OUR ISLAND STORY 43

disposal of Her Majesty’s Crown Revenues when the Legis— lature shall have agreed to certain conditions; and, he added, ”I have now only to assure you that it is the sincerest wish of Her Majesty and her confidential advisors. that Prince Edward Island may advance in prosperity and, under Divine Providence, that this prosperity may be attended by the blessings of social order and of harmony among the various classes of. the people.”

To this overture the members of the House of Assembly re- sponded with alacrity and enthusiasm. In their reply to the Lieutenant Governor’s speech they declared that “they hailed with the liveliest sentiments of gratitude, the declaration of His Excellency that he would conduct the Government in such a manner as to meet, as far as possible, the wishes of the com- munity,” and.expressed their gratification that he was prepared to introduce Responsible Government into the Colony.

7 But there were conditions which they hesitated to grant. In the previous years of agitation for Responsible Government per- sonal animosities had been aroused and political quarrels en- gendered and maintained. It was alleged that there was a.“fam- ily compact” for which the Government, as it had been carried on, was unduly careful. It was charged that certain officials had obtained from the public fees and requisites to which they had no right. Naturally, these officials and their friends made com- mon cause against the movement in which those who preferred these allegations and charges were engaged. On their behalf, and as a condition precedent to the concession of Responsible Government, the Lieutenant Governor demanded that a per- manent provision should be made for the Chief Justice of the Colony, satisfactory to that officer, and that pensions ,_ of two hundred pounds a year, each, should be paid the Colonial Sec- retary and the Colonial Treasurer. The first of these conditions was at once complied with by the House of Assembly. Con- cerning the second it was suggested that the Colonial Secretary and" the Colonial Treasurer "should continue to hold their offices under the Government at salaries equal to the amounts desired as pensions. Willingness was also expressed to allow the At- torney General to continue to hold his office on condition that