[Anonymous] Private Letter
20 June 1859
The following extracts from the private letter dated June 20th
of a Gentleman resident in Vancouvers Is. must certainly interest the Duke of Newcastle.

 
All the mining world & his wife are going out of the country—& all that bad legislation can do, is being perfected by the local governt in a way quite unattainable in the old country.
Tories at home, become Radicals here, & Radicals at home, if in power, Tories here. The right way for the country is to send parties to Old Scratch & look at what the country itself wants.
I hear from no bad authority that the Governor (Douglas) has sent to ask for £4,000 a year instead of £1,200, also that Young his nephew-in-law has resigned
Resignation has been at once accepted.
his position as Acting Col. Secy until his successor is appointed—a mere bid I expect to raise the price. I hope they won't fall into the trap at home.
The Speaker is Govr D's Son-in-law
—- Chief Justice ———- brother in law
—- Colonial Secy ———- nephew in law
—- Chief of the H.B.C. - Son in law
and so on throughout.
We are in fact governed by a Skin factory.
Minutes by CO staff
Manuscript image
Put by. The contents are not far wrong, I suspect.
ABd 17
At once (the Duke has seen it).
HM Augt 18