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brought forward, and so careless are the people about the matter, that not a complaint relative thereto, by petition, has ever been laid before the House; and yet one hon. member (Mr. #2. Maedonald) boldly assets that he believes there are not five in a hundred that would) not be glad to see the measure carried. But if this isso seeing the mass of petitions, and the variety of sub- jects that yearly come before us—is It not very surpris- ng that no one should before have moved in this matter. The hon. member, Mr. D. Maclean, some years ago, ance mooted the question, but he found no support from any quarter. As I have before said, it is useless to argue upon the question. I will not, therefore, take up the time of the Committee, well knowing it will be of no avail asto the result.

Mr. Palmer. 1 know not of what the hon. member hae to complain in the reports. I think his speeches are 23 we!! and as fairly reported as those of other members. it is thought, and said out of doots, thar, there are party reporters here, one on one side and another on the other ; hut I expect that, were the question put to the reporters, they would tell you that, as reporters, they know no party, and stoop not to the degradation of giving to the public false or partial versions of our debates. If his complaint respecting misreporting is to be subinitted by the hon. member as his reason for not stating his reasons of opposition to the resolution under consideration, I sup-

his mouth will be closed for the remainder of the ession. If gentlemen on the other side mean to say that they wish the present Governor to do as the late one did, and to fill up the Legislative Council with strangers just arrived, let them say so, and let their con- stituents Know that such is their meaning. Some say they know their constituents will never agree to this measure ; others again say, they will not give it their support till they have consulted them; and then again others say, the Council haye never asked for the change. All these, Sir, 1 call weak and poor excuses for their opposition. Tt isnot at all likely that the Council would petition us. ‘The present isa very favorable time for the introduction of the contemplated change,—which, notwithstanding what some assert, | have no doubt would he gratefully received by the people from one end of the lsland to the other—there being only one gentleman in the Council who would be affected by it, and that one, I may observe, was not previously aware that this mea- sure Was coming on. But another member of the Lezis- Jative Council has told me that he thinks the measure will be well received by that body, and prove very ac- ceptable to them. [am not in the habit of consulting any of the members of that body ;‘and neither ought we, for a moment, to consider in our deliberations the pro- hability of what may or may not be approved by them. [only became possessed of this information by mere casualty. Neither ought we to lay so much stress upon what may haye been the opinion of the Home Govern- ment with regard to sych a measure in another Colony. For my own part, [ think the representations which have: been gent home by this House, relative to the construc- tion of the Legislative Council, must have had consider- able weight with the Imperial Government; and I incline to believe that, if the measure pass here, it will

THE EXAM1 NER Colony, all the Governors, with the exception of the last two, had endeavoured to give effect. An hon. member near bim had been, he believed, some years ago, offered a seat in the Legislative Council; but, rightly judging the honor not worth the expense consequent upon sus- taining it, he had declined to accept it. The hon. Speaker then continued: The hon. member for Prince County (Mr. Rae) declines to state his reasons for his opposition to the resolution, because he has not, as he says, been correctly reported in the Gazette. His ad- herence to this resolution may effect a saving of time; for, if it hold, we shall not have so many long speeches from him as he has been in the habit of delivering. The hon. Speaker then adverted to the fact that, some years ago, Mr. Duncan McLean had introduced a measure similar to that contemplated by the resolution before the Committee, which was supported by the gentlemen who were opposed tothe motion of the hon, and learned member for Charlottetown. Such a change was, to him, quite unaccountable, It seems as if the Chartists were become Tories. As to the feeling of the people with respect to the measure, he was satisfied that, if they were fairly canvassed, it would be found that nine-tenths of them were in favor of it. Some few, assembled in holes and corners for the purpose of having it dinned into their ears, that the measure would tend only to the increasing of their burthens, might, he was aware, be brought to express disapprobation of it; but, otherwise, it would meet with the general approval of the country.

Mr. Montgomery wished to see the measyre take effect only as vacancies in the Council should in future occur. He had no desire to deprive any of the present members of their seats therein: and it was obvious that no immediate interference with the construction of the Council was contemplated by the resolution.

Mr. D. Macdonald. It is said that country members ought to support the resolution, But this, Sir, to me appears to be strange doctrine; for had country mem- bers seen any necessity for such a measure as that which is now proposed, they would neither have been slow to move in the matter, nor have left it to be intro- duced by the hon. and learned member for Charlotte- town. This side of the House have never considered that any just complaints against the Legislative Coun- cil, could be remedied by granting them legislative pay, or that any wrong in their construction originated iu the absence of such pay. ‘The addresses and complaints formerly made to the Home Government, touching the Legislative Council, did not allude to any such matter aS pay,

Mr. Palmer thought that his being a member for Charlottetown should not, inany way, prevent his having a regard to the interests of the country ; for the interests of the ‘Town and of the Country, ne held to be insepara- bly connected. It would, said the hon. and learned gentleman, be very easy to prove that many measures for the good of agriculture had not proceeded from country members. The hon. and learned member then concluded by saying, that for such foul-mouthed allu- sions ag that of a snake in the grass, he had no reply: it -vas his practice to treat them with the silent contempt they deserved.

meet with a ready sanction at home. Dr. Conroy then followed in a speech of some length. The learned gentleman, in the first place, with much| earnestness, directed the artillery of his sarcasin against the observation of Mr. McIntosh, in which that hon.; member had asserted, that “ every law not required for the protection of the people's rights, ought to be regard- ed as a restriction upon their liberties ;” and excited a good deal of merriment in the Committee, by the mode ia which he dealt with the assertion. T'he learned gen- thanan then proceeded to observe that the introduction of the resolution was merely an attempt to carry out the, aPC of the Queen with respect to the Legisla- uve Cogneil; Her Majesty having said, “Choose the ‘embers of that body from all parts of the Island.” He’ gext took the liberty to hint, that the members of the Agsembly were, all af them, ready enough to pocket the! money when they could; directly observing to the hon. Chairman, that he (the Chairman) would not consent to; ud inthe furthering of the business of the country with-, ut pay. Then suddenly calling himself to order, the earned gentleman upbraided the opposition with luke- waraness in the cause of reform, and charged them with naking aa uttempt to arrest its pragress at the very first; ‘tep propased to be taken for its introduction ; and con- luded by disavowing all party feeling upon the question, wd declaring that his anly object was to bring about a right canstraction of the Legislative Council, hy secur- ‘ng te the people a fair representation therem. (The ‘earned Doctor sat down amidst loud cries of “I hear” and much laughier.)

‘less important questions.

Mr. Mooney explained that he had not compared Mr. Palmer to a snake in the grass; but he said he was «l- ways very much at a loss to reconcile the strong pro- fessious of regard for the agriculturists, which so, fre- quently fell from the lips of the hon, and learned member,

with his recorded votes, which so often spoke a quite}

contrary language. pte Mr. Thornton spoke against any thing like precipi- tance in the urging on of the measure; observing that much time and consideration were frequently given to He then said, he would ask honorable members from the country who talked so much about their constituents, whether they thought that if their constituents were to be consulted with re- spect to the present question, they would reply that they wanted no change in the Legislative Council, but were perfectly well satisfied with its present construction. Whatever these hon. members were ready to assert, he was persuaded the reply would be of a cha- racter directly opposite. He knas*many of the members in the Legislative Council were gentlemen possessing great talents and abilities: but yet he could not admit that, even with these qualifications, they were capable of representing the local interests of the remote parts of the Island; aad, so long as that body should continue to be composed, almost exclusively of gentlemen resid- ing in or near Charlottetown, he would consider that, through such a composition of it, mest manifest injustice was done to the people at large, and to the agricultural

Jear!|population of the Island in particular. The hon. gen-

tieman concluded by saying, that the contemplated

! Mr. Mooney said the learned Doctor had convineed| measure, if carried out, would give, to qualified persons dtm that he wes not mistaken in his suspicions abont/in the rural districts, an opportunity of saying whether

‘he existence ofthe snake; and he then saw: clearly | ‘here tt lay. There ave, pursued the hon, member, too many faends of the late Governor in the Legislative) Vonnei, and this resolution seems to be brought for-| vard ag a side-winded way of stinging them. — |

The kan. Speaker felt surprised—as, no doubt, nlao} iid the learned gentleman who had submitted the reso-| ‘uhian--at the appositian offered to it by the country | neénbers ; for he thought they ought to be the very first

they would serve their country or not.

Mr. Le Lacheur thought that if either the hon, mem- ber who had just sat down, or himself, were to ask his constituents what good the Legislative Council had done for them, they would reply, “ Not much.” But let that hon. member bring forward some measure, the passing of which would be of ungnestionable service to the country. by which to test the present feelings and char- acter of the Leg's'ative Council, aud he was much

to support it. Tho object of theresplution was the| deceived if it did not then appear that the composition .irtving out of the instructions of the Home Govern- ent, relative to the construction of the Legislative gancil; to which, since they were reccived in the

of that boly had, of late years, becn much improved. - Mr..T'hornion replied, that it was quite nseless to bandy words, on the subject of patriotism, with the hon.

member(Mr. Le Lacheur,) who knew very well, that neither he himself, nor any other hon. member of the House, bad the interests of the people more at heart thar che (Mr. Thornton.) Endtgh, he thought, had been said at that time ; and he would, therefore, move that the Speaker take the Chair, the Chairman report progress, and ask leave to sit again. Motion agreed to.

On, the following Tuesday, the House again went into Committee on the same question, which was thep disposed of as noticed in the Examiner of the 19th Feb. ruary.

—

SUMMARY OF LEGISLATIVE BUSINEss. Satrurpay, Marcu 4.

ImmiGraTion Bitt.—On motion of Mr. Thornton, the House again went into Committee to resume the consider. ation of the Immigration Bill ; which, as during its previ- ous progress, met with but very little opposit;on excepton the part of Mr. Mooney, who opposed it on ieomeettne not having a suspending clause,—contending that per. sons intending to emigrate will not know. that an increase of head money has taken place, and will, consequently, enter into engagements with the Shipowners, which the may not be able to fulfil. He, therefore, considered that it should not come into operation till after due notice had been given, and concluded by moving that a sus- pending clause be added to the Bill; which, on. the question being put, was negatived without a divisi The Bill was then reported agreed to, and ordered to be engrossed. te seek 2

Several Bills passed a stage, and the remainder of the day was consumed in the consideration of Petitions.

Monpay, Marcu 6.

Georcetowon anp Rovaury Roaps.—Mr. Havwi- Jand moved the second reading of the Bill-to appoint Commissioners for Georgetown and Royalty Roads. Mr. Palmer took the opportunity to express his disap- probation of the present system, and hoped a Bill aol be introduced to reduce the number of Commissioners very considerably, and to give them sufficient remune- ration to enable them to devote their whole time and attention to the Roads and Bridges.—The hon. meinber’s opinion wag approved by a majority of those who spoke,

Mr. Rae wished him to introduce a Bill to that effect, he (Mr. Rae) having his hands full of business.

Mr. Le Lachcur moved that the House go into Com- mittee of the whole to-morrow, to take up the considera- tion of the question.

Mr. D. Maclean thought there was sufficient business already mooted to make a long Session; and the ques- tion being put, it was negatived.

Mr. Heviland’s Bill was then read a second time, sub- mitted to a Committee of the whole House, and reported agreed to,

Pusxic Accounts.—Mr. Rve,as chairman of the special committee, made his report on the Public Ac- counts, and moved that the House go into Committee on the same, on Friday next. <

CONTROVERTED, Evections.—This Bill, originally introduced by Mr. J. Longworth, to amend the Act passed the Committee and was ordered to be engrossed. The remainder of the day was taken up in the consider. ation of: Petitions. |

Tuespay. Marcu 7th.

Imterants.—On motion of Dr. Conroy, the order to engross the Imigrants Bill was discharged, and the Bil was re-committed to a Committee of the whole House ; when the clause imposing an additional Tax on chiil- dren, under ten years of age, was struck out, and those under eighteen months vuld were exempted altogether.

Temperance.—Mr. Palmer presented a Petition from the Office Bearers of the Total Abstinence Society, praying the House to adopt certain measures relativy to distillation and the sale of Spirituous Liquors, in or- der to check the use thereof. A short debate ensued, iu which it was contended, that it was useless to Legisiate further than had already been done; the present act containing no Jess than Thirty four clauses, drawn be the learned member for Charlottetown and the late Mr. Binns, and passed only two years since, A motion that the Petition be rejected was met by an amendment from Mr. Palmer that it be referred toa special Com- ‘mittee, to reportthereon. The House divided—ayes nays 13. So it passed in the negative. The origina, motion for rejection was then put and carried.

Paupers Petitions. The Chairman of the Special Committe on Paupers Petitions made his first report, re- commending, instead of the present mode of distributing relief, the voting of a certain sum to each district. Considerable discussion ensued, aad the report wag ultimately laid on the table.

An adjournment having been moved— TREASURY.

Mr. Whelan rose and said, that, before the motion of adjournment should be put, he wished to put a question, to the hon. member for the First District of Queen's County (Mr. Coles), as a member of the Pxecutive. He had heard, he said, with a good deal of surprise, within the last two or three days, that the Treasurer had_re- fused to receive, in payment of Merchant's Bonds, Notes issued by the Banks ¢f the neighbouring Provinces, His (Mr. Whelan’s) object in rising, was, to ascertaiv, whether he had rcecived correct informeaticn in rofer-