CO885(3-4) — Page 136

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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48. The matter was clearly explained to the House, with the addition that there were certain expenses to be deducted from this sum for repairs, &c., and for a previous out- standing debt of 1864 in connexion with the steamer, but that the exact amount could not be stated until the executors of the late partner had wound up the affairs of the

steamer.

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49. Anybody would think that this statement was pretty clear, but three members of the House, two of whom have since resigned, were returned by those opposed to taxation, and they persisted in declaring that the money had disappeared. In the House, indeed, they could hardly do so, but in the streets they adhered wilfully to the falsehood-and the effect may be supposed. The two resigned members are now active supporters of the petition, and the above absurd story is absolutely alluded to in that document as a proof that the Cassen Buch was falsified.

50. For the above public slander one of these persons was summoned before the Court of Sessions, and after receiving three days to prove any mismanagement whatever, he was fined 50 thalers.

The proceedings of the Court and Mr. Botter's defence, which is merely a wilful repe- tition of the slander, have, I see, been appended with other papers to the memorial.

51. Naturally the money was paid in in due course, and the Blue Book which I am now preparing will show quite a different state of things to what existed previously, and that as we have reduced this year the public debt by 10,000 marks-a thing perfectly unknown before so we shall be able to present a solvent appearance by the year 1871.

52. The memorialists, or rather the Bürger Committee, because, as before remarked, almost all the persons signing are ignorant of the true contents of the paper, complain It seems ludicrous, that the present state of debt is owing to the "Maxse Government." but this is really one of their statements in the memorial which, considering that I have only been here three years, and have reduced the original debt, requires no refutation.

53. They further state, without any particular reference, that Governor Maxse disposes arbitrarily of the colonial money.

54. I need not, I hope, refute this glaring misstatement, as naturally not a shilling is expended, or ever has been expended, without the concurrence of the Combined Court.

55. This is only one of the many rambling and improper statements contained in the memorial,

56. Another complaint of the so-called Bürger Committee is, that the Governor, on his sole authority and without any legal proceedings, sentenced a certain Mr. H. Heinkens to a fine of 101.

Mr. H. Heikens was elected 57. This is just as false as the other statements. under Ordinance No. 1, of the 23rd of February 1866, to the office of churchwarden, and refusing to serve, came under the penalty provided in that case by paragraph 6.

58. I may here remark, that I have, some six weeks ago, remittel the above fine to Mr. H. Heikens, not on his own deserts, for he most richly deserved the infliction, but on the petition of the members of the Combined Court, whom I had informed that if they chose to petition for a remission of the fine I should accede to their request.

59. I adopted this plan because my constant aim has been to conciliate, so far as con- ciliation is in the remotest degree possible with the maintenance of the law. The Combined Court would most certainly not have petitioned on the subject if I had not intimated to them my readiness on their request to remit the fine, a proceeding I now confess I deplore.

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60. I beg to draw your attention to enclosure No. 6, by which you will perceive the general tone adopted by the so-called Bürger Committee in the memorial which they have imposed on so large a proportion of their fellow citizens.

61. It is really a heartless task to have to refute at length such statements and to occupy the time of the Secretary of State with such diffused account of matters which have been gone over again and again.

62. But still more unsatisfactory is it to think that if the five years of the present Constitution were elapsed and the prayer of the petitioners with regard to the re-estab. lishment of the old state of things were accorded, within one year a fresh memorial with any amount of signatures would be obtained for a reversion of the Constitution by probably the very same persons who have got up the present memorial.

63. I would wish earnestly to impress upon you that an energetic course is neces- sary in the present case. It is most deeply felt by all the officials here, that if these sort of statements are to be constantly forwarded to the Colonial Office, embodying the most erroneous and scandalous statements against the Government, without any subse-

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quent punishment, it will be impossible for the officials of the island to pursue their duties with success.

64. The resent Constitution is supported by the good men on the island, and the more unprincipled majority begin already to see that taxes must be paid, and some sort of civilized legislation pursued. The taxes for this year were voted in March, and are now at last arranged in detail, and I can assure you that it only requires the hearty support of Her Majesty's Goverment to ensure the gradual prosperity and solvency of the island.

65. If, however, persons of no character whatever, which is the case with each individual member of the so-called Bürger Committee, are allowed with impunity not only to advance the most scandalous and opprobrious statements against the Governor and his officials when simply in the performance of their duties, but also unchecked by rebuke to forward false telegraphic statements to the Secretary of State, why I fairly confess that I see but little hope for the island.

66. Finally as regards the memorial in question, I would remark that notwithstanding that in the preamble it is stated that each memorialist has signed himself, not only is this not the case, but on examination of the names attached I find that, in addition to the names of 65 old women, all in one handwriting, the so-called Bürger Committee have absolutely attached the signatures of poor old women and men in and out of the poor- house, many of them quite childish, and I also observe the name of a man who is deaf and dumb, besides two or thre who are notoriously of unsound mind.

67. A copy of a second memorial has been sent to me, without any accompanying letter, and merely a curt notice on the back that the original has been sent to the Secre- tary of State.

68. In anticipation of its return to myself, I beg to be allowed to make a few remarks upon the same.

69. The complaint contained therein is that I refused to accept a copy of the memorial in question on account of the utter absence of signatures.

70. On this point it is not necessary that I should dilate as I have had the honour to state my reasons in a former despatch, and you deemed it more advisable to return the original documents.

71. The point to which, however, I wish to allude, as it might create a false impres- sion, is that the so-called Bürger Committee have had the extraordinary assurance to inform you, firstly, that during the late presence of H.M.S. "Gladiator" it was only owing to their exhortations and example that peace was preserved, and that they elected quietly to undergo the imprisonment allotted to them by the police court, and to advise the inhabitants not to interfere.

Secondly, that notwithstanding what they are pleased to term British cannon and bayonets, the taxes would never have been collected if they, the Bürger Committee, had not themselves gone round and collected the same, and finally they append a receipt of the Colonial Treasurer for the amount.

72. It is difficult to deal with persons who are so utterly regardless of truth, and I really think that this is the only colony of Great Britain where such wilful misstate- ments could be placed on paper before a Secretary of State.

73. I enclose a statement of the judges of the Court of Sessions, and the police magistrates as regards these points and have only to remark, that not one person in the island except their immediate families cared one farthing whether the members of the so-called Bürger Committee were imprisoned or not, and as to the faintest approach to a possible disturbance of the peace there was never the remotest chance of it.

74. The so-called Bürger Committee are perfectly aware that their statement as regards this point is a deliberate untruth, and that moreover they never exhorted as they say the inhabitants to peaceful measures, or had an opportunity of so doing. Had they attempted it they would simply have been laughed at.

75. With regard to the collection of taxes by the so-called Bürger Committee the following is the state of the case.

76. The majority of those who had not paid, seeing that the law must be obeyed, were paying their taxes in. I was most unwilling to use severe measures, but it was probable that certain members of the so-called Bürger Committee and their immediate supporters would still hold out,

77. A public notice was, therefore, posted up fixing a term by which the outstanding taxes must be paid, or excuses on score of property, &c. given, as I wished to give as much latitude as possible consistent with the establishment of a decided precedent to the effect that taxes legally enacted must be paid.

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885

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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