1488. Vancouver's Island
Stonehouse Plymouth
19th February, 1849 —
My Lord,
With the most respectful deference I beg to assure Your Lordship, that nothing is more repugnant and painful to my feelings than to be repeating so often my earnest solicitations for re-employment under the trying and unfortunate position, in which I am, and have been placed for the last two years, arising from my having resigned my late appointment, on the most honorable grounds of public and private integrity. The detailed official representation of which I have often taken the great liberty of calling your Lordship's attention — shewing clearly the peculiar hardship of my case — Otherwise, I should now have been spared the poignant necessity of appearing both importunate and intrusive on your Lordship's humane notice.
I have had the honor to receive your Lordship's reply of the 15th Inst, wherein I am directed to refer any application for employment to the "Hudson's Bay Company" — Permit me, My Lord, in the most respectful manner to observe that I have not the least claim to the consideration of the above, and as a perfect stranger, I should not consider myself justified in presuming to do so.
From my having read in the public journals, of a Governor having been appointed by H.M's Govt to govern Vancouver's Island I ventured (labouring at the time under this impression) to tender my humble service in consideration of my 3 years servitude, and the heavy serious expenses in which I am placed by my resignation. Under these painful circumstances, I presume to hope thatManuscript image that your Lordship will not consider my claim a premature, or an unreasonable one on the Home Government. I earnestly hope as a late servant that I may yet be considered deserving of further employment in any of H.M's Colonial Possessions, or wherever Your Lordship may be pleased to consider my hard case meriting this favourable consideration — Respectfully trusting, that I may be allowed to apologize for thus presuming to intrude myself both on Your Lordship's notice, and important time.
I have the honor to be,
Your Lordship's
Most Obt & Hble Sert.
J.W. Slaughter

1To the
Right Honble
Earl Grey &c &c &c
Minutes by CO staff
Manuscript image
Mr Merivale
This is another application for employt from Mr Slaughter. Is it necessary to repeat Lord Grey's inability to confer an appointment upon him?
20 Feby. VJ
I think it may be put by?
HM F 20
G. 21
Footnotes
  1. This addressee information appears at the foot of the first page of the despatch.
People in this document

Grey, Right Honorable, Second Baronet, Sir George

Grey, Third Earl, Henry George

Jadis, Vane

Merivale, Herman

Slaughter, Captain William

Places in this document

Vancouver Island

Slaughter, Captain William to Grey, Right Honorable, Second Baronet, Sir George 19 February 1849, CO 305:2, no. 1488, 373. 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/V496S02.html.

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