en pager a ee ES SS ee SET Ne FP iti gy A A tA Spa a ee Mi : 4 | } : ; ' ot MEME Fe. Mes OS ag 2 3 eae a COLONIAL LEGISLATURE, LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Satcepay, March 19th, 1864. a t glad! Honee in Committee on the Address in| Prepared to give you a speech of an hour's | Colony for upwards of seventy years. The| thought them a great boon, and age we reply to His Excellenoy’s Speeech--Lion. Mr. Goff in the chair. First and second paragraphs agreed to— third reid. Hon Mr. Lorp: His Graos tho Duke of Neweastle regrets that he could not adviee | lier Majesty to sesent to the address of the Legislature praying that the Award of the Commissioners on the land question might be confirmed. | thought it was quite useless to waste the time of the Legislature in passing A A ee a ee Operation, very few would be found at the | were perfectly justifiable in sending th present day who would say it was not a benefit. I am not destrous of going into a discussion on that point; bat if it is the wish of your honors to do so, I aim quite length upon it. I am pot surprised at his honor from Prince County (Hon. Mr. Lord) saying it would be a calamity if it had gone aty Operation ; and he ie quite welvome to entertain those views, and to gain all the popularity he can by them. conduct in not forwarding the Bill to confirm the Award, that bas been again and again answered in the Legislature. It was sent that address, when it must iave been evident to every member of the House that it would not be favourably received by Hie Grace. | Am not disappointed at the fate the address 42° 10 One of the newspapers. ; hae met with, and I think it would be a ne-) &re@t outcry raised ayuinst the Award by 9| am of opinion that before this session 18 over giect of public duty, on the part of members of the Opposition. were we not to stand up here and show that our views have been car- ried out—that we have not been mistaken His Excellency speaks of the address as hev- ing been adopted by bot! branches of the Legislature, which would aluust convey the idea that it had originated with the poople themselves, and not with their represeata- tives. Hon. the Parsipaent: Any address passed by a majority of ether House is considered ao address of that Branch of the Legislature, thowgh, of course, there may be @ minority, and the members of that minority have a right to record their objections. Certainly this Coune:!, and the Sou of Assembly, too would be more gratified ty the address re- ceiving the sanction of the Imperial Govern- ment than otherwise; but if the minority wish to offer an ameodment, it is open for them to do so. hiva. Mr. Devawstt: We were of opinion, by referring to a table published swe time certain party in this Island ; | ways been of epmiva that the opposition of | that party, combined with the intluence of | the proprietors, was the reason that the ‘the last part of the remark of His Honor the | # Then when the Award | p eee aside. and when they fancied they | tenantry are, in a great measure, sacrificed | | had discovered a very great mare's nest, In|, : this Bill not having been sent home, es they |; their great cry was, that that was the reason the Award was | | Award wae set aaide. jenid, im proper time, | logt ; | opposite quarter. | themselves to reconcile. ! i | would rather err on the safe side. | that Bill at that time was the resul of mis-| have received no encouragement, understanding, in some degree, the interpre- tation of a despatel: trom the Colonial Office | Any discussion on the delegation, at the present time, would, I thnk, be premature. Hon. Mr. Henperson : [ am not anxious i As to the} am oot saying this of one party charge against the Government of improper | the other. home with the other Bulls, and sert in us| Delegates have gone home and returned, and) we may heve an opper good time as Billy bave been since | bave| | hope good will yet result from that step. jeomething more at some been in the Legislature, which may be seen Thera was a and | have al-/| sume thas blowing their wind from the very | W bat consistency there 1s |in such a course, I leave to those g: otlemen those party feelings, 1 believe we would be Vhen that bill was able to carry some measure for the relief of | before the Legislature, I stated that I thought | che ten we were premature ; but, of she met I | tion to Englaud, | believe we are in a worse assing | ——————— nn | were wu large Te and the right to} nes —— Dele-| obtained for the tenartry > 7 ik f > f rent gation to England, or in using any other) mission of arrears 0 ‘ a then | ments they considered practicable to settle| purchase at a reasonable rate. mney euie| | this question, which bas been agitated, und obtained the offer of such ee i 4 which has retarded the prosperity of this| sought for by the delegates, we |fact.is, that if the people were united, there would they have been ponent would be sume hopes of settling it; but the| Commission raised the expe aaoatl | deat Veen against the * outs ” and the! eople ina most extraordinary These expec- “outs? against the ** ins ;"’ and as long as! confess, it raised mime also. cape, bane ‘that is the case, it will never be settled. 1 tations bave now, in @ great mow aaa wore than| disappointed, and it now remains °° te determine whether, because we ee . party that would settle the question; but) the whole loaf, we wilt retuse issed pulicy to /we do not appear to be as near to it DoW a8) half. Ll think it will be our w ’ . d oserbly |we were seventy years ago. However, the) lay hold of all that we a of chenintig of the and ’ i would be happy tu go with any —_— sions. Some whose cloths were set on fire ran shrieking through the streets, enveloped in flame, and altogether the scene was one of horror not easily imagined. There were many instances of the noblest heroism, men rushing fearlessly into the burning building to remove kegs of powder and prevent still mote explosions. The proprietoss of the shop are deemed highly censurable for careless- ness, the effects of which have long been ma- nifested in minor aceidents, and which has culminated in this tragic catastrophe. Fink anp Lose or Lire at Tracaprs, N.S.— The Antigonish Casket gives particulars of a melancholy occurrence which took place at Little Tracadie on the morning of Friday last. About 2 o'clock the house of Mr, Sa- subsequent time ; but if we obstinately refuse to accept what Seeing ieaibe eoeepencneh] good reason to belitve we can ob- Colonial Minister in such a way as could we have tehes; and || tain, it BOF aa ae eee ne oy chee acanion ie over| thing at all. 1 think that eending the dele- t just what the Gorern- acticable mode will be offered to| gates to England was jus iia ques ment should have done. It hag saved, at settle tuis question. y bey on : DineG Fe ite ree with | least, from cone to two years negotiation. - Hon. Mr Dtyowetr: I quite agre | reat deal has, of late, been published in the the land question ; but if anything better bas the | Opposition papers on ask your honors ; ] been suggested than what the Government onene array tree lure striving to get. The editor of the Ez- aminer has of late published eleven articles ‘on ** Lhe Land Question,’ to ete of hich he argues that we bave the ** right to eer rrr themseslves, they carried out we as of escheat,’’ and that the the sume measure. If we would throw away | power was conferred u~on us.** by Her Ma- jesty’s cession of the crown and territorial Tevenues in the Island td our local Govecn- ment; but, immediately after, be stultifies | himself by suying, that ‘at would now be in- resident I believe the interests of party feeling. jit. Wheo the Liberal party introduced the Land Purchase Bill, the * outs’? offered the | Strongest Opposition ty it; but when they antry. But as to sending the delega- . Tia | position now than before they went. They | - neistent with the honor of the Imperial and have | Government to authorize or recommend the only had what I may calla little brash with | satablichment of s court of escheat in the ‘| the proprietors, who have sent a Bil here | Isiand.’’ And io another part of the same snd say: * You must pass it as we send it, | jor - nothing.”’ Now, i think ples, ete} disr®putable and unjast for the Lwperial Go- | too far to dictate to the people of this Colony | vernment now to direct of authorize the in- that as the Duke of Neweastle bad yiveo bie) Mr. Chairman, to take anything by the fore-|in that manner, espec.ally after the ac- | stitution of a court of escheat in this culony. opinion that the Award was illegal, and | lock that would stir up agitation ; but taking | knowledgmen: of Mer Majesty's Government | In the name of consistency, 1 would ask, if is very probable that we will get no- ‘article, the editor states that it would be} therefore could not be eanetioned by the the statements of your honors, Leannot help| that there was @ grievance to settle. L do Imperial Government, i: was useless for ue to) thinking that Lord Brougham utterred #/ nyt think it is treating the Legislature of this pass the address. | wreat truth when he said ** the ins are al- | Colony with proper respect ; bat L hope Hon. Avrorney Geyarat: Id» not know! ways wrong, and the ouls are always right.""| both parties will unite, and endeavor to ac- in what other language we can reply to that| In politics there are only ins and outs. /eomplish something tor the relief of the aragraph in the Speech of His Excellency. | Paoose in office are desirous of maintaining itenantry, for [ think we migh: do so if we ‘he address was passed with the concurrence | their positiva, and those in the opoosition, | were unanimons. : of a large majority of bech branches ot the eager to get in, miss tue mark, and strike! Hon. Mr. Beer : His Honor who has just Legislature, anc those who voted for it were down the man of straw in the opposite di- | sat down tells us that he considers the terms certainly desirous that the object prayed tor rection. should be grented ; but if those who voted firm the Award,there is one thing | recollect, | ster more favournble to the tewauiry than the against it dud not wish to have the prayer of —and I think the Colonial Minister's opi- | terms suught tu be obt uned by the delegates ; the address granted, they would be quite | nion is worthy of respect. His Grace eays,|and, therefore. finds greac taule wrti the consistent in saying that they are not eurry | in a despatel to His Excellency, that * he | delegation, and with the government fur ap- that the prayer of the address has been | could not but feel pleased at the readiness | pointing it. On the whole, L approve o! the rejected. The majority, however, were de-/ with which the Legislature complied with | suggestons of His Grace the Duke of New- sirsus that the prayer of the address shoald what they supposed to be his wishes "’ be granted, and I do not, therefore, see im opinion, | think, should make our side of it| they could be made obligatory on the pro what other Janguage we can address His, good, though the Bill may have been passed prietors; but in reality they amount to Exceliency. It is as polite and courteous as under a misapprehension. And this opinion nothing, as the Duke evidently never in-| the circumstances of the cause admit ; and it| is worth sometuing on the scale, as going to is as quiet & way as we can express our show the honesty of the intentions of the Go- disappointment 'vernment. And if both sides of the Louse | Grace's own language In one part of the Hon. Mr. McDonatpo: Theaddress adopted had been of one mind, und raised their united | despatch he says, ** J dismiss the idea of im- jast session, if [ remember right. was passed | voices for the confirmation of the award, Ido | posing on the proprietors by law any general woanimously. There was no division upon think, being a partol the British Empire, we rate of commutation’’ Again His Grae> it; thoagh it was urged by members on this would be entitled te more respect, and the | says, alluding to this general rate of eom- wide of the Llouse that it would be of no ser-| result might bave been different. Even Sir vice. The objections, however. urged by His Samuel Cunard felt this when he said he was Honor from the firat district of Prince | bound to pay a certain respect to the stand- | ¢icular cases. by private agreement between County (Hon. Mr. Lord). to the word | ing of the delegates. I also think that the | /andalords and tenants... Again: ** As these *+adopted,”’ may have some foundation, for | Legislature were justified in desiring some- | sales well not be compu/sory, a is nol neces- it might lead some persens to suppose that thing more than the epse dirit of the Colonial | as to the the address originated with the inhabitants) Minister, with regard to the iliegality of the ** Ico must of the Island generally. 1 have uo other ob-| Award. I bave po doubt but the proprie- jection to the paragragh | tors felt that the arbitration clause would be Hon. Mr. Ramsay: When the address was a practicai clause, and would be adapted to passed by the Legislature, we had merely the the circumstances of the people. Un this tended that those suggestions should become binding im jaw. [| gather this from His therefore be increas:d or diminished, in par- sary to enfer upon aay question nature and duration of the (eases.”’ upon the proprietor to relinquish bis present claims, tie Colony is ealling upon Lim to sacrifice admitted lega! rights. Bg what in- This | castle, or rather | would approve of them 1! | mutation, ** lt is not cumpulsory, and may | steadily be borne in mind tuat, in eailing | | we have the * right’? and ** power to estab- lish a court of escheat,’’ why talk about the Imperial Government direeting of authorising | | such a course ? | 4 wonderful discovery, and comes out with @ new platform, and tells bis readers that ‘* the | | most advisable course for the people to pur- } “ - | sue for the effecting their complete emanci- | nation from the proprietary yoke,’’ and ‘the | Now, in regard to the Bill to con- | offered in the despateh of the Colonial Minis patic er a7 only perfeetly just mode of affording redress ‘to the colony, and of freeing the people from ' guishment of proprietary claims by a grant | tioned among the proprietary claimants, in ‘the same manner as for the emancipation of | the slavesin the British West India Islands.’’ Further on, he recommends that our griev- ances should be fully laid before the House of Commons,.and says: ** Happily, by this | means, that full measure of justice to which they are entitled may be obtained, but cer- tainly by no other.’’ So the British Go- verument, who have most positively refused, to guarantee us @ loan of £150,000, are to be petitioned to make us a present of about | £200,000, in order to purchase a redemption of the slaves of Prinee Edward Island, and rid them from proprietary bondage ; and this in direct opposition to the Duke ot Neweas- tle’s most positive assarance, in his despatch of the Llth July fast, wherein be says, ** 1 also dismiss the notion of any Imperial gua- ranty or advance of money.”’ I] conceive an appeal inay be made to the moon with just as | much chance of suceess. [un fact, the Oppo- sition, with the Editor before alluded to, as | 1t8 most prominent member, have in reality, That editor, at least, makes | | proprietary bondage, would be, the extin-| of the Imperial Parliament, to be appor-) muel Kinney was discovered to be on fire, and Mr. K. was awakened by the crackling ot the fluines and the presence of dense smoke in bie bed-room. ile told bis wite to take their youugest child and proceed with it to ‘the nearest neighbour's ; and having, a8 be supposed, secured the safety of the other in- ‘mutes, he returned, endeavouring to suve portions of his property. To his horror he shortly heard # ery in one of the tiont rooms, and rushing in, found his youngest child, which he rewoved, but failed to see anything of his wile. ‘Uhe next morning her charred bones were found in the ruins. It is sup- posed that after lenving tie house she returned in order to save some of the proper- ty, but was suffocated in the attempt. By this calamity vix young and helpless childrea are left destitute of a mother’s eare.— Hal- fax Acadian Recorder. AMERICAN AFFAILKS. | The Washington correspondent of the N. Y. World writes the following to that paper : The most striking and unexpected piece of southern news I have to-day to record is the inteliigence that the rebels are now con- ‘templating the project of an invasion of the North, and of re-enacting on a larger scale the onward movement which resulted in the double repulse of Antietata and Gettysburg. and crippled their resources in men and transportation for two successive campaigns. This project is, of course, still in its incipient state, and will not reach its maturity until it has been thoroughly canvassed and adopted by the managers of the rebellion. it is making rapid strides and engrossing every day more and more the att-ntion ot the people, is a fact which even the most superficial observer will not dare to question. The motives which provoked the resurrection of a scheme which every southerner thought ‘to have been forever buried under the thirty thousand soldiers who feli at Gettysburg are ‘numerous. Among the masses they originate ‘in the hatred of the Yankees and in the dis- reputable wish to retaliate upon the North ithe kind of warfare waged against the South ‘bv the Union armies. Among the southero | officers they 8; ring from a sentiment of sel i- lesteem and wounded vanity, which make ! | their military superiority, not only at home | but oo Northern battle-fields ; while awong | the chiefs of the nation the desire of invading | political reasons of the bighest order. | Should the President of the Confederacy | vield tu the entreaties of his friends, and an ‘invasion of tie North be resoived upon, | che plan to be fullowed in the execution of that project would not, as heretofore, be | limited to the invasion of a single point of our frontier, but would embrace a whole | to crt iienmnamanenmnetates will become their duty, es it is the oo of this people, to unite with their throughout the Island in cuusing to be laid at the foot of the throne a petition praying ler Mujesty to withhold her assent to a Bill which is go thoroughly calculated in its every feature to become destructive of the best in- terests of a portion of Her Majesty's loyal subjects, the tenantry of Prince Edward Island. Sth. That the tenants on Lot 19 being de- sirous of making a fair proposition to the proprietors, do express their willingness to pay ‘I'welve shillings and Sixpence per acre eording to quantity and jocation ; all arrears | : " of rent being cancelled up to the year 1860, with the privilege of a term of six years to fulfill their contract. ~* Those resolutions, while severally under especially the eighth, or last, which is an amendment to, or, perhaps, wore properly kpenking, an extract from a& somewhat lengthy resolution introduced by some of the supporters of the Government, which, among other things, contained some sentiments re- lative to the Bill of Sir Samuel Cunard, sumewhat similar in import to the sixth re- sary ; and some other matter deemed objec- tionable by the meeting—when it was found necessary to curtail it to its present form to meet their views The general feeling exhibited throughout the meeting was dissatis!action with the pre- sent state of the Land Question, strong op- position to the Bill of Sir Samuel Cunard, und an ardent desire on the part of the whole some way that would afford some reasonable prospect of eventualiy releasing them from the rent-paying system. Upwards of 200 electors were supposed to be present. It having been ordered, on motion, that a report of the proceedings of the meeting be sent to the Isfander and Examiner for publi- cation, and a vote of thanks passed to the rethren all their previous attempts in that direction. In for their land, with # gradual decrease ac-— consideration elicited considerable discussivn, | solution previously passed, hence unneces- | people te see the question finally settled in | proinises to settle the question, and the failure. of the absence, sure, however, of any Government mea. so far, it may be safely inferred from the Speeches of members and supporters of the Ad. ministration in the Assembly, that the tenaatry have nothing at all to expect from any pian of leettlement that may be proposed by the Govern. | | ment. i | | A charge of inconsistency bas been brought against us in the Legislature and in the Islander, on the assumed ground that in August last we opposed the propositions contained in the Duke's despatch of the lith July, 1863, and that now |in 1864 we are favourable to them. The charge is very erroneous. We readily admit that in Ag. _ gust last we objected to the terms of the Duke's ’ despatch, because, as we contended then, and cen. ,tend yet, they did not come up te the promises made to the tenantry by the Government from the time they assumed the direction of affairs in 1859 | down to the Seasion of 1863. They were certainly ‘by no means comparable to the on which the several large estates pure , ; | visions of the Land Purchase ' into small freeholds. Wet \that that Bill should be fh | settlement. We cannot see |just aud honest reasoning parts of the Island shewld be | joyment of privileges agred ‘other parts. We arettd a | has been practically ef Ue | Cases in whieh pure?! ov | and that proprietors could nol ‘with their estates on the ters This is true te some extent i sticklers, to the furthest degree, for tie pulsory principle in a matter of this kis say that there shall be no compulsion in the proprietors to a sense of the obligations But that | ‘them long for the opportunity of proving! 144 there answered and explained to the ‘the North, although by no means certain, 'S | Coles, believing it to be a bad cause that re- ‘attributed to strategical consideration, if pot | chaitman, the meeting dispersed. . H. 8. MacNurt, See’y pro. tem. 'To rne Hon. E. Wuetan, Epiror or Tug ExaMInrn. Sir,—My letter to the Tevante of P. E. ‘Island (containing a8 it did, some strictures ‘on Mr. Coles’ letter to the Tenantry,) was particularly intended to give correct infor mation to my Own constituents, some ot whom—after reading Mr. Coles’ letter—were complaining of the supposed non-pablication ot the Duke of Newcastle’s Despatch of July last. I felt anxious taat they sbould know ‘the whole truth io the matser. My letter was entirely o! a political nature, having no reference to anything of a personal or private character. Mr. Coles, in his reply. has thought proper again to rehash the old story that he brought against me on the bustings before an immense assemblage | from all parts of Queen's County on a Nomi- nation Day, more than ten years since. Suffice it to say that the accusation was then they owe to the people of this ill-used then we affirm that they are to have their way in all matters relating to the leasebeld tenure, The Government party object to the Duke's pre posals, because, as they say, they were not ip tended to be compulsory, — they are, therefore, we are told, worthless. Will the Government ‘party venture to assert that they intend to pursue an opposite course? Is there any reason to sup pose that there is the slightest intention on their part to resort to compulsory legislation? We believe there is not. But assuming that they have a right to use compulsion—and their objection te the Duke’s preposals is equivalent toan assertion of their claim to the right—we ask, why not put this principle of compulsion in praetice with the view of giving a more general operation to the provisions of the Land Purchase Bill?) Why not aay to the proprietors—“ We have purchased the Earl of Selkirk’s estate for 3s. 4d. an acre. We consider that as the standard value of large e+ tates. We will give you the same price. If you do not accept our offer, we shall have recourse to other legislation, and you must expect no sup- port from us in your contentions with the tenan- try.” It is quite clear that if the Government were antmated by the determination to bring the proprietors to task — if they had the will they would, in course of time, find the way to use such pressure on the proprietary body as would COMPEL them to sel] or terms no lest favourable satisfaction of hundreds, if not thousands of wy tellow colonists. I shall not fullow the example set by Mr. | quires bolstering up by matter so foreign to | the question in hand. : | Your publishing these few lines in your ‘paper of to-day, will much oblige Yours respectfully, GEORGE BEER. Charlottetown, April 11, 1864. opinion of the Colonial Minister that the | ground lam exceedingly sorry iat the award Award was illegal; but now we have the | has not been confirmed, and that the prayer @pinion of ths Law Officers of the Crown. | of the address has nut been granted. Hon. Mr. Beex: | can assure your honors | that I, as one member of this House, do} sincerely and deeply regret that the Award Clause 4.—Ilon. Mr. McDonarp objected | to this paragraph, on account of it being a ; jreply to several paragraphs of Uis Excel has not been confirmed ; for I am fully P°F- | joney's speech, and thought the Coumittee oneded thes if 16 Rad gine into opie. ©) had departed from the usual course in that would have been a very essential benetit to | [lis honor said the paragraph : z | particular. the mhabicants of thieColoay. And, as just! gina contained some statewents with which he | duc«ment can he be rec nealed to that sacrifice? All this clearly proves that the suggestions of His Grace were not intended tu be binding ta law. ‘Then, L wountd asc, what possible | | good could resalt trom any attewpt to legis- | | late upon those suggestions, when the lsnd- lord was to be at liberty to ** increase of diminish’? the rate of commutation at pleasure? Had the proprieturs been willing to aceept His Grace's suggestions, then | system of operations by which four states His | would be either threatened ur invaded. | What still adds 1 the plausibility of this nothing to offer in substitation, Hon. Mr. Dinowets : [ rise to order. henor does not know that we bave nvuthing to | offer Hon. Mr. Beer: the only mode is to petition the British Go | vernment, or rather the House of Commons, to | relieve the tenants from proprietary bondage, ! yg as and in another place be tells his readers that | CRO POTERSER QEpETEe. the question can be settled +* in no other! sideration of the military authorities of Th-ir leading organ says | South relieved from the pressare of Thus part of the South plan, which L believe to be now under con- | | Richmond, is the strong desire wanifested in | ail classes of Southern society to see the | is now the agricultural and manufacturing | Che & xamin cy. en given to the ecttlers ou the Selkirk the proposals made by the Duke of Newcastle, our positio€, can be very easily and briefly ex plained. We de not, iv fact, now, any more than |' PROCEEDINGS IN THE HOUSE OF | last suinmer, approve of the terme offered by His ASSEMBLY. _ Charlottetown, April 11, 1864. Grace; but when we are called upon to institute As regards our present apparent approval of | ohserved by His Honor who spoke last, we | ould agree, and others wich which be could | believe there would have been nu objection | had only toe opinion of the Colonial |... agree, and that, i cff-ring any amend- | to uur enacting them into a compulsory law | jway.’’ I shali oppose the amendment, be- Minister—we had vo lega! opinion that the | ment, :t would be likely to involve confusion. ithat would Lave been binding oa the pro- | Award was ilega! when we passed the ad- | dress. Knowing. too, that it was signed by | eminent lawyers—we had reason to think that the Award was legal. avd we were | perfectly justifiable in endeavoring to grt it) eonfirmed. We have very great reason to) regret that it has not teen confirmed ; for the | tenants, under its operation, would svon have been able to obtain the fee simple of their, furms, oo terms similar to the terms on whieh the tenants on the Selkirk and Worrell estates have become freehuidere. lion. Mr. Lorp: [ should like to know) Low the tenants would be benefited by the Awdrd. Why make those statewents without | showing @ reason for thew? Aud if tke par- | ty at present in power were se very anxious to get the award confirmed. why was the Bil! to evnfirm it kept back for five months? The Commissioners came |ere expecting that the Bill was the law of the land ; for a notice | was published in the Royal Gazette, stating | tout it bad been very graciously received by | Her Majesty ; but they were deceived. We} knew that when the opinion of the Duke ot | Newcastle was given, it would not be chang. | ed,—that, like the laws of the Medee and | Persians, it was unalterable Delegates | have been sent to the Colonial Office, to en- deavour to compel the Duke to assent to the | address, and what has been the result? Another four or five hundred pounds of the | people's money— people who are more heavi- | ly taxed than any io these eolunies—have been wasted. How. Mr. Barr: His honor who has just ent duwn is anxious to know how the tenants would be benefited by the award. | seals. | that the price of the land would be fixed un- | der the arbitration clause, except a person | choose to give the marimum prive, and few ] believe, would do that. And as the settlers on the Selkirk and Worrell estates obtained thoir iands at from 63. to 12s. Od. an acre, the arbitrators would, doubtless, take those prices as a guide. 1. therefore, think that every man of common sense must come to thg conelusion that the award *would be a very great benefit. With regard to the charge of keeping back the Bil to confirm the award, I consider it a mere myth or bug- bear ; and :t has been s0 often and so satis- factorily answered, that it is unnecessary to refer w itagain. It was sent home with the other Bills. Hun. Mr. Divewers. : His honor who has just spoken is paying ® very poor compli- went to the Colonial Minister i! he considers it was necessary to send delegates home to see it he was doing hie duty. Ithink it was quite useless to send delegates to England Hon. the Paresipent: That was not the object of the Government in appointing the dsuahien, They were gutisfied with the opinion of the Colonial minister ; but when the address was passed, we bud not the opi- nion of the Law Officers of the Crown. However, the Keport of the Commissioners is pow gone to the wall, and it is of little use tv discuss what benefit might have res-it- ed from it. | am certainly of vpiniva that she award would bave been # very great be- efit. It would have settled this lung agi- tuted question which has retarded the pros- perity of this colony for upwards of seventy years. And | am also of opinion that it was the deadly Opposition tat wae maniiested to it m thie Isiand that prevented it from gvlv, into operation. (Atwrnes Geveral and Mr. Henderson; *- Hear! bear!’ ) The very agitation of the question, frum year to year, ie & lose to the Colony ; and us long as this , Violent opposition to every plan that is pro. peed tur ite settlement is kept up. it will never bewsettied. If the party in power when I first entored the Legisincure bad been more moderate in their Gewmauds, they might have ercheated several Townalps,and the question wight bave been settled long ago. Hoo. Arrounsy Gexee at: | did not think Mr. Chairman, that ey of your hotioss would have risen to diseuss the mer:ts uf the Awerd of Report of tie Cowamsioners us these have beyn eo fully discussed in the | Jexulature un different vccasone. | faney | Shee it the Award bad Gove satu | however, three paragraphs of the speech by one. Hon. ArrorNey GENERAL said there was no : *Y necessity for answering the severul para- | three gentlemen of the highest etanding in graphs of is Excetleney s speech which had send 80 the neighboring colonies —two of thew) pon alluded to seriatam, as they all contained | Colony? In my bumble opinion, it was| | one particular proposition; aod thought it would be quite as dificult tu answer them se- perately as by the mode which the Commit- tee bad adopted, which was not an unusual Hon. Mr. Lorp thonght it was both anusual and unnecessary to answer two or In the speech, allusion was made to & Gespatch ; une. \from the Coloniai Cflice containing certain propositions for the settlement of the land question, and that despatch had rot been aeen by the public generally. The Colonia! Minister off red certain terms for the setile- ment of the land question in that despateh, which were more favourable to the tenantry in some respects than the terms offered by Sir Samuel Cunard. Monpay. Mareh 21st, 1864. (Committee on the Address in answer to His Excellency s Speech resumed ) Cravst 4.—Hon. Mr McDonato: There is one part of that clause with whieh [ du not agree—that is, the part which refers to sending the Delegates to England. 1 do not think the Government pursued the proper soures in appointing the Delegation without consulting the Legislature. I think tue Go- vernment assumed power that properly be- longed to the Legislature—that is, the appro- priativn of funds to meet the expenses of the Delegation. But | suppose that when the despatches are laid before us will be the proper time tu enter tnto 4 discussior on that subject. I move that the elause under con- sideration be amended, by striking out all after the word ** landlord’ to the word “ question,” and substituting the following: “ We regret that we eannot conenr in tle course taken by your Excellency in sending a Delegation to the Colonial Office, without first consulting with the Lewislature, and submitting thereto the Des- patch of the Duke of Neweanile, with his proposi- tions for settling the differeuces between laudiord and tenant.” Hun. Mr. Dixewett: I will support the amendment; for Ll think it was quite im- proper—that it was a very hizgh-hanuded step —tfor the Government to offer termn to the proprietors withofit eonsulting the Legis- lature. If the people had been consulted, | would say that the Government were justifi- able in sending the Delegates to England. | believe the people are neither willing to ac- cep: the proposals of the Colonial Minister oor the Bill of Sir Samuel Cunard, and that shows that they should have been consulted. It may be said that the majority of the House of Assembly were consulted, and that they represent the majority of the people: but I believe the minority of the House of Assem- bly represent the majority of the t-nante ; and surely they should have been consalted on a matter of such importance to them- selves. Hon. the Pagstvext: It is not customary for the Government tu consult the minority of the Legislature on any action they may in- tend to tuke. They are responsible to the majority. And as to waiting to jay the despatch of the Colonial Minister belore the Legislature, 1 think it would be of very little ee. as it only containg styyestions by the Duke bimself. They are pot compulsory ; and what would be tre uke of laying the despatch before the people until the opinion vt His Grace was more definitely known, as well as that of the proprietors? The cespatel 18, iO MY Opimion, 4 Very extraurdinary one. If those suyyestions had been made com- pulsary, and bud come out agreed to by the lwperial Government, they would be a basis of operstion for the Government of this Is- lard. The despatel contains sume very strange argu vents; for instance, the man who hous been tndustrivus. and has striven hard to meet his engagements with his land- lord, would have to pay » much higher price for bis land thau the refractory or indulent character who would not try to pay ois rent. It would be of little use to Jey such a des. pateh beiore the Legislature; and as far as cause | believe the Government were perfect- ly justified in appuinting Ue. delegauvua. (To be continued ) MISCELLANEOUS NEWS. oa Tux Captures or >oocuow—Horaipes Car- nace —An Knglish gentleman writing trow | prieters for the future. Lt uay be reasonably asked. what could have induced His Grace to | remarkable a despaten to this! | brought about in some thing like this. way : | | the Award having been st aside, and| | His Grace being about to send a despateh | jon vhe subject, in answer to the joint! llong-Kong, on the Lith December, states address of the two branches of the Legis | that the town was given up to pillage. He lature passed last session, and feeling a | says:—** The details which have reached us great desire to have the question settled—j|are not very full, but we have learned this taking, a8 | believe he does, a great interest) wuch— that the traitor who handed over the in it—he set himself about devising some | Lmperialists bad bis head removed by the | destrict of the Confederacy. In it are po- iduced the food which supports its armies, | and the cloth which covers tt. Tiere is not ja farm, a garden, or a plantation which has | not been devoted to the cultuyvation of cereals, lnot a house which bas not its loow, haad- cards and spinsing wheel. Llence the desire of the rebeis to remove from that precious | spot all menaces of danger. | chat by hurling Longstreet’s corps agaist the North, he will be followed there by most lof the troops located in the South: that i Sherman, MePherson, and Hurlbut would | follow his track, free the extreme South from a comparisen between them and the proposals ~ | made by the Delegates, and the proposals made.” | Tue business ofthe Session has been progressing It is their hope | steadily in the House of Assembly during the } | part week. j sented, nearly all referring to local claims and | ubjects, and several private Bills have been advanced through some of their respective stages. | Such of those Bills as have any relation to public | interests, together with the debates which oe- | curred respecting them, will receive due attention from our Reporter in his customary Notes ef the | discussions im the House of Assembly. | On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, the time Numerous petitions have. been pre- | | by Sir Samuel Cunard in bis beautiful Bill, which © }the Delegates bronght eut for our admiration— lwe say upbesitatingly that the Duke's proposals | are vastly better than the others. In a majority lot eases throughout the Island, they would have | required the payment of only cight years purehase | te secure the freehold ef a farm—in very many | cuses ouly twelve years’ purchase; and in no |case higher than s.xteen years’ purchase; while, on the contrary, the proposals of the Delegates did not contemplate a lower price than fifteea | their presence, and operate # thorough Prevo- | of the House was chiefly vecupied in debate on | ‘lution in the military occupation of the | and sixteen years purchase. The nonsense about’ scheme of his own; and alter considerable labor, and, no doubt, ** much anxious con- sideration,’” he got his plan or suggestions matured, and then submitted them to the aod refused to come to any such terms. His Grace’s own words are these: ** dam hound \to add, that some, at least. of the landlords are not satisfied with then.’ Luawmediately ifter the arrival of His Grace's despatch on the Island, it beeame known here that Sir Samuel Cunard would nut agree to the sug- proprigtors in England, who disarproved ot | | iutter—a re ward he fully deserved ; and that | Southern States. the deopetches relative to the Land Questive and | the Footai would not allow Gurdon even toen-!| You will see by what precedes that the the rejection of the Orange Jncurpéraiion Bill. | ter the city after the surrender, but gave it |rebels are by no means cowing either re- | As regards the first the ground which had been over to his own troops for indiscriminate sack | |axation, lack of means, or despondency. | previously traversed in the debate on the address, and pillage, declaring that not one of its in- | They may be deficient in provisions and | in answer tu the Governor's Speech, was goue habitants — sr Major Gordon, itap-| clothing, butaf they are they act as if they | ‘pears. exerted himself to the utmost to save! lived in the midst of plenty. They mag be | k ae wretched place from the terrors of Im-)| wanting in arms and poe, ts har a House—the Government party contended that | perialist vengence, but with so littleavail that | if their supplies are scanty they certainly do the Delegates were entitled to the unqualified | he was compelled to retire to Qainsan to save | pot show it. Their men, white and black. | approval of the House for the manner in which | his own life from the hands of his allies. A : are well fed, well clothed and well armed ; | they had conducted their negotiations with the | correspondent writes from the North: —* The over again by members on both sides of the and as to their railroads and rolling stock, the Duke's proposals not being * compulsory,” will not impose upon any one. The Delegates made proposals to which certain proprietors sub- scribed—others did not subscribe to them. The lat- ter certainly could pot be bound by the Delegates’ propesala. They appear te be unwilling te abolish the leasehold tenure on any terms. The consent- ing proprietors had the prospect of getting terms so extravagantly high, that we suppose they had not the conscience to refuse them. We know | gestions contained in the despateh referred | mind refuses to picture to itself the horrors Colonial Office; and a resolution to that effect to. And in my opinion, the only object Lis vf such ascene. Svvcho-w Was five years ago | Grace could hive bad in view in sending that ; the commeictal metropolis of China, and its despatel to this Colony, was this: be wished | habitants numbered over a millica. Those to prove to our Legislature that be took an) who have visited it recently deseribe it as interest in the matter—that be was really | still busy and populous. imagine a town the anxious to settle the question. But. unior | size of Liverpool, defenceless and unarmed, tunately, it ie quite evident that the scheme | given over to be sacked by savage suldiery, could be of no benefit to the tenantry. Tre | the sume men who tortared our pour country- leader of the Oppesition, in the other end of | men, Bowlby and Brabazoo — men who the building, may expatiate on the benefits| crucify their prisoners in cold blood in their the tenants would derive irom the adoption, own camps, who hang women by their which sume people represent as being in a dilapidated conditien, the fact that they are building new railroads in Georgia and in North Carolina is sufficient to confute this assertion, and to prove that the rebels are provided with all the resoures necessary to & protracted defensive warfare. CORRESPONDENCE, [FoR THE EXAMINER.) of the Coionial Minister's sug zestions, but be breasts till they die of agony or starvation, knows better. He well knows that no ad-| the most unfeeling whilst the most refined of vantage could be derived from any scheme | torturers, the most relentless and unspairing | that would still leave the proprietors at li. | of executioners. Imagine, if yeu can, such berty to ** increase or diminish’? the rate at| men let loose upon the invabitants, with or- TENANT MEETING AT LOT 19, In accordance with previous arrangement and notice, a general meeting of the resident tevants and others of Lot 19 and adjacent | pleasure. Bat, on the other hand, the off-rs | dere to spare neither man, wowan, oF ehild. or suggestions made by the delegates were to | No words could deseribe one tenth part ol be made compulsory—that is to say, after| the horrors which ensucd. Not the agyre- having been agreed to by the proprietors. }gace of all the sufferings endured by the And bear in mind that the British Govern-| Poles from brutal Cossacks, savage peasants, settlements was held in the School Roum, Kensington, on the afternoon of Tuesday the 29th ult., for the purpose of taking into con- sideration matters in connection with. the Land Question. Wm. B. Tupln, Esqr., - - ‘. : . was proposed by the leader of the Govermment, very well that-come of thuse consenting pruprio- ment will not contirm any enactment for the immediate benefit of the tenant, at the ex. pense of the proprietors, without the consent of the latter. Such having been obtained, | the offers made by the delegates would bave been enacted into law, and would be binding on the proprietors tor the future. And al- though the offer made by the delegates would not confer ail the berefits on the tenantry | that we could wish, we have good reason for believing that it is as much as can he obtain: ed. The question then is, shall we refuse to take what we can get, because we cannot get all we are entitled to? It is well known that many tenants bave, within the last twenty or thirty years, become freeholders, by paying twenty vears’ purchase for their junds; but the terms propused by the dele- gates would give the tenants the right to buy at fitteen yeurs’ purchase, or twenty-five per cent. 1-88. All old arrears prior to 1858, would also be wiped off, and all obligations for such arrears would be cancelled, which, together, wovld umount, I am_ credibly informed, to upwards of £40,000. ‘Those tenants who had paid no rent since 1858 to have the privilege of parehasing at any time within twenty years, by paying six- | teem years’ purchase. And if the Govera-| ment were tv advance two-thirds of the. or women-whipping generals, who have being called to the chair, the following reso- bronght all Europe to the brink of war, | lutions were severally proposed, secended, would equal the atrocities committed in the | and adopted unanimously, with the exception and of course carried. The Minority, on the hand, -showed that the Government had betrayed the interests of the tenantry in all their proceedings on the Land Question, as well iu respect to the Land Commission as to the Delegation; and clearly proved that the proposals made by the Duke of Newcastle to the Government of this Island in his despatch of the 11th July, were far more favorable to the tenantry than the terms proposed by the Dele- gates. The Government party had their own way in the division. Not one of them swerved frow the Proprietary Cause. The whole of them advocated the 15 and 16 years’ purchase scheme, other tors have frequently sold to poor tenants the free- holds of their farms, with ample time for pay- nent, at a much lower price than the Delegates offered for their estates in the gross. It is thena mere delusion to say that the Duke's offer is not binding or compulsory, and not, on that account, to be compared ia value to the offer of the Dele- gates. The offer of the Delegates would be bind- ing Only on those proprietors who readily agreed to it—(this is a queer sort of compulsion) — and who by that offer were guaranteed a price for their estates nearly five times higher than was paid for the Selkirk property. We think that such proprietors wigit be compelled to sell ou their own terms without much difficulty. We are rejoiced to be able to add that the Liberal minority were fitinly uuted in their opposition to that measure. The debate on the Orange Bill, which occupied | the evening of Thursday and the greater part cf | NOTES OF THE SESSION. No. 4. Despatch, dated Loowning Street, 22th February, 1551, addressed to Sir Alexander Bannerman, sack of this one city, taken virtually by British arms, with the assistance of her Ma- jesty's officers, with sanction of her Majesty's | Government, aod with supplies from ber Ma- | | jasty's arsenuls.’’—By a letter received by a) wrivate steamer from Shanghae, dated the | Ith December, the above particulars rels-| tive to the messacre at Souchow are thus very much worse position than it was when (in their speeches as in their resolutions, that the confirmed :—** Souchow 18 in anawtul state, and the carnage has been something fright | ful. The general has gone to yisit Gordon, | with ay ew towards puttiog things straight.”’ — Another private letter, dated Hong-Kong. | December l4th, says :—** It appears that the } rebel chiefs refused tu surrender on the | intention to attempt to effect a settlement of | in the rejection of a Bill to incorporate an institu- Footai's word that no unnecessary blood | shuuld be shed, whereupon Gordon got the | Footai's promise to hiuself, and gave his | word on which they capituiated, Footsi got in, had his troops concealed about, and when Gordon was outside, commenced a! wholesale massacre—men, women, and chil- drea. Gordon beard of it, gathered a few men together—among the +est Count or Prince Wittgenstein—and broke into the! place, and the scen-s then witnessed were so. | third and fourth: of some two or three dissenting yuices to the Resolved, 1st, That the unparralleled na- ture of the Land Tenure and the agitation aris- ing therefrom , has tended greatly to retard the improvement of this Island. 2ud. That the whole question ie now ina entered upon by the present Government. 3rd. That in view of the whole action of the leaders of the Government, in connection with the Award of the Gommissioners and the Delegation, the conviction is forced upon ‘for the Queen’s asrent the Bill passed last year Friday, was caused by some resolutions submitted by Mr. Secretary Pope, complaining of the con- duct of the Duke of Neweastle in not submitting when he was about to assume the Government ot Prince Edward Island. The Hon. the Leader of the Opposition having —in reply to different hon. members on the Go- vernment side of the House, who assumed that beth he and his hon. colleagues in the Adminis tration formed by him, on the introduction of rejection of the Bill was an intringement ou the | Responsible Government, had a perfect know- constiturional rights of the Leyisiature of the | edge of the existence of the Deapateh abeve in Colony. The Opposition ably supported the op- dicated, commonly termed “ The Bloody Des- posite side of the question, and contended that | P44,” avd bad, in fact, as a Government, agreed for the incorporation of Orange Lodges in this Island. ‘The Government party declared, as well this meeting that it as not, nor ever was. their the Land —, in apy way that would | materially benefit the tenantry, but only to | place the very doubtful titles of the several | The | Proprietors beyond the possibility of future and Parliameutof Great Britain—which was only ‘calculated to lead to social disunion and to dis- qnestion. 4th, That the terms of settlement suggested by the Duke of Newcastle, in his Despatch, No. 24, of the llth July last, are more Ji- beral, and much better calcalated to enfran- chise the lands of Prince Edward Island than | are the terms proposed in the Commissioners’ there was no infringement of constitutional rights |“ act in striet conformity with the suggestions & contaiued — distinctly stated that be had been wholly iguorant of the existence of the despatch until sometime after the Government, of which he was the Leader, had beer formed; and that, therefore, it was quite impossible that be and his colleagues could, on their aceeptance of office, have agreed to be bound by it in any way,—the Hon. the Leader of the Government took occa- sion to observe, “ That it was a governing pri ciple with him never to dispute the word of aay tiow which was discountenanced in all the Colonies —which was under the displeasure of the Crown turbanees of the public peace; and which bad been sv emiuently disloyal as even to have con- templated the removal vf Her present Majesty from the throne of Great Britain. Members in the Opposition supported this view of the case by revolting that the Prince says they all loaded | Award, in the propositions of the Delegates, the strongest arguments and the clearest histuri- on the farms for such advance, at six per! perial soldier they met. Gordon is said to cent, [ think none can deny that a large | bave shot thirty-five buttons himeelf.’’ number ef tenants would receive a benefit | oe - from the arrangement. Though those ten-| Terxece AccIDENT 1M SPRINGFIRLD.—The ants who sre perbaps most in need of relief city of Springfield was startled on Wednes- | would not be the first to ohtain such relief. | day afternoon by the sound of a double ex- | The most probable result to be anticipated is, plosion, which proved to be caused by the | that the tenants who are at all able would im- biuwing ap of the cartridge factury of C. D. mediately purchase their farms; leaving the Leet & Co., on Market street. About forty | landiord with only the poorer class of tenants, Very svon the Jandlord would be indaced to building where the accident occurred and a | sell the balance of his lands to the Govern- v-ry large number were more or less injured. | ment, at a moderate rate; and the poorer — fame footing as the settlers on the Selkirk Estate. Wien the Hon. Col. Gray intro- duced his revolutions in the House of Assem- bly, five years ago, which led wo the appoint. ported im a@ critical condition. Many their clothes burned entirely off, and still | more were injured by leaping from the third. story windows upon neighbouring roofs or. thut ie concerned, | think tle Government went of the Commission, his remarks were even intu the streets, as all three fights of | by the effect that the benefits sought to be p stairs were demolished by one uf the explo- price of such purchase, and then take security and fired again on every mandarian and Im- jor in the Bill of Sir Samuel Cunard hands, mostly girls, were employed in the! of this Island. Three were so badly burned that they died ecpting a settlement on the terms pr posed still in doub class of tenants wight then be placed on the | before night, and a number more were re-| cn the tall oF tite fassnal Dink Pgh at im doubt aud darkness as to the course the bad | firming said Bell by legislative enactment, it. man or to refuse to believe what he might assert, cal facts; and a resolution was proposed by Mr. unless he had sufficient reason to know that bis Whelan, in which the waia propositions of the | Word Was not to be relied on; therefore, as the Colonial Secretary 8 resolutions were contro. | Hun. the Leader of the Opposition had twice oF verted. The aweudment was negatived in the | thrice distinetly denied bis having bad any knew- usual party way—the twelve Liberals voting for | ‘edge of the Despateb in quzstion uutil sometie it, aud only fitteen of the Government party after the formation of the Government of which having been presen’ to oppose it — thus giving | he was the Leader, he (the Hon. Col. Gray) wae them a majority of oaly three. bound to believe that what he had stated reepect i Ta ing lis ignorance of it at the time when be ¢- NEARLY a month has passed since the Session | tered upon his office of Premier, was quite com of the Legislature commeuced, and the public are | rect. Had he, however, with respect to auf Governor, been in such a position as that whieb, . Het ‘at the time adverted to, the Hon. the Leader ot being only culeulated to rivit more firmly | They are pledged to bring forward | the Opposition occupied under Lieut. Governe the chains of wnant bondage in which the “™* measure on that questiou—distinetly pledged Sir Alexander Banuerman, and bad & deapaich, people of this Island have been wo lung held. | by the Governor's Speech at the opening of the such as that in question—a despateh in which the _ Teh. That should the Legislature persist Se sivu—but under particularly strong vbligations fundamental principles of the Government in passing the Bill of Sir Samuel Cunard, it’ to the people to do so, on deount of theirs.” ated ‘gihich he bad been constitutgd she Resypier ¥<! Sth. That a Bill judici -usly framed, based on the suggestions ol the Duke of Newcustle, would carry with it the influence of the Im- verial Government, and would, therefore, necessarily be acceded to by the proprietors, and would be perhaps the most effectual means now within our reach of setting for-. ever at rest that long vexed question on terms that would in any wise benefis the tenautry 6th. That this meeting do urge upon our Legislature the fearful impropriety of ac- Goverment will pursue in reference to the Land Question.