PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. 51'

further that he (Mr. Worrell) said he would not have suffered himself to be taken, had he known that Coles would not take his fees and discharge him.”

During the same session a rather amus- ing instance of the House’s treatment of any- thing savoring of contempt on the part of outsiders occurred.

The solicitor-general informed the House that he had information that a pro- fessional gentleman, lately arrived in this Island, had said to one or more members that the speaker .and members, then sitting, were not a House, but a Convention, and moved that Benjamin Coffin, Esq., a mem- ber, be requested to state what he knew rela- tive to the charge.

“Mr. Coflin stated that, on Monday last, he had seen Mr. Johnston, of this town, who had asserted to the effect that this House was - not a House, but a Convention.

“Mr. Johnston, being sent for, appeared at the bar, and asserted that he was not bound to declare any professional opinion that he might have given.

“Mr. Coffin stated that Mr. Johnston had not been professionally employed, but had made the declaration before mentioned to Several people in the street, at Mr. Sims’ doon

“Mr. Johnston said that such was his opinion, and said he might have so expressed himself, and it still is his opinion.

“Mr. Solicitor-General moved, seconded by Mr. Nelson, that Mr. Johnston has been guilty of a high crime and misdemeanor in such his language, and that an humble ad- dress be presented to His Excellency, pray- ing that he would order His Majesty’s attor- ney-general to prosecute Mr. Johnson for such offense, which was unanimously re- solved. The address was accordingly pre-

pared and presented to the lieutenant-gov- emor.

LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR SMITH’s ADMINISTRATION.

I \

For a few months after Colonel Des Barres vacated the lieutenant-govemorship, and before the arrival of his successor, Mr. Townshend administered the government. Mr. Smith succeeded Colonel Des Barres in 1813. He was a brother of Sir Sydney Smith, the hero of Acre. He was very dif- - ferent in character from his predecessor, and, in fact, from any of the men who have ad- ministered the government of this Island. A man of most arbitrary and despotic tempera- ment, he was yet of considerable ability and of immense energy. During the ten years he held office he convened the Legislature only four times, and each time there was almost open war between that body and the lieu- tenant-govemor, and in each case they were summarily prorogued, or dismissed, with scant courtesy. The House of Assembly was always ready to do battle with him, when' it deemed its rights or privileges infringed upon, and yielded nothing.

He called the Assembly together on 15th of November, 1813. The writer has not been able to see the journal of this House, or to get a copy of the Lieutenant- Govemor’s speech opening it, and is in- debted to the short history prepared by the late Rev. Dr. Sutherland for an abstract of it. There was nothing conciliatory about Mr. Smith himself, nor did his speech give any indications of weakness in that respect. In his opening speech, Dr. Sutherland tells us, “he told the members he had heard of dissentions and strife in the colony; that he