Morris to Secretary of State
22 Manor Place S.
10 March 1862
Sir
I trust you will pardon the liberty I take in making the present application and that you will so far oblige me as to bestow your kind consideration on the statement I wish to make. In July 1855 I entered the Pay Office of the London Recruiting District as an Extra Clerk and I there gave such satisfaction that I was promoted to Third Clerk on the Establishment; in Decr 1860 I was fortunate enough to be appointed Clerk in the War Department and was attached to the Store Office at the Tower. While there, I am proud to say that the most flatteringreportsManuscript image reports were frequently made of my zeal and ability, but my salary was small and I had a mother to support, so on being offered an appointment in Ireland at a slight increase, I resigned my situation. Unfortunately a War Office Circular was immediately promulgated which greatly reduced the pay of the Department I was about to enter, and my resignation having been accepted at the Tower, I was thus thrown out of employ. I did the best I could for some months, and eventually made an appeal to the War Office, when in consequence of my peculiar misfortune, I was told that Sir George Lewis had with much pleasure placed my name upon the list of candidates again. No hopeManuscript image however can be held out of my receiving an appointment for a very long period, and my wants are so pressing, that having a small sum in my possession I contemplate emigrating to British Columbia.
My object in this application is to enquire whether you can bestow upon me any appointment in that Colony, or whether you can afford me the chance of obtaining any employment, if I paid my own expenses out. My testimonials show that I have served Her Majesty well and faithfully in this country and should I succeed in obtaining what I now seek, I hope to do so again in a new field. I may add that I have had two Uncles in H.M. Navy (one drownedManuscript image while on Service) and that my brother was Accountant in the Land Transport Corps and was in charge of the Native Camp at Sinope when His Grace the Duke of Newcastle visited it and expressed his approval of its arrangements &c.
Entreating your kind consideration of my case,
I remain Your most obedt Servant
Chas Lyde Morris
[P.S.] Please return enclosure.

The Secretary of State for the Colonies London
Minutes by CO staff
Manuscript image
Mr Elliot
The answer is, in fact, that the S. of S. has no office which he cd bestow upon the applicant in B. Columbia & that he cannot either encourage him to expect any on reaching the colony, should he even go out at his own expense.
Return the enclosure.
ABd 13 March
Mr Fortescue
So I suppose.
FR 13/3
CF 14
N 14
Other documents included in the file
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Fortescue to Morris, 20 March 1862, advising that Newcastle could hold out no hope for any appointment in the colony.