Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/305

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INVESTIGATIONS.

277

The grim aspect of the time was brought home to men's minds by the conclusion of the Order. The New South Wales Corps was to attend under arms, "at the execution of the felons under sentence of death," at ten o'clock on the 10th March. General relief must have been felt when, on the 10th, martial law was revoked, and civil law was restored. Loyal addresses at once flowed in upon the Governor. Offers to take up arms had been promptly made by twenty-eight persons, most of whom could take a confidential servant with them.^[1]

The rebellion was crushed by the first success of the troops. In various places runaways surrendered or were captured. Information was invited publicly in the Gazette to corroborate the dying confessions of two of the criminals executed. The threads of the conspiracy were followed up. In consequence of precise statements implicating him, the papers of Joseph Holt, who was the terror of the county of Wicklow in 1798, were seized on the 18th March. It is unnecessary to dwell at length on these proceedings.^[2] The magistrates were of opinion that there was not sufficient evidence to convict Holt before a Criminal Court, but that his general conduct, with its influence on the Irish, as shown by the dying confessions of persons executed, made it advisable to remove him to a distance. He was sent to Norfolk Island, and thence to Hobart Town, but was allowed to rejoin his family within two years. He eventually became a successful farmer. In 1812 he sold

↑ The following petition was sent to the Governor from "the ironed prisoners in the gaol gang at Parramatta." Your petitioners, emboldened by your unprecedented clemency and eminently distinguished philantrophy, which we, the deluded people distinguished by the name of Croppies, have happily distinguished at a time that our conduct was such as to render our lives forfeited both to law and justice, wherefore we thank Heaven that your Excellency's clemency prependerated our evil infaticated offences of which we seriously repent . . . humanely vouchsafe to extricate your petitioners out of irons wether we who may be deemed objects of your humanity's compliance to our humble prayer, do solemnly promise before God and unto your Excellency that our future conduct shall be upright with loyalty and propriety."
↑ They are told at length in "Curiosities of Colonisation," a copy of which (London, 1874) is in the British Museum. A letter from Holt's wife to Governor King, therein contained, is well worth perusal. She prayed in moving terms for his release, and King thus indorsed her application:—"Mrs. Holt, respecting her husband. A request that public safety prevents being granted."

[1] The following petition was sent to the Governor from "the ironed prisoners in the gaol gang at Parramatta." Your petitioners, emboldened by your unprecedented clemency and eminently distinguished philantrophy, which we, the deluded people distinguished by the name of Croppies, have happily distinguished at a time that our conduct was such as to render our lives forfeited both to law and justice, wherefore we thank Heaven that your Excellency's clemency prependerated our evil infaticated offences of which we seriously repent . . . humanely vouchsafe to extricate your petitioners out of irons wether we who may be deemed objects of your humanity's compliance to our humble prayer, do solemnly promise before God and unto your Excellency that our future conduct shall be upright with loyalty and propriety."

[2] They are told at length in "Curiosities of Colonisation," a copy of which (London, 1874) is in the British Museum. A letter from Holt's wife to Governor King, therein contained, is well worth perusal. She prayed in moving terms for his release, and King thus indorsed her application:—"Mrs. Holt, respecting her husband. A request that public safety prevents being granted."

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