Mr. J. A. B. Stewart,
Foreign and Commonwealth Office, London, SW1A 2AH.
R+R C21/4
10 Lennox Gardens, Croydon, Surrey.
19th April, 1978.
Dear Mr. Stewart,
220
(Executions in Bermuda)
Thank you for your letter of March 1st. 173
Please accept my apologies for the delay in my reply.
There is no doubt in my mind from the tone of your letter that you and Dr. Owen are convinced abolitionists.
My point is that other considerations in this case appear to have superseded whatever reasons you have for being abolitionist, which I would imagine include moral ones. What you have not explained is why moral considerations, even if they lead to difficult decisions, should be held inferior to political ones. I do not think most abolitionists would agree with you that a rigid adherence to the principles of democracy, important though these are, is a good enough reason to sacrifice the lives of two young men.
I do not understand why the steps you say are being taken to prevent a re-occurrence of another episode of this kind should be shrouded in mystery, and wish to repeat my request for information on this point.
If you are unable to enlighten me further, I shall have to pursue the matter through my MP and other channels.
/ with
Thank you for the background details about the situation in Bermuda, and other dependent territories/which you have been good enough to supply me. I daresay a dependent territory is one which is only too happy to be able to call upon the protection of British armed forces if lives are threatened; it seems strange that it should be allowed to flout the wishes of Parliament over putting people to death.
Yours sincerely,
A Stewart
I have recast
the draft
W.E. Chantill
In Quex trill
Draft reply
Свий Basnell.
2014 Colin Bagnall.
attached
27/4
xe
HKC 386/1
KECEMER
CTDV
21 APR 1973
DESK OFFICER
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