Life of Sir George Grey: Governor, High commissioner, and Premier. An Historical Biography.

Grey and Cameron

Grey and Cameron.

The incident led to a breach of the friendly relations between the Governor and the General. Sir W. Fox wittily observes that a correspondence which began with the familiar form of address, "My dear Cameron," on one side and "My dear Grey," on the other, wound up sternly with "Sir" on both sides. From this moment the General grew ever more opposed to the war he reluctantly carried on, while the Governor grew ever-more in sympathy with the colonists who carried it on. And when Cameron plainly said, on being sent to conduct hostilities at Wanganui, that it was being carried on in the selfish interests of self-seeking colonists, who had cast greedy eyes on the Native lands, Grey bluntly expressed the opinion that the Colony would do better if the English troops were sent out of it. In a despatch he even formally advised that the troops should be withdrawn, and that in their place an Imperial guarantee should be given for a three-million loan, or else that a Parliamentary grant (Grey's chief instrument at all times) should be made for three or five years. The judicious Cardwell point-blank refused to sanction either loan or grant. An angry correspondence ensued, and the Ministry, at the end of its resources, resigned.