SS^ ISLES OF SUMMEE. 



which together with his reference to the supplies which had been 

 voted, made the idea prominent that his excellency was the gov- 

 ernment itself, and not merely an executive officer authorized to 

 see that a government of written laws is duly enforced. 



After complimenting the Assembly by telling its members 

 that "they had kept pace with the legislation of the mother 

 country," he said: 



" By virtue of the power invested in me by her majesty, I now 

 prorogue this parliament until the 11th day of May next." The 

 Governor then retired, accompanied by the officials who had 

 graced and honorci the occasion with their presence. They were 

 followed by the members of tl^e two houses, and by the amused 

 and gratified spectators. The latter, for awhile, mingled with 

 the crowd outside, whose loyalty may be fairly presumed to have 

 been intensified by the inspiring notes of martial music, the 

 thunder of deei)-mouthed cannon, and the showy uniforms and 

 soldierly bearing and evolutions of the colored troops who acted 

 as a guard of honor to his excellency. 



As the legislature was only adjourned for three or four weeks, 

 the affair would have been a waste of time and powder, if time 

 had there any money value, or public shows had been more com- 

 mon. 



On those occasions when we attended the meetings of the 

 House of Assembly, its sessions were in the evening, and only 

 routine business that did not consume more than half an hour, 

 was transacted. Members rose languidly from their easy seats 

 and addressed a few words to the speaker in a low tone of voice. 

 The speaker had reduced parliamentary brevity to a fine point. 

 In putting a question, he very quietly said — "negatives rise — it 

 is carried. " This mode insured an unanimous vote in the affirm- 

 ative, as something extraordinary would be required to induce a 

 member to rise out of his comfortable and roomy chair. Thg 



