Page:A colonial autocracy, New South Wales under Governor Macquarie, 1810-1821.djvu/316

 was absent that Brisbane arrived at Port Jackson. On the 21st of November Macquarie returned to headquarters, and Sydney saw the spectacle of "Their Excellencies" riding through the streets together. Brisbane was sworn in on the 1st of December, 1822, and a fortnight later addresses—one of welcome, one of farewell—were presented, in the preparation of which, the Gazette recorded that "a deplorable lack of unanimity was shown".

Macquarie with his wife and little son sailed for England on 12th February, 1822. He lived just long enough to publish a defence of his administration in response to the earlier attacks of Bennet, and died in London in 1824. He had governed New South Wales for eleven years, and if good intentions, unremitting labour and honesty of purpose were the only qualities called for in a Governor, Macquarie had indeed deserved well of his country. But before estimating his services there is still another side of his administration to be considered, that side which presented itself to the Imperial Parliament and became in a dim and hazy manner impressed upon the British public.