Separate
Victoria
24th September 1867
My Lord Duke,
I would venture to repeat to Your Grace the recommendation made in my letter to Mr Secretary Cardwell, dated 17th Feby 1866, that power be given to metoManuscript image to appoint two unofficial Gentlemen to be members of the Executive Council of this Colony should such a proceeding be found necessary by me.
2. The matter has become more urgent now than when I last wrote, in as much as the place of Treasurer has been abolished. Possibly also if Her Majesty be advised to grant the permission I solicit the official elementinManuscript image in the Executive Council might be restored to its usual force by my being permitted to place the Police Magistrate of New Westminster in the vacant seat of the Treasurer. It is extremely embarrassing to me under the present financial depression to have to consult the Executive Council as now constituted respecting the reduction in Salaries which I think it expedient to make.
3. The time of ServiceofManuscript image of the unofficial members might be limited, most conveniently perhaps, by the condition that they should be members of the Legislative Council and that their functions as confidential advisers should cease with every lapse of their Legislative positions.
I have the honor to be,
My Lord Duke,
Your most obedient
humble Servant.
Frederick Seymour
Minutes by CO staff
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Sir F. Rogers
Par: 32 of Mr Seymour's Paris letter of 17 Feb. 1866.
CC 13 Nov
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This is a matter in which I should be much inclined to be guided by an intelligent Governor.
The danger is that an adroit & self-relying Governor starts a system wh he, the originator, can manageManuscript image but his less experienced & skillful successor cannot. The point is to prevent the unofficial element in the Exe C. becoming an institution—or at least to prevent its becoming an institution too soon.
I think Mr Seymour's plan—(that no unofficial Exe Counr shd hold office after the determination of the Lege Council) provides agt this & that it mt be approved.
If so Mr Holland perhaps will be good enough to see to the formalities.
FR 3/11
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I on the whole agree with Mr Seymour with the safeguard proposed.
B&C 16/11