No. 74
30th December 1865
Sir,
With reference to my Despatch, No. 57, of the 11th of October last, transmitting Copies of Correspondence with the Treasury and the Post Office, as far as it had then proceeded, on the regulation of the Post in Vancouver Island,IManuscript image I have the honor to enclose, for your information, the accompanying Copy of a further communication from the Treasury.
You will see that the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury feel that there would be great inconvenience in an interference with this subject by the Government at home, and I quite share this feeling.
If the Legislature refuse to pass the laws necessary for establishing a postal system, it will be yourdutyManuscript image duty to exert such authority as in the opinion of your Law Officers you legally possess to supply the want of Legislation. But if you should find that your lawful powers as Governor are not sufficient to prevent public inconvenience, it will be better that you should leave the Community to suffer the consequences imposed upon them by the legislation or non-legislation of their Representatives than that you should incur the responsibility of any proceedingswhichManuscript image which are not warranted by Law.
I have the honor to be
Sir,
Your most obedient
humble servant
Edward Cardwell
Other documents included in the file
Manuscript image
Copy, Childers to Rogers, 30 December 1865, concerning a "deficiency in proper Postal Regulations" at Vancouver Island.
Manuscript image
Copy, Lord Stanley to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, 25 November 1865, providing a copy of rules from the Postmaster.
Manuscript image
"A Bill Entitled an Act to establish the Postal Service."
Cardwell, Edward to Kennedy, Arthur 30 December 1865, NAC :, 298. 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/V657074.html.

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