into the struggle, and the unflagging manner in which he maintained his place in the front of the lohong and tedious battle, fairly ranked him as a leader second to none, though whatever laurels were his due for the vast services rendered in a cause which so materially affected the interests of the whole community, might be fairly shared by the Rev. Dr. Lang, in whom Curr had a coadjutor as able and willing, and as persevering as himself. Yet, strangely enough, these two men, though they helped so bravely a common cause, never worked in the same team, and if yolked together, would have kicked, or bitten, or torn each other to death. Curr was an English Roman Catholic of extreme views, though tolerant enough in a certain fashion, whilst Lang was a most intolerant Presbyterian minister, who so abhorred Papistry, that if he only had the power, he had the will to clear out of the colony every man, woman, and child of that abhorred sect. A feud was generated between Curr and Lang at the Legislative Council Election in 1843, and though Curr was certainly the first aggressor, he would never be a party to healing the quarrel, and when Lang afterwards obtained something akin to a general absolution for past transgressions in consequence of his eminent public services in the Colonial Legislature, Curr alone amongst the most prominent men of the time stood aloof, and refused to extend the hand of reconciliation.
As a speaker Edward Curr was calm, methodical, and unimpassioned, unless when "riled" by some interruption, when he would warm up, and hit out. He never ascended to eloquence, but his deliverances were to the point, undiscursive, logical, and exhaustive. No man was better posted up in provincial affairs, and more than one memorial prepared by him on the Separation Question, was so complete as to be irrefutable. In addition to the platform, he contributed elaborate essays to the newspapers, and was ever indefatigable in advocating with tongue and pen what he believed to be conducive to the common weal. But there was one point in which he did not accord with the public sentiment. He came from a penal colony, and as a squatter was keenly appreciative of the pecuniary advantages arising from the employment of convict labour. Consequently he was not deemed "sound" in the matter of Anti-transportation. During this agitation he wriggled and trimmed, and more than once sought to cajole the people into a compromise, where they would have none, and the consequence was that an otherwise well deserved popularity was to some extent tarnished. Taken as a whole, Edward Curr was a public benefactor who merits a kindly niche in old Victorian history, and when he died on the 11th November, 1850, the very day that brought the intelligence of the Independence of Port Phillip, the event was deplored with an universal regret, which was deepened by the singularly melancholy coincidence of the announcement of the victory, and the loss of the commander of the campaigns.
The following was furnished me by a correspondent:—
"The Van Diemen's Land Company which was instituted for the purpose of introducing prime sheep, cattle, and horses into Tasmania, was, at that time it should be remembered, the largest industrial undertaking of any sort south of the Line. It had received a grant from the British Parliament of over 350,000 acres, and had a capital commonly said to amount to one million sterling. Mr. Curr was the sole Agent for this Company, and was instrumental in inducing the Directors in London to spend £30,000 in the introduction of first-class merino sheep from Germany, which the Company were able to obtain through the high standing and influence of its principal Shareholders, many of whom were members of the House of Lords, and also of the House of Commons. The result of this was that the Van Diemen's Land Company were the real introducers of the highest caste of merino sheep into Port Phillip, and their numerous flocks having spread throughout the colonies, many of the principal merino breed trace their origin to this fact. Wherever Mr. Curr went 'society' gave him a name. In Tasmania he was generally known as the 'Potentate of the North.' The Governor of that country used to speak of him as 'Baron Grim of Cape Grim,' such being the name of a point on the Company's principal sheep-station. After he had lived some time in Victoria, he was called the 'Father of Separation.' Mr. Curr arrived in Van Diemen's Land in 1826, and left the Company in 1841. He was the author of one of the earliest works on that colony, entitled An Account of the Colony of Van Diemen's Land, published in London in 1824; and was member of the Legislative Council thereof."
