The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 80a
Downing-street, 21 October 1861
Sir,
Downing-street,21 October 1861.
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch, No. 51, of the 19th July, forwarding a statement by Sir William Burton of the circumstances which led to his resignation of the office of President of the Legislative Council of New South Wales, and also explaining to me your view of the public questions to which this statement refers.
page 75You will already have learnt from my Despatch of the 26th of July that, while making every allowance for the difficulties in which you were placed, I was unable to approve the creation of 21 Legislative Councillors for, the purpose of carrying a Ministerial measure through the Council. With regard to the other questions raised in Sir William Burton's letter, it does not appear to me necessary or desirable to say more than that I see no reason to doubt that the President and Members of the late Legislative Council were actuated by a sense of duty in the proceedings which they adopted during the last Session of the Parliament of New South Wales,