conscious of its weakness, as to be incapable even of proposing any
measures of importance. This evil might be remedied by a change of
administration. But there was no real political life; only that pale and
distorted reflection of it which is apt to exist in a colony before it has
learned 'to look within itself for the centre of power.' Parties formed
themselves, not on broad issues of principle, but with reference to petty
local and personal interests; and when they sought the support of a more
widespread sentiment, they fell back on those antipathies of race, which
it was the main object of every wise Governor to extinguish.

The following extracts from private letters to Lord Grey, written within a
few months of his arrival, reflect this state of things. Though the
circumstances to which they refer are past and gone, they may not be
without interest, as affording an insight into a common phase of colonial
government.

Hitherto things have gone on well with me, much better than I hoped
for when we parted. I should have been very willing to meet the
Assembly at once, and throw myself with useful measures on the good
sense of the people, but my ministers are too weak for this. They seem
to be impressed with the belief that the regular Opposition will of
course resist whatever they propose, and that any fragments of their
own side, who happen not to be able at the moment to get what they
want, will join them. When I advise them, therefore, to go down to
Parliament with good measures and the prestige of a new Governor, and
rely on the support of public opinion, they smile and shake their
heads. It is clear that they are not very credulous of the existence
of such a controlling power, and that their faith in the efficiency of
appeals to selfish and sordid motives is greater than mine.