Colonial Despatches

I have had under my consideration your Despatch No. 45 of the 13th of July, transmitting copies of the communcations which have passed between yourself and the two branches of the Legislature repecting the Civil List,and and the payment of Salaries to the Public Officers. You report that, acting upon the assurances which you received from the Legislature, you have paid the Salaries of the principal Officers out of the Crown Revenue.

I understand that the Assembly undertakesto to replace the money out of ordinary Revenue, if it shall be necessary for you under your Instructions from me to require them to do so.

My Instructions must for the present be suspended, inasmuch as they are contingent upon circumstances upon which I am stillin in want of sufficient information. I instructed you to pay the salaries of the Governor and of the Colonial Secretary, which amounted to £3,600, and having before me a statement that the fund only amounted in the last year to £4,500 and would probably notequal equal that amount in the next year, I hesitated to burden it with any further charge. I have written to you for full particulars which I have not yet received: and in the meantime I have declined to sanction any charge, however just and reasonable in itself, from fear of exceeding the amountwhich which the Crown Revenue would be able to meet.

I understand that when you were requested by the Assembly to make the present payments the only fund immediately available was a balance of Crown Revenue: and that if you had refused to advanceout out of that balance the sums to which the engagement of the Assembly applied, the greatest public inconvenience must have resulted.

I entirely approve the course which you have taken under these circumstances.

I learn with great satisfaction that a good understanding is likelyto to prevail, and that you expect that the Legislature, when it again assembles, will proceed to make a suitable provision for all the public wants of the Colony.

I shall rejoice in the termination of a state of things which has compelled me, infulfilment fulfilment of absolute engagements, to deal with the Crown Revenue as with as separate fund, and I shall witness with sincere pleasure the harmonious action of the various branches of the government. When this shall have been happily accomplished and the CrownRevenues Revenues merged in the General Revenue of the Colony and subject to the control of the Assembly, the necessity will have been obviated which otherwise have arisen for me to consider the propriety of giving you the Instructions which forthe the present remain in suspense.