the eureka stockade-第26章

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t　it　is　too　humiliating　to　say　any　more。

Mr。　Sturt；　with　an　odious　face；　whose　plumpness　told　me　at　once　he　was　no　friend　to　fasting；　strutted　to　the　magisterial　chair；　and　committeed　me　and　the　nigger…rebel；　to　whom　I　was　kindly　hobbled；　to　take　our　trial　for　high　treason！




Chapter　LXIX。



Vox　Populi；　Vox　Dei。


In　the　course　of　the　day　（December　7th）；　in　spite　of　all　the　bayonets　and　blunderbusses；　the　report　reached　us　that　the　Melbourne　people　had　had　a　Monster　Meeting　of　their　own；　equal　to　ours　of　November　29th；　and　that　Mr。　Foster；　the　'Jesuit；'　had　been　dismissed　from　office。

The　tragical　act　on　Ballaarat　was　over；　the　scenery　changed；　and　the　comedy　now　proceeded　to　end　in　the　farce　of　the　State　Trials　in　Melbourne。

Between　Wednesday　and　Thursday；　all　the　160　prisoners　were　liberated；　with　the　necessary　exception　of　thirteen；　reserved　to　confirm　the　title　of　this　book。

I　do　not　wish　to　omit　one　significant　circumstance。　　On　Tuesday　night；　December　5th；　I　was　hobbled　for　the　night　to　young　Fergusson；　an　American；　and　shared　with　him　his　blankets。　　I　felt　very　much　for　this　young　man；　for　he　suffered　from　consumption；　and　as　I　do　respect　him；　so　I　shall　not　disclose　our　private　conversation。　　This；　however；　is　to　the　purpose。　He　was　among　us；　and　with　us　at　four　o'clock　on　Saturday；　at　one　and　the　same　time　when　spy　Peters　was　within　the　stockade。

No　spy；　no　trap；　no　trooper　appeared　against　young　Fergusson。　　Doctor　Kenworthy；　his　countryman；　had　the　management　of　getting　him　off。　　I　was　glad　at　his　obtaining　his　liberty；　because　he　was　a　brave；　kind…hearted；　republican…minded　young　American；　and　I　intend　to　keep　his　blue　blankets　he　left　to　me　in　prison　for　my　comfort；　in　his　remembrance。




Chapter　LXX。



Audi　Alteram　Partem。　'Fair　Play'。


As　I　wish　to　be　believed；　so　I　transcribe　the　following　from　'The　Argus'；　Friday；　December　15；　1854；

MAINTENANCE　OF　LAW　AND　ORDER。

The　Lieutenant…Governor　received　a　deputation　from；　with　an　address　signed　by；　five　hundred　bankers；　merchants；　and　other　classes　resident　in　Melbourne；　placing　themselves；　their　services；　and　their　influence　unreservedly　at　His　Excellency's　disposal；　for　the　maintenance　or　order　and　upholding　of　the　paramount　authority　of　existing　（！）　law。

His　Excellency　listened　with　marked　attention　to　the　address；　to　which　he　gave　the　following　answer：

〃Gentlemen。。。

〃。。。It　is　necessary　to　look　its　（the　Colony's）　difficulty　full　in　the　face。

〃Here　we　have　persons　from　all　parts　of　the　globe；men　who　come　to　look　for　gold　and　gold　alone；　men　of　adventurous　spirit；　of　resolution；　and　of　firm　purpose　to　carry　out　the　principles　which　actuate　them。　　If　gold　fails；　or　the　season　is　unfavourable；　we　must　expect　such　outbreaks　and　such　dangers　as　have　given　rise　to　the　most　loyal　and　valuable　address　which　you　present　to　me。　　＇'Pardon；　Monsiegneur；　apres　lecture　des　versets　28；　29；　du　chap。　I。；　et　versets　17；　18；　19；　du　chap。　III。；　de　la　Genese；　favorisez　s'il　vous　plait　l'exploitation　de　l'activite　de　tous　ces　gaillards　la；　par　la　Charrue：　　l　n'y　a　pas　mal　de　terres　ici；　et　bien　pour　tout　le　monde。　　Audaces　fortuna　juvat。'＇

〃I　desire　to　govern　by　the　people；　and　through　the　people：　and　by　the　people　I　mean　through　the　intelligence　of　the　people。　　＇'Elle　est　fameuse；　Monseigneur　l'intelligence　de　ceux；　qui　vous　ont　conseille　l'affaire　de　Ballaarat！　surtout　in　farce　odieuse　de　haute…trahison！'＇

〃In　Ballaarat　it　was　not　a　particular　law；　against　which　objection　was　raised；　nor　was　there　a　particular　complaint　made。　　＇'Oh；　pardon；　Monseigneur：　　ou　l'on　vous　a　toujours　mal　informe；　ou　l'on　vous　a　souvent　cache　la　verite：　　alheureusement；　cela　n'a　pas　beaucoup　change　meme　aujourd'hui'。'　　Vide　'The　Times'；　Ballaarat；　Saturday；　September　29；　1855；　and　Saturday；　November　10thLocal　Court。＇

〃。。。It　was　not　exactly　the　licence　fee；　that　caused　the　outbreak；　though　that　was　made　the　'nom　de　guerre；'　the　'cheval　de　bataille；'　this　was　not　the　real　cause。　　I　consider　that　the　masses　were　urged　on　by　designing　men　who　had　ulterior　views；　and　who　hoped　to　profit　by　anarchy　and　confusion。　＇'Comment　se　fait　il　Monseigneur　que　vous　mettez　le　prix　de　500　pounds　sur　la　tete　du　chef　de　ces　blagueurs　du　Star　Hotel；　a　Ballaarat；　et　puis　vous　lassiez　courir　le　malin　a　son　aise！　　Avez…vous；　oui　ou　non；　Monseigneur；　accorde　votre　pardon　a　M‘Gill？　et　les　autres　Americains　donc？'＇

〃Then　we　have　active；　designing；　intriguing　foreigners；　who　also　desire　to　bring　about　disorder　and　confusion。〃　＇'Cependant；　moi；　bon　garcon　apres　tout；　et　d'une　ancienne　famille　Romaine；　j'ai　ete　VOLE　sous　arret　au　Camp　de　Ballaarat　par　VOS　gens　et　avec　impunite；　Monseigneur。　　Vous　me　faites　l'honneur　d'avouer　par　votre　lettre　la　chose；　mais　vous　n'avez　point　fait　de　restitution。　　Ce　n'est　pas　comme　cela　que　j'entends　le　vieux　mot　Anglais；　Fair…play。'＇〃

Hence；　I　had　better　address　myself　to　the　five　hundred　gentlemen；　who　belong　to　the　brave　Melbourne　people　after　all。

Gentlemen；

Five　hundred　copies　of　this　work；　which　costs　me　an　immense　labour；　for　the　sake　of　the　cause　of　truth；　will　be　left　with

MESSRS。　　MUIR；　BROTHERS　AND　CO。；　Merchants；　Flinders…lane；　Melbourne

of　the　same　firm　much　respected　on　Ballaarat；　to　whom　I　am　personally　known　long　ago；　having　been　their　neighbour　on　the　Massacre…hill；　Eureka。　Ten　shillings　is　my　price　for　each　copy：　and；　as　Messrs。　Muir　render　this　service　to　me　gratuitously；　so　I　hereby　authorise　them　to　keep　half…a…crown　from　each　ten　shillings；　and　in　the　spirit　of　St。　Matthew；　verses　1；　2；　3；　4；　chap。　vi。；share　said　halfcrowns　in　the　following　proportion：　　one　shilling　to　the　Benevolent　Asylum；　one　shilling　to　the　Melbourne　Hospital；　and　sixpence　to　the　Miners'　Hospital；　Ballaarat。

I　hope　thus　to　understand　'Fair…play'　better　than　Toorak。

I　have　not　yet　done　with　His　Excellency's　answer。

〃The　part　which　the　bankers；　merchants；　tradesmen　and　others　in　Melbourne　and　in　Geelong　＇'pas　a　Ballaarat；　Monseigneur'＇；　have　taken　in　coming　forward　to　support　me；　I　shall　be　careful　to　represent　properly　at　home；　where　perhaps　these　occurrences　may　attract　more　attention　than　they　deserve。　　＇'Pour　votre　bonheur；　Monseigneur；　Sebastopol　leur　donne　assez　d'occupation　pour　le　moment。'＇

〃I　shall　declare　my　opinion　that　the　mass　of　the　community　does　not　sympathise　with　these　violators　of　the　law。〃　　＇'Est…ce　donc　un　reve；　Monseigneur；　que　votre　gouvernment　en　voulait　a　ma　tete；　aussi；　bien　qu'a　celle　de　douze　autres　prisonnier；　d'etat；　et　que　le　peuple　nous　a　acquitte　glorieusement　par'　SEVEN　BRITISH　JURIES！＇

'Mon　ardent　desir；　mon　tourment　presque；　c'est　d'avoir　vite　l'honneur　de　parler；　encore　une　fois　sur　la　terre；　a　SA　MAJESTE　LA　REINE　VICTORIA。'

'AINSI…SOIT…IL。'




Chapter　LXXI。



The　State　Prisoners。


I　Beg　to　say　at　once；　that　with　the　exception　of　Hayes　and　Manning；　of　the　remaining　ten；　seven　were　perfect　strangers　to　me；　three　I　had　simply　met　at　work　on　the　gold…fields；　and　I　won't　say　anything　further。

Yes；　though；　MICHAEL　TUHEY　was　the　stoutest　heart　among　us；　an　Irishman　in　word　and　deed；　young；　healthy；　good…hearted　chap；　that　hates　all　the　ways　of　John　Bull；　he　had　been　misled　by　honest　George　Black　countenancing　the　two　demagogues　at　Creswick…creek；　and　had　hastened　with　his　double…barrelled　guns　to　Ballaarat；　and　stood　his　ground　like　an　Irishman；　against　the　red…coats。　　He　never　was　sorry　for　it。　　His　brother　paid　some　forty　pounds　to　a　certain　solicitor　for　his　defence；　but　when　Mic　was　tried　for　his　neck；　the　Hog　was　not　there。　　GOD　SAVE　THE　PEOPLE！

THOMAS　DIGNAM；　a　serious…looking；　short；　tight…built　young　chap；　a　native　of　Sydney；　who　hated　all　sort　of　rogues；　because　he　was　honest　in　heart。　He　brunted　courageously　the　mob　fury　on　Tuesday　evening；　November　28th；　on　the　Eureka；　and　actually　saved　at　the　risk　of　his　own　life；　the　life　of　a　soldier　of　the　12th　regiment　on　its　way　to　Ballaarat；　he　took　up　arms　in　the　cause　of　the　diggers　in　Thursday's　licence…hunt；　was　subsequently　under　drill　at　the　stockade；　fought　like　a　tiger　on　Sunday　morning；　repented　not　of　having　put　on　stretchers　a　couple　of　red…coats；　was　always　cheerful；　contented　and　kind…hearted　during　the　f