34 HISTORY OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. interest in bringing the lands speedily to the hammer, cannot be denied ; and that after so many years had elapsed since the act and the treasury minute by which a sale of the townships whose quitrents were in arrears was rendered legal, he should have chosen a period for the sale when, according to his own confession, capitalists might not be disposed to give a guinea for the island, seems to import that the governor had, in the conduct of the business, con¬ sulted his own interest rather than that of the proprietors. This impression is deepened by the proceedings which fol¬ lowed. It has been already stated that, on receiving from Eng¬ land the act which was intended to restore the property sold to the original holders, he had delayed to submit it to the house of assembly. Believing that the present house would pass the act in question, in the event of his being again ordered to submit it for their approval, he resolved on a dissolution of the house, and to exert his iuflueuce in obtain¬ ing one better suited to his purpose. He accordingly carried out his resolution early in 1784, and, in March following, a general election took place, and the legislature met soon after. It is a most significant indication of the state of public opinion at this time, in reference to the gov¬ ernor's conduct in so hastily disposing of the lauds, that the now house, instead of approving of the governor's conduct, resolved to present a complaint against him to the King, and was actually engaged in framing it, when a dissolution, by command of the governor, again took place. His Excel¬ lency, appreciating the importance of the crisis to himself personally, determined to leave no means untried to secure an assembly favorable to his views. The danger was im¬ minent ; for the recent proceedings were adopted by the house in ignorance of the views of the home government as