THE CHRONLCLES OF EARLY
MELBOURNE.
685
T H E FIRST HISTORIC SIXPENCES.
When Mr. Henry Cuthbert retired from the Berry Administration in 1878, in the redistribution of his salary amongst the remaining members of the Cabinet, there remained an indivisible coin, which was credited to the public account, and was consequently known as the " Historic Sixpence" ; but I trust to be able to show that many years before, there existed a more legitimate claimant to the honour of such a designation. On the 16th July, 1846, John O'Shanassy appeared at the Melbourne Police Court to answer a summons taken out by John James, a painter, for an assault committed on the 13th. From the evidence of the complainant it appeared that on the afternoon of the riot he was on his way to the Orange demonstration, having in his possession a loaded pistol, and sporting a " loud" orange-coloured handkerchief in his hand. The defendant met him in Queen Street, and broke the peace by hitting James on the head and knocking off his cap. The charge was admitted, and the assault thus justified. The defendant was returning from the Pastoral Hotel, whither he had gone with the Mayor, to assist in the preservation of the public peace. A man had been shot there and carried away by some persons, and accompanied by the defendant. In passing the Brian Boru Hotel, the complainant was met, and the defendant addressing him said, " Are you going to shoot more of the people ?" James made an insulting reply, and the assault was committed under circumstances of considerable excitement and provocation. The Bench deliberated for a few moments, and its Chairman (the Mayor) announced the decision to be that the complainant did not come into Court with clean hands, as he was proceeding with a deadly weapon, when the assault was committed, to a place where deadly outrages were being perpetrated. He was also exhibiting a handkerchief of colour considered to be a distinctive party badge; and it would not be unjustifiable to even arrest any person under such circumstances. The assault was not, however, justifiable, and the defendant would be fined sixpence with 5s. 4d. costs. This "bender" is therefore clearly entitled to take precedence of the other, and the Cuthbert coin must give way to the O.S. one. _ Irritation and counter-irritation continued for some time, and the amicable relations that should prevail amongst the people were seriously disturbed. Some of the police behaved in a very unbecoming manner and two constables, named Cantlon and Heffernan, who were Orangemen and fraternized with their " brethren" both at the Pastoral and Bird-in-Hand on thefirstand second day of the disturbance, were reported to the Mayor, who warned them against being members of any secret partisan body, and directed their names to be placed at the bottom of the list for promotion. As to the police office committals nothing further came of them, for the Crown Prosecutorfiledno bills of indictment on either side. As convictions would, through the weakness of evidence, and the mixed state of the jury panel be difficult, if not impossible of obtainment, a wise, and, in the end, a beneficial discretion was exercised.. Unsparing censure was vented by both parties upon the gentleman (Mr. James Croke) who held in his hands the important functions of a Grand Jury. " Old Croke," as he was universally called, was a Roman Catholic Corkonian, and uncle of the celebrated Irish Archbishop of that name; and though brusque always, and blundering sometimes was in the main a thoroughly conscientious, and well-intentioned official.
THE MAYOR ON THE GRIDIRON.
Dr. Palmer (the Mayor) had hard times of it, for he got roasted in a manner that drove him to the verge of distraction. As a matter of course, the Melbourne newspapers sided with both sides of the row, some viewing the discreditable proceedings through yellow, and others through green, spectacles. The Argus and the Gazette pitched into Palmer mercilessly. No doubt he deserved much of what he got, but his assailants hit him high and low, up and down, with a cowardly truculence disgusting to lovers of fair play. Metaphorically, he was like an Indian captive tied to a stake and tortured, by two yelping savages. The Mayor was not gifted with the patience of a Stoic, and his
