70 A HISTORY OF THE COLONY OF VICTORIA 



the Assembly was abolished ; when universal manhood suffrage was 

 the law of the land ; and when payment of members had evolved 

 a race of professional politicians, then the curb of a chamber of 

 review, admittedly in the interests of property and conservative 

 legislation, became an intolerable burden to those ardent reformers 

 who desired to make all things pleasant to themselves and their 

 contemporaries, at the expense of an unconsidered posterity. The 

 turmoil of Victorian politics, from the date of its first Parliament to 

 the end of the century, hinges mainly on the repeated attempts of 

 the Assembly to coerce the Council into accepting the decision of 

 the popular chamber as final. Though there were many compro- 

 mises and, later on, some constitutional changes which gave the 

 Council a much wider constituency, the antagonism between the two 

 branches never permanently ceased. There was always smouldering 

 fire ready to break out into sudden flame at any supposed invasion 

 of rights ; and when such invasion was unmistakably made, and 

 resisted by the Council, attempts were too often made to inflame 

 the masses against the tribunal specially appointed to prevent hasty 

 and ill-considered legislation, by branding its members as selfish 

 obstructionists of the people's will. 



The Parliament which assumed the control of Victoria's destiny 

 in 1856 had a magnificent endowment. The country was practically 

 free from debt, though it had spent 2,200,000 on roads and bridges, 

 about 650,000 on water supply, and 1,500,000 on other public 

 works. It had established a system of primary education, which, 

 though dealt with by two rival Boards, had spread some 400 schools 

 over the land, and registered fully 25,000 scholars of all ages. It 

 had commenced academic life in its University, under the guidance 

 of eminent professors, attracted from the venerable seats of English 

 culture by liberal largesse. It had opened the doors of its Public 

 Library in Melbourne, free to all mankind to make acquaintance 

 with its rapidly accumulating stores of literary treasures. It had 

 generously and equitably endowed the practice of public worship on 

 a basis of true Christian toleration. And all these creditable meas- 

 ures of progress had been paid for out of income, not with borrowed 

 money. A prosperous and energetic population, numbering close 

 on 400,000, enjoyed a national revenue of 3,000,000, based on a 



