38 OUR ISLAND STORY

and in strength. An election of members of the House of Assembly was held early in the year 1850. Advantage was taken of this opportunity to submit the question to those who then possessed the right to vote. The result was that, of the twenty-four mem- bers who at that time comprised the Assembly, eighteen of those elected were favorable to the introduction of Responsible

Government. The Legislature was called for the despatch of business on

the 5th of March 1850. On the eighth of the same month the House of Assembly adopted an amendment to the Draft Address in reply to the speech of the Lieutenant Governor at the opening of the session, in which it was stated that, ”it is essential to the satisfactory result of our joint exertions and of our deliberations on all matters affecting the interests and welfare of the inhabitants of this Colony that Her Majesty’s Executive Council should enjoy the confidence of the Country as expressed through their representatives.” Further it was declared that “this essential principle has been fully recognized by the Right Honourable, the Secretary of State for the Colonies in a despatch in which

recognition is expressed in the following words: “It cannot be .

too distinctly acknowledged that it is neither possible nor desirable to carry on the government of any of the British Provinces in North America in opposition to the opinions of its inhabitants. We consider it, therefore, our duty respectfully to state that the present Executive Council does not possess that confidence so essential to the promoting of the public welfare and so necessary to endorse to Your Excellency the harmonious co-operation of this House.”

This amendment was adopted on division. Those who voted for it were, Messrs Coles, Warburton, LeLacheur, Whelan, Clark, Fraser, Iardine, Pope, Lord, Montgomery, Davies, Mooney,

Beaton, McDonald, Flynn, Laird and McNeiIl—-17; and those

who voted against it were Hon. Mr. Palmer,Solicitor General, ‘

Hon. Mr. Thornton and Mr. Haviland,-———5. To the address

in which the amendment was embodied, the Lieutenant Governor, 811‘ Donald Campbell, replied: “You know that it is my duty to administer the Government in strict conformity with Her Maj esty’s

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