Address of the Legislature of this
Colony, to Hler Majesty the Queen, praying
that the salary of the Lieut. Governor ol
the Colony might continue to be paid trom
the Imperial Treasury. i

louse in Committee on the Bill relating
to Capital Punishment,

Hon. Atty. General said that the altera-
tion sought to be made in the bill, with the
view of meluding under its provisions the
unfortunate ease now belore the public
inind of the Colony, was submitted by him
to the Judges of the Supreme Court, and
alter mature consideration they were of
opinion that the charge alluded to could
aot be entertained,

Jlon. Mr. Haviland regretted that so
repulsive an eshibition should ever take
place in this Colony, e

Hon, Mr. Kelly presented a petition from
divers Inhabitants of Lots 67 aud 68, pray-
« tora bill to regulate the Fees oi the
upreme Courts,
lion. Mr, Haviland presented a petition
from divers merchants and others of Char-
lottetown, praying for the repeal of the
Act ot last Session, relating to Untortu-
nate Debtors.

1
5

Sarunvay, March 20.

Mr. MeNeill asked the Government if
they had purchased Mr. Hodgson’s Estate
on Lot 2), and at what price?

Hon, Atty. General, in reply, said that
the Hstate in question was purchased at
the rate of 13s., Islund currency, per acre,
nnd that the necessary documents would
be drawn out, and in a lew days the whole
matter would be terminated,

wILsPON DENCE :
RAILROADS.

Epiron Jovrnat,

‘The time is fist approaching when the sub-
ject of Railroads in this [sland will, fora tine,
absorb all other public questions.

The want of a Railroad through the length
‘of the Island is now felt by almost every per-
son who has given the subject that consider-
ation which its imporuunce demands, and as
the subject of road-muking is engaging the
attention of the Legislature,it is the duty of the
public to aid and assist them in adopting a
plan that will be conducive to the best inter-
est of the people.

From the peculiar nature of our soil, stone
is the only material found to be suitable for
the muking of common roads, and before
many miles could be properly made with
stone, the material for such purpose would
have to be imported from the neighbouring
Provinces, and hauled to where it would be
required, a distance in some cases of from
five to twenty miles, which, with the cost of
crushing, &e., would be equal to one half the
cost of a Railroad, and when an expenditure
is made suflicient to mecadamise all our roads,
were it possible to do 60, the werk would be
found to be less permanent than is generally
supposed,

‘rhe distance that some of our best lands are
from a shipping place, renders agricultural
pursuits upon them much less remunerative
than upon those lands in the neighborhood of
our shipping ports; and although frem neces-
sity, small quantities of produce are shipped
at different places wong the shores of the
Island, yet, with much difficulty, and never
n lage quantities, except where there are
harbours, so that the greater part of our ex-
ports will always be taken cither to the port
of Georgetown, Charlottetown, Summerside,
or Cascumpec for shipment—large quantities
of such exports haying to be hauled a distance,
the cost ef which would bl equal to one third
their value,

With a Railroad from Georgetown to Cas-
cumpec, touching Charlottetown and Sunmer-
side, with stations every few miles along the
road, producers would find markets at these
stations for eyerything they would have to
sell, and merchants would collect cargoes with
a facility of which few have any conception,

At present we find farms near the markets

|} Worth from ten to twenty pounds per acre,
when farms equilly productive, ata great dis-
tance from these places, are worth no more
than from two to three pounds peracre. ‘The
construction of a Railroad would increase the
vulue of these farms to double what it is at
| present.
About 100 miles of road would connect
eorgetown, Charlottetown, Summerside, and
| mpec, at a cost of no more than £400,-
( and curvency, the interest of whieh, at
5 per cent, would be ),000; 2 stm less than
one fourth of our present revenue, and pro-
bably not one sixth of what it will be by the
time such a road would be built.

The benefits that would result from such a
facility for communication and trafic, would
soon be felt by every class in the community,
and in a few yeurs increase the revenue tothe
full extent of what it would require from it,
at the sane time, giving constantemployment
to a lurge number of persoas, which, in itself,
is of sume importance. An additional two
and a half per cent upon our imports would
meet the demand, our tarill then being three
and a balf per cent less than that of the Domi-
nion of Canada,

By having daily communication with
Georgetown, our merchants could continue
their shipping business a month later in the
season, and farmers could continue the work
much longer upon ther farms. It is not to
much to say, that such a road would be a
great educator of our people, and one of the
best means to forward the settlement of our
Wilderness Lanils.

Vessels employed in the fisheries of the gulf
would land their fish at Cascumpee, and for-
ward them by rail to Summerside, thence, by
steamer, to the United States and other mar-
kets, and the harbour of Georgetown, trom
its frecdom from ice to a late period in the
fall, would become the great outlet for our
exports at that season,

The advantages of ay open port one month
later in the season, can scarcely be estimated.
A Railroad would make it almost as valuable
to Prince County as to King’s County.

Fuel for a railroad would be supplied from
the western townships of this,County, at a
cheaper rate than that for any road on the
American Continent, and the timber of these
townships would be sent by rail to the best
markets in the Island, thus, largely benefiting
manufactors and consumers, while giving em-
ployment to the road in winter season,

By making an estimate of the average dis-
tance that our now very large quantities of
agricultural exports have to be hauled, upon
roads thatare often almost impassable; the
cost of such hauling; the time spent by peo-
ple in travelling from one part of the Island
to another; and contrast them with the very
cheap rate at which such productions would
be removed by railway; the time and expense
saved by the public in handling; the amount
saved by the ELM ih of mails ; the comfort
andconvenience ; the opportunity of travelling
at all times, without regard to the state of the
weather or the ground—and we will see th t
a benefit and a luxury would be afforded, that,
when once enjoyed by our people, would be
looked upon as the best expenditure of public

i

(
(

ul part of the British) Mg. Eprron:— :

since the address in answer to the Adminis-

The House of Assembly has been employed,

trator’s speech was agreed to, in discussing a
number of necessary but not very important
measures. ‘The Biil to extend the Jail limits
of St. Eleanor’s has been read a third time
and now may be coasidered safe, There has
been very little room for discussion and the
printed Debates will this year be much duller
than usual. If it is pretty dull work listening
to the speeches it will not be a very lively
business to read them as reported, three or
four months after they were delivered, The
countryman who enters the House to hear the
dis¢ on of our Legislators, will, most likely,
feel considerably disappointed. Le may come
in twenty times and remain an hour each time
and hear nothing worth remembering, He
will, most likely, find the great mujority of
the members present reading the newspapers,
chatting or writing, and the real business
done by the leader of the Government and one
or two others. There is no display of oratory;
some talking is done—not a great deal—in the
common conversational style. ‘Che chairman:
or speaker puts the question and not a half
dozen Members think worth while to say aye
orno. ‘The whole proceedings are as unin-
ve and seems as unimportant as a
meeting of school trustees. Indeed, I have
scen much more fuss and heard mach more
hitulutin at a session of a ‘Temperance society,
about some unimportant point of order, than
are to be observed in the Louse of Assembly
when some important Bill is being advanced
astauge. ‘he reader must not think that be-
cause everything is so quiet and so common-
place that nothing is being done. ‘These are
precisely the times that the business of the
Colony is progressing most rapidly. More
work is done in one of these silent afternoons
than in a whole week of disputing and spout-
ing. One o/ the first lessons a Member of
the House of Assembly has to learn is to hold
his tongue. ‘Lhe House is at times very im-
patient of mere talk, unless it be very good
talk indeed, ‘The mere spouter very soon
gets the conceit taken out of him in our halls
of legislation; some ot the clever men of
the [louse quietly pierce the orato
wind-bag, and it is painful to see into
what small dimensions he . sometimes col-
lapses. ‘The Hustings and the Deb:
Society style of speaking does not generaly
go for much in the House of Assembly, ‘The
man who has really anything to say is heard
with respect and attention, no matter how
plain his speech or to which side of the House
he may belong; but the member who gets up
without preparation, merely to: show what a
fine displ he can make about nothing,
generally is somewhat unmercifully treated.
A man will not be very long in the House be-
fore he is estimated at his true value: mere
pretension without merit—whatever use to
to him it may be outside is worse than useless
there. ‘The readers of your journal have, no
doubt, observed that many men who cut quite
a figure before they were placed inthe Mouse,
become very common-place individuals atter
they get there, and they may have known
others who were thought very lite of as
public men before their election, prove them-
selves to be in everything worthy of the hon-
orable situation to which they had been cle-
vated, ‘The fact is, that the man of sterling
worth and of sound sense makes a very good
member of Parliament, whether hebe an ora-
tor or not, and the mereshowy speaker whose
principles are not fixed and whose judgments
is not to be depended upon, had muel better
be permitted to remain at home than to sufler
the mortilication of loosing his much-enjoyed |
local reputation without in any way benefitting
cither himself or his country, Itis, after all,
much more important to know how to vote

would be surprised if they knew how few sre
influenced by the argument and the rhetoric
| of those on the other side of the House. It
is really melancholy to reflect upon the
amount of eloquence that is daily, all through
the session, thrown away upon those who are
determined not to be convinced. Kach mem-
ber has upon all the great questions of the
day, ceriain fixed opinions formed, atter much
study and reflection, and it is by no means
likely that he will be talked out ‘of them by
his political opponents, ‘The truth is, that the
speeches detivered in the House are much
more frequently addressed to reporters, than
to the rest of the auditors present, They are
intended to confirm and convince those out-
side the walls, rather than those within
hearing,

T intend to give your readers a short des-
cription of the style of the diferent speakers
on both sides of the Heuse, but time does not
now permit,

Yours, &e.
ISLANDER.

March 22, 1869.

RROIE ee

eens that the British Government re-

Its
fuses to accede to the memorial of the people
of this Colony, to pay their Lieutenant Gover-
nor’s siulary; und they demand an answer im-
mediately, whether oar Government will pay

itornot. Lf we say ‘yes” they will call us
good children? If we say “no” they will
likely make it an excuse for tacking us on to
Canada.

Considering the manner in which the Land:
of this Island were given away to some twenty
Lords, and the deaf ear England has always
lent to the entreaties of the settlers for re-
dress; the perfect indifference shewn to every-
thing for the advancement of the Island; the
not allowing our farmers: and merchants to
have free trade with the United States; the
making us pay for bringing the soldiers from
Halifax, to help the proprictors and to coerce
the tenantry; looking at these and at other
things, and now their asking us to pay the
Governor's salary that they will nominate, it
seems us if England was indifferent about us,
whether we remained under her flag, or hoist-
edany other. Shall we knuckle under, or shall
we not—is it nota tax on us against our wills;
something like the tax imposed on the people
of Boston, which they refused to pay.

My advice to our people is to refuse to pay—
let them send their Governor if they like, and
let them pay his salary? If we refuse to pay,
England will think the more of us, and will
commence at once to build forts and batteries,
If they tuck us on to Canada, so much the
better; the sooner then will we become
Americans, with free trade from ocean to
ocean, and with a continent opened up to our
sons.
Tell our Government, Mr. Editor, not to
knuckle under.
“ No pent up Utica contracts our powers ;
Behold! a boundless continent is ours.”
SCOTUS,

Prince County, March 25, 1869.

alll hs Sian

TEMPERANCE,

A meeting of the inhebitants of Mount
Pleasant, Lot 12, was held in Mount Pleasant
School House, on Tuesday, the 2nd Mareh,
at six o'clock, p.m., for the purpose of re-
organizing ** lope Temple.” This temple
was organized on the first of March, 1864, and
worked vigoroysly until last April.

Brother Richard Wickett, of the Rose of
the Forest” temple, ably addressed the meet-
ing on the subject of temperance, afier which
it was resolved, that the following named per-
sons be officers for the ensuing quarter, viz :—

Bro. Samuel 8. Ledstone, W. C. 'T.; Sister
Susanna MeDougald, W. V. 'T.; Alex, Me-
Dougald, W. 8.; Terrence O'Brian, W. F.8.;
Win, MeDougald, W. 8.3; Richard McKinnon,
W. M.; James Harper, W, 1, G.; Colin Green,
W.O. G.; Bessie McKinnon, W. 0.; Eliza
MeDougald, W.A.S,; Elizabeth Stewart,
W. 1D. M.; Nancy Stewart, W. R, I 8.;
Christie Stewart, W. LL. 8.

After the above officers were installed, the

Summerside Hournal.

THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 1869.

No notice can be taken of annonymous com-
munications. We must know the names and
addresses of our correspondents as a guaranty
of their good faith. We cannot undertake to
return communications that are not used,

THE UNFORTUNATE OREDILOR'S AOT

Ane

Sucu is the name josularly given. to
the law passed in the last session of the
Legislature, for the relief of unfortunate
debtors. he working of this law has
been such as to cause much discontent
and many forebodings among business
men, ‘I'lie number of those who have at-
tempted to avail themselves of its pre-
visions is much greater than was antici-
pated, cither by its friends or its enemies.
The Royal Gazette, a newspaper by the
by which comparatively very few of the
business men of the country ever see, is
nearly filled with notices of those who.
have placed their affairs in the Bankrupt
Court. Many of these are persons far
whose reiief the unfortunate debtor's law
was never intended. Itis whispered toa
—we ofcourse do not pledge ourselves
to the truth of the report—that many of
the would be bankrupts, in order to avail
themselves of the benefits of the Act,
have resorted to practices the reverse of
honest. Tearing lest the tendeney of the
law will be to encourage the reckless and
the dishonest debtor, at the expense of
the honest and provident trader, many of
the most respectable merchants in the
city and elsewhere, have petitioned the
Legislature for its repeal.

Is not the proceeding rather hasty ?
Would it not be as well to allow the law
to operate for at least another year. The
experience of the past few months may
be exceptional, and not a fair test. There
being no Bankruptey Law in the Colony
previous to that passed last session, many
ruined traders who had nothing, whose
liabilities hung like a dead weight round
their necks, and prevented them from en-
gaging in business on their own account,
were cagerly waiting to take advantage
of it. Hence the rush to the Bankrupt
Court. It is by no means likely that
there will ever be such a rush again.
Then again the law has not had a fair
trial, inasmuch as those who have placed
themselves i the courtare not yet through
it. It is yet to be proved that under it
fraudulent or even questionable practices
can be carried on with impunity. If two
or three of those slippery gentlemen
whose alleged dishonesty and sharp-prac-
tice are taught a severe, but salutary les-
son, on the value of honest and fair deal-
ing, and the danger of dishonesty and
trickery, the result cannot but be bene-
ficial to the mercantile community. Let
it once be proved that the Bankrupt Court
isno refage for raseality in any form—

| that on the contrary rogues and trichsters
well than how to speak well. Most people} are pretty sure to be found out in the

rigid examination under which their af-
fairs are placed, and that punishment is
sure to follow discovery, and we are much
mistaken if there will be any tribunal so
much dreaded by dishonest men of alk
kinds as our Bankrupt Court. an judging
of the working of the new law, the state
of things which it was enacted to remedy
must be taken into consideration, When
there was no such law on our statute
book, the honest but unfortunate debtor
was in a miserable plight, while for the
dishonest one who was wide awake there
were many ways by which he could de-
fraud his creditors and secure his ill-got-
ten gains, Hyery one knows that under
the old system, whenever a man’s credit
was culled in question, the first creditor
whose suspicions were raised pounced
down upon the unfortunate fellow, and
secured the whole amount of his debt.
The next creditor who got an_ inkling
of what was going on did the same thing
without delay, leaving perhaps nothing
for the remaining creditors, but the body
of the miserable bankrupt. By this sys-
tem two or three of the best informed and
most active creditors were paid in full,
while the remainder, generally the most
needy of them, did not get a farthing.
The unfortunate debtor was, after he had
given up everything he possessed, a ruin-
ed man, with no prospect of ever holding
up his head again—his unpaid debts pre-
venting him from ever getting a fair fresh
startin life, His only remedy was to
leave the Island under a cloud, and to
begin life again among strangers, and un-
der great disadvantages. ‘The only alter-
native left the unfortunate small trader
was hopeless poverty at home, or exile.
That he generally choose the latter, and
thatthe Island has lost many valuable
citizens and good business men, for want
ofa good bankruptcy law, every one
knows,

The large tradcr again was in a much
better situation, When he found himself
getting behind hand, he could take a tri
across the Atlantic—where ¢reditors ‘of
small means were not able to follow—go
through the Bankruptcy Court there, and
come back to the Island in a few w-eks,
completely freed from the whole of his
liabilities. We see by this that a year
ago the small debtor had no remedy ac-
cessible to him, while the unfortunate
large debtor could obtain relief with com-
parative case. ‘Then again dishonest men
were at no loss for means, under the old
system, to evade the payment of their just
debts. ‘The ingenuity with which they
managed to defraud their creditors was
really wonderful. Property was secured
and placed tit of reach in many ways,
and the business man who was deeply in
debt—who, as the saying goes, was many
hundred pounds worse than nothing—
frequently managed to Icave the Island
with a well lined pocket-book. We will
sce on reflection that the law complained
of did not create rascality, and it remains
to be seen whether it does not give to
knaves of all sorts a heavy blow aud a
great discouragement,

Tt seems to us that some means of re-
lief should be afforded the hunest, but
unfortunate man, whose affairs become
embarrassed, ‘To afford him this relief,
without at the same time giving encou-

meeting adjourned, to mect aguin on Satur-
day evenings.

Aurxaxprn McDovganp
March 16, 1869,

tieir worth, Why, that would be just like
putting ourselves in such a position that we
would hive to epend $2 extra for the suke of
pbtaining 81 extra. |

iment within prisons. Algo, submitted a
dispateli from Earl Gratville, on the sub.
ject of Reciprocal Free Trade with the

the event of his being, at the time for ap-
pointing Sheriffs, Administrator of the
Government,

ragement to dishonest men, is a problem,
tho solution of which has puzzled the
wisest and most expericncod legislators

money that could possibly be made.

VANGUARD,

Prince County, 12th March, 1869. 1 W: Beo'y,