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

Seaton presented his scheme regarding the free elections to the Assembly at the
end of April and they were adopted in two resolutions on 8 th May 1849. In early
May, Seaton proposed the introduction of the secret ballot in elections to “complete
the representative system proposed in the resolutions”. 114 A Royal Address by the
Ionian Assembly was enclosed in Seaton’s dispatch where the Ionians warned the
British government elections without secret ballot would became “a source of
discord, hatred, and corruption” and were not an independent reliable procedure. 115
Senior staff of the Colonial Office felt Seaton had overstretched the boundaries of
concessions. 116 Grey again dismissed their concerns and authorised Seaton’s proposal
for “the welfare of the Ionian people”. 117 He believed the latest modification was
“rational” and consistent with the overall package of reforms. Seaton’s changes,
however, went further than the Colonial Office had authorised. Seaton had ignored
the Treasury’s instructions and the required guarantees concerning military
protection and the Civil List were only vaguely implied.
Under the new plan, Seaton retained the veto regarding the election of the
Senate. Strachey was pleased and believed the Constitution would “closely resemble
that of Jamaica and some other West Indies Colonies, in which the same persons
constitute the Legislative and Executive”. 118 However, inaccurate translations from
Italian to English contributed to ambiguities in the resolutions, a significant issue
since most of the colonial staff did not speak or read Italian. Although corrections
114 Seaton to Grey, 10 May 1849, CO 136/130.
115 Grey to Seaton, 8 October 1849, CO 136/130.
116 See minutes in Seaton to Grey, 10 May 1849, CO 136/130.
117 Grey to Seaton, 8 October 1849, CO 136/130.
118 See minutes in Seaton to Grey, Confidential, 10 May 1849, CO 136/130.
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