sing to
have the interests of the nation at heart, were determined to ruin those
interests by their obstinate selfishness, he should quit Greece at once,
unless, before the close of the day, they agreed to lay aside their
differences.

That wise threat was successful. The factions coalesced, and decided to
meet in joint assembly at Damala, also known by its ancient name of
Troezene. On the 4th of April Lord Cochrane was able to write to them in
a different tone. "Having come to Greece," he said, "with a firm
determination to have nothing to do with party rivalries, except so far
as to seek to conciliate them for the public good, and not to trouble
myself about civil affairs, beyond assuring myself of the legality of my
functions as Admiral of Greece, and having resolved to do all in my
power to obtain its deliverance from the Mahometan yoke, as well as from
all foreign domination, I am well pleased at the reunion of all your
members in a single National Assembly, and congratulate you on the
restoration of harmony. Allow me, at the same time, to offer my prayers
for the unanimity of the members of the Government, and for the prompt
completion of the business of the National Assembly, in order that its
members may depart to their respective provinces, and use their great
influence to impress upon their compatriots the imminent danger of the
State, and induce them to rush to arms, and by one simultaneous effort
expel the oppressors of Greece. After that the Legislative Assembly will
have leisure, and the requisite security, to deliberate upon the
constitution, the laws, and the arrangements necessary to establish upon
a permanent footing the happiness and the prosperity of their
fellow-citizens."

Having thus done so much for Greece, Lord Cochrane was asked to do more.
"The deputies whom you did me the honour to send," he wrote, on the
following day, "having informed me of the difficulties which you find in
forming a Government with the necessary promptitude because of the
jealousies shown in choosing citizens to fill situations of authority,
permit me to advise that each member should write down the name of the
person of his choice, and place it in an urn, and that he who thus
obtains the highest number of votes should be president, the second,
vice-president, and the others ranged in order until the number of
functionaries is complete. In this way you will avoid discussions,
animosities, and the loss of time, which is