Such an untoward event renewed the public uneasiness; and on the 20th a public meeting was held at the Queen's Theatre, to enter a further protest against a possibility of the introduction of transportation. The Mayor (Mr. W . Bell) acted as Chairman, and speeches of a most determined character were delivered by Messrs. Lachlan M'Kinnon, Colin-Campbell, William Kerr, R. A. Balbirnie. Thomas Wills, J. A. Marsden, J. S. Johnston, Thomas M'Combie, Henry Langlands, Dr. Greeves, Dr. Thomson, Captain Webster, and the Rev. A. M . Ramsay. Several resolutions were adopted, and it was decided to transmit Petitions to the Queen and both Houses of Parliament. O n the 14th December, 1849, another harbinger of evil appeared in the arrival of the ship "Adelaide" from Hobart Town, with 281 convicts for Port Phillip, but against this visitation the Superintendent was prepared. H e dispatched a messenger express to the Heads, with positive instructions that the ship was to come no further. She remained off Queenscliff for four days, and then followed in the wake of the " Randolph." Thus again was the dire shadow of the impending evil driven off.
SYMPATHY WITH THE CAPE.
In the difficulty of finding some British Dependency whereon to discharge the contaminating forces of British crime, an attempt was made to foist convictism upon the Cape of Good Hope, but there resistance even more unflinching than in Port Phillip was offered, and thefloatingprisons were obliged to sail out of Table Bay, and bring on their freight of human depravity to Van Diemen's Land, the inhabitants of which island were now bestirring themselves to stem the pestiferous issues with which they were being overwhelmed. W h e n news of what had been accomplished at the Cape travelled to Australia, the Antitransportationists of Melbourne deemed it desirable to give all the moral support in their power to a movement similar to that in which they had themselves engaged. Consequently on the 28th February, 1850, a public meeting was held in the Mechanics' Institute for the expression of sympathy with the Cape Colonists " In their noble efforts to avert the tide of convictism, with which the H o m e Government were attempting to degrade and ruin their free and prosperous settlement." The Mayor (Dr. Greeves) presided ; energetic and eloquent speeches were delivered by the Chairman, the Rev. Dr. Lang, Messrs. William Kerr, J. S. Johnston, William Nicholson, George Annand and others; and a vote of sympathy was passed with acclamation, and ordered to be forwarded by the Chairman to the leaders of the agitation at Cape Town. A THREATENED REVIVAL.
Towards the close of the year efforts were made to procure the sanction of the Legislature of New South Wales to the renewal of transportation, whereat a fresh wave of alarm swept over the land. This induced the most enthusiastic demonstration that was ever held in Melbourne. It was unmistakably a forcible expression of public feeling, and from the tone of the speaking, and the status of most of the speakers, its importance as a general utterance of the collective voice of nine-tenths of the entire community could not be gainsaid. Between 3000 and 4000 persons assembled in front of the then new Police Court in Swanston Street. The Mayor (Dr. Greeves) was voted to the chair, and the immense gathering was addressed by Messrs. W . F. Stawell, A. F. Mollison, C. H. Ebden, W . M . Bell, J. O'Shanassy, W . Hull, J. P. Fawkner, L. M'Kinnon, J. A. Marsden, C. Campbell, T. M'Combie, and Captain G. W . Cole. Thefirstresolution was the adoption of a petition to the Legislative Council praying That the sanction of the Legislature will not be given to the importation of convicted felons in any form or under any designation whatsoever, to this colony or any part of it ; and even should it be resolved to exempt this district from participation in such an infliction, that the Council will not by re-degrading the Colony of N e w South Wales into a penal settlement, m a k e it necessarily a curse to the future colony of Victoria.
The second resolution enunciated, That as H e r Majesty's Government have solemnly and explicitly pledged the public faith that transportation should not be resumed to the colony, without the express consent of its inhabitants; and as it is the unanimous wish of the entire body of the colonists of Port Phillip and of the great mass of the inhabitants of the other portions of the colony that the transportation of convicted felons to this colony, or any portion of it, should be at once and for ever abandoned—This meeting declares their
