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38

Tenant League of Prince Ed- ward Island.

The Committee of the Prince Edward istand Tenant League having been direet- @d atthe Jast weetng of that Body to prepare a Report of i's plans and proceed- ‘nos, fur the purpose of being laid before the House of Assembly, im its. present session, very respectfully submit the fol- owing i— TO ‘THE

HONOURABLE THE HOUSE

OF ASSEMBLY.

‘AW hereasa jarge nunber of the farmers, repants and gettlera, in the Fort Augustus,

Monaghan, Pisquid, Glenfioin, and Joln- |

stoa's River settlements, in Townships wembers 35, 86, 37, 48, and part of 49, have (ormed themselves into a body or confederation, uncer the title of “ The ‘Yenant League of Prince Edward Island,” whose soie object and determination is to obtain by every legal means which can be resorted to, Relief for the T'rnantry of hig Colony from the insufferable tyranny snd usurpation attempted to be, and in Many Instances now, exercised over thein for a long time past, by parties claiming tue lordship of the soil,

That the said League at its formation, proposed, passed and published, a few resolutions, eight in number, setting forth its plans and principles, and over Three ‘iundred Members were forthwith en- ro'led on its books,

‘That an individual, under the fictitious term of “Teil Truth,’ wishing himself thereby to be thought the beloved watch- taan of the tenant's rights, but who, I:ke Buanyan’s boatman, is looking one way and rowing another, and who yearns for some day becoming a little proprietor timself—this so termed * Tell Truth” addressed a long publication tothe “ Ad- vettiser” Newspaper of the 15th Decem- ber last, asserting thet our League was vot up for the purpose of being made useful to soe of its projectors ata com- sog Vlection—and to obstruct the intro- daction of Responsible Government then oa the eve of being granted to this colo- ny—also dwelling at great length on the uilegality of the system, and how hopeless eur course would be wth the Home Go- vecnment, which would never consent to juterfere with the long established cus- tem of land claimants * domg what they.

‘ike with their own,”-d&c.

That afew little critics, admirers, or hangers on, of the foregoing, commenced croaking m support of the above “* un- known,” end expending al! the powers of their little minds to display their “ Liber- falisin” in drowning our first League, and ike ASsop’s ass in pursuit of the Lion, actually took credit to themselves for \ueie success ingso doing.

‘That forthwith a ‘large meeting of the rahabitants who formed said League was eld at Fort Augustus, and immediately

‘atter another ineeting was prblished to

be, and was held at Mr. Joho Burn’s, on due Monaghan Road, Lot 48, to which meetiiy the Representatives of the Dis- triet were invited for their ‘countenance end ‘co-operation—of ‘whom only Mr. Mooney attended—brt «ho declared he would be neutral on the League; at both of which meetings the falsehood and ab- surdity of * Pell Truth”; and of the tales aad statements of the aforesaid ¢ritics,was anade fully obvious,

‘Tat immediately after 2 mendamus to Fruncis Kelly Esq., was forwarded from

the Gulouial Seeretary’s office, storming

lias that ie was aceusedto the Govern- went of having given his countenance aud support ns a magistrate of the county iva combination formed et the Monaghan Settlement for the purpose of resisting ‘the payment of rents,and commandinz chet he would answer thereto without delay, who

appearing at head quarters, ascertained chat the accusation was a verbal state-

trent wade by onr former ficticious friend the veritable @fell Trath,” who again w shing to show the ardour of ins attach- reat toe the Tenant’s cause, requested the

rerioval from the magistracy of the said

“aie erate (ffeiing as his witness or in- formant aveiust the accused, the afore-

sail Mr. Mooney: the satd “ ‘Pell Truth”

rhea feuriug as an ilonorab.e Legisla-

tive Councillor. Phat the committee of the League, lest i, olghy betubught tier wevement would

peril the introduction of Responsible Go-

sible Government was obtained, and une

THE BXATINIK.

vernment, and for other purposes, decided on suspending any further operation of the League, unti! the arrival of His Ex- cellency our new Governor, until Respon-

tr] it should be ascertained if the tenantry might expect specific relief from Respon- sible Government,

‘That as that measure has now become the law of the land, and out of danger: but being doubtful that it is of itself able to procure any specific relief tor the tenantry, Whose load of oppression is growing heavier every day, the League isnow determined to proceed tn its organ- ization, and as soon as practicable, te commence its operations, and fulivexpects and solicits the concurrence and aaaist- ance of the House of Assembly.

That much has been said about the illegality of resolution No. 5, by which the metbers of the League are pledged to refuse paying rent, and to refuse as- sistance to the Bailiffs. Now it is not contemplated by that resolution to with- hold from payment until the organization of the League shall become general thro’ the Is!and—when we know it cannot be deemed illegal to decline what cannot be easily enforced. Moreover, to resist the Bailiffs was never thought of in that re- solution; on the contrary, they might be robed in purple, and carried through the streets, proclaiming “Thus shall be done to the whom the League hath delight to honour ;” but when the whole of the farmers, the greater and best part of the merchants and mechanics, shall have joined our League, and refuse cre- dits, patronage, orarty kind of dealings with those kind-hearted gentry, they may then find it their interest to let the hon- ourable occupation of sueing, distressing, | aud distraining be done by the hardy. Proprietors themselves, whom the League will never allow to be obstructed therein.

That the League contemplates now7ong towards the claimants of the Townships in this Island ; on the contrary it proposes to secure to them what they are justly and. fairly entitled to in its fallest extent, by a fair valuation, which, according to the average selling prices of wilderness or forest lands, now ranging at from £5 to £50 by thé 100 acres, woald be much lower than what the League already pro-

Oses,

That according to the said sales of fo- rest lands, nb proprietor’s interest therein can be considered higher than between 5s. and Gs. by the acre, whereas the said lands, when reclaimed by the tenant, viz. cutting down the forest, piling, burn- ing, and clearing off the wood, stumping, grabbing, and clearing off the stumps, and preparing for cultivation, every acre so cleared, itis well known, costs about £5, and sometimes above £6.—and a proprietor claiming an enhanced value for land so cleared, is dishonest ; and such there are among our proprietors— who, baving perhaps only the shadow.

a title, wait quietly till considerable i provements are made, and then by’the triendly assistance of their favourite functionaries, John Doe and Richard Roe, easily effect the poor tenant’s re- moval,

That the Jaw between landlord and tenant, as administered here, is well known to have no provision for the pro-

tection of the tenant—but every clause. |.

section, and article thereof, according as they succeed each other in the British statute book, are a succession of enact. ments, each comprising some new device to render the power of the Landlord, his Agent or Bailiff, more effectual, and the chance of the tenant to escape trom their grasp more difficult—that this state of: things could be otherwise, might scarcely | be expected since the M. P.’s qualifica- | tion at home, besides other things, must | be sworn to be worth in property six or | seven hundred pounds per annum, which | few unless landlords could conscientious- | ly swear to, consequently the members | of the finperial Legislature have been always laudlords, and their jaws tell | well of their justice towards the tenents, | but which before long we hope will be | i

ina different position. Bur that the claimants of this little dsland should as— sume the powers and rights bere whieh | are guaranteed by the Lendlord-made | Laws aforesaid only to landlords in ute | Uisited Kingdom, surpasses comprehen-

| ag was the case at home—and a sorty con-

~r Taatosate

sion, and in which they may find them- selves much mistaken, if the people on'y will so to be.

That as the only claim of the Grantees to any lands in this [sland was founded eolely on their broken pledge to King Geore the Third, of settling 20 or 80,000 German Procestants here before the end of the last century, which at that very time they well knew could net, should not, or would not, ever be fulfilled —their titles, and the titles of those claiming un- der them, we well know,-—but that it would be far more wise, more creditable, and more for the benefit of the proprietors to accept of a fair compromise for their claim to the fee simple of the Jand, or the interest thereof for the rent, than to be holding’on in their usurpation, grasp- ing at shadows, when they might ultr- mately lose all.

That professing the most ardent attach- ment and loyalty to our Sovereign Lady the Queen, to His Excellency our worthy Lieut. Governor, aud to the constituted authorities under him, we submit at the same time that we are not in the slightest fear of the Proprietors or iheir conatituted authorities, if they get any, and attempt to deprive the tenauts of the fruits of their honest toil. But as no rescue, ob- struction of Bailiffs, or any illegal inter- | ference with such gentry,is contemplated | or will be sufferecd or countenanced by |

our League—and as no “ Sedition Act,” | or any of those Acts so convenient for | preventing the people in the old country from asserting their rights, prevails here, or can ever be introduced here, the mem- bers of our League can be free and clear from being netted by its enemies.

‘Fhat our League has, and will have ainong its members, those who can ascer- tain to ahair’s breadth, the meaningwhich bounds the rights between the people and the proprietors, and who will, if need be, lead those members to its very verge— thet in w short time our League will com- prise all in the Tsland worth having, and those who oppose it can well be wanted.

That it is said armies will be applied for and ordered here te enfore the claims of the injured landlords, whom Providence itis said, in its mercy, first appointed for the well being of the benighted inhabi- tants of this colony, However, we know that no armies will ever be brought here, unless the Proprietors taise them, and pay them themselves, which all their rent would fall short in doing.

That we have laid the Resolutions and Rules ef the League before the ‘Couricil of the Trish Tenant League in Dubho, through C. G. Daffy, Esq., and the Rev. D. Bell, whom 1500 of the Monaghans here hail as almost their immediate towns- men, and whom our League wil] ever venerate for their noble advocacy of the Tenant's rights,—that that Council and Rody appreve of our movement, and wil! assist and co-operate with us by their advice and influence, we feel fully as- sured, and we feel pride and pleasure in embodying herein their sentiments to- wards our League, with our Resolutions, betore referred to, as published in the Dublin Nation.

James Kexxy, 5

Parnick ‘HEnrsy,

MicHuarEL Siediea

Pavaick McCuery, } Committee. James Wuorreg,

James McDowatp, |

James TREANOR. |

{From the Dublin Nation.)

“Tn Prince Edward's Island, #8 wel! as in breland, there are high renis,bad ten- ures, and Irish tenants. {t js a British province, and the lordship of its Jands was long ago given.away for fraud and corruption, as our broad acres were to the favourites of the Sruart and the sol- diera of Cromwere. They shad tilled their lands patiently, barren and bleak thougl: the soil was; and paid their rents,

trast did they feel their lot to be with the free squatters of the Srates, or even with the rented cesitiine of Ganada. Put at last the great tidings ef the Confer- ence travelied like the holy turf from izish Lomesiead, to homestead, throvgh the island; and with tears, and pridesad blessing, it wus teld how we were stand- ime together, North and South, Prestond Presbyter, Oranceman and Pamat, for |

life and land in Old Goeuntry! Aad!

et Lak

_

| conded by Mr. James

ee

when they had heard the solemn and rious news, they swore that they, top would muzzle oligarchs who stinted their children’s bread—lest in after days eveh a power should grow strong in Edward's as had driven themselves forth from Ite. land. More power to your will, braye countrymen! These are resolutions ft for freemen to speak. Aye, resolutions indeed! No mere formula texts to pe

rhetoric on, but all of them an uhimatup . ‘ “ . « ev

glo-

We reprint them entire—it will be see, thet they make little reference to Acts of

root of the matter at cnce, and take theirown hands. Would to God

we could do the same, but the lesson jz well worth a study. Here follow the reeolations *—

‘* A very large meeting of the inhabj- tants of Lots 35, 36, 37, and 48, on the South side ofthe Hillsborough, was held at Fort Augustus Schoo! House, on Mon- day, the 2nd instant, for the purpose of forming » Tenant League. Mr. Jaines M'Donald (Portage)was appointed chair- man, when the following resolutions were proposed and unanimously agreed to :—

Proposed by Mr. Robert Webster, se- elly:

Ist. ‘hat by reason of 2 calami visitations of Providence on the island, as

Parliament, but go right down to i , uJ it ij

| well as elsewhere, for several years now | passed, in the failure of the most valuable

portion of our crops, and the conse necessity of having to obtain seed, food, and other articles of subsistence on credit, during said years, besides the accumula- tion in many instances of several years rent, now sought to be recovered, threa- tens distress and ultimate ruin to the greater part of the tenantry of this Island, unless some means of protection ig brought about without delay, ' Proposed by Mr. Bryan Hughes, ee- conded bv Mr. Michae! Reardon: . 2nd, Thatthe annual rent of from five to ten pounds, in most cases British or

‘sterling currency, by the 100. acres, is

sought for and demanded by the terms of the existing leases—many of said farms being more than one half swampy or un- productive—and in several instances, the whole proceeds raised from: said farma,the past season, would do little more. than pay for the seed and labour expended thereon, which no law on earth should or ought to attempt depriving the industrious and hard working tenant of.

Proposed by Mr. Patrick M-Kenna, se- conded by Mr. John Mitchell: 2

3rd. Thatit is well known, and nof very long since partly acknowledged in the House of Commons, that grantsun which the rents are claimed in this teak were originally wrongfully mee through court favour and intrigue, a little or ne other deserts on the partof the zraptees, as also the successful mar- guvering by which the said claims were kept good ever since, that under all the foregoing circumstances, and after allow- ing justice in its fullest extent to be se- cured to the said grantees, the occth ters of the soil who have formed fertile fields out of the wild forest, have an undoubted right, aud it is their bounden duty to en- deavour by every lawful means to obtaid 2 reduction of at least one half of thé present rents, besides fuli exemption frou all valueless boga or swamps.

Proposed by Mr. Patrick Clarkin, se condéd by Mc. J. Treynor:

4iia. That the only means of obtain ing justice and protection between a landlord and farmers as aforesaid, are b means of a Tenant League or Confeder, ation of the farmers of the whole Island, who ure hereby called apon to hold loca meetings in the several polling preemnct# into which the Island is now ci ided at whieh meetinga the farmers assembled can propose any alteration, amendment of addition, which may be thought necessary ty those herein, and that a deleyate be appointed at eaid meetings to anend ata general meeting in each of the counties, which should take place as soon a8 af range:nette therefor are made out, where a genera} plan of operation forthe League may be agreed upon and adopted.

Proposed by Mr, James O'ir en, #e- conded by Mr. James Cullagnan:

5th. That in the event of any of the grantees.ur landlords as aforesaid, agree- ing te *teert ofr ceat and fir pelvano®

-_ er an Boe Ol