January 30th [186]61
Sir
I have the honor by direction of the Council of the Acclimatisation Society to bring under your notice the following copy of a resolution passed by the Council at the meeting held this day.
"That a copy of the Secretary's letter to the President containing the verbal remarks of Dr Mueller as conveyed through Mr Heyne be forwarded to Dr Mueller with the intimation that whilst the Council are most anxious to retain the valuable and talented assistance of Dr Mueller, they cannot give up their right to carry out one of the principal objects of the Society namely the introduction of "vegetables whether useful or ornamental" as per first clause of "Rules & Objects of the Society"
The copy of the letter referred to is enclosed herewith.2
I have the honor to be
Sir
Your most Obedt Servant
Geo Sprigg
Secy
To Ferdinand Mueller. Esq. M.D. F.R.S
&c &c &c
editorial addition.
A copy of Sprigg's letter to Thomas Black, dated 17 January, follows immediatly in the Society's letter-copy book. The letter reports that Heyne had on M's instructions waited on Sprigg to ask why a letter relating to a proposed plant introduction that had been discussed at the Council meeting on the previous day had not been shown to him at the meeting. Heyne had reported that 'Dr. Mueller was very much hurt at it and that if such things occurred again he should be compelled to absent himself altogether from the Council meetings'. Sprigg said he had informed Heyne that the letter in question had been addressed to Black and that he had no control over such matters.
Please cite as “FVM-66-01-30,” in Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, edited by R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora†, J.H. Voigt† and Monika Wells accessed on