CONCESSION OF EXECUTIVE RESPONSIBILITY.

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ascendency of the other; there was a necessity that the Government should be independent of both, impartial between them, and filling the public offices of the colony from the most competent of either; and that, from the existing unfair and unequal division of electoral districts, the majority of the assembly represented the Roman Catholics, who formed a minority of the population entirely under the sway of the priesthood, therefore the immediate effect of the change would be to transfer to the latter the government of the colony with its patronage and power.'

But it was not by arguments that the matter was to be settled. The advocates of the system, having the majority in the assembly, could hinder all legislation but what tended to promote their object, could throw difficulties in the way of the local Executive, could harass and perplex the Governor, and could send deputations to besiege the Colonial Office in Downing Street, charging the cost of such delegations on the revenues of the country. In the persistent use of these means the prospect at length opened out of ultimate success attending the efforts of the liberal party, as it was called. Earl Grey, and afterwards Sir John Pakington, had stood firm against innovation, but the Duke of Newcastle, who succeeded the latter, gave signs of yielding: and in 1854, it was communicated to the Governor (Ker B. Hamilton, Esq., who followed Sir Gaspard le Marchant, 1852) that 'Her Majesty's Government had come to the conclusion that they ought not to withhold from Newfoundland those institutions and that civil administration which under

the popular name of Responsible Government had been adopted in all Her Majesty's neighbouring possessions in North America; and that they were prepared to concede the immediate application of the system as soon as certain necessary preliminary conditions had been acceded to on the part of the Legislature.'

The principal of these conditions was 'the indemnification of present holders of those offices, which by the change in question will be rendered liable to be vacated at the will of the majority of the Legislature.'

It was not until 1855 that the system was inaugurated, Governor Hamilton having previously been promoted to another colony-his removal having doubtless been effected at the instance of the dominant party in Newfoundland, who had not found His Excellency sufficiently pliant to their wishes. To his successor Charles Henry Darling, Esq., belonged the honour of introducing a new era in the government of the country. As was to have been expected, the principal offices as held under the old régime were immediately vacated (the holders retiring on pensions, to be paid out of the local revenues), and were filled up by the heads of the party that had mainly contributed to bring about the change.

In the year 1857, all classes in the colony, even those who were most pleased with the Home authorities for granting the boon of responsible government, were excited to considerable indignation by the action of the British Ministry in reference to the fisheries, a subject of far greater consequence to the interests of the community than any political trans

CONVENTION WITH FRANCE [1856] CANCELLED. 431

formation. The time was that in which the alliance between England and France had been consolidated by the triumphant issue of events at Sebastopol, when, therefore, it was not unnatural for the high contracting parties in that great business to be mutually disposed to review any other matters between them in which each had an interest, and by a readjustment of details perhaps promote the advantage of both. Unfortunately, the fisheries of

Newfoundland were chosen as the field on which this experiment of rectifying existing arrangements and making mutual concessions was to be tried. The two Governments accordingly entered into a convention, ostensibly founded on the give and take principle, but in which it appears that the French negotiators astutely managed to secure the lion's share of the taking, feebly balanced with the minimum of giving

up.

The British ministry seem to have been in doubt as to whether the people of Newfoundland would be quite satisfied with the new arrangement, but to have trusted that if its provisions were a little unpalatable, yet they would be accepted and swallowed under the soothing influence of feelings of gratitude for the late boon of Responsible Government. In this they were greatly mistaken. When the Convention reached St. John's its terms were intently scrutinised by men who had a vital stake in the subject-matter to which it referred; and by them it was speedily discovered that what the French had agreed to concede was comparatively valueless, while their proposed appropriations would half ruin the Newfoundland

fisheries. There was but one sentiment on the question. Liberals and conservatives, merchants and labourers, clergy and laity, all combined to denounce the shameful convention. The Legislature appointed delegates to go to London to remonstrate with the Ministry, others to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Canada, to rouse the feelings of the sister colonies against the measure. These demonstrations soon put an end to the negotiation between the two cabinets so far as it affected the Newfoundland fisheries. On being made acquainted with the angry storm which had broken out in the colony, the Secretary of State wrote a despatch to Governor Darling announcing the withdrawment of the offensive clauses. His communication closed with the following unequivocal recognition of the right of a colony to have the deciding voice in reference to a measure in which its own interests were so much concerned :

The proposals contained in the convention having been now unequivocally refused by the colony, they will of course fall to the ground; and you are authorised to give such assurance as you may think proper, that the consent of the community of Newfoundland is regarded by Her Majesty's government as the essential preliminary to any modification of their territorial or maritime rights.

The making known this reassuring despatch was among the last public acts of Governor Darling. He had already been notified of his appointment to the government of Jamaica. His successor in Newfoundland had also been appointed-Sir Alexander

ADMINISTRATION OF SIR A. BANNERMAN-1857.

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Bannerman, translated from the Bahamas, who, arriving at St. John's on June 8, 1857, immediately entered on the duties of his office, which he has worthily filled to this day. The popular leaders who had gained the boon of responsible government in 1855, and who, through the grant, attained to the direction of affairs in the colony, were fortunate in having a succession of favourable seasons for the commencement of the working of the new system.

Bountiful fisheries, with their accompaniments of extensive trade, abundant and well-paid industry, and an immensely augmented revenue, seemed to cast a reflective light, glorifying the recent institution of self-government: and in many respects the members of the executive showed themselves to be men adapted to their places and to the times. They effected a great amount of good by improving the means of communication between the several districts; by encouraging the direct transit by steam to and from the mother-country and the United States, as well as between the capital and the outports; by increasing the number of lighthouses on the coast; by fostering the scheme for a telegraph line through the country; and by manifesting great pecuniary liberality in the promotion of education. But unfortunately they overlooked the fact that prosperous times are not the result of political changes, and that they are liable to be followed by times of adversity. For such the Government made no provision, by employing some portion of the public revenue for the reduction of the colonial debt. On the contrary, they increased

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