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126 . OUR ISLAND STORY

latives and friends. He had almost made up his mind to stay in Providence when, fortunately for [this Island, he was induced to return to his native toWn.‘ Warmly welcomed home by Lieuten— ant Governor Smith and other prominent citizens of Charlottetown ' he was appointed to the position of King’s Printer. A test of his ‘ courage and ability in the performance of his duty to the country

was soon afforded. On the 26th'of July, 1825, he began publica—

tion of “The Prince Edward Island Register” of which he was the responsible editor. - Certain high-handed and unlawful acts of the

. Lieutenant Governor and his sons-in-law were so pointedly referred

to in the first issue of The Register that the governor and his parti- sans became very angry. They accused Mr. Haszard of “a con- temptuouslibel” affecting officers of the Crown, and declared their intention to have him imprisoned. To this end he was cited to appear before the Court of Chancery of which the Lieutenant Governor was himself the Chancellor. Mr. Haszard’s defence was, however, so straightforward and manly, so clear as to the facts in evidence, and-so conclusive in respect to the high-handed and unjust procedure of those to Whom “The Register” hadreferred, that the Lieutenant Governor and his subordinates, fearing that they might lose their positions, dismissed the case. The result was that Mr. Haszard’s popularity was greatly increased and that he continued to prosper. For years together, “The Register” was used in many of the schools instead .of a school book. rTh'e scarcity- of school books was so great at the time, that Mr. Haszard was induced to publish and issue “The First Reader,” 'a “Spelling Book” and “An Introduction to The Reader,” “The English Reader” “Murray’s Grammar,” “Lennie’s Grammar,” and at a later date the works of. Horace and other Latin authors. To further the conversion of the Indians he published the four-gospels in the Mic-

' mac language, and to promote Christianity among the people of

the Island “Butler’s Catechism,” and in Gaelic, “McDonald on Baptism” and “McDonald on the Millenium," together with sev- A eral smaller works in Gaelic, French and English, including “The Believer’s Chain,”,a “Life of Goldsmith” and “Goldsmith’s poems”

In the year 1850 he was appointed to the office of King’s Prin- ter, succeeding his uncle, Mr. James Bagnall; and on or about the