No. 3
4th March 1853
Sir
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No 4, of the 20th of August 1852, conveying your approval of the measures which were adopted for the protection of the Roman Catholic Priest, who had commenced a Missionary Settlement in the Cowegin Country, and it is satisfactory to observe that you also concur in the propriety of the views, entertained by this Government in respect to discouraging the formation of Missionary stations beyond the limits of the settlements.
Mr Manuscript image
Mr Demers a native of the British Province of Canada, who is invested with the Title of Roman Catholic Bishop of Vancouver's Island, arrived in this Colony some months ago, accompanied by several other Priests of the same religious persuasion, with the object of establishing Missions among the native Tribes of Vancouver's Island.
These gentlemen have not yet made much progress, nor in fact made any decided attempt to convert the Natives; except in the vicinity of Victoria and even here, their intercourse with them is not general; the greater part of their time being more usefully devoted to the instruction of the French Canadian Settlers, and their families, a class with which they possess a great and most salutary influence, which is happily directed to the elevation of the moral character of the Members of their Church, and to the encouragement of industry, sobriety, and obedience to the Laws.
I have the honour to be Sir
Your most obedt Servant
James Douglas
Governor

The Right Honorable Sir John S Packington Bart
Her Majestys principal Secretary of State
For the Colonial Department
Minutes by CO staff
Manuscript image
Mr Elliot
This is satisfactory. Put by?
ABd 24 May
TFE 24/5
FP 24
N 25
Douglas, Sir James to Pakington, Captain John Somerset 4 March 1853, CO 305:4, no. 5416, 12. 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/V53003.html.

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