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HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY.

. Tuonspar, 14th March. Kasronsinte Govesnment.—The fullowing Mes- é from Hie Excellency was delivered by the Hon. Colonial Secretary.—“ The Lieutenant Governor takes the earliest opportunity of communicating to the House of Assetndly an Extract from 4 confidential Despatch

frem Eatl Grey, received by him yesterday evening.

. Government House, 14th March, 1850. «+s With respect to the concession of Responsible Gerernment, should the subject be again pressed on vaur attention, the passages in my public Despatch of wth December, which relate to that subject, will enable you fully to understand the views of Her Majesty’s ad-

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«+ You will observe that I have not expressed in it any determination to advise ler Majesty to refuse this ceacession, if it should appear that it is the real wish of the inhabitants of the Colony in general. I have pointed eat my own reasons for not thinking such a mode of Gevernment patticularly desirable for the community in ita present stage, and [ have pointed out also the perma- nent provision, aad estahlishments which must precede

:3 adoption.’ ”

The above having been read by the Clerk—Mr. Cotes roae and observed he was glad that the draft of a Civil ieist Bill, in accordance with the views of the majority ef the Honse, had been prepared before the receipt of the Despatch from which the important extract which bad just been read had been communicated to them. I{> was glad of it, because that draft would satisfactorily,

rove that the House were prepared, by a proper provi- #iow, on their part, for the due performance of public vervices, to meet the concessions which were, iu conse- quence of such provision, to be made to the Colony by

er Majesty the Queen. The honorable gentleman then proceeded to read the several items of the Civil List Bill draft—which were a3 they stood in that Bill at the time it was assented to by His Excellency in Her Majesty’s name, and as they have appeared in the Re- porter’a Summary, inthe Examiner, 27th March—and ex- areased his confidence in the willingness of the House, ‘9 proceed with it, as they could then no longer reason- adiy entertain any fears of opposition to the introduction vt the Responsible System.

Mr. Pore expressed himself much satisfied to find tiat his own interpretation of Earl Grey’s Despatch of the 27th December last, was fully borne out by that portion of another Despatch from the same authority, which had just been comraunicated to them. That ex- tract, evidently intended to be, in sore Jegree, expiana- tory of the Despatch of the 27th December, showed tuat, at the Colonial Office, it appeared to be almost a general rule to draw up Despatches for the Colonies in so doubdle-toned, artful a manner, as to admit of their being interpreted either for or against a public move- ment or measure; so that, whatever might be the event, tha Minister could, in his own defence, turn round and easy, in the style of the extract which had just been read, “ You will ebserve that I did not express any deterini- gation to advise Her Majesty to refuse the concession, should K appear to be the real wish of the people. I werely pointed ont my * my own’ reasons for not think- faa such a procedure particularly desirable for the com- svinity.” By so disingennous a mode of conveying his tastruetions to the Lieutenrnut Governor, the noble Se- oretary, he (Mr. Pope) thought, had very unfairly thrown

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upon ilis Excellency the responsibility of distinguishing between his private opinions and what is now called -t@ views of Her Majesty’s advisers ;” but the fact | was, that he considered a person of Lord Grey's high | stauding and character incapable of sach quibbling and | duplicity ; and therefore believed, that these Despatches,

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Lordship's nae, were written by some “legal mystifier’ wie had eucceeded “* Kinz Stephens.” Ue (Mr. Pope) hud also gaid that he was persuaded that Earl Grey, when he wrote the Despatch of 27th December, was auder the impression that the people of Prince Edward Iviand were not desirous for the adootion of the Respon- sinie System ia their Government: and that such bad beea We impression upon the noble Secretary’s mind, was quite evident from the tenor of the sentence in which he says, that he had not expressed any determi- nation to advise Her Majesty to refuse the concession of Responsible Government, should it appear that it was the ewab wish of the inhabitants in general; and in case 1.2 question should again be pressed on Uis Ex- eeVecey. The Despatch of the 27th December, he Mc, Poo} bad characterized as anech» across the

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to a voice from Prince Edward Island. Such in truth it was; and, in the extract which they had just heard, it was easy to recognize the changing tones of Govern- ment House, reverberated from Downing Street. Un- gracefully as the concession it contained was made, he was very glad indeed that it had been granted in tine to prevent injury to the Colony by the withholding of the annual Supplies and the want of a Revenue Law. And, aware a8 he was of the unwillingness of the tio- vernment to promote the establishment of Responsible Government in the Colony, he (Mr. Pope) hailed the noble Secretary's reluctant acquiescence as a triumph, obtained by the House, over the powerful upholders of the irresponsible system. ‘There was good reason to suppose that Lord John Russell’s exposition of the prin- ciples, recently made in the House of Commons, which are henceforth to be recognized and acted upon in the administration of Colonial affairs, had materially assisted in removing the film from the eyes of the Right Hon. Secretary, Earl Grey; but, however that might be, the people of Prince Edward Island had obtained a triumph over his prejucices and opposition. It was true it was not Earl Grey’s opinion that such a mode, as the Re- sponsible System of Government, was particularly desi- rable for the community in its present stage; but, fortu- nately for the peoole of Prince Edward, Karl Grey had it notin his power to control the progress of the en- lightened policy professed by the Premier, Lord John Russell, who proudly acknowledges himself to belong to a country whose mission is to sow half the world with free institutions; and he (Mr. Pope) was satisfied that the people might now safely indulge the hope that that system of Government would soon be established in the Colony, which would enable them to work their own way to prosperity. But Responsible Government was not the only boon which Lord John Russel] was prepared to bestow upon the British Colonies to which political freedom had already been granted or was to be extended: he meant still further to extend their capa- city for self-government, by making their Legislative Council elective by the people ; a measure, in favour of which his opinion had been recorded in the Journals of the House 16 years ago, 1834. Now, concluded the honorable member, a!l that remains for the House to do, is to make a proper use of their advantages, and so to act as to prevent others from attributing to them, with any show of reason, bad or selfish motives of action. It behoved them to be governed by due moderation, and to show no rashness or extravagance in their proceed- ings: it would be their wisdom to cenfine themselves to constitutional redress, and, throwing aside all favourit- ism and private feeling, to act with a singie eye to the public good, and shew the Home Government that they were worthy to enjoy all the political privileges extended to the neighbouring Provinces.

Mr. Coes then rose and moved that a Committee be appointed to prepare and bring ina Bill to provide for the payment of the Civil List, in accordance with a De- spatch from the Right Hon. Earl Grey to His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor, dated 27th Dec., 1849, and laid before this House on the first day of the present Ses- sion; as also in pursuance of an Extract from a confiden- tial Despatch of Earl Grey to the Lieutenant Governor, dated 18th February, 1850, communicated to the House this day, conceding Responsible Government to this Colony.

Mr. Loxeworta moved, by way of amendinent, that the said Despatches be referred to a Committee of the whole tlouge to-morrow,

The House divided on the motion of amendment.

| Yeas 1—Nays 18.

The question being then put on the main motion, it was agreed to by the House.

Farivar, 15th March.

HOUSE IN COMMITTEE ON THE SMALL DEBTS ACT.

During the time that the House sat in Cominittee on the Small Debts Act, several meinbers expressed their opinions with reference to some of the provisions of the old Act, and also as respected the umendments sug- gested therein. These considerably condensed, are as follow:—

Mr. Fraser thought the fees allowed under the Act were too high, and that it would be right to reduce them. In Nova Scotia, he believed, the fee for a Summons was only Is, and in New Brunswiek only 9J., whilst in Prince Edward for the lowest sum it is 3s, The hon, member, at thia time, tovk occesion to say that he dis- approved of imprisonment for debt. He thought a creditor was very poorly paid indeed by having bis

Ac sate, fron the shores of Creat Briain, responsive ‘

debtor committed to Jail for a few weeks.

EN—HAVING ‘TO ADVISE THE PUBLIC—MAY SPEAK FREE.”—Miitox’s Eontrrbee.

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Mr. Pore said the honorable member (Mr. Fraser) was mistaken with reepect to the amount of Small Debts tees in New Brunswick. There the fees on judgmeni were 60 high as greatly to exceed those in Prince Ed ward. Ae a Sinu!! Debts Commissioner, be had never received more than 10s. or 12s.—certainly not too much —for one day’s—or properly speaking a month's atten- tion to the discharge of his duties in that capacity ; but he had never expressed himself diseatisfied with such remuneration. It might be true that, at St. Eleanor and in Charlottetown, in each of which places the nam- ber of Summonses issued every month waa very consi- derable, the Commissioners, Clerks, and even the Con- stables were al! well paid. It was not so, however, with respect to all the Small Debts Courts in the coun. try; in some of which, the Commissioners were certain ty not sufficiently remunerated. The expenses conse- quent upon the prosecution of a Suit in a Sinall Debte Court, were often, it should be remembered, greatly increased by the many witnesses subpeenaed ; but that was rot owing to too high a scale of fees: should it appear, however, that the country called for an abate- ment in the amount of fees, he would not oppose it. He was not aware of any general existing abuses under the Act; but should it be made to appear that there were any, he would be most ready to lend a helping hand to reinove them.

Mr. Mooney was of opinion that the best way of paying the Commissioners, would be by annual salariee, and providing that all fees of office received by them should be paid into the Treasury. Such an alteration in the Law would, he thought, tend to diminish the amount of litigation, by holding out no inducement te the Commissioners to encourage it; some of whom, be believed, had been very expert in cutting out work in that line for themselves. Hethought also that it would be well to diminish the fees of the Constables, and then, perhaps, there would not be such astruggle among men who were unwilling to earn their livelihoods by respect- able industry and daily useful labor, to obtain appoint ments as Constables. ‘The honorable member then humorously, but justly, censured the mean. the contem- tible efforts of such men, when acting as Const bles, to increase the amennt of their fees, It was no unusoud thing, he believed, for Constables of the character to which he bad alluded, to go about in seatch of employ- mont, from store to store, stating individually to the several merchante, that they were going, on business, to such or such a Settlement, and would be glad to take the serving of a few Summonses in that quarter on re- duced terms, and, besides, that they would be willing to take goods in whole or in part payment; and thes, said the honorable membcr, had the trouble and expense of a Summons been brought upon many a poor debtor, who would otherwise have experienced the leuity of his creditor, and have been able honestly to acquit himself of his obligation. He maintained that the fees of Con- stables ought to be cut down: they ought not-to be sc high as to make the office of a Constable worthy of being struggled for. Let them be reduced, and some of those who were lazily earning a livelihood by their amount, would perhaps, become snore valuable members of society, and betake themselves toa more respectabie way of earning @ livelibood.

Mr. Lop said he had been a Small Debts Commis- sioner for the last two or three years; but, although he had frequently felt for poor individuals summoned to the Court for debts of a very trifling amount, and would gladly interfere for the amelioration of the law, if ame-

lioration were possible with due regard to justice, he was of opinion that a reduction of the fees would tend creatly to the increase of htigation; and, on the com trary, that an increase therein would materially diminien it. Litigation in the Small Debts Courts, had unfortw. nately become so extensive and customary, that there | was, he believed, a vast number of persons in the com-

munity whe would, unless rued according to custom, never think of paying their debts at all, Asa Commie sioner, viewing the fees as he might have a4 perso.al | interest therein, and as a member of the Assembly, cos- sidering it to be his duty to support reduction of fees, ‘retrenchment, and economy, he was prepared to go for “a reduction of the fees under the Small Debts Act; bat, at the same time, he was strong'y inclined to question the wisdom of doing so. The honorable member con- cluded bv saying that he would not object to a reduc- tion of 25 per cent. in the acaie of fers.

Hon. Mr. Taornton thought the highest feea in the seale were too hich: the gradation upwards was not 1a due proportion. The hon. gentieman replied to Mr. Mooney, that, ifthere waa so much reason to campivin of the conduct apd character of tha prerent Constadies,

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