into the Colony and also his right to refuse a marriage license.[1] The Governor in reply "wished Mr. Bent had spared himself the trouble of writing them; as his unsolicited opinions can in no way alter the resolution of Governor Macquarie in the case alluded to in those letters".[2] The young man had to return unmarried, and whether or no the lady followed him is not recorded.
Both these incidents were included in the petition. The document was first drawn up by Vale and submitted to Bent. Bent characterised it as a "miminy-piminy thing, not half severe enough," and wrote one out himself. To this draft Vale made a few additions and brought it to be engrossed on parchment by a certain emancipated clerk.[3] It was then deposited in Moore's office and all who came by were invited in to sign it.
Vale left, taking the petition with him, in June, 1816, and just before his departure Macquarie, thinking perhaps to conciliate him, gave him a grant of land. But when he learnt more exactly what were the contents of the petition, he withdrew the grant.[4]
"This memorial," wrote Macquarie to Lord Bathurst in April, 1817, "was sent from hence for England in June last … which I was aware of at the time, but not being so fully informed of its object as I have become since, I did not feel it necessary to make your Lordship any communication at that time in regard to it.
"Since that time a copy of the memorial having been
- ↑ Macquarie sent one other man out of the Colony, an Irish Roman Catholic priest, whose coming had not been sanctioned by the head of his Church in England. Such a power was exercised also by the Governor at the Cape of Good Hope. It was assumed that a Governor could prevent any one who did not bring special authority from the Secretary of State from settling in a Colony. See Campbell's Evidence, Appendix, Bigge's Reports. R.O., MS. Macquarie frequently interfered to prevent marriages. In one case he refused to allow a marriage on the ground that the woman was too old for the man. The couple therefore lived together unmarried. See Vale to C.O., 16th April, 1818. R.O., MS.
- ↑ Bent to C.O. with enclosures, 12th June, 1816. R.O., MS.
- ↑ This man wrote a letter to Macquarie in 1821 giving this account of the petition. See letter, 29th January, 1821. Appendix, Bigge's Reports. R.O., MS. There is no copy of the petition to be found, and its contents can only be discovered by indirect means. Jones, in 1819, said the bulk of the contents were true, some things perhaps incorrectly stated and some a little exaggerated. See his Evidence, C. on G. The sort of document may be easily imagined—a basis of fact distorted by the anxiety of two aggrieved men to impute bad motives and see each deed in an evil light.
- ↑ Vale to C.O., 16th April, 1818. R.O., MS.
