Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/516

 their wilt But Macquarie^s desigus were repulsive to met of honour. As Colonel of the 73rd, he was able to cauB€ his emancipated friends to be entertained at the regimenta|_ mess ; but when the 46th Keginient arrived, Colonel Molle and his brother officers were not ho com])lianfc. Long and acrimonioua correspondence reached the Secretary of State ; but the 46fch left the colony without abatement of their determination. When the Rev* S, Marsden prosecuted the Governor's Secretary for liliel, the officers of the 46tb wrote to congi^atnhite liim on his success. Marsden*B reply (Oct, 1818) reveals the importance ascribed in the colony to the stand taken by the 46th. Tiiey did for society in Sydney what their active comrades did for the safety of life in Van Diemen's Land. (He eoiiUl) "never fovget the public service you reodereil to this colony from the time you lauded to the day of your departure, by your firitiuesi tmd gentlemanly conduct as British officers, and by your good and ^ prudent example as inendjers of the community. . . . Yheu you firal" arrived in New South Wale,^ evory harrier against li^ientionsuess wa» Ijroken down. There w«re a few, and hut a few, who resolved to stand their ground and preserve that line of cotiduet which the wiseat and heat men eoiiBidei' essential as murkiug the tlistiuctioii between the good and the evil. Had you not arrived in New South Walea and acted the honourable part you did, the few who were umrked out for future conquest would not have been able to have stotut out longer, but must have either jdelded to superior force, or have withdrawn from the colony. Some would not have had strength of mind sufficient to have carried on ^^M perijetual warfare against such unequal force, and thus would not hava^f been able to meet the expense of continued resistance. You just arrived^^^ in time to turn the wavering balance^ and to inspire the deaponding with hopes.'' Many regiments hear on their banners mottoes telling of their past Bcjr vices, but it may be qnestioned whether the escutcheon of the 4(ith could he more nuhly adorned than by the memory of their conduct in New South Wales, whicl^| smells sweet across fche lapse of the centmy« ^^ The 48fch Regiment arrived, and Mactjuarie found Colonel Erskiue more pliant than Colooel Molle, hut as a body the officers were actuated by the Harne sense of honour as en- countered him on the dfjth. Erskine agreed to join Mac- quarie in forcing an emancipated pntljuje upon society. The man was welcome at Government House; but all wasi nought so long as the hated free settlers, and civil and mili tary officers, were not compelled to meet him elsewhere- A