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Letter written to Thomas Benbow Phillips at Rio Grande do Sul by Randal Callander at Rio Grande de Sul, dated 2 November 1875

Randal Callander explained he had received a letter from Mr Victor A W Drummond, Her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at Rio de Janeiro, in reply to his letter forwarding Thomas Benbow Phillips's charge against the Brazilian Government, and quoted an extract for Thomas Benbow Phillips's attention: “he (Victor Drummond) expressed his regret that when Thomas Benbow Phillips brought his case to the notice of Her Majesty's Consuls more than once, they did not recommend him to obtain the services of a Lawyer, and carry out the case in due legal form. If the authorities had refused to seize Wenceslau Mantins da Silva, they would have had a right to use their authority with the President of the Province for Justice, to do so. Victor Drummond also said that no Brazilian Jury would ever give a verdict in Thomas Benbow Phillips's favour, because he appeared to have no witnesses and no proof that Wenceslau was the man who stabbed him on 19 December, 1874. Eleven years had elapsed since the crime had been committed, and no notice had been brought to Her Majesty's Legation of the failure of justice since Mr Perry's letter of 11 June, 1866. Victor Drummond did not think that Thomas Benbow Phillips would receive any compensation. He would await the opinion of Randal Callander before bringing the case officially to the notice of the Brazilian Government, and would send the case to the Earl of Derby”. Randal Callander, at the end of his letter to Thomas Benbow Phillips said he trusted that Thomas Benbow Phillips might obtain proper redress from the Imperial Government for his suffering due to want of justice, and ends the letter as Thomas Benbow Phillips's “most obedient servant”.

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