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Most humble report:
By order from Your Majesty's Chamber of Customs I have now dissolved the burgher council and immediately have a new council selected which will commence Business on 1st January 1827. I have sent a detailed report to the Chamber of Customs regarding the elections and my reasons for the form I've used in this relation. I dare to refer to chamberlain Rothe who knows both the elected persons as well as the forms used so far.
While the elections were ongoing the rumor sprang up that some persons were anxiously intriguing to lead the elections. Therefore I issued an order that everybody had to choose according to his best conviction without complying to others wishes, but merely strictly abide by the most graciously ordered rules mentioned in the Royal open letter of 8th April 1768. We haven't, however, received any complaints and the only report I have received about irregularities only concerned one district. Anyhow since I am not committed to choose the person(s) who received the most votes, also in the mentioned district very suitable men had been suggested, and there wasn't enough time for a new election if the Burgher council should - preferably - commence on 1st January, I chose to leave it at that.
I hope my choice will be most graciously approved by Your Majesty. In that case I will consider myself most happy.
I learn that European newspapers have spread rumors about an insurrection at St. Thomas.
It was not a big thing, someone had reported to Governor Søbøtker about a rebellious assembly and that he, maybe a little bit hasty, ordered the military to keep ready. Approximately a dozen drunken colored, said to be mostly tailors, had met and allowed themselves to express improper remarks about the whites. There were no sufficient evidence about any serious crime. A couple of these, who were foreign tramps, and one single free negro, a bad subject, were sent away on the Governor's order. A measure which often has to be taken here. I considered it all to be an insignificant police matter that didn't deserve any reporting and hadn't expected it to cause a newspaper article.
On the occasion of the riots in Venezuela I sent Your Majesty's brig there to comfort the Danes there. It hasn't yet returned. The latest intelligence from there tell that Paez at the start of November in a popular assembly in Caraccas declared Venezuela an independent state, suggesting a constitution like the one in Bolivia having a president for life. |