GOVERNMENT. 45 



Assembly. The representative must be a person 

 qualified by possessing real estate of 240Z. sterling 

 in value ; and an elector must have a qualification 

 of 601. sterling in real estate. 



Thirty-six members, who compose the House of 

 Assembly, are thought necessary to represent a 

 population of only 12,000 inhabitants. At no time 

 does party spirit run so high as at the election of 

 a member. Upon such occasions, the whole island 

 is in a ferment. To vote, is to stamp a man of one 

 party or another. 



It is utterly impossible for any one unacquainted 

 with Bermuda to form an idea of the length to 

 which party spirit is carried. It enters into the 

 most private relations of life. A tory and a radical 

 are as distinct, and have as little in common between 

 them, as if they were men not only of different, 

 countries, but of countries hostile to each other. 

 The most admirable proposition that imited wisdom 

 and patriotism ever contrived, if emanating from 

 one party, would be received with coolness by the 

 other. In private society, too, the distinction is very 

 strongly marked: families of different parties do 

 not mingle; and even tradesmen find their custom 

 affected in a considerable degree by these political 

 divisions. 



