12
in
Government (numbering Nineteen - all), would abstain from taking part in the nomination of
an
unofficial member of Council.
This judicious course had my sanction and authority.
To omit other considerations, the officials are already represented by seven out of the twelve members of the Council, and their votes would have turned the scale at the recent nomination. It is evident that, under these circumstances, the member so nominated would have been regarded as an official and not as an Unofficial member, and that the object of the concession proposed by me, and sanctioned by Your Lordship, would thus have been defeated. It will be seen from Enclosure (4) the report of the proceedings that some exception was taken to the abstention of the Official Justices by two gentlemen who (it is said) desired to secure their votes for one of the candidates; but that the sense of the meeting, by a majority of nearly three to one, was in favour...