46 OUR ISLAND STORY "Resolved that it be recommended to the House that an addi¬ tional tax of one farthing per acre be levied on allowances and occupiers of land, of not less than five hundred acres possessed by each individual towards defraying the expense of the Civil Establishment of this Island/' The first of these resolutions was embodied in an address to the Lieutenant Governor ; and a bill was at once submitted to "commute the Crown Revenues of Prince Edward Island and to provide for the Civil List thereof, as well as for certain compen¬ sations therein mentioned/' The Lieutenant Governor express¬ ed his satisfaction with the measures adopted. Negotiations leading to the long-delayed change in the constitution of the Colony were begun on the 15th of April, 1851, and concluded nine days later. On the 25th of April, Mr. Coles announced to the House and the public that a Government responsible to the el¬ ectors had, on the previous day, been formed. Of the new Gov ¬ ernment, Mr. Coles was the Leader, Mr. Warburton , Colonial Secretary and Mr. Pope , Colonial Treasurer, Mr. Jardine , Mr. Lord and Mr. Whelan were also members of the Executive Coun ¬ cil. All were immediately distinguished by the title of "Honor¬ able." In the course of a message to the House of Assembly the Lieutenant Governor directed attention to the important truth that "every political constitution in which different bodies share the supreme power is established to exist only by the forbearance of those among whom this power is distributed." "Each branch of the Government," he pointed out, "must exercise a wise moder¬ ation; otherwise there will be confusion, disturbance of politi¬ cal relations and embarrassment of trade, retarding the pros¬ perity of the people." The fears of those who believed that Responsible Govern¬ ment in this Island would result in additional trouble were, how¬ ever, soon allayed. The people's representatives in control of the Administration proved to be more moderate and more effic¬ ient than many persons anticipated. There was party strife, of course; but the men in office showed that they were able to direct