A WEEKLY JOURNAL OF P

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Taw witi ) Goutmereial st’

wantICS, LITERATURE AND NEWS,

EDWARD WIIELAN] Vor. IV. :

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Chis is true Liberty, when Free-born Men, having to advise the Public, man speak free ——EvRIPIES.

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CHARLOTTETOWN, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND, MONDAY, MAY 21, 1855.

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[EDITOR axp PUBLISHER

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Gleanings from late Papers.

THE WAR IN THE CRIMEA.

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OPENING OF A NEW BATTERY AND CONSTER~ NATION OF THE RUSSIANS.

April 13.—Last night was wild and unfavourable, With | sinrcoes morning.

continued heavy rain, yet still our bombardment never slack- ‘ened for a moment. The Beagle, which was ioored off Sebastopol at a long range, also assisted in the fire, by easting | Joose her Lancester guns, and throwing shells into the works | the whole night. She also fired about 50 Congreve rockets | into the works opposed to the French, This morning, when | our batteries recommenced, the effects of our assault were | still more apparent. The fire of the lagstaff was evidently | slack, even more marked so than on the previousevening. It | scarcely replied one gan tothe French three. The devastating | traces of the shot were also most apparent. Not only are. the lower tier of guns quite destroyed, but the upper seem in | a fair way of following them. Two or three of them are | already dismounted, and the earth of the parapets so seamed and torn that the rest of the ordvance appear as if pointing out between loose piles of earth. The flanking batteries are now being fired at, and apparently with much effect. The Barrack work is also suffering much, and nearly one-third .of its embrasures are empty. The Redam still shows a bold front. As 1 have already -said, this -eolossal work is at so

long a range from ours (1,250 yards), and mounts sueh.an orm, April 9:—* We are at it at last.

enormous mass of ordnance, t!.at it would stand its present battering for two or three weeks to come, without receiving such injury as to render cit untenable. Bat -tiis is a matter ef no moment. The Redan, per -se, is a strong battery, but, unlike the #lagstaff or Malakoff, it is by no means so import- antly situated as to necessitate our taking it by storm. The former works are the keys of the -enemy’s position ; when) they are silenced and captured, the Redan will fall of itself, | as it will cease to be tenable. ‘fhe new battery which I) mentioned last night as being formed in the advanced trench, ! was completed and opened this morning. The tremendous |

vvolley with which*it commenced quite took tlte Russians by | surprise. Hach day they have been accustomed «to see our Fthink. The mail goes at seven to-morrow morning; it is

10-inen mortars fire from the same part of our works, and | doubtless from that very reason never anticipated further molestation (which, indeed, may be considered almest waneces- sary, so well were ovr mortars manned) from the same quarter. The sudden and continued fire, therefore, of eight enormous guns, in addition to their old assailants, the mortars, was a) complete and unpleasant surprise. At the first discharge one of | their guns was dismounéed and another injured, and their artil- lery men either ran away or concealed themselves, as they were not to be seen. uly one gun was.fired in reply, so that for five or ten minutes our battery had nothing to do but blaze away without fear of opposition. After that time the enemy appeared to take heart, and several guns were fred, but it was fully half an hour before they -made anything like a vigorous defence. Tuen, indeed, the fire they maintained showed that very many .of the.em'rasures which were sup- posed to be silenced had wmerely had their gans withdrawn, | and these they brought forward and well mavned. For about | an hour the enemy femght with great determination, but from | the first they had no chance of being able to maintain it long. | Directly it wasseenrthat-the Matakcff works were determined |

to engage our advanced battery, one face of Gordon’s Battery, into power have carried some very important measures whic) |

mounting ten guns and two anortars, was directed upon it, | and the three 15-inch mortar battery at the picket house also threw its missiles against the Round Tower. With these, and with the assistanee of the four 10-inch mortars near the advanced work, and several cohorns throwing 32lb. shell, a perfect hailwas poured iuto our old enemy. As I thave said, for a time it was well fought, but our immense shot dis- mounted tthe guns or eut-up the-earthworks, while the shell dropping over burst continually amon z its defenders. Towards eight o'clock its fire had sla¢kened consideribly, and before nine the enemy for that time gave up the contest as hopeless, and such gans as could still be used were withdrawn from the embrasures and our batteries left to do their worst upon the earthworks. During this battery fight the Mamelon, as usual, revived from its state of inaction, and, to the astonishment of | every one, put forward frve guns and fired them continually. | The demonstration, however, did little good beyond drawing on it, when the Malakoff was quiet, the fire of the mortar battery at the picket-house, and under these tremendous ‘bombs it was soon reduced to its former inaction. Our ad-| vanced work then continued to fire at the Malakoff, whieh | never offered any serious resistance for the remainder of the | day. Every 20 minutes or so two or three of its guns were run forward and fired, but beyond this it was quiet, and seemed | to have no more than 20 or 30 men in it. The result of | this day’s bombardment has again been most favourable to theallies. The Flagstaff battery still makes an kerotc defence, but is evidently sinking fast. The Redan is still vigorous, but on the whole line the enemy’s fire is not balf that of the | allies. To-day our superiority has been much more marked than ever, the Russians not replying one gun to our three or four. Qur casualties are, as usual, heaviest among the na- | val brigade, which, though less than a sixth of the force in the batteries, furnishes rather over one-third of our total loss. The average each day has heen about 60 killed and wounded, and about 100 French. To-day Lieut. Death, R.N., and Lieut. Steele, of the R.M.A., were wounded, but neither very severely. ‘The wounded are now infinitely better taken care of than at the former bombardment. The ambulances remain in sheltered ravines behind the batteries, in which the wounded are conveyed to head-quarters, and there placed upon the railway truck and sent down easily to Bala Clava. | The eases of amputation and severe wounds remain there in

hospital; the others are immediately embarked on board fail to sceure great success whereever they may be employed. | imprisoned by the House.ef \s. mbly two sessions, and de- . The Legislature, during its present session, have passed | prived of my pay, but never / reer |a Bill to support a Normal Training School, in which all the | gained me the confidence of as

“was suffering for trying °

ship.

PREPABATLONS FOR A GENERAL ASSAULT, |

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Preparations are evidently making for a general assault, | ducting their schocls. The Legislature have also passed what | any thing their masters, the landlords, will learn them ; and is called the Tenant Compensation Act, which wil require! J do nut expect their masters will learn them to sing a song

Our shells, on whieh we entirely rely for hindering the repair | of the enemy’s worke during the night, are going fast and will | most likely be quite gone by to-morrow night. The tram-/ way, to be sure, ean bring up aday or two's supply, but it is wanted for other things, and besides it has been oceupied all | to-day in getting up 300 tons of powder from Bala*Clava to the front. When our supply of shell is exhausted we must storm, or quietly yield up the advantages our cannonade has given us, and siuk back into the state in which we were after | the attack of the 17th. Lord Raylan is bu-y every where, | aiding and consulting with the engineers, generals, and the |

principal officers of the army. Canrobert seems never off his

‘ravine.

jnassage and engage the forts on the north side.

| deficiency has chie’.

for the ordnance are completed; in fact, two of ‘the pieces are already placed. Tae remaining six will go down to-night, and the battery opens fire with the rest to-

great ‘things are expected from one of such strength, |

situated within 500 yards of the enemy’s works, The allied troops now round Bala Clava consist of the remains of the three regiments of Guards, the 79th, 71st, 93rd, and 42d¢Highlanders, with about 1,200 Marines, a force of Artil- tery, three regiments of Zouaves, one of Chasseurs, and three

regiments of French Infantry of the line, in all about 15,000 | men. The Zouaves, Highlanders and Marines will be in-|

valuable auxilia;tes at the assault. After what they have done it is superfivous to say what ‘the Guards would be now, but I believe they will not be at the storming in conseqnence of their sadly diminished numbers, and the majority ofthe men being still weakly after their winter sufferings. The British Artillerymen, with the Guards, therefure, will re- main with the Turks at Bala Clava.

“WE ARE AT IT AT LAST!

The following le'ter has just been received from Sergeant Dunkley, of the 97th Reviuent. It is dated before Sebas- Bombardment opened this morning at daylight, from the allies, and at this moment Sebastopol is in one blaze of fire. You cannot hear men speaking a yard from you for the noise of cannon. Our Sailors’ Battery is playing the devil; they have already silenced two batter‘es in their front; but still the Russians are throwing in a tremendous fire. We have been belted all night. The sailors look like devils; they have pulled off all but their trowsers, and it is raining very hard; so what with the rain and powder running down their naked bodies, and the noise of the siege, it is a strange sight. It is reported we are to make a rush inthe morning with the bayovet; ‘that will be the moment of glory. “Tiey never can stand us, I

now five p.m. [am very uaset!!oJ, andall is uproar, As

yet the fleet have not taken any part, but I thivk they |

will wait until we have got into the city, and then force the If they don’t, 'l think we shall find the forts very warm after we get in. “S'wo or three of the c:ptains of the large ships, (steam line-of-battle ships, 1 think and T hear) have :volunteered to break- the chain of«sunken-Ships-acress the harbor, and to open the passage. Waggons full of wounde] are now goiny past my tent. They say the Light Bivision leads the assault. I hope so, as we now beloug to it.”

(From tie St. John N. B. Church Witness.)

Prixce Evwanp Is-anp.— A correspondent of the Halifax Presbyterian Witness furnishes the following ivteresting summary of intelligence from: this-Prevince :—

Since I last «wrote you, the monotonous movements Of; Charlottetown have been considerably relieved by the pro- ceedings of our Colonial Legislature. who at present have the ascendancy, since they first came

have given pretty general satisfaction to the inhabitants -o” this Island. By their exertion what is called Responsible Government was first obtained. They have greatly modified the laws respecting the Franchise, as the people now enjoy nearly universal suffrage. They have established a system of.education termed the Free School system, which bids fair to effect most advaitazeous resulis. This system is supported by-a-very moderate tax principally on lands, ‘All cultivated land is required to pay about four shillings per hundred aeres, and wilderness land about twice that amount. This is evidently intended to encourage the more speedy settlement of the wilderness land, and especially to induce the larger proprietors, who claim the greater part of the land on the Island, to sell or lease to settlers on more easy terms than they would othe: wise be disposed to give. This, in many instances, has already had the desired effet, and from what has already been accomplished in this resvect, the most bene- ficial results may yet be anticipated. To enter into a minute description ofthe manner in which the Free School system is earried out would occupy too much space in your valuable paper. 1 may state, howzver, that a-yearly salary of £45 or £50 is given out of the Public Treasury to each male teacher, and £30 to each female teacher. ‘And all that the proprie- tors of Schools in each district require to do is:to erect their school houses and supply their children with books, which they obtain at a very reduced price from the Board of Education, except in some cases when they are anxious to

obtain the services of a very excellent teacher, they give a| out and brought before the public; and, therefore, to prevent Kt is now | such an explosion and disgrace, the Colonial Minister had to ‘about three years since this system came into operation, and | find Gorernors—men who were fit for the purposes of decep- the principal difficulty in carrying it ont has hitherto been the! tjon—and send them unconstitutions! despatches to enable

small sur in addition to the goverume: salary.

great deficiency in the number ©? qualified teachers. his resulted from the high qualifications which the Board of /iucation demand before a teacher can obiain license. Put this diMculty is rapidly diminishing, as many of the more efficient seiools : ble numbers of pupils whoo". u license as competent teachers, Tais remark is particularly applicable to a school taught by Mr. Samson Farquharson in King’s County, from which, during the last year, eight teachers have come out who not only biing with them an education qualifying them at once to pass the Board of Education as first class teachers, but also a most excellent system of conducting a school, which cannot

teachers on the Island will be required to remain for at least three months,so that they may acquire a uniform system of eov-

The political party |

lat the camp, and will be forwarded to the advanced trenches | here yesterday. The result as respects these is on the whole to-night. A new buttery also will be completed before ‘to- | favourable, but the reports of ‘those out are anything but ‘into the House of Assembly at the election of 1842. O} ‘morrow morning. It is to mount eight 84-pounders, and cheering. One encouraging circumstance, however, is that said one, “he had £300 for going to England!” And whe will be placed in the most advanced trench, near the middle | the greater number of the vessels eome:in took their seals they are told that officers of Government had £400 a y. All the embrasures, gunways, and other preparations late.—Sr. John’s, Nfld., April 21.

[t will attack only the Malakoff, and |

The Kingston (C inala) News, of the Ist inst., states that, in consequence of the pr ce of flour having been rai-ed to thirteen dollars per barrel, the people of Smith’s Falls have

broken open the stores and helped themselves ad libitum. A great deal of suffering is said to prevail in the Township of Marlborough and the adjacent Townships, which were

being destitute of food, and the means of procuring seed for their spring crops.

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Twenty-eight hundred and seventy-six dullars worth of butter, the product of Canada and Nova Scotia, was entered at the Custom House, boston, on the 27th ult., per Bark Halifax.

Correspondence.

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FOR THE EXAMINER,

{TO THE ELECTORS OF THE FIRST DISTRICT 6F KING'S COUNTY.

You have no doubt read in the published debates on the land-question, that the Mon. Mr. Coles accused me of break- ing my pledge, -and'L.am now to justify my conduct, and show, by a-statement of the case, that [ need to do so fur your interest, and for the bcuct of the-people at large.

The pledge was propo-o | »y the Hon, James Ding- wall, that IT would suppor! the Government to-carry out the Purchase Bill. I do not know whether he had any author- ‘ity'from you to put such a ; edge to me,-oravhether he-acted as agent for the Governm at. -If the latter, he was, no doubt,-initiated into the’y secrets, and must have known that they were intendins io do something which: they <knew I would be opposed to. Bill, and promised to support the:Govermment to earry it into operation, bat not without an investigation of: the titles of land.

Soon after the election, T had reasomto suspect that there was some foul play intended, und itwas my duty to prevent it, if possib‘e, by informing the people; and as there was no meeting called in the District, as intended, I published a pamphlet containing the correspondence between the Hon. Mr. Coles and »iyeelf, giving both our views on the subject of the land question, for the information of the people, who

re sending forth considera-| he informed, in the first place, of what was their rights.

were mainly iterested.

The prosperity at stake iso great, and the people ti been se often disappointed and deceived, that. the scarcely place confidenee ‘ia any one, and asd t suspected as well as othe ll have to take a

the past proceedings on uestion, and the part T ¢-you to form an opinion

have taken in that questiony of my motives at present, 7

The public records shew that an Act was passed in the year 1808, with the advice of the British Government, for the escheat of the forfeited lands. In the year 1805 the House of Assembly came to several resolutions, implying that the Bill of Escheat had been made away with. In the year 1806 the House of Assemb!y appointed a committee to bring in a new Bill; bat as no Bill was brought in, we may believe th. t the House of Asseubly was overawed, deceived | or something “ese, for the question dropped for years after. | wards, The same spirit of deceit and corruption which pre- viiled then—first to erect, and then to destrvy the B:ll of Kscheat—is now at work as strong as formerly to defeat one clause in the Land Purchase Bill, viz: for the investigation of the landlords’ titles to the townships.

If the men in the Island had made a firm stand for their rights when Governor Fanning destroyed the Bill of Escheat, they would have obtained their rights at that time ; instead of which, I have been told they grumied, disputed, and ac- cused one another, and were led like children into bondage, and became tenants to imposters, whose sole study was to de- ceive and enslave them,.and have their Jabour to clear an estate, and pay a rent for their own improvements. But except the murmuring and general dissatisfaction, the land question appears to have remained guiet-a.il Br. McAulay made a motion in the House of Assembly, on behalf of 800 petitioners, in the year 1825, which was voted premature.

It should be borne in mind that when Governor Fanning aud his Council destroyed the Bill of Escheat, he could not have done so without a party in the Island, and traitors in the Colonial Office in England ‘to support him and deceive the people. The destruction of such a Bill would have brought disgraee upon the Colonial Office if it had been found

hem to help the usurpers to uphold the deception and keep the people in bondage.

When I took up the question, in the year 1831, T had no |’

idea of the host I had:tu contend with. Phe people-had to

But where there was one to advise them right, fur their own

devastated by the fire last August, many of the settlers |

But I was satisfied with the Purchase |

,a life in bondage.

— = Ae AMES AAG STIRS A the old song in reference to myself, which sent the us)»

|for remaining at home and attending to other interests fur

the benefit 6f their families, and that I had to leave my work ‘on my farmand pay my expenses to England and back— | But what.good did he do by going there?” is the next ob- jection. As the people have done themselves a great deal of \injury by ‘such-objections, it is to answer them that I have introduced ‘this subject.

When I went to England the first time, it was as a dele- 'gite from the tenantry. I was received by Lord Glenelg, who spoke freely with me on the stare of ‘the tenantry, bui said that I was in a minority in the House of Assembly, and was not an authorised agent from any branch of the Legisla- tare, consequently he could not give mean official answer, and, therefore, I could urge no further. But wuen the people returned men at the next election, in 183%, to advo- cate their interests, and it was thought proper by the Ff of Assembly that I shoutd retarn to England agsin; and being allowed £300 by the Legislature, | was the agent of the Legislature as far as the vote to defray my expenses went, and was received as such by the Marquis of Normanby. He said he had written to the [sland for more information, and he could not give me an answer until he received it. The Manguis has been known as an upright man, who would not be guilty of an-anworthy or dishonorable action, and I then thought that when he found so much iniquity had been practised against the.Island, and more required, he would have nothing to: do with it, for when the answer came fom the Island, Lord-John Russell, who was less scrupulous, ex- changed with the Marquis for the Colonial Office, and like a guilty person, or one in debt and unwilling to pay, he refused to see me or send me an-answer. Then, at my request, Joseph Hume, M..P.,-acted as agent for the Colony w.* or" pay, because he found the Colony had been unjustly treai by the Colonial Office. Mr. Hume received documents frou

Ofice, and when he called upon the Minister for an answer, the Minister said: there -was*to be a new election in the Island, and ke could not give an answér until he was in- formed by the returns of wenbers whether the people con- tinued of the same opinion as formerly.

The !andlords bad held up the £300, paid to 2 dclegate, in so many shapes aud forms, be Sore ihe eyes of the people, that they were fairly blinded to their own interest, and lost sight of their bondage and of the £59.00, the yearly rent they were paying to ‘impostors, the very men who were Ceceiving them consequently.

fhe clection of 1842 was in favor of the usurpers and

tation was lost for another ten years by that electiou ; an’ as

I could do no more gvod for the people when I was in a mi-

pity, amd the people themselves bewildered, [ would not secp uy seat for the-suke of pay, and, therefore, I left the House of Assembly to do something for myself. But the good seed which was sown during that ten years’ agitation has grown up, first into Earl Grey's despatch, and then into an Act to investigate landlords’ titles, and the people may now take the fruit if they will mount the tree; if not, the ravens will have‘it all to themselves,

The agitation Which was commenced in 1831 was partially kept up until Responsible Governmeat was conceded, in 1851, and that was the first step gained towards the settle- ment of the land question. It appears that most of the tenantry had given up the prospect of any setilement, an? <aw nothing before them but to remain tenants and drag «

r Bat the Ministry had uot forgotten ¢ iniquity they had practised, nor the lesson the agitation taught them, and they had to meet the difficulty wien !o- sponsible Governmcut was granted, and the main object was to’send out a Governor, an able politician, who could orm a party in the [skind who would settle the people off-hand, oi take upon themselves the responsibility of deceiving the people and delaying the settlement-—but whatever way they may do it, save the Colonial Uffice from the disgrace.

When I arrived in Charlottetown from the fer West, in June, 1851, Allan.Fraser, a trusteorthy man, brought mea copy ef Earl Grey’s ‘despatch, saying he felt very doubtful the Government did not intend to tako o¢vautage of what good was in the despatch. They leaned upon the opposite side,-and ke regretted very much .the absence of Melatosb, Lelacheur and wyself from the House ct Assembly at such a time. I saw the advantage gained by the ten years’ agiie- tion, and that Sir Alexander's attention was particularly di- rected to it, and it was with the intention that it should net he destroyed, like the Bill of Lscheat by Gorernor Fanning, that av address was presented to Sir A’exander trum the in- habitants of King’s County. ‘The despatch and address aro

Ass in the pamphlet.

we ras oH 4 nresence of Messrs. McIntosh «: Meinnis, who went with wc ty presi! ie sodrors, Taat be had read all my communications at the Colonia. Ullice, It my ect: uunications -were thought worthy of Karl Grey di- rectioe Sir Alexander to-read them in the. office, they cor- tainly were wort! all they cost this country.

The despatch in Earl-Grey’s instructions to Sir Alexander Bannerman, aud to “rovernor Daly also, and is dated the 12th February, 1851, Earl Grey says-——“ i am particularly anxious -to direct vour aiiention to a question which affects

interest, there were many to advise them ‘wrong, for the landlords’ interest, besides the power the usurpers had to intimidate them with proseentions fr rent. Then I nee considerable expense and ! My fermer frien

fursock me, and turned my wost biter enemies. L was de- prived of my offices, and prosecuted with law-suits. I was

nti midated. Such sacrifices ose who understood that I caim theie rights. Bat there

were mary others who caunot see so far, aud learn to repeat

more than avy Other the political and social wellbeing of ths ‘community. It is a matter of the highest importance, and that somo satisfactory arrangement of it should now take tace. L mean the subject of the landed tenures, You will refer to the corresponlnce between the Colonial Office and Prince Elward, since the year 1832, and you wil! inform yourself of all the particulars.” Now, these are the docu- ments which Sir Alexander read at the Colonial Office.

I must here observe, that Minisiers having encouraged Goveraur Fanning to destroy the Biil of Escheat and a usur- pation of the forteited lands, every succeeding Minister had to countenance the usurpation in some way or other, or

the landiords to remunerate the tenauis ‘or their improve-|jn my praise. But I may st ll try to teach them better,

ments before they can be ejected for the non-payment of rent.

; when { can shew them they have been taught to sing aguiust |

They have also cranted the sum of £2,000 out of the Colovial | their owa interests. The House of Assembly, this Session, Treasury for the Patriotie Fund. In addition to these Bills yoted the two years’ back pay which has been due to me

which have already been carried, they have the Maine) these seveuteen yeurs; vated formerly by the House, and re-

Liquor Law and a Bill for the Incorporation of Charlottetown | fused by the Council. My colleagues in persecution—

under consideratio»,

4~<oa>-> «+ >

Messrs. McIntosh av? LeLacheur-—received theirs two years ago; yet this yoteo wy back pay is made a song of in the

Tux Seat Fisuery.—As the season advances here there country. But I do uot mean songs, 1 mean words, whieb is an increasing anxiety as to the result of this hezardous are caught up at second-hand by people whe cannu. ‘tink

enterpr'se. OQuly about twenty vessels have returned to this! for themselves, but caa repeat words when put into their uo

horse. Ty-day between 500 and 690 scaling ladders arrived | Port and Qorecption Bay, of which seven er cight came in} wouth to puta stop to all reasoning or argument, such as

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ercate a rupture in the Government, Therefore, the Colonial | Ministers have written their despatches to suit the ovcasiou, that the party in power in the Colot y—the usurpers—might Gad something io, favor thir views. But this last despatch, ‘although it points both ways, declares i: to be “a matter of the highest impertance that so.uc satisfactory arrangement 0 ‘it should now.take place,” and was written cx pressly for the ‘introduction of Responsible Government. | When Sir siaecadee arrived, the Family ae ‘head of the usurpers—were .in power and could ae govern the people. They were to have one year hy aad Jer the authority of the Home Government, to ected neat with a pension,

|

_ by troops, if necessary, and go into retire

the House of Assembly, which he presented to the Colonial .

against the tenantry, and what was gained by ten years’ agi- |

ave ots