% ?

that the * = wie ember should try to fix the tenants to the

’ rr ' oe te” «enaee. As to the arbitration elause, I do net see how

te -wants are to receive much benefit from that—for they are bound the back rents since 1858, and the current rents do not cease

the whole amount is paid up. They are only to receite credit

the instalwents they may pay ou account of the purchase money. Row a tenant, owing rent from 1858, will have, before he ean pur- @ha*« the freehold of his furm, to pay £27 as arrears. How many Sf¢ in & posision to do that? Much bas been said about the Worrell Watate, and perhaps, Sir, the Government have no objection to that y proving a loss to the country; at least, it would appear so,

we may judge from the way they are managing it. They have sold to one individual, 300 acres on that estate for only 5s. wa acre, and this lot is of better quality than any part of the Selkirk Estate. When the present majority was in opposition, we constantly heard their complaints that the Worrell Estate would ruin the country—that the sooner it was sold off at auction, and the Land Office closed, the better for the public. should result from that property, when the Government are dispos- ing of it at 5s an acre, cue they are asking 10s. or 12s. an acre for lands on the Selkirk Estate and Lot 54! We were told, last even- ing and this morning, by members of the Government and their sup- porters, that it was necessary that we should pass this address as s000 as possible, in order that our addreas of condolence to the Queen chould be sent be the first mai} te England. But we found them oc- cupying the tinneof the House till 2 o'clock to-day, and if they will spond time of the House in bringing charges against the late Go- vernment, they must expect a reply. We have been taunted with having done nothing for the country. That charge comes strangely from the members of the present Government, which has done no- thing but ran the country into debt, and cause distress to the tenan-

try. The liberals came into power under every disadvantage. They | myself and my supporters, and prevent the people from employment.

‘

Well, Sir, would it be any wonder if a loss |

Hon. Mr. COLES declined doing so, without the authority of the party referred to, who, here peated, he did not believe, would state what was untrue. ;

Hon, Mr. POPE—The hon. member accuses the Govern ment with occupying time unnecessarily, in this discussion. Sir, the Government and its supporters in the House are anxious to pass the address as speedily as — ; but how} can it pass. without delay, when he and his party take up| the time of the committee, day after day in talking of every | matter they can possibly rake up, as foundations for attacks | upon the Government? The charges thas made against the Government caunot go abroad, uncontradicted. The case of Mr. Wightman proves this. The leader of the opposition well | knows that none of the Government but the Lieut. Governor! ‘and hon. Mr. Palmer were aware of that person being in the Island, nor what was his business, yet he gets up and publiciy states that the whole Government knew all about him, and ‘that the Colonial Secretary had given him facilities to pro- isecute his mission. His object is to prejudice the minds of the people against the Government, and, so long as he sees a chance of doing that, he cares but little for the trath or false- Equally falee and groundless is his

| hood of his statements. | assertion that the hon. member. Col. Gray, induced the people | of Belfast to go out of Queen's County, to control a public | | meeting in King’s. Although the leader of the Government jin this House did nothing of the sort, 1 can recollect the} | time of my first election, when the bon. member, Mr. Whelan | and a pareel of bullies from Charlottetown, came to overawe

© tine.

ae

i ith shadows. It will be quite time enough to dis- woes thes matters when the Award is before us.and the range which the debate bas taken shows that the ap at ears but little for the public time. I shali briefly reply to - statement which was made yesterday by the — — Mr. Conroy. He said that this Spy was cent = nn . proprietors or to the Government. Sir, I challenge wg? prove ‘his assertion—to prove that he was sent to one " 1e other. For myself, as one member o! the Government, oe state that I never «new of bis having been in the Island anti a day or two before the House rose. As to the inference drawn from the hon. member’s assertion that Mr. Wightmar while at Lignish stopped at the house of a friend ot the = prietors, [can tell kim that the agénts of Sir Samuel an Mr. Edward Cunard, of Mr Sullivan, nor wy father, who is a droprietor, nor Mr. Candall, never heard anything about him until the great discovery was made by outsiders.

Mr. CONROY—I wish to state that a gentleman of Tignish, with whom Mr. Wightman stopped, told me that he had stated the nature of his business, as I represented it. I told him then that Mr. Wightman was an impostor, and that I did not believe him.

Hon. Mr. HAVILAND—The Government do not and can- pot know Whether it was jadicious or injudiciwous that Mr. Wightman should be sent here. Phat was'the act of the Commissioners alone, and was matter for their jadgment, and they alone are respovsible for it. Neither the Government, the proprietors, or the tenants had anything to do with his Li the result of his employment should be ad-

assumed the Goternment in uppositien to the party which had been | recording their votes in my favor. The leader of the Opposi- | vantageous to the people, the Commissioners will be entitled

in of the Governwent for half a centary. The most in- fluential people in the community asserted that Responsible Govern- meat would ruin the country ; but, Sir, that system first gave to the

the contre! over their own affairs. It was the same systens

which obtained in Catiada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. It)

enabled the-people to turn out of office, any Gevernment, whether liberal we tory. Why, Mr. Chairman,he Education Act, alone, was jn many cases, equivalent tu the remission of rent, fur, previously, a poor man, educating four or five children, would have to pay as mnuek as his reut would amount to. Again, there was the 1-9th bili.

| j tenantry. If such be the case, the people have only himsel {| ‘and his party to thank for it—as proprietors, seeing the hosti- | ility to the Award that they are continually -exeiting —by holding meetings in different parts of the country, denouncing |

tion says that the Commission bas caused distress to the) gy the credit, if the reverse,they are lable to the odium. The

hon. Leade® of the Opposition harped a great deal on the fuct that the Hon. Mr. Paliner knew thgt Mr. Wightwan was here, and that, therefore, the Government should be held

responsible. Now, Sir, suppose that gentieman had been told

|the Award and passing resolutions praying for a dissolution, | by the Lieut. Governor confidentially, and that the Commis- ‘and abus ng them through their press would be jastified in | sioners wished the faet to be kept seeret.

It would be only a

| treating them in a manner very different from that in which) »atter of common honesty and pradence that Mr. Palmer

they otherwise would.

The editor of the G pposition organ.) should not reveal it, even to his colleagues.

And I contend

When the Currency Bill was introduced by a then member of this| the Ereminer, at first condemned the Award, and now cus) that if it had been divulged, the press would have teemed with

Hoase, since . and read first time, 1 considered that as it then stood, it would compel the tenantry te pay Id ta the shilling, as it recognized the Engliwh shilling at Is. 6d. I stated my opinion te the law Mr. McLean, who did not object to it, and the 1-Uth clause

was, in consequence, inserted in the Bill when in Counnittee. When _ ‘ : i aed come from the Commission, they should support it; but if they | tors to be settled

| were balf as honest as they profess to be they would wait party would take care to pu ;until tore Award comes out, and not be trying to excite the | clusion of the other side. rate Act. The suggestign was adopted, and then in| minds of the people aginst it, before they know what it is.| jssued the Government had no control, the whole matter

tho measure was sent up to the Council, it was, through the influ- eee of Sir Donald Campbell, sent back to the House with a sug- westion that it should be altered, by making the 1-Sth clause the sub- ject of a sepa

that the Government are bound to confirm 1t. One part of 16, | dyatribes against the Government.

The peopie would haye

|

| they could not but approve, as it recommended @ measure/peen toid that they could not expect any benefit from the

Ito the loan of £100.000.

| which they themselves introduced when they held office ! refer| 4 ward. as the proprietors who held seats in the Government

|

Now, if any good at all is likely to/ had got hold of the party sent to obtain evidence on the mat-

by the Commission—t'at the proprivtary

When the Commission was once

violation of their pledges, the Council passed the Currency Bill, but | The proprietors, I believe, are generally opposed to the arbitra- | rested with the Commissioners. [ admit that I think it would

threw out the eather. The 10th Bill was opposed by the Tory party} tion clause, and they haye good grounds for endeavoring to! have been better if the Commissioners had, instead of employ-|

in the House, and in the Council it was veleuently resisted. When

the liberals came iuto power we carried the measure in spite of the

opposition of the old party. The tenants wil’ find the benefit of that measure, if the Award is adopted, 1 have not time to enumerate all the acta we introduced for the benefit of the tenantry But I will mention ape. The tenant's compensation Bill—that was oat and equitable measure. It was rejected by the Secretary for the Colo- nica, because, in England, they were unwilling to asseut to it, fearing that if they did so, they would have to pass a similar measure for Ire-

session; yet we are now charged with hypocrisy, for opposing the arbitration clause in the Award. Huw. members who make that charge should get looking glasses, which meen pecbean. enable them to see as great hypocrites as any in the Island. It has also been stated that the liberals are now advocating Escheat, after having op- —< it when in power. I bave not heard of their having dove so,

it I said, when the Commission was talked of, that if the whole |

have it rejected, when they can point to the meetings of the | ing Mr. Wightman, come back to the Island and Judged tor |: We have heard of Bonds and other| themselves, but the matter was wholly and solely within their

tenantry denouncing it.

securities taken for back rents. For myself, as owner of half

| bond, note of hand, or other security for rent; nor have I is- | | sued a distress warrant, nor adopted any compalsive peer to collect arrears of rent, since the Commission was issued. |

As the hon. |

promise tu continue to act in the same manner. | member, Mr. Sinclair.said, the proprietors would be great fools ‘if they did not (ake security for all that was due them, The |

| Government has been accused of deception in connection with | this Commission. It bas been said that they were not sincere |

|

| 7. . in the professions they made of expected benefitsfrom it. Sir, |

own discretion. It will, however, be time enough to abuse

of Lot 27, and as, since the 7th October last, agent for Lot} Mr. Wightman when the evidence he collected, and the sug-| I may wri sme ' 19, Tecan say that, to the best of my belief, L have taken no gestions he has wade to the Commissioners who employed him | writing those communications is to remove certain | who bas not reaped benefit, directly or through I have heard that he stated, while in the | prejudices, which, from continual misrepresentation, | others, from the revival of ancient learning. We

ismade known. Island, that if the proprietors knew what he would report

as a Government measure ; but let anything go wrong, and the chain at once falls to pieces—they then throw the responsibility on the Lieut Gevernor. Their conduct reminds me of a juggler who was in Char- lottetown last summer, and exhibited a chain, the links of which he shitied and transposed into every variety of combina- tions. When I was in the Government we were always careful to aassume the res-

on the Lieut. Governor, but at present no one can tell where responsibility rests. The members of the Government have done the ‘best to exonerate themselv-s from any con-

L believe that they did not know from the first thet he was in the Island, but after they did know of his presence, they should have let others know it also. ll.

CORRESPONDENCE,

PPLE LLP LDL LBL LD LAD APL AP ALA AD A APA AD AAPA EDUCATION AND THE CHURCH.

No. 7.

To rugs Epitor oF THE EXAMINER.

Sin;—You are already aware that I have ad- dressed several letters to the Editor of the ‘ Protes- tant’ in reply to an attack, made by him, some lime azo, on St. Dunstan's College. Mr. Laird has de- clined to tusert in his columns several of those let- ters, although he ceases not to attack me both by leading articles, and also by anonymous comimpuuica- tions of the most violent description, for I presume he endorses the sentiments and expressions of his correspondents who write against ne. Considering | the very unfair mannerin which Ihave been treated by your “ Evangelical” contemporary, and the low, | rabid, and even obscene communications which he

| low any longer to address him directly I shall, | therefore, address the remainder of my letters on ir Education and the Church” to you, hoping that as | you have kindly inserted in the ‘ Examiner’ the six | which I have already written, you will in like man- ner vive insertion to this one and the others which

ie on the same subject. My object in

| exist toa greater or less extent, among many of

ponsibility of our measures and not put it)

compilation of Canon law ; the school of Solerno, that guided medical rrt in all countries: the first great work that makes an epoch in anatomy ,—are as truly and exclusively the boast of Italy as the restoration of Greek literature, and of classical taste in the fifteenth century.” (Lit. of Europe, vol. 1 ch. 1. n. 81.)

The same writer, denying that learning declined in the thirteenth century, observes, that “Ina gene- ral view the thirteenth century was an age of acti- jvity and ardour, though not in every respect the best directed ; the fertility of the modern languages in versification; the creation, we miy almost say, of Italian and English in this period; the great

‘nection with this Mr. Wightman, and, while |

concourse of students to the Universities; the acute, jarid sometimes profound reasoning of the scholastic philosophy, which was now in its most palmy state ; the accumulation of knowledge, whether derived from original research or from Arabian sources of information, which we find in the geometers, the physicians, the natural philosophers of Europe ; are sufficient to repel the charge of having fallen back, or even remained altogether stationary, in compari- son With the preceding century.” (N. 86.) The same writer says of the period between 1250 and 1494: “It is an age in many respects highly bril- liant ; the age of poetry and letters, of art, and of continual improvemeut.”’ (Mid. Ages, ch. 11.)

Dr. Nevin very justly admits that “ It is a most childish fancy certainly to suppose that the revi- | val of learning began properly with the sixteenth century. It dates at least from the eleventh ; and there is abundance of evidence that the progress made between that and the age of the Reformation | was quite as real and important as any that has jtaken place since. All sorts of learning were in jactive exercise before Protestantism came in to share | their credit with the Roman Church. S8o in the | case of criticism, controversy and the learned lan- | guages, Latin, Greek and Hebrew.” (“Modern Civyi-

lization,” M. R. March, 1851.) Hallam further observes that “It was from Italy

t their case before him to the €X-| inserts, I think it would be degrading myself too | that the light of philological learning spread over

Europe” (n. 24). The resalt must be to convince }us of our great obligations to Italy for her renewal lof classical learning. What might have been the intellegtual progress of Europe if she never had gone | back to the fountains of Greek and Roman genius, | it is impossible to determine. It wonld be diffien]t

to find any man of high reputation in modern times

| have the greatest reason to doubt whether, without

' ‘ r ? : about them they would hang him. The Leader of the Oppo-| our Protestant neighbours. Some there are Who | the Italians of these egun; b Suites taped land. The Bill provided an arbitration as to the value of the teu-| But when I see the tenantry backing up the Opposition and | sition stated that the Government sanctioned his employment, ants’ improvements, when the landlord was turning him out of pos-| abusing the Government of which I am a member, I will not | basing bis assertion on the fact that they had paid ena

Why, Sir, what alternative had the Government? They had to pay him, as he was employed by tiie Commissiouvers, and if they had not, the Opposition would have charged us with having defeated the Award by our penuriousness ; and Messrs. Gray, Ritchie and Howe would naturally say that we were indeed a model Government—that we bad appointed a Com-

| may say that it is useless for me or any one else to | attempt to remove any of those prejudices, in conse- quence of the ignorance and violent antipathy to | Catholics which prevail among many of those who read the low anti-Catholic journals of this Island; | that the editors and correspondents of those journals will not seruple to descend to the use of the lowest

Land Question was to be referred to a Commission, we might as/ the resolutions of this House, which led to the organization of | mission to settle our difficulties, and that we had refused to} and most unseemly language to misrepresent and

well have Escheat at once. better to give the proprietors a small sum tor their lands than con- tend y for Escheat. The late Government did what they coysidered beaeficial to the interests of the peuple, by the Land Pur- chase Bill, but several of the present Government party voted for Eseheat, and the present leader of the Government, when in this

branch ef the Legislature, stated he wouldnot regard despatches, |

aod did and anid ali he could to embarrass the Goverument of the day. No. wonder that gentleman should support the Award. A

is to be confirmed and the Fishery Reserves are to be given to the proprietors. The reservation of 1500 acres,which the Award allows the landlord to retaio, dees not limit themto wilderness landa, and if

each of the several owners of Lot 1 choose to keep in his possession |

the full compliment of 1500 acres, the wholewould be retamed.

Hoa. Mr. HAVILAND—They, and all the other proprietors, with | whose properties I have any connection, are opposed te the Award. |

Hoo. Mr. COLES—Weill, Mr. Chairman, this shows that if the Award should be confirmed, aud the tenauts on Lot 34 should even, offer to pay 20 years’ purchase for their boldings, the reservation | clause would enable the proprieiors to retain just so many of the pre-) sent tenants as they might select to remain in that state forever. We | have been told that the Award, if favorable to the tenautry, would! be confirmed by the Government. When the subject of the Comnis-| sion was first introduced into this House, their decision, it was stated, | was te be finaland cunclusive. The Coumissioners themselves said se, and this declaration induced the people to come forward with their evidence. That reminds me that the Government did not com- ply with the instructions from the Secretary of State, on the subject of providing what evidence might be necessary to enable the Cow-) mission-rs to proceed with their investigation as soon as they arrived in the Island. The Government deny tuat they received a despateh | to that effeet. It is true that a noufication appeared in the Royal | Gazette, but I know that the copy of the Gazette, containing that notice, did not reach my house uutil after the Commissioncrs had | opened their Court. How then could the people in the country be | sufficiently mformed to enable them to prepare their evidence to go} before the Commissioners? nd, Sir, notwithstanding that we were | at first told that all the proprietors were to be bound by the Award, |

we are now informed chat it will affect only. those whe have signed |

their consent to the Commission, and the hou. member of the Govern-| mept, Mr. Haviland, says that even they are opposed to it. - No good | will result from the Awafd, althongh the leader of the Govern-| ment says that it is better than he expected. Of that, Sir, the people will have to judge. That lion member also stated that a great buon wouhl bé conferred on the tenants by the remission of the arrears of rent up to 185¢, and stated the amount of them at £30,000 or £40,-! viv. Assuming these figures as correct, it should be borne in mind) that there are about £200,000 arrears of Quit Rents due by the pro-| prietors, and it cannot be shewn that they have been forgiven. A) con fitional offer of their remission was made, but as it was not accept. | ed ; those Quit Repts are therefore in the same position as they were sixty y 0. Hon. Col. GRAY—Mr. Chairman, the hon. leader of the Opposi-! tion has gone over * great deal of ground, a large portion of which is irrelevant to the question before the Committee. But there were | one or two particulars iv his speech, with reference to which I wish | to make explanations. The statements to which I allude affect the | Government, and the first of them has reference to the official con-! duct of a public officer, a gentleman who is most able and efficient in discharging the duties which his sitnation devajves upon him. An) attack upon that officer necessarily invelves:censure on the Govern-| ment which employs him. The gentlernan to whom I refer is the | Commissione: of Public Lands. ‘The hon. Leader of the Opposition | am Se 300 acres of the Worrell Estate had been sold at the | tate and 54, Government were asking 10s. or 12s. per aere. | Having heard this statement.I made it my business to enquire of the | Cowmnssioner of Public Lands the particulars of the sale referred | to, and I found that, of the whole area of 300 acres, no more than! 180 were fit for cultivation. The remaining 120 being not worth # farthing per acre. From this state-of facts it will be seen that the price paid for the only available land was 4s. 6d. per acre. And with reference to the other part of the hon. member's charge, I have ascertained that land of better quality can be bought,on the Selkirk Estate and Lot 54, for 5s. per acre. I may mention also that the 300 acres are situaie at a distance of some 6 miles from a road. The other matter has a personal reference. 1 allude to the assertion that the Leader of the Government bad sent a letter to Bellast, advising that the Volunteers and Orangemen should turn out, to attend and | take part iv a public meeting in King’s County. I now ask the hon. |

}

member which Leader of the Government he referred to! f n Hon. Mr. COLES—I was not aware that there are two leaders | have the privilege of becoming freenolders on casy terms. But

of the Goverument.

Hon. Col. GRAY—The explanation I am about to give reminds) as explained by the Hon. Mr. tlowe.

me of nn anecdote which was current in Canada some years ago. There was a gentleman there, of the name of MeNab, who believing himself the head of the elan of that name, was in the habit of leaving at Goveroment House, hie card, inecribed “ The MeNab.” After some time, another claimant uf the title appeared and his right to the Chieftanship was asserted on his card, under the designation o/ “ The other McNab.” (Laughter.) I am happy to inform the hon. member that the Leader of the Government is the Hon. Edward Palmer, the President of the Executive Council. I am content to be reeogaized as the Leader of the Covernment in this House. This explanatign will I trast be satisfactory to the hou. member. With regard to the etter, if, aa I presume, I am supposed to be the writer, especially as it i alleged to have been sent to Belfast, I am that I am present in this House to answer the #tate- meat of the leader of the opposition. And I now sir g before this Committee and the Country ‘vena that it is utterlyfuntrue and without the shadow of foundation. So far from having acted as asserted, [ never put to paper, on the subject of a public meeting, except to decline an invitation to be present. And in that letter, I simply stated the reasons for my non-compliance with the request whieh I had received. Those reasons were two fold. In the firs: place, T mentioned that the state of my health would not justify my attendance, and further, that I did not consider it advisable to canvas an award not yet reevived.. As a member of this House b do vot consider myself as the representative of the people of Beifast alone. I am here, sir, to act, according to the best of my judgemeit and abilities, for the interests of the whole Island,and if I were guilty of eonduct such as I have been charged with, u should cousider myself unworthy of a seat ‘in this Assemb'!y. Every hon. member should consider himself as the representative of both friends and foes, and { weald never sanction an assemblage of people of any particular

political / oe yaw . for the purpose of preventing a full and free dis- cussion of ali matters of public interest.

aving made this statement, Mr. Chairman, I trust the hon. leader will give ine the name of the from whom he received his information.

on. Mr. COLES—My informant is a member of this House, who

one , whe was present at the meeting reterred to. Hon. Col. ¥—If that hon. member is at present in the House, I trust he rise and state the grounds pn which be made the

Hon. Mr. WIGHT MAN-~-As I suppose, Mr. Chairman, that lam the party to whom the hon. member, Mr. Coles’, observation applies, I may state that a Mr. Compton, whose christian name J am not

with, informed me, that the hou. member, Col. Gray,

written to Captain Mun>, of the Wood Islands, to muster bis forces and to the meeting at Montague Bridge, with a view of preventing ome any a the liberals qught supporting introduced by riers of the Government.

Jloa. Vol. GRAY—L trust that homens member is satisfied with my disclaimer, and that he will ascertain, and let me have the name of his informant.

Lom. Mr. WiGU CMAN promised to do so. Ata subsequent day, Mr. Wightman named bir. Joseph Compton as his in-

i. Mr. POPE—Mr. Chairman, the hon. leader of the Pea Pa asserted that the Government and tie Uolvnial w that Me Wightman was in the Island, and

r bel given him a letter, authorizing him to jeet ui his mission from-the various

. Ldeny that such was the case, that his :ofurmant would not tell a lie, give his nome, pnd i pow

lrent and the right ef purchase are speci them.

i }

| barm.

| operation, it would confer great advantages, and if the or-|

| Lion. Mr. Howe.

.| who consequently has no means of answering for himself. I

call) that a railroad or a fishery would.be established. But, Sir,

‘Tweuty years ago, I said it would be | the commission, speak for themselves. Remission of arrears of) pay the m

'

I held out no false hopes to the people ; but L believe good will arise to the tenants of those proprietors who assented | to the commission. The remission of the large amounts of |

And if the arbitration clause can be carried into,

i

of it

position sincerely desire to advance the interests of the tenants,

they should put their shoulders to the wheel and assist the

he) q : saat e Aw: inste ine s ; : yernment in giving effect to the Award instead of duing all Mantgomery Estate, Lot 34 is owned by, I believe, three parties. | ree Oo ¥ a

they can in opposition to it. If they are of opimion that no good will result from the action of the Government on the land | question, why do they not propose some measure on the subject? Perhaps the reason is that they are afraid that a_ declaration of their policy would tura the present Govern- ment out of power and bring them into office against their wishes. (Laughter) Ina late number of the Lxraminer the editor, the exponent of the views of the opposition stated that they would not like to take the reins jast row—that the finan- cial state of the colony would cause a great deal of trouble to them, and that therefore they had better vot take office at pre- sent. (Laughter.) To revert to the subject of Mr. Wightman, or the Spy, as he has been called, other members of the Govern- ment have denied all know edge of him, and for myself, I declare that 1 never saw bim—never knew that he occupied an office in this building. whether it was the Grand Jury Room or any other apartiwnent ; and | have reason to believe that the offi- cials employed in the building knew no wore of bim than L did. | It appears that he was sent by the Commissioners with a letter to the Lieut. Governor, requesting that he might have access to the public recordsef the Island. How was Uis Excellency | to act? Suppose he had refused compliance with that request. | In that case the Government would have been charged with | having barked the Commission by withholding necessary in- | formation after the Commission had expressly asked for it. | If it be true, as has been stated, that Mr Wightinan actea as | some hon. members have alleged,I do not justify his conduct ; | bat, Sir, are the Goaernment responsible for his acts? The! Commissioners sent him bere, and I believe he was seleeted | for the mission hy the Hon. Mr. Howe, the Commissioner | named by this House. In nominating that gentleman tle | majority manifested to the minority their desire of satisfying | the tenantry, and they are entitled to credit for sincerity b; | selecting so great a liberal and known friend to the poor as the Hon. Mr. Howe. Whether good may or may not result! from the Commission, it is our duty to wait until the result) of itis befere us. The House is pledged to carry out the) Award in good faith. the matter ‘The hon. member, Mr. Conrgy, stated that the)

Spy travelled in company with friends of the-proprietors,and ‘the letter was from the Culonial Secretary's Uffice. It bas) for doble ends, but Rome makes it ahewer of wood been denied that the Secretary wrote the letter referred to.| and drawer of water.” “The Rector should never

it has been insinuated that he had been appointed by the Go vernment ; this bas been done with a view of creating a pre- judice against the Government. Mr. Wightman may have | travelled with a friend of the preprietors in the district repre- | sented by the hon. member, but at Bedeque his com panion

was Mr. Edward Moynag), who is not generally supposed to name of my informant I declined to do so, not feeling my- | quire yo comment. By the last Mr. Laird has “ un- racre, while tor landof inferior quality, on the Selkirk | be very favurable to proprietors nor tie Government. (Laugh- self justified, without his authority. The way [ got my in-| masked’ himself, and shown very clearly the “evan-

hter ) However, I shall net take up more time-in this stage)

of the diseussion,which would not have arisen had i: not heen |

for the explanation of the Award, given frou memory, by the

I thought at the time, and am of the 6ame

opinion now, that it was injadicious on the part of that gen-

tleman to give that explanation. Progress reported.

in os Tuvxspay Mornrne, Feb. 27.

Committee on address resumed.

Mr. DOYLE—Mr. Chairman. a great deal has been said | about this Award, and the Government have told us that the people will roeeive great benefit from it-—that the tenantry wili I, for one, Go not see mach prospect of that under the Award, A tenant may tender

to the proprietor a price he ean afford to pay for the freehold | of his land, but, if it is refused, how many of these tenants | | cam incur the expense and annoyance of an arbitration? And| what prospect is there that the influence of the pro -rietor will not prevail on the arbitration? In the ease of Township lands owned by several proprictors, the right of reserving 1500 acres to each may take the, whole Township out of the Award, and the tenant will not be in a position to have an }arbitration, if he wished todoso. It may be said that no proprietor could do eo, but on the lot on which [ live, which is owned by the Messrs. Palmer, a letter was received from one of them, stating that he would not agree to be bound by the Award, A ain. the Award docs not affect the holders of leases f'r less thani0 years. In wy opinion those are the very cases which are entitled to protection mare than anv others. For the poor people, who take such leases, may be turned out and lose their improvements at the expiration of their term. Looking at these facts, l cannot see the. great | boon that the people are to receive from the dvings of the Commission. As to the Spy. the Government say that they knew nothing. about him. do not fora moment say that their statement is false, but it is certain:y strange that they should have been so ignurant, for | saw him in my district. and the people generally were told that he had been sent on by a Company to see about the practicability of building a railroad and establisiing a fishery, and that he was seeking information about the value of lands with a view to raising sheep. After these representations the people were asked what they valued their Jands at, and, as might be expected, they ask d more than double their worth. If the Commis- sioners did not think that the evidence that had been given in their presence was sufficient to enable them to come to a decision—if they thought that the people had told them un- truths, and chose to take the evidence of a Spy io preferencef and base their award on that, I think, with the hon. member Mr. Owen, that it is quite immaterial whether the Award comes out or not. . :

Hon. Mr. HAVILAND—Mr. Chairman, I was not in the House when the hon. member commenced his speech, but that rtion of it which [ did hear was conceived in very bad taste. tis, im my opinion, anbandsome to abuse an absent man,

would rather seo the adoption of the good old English practice of meeting an opponent tace to face,and affording him an op- portunity of replying to any charge against him, but the absent and the dead cannot repel any attacks upon their cha- racters. it may be that, if the character of this person who has been stigmatized as a Spy, and accused of telling lies to deceive the people, were ana! , he would be entitled to be considered as a gentleman fully as much as the hon. member himself. What authority is there for accusing Mr. Wight- man of having told lios? Suppose he had asked a farmer what he would be will:ng to take for bis farm, if a railroad should be constructed through or sear it, or an extensive fishery established in ite vicinity, there would be nothing im- proper in that, I have never heard that he said positively

|.we are, as has been often said in the course of the debate,

2 oetinwa

_

| the tenant's exaggerated value.

him the address of the Commissioners.sitting in that province. |

be considered as justifying any report Mr. Wightman may have made to his employers; nor do [ approve of their act in Laving sent him bere in the manner they are represented to

‘arrears will be a great boon to. the poor people, and the have done; but they and they alone are responsible for his ion ot Lot 1 is ownedby hia family ; now the doubtful title | self-sty!ed liberals are doing their utmost to deprive them /mission and its results, whatever they may be, and the Go-

vernment were bound to pay him.

Hon. the SPEAKER—Mr. Chairman, this debate has taken so very wide a range, that L believe it will be found to be without precedent in any of the other Colonies. It would be more regular and becoming to discuss the Award and the

ters shall come before us in another shape. of the Government if they were aware of his business, and

they professed themselves as ignorant on the subject as myself. I heard that he had been travelling about the western part

of the Island, and telling the people that he was endeavoring to ascertain how it would do to establish a railroad.

l wes also informed that he had employed a clerk, bat with refe-

rence to what has been said about his recording the prices of,

land, I was given to understand that be set dowmbis own,not Having been recommended by Commissioner Liowe, it is net just or courteous to jadge him so harshly as some hon: members haye done. The Houee sboald withhold its oniziun yptil his report is befareus. 1 am surry tnat the example set by the Opposition in Nova Seotia has not been followed here. In that province the ad- dress passed unanimous!y, the diseassion on the matters re ferred to in the speech being’ deferred until they should re- spectively come up for discugsap. Here we have been wasting time and delaying the bu-iness of the country unnecessarily, as all the subjects comprised ip this debate will be taken up ugain seperately.

jut I entertain a much

| community than to suppose that they are not tho- | roughly disyusted at the unchristian violence and | vile obscenity by which the “ Protestant” panders to the low taste aud morbid feelings of some of its | readers ; and I would be doing an injustice to all those i who are desirous of preserving their families from corruption, were I to say that they would permit to

| enter their homes a journal whose pages are so pol- | . . ° luted as is the ‘ Protestant’ of the 8th inst. I feel