3io A COLONIAL AUTOCRACY. 



easily set right. He thought that any charges which could 

 justify a parliamentary inquiry into his conduct would also 

 justify his recall. His Majesty's subjects in that distant Colony 

 had an indefeasible and, till now, an unquestioned right to ask 

 Parliament to redress their wrongs. It might be urged that 

 the individual of whom they complained was absent ; that was 

 his misfortune ; unless, against that misfortune, he chose to set 

 off his being Governor of the settlement. While he continued 

 to exercise his functions as Governor the petitioners could not 

 enter actions against him ; if he quitted the Government, but 

 did not come home, they were still incapacitated from bringing 

 their actions against him, because no process could be served 

 upon him." l 



In the discussion that followed, Forbes, a friend of Mac- 

 quarie's, defended him with an inaccuracy which is worthy of note. 2 



"Governor Macquarie," he said, "resolved to allow indi- 

 viduals who had been hitherto excluded to practise, and in the 

 exercise of his authority ordered the judge to receive them as 

 barristers and solicitors accordingly. This measure was after- 

 wards communicated to His Majesty's Government and re- 

 ceived its approbation" 



Wilberforce urged inquiry, saying "... with all his respect 

 for Governor Macquarie, he would confess that he should 

 think him something more than human if, vested with almost 

 uncontrolled authority, his conduct had not been in some degree 

 affected by that circumstance. It commonly had the dangerous 

 effect of shutting up, or of corrupting, the channels of informa- 

 tion to him who was so unhappy as to possess it. ... He was 

 anxious for inquiry also on this additional ground, that Gover- 

 nor Macquarie might be made acquainted with all that was 

 known in this country." 3 Goulburn, who spoke for the Govern- 

 ment, promised inquiry into Williams' case (which was indeed 

 made by Bigge with the result that his right to a grievance was 

 proved) and touched lightly on Blake's affair, but his defence of 

 this was very weak. 4 One other matter of importance had been 

 raised by the petitioners and commented upon by Brougham 

 the action of the Governor in raising ,24,000 a year by 



1 See Hansard, vol. xxxix.. p. 1127, 23rd March, 1819. 



*Ibid., p. 1129. 3 Ibid., p. 1133. * Ibid., p. 1134-1137. 



