I have to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 11 of the
8th April transmitting an Address from the House of Assembly of
Vancouvers Island, praying that Her Majesty's Government
would send
Commissioners to
the Island to investigate the affairs of the Colony
before releasing the Hudson's Bay Company from their responsible
Government.
I have to request that you will state to the House of Assembly that
I am unable to entertain the prayer of their address and if necessary to
take any steps upon it, until I shall be made acquainted with the
specific grounds on which it is preferred, and with the nature of the
evidence which would be submitted to such Commissioners on the several
questions which the Assembly consider to demand investigation.