Tenant League
Encyclopedia
The Tenant League in Prince Edward Island
was a 19th-century agrarian
populist
movement whose goal was the "dismantling of the proprietary land system" in that province.
Question, which arose in 1767 when King George III
divided the island into 67 lots, which he allocated to his supporters by lottery. Many tenant farmer
s in the province were unhappy with their inability to gain title in the land they worked. Most also faced burdensome rents
.
The grants were conditional on certain settlement conditions which were often not fulfilled. However, the political connection of the grantees generally meant that the government could not or would not contest them, in spite of calls from the province's tenants.
At a parade in 1865 the government attempted to arrest Samuel Fletcher
, the league's leader. However, the crowd of members prevented it. Governor George Dundas
then banned the organization, but they refused to disband. Defiance and collective action would continue to characterize the league's existence, as they clashed with officials dispatched to collect rents. This prompted the introduction of British troops to put down the "Tenant League Riots" in 1866.
. Under the terms of union, the government of Canada provided financial help to the province in purchasing the remaining leaseholds. In 1878 PEI passed its compulsory Land Purchase Act which finally dispossessed the absentee landlords and made the land available for purchase in fee simple
to the local population.
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
was a 19th-century agrarian
Agrarianism
Agrarianism has two common meanings. The first meaning refers to a social philosophy or political philosophy which values rural society as superior to urban society, the independent farmer as superior to the paid worker, and sees farming as a way of life that can shape the ideal social values...
populist
Populism
Populism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social...
movement whose goal was the "dismantling of the proprietary land system" in that province.
Context
The League was formed in response to the Absentee LandlordAbsentee landlord
Absentee landlord is an economic term for a person who owns and rents out a profit-earning property, but does not live within the property's local economic region. This practice is problematic for that region because absentee landlords drain local wealth into their home country, particularly that...
Question, which arose in 1767 when King George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
divided the island into 67 lots, which he allocated to his supporters by lottery. Many tenant farmer
Tenant farmer
A tenant farmer is one who resides on and farms land owned by a landlord. Tenant farming is an agricultural production system in which landowners contribute their land and often a measure of operating capital and management; while tenant farmers contribute their labor along with at times varying...
s in the province were unhappy with their inability to gain title in the land they worked. Most also faced burdensome rents
Socage
Socage was one of the feudal duties and hence land tenure forms in the feudal system. A farmer, for example, held the land in exchange for a clearly defined, fixed payment to be made at specified intervals to his feudal lord, who in turn had his own feudal obligations, to the farmer and to the Crown...
.
The grants were conditional on certain settlement conditions which were often not fulfilled. However, the political connection of the grantees generally meant that the government could not or would not contest them, in spite of calls from the province's tenants.
Activity
The league was created in December 1864. By the summer of 1864, most of the Island's tenants were members. In a convention at Charlottetown, the league adopted a constitution which urged its members to withhold payment of rents.At a parade in 1865 the government attempted to arrest Samuel Fletcher
Samuel Fletcher
Samuel Fletcher was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1920 to 1922.Fletcher worked as a farmer, and lived in Holmfield, Manitoba during his time in politics. He was elected to the Manitoba legislature in the 1920 provincial election,...
, the league's leader. However, the crowd of members prevented it. Governor George Dundas
George Dundas
George Dundas CMG was a Scottish Tory politician and colonial administrator.Born in England, he was the eldest son of James Dundas, and resided in Dundas Castle. Dundas purchased a Second Lieutenantcy in the Rifle Brigade in 1839, serving in various places such as Bermuda and Nova Scotia...
then banned the organization, but they refused to disband. Defiance and collective action would continue to characterize the league's existence, as they clashed with officials dispatched to collect rents. This prompted the introduction of British troops to put down the "Tenant League Riots" in 1866.
Influence
In 1873, after a failed railroad project pushed the Island almost to bankruptcy, it joined the Dominion of CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Under the terms of union, the government of Canada provided financial help to the province in purchasing the remaining leaseholds. In 1878 PEI passed its compulsory Land Purchase Act which finally dispossessed the absentee landlords and made the land available for purchase in fee simple
Fee simple
In English law, a fee simple is an estate in land, a form of freehold ownership. It is the most common way that real estate is owned in common law countries, and is ordinarily the most complete ownership interest that can be had in real property short of allodial title, which is often reserved...
to the local population.