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Prince Edward Island
Travel Video
PREFACE
The principal aim of
the Author has been to produce a History of Prince Edward Island, which
might claim some degree of merit as to conciseness, accuracy, and
impartiality, from the period it became a British possession until its
recent union with the other confederated provinces of British North
America. With the view to secure these ends, it was necessary that not
only all available books and pamphlets relating to the island should be
attentively perused, and the correctness of their statements tested; but
that a vast mass of original papers, hitherto unpublished, should be
carefully examined. Application having been made to His Excellency Lord
Dufferin, through Sir Robert Hodgson, the Lieutenant-governor of the
island, permission was granted to examine all the numerical despatches.
This task imposed an amount of labor which had not been anticipated, and
which seemed incompatible with the production of so small a volume. The
Author is aware that there lies in the French archives at Paris a large
deposit of interesting matter bearing on the history of the Maritime
Provinces, and it is to be hoped that it will soon be rendered
accessible to the English reader.
It was necessary that a considerable portion of the work should deal
with the Land Question. To its consideration the Author came in
comparative ignorance of the entire subject, and therefore unprejudiced
by ideas and associations of which it might be impossible for a native
of the island entirely to divest himself. The soundness of the
conclusions arrived at may be questioned; but it can be truly said that
they have not been reached without deliberate consideration, and an
anxious desire to arrive at the truth.
The Author desires to express his special obligations for valuable
matter to His Honor Sir Robert Hodgson, the Honorable Judge Pope,
Professor Caven, Mr. Henry Lawson, the Honorable Judge Hensley, the
Honorable Mr. Haviland, Mr. John Ings, Hon. Francis Longworth, Mr. J. B.
Cooper, Mr. Arthur DeW. Haszard, Mr. Donald Currie, the Reverend Mr.
McNeill, Mr. T. B. Aitkins, of Halifax, Mr. John Ball, Mr. F. W. Hughes,
the Reverend Dr. Jenkins, Mr. Charles DesBrisay, Mr. J. W. Morrison, and
others too numerous to mention.
The Honorable Judge Pope possesses rare and most important documents
connected with the island, without which it would have been impossible
to produce a satisfactory narrative, and which he at once courteously
placed at the temporary disposal of the Author, rendering further
service by the remarkable extent and accuracy of his information.
The Author has also to thank the People of Prince Edward Island,
especially, for the confidence reposed in him, as proved by the fact of
his having received, in the course of a few weeks, orders for his then
unpublished work to the number of more than two thousand seven hundred
copies,—confidence which he hopes an unprejudiced perusal of the book
may, to some extent, justify.
Charlottetown, October, 1875.
Roaming Focus - Episode 4: Prince Edward Island
CONTENTS
Chapter I.
Geographical position of the Island—Early possession—Population in
1758—Cession by Treaty of Fontainebleau—Survey of Captain
Holland—Holland’s description of the Island—Position of Town
sites—Climate—The Earl of Egmont’s scheme of settlement—Proposed
division of the Island—Memorials of Egmont—Decision of the British
Government respecting Egmont’s Scheme
Chapter II.
Determination of the Home Government to dispose of the whole Island—The
manner in which it was effected—Conditions on which grants were
made—Appointment of Walter Patterson as Governor—Novel duties imposed on
him—Callbeck made prisoner by Americans—Arrival of Hessian Troops—Sale
of Land in 1781—Agitation in consequence—Complaints against the
Governor, and his tactics in defence—Governor superceded, and Colonel
Fanning appointed—Disputes between them—Charges of immorality against
Patterson—His departure from the Island
Chapter III.
Proprietors indifferent to their engagements—Extent to which settlement
was effected—Complaints of the People of nonfulfilment of
engagements—Character of the Reply—The influence of the Proprietors with
the Home Government—The Duke of Kent—Proposal in 1780 to name the Island
New Ireland—The name adopted—Formation of Light Infantry and Volunteer
Horse—Immigration of Highlanders—Memoir of General Fanning
Chapter IV.
Colonel F. W. DesBarres, successor to General Fanning—His character as a
Governor—Succeeded by Charles Douglas Smith—His character as displayed
in his opening address—Proclamation of immunity from Proprietory
conditions—Oppressive measures in regard to Quitrents—John McGregor,
Sheriff—Public meetings called in the Counties—Tyranny of the Governor
exposed—Arrival of Colonel Ready, and departure of Smith
Chapter V.
Governor Ready desires to govern constitutionally—Energetic
legislation—George Wright, Administrator—Change in the mode of paying
Customhouse Officials—Fire in Miramichi—Petitions of Roman Catholics to
be relieved from civil disabilities—Proceedings of the Assembly touching
the question—Dispute between the Council and Assembly—Catholic
Emancipation—The Agricultural Society—Death of George the Fourth—Cobbett
on Prince Edward Island—Colonel Ready succeeded by A. W. Young—The
Census—Death of Governor Young—Biographical Sketch of him
Farmers of the Prince Edward Island
Culinary Trail
Chapter VI.
George Wright, Administrator—Court of Escheat refused—Central
Academy—Severe Frost in September—Death of William the
Fourth—Educational Condition of the Island—Forcible Resistance to
Rent-paying—Rebellion in Canada—Able Report of Committee of Legislature
on Land Question—The Coronation of Queen Victoria—Mechanics’ Institute
formed—Lord Durham on Land Question—The formation of an Executive,
separate from a Legislative Council ordered—Mr. Cooper a delegate to
London
Chapter VII.
Marriage of the Queen—Education in 1842—Foundation-stone of the Colonial
Building laid—The Governor withdraws his patronage from Public
Institutions—Dispute between the Governor and Mr. Pope—Election
disturbances in Belfast—The Currency Question—Responsible Government
discussed—Governor Huntley succeeded by Sir Donald Campbell—Earl Grey’s
reason for withholding Responsible Government—The death of Sir Donald
Campbell—Ambrose Lane, Administrator—Sir A. Bannerman,
Governor—Responsible Government introduced—Temperance movement—The loss
of the “Fairy Queen”—Dissolution of the Assembly—Governor Bannerman
succeeded by Dominick Daly—The Worrell Estate bought by the
Government—J. Henry Haszard perishes in the Ice Boat—Census of 1855—A
loan wanted—The Imperial Guaranty promised, but not given—Resolutions
praying for a Commission on the Land Question—Charles Young,
Administrator—Biographical Sketch of Bishop McDonald—Death of James
Peake
Chapter VIII.
Arrival of the Prince of Wales—His Reception—The British Colonial
Secretary expresses satisfaction with the Assembly’s proceedings in
regard to the Land Commission—The Report of the Commissioners—Its
cardinal points presented—Their views with regard to Escheat and other
subjects—The case of the Loyalists and Indians. Remarks on the
Commissioners’ Report: its merits and its defects. The evils incident to
the Land Question fundamentally attributable to the Home Government—The
Immigrants deceived—The misery consequent on such deception—The burden
of correction laid on the wrong shoulders—Volunteer Companies—General
Census—Death of Prince Albert—The Duke of Newcastle and the
Commissioners’ Report
Chapter IX.
Bill to make the Legislative Council elective—Change of
Government—Address to the Queen, craving to give effect to the
Commissioners’ Award—A Review of recent Proceedings in regard to the
Land Question—The Assembly willing to meet the views of Proprietors in
regard to the appointment of Commissioners—The Assembly and the
commissioners right, and the Colonial Secretary wrong—The Reason why
given—The rejection of the Award unreasonable—Delegates sent to England
on the Land Question—The Result
Chapter X.
James C. Pope and the Railway—Assimilation of the
Currency—Confederation—Conference in Charlottetown—Speeches of Edward
Whelan and T. H. Haviland—Opposition to Confederation—Resolutions in the
Assembly—Offer of Terms to J. C. Pope—Further Proceedings—The Question
of Confederation Resumed—Delegations to Ottawa—Messrs. Haythorne and
Laird—Messrs. Pope, Haviland, and Howlan—Final Settlement of the
Question
Chapter XI.
Biographical Sketches:—Bishop McEachern—Rev. Donald McDonald—Rev. Dr.
Kier—Hon. T. H. Haviland—Hon. E. Whelan—Hon. ames Yeo—Hon. George
Coles—James D. Haszard
Chapter XII.
Commercial Statistics—Imports—Exports—Revenue—Government
Policy—Fisheries—Education—Manufactures—Charlottetown—Census of 1798
Footnotes |
