246 TlMEHRI. 



accommodating to the inhabitants of these rivers as 

 their Directeur-General, and not even to prevent dis- 

 order, that might result from an absence of government, 

 have they deigned to make any appointments. 



" In the meanwhile, there being plenty of evidence 

 forthcoming, or at hand, to allow us to judge as to 

 what are the opinions of the Directors towards us, we 

 addressed ourselves to their High Mightinesses by peti- 

 tion, to which we added a very concise memorial sup- 

 porting our objections, which petition, having been 

 received by their High Mightinesses, was at first, as 

 customary, put in the hands of the Directors for report. 

 Had these reporters (as in duty bound in respect to the 

 wishes of the inhabitants of these colonies, whom they 

 knew to be without proper rulers, and also in consi- 

 deration of the respect due to the state) answered 

 speedily, to-day, yes, even long ago, it would have been 

 possible to have had a proper government introduced 

 into these two rivers : 



" But no ; they allowed eleven months to elapse from 

 the date the Directors had received the petition, before 

 their report was sent in to their High Mightinesses: 



" From which it has followed, that, on account of the 

 intricacy of the affair (it not alone concerning these, 

 but also other colonies), the gentlemen delegated by 

 their High Mightinesses to confer with the West India 

 Company could not bring in their elaborate report 

 before the 19th of March of this year. 



" From the unlucky events which have since taken 

 place in the Republic, this, as well as other conferences 

 on matters affecting the Union, will be most difficult, 

 and for a time, impossible, which makes the under- 



