A.—No. 1b

PAPEES RELATIVE TO STATEMENTS

16

them to be true, or that Her Majesty's Government would never have entertained them, or have stated that they regarded them as calling for immediate and most serious inquiry, that I only showed a just jealousy of the good name of my Government and of that of the people of this country, by putting them on record here as a public document. This proceeding could have injured no one, if the accusations were made in good faith, and the manner in which they ought to have been, and I believe that I did my duty to the Crown, and to the race to which I belong, in thus publicly and indignantly dealing with the question. 12. I beg now to remark upon my Minute in the Executive Council of the 13th June last. Your Lordship expresses to me your opinion that I should withdraw that Minute, and then in language the meaning of which I think I do not mistake, intimates to me that if I unfortunately come to a different conclusion the probable result will be that I shall fall under the serious displeasure of the Queen's Government. 13. When I wrote that Minute I had only received Mr. Cardwell's Despatch of the 26th March. I then found that some secret accuser, whose name was not communicated to me, had accused myself and my Government of aiding and abetting in crimes of the most revolting character. His accusations were based on information said to have been furnished by Colonel Weare, C.8., an officer of rank, who had the best opportunity of knowing the truth, or the contrary, of what he stated, but who had kept back from me the information which was secretly supplied to the Secretary of State. This was confidentially communicated to me. This was my position when I entered on the proceedings of the Council my Minute of 13th of June. 14. I have at the end of this Despatch enclosed a copy of that Minute, in which, at the end of each paragraph, I have briefly stated why that paragraph is essential to my defence or that of my Government, and could not, in justice to myself and my Government, be withdrawn whilst the accusations against us stand on record. I earnestly request your Lordship, before coming to a decision, to read that enclosure, and I feel satisfied that you will find that each paragraph contains what is necessary for the exoneration of myself or my Government from a specific charge, and that there is really not an unnecessary word in the paragraph. 15. If you consider, you will'find that I was here doing my duty to the best of my ability, neither injuring nor interfering with any one, when charges of the most serious and shameful kind were made privately to the Secretary of State against myself and my Government. These charges emanated from an officer, whose rank and position gave weight and authority to them. The Secretary of State entertained them, and sent them out to me, stating that he regarded them as calling for immediate arid most serious inquiry. 16. I was thus forced, against my will, to defend myself against charges of the most serious character —the only publicly recorded defence of myself and my Government against one of the most important of those charges, is contained in the Minute to which I allude, —and I now infer —the charge still standing confidentially against me in your Lordship's Department, stamped with the authority which invests it —that unless I withdraw my defence against it, I shall be probably in some way punished by Her Majesty's Government. I feel sure that this conclusion, if it has been entertained, has been unadvisedly come to. Such a thing was never done before as to accuse a high public functionary wrongfully of most atrocious crimes, and when he defends himself to the best of his ability, and proves his entire innocence, to inform him that unless he withdraws his defence he will be subject to punishment. The rule is to allow great latitute in a defence, but I am satisfied that there is nothing in that which I have made which can justly be objected to. If its language is too curt, as also that of the letter in which I enclosed it, I was at the time beset by business and cares, and the fault, if such there is, should rather be attributed to those who forced upon me the necessity of making any defence against such accusations, than to myself. 17. Moreover, others are concerned in this question, viz., my present Ministers, and the General Assembly—men who have given me the most loyal