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yee? 'n Fort] Cy wn cdlo~’7 pow Uttarpara Joy kosnas Pushe Librasy Gov. of uot Beagad SEARORING SEL REAPING TION. . id upon the duties which lie before thom with a serious and. sincere heart are they who perform them most faithfully and well, even though they themselves are dissntisfied with their own performances. Morgan wrote: ‘But'a few pages from this is an entry mado on the last day of the year and as brief seems the time that passed. Would that the responsibilities which the last year has entailed npon me were as brief :— T cannot review with satisfaction the part year, not that I have bean less prosperoug in my worldly osreer, for in spite of my shortoomings T ave been very, vory muocoetful in my profession, but the continned and “Inoreased sucooes has not exoited proper duspositions in mo either m view of my temporal or my spiritual intervste. Grossly regardless of both I have wasted opportunities and despised advantages, abusod talents and prostl. tuted powers which will all riso against mo in judgment at the Inet day when we chal all have to render an account of ourselves and euch make duo retarn for the talent entrusted to his caro. . It is impossible, thorefore, that I oan look back upon the past with ples. sure, nor do I fool I oan look forward to tho futuro without misgivings. ‘Will the sume opportumties be afforded mo, the samo euooess ? Shall I continue as prosperous and my familf as happy ? ‘Tho hoppiont troasare the past has afforded mo is domestio comfort, In the endearments of my beloved wife and my ofildron, who aro all @ parent} heart om wish, I have been traly happy. May this soutoo of happiness bo ever continued to me and may I daily appreciate ite value, May my darlings continne to live in hope, joy and love and all the Obristian ‘grices, and may they not * Unbesoam the promise of their spring’ and ch! may I be onabled with divine mersy to tin thom early in the rays they should go, so that when thoy ore old they may not depart from them. . ‘My worldly success bas becn gront, I lasteyoar had an income of £1,600 8 your, feel depressed and unable to continue, May the i el tepr on the past records of my-life, nd oh ! ie poiee bam? t8 make up for what I have lost and may the next year eee meWVAYS POs- and better Obsistion, my dear wite and children happy and blhasional op ‘Whether the closing year afforded more satists in life, not, certain it is thak Morgan ceases to OOponoss of severely of himself. ighteon hundred and ft 4 long proved to be both noteworthy and peculiar. Tthys how of toil for the publio weal, was marked by much 4 On the, acitizen, During the whole of it and the your fue tony 19 146 LIFE OF SIR 2. MORGAN. the moral atmosphere’ of the island was rent with a veritable political cyclone, in which Morgan could not but have. borne a conspicnous part, though he has left but brief record in his own hand-writing. The special colleague of Dr. Elliott, with that gentleman he bore the main burden of the popular agitation on behalf of the people in regard to the verandahs, and was, in addition, their advocate in the cases tried in the district courts of Colombo. Much time was occupied in the preparation of the cases, and references occur in the early portion of the meagre entries in the diary for this year. As for instance :— 8th January.—The vorondah oases were postponed to-day as much by our consent as by the wish of the opposite party, they not being quite ready to proceed. We led a consultation, however, with ‘Mr. Lawson. Bunday, 16th January 1847.—This completes the first anniversary of my darling Josey’s birth. In the morning I went to church. Mr. Horsford preached vather an indifferent sermon. I ocenupied myself the greater part of the day in reading Aborcro~bie’s Moral Feelings. Abstained from business, thongh the temptation of looking into the verandah cases which come on to-morrow wes great. Reflected on the necessity of cultivating the morel principle and acting agreeably to ita unceasing dictates. May such reflections produce a permanent impression aud induce a corresponding change of conduct. Monday, 17th Jamuary.—To-day the verandah cases came on, but beyond hearing Stewart's address which, as usual, expressed very great confidence in the success of the case, and captain Pickering’s evidence, which was fairly delivered although in some respects more bold than the truth justified, nothing was dono and the trial was adjourned to Thursday. Did no other - business, for this kept me engaged from very early in the morning. Tuesday, 18th January.—"Vas rather lagly inclined this morning, but went early to the office and employed myself in preparing 0 statement, in Jaffna. 1212. Hudson, Chandler and Co., were declared bankrupts tov day - wht and what roin and agony it will excite! How uncertain js a life! carly and took a driveand called st ———’s, Returned home for which I kept myself engaged in effecting an arrangement of my wanted. I divided my eight office table drawers with numbers i papers thus— 1et—Papors roquiring immediate attention. 2nd—Correspondence. 8rd—Acconnts. 4th—Law Books. Sth—Docamtents of others to be returned. THE VERANDAHS OASE. 147 6th—Mr. Hillebrand’s pepete. + 7th—Opinion book and Note books, #0. -8th—Miscellanes. Received £84 today. Thursday, 20th Janvary.—The famous verandah oase was resumed to-dey. The crown closed its case about three and I commenced my address which lasted till half-past six when the court was obliged to break up. I dwelt on the legal merite of the case, and took an opportunity to pitch into our great snob, calling him a “Daniel come to judgment, yea, a Danicl.” Insulted- feelings, not revenge, will have a vent. Came home quite tired. Friday, Qlet Janwary.—Verandah case again. Rosumed my address which took up an hour longer, after which Lawson addressed the court for about half an hour and our witnesses wore called, who, so far as they went, proved an excellent case of possession, Court closed at four allowing Stewart (an advantage which was denied me yesterday) the privilege of replying to-morrow. In the afternoon attended the funeral of the Reverend M. Ondaatjie. Saturday, 22nd January.—Stowart replied, and as usual with him, well. But he has fairly got the Government on the horns of o dilemma, The only way in which he dttempted to answer our case of proscription and the inference of a grant deducible therefrom was by showing that béing o high. way it is not grantable. Very good argument for a lawyer, but how does this consort with the acts of Government who are selling away verandahs in every other street P Wednesday, 26th January.—Mr. Lavilliero gave judgment in the verandah casos, of course for the crown. I blame him not for the finding ; he may con- acientiquely think it correct, but some remarks in the conclusion seem evidently put—if not at the suggestion of, certainly to pander to, the sppe- tites of the Government. Verily it is a melancholy thing for » country when the administration of juatice is suspected aud the poor look to the jadges for protection in vain. Sunday, 80th January.—Waa meditating 2 good deal on my remiss and negligent and unbusiness-like habits. They will ruin me unless mended. I have resolved upon course of greater punctuality, but, considering how frail my resolutions are, will not record them until tho experience of a week, at least gives me reason to hope better for the future. One noteworthy circumstance in Morgan’s career, characteristic of every stage of his life, was the humilia- tfon of heart and mind with which he was always pos- sessed as the reaction of a great triumph, professional or political. Men who saw indications of this, late in life, were inclined sometimes to doubt the genuineness of such humility in so uniformly prosperous a man. A long entry in the diary for the year under notice ahows how thoroughly sincere Morgan was in this respect. .On tha 24th of Jannary he formed one of a deputation of four