sd ti aa Ro Vol. All. I A On — Calonial Parliament. HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY. Fiipay Arrernoon. Feb. 28. Hon. Mr. WHRLAN—Mr. Choirman, when the Com- mittee rose this mornng | was alluding to a remark made by the hon. me: ber. Mr. Longworh, to the effect hat the Govern went are entitled to the gratitude of the country for the benefi:s they have conferred upon it, and he arrogated to his party the exeiusive credit of sincerity in their politica! action. I asked for the proofs of his assertion and I re- peat the enquiry. I referred to the financial condition of the Colony, and showed by statements. the cor:ectness of which cannot be impu ned, that they have added eoorm vusly to the public debt, and so far from having proved themselve+ the frends of the people their managemeut of the finances hos a direct teadency to retard the prosp: rity of the {s'and. When the late Government was io power, the present majority avere continually declaring that the country had been brought | to the verge o ruin, but [ defy them to show a parallel to tacit own management of the public parse during the whole time the Liberals were in power. Look, Sir. at their con- duct on the subject of the Bl to make the Legislative C .uo- cil elective. IL nave. on different occasions. given my Views un the merits of that question, +o that | weed not repeat them now; but I ask. what has been the result of the measure introduced and carried by the Government? Why. Sir. the leader of the Goverumen’ in this House pronounced the Bill of last session unworthy of the cor sideration of the Linpe: ial authorities. In what other branch of the pubd'ic service are we to look for the improve vents they have effec d? They em plain of the cost of Elueation as being altogether beyond the resources of the country.and ia roduce this subject into the address, although it is rot in the speech Yet. wiv do they no: propound some scheme which would provide the necessary mesns to Mainutoin the sys em Their predecessors did so and found no difficulty in meeting the expeuse. Lu the mode of coileeting the Revenue the Go- vernwent bas made no alteration, although my bon. friend, Mr. Coles, when he adop ed it. was blawed fo) having evu-ed a great deal of embarrassment fo the mercantile community, Where, then, is the improvement? Not certainly io diminished taxation, for they buve addei 1} per cent. to the ad valorem duties. No’ in tne pudiic Uoances, for they bave wwereased the debt; pot in the collection of the reve- nue. for they have made wo change in the plans of their pre- devessors. It they bad diminished the d br, they mizht have taken credit to themselves for benefits conferred by their administration. Toey denounced the principle of Go- vernment purchasing l.ods, declaring that it would lead to disust:ous resuit-; but now they wake a merit of having dune so. ond it is rather eurtous that now, for the Lrst time, desks of hon members this printed they place upon th paver. (The hon tember referred t. a printel sarement connected with the Worreil e-tare.) Woy is it that the cor- respondence relati#e to the purchase of Lot 54 and the Scl- kick estate is webheld? That correspondence was much wore recent, and bas beew repeatedly asked for by members oo this side of he Lik Use, Waste aii the teofo mation about the Worre’l esta'e cau be found on the jvu nals, L ask why have the G wernmicht HO pro tuced the corresprn denee re- lating to thé two properties they have purchased?) Are they ashamed of sbeir proce ding>. or are they apprehensive of a charge ot brinery tein ade agatust them, os hes been most | unfairly advanced azans my Ron. friend. Mr. Cole-? | is well known that th re was oot the shadow of a foundation tor the wile and telamous 1D. uation ‘Tbe character of thet eotieman stands high in comparison W th that of the present purch.se 0) publie lands. The tate Go- documents referring to the x Goveramest wm th Vernment gave pur icity to all Worrell estate, woile no information is communicated as re- | ards the +wo other properties. Mr. DOUSK—As agent of Lord 4e kirk at the time of the sele of his estate. [ can stare that the Guvernment are not liable to any biawe. They acted honestly aud fairly, | and the trausac:ion was conducted aud coucluded in a proper gainer. i How Mr. WHELAN—I make no charge against Lord Seikork or the bon memmer as tes agent. Lam arerely com- paring the conduct of the present with Chat of the last Go- veruwent, Taey osteatatwu-ly produce the correspondence counecied with the Worrell estare which has been published fur years, but take care not to show that relating to there | own transactions. Lc is unfair to mike such a charge in the | pewspapers or through any other channel, and expecially dis- | er. ditahie is it that it should emanate from the Colonial 3e- cretary who, having been one of the principal vendors of the | property, Knew the utter grouudiessness of the uliegation, | Hon. Me POPE—There is no charge in the * L<louder.’ Hou. Mr. WHELAN—The Elivor of tue * Islauder,’ who | is also Coloma: Sceresary, gave currency to the siander. The | few rewarks [| make, Mr. Chairman, will necessarily be de- | sultory, in consequence of my absence from the House during a portion of the debate, and L will here briefly reter to the statements of the hon. member, Mr. Longworth, in reference to the 1-¥rb Bill, the patervity of which be endeavoured t» tran-fer from the hon. member, Mr. Coles, to the late Duncan MeLean. 1, Sir. bat a seatin this Houre is L849 when that gentleman brouzht in a Biilto regulate the curvency. | Tnat Bili, a8 wiroduced, bad oot the 1-9:h clase, and it was not until alter conference with Mr. Coles and ovhers| that it was incorporsted into it, But even if the cause did not originate wih Mr, Coles, the measure wa not un fait accompli anvil it Was carried by bim. Tue Colonial Ministet sent our the Bill, as defective iv souse watter of detail, bat the principle of the 1-9ib clause was affirmed. The Govern- Mout ave trying to cover themselves witb borrowed plumes, | alter having fullowed the policy of their prejecessors lu other brancies of the public service, ‘hey Bow wish to appropriate gie credit of the 1-9:b Bul. They anght, with eqa | pro- prety, claim lor the useives the introduction of our E iuca- | tional system, which they aud the proprieors petitioned | I wake those remarks.not so mued as accusing the | | against. Goveroment as defending the prive ples aud acts of the party with which L am aggociated, and, ww doing 89, L caunot re-| frain trum noticing fhe tnputatior of interested wotives | whieh the hon megber, Mr. Longworth, charged influences | the con juct of the g)position, Lie did uot teil us woat the particulyr motives were, but it is a reas mabie presuimpsiou that ve alluded to & supposed de-ire on our part to vbtain session uf the public otfives. Sir, L adwic fully that my political friends aad m,setf would be giad to take tho-e offices, and L ask those why tnpuediy c usure us for such desire, if t is in any degree disnoasravle or dishonest f L accord to the Goveraomen: tre rig it 10 Cee possessiut of the public offices during their tenure of public coutideuce ; but, Sir, why snouid we be tauded wih seeking to gra ily au howorayte ambition. by earaing Our right to them oy a faiths | fui pecturmanee of our puvlie duties? tas pot my-hun. | friend, ‘ir, Oc.es. who bas been 8.ine aU yearsio toe Ksiaud, | and has coateuyied sv iargely ty toe development of Ms Fe | sulrces. and has puld enutaneus suiny lu the supe ol taxes, | 68 good a clam tu the Seeretarysbi, as Mr. W. E Pope ¢ What has that yventleman ever dove to give bin a prefereu- bal Claim to che office and ts euviumeats over Me. Ugees #, Take the Reytear of Deeds aud o.her pubic ullicers of Go- Veroiett, the Treasurer, Messrs. Morrtsou aud Currie, what Clatu to offic at siguacuns couid they adduve over bow. meu bers vu thts side vf tue ileuse, Ww have 0 tutued ~eats Bere i wate the vibewis L nave reicired ty would not kuow waere | to luvk tur w wuus'tucucy $ Ou tue subject of tue Award tue | bow. memrer, Mr, Lougworh, staied that it Was wot true thatthe Licur. Goveruse wad retuced a copy of the Award. | 1 may differ teu the bon. memver as tv the particuiar ae iv be atiscned to «he word * retused.” It way but ad ica Sa but Mr. Uouissivace Gray offered to ow copy here, aud sr. Howe wid Me. Cules aud mysel! saeeueteae ve prepared tor tis Excellency aud his ’ gculiemau, oa whose word ad reliauce can be pliced, wld Mv. Uoles war the Lieut. Governor bad ine | | formed him chat : be co : ( May ost wave poriti wuld bave a copy if be desired one. He) | ived their streauyas opposition porttively refused, out we may have iutimsted, troy the Award may as well be adaudsoed at once. paid Mr. W ghtmau they ought to bave dune so, aud in tact elsewhere jan odivus character, Had he came bere openly and fairly, Wightman came like a thief in the might, to worm yut in- 'Gov-roment by paying him have sanctioned bis preceedings | y ; ithe course of this debate, bad no right to interfere. The | Coinmissioners did as they thought best, and Government jiad nothmy to do with the matter. ‘member's argaments have been fully met, and [ will only add | | Weekly Hournal of Politics, ——= a “This is true Liberty, when Freeborn Men, having to advise the Public, may speak frec.”---Euripides. _— _ = eee Government. One thing is clerr, a copy might have been | ‘obtained. and its publication would have heen of great ser | vice. The hon member, Mr. Longworth, said that it would | Charlottetown, Prince Edw Oe PEE The Fishery Reserves are also in the same pcsition, as hon. Mr. Howe's expesiti n informs as What improvement has taken place in the questions of the Quit Rents and Loyalist The Colony is entitied to receive a large amount from lands ? be most improper that the Government should interfere with | ; le - . he ( ana ; nee ' I h Quit Rents—formerly the exaction of them was attended with » ' ss ’ . rer a} ° + . the progress of the Commissioa, hut, in the next breath, hi dificulties, hat now the question will come onder a diverent claims great eredit for the a»po'etment of two gentlemen +0 | aspect. ‘allowing the proprietors to withhold their rents? eminent in their protesson as Messrs Thomson wod Hensley vernment, to whom it is alleged every facility was afforded by the Go- | But I know that Mr. Thomson in his speech | leclared, that so far from having heen furn shed with all | I ask what benefit the tenants will receive from Hon. Mr HAVILAND —The tenants by their leases are hound to pay the Quit Rents, Hon Mr. WHELAN—If the land tax act should expire to- | sources of information relative to the investigation he had | morrow the Government could enforce the payment not only received from Government only the Act we had passed and the resolutions introduced by the Hon Col. Grav. and these latter were not recoznized as the basis of the Commis<ion | And the Act, when handed to the Counsel, was not the law | of the land. It had not been sent home, What more flag. | rant proofs of their insincerity do we require when we hear | member of Gove soy that i ivi the Act ; a a member of Government sey that in giving the Act an! 110+ fot was valuable on account of the wood on it and its | resolutions they had rendered all assistance to the learned | counsel for the tenantry? Tne excuse that hon. member | makes for the son-arrival of the Award, is, [am glad for | the suke of variety. different from that which was advanced | to nceount for the detention of it in the other end of the building. There the delay was attribu'ed to the difficulties in the United Sates and the death of the Prince Vonsort But the iast excuse for the abseace of the Award is still more untenadle. In this ease we are told that the questions to be considered were so diffica't, and the documents to he) rinted so voluminous,that a long period of time must elapse | between the report of the Commissioners and the final deci sion ot the Colonial Minister on it. Why, Me Chairman these questions have been before the Colonial Otfi-e for many years,and [ supposed the settling of them had de ‘volved on the Commi-sioners, and it would not take any long time fur the Colonial Minis:er to decide what instructions on the subject he should send to the Lieut. Governor. A- to the volumvious nature of the documen.s, their volumy could have only have been occasioned by the Spy to whom | allusion has been so often made, and to whom [| intend to re fer. Bat as to the alleged time required to priat them it is a silly ex-use, for if they were ten ries more Dumerous than they are, and I know from Mr. Howe their probable size, a tew diys would saffive for priming them. Hou. Mr. LONGWORTH—L merely referred inciden-_ tally to the printing. Lt was the lex-t weighty reason L ad duced. [ expressly assigued the importance of the interes’s | involved as the yreat cause of delay. Hoo. Mr. WUKLAN —L bey the hon. member not to in- | terrupt me. I come now, Sir, to the ease of the Spy, aud my reference to him shall be brief. The hon. member deuted all com icity with him or his euployment, avd asserted that be knew noth og Other men L be ik Ve a i have correctly stated his semarks about hinr until after he had jeit the Colony. ners of the Government say the same thing communication was received by the Lieut. Governer from the Commuisstoners, introducing ‘ae, \V hatwanand reg est. ing that he be paid from the puble tunds of the L-iand. W are told that the members of Governmaut bad oo kouowledse of bis appointment, with the exception of tion. Mr Palmer Now, wien it is admiited that the other members of th Government were kept im ignorance ol Uf, L say if IS a Mos! huailiatiog position for avy of them to be pl iced in. = His mission Was kaowa to the Lieut. Governor and one meme: of bis Counetl It was kuowa hat he tad an office in th building, wit an official letter frou the Colonial Sveretars rtis A-sis ant. Messr-. POPS and LONGWORTH—Lt is false. lion. Mr. WHEL \N—It istrue. He bad a letter to the Collectors of Jind Tax, authorizing thew to give his: every informafion in their power, Now. uf bis unssion was considered creditabie, why are members of the Goversmen <0 anXi-us to screen themselves irom avy suppositivu of ¢ m- plicivry with him ? Hon. Mr POPE—There is no anxiety of the kind; the mewbers referred to are only anxivus wot to allow false statemeuts to pass uncontradseted How. Mr. WHELAN—Wiii the Government deny that Mr. Wicktman was bere? That bis miss:on was known to we Lieut. Goverour, aod that he was paid out of the pebl - tunds ? tton. Mr. HAVILAND—If the Government had nor were bound so. Hon. Col. GRAY —I, for one, have no des re to shrink trom any responsinility. L will say that Lapprove of the | appuintwent by the Commissicsers of the geutieman alluded to, und [ think that, so far from meriting the censure passed upon them, the Cowmissioners acted as menu of honor and inte rity. Hon. Mr. WHELAN—If my remarks are productive of no other result, they have at least elicited the admission from | bons. Col. Gray wad Mr. Haviland, that they will assume | the responsibility of having paid bim. Hon. Col. GRAY—It is only a minute or two since that 1 heard for the first time that the Government declined the responsibility Hon. Mr. LAVILAND—TIf the honorable member had been in his place yesterday morping he would have heard me) state that i approved of all the Commissioners had done. Hon. Mr WUELAN—[ may have lost a good deal by my alsenee, but [ trust that L shall be able to bear up ander the | privatiuns. As I know the hon. member's mind and train of | thought, I consider it more profitable to spend my time | Lion. Mr. HAVILAND —The hon. member may suit himself | as to whether be shall attend m the House or not, but he} tipust nut put into my muuth statements which [ never made use of. Hon. Mr. WHELAN—Well, Mr. Chairman, I have no | disposition to quarrel with hon. members opposite. But it having been conceded that the Spy was here with the know- ledge of the Ligat. Governor aud Won. Mr Palmer, it follows that he did not prosecute his mission without their concur- renee. Le was allowed access tu the Public Records of the! Colony. Hoa. Messrs. LONGWORIH & HAVILAND—It was his) right—any one can have the same privilege on payment of | their legal fee. } Lon. Mr. WHELAN—Thos> interraptions only show the | soreness of the Government on this subject. lle came bere tn | ang asked for what information the Commissioners required, | stacing the difficu ty they bud experienced when ia the bstand, | irom the impossibility of there gomg personally thr nigh all} toe districts of the Island, there could be no objection. 1} 'would be the last tu off: any opposition to his employment | or bis payment by the Government. I willingly stated my | vpinions to the Comumissiouers, and to the best of my alnlity | assisted im facilitating tueir investigation, But this Mr. | lurmation in an odious aad contempuble manner, and the | It 8 their consciousness of the dishonor, odium, and contempt which attaches to the character of a Spy whieh renders the Guvyeroment sv sensitive. Leare not woich one of the Com- wissiyners or Whether the whole of them appoiated him. fie Government ad pted him, and therefore they 810 id take their share vi the responsilihty. The day is not lar distant wien the upinion of the people wil be givea on ihe subjeet of sending to the Isiand a Spy, to go into the pe yple’s dwel- ling houses, asking what their farms would be worth, if Fisheries and ra:droads, and large sheep farms were estiblished io the respective neigibvarhoods. Lt 1s disreputable to any party to give the pubite funds for such services, and the people tuink sv too. Tue employment of this individual has been justified in the urgaa of the Government, the Islander, vn the ground tuat the evidence of the people given belure the Com- uissivaers Was of @ scandalous a nature, that it was pol to be erediied, and that the evidence giveu to a stranzer, under wmisrepreseutativos, 18 ty be taken im preference : an jorsouth, we are told we gust wait patiently for the Award, because there bas nut been time to pring documents emanating Ir m vo polluted a source. When that document comes, what benefits are to be ex ected fro it? [t is admitted that the Mecsrs. Muntgowery are opposed to the arbitration clause. And we know tnatonly 5 or 6 out of some 40 proprietors consented to the formation of the Commission. It may be said that others have expressed their willin,ness to be bound by the Award, but what public proof have we that they would submit to it? When we find that the Arbitration clause is obn»xtous to the proprietors generally, and has all hopes o! benelit If the , aad L think it probable that he did intimate a desire not to re- ‘arbitration clause be sbanduned, what other boon need the 9-¥e it wutil it suould be transmitted through the Lmperial jtenaniry expect? The tithes of te proprictors are com firmed. (off-rs half that price. ‘that any satisfactory result will ‘ollow, for not even a com-| \ necessarily cause. | delivered. hun. member, bat | never witnessed a gore signal failure than que Asylum. i } of the prospective, but also of the antecedent rents. As to the 20 years’ purchase, I have been intormed that Mr. Haythorne offered his land in Lots of 50 and 100 acres at 15s. per acre. And the hon. member, Mr Douse, has often said that the leases of the Selkirk Estate contained clauses | ard Island, Monday, March 31, 1862. ** Cuartorretown, Feb. 27, 1862. ** Dear Sir, = ————————————————————— — N ew Series.---No,. 12. Fripay, Mareh 7. |__ The following petitions were presented to the House :—By | §Tt has been stated on the floor of the House of Assembly Mr. Owen—a petition of in abitants of irudeneil River pray- by the Hon. Mr. Coles, that you told him you had sven a / ing a grant to extend the whari at south shore of that river letter from the Colonial secretary, or from the Colunial By Mr. Davies—a petition of Mary Kelly, widow, prayi : ‘Secretary's Office, in the possession of Mr. Wightman. the aid in the support of ber idiot children. y H n. Mr. Havi- Agent of the Land Commissioners, to whom you acted as laud—a petition of Hagh Logan, late juler of King’s County Clerk for some time authorising that Gentleman to apply to Jail, praying remuneration tor bis long services in that office certain officers of the Government of this Islund for informa-| By Mr MeNeill—a petition of Donald MeRae praying the | tion—or certain officers to furnish him with information, ** Will you please inform me whether you ever said to Mr Coles anything to warrant the statement which he has made, and whether, during your intercourse with Mr. Wightman, you ‘ever heard that gentleman state that he at any time rece'ved from the Colonial Secretary any information or assistance | whatsvever.’”’ ** Yours truly, «+W. H. POPE.” giving right to purchase at £1 an acre. Mr. DOUSE—On Lot 31. £3 per acre had been offered ; | proximity to town. Hon. Mr WUELAN—That doesnot contradict the state- | ment of £1 per acre being inserted in the leases, to which I referred. As to the arbitration clause, Tam at a Joss to see | how that scheme can improve the condition of the tenant. | lfow can a poor tenant with a young family, occupying, it. |may be, a farm some 50 or 60 miles from Charlottetown, con- | tend successfully with his landlord? Earning by his daily | iabor his daily bread, and burn ng with anxiety to get rid of | the sackles which oppress his energies, be travels to Town | to effect the purchase of his land from his landiord. The iatter demands the 20 years purchase of the rent. The former | It is refused. It is futile to suppose paratively wealthy farmer can enter into a contest with the ‘proprictor, and incur the expenses and annoyance of the fre- | quent journies which his attendance at the arbitration would | Ile had better pay the 20 years purchase | at once. So much for that part of the Award, and are the | tenants henefitted by other portions of it? Take for instance the right of reserving 1500 acres. That right does not com- | pel the sale of any particular farm, even if 3 times 20 years | purchase were offered. The proprietors may select, say 15 | of the best paying tenants and keep them forever in proprietary | bondage, and thus make them pay for the delinqueney of | V'culd it be just or equitable for a proprietor to say others. ‘to a good tenant, to one whose industry had enabled him to | improve his farm and pay his rent, ** You being a man of such | good character and conduct, T will not release you from your | fetters, but keep you asa tenant, while T will allow others, | not su deserving. to purchase their lands in fee ? * Hou Mr. LONGWORLPH—Does Hon. Mr. Howe say that the proprietorsean select 15 different farms. The hoa. member lis fighting a phantom ifon Mr. WHELAN—Mr. Tlowe states that the proprietor ean reserve 1500 acres. And, in cases “here the whole of an estate is under lease, he must have the right to take such farms as he pleases, and he naturally would select the best I shall now merely make one more reference to the I now allude to the remission of arrears of rent itd tenants. Aveard. fiat has been repre sented by hon. members of the other side is conferring a great boon. Mi. Tlowe states that the ar ears up to I858 are to be remit‘ed. It is now the fourth year since that date and the Award eannot be law until next Session. or at least next autumn,—beeause, of it comes out this Session, it eannot be enforeed until the Act confirming it shall Lave been passed and assented to by the British Govern- | ment. That will leave 5 years rent due. Truly, a great) advantage will arise from tat. The proprietors will get ail ein expect. and great dilyzence, we know, has been used n the collection of rents and the takeng of Bonds and other ecurities for the arrears. Hf the Award were the law of the land to-morrow, those seeurities. would>not be nugatory by the operation of the Award. The hoa member for the eity. ‘ir. Davies, suid yesterday, that if proprietors enforced the collection of thuse securitics they would violate the spirit of the Award, Mr. DAVIES--L said that if Mr. Howe's exposition was eorreet, the arrears were to be considered as cancelled, in| cuses where the rent since 1853 had been paid, and that then | the tenant could avail himself of the right of purchase. Mr. WHELAN—Does the hon member mean that there is to be no remission of arrears, unless the tenant is prepared to | purehase ? / Mr DAVIES—I understand all arrears up to 1853, are | remitted, irrespeetively of the parchase claus». Hon. Mr. WHELAN-- Mr. Howe siates that the arrears must he paid before the purchase can be eff ected. [may say. that Lhave not been disappointed in the resalt of the com: | fie y tis imisson for L never had any expectation of benefit from i. The ony geod feature in the Award as explained by Mr. lowe is the Loan. and eyen that is rejected by the Govern- iment. And when it is considered that the Government is} feomposed principally uf proprietors and agenta, it would be unsafe to carry out the Loan clause while they ure in power, | for they would then be selling their own lands to themselves | at their own prices. | Hon. Mr. LONGWORTIH—Mr. Chairman, the hon. member has been arguing on the subject of the Award for) more than an hour. He appears to bave some objection or | other to every clause. 1 would like to understand if he is_ ‘opposed to the whole of it, lion. Mr. WHELAN—Yea. Hon. Mr. LONGWe RTH—[ am glad to get that admission, | as other m-mbers of bis party, although they are opposed to | the Government, have yet stated that they will not oppose | the Award—that they are unwilling to throw any obstacles | in the way of the Government on this question. Now, | although it is true that the hon. member is not ostensibly the leader of the opposition, yet we all know that he has great | influence in their councils—that bis opinion carries great | weight. He is their mouthpiece, andin fact, | might almost | say that the opposition lives and moves and has its being in | that hon. member. Ile differs in o; inion from others of his | party and, on that account Lam not sorry to hear him dissent | in toto trom the Award. [u the Examiner of the 19th August last, the hon. member, in his capacity as editor, told the! pablhie that it would be the duty of the liberals to take the | Award as it was explained by Mr Howe = The following passage will substantiate my statement. They (the Liberals) will be willing to take it with all its defects and imperfections.” | It is true the editor adds—* for the sake of securing the loan, | hy means of which only the proprietary Fstates in this) Island can be converted into small freeholds ;’’ but this style | of reasoning was quite consistent with the policy of that | party, and any reason for covering their defeat and j wstify ing | their assent to the Award was better than none atall. Now sir, L have no doubt that this was the expression of the hon. member's actual opinion and that the passage was written by himself. But now be declares that he will not take the, Award at all, he ean see no redeeming point init. He has| not however proposed any seheme in hea of it,—he is silent) on thas point, and during bis Jong address, of an hour and-a- | half, he has not adduced a single argument calculated to) induce conviction of the soundness of bis views. The bon. | leader of the opposition put his view of the case far more | At this late hour and after so pfotracted a debate, They have been | strongly. itis unnecessary to review bis arguments, «« CuartorTetown, Feb. 27 1862. s+ Str, “In reply to your letter of this date, I beg to say that I) never said to Mr Coles anything to warrant the statement you allege him to have made, nor did {1 ever bear Mr. Wightman allade personally to you or to your office, nor did lever see any letter to Mr. Wightwan from you, or from your Department:’’ “Tam, Sir, yours truly, «J.P. PEVAN. ‘© W. H. Pope. Esq., Colonial Secretary.” As his clerk was present when Mr. Bevan told him about the letter. he had asked him if ie recollected what had taken place and requested him to put his statement in writing. He Kad done so and the hon. member then read the following certificate :— ‘¢ CoartoTretown, Feb. 28th, 1862. ‘* [ hereby certify that I heard Mr, Jub Bevan say to Mr. | Coles that there was a letter in Mr. Wightman’s possession, authorising the different public officers to give the said Mr. Wightman every information he required. and that he, the said Mr Wightman, had letter from bis Excellency the Lieut. Governor and the Hon. E. Palmer, and further that he Mr. Bevan, was employed by Mr. Wightman as Clerk, and oceu- pied the Secretary's office first, and the Grand Jury room after ; and after working for three months preparing docu- ments for the Land Co.amissioners, he was not yet paid.’ T. M. PREEDY.” The mode in which Mr. Bevan’s letter wass concocted could he inferred from the fact that when he sent to bis dwelling for him, the messenger was informed that he was at the Is Islander’ Office. Hon. Mr. POPE said that the assertion of the hon. member had nut been borne out by facts. He firs said that the Colo- nial Secretary had given the letter ; when that was denied, he next said that it came from the office ; that was denied, as was the allegation that Mr. Wightman had oecupied the private office of the Secretary. Mr Morrison, the Assistant Secre- tary, stated that he never occupied either of the offices of | the Secretary ; that he had neve. seen him. With reference ty the Award, the whole day had been wasted by the leader of the Opposition and Hon, Mr. Whelan, in endeavouring to bring the Government and the majorty of the Louse into contempt and ridicule, He represented one of the best cun- stituencies in the Island, and he considered the abuse of those hon. members the best of certificates of character. No one Was mure anxious than himself that the Award should be It onght to bave been sent out. Hon Mr + oles. afterwards, referring to the conversation with Hon Col. Gray, on the probable price which his Go- vernment would be willing to give for the Worrell estate, asked whether the latter had understood bim as speaking in here. pan official or personal character, when he .amed £38000 ster- ling as the maximum price? Hon. Col. Gray explained that he had made the inquiry of Mr. Coles as the leader of the then Government, and, of course, supposed his reply to have ‘been mode in that capacity. That, holding a mortgage of £9000 currency upon that property, and being aware that there were £3000 currency, in addition, charged apon it, he. of course, abandoned ali idea of purchasing iz for £8000 ster ‘ting, which would only cover the above claims. ‘Coles replied, that he had only meant that he himse/f would not give more than the sum stated. That he could pot have given the opinion of the Government, the members of which he had had no opportunity of consulting The Land Purchase Bill bad not then beeome law, and if it bad, it would have heen requisite to subué the subject to the consideration o! ihe Goverment. The question on the amendment proposed by Hon. Mr Coles was then «ut, and the House divided For the amend- | ment--ftlons. Messrs. Coles, Whelan, Thornton, Wightman, Perry, Kelly, Hensley ; Messrs. Conroy. Doyle, sutherland, Sinclair, Cooper. —12. Against it—Hon. Speaker, Col. Gray, lions. Messrs. Laird, Longworth, Popa, Haviland, Messrs Jobn ¥eo, Beer, Montgomery, Douse, Ramsay, MeAulay, tlowat, Davies, MeNeill.—15 Hon. Mr. Yeo and Mr. Owen were absent. The next paragraph, referring to the despatch of the Go- vernor General on the subject o Intereolonial Free Trade,was agreed to and the adiress was reported. Io the House Mr. Coles moved his amendment, which was ost on the same division, the relative sides being changed. and Mr. Uolm. who had been Chairman of the Committee, voting with the majority. Tuvaspay ArrzrNoon, March 6. The Bill to amend the Act to provide for the organization of a Volunteer Force was read a third time and passed. iion. Mr. Kelly pr sented a petition of Ebenezer Doull and others ; a petition of divers inbabitans of Lot 37, and a peti- tion of divers inhabitants of Pond settlement, Lot 36,—all praying aid to i» prove their road commanications. tion. Mr. Haviland asked leave to introduce a Bill to authorize the Lieat. Governor to sell certain pews in St. Paul's Chureh, | barlottetown, vow held by the Government of the Island. Tre hon. member explained that i! these pews were sold, it would do away with the necessity of the Louse voting a sun every year to pay the assessment thereon, and prepare the way for refusing all grants for reat of Legislative pews in the different churches inthe City. The annual grant for this purpose bad caused no little contention ; and in this Colony where there was, properly speaking, no established church, he thought it was improper for the Government to hold pews. Hon. Mr. COLES said that the Government held pews in the Roman Cathelie Church in the City in the same manner as they did in St. Paul’s. The Legislature voted a sum to wards the Roman Catholic Chureh, when it was in course of erection, fur the purpose of securing pews therein. lion. Mr. HAVILAND—If that be the case, let the hon member bring in a Bull wo authorize their sale also, aud he shall have my support. llon. Mr. COLES said he did not intend to support the sale of pews in either of these Churches at present. The Bill was teen read a first tine Hon. Mr. Haviland moved tve House into Committee on lully answered already and, no new matter Las been brought | the further consideration of the first report of the Special in by the hon member, Mr. Whelan, whose remarks on the) Committee on expiring laws. Two resolutions were reported Government in connection with Mr. Wightman, are in very | to the House and agreed to, the first stating that the Act to i bad taste, and cannot affect the Government in any shape or degree. As I have said the bon that I cannot compliment bim on the speech he bas just L have often listened to able speeches from that the present. Lion. Mr. COLES—The hon. member, when he charges the hon member, Mr. Wheian, with inconsistency, may recollect that, sowe time ago, the present Colonial Seeretary, in the Islander, recommended a Loan of £200,000 tu buy up pro- | prietary claims, and the lion. leader of the Government, |Mr Palmer, expressed his op osition to a Joanin any shape Now, if the Government are in favor of a Loan, they are as from him, and now he was petitioning this Huuse for the inconsistent as the hon. member (Mr. Whelan.) But [ e:ain- tain that, under the present circumstances, the liberals are d then, at periect liberty to exercise their individual judgment without ‘mutual consultation. If they were in. power, it would be ‘otherwise, but now they have no opportunity of conierring ‘on the course they, asa party, mightadopt, One may reside ‘at West Cape. anotver at Rast Poios or Marray Warbor. [i they had the Government, there would of course be consulta- ‘tiong and mutual concessions of opinion, and a final agree- ‘ment ae to their course = =The hon. member then referred to ‘the subject of the official letter alleged to have been given to ‘Mr. Wightman, which has beeo already alluded to. When lhe was told hat such a letter was ia Mr, Wightman’s posses-- ‘ion be naturally suppos tary 's Uffice. letter by Mr. Bevan. The Col. Seeretarybad written to that| regulate the floating of logs. &e., down the rivers in this The Government, as has been so often stated, in| Islind be continued and amended ; and the sccond that the Act to incorporate the Grand Division and Subordinate Di- ‘visions of the Order of the Sons of Temperance in Prince Edward Island, be continued. Mr. Davies ptesented a petition of Samuel W. Mitchell, jlate keeper of the Lunatic Asylum, praying for a grant in paywent of a claim on his part lor upprovements 1p and about Mr. BEER explained that as one of the Trustees of the Asylum, he was acquainted with the mature of the claim se furth by the petitioner. Ie had furnis ed the Trustees with ilon. Mr. | refunding of — of @ prosecution brought against bim for cutting timber from the vacont land on the Selkirk ee- tate, to build a bridge. By Mr. Beer, a petition of John Affleck, praying aid to sustain himseif and family. Roap Service. The order of the day for the House in Committee on the ecnsideration of the supply granted to Her Majesty, was then read Ordered, that the estimates and the communveation of ‘om. Hancock, presented to the House yesterday, be both referred to tue said Committee. Mr. Davies touk the Chair of Cominittee | Hon. Mr. HAVILAND said he bad moved the House inte Supply rather earlier than usual.«s the season was advancing rapidly towards spring, in order to afford opportunity before the snow disappeared to provide timber for repairing several large bridges. The sum voted jor the Road Service year was £6000 ; this year he intended to move for a larger am- aren as would be seen by the resylution which Le would now read :— Resolved, That the sum of Seven Thousand Pounds be granted for the service of roads, bridges, and wharfs for the wesent year, including all Special grants, and that the same appropriated to each County, in the following order : —- _Queen’s County, including Charlottetown and Royalty, £1300 0 6 Prince County, lw 0 0 King’s County, ‘ 1100 0 0 Special grant for Queen's County, 1200 0 0 Special grant for Prinee County, 950 GO @O | special grant for King’s County, 950 0 0 Road Compensation Act, 00 Contingent Expenses of roads, bridges and wharfs, to be equally divided between the three Counties, 300 0 0 £7000 0 0 Mr BEER suggested the propriety of leaving the words ** Charlottetown and Royalty’’ out of the resolution. They conveyed @ wrong impression, because part of the money eaid to be appropriated for the City and the Royalty was expend- ed on the roads leading therefrom for a distance of ten miles. liun. Mr. COLES referred to the necessity of something being done to keep the streets uf the City in more efficient re- ‘pair. Last autumn they were in a wretched state, and still | nu person was to be seen at work on them. If the Corpora- | tion could not keep up the polhee, and pay a little towards repairing the streets, we would be beer without it. He thought in view of the large bridges that had to be kept up |in Queen’s County, the sum allowed for it in the resolutiva | was too small. Mount Stewart Bridge was ina very dilapi- /dated state. The lar_e bridge at New London had been damaged by a storm last autumn, and was also in need of re pairs. He was of opmion that the time had arrived fur Sans rd es = oe management of this branch of the public service. An officer should be ap ealed the whole. ee, | Mr BEER admitted that the streets of Charlottetown wera ina bad state last fell, but it was prinerpally owing to the | long continuance of wet weather. He was alse of opimon that the division of money tor the Counties should be diffe- jrent. The principal traffic on Mount Stewart Bridge was by the people of King’s Coanty, and he considered it but fair ro the noni jor that Couaty should appropriate out of ) their share of the money a la rt of the i for the repair of that a 2 ee fion. Mr. PERRY thought that if £7000 was all that could be allowed for the service, the divisien of the money was as just as could be made. There were large bridges also in _ Prince County to be kept up, and some debts to pay off, one ot which was £130 va Summerside wharf. ’ ' Hon. Mr. LONGWORTH was happy to hear that hon. | _members from Prince County were satisfied, and they had ‘wach more reason to beso than those ot Queen’s Connty. Mount Stewart Beidge. Poplar Island Bridge, and F, ffe's Ferry Bridge,—the latter of which hed taken it into its head to move out of iis place —all large bridges in cis County, re- quired considerable grants. tlowever, as other hon. members | appeared to agree to the seale proposed te would not objecs | bo it. Bat he weuld remark that ihe members for the other /two Counties should be satisfied with a smailer share of the ‘money, a8 the roads in these Counties were g-nerally in good repair, and that tora good reasun, because the traffic on them was small. and the country comparatively level. Mr. BEER thought there should be some means adopted to wake wharfs self-sustaining, and alsuv bridges which were used for shipping purposes. He w:sin favour of a resolation being introduced requir:ng a swall wharfage te be collected at all such places. If Queen's County was to receive justice a8 it possesses — duuble of the pupulation of any of the other two, it ought to have as much expended 1 as both the others. oot eee Hon. Mr. YEO said the soil in some parts of Prince County was very soft, and consequently the roads were difficult to keep in repair. If Queen s County had a population greater than the other two Counties, it ought to have a greater ain- ount of comnutati n money to keep up its ruade He men- tioned the bridge at Malpeque,and one or two others in Prince County that would require repairs. liou. Mr. THORNTON remarked that he seldom obj to the road appropriations, and if £7000 was all that could be granted for the service, he thought the division was ver fair. No doubt there «as more travelling abyut the capncal, but there were alsy more people to keep the roads in repair by their commutation meney. He observed that neither of the members for St. Peter's was present, and tyuerefore would take the liberty of stating that he had heard that the Morell Bridge was in a very dilapidated state, being propped up with piles. This bridge should not be overlooked, us it was a more important one than Mount Stewart Bridge, being on the reat artery of communication with the eastern part of the Island. Hon. Mr. COLES said the hon. memter, Mr. Yeo, had re- ferred to the population of Queen's County being greater than that of either of the other two, therefore mure should be done in thas County towards keeping the roads im repair by statute ta#bour. But he (Mr ©.) did not believe much in statute labour, as he understood that in some districts no overseers had been appuinged last year. He supposed the ople in those districts would not bave obtained their certi as might be found vut at the next election. . Mr. CONKOY said the district which he had the honor ta represent would require all the money which he could get ; but if Road Commissioners were to be allowed to go on and expend eaey op by-roads fur which it waa not vot-d, it was no use to make out ascale. A certain Commissioner in that district had expended £40 without any authority from thie Liouse. Mr DOYLE referred to the same case, and said when a Commission r acted iv that manner he should be made res- ponsible for the payment of the money himself. | After twoor three other hon. members had ex similar opinions on the resvlution to those given abuve,it wae agreed to. PETITION OF JoHN SAUNDERS. Hon. Mr. Coles presented a petition of John Saunders, Belle Creek, setting forth that he was the rightful occupier of 43 acres of land en Lot 62, a part of the Selkirk estate sold to the Government; ‘hat iis name was put on the Government plan of the property ; that ‘he paid his first deposit therefor; after which, and having improved the same, the land in question was couveyed to other parties by the Commissioner of Public Lands, by order of the Government, and | praying the House to redress his wrongs in the preniises The hon | member read some correspondence showing that said Mr. Saunders aad spoken to Mr. Douse respecting said land about the time of the ‘a lung accoun: amvounting te upwards of £120; they thoug!t | jarchase of the estate by the Governmen:, or, eding to petifien- }this eatirely too much, and offered him £75, which, after er’s statement, when there was a talk that it would pass into the ‘some tim , he agreed to take. This sum was paid to him, ‘hut owing to some oversight, a receipt in fuil was not taken ' balance. | After # few remarks from other hon. members, the petition was relerred to a Special Committee to report thereon. The ollowing petitions were then presented to the House a petition of inhabitants of Lot 38, and a petition of James Walsh and James looney—botb {so @ petition private individ: | by Hon. Mr. Whelan, viz. : praying aid to improve road communications, of St, Peter’s Bay last year. These four peti on the table. | person and had obtained a reply. He reac the correspondence | House until Thursday next, whieh was a8 follows :— ‘ | Adjourned. of dames Walsh for a grant of £2 for repairing a road: and) (a petition of James Webster, Lot 41, praying remuneration Mr. Saunders. \for extra expense in rebuilding the bridge across the Head) ol. tions were laid of the petitioner himself, and under his own 6 | hands of the Government, and that Mr. Douse sit hi | the plan of the property; that after the oe ee aatee Saunders caine to the Counnissioner of Publie Lands, who seeing hie name on the plan, received his first deposit and conveyed to him the ‘land; that parties having applied for the land for a church, it wae subsequent! coaveyed to thei; and that the Government ‘had re- commended said parties to pay Mr. Saunders £12 for his improve- ments. The hon. membersaid he considered Mr. Saunders had been | bardly deait with, and though he would be sorry to deprive.a cone | gregation of oe Seventy wuich they might possess, still the right of ; s should be respected. Tae land should not have n given to the peuple of that congregation without the consent of Hon. Col. GRAY said he could satisfy the House by the admission lone ignature, that the date ‘of his application to Mr. Doase for the land was after the suth of, April, 1500. The hoa. meinber then vead a petition to the Govern. Hon. Mr. Longworth from the Committee appointed to_ : eae . id ed that it cane from the Cel. Seere-| bring in a Bill ‘or establishing tae standard weight of grain, | ape et eta ole been wey erheny no oe le had been intormed of the existence of tie | &c., presented a Bill, which was read a first time. Mr. Sutherland received leave tu absent bimself from the |also said that there was no talk of the estate passing into the ; * | ville, dated Nov. Sth, 1860, stating that they had | ment with Mr. Douse for the tand about two Rape le tay handa of the Goverament until the matter was brought up in this House ‘aud the purebase then decided upov, whieb was a latter ee