<persName ref="prs:fitzgerald_je"><surname>FitzGerald</surname>, <forename>James</forename> <forename>Edward</forename></persName> to <persName ref="prs:merivale_h"><surname>Merivale</surname>, <forename>Herman</forename></persName> 18 August 1858, CO 305:9, no. 8408, 383. Fitzgerald addressee Merivale (Permanent Under-Secretary)

Published by Jim Hendrickson and the University of Victoria.

FitzGerald, James Edward to Merivale, Herman 18 August 1858, CO 305:9, no. 8408, 383.The Colonial Despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871, Edition 2.6, ed. James Hendrickson and the Colonial Despatches project. Victoria, B.C.: University of Victoria. https://bcgenesis.uvic.ca/V585FO09.html. CO 305:09 CO 305 9 8408 383 V.I. 1858 received 19 August co_305_09_00383r.jpg Transcribed from microfilm archives, marked up in Waterloo Script, then transformed into TEI P5 XML.

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Public Offices document. Minutes (4), Enclosures (untranscribed) (6), Other documents (1).

Fitzgerald forwards to the CO correspondence regarding Douglas’s loan to the Governor of Washington Territory and reports that American authorities will not privilege the repayment of this debt over other creditors.

The minutes speculate if Douglas has not been honest about his role in the transactions but decide to ask the government if Douglas should suffer because of the American government’s prevarications.

Enclosed is a draft from Merivale to Fitzgerald explaining the situation and asking that further representation be made to the American government; as well as six documents of correspondence between American and British officials concerning the repayment of Douglas’s loan.

 FitzGerald, James Edward
Foreign Office
Merivale, Herman Inserted revisionDesc with @status="unproofed". Changed idno @type="received" into a date element. Gave existing date an @type="sent" and reordered bibl contents.
Fitzgerald to Merivale (Permanent Under-Secretary) 8408, CO 305/9, p. 383; received 19 August
Foreign Office
August 18, 1858 Sir,

With reference to your Letter of the 20th ultimo, I am directed by the Earl of Malmesbury to transmit to you, to be laid before Secretary Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton, Copies of a Despatch and of it's inclosures from Her Majesty's Minister at Washington reporting the refusal of the United States' Government togive give any preference over those of ordinary Creditors of that Government to the claim of Governor Douglas for the expense of certain Military Stores which he furnished in the year 1856 to the Authorities of Washington Territory.

I am, Sir, Your most obedient humble Servant Wm Seymour Fitzgerald H. Merivale Esqre
Mr Merivale The representations made to us on this subject state positively that he lent this money to Governor Stevens for the purchase of supplies. Those supplies doubtless came from the H. Bay Co's stores—Douglas being the Factor of the Company. But to pretend that they were purchased of him, the governor, and thence to deduce that he is an ordinary trade creditor, is, to my mind, at least, a mean evasion. If this view is thought the correct one the For: Office might be ansd in this sense with a view to a communication being made to Lord Napier. And when the correspce is complete send copy thereof to GovrGovernor Douglas. See 7189/56 & 5814/56. ABd 20 Augt.
This seems to me a very shabby business indeed. If GovrGovernor Douglas advanced this out of his private means—or even if it was really advanced by the Company—I am inclined to think our government ought to see them harmless, without waiting for "next session." HM Augt 20
It is simple repudiation of the most approved & discreditable manner among Americans. Lord Napier having forwarded the correspondence to GovrGovernor Douglas I suppose we shall hear from him before long on the subject either direct or through the F.O. I agree with Mr Merivale that it is for the consideration of the GovtGovernment whether GovrGovernor Douglas sd be allowed to suffer by this conduct of the Federal GovtGovernment. C Aug 21
Let me see a draft to F.O. in the sense of Mr Blackwoods minute. EBL Aug 21, 1858
Draft, Merivale to Fitzgerald, 26 August 1858, explaining the situation and asking that further representations be made to the American government.
Napier, British Minister at Washington, to Malmesbury, 31 July 1858, explaining the position of the American government in their refusal to treat Douglas's claim as deserving of special attention, with enclosures.
Cass to Napier, 12 May 1858.
John Floyd, U.S. Secretary of War, to Napier, 8 May 1858, advising that as the claim was not for borrowed money, but rather for goods supplied, such claim would be paid in accordance with the terms given to all suppliers of goods to the American government.
Napier to Cass, 14 May 1858, explaining that although Douglas purchased goods from his private funds for the assistance of the Americans, but did not supply money, his claim should not be considered in the same terms with American suppliers.
Cass to Napier, 16 July 1858, enclosing a letter from Floyd.
Floyd to Cass, 9 July 1858, advising that Congress had not appropriated any funds during the past session for payment of the debt to Douglas, and that the nature of the assistance precluded the debt from receiving special treatment.