No. 29
20th March 1865
Sir,
With reference to my despatches No. 28 of the 19th Instant and No. 30 of the 21st, I have the honor to forward a petition addressed to me by certain persons in Victoria professing to be British Columbia miners together with my reply.
2. I believe the courseusuallyManuscript image usually taken in such matters is to investigate the signatures and point out to the Secretary of State that such a one is not a Miner at all, and generally to endeavour to discredit the testimony of those who ventured to appeal against an Act to which the Governor is a party. You will see that I have adopted another way of dealing with the question and have frankly entered into the matter with the petitioners and assumed the position of a neutral friend between a somewhatuncourteousManuscript image uncourteous meeting of the Mining population and a legislative body entitled as such to be addressed in more respectful language than that adopted in Victoria. The petitioners have not preferred any request that the matter might be referred to you, and it is of my own free will that I submit the enclosed documents.
I have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient
humble Servant
Frederick Seymour
Minutes by CO staff
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See Minute on 6176.
ABd 4 July
CF July 5
TFE 17 J
Mr Seymour seems to have handled this well—& wishes Mr Cardwell to know it.
FR 20/7
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
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G.A. Walkem to Seymour, 25 March 1865, thanking the governor for his reply to the petition presented by the miners of Cariboo.
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Newspaper clipping, unnamed, no date, containing copy of petition praying for the amendment of the customs act of the present session, 321 signatures, together with the governor's reply thereon.