point of this nature I of course deferred to the opinion of those who are the law servants of Crown, but finding their opinion to be that the trial of Mr. Vale by Court-Martial upon the charges preferred against him was altogether contrary to law, it was impossible for me not to pronounce your conduct … illegal. I am sure you cannot but admit that the presumable guilt of any individual affords no justification for adopting towards him any course of proceeding other than what the law prescribes; and I feel confident that you will allow also that violations of the laws, whatever be their object, can never add strength to a Government or increase its influence."[1] All Macquarie could reply was that "it having been the unceasing study of a long life, spent in the service of my country in every quarter of the globe, to conform myself in every particular to its establishments, founded as they are in wisdom and matured by the experience of ages, I am unable to express the mortification I suffer at this time, from finding myself liable to be shaken in the good opinion of my Sovereign, by the imputation of a conduct which I reprobate on every ground of right and of political expediency".[2]
Macquarie's resignation was not immediately accepted, nor was the letter in which he tendered the resignation answered until another year had passed. The Secretary of State apparently expected that it would be withdrawn, and thought it the result of merely temporary irritation. That this was not the case appeared later, and the resignation was finally accepted and Macquarie's successor appointed in 1820.[3]
It is thus clear that while Macquarie brought about Bent's dismissal. Bent succeeded in revenging himself to a considerable extent. Even after Vale had left the Colony, Bent continued to harass the Governor in many small ways. Finally, at the beginning of December, 1816, he attempted to reopen the Supreme Court and ordered Riley and Broughton to attend at the court-house for that purpose. Riley was the only one of the two in Sydney, and he did not attend. To prevent Bent from taking any steps to enforce his attendance, Macquarie
