The matter was debated at some length, but the course of events that followed is far from clear. Either from apathy, indecision, or deliberate purpose, or perhaps with the intention of meeting the strongly expressed wishes of the colony - for it is well known that the government of Charles I was favourably disposed toward the king's dominion of Virginia - the system of popular representation was allowed to continue, and the principle was firmly established - a principle of far-reaching importance in British colonisation - that a royal colony should be self-governing, and should have a governor and council appointed in England and a popular assembly chosen by the electors - freemen or freeholders - in America. Though self-government was in no sense democratic government, and though popular interest in law-making was never very keen during colonial times, nevertheless the very presence of a popular assembly in a royal British colony in America was a factor of tremendous consequence in the development of American political ideas.