He maintains that, however that may be, the principle has been lost sight of, and a premium is offered for the failure of other means by the introduction of such a power. I shall therefore alter the paper I gave Lefevre. Went down to the house with D. Wakefield, There we saw Scrope, Ward, Grote, Clay, Hutt, and Wilks. Showed them Lefevre's official letter, and the plan for founding a Crown instead of a Chartered colony. Clay, Scrope, and Ward thought that if Stanley would pledge himself to keep entire the colonisation plan, sufficient inducement would be held out to capitalists to embark money and to go to the colony. Grote and Hutt, on the contrary, appeared to think that self-government was necessary to the success of the colony. They were all much annoyed at the refusal, and they certainly showed much earnestness for the success of the measures.
"March 21st.—The meeting of the provisional committee took place, Whitmore was in the chair, and twenty-one persons were present, W. Strutt proposed Mr. Hawkins, M.P., as member of the committee. After the letter from Lefevre to Whitmore was read, Whitmore said that although Mr, Stanley objected to founding a chartered colony, that he did not think the committee ought to dissolve the association; if Mr. Stanley would agree to carry out the colonisation principles to which they were all so much attached, the form of government they required being denied them ought not to be considered a sufficient reason for refusing to go on with the measure. At least he would not leave the committee; if he did, he should think he were neglecting a great public duty. On this Hav.es proposed that Lefevre's letter be copied and circulated amongst the members of the committee. He could not decide what ought to be done, he required time, and wished to meet again after the Easter holidays. To this Torrens objected. This plan had been now before the public some years, and he saw no reason why we could not
