288 A COLONIAL AUTOCRACY. 



was absent that Brisbane arrived at Port Jackson. On the 

 2 1st of November Macquarie returned to headquarters, and 

 Sydney saw the spectacle of "Their Excellencies" riding- 

 through the streets together. Brisbane was sworn in on the 

 ist of December, 1822, and a fortnight later addresses one of 

 welcome, one of farewell were presented, in the preparation 

 of which, the Gazette l recorded that " a deplorable lack of una- 

 nimity was shown ". 



Macquarie with his wife and little son sailed for England 

 on I2th February, 1822. He lived just long enough to publish 

 a defence of his administration in response to the earlier attacks 

 of Bennet, and died in London in 1824. He had governed 

 New South Wales for eleven years, and if good intentions, 

 unremitting labour and honesty of purpose were the only 

 qualities called for in a Governor, Macquarie had indeed de- 

 served well of his country. But before estimating his services 

 there is still another side of his administration to be considered, 

 that side which presented itself to the Imperial Parliament 

 and became in a dim and hazy manner impressed upon the 

 British public. 



1 Gazette, i4th January, 1822. 



