a | + OF FS, f “ : et Vf winnie Gi i § ¥: & / Ba £ “THIS 18 TRUE LIBERTY, WHEN FREEBORN MEN—HAVING TO ADVISE THE PUBLIC, MAY SPEAK FREE.” —Eurrpipks, Vou. I.] CHARLOTTETOWN, P. E. ISLAND, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1848. [No.5 9

TO DUNCAN MACLEAN, Ese., M. P.P.

No. lV. Sir;

You have insinuated more than once that I am anx- ious to draw a veilover my former conduct asa journal- ist. I think I have proved this insinuation to be as groundless as it is mean—and that I am not only not afflicted with‘a short memory,’ but that I cherish a

faithfal remerabrance of figures and facts, which can-)

not be set aside by your false testimony and malevo- lence, and from which the public eye cannot be long diverted by your puny efforts to play the eatirist. ’Tis a great pity nature did not put a better tongue in your head, for, could you utter with facility the seemingly mart phrases that embroider your correspondence, end which a country echool-boy might mistake for wit, you would undoubtedly shine as a clewn ia 4 circus, or & spunger in a taproom.

Speaking of the publication of the Constitutionalist, you assert that I “approved of the design, by the pub- ication of a letter, and subsequently offered my services to edit that paper.” I can readily prove this to be ano- ther falsehoed. I never wrote a line which could, by eny ingenuity, be construed into an approval of the design of publishing the Constitutionalist, and never affered my services to edit that paper. In the Spring of 1846, Mr. Wm. Pope came to me, and suggested the expediency of re-starting the Palladium, adding, that some capital could be got to commence with. After some reflection, [ assented te recommence its publica- tion, providing a sufficient amount was placed at my disposal, on loan, to procure the necessary Printing Materials, and that the entire control of the paper would be left to myself: this latter condition did not appear to be very well relished. Immediately after my interview with Mr. Wm. Pope, I made a visit to a friend at the East Point, where I remained for nearly six weeks. In the interval, lamused myself by writing for the Morning News « series of light and sketchy letters over the sig- nature of “ Peter Palaver.” One of these letters con- tained some strictures on Mr. Joseph Pope and his party in the Assembly ; and on their being traced to my pen, the wily Speaker concluded, as he afterwards expressed it to a friend in Charlottetown, that “it would not be safe to entrust me”—holding tie opinions which were dimly shadowed forth in my anonymous letters—“ with

the management of a paper.” Just about the time I was

on my way from the East Point to Charlottetown, I re-

ceived a letter from Mr. Wm. Pope, informing me that

the necessary arrangements had been made for the im-

mediate issuing of a paper, and urging me to hasten

down, and “give the good cause the benefit of my talents.” On my arrival in Charlottetown, I learned that an old Press had been furbished up, owned by Mr.

Bagnall, and worth about 20s., and a small supply of

type borrowed or bought from the Queen’s Printer.

‘hese were the instruments with which the Governor was to be driven out of the Colony. 1 also learned that

Mr. Collard—who was at that time employed as a “ li-

terary man” in the Gazette office—had been retained to edit the paper. On learning these facts, I took no

farther interest in the “design” of starting & paper. ‘The Constitutionalist went on. Mr. Collard tried by ¢wo or three unsuccessful attempts to prevail on me to contribute some articles to the paper. I declined having avy thing to do with it. On the second or third week of its publication, I was met im the street by Mr. C., who accosted me thus: “ Well, Mr. W., I think we will have you out in print at last; we have found a strange document, which will be publisked in the next Con., and in which your old paper, the Pal. is attacked. You'll have to come forth and defend it.” “I’m ready, at any time, to defend it,” I replied. This strange docu- snent was an appeal to the Proprietors, urging them to give pecuniary assistance to the Jslander, as the organ uf their views, and showing how necessary it was to

support a paper that advocated proprietary claims, whilst the Palladium was in opposition, and threatened not only to destroy the Islander, but to render the estates of the proprietors valueless. In reply to this extraordinary production, I began to write a communication for the Constitutionalist. I sent 8 or 10 pages of the MSS. to Mr. Collard, and they were hastily putin type. On the following day seven ot eight pages more were written, and sent to Mr. C. In these concluding pages, I ex- pressed in strong terms my approval of Sir Henry Huntley’s suspension of Mr. Pope, as Councillor, and alluded, in no complimentary style, to the spirit of the Con. In the evening of the same day, Mr. C. called at my house, and expressed his astonishment at what I had written in favor of Sir Henry and against Mr. Pope, and urged me to strike it out of the letter. I replied, that I would not consent to any omission, and requested the MSS. to be returned if not published entire. It was accordingly returned, accompanied by a note from Mr. C., in which he stated, as a reason for refusing to pub- lish the letter, that the Con. was established for the purpose of effecting the removal oi Sir Henry, and, of course, no expression of opinion in his favour could be entertained. At once, then, I requested the late Mr. Moody to give my letter a place in the Morning News, to which request he promptly acceded. Nothing so thoroughly convinced me of the insincerity of the pro- fessions with which the Con. was foisted on the public, as this refusal to entertain a communication in reply to an article which had appeared in that paper. The main object to be achieved by the re-production of the Pro- prietors’ memorial on behalf of the Islander, was to elicit the support of the Tenantry in favor of the Con.; and because I would not tumble myself into the trap so artfully set for me, and give Mr. C. my assistance in carrying out this object, I was thenceforth to be pelted with the same filth which Collard and Pope had put ih store for the Governor. Determined not tamely to sub- mit to my traducers, and believing that I might guard the public against much imposition, which I felt satisfied would be practised, in order to gain a triumph at the then approaching elections favourable to the interests} of the oligarchy, [ availed myself of an offer made to me by Mr. Moody more than three months before the Constitutionalist was thought of, to undertake the editor- ship of his paper. This was in May, 1846, I had no personal acquaintance with Governor Huntley at the time; and whether the Morning Vews was or wes not his especial organ, did not concern me in the least. I had nothing whatever to do with him in taking the management of the paper. Mr. Moody agreed to re- munerate me for my services, and fulfilled his agree- ment; but no other “consideration” did I receive. if this was acting the part of a “hireling,” I can point to the example of able, learned, and distinguished men in the old world and the new, who have for years conduct- ed periodicals, in the property of which they have no share. In fact, in this respect, I was in no worse posi- tion than Mr. Collard: he was employed by Mr. Pope to edit the Césstitutionalist: 1 was employed by Mr. Moody to manage the Morning ews. It is not every printer who can edit his own paper: John Ings is a case in point;~—and he who takes the management ofa journal, over the property of which he has no control, places himself ina position no less honourable than the commission merchant who undertakes the disposal of your personal property—the steward er agent who over-

sees and regulates your estate ; or, the tailor who fits upon your back u coat from the cloth you have placed in his care.

To shew what little confidence the country put in the outcry raised against me by the Constitutionalist, name- ly, that I had changed my politics, and to secure, if possible, one vote in the Legislature against the oli- garchy, Ientered the lists against Mr. Wightman—a

friend te Compact ascendancy—for the representation |

of the Second District of King’s County. This District had been represented in the old Parliament by two steady and consistent liberals, and was notorious for its inflexible adherence to liberal principles. I had little or no acquaintance with the Electors, and no powerful supporters from Charlottetown to aid me in the contest Before asking for a vote, I told the electors I approved of the conduct of Sir Henry Huntley since his suspension of Mr. Pope, and that if returned, 1 would support his policy in the Legislature. At that election, the late Mr. William Dingwell—the former member, and an un- swerving liberal—aided me by his influence at Grand River—and at Morrell I was ably assisted by Mr. Mac- intosh and Mr. D. McDonald, equally notorious for the inviolability of their political faith. Qn the third day’s polling my name stood at the head of the list, and the wealthy and influential Joseph Wightman flew from the field in disgust, and left the victory to Doctor Jardine and myself. Atthis time I was nearly three months engaged upon the Morning .Vews, and more than another month had passed before I interehanged a word with Sir Henry Huntley. Throughout the whole of this periéd my only rule of conduct was my own conviction; strengthened by the deceit and misrepresentation re- sorted to by the Constitutionalist, in order to pourtray Mr. Pope as an injured man and an incorruptible patriot, and all whe opposed and exposed his artifices, as rene- gades, hirelings, and needy adventurers.

Having thus replied to your “ review” of my “ career as a public journalist,” I will now briefly notice your statement—utterly untrue as it is—made on the autho- rity of a rumour which you ascribe.to the Charlottetown school of scaudal, namely, that [ had “recanted my political principles fer £60.” In whata strange bundle of inconsistestcies does this silly lie involve you! You assert that I have disgraced myself and my constituents by stating in the Examiner of the 15th May that you had sold yourself to the Compact—{my constituents are, forsooth, so mightily concerned about your public cha- racter)—that the House of Assembly ought to investi- gate the charge, and if proved, that you deserve expuision—that in making the chatge I committed “a mean and contemptible offence,” “from which there is no retreat but with dishonour,” and that only a “ scoun- drel” and “scamp” would publish such an accusation against an “opposition member.” You have shown that all these opprobrious epithets might, in all fairness, be applied to yourself—that you are a “scoundrel” and “scamp,” that you have “ disgraced your constituents,” and, in the event of your not being able to prove the rumour against me, that you deserve expulsion from the House of Assembly. I do not mean to make use of any such course language in reference to you. I can defend myself without descending to vulgarity, and I can assure you that if I believed you to be a “ scamp” and “scoundrel,” and guilty of an offence “ from which there is no retreat but with dishonour,” [ would consider my- self irredemiably disgraced by holding any communica- tion with you. I am, indeed, charitable enough to believe that you laboured under very strong excitement in apply- ing epithets to me which the veriest fishwomar in Billingsgate would delight to copy, and which, by your own shewing, would be equally applicable to yourself; but permit me to observe, that only a dastard and fou! slanderer could invent the rumour to which you have referréd, and that he who would repeat it in an unexcited frame of mind, without giving proofs of its authenticity. partakes of the odium which must attach to the name of a dastard and foul slanderer.

I must apologise—not to you—but to the readers of the Examiner—for occupying many columns of space that might be more usefully employed than in answering your silly charges against myself, and in exposing your shameful betrayal of your constituents. For my own part, so indifferent am I to all you can write against me, that I would as soon republish ae not in my own

ti on tie i Ame anti : RIES: = -

einen o n os Becca eens

Ss ceatnenetinnnateniadined

ne

on!

ee

~ a -

| | |

ao Sietmeinianeasilll

el ee > es