legal authority in the island,

but it does not

appear

lo

that it has. The question at issue is, in effect, this, whether

the law is to be administered

according to the judgment of the Magistrates who are sworn

to dispense it according to the best of their knowledge and ability, subject to correction by appeal to the Supreme Court,

or

according to the judgment

of the Governor and Executive

Council? His Excellency is pleased

to state that "he had no

"object but to maintain in the

"great and general interests of the

"community the supreme authority

"of the law," but that he does "not think it necessary

"or becoming to enter into a defence

"of what is represented in our

"communications to be

"unconstitutional, unjustifiable,

"and dictatorial proceeding!"

We beg to assure His Excellency that it was very

far from our purpose to call in question the nature or the utility of

the object which he had in view. Nor did we.

As is our bounden duty,

we will ever cordially co-operate with His Excellency.

Page 271

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