44 BERMUDA. 



actusilly represented elsewhere. So slow is the 

 march of opinion in Bermuda, that the political con- 

 stitution which pleased the islanders two centuries 

 ago, pleases them still ; and as regards the mass of 

 the people, there is yet no dawn of that crisis, which 

 must ever arrive where intellect advances and poli- 

 tical institutions stand still. 



I shall now briefly state what is the Constitution of 

 Bermuda, in the hope that by making its evils and 

 absurdities generally known, a step may be made 

 towards its amendment. 



The Legislature consists of three branches — the 

 Governor, who is the Queen's representative; the 

 Legislative Council, consisting of a limited number, 

 appointed by the Queen ; and the General Assembly, 

 consisting of thirty-six members, elected by the 

 people. The members of the Assembly and Council 

 are each paid eight shillings sterling per diem when 

 on duty ; this sum is voted annually, and entails on 

 the colony a considerable expense. 



The three branches of the Legislature enact laws 

 in a way similar to the Queen, Lords, and Commons 

 at home; but any Act may be set aside by the 

 Queen's disallowing it. 



The islands are divided into nine parishes, and 

 each parish sends four members to the House of 



