THE STIRRING OF POLITICAL ASPIRATIONS. 275 



Supreme Court marked a very definite stage in the growth of 

 civil liberty, and proved not only how far the Colony had out- 

 grown the simple. governmental needs of earlier times but also 

 what an anomalous confusion of military autocracy and civil 

 liberty had been created. By Macquarie the decision of Mr. 

 Justice Field in the Supreme Court was doubtless taken to ex- 

 press the latter's hostility to his government. 



The beginning of 1819 was a very busy time in the Colony. 

 An influential body of settlers, with Sir John Jamison at their 

 head, had decided that the time was ripe to petition the Prince 

 Regent to grant a more liberal form of Government, an im- 

 proved judiciary, and a freer trade. Early in the year, with 

 Macquarie's full permission, a public meeting was held with 

 Jamison in the chair, and a committee appointed with Eager as 

 secretary to draw up the petition. At a second meeting their 

 draft was adopted and copies sent to the magistrates and mem- 

 bers of the committee that they might collect signatures. 1 



The petition "though perhaps," wrote Macquarie, " in no 

 very courtly language," 2 asked for trial by jury, the replacement 

 of military officers of Government by civil officers, the reduction 

 of duties on New South Wales products imported into England, 

 permission for ships of less than 250 tons to trade with the 

 Colony, and permission to distil from their own grain. 



It was signed by 1,260 persons "including (with the excep- 

 tion of a very few persons, most of whom, holding official 

 situations, did not consider themselves warranted) all the men 

 of Wealth, Rank, or Intelligence throughout the Colony". 3 

 The promoters had difficulties of many kinds to contend with ; 

 in February and again in March the flood waters were up at 

 Parramatta and the Hawkesbury. Cox wrote to Jamison 

 from his house at Windsor on the 1 3th February at the early 

 liour of 6 a.m. 



" My dear Sir John, 



" I feel with many others much disappointment in being 

 deprived the pleasure of attending the Committee and meeting 



1 See S.G., January and February, 1819. 



3 See D., 22nd March, 1819. R.O., MS. Petition was sent by Macquarie 

 -with this despatch. 



3 D., 22nd March, 1819, above. 



