Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/456

This page has been validated.
428
PATERSON INDIGNANT AT BLIGH'S BREACH OF FAITH.

gallon, duties included." As a last resort Bligh (12th March) fulminated a proclamation. He declared "the New South Wales Corps to be in a state of mutiny and rebellion, now under Colonel Paterson's command." He forbade all masters of ships, "at their peril," to take away any "persons connected or supposed to be connected in the rebellion," from the colony

"to any place whatever, either in or out of His Majesty's dominions; particularly any officer of the said corps, or John Macarthur (settler), Nicholas Bayley, Garnham Blaxcell, Richard Atkins, Gregory Blaxland, John Townson, Robert Townson, Robert Fitz, Thomas Jamison, Thomas Hobby, Alexander Riley, D'Arcy Wentworth, James Mileham, Thomas Moore, and Walter Stephen Davidson."

Jamison was already on board the Admiral Gambier. Davidson was the nephew of Sir Walter Farquhar, recommended by Lord Camden as a desirable settler. Riley was the settler who had gone with Paterson to Port Dalrymple, and having returned with him in Jan. 1809, had officiated as his secretary. Paterson, indignant at the attempted circulation of Bligh's proclamation, drew tighter the restrictions on shore, and on the 17th March the defeated Bligh sailed away. Paterson defended his position before the public by a counter-proclamation. He set forth the agreement between himself and Bligh. "And whereas the said William Bligh, Esquire, in direct violation of his word of honour as an officer and a gentleman, solemnly pledged thereto, has not departed from this colony at the stipulated time," and has distributed libellous and defamatory papers," Paterson, determined to exert the full powers vested in him, "to prevent the dreadful consequences meant to result from the designs of the said William Bligh, Esquire, and his accomplices," commanded all His Majesty's "subjects not to hold, countenance, or be privy to any communication" with such dangerous persons. Offenders would be "dealt with as abettors of sedition, and enemies to the peace and prosperity of the colony." On the 18th March, two of the "abettors," Palmer and Hook, were committed by magistrates for delivering amongst vessels in the port, libellous, seditious, and inflammatory letters." They were allowed bail for £600 each, with two sureties of £300 each. At a later date Mr. Campbell, having refused to "officiate as coroner," when directed by Paterson, was