58 To the Editor qfths British American. Mr, Editor,

Lter Goderich’s Letter of the 1st of last Month is exceedingly interesting, and demands very serious consideration. It evidently ac- cuses the Assembly of want of discretion, by ;- 'aising our Governor for his discretion in sus- pending his decision as to the proposed Escheat. Then it attacks the measure of indiscriminate or undefined Escheat, which his Lordship con- siders as inequitable,—possibly we might say iniquitous. l have some doubt as to the foundation ot'that passage which seems to say that certain proprietors would have settled their land, but that the intended settlers changed their residence. lhave seen this in print many years ago, but upon inquiry I could not find that it was true; several lots were settled spontaneously, but they are settled, and I really think that proprietors who have not settled their lands, should prove that they used due diligence to effect a settlement, I know that much misrepresentation has taken place Wu, this subject, particularly among the Land- tasters,or.afl "my are called here,-—not Land-

graves but Land crabs, registering for instance the names of Paper Settlers. But l deviate from the point of his Lordship’s letter, that point appears to be a gentle jobation to the Land-fanciers--1 mean fanciers of other people’s land—in other words “ mind your own affairs.”

Thereis a report, said to have come from England, that we are to be united with Nova Scotia,—some of the candle ends and cheese paring peeple in the House of Commons may have proposed this as a measure of retrench- ment; we should thereby have a respectable Legislature, and our public credit. Would revive, but this we might achieve without going to Nova Scotia. Elect respectable members, and instruct them to commence, at least, the payment ofour debt. The union would be a change which I should not wish to see has tily either adopted or refused. Some of the knowing onesgo so far as to say that the Secretary ofState hadit in petto when he sent his dispatch, and thatit was intended as a quietus to the propri- tors, but this appears to be rather too much of the scientific.

To conclude this olio, I hope his Lordship‘s letter will show us thatit is our policy to be in- dustrious and frugal, not suffering ourselves to be bamboozled and deluded out of the true grade ofsociety by self dubbed Doctors or Cap- tains, let us do what we can without a union, and if it is to come, let it come. The necessity of Sessions in the Counties will most likely be noticed in my next letter.

Your’s 8L0.

flLITER. September 19, 1832.

THE BRITISH AMERICAN,

SEPTEMBER 22, 1832.

Recently an Act passed the House of Assembly of this Colony, compelling proprietors of unsettled Lands to contribute their mite to the making and repairing of Roads. Bridges, &c. running through their property and we understand our Crown Officer has issued three Writs against the Land Proprietors of Lots 22, 31, and 65. The Sherifl‘ having summoned a Jury, which met on Thursday last at Mr. Moorside's (North River.) they proceeded to view the wilderness Land. where the new intended Road is laid out from Charlotte-Town to Bedeque. which we are informed will shorten the

THE BRITISH AMERICAN.

distance Four Miles, than the preent road by Tryon. After the Jury returned they gave a verdict of 501. against Lot 22,- 2001. against Lot 31; and 201. against Lot 65. These Lots were considered enhanced in value to the above amount in consequence ofthe new road leading through them. This is as it should be. if the House ofAssembly had passed a similar Act some years ago, much benefit would have been the result to the Colony. The rich man owning his 20.000 Acres has hitherto borne none of the cxpences attendant on road making. notwithstanding he has been the principle benefiter. How, and in what way such an act ofjusticc could have escaped our Legislators until this tims. we are at aloss to know. Fifty years ago Prince Edward Island was called the Granary of the Canadas, and well it might, itcertainly possesses all the advantages one could wish, but notwithstanding which, it seems to have been ill-fated. whether from misrule on the part ofits representatives we know not, but we mainly at- tribute it to this cause.

It is certainly rumoured that this Island will shortly share the same fate as the neighbouring Colony Cape Breton, namely, annexation to Nova Scotia. and indeed we do not see how the evil can be obviated, ifthe Mo- ther Country insists upon us paying our own Civil List_ and we have every reason to believe that such is the intention, for why should we expect a continuance of that been which the other Provinces are in future de- nied ; and if so we shall be spared the trouble and expense of building a Government House for His Ma- jesty's representative, and left to muse on the pleasing prospect ofbcing in reality atwin child of Cape Breton. We believe the Cape Bretons have always considered their annexation to Nova Scotia as their greatest mis- fortune. The following is an extract from a late im. pression ofthe Cape Breton Herald :—

“ When we reflect upon the repeated wreck! of ms selson Scatereelsland, the impolicy of CapeBreton hav- ing ever been annexed as a County to the Province of Nova-Scotia, most forcibly presses itself upon our minds. Twelve long years have nearly elapsed since this Island was consigned over to thefostering care of that Province ; and notwithstanding the large Revenue derived from it, and the urgent necessity of a Light House having been long since established on Scatarec, we believe we are correct in stating that such a mea. sure has never been hinted at in the House of Assem- bly.

The Island of Scataree is usually the first land made by vessels from Europe, bound to any of the Colonies eastward of the Bay of Fundy ; and as vessels are usu. ally ahead of their reckoning when steering to the west ward. the roar of its breakers or the concussion of its rocks are generally the first intimations ofa near approach to it. when it becomes too late to guard a- gainst the dangers of shipwreck. Besides, vessels in running along the Coast of Cape Breton. when bound .. . ' ', or on the opposite coast, have to run great risk in foggy weather in turning the sharp angle which Scataru forms. even did not currents aid in perplexing the mariner.

Had a Legislature been convened for this island in! 1820, instead of its being annexed to Nova-Scotia there cannot be a possibility of doubt. that long ere this, a Light-House would have been established there —-and owners and underwriters in Great Britain and elsewhere, would not even up to this late period, have to enumerate Scateree as one of the fatal Islands,which on this side of the Atlantic, they have so much reason to dread. But would have viewed it. with a Light- House on it, as would then have been the case. rather as a welcome land fall and guide, from which vessels would shape their course for their final destination.—

£0. 8

But alas! this is but amongst the withering effects of that annexation.”

Since the above was in Type. we understand that the parties interested intend to appeal from the above decision of the Jury.

Shipping intelligence. . ENTERED. Sloop Felicity, McLaren, Pictou. Shallop, Susan. Young, Arichat. Schooner Betsy, Wood, Cause CLEARED. h Sloop Felicity. McLaren, Halifax. Shallop Sultan, Young, Arichat. Schooners Alice Jane, Callum, Co, cegneI N, B. Brothers, Campbell, Fishing Voyage. Elizabeth, Gilpin, Pictou. Half-past Twelve, P. M. the Brig Mary Jane is now in full sail coming up the Harbour from Britain.

A placard, containing the Command- ments of God, has recently been stuck on all the walls of Paris. The zealous anther of this warning is not mentioned, but it is hoped that the appeal, addressed to the conscience ofa city, so deeply afllicted, [alluding to the Cholera,] may be felt by them, and induce many to reflect seriously on their conduct in these awful times.— Scoltish Guardian.

It is camputed that England and \Vaies now contain at least five million of oxen, and a million and a half of horses. The number of sheep is about twenty million, and eight million of lambs.—- iS/trflield .Mcrcury.

Extraordinary ins/once of Somnambulism.— A short time since a lady in Liverpool had aser- vant, who, upon coming down stairs every morn- ing, found the fire lit, the kettle boiling, and all other things in a state of readiness. For some time she did not communicate this singu- lar fact to any one, but at length she told her mistress, who immediately set to work to in- quire about the matter. One morning she rose early and took her station in the parlour. After waiting a short time she saw her servant come into the room, fast asleep, but dressed, and immediately proceeded to perform her various occupations, which having effected, she went off to bed again. The next morning she repeated the extraordinary feat, when her mistress awoke her, showing who it was that performed her work for hen—Manchester Her- ald.

BIULTUM IN PARVO

The attachments of mere mirth, are but the shadows of that true friendship of which the sincere affections of the heart are the sub- stance.—Burton.

A joker is a near kin to a butl'oon; and nei- ther of them is the least related to win—Che:- “field.

As small letters hurt the sight, so do small matters him, that is too much intent upon them; they vex and stir up anger, which be- ; gets an evil habit in him in reference to great t.‘ er afl'airs.—Plutarch. '

What has pleased, and continues to plea likely to please again: hence are deriv‘ rules of art; and on this immoveable fo ' tion they must forever stand—Sir J; 4" nolds.

There is nothing more certain ,than th’