Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/506

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A COURT-MARTIAL. ROYAL VETERAN COMPANY.


3. For disgraceful and ungentlemanly conduct in making the seizure personally. 4. For equally disgraceful conduct in authorizing his agent (the lawyer) to write improper and inflammatory language to Lt. Col. Molle, during Macquarie's absence. Macquarie ordered the stoppage of the solicitor's salary, for his "insolent, offensive, and insulting conduct in the late false, unwarrantable, and vain attempt to seize the vessel" in contempt of the Governor's authority. The lawyer averred that at the time of the seizure he knew "nothing of the Governor's having given permission for the vessel to be entered at the port." Lord Bathurst told Macquarie that his conduct was illegal, but Macquarie endeavoured to justify himself, and pending further instructions did not comply with the order to restore the solicitor to his position. Harsh language was not rare in Macquarie's mouth. In 1819, under his own hand, he addressed the government printer thus:—

"Understanding you have in your service a man who came to this colony last from the Cape of Good Hope without the sanction of His Majesty's Government, but who from motives of humanity I permitted to become a settler; and it having come to my knowledge that the said——— . . . . did affix his signature to a scandalous, rebellious, and libellous paper, directed to the House of Commons, against my person and government now it being my determination that no such infamous incendiary shall be employed in any department under government in this colony, I hereby command and direct you at your peril to retain the said————— in your employ after one month from the date hereof."[1]

Macquarie was dissatisfied with his brother officers. It was time, he thought, to alter the Criminal Court, and he asked that the 73rd Regiment might be removed.

Before the 46th Regiment left the colony, Colonel Molle had, as Lt.-Govr., asked for a court-martial to try certain charges against D'Arcy Wentworth, the principal surgeon. Macquarie, though he described the charges as "frivolous and ridiculous," ordered a court-martial, but the Judge-Advocate thought a court-martial had no jurisdiction over a civil officer like Wentworth, and the objection was sustained in England. Macquarie did not find reason to commend the "Royal Veteran Company of New South Wales," which he formed in 1810, when the 102nd (the old

  1. ↑ The above letter was published in England by Mr. H. G. Bennett, M.P., in a letter to Lord Bathurst, 1820. Mr. Bigge was then engaged in his inquiry in the colony.
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