TES Ala Mii acini a av eo oe » we CG CORT ROE CE ET ES GS ETE REY PE ae a r é coasenntiiticceanasiatssinisibiliaagy aan cen ee ee nieve Nt eh A cm — Serer ee Otte wre nena Deane ee en een ae = Beg te ae ee ie i Wes Sale 8 i ea ae bi aly P m7 ED i i OLE SE NIE RN I at " Ee ne i seein Siatatneasraae mapiieds Bee ae . a, canine semen aie nae vr CANDIDATES On Behaif of the People’s Gov- ernment, CHARLOTTETOWN : GEO. WASTIE DeBLOIS, Esq., Hon. NEIL McLEBOD, Provincial Secretary and Treasurer. — ee ee ~ LIBERAL-CONSERVATIVE _ COMMITTEE ROOMS, Terlizzick's Building, Queen Street, OPEN EVERY DAY, SUNBDAY’S EXCEPTED. Toe Daity EXAMINER. MARCH 21. 1879. The Meeting Last Evening. Tae notice of a meeting te be held for the purpose of refuting certain “ false charges,” naturally attracted much atten- tion ; and we were not surprised to find the Market Hall well filled at an early hour last evening. One remarkable feature of the preliminary proceedings was the un- wonted attention paid to the ‘‘ dear me- chanics.’ They were pressed, collectively and individually, to sit upon the platform on a level with Mr. Davies and Mr. Dodd. They were invited to speak. They were asked to recite their grievances. They were told Mr. Davies would be happy to listen to thei: complaints, and that Mr. Davies had also expressed his willingness to condescend to be the mechanics’ candidate, or even to accept a mechanic for colleague in the coming contest. A few thick and thin supporters of Mr. Davies responded to the eall; and Mr. D. H. McKinnon went for- ward, amid the acclamations of the assem- bled citizens. This gentleman made a speech. A lively imagination and much learning have given him a perfect command over figures of speech ; and rats, donkeys, codfish, bones, flags, knaves, etc., etc., mingled amid his discourse in all the mazes of metaphorical confusion. Mr. J. W. Pickard and Mr. Barrett also spoke. But neither of these ‘‘ political mechanics” said one Word about the want of a Lien Law or any other want of the me- chanics and workingmen of the Province. Mr. Thomas Morris also made a short speech; and then followed the Hon. Thomas Walker Dodd. He stated that while he was a member of the Executive the Government had ‘‘ not paid one dollar for goods delivered by Dodd & Rogers ;” and Mr. Davies, during the delivery of his speech, said that every ac- ceunt with Dodd & Rogers closed from the time that Mr. Dodd became a member of the Administration. It pains us to have to state that these declarations are not consistent with the facts. Since the first day of January last Messrs. Dodd & Rogers received for goods ob- tained by the Government no less than §3,- 616.238, as follows :— 1879. Jan’y 11—Court House at Souris....$ 44 20 Court House at Ch’town.. 31 29 ‘¢ Provincial Building...... 32 40 oe tovernment House...... 11 00 ae Treasurer's Office........ 30 oe CI. soo ce VeMe tee cee 13 61 “ Prince of Wales College. . 50 Wal Sr hn oe ea Se aan 2,777 73 ee Gp eee i. f. 06 6d5:. 3 25 March 10—Register Grates, $774 00 Less Com. to Barrell, John- Lt a ae 72 00- 702 00 $3.G1K 7S Every cent of this amount went intothe cotf- ers of Messrs. Dodd & Rogers, since the first day of January last, and while Mr. Dodd was a member of the Government and Provincial Secretary and Treasurer! Yet, Mr. Davies says that Dodd & Rogers’ account with the Government was closed after Mr. Dodd became a member of the Administration ! There is & very grave mistake somewhere. True, Mr. Dodd admits the receipt of pay- ment for the glass, the contract for which was made while, yet, Mr. Dodd was only a Legis- lative Councillor. And here we may say that wethink Mr. Dodd was hardly so frank and manly in his explan- ation, as his character warranted us in expect- ing it would have been. Heconveyed the dis tinct impression that he had not broken the law, as charged, because he did not enter into a formal contract with the Government since he became a member of the Executive Coun- cil. Now the law says :— ‘*No person whoseever . . . : {even though he be Thomas Walker Dodd} executing directly or indirectly ° ‘ any contract or agreement with any public officer of Department, with re- spect to tue public service of Prince Edward Island : ; shall be eligible as a member ’ of the Legislative Council.” Mr. Dodd did not dare to deny that he made the glass contract while he was a member of the Legislative Council! And, in face of the law we have quoted, how can he have the audacity to maintain that he has not deliber- ately violated the law, or that he is not sub- ject to the penalties imposed by the law? We say that he violated the law every time an article was purchased out of the store of Dodd & kogers’ for the public service and that thousands of dollars worth have besn so purchased, we have proven beyond .dis- pute. We submit that the ‘’ Register Grates Job ” should nat have been disposed of by Messrs. Dodd and Davies with the bald declaration that they knew nothing whatever about it. Mr. Davies took credit to himself for scruti- aizing every account laid before the Executive Council. How, then, does it happen that $774 were paid for register grates without his knowledge? How, then, did that account pass through his hands unaccompanied with a requisition and uncertified by the architects ? When Mr. Davies took office, the following advertisement was inserted in his organs, and a great flourish of trampets was made about it :-— ‘Department Posiic Works, } ‘*CHARLOTIETOWN, » ‘Sept. 15, 1876. \ “The public are requested to take notice that this Department will NoT BE ACCOUNTABLE for or pay for any thing claimed to be supplied for the Public Services of this Province, un- less the bills are accompanied by a requisition article for which payment is required. “W. D. STEWART. ; ‘‘Commissioner of Public Works.’ register grates.. Then, how came the ever- watchful Mr. Davies to pass the account? This circumstance requires explanation. Again, Messrs. Burrell, Johnson & Co’s contract for heating the Asylnm, sets forth that :— ‘< Jt is to be distinctly understood that every- thing necessary for @ COMPLETE AND PERFECT jos must be furnished, should any necessary item fail to be mentioned in this specification, and the whole subject to the approval of archi- tects.” Now, the architects never saw the account for those register grates—never certified that the number of grates mentioned in the ac- count had been delivered. How, then, was Mr. Davies to know that they were delivered? Surely this point requires some explanation on the part of so exceedingly scrupulous and care- ful a Local Premier as Mr. Davies would have us believe he was. Further, it is to be noted that the specifica- tion makes no mention whatever of register grates. Under the contract Messrs. Burrell, Johnston & Co. were not required to provide them! How, then, does it happen that they were provided and paid for in such a hasty, loose, irregular, unbusinesslike way? Surely Messrs. Dodd and Davies should have risen to explain! Asitstands the transaction is, we repeat, rank. ‘‘It smells toheaven!” And we regret very much that neither of the mem bers of the late Government who spoke last night deemed it necessary to fumigate and set it before the country as a clean transaction. We come now to treat of the explanations given by ‘Mr. Davies respecting the charge that he had withdrawn upwards of seventy- five thonsand dollars from the Public Treas ary without the authority of Parliament. It will be remembered that, in his first speech in the Market Hall, Mr. Davies said the new Government were guilty of a political crime, because they paid the expenses incident to the late session, without the authority of the Legislature. At a subsequent meeting, Hon. Mr. Sullivan retorted that if what he did was acrime, Mr. Davies was guilty to a much zreater extent ; for he had drawn out of the Public Treasury, without the consent of Par- liament, upwards of seventy thousand dollars. Stripped of the declamation with which it was invested, Mr. Davies’ explanation was that $37,000 of the amountwere paid the contract- ors for the construction of the Lunatic Asylum according to the terms of the contract; that $20,000 were paid the teachers; that $6,000 were paid the officials; that $1,155 were paid on account of election expenses; and the rents, ferries and other services which had to be paid for swelled the sum toabout $70,000. Mr. Davies said that the greater portion of these were amounts which the Statutue law and the credit of the country _ re- quired should be paid on demand. He argued that he had not, therefore, paid them without the anthority of Parliament. He then characterized thestatements of Hon. Mr. Sullivan and the Examiner as false, and demanded a retraction of it in our issue of this evening. We regret that theexplanation is not satisfac- tory; and that we cannot, therefore, comply with Mr. Davies’ request. Mr. Davies was not sufficiently ingenuous {to .tell those whom he expects to vote for him, that every payment required by Statute or contract must, every year, be voted by the House of Assembly. In the estimates of last year, which were endors- ed by the House, and to which the Govern- ment was limited in its expenditures, we find :— Lunatic Asylum (new)............... $40, 000 Se 6 tk boo ee enn ds tie! 76,000 The amounts, together with the amounts to be paid officials, etc., were exhausted during last year; and over and above them, the late Government drew out of the Treasury sEvexty- FIVE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND TWENTY- FOUR DOLLARS AND TWELVE CENTs ($75,824. 12). We make this statement deliberately, because we have examined a certified statement, and know that it is correct. The amount (includ- ed in which is $145.99 for W. D. Stewart's was undoubtedly paid without the consent of Parliament. And if Hon. Mr. Sullivan is guilty, as Mr. Davies charges, Mr. Davies is as many times guiltier as the sum he paid out was larger. Instead of withdrawing the state- ment, we are compelled, by Mr. Davies’ au- | dacious evasion, to reiterate it. We do re. Now, there was no requisition for those | horse hire and $480 paid to Mr. John Whear) | iterate it, and reaffirm it; and “we challenge Mr. Davies to give a fair statement of all the facts and toshow from them that it is not sub- stantially correct. — tI mmm : The Patriot’s Attack on Mr. Fletcher. We cannot see the semblance of either ,us- tive or consistency in the Patriot's strictures on the course which the Editor of the Argus sees fit to pursue at the present juncture. Mr. Fletcher is sect down as the apologist of a traitor and a “trimmer” in politics, by the Patriot. Now, in any encounter with the Patriot staff, the Editor of the Argus is well able to look after himself. But, we think it only right that, in the interests of that fair play which is due to every man who is endeavor- ing to do his duty honestly by his party and his country, to enter our protest against the uncalled for attack of the Patriot upon our contemporary. A “trimmer,” forsooth, upon what grounds from this Office authorizing the delivery of the }oay the Editor of the Argus be styled a ‘‘trim- mer?’ Is it because he does not, under exist- ing circumstances, bow down and worship at the political shrine set up by the great apostle and High Priest of Gritism in this Province— Mr. L. H. Davies ; because he does not seve” his political connection with the great Lib- eral-Conservative Party—of which party he has been a consistent member since it was first called into existence—ard ally himself with his old and bitter opponents at a time when there was nothing to justify him in pur- suing such an extraordinary course? The Editor of the Argus has always been a Liberal Conservative. ¢ is true that, some two- and-a-half = years ago, he joined hands—as did the greater number of his. co-religionist political associates at that particular time—with his old opponents for the sake of carrying a great question which was made the issue upon which the last gen- eral election turned. In taking the stand he did on that occasion, the editor of the Argus acted upon principle. But because he worked with the Grits at that time in order to place upon our Statute Books a School Law, the main feature of which was endorsed by a ma- jority of the people of the Province, it does not follow that he was to cast aside the prin- ciples of a life time, and sell himself body and bones to the Grit faction for all time to come. Not at ail. brought the larger portion of the Protestant wing of the two political parties together on the same platform was once settled, and ac- cepted by the whole people, the way was clear When the great question which for our contemporary to take his own course. When his old friends give the most positive assurances that they have accepted the situa- tion on the School Question- when they assert most emphatically that they gracefully submit to the voice of the majority of the people ex- pressed in the constitutional way—the editor of the Argus had no alternative, as an honor- able party journalist, but to accept their dec- larations as being made in good faith. Ac- cepting these declarations, then, it was com- petent for the editor of the Argus to ask where his proper place was, in the present crisis. He sees the old party lines drawn once more, and he throws in his lot with his old friends. Is there anything dishonorable in this? We fail to see that there is. And, moreover, the editor of the Argus owes nothing to Mr. L. H. Davies or the party of which he is to-day the leader. It is true that he held office under Mr. Davies’ Govern- ment for atime; but, for that office, he was indebted to his Conservative friends. And after his friends withdrew from the Govern- ment Mr. Fletcher was not permitted to re- tain his office very long. He was officially decapitated bv the Grits so soon as they could invent something like a decent pretext for do- ing so, and from ne other motive, we believe, than that he was known to be a staunch Lib- eral-Conservative. So, now, taking all things into consideration, the Patriot crowd exhibit a great deal of effrontery when they expect the Argus to play second fiddle to the Grits at the present time. tn lili lai Meeting at Summerside. An enthusiastic meeting was held at Summerside last evening. James Camp- bell, Esq., occupied the chair. Hon. John ‘Lefurgy and Thomas Kelly, Esq., were {neminated by David Rogers and C. Howatt, Esyrs., respectively. Both nomi- nations were well received by the meeting. Afterwards, Hon Mr. Sullivon delivered an able speech, which was repeatedly ap- plauded. <P o—— --—- -— Meeting at New Glasgow. A very large meeting was held at New Glasgow last evening. It was addressed by ‘Messrs. McKay, Farquharson, Hon. —D. Fer- |guson, and many others. Every one was ‘heared with attention until Mr. partner — Mr. Sutherland—came forward, When he was indignantly refused a hearing The nomination of Mr. McKay was received with three cheers. Some gentleman proposed ‘the nomination of Mr. William Laird, but the ‘proposition was not seconded; and it did not | appear whether or or not the proposition was |intended as a joke. ns | __ Patrick CLuNEy was again fined on Satur- day last. at Cardigan Bridge, in the sum of $40 and costs for vending the poisoned draught without license. The Justices were Wm. P. ——— Lewis and Donald Stewart, Esqs. The Ins- pector of Licenses appeared as prosecutor. _ Also, at the same time and place, Mrs. Flynn, for a similar offence, in the sum of $40 and costs. To this the K. C. Adverti * jon McDnff.” aon avies’ law- |! Correspondence, | gar We do not hold oarselves responsible for the statements or opinions of our correspondents. To the Editor of the Mxaminer, Srr,—In the summary of my remarks made at the meeting held last night in the Market Hall, furnished to me this morning by the Reporter, | am represented as stating that of the expenditure made by the late Government since Ist January last, $37,000 were paid on the Lunatic Asylum contract alone. This statement is imaccurate. ‘The $37,000 em- braces the entire expenditure of the Public Works Department. Of that sum $20,798.38 was paid on the Asylum contract, and the balance of $16,000 for bridges, roads, wharves, etc. The inaccuracy in the Report would, of course, mislead as to the real sum expended on the Asylum, but it in no way affects my argument that the payment of the whole $37,- 000 was a legal liability which either by Statute Law or by contract entered into with the authority of Parliament, the Government were bound to make. Si co aii By publishing this in to-day’s issue, you will oblige, Yours, &c., SEED WHEAT FOR SALE, nea BUSH. VERY SUPERIOR SEED 850 WHEAT, “Fife” and ‘‘ Red Fern,” grown from Canadian Seed. OO BUSH. CHOICE OATS. A rare chance for farmers to get good seed. Will be sold very cheap. J. & T. MORRIS; Ch’town, March 20, 1879. (pat ne ar pres her sj} kca 2in) To the Electors of the Third Electoral District of King’s County: GENTLEMEN,—The action of the late Government in retaining office for many months after they had lost the confidence of the House of Assembly, and their contention on the floor of the House that they still the confidence of a majority of the Electors, having necessitated an appeal to the cousti- L. H. DAVIES. + tuencies at this inconvenient season of the March 21, 1879. ——_—_—_-+ 2: > -e eo —_—__ Special Notices. Genr.eMen’s Dress Sutrets—A GREAT BarGatn !—Read the following : Weeks & Co. have received part of a manufacturer’s stock of GextriemeN’s WuitTe Suirts, which they will offer on Monday, March 17th, at a little over half the regular price. Everyone should see them, as the low price must clear them off apidly.—sat tu fri Ssoxrp SaLtMon at Beer & Goff's. Scorcn Jam in bulk, 25 cents per Ib., differ- ent kinds, choice. Golden Syrups 10 cents per pint, 18 cents per bottle, at Beer & Goft’s. —— SHIPPING NEWS. Liverpool, March 6.—In port barque Erema, Gould, for Charlottetown, P. E. L; Alpheta, Cameron, do; Leonie, Finlayeon, do, London, March 6.—In port brigt. Blanche for Charlottetown. Cardiff, Feb. 28.—Cieared barquentive W. D. Stewart, English, Demerara. Sagua. March 3.—-In port barque Fleetwing, Jeane, loading for N. or Hatteras. New Yuk, March 13.—Arrived barque James Peake, Graham, Dublin, 42 days. Ethel Died. At Johnston’s River, on the Sth March, after an illness of 10 months, Allan Joseph McDon- ald,son of Donald and Isabelle McDonald,aged 18 years and 10 months, leaving a large circle ' of friends to mourn their loss. May he rest in peace. To the Rlectors ef Charlotte-; town, Common and Roy- alty : : i’ ENTLEMEN,—Having been nominated (sr at a large and influential meeting of the Liberal-Conservative party as a candidate for Charlottetown, Common and Royalty for the House of Assembly of this Province, in con- junction with your late representative Mr. George Wastie DeBlvis, I solicit your support aud influence in behalf of Mr. DeBlois and my- self at the approaching General Election. Should you dome the honor of returning meas your representative, I shall consider it my duty to guard your interests in Parlia- ment, by advocating such measures as will most conduce to your prosperity, In times like the present, of financial and commercial depression, I will advocate mea- sures of economy and retrenchment in every branch of the public service in order to re lieve the taxpayers as much as possible. Believing that the interests of the mechanics require some consideration at the hands cf the Legislature, I shall deem it my duty to ad- vocate all legitimate measures that will tend to promote their welfare. I have the honor to be Your obedient servant, NEIL McLEOD. Charlottetown, March 2], 1879. To the Electors ef Chariotte- town, Common and Roy- alty : 1 ENTLEMEN,—Having, at a large and influential meeting of the Liberal-Con- servative Electors of Charlottetown, Common and Royalty, been nominated a Candidate for your suffrages at the coming General Election, I have accepted the nomination, and now solicit your support for myself, as also for my colleague, the Honorable Neil McLeod. Inthe late Goveryment, as a Free School man, I performed that which I considered to be for the true interests of all classes, by assist- ing to place on our Statute Books a thorough] non-sectarian School Act. This Act, althoug it may—like most others —require amendment, has, | am pleased to believe, proved generally acceptable to every class and creed in the Province, and all now cheerfully agree that its non-sectarian principle must be kept in- violate. I rejoice that the harsh line of religious party differences has been obliterated, and that all denominations can henceforth stand shoulder to shoulder for the purpose of striv- ipg in unison to carry out such measures of economy and retrenchment in the Administra- tion of Governmental affairs as the changed as- pect of commercial and other business matters in the Province have rendered absolutely necessary. Should I have the honor to be returned to the Assembly as one of your representatives, an object of mine shall be to meet all reason- able and honest endeavors that may be made to lessen the burthen of taxation, which, in the present state of general financial depres- sion, is undoubtedly necessary; and to aid any legitimate legislation that may tend to the well-being of every class in the commun- ity, and particularly of mechanics, who, as a body, through their own magnanimity, have notin the Assembly a representative from among themselves. I have the honor to be, i Gentlemen, Your obedient servant, year, I beg respectfully to solicit a renewal of the confidence you so generously reposed in me in Junelast. In doing so 1 have also to ask for your endorsation of my appointment as Commissioner of Public Works for this Province. Notwithstanding the heavy taxes imposed on the people by the late Government, their extravagance has been such as to place the Finances of the Province in a highly unsatis- factory condition, which demands economy in the public expenditure. To effect this, measures for the abolition of the Legislative Council, the reduction of salaries, and other controllable expenditure, and the re-organiza- tion of the Civil Service, will receive early attention from the present Government. Should you, by your votes, sustain the present Administration by electing me as one of your representatives, 1 shall,—while filling the responsible position I now occupy— endeavor to give proper attention to the local interests of your District, as well as those of every section of Prince Edward Island. I have the honor to be, Gentlemen, Your obedient servant, DONALD FERGUSON, Kast River, March 17, 1879.—-advt her pres 2i. er ete eens To the Electors of the Second District of King’s County: GENTLEMEN, —In again soliciting your suffrages, it becomes my duty to state the cir- cumstances under which | appeal to you for re-election. During the Session recently terminated, a vote of want of confidence in the then Govern- ment was carried in the House of Assembly, which resulted in the resignation of the Ministry. His Honor the Lieutenant Gover- nor was pleased to entrust me with the for- mation of a new Government, which I success- fully accomplished. Believing that the Electors desired an opportunity to pronounce upon the conduct of sense of the country on the present position of: affairs, a dissolution of the Bane of Assembly has been advised, and an appeal to the Con- stituencies will be made iabene delay. At the last General Election public senti ment was expressed in favor of secular education, and the present Ministry will give effect to the voice of the people by maintaining the unsectarian system. The Government are determined to resort to every legitimate means to lighten the burdens of the tax-payers. In order to accomplish this end it will be necessary to curtail the ex. penses of legislation, and believing that one Legislative Chamber is sufficient for this Province, a Bill will be submitted next session, having for its object. the abolition of the Legislative Council. The measure will be so franed as to amply protect the interests of property holders. Provision will likewise be made for a reduction of the remuneration to members. Our civil service is in a very unsatisfac condition, and the expenditure in regard to it, is greatly in excess of the present means of the Province. The Government will adopt service, with a view to the some of the de number of offici salaries. ion of ments, a decrease in the and a general reduction of such encouragement as the staple industry of the Province demands. In order to stimu the exertions of our farmers and stock raisers the ‘‘Agricultural and Stock Farm” will be placed under improyed management, and means will be adopted to render it more gen- erally beneficial than it has hitherto been. . This Province is entitled to a proportioal share of the Fishery Award, and the present Ministry will leave nothing undone that they can accomplish, to obtain the same. The barbarous system of imprisonment for debt will be abolished, and a more humane law for the protection of creditors will be sub- stituted for it. A measure to secure liens for labor and advances will also be intreduced. The law relating to roads and bridges re- quires amendment. It and the Regi ion and Ballot Act shall receive the attention of the Government. A system of the strictest retrenchment and most rigid economy in the public service will be inaugurated, so as to reduce all the control- iable outlay and keep the expenditure of the Province within its revenue. If, after the closest husbanding of the pub- lic resources, the Government find it ne to continue direct taxation, that system will be adopted, which shall be least obnoxious to the people. and will entail the smallest expen. diture in the imposition and collection of the amount required. As I have already exceeded the usual limits of an address, I will not now refer to . other subjects that will attract the attention of the Ministry. I wish, however, to assure you that the utmost endeavours of the Govern- ment will be directed to promote such effi- ciency, a8 well as economy, in the administra- tion of our public affairs, as may redound to the prosperity of the Province and the con- tentment of its people. I have the honor to be, Your obedient servaut, W. W. SULLIVAN. Ch’town, March 17, 1879. k-e-adv s prog her pres n-era ar lin, G. W. DeBLOIS. Ch’town, March 20, 1879.—he pres ar no 2i QGUESCRIBE for the DAILY EX AMINER the Cheapest and most newsy Paper published in the Provinee, the late Ministry, and wishing to obtain the’ measures for the reorganization of the entire » Agriculture has notof late years received : SE >