18 RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT [PART I 
determined to stand apart from any appearance of favouring 
any one side in the country, and to accept any measure 
which was suggested by his ministers, unless it were of so 
extreme a party character that the Assembly or the people 
would be sure to approve his refusal. He had troubles to 
face : his first ministry, a Conservative one, was very weak, 
and he found it difficult to induce them to face Parliament, 
while they were unable to undertake any substantial work 
because of the chances of defeat in the Assembly ; he noted 
also that the racial split was unhappy; a Conservative 
administration meant British control, a Liberal one a French 
dominion, and he wished for a consummation which has 
partly been fulfilled in our time, the division of the French 
into two parties in some correspondence with the divisions in 
the British party. The principle which governed his action 
he thus described :— 
I give to my ministers all constitutional support, frankly 
and without reserve, and the benefit of the best advice 
that I can afford them in their difficulties. In return 
for this I expect that they will, in so far as it is possible 
for them to do so, carry out my views for the mainten- 
ance of the connexion of Great Britain and the advance- 
ment of the interests of the Province. On this tacit 
understanding we have acted together harmoniously up to 
this time, although I have never concealed from them 
that I intend to do nothing which may prevent me from 
working cordially with their opponents if they are forced 
upon me. That ministries and oppositions should occasion- 
ally change places is of the very essence of our constitutional 
system, and it is probably the most conservative element 
which it contains. By subjecting all sections of politicians 
in their turn to official responsibilities it obliges heated 
partisans to place some restraints on passion, and to confine 
within the bound of decency the patriotic zeal with which 
when out of place they are wont to be animated. 
Lord Elgin’s principles were carried out in practice when, 
in March 1848, a vote of no confidence by the Assembly led 
to the resignation of his ministers : he made no attempt to 
keep them in office, and merely appointed a ministry from 
the opposition, which act he reported to the Secretary of