No. 55
12 September 1863 My Lord Duke,
With reference to Your Grace's Despatch "Separate" of the 15th June I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Her Majesty's Order in Council of the 11th June 1863, authorizing metoManuscript image to establish a Legislative Council in British Columbia composed of Fifteen Members (15 members), to be nominated by the Governor, in order to prepare the way for giving the inhabitants of the Colony a due influence in its Government. I have also to acknowledge Your Grace's instructions conveyed in the same Despatch directing me, at once to proclaim a LawenablingManuscript image enabling Her Majesty to allot certain specified Salaries to the principal Government Officers of British Columbia, and to give effect to the Order in Council in such a manner that at least one third of the Councillors shall be persons recognized by the Residents in the Colony as representing their feelings and interests, in order thataManuscript image a system of virtual though imperfect representation may be at once introduced that will enable Her Majesty's Government to ascertain the character and wants of the community, with a view to the more formal and complete establishment of a representative system when circumstances admit of it.
2._ YourManuscript image
2. Your Grace also announces your intention of holding the proceeds of the Crown lands at the disposal of the Legislative Council, and that the Council will be at liberty to pass Laws for the regulation and management of those sources of Revenue subject to Her Majesty's approval, and to questions which may remaintoManuscript image to be settled with the Hudson Bay Company.
3. Having in previous Despatches laid before Your Grace my views of the policy which ought to be pursued, and of the form of Government suited to the actual circumstances of British Columbia, I will on this occasion only express my conviction of the wisdomofManuscript image of the plan of Government now proposed and Your Grace may rest assured that I shall not fail to carry it into effect in accordance with Your Grace's instructions, and in such a manner as will render it at once useful and generally acceptable to the inhabitants of the Colony.
I have the honor to be
My Lord Duke
Your Grace's most Obedient
Humble Servant
James Douglas
Minutes by CO staff
Manuscript image
Sir F. Rogers
Within a few days after the date of this despatch Sir Jas Douglas must have received the Duke of Newcastle's desph No 35 of the 14 July pointing out that his first steps on convening the Leg: Council of B.C. shd be to reenact in an ordinance any Proclamation issued after the date of the O. in Council constituting a Legve Council. Put by?
ABd 29 Oct/63
FR 29/10
N 30
Read.
Douglas, Sir James to Pelham-Clinton, 5th Duke of Newcastle Henry Pelham Fiennes 12 September 1863, CO 60:16, no. 10452, 129. 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/B63055.html.

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