Morris to Secretary of State

I trust you will pardon the liberty I take in making the
present application and that you will so far oblige me as to
bestow your kind consideration on the statement I wish to make.
In July 1855 I entered the Pay Office of the London Recruiting
District as an Extra Clerk and I there gave such satisfaction that
I was promoted to Third Clerk on the Establishment; in Decr
1860 I was fortunate enough to be appointed Clerk in the War
Department and was attached to the Store Office at the Tower.
While there, I am proud to say that the most flattering reports
were frequently made of my zeal and ability, but my salary was
small and I had a mother to support, so on being offered an
appointment in Ireland at a slight increase, I resigned my
situation. Unfortunately a War Office Circular was immediately
promulgated which greatly reduced the pay of the Department I was
about to enter, and my resignation having been accepted at the
Tower, I was thus thrown out of employ. I did the best I could
for some months, and eventually made an appeal to the War Office,
when in consequence of my peculiar misfortune, I was told that Sir
George Lewis had with much pleasure placed my name upon the list
of candidates again. No hope however can be held out of my
receiving an appointment for a very long period, and my wants are
so pressing, that having a small sum in my possession I
contemplate emigrating to British Columbia.

My object in this application is to enquire whether you can
bestow upon me any appointment in that Colony, or whether you can
afford me the chance of obtaining any employment, if I paid my own
expenses out. My testimonials show that I have served Her Majesty
well and faithfully in this country and should I succeed in
obtaining what I now seek, I hope to do so again in a new field.
I may add that I have had two Uncles in H.M. Navy (one drowned
while on Service) and that my brother was Accountant in the Land
Transport Corps and was in charge of the Native Camp at Sinope
when His Grace the Duke of Newcastle visited it and expressed his
approval of its arrangements &c.