OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 215 



M' Arthur and Captain Abbot, of the 102d regiment. The governor 

 seized them, and prohibited distillation in the colony. Much dis- 

 content grew out of this prohibition ; and other difficulties occurred, 

 which resulted in the arrest of Governor Bligh, by the military, and 

 other turbulent persons in the colony, in 1808. The home govern- 

 ment now saw the necessity of putting down this lawless spirit, and 

 reinstated Governor Bligh ; but although he was also promoted to the 

 rank of admiral, he is said to have died of a broken heart. 



Governor Macquarie was his successor. He seems to have 

 endeavoured to build up Sydney and Paramatta at the expense of the 

 morals of the community, and appears to have discouraged free 

 emigration. The emancipated convicts were admitted by him to the 

 same privileges and immunities as the free settlers ; and he treated 

 the whole colony as if it were the gift of the mother country to those 

 of her subjects who had outraged her laws. This policy soon had its 

 effect at home, where it is said that crimes were committed in the 

 hope of being sentenced to transportation ; and it is asserted that the 

 emancipated convicts, known as ticket-of-leave men, were much more 

 desirably situated than honest persons of their own rank of life in 

 the mother country. Many of these in consequence wrote to their 

 friends to come out to them, and pointed out the means of doing so at 

 the expense of the crown. This state of things was offensive to the 

 free settlers, who opposed the endeavours of the colonial government 

 to break down the distinctions that naturally exist between the 

 polluted and unpolluted. Their repugnance was increased by the 

 attempt, on the part of the emancipated convicts, to make property 

 the only qualification for acquiring civil and political rights. So 

 strongly was the line of distinction drawn by the free settlers at that 

 time, that it remains unbroken to the present day, and affects even 

 the third and fourth generation. From the countenance shown to 

 the convicts by Governor Macquarie, their minds have become 

 impressed with the idea that the colony is intended for their benefit ; 

 and they consider that they have the best right to administer the 

 government, while the free emigrants in their opinion are interfering 

 with their rights, by occupying all places of emolument and trast. 

 Sufficient interest was excited by the complaints of the free emigrants 

 to cause a commission of inquiry to be appointed. Much good 

 resulted from its action, and a settled policy was at length adopted in 

 relation to the treatment of the convicts. 



Governor Macquarie was succeeded, in 1821, by Sir Thomas Bris- 



