LES MISSIONS D'ADRIEN D'EPINAY

eached me, although I have received numerous despatches from you long since his arrival. It is, however,
possible that directions respecting him may be contained in one of the two numbered despatches which,
on the 23rd instant, I reported to be missing.
But my doubts, as to your having sanctioned the return of this person, rest on still stronger grounds:
I mean the very nature of the case.
If he had been sent out of this Island merely on account of political conduct, his being permitted to
return would not indeed have surprised me; from the general wish manifested by His Majesty's
Government to bury in oblivion all past errors of that nature: but the case is far otherwise.
Long before my arrival here, Pierretti had been looked upon as a person of a most violent and
dangerous character; and, as such, he had been, more than once, directed by my predecessor to quit the
colony. All the particulars on that head; as well as his subsequent behaviour; and his repeated attempts to
set at defiance the order of the local authorities, are contained in my despatch of the 8th August 1833.
With these facts upon record, it is difficult to conceive that you can have discovered any sufficient
reason for dissenting from the opinion which Mr Stanley expressed upon this case, in the following terms:
« It is only necessary for me to say that I entirely approve of the course » which you pursued: that I
see no reason to doubt the propriety of the steps « taken by the Supreme Court » in reference to the purely
legal points submitted « to their consideration: and that I do not consider Pierretti to be a person in «
whose favour it is incumbent upon His Majesty's advisers to recommend any « deviation from the strict
execution of the law ».
Upon the whole, I cannot bring myself to believe that you gave any unconditional authority to Mr
Pierretti's return to the Island; but as, on the other hand, I cannot suppose Mr A. d'Epinay's statement to be
entirely void of foundation; and as I may possibly still receive sorne instructions from you with respect to
Mr Pierretti; I consider it proper to allow a reasonable time for that purpose. It has accordingly been
intimated to him that he is permitted to reside here, under the security of Mr A. d'Epinay, for the space of
three months from this date; but that, if, by the expiration of this period, I shall not have received any
directions from you to permit his longer residence, he must be prepared to depart.
It is proper, here, to observe that the guarantee offered by Mr d'Epinay is only that Mr Pierretti shall
not meddle in politics ; but, in the event of his obtaining your permission for permanent residence, he
must be required to find adequate security that he will not disturb the public peace.
The return of this individual, however, brought about what is already regarded by many as a
triumph over legitimate authority: and I will frankly add that, if he should obtain his final object, I shall
be placed in a most perplexing situation, if, unhappily, on any future occasion, a due regard for the public
peace and safety should call for a similar exercise of the executive authority.
Adverting to the accompanying correspondence, I beg leave just to call your attention to a
paragraph (which I have marked with a pen) in the Procureur General's letter of the 12th instant; it implies
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