CHAP. IV] THE GOVERNOR AS HEAD 183 
Mr. Brown and Mr. Dorion, and suggested that Mr. Brown 
should form a Ministry. Mr. Brown did so, and then 
discussed with the Governor the question of dissolution. 
He was badly beaten at once in both Houses of the Legisla- 
ture, and it was clear that he could only dissolve. * But the 
Governor, in a long and reasoned memorandum, declined to 
grant a dissolution, on the ground that there seemed no reason 
to be sure that the Government could not be managed by 
the old administration without a dissolution ; that a dis- 
solution promised little prospect of change; that there was 
no reason to ascribe to the measures suggested by the new 
Ministry any special efficacy to deal with the troubles then 
affecting the two parts of the province, and that the time 
of harvest was inconvenient for an election. On learning 
the decision the administration resigned and the new 
ministers took their seats again, not being compelled to 
secure re-election, as there had been no substantial break 
in the tenure of their. offices! This, however, involved a 
curious ‘double shuffle’, ministers first accepting new offices so 
as to comply with the terms of the Act 20 Vict. c. 22, and then 
taking over their old offices, a proceeding naturally severely 
criticized in public, and the Act was later changed. 
In 1860 the Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia declined 
to grant ministers a dissolution after defeat in the House, 
and the case is interesting because he met in his defence 
the argument that the Governor is a mere figurehead. ‘Mr. 
Johnston (the Premier),” he wrote, would place a Governor 
in the same position as the Queen, and the Council in the 
position of the Cabinet at home, forgetting entirely that the 
Governor is himself responsible to the Home Government, 
and that it is no excuse for him to say in answer to any 
charge against his administration of affairs, I did so by 
she advice of my Council.” His action was justified by the 
result, as the Opposition formed a successful administration.? 
In 1877 the Governor of New South Wales sent home for 
“17 U. C. Q. B. 310; 8 U. C. C. P. 479. 
i. ove Scotia Assembly Journals. 1860, App. pp. 11-46 : 1861, App. 
0. YY.