Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Correspondence (private letter)
Cooper, James to Pakington, Captain John Somerset 8 October 1852, CO 305:3, no. 942, 517.
Abstract
Correspondence (private letter).
Minutes (2), Other documents (1).
Cooper’s letter to Pakington claims that a council decision to condemn Cooper's sale of “spirituous liquors” is proof that the otherwise all-HBC board wants to
oust him and replace him with a council member employed by the HBC.
October 8th, 1852
To the Right Honorable Sir John Pakington, Bart.
Her Majestys Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies
Sir
Sir
I most respectfully beg to tender this for your consideration, and
in doing so I trust you will not conclude that I have unnecessarily
troubled you. On the 30th of August 1851 on the resignation of
Govr Blanshard I was duly sworn a member of council of the Govt of
this colony.
At a council convened on the 5th of October 1852, His Excellency
James Douglas Govr, moved the following resolution.
That we consider it derogatory to a member of Council to be a
retail dealer of spirituous liquors or to follow any calling
that may be subversive of order or injurious to public morals.
To which I assented in the abstract, but proposed the following
amendment.
That, it is highly derogatory to the Council to pass any resolution
which is virtually aimed at any individual member of the same council,
and accordingly that the foregoing resolution is hereby expressly
declared not to be intended to affect either directly or indirectly any
individual member of the
present council, but is intended merely as the
expression of a purely abstract opinion in the most general terms.
present council, but is intended merely as the
expression of a purely abstract opinion in the most general terms.
This Amendment was rejected, and the Govr also informed the council that it was his intention to transmit a copy of the foregoing
resolution to the Authorities in "England".
I find it necessary to enter more into detail of these particulars
than I anticipated, and solicit a further hearing, feeling that my
official duties as member of council are attacked, and that my private
character would thereby be seriously injured.
I am a resident Colonist in Vancouvers Island (in fact the only
Colonist from "Great Britain" unconnected with the H.B. Co.) and
as general dealer or Merchant, Spirituous liquors are sold by me
according to the standard rule in Her Majestys dominions in quantites
not less than two gallons which constitute a wholesale dealer and not as
implied in the resolution a retail dealer.
Up to this date no law exists in the colony to prohibit the sale
of spirituous liquors in any shape. On the contrary three
licenses have been issued by Govr Douglas for the sale of spirits of
which number I hold one, having accepted it when the Govr
spontaneously recommended me to do so. I have every reason to
believe that
the above is the result of a premeditated Scheme to obtain my withdrawal from the
Council, as the vacancy could be filled with
individuals more congenial to the wishes of the Hudson Bay Co.
the above is the result of a premeditated Scheme to obtain my withdrawal from the
Council, as the vacancy could be filled with
individuals more congenial to the wishes of the Hudson Bay Co.
Trusting for an impartial judgment
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Merivale
I should conceive that it would be advantageous for the interests of the Colony to have an independent man like Mr Cooper in the Council of V. Couver's Island, and do not myself perceive that his being a Spirit dealer is an objection in such a very limited Community & range of choice as there must be in the Island. But on referring to
933 you will
notice that although the Governor's despatch is dated more than a month
after the date of Mr Cooper's Letter he offers no objection to that
gentleman's presence in the Council on the ground of his trade. The
Governor has therefore probably thought better on the subject, and has
let it drop. In the meanwhile perhaps Mr Cooper may be ansd,
thro' the Governor, that his Letter has been recd, and that whenever
any
representation is preferred against him the Duke of Newcastle will
give him every opportunity of defending himself before pronouncing a
decision on the case submitted to him.
I should conceive that it would be advantageous for the interests of the Colony to have an independent man like Mr Cooper in the Council of V. Couver's Island, and do not myself perceive that his being a Spirit dealer is an objection in such a very limited Community & range of choice as there must be in the Island. But on referring to
933 you will
notice that although the Governor's despatch is dated more than a month
after the date of Mr Cooper's Letter he offers no objection to that
gentleman's presence in the Council on the ground of his trade. The
Governor has therefore probably thought better on the subject, and has
let it drop. In the meanwhile perhaps Mr Cooper may be ansd,
thro' the Governor, that his Letter has been recd, and that whenever
any
representation is preferred against him the Duke of Newcastle will
give him every opportunity of defending himself before pronouncing a
decision on the case submitted to him.
ABd
29 Jany/53
Adding that considering the distance of Vanc. Id and the recent
establishment of government there his Grace has thought it expedient to
take this notice of Mr Cooper's letter although not transmitted
through the Govr but that he wishes it
to be understood that in
future all parties having representations to make to him must conform to
the established rule of colonial correspondence.
to be understood that in
future all parties having representations to make to him must conform to
the established rule of colonial correspondence.
