Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Despatch to London
Douglas, James to Pelham-Clinton, Henry Pelham Fiennes 2 February 1864, CO 60:18, no. 2780, 29.
Abstract
Despatch to London.
Minutes (4), Enclosures (untranscribed) (2), Other documents (1).
Douglas reports that, as per Newcastle’s instructions, he has created a Legislative Council of 15 members in British Columbia with a third of the members being nominated by colonists. He lists the members and
forwards a copy of his speech and members reply at the opening of the Council.
No. 5, Legislative
2 February 1864
My Lord Duke,
With reference to your Grace's Despatch Seperate of the 15th
June last, and to Her Majesty's Order-in-Council, of the
11th day of June 1863, authorising the Governor of British
Columbia to establish a Legislative Councilcomposed
composed of 15
Members; and to your Grace's instructions in the aforesaid
Despatch, directing that one third of the Members of the said
Legislative Council should consist of persons nominated by the
Residents in the Colony and recognized as representing their
feelings and interests, I have to inform your Grace that
these instructions have beennow
now fully carried into effect,
and that the Legislative Council was convened, at this place,
and formally opened by me on the twenty first day of January Ultimo.
composed of 15
Members; and to your Grace's instructions in the aforesaid
Despatch, directing that one third of the Members of the said
Legislative Council should consist of persons nominated by the
Residents in the Colony and recognized as representing their
feelings and interests, I have to inform your Grace that
these instructions have beennow
now fully carried into effect,
and that the Legislative Council was convened, at this place,
and formally opened by me on the twenty first day of January Ultimo.
2 I will not occupy Your Grace's time by entering into a
detail of the steps by which the nomination of the five
elective Members was effected, but will merely mention
with referenceto
to that subject, that the Magistrates were
instructed in a letter from the Colonial Secretary dated
16th September last, to promulgate among the inhabitants
of the respective Districts the change authorised, in the system
of Government, by Her Majesty's aforesaid Order-in-Council,
and to desire them to select and forward, through the
Magistrates, for my approval,the
the names of five persons
of good character and approved Loyalty, to serve and to
represent their interests in the Legislative Council, and
I further directed that the Members should be apportioned
as follows, to wit:
to that subject, that the Magistrates were
instructed in a letter from the Colonial Secretary dated
16th September last, to promulgate among the inhabitants
of the respective Districts the change authorised, in the system
of Government, by Her Majesty's aforesaid Order-in-Council,
and to desire them to select and forward, through the
Magistrates, for my approval,the
the names of five persons
of good character and approved Loyalty, to serve and to
represent their interests in the Legislative Council, and
I further directed that the Members should be apportioned
as follows, to wit:
| District of New Westminster | 1 Member |
| Districts of Hope, Yale, & Lytton | 1 " |
| do do Douglas & Lillooet | 1 " |
| do do Carribou East | 1 " |
| do do Carribou West | 1 " |
3. For obvious reasons I didnot
not consider it expedient to
prescribe the mode of election, or fix the qualifications of
Members or Electors; leaving to the Residents, in every case,
free and unbiased liberty of choice. The proceedings were
conducted in a perfectly orderly manner, and the nominees
are persons of unexceptionable character; I had therefore the
satisfaction of being able in every instanceto
to approve and confirm them.
not consider it expedient to
prescribe the mode of election, or fix the qualifications of
Members or Electors; leaving to the Residents, in every case,
free and unbiased liberty of choice. The proceedings were
conducted in a perfectly orderly manner, and the nominees
are persons of unexceptionable character; I had therefore the
satisfaction of being able in every instanceto
to approve and confirm them.
4. The Legislative Council now consists of the following
Official and Unofficial Members vizt:
| The Colonial Secretary | ||
| " Attorney General | ||
| " Collector of Customs | ||
| " Treasurer | ) | These Offices temporarily held |
| " Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works | ) | by Mr Chartres Brew |
| Chartres Brew | Chief Inspector of Police | |
| Peter O'Reilly | Gold Commissioner & Magistrate | |
| Edward Howard Sanders | Asst do do | |
| Henry Maynard Ball | Asst Gold Commissioner & Magistrate | |
| Philip Henry Nind | do do do | |
| Joshua Attwood Reynolds Homer | New Westminster | |
| Robert Thompson Smith | Hope Lytton & Yale | |
| Henry Holbrook | Douglas & Lillooet | |
| James Orr | Carribou East | |
| Nomination announced by the Magistrate but not yet appointed | ||
| Black | Carribou West | |
5. I herewith forward a copy of my Speech on the opening
of the Legislative Council and of their address in reply.
6.
6. I have, in conclusion, to state that these proceedings
have given great satisfaction to the people of the Colony at
large, and will, I trust, meet with your Grace's approval.
6. I have, in conclusion, to state that these proceedings
have given great satisfaction to the people of the Colony at
large, and will, I trust, meet with your Grace's approval.
Minutes by CO staff
Sir F. Rogers
You may like to see this report of the first selection of Members of the Legislative Council on the elective principle. It is satisfactory to see the success of a measure which was necessarily peculiar and more or less experimental. Approve the manner in which
Sir J. Douglas carried it into effect,
and say that the Secy of State has learned with much
pleasure that the result has been satisfactory both to the
Governor and to the people?
You may like to see this report of the first selection of Members of the Legislative Council on the elective principle. It is satisfactory to see the success of a measure which was necessarily peculiar and more or less experimental. Approve the manner in which
Sir J. Douglas carried it into effect,
and say that the Secy of State has learned with much
pleasure that the result has been satisfactory both to the
Governor and to the people?
TFE
23 March
FR
23/3
Very satisfactory, and it is well that Sir Jas. Douglas has
been allowed to start the new institutions. Draft accordingly.
CF
24
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
Printed copy of Douglas's speech opening the legislative
council at New Westminster, 21 January, 1864.
Newspaper clipping, unnamed, 25 January 1864,
"Reply of the Legislative Council to the Governor's Speech," signed
by H.P.P. Crease, Presiding Member.
