RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT. 107

new one, which met on the fifth of March, 1850. In the reply to the governor’s speech, the assembly inserted a. paragraph, in which want of confidence in the executive council was emphatically expressed. Mr. Coles also moved a resolution in the house, embodying the reasons of the- asscmbly for its want of confidence, and refusing to grant supplies till the government should be remodelled, or in other words, responsible government conceded. The gover- nor proposed to meet the views of the house so far, on his own responsibility, as to admit into the executive council three gentlemen possessing its confidence in room of three- junior members of the council. This proposal was not deemed acceptable. The house then adopted an address to the Queen, in which its views were set forth. The house contended that, in taking measures to secure responsible government, the governor would be only acting in accord-1 ance with the spirit of his instructions, and that as all the members of the executive council had resigned, there was no impediment to the introduction of the desired change. The house was prorogued on the twenty-sixth of March, but again summoned on the twenty—fifth of April. \Vhilst the house granted certain limited supplies, it refused to proceed to the transaction of the other business to which its atten- tion was called in the governor’s opening speech. N0 pro-~ vision was made for the roads and bridges, and other services, and the governor, in his answer to the address of the house in reply to his closing speech, said: “ I should fail in the performance of my duty, if I did not express my disapprobation of your premeditated neglect of your legis- lative functions.”

The governor transmitted an able (lcspatch to the colonial secretary, in 1849, on the resources of the island, which Lord Grey appreciated highly; but the career of the baronet