30

With this request I was anxious to com- ply; but I was unable to write a sine, until a sentence in Rousseau suggested | a whole poem, and coloured all its lan- guage, Now, in this case, I was not like a Clergyman seeking a text, that he may write a sermon; for the text was not sought but found—or it would have been to me a lying and a barren spirit.

From my sixteenth to my twenty third year I worked for my father at Masbro’, as laboriously as any servant he had, and without wages, except an occasional shil- ling or two for pocket money; Weighing Oe morning all the unfinished castings as they were made, and afterwards in their finished sfate, besides opening-and closing the shop in Rotherham, when my brother happened to be. ill or absent. Why, then, may [ not call myself a work- ing man? But [ am not aware that | ever did so call myself ;—certainly never ag an excise for my poetry, if bad; or, if good, as a claim for wonder, There are only two lines in my writings which could enable the reader to guess at my condi tion in life. 1 wrote them to shew that, whateverelse I might be, I was not of the

enus, “ Dunghili Spurner”’—for in this and of castes the dunghill-spruny, with good coats on their backs, are not yet generally anxious to claim relationship with hard-handed usefulness. But, as a

een a ONC nc an eat aeaaraatiecenit

“ord, it is here; and with it all that 1 could add to it—doing my best to make little much.”

Esenezer Exviot. Sheffield, 2ist June, 1341.

CORBESPSNBENGE.

"Fo rue Epitor or Tur Examiner. Sir—

A writer in the Islander of Friday last, styling himself a ‘Responsible Liberal” —one of those, I presume, who have been lately converted, for it is the fashion now- a-daya for the men of no principles, or the men of any principles, to side with the strongest party,—seems to know a great deal about the political affairs of this Is- Jand, and to be quite an adept in finding oui the qualifications, mental and pecuni- ary, of several gentlemen who are mem- bers of the new House of Assembly, As he is sucha knowing fellow, perhaps he will answer a few questions. on other mat- ters he has not thought proper to bring

| ol | i

under our consideration. Ist—What “qualification” could Mr.

literary man, [ claim to be selfitaught ; not because none of my teachers ever read to me, or. required meto read a page

of English grammar, but -because I have, class. teacher? Liberal” guarantee that the aforesaid in-

dividual is capable of writing three lines of decent Engli h, or blessed with the

of my own will, read sone of the bes! books in our Janguage, original and trans- Inted, and the best only--laboriously forming my mind on the highest models. If untettered women and even children write good poetry, 1, who have studied and practised the art, during more than forty years, ought to understand it, or | must bea dunce indeed.

I have laid before the readez.a history of my boyhood and youth. What excuse can | plead for troubling him with these common-place incidents in the history of acommona-place person? That I write, not for the strong but forthe weak, who may learn from this narrative, that as by the mere force of will such persons can write poetry, no honest man of good sense need despair of accomplishing much greater, because more useful, matters. The history of. my manhood and its mis. fortunes (your famous people have a knack of being unfortunate, and of calling their faults misfortunes) fmains to be written. 1 ain not yet prepared—-not yet sufficiently petrified in heart and brain, by time and trouble—to tell a tale, in telling which | must necessarily live over again months and years of living death,

When I made the astounding assertion, many years avo(in J'ait's Murazine), that the food taxes were costing, or destroying, or preventing the earming of more thin a bundred millions sterling a-year, | knew well that in a short time the truth of that assertion woul | be confirined by the wisest and best informed of ny countrymen, — It has been o>jéected to wy political poems. that [ sometimes repeat in thein the same thoughts and words, Wry should [not repeat the same thoughts and words, if they are wanted and I cannot find better ? My countrymen were robbed of know- ledge as well as food; and it is not my fault that, born dull and slow, I find thoughts and words with difficulty.—] husband: my materials because | am intel- lectually poor. No man can, “by takine thought, add an inch to. his stature; but any maninay do the best he can with the means in his power; and he who would usefully live in his deeds © must fight for eternily with the weapons of time.” fvewspaper-taught as | aw, and having no ideas of my own, | can only seize those of others ag they occur, earnestly apply- ing them to current occasions, If L have deen mistaken in my objects, I am sorry for it; but I have never advocated any cause without first trying to know the principles on which it is based. On look. ing back on my public conduct--thanks fo that science which poor Cobbett, ever floundering, yet great and brave, called m scorn “ Poleetical Economy”—I find | have had little to unlearm And wher | shall go to my account, and the Great Questioner, whose judgments err not, @nall say tome, “What did thou with

John [ngs set up, either for a member of the Assembly, or for a first or second

smallest possible share of common sense ?)

ing offices of emolument under Govern-

Will “a Responsible

2nd—How many gentlemen, now hold-

ment in Ciarlottetown, could qualify, if required, to be members of Assembly ? tlow many would obtain coustiluencies, if they sought them?

3:d—How was the * commission” for issuing Treasury, Nytes managed some years ago, when. it was. found necessary to change old: Notes for new ones? Are all the old Notes yet destroyed ?

4th—fow many paid Treasury War- rants, that onght to have been cancelled, were allowed to be in circulation? >

oth—How many private promissory Notes were given, in place of Government securities, to parties who invested cash in the Treasury ?

Gih—What has the country saved by; viving to certain officers fixed salaries in| tieu of fees?

7th-—How many public offices is it al- lowable for one man to hold? is there! any limitto the number? How many: public offices are held by persons out of the Legislature, and not responsibie to the country ?

8ih—In what other country (than Prince Edward Island), under the British Crown. or under any Crown, has the system of buying and selling public offices prevail- ed? How much did a former Treasurer give a Lieut. Governor's nephew annually for his office? How much, in reund figures, did the Prothonotary’s office cost ?

9th —At what t me of life-under the old system, Wasa young man eligible for of- fice? Was 13 too green an age?

10th—How many public officers. are there under the Government of this Colo- ny who are not related the one to the otier ?

Ilth—Are there any public officers in the [sland who have pocketed the sala- ries. attached to.certain. situations before performing the duties of such ?

12th—Io what manner has the Glebe Land Fund been appropriated? Has i) been used for the advantage of the Church, or for the enrichment of an indi-

she lent talent?" 1 cam truly answer,

THR BRAG

jection.

vidual ?

a nN a man }

MER.

cement on ee ene

sa

nee ee

ent ee

13th—How vany of our Government officials have “ttained pre-eminence in arts, literature or science? Which of

‘them is remarkable for eloquence—for

any order of intellectual superiority ? How many of them can boast of blame- less moral lives—of high birth and line- age—of proud aristocratic influence ?

A “ Responsible Liberal,” having dis- cussed the merits of some of those out of office, I have herein hastily given him a few hints to enable him to review the claims of those who are in. A separate answer to each. separate question would be the best way of treating the subject. When he shall have disposed of them, I have another series of questions to “ pro- pound.” Besides, Lam anxious to give the Islander a lift, for if tt have not a coin- munication.once ina while to draw pub- lic attention from the barrenness of its editorial columns, the illustrious John Tngs and his coadjutors will be voted real Numsculls by every

INQUIRER AFTER TRUTH. February 25, 1850.

Mr. Eniror,-—

In your Paper of Saturday last, allud- ing to the late Election for the Second District of King’s. County, you observe — we may remind the publie that at the Head of St. Peter’s Bay every voter was sworn-a schenie resorted to by some of the unsuccessful Candidates,” &c.

Ido not pretend, Str, to deny the truth of your statement ; bat the style in which itis made is liable, in my opinion, to ob- Mr. Tueoraitus DesBrisay was one of chose * unsuccessful candt- dates,” and you are aware that that gentleman not. only. did. not ask any Elector to be sworn, but abstained from objecting to votes there given, except in one instance, thus acting similarly to yourself and. to the representative of your colleague, Dr. Jaxpine. [tis the un- Jonbted privilege ofa Candidate.to swear every voter if he thinks proper so to dw 3. | hope those © unsuccessful candidates’ who “resorted” 10 this expedient at the Head of St. Peter's Bay, were actuated by no improper motive; but as swearing a. voter—froin. the fact that it implies doubt of the voter’s veracity,--is caleu- lated to render the candidate who re- quires the oath ta be administered, odious to the people,—and as it. may not be generally known: that Mr. Desbrisay is free from blame in that respect, I think it is Ho more than simple justice towards him to make the exception distinctly in his favour; and I have taken the liberty of introducing his name into your Paper entirely without his knowledge.

‘Though I rejoice in the re-election of the former Members for the » econd Dis- trict of King’s County, because they were true to.their principles in. the Agsembly, and because | believe those principles are best calculated to promote the genera! interests of the Island,—yet, having wit- nessed the conduct of Mr. DesBrisay at the Head of St. Peter’s Bay, I cannot bu: acknowledge that no candidate could have acted in a more straight-forward

and honourable manner than he did.

ONE WHO WAS. THERE. February 26, 1850.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE EXAMINER,

[t is not, my dear Sir, with a wish to confe; On my name a Poet’s memorial, Phat E vow at my leisure do take so mucl. pleasure [nu writing this short Editorial.

SSBB IE OEE OL OEE LET ea

- acme ly

But, Sir, when I’ve seen John Inge wae so green As to print, for his readers’ perusing, The facts which in vain he tried toexplata, J thought it was really amusing.

It is true, I’m aware, that trembling with fear, He was to his window attracted, By a sound which to him seemed deathly

and grim, And which Jeft him completely dis- tracted. For, Sir, .t appears, with his eyes fall of tears,

In anguish he cried to his devil, ‘“‘T am brought to the pinch, for here comes Judge Lynch, To punish me surely for evil.”

“QO no, my dear Sir,” cries the little black cur, “They won't hang you for being a Tory, Let your mind be at ease as soon as you please, Tis the Liberals appearing in glory.”

But, alas, for that sight had put reason ta flight, And of seases completely. deprived him; And whilst in that state he commenced te relate To the ‘Tories what it was which so grieved him,

And on his confession he cries “the pre- Cession, The procession of Liberals in glory! Such a sight to behoid makes my heart's blood ran cold, Would to God I had ne’ér been afory.”

But it would be in vain to try to explain The thoughts which of hun took pes Session, Then let-it suffice to ufter his cries, “Frow the lories- I’ve naught but op pression.”

O, then, from his heart how he wished for a vail : Of their fat greasy Pérk or their Whie key, For.as he himself said it actually made The men at the ropes look quite frisky.

Rut, alas! fir John Ings, to taste those good things, A ‘Tory was never intended; its hps he might hek until he was sick if he oa the Tories depended,

And now to conclude without being rude, | Mr. Whelan, 1 wish you good morning ; Aad Lbope My. Ings wali Joo at the things W hich are given to hin for a warning. A. L. E. Sa

Che Examiner,

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1850.

—— a

THE NEW HOUsE No. I.

So long have the destinies of this fe

land been dependent upon the rule of «

ace en a,

Legislature irresponsible to the People- so great an amount of conuption has eaten its Way into almost every depart- ment of the Government, that we cannot fee] surprised at the inlense interest with which the country anticipates the action vf the new Assembly. The change about to take place in the persons who are ‘o form the Administration, wall be matter of only secondary moment, so far as the welfare of the Colony is concerned-- With that change we have a right to look tor better laws—for cheaper Governinent than have yet been given to the Island, else the change in the pereons of the in- dividuals constituting the Administration, will be absolutely in vain,

What are the grievances of which the island has complained, and what are the remedies proposed? ‘The revenue, many instances, has been misapplied ;. in come few, it has been embezzled. Mk will be the duty of the new House to ‘husband (hat rerenue with care, and ‘6

SRE rege igre