534 HISTORY 



bill was passed by a majority of four after a strong opposition. A proposition 

 came up to appropriate money to pay the expense of the trial of the pirates. 

 A minor item in it was objected to. The whole bill of expenses was at once re- 

 jected by a resolution which declared that the Eeceiver-General had acted ille- 

 gally in paying it.'^" Excitement in the House was growing. Taunts were 

 thrown out to the Council for its yielding on the appropriation bill in the 

 previous session. The sensation produced in the Council by the reckless 

 course of the House caused the Lieutenant-Governor to see that any longer 

 continuance of this conduct could only cause greater dissatisfaction and that 

 the opposition would gain strength by it. The fractious member from the 

 Turks Islands declared, on the floor of the House, that the members then sitting 

 did not represent fairly the constituencies as they then existed, and that an ap- 

 peal to the people should be made. The Lieutenant-Governor acted upon the 

 suggestion, dissolving the House near the last of January, 1836.^°° The dis- 

 solution seemed to be at the time chosen for it by the House itself. The 

 Council concurred with the Executive in the move. It seemed likely that an 

 appeal to the people would show that the opposition was a minority in the 

 Colony. 



A serious breach in the relations of the two branches of the Assembly was 

 averted by the timely action of the Executive. Eelations had not been cordial 

 during two or three sessions, but now the House was wrought up to such a state 

 of excitement that any violent proposal against the Executive would have 

 received heedless support from the opposition. Lender such conditions an 

 exercise of the prerogative was desirable. It was important also to give to 

 the class just emerging from slavery an opportunity to reflect upon the re- 

 sponsibilities which they would soon be called upon to discharge, in voting for 

 legislators.'" 



Another Assembly was called as soon as the forms of an election could be 

 gone through. The results of the dissolution were manifest in the better spirit 

 with which the new body applied itself to legislating for the interests of the 

 Colony. More enlightened counsels prevailed. Liberal militia and education 

 bills were passed, and provision was made for the incorporation of the Turks 

 Islands.""' The administration of justice was reformed, improved regulations 



'""Loc. cit., No. 10. 



*<"'Loc. cit. Also H. v., 1835-6, pp. 138-40. 

 ^" Colebrooke to Glenelg, No. 53 (1836). 



^•^^ The act for this purpose was disallowed in the following year, H. V., 

 1837, 288. 



