THE DEPOSITION OF BLIGH. 39 



of candour and decision, in so much that it is impossible to 

 place the smallest reliance on the fulfilment of any engagement 

 he enters into. . . . Thus far, My Lord, I have deemed it my 

 duty to state my sentiments in a private letter, respecting 

 Governor Bligh's conduct ; but I trust that I shall be excused 

 by Your Lordship for refraining from entering more fully into 

 the merits of the transactions and disturbances connected with 

 his arrest." l 



Included in the instructions which dealt with individual 

 persons concerned in Bligh's deposition had been some clauses 

 of a general nature. Macquarie carried these out by three 

 Proclamations, one issued on ist January, the others on 4th 

 January, 1810. Though it was impossible in Bligh's absence to 

 reinstate him, the Instructions on this head were quoted in the 

 first Proclamation in order to make it known that Bligh had the 

 support of His Majesty's Ministers. Two years had passed 

 since his arrest, and the enthusiast in the cause, John Macarthur, 

 was absent. It was no wonder that those of his party who re- 

 mained should have grown cool. They had gained little, and 

 they had all to fear and nothing to expect from the decision of 

 the Home Government. From the economic point of view, 

 which consciously or unconsciously influenced their ardour, the 

 most vehement of Bligh's opponents felt that the restoration of 

 regular government would ease the situation. The Lieutenant- 

 Governors, not feeling quite sure as to the legality of their posi- 

 tion, had hesitated to draw heavy bills upon the Treasury, so 

 that there was a scarcity of the only stable part of the currency. 

 Major Abbott put the case very succinctly in 1808. "The 

 Colony is quiet," he wrote. "There is no money." 2 But a 

 Governor in whose title there was no flaw would of course not 

 feel himself thus restricted. 



Before Macquarie's arrival it had been rumoured that the 

 Colonial Office had condemned the action of Johnston. His 

 party found, however, that there was greater hope than they 

 had expected of conciliating the authorities, and that hope they 

 eagerly seized. The first Proclamation ended with a friendly 



1 See H.R., VII., Macquarie to Castlereagh, loth May, 1810, p. 377. 



2 Abbott to Ex-Governor King, 4th September, 1808. H.R., VI., Appendix, 



P- 835- 



