120 HISTORY or PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND.

chasing his land at a certain rate at any time he might find it convenient to do so.

The legislative council, of which the Honorable Charles Young, LL. D., was president, adopted an address praying that the Queen would be pleased to give instructions that an ad< ministration might be formed in consonance with the royal instructions when assent was given to the Civil List. Bill, passed in, April, 1857. The council complained that the principle of responsible government was violated in the construction of the existing executive council, which did not contain one Roman catholic, though the population of that faith was, according to the census of 1855, thirty-two thou- sand; that not one member of the legislative council belonged to the executive; that persons were appointed to all the departmental otlices who had no seats in the legisla- ture, and who were, in consequence, in no way responsible to the people; and as all persons accepting othee under the Crown, when members of the assembly, were compelled to appeal to their constituents for re-election, this statute was deliberately evaded, and no parliamentary responsibility existed.

In replying to the address of the legislative council, in a counter-addre s, the house of assembly contended that there was no violation of the principle of the act passed in 1857; that the prejtulicial influence of salaried officers having seats

in the assembly was condemned by the people at the polls, as indicated by the present house, where there were nineteen for, to eleven members opposed to the principle. As evidence of public opinion on the subject, it was further stated, that when the commissioner of public lands, after accepting otfice in the year 1857, appealed to the people, he was rejected by a large majority; that the attorney general and registrar of deeds, at the general election in June last, were