Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/513

 The mail whom he ddighted to honour, and who was made a magistrate before Macqnarie had heen a fortnight in the colony, was, at the time, accused of conniving at frauds upon the government » The anomalies of the case were rendered more starthtig by the fact that (Feb. 1810) Mactjuarie notified his reprobation of immorality, and his intention to encourage only the decorous and moral. Yet from Jan. 1810, until bin death, Bligh's ex-bailiff was an intimate associate with Macquavie. Bhgh himself cotikl hardly have recommended sneh eoudnci. When questioned at Johnston'^ trial in 1811 as to hii^ ronduct towards Thomson he swore : ** When he had the impudence to addreaB me on other subjects beside the little trust which was confided to him, I reprimanded him for it in the severest manner." To be the companion of Thomson,^ and to wade through degradation in defence of his companionship, seemed to gratify Macqnarie. Thomson died in 1810, and Macquarie indulged two passions by erecting a memorial, and de- claring that by having made Thomson a magistrate he had '* restored him to that rank in society which he had lost/* But the vanity of the man led him to think that he could create a new world ; and, having coined a foolish theory, he w"ore out his life in defending it when it had miserably failed, and he himself had become soured. Another emanciiuat wdiom he made a magistrate was notably immoral, and was induced to resign after many years at Macquarie's request. A few extracts from the Governor's despatches should be cited. He declared (April 1810) that lie bad taken upon himself to *' adopt a new line of policy, '' '^nd had admitted several of the convict class to his table. He told Lord Bat hurst (181^) that ^' free people should consider they are coming to a convict country, and if they are too proud or too delicate in tbeir feelings to associate with the population of the country they should consider it in time, and bend their course to some other country." He '■* The man tliougk tjhrewd was iU iterate. He was transi^orted when fiixtecn yenra old : becauie a Btonerii arson's labounjr, rctaO tltialer» builder uf Bmall vessels, illieit UiatUler, famier, and fiuperin ten dent of conv'itjts work- ing in his district for the goverameut. Most of the faot& a^bQU^ isft. -ax^a. sw Ooimjiifisioner Bigge'8 Rajjort.