, 1889-06-12

island 10 any one willing to see, the
difference is evident at all events
the We rds 'the Government Official of
the island" means Enthusiastically the
highest official on the island. Had the
letter been at once shown to me, I
would also have learned, that the writer's
desired to be informed what reply would
be received from the Government Official.
What Mr.. van Brake thought fit to i'm.
part to me was sufficient to show, that the
steps held III prospect on the part of Mr..
II. K. if actually taken, would involve not
only the ruin of Mr.. j. f., SO far as there
Yet remained anything left to be ruined, but
also the loss OF a separate claim of the
Colonial Treasury and that Of the modest
fortune OF Mrs. M...... e, either of which
would take to heart much more than what
were TO become of MIR. j.. +.
But as clear as this was, quite as clear
was it, that Mr.. II. X. was master of the
position and that, if he chose, what he
had the full right to do, not only legally
but also morally, there was no means of eS.
Gaping from the effect of the threatened
measure, unless it should be that either the
State Treasury Or the Col. Treasury or
MrS. Me should get a transfer of the
claim III question and show that con.
tInuance of indulgence, which Mr.. Holmes
NCtA was HO tOuS0F Wiling TO 10.
In accordance with this very plain view
OF the case, | mentioned to the Secretary.
that the Government had nothing to do
in the matter farther than to take the
money whenever offered and to transfer
the claim ; and in equal accordance with
the information given to me, and which
OF course considered to he all that nv in
former knew Of the affair, l told him, when
he asked me if had any objection to His
writing privately t" Mr.. II. X. on the
subject "ceftainly, not although | could
not help smiling iuWardly at the idea.
that his eloQuence would make any i'm
preston on the gentleman, Of whom had
a slight personal acquaintance.
After this there was no occasion to
heStOw, neither did | bpSt0w, a thought
further on the matter, until about Il month
later | was PUT in possession of the
copy sent TO me indirectly by Mr.. Nc.
ID. himself, OF u letter written by
Mr.. Van Brake to MI. Holmes Kerr.
This letter was OF no less than ten large
letter sheets, and the copy in the hand
writing Of one of the Su5ordinateS of the
the Presidency had been obtained by
means OF the PreSidencN'S copying press.
Whether the paper used was of that bear
ing the official stamp, | do not remember:
| think it was. The copy had been
delivered by Mr.. van Brake himself to
NJ. Me d.. and had afforded amusement to
others, brfOre it reached me.
AS this letter forms the original source
of and the cardinal point in what is to
follow, will have to take a somewhat
precise view of it.
First, as TO its general character. and
instead OF a few lines or at the highest IL
page or two, to explain to the gentleman,
addressed, the reasons, for which the
writer conceived, that "A further delay
might be granted his client without injury.
whatever one might think of the pr0prip-
ty OF such interference in the affairs Of
perfect stranger, who besides had his
regularly appointed attorney in the island,
i saw before me, as already mentioned,
a whole opus. After a cursory glance at
it | conld not help saying to myself; Good
God, what must those folks (the lawyers,
to whom of course Mr.. Holmes Kerr,
would at once hand over the obtruSive
document, have thought on receiving and
reading, surprising they considered it
worth their while to ready such......in
which nun Der one played fully as promi.
nent a figure as the business in hand,
coming from "the Government official of
the island J" And with this reflection [
would have contented myself, had it not
been for the very word "the Government
Official repeated over and over again.
A few extracts may serve us Specimenst: