‘of their Memorial to Lord Stanley, I. H. Haviland, Charles

yoverhment of the Colony, are precisely of the same nature, | and are, under the present aspect of our affairs, together forced pon our attention at the same monsmet. As, however, the hange in the form and system of om government, will, by itself, be brought under the considerstion of your Honors, I will reserve any further commen's which | fee] disposed to make upon its arbitrary and uncoustitutional character, unti) it shall ve fairly before us. His Honor (Vo!. Swabey), in opening up) ind reviewing the question of the fishery Reserves, has clearly shewn that the privileges intended to be conferred upon and | oreserved to the people of this Island, and to British subjects in general, in the making of the Keserves in the original Grants, have been daly claimed and insisted upon, to the present time, ever since the Island became a British Colony ; and, in a most able and convincing manner, has he sustained every fact and proposition which he has advanced concerning them, proving beyond the power of dispute that the declaration that the claims of the public or of the government to the Pel originally retained for the public benefit in these Reserves has become obsolete. 1 have bad the honor to sit in this House as 4 member of the Legistature, for the last twenty year”, and, of my own knowledge, | can safely atfirm that, in every legis- lative session daring that period the question has been mooted. Nay, not only has it always heon kept prominently before the Legislature, but it has been legislated upon ; and, although not successfully, yet the fact shews that the claim of the public to the Reserves, instead of having become obsolete, has never been relaxed. If we have legislated unsuccessfully upon the question, (and truly sorry am to be obliged to confess that all our legisla- tion thereon has been nugatory,) we have been unsuccessful, not because we legis!ated unjustly, or upon imaginaryeyr Enters yc grounds, but only because whenever and wherever proprietary ) iterests or proprietary assumptions of right, how indefensible | soever they may be in law and equity, clashed with or were oppos- | ed to the just and true rights and privileges of the tenantry orthe | public at large, as insisted upon by any acts of legislation in the Colony, the proprietors have aiways successfully exerted the unconstitutional influence which they possess with the Home Government, to defeat such measures. And, very unfortunately for the people of this Coloay, the facilities of access to the} Colonial Office, most unjustly extended to the proprietors and | their agents, enables them to make in secret, whatever state- | ments they may think most likely co overbalance the allegations grounds, and r-°sons which may have been publicly set fort by our local legistature in support of any measure devised by them for the relief of the tenantry or benefit of the people in general. Opposition so insidiously made and so unconstituuon- | ally allowed, we are unable to meet or withstand ; and, so long | as the people of this Colony shall be dependent upon the Home | Government for justice in the issue of any agrarian ques on Ip | which the claims or assumptions of proprietors, however unjust they may be, shall conflict with the just rights and privileges of the tenantry or the public, just so long, if proprietors and their agents be allowed to have that secret and unconstitutional intercourse with the Culorial Office which has hi herto been most unjustly accorded to them, just so long, | say, will all oer tegislation oa any such question with a view to the ameli- oration of the condition of the people, be altogether nugatory. Nearly every Despatch of the Home Government bearing upon any such question—that now under his consideration, as well as all others—affords the most convincing evidence of the ani- mus in which it has originated. The objects of ell our agra- rian legislation have secretly and grossly been misrepresented. by proprietors and their agents, at the Colonial Office ; and Colonia} Ministers, by such means, have been induced to to believe that we had no other end in view than that of tramp- ling upon the rights of proprietors, and that it was their duty to withstand us and to answer us in the condemnatory manner in which they have so frequently replied to us. Three estates were originally recognized in the British Constitution—those of king, lords, and commons. In’ process of time, however, a fourth esta‘e, and that not the least, as is shewn by its influence upon national questions of the greatest moment and of the utmost

magnitude sprung up. I mean that of the Press—a free Press | did not exceed six or seven, cther than mere circulars; and the

—and almost inappreciable sre the benefits which, in every point of view, it has conferred, and is conferring, upon the human race wherever it existe. Much good has it done even here, although its wholesome influences, as tvell as all our attempts at ameliorating agrarian legislation, have been most banefally counteracted by a power, which, as respects this Colony, may very properly be termed the fifth estate: I mear that of the proprietors, their agents, and their dependent foc’ ion. This power, this fifth estate, rests like an incubus upon the body of our body politic, paralyzing and deadening its strength and faculties; and never umiil it shal! have been completely shaken off will popular rights be fully and permanently es- tablished in this Colony. T'!j ‘that is accomplished we shall be doomed to lasting uncertainty and unceasing cuntention. In 1855 or 1856, we passed some such Bill as that which is now condemned as unjust’ to proprietors ; and, afterwards another was framed end sent Home to the Colonial Office for the pur- ‘pose of ascertaining whether or not it was such a measure as the Colonial Secretary would deem it right to advise Her Majesty to confirm by the Royal allowance, should it be passed by the Legislature here. The Draft Biil sent home for the purpose of ascertaining the opinion of the Imperial Government concerning its proposed enactments, was duly acknowledged by a Despatch of the Right Hon. Henry Labouchere, at that time Secretary of State for the Colonies, addressed to His Excellency Sir Dominick Daly, which Despatch is dated, “6 Downing Street, 27th March, 1857.” Let us see what Mr. Labouchere wrote concerning the proposed measure. ‘1 have,’’ he wrote, “ to inform you that Her Majesty’s Govern- ment have no objection to the introduction of the measure,— ‘which they hope may prove a serviceable one ; but they cannot pledge themselves to advise Her Majesty to sanction it, until they have had an opportunity of considering any objections which parties interes‘ed in its provisions may have to make to it: which such parties wi!l be able to do while it is passing through the Legislature.”” Mr. Labouchere, it seems, very

naturally conc’uded that the proprictors,—being the parties|of the House. [ say with the unanimous concurrence of the who, most probably, would think that their intereets would be | House ; for | do not understand a silent disseut, such as that endamaged by the provisions of the Bill should it become law, | which,—Jast session, when the Bill to which the Resolution re-

—wonld petition againstit. But in anticipating their opposition to the measure, it is very clear that he expected they would uppose it in a manner in accordance with parliamentary usage, | that is that they would petit oa the Locel Legislatuse against it‘‘while it waa passing through the Legislature.’ Tais, however, the resident proprietors and the agents of the non- reeijent or absentee proprictors, refrained from doing ; althouch ainple time and Opportunities were afforded them, while the Bill was paseing through the Legislater:, to shew cause, by petition, why the Bi'l should not become law. ‘They were, it is but fair to suppose, wel] aWare that, should they so petition the

THE EXAMINER. P Sonia es ——) “ mi “I “tl for ond andilier sibs ‘was no tnchbritable- | get reliable information and fall details. A telegraphio des- ao.) ad no ill will for — -"

: } ents: the | adopted by resident a tgenge 4 gat for the power on the exercise of which they eee i Sue ce of the | maintenance of proprietary usurpallons aa - wr nieiamentiee | great absentee proprietors at the saps cag nom ; be oye or has, hitherto, been a pone ee oor en

il sontipnue to operate as g

aah it it can be sanwye in no pines o we mons a its extinction by the accomplishment of a . a _ a of which, our interests and welfare being blended wi

the larger and more important provinces, the powers of pro- |

prietaryism, if or =— : ~ xerted agoinst them In vain, n de , ahs any thing like an extravagant es a one ings concerning the cruel injustice which, by me ietary infl sont ~ it, has so long been perpetrated against the —— this Colony; but I hesitate not aera — ire that they will yet rise in their majesty anc streng o vd that influence, by constitutional means, and thus ren : iti ! ecuous. The statements petitions for ever after perfectly inn : ore contained in the petitions to which I have just adveried, a be substantiated ; and would, had they been duly invc . ga : at the Colonia! Office, have been found to be wholly ia! voy And yet the Despatch now under our consideration proves an strongly they have biassed the mind of the Minister agains = just and reasonable views entertained in common by the peo} ‘ the government, and the legislature of this Colony, -— _— to the Question of the Fishery Reserves. Mr. | tbnehere, © 1857, informed His Excellency, Sir Dominick t a heen | tier Mxj +73 Government had no objection to the int ee . of the messure,’—the act intitaled *A Bill reloting to the} Fishery Reserve:,-—* which they hoped might prove a Service-|

~- r, 30

: o) Minist ab'e one.” Surely this language cf the Colonis! sinist¢ lecided!y approbatory of the measure, was strong oncoulag’”

ua ; s . } scistature here to hope that, on ment to the Goverament and Legislature het Dé pan

; ieee ine > Poval their passing the Bill, it would be confirmec by the Koya

: 25 ay on aes ere and} allowance. Sut in 1858, the bill having been passed h re and | sent Home for confiimation by Her Majesty, a W idely | difierent opinion concerning the merits of the measure emanates |

from the Colonial Office, under the contro! of anew} peumbent. And thus has it ever been on all land questions. Phe people | have alternately been enconraged to hope for justice—have | been tantalized by promises, seemingly sincere—and disap- pointed, irritated, and provoked by the mo t ungracious re-~

jection of their demands. The vacillating character and cone |

tradictory nature of the Desprtches received from time to time | from the Secretarfes of State for the Colonies, moot provosingiy | unjust as they certainly ere, may, [| think, be easily accounted for. Colonia! Ministers, when left’to the free exercise of thelr } own judgment, perceive the reasonableness and propriety of all the demands made by the people of this Colony upoa the Imperial Government; bat, befure they have it in their power to cause effuct to be given to their just and impartial opiatons, either they are removed from office, or they are induced, through the secret workings of proprietary influence and ea-parte pro- prietary statements, to forego their own independent and cor- rect judgments; and the people are cast back, from a state of pleasing anticipation, to one of gloomy and indignant disap- pointment ; and the conviction is forced upon their minds, a3 it ig most strongly upon imine, that, until the proprietary influence at the Colonial Office shall have been completely destroyed, it will be in vain to legislate on any question relating to the lands of this Colony. That infiuenee must be annihilated, or general prosperity and happiness will never be experienced in Prince Edward Island. This, my opinion concerning the vacillating policy of the Colonial Office and the contradictory nature of the Despatches which, from time to time, we receive from it, iz, in no small degree, strengthened by what has been stated to me by two gentlemen from the neighbouring provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, each of them a member of the Executive of his own province. ‘The first of these gentlemen, he from New Brunswick, told me that the number of Despatches, from the Culonial Offices, annuel'y received by their Government

other, from Neva Scotia, informed me that the number received by their goveruinen’, in any year, seldom exceeded four, excep! the usval ofhcial announcements. Contrast these statements, Your Honors, with the fact that every English Mail brings us two or three m#n latory Despatches from the Colonial Office ; and then say whether we and the people of the neighbouring Provinces are, or are not, as we ought to be, placed upon the same fvoting as respects self-governmem®. Self-government is theirs, perhaps to the fullest extent to which it can proper'y be conferred upon them, a: dependencies of Great Britain. But self-government with us is deranged and crippled, if it is not now completely subverted ; and that it is so is chiefly owing to the baneful influences of proprietaryism. When, in 1851, Responsible Government was, seemingly on the broadest and most secure basis, conceded to us, I rejoiced to think that we had forever got rid of the control of the Colonial Office, and would, thenceforth, have nothing more to fear from the injurious interference of its evil genius—the Proprietors. I rejoiced to think that the people had, at length, deservedly obtained what they had so long justly and persevering!y demanded—the es- tablishment of self-government, to as full an extent as it could,

ith due regard to their dependence upon the Mother Country. be conceded to them; and the loudly called for and long delayed redress of agrarian grievances, | trusted, would then be found easily attainable, and would speedily follow. But sad ex- perience has taught me that I was greatly deceived ; and | am now fully convinced that, unless we shall firat be able to des- troy the influence of the proprietora wiih the Imperial Govern- ment, all legislation, however just, wise, and necessary, con- cerning either the Fishery Reserves, or having, in any wey,

hem at all, would certainly b¢) uncalled for and in ‘orous re far fiom being inclined to geeteene holding cc umissions

land persecution.

I rer take placo at elections, or on any other occasion |

had no intention either to deprive the minority of religious freedom or to tyrannize over a any other way; but now, unhappily, the case is quitea a in too many instanees. And what have been the a

this lamentable change? Every unprejudiced person in = Island, Protestant as well as Catholic, will answer that this

‘ange has been caused by the uncharitableness and gross

ness—the majority

calumnies of the so called Political Parsons, aided by the

ligious meddling of certain in Her Majesty’s Royal

avy. Mr. Lockhead, and a few othérs, who are no eredit to the sacred calling which they pretend to follow, have, in

uence at the Colonial Office and proprietary ) ctitions a fow years, done more harm to the social eondition of Ps

KE. Island than all its well disposed inhabitants will be able to counteract for the next generation. They have abused our highly respected and venerable Bishop—they have — ciously misconstrued his words and intentions—they ave calamniated all the Catholic population, both clergy anil laity —they have been even so base and filthy as to put forth unchristian insinuations against Ladies—and Mr, Lockhead has taken a very prominent part in this,— they have done all these things to excite sectarian hate— to foment religious dissension—to cause their ignorant followers to believe that ('atholies were no better than monsters, and that they were nlotting for the destracticn of Protestants, and to turn our happy and peaccable Isle into a den of religious intolerance

If, unfortunately, any outrages should

—~e

uoreai : when there may be a clash of the religious element, the in- habitants will know at whose door to lay the blame. These intolerant gentlemen are to all appearances leagued with their proscviptionist fellow-brethren in Nova Scotia, whose ery at ihe late elestion in that province was, own with the Catholics, religious!y and politically.” Ona the occasion re-

'ferred to there was a man shot, merely because he was a|

supporter of the Government—an Irishman and a Catholic. The blood of Patrick Hurley calls loudly to heaven for vengeance, and let Mr. Lockhead and his uncbristian fellow yeace-destroyers be assured, that although the guilty parties may escape the just punishment of the law, yet the great avenger of wrong will cooner or later visit them with condign punishment. It is certainly very lamentable that My. Lock-

on the Jsland, and persons whom we way very appropriately call foreigners, should have the power of effecting so much evil in our little community as they have. 1 have no doubt but many well-meaning persons, misled by those worthies, are already beginning to appreciate their real motives; and it is more than probable that, when the pharisaical veil shal! be torn from the long faces of those public calumpiators, and their real character shall appear open to all ia its hideous deformity, they will be treated by their present dupes with that sovereign contempt and public opprobrium which they so wel! merit. In the mean time, I hope that Catholics will continue to act with that good sense, patience and christian forbearance which have hitherto characterized their conduct.

Mr. Lockhead, alluding to the probability of the Protes- tants having used ledger influence to obtain the votes of Catholics, writes :—“ Popery is generally associated with ignorance, and we know that ignorance is infallibly followed by poverty.” If Mr. Lockhead had any sense of delicacy or prudence he would be the last person to write of ignorance or poverty. If ignorance is infallibly followed by poverty, he and a large majority of his followers are worthy subjects to excite the commisseration of the charitably disposed. Jf the Uuthdlies of this Island afe not in the possession of as much property as their fellow colonists, and are not as well educated, they know well the reason; and Mr, Lockhead should know it too, and blush at it. It is because Catholics, for more than three centuries, were subjected to the perse- ceution and tyrannizing bigotry of such narrow minded faua- tics asthe Rev. Andrew Lockhead. But now Catholics are fast arising from the state of bondage in which they were held; aud if they have not gold and silver in such abundance as Croesus, they have pleaty of bone and sinew, and good use they aro making of them—clearing the wilderness, and cultivating their farms, whilst thousands of lazy gourmands, who are a burthen to themselves and a nuisance to society, are occupying the fair fields of their forefathers. The Catho- lies on this Island are making noble efforts to educate their children. Witness their educational establishments. These fre the facts that excite Mr. Lockhead’s holy ire—honest labor and mental culture—these are the terrible plots that Papists are laying to sap the foundation of Protestantism. Ah! Mr. Lockhead, the dark and gloomy days of John Knox are past and gone for ever—Catholics now breathe the air of liberty. Does Mr. Lockhead know that Her Gracious Ma- jesty the Queen lately appointed Catholic chaplains for the Navy, and (horribile dictu!) that Mass has -been said on board some of Her Majesty's ships of war. I hope that he will not get nervous when he hears this news—perhaps it is

for its object an equitable se:tiement of the Land Question, will be perfectly nugatory. The Resolution submitted by His

| Honor, (Colonel Swabey) is a clear and concise expression of }

an opinion in whieh I fully concur. It is an opinion whieh | duty to ourselves renders it incumbent apow 33 publicly to ex-| preas ; and | hope it wil) pass with the unonimous concurrence }

fers was agreed to by the House,—was manifested by an honor- | able member of it, who, although he, by protest, recorded his dissent upon our Journal, yet uttered not a single sentence to shew that the measure was not a good and just one. If any of your Honors intend to vote against the Resolution now before us, [ hope you will think it right to give the House your reasons for your intention, to the end that they may go forth and be submitted to public judgment; and that we who support the Resolution may be afforded a fair opportunity to reply to what- ever may be advanced agaiust it, so that our different opinions

Legislature, their mistaken views, and the futility of their | arguments against the measure, would quickly be taken up and | ‘quoied at their real worth. They, therefore, preferred their | old ex-parte node of proceeding, and sent their petitions against the measure to the Colonial Office, where, as they perhaps calculated, the way would be prepared for their favourable re- ception, or where, at least, there was no reason to apprehend ‘that they would undergo any hostile investigation. The names of the individual proprietors who petitioned the Imperial Govern- ment against the Bill, from this Island, are, | see by the copy

Palmer, Robert Bruce Stewart, Wm. Douse, and James Yeo ; and of laud-agents, G. W. DeBlois, for Samnel Cunard ; H. F. Cunda!|), for John Hodges Winsloe ; G. W. DeBlois, for H. H. Stonfield; Wm. Douse, for Earl of Selkirk ; James Yeo, for Lawrence Sullivan; T. Heath ilavilond, for Robert Mont- gomery ; T’. Heath Haviland, for Wm. Montgomery and George Montgomery ; G. W.. DeBlois, for Edward Cunard ; T. Heath Haviland, for Sir G. Graham Montgomery, Bart. ; T. Heath Haviland, for James F. Montgomery ; James Moore, tor James Peak; Wm. Douse for James Momgomery ; William Douse, for William Bowley; H. D. Morpeth, for Melville ; Robert Siewart, for Robt. Gan Canninghaw ; Robert Stewart, for FP. H. Byrne and A. M. Byrne; and William Forgan, for the Right Hon. Lawrence Sullivan. But, free as they were to petition the Legislature against the Bill whilst it was passing through its different parliamentary stages, not a single petition iM Opposition to it was, unless I strangely forget, presented to this House by any of these proprietors or proprietary agents. Had they so petitioned against the measure, it would have been acting im accordance with parliamentary rule. But these parties will not do so ; such a course of Oppsition wou!d be too fair and open for them to ground any hopes of success upon it; and none but that which can be sustained and promoted by Prprietary influence at Home will they ever pursue. {tis tr e my hon. friend on my left (Hon. Mr. Forgan) entered hie protest against the Bill on our Journal ; but its passage was not ‘pposed by a single petition to this House, or to the other I

and the arguments by which we severa!ly sustainthem, may be fairty placed before the people, and be fuily and fairly canvassed by them. Let us prove to the country that we are not a body | of men,—such as certain individuals elsewhere have said we are,—united together to obey the behests of others, and bound to receive and admit, as just and true, without examination or debate, whatever they may advance ; but a body of free and in- dependent gentlemen, composing a perfectly free and independ- ent branch of the Legislature, and ready and able, at all times, to maintain, by the power of argument, whatever position wa may, as a legisiative body, assume; and, in like manner, prepared to defend any conclusions at which we may, in that capacity, have deliberately arrived. { really hope that the passing of the Re- solution wi!l have the desired effect.

(To be continued.)

a —

Correspondence.

To tur Epiror or tae Examiner.

Sin,—It appears that some of those individuals, known by the unenviable name of “ Politica] Parsons,” bave con-| sidered that Prince Edward Island does not afford them: sufficient scope to indulge in their darling vice of calamni-. ating their innocent and unoffending neighbours. Persons calling themselves Ministers of the Gospel of Peace. and at the same time doing all in their power to turn one neighbor against another, and to excite religious animosity and national hatred by the most unchristian misrepresentations | and calumnies, are nothing less than arrant hypocrites and disturbers of social order. Yea, they are worse—they are sheep in wolves’ clothing ; and far from being servers of Him who is Peace and Charity itself, they are faithful servants of the arch enemy of mankind. It is a well known fact

' }

beiieve. That is 2 ‘course which { believe has never been

that all Protestants and Catholics on this Island, until very lately, lived with one another on the best of terms —they

only the beginning of the end. I would not be mach sur- prised if the Rev. gentleman, in his next letter to the Pres- byterian Witness, would take upon himself to acquaint that portion of the “ elect’ who read that holy sheet, that our good Queen Victoria has entered inio a compact with the Pope for the overturn of Potestantism and for ber own de- thronement! Do not the appointing of these navy chaplains, the addition of army ones, the increase of the salaries of Catholic Prelates and Priests in India, the residence of the

Prince of Wales in the Ktcrnal City, his visits to the * Va-|

tican,” &e., really look very suspicious ?

I may again, should time permit, pay my respects to Mr. Lockhead. Inthe meantime, as it appears from his letter that he is an entire stranger to the christian morality con- tained in the Bible, 1 wouid strongly recommend him to purchase a copy of that sacred volume, and diligently peruse its pages. By doing this he will soon learn that it is not one

of the theological virtues to malign one’s neighbours because

they are Catholics,—he will also learn that there are these taree, faith, hope, and charity, and that the greatest of these is charity. Ve & LECTOR, Queen’s County, June 4, 1859.

ae

Che Examiner.

oo

SS

CHARLOTTETOWN, P. E.L., JUNE 13, 1859.

THE WAR IN ITALY.

Tue telegraphic despatches received here during the past week, via the United States and Newfoundland. are of the most meagre and unsatisfactory description. The first tele- gram, received through a Boston paper, informs us that a battle was fought between the Austrians and the ATlies ata place called Montebello on the 21st May—that the Austrian ferce was 15,000 strong, that of the Allies about 6,000—that the Austrians were defeated, and retreated behind the Po with a loss of about 2000 killed and 200 taken prisoners, and that the Allies lost in the engagement from 600 to 7¢0. All this is very little better than mere conjecture. We can readily understand the probability of some severe fighting having oc curred betweer@two such powerful armies as France and Austria have brought into the field, without taking into account the yaliant force of little Sardinia—the belligerants facing each other, and all eager for the fray ; but we must wait for the arrival of the regular English Mail before we can

head, the Graduate, and a few others of his sort, strangers |

. Teconsider tho step she has sc inconsiderately taken ip

"patch received at Messrs. Hyndman & Co's. Reading Room

on Saturday last, states that there has been some further skirmishing between the opposing armies in Italy ; but weare not informed where, nor of the importance, or loss on either side. Lombardy, as might well be expected, is represented ag in a very unsettled state ; and that Garibaldi, who is any thing but a peacemaker; is there with 6000 followers, to rule the whirlwind and direct the storm of national fury against the Austrians. Indeed, we may expect to hear ere long of the whole Italian peninsula being in revolt.

The King of Naples is dead, and is succeeded by Francis It.

=> > ~

DISTINGUISHED ARRIVALS.

His Excellency George Dundas, Esqr., Lieut. Governor of this Island, came to Halifax in the last Steamer from England, and arrived here on Tuesday jast. His Excellency wasacceom- panied by his Lady »nd Private Secretary. A very consider- able number of our townspeople, with such of the Exeeutive | Council as were in town, assembled on the wharf to receive and welcome His Excellency. Ue was sworn into offiee on the | afternoon of the same day—a salute having been fired on the

occasion in front of the Colonial Building.

The Right Rey. Dr. McKinnon, Bishop of Arichat, accom- | panied by his Private Secretary, the Rev. Mr. Martell, arrived here in the Steamer with the new Governor on Tuesday last, | ‘The greater part of the Catholie Clergy throughout the Island, With a numerous body of the Catholics of this City, attended |on the wharf to receive and welcome his Lordship, who had come to the Island for the express purpose of consecrating the new Catholic Church at Tignish—his Lordship the Right Rev. Dr. McDonald, Bishop of Charlottetown, being incapacitated by severe illness for performing the august and interesting ceremony. bal

—_—oN ie.

CONSECRATION OF A NEW CATHOLIC CHURCH AT ' TIGNISH.

Taz now Catholic Church in course of erection at Tignish, dedicated to S.S. Simon and Jude, was consecrated by the Right Rey. C. F. McKinnon, Bishop of Arichat, on Thursday last, assisted by many of tho Clergy from distant Missions in this Island, and by the Rev. C. P. Martell, of St. Xavier's College, Antigonish. and Private Secretary to Dr. McKinnon. The corner stone of the new Church was laid by his Lordship and the assisting Clergy with all the august and solemn cere- monials prescribed by the Church; anda Pontiffical High Mass was celebrated in a temple tastefully erected ad em- bellished at the end of the Church where the altar is to be placed. Dr. McKinnon delivered a very eloquent address at the close of the ceremony of laying the corner stone, and wae greeted with unbounded applause by the most namerous assemblage of people we have ever witnessed in this Island. About one hundred fire arms and a piece of ordnance of large calibre, evlebrated the event by frequent discharges during the afternoon of Thursday, as well as on the previous day when his Lordship arrived at Tignish, accompanied by a pto- cession nearly a mile long. The Bishop's reception by the zealous and devoted people under the pastoral care of the Rey. Mr. McIntyre, from Cascumpeque and Tignish, and thence back, was of the most gratifying description, and will be long remembered by all who took a part in it.

No expense has been spared in making the necessary pre- parations for the erection of this new Charch. The site is admirable—all the materials are on the ground—a very large number of workmen are daily enployed—the whole building is under the care of a skilful and experienced architect, and will, when completed according to the plans, be the hand- somest building of the kind in this Island, and will not be surpassed by many in the Proviness. We shall give in our next a more detailed account of the interesting proceedings connected with the laying of the corner stone.

* s + -_

CONTEMPORARY OPINIONS ON P. E. ISLAND LEGIS- LATION.

notice of two measures under the consideration of our House | of Assembly last session. We do not agree with all its re-

|marks on the Alicn Bill, but we readily endorse its Opinion on ; | the Legislative Council humbag Bill. :

| ** We noticed lately that an Act had pa i P | Edward Island Legislature, granting Aliose the Hiberty of : | holding real estate in the Island, and we now observe that an | Act has been introduced to the House of Assembly, to make ithe Legislative Council an elective body. A Mr. Haviland, | we believe, is responsible for both Acts; and ia our humble _ | Opinion, that gentieman has in both instances diverged widely |from a statesmanlike comprehension of the injurious results | which will eventually flow from the operation of these enact- }ments, should they remain any length of time on the Island | | Statute-book. We will waive remark on the score of these laws being a departure from the exemplar of all political | wisdom, the British Constitution ; and merely note en passant | that under the operation of the former Act a body of edi men, subjects of Louis Napoleon, may become the proprietor of a large tract of country, settle theggon, introduce their owa customs, laws, and institutions; repudiate the authority of | the courts of law of the Island, and claim to be judged |by their own Consuls, and by the laws of France—thus sesti | up two distinct authorities in the country, and in the eyentdl_ hostilities between the two Imperial governments throwing |their weight and assistance into the seales of our enemieh. Suppose that ghere was only one individual aggrieved, wh) was driven to take this stand—and which he would haves) perfect right to do, as he was not a subject of the Qu phat he appealed the cuapenee direct for redress, and the mperor was eager to catch at any openi hispowe felt by the British, even to the axhieremant of oe if it would gain him the coveted fisheries of these 7 American waters—what would have to be done in such a cat! | It would be too late then to retrieve the error. And might occur with the French might take place with neig in closer proximity. The naturalization laws are stri the extreme, on the very ground that no stand-point may afforded a foreign government to establish a protectorate. was on a plea, something similar, that Nicholas of K sought to su e the authority of the Sultan over the Gr subjects of Turkey, and which ultimately led to the Crime war. We are as desirous, as it is possible for any colovist be, to encourage strangers and aliens to settle our lands, participate in our advan ; bat must not be poli brids —they must either be British subjects or remain They must not be placed in a position to become a de race. The Legislature of New Brunswick exercised & discretion in ignoring the subject determinedly, when it mooted in her halls, and we hope our sister colony will J

——

instance, and revert back to her original position. Our objections to an elective Legislative Council were stated some weeks ago, and were predicated on the gé that its position, as the third branch of our government be totally changed, and its independence destroyed.

space at our command will not warrant our extending ¢ Cussion on this head to-day.” or

Tue St. John Courier, of a late date, gives the following f

r