THE BAHAMA ISLANDS 537 



senior member, was to administer the government. The customary addresses 

 had been presented and the Governor had set the 36th of July as the date on 

 which he would sail. Pour days before that time the July mail brought a 

 commission to Charles R. Nesbitt, the Public Secretary, as Lieutenant-Gov- 

 ernor, thus placing him next the Governor, and in advance of all other claim- 

 ants to the temporary administration in the absence of the Governor. New 

 instructions also came for the swearing in anew of the members of the Ex- 

 ecutive Council, in which George C. Anderson, the Attorney-General, was now 

 to take rank next to the newly commissioned Lieutenant-Governor."'" If the em- 

 barrassment to the Governor was great, the disappointment of the older mem- 

 bers of his Council was greater. A mere seat in this Council gave weight and 

 influence to the holder, but the desirability of holding a seat was greatly 

 enhanced by the possibility of eventually becoming administrator of the 

 government. By this new arrangement the older members were set aside 

 and younger men, the most recent appointees, were placed above them in rank. 

 The consistent and cordial support given to the Governors during so many 

 years could not be expected to continue, if the older members were made to 

 think that they were of less consequence than the then recent appointees."^ 

 This arrangement also threatened to break down the government control of 

 the House of Assembly, since the public secretary would be compelled to 

 resign his seat in the House on his assumption of the government. It had 

 been far from the intention of the Governor, in making recommendations to 

 the Colonial Department, to bring about such a state of affairs as this."'" Such 

 tampering with the rank of members of the Council would not have encouraged 

 men of high standing in the community to accept the tender of seats in it. 

 Nevertheless the embarrassing instructions were followed out. The ceremony 

 of swearing in the Council was performed amid the evident mortification of 

 the older members.""" Cockburn attempted to secure an arrangement by which 

 the former senior member would assume the government, suspending the 

 application of the new instruction. Nesbitt at first agreed to abide by the 

 preexisting arrangement. Afterwards he refused to do so and persisted in his 

 determination to follow out the instruction.'"* The Governor still delayed to 



"" Cockburn to Russell, No. 130. Ds. S. St., 1841, No. 107, enclosed instruction 

 of May 1. 



™ Cockburn to Russell, No. 97. 



™ Loc. cit. 



■^ Loc. cit. No. 131. 



=™ Loc. cit., No. 130. 



