[9 August 1872]2
My dear Mr Francis,
I am sorry I cannot well get back to the Cabinet this Evng, the more so as Mackay who takes the same view as I do regarding Mueller's matter will also be absent. As a matter of policy it will undoubtedly be to the interest of the Govrnt to let the Dr have say one years undivided rule at the Botanical Gardens giving him at the same time distinctly to understand that the gardens must be made more attractive than they have hitherto been. There are a very large number of German Colonists here & I may add they are among our best settlers who will regard any injury sustained by him in the light of an almost national insult & I know that there are a very large number of members in the House who feel very strongly indeed on the subject — Mueller was prepared to resign at once had the vote being carried the other Evng as submitted on the Estimates.
I shd be glad if you could postpone dealing with the matter till the next meeting.
Faithfully yours
Robert Ramsay
Please cite as “FVM-M72-08-09,” 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 28 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/M72-08-09