a mS | A Weekly Hournal of ox *~ —= Vol. XII. ~ GOLONIAL LEGISLATURE. | OO rt tl COUNCIL CHAMBER, Mospay Arrexnoon, March 30, (continued ) Hon, ATTORNEY GENERAL.—That may have been his honor's intention, but | understood him to say that it ——— = a iterature, an an ee ee "This is teue Liberty, when Freeborn Men, having to advise the Public, may speak free.”’---Euripides. Charlottetown, Prince Edward Wsland, Monday, April 27, 1863. aaa a low rate before the Land Commission was spoken of. If Tam mistaken, [ hope his honor from the first district of would be an injustice to the proprietors, and perhaps on | second consideration he thought he went too far; however, Lam willing to take his honor’s explanation. As to the 20 years’ parchase, the price of land is not fixed at that, but that clause was inserted for the benefit of the tenants, as the arbitrators were not to exceed that amount. His honor who made that objection also spoke of the Fishery Reserves, aud complained that the Award was unjust in that particu- | lar. Well, perhaps that was one of the most difficult ques- tious the Commissioners had to contend with, and if you refer to their own words you will see that it was difficult for them to come to any other conclusion, “ Practically, as alrealy shown, these reserves bave never been respected. The reclaimation by the Crown, or of per- sons claiming under the Crown, in case of tenure issued, of those parts of the reserves which have been actually reduced into possession, and improved and cultivated (if possible at all) could only be accomplished by means of expensive and harrassing liligation, rendered still more embittered by a sense of injustice. of nearly a century in the enjoyment of property untramelled by the exercise of a dormant easement reserved in the, Crown, even though there be po Statute of Limitations in the Island against the Crowa. It would be equally difficult, after a lapse of 90 years, territorially to define where that reservation commenced and where it ended. The sea coast bas changed, in many parts materially receded. “In some of the grunts the Crown gave the fee simple in the 500 feet over which the easement was to extend; in Others the 500 feet was reserved to the Crown, but only for the same purpese for which the casement in the first case was intended ; therefore the Crown itself would be stopped from granting the reserve, im the latter case, for any other purpose than that of the fishery. “To settle complications which have sprung, and might | hereafter spring, from the perpetuation of these reserves, the uodersigned are clearly of opinion that in those cases where the origival grants passed the entire fee of the lot or town- ship, reserving over the 500 feet the easement only, the land consti‘utiog such reserve should henceforth be held by from such easement or any claim thereto. remained and still is in the Crowo, yet the possession since Prince County will put me right. 1 think Mr. Douse | bought the best lot of the Selkirk estate before we heard anything about the Award. Hon. the PRESIDENT.—Yes, at nearly double the price that was paid for the rest of the estate. Hon. Mr. RAMSAY.—Is it not the Award that bas now bronght the Montgomery estate into the market ? Hon. Mr. DINGWELL.—I believe it was because the | tenants could not pay their rent. Hoa. the PRESIDENT. —1 have no doubt but the | Award has been the means of lowering the price of land. I know a proprietor who, some years ago, was asking 24s. an | acre for his laud, bat would now take 15s. He would | would sooner take 15s. an acre then abide by the Award. Unfortunately, there have always been two extreme parties | in this Island; but for that, I believe this question would have been setiled before to-day. Llad it not been for the | opposition of parties in this country, | believe the Colonial | Minister would have submitted the Award for Her Majesty's | confirmation. fon. Mr. WALKER.—I think the Bills to confirm the Award, which were before this House last session, passed unanimously. And as regards tbe opposition of the Libera! | _ party, if I mistake not, I have heard it said that the Liberal | _ party had no influence with the proprietors, but now it ap- | It is difficult to get over an acquiescence | pears that they had some influence. Hon. Mr. HENDERSON.—TI bave been entirely at a los: to understand the motives from which the majority of | the Liberal party have acted in regard to the Land Com- | mission. While the Commissioners were holding their court in this Island, they appeared to place full confidence in it ; but at any other time they had no confilence in the Com- mission. Perhaps it is because | do not walk io the beaten track of politics; bat I cannot understand how it is that | they should come before the Commissioners’ court with their | delegates, and appear to take such an interest in the scheme while the Commissioners were here, and as soon as they | were gone, as well as before they came, they deaounced the Commission, both on the platform and through the press, as a hambug and a delusion. Ido not rise to throw the apple of discord, but merely to state what I believe to be the truth. The impression on my mind is, that whev His Grace | the Duke of Neweastle saw the opposition of the proprietors | | backed up by the liberal press, which is supposed to be the | | exponent of the views of the peop/e, he thought there was he | something ajar. the fegal owner thereof, and those claiming under them free | Aad when we consider the way the Legis. | lature was prevented from sitting lust fall, [ think we are | | in a position to be very suspicious that the Duke bad aid | “Tu the case of the grants last mentioned, though the fee | P 7 . the issuing of the grants bas been io the grantees of the | lands, of which the regerves form the sea front, or their re- | preseotatives. The leasees of such persons have held, im- proved and occupied under them as owners, To give to the Origizal grantees, or their represeDtatives, an unconditional fee at the present time would be gross injustice to the leasces. To give to the leesees would be equally unjust to the owners in fee, as placing a clear belt of freehold between their lands aod the sea, and virtually putting them at the merey of the tenants.” Now, it is evident that it would be very difficult to lay dowa any plan that would be alike satisfactory to the fishermen, the proprietors, and the tenants. I belive the tevants are, from a quarter that the people had no right to expect. Hoa. Mr, LORD.—I was not aware that we hud so much influence at the Colonial Office. I bope every man will be allowed to enjoy his own opinion, Liberals not excepted. If | the prayer of this Address ts refused, we may expect to hear that the Liberal party and tie Liberal press are to blame for it. 1 believe the Liberal press and the leading Liberals of the Island have a great deal of influence at the Coloniul Office; but if any party can influence the Colonial Minister, it is ibe proprietors. I have no doubt but you will meet | with disappointment, but the Liberals should not be blamed. for the most part, well satisfied with the decision of the , Commissiovers in this particular. They will now be quieted iv the possession of (hose fishery reserves, which are the most valuable parts of their farms, and bold them at the same rate as the other parts, [ never heard of an instance of a fisherman being prevented from prosecuting a fishery for the want of free access to the soil. also said that the Award, if confirmed, would do little or no good—that he himself bas, withia a very short time past, been offered bis farm for 153 an acre. Well, I look upou that as one of the operations of the Award. bonor get such an offer 6 or 7 yearsago! Ore of the great complaints of the proprietors is, that the Land Commission- ers bas reduced the price of land very mucn, and [ look upon the circumstance which bis hovor has mentioned as a prac- tical instance—as showing that the complaint of the proprie- tors is not without foundation. 1 do cot think it is neces. Would his | put on. fis houor from St. Peter's | sary at the present time W ge any further into the merits of | the Award. It has been so often discussed that all the ar- guments, -both for and against it, have become stale and thread-bare. However, | congratulate your aonors on the cireumsiaoce that there does uot appear to be any difference of opimon io regard to the course pow to be taken. Your honors appear to think that the course we are vow pursuing | is the only mode that can be adopted. The document should | be laid before some legs! tribuval ; we should not be satisfied with anything else, aud then be prepared to submit with loyalty and manliness to their deeiston. We waat to throw the burdeu of proving that the Award is illegal, if such is the case, upom the proprietors, and not allow the Colonia! Minister of the day to set it aside in such a summary way. The people will no dosbt be prepared to submit to the deci- sion of a lege tribunal. Hen. Mr. DEEK.—His honor the represeniative of the first district of Prince County wishes to know what propor- tion of the tenants will be benefitted by the Award if i: should become law. [ think a very large proportion of them will be benetitted by it, for three or four of the largest pro- prietors have been consenting parties, and they owa the ter part of the township lands If the Award were con- wed, there is no doult bat all the proprictors would, after & short time, be placed om the same footing. Oue of your bouors considers the arbitration clause impracticable, aod that it will wever reeeive the Royal Assent. I believe it was thet clause that frightened the proprietors. But for thet cliuse the proprietors would have acquiesced in the Award. 1 have no doubt but the arbitration clause could be easiy worked. It has been said that the only benelit the Award would confer would be to those tenants who had means to purchase the fea simple of their farms at the rate of 20 years purchase. I om surprised that any member of this House should express himself so. It that were the only benefit to be derived from the Award it would be better to take the Proprietor's Bil! ; but where is the man Who woud | tuke the Proprietor's Bill in preferance to the Award? No, there is not one who would vesture to say so. The Proprie- tors’s Bill is not to be compared to tie Award. The Award allows the teuant to bave bis farm at a fair valuation, aod then to have tea years to pay for the same, but by the Proprietors’ Bill it mast be all paid at once. The Loyal- iste were no doubt badly dealt with, but that was not the fault of the present Government. So many years have elapsed, aud the land bas changed bands so ofien, that it is | almost impossible to do anything in that matter now. As to the joan, I cannot see that it would be of any service un- less we could get the land at s fixed and moderate rate, and bad not the money to purebase with. When that is the ease we may look for the loan; but at present it would bave the effect of increasing the price of the land perhaps 100 per cent. If the £100,000 were now iv the chest, the Govern- went would bave to exercise great firmness in resisting the omer from without to purchase land at a ruinous rate. | tion of the community. ' It will exert a mischievous influence over the minds of the In regard to the purehasing of lands, it bas been stated that what the Government bought bad been paid for, but I think his honor who made that statemeni has made a little mistake, for the lands are not paid for. Tie Colony is in debt, and purchasing land is one of the principal] causes of it. Goon | purchasing and the debt will increase. I hope the present (rovernment will not go too far, for if they continue going ia debt, Ido not know what amount of taxes will have to be Therefore I think the less land is purchased at present the better. It appears that the Montgomery estate | is uow ia the offer of the Government at ds sterling an acre; | that is 6d higher than was paid for the’ Worrell estate. | believe £10,000 will be lost to the Government on the Jatter, and of course the loss on the former will be proportionally greater. Hon. Mr. DINGWELL —I was not prepared to hear that the Colonial Minister would listen to any newspaper in this country, in opposition to the majority of the House of Assembly and the unanimous voice of this Ccuncil, f | do not think the Liberals should be blamed. Hon. Mr BEER.—Wheo [ spoke of the Government purchasing land | meant to say, that they could tender what | the paoprietor would receive as paymeot. If I am not mis- | taken, a considerable amount has actually been paid, I be- lieve the Selkirk estate and Lot 54 are nearly all paid for. If | the Government are in debt, they have the lands to show for it. I would have no objectica to see the debt increased for such a purpose, for the whole amount will ultimately be repaid, aod probably leave a little profit, as will be the case | with the last estates purchased by the Governmeat. The Montgomery estate is offered at 6d an acre higher than was paid for the Worrell estate, yet we should remember that it | 1@ all good land, and 1 believe is all settled with the excep- | tisn of about 200 acres, Hou. Mr. RAMSAY.—Is it not plain, your honors, to to the most cuperficial observer, that, in a Colony that hus no | resources but agriculture to create a trade, i! you keep down | the farmer yeu keep down trade, and if you support and en- courage the farmer you support and encourage trade? ] hope your honors will agree, and raise our united voices to remove every obstacle out of the way of the farmer; and [| | do hope that the day is not far distant when the ‘enauts may celebrate their independeuce and uufurl the flag of freedom from uuder the iron rod of proprietory influence, both ia Prince Edward Isiand and in Downing-street. Then, and not till then, will the farmers of this Isiand rise in the scale | of improvement. Hoa. Mr. YEO moved that the Address be agreed to, and the question being put thereon, it passed unavimously. | The House was then resumed, and the chairman reported the Address agreed to, without any amendment. Adjourned uli to worrow, at 10 o'clock. Tusspay, March 31. The Bill relating to steam navigation with this Island, the Bill te continue certain Acis therein mentioned, aud the Bill | to incorporate King Hiram Lodge, No. 1123, of free and | accepted Masons of St. Eleanor’s iu Prince Edward Island, | were severally read the third time aad passed. Hon Mr. McLaren moved that the * Bill to incorpora‘e the Grand Orange Lodge of Prince Edward Island and the | suoordinate Lodges in counection therewith’ be now read the second time. Hon. Mr. WALKER.—I intend to oppose that Bill. I think it is a strange Bull to bring belore the Legislature of | any Colony. L believe it will be the means of doing more | mischief than your honors are aware of, and in such a place | as this Island | do notesee what necessity there is for it. It | is an Act for the very purpose of proscribing a certain por- If there were no Roman Catholics | on this Island that Bill would mot bave been iatroduced. | rising generation. The “ery fact of such a law being on our | ' land. lis honor the Attorney General bas well said in reply to | his bonor who was offered his land for 15s, an acre, that that | was the fruit of the Land Commission. The purchase of the Selkirk estate by the Government was also, in my Opinion, ove of the fruits of the Land Commission. There Was en attempt made to purcbase that estate wheo the |i- rals were in power, but Lord Selkirk would not treat with "bem. Sowe of your honors think it would be » greater ’ Statue Book will cause a spirit of an:mosity that will take | many years to remove. All such laws are abolished in Eage | I move an amendment that the Bill be read the | second time this day three months, Hon. Mr. DINGWELL.—I second the amendment. I _ have wot heard any reason assigned for introducing tbis Bill, | nor can I see any reasou for doing so. I tbiok we should | sericusly consider before we pass any Bill which would le- | gslize a disturbance of the peace. benefit to have the Purchase Bill carried out. That is con- tinually being dove, and the money is found to pay for lands — whenever they are offered at reasonable rates. tainly a breach of faith for His Grace the Duke of New- lt is cer- | eastie te decline submitting the Bil! to confirm the Award | for Her Majes: an doubt, but this Address will be followed with good te. Hon. Mr. DING WELL.—His hooor who has just spoken thinks the Award has bad @ great deal to do with lowering the price of lend, but there were large tracts of land sold at y's confirmation; bu: I hope, gad have very It is well koown tbat | there is a large proportion of Roman Catholics in this Co- lony, aud orangeism is as offensive to them as ribbouism is to Protestants. As a Protestant, I see no danger, and if any Protestant is so weak-miaded as to think his liberties can be interfered with, I sincere!y pity him. If any ove is 80 base as to attempt to interfere with the liberties of others, 1 pity him too. They do not know the results that will follow the enactment of such a Jill as that now before your honors. I know that all I can say will have very little effect, but while we sre at peace i do not see why we suguld © place a stumbling block m the way, or do anything that ) would be likely to stir up strife and spimosity. Would any - person wish to disturb the pegce of the community for the | Brethern, in their suke of place and power? 1 apprehend no danger from | | highly prize. Roman Catholicism. Protestants are allowed the free exer- cise of their rights and free liberty of conscience, and Roman Catholics should be allowed the same rights; bat this Bill, | in my opinion will have the effect of restricting their rights. If the other party were in power, would we, as Protestants, be willing to see a Bill introduced to establish and legalize Kibbonism ? And are we not bound to respect their rights | as much as we would wish them to respeot ours ? Hon. Mr. GOPF.—His honor who has just spoken thinks this Bill will produce war, but [ think it will have a coa- trary effect. [ do not see why parties should be alarmed ata name. I look upon the Orange Lodge as merely a Protestant association, and they only want this Bill to enable them to hold property. Toe Orange society is an extensive association, They ure accumulating property and they wish to have an Act to tenable them o sue and to ren- der them liable to be sued. prevent war is to be prepared for it. So far the association has worked well, and [ do not see why parties should take offence at it. I think itis a very proper Bill. It is eon- | whole, or any part of the signs, words, or tokens, that are It is said that the best way to | templated by the Orange Society to havea share in the | Temperance Jia!) in this City, and what would be the use of / it to them without such a Bill as the one now before your honors. ° A message was brought from the House of Assembly by the Hon. Mr. Hensley with a Bill to incorporate the Minis- ter and Trustees of the Presbyterian Church at St. Peter's Bay. Hon. Mr. GOFF.—I see Acts of incorporation are quite the fashion of the time. Here isa Bill just brought trom | the House of Assembly to incorporate a church, to enable them to hold property. This Bill is for the very same pur- pose. I think there is unnecessary alarm at this Bill. It | is not contemplated to give the Orange soviety any peculiar privileges. If the privilege of having an Act of Incorpor- | ation is extended to ali other societies, I wish to know on what grounds it can be withheld from this. If this Biil | were going to deprive Roman Catholics of avy right, I would be the last man to support it; 4 wish to see every man, no matter what bis creed is, enjoy the liberty we so this Bill, they must only do so, lead to trouble; if so we must only be prepared for it. At the request of the Hon. Mr. Henderson, the followiug ** General Declaration” and ‘* Oath or Obligation,” which were laid oo the table of this House with tbe petition for this Bill, were read :—~ * LOYAL ORANGE INSTITUTION. ° “Thou shalt teach men ordinances and laws, and shalt show | P them the way wherein they mast walk, and the work they mast | do: moreover, thon shalt provide out of all the people, able men, such However, if parties chouse to take offence at | His honor thinks it will | as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness, and place them to be | rulers ef thousands, and rulers of hundreds, and rulers oi teus’’—Exopus, | C. KVM, VS. BU, Be. ** GENERAL DECLARSTION. ‘* At all times nothing can be more natural, and at this time nothing can be more reasonable, than that those who have common rights to protect, and comwon interests to de- fend, should act together and knuw each other. It is by | division, that the benevolent objects of true patriots are frus- trated, and their best and noblest efforts for the public good defeaed. In these distant but important appendages of our Great Empire, it wust be obvious to every loyal a eflecting | mind, that a union of intelligence, an increase of means, and | & knowledge of each other are essential. desirous of supporting. to the utmost of their power. the principles and prsctice of the Quuisrian Revicion, to maintain the Laws and Constitution of the Country. afford assistance 10 | the distresssd members of the Order, and otherwise to promote such laudable and benevolent purposes as may tend to the due | ordering of Religion and Christian Charity, and the supremacy | of Law, Urpex and Constitutionat FReepom. ‘+ Its Members associate in honor of King William the 111, Prince of Orange, whose name they bear, and whose immortal memory they luld in reverence, teading as he did under Divine Providence, to the overthrow uf tlie most oppressive bigotry, and the restoration of Pore Religion and Liberty. They | revere the Memory of that Immortal Privee, not only asa Patriot, a Constitutional Monareh, and a Hero, but as a true Christian ; and hope in the adoption of his name, to emulate bis virtues, by maintaining ReLigion withuut persecution, or trenching upon the rights of any. ** The Orange Society lays no claim to exclusive lovalty, or exclusive Protestantism ; but it admits no man within its pale, | Wuose principles are not loyal, aud whose creed is not Protes- tant. ‘+ Disclaiming an intolerant spirit, the Society demauds, as an indispensable qualification, without which the greatest and | buat of boins Orangemen. ' the Bull. The } 9 1 il D1 | and that was from the Orange [nstitution. * Ene JOYAL RANGE Ns a 2 orme » } . se “eae eS en ree UY peeeene'T hen 6 née oe Greene belonged to the Orange Alews, | == a oY x -_- = — : = a ee = a pe a a en ee - New Series.---No. 16, every year; | swear that I am not, nor ever will be.a Koman Catholic or Papist ; nor will L marry a Roman Catholic or Papist, nor educate my children, nor suffer them to be edu- cated in the Roman Catholic Faith, nor am 1 now, or ever willl be, a member of any Society, or body of men that are enemies to Her Majesty and our Glorious Constitution ; that from any Orange Lodge; I farther declare, that 1 will do my utmost to support and maintam the Loyal Urange Institution ; obey a}] regular Summonses, and pay all just dues, (if in my I never was, to my knowledge or belief, rejected in, or aspen | 0 } | power) and observe and obey the Constitution and Laws of | the same ; and lastly, I swear, that I will always conceal, and never in any way whatsoever, disclose or reveal, the now about to be privately communicated to me, unless I shall be duly authorized so to do by the proper authorities of the | : Orange Institution, of which | am now about to become a I believe that sound Protestants, in a } member. So help me God, and keep me steadfast, in this my Orangeman’s Obligation.” ; , tants do well to see that the foundations of their liberties are not sapped. I am sorry to say that there are many un- | privcipled polititions, in various parts of the British empire, who, for the sake ef place and power, would allow our civil and religious liberties to go to the winds. Bat I will not wink at anything of that sort. 1 believe the objects of the _ Orange institution is to uphold and protect our civil and ree | ligtous liberties. In no part of the world are those liberties enjoyed to such an extent as they are in the British do- minions; and in no part of the world is the Roman Catho- lic Church striving so bard for the mastery. If wo wish to maintain our libertics we must see that the Government re- _mains in the bands of men thoroughly conservative of British Protestant freedom, Iam no proseriptionist ; but rotestant country, should hold the reins of Government, in order that our liberties should be held sacred. I have no doubt the Bill be- Tion, Mr. DING WELL.—Is it castomary to have those | fore us will have a beneficial inflaence on the Colony at Orange Lodges incorporated in the other Colonies ? Hon. Mr. GOFF.—It has not been customary beretofore, but it is becoming so. [t is not many years since they were established in the Colonies. Hoa, Mr. DING WELL —Then I am to understand that this is to be a precedent. I have always Jived in a mixed | large, and I do aot fear that it will give more offence than | has already been given to Catholics. The only thing that _ Roman Catholies have to fear fron Orangemen is this, that they will not allow themselves, if they can belp it, to be go _ verned by Roman Catholics or their Protestant tools. Hoo. Mr. HENDERSON.—lIt will be readily admitted community, and I have always found Rowan Catholics to | that the Bill which is now before this House is a very im- be good and peaceable neighbours. | portant measure—a tncasure that would require candor and Hon. Mr, GOFF.—I did not expect that his howor from | care in its discussion. ‘T'o incorporate the Orange Lodges of St. Peter’s would support this Bill. It would be against | his politieal interest to do so, A similar Bill was introduced into the Legislature of"New Brunswick a few years ago, but it was lost by a small majority. 1 do not see any reason why we shou'd wait till they carry a Bill before we would introduce and pass it here. Hon. Mr. DING WELL.— Does his honor think that my popularity depends on my opposition to this Bill? if so he is mistaken, and am not a!raid of my popularity being effected by it. Hon. Mr. MCDONALD.—I will support the amendment. I will oppose the Bill on the sound and general principle that i: is wrong to encourage secret socicties of any kind. [ believe that the only institution of the kind that is legalized is the order of Masonry. The formation of such societies as this Bill is intended to legalize, is now looked upon as not required. Laws have been passed iv Britain to discourage their formation. His bosor from the second district of Queen's County said it was for the purpose of preventing war. Hon. Mr. GOFF. — No, those were not my words. I said preparation for war was the surest way of maintaining eace. Hon. Mr. McDONALD—Then, by his honor’s own con- fession, the incorporation of this sqciety is a preparation for war. If this Bill is introduced for the purpose of maintain- ing peace, in that way it is likely to lead to war. Those societies have eaused a great dea) of trouble in the old coun- try. I do not say that the coastitation or declaration which has been read is very objectionable ; but it is not to be sup- posed that any body of men applying to the Legislature for an Act of Iocorporation would send in a constitution that would not be likely to meet the views of the members. ln Janada those Lodges have already led to serious disturbance. It was the only piace that the Prince of Wales met with anything like an insult during his tour through the Colouies, Some years ago | | society he would deny it, but now men in respectable society We have not seen or heard anything to show the necessity for such a measure, and be- lieving, as [ do, that it will lead to trouble, I will oppose ‘The very circumstawce that Orangemen are bound to meet on the 12th of July in each year to eclebrate the battle of the Boyne will give offence to those whose fore. fathers served in that battle. If we were to meet and make a demonstration on the anniversary of every day on which /a battle bas been fought by our fore/athers, what would be | go back to the time when the Orange society was organized, the wealthiest may seek adwission in vain, that the candidate | shall be believed to be incapable of persecuting or injuring any one, on account of his religious opinions; the duty of every Orangeman being to aid anu defend all loyal subjects, of every religious persuasion, in the enjoyment of their Uvnstitutional rigits. ** The rules of the society are open not only to members of | the Institution, but to the whole commnnity ; there is no reserve, except the signs and symbols, whereby Orangemen know each other; and these myateriea are essential to the proper qualification of the Brotherhood, the recognition of the | members, and the prevention of intrusion aud iwpusture from Strangers and enemies. ** Tie association is general, not confined to any particular place, person or nation, but extends itself wherever a Loyal Protestant Briton is to be found, to the remotest corners of the Globe, for the establishment of Protestant Faiih and British Liberty, to the latest stages of posterity. Its whole Institution is one neighborhood, within which every Orange- | man is at home, in the farthest parts of the world; and such is the mechanism of the Association, that while its operations | are thus extended, its every movement is alike felt and avswered in every part. ** Jn short, the Urange Institution, like a glorious moral Juminary, is intended to pour its refulgence, not on one part only of the ample circumference of the British dominions, but simultaneously on every portion, equally enlightening the | . : : y yP | $ s | but I am satisfied that there is no ground for the accusations whole periphery. ** The Institution in these Colonies, can never be suppressed. / but by means whieh would sabyert the Congtitation, and | annihilate ¢he connection with the Mother Country. *+ In many quarters, where the true nature of the Orange | Institationjis not property known, its des. gos and objects have, by some, been misunderstood, and Dy others wisrepresented From the name it bears,—being connected im every one’s mind with the history of parties in lreland, some are apt to suppose that its sphere is necessariiy confined ; not reflecting that an instrument, which bas been chicily used in the country of its f Temperance. IfI could believe all I bave heard in this and the other end of this building respeeting Orangemen, | the result? Would it not be burtful to the feelings of wany of our fellow-colonists and lead to trouble? I might and show what trouble it has led to; but L oppose the Bill on the ground that it is inteuded to legalize a secret and po- litical institution, Lt is setting up an institution that may at any time exert a powerful influence against the Govern- ment of the day. This, I think, is a sound principle on which to oppose it. Hon. Mr. BEER.—T wou'd like to say a few words on | the subject, and I must coufess that [ am sorry it should have been cons:dered necessary to apply for this Act; but since it has beew brought forward, I feel it my duty to sup- port it, aod L ehall do so. I believe some hundreds of my constituents are Orangemen, and I feel a little sensative in regard to them, on account of their being so often most shamefuliy abused and misrepresenied, by a portion of the Press, and by some of the members of the other branch of the Legisiature; [ believe they are among the most indus- trious and thriving inhabitants of the Colony. They are the very bone and sinew of the cduntry. If ever the Island become prosperous, it mast be, in a great measure, by the energy of those very Orangemen ; for they are more numer- nous than perhaps your honors are aware of. True, the P-o- testunts are no! all Orangemen. There are many exceptious, I myself am one of the exceptions. The subject has come be- fore the Legislature by petition, and [ do not know any reason why we should refuse to pass this Bill, when it has been asked for. We will only be giving to Orangemen the same privileges that we grant to Freemasons and Sous of a etl emit should vertainly oppose the Bill to the utmost of wy power; that have been brought against them. They are true con- servators of the peace and of BritishsProtestant liberty, and | [ believe never assail any one uanle-s they are first assailed. | birth to suppress Rebellion, repel Invasion, and secure Do- | | mestic Tranquility, may be found equally efficacious to loyal men of all countries, in protecting their lives, liberties and properties in these Colonies. The Suciety is constitated upon the broadest principles of National Freedom. Ji takes its stand upon the glorious principles of the Revolution of 1688 ; it lays iw joundation in tue field of British Liberty, ic disdains the badge o! faction, and knows no ewblem save the ** A/iar aud the Throne.”’ ** As the Prince of Orange was invited to England by a their sacred daty, to preserve their Religion and Liberties. so the Orange Society, named after that Immortal Prince, invites , when they speak of *‘ the great struggle shortly to take place » Roman Catholic Emancipation Bill, and [ would do so again, _ it necessary. Previous to the passing of that Bill, they did Coalition of Parties, who were united by a common sense of | a similar combination, and calls upon the sons of Britain, to | lay aside political feuds, and, like their illustrious ancestore, who signed and sealed the Great Covenant of Freedom, to | | sacrifice every private consideration, and ostablish a centrali- zation of Freedom, upon such a comprebensive basis, as will enable every limb and fibre to receive vitality and nourishment from the parent stem.”” The Orange Oath or Obligation. ‘*- 1, A—B,—do solemnly and voluntarily swear, that I will be faithful, and bear true allegiance to er Majesty Queen Victoria, and to Her lawfal Heirs and Successors, in the Sovereignty of Great Britain and Ireland, and of these Pro- vinces dependant on, and belonging to, the said Kingdom, eo the Laws of this country ; that I will to the utmost of my | minions. We must ail admit that our elections are now conducted much more peacably than they used to be ten or fifteen years ago. I myself have beea matigned and abused for saying, not long since, in one of my public addresses, that our civil | and reli_ious liberties are in danger. Your honors, I am still of that opinion. If not, what mean the foreign corres- pondents of Roman Catholic Journals. published iu England, on English sgil.” Roman Catholics enjoy all the privileges that Protestauts enjoy uoder the British constitution, and [ | would be very sorry to curiail their constitutional liberties | in any way. I myself in my younger days, signed a petition to the British Parliament, praying for tbe passing of the not enjoy the same liberties as Protestants, but now they do. Hoo. Mr. WALKER. —Are they not content with them ? | Hon. Mr. BEER.—No, they are not content. I believe the lay members of the Roman Catholic Uburch are content, or rather would b> 60, if left to themselves; but the digni- | taries of that Chureb will be content with nothing less than the utter extripation of Protestantism from the British do- Their own authorized and approved writiags | abuoduntly prove this fact. But preparatory to that “ great struggle to take place on English soil,” it is necessary to pave | the way by first getting the polities! power into their own _ bands. Sound Protestants will always have to be on the | alert, if they wish to tramsmit to their children the sacred _ rights of conscience. Farther te prove that they are not long as she of they shall maintain the Protestant Religion and | tempts, which I shal! know to be agairist her or any of them ; | that I will steadily maintain the ednnections between the Co- | Jonies of British Ameriea and the Mother Country, and be ever ready to resist all attempts to weaken British influence, or dismember the British Empire; that I wili be true and | faithful to every brother Orangeman in all jest actions, ' do Protestants, or even the lay members of the Roman Catho- neither wronging him nor knowing him to be wronged or | injured, without giving him due notice thereof. and prevent- | ing it if im my power. [ swear that I will ever hold sacred the na f our Glorious Delivyerer, King William the Third, Pritee Orange ; in grateful remembrance of whom, I sole:anly promise (if in my power), to celebrate his victory over James at the Boyne, in Irsland, by assembling with my Lodge Room, on the 12th day of Ja!y, in | ; | [sland press, that Roman Uatholies are proseribed. | power, defend them aguinst all traitorous conspiracies and at- | couteat, you find it frequently said by a portion of the I deny | it. I believe that those ameog them who support the Go- | vernooient receive their full share of Government patronage. | I would be sorry to see them proscribed in any respect, and [ would claim for them al! the liberties that 1 wou!d claigpfor — myself. (Hoo. Mr. Henderson—Hear.) Hut what liberties lie Chureb, enjoy in Roman Catholic countries? What liberties do they enjoy io Spain ? Hon. Mr. WALK &#R-—Are there any Protostante there ? Hoo. Mr. BEER.—Yes, thousands of them; but if they attempt to exercise any of the rights of freemen, or to wor- | ship God according to the dictates of their consciences, they are ism diatelv ‘~prisoned in dungeons. 1 think Protes- this Island would be considered, by maby, as a direct insglt to the Roman Catholic community, and calculated to destroy the peace and harmony which have hitherto so happily aub- sisted amougst as. For my own part I have hitherto lived on friendly terms with my Roman Catholic neighbours— they have trusted me, and I have trusted them; and I am desirous that there should be no change in that respect, Bat if, in consequence of doing conscientiously what 1 be- I should displease those who differ from me in politics, I am not too anxious as to consequence, } I was popular before this Bill was introduced, lieve to be my duty asa member of this Honorable House, 1 wi!) endeavour to do | my duty, believing that to be the path of safety. What | then, is it asked, is Orangeism? I answer, that if we are | to judge of it by the constitution which has just now been read, in so far as that constitution extends, Urangeism and Protestantism are synonymoas. It has been insinuated | one of your honors, that there must be something ia the rules of Orangeism of a more objectionable nature thaa that which lies on this Table, For my part, I believe there is nothing in its constitution of a more objectionable na‘ure than is to be found in Freemasonry—in fact, that there is nothing in either of them at variance with the best interests of society. It is no new thing for Roman Catholics to compare Protest. antism to a * Rope of Sand;” but Orangeism is intended to make it practically something tougher than that. Protest. autism is neither proscriptive por presecuting, It bas noth- ing in its principles or practice ihat requires concealment. It invites the light of day ; aud, opening its inmost recesses, it challenges public inspection by the higbest authority in the land. Que of its motives is, “ prove all thiogs, hold fast that which is good.’ Some parties profess to believe that if this Bul! were to become Jaw, it would lead to unprecedented strife between opposing classes in this Colony. I admit that a certain spirit of strife may be always looked for. Why, light and darkness are incessantly at war: the one never recedes one inch beyond the point to whieh it is driven by its victorious foe. And so it shall be, more or less, with the _ war of opinions and of principles to the end of time. Bat | Protestaatismm is defensive, ani not aggressive, in its prin- ciples. 1 lays no clam to a “ Divine Right” to propagate its principles by physical power. It follows then, as « natural consequence, that it must be ever watchful and vigilent ; more especially against the movements of such es cry “‘ peace, peace,’’ when danger is meking steady pro- gress. { am no alarmist, but as I believe that “ History is to mankind what experience is tothe individual,” I would be acting contrary to both, were [ to believe that we are not in danger. One of your honors hes said that the Orangemen of Canada were the only class in British North America that insulted the Prince of Wales during his visit to this contineat, I deny the assertion in toto; and on the authority of the public press of Canada, | affirm that the Duke of Newcestle insulted the Protestants of Canada in that affair. The Prince, it would appear, sHed tears in abundance on that oc- _ casion, end would have passed through the Arch very cheer- , fully, if his adviser had given copsent, And I am the more _ confirmed in this yiew of the matter because of the very marked change of toue manifested by the Duke's own organs in England, as soon as the indignant expression of epixion by the Canadian press reached that country. This, however, is ouly speaking of Orangeman by report. Bat | can speak of them by experience ; for during the rebellion in Canads in the year 1838, many of them left their homes and families very poorly protected and accompanied the regular army, of which 1 was one, shoulder to shoulder, through wud and through storm, by night and by day, over laud and water, tili the rebellion was crushed and order restored! Such then were Oraugemen, as conservators of order and constifu- tional liberties in Canada, and such they would be in this Isiaud, if their services in the cause of true freedom should be required, Adding to the foregoing, the fact that » large, and influential uumber of my coustitueats are Orangemen, who are earnestly desirous to obtain such a measure as this, and believing, as [ do that their principles always lead them to respect the rights and privileges of aii classes, [ will give my hearty support to the Bill. ion. ATTORNEY GENERAL —Before the question is put, your honors, [ wish to say a few words on this sub- ject; and I ehall begin by saying that | know more about Orange principles now thaa ever I did. I must say that I sm rather sorry that there has arisen a necessity, in the estimation of a certain party, to imtroduce » Bill of this character. I do not know that I should have brought such a Bill into the Legislature, but as it has been pore by the popular branch, — passed too by # large majority — every member of the Goverument in that branch of the Legislature | voting for it,—I am not disposed to incur the responsibility _ of rejecting it. It may be supposed by some that any res- poasibiiity connected with the passing of this Bill would con- _ Centrate upou me, as being supposed to be a leading member in this end of the building, and perhaps possessing, owing to my long legisla‘ive experience, more influence than some other members of this House. { believe there will be less | responsibili'y incurred by passing than by rejecting it. I believe the Orange Lustitution of this Island as well as of other countries is worse in name than in characier aud deed. There is nothing in the constitution to create alarw ia the minds of avy class of the community. We might refuse to incorporate the Orangewen, but we could not prevent their | existence, The effect of throwing out this Bill might be to | engender worse feelings than the passing of it wili do. There is one clause iu the constitation which appears to be @ little restrictive, though perbaps it is not an insuperable | objection. 1 mean that clause which prohibits any Orange. man from marrying a Roman Catholic woman. Any y | fellow, I presume, failing in love with @ pretty and rich young maid, vould sooner withdraw from the Orange 60- ciety than withdraw from bis engagement and bresk his heart. That is the ooly illiberal part of the constitation ; but 1 do not think it is safficient to condemn it. I bave been assured that the copy of the coostitation laid before this House contains the whole—that there is po part of the constitution xopt back —and I believe it is the case. If Orangemeo in this Island conduct themselves in futare as they have dove heretofore, we aed not be afraid of any evil consequences resulting frota the operation of this Bill. 1 think it will be harmless in its operation. I weald not be the first to introduce such a measure because a certain class are strongly prejudiced aguinst the Orange society, whisk prejudice hes doubileas beca engeudered by some unjustié- eble conduct of Orangemen in other countries at some paru- culer times of excitement; but if they conduct themselves according to their constitution there is no ceuse for alarm, I believe there are a number of Lodges on the Island, but if they overstep their rules, or go beyond tae bounds of their coustitution, [ wold be among the first to introduce aod i tan Act to restraintbem. There is one <iause in , Bill which I consider uui.ccessary and even unconstitutional. | I mean tbe suepouding clause, which says this Act shall not ser oa. a . ed a ” ay ‘pee ee : Se cP iP i hin a A te 8 red