316 A COLONIAL AUTOCRACY. 



victs ; but free settlers will be ruled by nothing short of a system 

 of civil liberty. It would be idle to construct a constitution 

 beyond the wants of the people who are to be benefited by it, 

 or beyond their capability of enjoying it. Thus a representative 

 Government in New South Wales would at present be a wild 

 and futile scheme. But the protection of an authority, limited 

 and regulated by law, they have a right to demand ; and if 

 English statesmen do not bestow it, other means will assuredly 

 be taken by which it will be obtained." This theme he re- 

 turned to later in the pamphlet, saying : 



" I cannot refrain again here (from) entreating your Lord- 

 ship to reconsider the opinion you have given on the propriety 

 of continuing the Governor of New South Wales in his present 

 authority unchecked and uncontrouled except by the Colonial 

 Office at home ; which ... is fourteen thousand miles distant. 

 The recommendation of the Committee in 1812 ought to have 

 carried some weight in influencing your opinion ; but the events 

 of the Colony since that period demonstrate the necessity of 

 that measure. A consistent and intelligent administration of 

 the affairs of the Colony is of primary importance . . . which 

 cannot be obtained under the present vicious establishment, and 

 which is essential to the well being of the settlement." 



The actual reforms suggested by Bennet were moderate 

 enough, and indeed were very similar to the final recommenda- 

 tions of Bigge himself. 



The commission with which Bigge was invested gave him 

 power "to examine into all the Laws, Regulations and Usages 

 of the settlements l . . . and into every other matter or thing 

 in any way connected with administration of the Civil Govern- 

 ment, the Superintendence and Reform of the Convicts, the state 

 of the Judicial, Civil and Ecclesiastical Establishments, Revenues, 

 Trade and internal resources thereof, and to report to us the in- 

 formation which you shall collect, together with your opinion 

 thereupon ". 2 



In order that he might take evidence on oath, Macquarie was 

 to make him a magistrate of the territory. 3 



But more important than his commission were the instruc- 



1 Van Diemen's Land as well as New South Wales. 

 a See C.O., sth January, 1819. MS. 3 Ibid. 



