26 CONSTITUTIONAL HISTORY OF THE PROVINCES. to a deputation being sent to England to request that the control of the public revenues be vested in the Assembly. Control of The Colonial Secretary complied with the request, and issued finance. . tuctions to the Governor and Executive Council to sur- render the territorial revenues in consideration of the grant by the Assembly of a liberal permanent civil list. Responsi The next step taken by the Assembly was to establish the OL ern. responsibility of the ministers to the Assembly. In 1847 ment. Parl Grey as Colonial Secretary forwarded a despatch to the Governor of Nova Scotia defining the theory of responsible government as applicable to the provinces. He laid down the principle that the executive councillors who directed the policy of the government should hold office only while they retained the confidence of the House, and that all govern- ment officials should be excluded from both branches of the legislature. In the following year a resolution asserting the application of the above principles was introduced and passed by a large majority of the Assembly, and from that time the responsibility of ministers was fully recognised. The Quebec resolutions for effecting a Confederation of the Provinces were brought before the people at the general election held in March, 1865, but a majority of the new Assembly proved hostile to the scheme. In the following year the Legislative Council passed a resolution favourable to the Union, and the ministry thereupon resigned. A general election immediately followed, and on the 30th of June a resolution in favour of confederation was carried in the Assembly by 31 votes to 8. A similar resolution was passed by the Legislative Council. 4. MANITOBA. By section 146 of the British North American Act, 1867, power was given to Her Majesty in Council, on address from the Houses of Parliament of Canada, to admit Rupert's Land and