t’

\b . [23,590

' 6 House or ASSEMBLY, \April 6.

% Mr. Cooper said, he would beg leave to call the attention of the house to a subject of the highest importance. I believe it to be my duty, and the duty of this house, to take notice of any design which may be formed by any man or party of men, against the rights and liberties of His Majesty’s subjects in this Island, and according to this last deSpatch of the 27th Jan., which has been laid on our table from Lord Viscount Goderich : I say there is a dan- gerous design of a party to deprive the in- habitants of this Island of their labour, which will sow the seeds of discord and disaﬂ‘ection, if not prevented by the most prompt measures of this house. To illus- trate the statements which [have to make, I beg leave to refer to his Majesty’s inten- tions, declared to all his people as is set forth in his speech at the ripening of the British Parliament ; and I would direct your attention to that part of it, which is addressed to both branches of the British senate in these words, “ﬁnd it will be your anxious but gralejul duty to promote by all practicable means, habits of industry and good order amongst the laboring classes of the eommumly,—and on my part I shall be ready to co-operale to the utmost of my power in ob- vsating all just causes of complaint, and at promoting all Well-considered measures of im- provement." Sir, this part of His ,Majes- ty’s speech must be to all his people, and as this Island is an integral part of the Bri- tish empire, we have a right to follow this course pointed out by his Majesty, as if it had been given in charge to us alone ; and

.it is in perfect accardanee with our pro- ceedings since last session, but we have acted our part with so much apathy as if it were dragged through our teeth against ourinclination. It is well known the man- ner in which this Island was originally gran- ted, has always been complained of, as it enabled the new grantees to combine a- gainst the labouring class, to deprive them of their labor; and they have taken the ad- vantage of their power to the utmost extent by raising the rents of wilderness lands to

. a sum which it is impossible to pay, and shortening the terms of leases, so as‘ to have in a short period of time, the whole labor of the (industrious class ofthe colo- nists. Is this the encouragement for labor recommended in His Majesty’s speech ? but this is not all, and to show the conﬁ- dence the few grantees who hold posses- sion of the whole Island, and knew the whole was subject to forfeiture for non- settlement—yet I say, to shew their conﬁ- dence in misrepresentation, or to corrup— tion with His Majesty’s Ministers, they continue' to uphold the price of land, so that few or none can become purchasers, which prevents, the settlement of the Co- lony. From those causes which I have stated, and which have been long continu-

THE BRITISH AMERICAN.

ed, it is known to this house and the inhab-

itants generally, that the greater portion of

the lands are still liable to forfeiture. To remedy those long complained-of evils--to settle the wilderness lands‘—-to relieve the mother country of the burthen of our civil list—and to enable His Majesty to do jus: tice to his subjects, according to his own Wands to secure the beneﬁt of their own labor to the industrious, who have through every privation and difﬁculty brought this Island from its forest and wilderness state to its present improvement. A bill to es- tablish a Court of Esrheat, was passed last session ; but instead of granting an encour- agement for labor and industry as is re- commended in His Majesty’s speech, I re-

fer to the despatches oins Majesty’s Min- ister, Lord Viscount Goderich, in answer to our proceedings: the first despatch is well

known to the country, and the latter now before us brings this information, that for a pittance of quit rent about 4d. 3-4ths per acre, this Island and His Majesty’s subjects are'to be sold as vassals with all their labor to those land jobbers, who have practised every deceit to impose on His Majesty’s ministers, and daily oppress the most indus- trious class of His Majesty’s subjects in this Island,—Is this the encouragement recommended by His Majesty for labour and industry ? is his Majesty’s intentions as declared to the British Parliament, to

pass for a song? will not His Majesty’s Ministers be taught alesson, by the dis— tress and disturbance in the Island ?—-For it is not as O’Connell would point out with all his eloquence, that a separation of the union would cure the distress of an op- pressed and starving population, nor as Stanley with all his arguments for a mili- tary force and martial law, it is true he may smother or crush the complaints of the people of Ireland for a short time with bullets and bayonets, but can never cure it by these means. The complaints of Ire- land and this Island are of the same na— ture, the greater portion of the lands are held by a few, and of that few many are absent from the country, and people they ought to support and cherish, and whovin- stead ofgiving employment and encourage- ment for industry as recommended by His Majesty, will refuse employment to those who are ready and willing to labour, and will strip those' whom they do employ of the greater portion of their earnings, and starve the inhabitants of a whole country. Then, who are the aggressors ?— those who from their possessions ought to give employment and bread to the industrious ? or those who are driven from want of an employment, either to starve or plunder in the country which gave them birth. It is acknowledged by the learned of all ages, that laws are only the arbitrary will of the majority of the people, and consequently will always require the majority of the

people to support and defend them- th will prove that the majority of triank'e must have an interest in the soil, and w-’ out that, skins of written parchment I patches of wax, can give no title to then to enslave and starve the many. e therefore move to prevent trouble anarchy in our Island. an That another address be forth the true state of the this Island, and a person be nominatedt carry the same to His Majesty, and th the House do come to the resolution'

some one to second his motion, which w at last seconded by Mr. H. M‘Donald.) Mr. Pope said, he was surprised to be such aninflammatory address, and shoul be sorry to see the like.made public. ]t' such speeches and writings that has duced the '

such language as he had heard fraiiit honorable member from King’s Count might produce an open rebellion, H [Mn Pope] preferred the mildest cours and would move an amendment,---Thnt Committeg be appointed to prepare an ad dress to His Majesty on the substance the civil list, which would ultimately a swer the end of an escheat, which was

able member for Prince County, people receive justice at the hands of vernment, there can be no danger tol them know it. But when Governme will suffer acts of injustice and oppressi on the people, it is only then it becom dangerous that the people should be infor ed of it. The security of a bad state Government rests entirely in the ignoran ofthe people.

tings about an escheat. Mr. withdrew his motion, and Mr. Pope

motion was carried without a division.

PRO AND CON; OR. THE PLUM . [From a few pleasant pages published at Camhrid entitled Fits (if Folley; or. The Aberration: of

Philosopher] TUNE. “ Come let’s hear It) more ! Sure I told you before

I know the full length of my tether, my tether." I: Love in it Why!

“ My sweetest mamma— The monster! Ohls!