received an explanation on the subject from His Excellency, and the charges made against ... have not been withdrawn.
I venture to represent to your Lordship that it cannot conduce to the interests of this Colony, that members of the community, who may be honoured by Her Majesty with unofficial seats in the Legislative Council, should be exposed to unworthy imputations upon their acts and motives enforced by all the power of language which is at the command of so practised a debater as His Excellency the Governor, and I cannot refrain from stating my conviction as to the extreme inconvenience which would result to the public service of this dependency of the Crown, if any men of independent character are to be hindered from accepting seats in the Legislative Council.