A CANADIAN CHAPTER IN AGRARIAN AGITATION. 465 



renee of the Legislature and the landlords to a proposal that a com- 

 mission be appointed with power to devise a system whereby lease- 

 hold lands might be converted into freehold. Accordingly, in 1860 a 

 commission was constituted Hon. John H. Gray being nominated by 

 the British Government, Hon. Joseph Howe by the Legislature of the 

 island, and Hon. J. W. Ritchie by the proprietors. The Legislature, 

 most anxious for the quieting of an agitation which had done the 

 colony incalculable harm, passed an act in advance to give effect to 

 the award of the commissioners. That award, however, had no sooner 

 been published, than the proprietors objected to the manner in which 

 it provided for the valuation of land. This objection was sustained, 

 the award set aside, and another attempt to quiet the strife between 

 landlords and tenants proved fruitless. Wild excitement prevailed as 

 a result of what was regarded as the bad faith of the proprietors. An 

 organization known as the " Tenant League " canie into existence, and 

 resistance was offered to the collection of rent by civil officers. Fre- 

 quent and violent riots gave the appearance of Erin itself to the 

 colony, and troops from Halifax were summoned to quell the dis- 

 turbances. 



In 1862 the Provincial Government passed an act which expired in 

 1874, intended to give peace to the island. Under it tenants could 

 offer to buy leased lands from landlords at fifteen years' purchase, the 

 Government aiding by an advance to the extent of eight shillings and 

 sixpence per acre at six per cent interest, all arrears of rent to May, 

 1853, due by purchasers, being canceled. This act also proved disap- 

 pointing. Few tenants availed themselves of it, the majority of lease- 

 holders entertaining the idea that the lands would come to them on 

 better terms of purchase than those provided in the act, very probably 

 after reversion to the crown. 



Recognizing the failure of every attempt at grappling with the 

 land question, by means which left solution to voluntary sales or vol- 

 untary purchases, the Island Legislature in 1868 urged on the British 

 Government the necessity for the adoption of compulsory measures. 

 The plea led to no action, pending the proposed entrance of Prince 

 Edward Island as a member of the Canadian Confederation. That 

 Confederation, established in 1867, made repeated overtures for the 

 admission of the province before the union in 1873 was perfected. 

 The terms of union provided the means of solving the question which 

 for more than a century had troubled a fertile and promising province. 

 It was agreed on entering the Confederation that the Island Govern- 

 ment, which had no public lands and was surrendering its right to cus- 

 toms levies, should receive from the Dominion treasury $800,000 ; this 

 enabled the province to purchase the township lands from proprietors 

 on terms intended to be just and equitable. Three commissioners 

 were appointed for the duty of purchase ; the Governor- General ap- 

 pointed one, the Provincial Government the second, and each several 

 vol. xxix. 30 



