Page:ChroniclesofEarlyMelbournevol.2.pdf/42

hundred of this undesirable fraternity found their way into the district, and, with a few exceptions, turned out a bad bargain. In June despatches were received from Mr. Archibald Cunninghame, previously relegated to the Mother-country as a Pro-Separation and Pastoral Delegate Missionary, from which it appeared that he had so far exceeded his instructions as to advocate the transmission of " exiles " to the colony. Ultra vires action of this kind gave m u c h dissatisfaction, and to apply the break as soon as possible to Cunninghame's unwarranted behaviour, it was brought under the consideration of a meeting of the Delegate F u n d subscribers, w h o were supposed to direct and control Cunninghame's movements in England, when, on the motion of Mr. W . Kerr, seconded by Mr. J. O'Shanassy, a resolution was passed disavowing the action of the delegate in promoting the emigration oi what lie termed "Free Convicts," and peremptorily instructing him to render no support to any such or similar movement in future. A notification appearing in the Arbroath Guide, and reprinted in the Melbourne newspapers, caused a fresh alarm. It was in effect that the British Government had determined upon establishing a penal settlement at Portland (Port Phillip), and by means of prison labour erecting such fortifications and defensive works there as should render it a second Gibraltar. T h e English journal had evidently substituted one Portland for another, for the assertion was either a mistake or a hoax ; at all events, nothing further was ever heard about it. Still the cheap-labour advocates would persist in their underhand work, trying by every conceivable means to obtain convict labour either from England or V a n Diemen's Land, and causing misrepresentations to be m a d e to the colonial authorities in London ; yet all their efforts and manoeuvres were resultless. A s to the general mass of the people, convictism, under any device and in any guise, was to them thoroughly obnoxious. Then there was the Legislative Council of N e w South Wales, where " squatterocracy" was predominant. That body used to get pretty well muddled in dealing with the Transportation question. It was either blowing hot or cold, and once, in 1848, in afitof lukewarmness, it addressed the Secretary of State agreeing to the introduction of convicts holding tickets of leave, or conditional pardons, provided an equal number of free immigrants were also sent. In 1849 Sir C. Fitzroy received a despatch expressing the concurrence of Her Majesty's Government with the scheme, and on the receipt of this intelligence a public meeting was held on the 6th March in an open space where now the T o w n Hall stands, and an immense crowd collected at 2 p.m. T h e Mayor (Mr. W . M . Bell) presided, and the speakers, in addition to the Chairman, were Messrs. W m . Hull, R. A. Balbirnie, Sidney Stephen, John O'Shanassy, Bernard Reynolds, William Kerr, J. S. Johnston, Richard Heales, J. P. Fawkner, and Henry Langlands. Resolutions were passed (1) Expressing astonishment, alarm, and indignation that, notwithstanding previous public declarations against convictism or exilism, the British Government contemplated constituting the Province a penal settlement : (2) That Transportation to the colony would be absolutely ruinous, as stopping the supply of a virtuous and industrious population, as well as degrading to the people : (3) Recording the determination of the inhabitants of the Province to resist the landing of convicts on their shores : and (4) Appointing as a deputation the Mayor, Messrs. S. Stephen, W . Hull, J. Simpson, William Kerr, and Dr. M'Arthur to wait upon the Governor (from w h o m a visit was expected) on his arrival, and request him to transmit the resolutions to the Queen, and also to impress upon him the necessity for preserving the public peace, and following the example of the Governor at the Cape of G o o d Hope, by prohibiting the landing of convicts (should any arrive) until Her Majesty should be correctly informed of the wishes of the community. In the course of the proceedings strong hints of a resort to physical force, if necessary, dropped from some of the speakers, but were checked by the Chairman. Prior to the holding of the meeting it got abroad that the occasion would be turned into an opportunity for making a covert attack upon the Superintendent, w h o was the reverse of popular in certain coteries. A s an example it was stated that he was a staunch favourer of Transportation, when in reality he was altogether the other way, as was subsequently testified by Sir C. Fitzroy. For this reason Messrs. Stawell, Williams, and others foremost in weight and influence, kept aloof and even two of the deputation (Hull and Simpson) declined acting.