i

;

‘

-

>.

a

»-+ Becrelary Chase estimsres the averay® expendnure of the

. ~

PNP GSE APO

ARRIVAL OF THE ENGLISIL MALL.

* Tors Steamship Canada with the English Mail arrived at Halifax oo Wedoesday morning last, in 10 days from Liver- pool. Her'latest dutes are to the 10th inst. The Mail was received here on Friday morning. of the news we gather from the Halifax Evening Express.

The following summary

Of minvellanevus foreign news we may mention a romoured plot.against the Russian Emperor and several of his family, the Approsch of & political crisis in Russia, of « reported al- liauee beeween that power and Austria, the refusal of the King of Prussia to visit Napolvon IIT, the visit of the King o! Sweden to the French Emperor, and a rumour of the approach- ing visit of the Sultan both to Paria aad London.

Parliament was prorogued on the 6th inst. The Queen's Speech is very meagre. Willmer makes the fullowing refer- ence, to it ;—

In the session of Parliament whieh closed on Tuesday an |

effort is made by the advisers of ths Crown to muke in the

Queen's speech the must of results which are for the greater

rt barren and ungatisiactory. The allotment of the seats, bor instance, forfeited by Sudbury and St. Albans to four ather constituencies, is prominenily paraded 7 the new mena- sure felative to Bankraptey and Losolvency is trotted out for an airing; the revision of the Criminal Law. is an object of

snegyric; the epeniay of the public service to the natives of

Fadia who may be duly qualified, holds a conspicuous place an improvement of the law relative to the relief and removal of the Poor,—a« scheme for assisting agricultural improvements ideseveral parts of the kingdom, and an act respecting Har- buurs of Refuge,—all these, i¢ will be seen, are exhibited in the spirit wrth whieh puffing tradesmen display their best wares; and indeed the struggle for supremacy between those who ure in office and those who desire tv be ther®, reminds the public too keenly o: the efforts of rival shopkeepers to damage each other in public estimation by exalting eaeh his owa pro- ducts and disparaging those of his neighbour.

The Bishop of Durham died at Neweastle on the 9th inst. The deceased prelate was a near relative of Lord Clarendon, and the successur of him to whom Lord John Russell, ten or twelve years back, addressed his celebrated letter. He has pot leng enjoyed his see—one of the richest in the kingdom.

Nut the least interesting feature in the proceedings of Par- liament, before the edjournment, was the reference made in both Houses to the Gaiway contract. Lord Palmerston bad previously declared that would give his answer to the *“Rumerous enquiries addressed to him on this subject before

Cheelose of the session, and he delayed ull reference to it until

*the very last moment The substance of the answer was that

. the Galway Company were net in & position to carry out the

by Geverninent contract, either with reference to eligible ships

+ oF ital. and thet if, before Parliament assembled again, $e company would 6g qualify themselves, Government would give them the preference. If the contract had now to be made'for the first time, Lord Palmerston distinctly intimated that he weald have thrown it open to competition ; but as the shareholders bed already beea severe sufferers they were en- titled to seme conmderation. Lord Fermoy put in a claim for

~ the conveyance ef she mails to and from Cork, but the Pre- muer gave little enewuragement.

_ The French jouroals are pretty unanimous in the expression of @ desire thas tie troops of tnat country should abandon Rome, and they refer with some warmth ty the insult which the ae Minieter ut Rome recently put upon the Freneh General in the Eternal City and upon his master the Emperor ;

but it ie very duubttul whether this misunderstanding will we Sey-elect. A lett-r in a London morning journal from

Paris states that tue Pops hiusell is very anxious for the with-

drawal of the French garrison, and that, when that event oc-

curs, their place will be supplied by Austrian and French

Some interest has been attached to a statement in the Rus- sith official journal uf St. Petersburg, to the effect tbat the evesion of Sardigia to France would endanger the salety of seep. The Russian writer was referring w the speeches in the Louse of Commons « few weeks back by Mr. Kinglake, Sir Robert Peel, and Lord J. Russell on the subject, and the imterferenes drawn is, that the sympathy between France and Russia cannet be very aeute, or such a declaration as this would not have been made. We must take the inference for what it is worth ,—and that seems to us to he very little.

The Lords of the Admiralty have introduced avery sensible gewent into their regulations respecting old ships of war. erly vessels that were unfit for service were broken up,

ut an order has been given to sell fifteen old war ships, now lying in the Medway. The ships vary in size from 4 guns to 26, aud nv doubt many of them wil) be useful as cvasting ve-seis, though unfit fr ships of war.

tee at

IRELAND.

Tat Queen's Visit to Kintanxey.—The preparations which Ste in progress at Killarney-house by Lord Castlerose, are superd und costly. A magnificent marquee, of a costly Bature, w to be erected at Derryeunnihee, by Lord Castlerose, where, it is stated, the reyal family will dine on the second day of theirvisit. Tuis place has been selected by his lordship as the most beautiful spot io the vicinity of the lakes, and is situate ty command views of the Upper Lake, Muckross-huuse and demesne, the cascade, and the peaks of the chain of moun- tains, dicluding the Reeks —the Irish Alps. The preparations at Muckrose are similar.—Cork Examiner.

Bae Quesv's Visir.—{t is now authoritatively stated that the Queen will leave Llolyhead early on the morning of the 22nd August, for Ireland. She will proceed to Kingstown by tie Vietoria aud Albert steam yacht. Uer Majesty will be secumpatied by the Prince Consort, and four members of the ¥ yal family. The preparations at the Viceregal Lodge, and fur her seceptivn at Kijiarney, are complete.

The Court Journal states that Eari Granville is the minister selected to uttend ber Majesty during her approaching trip

o Ireland.

CIVIL WAR IN THE STATES. INCIDENTS OF THE WAR.

From « Boston paper we learn that the Bangor (Maine) Democrat printing office was completely cleared out, and the Cuntents burnt on the street, by a mob, on Monday inst.

Within the five daye previous to the 13h ten new regiments had arrived at Washington.

Beaureyard’s official report of the battle at Bull Run states that the Carfederate army lost in kdled sod wounded 1470.

Report says that at the Hak meeting at New York on Mon-) day, @ most cordial feeling was waniesied towards the Govern- tment, end & propost ion was made that New York, Philadelphia and Rosion should subscribe for the whole of a loan of $40.- 600 000, and to have opiional ‘preference for the award of like amount in October, the Secretary of the Treasury being recom- -mended fo wituhold the issue of sinall rates for the present.

‘ .

~ - “Reluofe. In One of is Inst letters he = paring that

Federal wuhdrities at $1,000 000 per day. a tt has bees S2.0U0.000.

+ Ex-Minwter Fauikuer, woo wt 19 said holds a commission of “Brigadier Genera} in the Confederate ariny, Was arrested and |

There have been

Wweyed to jail in Washington ow Monday last. aily accounts from Jeff. Davies a

s

re stil received at Balti- |

: said that they were go pre- med istely afier the nex! renyirse they would

advence va Maryland. Wii this peifpowe they are now forti-

fying Mathige Paant., ye Most Gangerous peninsula on the Poto-

pacvand oi ihe po

und St. Mary's Counties,

Baliinore.

Bosron, August 15.

ree of 13000 Rebels

* Maryland, yuh the Secessionisie of

* .

. Advices ‘from California report a fo ors toeuhjugate Lower Uslifurnia. * The Revels ace threatening to attack Point of Rocks, which is defended by Gen. Keuks’ division. The inhabitante of Spriogficid, Missouri, are leaving, fearing an sttack from thé Kebeis. . Pillow, at thes biead of 17 000 Rebels, warda Crira, Elinor. ' ca remont ie actively preparing for am advance from St. Be

_ Tne Boston, Now York and: Philadelphia Banks have taken Ghy wsdlions of tue pew Government Loan.

is advancing to-

THE BALTLE OF MISSOUKL Rovsa, Mo., Afig. 13. — Ene fu lowing additwnual account of the ooh nea furnished by eye-witnesses, who lett Springfield on Synday morniag aud came here on horseback : Our army marched ourtron Springtield on Prday evening with only 3500 men, the Home Guards remsining io Springteld, Ohug forges siept of the prairie a portiva of the nigit, and about sunpise Sunday morning drove ia the ou'posis of the enemy, and 008 afier the attack became general. ‘Phe attadk wis made vy two columus by Generals I Srurges, General Sige! leading a flanking toree of about 1000 * eovend four guns on the south of the eaemy's camp. The + fight raged froar suririse ull | or 2 o'clock im the afternoon. ! The rebels in an overwhelining force chirged on Captain Tor ten"s battery bree distinct umes, but were repulsed with great

_ #Meughter. sae aoe fell early in the day. wou im the leg, and had @ horse sh Col. 6f one of the Kencoe lag ‘the boys cried out; Geieral #0, énd at once puttin men an to the char from hie horse. “Ne ot much,”

4yon and

He had been previously tfromunderhun. The regimeni« having become disabled, » You come aad lead us on. He did g himself in front, and while cheering the © received » bullet in his lefi breast aud fel! e was asked if he was hurt, and rephed but in five minutes he expired without a

Gevera! Rigel had o very severe struggle and lost th hue four gus, Hw artillery horses were shot in their anne andthe pieces disabied. ile endeavored to haul them off with @ number of prisoners tie bad when, bar was Bumlly coupe lee

:

forms, which, however they might sumetimes seem tu retard

‘of the Colony Lave always bad and still possess

| Edward Islacd always had,like all the other Colonial Goyern-! vernment refuse to tender the securities, then other remedies | But the Commissioners decide, that as this right has not been | the Commissioners that some leasehold properties were selling

‘structed the Governors not to sanction any such measures— | from the tenants 20s. sterling an acre.

title would be swept away. alike unsettled, and it did not follow, even if juries could be | got to despoil the grantees, that the lands would belong to | tenant is not prepared to pay the money down, he may pay by

volving the title to @ single estat to last fur fourteen years.

missioners “Were all busy men, surrounded by public and}

» int, of Communigation by way of Port Tobacco, | ~essenedict and Leonard, in St Chariag

Cio rte = ee & ; Whe Sramtner.

OVNI ee ek ES ——

en ———— ——_ ee

to abandon them, firs’, however, spiking (he guna, and disabling | simple habits placed him above all a The “qe os the carriages. About one o'clock the enemy seemed to be in| turns, tables,and observasions, aarp to — ee eee great disorder and retreating, setting fire to their train of bag~ | Justify the selection. ‘These ee cm oa eal of informa- ‘gage wagons. Our forces were too much fatigued and cut up tion touching the soil, se ie mn ee o a a eee te pursue, so the battle may be considered a drawn one. productive power of the Island, whic Jitu q ve of gre Gen. Pree wae not killed, There were rumors on the field | value, and the scientific deductions rawn from the Census thar Ben MeCulloneh was killed, but the rebels demied tt. | Returns would be found of great wre to all parties who oes Our loss is va iously estimated fram 150 to 300 killed and’ be called upon to fix hereafter the value of the farms. Lt ha several hundred wounded. | been objected that Mr. Wightman’s mission had not been an- The enemy's loss is placed at 2000 killed and wounded. ; nounced, but if it had been, the very object would have been

~ ' defeated, beeaase he would have been hable, as we were, to Che Examiner,

be misled by those whose interests colored ore statements. > = Se . i. P oe G | Delegation that the Commissioners had acted in a spirit of ] tte I ou J}, barmony. They had discussed every point with the most Charlottetown, P. E. 1, August 26, 18 L, | perfect jrinkness—bad never decided anything by a vote, but . " . /had invariably come to a common conclusion. The Report LAND COMMISSION, — HON. MR. HOWE'S | was of course unanimous. It was due to his brother Cominis- | EXPOSLTLON OF Til AWARD. | sioners to gay that both Mr. Gray and Mr. Ritchie had, from en the first, acted in an elevated and fair spirit. Lad the Com- missioners merely represented opposite interests, antagonisin,

ee ee

CuarLoTterown, Tcrspay, Aug, 20, 1861.

fertilizers and

xagverated their)

Mr. [lowe said that he was happy to be able to assure the |

: Le ed ae ———

erhaps there was none greate |! of 500 fect all round the Island, and calling ita Fishery Re- serve. In Nova Scotia, where mo such resery resent Fishery had sprung up all round tye Coast: | @dward taland, with the reserve, | paratively little value. reservation, ane allow t ‘properties, whoever may own them.

| Fishery may spring up, they provide that | carry on the Fishery may purchase from the Govern below high watcr mark, and be entitled to purchase fr owner of the upland an acre immediately behind it.

ut, that a resident

ment a lot

‘out of ten there 19 oot likely to be, then the value 1s to be fixed by arbitration. Of course a men’s orchard or barn yard 18 not to be taken. Legislature would regulate the mode in which the general | views of the Commissioners were to be carried out, and he had (as little doubt that a valuable resident Fishery would be the result of this policy.

The loyahst claims had not been forgotten. Tt was apparent ‘that some of the proprietors had in good fanh and in a generous

bil : : : . iv : +. dedicated portions of their lands to the re- : : anda majority and a minority report, ending in no practical and patriotic — ; es a ataanae-daaies i iene In consequence of the Hon. Mr. Howe's having consented ‘advantage, would bave been the result of their labors. That) lief of the loyalists. were , PD

to receive a deputation of the Delegates appointed by the ten- antry, together with any of their iriends whom they might invite to accompany them, to receive frum him an explanation of the leading principles, and a statement of the substance , of the Award or Report of the Land Commission, Benjamin the Commissioners by the great body of the people. Davies and William MeGaill, Ksqrs., Hon. Mr. Whelan and pce : ee f the Land Mr. Colin MePhee, composing the Deputation of the ma he first part of the Report contained a watary of Ene “T gates, and lion. Mr. Coles, M. P. P., Hon. Mr. Hensley, M.| Question, down to the appointment of the Cominission. 0 P. P., lon. Mr. Hatehiwson, M. L. C., Andrew Mitehell, J. | understand the question and to prepare this narrative had fl. Calbeck, D. Melsaae, C. B. Bagster, Ronald Walker, | co8t # deal of labor. Pubiic correspondence and ducuments of Malealm McLeod, Charlee Bell, and Albert Yates, Esquires, | Various kinds, seattered over old journals, newspaper files, Messrs. Lauchlan Mel.ean and Charles McLean, of West | #0d pamphlets, embracing a period of 70 or 80 ype, had to River, W. Watson, of Montague, Esqr., Mr. B Bell, Hope | be searched for, read and collated. ‘Their thanks were due to River, Messrs. N-il Stewart and Malcolm MeAlder, of De| gemtlemen on ali sides who had directed their roto = Sable, C. UC. Vaux, Esqr., and Ronald McDonald, of Pisquid, | many of these documents ; but they had to be nm“ Pega Esqr., and severai others, friends of the Deputation, and in- | the study of them necessarily took up pga a ae vited by them to be present on the occasion, waited, this day, | m'ssioners did not consider that they were ina a ae i Luesday, 20th August, I8G1, at 3 o'clock, p. m.,.apon the | decide till these old files had been ae a a ones honorable gentleman, for the purpose above signified, at his | collected here had been digested, and until Wi, ae ae ; lodgings at the Terrace louse, and were received by him with labours h-d also been brought to a close. 1en all theae the greatest courtesy. | sources of information had been exhausted, not & moment Amongst other gentlemen present upon the occasion, but | had been lost 1m deciding upon general principles, and pre- whose names have not been given above, were Hon. Mr. | paring and siguing the Award. Laird, M. P. P. and M. E. C., George Beer, Esqr., M_P. P.,| Gentlemen present would readily comprehend the heavy re- W. Hl. Pope, Esquire, Celomal Secretary ; Joln Morris,| sponsibiluies which rested upon the Commissioners. As jurors Esqr., J. B. Cooper, Esqr., and Mr. David Laird, Editor and | they would nog decide upon the title toa single feilow-subject’s Proprietor of ** Lhe Protestant.”’ Cornelius Uowat, Esqr.,| estate without grave doubt and deliberation, and a sense of M. P. P., of Tryon, being in town, aad one of the Delegates | heavy obligation todo what was just and right. How much of the tenantry, was notified t: make one of the Deputation ;} more onerous the burthen when a million of acres and the but he did not attend, rights of thousands were involved. It was a relief to fee! the The Hon. Mr. Howe, having in a most willing and obliging | burthen off the mind; it was, perhaps, too much to hope that spir.t, sanctioned the appointment of a Reporter to take nutes the verdict would give un'verssl satisfaction. ; of his purposed explanations, with a view to their publication | Coming to the main question referred to them the Commis- for the information of the people at large, at once proceeded | sioners decided that the granting away of the whole Island in to give an exposition of the principles and particulars of the | blocks of 20,000 acres each, was an improvident exercise of Award which has been made by his brother Cane ee prerogative of the Crown. But even improvident grants and himself, which, in substance. was as follows :— jcan only be revoked by a legal process, which had never been Me. LOWE said that bs visit to the Island. at the present! resorted tu. There was po doubt that all the grants were for- i time, was unconnected with the Land Question, He had come | feited for breach of cenditieas in not setting the lends with | ‘solely with a view to render the Steamboat service on the| foreign Protestants. There is little doubt that they were for-| Gulf more perfect and useful to both Provinces. On his ar- | fested over and over again for no.-settlement and non-payment rival here, however, he had seen in one of the papers what of Quit Rents, bat as the Crown was the sole judge in all these appeared ty be a gurbled and inaccurate report of the Award, | casei—as the Crown not only did not avail itself of the laches and had thought it due to bis brother Commissioners and to lof the subject, but actually furgave them, and cunfirmed their the people of the Colony to correct those errors, which he had | quiiea by authoritative declarations over and over ‘again, the done in u letter, over bis own signature, which they would | Commissioners justly decide, yieding everything that Mr. find in the Examiner. He had yesterday received a note from | Cooper and other genilemen have ever claimed, that the ttle o! | Benjawin Davies, Esq., Chairman of a Committee of Dele-| the proprietors canm@t now be disturbed. With respect to the gates, enclosing a copy of a letter which that gentleman had | Jeases it was equally clear, that when a man had signed a lease, addressed on the L6th of August to the Hon. John LU. Gray, and in a written document bad signed an acknowledgment of requesting to be favored with an outline of the Commissioners’ title, it was too late for him to ask the Commissioners to pro Report. lle thoughi it hes duty under all the circumstances, nounce that bad which he had himself confirmed. Al! leases and to satisfy the very natural anxiety of the people, to in- must, therefore, be regarded ag valid and binding upon all timate to Mr. Davies thatif the Delegates would call upon | pariies. him he would be happy to give them any information in his} As regarded the Quit Rents the Commissioners considered power, This meeting bad grown out of those communications. | the Treasury minute binding, and that all the arrears were He saw no necessity for mystery in the mutter; on the con- | reqitied up to that period. As jong asthe Land fsx Act re- trary, the svoner the general principles embodied in the Re-| maimed on the Statute Book, no Quit Rents could be collected. port of the Royal Commissioners were universally known in| When that Act was repealed the Quit Rent of course revived. the Island the sooner all garties would prepare for the legis-| | was apparent, then, that the conversion of the leasehold lation which would be required to give effect tv it. The) tenure into freehold could only be accomplished by a com- Keport itself had been sent to iis Grace tne Duke of New- promise, and tt had appeared to the Commissioners that an ex- castle to be laid at the fout of the Throne. The Commission-| tension of the principles of the Land Purchase Act passed by ers W yald have been glad to liave Sent torward a copy for the the Island Legislature soine years ago, off-red the fairest basis

in a dveument so voluninous some errors might be found,was more than probable; that the whole would be sharply criti- /cised, he well knew, but he bad no fears but what that, when carefully read and fairly weighed, justice would be done to

‘that others merely made the tender to evade the payment o their Quit Rents. But, afier the lapse of more than half a ‘century, the Commissioners could not distinguish between them, nor could they compel those who owne appropriate them for the benefit of others wit oat their own consent. But the matteras it stovd in the papers wag not creditable, and these old claims ought to be set at rest. they might be the Commissioners recommend that out of any Crown Lands that now are or hereafter may be in possession

that os claims are valid resting vpon the appheasnt.

‘The claims of the French had seriously engaged the attention of the Commissioners; but the facts of history were against them. When the French had forfered Louisburg and possessed Cape Bretan, Prince Edward Island was their granary ; and the French here, no doubt, aided and abetted in all those hostile incursions and breaches of treaty which led to the expulsion o! the Acadians from Nova Scotia. Surail blame to them for ad- hering to their own flag and fighting for theirown nation, But as they did 80, they must accept the misfortunes and casualties of war, They |.-. their lands, as many other worthy people did before them, by adhering to the falling cause. In Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, though the French, who are every where a worthy and amiable people, now own lands and have thriving and populous settlements, it does net appear that any of the lands coofiscated in 1758 were ever res:ored to them. However much, therefore, the Commissioners might regret that it Was SO, it was quite apparent thatthe French in Prince Ed- ward Island must follow the fortunes of those upon the Mainiand

The right of the Indiana to the undisturded possession of Lenox Island and the hay lands that surrounded it, had been contiemed by the Commissioners,

Uaving run over, as briefly as [ can, spe.king from memory, the outlines of the Report, permit me to observe, said Mr. Howe, that upon the public men ef the Islund it now depends whetuer any good shall result from the labours of this Land Commission. If you, laying aside all personal rivalries and party considere- tons, give legislative sancuion to this Report, | believe that these old vexed questions will be adjusted, and the prosperity of the Island secured. We have discharged our duty. yours, and all will be well. I do not mean to say that our Re port is perfect. [ am prepared for disappointment in many quarters where people have been taught to expect too much. But | am quite confident that when the award comes to be eare- fully read and pondered by the people, they will do us justice, and that rational men will say that we have, under all the cir- cumsiances presented, dealt fairly and justly by all parties.

In the absence of my brother Commissioners, it may not be out of place for we to eay that both those gentlemen discharged their very delicate duties with a degree of thoughtful appreciation of the magnitude of the great imerests committed to their care, and in a spirit 89 independent and yet so conciliatory, that they are entitled to your highest respect. Permit me also, in their naines and my own, to acknowledge the obligations which we are under tothe people of this Island for the confidence, courtesy and kindness shown to us on all occasions and ip every part of it. In mixing freely with the public men of the Province, we have carefully abstained from the expression of any opinions upon the mere party questions of the hour, nor do | wish to touch them now. Parties, and party strife, and even party ac- rimony and injastice, are the prices we pay for freedom. You will always have these. The Land Question is not indispen- sible aga battle ground. ‘There are others of sufficrent ma gai-

information of the people whose interests were so ceeply in-| of compromise —the best solution of the difficulty that could be | volved, but in our mynarchical country there were certain | devised, ‘Tne Commissioners therefore strongly recommend te | | Her Majesty's Goverowent to guarantee a Loan to the Colony | | of £100 000 steriing, tebe loaned oo the pledge of the general |

revenue of the Island, t be applied to the purchase of the |

public business, it was graceful and prudent to obacrve. in accordance with official etiquette, therefore, it had been deewed proper that the Keport shoald be transmitted to the | estates, and repaid out of the money paid by the tenants for the

Lieutenant Governor through the Secretary of State. He had | conversion of then tenures, With a casi account ro this ex- | no doubt that it would be printed ia England and sent to the | sent at the disposal of the Government, the competuon of pro- Island without any unnecessary delay. ile had no copy With | prietors for the money would determmne the value of lands. him, and of course could not pretend to give thew from! fpere would be no ne tesety for coercion, ‘The estates would | memory more than an outline of a document that covered | be bought at prnees woich would enable the Government to

hundreds of pages. He would do his best, however, to explain! resell them low, and to reat all the arrears as had been dove

the gencral views and decisions propouaded by the Commis-| jy respect of the Worrell and Seik rk Estates. sioners,

In the Examiner of yesterday there was an abstract that was in the main very accurate. ‘There was one paragraph, however, which though correet so far us it went, did not convey the entire judgment ef the Commissioners, ‘The para- graph read thas :—

heved from the leageho'd tenure. Adding what was already free, there would remain but abour 160,000 acres whch could | easily be purchased as ihe proceeds of tue Sediirk and Worrell | Estates camwein, If the priees demanded were higher the ** The Commission consider that tbe original grants were | operations might take a longer tune ; but far and above ali other | improvident, and the conditions not courplied with ; but owing | solutions of the ditticul y tuis mode was Certainly to be pre- to the lapse of time, it is deemed inexpedient to interfere with ferred.

thera. Lhe Curmuission are of opihivn that the Government This was the first soluvion of existing difficulties recommended

the power to by the Commissioners, and It was in their epinion, far above }and beyond al! others. the best. But should the Imperial Go- The Government of Prince | vernment decline to guarantee a Loan, or the Provincial Go-

establish « Court of Escheut.”’ This ts true. so far as it goes.

ments, the right to Mscheat lauds as part of its Constitution. | were provided. There were two. |t was in evidence before exercised for 43 years, that as the Crown had expressly in- jat high prices, and that for others the landlords had refused

It was clear that, how- as, though power had clauged hands, no political party had | ever valuable these properties might be, the 'andlord’s interest resorted to this remedy, it was now tuo late to talk about| in them was but 20 years purchase. The Commissioners then Escheat, and that a solution of the difficulties must be sought) award, that when any tenant shall tender to his landlord 20 in other directions. Besides, the Commissioners were opposed | vears purchase, or £100, the landlord shall be bound to give to Escheat, because if the original grants were annulled ull | him a deed. and if the tenant pays in cash, a deduction of 10

Freehold and leasehold would be! per cent. Under this ciause tenants can at once, and without If the

‘delay, convert their farms and become freeholders,

tnose who oceupied them. For these, and other reasons, it! mstalments of £10 a year forten years, the rent diminishing would be seen by the Report that the Commissioners while | as the instalments are paid, recognizing the abstract power of the Government, put aside! Bet many farms are not worth 20 years purchase, amd-tmitry | the plan of escheating the lands a» impracticable aud absurd are wortn very little. To provide for all sucky tases the Cou- | at the present day. | missioners award, thal any ten, who wants to purchase may On one point Mr. Howe said that he wished to offer an ex- | tender te Ww@'landlord what he conceives to be the value of his planation. It was very natural that the people of Prinew farm, say £30 or £40. If the landlord accepts there w an end Edward Island should be impatient of delay, apd »%,.,0u8 for ofthe matter. If he declines he must appoint an arbitrator, an early decision. But be bad known 2% Chancery suit in- the tenant appoints another, and if these two cannot agree they appoint a third. These three men fix the price to be paid fur the farm. If it exceeds the tenant's offer the tenant pays the expense of the arbitration. If it does not, the expenses are to be paid by the ‘andiord. ‘T’he award 13 final and binding upon personal engagements. A million of acres were involved in | all parties without appeal, The expenses could not exceed a the Land Question, and the rights and interests of 70 or 8U,- few pounds. by this simple amchinery, said Mr. Howe, every 000 people. It could hardly be said that the Commissioners, | lease in the Island may be converted into freehold should the \in adjudicating upon the varied and momentous questions | Brivsh Government, which | trust it will not, decline to gua- | jcoveret by their Commission, in eighteen months ¢.aid be | rantee-a joan. charged with want of zeal, decision and industry, For him-| Tne process of arbitration was common in all our Courts. The self he would have preferred to have had another year, be- people were farniliar with it. Tiere would of course be de- jeause although he believed that they had exhausted the | cisions us various as the localities, and the materials of which | evidence, and carefully examined the bearings of every ques-| these simple tribunals were composed. But tnat could not be | tivn still another year mught have been well spent in reviewing | helped. The Commissioners would much have preferred a | the whole case, and in giving to the language of the Report | skilfull valuer for the whole Is!and, but they bad no power to | greater condensation and precision, But the Commissioners | appoint or psy such an officer, and it was quite clear that a had felt from the first tat every hour's delay was fatal or valuer appointed by the Government would not give satrsfac- injurious to some existing interest. They had, therefore, not| tion. There might be, under the system proposed, some eccen- only given to the Commission all their leisure bours when | tric valuations, A farm at one end of the Island imght be separated, but when together had labured moss assiduously. | valued too high and one at the other tvo low, but, afier ail, the At Rothesay he was rarely in bed after four o'clock, and the system was the best that could be devised, and no #ysiewn was ‘daily labours of the Comuission never closed till six. He | perfect. Tenants whose price was fixed by arbiiretion, would \trusted, therefore, that all parties would be satisfied that| be encitied to a discourt of 5 per cent. for cash, and could pay there had been no unyecessary delay. by instalments if they preferred that mode. | Upon another point it was due to all parties that an expla-| “The Commiesivnere, for a time, clung to the belief that they | bation should be made. When the Commissioners were here | could fix some mediwa price, which could be applied to the , last summer they held an open Court for weeks together in| whole Island. But they were compelled to abandon that idea. all parts of the Jsland,and heard eyery body,cither persunally | Some lends were worth $10 an acre, some were not worth 5s. or by delegate. A vast body of testimony was thus accamu-| No medium price could have been fixed that would not have | lated, bat as almost everybody was a witness for himself or | worked frightial injustice. If fixed too low the beat properties | guve testimony under strong party or porsunal bias, it became | would be sacrificed. If too high the poorer class of tenants | indispensable that the Commissioners should be in a position | could not purchase at all. ‘to check the statements by returns and infurmation collected As respected the arrears of rent, the Commissioners had been most anxious to act fairly between man and man, Very large

by 4 competent person whose errand to the Island nobody arrears had accumniated on many ofthe estates. After anxious

- . . | Lt wae no uncommon t!/n,s for a suit about land in our Com-

mon Law Courts..0 run over two or three terms. The Com-

i

knew. To perform this service Mr. George Wightman was

‘men had vindicated

tude and importance to engage your attention aud employ ali your energies “hen this is swept trom the field of controversy Let me implere you then to approach ths great subject in a becoming spirit, and to lend te your country your best abilities

to give viialtty and seeurity tothia award by practical legisla- : eae s [f you do, usr me when i sey that Prince Edward Island | Knowledge of its principles. For about two years the Govety-

tion. will enter on a new era, and that her industrial developement

jand social elevation will be rapid and strongly warked in the

happier fature betore her.

J have said that there are many questions to engage the atten- tron of thouguttul pubhe men. 1 will refer to but ene —the Fisheries, As i stand upon the Shores of the Strait of Canso,

If the prices ‘and see the white sails of hundreds of American fishermen | : “ap ‘paid for those properties formed any criterion, then for about | g!iding inte this Guilt to carry away the treasures that surround | set at rest regarding the Land Question, and that a peaceful,

2+. Gi sterling per acre 8v0,000 thousund acres could be re-, You—when | know that out of a single County of my Province happy and prosperous career would be imaugurated im thie Is- |a hundred veautitul schooners are sent here every suimimer on j

the same errand, | am smitten with wonder that the peoole of

were a native of this Island [| wonld never rest till my eountry

enriched. From the prosecution of the fisheries will sprin more of Foreign Vrede end the steady growth of a Mercantil Marine. ‘Towns will rise up along the sea coast, giving a do- mesic market for the produce of the soil. Questions such ae this are worthy of the cousideration of your public men, and the developewent of the resources of the Island, moral, inteljec- tual and industrial, will, I trust, task their highest powers when these old questions have been adjusted and forgotten. I trust, at no distant day, to see these maritime Provinces more closely united — their great lines of communication strengthened and unproved ; and at some more appropriate season it will give we

2

Here the Hon. Mr. Howe would have concluded his remarks, but the Hon. Mr. Waexan naving stepped forward, and apolo- getically requested to» know, for the information of the people, | what course, if any, the Commissioners, in their Award, had | recoinmended to be pursued with respect to those Proprietors | who had not been consenting parties to the appointment of the Commission. asd whom the Duke of Newenetie bad said, ia one of his Despa'ches, would not therefore be bound by the Award of the Cominissioners }

tainly said that the Commissioners had no power to bind the | proprietors who were not parties to the reference; but, at the

arose hereafter,

this: That a8 the Crown had overlooked all the laches of these | people — had forgiven them their arrears and paid the Civil | List, which they ought to have paid out of the Treasury of | Great Britain, that they were bound to submit to any policy | which had the sanction of the imperial and Provincial Govern-_ ments. If they did not, the Commissioners thought they ought | to be constrained by legislation. Whatever their rights were, | they should bend before the public interests, as those of the. Seigneurs of Canada, of the Siave owners in the West Indies, |

|

or of the owners of the encumbered estates in Ireland had been | made to bend, when great interests or high moral consideratons | were at stake,

BenJamin Davies, Esquire, then came forward, and apologis- | ing to the {ion. Mr. Howe for the trouble he was about to inpose upon him, by presuming to require from him some information on @ point to which he had not adveriea in the explanation which he had so fully and kindly given, said—Public interests, ae well as private, were, in his opinion, toa certain extent, placed befure the Royal Land Comanesion, to be adjudicated upon by them ; and he conceived it to be the duty of public men to look, m an especial manner, with a careful ard jealous eye to thé preser- vation of public rights when they were in any way called in question; for if they suffered public rights to be invaded and iutringed upon, the invasion and diminuuen of private rights could scarcely fail to follow as an inevitable consequence. Iv listening to the information which his Excellency had so kindly afforded, he lad failed to discover that any srrangement had been made for the protection or satisfaction of the claims which the people bad upon the lands held by the proprietors. On the contrary, his Excellency had said that the Commission —in- duced thereto by various considerations — bad confirmed the original grants; and that lapse of tune aad the tenor of various despatches frou the Colonial Office had confirmed them in the

rthan that of drawing a cordon e existed, a In Prince the Fisheries were of com The Commissioners abolish this absurd he lands to merge imo the adjoining

any man wanting to

om the If there lis any dispute about the price of the acre, which tn nine cases

But he hud no doubt that the good sense of the | This is the view we take, but the legal righte of the