Wellington, Oct. 13th, 1868 My dear McLean, I dare say you will remember that in asking you in the session of 1867, to resume action to settle the East Coast I said that you should not be hindered or robbed of any particle of the credit and influence that might attend success in the difficult task, and that the only honor to which the Government aspired was that of having selected the right man and secured the accomplishment of the right ends. We should have liked to continue to act altogether on that principle but for the very peculiar circumstances