—

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Examiner,

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Vou. 1] - CHARLOTTETOWN,

“THIS 1S ‘TRUE LIBERTY, WHEN FREEBORN MEN—HAVING TO ADVISE THE PUBLIC, MAY SPEAK FREE.” —Eunirivrs,

P. E. ISLAND, MONDAY, MAY 1, 1848. _

[No. 39.

ere eee a — eee _— _ —— CUS LEAISLALTRS, ‘grant of £3000, in the first instance, for the road-service, many others who object to an embargo. Some persons sna a jan subsequently by adding thereto £900. This grant he question the utility of cultivating the potatoes as an ar-

House of Assembly,

Wepnespay, Aprin 12,

THE EMBARGO QUESTION. (Continued.)

Mr. Mooney said he entertained an opinion very differ- ent from that of the hon. speaker, who seemed to think of nothing besides seed ; but he would like to know if no more grain should be kept in the country than would be required for sowing the ground, upon what the people would have to depend for subsistence, during the long interval between sowing-time and harvest. He hoped the hon.Speaker did not imagine they could do so solely upon the air they breathed. As to the confidence expressed by the hon. Speaker with respect to the quantity of grain now in the Island, he (Mr. M.) wished he possessed any data whereon to form a similar opinion; but it was quite the reverse, for he knew not a single instance of a far- mer’s having one surplus bushel of Oats; but, on the other hand, unfortunately, he knew too many who had neither Potatoes, nor Oats, even at the present time, and if exportation were allowed to proceed, and the land were not planted, what would be the consequence next year? If they turned to Ireland, and contemplated the dreadful calamities experienced there in consequence of bad crops; if they did not forget—and forget, they could not-—the millions of human beings who had so recently perished from starvation, was it not due to their

‘doubted not would go far to relieve the destitute; and, ticle of food for the people; but he had no misgivings he hoped, the people would appreciate the boon, and about the benefits yet to be derived from the growing not copy from those of freland, who, in return for the of this hitherto useful esculent. He believed it would ‘enormous sums which had been raised for their relief in after atime become as good as ever, and that, although England, were ready to bite the hands of their benefac- the potato, as a root, had been eubject, for the last few ‘tors. As a farmer or merchant, or in any other way, he| years, to great fatality, there was no more reason to ap- | was notin the least degree interested in the question, but | prehend its complete extinction, than that of cattle, grain, ‘was perfectly independent in his consideration of it. &c. which are occasionally subject to disease and simi- ‘Embargo or no Embargo, he had nothing to export; for, lar dispensations of Providence. In England and in jin his capacity of Agent, he had not takena single|the United States, in which he had travelled during the bushel of Grain or Potatoes from his Tenants since last) last autumn, the root was good, though the crops were ‘harvest ;and, therefore, his opposition must be viewed | far from being abundant ; but as the seed would recover as being perfectly disinterested, and solely confined to! from disease, it was reasonable to expect that the crops ‘public grounds. ‘The hon. Member who had last ad-| would become more abundant, and therefore, he should ‘dressed the Committee had unblushingly accused him|be sorry to see this most useful food given up as lost of want of wisdom, and hinted at his lack of knowledge altogether. Such being his opinion, he considered it the with respect to the extent of destitution which existed bounden duty of the Committee to keep the Potatoes in in the Colony. Such an accusation, from such a quarter |the Island, and to encourage the people to try them came with a very bad grace. (“I can learn you,” inter-;again. From the small quantity left, there was no fear of ‘rupted the hon. member alluded to.) For the hon. mem- their experimenting on too large a scale. At that very ber to speak of the want of wisdom in others, and pro-| time, he was told, that vessels were being loaded with |pose to instruct them, was, indeed, most ridiculous ; for, produce, and the House ought to use all possible dis- if the whole amount of knowledge which he possessed | patch in coming to a conclusion, for he was satisfied upon all subjects, were to be summed up, the|a single bushel ought not to be exported. Hon. Mem- total would be found quite inadequate for the supply of bers should consider the responsibility that rested upon his own wants. them. They should think of the deplorable consequen- Mr. Le Lacheur had been often heard to say that when|Ces that must arise, if a sufficiency of seed be not re- ‘the hon. Speaker had once given his opinion,—let that|tained to put into the ground, and then they would see ‘opinion be ever so erroneous,—it was no easy matter to the urgent necessity for carrying the measure then un-

; : nin (3 Sovereign and to their Sovereign’s God, that they should) -oayince him to the contrary. Buthe(Mr. Lacheur)had

der consideration, which should have his hearty sup-

make sure that death from such a cause should not hap- pen to Her Majesty’s subjects in this Island? ‘The hon. Speaker spoke confidently ; he happened to be correctly informed upon the state of the Island when he negatived the question of an Embargo upona former occasion; but, about that time, as he said, he represented the whole island, he perhaps had greater opportunities of acquir- ing information than he now possessed. It ought to be remembered, that there has been a succession of bad crops, and that the people, to discharge their rents, had drained their resources, and, from what the hon, Speaker had just said, it appeared to him (Mr. M.), that the fifty thousand of whom lie then boasted he was the represen. tative, had nearly all forgotton to remind him of their grievances, and their actua) want of common necess- aries. His (the hon. Speaker’s) constituents, it would seem had made no complaint, had presented no Peti- tions;and, therefore, there he said there was no want. The Merchants appeared to be the peculiar care of the hon. speaker, and the people and their Representatives, were, according to his views, to be no more thought of than so many serfs, easily pursuaded and as easily kept inorder. He thought but little personal incon-

venience could arise from the carrying out of this mea-|

no sooner taken his seat in the House this session, than

port.

he sounded the alarm; he prophesied what he regretted) Mr. Palmer had never before been an advocate for ito say had already come to pass; he said, that he then ‘Embargoes, disliking to interfere with commercial pur- knew of forty families so destitute that they knew not suits; but for several weeks as, from time to time, the one day, where their next day’s food would come from; accounts from the Country came in, he had perceived

_and he was ridiculed as an alarmist, and told that he was |the absolute necessity of adopting the measure ; for none ‘merely blowing his old trumpet for the poor Tenantry : could deny the existence of most pressing want. Ifthe che was laughed at for telling Gospel truth. The hon. ports were allowed to remain open, he much feared the ‘Speaker would not allow that he did not know better |high prices in some of the neighbouring colonies would ‘than all the rest ofthe world. There is plenty, said the be a strong inducement to shippers to export; and the Speaker, only it is kept back, and there is no necessity consequence would be, that much of the land would be for an embargo : and all this he advanced in the face of unprodnetive for the want of seed; the sad effects of representations, daily reaching His Excellency, of the which would be severely felt for years to come. The most alarming destitution prevailing in various parts of Committee, therefore, were loudly called upon not to the Island. Despite of the hon. Speaker’s opinion, he make themselves a party to the creating of so grievous (Mr. Le Lacheur) trusted, there would be evinced in the a calamity, by which the future interests and well-being House independence and good sense enough to throw to | of the Island would be so injuriously effected. He much the winds the plausible sophistry of the hon. Speaker, regretted that it should be necessary to interfere with and prevent the risk of the direful calamity of starvation, business regulations ; but he trusted that those few, who

‘to perhaps hundreds of our fellow-men. had bought up produce for the purpose of exportation,

Mr. Douse exceedingly regretted having to address Would merely suffer a little inconvenience and disap- ‘the House upon a subject so painful as that of the dis- pointment; for the prices they would obtain here would ltress. which prevailed inthe country, and to ameliorate ord them a profit, and, therefore, they would not have which the House was then called upon to legislate, ™#80n to complain ofexperiencing any great or serious

eure: he was net of opinion that it would pss any loss to, The question of an embargo was, at all times, one of injury. Were it even otherwise, the few should not be the speculators in grain ; but, even if it did, of what con-! v

a “ee ge ie ._|great importance, and demanded the most mature con- 8° selfish as to complain of a measure which contem- inl eee : a wm e 1. |Sideration. He (Mr. Douse) knew full well the inju- plated the affording of relief to so many of their desti- : mbers. Incon- |

‘rious effects that invariably resulted from an interference tute fellowmen. He, therefore, most willingly and fear- clusion, he would not hesitate to say that he (Mr. M.)

believed the hon. Speaker, in his capacity of a Represen-

by Parliament with the commercial regulations of any |lessly gave his support to the Bill under consideration.

country ; and, did he entertain any doubt of the actual | tative of the people, seemed to be unacquainted with their)

Mr. F. Longworth was not of the same opinion as

present destitute state, or, what was worse, if he was. acquainted with it, would not acknowledge it.

The hon. Speaker said, the picture of distress, paint- ed by the hon. Member who had just sat down, was high-

scarcity of food, consequent upon a bad harvest, the his hon. colleague, whom he considered as having taken

benefit of that doubt would be given to the Merchants’ and traders. But, convinced as he was that destitution existed to an unprecedented extent, he considered it his bounden duty to legisiate for the welfare of the many

ly coloured ; but there was little doubt that the blood! in preference to the interests of the few ; and he should, relations, to whom the hon. member had the other day | therefore, give the resolution for an Ernbargo his hearty alluded, could assist those who were in want, and to'support. The little inconvenience which this measure whom they should therefore go for immediate help.| would no doubt occasion to the merchants, would be None more than himself could feel for the really neces- of a temporary character, and not at all to be put in com- sitous, and especially for such as had become so through | parigon with the vast inconvenience which must fall upon the dispensations of Providence. The sympathy of the a very large portion of the population, if the exportation House for the distressed had exhibited itself in the ready’ of grain be not prohibited ; and this inconvenience would,

aesiatance provided by the appropriation of the large it is not improbable. be felt, to some extent at least, by

an erroneous view inthis instance. What took place at an early period of the Session, was almosta guarantee to the Merchants, that they would not be interrupted in the prosecution of their business; and, unless they were indemnified against loss, he would consider the imposing of an embargo as nothing more or less than aiding and assisting ina legal robbery. If the Government would take the produce from the purchasers ; if they would re- buy it of them for the use of the poor, then he might withdraw his opposition ; but, unless something of that nature were agreed to, he could not but consider the measure as arbitrary, and @ breach of faith with the pur-

chasers of produce. He he did not wish to be misunder-