THE EMBARRASSMENTS OF AN AUTOCRAT. 241 



new commission of a purely civil nature made out, for which 

 Marsden had afterwards reason to be thankful. 1 



However, Vale gave no consideration at all to the terms of 

 his commission and suffered no misgivings. When he reached 

 Sydney he was bitterly disappointed with the position assigned 

 to him. Instead of having the duties of a single parish with 

 a dwelling and glebe attached, he found that he must provide 

 his own lodgings and be constantly moving from place to place 

 as his assistance was required now by one and now by another of 

 the chaplains. He had to support his wife and family on his 

 salary of ios. a day without further help from the Government. 

 Under these conditions he obtained the Governor's permission 

 to return to England in 1816. The Governor indeed was glad 

 enough that he should go for the disappointed clergyman 

 was troublesome with his constant complaints. 



Before the time came for his departure, Vale thought he 

 saw an opportunity of recouping himself for his expenses in 

 the Colony. On the igth February, 1816, the Traveller, an 

 American schooner carrying teas and other merchandise, 

 arrived at Port Jackson bearing a clearance in proper order 

 from Canton. She was the first American ship which had 

 visited Sydney since the conclusion of peace, and Macquarie 

 gave her permission to unload her cargo. He was absent from 

 Sydney for a few days, and when he returned on the 29th Feb- 

 ruary, he found that the unloading had been stopped and the 

 schooner seized as a lawful prize under the Navigation Act 

 by the Rev. Mr. Vale and W. H. Moore. The Governor im- 

 mediately removed the "arrest or restraint which had been 

 thus laid on the discharge of the cargo, and continued the per- 

 mission of landing," which he had previously granted. 2 Moore, 

 who acted as Vale's attorney, petitioned the Governor to 

 appoint a Judge of the Vice- Admiralty Court, but received no 

 answer and so far as the Traveller was concerned the matter 

 ended there. 3 



1 Marsden to Wilberforce, aoth May, 1818. Private Papers of William 

 Wilberforce. Macquarie once told Marsden that under the old commission he 

 would have brought him beiore a Court-Martial and tried him for sedition. See 

 also Evidence of Marsden, Appendix, Bigge's Report. R.O., MS. 



2 D. 4, 8th March, 1816. R.O., MS. 



3 Moore's Evidence, Appendix, Bigge's Reports. R.O., MS. There was no 

 Vice-Admiralty Judge in the period between Bent's death and Wylde's arrival. 



16 



