Colonial Despatches

1. I have the honor of acknowledging the receipt of your Despatch No 16 of the 2nd Septr last, 1 explanatory of the legal position which I now fill in the Colony of British Columbia and the nature of the forms and duties demanding my immediate attention.

2. The instructions contained in your Despatch in reference to the discharge of those duties will receive early attention; and with that view I purpose to proceed in a few days hence to British Columbia to make formal proclamation of the Act of Parliament under which the Colony is to be governed. I feel exceedingly obliged to you for your kindness in explaining the necessity and consequences of that formal proclamation of the Act, and of the proclamation of indemnity which I shall afterwards issue, in protecting myself, and mysubordinate subordinate officers from legal proceedings.

3. I shall also not fail to attend to your further instructions respecting the establishment of Courts of justice; defining miners rights by positive regulations, instead of allowing them to grow up by mere custom or accident and the establishment of a Police Force; which as you will observe by my previous communications have been, to some extent, already executed, but will be more perfectly carried into effect, upon the arrival of Mr Begbie, an event which I anticipate with satisfaction, as affordinga a prospect of relief from the burthens now borne by the Executive alone.

4. In another communication herewith, 2 I mentioned my intention to proclaim the revocation of the Hudson's Bay Company's License of Trade in a few days, though practically it has already ceased to exist.

5. The extensive powers which Her Majesty's Government have intrusted to me, will be used discreetly and with moderation, and you may rely that every thing in my power shall be done to prove that Her Majesty's Government have acted judiciously intaking taking such measures for the protection of the country, in circumstances unusual, and of the greatest possible difficulty.