Earl Grey is Secretary for The British Colonies,

And if his Lordship takes a cold "fis ten to one he’ll sneeze—

His office is in Downing Street, Good people, do not doubt it,

For Pope and Palmer, if they please, Can tell you all about it.

Old Johnny Bull, who, it is said, All other bulls o’ermatches,

Finds Grey in pudding, beef and bread, For writing out “ Despatches ;”

But then the mighty quill of State: He only drives at random—

Like parrots that can speeches prate, And cannot understand ’em.

Ilis only aim’s to throw about The truth an artful screening,

Or rack his brains to torture out And mystify its meaning ;

Then papers full of quibbling cant,— The language of coniusion—

*J can, 1 can’t,” “you shall, you shan't,” Are sent us in profusion. |

Woe to the Officer in power (Confusion must betide him)

W hea leans in trust, some evil hour, On such advice to guide him—

’Tis just to throw up reason’s reins— To suffer Grey to blind him—

And ride smooth-shod o’er folly’s plains, With ruin hard behind him.

To govern is a Royal trade, And it requires discretion— ‘Uneasy rests the crowned head,” Was once a king’s confession ; In flattery’s smile, and faction’s frown Who rules must be a sharer; And oft a delegated crown Doth sadly tease the wearer.

Once Governor Huntley ruled the Isle— And Governor Smith before him,

But both were forced to ‘‘clear the stile,” When factions form’d their quorum ;

The wise might hence a lesson learn— Sir Donald’s self might read it—

Before the trembling balance turn, While yet there’s time to heed it.

MEETING AT GRAND RIVER, LOT 56.

At a meeting of the inhabitants of Grand River Har- vour Settlement, held on the Sth day of March, 1830, at the house of Mr. Hector M‘Donald, the following Kesolutions were unanimously agreed to:—

Moved by James Steel, seconded by Hector M‘Do- nald.—Resolved, That it is the opinion of this meet- ing that this Settlement sustains much injury from the absence of a Fish Inspector.

Moved by Neil Steel, seconded by Alex. M‘Donald. — Resolved, That a Petition be presented to His Excel- iency, praying him to appoint a trust-worthy person to fill the office of Fish Inspectors

Moved by James Steel, seconded by Donald M‘Cor- mack.— Resolved, That John C. Underhay, Stephen Steel, and Andrew M‘Innis, be a Committee to prepare the beforenamed Petition.

Moved by Gasper M‘Innis, seconded by Stephen Steel.— Resolved, ‘That E. Whelan and D. Flynn, Esqrs. be requested to present to His Excellency the before- named Petition.

Moved by Matthew M‘Cormack, seconded by Patrick M‘Donald.— Resolved, That a Petition be presented to His Excellency, praying for the establishment of a Ferry between Grand River Wharf and Morrison’s Beach.

Moved by Donald Steel, seconded by Donald Camp- dell.—Resolved. That John C. Underhay, Stephen Steel, and Andrew M‘Innis, be a Committee to prepare said Petition.

Moved by Allan Steel, seconded by John Robinson. Resolved, That E. Whelan and D. Flynn, Esquires, be requested to present to His Excellency said Petition.

On behalf of the meeting. JOHN C. UNDERHAY, Chairman.

Che Examiner.

WEDNESDAY APRIL 38, 1850.

THE CAUSE OF THE PROROGATION.

Way was the Assembly prorogued ?

We purpose to answer this question in terms brief

and to the point. When the House of Assembly came to a vote of want! of confidence in the Executive Council, it had thereby |

THE BXARIAEK.

71

CAMEL A CY Were:

| reasons ior which that vote was recorded. The House jof Assembly acted neither rashly nor prematurely in jtaking this step. The Despatch, No. 93, so hastily |laid before the House by the Lieut. Governor, at the ‘beginning of the Session, shewed clearly enough that this Excellency was left to exercise his own discretion \as to the time Responsible Government might be put in practice, provided the House made a gatisfactory arran- igement for the payment of the Civil List.

| Several days elapsed: ‘The members of the Execu- tive, Council stuck to their places like leeches,—what jenn they for a vote of no confidence? Why should ‘they defer to public opinion? Public opinion scattered other Governments in other Provinces to atoms, but public opinion here was a puerile thing compared to the might and majesty of our Executive Council: So dreamt that honourable Body.—The members of the House of Assembly were not tebe driven from their purpose: they wisely thought their time could be more profitably spent on their farms and in their shops, than in loitering about the streets of the capital, so they hastened to re-enact the expiring Laws--prepare to make their exit from Charlottetown, and postpone the performance of other legislative business till such time as common sense and common decency would waken the Executive from its dream of power.

The English Mail arrived: a confidential Despatch arrived with it: the Lieutenant Governor grew alarmed at Witnessing the unalterable determination of the House. The Assembly wag requested by His Excel- lency, through a member of the Council, to suspend further action in reference to the vote of want of confi- dence until His Excellency would have time to lay be- fore it “an important Despatch on Responsible Govern- ment,” received by the Mail of the night previous to the delivery of the request. ‘I'he House complied, feeling assured His Excellency only made the request because he was prepared to accede to the Assembly’s views. A few hours after an extract from this “important De- spatch” was laid upon the table of the House: it signi- fied the consent of the Colonial Minister to the intro- tion of the Responsible System when the House of Assemhly would liaye made those “ permanent provi- sions” pointed out in his Lordship’s Despatch, No. 93. Without a moment’s delay Mr. Coles rose and snbmit- ted the draft of a Bill, which embodied those “ per- manent provisions,” and which has since received the sanction of all Branches of the Legislature. The Executive Council then awoke: they felt it was impolitic, at least, to continue in the Government after the declaration in favor of the views of the Assembly, contained in Earl Grey’s Private Despatch, and they accordingly tendered their resignations to His Excel- lency. Sir Donald then addressed a note to Mr. Coles —he being the mover of the want of confidence vote— requesting an interview with that Gentleman and two others of his party, one from the Assembly and one from the Legislative Council. Messrs. Coles, Warbur- ton and Swabey waited upon the Governor. His Excel- lency claimed a satisfactory provision for the Chief Judge and pensions for the Secretary and Treasurer, to

the amount of £200 a year, telling the deputation that when these arrangements were effected they would have matters “their own way.” The deputation then left Government House to consult with their colleagues. Respecting the Judge, Mr. Coles proposed to that Offi- cer to settle upon him £700 a year, and pay him £500 in hand as a gratuity, and in relinquishment of any fur- ther claim upon the Government, which proposal met with the approbation of the Judge. To this the majority consented; and in respect to the Secretary and T'rea- surer, it was agreed that those Gentlemen might hold offices that would realize £200 a year each, in lieu of pensions; and it was likewise agreed, that the Attorney General might continue in his post, and hold a seat in the Government, provided he offered no factious oppo- sition to the Administration. When these decisions were communicated to tle Governor by the deputation, at a second interview, His Excellency expressed him- self satisfied, observing, that Mr. Coles had made a better bargain with the Judge than he (the Governor) himself could make; and, with respect to the other Officers, His Excellency remarked, he thought they could not do better than accept the offers of the majority of the Assembly. Mr. Coles then urged His Excellency to name a new Council, as the Assembly had decided on doing no business with the old Executive. His Ex- cellency replied, that he would appoint the three Gen- tlemen then conducting the conference to seats at the Board, in the room of Messrs. Palmer, Thornton, and

declared its inability to proceed with the business of ‘be Session until an entirely new Council would be’ formed. The public are already in possession of the’

Brenan; but would make no other appointments to the Council until he communicated with the Secretary for

WET PARLE «RD ERSTE TY ARNE Re NETTIE |

declined this magnificent offer, not wishing to be put in company with Gentlemen in whom the Assembly had declared its want of confidence, and be of a Council in which they would be minority. The negociation was then ended,—the House resumed its preparations for departure,

And hence the cause of the Prorogation.

The comments which these facts will fully justify, and are calculated to elicit, we reserve for Saturday’s Number of Tue Examiner.

The thirty-pound apostate of the Islander says he nde rstands that Resolutions “ regarding the Proroga- tion” have been prepared by the Liberal Party, to be submitted to the country at public meetings, and hopes the public will see the propriety of keeping themselves aloof from such meetings. Now, if the Liberals wish- ed to prepare resolutions “regarding the prorogation,” or any other subject, we are quite sure they would have no difficulty in getting the majority of the people to adopt them; and the hope and admonition of the Island- er would be just as little regarded, as any thing else which hag lately emanated, or likely to ever emanate again from the pen of the rejected, discomfited, and unprincipled man who has lent himself to the “ indefen- sible cayse of the officials, through avarice and spite. But we can tell the old boy that he need not be alarm- ed on this head. The Liberals baye no idea of calling. public meetings (just now at least) and passing resolu- tions. Public opinion has been recently significantly

enough expressed to render such proceedings unnecess- ary; and not a man ia the Island knows that better and feels it more acutely than Duncan Maclean, Acting in conformity with the principles of the British Constitu- tion, and encouraged by the liberal views of their Sovereign and her Ministry, the majority of the House of Assembly can well afford to take matters very quietly, and be confident regarding the result of their appeal to the British Government, Duncan Maclean’s rigmarole of nonsense, backed by the fancied influence of his masters, to the contrary notwithstanding.

Only two things are shewn by Duncan Maclean’s long and jaboriously written article in the last Islander, headed “ Responsible Government,” which, we presume, will be read only by those who have nothing else to yawn over ;and these two things are,--that the evils and corrup- tions which he apprehends from the introduction of Re- sponsible Government, are and have been glaringly con-

spicuous under the existing system of Administration ; |

and that, if we must of necessity abandon these evils and corruptions, we had better become Republicans at once —copy the institutions of the Americans States, and

vote British principles and practice humbugs anc °

delusions. This is the only light in which we or any

body else can view Duncan Maclean’s constitution tinkering. We cannot, however, suppose that Duncan is partial to any particular form of Government: his objects, we know, are, to mistify the views of the Liberals—to earn his thirty pounds by mental dradgery of some sort, and to keep, if that ve possible, his masters in office.

Remarks on a communication signed “ Lex,” in Jast Friday’s Islander, are omitted for want of epace.

Tar Matrs.—The Colonial and United States Maile have not yet arrived. The Ice-Boat, it is beleived, did pot cross over to Cape Tormentine till yestesday.

TO LET.

PAT pleasantly situated Mansion in the vicinity of Government House, and now in the occupation of the Hon. the Chief Justice, consisting of Twenty-one highly finished apartments, with Coach House, Stable, Kitchen, Flower Garden, and a never failing Spring of Pure Water on the Premises.

Possession given on or about the 18th May next. apply to DAVID WILSON.

Richmond Street March &0.

NOTICE.

iLL. Persons indebted to the Subscriber, either by Note of Hand or Book Account, are requested to pay the same without delay, or proceedings will be taken

ainst them without distinction of persons. noe JAMES O’RIELLY. March 27. is 3 in. Wry

T°? be Sold by Auction, on WEDNESDAY the 10th day of April next, at the Old COURT HOUSE Charlottetown, at TWELVE o‘clock noon, if not preyious:y dispoged of, by private Contract, the FARM of

MEADOWBANK,

at Elliot River, Lot 31, comprising 320 acres of excellent Land, about 30 of which are in a high state ef cultivation, with Dwelling House, Barns, ‘Threshing Machine, &c., thereen, now in the occupation of the Subscriber.

Fora Pian of the Property, and other particulars, enquire a4

the Office of James Peake, Esquire, Charlottetown. . aoe JAMES B. COOPER.

the Colonics. Messrs. Swabey, Coles, and Warburton,

Meadowbank. Lot 31, March 20. 1850