To William Branwhite Clarke   12 April 1865

Private

12/4/65.

My dear and venerable friend.

I must in candor confess, that I am left in incertainty by my memory, whether or not I solicited your kind cooperation with the Ladies of the Leichhardts Committee in the cause of your poor friend. It is an object to raise the needful fund soon, throughout these colonies, in order that Mr Macintyres services may not be lost. Hence any aid of noble hearted people will be of advantage to the contemplated enterprise. Your honored name has an immense influence in N.S.W. & perhaps you will exercise it in the good cause. I think the hon. E. D. Thomson is willing to take a prominent part in the movement for Leichhardt there & in Mr Aldis you have a powerful friend.

The fair members of the Committee have adressed Lady Young¹ & her Ladyship will undoubtedly be willing to see some excellent organisation formed for carrying out an extensive collecting for the expedition fund in N.S.W. Here the Schoolchildren, the Volunteers, the Medical men, are collecting. The Squatters are all adressed & we hope by shilling contributions to realize much from the Miners. The rest of the people are as far as known to us as generous directly adressed by the zealous Ladies It is a grand undertaking, one which I feel will be a historic one & which will perhaps accomplish what poor Leichhardt intended. So pray do what you can. I write these hurried lines tired at a late hour but will gladly maintain a communication with you on a subject to both of us of so profound interest.

Ever your attached friend

Ferd. Mueller

An article of yours in the papers would do an immensity of good²