 Brown was more interested in representation by population; Macdonald's priority was a federation that the other colonies could join.The two compromised and agreed that the new government would support the "federative principle"—a conveniently elastic phrase.The discussions were not public knowledge and Macdonald stunned the Assembly by announcing that the dissolution was being postponed because of progress in negotiations with Brown—the two men were not only political rivals, but were known to hate each other.