PRINCE EDWARD'S ISLAND. 3 acts and that the Executive Council should be deemed the constitutional advisers of Her Majesty's representative. Earl Grey in a despatch to the Lieutenant-Governor in January 1849 pointed out, that the introduction of responsible government in a colony depended on the increase of the com- munity in wealth, numbers and importance, and expressed the view that the conditions which would warrant the in- troduction of responsible government into Prince Edwards Island were wanting. In a subsequent despatch Earl Grey intimated that if the other expenses of government were defrayed by the Island the home Government would provide the salary of the Governor. The Assembly offered to accept the suggestion provided the Crown surrendered all claim to the quit rents and Crown lands and conceded responsible government. The latter condition Earl Grey refused to grant and the Assembly thereupon adopted the expedient of refusing supplies. This course proved successful and in 1851 the concession was made. The proposal to unite all the provinces in one Confedera- Polen bion was not received with favour in Prince Edward’s Island. “*™ After the Quebec Conference public meetings were held to protest against the Island joining the Union and in the Assembly only five members were in its favour. In the following session (1866) the Assembly resolved that this House cannot admit that a federal union of the North American Provinces and Colonies which would include Prince Edward's Island could ever be accomplished on terms that would prove advantageous to the interests and well-being of the people of this island, separated as it is and must ever remain, from the neighbouring provinces by an immoveable barrier of ice for Many months in the year.” The question continued to be discussed in the following years, and at length in 1873 the Executive Council adopted a minute that, if liberal terms of Union were offered, the Government would dissolve the As- w .