Page:A colonial autocracy, New South Wales under Governor Macquarie, 1810-1821.djvu/303

 Supreme Court marked a very definite stage in the growth of civil liberty, and proved not only how far the Colony had outgrown the simple governmental needs of earlier times—but also what an anomalous confusion of military autocracy and civil liberty had been created. By Macquarie the decision of Mr. Justice Field in the Supreme Court was doubtless taken to express the latter's hostility to his government.

The beginning of 1819 was a very busy time in the Colony. An influential body of settlers, with Sir John Jamison at their head, had decided that the time was ripe to petition the Prince Regent to grant a more liberal form of Government, an improved judiciary, and a freer trade. Early in the year, with Macquarie's full permission, a public meeting was held with Jamison in the chair, and a committee appointed with Eager as secretary to draw up the petition. At a second meeting their draft was adopted and copies sent to the magistrates and members of the committee that they might collect signatures.

The petition "though perhaps," wrote Macquarie, "in no very courtly language," asked for trial by jury, the replacement of military officers of Government by civil officers, the reduction of duties on New South Wales products imported into England, permission for ships of less than 250 tons to trade with the Colony, and permission to distil from their own grain.

It was signed by 1,260 persons "including (with the exception of a very few persons, most of whom, holding official situations, did not consider themselves warranted) all the men of Wealth, Rank, or Intelligence throughout the Colony". The promoters had difficulties of many kinds to contend with; in February and again in March the flood waters were up at Parramatta and the Hawkesbury. Cox wrote to Jamison from his house at Windsor on the 13th February at the early hour of 6 a.m.

"My dear Sir John,

"I feel with many others much disappointment in being deprived the pleasure of attending the Committee and meeting