PROBABLE SUCCESSOR TO LORD ELGIN. 33 



His family connection and serviceable talents transferred 

 him, at a compantively early age, from the bar to the 

 highly important post of judge in India, where he pre- 

 sided with distinction for many years. He was subse- 

 quently appointed Governor of the island of Barbadoes, 

 from whence he was promoted to his present position, 

 which is esteemed the second governorship, in point of 

 dignity, in the gift of the crown — Canada being the first. 

 One of the Governor's friends here told me, that if Lord 

 Elgin should retire from Canada, Sir Charles would 

 unquestionably be appointed to his place. The change I 

 think would be popular in Canada, though one of the 

 prominent reasons for removing Elgin, would constitute a 

 fatal objection to appointing Sir Charles as his successor. 

 Both are necessitous, and cannot spare any portion of their 

 incomes to popularize and strengthen themselves with 

 among their people ; Elgin does not scruple to use the £300 

 appropriated to him by his government for entertaining, to 

 the paying off of incumbrances upon his estates, and in 

 consequence enjoys the reputation of being a screw and a 

 niggard throughout Canada. Sir Charles Grey is deeply 

 in debt, and I believe has been outlawed by his creditors ; 

 at all events, his embarrassments were such that he was 

 obliged to leave England. He has been repeatedly prose- 

 cuted in the courts of the island for his liabilities, and re- 

 cently had the hardihood to plead his governorship in bar 

 2* 



