D'Ewes to Lytton
1st Sept 1858
My Dear Sir Edward,
I trust you will excuse this intrusion upon your time, but as you were kind enough to write to me; and also inform my wife that you would give me letters of introduction to the present provisional Governor of New Columbia I imagined that the delay in fulfilling Manuscript imageyour most kind promise might have arisen from some chance of your having found employment for my services.
As however my being able to obtain the means of going out will depend entirely upon my being able to convince some of my connections of your valuable patronage. I shall feel most Manuscript imagedeeply indebted to you if you will either allow me to call for the letters in question or direct them to be forwarded to me at your convenience and with many thanks for all past favours, believe me,
Most faithfully & sincerely
yours
John D'Ewes
Kent Cottage
Teddington
Middlesex
Minutes by CO staff
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Sir Edward wishes an introductory letter to be given to this genn.
ABd. 8 Sepr.
Other documents included in the file
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Draft, Colonial Office to James Douglas, 11 September 1858, stating personal acquaintance for many years.
Minutes by CO staff
Sir Edward?
Will this suit you for Mr. D'Ewes?
The onus as to respectability is thrown on Lord Willoughby de Brooke, & others who, I am assured by Mr. D'Ewes, have written to you, in Manuscript imagehis favor?
Documents enclosed with the main document (transcribed)
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A second letter from D'Ewes, as follows:
My Dear Sir Edward,
Being prepared to start immediately I write to say that I trust nothing has occurred to alter your hand intentions (expressed by letter to myself and by yourself to my wife) of giving me letters of introduction to the Governor of New Columbia and which I have been most anxiously awaiting. Manuscript imageBelieve me I start with the firm determination of making one last effort for the sake of my wife and family, much more, than my own.
I assure you I shall leave no stone unturned to do justice to your recommendation. I hope you will not consider me intrusive by my beseeching you to let me have the Manuscript imageletters in question at your earliest convenience. It is my only and last hope.
Believe me to remain
Very faithfully yours
John D'Ewes
Kent Cottage
Teddington
Middlesex
Sept 7 1858
P.S. I before mentioned that "Lord Willoughby de Broke" and "Lord Leigh" the Manuscript imageLord Lieutenant of my county would both answer favourably any letters with regard to my self.
Minutes by CO staff
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Police Magistrate at the Gold fields of Ballarat in Victoria Commissioner of Crown Lands in the above Colony, and Deputy Sheriff from the beginning of 1853 until the latter end of 1854.
Other documents included in the file
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[Lytton] to James Douglas, Confidential, 29 November 1858, advising that he had just learned that D'Ewes had been dismissed as police magistrate of Ballarat for conduct unbecoming an officer and wished to correct any error into which you may have been led by my letter of Introduction accorded without the knowledge of these facts.
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Blackwood to D'Ewes, 9 September 1858, asking him to forward the letters from Lord Willoughby de Broke, Lord Leigh, and others for use in the letter of introduction he had requested.
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Minute of the Lieutenant Governor of Victoria upon the Report of the Board of Inquiry into the Ballarat riots, 20 November 1854, in which a man was killed and a hotel burned. The report includes the following observation: "It is a subject of deep regret to your Board that they have to comment strongly on the conduct of the Police Magistrate, Mr Dewes [D'Ewes]. The facts elicited show that Mr Dewes [D'Ewes] laid himself under obligations to a class of persons whose conduct in their capacity of licensed victuallers brought them under the scrutiny and supervision of the Bench of which he was Chairman thereby subjecting himself to influences unbecoming his position as police Magistrate and a public officer."