THE STIRRING OF POLITICAL ASPIRATIONS. 287 



unborn, bless the day on which you landed on their shores 

 and gave them (when they deserve it) what you so much 

 admire Freedom ! " l 



Bigge was not much affected by the rhetoric, and easily cut 

 the ground from beneath Macquarie's arguments. The ques- 

 tion had nothing to do with vague generalities, but dealt simply 

 with the wisdom of making Dr. Redfern, an emancipist, whose 

 promotion had not been continued beyond the post of assistant 

 surgeon, a magistrate, against the known opposition of Lord 

 Bathurst. 



" Your Excellency must be well aware," he wrote in one 

 part of his letter, " that not only in this Colony but in England 

 likewise, the admission of convicts to the magistracy, the dis- 

 tinguishing feature of your administration, has been more than 

 questioned." And again, " I never can admit that the faithful 

 discharge of the duties of assistant surgeon can ever form a 

 claim to the honours of the magistracy, even among the limited 

 number of aspirants to that office in this Colony ". 2 



His arguments were of little use, for Redfern held Macquarie 

 to his promise. " Honour, Character and Principles " were so 

 deeply involved that the Governor felt bound to fulful his 

 pledge. 3 



Redfern was appointed and held his coveted rank for nearly 

 a year. But when the new King came to the throne and a 

 new commission of the peace was issued, Macquarie received 

 orders from Lord Bathurst to omit Redfern's name. Thus 

 when Sir Thomas Brisbane took up the reins of Government no 

 convicts sat upon the Bench, for Lord, persuaded by both Mac- 

 quarie and Bigge that the trade of auctioneer was unsuited to one 

 of magisterial rank, had retired on the plea of ill-health on the 

 same occasion. 4 Early in 1821 Macquarie made a tour of Van 

 Diemen's Land, and on his return to Sydney was received, as 

 he had been in 1812 with an address of welcome and a general 

 illumination of the town. 5 Soon afterwards he started on his 

 last progress through New South Wales, and it was while he 



1 6th November, 1819. Enclosure, D. 2, 22 nd February, 1820. R.O., MS. 



2 loth November, 1819. See above, R.O., MS. 



3 Macquarie to Bigge, I2th November, 1819. See above R.O., MS. 

 < Bigge's Report, I. ' See Gazette, 2 3 rd November, x8ax. 



