Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/451

 FOVKAUX. BLIGH. JOHNSTON. 423 surveying the position he wrote to Paterson that Bligh had been Fulton, and it is generally believed that they intended to have established a monopoly of the public stores and revenues of the colony at the expense of the interests of Government, as well as of every individual unconnected with themselves, and in the prosecution of their plans they have gone such lengths by violating private property and infringing personal liberty as to occasion universal terror amongst all classes of people from the highest to most obscure." He saw no choice but to maintain the stain's quo (6th Aug.) until relieved by Paterson's arrival or orders from England. Bligh, though under arrest, was treated with some kind of respect. Taking umbrage when Foveaux declined to reinstate him or to put him in command of H.M.S. Porpoise^ he sent his gardener to tell Foveaux that henceforth no more vegetables were to be supplied to the Governor de facto from the garden of the Governor dejure. He demanded his papers from Foveaux. Foveaux left it to Johnston to determine '*how far this request can be complied with." Johnston declared that he had seized only what he thought necessary in administration of the govern- ment, but that, "as you have relieved me in the command, I am ready, as I signified to you on your arrival, to deliver all the papers whenever you shall be pleased to receive them." In Aug. 1808, Bligh remonstrated with Paterson (as Lt.-Colonel and Lt.-Governor) against " the mutiny of the porps under your command." He would enter into no conditions, but declared that all the troops were bound to obey him. Paterson had other sources of information, and replied that it was strange that six months elapsed after Bligh's "critical displacement" before any remonstrance was sent to the Colonel of the corps. As to replacing Bligh, an attempt to do so might cause evils which Pater- son's life could not "counterbalance." "It has been further represented to me that your departure from the colony has alone been protracted by yourself ; but I beg to submit to your judgment that your own interests require an immediate presence before those who only now can decide your conduct." Paterson, like Johnston^ conaid^:^d
 * ' principally advised by George Crossley, Messrs. Campbell, Palmer, and