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34

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for they had been found to he entirely useless. last House he had stated, that so convinced Wore the people that a (rovernment Was necessary to emsure t being of the Colony, that atthe next Gen

believed that, with exception of perhaps two or three, | no candidates would be returned but such as were}

pledged to the. support of such weasures as might be: | ; Nt ral p | uce tothe immediate|lency was assisted in the performance oi his duties by

thoug ht most likely directly to cond | este blishmentof Responsible Governinent in the Colony. tis prediction was derided, but the result of the recent Ceneral Election had shown hew justly he had estimated the sense and feelings of the people. it wag time that! the Constitution of the Colony should be detined, and that the instructions of a Colonial Secretary, as laid before the Legislature by his exponent, the Lieurenant Governor, should cease to de the law, The Constitut- tion and form of Government best adapted to the state of the Colony, the Assembly, as instructed by the peo- ple, their constituents, were best qualified to explain: and the reform required by the Assembly, in compliance with the wishes of the people, wae the adoption of Respon- sible Government, es granted to and established in the neighSouring Provinces. ‘That the people of Prince Edward Island were as fully entitled to the acknow- tedgment which-had been made by Harl Grey in a cer- tain Despatch to the Governor of Nova Scotia to the effect, that it was nesther possible nor desirable to carry on the Government of any of the British Provinces in North. America, in opposition to the opinions of the in- habitants, is..declared by him, Earl Grey, in his De- spatch to Sir Donald Campbell, of 27th December, 1849; but, with most glaring inconsistency, he also states, in the same Despatch, that he does not consider the Colony ripe for the introduction of sucha system of seli- government ag that which had been established -in Nova Scotia with the exprees sanction of the Imperial | Government. Tosuch inconsistencies in the Despatches sent out to this Colony. from the Colonial Office the

to feel much surprised at the want of consistency in the: Jast laid before the House by command of His Excel- lency; and the only effect it oughtto have upon the minds of that party in the Assembly who earnestly. sought for the introduction of Responsible Government ought to be the convincing them, that unless they should display more energy and greater determination in their assertion of the people's rights than had hitherto cha- racterized Legislative proceedings to that end, they would never be able to accomplish the object which they had in @iew. The hon. member then observed, with respect to the granting of a Civil List, that ke was one who, to the fullest extent, was prepared to recog- nize the claims of certain public officers upon the Crown Revenues ; but until these shou!d be given up in perpetuity to the Legislature of the Chiony, the question concerning the adjustment of the claims of those public officers therein, must rest between themselves and the Home Government, and not between them and the Colo- nial Legislature. With respect to the case of the Chief Justice, he considered hig claim to be a sacred one. The complete independence of Judges was absolutely necessary ; because it was essential to the pure admi- nistration of jastice, not only as respected the legal disposition of property, but as it affected the all-impor- tant question of lifeanddeath. It was this consideration which induced the Imperia! Legislature to make British Judges independent of the Crown, and to raise them above the suspicion of venality, by securing to them their appointments for life with salaries sufliciently liberal in amount to place them above the temptation of a bribe. And the consequence of this wise proceeding of the British Parliament was, that no class of men have ever stood higher, not only in the estimation of their fellow-subjects, but in that of foreign nations, than the Judges of Great Britain. He would, upon principle, be prepared to admit the claim of the Chief Justice of this Colony upon the Crown Revenues, from a sense of the justice and utility of doing so; but the-claims of other Government officers upon these Revenues he regarded as a minor consideration. Forhe believed, that most of them would be quite willing to accept the rate of salaries that the House had given them last year, or such amount az the country could afford. When he~saw that the Imperial Government were not prepared to make, to the Lhegislature and people of this Colony, those coneessions which they justly demanded; and which the Colonial Secretary himself, not only admitted, but distinctly stated they were fully entitled to; he felt bound to pro- test against the assumption of Earl Grey. The money re- quired to discharge the salaries on the Civil List belong- ed to the people, and unless concessions should be made to the Colony, by tke imperial Government, to the full extent of right and justice he was prepared to go to the utmost extremity, in resisting the demands made by the Imperiai Government, and would not consent that a aingle shilling of the peoples’ money should be advanced tocarry on a Government in which the people had no confidence, He (Mr. Pope} would be less inclined to abject to the present system. if he could discover that the present Executive Council were in a position to

' steve the responsibilities of the Government,, or to act

as independent gentiemen ought to act without refer- ence to party; but in order to this, they should enjoy the confidence of the people. The Government of this little Gulony often renvinded fim of a celebrated edu-

chiynal establishment whos? Cognemen indicated the

a ats cer sae sat VE CALE

trather than consent to a betrayal of the trust reposed in. people and the Legislature had been too long accustomed!them by the people, by making any such concession,

.

‘ee om OF A en aA THE BAA Raw. ee Perry” is Tae Tare ree On BOT Wee i - .

; . In the! Jo-the-boys Halt, ian winch experiments might be tried | Froin ist. April to tet. September | how far the administrative aothority of its ruler might reform in tha mode of administering the|be carried. But there are bounds to human endurance, he futare well-land it is vain to expect that the people of this Colony, ; eral Election hefin whom the rights of British subjects are inherent, MM will eyer submit that the public patronage shall be con-| From Ist. April to Ist. September

tingent upon personal favour, or a degrading subser-’ viency. When Lord Grey asserted that ** His Excel-:

sentiemen selected trom those inhabitants of the solony | who were most capable of performing with advantage. to the public, the duties of their several offices,” His! Lordship did not for a moment intend to question the constitutional right of the Representatives of the people in Parliament, to determine who does or who does a enjoy the contidence of the people; but was doubtlessly acting upon the information that fas been communicated to him, and hence this famous ecko from Downing Street. By whom, he would ask, had his Excellency been con- stituted the sole judge of the qualifications and capabi- lities of men, in this Colony, to fill public offices, and to discharge with advantage to the public the duties be- longing to. them ? But he (the hon. member) shouid like to have it preased to conviction, upon Karl Grey and his associates in the Imperial Administrations that the people of Prince Edward Island and their Representa- tives in the Legislature were the only legitimate and proper judges of the eapabilities of men to discharge the functions of the severa! public offices in the Colony who are paid from its Revenues. Was the House, be would ask, to consent to vote away the public money of the people, and to agree that it should be appropriated in a way, of which neither they nor the people ap- proved; merely because the Lieutenant Governor, as instructed by Wari-Grey, requested them“to do so? He (the hon. member) would answer for himself and the majority of the louse, that they recognized no obdliga- tion which bound them to such submission; and that

they would, without any regard to their own pecuniary interests, after having made such re-enactments as were necessary to regulate the due administration of justice, and to provide for the legal protection of life and pro- perty, retire to their several homes, and leave the Lieut. Governor, with the assistance of Marl Grey, to carry on the Government with what adility and efficiency he might.

‘he attempt to withstand: the endeavours ef the people and the Legislature to procure a full recognition of their rights from the Imperial Government, arose, in- dependently of other adverse influences, from a eon- sideration of the insignificance of the Colony, as compared with the neighbouring Provinces. He was,. however, convinced that, by a steady, spirited persever- ance in pursuit of their object, they would overcome all resistance, and that the full concession which they sought for would be obtained. The hon. member con- cluded by observing, that the triumph of the principles which he advocated, would not be for the benefit of one party, but for the good of all parties. For his own part, he knew not what dangers or mischiefs could be reasonably apprehended, as likely to accrue to the people of Prince Edward {sland from a change in the mode of administering the Government. Surely servants who knew that they would have to render an account, would be much more likely toacquit themselves faithfully and efficiently of their duties to those who had power over them, than such as knew themselves to be bound by no responsibility, and who could, therefore, defy enquiry. ‘Ihe changes of Administration, they all knew, were frequent in Great Britain. At one time the Tories were in- power, and at another the Whigs: but the accession to power of tle one, and the retirement therefrom of the other, could-never prove disastrous to) the general interests of the péopte ; because, whichever party was in power, their efforts were always to increase the general prosperity of the Empire. He, by no means, considered any party immaculate ; but, on the contrary, was convinced that constitutional checks—such as ex- isted under the operation of British Responsible Govern- ment—were needed to prevent an abuse of power, into the hands of whatsoever party it might fall. In advo- cating the introduction of Responsible Government, he was not seeking to aggrandize a party; for he believed its introduction would place men of equal pretensions upon the same fvoting ; and that such as were qualified would stand the best chance for official promotion. For himself, he was altogether independent of party ; and the course he was pursuing was indicated to him, by a full conviction, as that which he ougnt to follow as a faithful friend and servant of the people. If the Government thought they: could. carry on the adminis- tration of Public Affairs, with the scanty Revenue at their disposal, they had his full permission-te try.

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REPORTER'S SUMMARY. .

Saturpar, March 16,

Mr. Wanserron presented a Petition from. Lots 8 and 9, praying for a grant of money, to be expended on the improvement of the Roads through the said Lots.

Emigrants’ Birt.—This Bill, which was brought in by Mr. Lorn, with a view to effect a reduction in the Scale of Head money. The Scale was agreed to and ordered to be engrossed. The Scale inthe old Act,

fo A pos eu eich owe Ce

, atted. It wise political!

_ re TTR ere Tyee ere a ad _— 7 . eer: — , ; : rT a T2arr: ne Ore ve

£0 12. €C’'>¢ Ist. Sept. to Ist. Octotter aoe. © lat. Oct. to the close of the ? 17 '¢ Navigation or @nd af the year , l ‘; = As itstands in the Bil adopted by the EFouse : 32s, Currency

Ist. Sept. to ist. November 183. ist. Nov. to the close of the Na- ban. vigation, or end of the year ~~?

Stray CatrLe Byry.—This Bill, a mere transcrip’ of the expiring Law, was agreed to by the House aud ordered to be engrossed.

Monnax, Mareh 18.

Assavctrs. ano Bartertes Biie.—This Bill, z mere copy of the expiring Law, was avreed to by the Housgand erderedto be engrossed. ‘The only alters. tion made js with respect to the indgment Fee, whieci i@reduced from 7s. Gd.to5s; Messrs. Fraser, Jord. Mooney, and LeLacheur having urged the propriety «: such reduction.

Tae Immrenants Bint was read a third time and passed.

Rosy Comrensation Bitr.—This Bill, a mere copy

of the expiring Law, was agreed to by the House, and ordered to be engrossed.

, Turspax March I. Srear Carrie Brrx,—Thia Bill, re-enactment was read e third time and passed. '

Common Assac.tTs ann Battenres Biri.—-This Bill (also a re-enactment) was read a third time and passed. “ *

Mr. Yeo, who lately returned from England, took the oaths and his seat. oe

Lanp-AGenTs’ Fers.—A Bil] to regulate the’ Fees of Land Agents was introduced by Mr. Jardine, ane read a first time.

Heattu Orricers’ Fees.—Mr. Lorn introduced a Board of Health Bill, and stated his object to be the regulating of the Health Officer’s fees, with a due re- gard to to the services performed.

Poor Retations Birr.—Mr. Cones, from the Commisioners appointed to consolidate the Laws, re ported the Dratt ofa Bill to oblige husbands and other natural relatives of indigent and impotent persons, unable to maintain themselves, to contribrte to their support. Bill read firstand second time, committed reported agreed to, and ordered to be engrossed.

Tt oe —_————

goRassPodvsnes.

Ne

FOR THE EXAMINER. “PARCERE SUBJECTIS, ET DERELLARY SUPFREOS.” Me. WiHeEvan ;

Sir,—That splendid publication called the Islander. contains in its last number a scrap from “ Modus,” whose impudence and ignorance are “ pretty particular- ly” alike. The old saying, that “the greatest rogue cries rogue first,” is very finely delineated by “ Modus,” so much so that his ignorance is too prominent to pass unnoticed ; and if his gail had not lately overflowed, it is quite probable that his impudence would not have been so bitterly keen to expose his ignorance as it has done. ‘There is nothing whatever in my communication in reference to ignorance, that Many individual, except a Baaliin’s ass, ora “ Modus,” would andertake tobray about, as the latter has done, and though he makes a great flourish with latin words, it shows that he posses- ses not one scruple more of common sense than very many of his class, and clearly proves that he will require a great many blasts of iis ram’s horn, and a great many pitchers to break before he will upset the Jericho which I have planted in your paper.

“ Modus” dare not come out like a man and vindicate the covered up work of the “Pump and Well Aesess- ment” compact, and his ignorance of the eleventh com- mandment—* Mind your own business”—compelled his impudeuce to assert that my head must be composed of water. Provided this were the case, what reference has it to the subject? If.ke made less use,of spirituous liquors his eyes would not expose to the world that his head contained more water than nature designed it to: but to be serious—the Almighty Being who made both “ Modus” and me, bestowed not one drop more water in our composition than his infinite wisdom deemed proper, and any man who dares to insult his Maker by remarks on any of His works, in the manner in whieh “ Modus’ has done, I hesitate not to say, is a disgrace to bis sf- cies, if he were the most profound scholar, or clever* Lawyer that ever existed, and the sooner he bidertis “diminished head” the iess his ignorance and #P#- dence will be exposed.

“ Modus” need not fancy, because he uses /Latin

|screen, that he is unknown, or that it will sf€ him

from castigation. Whenever I taink properto sené you a Communication, on any public matter, let Modus” remember that that is my business, nothis. Uy! he can show some better reasons, and give some ytter argu- ments for withholding from the public a faiand impat. ) tial account of the expenditure of the plic mone

thaa he has done in his late epistle, 1 con®d that in” no argument in favour of

blic informe2n for“ Me- or even iToduce me ts

's as follows: o

dos” to show me to the of