against us by His Excellency in the latter respect, as we consider that we have sufficiently disproved it, when it had not been sufficiently disproved by the acting chief Magistrate, previous to the issuing of
the memorandum,
in the course of his correspondence with the Government upon the subject, which Correspondence was submitted to the
meeting of Justices on the 25th instant. We are, however, under the
necessity of submitting to you the question arising out of the position assumed by His
Excellency
in regard to the judicial independence of the Magistracy.
with the concurrence
His Excellency,
of the Executive Council, assumes the power of dictating the interpretation of the law to the Magistracy, - a power so opposed to our ideas of the duties, privileges, and responsibilities of a magistrate, that we feel
"compelled respectfully to request
Page 280
that you will place the question before the legal advisers of the Crown,
transmit their opinion to this
and
His Excellency Sir John Bowring for our information and guidance.
We have the honor to be
Sir,
Your most
obedient servants.
D. Rutledge. Pro...
W. Caine.
Leslie H. R...
John Scarth.
J. Johnstone.
A. T. Staunton.
Coltman.
J. F...
Graham.
Vernon...?
Robstalker?
J. P. McM...
M. M...