Markham
the letter to which he alludes, dated the 29th of September last, of
which I now lay before the board a copy. The first of the accompanying
letters from Mr. Markham arrived at a time when a severe return of my
late illness obliged me, by the advice of my physicians, to leave
Calcutta for the benefit of the country air, and prevented me from
bringing it earlier before the notice of the board."
I have to remark upon this part of the letter, that he claims for
himself an exercise of his own authority. He had now no delegation, and
therefore no claim to separate authority. He was only a member of the
board, obliged to do everything according to the decision of the
majority, and yet he speaks of his own separate authority; and after
complimenting himself, he requests its confirmation. The complaints of
Mr. Markham had been increasing, growing, and multiplying upon him, from
the month of April preceding, and he had never given the least
intimation of it to the board until he wrote this letter. This was at so
late a period that he then says, "The time won't wait for a remedy; I am
obliged to use my own separate authority"; although he had had abundant
time for laying the whole matter before the Council.
He next goes on to say,--"It had, indeed, been my intention, but for the
same cause, to have requested the instructions of the board for the
conduct of Mr.
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