PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. 255 " Resolved unanimously, That the Church Wardens or either of them, the Rector or Incumbent may and shall request of such families as are of the Established Church of England donations or free will offerings, the same to be accompted for by the Church Wardens and applied to the above uses. "Signed " Theoph . DesBrisay, Minister, " Thomas Wright , C. W . "Alex. Rae, " Joseph Robinson ." This, modest as is its scope, is note¬ worthy as the introduction of the voluntary system. On the 6th of June of this year the French inhabitants of Rustico petitioned the Governor in Council, asking to be relieved from the poor rates on the condition that they supported their own poor. The prayer of their petition was not granted but the matter was referred to the General As ¬ sembly. This body did not see fit to exempt them from the operation of the poor-rates, but did consider it advisable to pass an act the preamble of which reads: "Whereas, A groundless report has pre¬ vailed of an intention on the part of the Gov ¬ ernment to subject His Majesty's dissent¬ ing protestants subject to the payment of tithes and other rates and taxes for the sup¬ port of the Established Church of England." The act, besides confirming to them liberty of conscience, authorized them to erect meet¬ ing houses and elect ministers, and exempt-, ed them from taxes for the support of the Established Church. The close connection between State and Church at that time may be gather from the following Minute of Council (of May, 1793): "The Lieut-Governor acquainted the Board that he had lately been honoured with a letter from the Right Reverend Father in God , the Bishop of Nova Scotia , inclosing a memorial recommending the use of certain collects drawn up by him and recommended by him to be regularly used in the time of public worship in all churches, chapels and places of public worship by the clergy of the Established Church within this Island, which being read were unanimously approved and a proclamation ordered to be issued." There is little in this to suggest that "all churches, chapels and places of public wor¬ ship" were represented in fact by the room in Mr. Richardson 's house which served as a church on Sunday and was used as a court room when occasion required. And that "the clergy of the Established Church within this Island" were summed up in the person of the Rev. Theoph . DesBrisay. On the 7th of May of this year (1793), having received word that war had been de¬ clared by , the Governor in Council issued a proclamation appointing Friday, 17th of May, as a day of public humiliation and fasting throughout the Island. And on the 27th of April of the year following "The Lieutenant Governor acquainted the board that he had convened them to take their opinion respecting his issuing a proclama¬ tion appointing a public fast day to be ob¬ served throughout the Island which the board unanimously advised and Saturday, May 10th, is appointed to be observed throughout the Island as a day of public fasting and humiliation to implore the par¬ don, protection and interposition of Almighty God to avert the dreadful evils which the levelling atheistic system ■ of and the calamities of war threaten." Here we catch an echo of that deep murmur of dismay and horror which was called forth in England by the excesses of the French