e. It was not a
largesse; it was rather an act of tardy justice, by which Mr. Gurr
received at last the same emoluments as his predecessor in the office.
At the same time, with a bankrupt treasury, all fresh expenses are and
must be regarded askance. The President, acting under a so-called
Treasury regulation, refused to honour the King's order. And a friendly
suit was brought, which turned on the validity of this Treasury
regulation. This was more than doubtful. The President was a treaty
official; hence bound by the treaty. The three Consuls had been acting
for him in his absence, using his powers and no other powers whatever
under the treaty; and the three Consuls so acting had framed a
regulation by which the powers of the President were greatly extended.
This was a vicious circle with a vengeance. But the Consuls, with the
ordinary partiality of parents for reformed offspring, regarded the
regulation as the apple of their eye. They made themselves busy in its
defence, they held interviews, it is reported they drew pleas; and it
seemed to all that the Chief Justice hesitated. It is certain at least
that he long delayed sentence. And during this delay the Consuls showed
their power. The native Government was repeatedly called together, and
at last forced to rescind the order in favour of Mr. Gurr. It was not
done voluntarily, for the Government resisted. It was not done by
conviction, for the Government had taken the first opportunity to
restore it. If the Consuls did not appear personally in the affair--and
I do not know that they did not--they made use of the President as a
mouthpiece; and the President delayed the deliberations of the
Government until he should receive further instructions from the
Consuls. Ten pounds is doubtless a considerable affair to a bankrupt
Government. But what were the Consuls doing in this matter of inland
administration? What was their right to interfere? What were the
arguments with which they overcame the resistance of the Government? I
am either very much misinformed, or these gentlemen were trafficking in
a merchandise which they did not possess, and selling at a high price
the assistance of the war-ships over which (as now appears) they have no
control.

Remark the irony of fate. This affair had no sooner been settled, Mr.
Gurr's claims cut at the very root, and the Treasury regulation
apparently set beyond cavil, than the Chief Justice pulled himself
together, and, taking his li