Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/431

had been "many days ago informed that he (Macarthur) declined any further interference with the schooner, in consequence of the illegal conduct of the naval officer in refusing to enter the vessel and detaining her papers;" he begged leave to refer him to that officer "for any further information;" he has had two police officers "on board in charge, and it is reasonable to suppose they are directed to prevent irregularities."

Immediately Atkins issued a warrant for Macarthur's apprehension on the charge of having "illegally stopped the provisions of the master, mates, and crew of the schooner Parramatta, whereby the said master, mates, and crew had violated the colonial regulations by coming unauthorized on shore." In the warrant Atkins referred to his former communication as an "official letter." Oakes, the Chief Constable at Parramatta, appeared at Macarthur's house with the warrant at eleven o'clock at night. Macarthur declared that if the issuer of the warrant had served it he would have spurned him from his presence, and to satisfy the constable, gave him a written statement in the following terms:—

"Mr. Oakes,
"You will inform the persons who sent you here with the warrant you have now shown me and given me a copy of, that I never will submit to the horrid tyranny that is attempted until I am forced; that I consider it with scorn and contempt, as I do the persons who have directed it to be executed.

Oakes returned to the Judge-Advocate and deposed to what had occurred. A fresh warrant was issued, and a body of armed police apprehended Macarthur (16th Dec.) at the house of Surveyor-General Grimes in Sydney. Taken to the house of Atkins on the same day, he was bailed. On the 17th, before a bench of magistrates presided over by the Judge-Advocate, Macarthur was committed to be tried for "high misdemeanours." Major Johnston was on the bench.

It was while Macarthur was thus under committal that Bligh sent the convict overseer to pull down any fence erected by Macarthur upon his leasehold; and the felon minister, relying upon felon advice behind the throne,