member of an old Conservative family, one of
whom was speaker of the British House of Commons for a great many years.
The traditions of this family were all opposed to such a radical measure
as the prohibitory law, and, therefore, it was not to be expected that
Manners-Sutton, who drank wine at his own table, and who considered that
its use was proper and necessary, would be favourable to the law. But
even if he had been disposed to favour it originally, or to regard it
without prejudice, the confusion which it caused in the province when
the attempt was made to enforce it, would naturally incline him to look
upon it as an evil. At all events, he came to the conclusion that the
people should have another opportunity of pronouncing upon it, and, as
the result of this view of the situation, resolved to dissolve the
legislature, which had been elected only a little more than a year, and
had still three years to run.

{DISSOLUTION OF LEGISLATURE}

The election which followed in July, 1856, was perhaps the most hotly
contested that has ever taken place in the province. In St. John,
especially, the conflict was fierce and bitter, because it was in this
city that the liquor interest was strongest and most influential. All
over the province, however, the people became interested in the
struggle, as they had not been in any previous campaign.

By the Liberals and friends of the government, the action of Governor
Sutton was denounced as tyrannical, unjust and entirely contrary to the
principles of responsible government. On the other hand, the friends of
the governor and of the liquor interest declared that his action was
right, and the cry of "Support the governor," was raised in every
county. At this day it is easy enough to discern that there was a good
deal of unnecessary violence injected into the campaign, and that
neither party was inclined to do full justice to the other.

CHAPTER IV

REFORM AND PROGRESS

The result of the election was the defeat of the government. Mr. Tilley
lost his seat for St. John city, and the Hon. James Brown, the
surveyor-general, was rejected by the county of Charlotte, so that two
of the principal members of the executive were not in their places when
the House was called together in July. The city of St. John, and the
city and county of St. John, sent a solid phalanx of six members opposed
to prohibition, and an Act repealing the prohibitory liquor law was
passed by a vote of th