Constructing Ionian identities: the Ionian Islands in British official ...

secured in favour of government”. 108 The Assembly sat for five years and elected its
president subject to the double veto of the governor.
The Upper House of the Ionian Parliament was a Senate consisting of six
members, five of whom were elected by the Legislative Assembly, subject to the
double veto by Maitland. The Senate was divided into three departments: general,
political and financial. It was an executive council and Maitland’s right hand in
government. The Secretary of the Senate was an Englishman appointed by Maitland
to ensure “nothing can be done from day to day without it being reported to the Lord
High Commissioner”. The President of the Senate was appointed for a term of two
and a half years and possessed the title “His Highness” because “title in this country
is everything, but the substance comparatively nothing”. 109 All the proceedings and
acts of the Senate were laid before the Lord High Commissioner.
It was intended every member of the Legislative Assembly would be elected
indirectly by the Lord High Commissioner, whose control would be guaranteed by
the veto and who sanctioned motions by the Assembly in cooperation with the
Senate. The Assembly controlled the ordinary expenses of the Islands, with the Civil
List controlled by the Senate and the expenditure by Maitland. Sessions of
Parliament were biennial and lasted for three months. When the Assembly was in
recess the Senate could make provisional laws (Atti di Governo). Indeed, the
108 Maitland’s notes in the Constitutional Charter, CO 136/7.
109 Ibid.
106