MILITARY AND CIVIL. 9I 
     
    
   
   
    
     openings, a guard of honor was drawn up in front of the build- 
     
     ing, and two field guns were posted near which thundered 
     
     forth a salute of 15 guns at the close of the ceremony. Within 
     
     and without an admiring concourse of people assembled, while 
     
     the beauty and fashion of the city crowded on the floor of the 
     
     halls during the delivery of the Governor’s interesting speech. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The Parliament halls and the Library, which contained 
     
     thousands of volumes, were situated upon the second floor, while 
     
     the lower flat was divided off into a Court Room and various 
     
     Public Offices. This massive structure was built of Nova Scotia 
     
     Freestone, adorned with balconies and has always been 
     
     regarded as the principal building of the city, and is considered 
     
     to be a model of architectural grandeur. A beautiful view of 
     
     the surrounding country and harbor is obtained from the roof 
     
     of the building. On a clear day, the shores of the mainland, 
     
     forty miles away, can be distinctly seen. Directly opposite the 
     
     spectator, Zion Church, the Y. M. C. A. Building, the Bank of 
     
     Nova Scotia and the Cameron Block occupy the foreground. 
     
     The new St. Dunstan’s Cathedral, now in course of erection, 
     
     also occupies a prominent place. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Prior to the opening of the new Building the various depart- 
     
     ments were scattered promiscuously throughout the town, but 
     
     were now brought together under the same roof, all being 
     
     subject to the same business hours during the day. 
     
    
   
   
    
     But a more unpleasant reminiscence of this year took place 
     
     on the Ist of March, when an election for the return of two 
     
     members to the Legislature was ordered to be held at Pinette, 
     
     Belfast, upon which occasion four candidates—two conserva- 
     
     tives and two liberals—entered the campaign. The morning 
     
     of the election was fine and the poll was duly opened for the 
     
     taking of votes. But shortly after the opening of the poll the 
     
     arrival of a numerous body of voters of both parties took 
     
     place. The bitter feeling existing between the party factions 
     
     soon found vent in angry words, and in a short time fighting 
     
     began in front of the hustings which soon became a general 
     
     riot ; cudgels were freely used and spots of red marked where 
     
     the wounded had fallen. Being unable to continue the election 
     
     the sheriff closed the poll and returned to Charlottetown, where 
     
     he made an official report of the day’s proceedings. But he 
     
     was again directed to re-open the polls on the 19th day of the 
     
     month, when a sufl‘icient force was placed at his disposal to