THE EMBARRASSMENTS OF AN AUTOCRAT. 251 



24th January, 1 6th February, 2 22nd April 3 and i$th July * last, 

 have been disapproved and incurred your Lordship's displea- 

 sure ; and that from the tone and manner of conveying sen- 

 timents of disapprobation and censure, I have had the mis- 

 fortune to lose that confidence which your Lordship has 

 hitherto been kindly pleased to repose in me ; I could not 

 with any satisfaction to myself, nor consistently with my own 

 feelings of propriety and sense of public duty, any longer wish 

 to retain the high and important office I had so long had the 

 honour to hold as Governor-in-Chief of this Colony; the 

 arduous duties of which I had every reason to hope and 

 believe I had discharged with credit to myself and advantage 

 to the public service. 



" I therefore most respectfully request your Lordship will 

 do me the favour to tender my resignation . . . for the 

 gracious acceptance of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent ; 

 humbly and dutifully submitting to His Royal Highness that 

 he may be graciously pleased to nominate another Governor 

 to relieve me and that I shall remain here until the arrival of 

 my successor, or at least until I am honoured with your Lord- 

 ship's commands after the receipt of this." 5 



His defence in Vale's case was not lacking in confidence. 

 "... however much I esteem and respect your Lordship's 

 superior judgment, good feelings and high station, and however 

 much I may consider myself bound to submit to your Lord- 

 ship's authority and opinions, I trust that on a further review 

 and consideration of my conduct in this instance it will not be 

 deemed presumption, in a case where my public authority, 

 character and feelings as a man are so deeply involved, if I 

 take the liberty to dissent from the conclusions your Lordship 

 has been pleased to draw from my conduct in regard to Mr. 

 Vale ; for I cannot at all admit that it has been either illegal 

 or unjust, whilst on the contrary, I feel the consciousness of 



1 D. of 24th January, asked Macquarie to make full inquiries into some 

 complaints made in Bayly's letter, especially into the treatment of lemale convicts. 

 See Chapter X. 



2 D., 6th February, 1817, dealt with the case of Vale. 



3 D., 22nd April, 1817, dealt with the case of Moore. 



* D., i5th July, 1817, dealt with the case of T. Moore, whose land had been 

 taken from him because he had signed the petition. All are in C.O., MS. 

 6 D., ist December, 1817. R.O., MS. 



