Page:Victoria, with a description of its principal cities, Melbourne and Geelong.djvu/135

 from our own observation, we have every reason to believe his representation was perfectly correct; for it was a natural effect that a rich gold country should draw together a reckless population, and thus, a venturous character, to say the least, was imparted to the society, which every good citizen must have deplored. It is true, we write of the past, when a negligent and feeble Government by its laxity complicated and fomented the evils. The social constitution of the colony was in a most wretched condition. Crimes of the most fearful character abounded on all sides; the roads swarmed with bush-rangers, the streets with desperadoes of every kind. The police were cowed, or leagued with the actors in the outrages. Witnesses and prosecutors were bribed, or intimidated from appearing.

This is, doubtless, a painful picture; but still there is little doubt that such was the case. We write to inform, not to mislead, and to give a just picture of the causes which led to the outbreak. The leading journal of the day speaks of it even more unfavourably; and from every source of information that came within our reach we received similar accounts. Among the twenty thousand inhabitants of a populous Gold Field, there must have been a nearer approach to the idea of a republican equality than has perhaps ever before been manifested elsewhere. There must have been a certain consciousness of independence in power, and an intolerance of constituted authority, promptly expressed. This must