, 1868-03-24

IClG lIc lSldLu lOI uSiItlStOHs Ou uIS
return thence he invited the signers of
the paper, 10 meet him at Government
house on the 4th January last, when he
informed them, that the memorial had
been presented; in fact that it was at
that moment in the possession OF the De-
partment OF State at Washington, and fur
Their told the signers of the impressions
which he had brought with him from the
United States etc. etc. wide ST. Thomas
Tidendc Of 4th January 1863 No. a.. |
may here add, that Governor Birch c..
d. and D. M. who then sojourned here,
mas perfectly cogmizant Of what was going
on, TO Wh0m The address had been submitted,
and it was approved Of By him, precious to ats
presentation; and that he asked for, and OBJ
tanned a copy oft. All this passed before
the voting took place,-that event did not
happen until the 9th same month,-con-
sequently whilst the Islands were las
they still are), defacto; and dejure under
Danish rule no manifestation of the
desire of the inhabitants had as vet been
shown, whereby it could be coniectured
on what side the voting would tend s.
no suspension of the peoples loyalty to
their King or Of their obedience TO the
laws, could be deduced from any fact
that had as yet taken place and l repeat
it, for I wish to impress it upon the mind
of your public that the Island Of ST.
Thomas anaS TO all intentS and purposes as
much under the Danish Government, at the
time Of the presentation Of the address, to
the royal Commissioner extraordinary, as the
LSlanl Of ST. Cr0ic waS, whem the articles,
10hich called forth an action against y0u for
treason, acere penned.
Let me put the foregoing statement in
u more condensed form before the calm
intelligence of your enlightened commu-
nifty. The King does not consider it of
any significance TO secure or guarantee 10
His subjects in st. Thomas a privilege in
vOlvlng their very existence, and welfare
as o community /; the subjects, as atore-
said take the matter into their own
hands, and through the medium of address
to the Kings own extraordinary Commits
%sioner, Chamberlain Christensen, induce
or instigate that gentleman to espouse
and advocate their cause at the seat of
the Government of the United States of
America, and to endeavour and strive TO
obtain, the privilege which their King
did not secure to them the Kings own
COMMISSIONS extraordinary applies d.
rectly to a foreign power 10 whom he pre-
sentS the address and Governor Birch is
cognizant of, and gives his countenance to
this application to a foreign power. This
is the state Of the affair, which / beg that
your readers will bear in mind.
Your readers have also before them, in
your issue No. IS of 3rd Instant, the
opinion Of no less a person than Governor.
Birch himself, which opinion in law-mat-
tiers, it must be conceded, is of the very
highest authority in the danish Westin-
dies,-to the effect, that an attempt to APP,
ply to a foreign po'oer, or to instigate such
an application in a state-affair of Denmark,
is punishable by our laws; and by a parity
of reasoning, an application to q foreign
Government, which has been executed, and
achieved must also be punishable, and in a
higher degree than a bare attempt.