56 COLONIAL POLITICS. 



lating libraries and literary reading rooms are 

 now becoming numerous, for the Australians 

 are desirous of being a reading as well as a 

 thinking people, and are anxious to have the 

 permission of legislating for themselves ; but 

 whilst the free and emancipist parties are each 

 desirous of gaining an ascendancy in colonial 

 affairs, it would certainly not be advisable to 

 grant the boon ; both have their interests at 

 home, -and the emancipists are a wealthy and 

 powerful body ; and although I am not anxi- 

 ous to enter into the political affairs of the 

 colony, I would, while on this subject, merely 

 wish to suggest the expediency, from the wealth 

 and importance of this part of the Australian 

 colony, to no longer use it as a penal settle- 

 ment, but encourage free emigration of labourers, 

 and send the convicts to a new colony, which 

 might be founded at the northern portion of the 

 extensive Australian territory ; then there can 

 be no doubt that party spirit will in some degree 

 subside, and the colony will increase still more 

 in prosperity, being undivided by any party 

 feeling, 



It is well known that free emigration is de- 

 tested by most of the convict party, and a 

 wealthy individual of this class once remarked, 

 ' ' What have the free emigrants to do here ? the 



