84 A HISTORY OF THE COLONY OF VICTORIA 



the proceedings, and though they persistently denied the use of 

 specific language attributed to them, the House declined to accept 

 their denial. There is no doubt, on the evidence, that their bitter 

 denunciations of the squatters, and their inept pandering to class 

 prejudices, had raised a Frankenstein they were powerless to control. 

 Their followers demanded the expulsion of a class of their fellow- 

 colonists who had built up an industry under conditions of coura- 

 geous enterprise and at personal risk of life and property. An 

 industry that was now helping Victoria to pay its way by contri- 

 buting annually 250,000 in rentals to the Treasury, and providing, 

 even then, exportable products of the value of over two and a quarter 

 millions sterling annually for the maintenance of the colony's credit 

 in the London market. 



The increasing violence, the ignorant class hatred displayed by 

 these noisy organisations, showed how easily a mob is led to 

 champion a cause of which it really knows nothing, except from 

 the inflammatory utterances of its leaders. These proceedings gave, 

 indeed, a dismal forecast of the working of manhood suffrage, that 

 was to leave the final power in the hands of those so easily led by 

 skilled demagogues who had their own ends to serve. 



As a consequence of the serious disturbance, Parliament, on the 

 following day, passed through all its stages an "Act to protect the 

 freedom of the deliberations of Parliament, and for the prevention 

 of disorderly meetings". It was carried without a division in the 

 Assembly, and in the Council by a majority of sixteen to two. It 

 prohibited the assembling of persons in public meeting within a 

 defined area, extending to about the^eighth of a mile in each direction 

 from Parliament House ; but as the western boundary was Stephen 

 Street, it left the Eastern Market still available for the popular 

 Forum. 



The Assembly had been prorogued after passing the Land Act 

 until the 20th of November, and when the Nicholson Ministry again 

 met the House they were in poor favour. Mr. Service had resigned 

 the control of the Lands Department in disgust at the treatment 

 his Bill had received. Mr. Francis had also retired, and the Cabinet 

 in its weakened condition was at once attacked by the Convention 

 party, Mr. J. H. Brooke, of Geelong, one of the leaders of the land 



