we himself was still a
little misty in his views, and accepted the speakership as well as a seat
in the Executive Council, thus becoming at once umpire and participant, a
position impossible to-day. In the next year, however, he resigned the
speakership to accept the post of collector of customs for Halifax.

But the great wrangle was over the extent to which Responsible Government
had been conceded. One member of the government said that 'Responsible
Government was responsible nonsense--it was independence. It would be a
severing of the link which bound the colony to the mother country.'
Johnston, at the time sitting in the Upper House, did not go so far, but
said that 'in point of fact it is not the intention to recognize the
direct responsibility which has been developed in the address. To
concede such would be inconsistent with colonial relations.' There was
no fundamental discrepancy between Johnston's views and those of Howe.
Later on in the same speech, Johnston, while considering the subject to
be 'incapable of exact definition,' yet said that 'the change simply is
that it becomes the duty of the representative of Her Majesty to
ascertain the wishes and feelings {74} of the people through their
representatives, and to make the measures of government conform to these
so far as is consistent with his duty to the mother country.' This is
really much the same as Howe's statement that 'the Executive, which is to
carry on the administration of the country, should sympathize with to a
large extent, and be influenced by, and when proper be composed of to a
certain degree, those who possess the confidence of the country';
especially when this is taken in connection with his other statement that
he had no wish for colonial assemblies 'to interfere in the great
national regulations, in arrangements respecting the army or navy of the
Empire, or the prerogatives of the parliament or Crown.' But the
emphasis was different. Howe insisted on the greatness of the change in
local administration; Johnston on the amount of still surviving control
by the mother country. The little rift in the lute was already apparent,
and was increased by the natural tendency of the governor to consult the
courtly Johnston, and to show impatience at the brusque familiarity of
Howe.

The tension became greater and greater. There is no reason to doubt that
both Howe {75} and Johnston tried to play the game. But their
temperaments and th