CHAPTER IV. 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     URIN G the early days of the year 182 3 the settlers through- 
     
     .,, out the Island were thrown into a. great excitement in 
     
     consequence of the unexpected demand of the tax on their 
     
     lands, known as quit-rent. In January of this year the acting 
     
     Receiver Genera] visited a thickly inhabited district of King’s 
     
     County,without giving any previous notice thereof, and demanded 
     
     instant payment, or promissory notes payable in ten days, on 
     
     pain of having their property disposed of by public sale. This 
     
     so enraged the people against the authors of such severe 
     
     measures that they resolved to hold meetings, and take_steps 
     
     against the tyranny to which they were being subject. With 
     
     this end in view a requisition was accordingly drawn up, signed 
     
     by forty householders, and presented to the High Sheriff of the 
     
     Island, requesting him to appoint public meetings of the 
     
     inhabitants, to be held in the three counties, that they might 
     
     have an opportunity of consulting together, and join in laying 
     
     a state of their grievances at the foot of the Throne. The 
     
     Sheriff then appointed meetings to be held at Charlottetown, 
     
     St. Peters and Prince Town, on the 6th, 13th and 20th of 
     
     March, respectively. The resolutions agreed to at the various 
     
     meetings were embodied in a humble petition to be laid before 
     
     the King, concluding with a prayer for the removal of Lieut. 
     
     Governor Smith. I't animadverted in severe terms on his 
     
     conduct since first he assumed the reigns of government; he 
     
     was charged with having stretched his powers and prerogatives 
     
     far beyond their legitimate limits in the exercise of every