Fraser to Lytton
January 21st 1859
Sir,
I beg leave to enclose a Memorial, addressed to you, by oneManuscript imageone hundred and nine of the Property Owners, Householders and Residents of Vancouver's Island: expressing their gratification at Mr Douglas having been continued in his office of Governor of this Colony, and of his having been appointed Governor of British Columbia: congratulating You on Your judicious choice of Mr Douglas to these important offices, on public grounds, on account of his peculiar qualifications for office—particularly his influence over the Indians and for other reasons set forth in the Memorial.
I Manuscript image
I would state that the Memorial is signed by most of the landed proprietors of the Island and by a majority of it's older residents whose experience enabled them to form a just estimate of Mr Douglas' qualifications.
A Committee of the Memorialists deputed me to forward their Memorial.
I also beg to enclose a Memorial of two hundred and forty nine residents of the Colony of British Columbia addressed to You upon the same subject, expressing their approval of and satisfaction atManuscript imageat Mr Douglas' Appointment as their Governor, for reasons set forth at large in the Memorial.
This Memorial was brought to me to Victoria by a Miner of the name of Snyder, an American Citizen, from San Francisco, whom I met at Fort Yale in September last, who requested me, on behalf of the Memorialists, to forward it with the enclosed Letter from himself to You.
Mr Snyder informed me that the Memorialists are residents and Miners of Fort Hope & Fort Yale & neighbourhood.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully,
Your most obedient humble Servant
D. Fraser

The Right Honble
Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton, Bart
Her Majesty's Principal Secretary
of State for the Colonies
&c &c &c
Minutes by CO staff
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Mr Merivale
Would Sir Edward think proper to print this with the Parly Papers.
Perhaps it wd be better to keep it in reserve in case of Govr Douglas having a reverse in popular estimation. To print it would look like an approval by Sir Edward of his own act of selection.
Acke: thro: Govr.
ABd 15/3
I do not think this had better be printed, as it has come irregularly (not Manuscript imagethrough the Governor) and we have of course no guarantee of its authenticity, though there may be no reason to doubt it.
HM Mh 17
Put it by—but it is satisfactory.
C Mch 17
Put by. But this Mr Fraser I believe to be a doubtful authority.
EBL M 19
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
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Memorial, Residents of British Columbia to Lytton, no date, expressing approval at the appointment of Douglas as per despatch, approximately 275 signatures.
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Memorial, Residents of Vancouver Island to Lytton, no date, expressing approval at the appointment of Douglas as per despatch, approximately 120 signatures.
Fraser, Donald to Lytton, Sir Edward George Earle Bulwer 21 January 1859, CO 60:6, no. 2727, 502. The Colonial Despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871, Edition 2.0, ed. James Hendrickson and the Colonial Despatches project. Victoria, B.C.: University of Victoria. https://bcgenesis.uvic.ca/B596F03.html.

Last modified: 2020-03-30 13:22:16 -0700 (Mon, 30 Mar 2020) (SVN revision: 4193)