that on the 19th ultimo, you say His Excellency will, if my explanation is unsatisfactory, "circulate it amongst the Members of Council before the Meeting he proposes to summon." My objection is to explanations going before the Executive Council after His Excellency shall have considered them and to their being examined, minuted, and commented on, ex-parte, and as a preliminary investigation into the enquiry it will at that stage of proceedings, be their duty to make into my conduct.
I claim, as a right, that unfortunately my explanations should not be deemed such as to render further proceedings unnecessary, nothing shall go before the Council but firstly the charges, secondly the evidence in support, and thirdly my defense. I pray His Excellency to give consideration to the position in which he has placed me, fighting for my life, if I may phrase it, should it appear to him that I am going into matters apart from the real questions at issue.