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

from participating in the debate over the expenses of the governmental
departments. 12 When the budget was delivered halving the salaries of “carpenters and
skilled handicraftsmen” Young, with the support of the Senate, tried but failed to
overturn the Assembly’s decision. He retaliated by rejecting the Assembly’s motion
for the governor to abandon the High Police Power, arguing the powers were
necessary “for the preservation of peace and order” against the licence and hostility
of the radical press. 13
He refused to meet the Assembly, saying they were unfit to perform their
duties, citing personal and family rivalries, jealousies and bickering. Moreover,
twenty three members of the Assembly, the Risospasti and their associates, formed a
consistently negative majority. 14 He compared their presence and actions to the Irish
party in the House of Commons. The Irish party was “negative”, objecting “on all
subjects and occasion to every political formation that was not ready to admit and
second their views”. The Risospasti were
men who refuse altogether to acknowledge the British protection
and…vote against every proposition emanating from the Executive,
even against those the necessity of which they admit and of the
principles of which they approve. 15
But unlike the Irish party, which was relatively weak, the Risospasti were a powerful
force in the Assembly and Ionian society who “worked upon the political and
religious susceptibilities of a very poor, a very ignorant, and a very excitable
12 Young to Russell, 14 July 1854, CO 136/156.
13 Young to Labouchere, 7 November 1857, CO 136/157.
14 Young to Russell, 14 July 1856, CO 136/156.
15 Young to Molesworth, 5 September 1855, CO 136/156.
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