Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Despatch from London
Cardwell, Edward to Kennedy, Arthur 29 October 1864, NAC RG7:G8C/04, 323.
Abstract
Despatch from London.
This document contains mentions of Indigenous Peoples. The authors of these documents
often perpetuate a negative perspective of Indigenous Peoples and it is important
to look critically at these mentions. They sometimes use terminology that is now considered
hurtful and offensive. To learn more about modern terminology pertaining to Indigenous
Peoples, Indigenous ways of knowing, and decolonization, please refer to the Glossary of terms.
Cardwell acknowledges receipt of Kennedy’s report on Kennedy’s granting of a
free pardonto who was convicted of murder. While Cardwell has
great confidencein Kennedy’s judgement he suggests the
necessity of conforming to Christian Laws must not for a moment be lost sight ofand asks for
further explanation of the reasons which induced [Kennedy] to set this prisoner at liberty.
No. 55
Downing Street
29th October 1864
Sir
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch No. 60
of the 23rd of August, reporting the grant of a free pardon to , who had been convicted of the murder of
another
Indian.
Feeling that the importance of giving the Indians
to understand
the necessity of conforming to Christian Laws must not for a moment be
lost sight of, I should wish some further explanation of the reasons
which induced you to set this prisoner at liberty.
to understand
the necessity of conforming to Christian Laws must not for a moment be
lost sight of, I should wish some further explanation of the reasons
which induced you to set this prisoner at liberty.
I have great confidence in your judgment and in your experience of
the management of Criminals, but
in the absence of fuller information I
should have thought that, if you had felt it was right so far to defer
to the Judge and Jury as not to carry the extreme penalty into
execution, you would have inflicted some punishment exemplary in itself
and likely to be regarded as an earnest of the more complete execution
of our Law in future cases.
in the absence of fuller information I
should have thought that, if you had felt it was right so far to defer
to the Judge and Jury as not to carry the extreme penalty into
execution, you would have inflicted some punishment exemplary in itself
and likely to be regarded as an earnest of the more complete execution
of our Law in future cases.
Governor Kennedy, C.B.