had to own property in the municipality which produced an
 income of at least $75 in St. Croix and St. John, and $150
 dollars in St. Thomas.

 7. Candidates for office were required to have at least two
 years residence in the municipality, besides being a
 registered voter.

 8. Voting was by open declaration of candidates, not by secret
 ballot. Each voter had as many votes as there were
 members to be elected for the district.

 9. No one eligible to be a candidate could refuse election to the
 Colonial Council except for good reason.

 10. The Colonial Councils met every second month, and
 meetings were open to the public.15

 Although the Colonial Law of 1863, in general, made the planters and
 merchants feel better, to the surprise of some, there was little political enthusiasm in
 the Islands as a result of the new law. Despite efforts by the government to interest
 them only half of those eligible to register to vote did so. Worse, only a small fraction of
 those who registered actually voted. Moreover, despite the constitutional safeguards,
 several of the elected members found valid excuses to vacate their seats.

 One of the principal reasons for the lack of political enthusiasm during the
 late 1860's was due to the widespread expectation that the United States would
 acquire the Islands. In January 1868, the voters of St. Thomas and St. John had voted
 overwhelmingly in favor of the transfer. On this occasion all men 25 years old of good
 character regardless of property and income were permitted to vote.

 Moreover, there were some specific dissatisfactions with the Colonial Law
 of 1863. St. Thomians agitated to have the capital of the Islands transferred to
 St. Thomas. They also wanted the Council to be given independent power to make
 laws relating to the internal affairs of the respective municipalities. Additionally, they
 wanted the hated annual contribution of $28,000 to the Danish treasury removed or
 reduced. The special interest of the Crucians was to get a loan from the Danish
 government to assist the economically depressed planters.

 In time some of the dissatisfactions and demands of the Danish colonists
were met. In 1871 the capital of the Danish West Indies was changed from
Christiansted, St. Croix to Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas. Then, in 1874, St. Thomas
was excused from the obligation of paying $28,000 annually into the Danish treasury.
Finally in 1876 St. Croix got its loan to help the planters and the agricultural economy
of the Island.