Villars to Granville
London, 11 King Willam St
July 12th 1869
My Lord,
I had the honour at the request of a number of gentlemen interested in British Columbia to address Your Lordship on the 19th of June on the subject of the presentation of a Memorial on the condition of that Colony.
Not having received any reply to the above letter, owing doubtless to the great pressure on Your Lordships time, I am directed to enclose the Memorial for Your Lordship's consideration and to state that the gentlemen who proposed presenting the Memorial personally areunableManuscript image unable to remain in town.
The Memorialists have large interests at stake in British Columbia and desire to call Your Lordship's serious attention to the condition of the Colony; and to the difficulty with which the few remaining Colonists can bear the heavy public expenditure.
The words quoted in this Memorial "that the Colony is slowly dying out &c" were written lately to one of the Memorialists by Sir James Douglas K.C.B. formerly Governor of British Columbia, who now resides in the Colony.
They express a truth that is well known to the Memorialists and to all persons connected with British Columbia.
I have the honor to be,
My Lord
Your lordships humble Servant
A. Villars
Hon. Sec.
Minutes by CO staff
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Sir F. Sandford
The answer to Mr Villars' 1t letter is signed & was going off—but in consequence of this I have stopped it—as Lord Granville may like to give an answer at once to the application for an interview.
CC 13 July
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Sir F. Rogers
"Constitutional."
FRS 13/7
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Lord Granville
The answer for the interview presses.
As to the constitutional point there is a good deal of difficultyManuscript image in settling the composition of the Legislature from the migratory and alien character of the population. But I see no reason why Mr Musgrave [could] not be requested to submit if possible a scheme for giving the population strictly representative institutions. Responsible Govt will soon follow if Confederation does not.
The real difficulty will be getting rid of office holders—& Gov Seymour has, I believe got rid of a good many.
The finances I leave to Sir F. Sandford.
FR 13/7
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I think I might see them Friday at 4 o'clock.
G
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Sir F. Sandford
I have altered the draft according to minute on 6912.
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Immediate the 17 4 p.m.
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Sir F. Sandford
Letter to Mr Villars for your signature.
EB 14.7.69
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Mr Meade
To note Deputation.
FRS 14/7
RM 14/7/69
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
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Memorial, "Gentlemen interested in British Columbia" to Granville, no date, asking for "a reduction in the public expenditure" and "a greater voice in the management of their own affairs," seventeen signatures.
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Newspaper clipping, The Weekly British Colonist and Chronicle, 10 April 1869, respecting the dissatisfaction of the colonists with the current form of government.
Other documents included in the file
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Sandford to Villars, 14 July 1869, acknowledging his letters of 19 June and 12 July and advising that Granville would see the deputation "on Friday next at 4 o'clock."
Villars, Alexander to Leveson-Gower, Granville George 12 July 1869, CO 60:37, no. 7870, 305. 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/B695MI10.html.

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