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

learn the Ionians knew exactly what representative government was and he could not
prevent the rise of radical opposition in the Assembly. 107
In his address to the Ionian Parliament in 1850, Ward optimistically hoped for
a successful session that would be “honourable to the Ionian People”. 108 However,
the Assembly elected under the new Constitution did not meet Ward’s
expectations. 109 Only four previous members had returned and the remaining
majority had “no Parliamentary experience whatsoever”. 110 After the first meeting
between the Executive and Legislature, he wrote Grey his relationship with the
Assembly was not “very smooth, or very agreeable”. 111 Over the next two years, he
would repeatedly clash with them over numerous issues in his attempt to preserve
British dominance, beginning with the Oath taken at the start of Parliament.
On the 26 March twenty seven MPs, including “four Cephalonian
Republicans” and “Greek unionists”, Monferrato, Zervo, Livada, and Pillarino,
refused to take the oath traditionally taken before the creation of a new government
by every member of Parliament since 1818. The oath, framed by Maitland, referred
to an “indissoluble union” with the protecting power, which the MPs felt had no
reference “to present circumstances, or to the present Government”. 112 Although the
oath was not obligatory, Ward argued it should be taken since they were still under
107 Ward to Russell, Private, 7 September 1850, Russell Papers, PRO 30/22/8E.
108 See enclosure of Ward’s speech to the Ionian Assembly 1 January 1850 in Ward to Grey, 5 January
1850, CO 136/134.
109 Ward to Russell, 22 February 1850, Russell Papers, PRO 30/22/8C.
110 Ward to Grey, 27 March 1850, CO 136/135.
111 Ward to Russell, 6 January 1850, Russell Papers, PRO 30/22/8C; Ward to Grey, 27 March 1850,
CO 136/135.
112 Ward to Grey, 27 March 1850, CO 136/135.
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