THE FIRST LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 339 



and anti-transportation crusades. He had also the advantage of 

 being already the chosen of Melbourne as its representative in the 

 defunct New South Wales Council. He enjoyed the full confidence 

 of the mercantile classes, but the trend of his sympathies was rather 

 towards commerce than politics, and though he did good work while 

 in the Council, and served on several important committees, he did 

 not seek re-election after his term had expired. His services were 

 no doubt of quite as much value to the citizens in his position as 

 President of the Chamber of Commerce, which owed its existence 

 to his efforts, and received his careful guidance in its earlier years. 



John O'Shanassy, who polled only thirty-four votes less than 

 Westgarth, was a very different type of man, and he left on the 

 annals of the colony a more distinct impress of his individuality 

 and capacity than any of his colleagues in that election. He 

 arrived in Port Phillip in November, 1839, a youth of twenty-one, 

 with a young wife, en route for Sydney, where he purposed joining 

 some relatives. The Eev. Father Geoghegan, who was then the 

 head and front of the Catholic body in Melbourne, persuaded him 

 to remain, and he cast in his lot with the two-year-old town. He 

 rented a small station a few miles south-east of Melbourne, and for 

 a while lived hopefully upon the promise of increasing flocks and 

 herds. But he had not had any experience of the business. The 

 virulence of an Australian drought was a revelation to a man who 

 was only familiar with Irish pastures. Scab and other troubles 

 afflicted his stock, want of capital hampered his operations, and the 

 financial troubles of 1843 found him encumbered with unsaleable 

 assets and a steadily losing investment. He gave up the struggle, 

 cleared off his stock and went into Melbourne with the full intention 

 of returning to Ireland. But his wife, with more hopefulness, urged 

 another trial in a different direction. After much pondering she 

 decided to open a drapery store, which, under her constant super- 

 vision, soon became a commercial success. When the rush set in 

 to the goldfields, a few years later, this modest venture of industry 

 blossomed into a substantial fortune. O'Shanassy, by his tall com- 

 manding presence, his bluff good humour and rich Clonmel brogue, 

 had acquired a considerable hold upon the affections of his country- 

 men in the colony, and they were then a sufficiently strong factor 



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