writer and speaker of much power. His manifesto was a lucid and vigorous expose of the question, thoroughly embodying the platform of the Separationists. Several effective speeches were delivered, but pre-eminently the best were those of E. Curr and J. F. Palmer. A resolution was also affirmed, inaugurating a Society for attaining the Financial, Political, and Territorial Separation of Port Phillip from the Middle and Northern Districts of N e w South Wales. A code of rules was agreed to, and a Committee of Management appointed. This "Separation Committee," as it was termed, worked indefatigably, though the working m a n was in reality M r . Curr. At this crisis, too, Geelong and Portland—the only two towns of importance outside Melbourne—bestirred themselves, and public meetings were held there. T h e question of Separation was taken into the Legislative Council of N e w South Wales and warmly advocated by the Port Phillip Representatives, especially by the Rev. Dr. Lang, w h o m o v e d — "That a humble Address be presented to H e r Majesty the Queen, praying that H e r Majesty will graciously be pleased to direct that the requisite steps be taken for the speedy and entire Separation of the District of Port Phillip from the Territory of N e w South Wales, and its erection into a separate colony." O n a division the proposal was negatived by 19 votes against 6, the Port Phillip members solely constituting the " ayes." Lang, however, was not a m a n easily to be put down, and the next move was that in January, 1845, on his suggestion, the half-dozen minority subscribed a special Petition from themselves, which the Governor forwarded through the customary official channel. THE FIRST HOME DELEGATE.
The most successful public meeting yet mooted was convened on requisition to the Mayor (Dr. Palmer), and held at the Royal Hotel on the 28th November, 1 8 4 4 : — " T o petition Parliament against pledging the Crown Lands of the district jointly with those of the Sydney district in security for a loan for immigration purposes; and to consider the propriety of appointing an agent to proceed to England to oppose the project and to advance generally the Cause of Separation." T h e speakers were the Chairman (the Mayor), Messrs. Edward Curr, J. L. Foster, William Stawell, E. J. Brewster, T h o m a s Wills, J, A. Marsden, W . M . Bell, William Kerr, J. P. Fawkner, Neil Black, and Dr. P. M'Arthur. T h e principal resolution was one nominating Archibald Cunninghame, Esq., a Delegate to represent the interests of the people of the province in London. Messrs. Edward Curr, Thomas Wills, and William Westgarth were charged with the duty of instructing the Delegate, and to be the authorized instrument of inter-communication with him in London. It was estimated that ^ 1 0 0 0 would be a sufficient sum to raise by subscription. T h e Delegate was to be paid ^ 4 0 0 per annum for two years, the remaining ,£200 to be applied to contingent expenses. Prior to the departure of the Delegate (5th January, 1846), he was entertained at a public breakfast in the Royal Hotel, with M r . E. Curr in the Chair. O n the termination of the matinee, Mr. Cunninghame was escorted to the wharf, thence to the steamer "Vesta," by which he travelled to Geelong, whence he sailed for England. Mr. Cunninghame was not an unqualified success. Though presenting himself as a Colonial emissary in England, he was veritably an agent of the " squattocracy," of which he was one. O n the Transportation question he lent himself to promote the interests of the few against the many. H e concurred with the H o m e Government in the attempt to foist a semi-diluted felony upon the district, in the form of conditionally pardoned convicts from the penal depots in England. In every sense he was a "squatters' advocate" in very thin disguise, and tried to use his position whenever he got a chance to advance the special views of a party, rather than the wishes of the country. His m o d e for constructing an Electoral Chamber was to divide Port Phillip into four electoral districts, returning 24 members, to which were to be added 12 Crown Nominees, or a Legislature of 36. H e proposed to grant the franchise to every Crown tenant paying ,£10 a year as rent or license fee, but a tenant on purchased land, was not to have a vote unless for a seven years' holding, and the annual rental not under £Ao. T h e Delegate was openly denounced as a traitor, "sacrificing
