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18 The Fraser River Mines.

I take leave also to acquaint Your Excellency that several hundred
men and a large amount of freight are on the overland route from
California and Oregon, headed by General Palmer,®! bound for the
headwaters of Fraser, Thompson’s, and Bridge rivers, the duty on
which will be considerable if properly collected.

I am proceeding up Fraser River to Fort Yale and will forward
Your Excellency all the information I can procure from the different
miners as to the amount they are making on their different claims,
which I trust will be most acceptable.

I have the honor to be
with the greatest respect
Your Excellency’s
Most Obt. Hble. Servt.

Ricuarp Hicks.

Fort Yate, Britisn Conumsta,
April 30, 1859.

To His Excellency the Governor of British Columbia.
May iT PLEASE Your EXcELLENCY:

I have the honor herewith to enclose a copy of the charges of
the costs of Court of Captain Whannel, of this place; the imposition
and enormous charges inflicted upon the poor hard working miners
requires Your Excellency’s immediate attention. This is only one
amongst the many instances complained of, and the people here feel
assured you will not allow such petty tyranny to be practiced upon
them. The charges, like these for hearing any trivial offence, prevents
parties from having justice done them.

In the present case the charge was for assault, and the defendant
waived a hearing and only required binding over until the Assizes.

Justices of the Peace require no salary if such enormous charges
are allowed as these.

At the request of several inhabitants of this place, I have taken
this liberty of submitting the case to Your Excellency, feeling assured
you will speedily remedy the evil.

Another charge of gross injustice to a W. Way, who was defrauded
by a boatman of the sum of sixty dollars, which Captn. Whannell

(51) Joel Palmer, who in 1858 and 1859 was prominent in his advocacy of a route to the
upper Fraser by way of the Columbia and Okanagan rivers. He used wagons to transport freight

to the mines in those years. See a lengthy letter from him in the Oregon Statesman, February
14, 1860.