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“THIS IS

TRUE LIBERTY, WHEN FREEBORN MEN—HAVING TO ADVISE

Che Exaniner.

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CHARLOTTETOWN, P. E. ISLAND, SATURDAY,

THE PUBLIC, MAY SPEAK FREE.”—Evriprdes.

(From a Correspondent.)

GREAT LIBERAL DEMONSTRATION ! TRUE LIBERAL MEASURES TRIUMPHANT! !

A Meeting of Electors was held at Princetown Roy- alty on the 20th current. The Meeting was summoned by advertisement ; and as it was well known that. the late measures of the House of Assembly were to be can- vassed by some of the Members, a great number of people assembled. It was computed that nearly 400

ople were present. Hon. G. Coles, Messrs, Rae,

ontgomery, McLean and Clark, M. P. P’s., were pre- sent, having been invited to attend.

Thomas McNutt, Esq. being called to the chair, briefly addressed the Meeting, he and a few others being anxious to hear from their Representatives explanations of several matters, which had transpired at the House of Assembly during. the past Session, and also wishing to hear something respecting political movements lately on foot, had taken the liberty of calling this Meeting. They had done so with the full approbation of the Roy- alty Members, and also with that of Mr. Rae, who was, in fact, one of their Representatives; also, as many of the Electors of the Royalty had votes in the County. He was happy to see that they had been favored with the company of Messrs. Coles and McLean, in addition to that of their own Members. He concluded by incui- cating the necessity of good order and harmony, for, if they were not unanimous, they could at least be peace- ful.

Mr. Chairman, that Sir Henry Huntley is the best man in the world, but will ask this question: Is it better for you to support Mr. Pope or me? I have been as much spoken against, as much written against, and as much abused, as any other man in the Colony. I am not now going to vindicate my character: that I will leave to my actions, the effects of which will be tried by that great and thorough sifter Time. You are now called together to say whether you will support Sir H. V. Huntley while he continues what he now professes to be, or will you throw the Goyernment again into the hands of those who have misruled you so long. Do you not know them well? If you believe and know from experience that I am honest and faithful—if you have tried me for # long’ series of years, and never found me wanting, it will not be a trifling report, or old wive’s stories, that will ‘take away your good opinion; but if, during the same trial, I have always acted the rogue, my preaching to you for three hours will not convince you to the contrary. -Your duty is to say whether you believe Sir Henry Hantley’s professions—whether you disbelieve them. Utter your opinion freely, and I have no doubt you will do so.

Mr. D. Montgomery.—l have never seen any cause to change my opinion of the Governor. Shew me any public act of his which indicates a change. He has represented you as a set of savages, and will do so again when it suits his purpose. Had I came forward at the last Election as a supporter of the Governor, would I) have received your sufirages? I then opposed him and

Mr. Montgomery stated that the Meeting had been called with his consent, and indeed, he might say at his request, as many stories have gone abroad respecting him, and his conduct as a Member of the House of As- sembly. He had heard it stated that he had lost the confidence of his constituency, and he wished to meet them face to face, in order to discover whether it were the case. If so, he would at once take means for sever- ing the connection. Many persons were assembled, but he referred only to his constituents, as he was to be judged by them and them only. Such statements had

met him 40 miles from home, and he wished the persons |

who had set them affoat to come forward now and repeat them, as he considered it very uncourteous for people to run about the country spreading stories to his disad- vantage.

Mr. G. Beairsto disclaimed the knowledge of any such reports; but ‘as it seemed such things had gone abroad, he hoped the propagators of them would now have the manhood to come forward and substantiate them if they could. In that case Mr. Montgomery would have an opportunity of disclaiming them, if false, or if he have really deserved ijl of his constituents, let them say so boldly.

Mr. James Montgomery considered that there were other causes for calling the Meeting, than Mr. Mont- gomery’s justification orcondemnation. Mary opinions were afloat in the country respecting the course pur- sued by the Members. Scareely two persons had the same version of the story, and, now when we have so inany Representatives present, we would like to hear them give the reasons for the stand they have taken, both as regards the Governor and other matters. Pe- titions for and against the Governor had been going the rounds of the country, and he for one would like to hear the Representatives present, give their reasons for the part they had taken. If Mr. Montgomery had forfeited the confidence of his constituents, let him suffer; if not, it is not fair to send such charges abroad.

Mr. Owen was not aware whether he was referred to

do so stil]. I will-tell you who have changed, the hon. ‘member, and those’ who act with him. Did he not pro- ‘pose the vote of want of confidence, at the close of the 'Session of 46? He who was at one time the Gover-

‘nor’s bitterest enemy is now his warmest friend. I am |

‘last winter and’ refused it.

given against the interests of the country. 1 never

‘my independence;—I stand here to be judged by my) constituency;—the Journals are before you—let them | be examined, and point out if you can, a solitary vote| Responsible Government. If a majority of the House

differ from him, then the Imperial Government will step

Governor, when they read his closing speech to the Le- gislature. He says:

“ With reference to your Addressto Her Majesty upon the subject of the introduction of the system of Responsible Government into this Islands I shall for- ward my observations upon it with all due despatch,and I feel it my duty now to state, that I.shall give it my best support. Whatever doubt I may at one time have entertained, as to the ability of earrying out this system of Government in a community cireumseribed as this is, that doubt has been dispelled by the experience ob- tained from the political events which have distinguish- ed the last twelve months in this Colony, the considera- tion of which has led. me to apprehend the introduction of the doctrine, that those who are. termed the constitu- tional advisers.of the Head of the Geyernment, may, openly or covertly, dissent from the line of policy which that officer may think, it neeessary to pursue, and yet retain their seats as advisers; believing that the rela- tionship between these two high offices ean only con- stitutionally exist under an unanimity of political views, and fully. admitting that the Executive Councillor can- not, with honor to. himself, or with justice to the country, retain his seat an hour after he disapproves of the policy of the Head of the Government, Iam convinced that the principle of Responsible Government, duly regulat- ed by wise and well considered provisions, adapted to the peculiarities of the Colony, is:as-requisite tothe free exercise of the constitutional authority and _ beneficial influence of the Lieutenant Governor himself, as I trust it will be found advantageous to the people of the Island generally.”

Perhaps Sir Henry’s version of Responsible, Govern- ment and mine do not exactly agree. Now, 1 under-

rw | ‘stand that Responsible Government means giving the ‘no seeker for office, Mr. Chairman. I might have had people move power. Let the grand principle be once office, if | would have accepted it, for I was offered one| conceded to us, aad we will be able to work, out the

That, at all events, shews | details.

is. It is now in a measure established, and is a certain concession to the popular branch of the Legisla- ture. I am not bound by the Governor's definition of

voted for a large sum of money for Government House.|in and shew us what share we are to have. ‘The Go- ‘Time, as Mr. Rae has observed, will tel}, and I am mis-|yernor now advocates Responsible Government, what- ‘taken if three years elapse before people will see better. over he may previously have done. He might have I must again draw your attention to the false reports) made a better expression, but he may have meant that circulated through the country against me. Among/he thought it improper in Mr. Pope to sit atsthe Council ‘others, it is stated that at an auction in New London, || Board, listen to all its secrets, and) then walk into the observed, that the Belfast Election had been made a/ House of Assembly and denounce him who was chief religious question; that the Roman Catholics had arrived of that Board, as andissembler. It is impossible: he ‘at such a pitch, that it was high time they should be cannot expect the Government to be:carried on in plain ‘crushed or kept under. I take this opportunity, sir, of/contradiction to the majority of that House. I have giving the most unqualified denial to this statement, and | been offered as many offices as may have fallen to the ‘will defy any man to come before my face and say that lot of any other one, for the lastosix months, I. took

[none of them. If I snould be offered office; the annual

the ever heard me szy so.

| Mr. Rae-—Mr. Montgomery, in stating that I was|income of which could, be more than [ am worth, or

‘Sir H. Huntley’s bitterest enemy, is not warranted: by more than I ever expect to) be worth, I would rather— facts. No, sir, Mr. Pope is his bitterest enemy. When|and you never knew me tell-youa lie—I would rather

‘Sir Henry lent-himself to Mr. Pope, to bring’a charge lagainst me, I was confident tHat he (Pope) was at the bottom of it, it was so bitter. I was no enemy to the ‘Governor previous to that, and then felt that the time 'would come when vengeance would overtake him, for lending himself to assist Pope in his ‘infamous design ‘to calumniate me. Many of you. now present can. bear |witness that at the last election, I did not declare my- ‘self an enemy to the Governor. I then stated, and ap- peal to many of you for confirmation, that in the quarrel between His Excellency and Pope, my, opinion was, that there were 6 of one and and half a dozen of the ‘other. I well knew Pope to be a bitter, vindictive, and

‘cut my left arm off with my right hand, than take it at ‘the expense, or at the risk, of. injuring my good, and true, and, leal friends of Prince County. (Mr. Rae added something more, which could not be heard, ow- ing to the loud and prolongad’cheering.) |

Mr. D. Montgomery.—Mr. Rae spoke half a day in conversation with Sir Henry, a few days before the opening of the Session, and when questioned res- pecting his frequent conversations with him, would not.answer; said he was not bound so todo. Would the. Chairman not feel himself bound to answer under similar. circumstances? The appointment. of Liberal Magistrates was not Mr, Rae’s reason for supporting

as sending those charges abroad, but he did differ from’ unscrupulous man, who would stick at nothing to ac-|Sir Henry. Had the Governor, in his opening speech,

Mr. M., and thought that, as an Elector of the Royalty, he had a right to express his opinions. He had done so pretty freely, he believed, and would do so now, One fault which he had against Mr. M. was the way in which he acted upon Mr. Palmer’s motion for rescinding the resolution in favour of Responsible Government. He considered that such conduct was a betrayal of the Liberal cause, and a vital blow at Responsible Govern- ment. ‘That it did not take effect, however, was chiefly owing to the skill and talent of Mr. Rae.

Mr. Rae wished to know why he had been invited to this Meeting?) Was he to be judged by the Royalty electors? He could not agree that it was just that a member for the County should be brought to account by the Royalty, but, as he saw many of his own constitu- ents present, he was willing to enter into any explana-

tion that was necessary, or answer any question which,

right be put to him respecting his conduct. Jt was

impossible, however, to go over the members’ conduct, |

and scrutinize their votes of the whole Session, during a. single evening. 'The country is now, Sir, at a state

of particular emergency. One party is for removing the Governor, and another forretaining him. I will not say,

‘complish his end—that truth and falsehood were alike to him, and was told this also by other—(Name, from Mr. McLean.)—I am not bound to name. Let Mr. Montgomery—let any other man—put his finger ona Despatch where the Governor has called us slaves. Very probably he was vexed because he did not get the amount which Ready did, and might have expressed his vexation in a manner not very agreeable to some gentlemen, I can point to symptoms of change in the Governor. Look to the appointment of Liberal Magis- trates, of Mr. McKinnon, of Barbara Wiet, and Joseph Dingwell, of Bay Fortune, to the Commission of the Peace. I saw plain enough that he would be driven over to our party, and was IJ, sir, to close the door, and refuse to admit such a powerful auxiliary? I should have been mad, and worse than mad; I should have been

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‘to that cause which I was sent to the Assembly to ad- vocate, and which [ will advocate while the Almighty spare my intellect. Who, sir,—what man of sense— “not swayed by passion or prejudice—not, wilfully blind,

a traitor to that cause which I have espoused long ago,| peop

‘avowed a Change of opinion, he would have supported him likewise.. Because Mr. Rae thought proper to sup- port him he was not bound, to do so, He had always aeted in a straight-forward manner. Look at the Jour- nals and they would prove it. It had been objected to him that he had yoted for Mr. Palmer’s motion for re- scinding the Responsible Government Resolutions. He had done so; and his reason was, that the Third District of Queen’s County. was at the time virtually dis- franchised, and he thonght every man in the country should have a vote upon such an important subject through his Representatives, Look at the Journals, and upon every division his vote would be found in favor of Responsible Government. He would be judged by the Journals, and would stand or fall by, them, and in them not on vote of his would be found in opposition to the

e. FF al , Mr. Owen thought that Mr. M..was a good advocate for himself. He had put it in the power of others to gestroy Responsible Government. Palmer, it was well Lnown, would do all in-his power to injure it.. He had said that the tenantry of -P. E. Island were not fit for it.

‘or bound body and soul to the wheels of Joseph Pope’s ‘cat, can or will pretend to say there is no change in the

He had nevar knowna greater|insult. Were

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