revenue which might perhaps prevent the otherwise practicable reduction
of Colonial expenditure?
prepared As little was It is His Excellency for the vehemence with which Lieutenant
General, the law and other officers protest against a claim which they term "unjust and unreasonable"; or for their condemnation of the opinion of
the Attorney adviser of the Government as illegal"; or for the requests that they might be authorized to oppose "passive resistance to what they consider "unusual interference".
Had the officers who conceive themselves aggrieved by this tax made application to my office, His Excellency would have most readily directed a proper explanation of its nature to be made to them, and
even if, after this, they had still claimed exemption for those premises, no objection would have been made to a respectful reference upon the subject to the Home authorities.
But that reference is now based upon His Excellency's different grounds. The letters subscribed by the officers in question, denounce the act of
the Civil Government as illegal, unreasonable and unjust, and that of Mr. Smith imputes to it a dishonesty of purpose. The tone and language of letters not appearing to His Excellency such as in private correspondence would be tolerated, cannot be passed unnoticed in the records of a public department.
As regards the enforcement of the law, the Gentlemen