THE BAHAMA ISLANDS 439 



the Governor determined at once upon a dissolution of it." The matter was 

 hushed up finally with the termination of this session of the legislature, 

 except for a proposal in the spring of 1831 to the effect that conciliation would 

 not compromise the dignit}' of the House. The change for the better in the 

 feeling of the House is shown in the failure of this motion. There was almost 

 a two-thirds majority against it.''^ 



Adoption of the Registration System. 



The four years spent by the House of Assembly in its persecution of the 

 other departments of the local government had meant four years delay in 

 the establishment of the system of registration for the slaves. During the 

 struggle a bill had been passed, which, however, did not meet the approval of 

 the home government.'^ It did not provide for the forfeiture of non-regis- 

 tered slaves, nor did it provide for an accurate description of the slaves such 

 that they could be identified, as was desirable to the British Ministry." Other 

 minor objections were laid before the Assembly with an urgent recommenda- 

 tion that an improved bill be passed. The Bahamas had always prided them- 

 selves on their loyalty to the British Crown. In his appeal to the House to 

 pass a suitable bill for registration. Governor Grant urged that they should 

 not pass a bill that would have to be disallowed, thus appearing to justify the 

 imputation against them that the Bahamas were disregarding the wishes of 

 the King.^° The House finally yielded and passed a bill, granting certain of 

 the more important points that had been urged in the recommendations. It 

 provided sufficient regulations for the removal of slaves from one colony to 

 another. But there were defects in other parts that called for supplementary 

 legislation to make the registration system satisfactory to those who were de- 

 manding it."" Although important concessions were made in this, for the sake 



'^^ Log. cit., p. 41. This session had begun about the middle of the month of 

 November. The prorogation took place on November ?,(). The Assembly was pro- 

 rogued to December 15, but on December 6 a proclamation of dissolution was 

 issued. 



•'-H. v., 1821, p. 22. 



^^ H. v., 1821, p. 38. This bill when it was passed by the House of Assembly 

 was not regarded even by the membership of the House as one which would suit the 

 " visionary speculations of the dangerous party at home." Loc. cit., 1817, p. 109. 



^H. v., 1821, p. 38, despatch of the Secretary of State detailing objections to 

 the House bill. 



"^H. v., 1821, p. 38. 



""H. v., 1822, pp. 65-66. 



