Only the year before, Sutherland told the memorialists, he had submitted to the postmaster general with his strongest recommendation, a petition from the postmaster of Montreal for increased salary and assistance, but the petition was refused. As for the increase in the frequency of the communications it was beyond his power to authorize such an expenditure. He had done his best on two recent occasions to induce the postmaster general to allow letters to go into the United States without the prepayment of postage, but was told that British postage must be paid on letters going into foreign states. The memorial and Sutherland's reply were transmitted to the general post office. There they excited much indignation. Freeling, the secretary, in a minute to the postmaster general, professed his inability to understand whether this unreserved disclosure of Sutherland's proceeded merely from indiscretion or from some other motive. The postmaster general was, in effect, accused of inattention and supineness in the discharge of his duties. His decisions were placed in the most invidious light before the inhabitants of Montreal. Indeed the whole circumstance had to Freeling the air of an understanding between Sutherland and the committee. The postmaster general was equally indignant, and ordered Sutherland's dismissal. But, as so often happened, Freeling changed his attitude, urging a number of countervailing circumstances against this extreme measure, and the postmaster general, who appeared to do little more than to convert the opinions and suggestions which Freeling so humbly submitted into departmental decisions, concurred in this recommendation.[189] In 1824, Sutherland met with a serious financial loss. The postmaster at Montreal became a defaulter to the extent of L1706. Sutherland took action against the postmaster's sureties, but owing to informalities his suit was thrown out. He appealed to the general post office, alleging that the reason of his non-suit was its failure to answer certain questions which he had put to the postmaster general. The appeal was not allowed. In 1827, Sutherland retired owing to ill-health, and was succeeded by his son-in-law, Thomas Allen Stayner, the last and, in some respects, the most distinguished of the representatives of the British post office in Canada. FOOTNOTES: [167] _Can. Arch._, Br. P.O. Transcripts, III. [168] _Can. Arch._, C. 284, p. 211. [169] _Memoir of G. J. Mountain, D.D._, Montreal, 1866, p. 53. [170] _Can. Arch._, Br. P.O. Transcripts, III. [171] C. F. Grece, _Facts and Observations respecting Canada_, London, 1819, p. 52. [172] _Can. Arch._, Br. P.O. Transcripts, III. [173] _Quebec Almanac_, 1818, and _Can. Arch._, Br. P.O. Transcripts, II. [174] _Quebec Gazette_, July 17, 1826. [175] Record Office, _Admiralty-Secretary In Letters_, Bundle 4073. [176] _Can. Arch._, Br. P.O. Transcripts, III. [177] _Ibid._ [178] _Can. Arch._, Q. 166, p. 371. [179] _Ibid._, C. 285, p. 63.