No. 23
11th January 1867
My Lord,
I informed Your Lordship in my despatch No. 1 of 20th of November that I had been received with great coldness in Victoria, with considerable warmth in New Westminster.
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2. I considered it advisable to return, shortly after Union had been effected, to the former town and endeavor to remove the suspicion with which my assumption of the Government of the Island was evidently received. Duties too, of a very important and far from pleasant nature, required my presence in the Capital of the late Colony of Vancouver Island. I had to prepare measures for the amalgamation of thelawsManuscript image laws of the two sections of the community. To fuse into one two distinct staffs of Public Officers and to provide without Legislative assistance for many difficult details which it would have been impossible for Your Lordship to have foreseen—No Appropriation Act had been passed. The conflict of some of the Laws of the two Sections of the Colony rendered it necessary for me in more than one instance to take very extraordinary powers into myhandsManuscript image hands. These questions will form the subjects of distinct reports. The despatch which I am now writing has for its object only to inform you of the improved relations now subsisting between the inhabitants of Vancouver Island and myself.
3. I have the honor to forward:
1st An Address presented to me by the New Mayor of Victoria and of my reply.
2ndly One from the Minister and Manager representingSt.Manuscript image St. Andrews' church in Victoria and my reply.
3rdly One from the Settlers and property holders in the Cowitchan Valley: and
4thly An Address from the people of Nanaimo. This last, it will be seen, from my letter to the Chairman of the Public Meeting I could not, under peculiar circumstances, receive in person.
4. Various deputations waited on me in reference tomattersManuscript image matters of importance and I hope that the replies I gave were generally satisfactory. Victoria presents every aspect of adversity, yet I think a feeling generally prevails that better days are before us.
5. The British Columbian Customs Act has been extended over Vancouver Island without embarrassment. I have established in obedience to the instructions of Your Lordship's predecessor a most liberal system of Bonding.6. ItManuscript image
6. It may seem perhaps a trifling matter to mention officially but I would beg leave to state that during my months stay in Victoria I gave three Balls which were very numerously attended. I do not believe that a single person invited declined to come for political reasons.
7. The Island press has become moderate in its tone. The "Evening Telegraph" which excelled all other periodicals in invective has ceased to exist.
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8. I enclose as a sample of the distrust which prevailed in regard to my administration a Memorial respecting the removal of certain Public Offices together with my reply.
I have the honor to be,
My Lord,
Your most obedient,
humble Servant
Frederick Seymour
Minutes by CO staff
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Mr Elliot
Express satisfaction. There is not much fear, I think, that Govr Seymour will not make a favorable impression in V.C. Island, in a very short time.
ABd 26 Feb
TFE 26 Feby
CBA 27/2
C 28/2
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
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Address, Mayor and Corporation of the City of Victoria to Seymour.
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Seymour to Mayor and Corporation of the City of Victoria, response to address.
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Address, Minister and Managers of St. Andrew's Church of Scotland at Victoria to Seymour.
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Seymour to Minister and Managers of St. Andrew's Church, response to address.
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Newspaper clipping, unnamed, no date, containing "Address from Cowichan," and Seymour's response thereto.
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Address, Inhabitants of Nanaimo to Seymour, signed by Robert Dunsmuir.
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Seymour to Inhabitants of Nanaimo, 28 December 1866, response to address.
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Seymour to Dunsmuir, 21 December 1866, apologizing that he had not been able to receive the address in person due to the inclement weather.
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Dunsmuir to Seymour, 19 December 1866, forwarding the address and expressing disappointment that the deputation had not been received on board the Sparrowhawk.
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Seymour to Dunsmuir, 28 December 1866, again explaining that the weather had made boarding the vessel unsafe.
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Newspaper clipping, unnamed, no date, containing address from the citizens of Victoria on the subject of public offices, and copy of the governor's response thereto.
Other documents included in the file
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Draft reply, Carnarvon to Seymour, No. 1, 8 March 1867 expressing satisfaction over Seymour’s improved relations with the inhabitants of Vancouver Island.