Mr. Froude's Negrophobia. 115 
public a6ts show that he has confidence in his fellows. 
Although he had already become Chief Justice of Bar 
bados when the present Franchise Acl came into force, 
the movement in favour of the extension of the 
Franchise may safely be said to have been initiated 
by Mr. REEVES. By the operation of the new 
Law the electorate has been increased from 1631 
to 4,200 voters. Even this mild measure of reform, is 
one at which Mr FROUDE sapiently shakes his head. 
Ignorant as he is of all that relates to the welfare of the 
West Indies, he does not know that Legislation 
for Barbados is initiated in the Legislature of Bar- 
bados. By the exercise of his imagination, he explains 
the extension of the Franchise, more suo : — " By an 
" ordinance from home the suffrage has been widely 
" extended, obviously as a step to larger intended 
" changes" (pp. 103, 104). Not even are Crown Colo- 
nies governed by " Ordinances from home." How much 
less, then, a Colony like Barbados, which enjoys Repre- 
sentative Government ! Having once invented his 
fa6ls, our Tourist cannot help running riot with his 
error. In this manner, when he finds the Governor of 
Barbados anxious, over-anxious he thinks, owing to the 
hard times Barbados was passing through in the early 
part of 1887, Mr. FROUDE thus sententiously delivers 
himself : " The Government at home, no doubt 
" with the best intentions, has aggravated any peril 
" which there may be by enlarging the suffrage" 
(p. 104). 
Our author's attitude towards the Imperial Govern- 
ment is at all times that of a tiresome scold. In the 
matter of the extension of the Franchise in Barbados, 
P2 
