The title of the Governorship upon one Functionary and its responsibilities and social obligations upon another, has been to leave a debt around my some £2,000 hanging like a millstone around my neck on the day of my retirement after a period of nearly half a century spent in the thrall of the Service of my Sovereign. My position under that debt is briefly this - I can only leave the Colony by assigning one moiety of my coming pension, reserving the other to support a policy of insurance on my life for their security at a rate of premium gauged upon my sixtieth year (55 of them passed in the tropics) and maintain myself and family, and to launch into the world my 9 last unprovided, completing his education in a bad position in France. That this is a hardship, Sir, for any man who has held the high trust in life which I have held, will be readily admitted. It only becomes endurable at all under the reflection that it has not been brought about through any conduct on my own part that can attaint upon my personal honour.
Having thus explained my involvements and their origin, it only remains for me to throw myself upon the consideration of Her Majesty's Government, entreating their recommendation to the Lords of the Treasury, as a case special, exceptional and extraordinary, towards a sum of money, granting over and above...