ceded with the Governor, and the waiTant was withdrawn.'^ A golden opportiinitj of relieving the government from the shame previously cast upon it was thus lost, by failure to make an example at a fitting time. Meaner men may make mistakes with impunity. A Governor can never regain the position he loses l>y a want of principle, or of resolution to enforce what he knows to be rif];ht. One Captain Jolm Nichol, of the ship WfilliCr, insisted upon and obtained justice. In 1799 he conveyed Colonel Pater son and Captain Abbott fi"om England to New South Wales, supplying them and others with two- thirds of a full seaman's allowance of provisions on the voyage, in accord- ance with his charter-party. At Sydney the other third was demanded, and, to use Nichors own language, '* as obstinately refused. Nichol was summoned, and com- pelled to supply the arrear provisions for eight persons. His charter-party was scouted as "only a copy, and that not attested. He ol>tained no redress from Governor Hunter. He deposed to these facts (28th Jan, 1803) before the Lord Mayor Price, at the Mansion House. Inquiry was made. The Transport Olhee wrote to Lord Hobart- Lord Hobart (12th March 1808) wrote to Governor King — '* Colonel Patersoii ou»4lit lo have known that li was contrary to the €58tablia1ied rulcK of the yervice^" . . . ** ami the Civil Court ought also to have known tJuit the point in tjuestion slioiiM, instead of being brought under their cognizance, hiive been refer rtid to Hia Majesty a tlovernment iov decision. You will therefore take inuuediate stepa to recover from Colonel Pateraoa and the other persona, . . . and you will signify to Colonel Pateraon niy entire diaapprobation of hla having given the sanction of lii.s name to such n proceeding,"' Patersoii obeyed, btit remarked that be was giiiiled by the decision obtahied by Governor Hunter. - Hunter recomniemled (1790) the reujoval of the corps which contained
- characters who have been conattlered as disgraceful to every other
regiment in His Majeaty'a aervicti/* ite complaioe*! also to the comnmnd- ing officer, Prtterson, that the ** conduct of thia part of the corpa has becu, in my opinion^ the most violent and outrageouB that waa ever heard of by any British regiment whatever," Some ot tbem (he tokl the Secretary of State) were *' often superior in every apeciea of infamy to the moat export in wickedness among the couvicta." The Duke of Portland told Hunter that the conduct of the niilitary in attacking the car^jenter was ao flagrant that he conld *' not well imagine anything like a justitiable excuse for not bringing the four soldiers who were depiosed against to a court-martial, iind punishing them with the utmost severity."
