Mr. Hillier, that change of service now established, and the Paramount value of that gentleman's opinion as founded upon nearly thirteen years actual service in the Department was pleased to ascertain, was concerned, in event of a vacancy arising, to suggest a proper person as his successor, when Mr. Hillier nominated myself, upon the strength of six years experience passed in Co-operation with him, and in the conjoint discharge of the entire Magistracy of the Colony.
2. I beg leave to refer His Excellency both upon the question of my Claims, and my Capacity for the duties at issue, to the Honorable The Lieutenant Governor, who, himself, discharged the Office of Chief Magistrate of this Settlement, under most difficult circumstances, and that without legal education, except such as was created by his experience and guided solely by an almost intuitive knowledge of the intricacies of Chinese character. I would further request that His Excellency will be pleased to take the formal opinion of the Lieutenant Governor, upon the point of my practical Capacity for the office, and to transmit the same to the Secretary of State.
I would further beg to remind His Excellency that I have been held qualified to succeed to the Chief Magistracy of this Colony, by His Excellency's predecessor, Sir George Bonham, to whom I crave reference upon this point if necessary.